Tennessee Football quarterback Nico Iamaleava had high expectations when the Vols headed into the playoffs last season. Well, that didn’t work out.

“Man, I expected a natty,” Iamaleava said during “The Juice,” which is produced by the University of Tennessee’s public relations arm. “I’m not going to lie. Came up short. And yeah, man, it was a bummer, a hard loss to take. I think it just motivated the whole team, and all of us as a whole, to go out and get one this year.” 

That had better be the case, but it begs the question: Were the Vols motivated enough last season, or did they just “expect” things to fall into place? Here’s a lesson Iamaleava should learn: Don’t “expect” a national championship. Earn one. That starts now.

There has been plenty of chatter about how Iamaleava needs to be more of a vocal leader. Well, now is the time. I have a suggestion – other than speak up. Take the lead during summer workouts once spring practice is complete. 

There’s no need to go back to California, even if Iamaleava brings receiver Mike Matthews with him, as he did during the break between semesters in January. Iamaleava needs to be in Knoxville with his entire team, not just one player.

Former Tennessee Football quarterback Peyton Manning was chided by UT and the NCAA for posting “mandatory workout” signs during the summer. That was technically against NCAA rules, but the message was clear: if you want to play a part in the fall, you’d better work in the summer.

This summer will be Iamaleava’s time to shine. If he can lead the Vols to the practice field, he can lead them deep into the College Football Playoff. Skill-position players can improve greatly during summer workouts. In fact, the Vols practically held practices without pads before the 1998 season – all under player supervision since no coaches were allowed.

Iamaleava also needs to realize that he may need to be the bad guy at times. During those summer workouts, he needs to be taking roll call and determining who can really help the Vols this season. Then, he can report that back to Tennessee’s coaches. It’s time for Iamaleava to be the bad guy when the need arises.

Summer workouts will be even more important than they were back in the glory days. Why? The new recruiting calendar will have Tennessee’s coaches more concerned about future Vols than the current ones. “Coach Iamaleava” has a good ring to it.

“The standard at Tennessee’s really clear,” Tennessee Football head coach Josh Heupel said during the podcast. “You can look back at the history of this program and understand that we’re chasing greatness. We’re chasing championships. The expectation is to be the best. 

“And as excited as we’ve been about what we’ve built, we understand that there’s still more out there for us. And for us to accomplish those things, it’s truly winning each day. And being present in where our feet are and getting everything out of everything that we’re doing.”

Heupel is exactly right. Winning everyday is imperative to the Vols’ 2025 season. Every day – and practice snap – matters if Tennessee truly wants to win a championship. That means Iamaleava needs to be a leader, an organizer and a tattle tale if he wants to win it all.

Frankly, I’m not sure that Iamaleava fits that role. If not, the Vols will have to adjust. Former Tennessee linebacker Al Wilson assumed the leadership role before the 1998 season after Manning headed off to the NFL. If Iamaleava can’t lead adequately, then where do the Vols turn? 

There doesn’t seem to be a defined leader on offense if it’s not Iamaleava. Defensively, perhaps the Vols could lean on linebacker Arion Carter. Whoever it might be, this is the time to step up. August will be too late. Champions aren’t born in preseason camp. They’re built during the entire offseason.

I’m not sure that Iamaleava gets that if he “expects” a national championship. In case he’s not aware, the Vols weren’t close to being elite last season. Tennessee had no chance to win a national championship, even though they made the CFP.

Tennessee wasn’t able to secure a bye or a home game in the playoffs last season. The Vols were seven-point underdogs to the Ohio State Buckeyes and lost 42-17. That score is telling. They scored just 17 points! What happened to the high-flying offense that the Vols fielded in 2022? That brings us back to Iamaleava.

Iamaleava was a cog last season. He needs to be the machine for the Vols in 2025. That includes being the key player (and leader) to help Tennessee return to its recent offensive glory. As a result, I “expect” Iamaleava to be a leader, whether he eventually is or not. 

If the Vols don’t get better, more consistent quarterback play, they’ll be the same team they were last season, which was a hamstrung by an offense that had to rely on its defense far too often. That isn’t what Heupel wants and I feel pretty certain that isn’t what Iamaleava wants. If so, then Tennessee has the wrong quarterback. Relying on a two-tight end set is no way to win a championship – at least under Heupel.

The Vols need to be explosive. They need to score a lot of points against quality competition. Simply put, they need Iamaleava to lead and excel while not “expecting” a single thing.