Like clockwork, a message appears on Nico Iamaleava’s phone before and after every game. “Great job”, “Keep working”, “I’m here whenever you need me,” sometimes the texts read. Other times, during the off-season, it’s usually an NFL game video with the request to break it down. But one thing’s clear: Whether the Vols quarterback is on or off the gridiron, Peyton Manning never forgets to extend support to his successor…

Having played for the Vols from 1994-1997, getting inducted into the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016, and missing out on the Heisman Trophy to Charles Woodson—a debate still intense decades later—the Vols are still close to Manning’s heart. And so far Iamaleava’s made sure he’s doing everything to honor The Sheriff‘s fondness. But what if we told you the team doesn’t have that much of a bright future come 2025? Well, it’s not us saying that, but some industry insiders who are convinced that Josh Heupel’s team has a long way to go. But before we get to that…

After a 10-3 season, and getting eliminated by Ohio State (42-17, CFP first round), hopes have been high this offseason. In the team’s recently concluded first scrimmage of 2025, Iamaleava looked sharp as a knife, connecting multiple times with second-year receivers Mike Matthews, Braylon Staley and Chris Brazzell II. Even the HC seemed confident as he stated later, “Command and control. (He has a) complete understanding.” But, the fate-deciding question is: Can Iamaleava really be the guy to step up and elevate their game to an unprecedented high? One question triggers another: Can the Vols offense be the knight in shining armor for Nico Iamaleava, which they failed to be last season? Can the new, fresh faces in the WR room get the job done? Well, ON3 journalists Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman had a harsh truth that you might not like.

On April 1, during the Andy & Ari On3 podcast, Staples asked, “Here’s a team that made the college football playoff last year, that brings back a quarterback that has a lot of hype around him. But they lost some really good players…What is Tennessee’s ceiling this year?”

To this, Ari Wasserman pointedly noted, “I would put them in the second rung. Probably of like, ‘Really, really good but aren’t going to win the national [championship]’…Tier two is, ‘Could make the playoff’…[I] just don’t think they can win four of them. I have a hard time when a team has a glaring roster weakness.” Staples then interjected his co-host’s monologue and mentioned, “Receiver being the weakness for Tennessee.”

A total of 25 players chose to hit the portal, and a chunk of the rest jumped ship to the NFL. And guess what? The wide receiver room remains the hardest hit of all. A bunch of receivers, including Squirrel White, Kaleb Webb, Chas Nimrod, and a few more, hit the portal. On the contrary, two freshman wide receivers Travis Smith Jr and Radarious Jackson signed with the team in December last year.

Wasserman: “I think that Penn State did more in the offseason to address their issues than Tennessee did…I think that Tennessee has a certain player on their team at the receiver position named Mike Matthews who was a former five-star prospect who entered the portal and stayed, who has a chance to break out. And if he turns out to be Calvin Johnson, then that changes.” However, the On3 College Football journalist wasn’t done as he then took his honest critique to Nico Iamaleava. Heads-up: There’s a lot to worry!

“I just don’t think that Nico in general has lived up to what he was supposed to be yet. I don’t know that I’ve seen enough out of him to believe or be certain…I’m more certain that DJ Lagway is going to be awesome than I am of Nico. ..Though I’m not saying he can’t be…I’m just saying…I have questions about how how close I think this is,” he mentioned, which was more intensified as a fan comment that made it to the screen read, “WRs were open for UTk, Nico just wasn’t hitting them.”

However, if you ask anyone from the team, they’re probably going to disagree. As running back Dylan Sampson put it, “I think Nico’s ready. Everybody has full faith and confidence in him and I think it’s just time to, you know, let him go.” For the unversed: The 20-year-old signal-caller finished last season passing for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 63.8% completion rate. He also rushed for 358 yards and three touchdowns.

Top Comment by Raider

No, his accuracy throwing the ball reminds me of Milton!

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Debate

Having said that, since the Tennessee Volunteers’ loss to OSU in the first round of the college football playoff to the end of the winter transfer portal windows, Heupel has been facing a hard time. Tennessee had the talent to make a solid run in the playoffs last year. They had shown that they could win against any team, small or big. They possessed a ridiculously good defense. But they failed to stay consistent in the long run. How they gave up on their chance to score a touchdown from the Arkansas 20-yard line early in the season and how Nico Iamaleava lost track of time on the final play, recording the first loss of their season, screams ambiguity. This consistency game is the most palpable area that separates the national champions from the rest of the pack. But this year, things probably get dicier.

But then again, a lot will depend on how their Nico Iamaleava formula works out.

Josh Heupel crafts a master plan for Nico Iamaleava 

Nico Iamaleava has massive potential as a dual-threat athlete, but he couldn’t make the best out of it in the past. While Chris Brazzell recently showed that he can be a weapon for Iamaleava and provide him the support he needs to excel under the center, the fix lies in a strategic game plan.

This time, even apart from the big receiver fix, Heupel has a solid plan to jump on. The Volunteers aren’t just sitting back and dreaming of Nico Iamaleava to be better—they’re crafting a blueprint of it. They plan to have more designed quarterback runs, giving him more leeway to beat the defenders with his legs while his arms keep doing their job on the offense. According to On3’s JD PicKell, that’s how Heupel plans to fix his biggest threat or weapon in the team moving forward.

“Some intel that I got around Nico, though, in terms of how they could use him in 2025—I was told there may be a chance they do a little bit more quarterback design run game with him,” the ON3 journalist said. However, Heupel didn’t put that extra ounce of effort into nothing. Nico Iamaleava challenged his physical frame to get an edge over others. He’s bulked up.

Adding more muscles will certainly help him to take more hits and keep the defense safe. “During winter conditioning, you’re supposed to add some weight, so that’s a good sign,” PicKell noted. It will be interesting to see how much Tennessee can align with a little realistic and limiting projection going forward.