Nico Iamaleava lists quarterbacks he models his game after, takes playful jab at Josh Heupel

Tennessee smoked Iowa 35-0 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Monday, giving freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava the chance to take over the reins with veteran Joe Milton opting out.

Iamaleava did not disappoint, turning in a gem during his first start to lead the Volunteers to a bowl win.

The talented Tennessee freshman was waiting for his moment for quite some time. But all that time has given him the chance to study some other quarterbacks, including guys in the NFL. It sure seemed to pay off on Monday.

“I watch a lot of guys, try and take a piece of their game and add it to mine,” Iamaleava said. “Some of the main guys, I watch Joe Milton every day. Just his pocket presence and the way he is able to deliver the ball from anywhere. He has a cannon, so just learning from his game.

“I take a lot from Bryce Young and Lamar Jackson, their game, too. I think it is just a mix, Josh Allen.”

Iamaleava also poked some fun at his coach, Josh Heupel, in discussing what film he watches of other quarterbacks.

“Watching Coach Heup’s old clips. You know, they got — it’s kind of black because they ain’t got (color),” Iamaleava said. “Got the black and white film, man.”

All jokes aside, Iamaleava clearly has some dual-threat ability. He scored three rushing touchdowns and chalked up 27 yards on the ground in the win over the Hawkeyes. He also finished the game 12-of-19 passing for 151 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

It should be just the start of a long and fruitful career for Iamaleava. The expectations are obviously sky high.

Prior to enrolling at Tennessee, Nico Iamaleava was a five-star prospect and the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2023 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He also checked in as the No. 3 quarterback and the No. 1 overall player in the state of California, hailing from Long Beach (CA) Warren.

Those accolades are the main reason he will have such lofty expectations going forward. Everyone’s expecting him to be the heir apparent to Milton, perhaps even taking the program to new heights.

So why did Iamaleava ultimately pick Tennessee?

“The reason I chose this university is, first of all, I think the whole coaching staff is one of the top coaching staffs in the nation,” Iamaleava said. “They really welcomed me with open arms. I felt like I was at home every time I took a visit. I just really — I never felt no fake love, man. I really felt like the real me from day one.

“Other than that, I think just the fans. I love the fans, the culture here. Yeah, that is pretty much why I chose here.”