Nico Iamaleava discusses Tennessee’s motivation ahead of the 2025 season after the Ohio State loss.
Tennessee’s 2024 season came to an end at Ohio State during the College Football Playoff first round.
Ohio State (11-2, 7-2 Big Ten) defeated the Vols, 42-17, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava discussed Tennessee (10-3, 6-2 SEC) using the season-ending loss as motivation for next year.
“Just use it as motivation,” Iamaleava said. “We’ve been putting in work since January to get to this point, and it sucks to go out that way because that’s not who we are. I love this team. I love the team we have. Just the way tonight went was not the way we wanted it to go, and we’ll use that as fuel and motivation during this offseason to really hit it.”
A look at how many sacks were allowed by Tennessee football since 2021.
Tennessee concluded its fourth season under Josh Heupel as the Vols’ head coach. The Vols finished 10-3 (6-2 SEC) in 2024 and were a No. 9 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava finished his first season as Tennessee’s starting quarterback in 2024. He completed 213-of-334 passing attempts for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. Iamaleava was sacked 28 times.
He also recorded 109 rushing attempts for 358 yards and three touchdowns.
Following the conclusion of Tennessee’s 2024 football season, Vols Wire breaks down how many sacks were allowed. The number of sacks against each Tennessee quarterback since 2021 are listed below.
2024 (30)
Nico Iamaleava — 28
Jake Merklinger — 2
2023 (24)
Joe Milton III — 16
Nico Iamaleava — 7
Gaston Moore — 1
2022 (28)
Hendon Hooker — 23
Joe Milton III — 4
Tayven Jackson — 1
2021 (44)
Hendon Hooker — 36
Joe Milton III — 7
Harrison Bailey — 1 *Data provided by ESPN statistics
Tennessee will kick off its fifth season under Heupel versus Syracuse on Aug. 30, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Vols’ first home game will take place Sept. 6 versus East Tennessee State at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle discusses Nico Iamaleava’s 20 rushing attempts at Ohio State.
Redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava completed his first season as Tennessee’s starting quarterback.
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound signal caller completed 14-of-31 passing attempts for 104 yards in Tennessee’s, 42-17, loss at Ohio State on Saturday in the College Football Playoff first round. He also totaled 20 rushing attempts for 47 yards and two touchdowns.
Tennessee offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle discussed Iamaleava’s performance against the Buckeyes.
“A lot of the runs that Nico ended up doing was just him extending plays on his own,” Halzle said. “We did have some design quarterback run on the play he scored on and a couple third and shorts.
“We weren’t creating big plays in the pass game, weren’t creating big windows. We had difficulty up front. It was just an entire unit where from start to finish it couldn’t get anything to pop going right there. That’s why you ended up seeing him running with the ball in his hand a lot.”
Iamaleava had two other games this season with 10-plus rushing attempts. He totaled 11 rushing attempts at Arkansas and 12 at Georgia.
Nico Iamaleava’s helmet cracked when hit by an Ohio State defender
If it wasn’t bad enough being below freezing in Columbus, imagine how jarring the hit on Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava felt
Cody Simon of Ohio State is 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds. He had Iamaleava lined up an delivered a shot in the first quarter of the CFP first-round game on Saturday.
The blow left a six-inch crack in Iamaleava’s helmet and sent the Vols’ staff scrambling for more headgear for the QB.
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava recognized by Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava was named a finalist for the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, announced by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
He is one of the eight finalists. Finalists were chosen from a watch list of nearly 100 players for the award. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry, and who epitomizes great ability and integrity.
During his first season as the Vols’ starting quarterback, Iamaleava has totaled 2,512 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. He has also recorded more than 300 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Iamaleava led Tennessee to its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. The Vols will play Ohio State in a first-round game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 21. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. EST (ABC).
Two Tennessee football players earn SEC honors after defeating Vanderbilt in regular-season finale.
Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) ended its regular-season with a, 36-23, win at Vanderbilt in Week 14. The Vols await their College Football Playoff ranking and seeding.
Two Tennessee student-athletes earned Southeastern Conference honors after defeating Vanderbilt.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week, while senior offensive lineman Andrej Karic earned SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.
Iamaleava completed 18-of-26 passing attempts for 257 yards, four touchdowns and one interception against the Commodores. He also totaled 42 rushing yards on six attempts.
Karic started at left guard versus Vanderbilt, playing 74 snaps and did not allow a sack, pressure, penalty or a quarterback hit.
Week 14 of the 2024 college football season has concluded for Southeastern Conference teams.
Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) defeated Vanderbilt (6-6, 3-5 C-USA), 36-23, in Week 14. The Vols will await their College Football Playoff ranking and seeding on Tuesday.
Following Week 14 games, Vols Wire looks at statistical leaders in the Southeastern Conference. Below are the top 10 passing yard leaders in the SEC.
Tennessee ends regular-season play with win at Vanderbilt.
No. 8 Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) defeated Vanderbilt, 36-23, Saturday at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville. Tennessee.
The Vols led, 24-17, after trailing by 14 points in the first quarter.
With the victory, Tennessee likely earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Commodores led, 7-0, after Junior Sherrill returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Vanderbilt would extend its advantage to 14-0 when Sedrick Alexander scored on a 14-yard run. His touchdown was set up when Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson fumbled at the Vols; 26-yard line on the first possession.
The Vols pulled to within, 14-7, after quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dont’e Thornton Jr. with 8 minutes, 46 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Kicker Brock Taylor extended Vanderbilt’s lead to 17-7 with 4:01 remaining in the first quarter.
The Vols scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter and never trailed again.
Iamaleava completed 18-of-26 passing attempts for 257 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Dylan Sampson was Tennessee’s leading rusher. He totaled 175 rushing yards on 25 attempts.
Chris Brazzell II totaled five receptions for 54 receiving yards, while Thornton Jr. recorded three receptions for 118 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Mike Matthews also recorded one touchdown reception for the Vols.
SEC passing yard stats leaders after Week 13 in 2024.
Week 13 of the 2024 college football season has concluded for Southeastern Conference teams.
Tennessee (9-2, 5-2 SEC) defeated UTEP (2-9, 2-5 C-USA), 56-0, in Week 13. The Vols will play at Vanderbilt (6-5, 3-4 SEC) in Week 14. Kickoff is slated for noon EST and will be televised by ABC.
Following Week 13 games, Vols Wire looks at statistical leaders in the Southeastern Conference. Below are the top 10 passing yard leaders in the SEC.
Week 12 of the 2024 college football season has concluded for Southeastern Conference teams.
Tennessee (8-2, 5-2 SEC) lost to Georgia (8-2, 6-2 SEC) in Week 12. The Vols will next host UTEP (2-8, 2-5 C-USA) in Week 13 at Neyland Stadium. Kick is slated for 1 p.m. EST (SEC Network+).
Following Week 12 games, Vols Wire looks at statistical leaders in the Southeastern Conference. Below are the top 10 passing yard leaders in the SEC.