Nico Iamaleava talks transition to college football, expectations for freshman season at Tennessee

Everything Tennessee freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava said during his first press conference with the Vols:

Changing from jersey No. 8 in high school to jersey No. 12 at Tennessee

“Eight was just my number in high school. They gave us the opportunity to choose our numbers for the Miami (Orange Bowl) practice, so I pretty much went with eight. Then spring practice, I got 12. So it’s my job to go do work now.”

His thoughts on the expectations moving forward, understanding the Tennessee offense 

“It’s been super fun. Just learning from Joe (Milton III), the whole playbook. Yeah, it’s been slowing down for me these past couple days. Not really thinking too much. I was on the first day. Really just taking everything from Coach Joey (Halzle), Coach Mitch (Militello) and Joe. Learning day by day.”

The hardest part about learning the Tennessee offense

“I think the tempo, for me, is what I’m still trying to get down. Moving the offense. Not as fast as Joe, but just keeping the same tempo as him so there’e no big drop off. Really the tempo and keying reads and all that goes into it. Just getting that tempo down.”

If he ran much tempo offense in high school 

“We really weren’t too much tempo. We ran tempo obviously, but our tempo wasn’t like Tennessee’s. It’s a big jump from high school to college.”

How enrolling early and arriving at Tennessee in January has helped him

“Coming in early benefitted me a lot. Just getting in the Miami practices, getting those under my belt. Seeing the live college reps, what college players look like. Getting adjusted to the speed a little more. I think I’m still adjusting to the speed as we’re still going. But those early practices definitely helped me.”

How different the Tennessee offense is when you’re in it, opposed to just watching it

“You can watch it all day, if you want. All night, if you want. But when you’re actually in the offense, it’s a whole different ballgame. So just getting that tempo down is way different than just watching it from the stands, (versus) when you’re actually in it.”

If there have been unusual places where he’s been stopped or approached by Tennessee fans since he committed to the Vols

“I’ll catch a couple people at restaurants if I go out to eat, out here in Tennessee. I’ll ride my scooter around, probably will get a high from a couple students on campus. Not too much stuff, been a pretty low-key guy.”

The weight he’s been able to put on already at Tennessee

“I weighed in, when I first got here, like 198. Then when I most recently weighed myself, before we left, I weighted in at 210. So just trying to maintain that weight with spring ball going. I know I lose weight easily, just because of running around. So just maintaining that weight, getting the right stuff in my body, keeping the right calories and all that.”

Where the Tennessee coaches want him in terms of weight 

“They told me 215, 220 by the first game. So I’m still progressing there. I’ll get there.”

The change going from high school wide receivers to college wide receivers at Tennessee 

“I think everybody in college is good. In high school, you maybe have one or two guys and then the rest are just kind of regular high school guys. I don’t want to say regular, it’s just not the same level of competition as these college-level (receivers). Definitely the college guys got me better. Just the speed of them, how fast they are. I won’t really overthrow the ball. It will really just be on there. Working on not underthrowing is really what it is for me.”

Nico Iamaleava on freshman expectations: ‘Just be ready’

On Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Hazlze saying he wanted Iamaleava to make some mistakes early on

“I wouldn’t say discouraged (easily). I get mad at myself, just because after, post-snap, it’s like dang it, you seen it, why didn’t you make the play? You just watched it in film. So it’s just the little regrets on that. But no, I’m not afraid to make any mistakes, man. It’s my third of college, real football. I’m just getting adjusted to that. When I get tempo down and all that down, it will slow way down for me.”

How Joe Milton III has been a leader for him and for this offense

“Joe has been great. Like a big brother to me when I first came here. Really just rallying all the troops around us, getting everybody to buy in with what he’s trying to build, what the team is trying to build. Joe has been great for me and a great big brother to me.”

What expectations he has for his freshman season

“Expectation freshman year is to just be ready. I’m trying to get prepared as a fast as I can. Be ready whenever my number is called and help Joe out the best way possible that I can.”

If there are any added pressures in the NIL era

“No pressure, man.”

If he tries to prepare himself like he’s competing for the quarterback job this year

“I’m always looking to get better and be ready for this year. It’s my job to go out there and compete and be ready when my number is called. Anything can happen this season, so really just being (ready). Like how Joe was to Hendon (Hooker) las year and being ready when my number is called.”