Is NIL a blessing or curse? Ask Josh Heupel, who just lost his starting QB to it, as Nico Iamaleava’s move from Tennessee sent shockwaves through college football. The highly touted quarterback, coming off a stellar SEC season, reportedly sought a lucrative NIL deal that the university wouldn’t match. Negotiations broke down, and Iamaleava transferred, leaving Tennessee scrambling. The move caused an uproar, but Miami coach Mario Cristobal’s reaction? That just hit like a sledgehammer in a china shop. Clearly, the impact of NIL deals continues to reshape college football.

So, Nico Iamaleava joined Vols, signing a $2 million per year NIL deal, but this year, he just started looking for different ways to increase it. And reports state he was trying to get around $4 million to stay with the team. Sadly, the team wasn’t interested in fulfilling such high demand. And now, both of them are standing at the crossroads where one side, Vols, is looking for a QB, and Nico is finding another team in the portal. Quite a mess, right?

The twist? Cristobal isn’t fazed by Nico Iamaleava entering the transfer portal. He’s unmoved. But what worries him? Players are leveraging their position for more money. One successful holdout, and everyone follows suit. And Mario Cristobal isn’t letting that happen in Miami as he says, “We’re not going to do it at Miami… If they wanna play holdout, they might as well play get out.” That’s a pretty bold statement to make.

And Miami’s HC didn’t just stop there; he further reveals his concerns about how NIL is taking a toll on young minds, saying, “I think you stay real and true to the program. Make the decisions that are best for the program… Everybody is in the portal, and the portal is always open. It’s always open, and everybody’s in it. It’s all about what you’re willing to accept and draw the line in your program. Once you allow that to happen and agree to it, prepare for a line of 80 guys to do the same thing.” Look, in today’s era, it’s more about the kind of money you are willing to spend than the program.

Just look at LSU’s situation when they lost Bryce Underwood to Michigan for $10.5 million dollars. But Paul Finebaum is more concerned about Tennessee’s playoff chances this season, as he says, “There’s no question that Tennessee needs Nico to make a run at the playoff again,” Finebaum said. “Without him, their chances are pretty slim.” That’s a straight fact. However, how can this justify the fact that Nico Iamaleava didn’t show up in Friday’s spring practice? And was the one to pull off the holdout stunt?

Let’s be clear: Nico Iamaleava’s numbers weren’t dazzling. His freshman season yielded 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and a 63.8% completion rate. Solid? Perhaps. Stellar? No. It was the lowest yardage total by a Vols starter since 2019 (excluding the COVID year). Yet, Finebaum calls it a significant blow. Why? Quarterback depth is shallow, and losing a starter isn’t just a small problem; it’s a potential catastrophe.

Now, it’s a never-ending debate of who’s right and wrong, but for now, fans are pretty annoyed by Mario Cristobal’s snub over Nico Iamaleava’s NIL move.

Mario Cristobal’s bold take over Nico Iamaleava lands him at a tricky spot

There’s no denying that Nico Iamaleava’s move does make him a topic of debate. But Mario Cristobal’s bold statement seems more like a double standard take. Why? Remember how he already paid $4 million to Carson Beck this season? Then how can Nico’s move make him a bad guy? And fans are just highlighting the same saying, “Holdouts won’t happen at Miami because they overpay from the jump.”

Miami does spend a hefty amount on their roster. If we go by On3’s numbers, their average NIL value this year is $126,000, and that’s not it. Their recruiting trail is ranking 1st in ACC with 21 commits. So, now you can understand why fans get over the fact that Mario Cristobal is throwing shade at Nico Iamaleava’s holdout move. And just like the previous fan, this one is also pulling the same string, commenting, “To be fair, that won’t happen at Miami since they give bags to basically anyone that asks.”

Look, it’s not like Mario Cristobal is the first one to question NIL playing with players’ intentions and making it hard for the coaches to build a strong roster. Even Nick Saban raised the same concern long back, saying, “That creates a situation where you can basically buy players.” But the bottom line is Cristobal himself did it. And the same war cry goes on in the comment section, “Cause you already overpaid, so meh.”

Now, unlike other fans, this one is bringing a new perspective to the entire debate, saying, “Not the guy who took all of the UHealth department’s funds to give out to athletes.” Miami did pull a massive investment from their health funds, but let’s not forget they were in a big mess back in 2021 – when they were planning to fire Manny Diaz with a massive contract price and then hired Cristobal.

And let’s be real, NIL and the transfer portal are creating a big mess for the coaches in keeping their roster intact, and the impact is evident in the spring game, where teams like Nebraska, Texas, or Ohio State are opting out of it. Just to save their players from tampering. So, when fans say this to Cristobal, “Mario, you’re a s——g.” They should remember the impact it’s creating over the entire CFB.