Something’s off in Knoxville. For three straight years, the Vols have been making waves: 11-2 in ’22, a solid 9-4 in ’23, and that playoff spot last season—Josh Heupel definitely brought Tennessee back to life, racking up 10 wins and a playoff berth. So, you’d expect them to be roaring in the SEC, right? But heading into 2025? Crickets. Dead silence. No buzz, no hype, just a giant nationwide meh. And the “disrespect” is real; it’s not just being ignored; it’s like a slap in the face. Right in the middle of this, Nico Iamaleava’s getting a serious wake-up call.

Well, talent has never been a question with Nico Iamaleava. See, as a freshman, he made history, leading Tennessee to 10 regular-season wins—a first for any freshman QB at the school. On top of that, he delivered in big moments, taking down Bama and torching Vanderbilt for 257 yards and four TDs. Following that, an anonymous SEC coach summed it up best: “He’s really athletic.” And that holds true for the dual threat. But now, as Locked On ACC breaks down Pro Football Focus’s top 10 QBs list, a big risk looms. Well, with ACC stars making the cut, the debate is heating up—and Nico’s name isn’t where some expected it to be.

In the Feb 21st episode of Locked On ACC, Alex Donno and Kenton Gibbs dropped the reality check—Nico Iamaleava sits at 9th place in Pro Football Focus’s QB rankings. But Donno made it clear why. Okay, just look at Nico’s 2024 playoff performance. The Vols’ QB wrapped up the season with 2,513 passing yards, along with 19 TDs and 5 interceptions. You can think it’s solid, but not exactly elite. As Donno put it, “Nico in Tennessee. Like, you know, it’s not as if he was the driving force in Tennessee’s College Football Playoff appearance last year.” Gibbs backed him up without hesitation, adding, “But I will say, 19 touchdown passes to five picks…uhm..not great. Something not exactly worth that 8 million a year or whatever the number is that they said he’s getting. Not exactly cutting the mustard there.” Looks like Nico’s $8 million NIL deal with Spyre Sports Group is setting the stage for immense scrutiny.

But is Nico really suited for the QB1 role? This goes beyond money. And Eric Gain of the Locked On Vols didn’t back down from the difficult question. As per him, Iamaleava entered the previous season in a raw state, both psychologically and physically. And Gain explained, “I’m not going to sit here and say that Tennessee messed up by not playing Nico from game one. I mean, you’re talking about a true freshman who was still very, very raw, who still—I know he looks skinny right now, but he’s put on a lot of weight since that moment. So he still wasn’t physically kind of where they wanted him to be.” To be honest, heading into 2025, the question remains—has Nico grown enough to be the guy for Vols?

Yeah, Nico’s still a bit of a question mark, but Heupel’s belief? Rock solid. In the midst of their 2024 season, the HC even said, “He’s done an elite job of understanding our concepts, getting us into good plays if we’re not in one.” Heupel’s clearly all in on Nico. Now, it’s on Nico to prove him right. And this season? It’s their shot to ditch the disrespect and earn back some serious cred.

Nico Iamaleava’s chance to earn respect runs straight through Tuscaloosa

The “disrespect” is deafening in Knoxville. Tennessee, after a string of impressive seasons, finds itself on the outside looking in. This offseason, instead of celebrating momentum, it’s been a barrage of slights. Insider Eric Cain didn’t mince words: “The disrespect—it almost feels like nobody’s talking about Tennessee. Nobody’s really factoring Tennessee to be a contender next year after, you know, keeping a Nico, and a Boo Carter, and a Mike Matthews, and Bru McCoy, Ricky Gibson, Bryson Eason, Arion Carter, DeShawn Bishop.”

The lack of flashy portal moves, opting for roster retention instead, hasn’t helped. 247 Sports ranked their transfer class dead last in the SEC, fueling the fire. Then came the Nico Iamaleava debate: did they mishandle his development by not starting him earlier? Cain offered some perspective: “I’m not going to sit here and say that Tennessee messed up by not playing Nico from game one. I mean, you’re talking about a true freshman who was still very, very raw, who still—I know he looks skinny right now, but he’s put on a lot of weight since that moment. So he still wasn’t physically kind of where they wanted him to be.”

But with Nico now leading a battle-tested roster, Heupel’s team is locked and loaded for 2025. And according to ESPN, one game could define their entire season—the “season-defining” showdown. And guess who’s on the schedule? Alabama, coming to town on the third Saturday in October.

In ESPN’s “way too early” Top 25, Tennessee sits at number 19, a decent spot. They’ve even got recent history on their side, breaking a 15-year losing streak against Alabama in 2022. But this year, the stakes are higher. This matchup marks the final test on Tennessee’s schedule, taking place in Tuscaloosa.

If Heupel wants to silence the critics and prove Tennessee is truly back, this is the game. Nico is leading a squad built to compete, backed by a top-six defense and rare coaching staff stability. They have everything in place for another run. Can they bring back the noise in Knoxville?