Urban Meyer - NIL deals need buyout clauses

"As a guy who's been involved in this game for almost forty years, I can't believe this happened. It's crazy."

Not exactly what you'd expect from a three-time national champion—but that's where this offseason has left Urban Meyer.

In the wake of Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava sitting out the Spring Game and entering the transfer portal after the Vols reportedly refused to increase his NIL deal. Meyer along with Mark Ingram II and Rob Stone, discussed the immediate and long-term ramifications of the move on this week's episode of The Triple Option.

Iamaleava, who was earning around $2.5 million through NIL, skipped Spring practice and eventually entered the portal after head coach Josh Heupelopted to move on from the one-year starter—a decision that’s sparked mixed reactions across the college football landscape.

“Coach Heupel’s making a stand, and that’s great. That’s his prerogative—he’s the head coach,” Meyer said. But he didn’t shy away from the risk involved. “Tennessee usually plays Florida every October. Can you imagine if the game doesn’t go their way and he’s sitting there thinking, ‘Hey, it’s OK, I made a stand way back when’?”

With little depth behind Iamaleava, Tennessee is expected to be active in the ten-day Spring transfer portal window—something Meyer sees as urgent.

“Tennessee is screwed. They’ve got a problem. You lose a potential high draft pick. Your backup quarterback left last year, and now you’ve got a redshirt freshman who’s thrown nine passes and a true freshman. You have zero experience.”

Ingram sees the issue on a broader scale.

“The ultimate goal here is to be an NFL quarterback, right? Take the proper steps to control what you can control. I guarantee you—if you ball out and take Tennessee to the playoffs, you’ll get four or five million the next year.”

So what’s the solution?

“Treat ‘em like coaches,” Meyer suggested. “And if you really want to tie it all in—though I don’t think you’re allowed to do it now—allow buyouts. So if someone wants to go get Nico, they’ve got to pay Tennessee five million dollars.”

One thing’s clear: change has to come.

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