NCAAF News: Josh Heupel issues clear order to Nico Iamaleava, rest of Tennessee offense

The Tennessee Volunteers witnessed their four-game win streak came to an end at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs. Though deflating, the loss is not catastrophic for their College Football Playoffs‘ hopes. However, they must put it behind them and get back in the win column. On that note, head coach Josh Heupel issued a clear statement to quarterback Nico Iamaleava and the rest of the Volunteers’ offense.

Tennessee must have a short-lived memory and focus on securing the win over UTEP. It will be the Vols’ last non-SEC game of the season. It won’t have a direct effect on the team’s league standings, but an upset loss would knock them out of contention. High-risk, low-reward scenario.

Losing to Georgia is not the end of the world, whatsoever. However, the offense was neutralized, and the defense failed to be a factor against the Bulldogs attack. After the game, Heupel sent a strong message to Iamaleava and the offense.

“But against Georgia, there’s areas that we got to get better. Offensively, red zone,” Heupel said, via Volquest. “And I said simple things are the things that are going to matter in the game. The ordinary everyday things, do them at a high level. It’s signal recognition. It’s alignment. It’s, no pre-snap penalties. It’s not changing the way the game is played.“

Nico Iamaleava #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers warms up before a game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

“And there was just too many instances of Tennessee hurting Tennessee on Saturday. But the things that we can control, we got to be better at. And, ultimately, when we play good on good, those things are going to have a huge impact on the game.”

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Volunteers News: QB Nico Iamaleava delivers a powerful self-critique following the loss to Georgia

The message to Iamaleava and the offense was clear: the Volunteers cannot afford that many empty possessions. Against Georgia, the Vols tallied 29:31 in time of possession compared to the Bulldogs’ 30:29. Though the difference was less than a minute, Tennessee lost by two scores, highlighting an inefficiency in making the most of their time with the football.

Iamaleava makes blunt admission after loss to Georgia

During the loss to the Dawgs, Iamaleava registered his second-highest pass attempts on the NCAA season. The Vols’ QB attempted 33 passes, completing just 60% of them. After the game, he was honest when addressing his performance and the disappointing loss.

“There’s a lot of frustration, a lot of anger. We put a lot of work in to come out with a win in this game, and yeah, we came up short, didn’t play smart in the second half and it’s going to sting,” Iamaleava said, per ESPN. “We’ve got to let it sting and just learn from this.”

Heupel, however, had a supportive message for the young quarterback in Knoxville: “That guy’s a warrior. Young quarterback that’ll continue to get better. Guys around him wanna play for him. Tough guy.”