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How Tennessee’s Roster Maintenance Can Set Nico Iamaleava Up Well
The future of the quarterback position at the University of Tennessee has beenĀ Nico IamaleavaĀ since he verbally committed on March 21, 2022. The Long Beach native has all the tools required to elevate a college offense and have his program contending for important goals, but in his redshirt freshman season, he may need help to get things rolling in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Part of the Vols’ recruiting pitch to Iamaleava was that they could effectively communicate his presence to players and build a strong system around him. We’ve been talking about his impact on recruits and what Tennessee can use to build, but the program’s brand is also strong enough to factor into that pitch. Prospects already want to play at Tennessee, and playing with Iamaleava is an excellent bonus.
Roster construction is the No. 1 thing in college football currently, and Tennessee can improve a lot next season if they set the table right for Iamaleava. They have some of the answers in-house, and for others, they must look elsewhere. I lay out three important subplots that will be determined in the next few weeks that could affect the next calendar year for Tennessee and Iamaleava.
Get Dylan Sampson Back In Orange
There’s been speculation floating around that running backĀ Dylan SampsonĀ could opt to enter his name into the transfer portal. Though there have been a few cryptic social media posts from Sampson throughout the season, his best 2023 opportunity is likely in Knoxville, Tennessee. He could enter next year as the lead back of a team that just produced its first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015. Sampson is a physical runner with a strong burst and hits the corner well. He’s also a capable receiving threat out of the backfield who could see a bunch of targets from Iamaleava if he opts to stay.
