Josh Heupel’s spring just turned into a soap opera—and not the kind with happy endings. The quarterback room in Knoxville? It’s looking like somebody flipped the lights off and ran out the back door. And let’s not sugarcoat it—Nico Iamaleava dipped out like a ghost in the NIL night. $4 million or he’s gone—that was the deal. Tennessee said, ‘Nah, we ain’t payin’ you like a first-round pick just yet.’ Boom. Nico slid to UCLA for a reported $1.75M bag. But hey, with California taxes? That man practically took a pay cut for sunshine.
Now, while the Vols scramble like someone just yanked the aux cord mid-party, insiders have been whispering one name into Heupel’s ear—Steve Angeli. And it ain’t just whispers anymore….
On April 20, on the ‘Ruffino & DeLeone Show,’ those boys practically dropped a mixtape dedicated to the Notre Dame QB. Mark Ruffino said what a lot of folks have been thinking. Ruffino was all on the Steve Angeli hype train, like there’s no way Angeli doesn’t start at another Power 5 program. Tennessee needs to go all in on Steve Angeli. Joe DeLeone kept it real: “I think that this is not an indication to me that Angeli can’t start for a team, and I really think that he can. And he’s been around for a very long time. He’s played—he’s not played a lot of college football, but like, he’s been around a program like Notre Dame for some time. So he’s like—he’s been through it. He’s experienced in that sense.”
Joe DeLeone doubles down on Steve Angeli to Neyland talk: “Tennessee needs to go all in here. Because if you can’t pluck a starter from another program, going and bringing in Steve Angeli is your smartest move. Because Steve Angeli is going to be on target, he is going to be on time, he’s going to keep the offense on schedule and moving ahead. And in an offense that is purely based on timing, Nico’s biggest struggles were hesitation. A lot of hesitation.”
Steve Angeli brings exactly what a timing-based offense needs—he’s on target, on time, and keeps things moving without disruption. He’s not the most explosive quarterback, but he’s steady and reliable, which helps the offense stay on schedule. That stands in sharp contrast to Nico, whose biggest problem has been hesitation. Whether it’s processing reads or pulling the trigger, Nico’s been too slow, and in a system built around quick decisions, that hesitation holds everything back.
He even made it personal: “Go back and look at the Orange Bowl. You saw the cerebral instinct. Just go out there and ball. He did exactly what he needed.” And he’s not lying. When Riley Leonard got clipped late in the Orange Bowl, Steve Angeli stepped in like a dude who knew he’d only get one shot. Didn’t flinch. Went 6-for-7 on a crucial 52-yard drive that set up points before the half. That might not sound like Caleb Williams’ numbers, but if you know football, you know that’s command. That’s trust from the OC. In 11 appearances last season, Angeli posted 268 yards, 3 touchdowns, no picks, and a slick 156.7 passer rating—while barely getting live reps. No rust. No rattle.
Josh Heupel receives upsetting news about 7,073-yard QB
But hold up—Tennessee wasn’t only eyeing Angeli. Enter 7,073 yard QB: Rocco Becht. That’s the name Tennessee fans were starting to Google like mad. The Iowa State QB has 7,073 career yards to his name and had all the makings of a plug-n-play starter. Big arm, gritty legs, smart decisions. Vols Nation was cooking up dream scenarios. But on April 19, Pete Nakos from On3 crushed all that hope.
Steve Wiltfong spilled the tea: “Becht is happy with the Cyclones.” And Becht made it clear with a baller move—donating his NIL earnings to a children’s hospital in Ames. Man’s not only loyal, he’s got heart. With 3,505 passing yards and 25 TDs last season, Becht was easily one of the cleanest QB options in the portal. But now? Off the table.
A Power Four GM put it bluntly: “It’s (expletive) wild, I would be sweating if I was Tennessee.” That isn’t just nerves talking. It’s facts. Because the options are thinning, and the Vols might have to throw out a bag just to keep their offense from going stale. So now the focus turns squarely back to Steve Angeli. Here’s the twist that should have Heupel dialing fast….
Purdue’s already sniffing around. They need a starter too. But Purdue’s offense is nowhere near as flashy or quarterback-friendly as Tennessee’s. Vols got the tempo, the scheme, the playmakers. If Angeli’s looking for a launchpad, Neyland could be his runway.
But Tennessee can’t play the wait-and-see game anymore. The portal isn’t going to stay full forever, and once those names start disappearing, Vols low-key could be left with scout-team material. The urgency? It’s real. This isn’t about developing a project. This is about finding someone who can go 9-3 or better right now. So now Josh Heupel’s sitting there with a torn-up playbook, a QB1 spot wide open, and the portal shrinking by the day. And that’s when Joe DeLeone said the quiet part out loud: “If you can’t pluck a starter from another program, going and bringing in Steve Angeli is your smartest move.”
What’s crazy is how fast this whole situation flipped. One week ago, Angeli was just a decent backup. Now he’s looking like Tennessee’s last lifeline. With portal options thinning out and the calendar ticking toward summer workouts, the Vols don’t have time to get cute. They either make a move on Angeli, or risk heading into fall camp with vibes and prayer as their offensive strategy. Josh Heupel is at the crossroads. No Nico. No Becht. Just a rapidly fading chance to salvage this QB room before the whole house collapses. If not Steve, they need to get someone else in the portal. If Tennessee lets this one slip, they’re not just fumbling a player. They’re fumbling the whole damn season.
The post Josh Heupel Given Stern Steve Angeli Ultimatum as Tennessee HC Receives Upsetting 7,073-YD QB News appeared first on EssentiallySports.