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Nico Time in Tennessee

Started by ALLVOL, December 28, 2023, 07:55:14 am

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ALLVOL

The highly rated Freshman Nico Iamaleava will get his first start in college football. Will be interesting to watch him but even more interesting to watch the overreaction by fans and media regardless how he plays. The fans/media will anoint him the next "Dude" if he plays really well or call him a bust if he struggles.
It's my opinion that no matter how he plays this will be 1 game and 1 game only. With an injured oline and both starting RB's opting out the game plan most likely will be very conservative. Add to it that 10-12 points may very well win the game I expect kid gloves approach to coaches handling him.

ALLVOL

I know some don't care. But as a Public Service Announcement his name is pronounced
EE-uh-Molly-awva

LOL listening to UT fans pronounce it has been funny (me too early on).

 

jbcarol

How Nico has reenergized bowl season for Tennessee

By Nick Schultz




QuoteTennessee made a big splash on the recruiting trail a year ago by landing five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Throughout his freshman season, though, he found himself mostly on the sidelines while Joe Milton served as the Vols' starting quarterback.

When Tennessee plays in the Citrus Bowl on Monday, though, it will officially be Nico Time as Iamaleava gets the start under center. Milton is opting out of the game, which means Vol fans will get their first look at their quarterback of the future as a starter.

"It's changed the landscape of this bowl game dramatically," Price told Andy Staples on Andy Staples On3. "Not to say people weren't going to be excited to watch Tennessee play one more football game, but it just adds a level of excitement. especially when they're playing Iowa, which plays such a kind of boring, mundane brand of football. Now, you kind of have this excitement. ... Nico provides kind of a jolt to the arm for Tennessee fans.

"I had multiple Tennessee fans text me as the word started to leak out right around Christmas and then into Wednesday, and they said, 'Hey, I'm gonna be in Vero Beach with my family. I'm coming over now. We're getting tickets. We weren't going to come, we're now coming.' I'm not saying there's gonna be 15,000 extra Tennessee fans, but I do think you'll have a trickle-down effect of there'll be a little more orange there than was going to be there because of Nico starting."

That's why he compared it to the debut of another Tennessee icon.

"The overreactions to Monday will be will be will be drastic," Price said. "If he plays well, the Heisman campaign is going to be in full effect for next year. If he plays poorly, everybody's gonna go, 'I mean, we give him the big NIL money for that? Are you kidding me?' I think no matter what happens, good or bad, I think you've got to understand, Peyton Manning took the field against a Washington State team in 1994 — not saying that this kid's gonna be Peyton Manning. I'm just saying that the level of interest in Peyton and the level of interest in Nico was similar.

"Peyton completed seven passes for 79 yards in 10-9 win over the Cougars. Both teams, Iowa and Washington State, were really good on defense. ... So just kind of let it play out and enjoy Monday if you're a Tennessee fan, because they've been clamoring for this, they've been begging for it. They've got it. You got Nico. It's kind of like when he committed. You chanted my name, you asked for me, you got me. Enjoy it."

Nico Iamaleava's recruitment was also a landmark one from the NIL perspective...

Wes Rucker
@wesrucker247
Tennessee fans this morning.

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol


Wes Rucker
@wesrucker247

Nico Iamaleava set to join a small but very impressive list of #Vols true freshman QB starters in a bowl game.



QuoteNico Iamaleava is about to start his first game at quarterback for Tennessee, but he won't be the first Tennessee true freshman quarterback to start a bowl game.

Iamaleava will become the fourth Vols true freshman quarterback to start in a bowl game when the 21st-ranked Vols play 17th-ranked Iowa on New Year's Day in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

The touted Iamaleava will join an impressive group — Peyton Manning, Casey Clausen and Tyler Bray —

6-foot-6, 206-pound Californian was the nation's No. 2 overall prospect (behind only Arch Manning) in 2023 rankings...
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Phil Parker: Nico shouldn't change Tennessee offense much, says Iowa DC Phil Parker
Grant Bricker | 39 minutes ago


QuoteParker spoke at a Citrus Bowl press conference ahead of Saturday's kickoff. Having a different man under center didn't seem to concern Parker, as he believes the Tennessee offense will operate the same way. The Iowa defensive coordinator noted that Iowa will have to keep up with Vols receivers and stifle the running game:

"I don't think the offense is gonna change. It's been very similar to what he's done in the past. We have about 54 snaps on him. They're running the same offense, but he's a little different in style, probably runs a little bit better," said Parker. "I'm sure they've got some other things up they're sleeve in things they want to do. It's gonna be a challenge for us and we're gonna have to be able to match their talent outside with the receivers they have and the ability to stop the run."

Kickoff from Orlando will be at 1 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Takeaways from Tennessee's blowout Citrus Bowl win over No. 17 Iowa
Ethan Stone | 42 minutes ago




QuoteTennessee football blitzed No. 17 Iowa Monday afternoon at the Citrus Bowl, winning 35-0 in a game that was never close.

Vols fans got a sneak peek at the future with Nico Iamaleava under center, too. The California native put on a show in Orlando by scoring all 4 of Tennessee's offensive touchdowns, 3 with his legs and one with his right arm.

Nico Iamaleava lived up to the hype against a strong Iowa defense
Sure, Iowa's defense was not at full strength. It also garnered most of its elite stats from playing the likes of Nebraska, Purdue and Illinois. I understand all of that.

But true freshman 5-star prospect Nico Iamaleava looked like a 4-year starter against the Hawkeyes Monday afternoon in Orlando.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Playoff :hmmm: 

There's no slowing down the Nico hype train now
Mark Nagi | 22 minutes ago




QuoteI've covered Tennessee athletics in some way, shape or form since 2001. I've been there for the good, the bad and the ugly as a sports anchor, reporter, photographer and writer. I've even written a book about Tennessee football called "Decade of Dysfunction." It's available on Amazon. Check it out. Like Latrell Sprewell, I have a family to feed.

I throw my resume out there so you can read that I have credibility when it comes to being Tennessee football knowledgeable. So, you can believe me when I tell you that Vols QB Nico Iamaleava is going to win the next 4 Heisman Trophies.

Am I kidding? Of course. But #VolTwitter knows what's up. Iamaleava just made his first career college start against one of the best defenses in college football Monday and looked ... pretty darn good in leading Tennessee to a 35-0 blowout against Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

Iamaleava completed 12-of-19 passes for 151 yards against the Hawkeyes. There was also a 4th quarter TD pass of 18 yards to McCallan Castles. It looked like he would have had a long TD pass in the 3rd quarter as well, but Ramel Keyton stopped running for some reason.

"I've always had confidence in this team," Iamaleava told ESPN after the bowl game in which he was named MVP. "I'm glad we got the win, got our seniors a ring. Since I have gotten here, I have gotten nothing but love from the coaching staff. This is the start of our 2024 year, and I think we have a good mindset."

"I just think as a young player, the moment, nothing is too big for him," said Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel. "He's very in control and does a great job. He related to all the guys, every position, every unit... he's a dynamic leader already as a young guy. Really pleased with his poise and playmaking ability today."

The good news for Tennessee is that the offense looks to be in terrific hands for the next few years.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Tennessee's Tyre West expresses faith in Nico Iamaleava for 2024: 'We're going to the natty'

By Dan Morrison




QuoteNico Iamaleava, the highly-touted quarterback for Tennessee got his first start against Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. It ended up being a 35-0 win where Iamaleava flashed the talent that has Tennessee fans excited about the future of the program.

After the game, defensive lineman Tyre West explained that the win is going to help Tennessee go into the offseason and prepare the team for 2024.

"It really just let us know what pieces we need and let us know where we stand," West said.

Tyre West also added that he has tons of faith in Nico Iamaleava for the 2024 season based on the bowl and what he's seen from him in practice. He has so much confidence, in fact, that he thinks a national championship is on the table for Tennessee.

"For a long time. I know getting Nico that we've got money. For real, for real...We're going to the Natty. Knowing him, we're going to the Natty," West said.

"His ball awareness. Like everything about him lets you know that he's supposed to be there."

Nico Iamaleava was a five-star recruit in the Class of 2023...
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net


jbcarol

O'Gara: Just-in-time SEC questions for 2024



Quote6. Will the Nico Iamaleava hype train pick up or lose steam?
If the Citrus Bowl was any indication, the Iamaleava hype train couldn't slow down even if it wanted to. I already gave you the early Heisman odds — and he is starting at No. 5. That tells you all you need to know about the excitement for the Vols' new QB1.

Quinn Ewers, Texas +750
Beck, Georgia +750
Milroe, Alabama +750
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon +1,000
Will Howard, Ohio State +1,500
Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee +1,500

He's as decorated of a quarterback recruit as Tennessee has had since Peyton Manning. Can he follow the Hendon Hooker path to superstardom in Josh Heupel's offense? Or will Iamaleava have growing pains facing sky-high expectations? We don't know. We do know that he returns Tennessee's top 2 targets, Bru McCoy and Squirrel White, along with promising tailback Dylan Sampson. We also know that until 2023, Heupel had 5 consecutive top-8 scoring offenses.

Will Iamaleava start another streak? We don't know. Until then, Tennessee fans can spend an entire offseason dreaming of throws like this becoming the norm in the Iamaleava era:


Kendell Hollowell
@KHollowell_
·

This back shoulder throw by Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava is absurd😮‍💨
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jbcarol

Nico shares excitement for future

By Van Morrison




QuoteIn Tennessee's Citrus Bowl win over Iowa, the Volunteers were without starting quarterback Joe Milton. In his place, freshman Nico Iamaleava got his first career start, flashing a bit of the future at the position for Tennessee.

After the game, Iamaleava shared that it's not just fans who are excited for the future, he is too.

"I'm really excited, man," Nico Iamaleava said. "We built a great team around us, a great coaching staff, and I really think the sky's the limit for this team. It's on us to go out there and get it done."

Tennessee dominated Iowa, winning the game 35-0. Iamaleava was a huge part of that, showing off his potential throughout the game. He threw for 151 yards and a touchdown while running for 27 yards and another three touchdowns.

A five-star recruit in the Class of 2023, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, Iamaleava was the sixth-ranked player nationally in that class. So, plenty is expected of the young quarterback who was only just making his first start in the bowl. Of course, as Iamaleava explained, his first start for Tennessee felt great.

"It felt great, man," Iamaleava said. "Finally to play a whole game. I haven't done that in a while, so it felt good to get back out there and get my feet wet."

Josh Heupel shares how Nico Iamaleava's bowl performance sparks future for Tennessee
It was a phenomenal performance for Nico Iamaleava in the Citrus Bowl. As head coach Josh Heupel explained, it was the kind of performance that can spark the future for Tennessee.

"I believe he's gonna be a great, dynamic playmaker and know that. I thought he handled himself really composed all day long. Subtle things of breaking the huddle, communication inside of the huddle, controlling the run game, his eyes were in the right place. Great to see a young guy go out and and perform in that way in his first career start. There's a lot of things Nico can continue to grow and will continue to grow in. The challenge early in the football game was the 10 other guys playing at a really high level too, I didn't think we played as well as we were capable at times around him," Heupel said.

"But we got a great confidence in him and in that quarterback room. We've got great confidence in our young players, a lot of guys got an opportunity to play a lot more football today than they had and a lot of them played extremely well. But it also showed some things where they got an opportunity to grow and how those things impact how the game unfolds and I'm really excited about who's in that locker room, who's coming back, and where we have an opportunity to go in '24."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Joe Evans shares challenges presented by Nico

by:
Matt Connolly




QuoteIowa had one of the best defenses in college football in 2023, but the Hawkeyes had their hands full with Tennessee freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

Iamaleava accounted for four touchdowns, as the Volunteers earned a 35-0 win.

After the game, Iowa All-Big Ten linebacker Joe Evans was asked about Nico:

"He definitely presented a lot of challenges," Evans said. "When you have to defend two facets – whether it be the passing game or the running game, it's definitely a lot tougher."

Iamaleava completed 12 of 19 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown against Iowa and also rushed 15 times for 27 yards and three scores.

He did not have a turnover in what was the first start of his career.

"He's a very mobile guy and you were able to see that. I mean hats off to them, hats off to their team. They played really well," Evans said.

Nico was rated as the No. 1 overall player in the country in the class of 2023

He arrived in Knoxville with sky high expectations and appears ready to live up to them based off of his performance in the Citrus Bowl.

Tennessee will enter the 2024 season as a contender in the SEC and Iamaleava is a big reason why.

Nico Iamaleava shares excitement for future at Tennessee
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

O'Gara: Why I'm struggling to contain my excitement for the Nico Iamaleava-led Tennessee offense in 2024



QuoteOften, I'm the guy that tries to temper expectations.

Whether that's discussing a team on the rise or explaining to my wife what she signed up for, I pride myself on not setting the bar too high. When I get too excited about something — 2018 Mississippi State, 2019 Malik Willis at Auburn, 2023 Devin Leary at Kentucky, etc. —

For the sake of Tennessee fans, I'm trying to contain my excitement about the 2024 Nico Iamaleava-led offense. But man, it's a battle.

Yeah, the Citrus Bowl is part of that. How could it not be? Against the No. 4 scoring defense in America, Iamaleava scored 4 touchdowns (3 rushing, 1 passing) and hung more points in the Hawkeyes than anybody has since CJ Stroud-led Ohio State did in Oct. 2022.

Instead of saying that Iamaleava needs to get a spot on his mantle ready for his Heisman — shoutout to my guy Joe Moorhead — I'll leave it at this. The decisiveness we saw from Iamaleava both as a runner and as a passer operating Josh Heupel's offense was all sorts of promising. The returns, while early, bode well for a significant offensive improvement in 2024.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

 

jbcarol

Tennessee veteran OL confirms plans for 2024 seasons

Andrew Olson | 10 minutes ago


QuoteTennessee offensive lineman Javontez Spraggis is coming back for another season on Rocky Top.

Nico is sure to welcome the veteran blocker's return.

Need every crumb....


A four-year contributor, Spraggins was considered a senior in 2023 and has graduated from UT. The NCAA's COVID-19 waiver for the 2020 season allows him to come back for 2024 as a super senior.

Spraggins was an 11-game starter at right guard for the Vols in 2023. He was injured in the second half of the Tennessee-Georgia game
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

ALLVOL

Quote from: jbcarol on January 25, 2024, 03:06:21 pmTennessee veteran OL confirms plans for 2024 seasons

Andrew Olson | 10 minutes ago


We all knew he was coming back. But glad to see it official.
I wish in the future a guy coming back didn't make news like it used to be lol.

jbcarol

Tom Mars
@TomMarsLaw
·

On behalf of Spyre Sports Group:



Pete Nakos@PeteNakos_
A reminder that Spyre Sports has a preexisting relationship with attorney Tom Mars.
7:26 PM · Jan 30, 2024
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

ALLVOL

Gonna be curious how this is coming out or better way to say it, who's instigating this type stuff?

jbcarol

Unpacking NCAA's investigation into Tennessee's NIL use and that Nico flight
Mike Wilson



QuoteThe strength of a newly revealed NCAA investigation into Tennessee athletics recruiting hinges in part on a flight quarterback Nico Iamaleava took to Knoxville when the heralded prospect was a high school student living in California.

Whether Nico flew as a client of a sports collective that signs athletes to NIL deals or he traveled as a UT football recruit is likely a key factor in whether Tennessee broke any rules in the recruitment.

Donde ays UT can't be held responsible for the actions of a sports collective that's legally allowed to sign athletes to deals, and Plowman attacked the foundation of any investigation in a strongly worded email to NCAA President Charlie Barker.

Whether the flight, first reported Tuesday by The New York Times, is a violation depends on when it occurred, who paid for it and whether any permissible contractual agreement with a collective was in place.

Nico  struck his NIL deal in early 2022 with Knoxville-based Spyre Sports Group, making him a client of the collective while still a junior in high school in California. The agreement came "independent of the University of Tennessee or anyone in its athletics program," lawyer Tom Mars said Tuesday, on behalf of Spyre. Such contracts are permissible under California law, and no case has established whether being a client of the collective would trump the NCAA's ability to monitor benefits of that partnership, especially in an era of evolving NIL rules.

Plowman told Barker (sic), in essence, that recruiting would be pure chaos if legal NIL deals do not trump NCAA rules.

"Any discussion about NIL might factor into a prospective student-athlete's decision to attend an institution," she said. "This creates an inherently unworkable situation, and everyone knows it."

Nico's father, Nic, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Seems reasonable that while he was in town doing business with Spyre, he should drop by and see the campus.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

O'Gara: SEC takeaway from Bill Connelly's percentage of returning production metric



QuoteWhat's the one unit I'll scoff at the percentage of returning production? The Tennessee offense
I know that the Vols are ranked No. 107 in percentage of offensive returning production. Don't care. I'm still projecting improvement. Why? Like, besides the fact that Josh Heupel had nothing but top-8 scoring offenses in his first 5 seasons as a head coach until that streak ended in 2023? OK, I believe Nico is a significant upgrade over Joe Milton.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

From Carson to Nico

Ranking SEC quarterbacks shows blast from past | Toppmeyer



QuoteJosh Heupel is done with transfer quarterbacks – for now, anyway.

After starting transfer quarterbacks throughout his first three seasons as Tennessee's coach, Heupel is positioned to hand the reins to an elite sign-and-develop prospect.

Transfer time ended in November. It's Nico o'clock.

"I love the way he works," Heupel said in December of Nico Iamaleava, in line to start in 2024 as a redshirt freshman.

While specifics of the Tennessee quarterback's deal are not public, it's no secret the Vols' best quarterback prospect in more than 20 years secured an NIL payday.

Iamaleava is incentivized to play for Tennessee, and the Vols' investment showed they wanted to pin their future on an in-house prospect, rather than hoping lightning would strike again with a transfer who would perform like Hooker. For every Hooker, the portal coughs up five Joe Miltons.

The nation's top two quarterback prospects in the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood and George MacIntyre, are committed to LSU and Tennessee, respectively.

So long as SEC programs sign, develop and invest in elite high school quarterback prospects, then the era of sign-and-develop quarterbacks is not finished. This year's quarterback depth charts in the SEC reaffirms that.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

College football 2024: Who has the most to prove next season?

Chris Low


QuoteNico

The good news for Iamaleava is that he certainly appears to have all the tools to be a difference-maker at quarterback and accounted for four touchdowns in his first start last season in Tennessee's 35-0 victory over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. But from the time Iamaleava signed with the Vols, he's been under a bright spotlight -- from the reported $8 million NIL deal he signed, to being hailed as the quarterback that would vault the Vols back into championship contention, to being at the center of the recent NCAA investigation into Tennessee's program. No player since Peyton Manning has walked onto Tennessee's campus with this much pressure to perform at an elite level. -- Low
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

From Nico to Avery, talented sophomore QBs to watch this spring
by:
Jesse Simonton




QuoteSpring practice has begun to commence around the country. What I'm most interested in monitoring the next two months are the reports around college football's quintet of — potentially sensational — sophomore quarterbacks.

I'm talking Nico Mania.

Ironically, Arch Manning was the highest-rated recruit among the group, and he's the only one not projected to start next season.



Nico  is already a household name because he was the birth-child of the first major NIL deal, but the electric talent will soon be famous for his highlights on the field, too.

In his lone start in the Cheez-It-Bowl last season, Iamaleava ran all over Iowa (three touchdowns) and also threw for 150 yards and a touchdown. He showcased a rare combo skill set (big arm, shifty athleticism), teasing Tennessee fans with his all-world potential as the prince who was promised.

Iamaleava is a natural leader who seems destined for stardom.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Heupel: Nico's hyper focused on becoming his best

by:
Justin Rudolph




QuoteThe Nico era is upon us at Tennessee as he prepares to take over the reins of head coach Josh Heupel's offense. But first, he must get through the Volunteers' spring ball practices.

Tennessee's first official spring practice is scheduled for Mar. 20, which will give fans their first glimpse at their young star quarterback commanding the offense since he led the team to a Cheez-It Citrus bowl win vs Iowa to start the new year.

And if you think Heupel isn't excited:

"We'll continue to evolve with Nico and try to put him in the position to be his best," opened Heupel when asked about how the offense will continue to grow with Iamaleava. "I'm real excited to get on the grass with him this spring. He had most of the bowl prep where he was the guy; he prepared for the Citrus Bowl.

"I've loved from the day that he got here just his focus in trying to grow and become his best — fundamentally continuing to grow [in] balance and footwork inside of the pocket, which leads to accuracy. His continued growth in understanding defensive ID, recognition, pre-snap reads, and post-snap rotations.

"He's very gifted as far as arm talent [and] continuing to become more accurate inside of the pocket," Heupel gushed. "As a young player, he's hyper-focused on growing as a player and becoming his best. He's going to have to continue to grow into a leadership role when you're playing that position; that's extremely important."

Nico was the top prospect in his class over the likes of Arch Manning.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

First and 10: Why Brady Cook, Mizzou could be the SEC's biggest Playoff surprise
Matt Hayes |



QuoteThe top 5 odds for SEC players to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy, courtesy of FanDuel.

1. QB Quinn Ewers, Texas (+750)

2. QB Beck, Georgia (+750)

3. QB Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee (+1500)

4. QB Milroe, Alabama (+1500)

5. QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss (+1500)
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

 

jbcarol

Stressing importance of Nico

Tennessee's running game

by:
Barkley Truax



QuoteNico Iamaleava is set to take over as Tennessee's starting quarterback after sitting behind Joe Milton for his true freshman season.

A former five-star recruit, Iamaleava brings a lot to the table with his versatility under center. Threatening any defense with his ability to run the football, VolQuest's Brent Hubbs revealed how this could influence head coach Josh Heupel's offense in 2024.

"Joe was a reluctant runner, not a willing runner, and I think Nico will be a more willing runner," Hubbs told On3's Andy Staples on Tuesday. "I think the other thing too is the processing of that. You're seeing more and more of this — it's not just read it and run, but it's read it, and then are you running? Are you throwing the RPO out of it? Lots of different things you can do there and I think some of those possibilities are there, with Niko that weren't there a year ago."

The biggest sample size fans were allowed to see of their new QB1 came during the Vols' 35-0 Citrus Bowl win over Iowa.

Iamaleava ultimately ended the Citrus Bowl win with three rushing touchdowns on 15 attempts while remaining consistent through the air with a 63% completion percentage on 12-of-19 passing to go with one touchdown pass and no interceptions.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Wes Rucker
@wesrucker247
#Vols redshirt freshman QB Nico Iamaleava said he weighted maybe 190 pounds when he enrolled at Tennessee and he's up to 215 pounds right now.

He said sometimes he doesn't even enjoy eating any more, but he has to do what he has to do.
12:31 PM · Mar 25, 2024
·
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol


Wes Rucker
@wesrucker247

#Vols QB Nico Iamaleava grateful for help from Tennessee administrators and coaches and others that allows him to keep his focus on football, rather than anything NCAA-related

LINK 👇

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Wes Rucker
@wesrucker247
Nico Iamaleava gains 25 pounds and people want to throw a parade.

I gain 25 pounds and my wife stops buying Cherry Garcia at Publix.
7:16 PM · Mar 25, 2024
·
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

ALLVOL

Quote from: jbcarol on March 26, 2024, 04:14:41 pmWes Rucker
@wesrucker247
Nico Iamaleava gains 25 pounds and people want to throw a parade.

I gain 25 pounds and my wife stops buying Cherry Garcia at Publix.
7:16 PM · Mar 25, 2024
·
He should be embarrassed for eating that crap ice cream.

jbcarol

Josh Heupel details how bowl experience helped prepare Nico

Tennessee's QB1

by:
Andrew Graham



QuoteAs Joe Milton worked out for NFL scouts at Tennessee's Pro Day on Wednesday, it signaled the full-on arrival of the Nico Era in Knoxville.

With Milton opting out of the bowl game for the Volunteers, Iamaleava got to start against a stout Iowa defense. And head coach Josh Heupel was impressed not only with his performance, but how Iamaleava handled preparation in the lead up to the game.

"I think it's a great kickoff for any of the young guys, but certain a young quarterback," Heupel said on SEC Network on Wednesday at Tennessee's Pro Day. "The urgency in your preparation. And he was really good in the backup role throughout the course of the season. But those two weeks where he knew he was going to be the guy, him preparing like a starter, having to feel that going into the game, knowing it's your game. Played really well.

"There's a lot of things that he learned from that experience," Heupel said. "I think it accelerates the urgency in the preparation in the offseason, too. Since he got back in January with everybody else, he's been the consummate pro. Inside of the building, he's been in here all day, everyday. And he's been really good through the first six practices."

The quarterback has apparently gone hard in the weight room and bulked up through the winter.

"He has — you feel some of those hits in the bowl game and you realize, 'I better put some body armor on,'" Heupel said.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net