Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava doesn’t talk to the media much. That’s fine. He lets his play and his teammates do the talking.

At some point in his development, Iamaleava will be asked to be the main voice among the players on Tennessee’s roster. That’s part of what a quarterback has to do in the SEC. 

I have no doubt that he’ll handle that as deftly as he handled Kentucky on Saturday night in Neyland Stadium. Iamaleava is maturing right in front of our very eyes. 

“I think a lot of people could see that today,” running back Dylan Sampson said after the Vols beat Kentucky 28-18 on Saturday night. “He was very calm…He’s making his reads. I think if you pay attention to his feet, he was kind of calm with his feet more than he’s been, just a level composure you see from him in practice.

“The way he practices, he’s just been paying attention to details every game and getting better week by week.”

The way Iamaleava practices should be a factor in how he plays. That’s certainly been the case. Iamaleava looked far more comfortable against the Cats than he did in some earlier games this season, including the Vols’ loss to Arkansas. 

Iamaleava, however, wasn’t to blame for Tennessee’s offensive shortcomings against the Razorbacks in September. You can blame that loss on the offensive line, which hasn’t been truly efficient this season, mostly due to injuries and inexperience. 

Iamaleava didn’t recruit nor coach those players. He deserves a break for his play earlier this season as he was about as comfortable in the pocket as a kid in the dentist office.

Did Iamaleava have “happy feet” and make poor decisions earlier this season? Of course he did. He was – and is – a redshirt freshman behind a shaky offensive line. Now, he’s closer to being a sophomore than a freshman and his offensive line is solid – at least compared to earlier this season. 

Sure, an injury on the offensive line would be troublesome, but that’s the case most everywhere as the transfer portal has robbed programs of depth. If that happens, it wouldn’t be Iamaleava’s fault if he regressed. However, a more optimistic view is in order. 

Iamaleava can win big games for the Vols, which will start with Georgia on Nov. 16. He just needs a little help from his friends.

Yes, I know that Tennessee plays Mississippi State on Saturday, but that’s a surefire win as the Bulldogs from Starkville aren’t very good. In fact, State is 2-7 and absolutely horrid, which is why they it is a 24-point underdog in the matchup in Neyland Stadium on Saturday. 

No, the No. 7 Vols shouldn’t be looking ahead, but I can take a peak at the Bulldogs from Athens, where the Tennessee game will be held. 

Is Georgia, which is ranked No. 2 in the nation, beatable? Absolutely, especially with Iamaleava playing like he played against Kentucky on Saturday. The stat sheet would suggest as much, but doesn’t tell the true tale.

Iamaleava completed 28 of 38 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown. At least two passes (and perhaps three or more) were dropped when they should have been caught. Iamaleava could have easily completed 30 of his passes for over 350 yards if the Vols’ receivers had played a bit better. 

Those would be like Hendon Hooker numbers in 2022. Those kind of numbers can beat Georgia or any other team in the nation given the Vols’ strong running game and elite defense.

Iamaleava’s improvement should also be noted by the College Football Playoff committee when it announces its rankings on Tuesday and for the rest of the season. There’s nothing more exciting than a young superstar making superstar-like plays on offense. Looking for television ratings? Look no further than Iamaleava.

I’m well aware that quarterbacks don’t play each other. However, it’s worth nothing that Iamaleava ranks higher in passer efficiency than Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. Iamaleava’s passer rating is 144.6 while Beck’s is 143.9, which is good for sixth and seventh in the SEC, respectively. Could the Vols have an advantage at quarterback when they play the Bulldogs? Certainly.

Beck has a penchant for throwing interceptions, which he has done 11 times this season and did so on three instances in the Bulldogs’ 34-20 win over Florida on Saturday. Beck has thrown eight interceptions in Georgia’s last three games. Beck’s 11 interceptions have all come in Georgia’s last five games. Ouch.

How will Beck hold up against an attacking Tennessee defense? We’ll see. For the Bulldogs’ sake, he’d better play better than he has recently.

For the record, Iamaleava has thrown just four interceptions this season despite being a redshirt freshman. Beck is a senior, who started every game for Georgia last season. 

Beck should be better than Iamaleava and might be at this very moment in time, but the two seem on different paths. Iamaleava is getting better. Beck seems to be regressing. Could the Vols have an advantage at quarterback when they play Georgia despite Beck’s preseason award list? Absolutely.

The Mississippi State game should be considered a warm-up for Georgia. State’s passing defense is ranked 15th in the SEC, allowing 250 yards per game. If Iamaleava is as good as he’s looked recently – and his receivers can make easy catches – he’ll top that easily on Saturday and beyond.

From what I’ve seen this season, Iamaleava won’t be the issue if Tennessee loses to Georgia. Dropped passes or poor offensive line play, which could affect Iamaleava’s play, are more disconcerting that anything that Iamaleava has done this season, well other than jumping out of bounds on the final play against Arkansas. 

I’m willing to overlook that given how Iamaleava has played with poise against Kentucky. Sure, the Wildcats pass defense has been hampered by injury, but it still ranks fifth in the SEC, which is just behind Georgia, which ranks fourth in the SEC in defending the pass. 

Georgia coach Kirby Smart has defended Beck and his interceptions just like Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has defended Iamaleava at times this season. Heupel’s defense of Iamaleava is solid and has a strong foundation. Iamaleava is young and growing, just like the Vols’ offensive line and receivers. Iamaleava has now started nine for Tennessee. Beck has started 22 games for Georgia.

Tennessee’s offense seems to be coming into their own while Georgia’s offense, which ranks seventh in the SEC with 431 yards per game, seems to be hampered by its quarterback.

The Vols’ offense, which has been critiqued to a fault at times this season, still ranks third in the SEC with 474 yards per game while some have questioned Heupel’s game planning and play calling. That’s absurd. Injuries and mistakes have been the issue for the Vols this season, not Heupel nor Iamaleava.

If Tennessee’s players can block for Iamaleava and catch the passes they should, Iamaleava can lead the Vols to a win over the next two set of Bulldogs he’ll play. He can also lead the Vols to a win or two in the College Football Playoff. 

Would Georgia trade Beck for Iamaleava? Certainly. Iamaleava has more talent than Beck. No one at Tennessee will confirm that assertion. They’ll just let Iamaleava’s play do the talking when the Vols play those other Bulldogs.