Nico Iamaleava replacing Joe Milton wouldn't solve Tennessee football's problems, Vols OC says
Tennessee football offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said replacing quarterback Joe Milton with Nico Iamaleava wouldn’t have fixed the Vols’ problems on offense.
When asked that simple question on Tuesday, Halzle had a straightforward answer.
"No," Halzle said. "Because it’s operational (problems), and Joe is operating at really high level."
Milton, the starting quarterback, has been a scapegoat for UT’s slow offensive start to the season to some fans. And their frustration spiked after the Vols lost 29-16 to rival Florida last week.
Iamaleava, the freshman and five-star prospect, seems like a quick fix. He’s talented but inexperienced.
"Joe was really good in his decision making and with his calmness on the sideline," Halzle said. "... Man, after every single drive, he was like, 'All right, cool, move on. What do we got coming next?' So the guy was very even-keeled."
No. 20 Tennessee (2-1) plays UT San Antonio (1-2) on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, SEC Network) at Neyland Stadium.
The Vols have a lot of problems to solve before returning to SEC play against South Carolina on Sept. 30.
The offensive line has struggled with center Cooper Mays missing the first three games due to an injury. Wide receivers have dropped passes and not gotten separation consistently on their routes. Play-calling has been slower than past seasons. And pre-snap penalties have stalled drives, including five false-start infractions.
Milton has been solid but unspectacular. He has completed 64% of his passes for 716 yards, six TDs and one interception. And he’s rushed for three TDs.
But Milton is ranked a disappointing 12th among SEC quarterbacks in passer rating, in part, because of a meager 7.4 yards-per-attempt average in UT’s suddenly conservative air attack.
"(Milton) was accurate with the football. The guy played a good game. We were happy with that," Halzle said. "Obviously, we can always be better. We can be pushing for our communication (to improve), for how we all get on the same page in an environment like that. But his overall game management was very good."
Iamaleava has played in only one game. Against Virginia, he was 2-of-3 passing for 11 yards, and he had an 8-yard run.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football: Nico Iamaleava at quarterback not solution, OC says
