Joel Klatt sees a world of potential in Nico Iamaleava.
The young Tennessee quarterback has faced backlash after the No. 4 Vols fell to unranked Arkansas in Week 6. Iamaleave looked uncomfortable for much of the game and made some questionable decisions, including running out of bounds on the game’s last play.
However, Klatt sees a lot of good in Iamaleava’s play as well.
“You see some moments that he’s great, and then some moments where you just want to pull your hair out,” Klatt explained. “He lets it rip, and it’s beautiful. He makes a few throws and you’re like, yes. YES.”
“He lets it rip, and it’s beautiful. He makes a few throws and you’re like, yes. YES.” ⚪️ @joelklatt isn’t too worried about Tennessee, but the biggest tweak he has for the Vols QB is anticipating when to throw the ball ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/BMW5AqoXZe
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) October 7, 2024
The QB-turned-analyst thinks Iamaleava’s missing trait is anticipation.
“One of the most difficult things to do is to become an anticipatory thrower when you’re not playing your best,” said Klatt. “It takes guts to do that.”
Klatt mentioned that, upon studying film, Iamaleava had open targets against Arkansas that he simply missed. With young QBs especially, poor play can be a slippery slope that causes mental mistakes.
Even with the struggles, Klatt still sees Tennessee as “a very good team.”
“I’m not as worried about Tennessee’s loss,” explained Klatt. “I still believe Tennessee is going to be a very good team.”
So far in 2024, Iamaleava has completed 66.7% of his passes for 1,050 yards with 7 TDs and 2 INTs. The 4-1 Vols will next take on the Florida Gators in Week 7.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
