Nick Saban Provides Advice for Tennessee Quarterback Nico Iamaleava

Nick Saban offered some advice for Tennessee Volunteer quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) during Tennessee's Orange & White spring football game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, April 13, 2024. / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA

Nick Saban offered some advice for Tennessee Volunteer quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

SEC Media Days are taking place this week in Dallas, Texas and there were some changes this year. Texas and Oklahoma joined the conference this offseason, so they are now participants during the week, and legendary head coach Nick Saban no longer has a spot at the podium. Saban is however serving as an analyst at the event with SEC Network and he had some important things to say to Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Iamaleava is set to be the team's full-time starting quarterback for the first time in his career. He did get the chance to start the Citrus Bowl against Iowa, and he played well for someone making their first start against a defense as good as Iowa's. So as Iamaleava gets closer to his big season, Saban had some advice to offer him:

"Just do your job," said Saban. "I think a lot of times, especially high-profile guys at quarterback- Jalen Milroe went through this a little bit last year early in the season- you don't have to make all the plays. You have to distribute the ball and make the right choices and decisions to get the ball to the right guys at the right time so they can catch it and run with it. You hand it off to the right guy if that's what you're supposed to do. You've heard me use this analogy before, you're more of a point guard than you are a shooting guard. You might score 35 points in a game you might score 13 and get 13 assists. But you're not turning the ball over and you're doing what your team needs you to do to have a successful offensive team." 

Many are eager to see how good Iamaleava will be in his first season as the starter, and if he keep things simple like Saban is telling him to, it should be a great 2024 season for the former five-star quarterback.

2024 SEC Media Days Schedule 

Monday, July 15th

• Brian Kelly (LSU)
• Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss)
• Shane Beamer (South Carolina)
• Clarke Lea (Vanderbilt)

Tuesday, July 16th

• Kirby Smart (Georgia)
• Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri)
• Brent Venables (Oklahoma)
• Josh Heupel (Tennessee)

Wednesday, July 17th

• Kalen DeBoer (Alabama)
• Billy Napier (Florida)
• Jeff Lebby (Mississippi State)
• Steve Sarkisian

Thursday, July 18th

• Sam Pittman (Arkansas)
• Hugh Freeze (Auburn)
• Mark Stoops (Kentucky)
• Texas A&M (Mike Elko)

Other Tennessee News:

• Tony Vitello Turnaround Nothing Short of Brilliant for Tennessee Baseball
• Jaylen Williams Cuts Recruitment to Four Schools
• Tennessee Vols Football Could Make Playoff According to CFB Data Model

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