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A Tennessee pastor took the SEC tagline of 'It just means more' to a different level.
Josh Sullivan, 45, of Maryville, a town neighboring Knoxville, was kidnapped and held at gunpoint for a week in the city of Gqeberha before "miraculously" being saved by police unharmed. However, the pastor was apparently most concerned about the Tennessee Volunteers losing starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava upon his return to East Tennessee.
Friend and fellow pastor Tom Hatley told WVLT 8 that Sullivan was "upset over Nico" during their first conversation since his return. Sullivan's wife also told Hatley that the "biggest conversation" she had with her husband was about Iamaleava entering the transfer portal.
“Hey, the boy was raised in East Tennessee, what can I tell ya?” Hatley said gleefully.
“If [Tennessee head coach] Josh Heupel is listening to me or the athletic director, Danny White, let’s get this man in to see the team, let’s let him run through the T, let’s do something because he deserves it,” he added.
Hatley did, however, specify that he understood the gravity of the situation and is thankful that his friend and colleague returned home safely. Sullivan was reported to be preaching to his congregation of about 30 people at a branch of the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, South Africa, when he was abducted by four armed men in April 10.
Police arrived at a safe house where Sullivan was being held and engaged in a gunfight that killed all the suspects on Tuesday (April 15).
Iamaleava, 20, who started the entire 2024 season, officially entered the college football transfer portal with a do not contract tag and is expected to sign with the UCLA Bruins. The former five-star prospect missed the Vols' team meetings and practice last Friday (April 11) amid what was being reported as an apparent holdout before Heupel confirmed reports of the team's intention to move on after its Orange and White Spring Game on Saturday (April 12).
"There's nobody bigger than the 'Power T,'" Heupel said via ESPN.
Iamaleava and Tennessee were reported to be in a standoff over his name, image and likeness contract this week amid the quarterback's absence from practice, which led to the Vols deciding to cut ties with the California native, though his family later denied that the standoff was due to his NIL deal. The quarterback agreed to a four-year deal worth approximately $8 million with the University of Tennessee's NIL collective, Spyre Sports Group, upon his commitment in the spring of 2022.
Iamaleava just completed his redshirt freshman season, which gives him three seasons of eligibility with his next college team once he enters the transfer portal, which is set to reopen on Wednesday (April 16). Tennessee went 10-3 and made its first College Football Playoff berth under the new format during Iamaleava's first year as a starter, which saw him throw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions.