Sports

5-Star Freshman QB Goes Viral For Spring Game Performance

#Nico Iamaleava
by
A football lies on the field.

iStockphoto


A five-star freshman took the college football world by storm on Saturday with his performance in his team’s spring game. Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava went viral for his impressive play on the field.

The rookie is competing for the starting spot under center, though veteran Joe Milton is currently listed as QB1. After turning heads this weekend, that battle could heat up over the coming months.

The Vols had nearly 60,000 fans in attendance for the Orange and White Game Saturday as supporters get excited the future. Last year’s team won 11 games, capping a successful season with a bowl win over Clemson.

Now, Josh Heupel looks to continue that success in 2023.

One major area of emphasis will be at quarterback as the Vols will be without future draft pick Hendon Hooker. Hooker threw for more than 3,100 yards last year, and he left Tennessee with an incredible 58-to-5 touchdown to interception ratio.

The quarterback competition likely begins and ends with Joe Milton and Nico Iamaleava as UT looks for a replacement. If Saturday is any indication, the offense should be in good hands for this season and years to come.

Iamaleava, who bested Arch Manning as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class, enters with fanfare as he looks to make his mark on the SEC. College football got the highly anticipated debut, and he didn’t disappoint.

Iamaleava finished the day 8-for-16 while leading all passers with 112 yards. Fans online were quick to post their reactions to the impressive day.

This fan wrote, “Nico Iamaleava should start immediately over Joe Milton.” Another person said, “Future is bright in Tennessee!”

Someone else commented, “Nico Iamaleava is him.”

The quarterback competition will continue on up through the fall. If he continues the excellent play, Nico Iamaleava could rise further up the depth chart.