Nico Iamaleava will officially be the starting quarterback for the Vols when they take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

There had been much speculation about whether Joe Milton would take one more crack at it, but instead the QB will prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Milton posted a heartfelt letter to Vol Nation on his Instagram declaring his intentions.

What does this mean for Nico?

Well, it means that the young QB’s first test will be against a legit defense. The Hawkeyes boast the No. 5 total defense in the nation, the No. 14 rushing defense, and the No. 8 passing defense. So, anyone expecting Nico to rack up 400 yards through the air is probably going to be disappointed.

However, it will be interesting to see how the young QB fares against a ferocious front. If Nico looks calm and composed and avoids any huge mistakes, this has to be considered a positive. Additionally, even if Nico DOES play poorly, let’s not pretend the sky is falling. This will be his first start against a REALLY good defense, and he won’t have his full arsenal of weapons, either.

Either way, let’s not overreact to this game. It’s nice to that Nico will get this chance though, especially against a quality opponent.

Prediction

Ultimately, I believe the Vols have superior athletes, especially on offense. Even with an almost entirely new secondary, I don’t see the Hawkeyes’ putrid aerial attack suddenly working. I think this is a low-scoring game, with the Vols getting a run game going and holding the Hawkeyes to field goals. I expect something in the vicinity of 20-9 in the Vols’ favor.