Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava signed autographs in print as a 16-year-old phenom because his cursive writing wasn’t ready for primetime.
He put on 25 pounds since enrolling at UT in 2023 by eating a lot of French toast and sausage.
And he’s won two national championships on the recently released EA Sports “College Football 25,” a video game which mispronounces his last name.
Those were just a few of the interesting tidbits that came from an ultra-relaxed Iamaleava during a 21-minute appearance at UT football media day on Tuesday.
“I’ve always been comfortable with the media,” Iamaleava, a former five-star recruit, said with a sly grin. “I’ve had a lot of home training with this media stuff.”
The redshirt freshman from Long Beach, California, displayed his chill vibe and quiet confidence as dozens of reporters peppered him with questions in an “ask me anything” style setup.
Iamaleava is 19 years old and has only one start as a college quarterback. But it’s evident that he’s prepared for this role as the Vols starting quarterback.
“Year Two is something I’ve envisioned since coming here,” Iamaleava said. “Year Two was going to be my year, go-time for me, and I’m ready.”
Iamaleava is now the face of the program as UT kicks off preseason practice Wednesday in anticipation of the 2024 season. Here are a few things he shared at media day.
‘I had to practice my signature’
Iamaleava idolized California quarterbacks Bryce Young, CJ Stroud and DJ Uiagalelei.
When he was in middle school, he got photos with them in some of the most memorable moments of his childhood.
But by age 16, Iamaleava, then a coveted recruit, was asked to pose for photos and sign his autograph for fans.
University of Tennessee’s Gaston Moore (13), Nico Iamaleava (8), Jeremiah Telander (22), and Jake Merlinger (12) on…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/tennessee-qb-nico-iamaleava-revealed-210834720.html
Author : Knox News | The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Publish date : 2024-07-30 21:08:34
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