Chattanooga coach: ‘The sky is the limit’ for Nico Iamaleava at Tennessee

Rusty Wright knows how good Nico Iamaleava is because he’s watched the film. Chattanooga’s head coach has seen just how easy Tennessee Football’s new redshirt freshman starter and former five-star prospect can make the game look.

“I can promise you it looks real effortless,” Wright told reporters this week , ahead of Chattanooga opening its season at No. 15 Tennessee on Saturday ( 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time, TV: SEC Network ) at Neyland Stadium.

Technically, Wright on Tuesday was discussing the running element of Iamaleava’s game. In his first career start, the 35-0 Tennessee win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day, Iamaleava ran for three touchdowns.

“That’s that SEC speed for you, when he gets going,” Wright said. “So yeah, I mean, he made it look real effortless against Iowa a couple of times. And those are Big 10, corn-fed boys. He’s a good football player.”

‘He can do everything that they’re trying to ask him to do in that offense’

Iamaleava finished the Citrus Bowl with 178 total yards and four total touchdowns. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown and ran 15 times for 27 yards, with al long of 19.

He started the bowl game in place of Joe Milton III, who opted out to begin preparations for the NFL Draft. Iamaleavea appeared in five games in total last season, passing for 314 yards and two touchdown and running 20 times for 71 yards and three scores on the ground.

Now Wright’s Chattanooga team faces Iamaleava in his first home start, with the Nico Era beginning in earnest as the full-time starter at quarterback and the face of the Tennessee Football program.

“He’s talented,” Wright said. “Yeah, he’s talented.”

Nico Iamaleava: No. 1 overall player in 2023 On3 Recruiting Rankings

Iamaleava was ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the On3 ratings in 2023, picking Tennessee over Miami, Alabama, Georgia and others while headlining Tennessee’s recruiting class.

“He can make all throws,” Wright said, “and the scariest part is when he gets it in his hands and he tucks it, it gets real interesting then. So just a very talented young man.”

And Iamaleava is just getting started, as Wright himself pointed out.

“I’m sure you’ll see a lot of growth from him from the bowl game,” he said, “going through the bowl game then spring ball, then fall camp and him having an opportunity to go play. I think that’s the thing, his talent level, the sky is the limit.

“At the end of the day, he can do everything that they’re trying to ask him to do in that offense. And I think you’ll see him continuously get better, especially as the season goes along, gets more comfortable with everything.”

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