Josh Heupel and Nico Iamaleava took the podium following Tennessee’s blowout 35-0 win over Iowa to discuss the game, Tennessee’s 2023 season and the play of Iamaleava himself.

The latter point is what most Vols fans want to hear the most of. Tennessee has patiently awaited Iamaleava’s time as QB1, and the former 5-star prospect did not disappoint when the moment came.

Heupel was proud of the way Iamaleava fared against the Hawkeyes, specifically noting how well he withstood pressure in his first start.

Heupel continued, saying he truly believes Iamaleava will be a ‘dynamic’ player for Tennessee after a 4-touchdown performance against one of the country’s better defensive units – even if the Hawkeyes were down a few top players.

Iamaleava and the Vols offense were cooking without several top playmakers, especially from the backfield. He completed 12 of his 19 passing attempts for 151 yards and 1 touchdown with 3 rushing touchdowns.

The Vols finish the 2023 season 9-4 with plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future on Rocky Top.