The first time I met Nico in person, I knew he had the right stuff,” senior center Cooper Mays said. “There wasn’t any entitlement, none of that. He wanted to earn everything. He wanted to grow as a player. You’ve seen him do that. I think this is probably the best it’s been yet, his comfort level and his command. I think the big thing for us is we’ve been better at protecting him. … He has that experience now and is just able to play ball. That’s going to exponentially increase how comfortable you are.”
His coaches believe in him, too.
“He soaks up everything, wants to learn everything, absorbing everything he can from coaches and teammates,” said McKenzie Milton, an offensive analyst at Tennessee this season before becoming the quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, UCF. “Yeah, he might come in as the top dog, but watching the way he brings guys along – maybe guys who are struggling a little bit – while also remaining humble and just being a sponge is the definition of a leader.”
Later in Low’s article, Milton added: “He’s still young in the sense that he can get so much better in certain areas. But the thing about him, and you’re talking about a kid who has everything, and I think he’s one of the most talented, if not the most talented kid that I’ve ever been around.”
Ohio State respects that talent, as it should.
In press conferences on Monday and Tuesday, Ryan Day, Jim Knowles and Sonny Styles said Iamaleava is an X-factor for the Volunteers.
“It takes all 11 (to defend him),” Styles said. “It starts with the rush line, everyone being in the rush lines where they’re supposed to be. And then, if he does happen to get out (of the pocket) because he’s a great athlete, you will have a chance to make some great plays. You have to be able to hang on and hang in there.
“Whoever you’re on, stay on them. Be disciplined in your coverage. It sucks for a defense when you feel like everyone is covered and he gets out of the pocket and runs for 20 yards. That sucks for a defense. That’s difficult to work with. We will have a plan for that to be able to counteract that
