Cooper Mays breaks down differences in offense with Nico Iamaleava

On3’s Andy Staples was in Knoxville, TN, recently taking in all the sights and sounds of the Tennessee Volunteers Pro Day. But before the attention turned to the players transitioning to the pros, the Volunteers held their first scrimmage of the spring.

Tennessee has high hopes for this upcoming season as they usher in the era of quarterback Nico Iamaleava. But what is the offense like now with the new signal caller, and how does it differ from the days of Hendon Hooker at the helm or those of Joe Milton? To get the answer to that question, Staples had a sit-down conversation with an individual who knows the trio all too well — star center Cooper Mays.

During the interview, Mays took a moment to break down how the offense operates differently under Iamaleava, if at all.

“Well, the biggest difference is trying to get him dialed in. And I was kind of telling him today, we had our scrimmage today; everybody wants the splash plays. Everybody sees the big-time plays, but it’s really the efficient work that we do, moving the chains, getting the first down, and getting a rhythm established. That’s the biggest thing, working on that with him,” said Mays.

Iamaleava is still young, but he has shown a great deal of promise. Last season, with Milton opting not to play in the Volunteers’ bowl game matchup against Iowa, Iamaleava showed that he could lock in and not prioritize the big play. That mindset, along with his athletic ability, earned him Citrus Bowl Offensive Player of the Game honors.

Mays recognizes that his young quarterback has the ability to play the right way and not just seek home run plays. But he’s not just challenging Iamaleava to play with patience; he is challenging the entire Tennessee roster.

“It’s gotta be something we’re good at, as a team. And that’s where we found success in the past. Offensive coordinators talk about you know play the pass off the run; that’s when we get our big chunk plays, when we’re being efficient, being able to run the football, getting the ball on the perimeter. Maybe six yards and then it’ll bust open.”

Arguably the best the Tennessee offense has looked in recent memory was the 2022 season with Hooker calling the shots. Before going down with an injury, the Tennessee quarterback was in the running for the Heisman trophy and had the Volunteers’ in position to potentially earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. And he did so not just with huge plays but also taking what the defense gave him. If Iamaleava can follow Hooker’s 2022 example, Mays and the Volunteers might get an opportunity to play for a national title this season, giving Mays the opportunity to head off to the next level as a champion.