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Tony Vitello takes thinly veiled shot at Nico Iamaleava with clever movie reference

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•04/13/25
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello. Credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello. Credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When Tennessee took on Ole Miss this weekend it was a homecoming of sorts for infielder Andrew Fischer. And somehow Fischer’s return led to a thinly veiled shot at Nico Iamaleava from head coach Tony Vitello.

Fischer, of course, spent the 2024 season playing for the Rebels. He transferred to play for the Volunteers ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Following the series, reporters asked about Fischer’s strong weekend against his former team. Vitello launched into a lengthy answer about the relative merits of the transfer-happy world we now live in.

At the end, it looped back around to the Nico Iamaleava situation. In part because Fischer was met with some angry yelling by the Ole Miss faithful.

Nature of the beast, Vitello said. He concluded:

“I get the yelling. You could tell people really liked (former Ole Miss pitcher) Liam (Doyle), they enjoyed watching him compete,” Vitello said, per 247Sports. “Their most dangerous guy all weekend was at Kentucky last year. So we could go on with our history too.

“I don’t like it. It’s part of the deal. And all I want every year when we come to work, is a bunch of guys that want to be at our place, and if they don’t, that’s fine. That’s just the world we live in now. And if you’re a Vol football fan, just watch the movie Friday.”

The reference? Unquestionably to one of the most famous lines from the movie Friday: “Bye Felicia!”

That’s certainly the feeling many Tennessee fans will have after witnessing the drama of the Nico Iamaleava situation unfold over the last week. The starting Volunteers quarterback was in “active negotiations” over a fresh NIL deal, wanting more.

Tennessee wasn’t willing to give it, and eventually Josh Heupel and his program simply washed their hands and walked away. It was a stunning twist in an otherwise quiet college football offseason so far.

Say this, though: Vitello is a man of the people. And he simply said what many in orange and white are thinking when it comes to Nico Iamaleava.