Why Nico Iamaleava signed autograph for Tennessee football teammate, and what it means for 2024

After Tennessee tight end McCallan Castles caught Nico Iamaleava’s first touchdown pass, he had the quarterback sign his receiving gloves.

Castles thinks it might be a valuable souvenir one day.

“For me to catch it was a big deal,” Castles said Monday. “Those (gloves) will probably be hanging up in my house after (Iamaleava’s) career here. So it’s pretty cool.”

That sounds like a prediction of great things for Iamaleava, the five-star freshman who’s preparing to start for the Vols in 2024.

“Yeah, 100 percent,” Castles said. “You can just tell by the way that he operated in the game that he was confident. Even when he got flushed out of the pocket, he was still operating – which is crazy to see at that young age.”

Against UConn, Iamaleava showed progress from practices

In UT’s 59-3 win over UConn last week, Iamaleava was 5-of-9 passing for 86 yards and one TD. He also scrambled for a 25-yard run and looked comfortable running the offense.

Expect Iamaleava to remain Joe Milton’s backup for the remainder of the season.

No. 12 Tennessee (7-2, 3-2 SEC) plays at No. 15 Missouri (7-2, 3-2) on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS). Then the Vols host No. 1 Georgia and Vanderbilt and bowl game to finish the season.

But then Iamaleava should get his chance as the starter in the 2024 season.

UT could add a veteran quarterback via the transfer portal for depth. Otherwise, reserve walk-ons Gaston Moore and Navy Shuler and freshman Jake Merklinger, a four-star commitment set to enroll in January, will be the only quarterbacks alongside Iamaleava next season.

The UConn game was a good step toward Iamaleava starting because it showed UT coaches and players just how far he has come as a freshman.

In early season practices, Iamaleava processed his reads slower, overthrew passes and took time adjusting to the fast pace of UT’s offense. Heupel hinted at those growing pains during preseason practices.

But Iamaleava has improved in those areas, and teammates recognized his poise against UConn.

“Every opportunity he gets, he makes sure at practice that he treats all the opportunities as real,” Milton said. “So when the game time does come, he will be ready for his moment.”

What impresses UT teammates besides Iamaleava’s talent

Iamaleava has the ideal frame at 6-foot-6, 206 pounds. He touts tremendous arm strength and good mobility. And his talent is indisputable as one of the highest rated quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class.

But a starting quarterback in the SEC also needs respect from his teammates. Hendon Hooker had it in 2021 and 2022 for UT. And Milton has it this season.

Iamaleava’s TD pass offered a glimpse of how the Vols feel about him. Center Cooper Mays lifted Iamaleava into the air. And teammates mobbed him on the field and the sidelines.

“(The first TD) is always a big one for an individual player, for Nico,” Heupel said. “But then for the guys around him to be excited for him and what he did – that’s offensive linemen, that’s skill guys, that’s Joe (Milton), that’s everybody – they see the work that he puts in.

“They see the player that he is. That was a big moment for him.”

Heupel planned to give Iamaleava more playing time early in the season. But wins over Austin Peay and UTSA were closer in the second half than expected.

Teammates said Iamaleava never shared a word of dissatisfaction. Castles, a fellow Californian, takes most of his reps with Iamaleava in practice. He said the freshman’s humility and team-first attitude have impressed UT players.

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“You see all the work that he puts in, but he’s never complained about not getting into games,” Castles said. “There’s a couple games where we should’ve taken care of business, and he could’ve gotten drives in. But he’s never complained about that.

“He just does the work, and he’s always super humble about it. So for him to have success, everybody understands the work he’s put into it.”

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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