Phillip Fulmer on Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava: 'This guy is really, really special'
Count Phillip Fulmer in as a Nico Iamaleava believer. The former Tennessee Football coach is all the way in on the former five-star prospect and the new starting quarterback for the Vols as a redshirt freshman this season.
“This young guy now, Nico is for real, he is,” Fulmer said this week during an appearance of Josh & Swain on 99.1 WNML-FM in Knoxville. “He’s for real. I’ve been around a lot of good ones. But this guy is really, really special.
“We’ve just got to keep him healthy. And keep the younger ones coming too. But f he stays healthy, it could be very exciting offensive football team, which leads to a really exciting football team.”
Nico Iamaleava in five games last season: 28-45, 314 passing yards, 71 rushing yards, 5 total TDs
Iamaleava was ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the On3 ratings in 2023, picking the Vols over Miami, Alabama, Georgia and others while headlining Tennessee’s recruiting class.
He sat out last season while redshirt senior Joe Milton III took over for Hendon Hooker.
“We probably weren’t as efficient in the passing game (last season) for maybe a number of reasons,” Fulmer said. “Bru (McCoy) got hurt, other quarterback didn’t play consistent, I don’t think.”
Iamaleava made his first career start in Tennessee’s 35-0 win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day, accounting for 178 total yards and four total touchdowns.
“They did a great job of keeping him coming (last season),” Fulmer said of Josh Heupel and his Tennessee coaching staff. “Gave him a chance to (start) the bowl game. He did a super job of doing what they had to do to win the game.”
Season Opener: No. 15 Tennessee vs. Chattanooga, August 31, 12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Iamaleava made five total appearances as a freshman last season, completing 28 of 45 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns and ran 20 times for 71 yards and had three rushing touchdowns.
While it’s now Iamaleava’s team, Fulmer said he still has to go out and take control.
“He has to earn it,” Fulmer said. “He has to prove to the team that he’s the guy.”
But it sounds like Fulmer has no doubt that will happen as the season plays out.
“He’s got such confidence to him, about him,” Fulmer said. “He looks you in the eye, shakes your hand, he knows who you are. And he gets in the huddle or on the line of scrimmage and he’s in tune, gets everybody aligned and everything. So hopefully we’ll play like we practice. And we’ll stay healthy.”
