Early Observations From Tennessee's Staff: Nico Iamaleava Is Right On Track

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava has been the recipient of much praise this week from the coaching staff, which sets him on par with expectations.

Few Tennessee Volunteers have begun their career with as much hype as 2023 quarterback signee Nico Iamaleava. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound California gunslinger attracted a ton of major interest early in his recruiting process before committing to Tennessee and shutting things down. He's one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks to come out of the high school ranks during the past few years, and people noticed - Iamaleava was the No. 1 player in On3 Sports' 2023 rankings and was the No. 2 player in the final rankings for 247Sports and Rivals.

Head coach Josh Heupel made things clear early this offseason that Tennessee did not have a quarterback competition - Joe Milton III has been the starter since the Orange Bowl clock hit triple-zeros. However, we know that Iamaleava is quite talented, enough to be the backup from day one. There's a good chance we'll see him in important football games this year; Milton didn't start last year but threw for almost 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns.

The Vols need Nico to be good in the present and future. That's a lot to handle for a teenager, but the coaching staff was always confident he would take it in stride. So far this offseason, he's proved them right at every turn. When fall camp opened, coaches couldn't stop talking about Iamaleava's approach to the game and how he hones his craft. "That guy is mature beyond his years," offensive coordinator Joey Halzle explained. "He didn't come in like a true freshman. He came in, one, wanting to learn, not thinking, 'I know I'm a highly graded recruit; I got it figured out.' He came in understanding - I want to learn, I need to know." Halzle said the Vols would have "huge confidence in him" should Milton go down with an injury.

Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava warming up on the first day of fall camp in Knoxville, Tennessee, on August 2, 2023. (Photo by Caitie McMekin of the News Sentinel)

Fair or unfair, many don't expect Iamaleava to go through many early growing pains. Though talented, he made a limited amount of high school starts, and the reality is that the transition would be difficult. Halzle praised how Iamaleava approached it and has competed since he arrived. "He's going in there against linebackers that have played four years of college football already because Coach (Tim) Banks has his entire disposal of his defense at him. So he did a great job handling that." He elaborated that he wants to see Iamaleava's eyes progress during fall camp, making concise reads and getting the football out of his hands.

The praise for him went beyond the coaching staff. When fall camp opened, Milton spent time with the media and spoke about his early observations of the coveted passer. "If there's something he did wrong, he's willing to own up to it. "That's the first time I've seen a freshman do that as they first came in, own up to the mistakes they made or some of the problems he had on the field." Milton has dealt with his share of highs and lows in college, and his seeing resilience in Iamaleava this early is encouraging.

You Might Also Like:

• Array of Tennessee Pass Catchers Show Out In NFL Training Camp
• Tennessee TEs Coach Alec Abeln Earns National Recognition
• In-State QBs Define Tennessee's Early 2025 Efforts

Join the community:

Follow Evan Crowell on Twitter: @EvanVCrowell

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @VolunteerCountry & follow us on Twitter at @VCountryFN.