You’re telling me a 6’6” baller like Nico Iamaleava ain’t cooking in the playoffs? Somebody call Josh Heupel—this ain’t it, chief. Nico Iamaleava, the Vols’ golden boy, had a promising freshman season, but his playoff debut? Straight-up rough. A 42-17 beat-down by Ohio State had Tennessee fans questioning everything—receivers, O-line, play-calling—you name it. Pollack is now calling out Josh Heupel to stop babying Nico and start playing to win.

On December 26th, Former NFL LB-turned-analyst Pollack didn’t hold back at all, “They paid Nico a lotta money to get him there,” Pollack said. “He’s a 6’6” stud. I gotta trust him more than they have.” And trust? That’s where it gets tricky. They literally broke the bank on Nico when they signed him.

Tennessee’s game plan in 2024 was all about defense and a lights-out run game, and for good reason. The Vols led the nation in stop rate and ranked 3rd in scoring defense. Dylan Sampson? The man was a walking highlight reel, smashing the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,491 yards. But when Sampson went down early in the playoffs, it exposed a glaring hole: Nico had no backup plan. Against Ohio State, the Buckeyes clamped down on Tennessee’s receivers, leaving Nico stranded. 4 sacks later, the Vols’ high hopes turned into a lowlight reel.

Pollack wasn’t shy about pointing fingers. “The O-line has to get better, and they need a guy at wide,” he said. “When I’m giving you all that space and you can’t win, that’s a problem.” He’s ain’t wrong. Tennessee’s wideouts were MIA in the playoffs, and Nico looked like he was playing 7-on-11 out there. Pollack’s solution? Hit the transfer portal hard. Heupel needs to snag some burners who can create separation and give Nico the weapons to cook. “Get a guy at wide, and they can win,” Pollack said. “Then that offense becomes extremely difficult to stop.”

Now, let’s not act like Tennessee’s offense was a complete mess in 2024. Nico threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just five picks as a freshman. That’s solid. But Pollack’s point stands—when push came to shove, the Vols leaned too much on their defense and run game. “They’ve built around the defense,” Pollack said. “That was the way they knew they had to win.” But is that sustainable in 2025? Not if they want to be more than playoff fillers.

Tennessee Volunteers lost Nico Iamaleava’s backup QB

Oh, and just when you thought things couldn’t get spicier, Nico’s backup, Gaston Moore, hit the transfer portal. Yep, the guy who kept the ship steady when Nico was out with a concussion is gone. Moore wasn’t flashy, but he was dependable—a solid insurance policy for a team with playoff aspirations.

Losing Moore also puts more pressure on Nico to stay healthy and deliver. The dude’s already carrying the weight of Tennessee’s hopes and a fat 8 million NIL deal. Pollack’s advice? Build around Nico now. Get the O-line fixed, find some game-changers at receiver, and let the kid ball out. Tennessee’s got the defense; now it’s time to balance the scales.

Tennessee has the pieces to make another playoff run, but they can’t keep playing it safe. Nico Iamaleava isn’t just a QB—he’s a 6’6” playmaker with the potential to be a Vols legend. If Josh Heupel wants to make 2025 different, he’s gotta take Pollack’s advice to heart. Hit the portal, get the weapons, and let Nico do his thing. Because let’s be real, Tennessee’s tired of being “almost there.” It’s time to level up.