KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Nico Iamaleava, sporting his trademark glasses and a straightforward smile, sat within the Peyton Manning Room final week at Tennessee‘s Anderson Coaching Middle.
Throughout the Volunteers redshirt freshman quarterback have been footage, mementos and reminders of the most effective — and most celebrated — quarterback ever to play at Tennessee.
“He texts me earlier than each sport after which texts me after each sport, whether or not it is a good sport or unhealthy sport,” Iamaleava stated of Manning. “It is not that he is giving me suggestions a lot, however extra, ‘Nice job. Maintain working. I am right here everytime you want me.'”
When Iamaleava interacts with Manning outdoors the season, it tends to be a bit totally different.
“He may ship me a YouTube clip of an NFL sport and the way he breaks it down and what I see,” Iamaleava stated. “For those who ask him one thing, he is bought the reply.
“With Peyton, it is all the time the little issues.”
Not since Manning three many years in the past has a soccer participant walked onto Tennessee’s campus with expectations as lofty as these Iamaleava carried with him when he made the trek from Lengthy Seaside, California, to Rocky High final yr as a real freshman. That is becoming as a result of Tennessee will play in its greatest sport in many years Saturday night time (8 ET, ABC/ESPN+) when it travels to Ohio State for the primary spherical of the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
“The primary time I met Nico in particular person, I knew he had the appropriate stuff,” stated Tennessee senior Cooper Mays, an All-SEC middle. “There wasn’t any entitlement, none of that. He needed to earn all the things, needed to develop as a participant, and you’ve got seen him try this. I believe that is in all probability the most effective it has been but, his consolation stage and his command, and I believe the massive factor for us is we have been higher at defending him.
“He has that have now and is simply capable of play ball, and that is going to exponentially improve how comfy you might be.”
However Iamaleava has all the time appeared comfy in his personal pores and skin regardless of the dizzying hype surrounding him throughout his recruitment. He was a rock star earlier than he ever took a snap in school. Followers at Tennessee baseball video games would chant his identify when he and his household would drop by Lindsey Nelson Stadium on visits. He was a five-star recruit with an enormous arm and even greater NIL price ticket.
Iamaleava’s reported $8 million deal, which escalates yearly and averages at the least $2 million yearly, was unprecedented for a highschool prospect when he signed in 2022 with Spyre Sports activities. Tennessee was on the entrance finish of NIL collectives, brokering high-priced offers, and the dedication to Iamaleava modified the market as seven-figure offers are actually commonplace amongst extremely recruited quarterbacks.
“I used to be lucky sufficient to be part of that top quality when NIL got here out, and perhaps it opened the door for others, however I would not say I take satisfaction in it,” Iamaleava stated. “I take satisfaction in what I can do to assist our staff.”
Thus far, it is troublesome to argue with Tennessee’s funding, even with Iamaleava placing up pedestrian particular person numbers this season towards the Vols’ hardest competitors. He accounted for simply 9 touchdowns and turned the ball over six occasions in eight SEC video games.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel wasn’t a numbers man when he performed quarterback at Oklahoma, so stats do not concern him about Iamaleava, who threw eight of his 19 landing passes in his final two video games.
“The first aim for Nico, the No. 1 factor and the one factor, is to win. And to me, that is how quarterbacks get measured,” stated Heupel, who led Oklahoma to a nationwide championship in 2000. “Numbers are one factor, however it’s about wins.”
Iamaleava already has etched his identify into the Tennessee report books. He is the primary freshman (true freshman or redshirt) in class historical past to win 10 video games as a starter. He is additionally one among two freshman quarterbacks, together with Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, to steer his staff to the primary 12-team playoff.
“That is why I got here to Tennessee, to not break information or the rest like that, or to be recognized by all of the followers on the market,” Iamaleava stated. “It is about this staff, my brothers. We need to win that final sport of the season. I believe I’ve gotten higher every sport. I nonetheless really feel like I have never performed my finest sport but, actually our complete staff, however we’re seeking to put that collectively.”
Iamaleava has gotten greater and stronger since arriving on campus after going through questions on his sturdiness and dimension popping out of highschool.
The 6-foot-6 Iamaleava was gangly as a highschool senior and admits he has been hit extra this season than he was in his complete highschool profession. Additionally an excellent volleyball participant in highschool, Iamaleava — who has beefed as much as 215 kilos — has put to relaxation any questions on his toughness.
He took some depraved pictures early within the season, however stored getting up. After struggling a concussion within the first half of the Vols’ Nov. 9 sport towards Mississippi State and lacking the second half, he was again on the sector the following week towards Georgia after passing the concussion protocol.
“Your soccer staff goes to tackle the traits of your quarterback, and also you’re speaking about toughness,” Heupel stated. “When your soccer staff sees that man enjoying with bodily toughness and psychological toughness too, it garners a ton of respect from the blokes round him.
“I additionally assume it raises the extent of play of the blokes round him.”
Former UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton has labored carefully with Iamaleava the previous two seasons as an offensive analyst at Tennessee. Milton was not too long ago employed to return to UCF as quarterbacks coach underneath Scott Frost, however he’ll keep on with Tennessee all through the playoff.
Milton has been impressed with the way in which Iamaleava got here in with an underdog mentality regardless of all of the acclaim — and has stored it.
“He soaks up all the things, desires to be taught, absorbing all the things he can from the coaches and his teammates,” Milton stated. “Yeah, he may are available in as the highest canine, however watching the way in which he helps deliver guys alongside, perhaps guys who’re struggling a bit of bit, whereas additionally remaining humble and simply being a sponge is the definition of a frontrunner.”
In reality, Iamaleava was named to the staff’s management council this season regardless of having only one profession begin: the 35-0 Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa to cap his true freshman season.
“It was actually cool to see the way in which his demeanor sharpened, particularly when it was time to take over the staff,” stated Tennessee senior linebacker and staff captain Keenan Pili, who suffered a season-ending knee damage in October. “Nico’s not a rah-rah man. He is extra the form of man that takes a teammate apart and tells him what the staff wants out of him.
“He is extra on the quiet aspect, however he is loud when he must be.”
Some stressed followers began getting loud earlier this season when the Vols have been puttering alongside on offense, with explosive move performs few and much between. Iamaleava was being sacked greater than he was throwing touchdowns.
In a single five-game stretch, he was sacked 15 occasions. A few of that was as a result of he was holding on to the ball too lengthy, however the Vols additionally had hassle defending him off the sting, and his receivers weren’t getting open or making key catches.
In Tennessee’s 19-14 street loss to Arkansas on Oct. 5, Iamaleava bought his finest dose but of what it is prefer to play quarterback within the SEC when issues do not go proper. The Vols had one final play from the Hogs’ 20-yard line, and as Iamaleava scrambled proper, he ran out of bounds as time expired as an alternative of taking a shot on the finish zone.
It was a younger quarterback, in solely his second begin towards an SEC staff, letting the second get the higher of him. And within the aftermath of that loss, with followers lighting up the message boards and speak radio exhibits, Iamaleava recalled what former Tennessee quarterbacks Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton advised him.
“Each of them advised me that the followers will be merciless generally and so they’re in your aspect while you’re doing good and they are often towards you while you do one thing unhealthy,” Iamaleava stated. “They stated whether or not it is good or unhealthy to remain centered in your staff … and keep off social media.”
Iamaleava insists he has adopted that recommendation.
Advised that he stands out as the solely 20-year-old on the planet not on some type of social media, Iamaleava smiled and stated, “Nah man, I’ve bought it downloaded, however my pops by no means needed me to have social media, so I form of simply keep off it and follow my video video games.”
Video video games have been how Iamaleava was launched to soccer; as a toddler he used to take a seat within the lap of his father whereas he performed Madden. Iamaleava is one among eight siblings, ranging in age from 23 to 11, and household is extraordinarily necessary. He stated your entire household was collectively for Thanksgiving, and so they all drove to Nashville that Saturday for the Vanderbilt sport. His dad and mom have been to each Vols sport this season.
“My dad all the time compelled us to compete, to discover ways to get that aggressive edge,” Iamaleava stated. “I believe that is one of many causes I’ve such an incredible bond with my teammates due to how family-oriented it was in our home rising up. You do not again down, however you deal with folks the way in which you need to be handled.”
Quickly after phrase of Iamaleava’s NIL contract surfaced, he knew the stakes. So did his father, Large Nic, whose recommendation to his son was easy.
“He simply advised me that all of it begins over once I get right here,” Iamaleava stated. “None of that prime college stuff issues. Any accolades that occurred up to now … that all of it begins over once more. The work begins over. In order quickly as I bought right here, I put my head down and went to work.
“All that different noise, I let it go. It wasn’t going to get in my method.”
Some younger gamers are swallowed up by the hype. Others thrive. Heupel stated he knew throughout the recruiting course of what he was getting in Iamaleava.
“There is not any doubt that he is heard these expectations and has to reside with them each single day,” Heupel stated. “However what’s actually distinctive about Nico is that he will be himself and undergo his journey as a quarterback rising into the participant that he’ll be able to, which is elite, however he can deal with all the things else that is happening round him.
“It is actually uncommon for a younger quarterback to have the ability to try this.”
Mays, who comes from a household of Tennessee offensive linemen, admits he is no quarterback guru. However he can normally sniff out who’s a competitor and who’s severe about placing within the work that it takes to be elite.
The Vols have been ending their Orange Bowl preparations in December 2022 when Iamaleava, who was amongst a gaggle of incoming freshmen already on campus, walked as much as Mays after apply.
Instantly, Iamaleava began asking Mays why he was turning the safety a sure method.
“For him to be invested sufficient to come back up and ask me these issues, simply exhibiting that form of humility in and of itself, advised me that he was going to determine stuff out right here early,” Mays stated. “Clearly, you are going to surprise about any five-star child who will get that a lot consideration, how he’ll react to not being the most effective participant on the staff anymore. Loads of occasions it is arduous for these children to regulate, however not Nico.”
Heupel added: “Gamers know quicker than anyone who the actual gamers are and who’s a facade.”
Over time, Iamaleava has turn into accustomed to his superstar standing in Knoxville. He quips that he may “conceal in Cali.” Even throughout lessons, college students will sometimes come up and need footage or autographs.
He joked that teammates Ethan Davis and Cam Seldon have acted as his bodyguards.
“However it’s all cool. You realize that is simply a part of the deal,” he stated.
Having an opportunity to be taught underneath Milton a yr in the past and never must be the starter straight away was an enormous profit for Iamaleava, who performed some however did not see any significant motion till the bowl sport.
In fact, as this season started, the expectation was that he can be the reincarnation of Manning. And in actuality, their numbers as second-year gamers have been related. As a sophomore, Manning handed for two,954 yards, 22 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, whereas Iamaleava has 2,512 yards, 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. However Manning additionally had an offensive line by which all 5 starters went on to play within the NFL, in addition to future NFL receivers Joey Kent and Marcus Nash.
This yr’s Tennessee staff has performed extra to its protection, which allowed 20 or extra factors solely as soon as in 12 video games, and leaned closely on working again Dylan Sampson, who rushed for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns on his solution to SEC Offensive Participant of the Yr honors. Iamaleava tried 30 or extra passes solely twice all season and handed for greater than 200 yards in solely two of eight SEC contests.
“He is nonetheless younger within the sense that he can get so a lot better in sure areas,” stated Milton, who handed for 4,037 yards and 37 touchdowns in his sophomore season at UCF. “However the factor about him, and also you’re speaking a few child who has all the things, is that he is as wanting to be taught as he’s gifted, and I believe he is one of the crucial gifted, if not essentially the most gifted child that I’ve ever been round.”
Any time he is felt even the slightest tinge of stress this season, Iamaleava has gone again to his days when he was enjoying flag soccer as a 6-year-old.
“Soccer is a enjoyable sport. I believe the extra you get pleasure from it, the extra you’ve got enjoyable with it,” Iamaleava stated. “The much less stress you are feeling with all the skin noise and stuff like that, simply going again to while you have been a bit of child enjoying the sport you’re keen on, that is when it is essentially the most enjoyable.
“I really feel like I’ve to remind myself at occasions that it is a sport on the finish of the day.”
All of the whereas figuring out the sport of his life, at the least so far, awaits in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.