There is some pressure.
Paul Finebaum Names Prominent SEC Coach Heading Into a 'Big Year' originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2025 college football offseason featured several major storylines. One of the most notable occurred in the spring when Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava unexpectedly announced his intention to enter the transfer portal.
The announcement came on the same day as the spring game, which left the Volunteers with little time to find a replacement. Last season, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdown passes and five interceptions, playing a vital role in leading the team to the playoffs for the first time.
On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst expressed that he believes this year is crucial for Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel after last season's College Football Playoff appearance.
"I think Heupel is in a good spot, but this is a big year for him to show what he's capable of," Finebaum said. "Last year was OK, but it was a really terrible ending to the season."
Finebaum mentioned that the Iamaleava situation continues to affect some people, and many are eager to commend Tennessee for its approach. However, he believes that Tennessee should not be held responsible for what transpired, as Iamaleava chose to leave on his own; the Volunteers did not instruct him to go.
Iamaleava, who transferred to the UCLA Bruins, will be replaced by Joey Aguilar. Aguilar, who originally was headed to UCLA before changing course to Tennessee, has impressive statistics, having passed for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions while completing 60.1% of his attempts in two seasons with the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Additionally, he rushed for 452 yards and five touchdowns.
Finebaum has previously stated that he believes a 9-3 record is realistic for Tennessee this season. However, given the manageable schedule, he suggested that in a worst-case scenario, the Volunteers could finish the 2025 season with an 8-4 record. Additionally, Kyle Wood from Athlon Sports has ranked Tennessee's schedule as the third easiest in the conference.
Wood emphasized that September will be a crucial month for the Volunteers. They will start the season with a neutral-site game against the Syracuse Orange in Atlanta, followed by a home game against the Georgia Bulldogs two weeks later. After these matchups, Tennessee's toughest games will be spread more evenly throughout the remainder of the season.
The Volunteers will begin their season at noon ET Aug. 30 against Syracuse.
Related: Greg McElroy Names College Football Playoff Team Headed for Major Step Back
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
