Josh Heupel explains what makes Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava different
Josh Heupel on Wednesday was asked at SEC Spring Meetings if Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava reminds him of any other quarterback he’s worked with in the past. Instead of making a comparison, Heupel opted to explain what makes his sophomore starter different than the rest.
“He’s unique in his frame and skillset,” Heupel told reporters. “His ability to move, extend, make plays off schedule, throw from different arm angles.”
Iamaleava made his first career start on New Year’s Day, capping his freshman season at Tennessee with a 35-0 win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Nico Iamaleava in the Citrus Bowl: 178 total yards, 4 total TDs
He was named Tennessee’s starter after Joe Milton III opted out to begin prep work for the NFL Draft and accounted for four total touchdowns in the win. Iamaleava completed 12 of 19 passes for 151 yards and one passing touchdown and ran 15 times for 27 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Iamaleava ran 19 yards for the game’s first touchdown and added a 3-yard touchdown run later in the first half. After halftime he had a 2-yard touchdown run and an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end McCallan Castles.
Heupel described the bowl game as good experience for Iamaleava and that he played “extremely well” in the win. But the biggest impact the game had was how it shaped Iamaleava’s offseason.
“I think it was a huge part of his urgency since he got back in the building in January,” Heupel said. “(He) continued to grow, changed his frame, added muscle to it, had a great spring.”
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Iamaleava was not only a five-star prospect coming out of Long Beach, California, in 2023, he was the No. 1 overall player in the On3 rankings. He was ranked No. 6 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking, coming in as the No. 3 quarterback in the class and the No. 1 player in the state of California.
‘(I’m) really excited about what he’s done up until this point’
“As a young guy,” Heupel said, “with how high profile he was in recruiting, his ability to enter into our building, be one of the guys, garner respect from the guys around him, be a magnet, draw people to him.”
Iamaleava appeared in five games during his freshman season, competing 28 of 45 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns. He ran 20 times for 71 yards and had the three rushing touchdowns in the bowl win.
“He’s really unique,” Heupel said, “and (I’m) really excited about what he has done up until this point. Got to have a great summer to be ready to go play the way we need him to in the fall.”
