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Josh Heupel on Nico Iamaleava: 'There are no plans to redshirt him'

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•09/07/23•

GrantRamey

Nico Iamaleava
(Caitie McMekin / News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK) Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) scrambles against the Virginia defense during their game at Nissan Stadium Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023.

Josh Heupel said what was obvious Wednesday night during his appearance on The Vol Network’s ‘Vol Calls.’ Five-star freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava won’t be sitting out as a redshirt this season. 

“The plan is, whenever the opportunity presents itself, to have him in the football game,” Heupel said. “There are no plans to redshirt him. We want to get him in as much football as possible.” 

Iamaleava, the former No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 On3 recruiting ratings, made his official Tennessee debut on Saturday in the 49-13 win over Virginia at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. 

He entered with 12:46 left in the fourth quarter, with the Vols leading 42-10. He got 10 snaps in total, leading one touchdown drive while completing 2 of 3 passes for 11 yards and rushing once for eight yards. 

“I really do love where he’s at,” Heupel said. “His focus every day, his continued growth and understanding of what we’re doing. He’s dynamic. He’s got the ability to to be a playmaker. 

“I thought he handled Saturday extremely well. There were some things that he saw from the sideline that he went in and actually operated and handled really well. (I) anticipate him continuing to grow through the season.”

There should be plenty of opportunity to get Iamaleava on the field when No. 9 Tennessee (1-0) hosts Austin Peay (0-1) Saturday (5 p.m. Eastern Time kickoff, ESPN+/SEC Network+).

“Any kind of action that a freshman can get is hugely beneficial,” Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said during his Tuesday press conference. 

In Week 2, Halzle said it’s all about getting past the newness of playing live reps on a game day at Neyland Stadium.

“One, just to take the field in front of that many people,” Halzle said, “and calm your nerves down and trust your eyes. And sometimes you call a play, you don’t even remember what the play is. It’s like, wait, what is that? You know what I mean? Like your first time in there. 

“So just getting that adrenaline spike and then calm yourself back down, that’s huge.”

From there, it’s adjusting to what the opponent is showing defensively. 

“You’re gonna get a multitude of pressures and coverages and it’s gonna be great for everyone to see that,” Halzle said, “because that’s a a huge eye-discipline game, which once again for whether he’s a an older backup or a young guy coming in for his first couple snaps, it’s a huge game for him to have to define his eyes.”

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