NFL Hall of Famer blasts Tennessee Vols redshirt freshman QB Nico Iamaleava after loss to Arkansas
For the first time in his college football career, Tennessee Vols redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava is facing some adversity. Iamaleava had a tough game in the Vols' 19-14 loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday night, passing for just 158 yards with zero touchdowns (and zero interceptions…Nico didn't play great, but he didn't turn […]
For the first time in his college football career, Tennessee Vols redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava is facing some adversity.
Iamaleava had a tough game in the Vols' 19-14 loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday night, passing for just 158 yards with zero touchdowns (and zero interceptions…Nico didn't play great, but he didn't turn the ball over, either).
The young quarterback's worst moment of the game came on the final play of the game. As time expired, Iamaleava ran out of bounds instead of throwing the ball to the end zone to give his team a chance to win the game.
It was eerily reminiscent of Joe Milton running out of bounds at the end of Tennessee's loss to Ole Miss in 2021.
NFL Hall of Famer puts Tennessee Vols QB Nico Iamaleava on blast
NFL Hall of Famer turned sports talk show host Shannon Sharpe put Iamaleava on blast on Sunday for the last play of the game against Arkansas.
"I don't know what you were thinking," said Sharpe in a viral clip. "When you got the ball, there were six seconds left on the clock. We're not going to be as harsh as if he were a professional player, but that was a pop warner moment. Why the hell would you run out of bounds with no time on the clock? Bro, throw it in the end zone. Who cares if it gets picked. You gotta give the guy an opportunity."
"Guess what happens 100 percent of the time if you run out of bounds in that situation, you lose," added Sharpe. "100 percent of the time if you run out of bounds with no time on the clock and you're trailing on the scoreboard, you lose. I don't get it."
It's not a bad thing that Iamaleava is facing some adversity as a young player. If he wants to be an NFL quarterback, he's going to have to learn to deal with some adversity after a tough game. It's not the last tough game he'll have. And it doesn't matter how good of a player you are, the talking heads will be ready to pounce after every rough outing. It happens to star NFL players like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, etc. It's just part of playing the highest profile position in sports.
Iamaleava has to learn from the Arkansas game, specifically the last play, and continue to focus on getting better. He can't lose his confidence because of one game or the way the Arkansas game ended (that one play isn't why Tennessee lost the game). Iamaleava's ceiling is still high. But he can't let the outside noise impact how he plays moving forward. If the Vols are going to make some noise in December, they'll need a confident Nico.
