Nico Iamaleava gives major kudos on social media to Tennessee Vols' defense on Friday
The Tennessee Vols are riding high at 4-0 entering their first bye week of the season, and the defense has undoubtedly been the engine driving that ascension. It's ability to control a big game was on display last Saturday during the Vols' 25-15 win over the Oklahoma Sooners. The unit battered the Oklahoma front and […]
The Tennessee Vols are riding high at 4-0 entering their first bye week of the season, and the defense has undoubtedly been the engine driving that ascension.
It's ability to control a big game was on display last Saturday during the Vols' 25-15 win over the Oklahoma Sooners. The unit battered the Oklahoma front and shut down the Sooners' offense, holding them to 3 points and under 100 yards of offense through the first three quarters.
That performance certainly hasn't been lost on the rest of the roster, including QB Nico Iamaleava. The Vols' star signal caller took to his Instagram page to give a shoutout to his defense, putting up a video clip on his Instagram story of them making plays after a clip of him saying "defense is playing lights out."
The Vols' defense has surely warranted that praise this season. Tennessee currently boasts the fifth best scoring defense in the country this season at 7.0 points per game allowed. The fourth quarter touchdowns they allowed with the game largely out of reach on Saturday were the first since the fourth quarter against Vanderbilt back on November 25 last season.
The defense's physicality also was on display this week based in part on the Sooners' injury report for this weekend's game against Auburn. Oklahoma is down their top five wide receivers as well as RB Taylor Tatum, the latter of whom suffered a concussion against the Vols. Granted, some of those players were on the report before last Saturday. Still, while you never want to see anyone get hurt, it's indicative of how tough and punishing this Tennessee defense has been this season.
A quarterback's best friend is said to be a running game, but in reality, it's every bit as much a defense that can hold an opponent down. It's clear that Nico is very appreciative of one of his "best friends" this 2024 season.
