KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s offensive production rivaled its 2022 season Saturday afternoon which begs the question if the Volunteers are back. Yes, people are asking.
There was arguably too much to like about Josh Heupel’s new toy as his quarterback Nico Iamaleava dismantled Chattanooga’s secondary Saturday afternoon. Iamaleava’s stat line read 22-of-28 passing for 314 yards and three touchdowns with all of it coming in the first half, which is a record on Rocky Top.
Most media outlets had him behind the likes of Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Georgia’s Carson Beck and many others. That won’t be the case for long if he continues to light up secondaries like he toyed with the Mocs in week one.
Two years ago, Tennessee led the nation in points per game at 46 points with the arm of Hendon Hooker and a slashing run game. Now, Iamaleava’s will be depended upon to bring the Volunteers back to that level and he’s confident they can reach it again.
“Yeah, I felt great man. Just going out there competing with my guys,” Iamaleava said after beating Chattanooga 69-3. “We put a lot of work into it for this year. So it felt good to go out there and display what we’ve been working on.”
Heuepel seemed to be impressed with his quarterback’s command of the pocket while delivering strikes across the field. Iamaleava started the game 10-of-10 passing and never let up.
“[Iamaleava] came out and played really efficiently, effectively, made plays down the field,” Heupel said. “There’s some things that he can control and be better and he knows that and he wants that too.”
Playoff Contenders?
Barring injury, the Volunteers have a chance to breakthrough into the SEC title scene in 2024 given how close the program was two seasons ago. Tennessee will play its SEC home opener against Florida Oct. 12 but there’s a long road to get there as they play North Carolina State in Charlotte and a pair of road trips against Oklahoma and Arkansas sandwiched between.
If Heupel’s team comes away from that stretch unscathed, it will start a four-game homestand against the Gators, Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Then, a road trip against No. 1 Georgia is the prize with a chance of Atlanta within reach.
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