A lighthearted graphic from ESPN regarding Tennessee Vols redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava gained significant attention over the weekend.
Following Tennessee’s dominant win over Chattanooga, ESPN’s College Football YouTube channel posted a video titled, “Nico Iamaleava is the BEST Tennessee QB since Matt Simms?”
This prompted a wave of criticism from Vols fans, who were taken aback by the comparison to former Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms. Many fans were also frustrated that ESPN seemed to overlook more notable former quarterbacks like Hendon Hooker, Josh Dobbs, and Tyler Bray.
While the reaction is understandable, it’s crucial to recognize that Simms himself was a co-host of the video. He spoke positively about Iamaleava and Josh Heupel’s offensive strategy.
The title of the video was intended as a playful nod to Simms’ time at Tennessee. Despite Simms’ contributions to the team, his tenure at UT was relatively modest, with 1,818 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions over two seasons. The video title was meant in jest rather than as a serious evaluation of Iamaleava’s potential.
