It looks like the Tennessee Volunteers will have a new starting quarterback for their Citrus Bowl matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes with five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava getting the first start of his college football career.
According to a report from Volquest, Tennessee Volunteers starting quarterback Joe Milton has decided to opt out of the Citrus Bowl as he prepares for the upcoming NFL Draft. This paves the way for five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava to make the first start of his college career.
Iamaleava is one of the most highly-rated players to sign with Tennessee in recent memory. He was rated as the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 3 overall player in the 2023 high school recruiting class.
Though this will be the first start of his career, Iamaleava did appear in four games throughout the season, going 16 of 26 passing for 163 yards through the air along with one touchdown. He has also rushed for 44 yards on the ground, showcasing his athleticism a little bit.
Iamaleava will be making his first start against an extremely talented Iowa Hawkeyes defense that was one of the best defensive units in the entire country this season. We’ll have to see how he performs in the game.
[Volquest]
