ORLANDO, Fla. — Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava spoke about his upcoming first career start in the Citrus Bowl on Thursday in Orlando.
The freshman will be the signal caller after Joe Milton announced he will not play in the bowl as he enters the 2024 NFL Draft.
Iamaleava said he found out around Christmas time he would be the starter.
"I was excited man," he said in a press conference in Orlando. " I finally get to go out there and showcase my talents as a starter so it should be fun."
He has one major goal in this upcoming game against Iowa.
"I'm just looking forward to go out there and get a win man," he said. "That's really all I'm looking forward to. However it comes, as long as we come out with a win, it will be fine."
Iamaleava said Joe Milton's mentorship has meant everything for his development. Milton is in Orlando as the team prepares for the bowl attending practices, attending team meetings and helping Iamaleava.
"This whole season Joe took me under his wing and I have learned so much from Joe, you don't even know," Iamaleava said. "Going into the season, just having Joe, I knew I was going to be able to learn a lot. Learn how to be a college football player, learn how to be a pro, so it was huge for me to learn from Joe this year. I can ask him anything and he has no problem with giving me the answer. He has been there for me since day one so I really appreciate Joe."
Iamaleava feels like he has developed a lot since spring practices and can do everything he needs to do on the field.
He will lead the Vols in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 against Iowa as a true freshman. He will be just the fourth true freshman to start a bowl game for the Vols. The others were Tyler Bray, Casey Clausen and Peyton Manning.
Manning is the only one of those to win their bowl game, doing so in the 1994 Gator Bowl.
Despite not having much experience, having only played limited snaps in four games this season, he still feels it is his duty to lead the Vols.
"I think as a quarterback you need to come with everything," he said. "Quarterback comes with leadership, quarterback comes with paying well. Going into the game I've always tried to lead. As a quarterback that's what you try to do, you're the leader of the team."
