Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava sets to throw during the Vols' spring practice.
photo by Tennessee Athletic Communications
"I know what I came here to do, and it's my job to go get that done."
Those were the closing remarks for Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava as the signal caller met with local media members on Monday inside the Anderson Training Center.
One week into his second spring training camp on Rocky Top and 12 weeks after his first career start in the Vols' 35-0 win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, Iamaleava has approached this offseason with intentionality – aiming to develop his skillset and become a more vocal leader for the Vols on the gridiron.
"I have been trying to work on being more vocal for the guys, speaking up when I need to," Iamaleava said. "I think just being myself out there, hanging out with the guys and making sure we are getting our business done. I've grown more in the vocal aspect of it, just being louder for the guys is what I've really been trying to work on."
Topics of discussion for Monday's media session with the Long Beach, California, native included bulking up his 6-6 frame to 215 pounds, developing chemistry with the new Tennessee receivers and comparing his former backup role to entering the 2024 season as the starting signal caller.
"Last year, I approached every day like I was the starter," Iamaleava explained. "I think (
Joe Milton III) did a great job of just helping me visualize what that looks like, and I have carried it over to this year."
Protecting QB1 will be paramount for the Tennessee offensive line that was also well represented in Monday's post-practice press conferences. Assistant coach
Glen Elarbee took the podium, followed by a pair of seasoned, redshirt-senior offensive linemen in
John Campbell Jr. and
Dayne Davis.
Sophomore tackle
Lance Heard also spoke to Knoxville media for the first time and has made his presence felt early in his first offseason with the Vols. The Monroe, Louisiana, native stands a towering 6-6, weighs 335 pounds and has already drawn comparisons to former Vol and 2022 first-round draft pick Darnell Wright.
"The guy (
Lance Heard) has unbelievable length and natural ability," Elarbee said. "Protecting the passer is going to be a big improvement, and he's just a big human. The ability to go move 4i's in the run game, I felt like (Darnell Wright), that's where he changed our run game a lot … I feel like Lance is going to have that ability too."
"He's really just going through his first offseason. So, some of the intricacies of just learning the game inside and out, he knows it, but experience and reps just build that bank of what's going on and how to adjust to certain situations. I think that's just part of his growth and development."
Davis enters his sixth year with the Vols and has served the offensive line room with the versatility of a Swiss Army knife under Elarbee's tutelage. The Bluff City, Tennessee, native has seen more reps at guard this spring, and credits his team-first mindset and knowledge of the
Josh Heupel system as two traits that help him serve the line at many different positions.
"My last three years here under Coach Heupel and Coach Elarbee, it's just been as a guy who knows the offense so well that you can flip to any position when you need a person here or there," Davis said. "Left guard, left tackle, center last year for five or six games, just being that guy where, if we need a spot on the o-line, can step up and be that player … Just really helping where I can, being a teammate to everybody and just being there for the o-line."
Tennessee will hold a closed scrimmage Wednesday morning at Neyland Stadium before hosting several former Volunteer standouts and NFL personnel for Pro Day inside the Anderson Training Center. Spring practice will continue Monday, April 1, after the Easter holiday break.
Full comments from Elarbee and select quotes from Campbell, Davis, Heard and Iamaleava can be viewed below.
On Lance Heard becoming adjusted to being at Tennessee…
"I think he's adjusting really, really well. He's done it the right way: stayed quiet, learned and interjects when he needs to. He has flashed and some really good bright spots. He's still young, and we're still working on some things technique-wise, but man, he comes to work every single day. The room loves him. When you have to jump in and go at the tempo piece of it, sometimes there's a little bit of an adjustment. I think he's right on schedule, right where he needs to be. I'm enjoying getting to walk in every day and see his face in the meeting room."
On the progression at center for Vysen Lang and William Satterwhite…
"There's a transition piece obviously with snapping the football, but they've put in the time and they're working their butts off at it. Vysen (Lang) is taking steps in his physicality, movement and all of those things. I think he's made a big effort. He knows the spotlight is on him, and the guys in the room are on him. He has broad shoulders, and he's fighting, straining and competing every day, doing a great job. (Satterwhite), it's tough to walk in from high school and all of a sudden, at times you're taking some pretty heavy reps against (Elijah Simmons) or Omari (Thomas). That's a tall task, and he's fought through every bit of it. The guy has a great attitude, and I'm just really proud of him."
On John Campbell Jr. changing positions on the line with Lance Heard coming in…
"Credit to him; that guy has put a ton of work in, both on the field adjusting and mentally, and he's been a great leader while doing that. I can't say enough good things about him. Guys have done it here, but it's not as easy as you want it to be. If you don't put in the time and the effort, sometimes it's a tougher transition. He's been awesome, and I can't say enough good things about it."
On the importance of Dayne Davis' versatility to play multiple positions on the offensive line…
"Ollie (Lane) last year was like a bouncing rubber ball, that poor guy. He had to move and got banged up and fought through everything. Dayne (Davis) has kind of picked up where he left off, for one, leadership-wise. He's helping command some of that room. He's gotten 'I need you at left guard. Man, actually I need you at right guard,' or 'I need you to jump in there at center,' and 'I know you already played all three, but can you go back out to right tackle.' He doesn't miss a beat. I always feel so bad. I walk up to him and got this face and he's like, 'I got it.' He knows that, 'I have to bounce over here for us to be our best today,' and he just goes out and does it, and I think earns the respect of that room the way he fights through it every single day. He doesn't say a word, and just knows everything is so stone cold."
On Lance Heard's skillset and what makes him a good fit for the offense…
"One, the guy has unbelievable length and natural ability. So, protecting the passer is going to be a big improvement, and he's just a big human. The ability to go move 4i's in the run game, I felt like (Darnell Wright), that's where he changed our run game a lot. He'd go and just dent a 4i. I feel like Lance is going to have that ability too. I don't know if it's necessarily the offense. He got to LSU in the summer and had to play in the fall. He's really just going through his first offseason. So, some of the intricacies of just learning the game inside and out, he knows it, but experience and reps just build that bank of what's going on and how to adjust to certain situations. I think that's just part of his growth and development."
On where Dayne Davis is primarily getting work this spring and Shamurad Umarov on the inside…
"He (Dayne Davis) is probably taking the majority of reps at guard, still with the ability to go wherever, whenever. Shamurad (Umarov) is taking steps. He's got to continue to work at pad level. He has got some supernatural ability to redirect and get out of bad body positions. Still, for him, it speeds up. The closer you get to the ball, the game speeds up for you. There's more going on. It happens faster. So, that part of it is a little bit of an adjustment for him, but he's had to play some guard and go back out to tackle. (He) never complains and has an unreal attitude. You see (Shamurad) before practice and he's ready to run through a wall. He goes in and attacks it, that's all you can ask. I hope he will keep taking steps and hopefully have a great scrimmage."
On building depth at the guard position…
"For sure. That's the silver lining. We are building depth. The young guys are getting tons and tons of reps, tons of looks. I told them all the day before the first day of pads, I was like 'Man, there's probably going to be some dark moments here for the next three weeks. There's going to be light at the end of the tunnel. You will be better for it, and we will be better as a team for it.' When we get to fall camp, our depth will be right where you want it. Right now, at guard, Lamp (Jackson Lampley) has had a real solid spring at right guard. Dayne (Davis) is reliable and dependable as it can get at left guard. We really haven't missed a beat with those two, and then you're just trying to build that depth. Get Sham (Shamurad Umarov) to continue to take steps. Gus (Hill) has to take steps. Max (Anderson) has come in and done a really nice job, again having to play inside and out. You get Andrej (Karic), you get (Javontez) Spraggins back, now you create some competition at that one spot. Then you've kind of helped yourself. Whoever doesn't get it, you have some depth there. Even your threes are guys that have played a bunch of football."
On Trevor Duncan transitioning to offensive line…
"Really long, athletic, smart. That's a pretty good combination there. He showed up to my house with some of the other linemen for dinner, and I was like, 'Typically if you are a defensive lineman, you are running away from the offensive line coach. You aren't getting anywhere near that guy.' So, I think it has been a good transition for him. Great kid. He's so long, athletic. He's built like a tackle. He is going to gain the weight. The transition, the learning, it's just a different process. It makes sense for him. I think he's enjoying it too. It will be fun for him."
On moving from left to right tackle…
"The transition has been smooth, [I have] just been going through it, trusting my coaches and everything they have been telling me. When they came up to me, I'm just a team guy, so I'll do whatever to help the team grow. I'm just here for the team."
On Nico Iamaleava's development…
"Nico is a baller, man. That's my boy. Everything he is doing, he is doing it fast, doing it great. He's making great decisions. I love Nico, and he's a great leader."
On returning to Tennessee for his last year of eligibility…
"I just wanted to stay with the guys, that o-line room. Those are my boys – (Javontez Spraggins, Cooper Mays, Andrej Karic, Dayne Davis) — I just wanted to come back with the guys. I love the room; it's just great people in there. If you see somebody down, they're going to pick them up. It's just a brotherhood as an o-line room. We're all servers, that's what we're held for. I just love to be with those guys."
On his evolution playing multiple positions across the line…
"My last three years here under Coach Heupel and Coach Elarbee, it's just been as a guy who knows the offense so good that you can flip to any position when you need a person here or there. Left guard, left tackle, center last year for five or six games, just being that guy where, if we need a spot on the o-line, can step up and be that player. Being able to move around I feel like has given me recognition with guys that are around. Just helping them out and helping them learn the offense; Lance (Heard) just getting here, helping him slow things down a little bit, just really helping where I can, being a teammate to everybody and just being there for the o-line.
On his comfort level at guard…
"I like it a lot. Being 6-foot-7, it makes it challenging sometimes. You got big E (Elijah Simmons) in there at whatever height he is and about 350 (pounds), so rolling off the ball like a bull rig. It's tough sometimes; you have to play a lot lower at guard. Contact is a lot quicker at guard, you can't play as high at guard, and you definitely can't play as many games at guard. It's straight contact. It's beefy inside, man; you just have to be low, play fast and get in the pads."
On early impressions of Lance Heard…
"Really long player, really big guy, knows how to use his hands, has a really violent punch. When he gets his hands on somebody, you just see them snap back. You see the power in that guy, and as I said with the young guys, Lance is in the same bucket. As he learns the offense more, everything else will slow down. With the speed of the offense, it's so hard. You have to really know it because the ball gets snapped quickly (and the) defense is moving. As the offense slows down for him, it will show, and he'll be perfectly fine."
On how he's adjusting to life at Tennessee...
"The city is definitely different. I'm not used to seeing all of the mountains and stuff. I really did not know anyone down here, so it was kind of a big-boy decision to make to come this far away from home."
On his impressions of Nico Iamaleava so far…
"I knew that Nico was a great player, and we came up in the same class. I saw that he was a very high recruit when we were coming out, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of that and his success."
On what practice has been like under Glen Elarbee…
"He's a great guy. He's very knowledgeable, and I feel like I can learn a lot of ball from him. It's been great practicing and getting to know Coach Elarbee."
On if there is a difference in camp coming in as a starter…
"Not too much. Even last year, I approached every day like I was the starter. I think Joe (Milton III) did a great job of just helping me visualize what that looks like, and I have carried it over to this year."
On working on his leadership as the starting quarterback...
"(I am) still being myself. I have been trying to work on being more vocal for the guys, speaking up when I need to. I think just being myself out there, hanging out with the guys and making sure we are getting our business done. I've grown more in the vocal aspect of it, just being louder for the guys is what I've really been trying to work on."
On how he has evolved physically since arriving at Tennessee…
"I think I've gotten to 215 (pounds) over the spring, and really have been trying to maintain that and stay at that weight. I think it has been a huge difference in the way I've been eating and taking care of my nutrition. Everyday habits have grown more and more for me as the years went on, so just being consistent with that."
On resetting after a successful outing at the Citrus Bowl and the buzz his performance generated…
"After that game, I probably took a week off and then was right back to work. Trying not to pay too much attention to things like that. I know what I came here to do, and it's my job to go get that done."