Nico Iamaleava injury update: ABC broadcast crew provides latest on Tennessee QB

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava briefly exited the game against Alabama after taking a hard shot on a hit by the Crimson Tide, but he returned after one series.

The ABC broadcast crew provided an update on his status shortly after he re-entered the contest.

“Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava was clutching his left side in pain in their injury tent,” ABC sideline reporter Molly McGrath reported. “I’m told it’s his left hip that was injured. You saw him warming up. He looked a little bit rattled but told teammates, ‘I’m OK.'”

The Tennessee quarterback was injured attempting to escape pressure before being tackled. His head hit the ground hard while throwing the ball away. But Iamaleava did not immediately get back up, staying down on the field for a while.

Trainers instantly rushed onto the field to check on the second-year player before helping him walk off toward the medical tent.

Backup Gaston Moore entered the game for head coach Josh Heupel. He threw an interception to Alabama defensive back Malachi Moore on his first throw, giving the ball right back to the Crimson Tide.

But Iamaleava returned on the following series.

At the time of this writing, Nico Iamaleava was 6-of-12 passing for 90 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception. He had also run twice for five yards.

Kalen DeBoer addresses Jalen Milroe interception

Through the first quarter of the Third Saturday in October matchup between Alabama and Tennessee, quarterback play was up-and-down for both teams. But Jalen Milroe had one of the more costly plays on a goal-line interception, and Kalen DeBoer addressed the conversation between the two.

Milroe’s pass was picked off in the end zone by Jermod McCoy as Alabama looked to score the first touchdown of the game. It was the Alabama QB’s fifth interception of the season, and it kept the game scoreless.

DeBoer’s message was simple, though. He wanted Milroe to keep playing his game and focus on the task at hand, rather than worrying too much about the interception.

“Just the things we always talk about, as far as ball placement and decision-making and things like that,” DeBoer told ABC’s Molly McGrath. “We’ve just got to keep playing ball, keep playing ball. Each play is its own play.”

On3’s Nick Schultz and Griffin McVeigh also contributed to this report.