With just 10 seconds left in the first quarter, HC Josh Heupel’s freshman QB Nico Iamaleava hit Dont’e Thornton Jr. in stride on a deep slant. The WR made a run for the 66-yard touchdown. In that moment, the road game in Norman became a home game as a loud cheer roared across the stadium. The huge momentum builder for the Vols turned into a fire for the 6-ft-6 QB going on his very first SEC road game. But while Iamaleava brought the team its very first road win against a top-15 opponent since 2006, his stat line didn’t exactly jump off the page– 13/21 for 194 yards and one TD. He did not throw an interception, but he did lose 2 fumbles, the Vols’ only turnovers in the game. And while they were caused by poor pass protection, for a QB thought to be the savior of the Vols, they did not make his case.

But turns out it was also on Heupel, who leaned into his QB and whispered how “I pulled back a tad just because the way our defense was playing, hell of a job.” Nevertheless, for a team that scored 19 points in the first half and then just 6 in the latter, the heat has always gone to Iamaleava, a QB following his coach’s orders. After nine months since that game, it turns out, the heat on the roster and the QB isn’t out yet, despite his very public move to UCLA. Despite beating the Sooners 25-15, Nico’s weaknesses were clear. But the problem runs deeper per Fox Sports analyst RJ Young who highlighted this on his Adapt & Respond show.

Young said outright, “Nico Iamaleava didn’t do much of nothing. Like yes, he passed for 194 yards, but anybody that watched Tennessee play football last year knows that Dylan Sampson was the problem. Dylan Sampson had 92 rushing yards against an Oklahoma defense. I don’t give a damn that is the SEC’s best running back last year. It ain’t supposed to happen that way at Owen Field… That’s what happens when you have a quarterback that is unintentionally causing all the problems. And a five-star that we thought could sling it.”

Sure, Nico Iamaleava fumbled twice, but it wasn’t all his fault. The first fumble came from a blindside sack that forced the ball out as he was throwing. The second happened when the pocket collapsed, and he couldn’t hold onto the ball while stepping up. Luckily, Tennessee’s defense saved him, recovering fumbles on the very next play after each turnover. In the end, Iamaleava did enough. He didn’t put up huge numbers, but he managed the game well, helping the Vols secure an important win. But RJ Young isn’t just looking at Nico.

Jackson Arnold’s inconsistent play against the Vols last season was also clear. He completed 7 of 16 passes for 54 yards with an interception, and their offense only gained a dismal 222 yards. OU’s offense was not doing the magic. Their total offense, ranked them at 108th out of 133 teams, averaging only 325.3 yards a game. The QB1 was even benched midway through the game. And when backup Michael Hawkins came in, things changed greatly for them.

This made Young wonder, “Michael Hawkins ends up coming up with 132 passing yards, and it’s like, damn—what if he’d have been playing the whole game? Would Oklahoma have lost this game 25 to 15? Probably not. Oklahoma trailed 19-3, dog, and scored 12 points in the fourth freaking quarter—all because he had a quarterback that could hold on to the football and didn’t throw it to other people.”

This season, both teams will have new quarterbacks in Joey Aguilar and Michael Hawkins Jr. However, old issues from their past game could still remain. The Vols will host the Sooners at Neyland Stadium on November 1st. The question is, can Josh Heupel truly rely on Aguilar for his offense?

Josh Heupel’s quarterback situation is changing

The Tennessee Volunteers coach has moved past Nico Iamaleava’s departure, focusing on the team’s future at quarterback. He accepts the reality of college football after Iamaleava transferred to UCLA, concentrating on building a winning roster. While fans are disappointed, Heupel remains focused on moving the program forward.

When asked about the quarterback situation, aka ‘Nico’s exit situation,’ Heupel stated, “Well, let’s start calling it the Joey Aguilar situation. At the end of the day, that’s just the landscape (in college football). You’re not going to keep everybody. You’ve got opportunities to put your roster together. I feel like we’ve got a team that’s accountable, connected, works hard, and competes hard, and we’re built to win. Now we’ve got to go earn it every single day. We’ve got some new pieces we’ve got to get onboarded here in May—that’s the nature of college football. We’ll get ready, keep competing, and keep growing.”

But is it smart to put all his hopes on Joey Aguilar? Let’s be real; it’s not like Joey Aguilar isn’t ready to make a big impact. He completed 3,003 yards for 23 touchdowns with a 55.9% completion rate last season. But the only concerning part is his 14 interceptions.

That’s something that could put Josh Heupel and his team in a tough spot. 24 interceptions over two years show a quarterback who takes chances—a risky move for Josh Heupel. And if history shows us anything, Tennessee’s quarterbacks consistently maintained a strong touchdown-to-interception ratio. Hendon Hooker’s impressive 58 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions, for example, sets the standard for the Volunteers.

Aguilar seems to handle pressure, but in Knoxville, that kind of risky play won’t be tolerated—it will lead to a spot on the bench. While Josh Heupel hasn’t named a starting quarterback yet—with Jake Merklinger and George McIntyre also in the system—it remains to be seen if Heupel can succeed amidst these quarterback challenges and past issues.