Let’s face it. Tennessee’s season depends on one player. You know it. I know it. Offensive coordinator Joey Halzle knows it. However, that may not be a bad thing, especially when it comes to a potential phenom in quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
“The kid grasps football is the best thing to say,” Halzle said on Thursday during a scheduled press conference. “And I know it sounds like an obvious statement, but he understands what you’re trying to accomplish. He feels space. He feels timing. He understands what’s going on just innately.
“The kid gets football and he studies really hard. Like his offseason preparation is really, really good. (He’s) older than he appears to be. Because of that I feel like he’s grasped it well. He goes out there, takes the field (and) you don’t feel like you’ve got a freshman quarterback that’s never done it full-time before. You’re not pulling him back. You’re not holding him back from anything. You’re just letting the kid go play because that’s when he’s at his best, when you just cut that guy loose and kind of enjoy watching.”
Halzle has been fortunate to watch Iamaleava in preseason camp behind a mostly healthy offensive line with tons of experience. Sure, there have been nicks and bruises along the way, but the Vols have five starters who are at least competent while a few could garner postseason awards, led by center Cooper Mays, who was named preseason first team All-SEC by most anyone who was paying attention.
“I feel like the offensive line’s in a great spot,” Halzle said. “A lot of veteran guys on that line, which is the one thing you want when you are starting a young quarterback. As much as…I do think (Nico) is an elite player, which he is, he prepares well. He has that old soul, that even keel. You got four dudes, five dudes that have played a lot of football in front of you. It’s a different animal.
“Coop’s gonna get you in the right check. Your guys aren’t gonna bust up front, put you in bad positions. So having those guys up front gelling as a unit and with all the experience they have, it does nothing but help our guy back there.”
While Coop and company can keep some pressure away from Iamaleava on the field, there is perhaps even more pressure off the field. Simply put, Iamaleava is likely the most highly anticipated player in Tennessee football history.
“I think it is one of the harder things to prepare someone for because they hear it all the time, but I don’t think you really know what it’s like to be the quarterback at a place like this until you are the quarterback at a place like this,” Halzle said. “Where everybody cares about every little thing that you’re doing on and off the field. It’s just reminding him that…the opinions outside this building don’t affect you.’ You show up to work every day the same exact way you handle your business. Now we’ll see if he will go do that after 102,000 people watch you every single weekend. It’s a different animal, but he’s wired the right way.
“Nico’s an extremely even keeled kid just in general. He doesn’t ride high or low. He just kind of is. So his natural demeanor I think will lead very well to him handling the pressures of this position.”
That can only be good for Tennessee’s offense.
“Feel like we’re in a good spot,” Halzle said. “Guys know their roles. They’re playing hard. You got a lot of depth out wide, a lot of depth in the backfield and a lot of positions, so feel pretty good about us taking the field and what we can do.
The Vols seem to be in a good spot with Iamaleava even though he’s barely played a full game combined during his time at Tennessee. That depth that Halzle talked about. He wasn’t referring to Iamaleava. No offense to backups Gaston Moore nor Jake Merklinger, but it’s clear: Iamaleava is the one.
