Tennessee HC Josh Heupel shuts down theory that picked up steam during the 2023 season
Near the end of the 2023 season, a theory spread among some Tennessee Vols fans that true freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava hadn't seen much action because it was predetermined early in the year that he would redshirt during his first season in Knoxville. The highly touted true freshman played in just four games during the […]
Near the end of the 2023 season, a theory spread among some Tennessee Vols fans that true freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava hadn't seen much action because it was predetermined early in the year that he would redshirt during his first season in Knoxville.
The highly touted true freshman played in just four games during the regular season, which preserved his redshirt (his start in the Citrus Bowl doesn't impact his redshirt for the 2023 season).
On Monday, after Tennessee's 35-0 win against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, Vols head coach Josh Heupel was asked if the plan was always to redshirt Nico in 2023.
And Heupel made it clear that redshirting Nico wasn't on his mind until late in the season.
"[At the] end of the day, for the quarterbacks and the guys at every position, you don’t have a like, 'listen, you’re strictly going to redshirt and won’t play in anything other than the four games until you’re on the very end of the season because of the way the game unfolds and injuries that take place," explained Heupel. “And Nico’s been one play away the entire season from having to carry the load the rest of the way home."
"I’m really pleased and proud of the way that he has handled his preparation every single week," continued Heupel. "I think he’s gotten better throughout the course of the season in understanding the urgency and that preparation. That’s a huge part of the reason he went out and played the way he did today."
“I never really had redshirt in my mind," added Nico. "I really wanted to learn this whole year behind Joe. Getting a year of experience — just learning — under my belt. Redshirting never really crossed my mind.”
Nico only played in Tennessee's blowout wins during the regular season. And there weren't many of those because of the way some of the games went this season.
The only other opportunities for Nico to play in 2023 would've been in the Vols' blowout losses against Missouri and Georgia. And those games just didn't seem like great situations to get Nico some action.
It's doubtful that Nico's redshirt even comes in to play. It's a nice thing to have for the former five-star recruit. But if Nico plays to his potential, he'll have a chance to skip his final couple of years of eligibility and head to the NFL.
The Athletic's Joe Rexrode noted last week that "some inside the program" at Tennessee think the Nico era will only last two starting seasons because he'll be good enough to make the jump to the NFL after the 2025 season.
If that ends up being the case, then it likely means Nico took the Vols to the College Football Playoff a couple of times while also making a trip or two to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
And if all of that happens, the redshirt talk will be a distant memory.
