Dangerous Tennessee football weapon identified as 2024 star

Even now, in mid-June, college football feels like it's forever far away, but it also feels like it's fast approaching. With each passing day, teams like Tennessee football and others across the sport are ramping up their efforts ahead of their kickoff.

The Volunteers look to be an interesting group in 2024. After what was the best season in Knoxville in decades in 2022, where the team was at one point ranked No. 1 in the nation, Tennessee made a small step back in 2023. With the loss of some talented receivers and veteran quarterback Hendon Hooker, the Vols entered last season with question marks and hype after finishing 11-2.

Michigan transfer quarterback Joe Milton wasn't the answer everyone was hoping for after Hooker's departure, while season-ending injuries to receivers like Bru McCoy put an extra damper on Michigan's play. passes. Still, the Vols' offense finished 19th in the nation in total offense, scoring 53 touchdowns and averaging 6.76 yards per play and 448 yards per game. But it was a considerable drop from their number one position in the country the previous year, when they averaged 7.2 yards per play and 525.5 yards per game.

Going 9-4 with a second straight bowl victory should still be considered a massive victory considering the last two decades that Tennessee football has gone through, where this kind of total victory or better was rare. But is it possible in 2024?

Tennessee football expected to improve in 2024

Getting and staying healthy will be something head coach Josh Heupel hopes for in 2024. As mentioned, injuries to the receiving corps hurt Tennessee football last season. McCoy announced he would return to join last year's leading receiver Squirrel White, Oregon transfer Donte Thornton Jr., this year's Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell II and Notre Dame tight end Holden Staes.

Just like last year when they beat Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Tennessee football has some momentum on their side. After enduring a two-game skid in November of last year, despite losing to two of the SEC's best in Georgia and Missouri, the Vols finished with a decisive win over Vanderbilt and a win at Citrus Bowl against 20th-ranked Iowa to end their year.

However, what is most promising is what was showcased at the Citrus Bowl. While Milton decided to retire from the bowl game, that left the quarterback duties to highly touted freshman Nico Iamaleava.

Tennessee football starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava will keep the Vols competitive in the SEC

Once Hooker ran out of eligibility and left for the NFL, there was very little surprise as to who would be the next starting quarterback in Tennessee football. Milton had patiently waited his turn after leaving Ann Arbor for Knoxville and was at one point the starter opposite Hooker to start the 2021 season. So unless something catastrophic happened, Milton would still be the starter for 2023 , however, hasn’t stopped Vols fans from clamoring for Iamaleava.

Each missed throw or errant pass from Milton provoked more and more roars from Iamaleava. While there were games where he got some playing time, they were mostly trash for the true freshmen. That was until the Citrus Bowl.

After Milton's 12 games to start the season, the 13th and final against one of the nation's best defenses in Iowa was left to Iamaleava. In a 35-0 Vols victory over the Hawkeyes, the new starting quarterback scored the game's first touchdown on a 19-yard run, then scored the next two on three and two yards before his final 19-yard run . 18 yard pass to McCallan Castles. For the day, he finished 12 of 19 with 151 passing yards, 27 rushing and four total touchdowns.

Iamaleava arrived in Knoxville full of hype, with a consensus five-star rating and ranked as the No. 2 quarterback in the country, according to 247Sports. So there was a good reason why Vols fans were eagerly awaiting him to take the reins. As he will now be a full-time starter, Tennessee has endless possibilities ahead of him, especially with the expanded College Football Playoff coming up this season. Because of the importance of the quarterback position, coupled with his skill set, Iamaleava changes the entire dynamic of Tennessee football in 2024.