Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s talent isn’t much of a question. Iamaleava has incredible arm strength and athleticism. He can make every throw which is why he was one of the top players in the entire 2023 recruiting cycle.
But what no recruiting expert can evaluate is Iamaleava’s mental makeup and how he will respond to the pressures that come with being the starting quarterback for a program with as big a following as Tennessee.
Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle discussed that reality this week and why he thinks Iamaleava’s personality makes him optimistic that he will handle the pressure well.
“I think it is one of the harder things to prepare someone for because they hear it all the time, but I don’t think you really know what it’s like to be the quarterback at a place like this until you are the quarterback at a place like this,” Halzle said. “He’s wired the right way. Nico’s an extremely even keeled kid just in general. He doesn’t ride high-or-low. He just kind of is. So his natural demeanor I think will lead very well to him handling the pressures of this position.”
Iamaleava talked about that pressure on Thursday too and said that he’s leaned on and talked to both Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton about the expectations and outside opinion that comes with being the starting quarterback at Tennessee.
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Up to this point in his college career, there’s been nothing but positivity revolving the highly touted Iamaleava. He played in just five games last season and performed well in his lone start— totaling four touchdowns in the Vols’ blowout Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa.
There’s more reasons besides his natural talent and demeanor that gives Halzle optimism about what Iamaleava can do. The redshirt freshman has impressed with his feel for and knowledge of the game.
“The kid grasps football is like the best thing to say,” Halzle said. “He feels space, he feels timing, he understands what’s going on just innately the kid gets football and he studies really hard. Like his offseason preparation is really, really good. It’s older than he appears to be. Because of that I feel like he’s grasped it well. Like he goes out there, take the field, you don’t feel like you’ve got a freshman quarterback that’s never done it full-time before.
“You’re not pulling him back, you’re not holding him back from anything. You’re just letting the kid go play because that’s when he’s at his best when you just cut that guy loose and kind of enjoy watching.”
Iamaleava and Tennessee football kick off its 2024 season on Aug. 31 when they face Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium.
