Earlier in the week, Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel made it seem like star quarterback Nico Iamaleava was doing just fine and he'd be good to go to take on Georgia. Well, not so fast there, as Vols fans everywhere are now quite worried.
Out of nowhere, insider Pete Thamel provided an update on the QB's health. As it turns out, the 'upper-body injury' Iamaleava has been dealing with is actually a concussion he suffered in the first half against Mississippi State. According to Thamel, he's in the concussion protocol and his status for this weekend is totally up in the air:
Sources: Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava is in concussion protocol after leaving the Mississippi State game last week with an injury and not returning to the sideline for the second half. He did dress and practice on Tuesday, and his status for the Georgia is undetermined.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 13, 2024
Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava is reportedly in the concussion protocol
We'll surely learn more about Iamaleava's status once the first injury report of the week is released, but with the showdown vs. Georgia coming later this week, plenty of people are worried. Should Iamaleava not be able to play, Gaston Moore will get the start vs. Kirby Smart and Co.
In recent days, however, Heupel has been adamant that he expects his freshman QB to be ready to play against Georgia. This is a massive game featuring two of the top SEC teams in the country and there will be plenty of CFP implications for both teams. On Georgia's side of things, though, it looks like reporters who cover the Bulldogs are convinced Moore will start and not Iamaleava:
REPORT: Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica says Nico Iamaleava is not expected to play against Georgia due to a concussion.
— On3 (@On3sports) November 13, 2024
(via @ugasportscom, h/t @HBTFD1) https://t.co/KtinrkYlm6 pic.twitter.com/y9yYz9xEIw
Tennessee is 8-1 on the season and the No. 6 team in the country, while Georgia fell to No. 11 in the rankings following their recent loss to Ole Miss. Everyone in Knoxville is remaining optimistic that Iamaleava will be healthy to suit up and make an impact for this intriguing battle.
However, Thamel's latest report has things clear as mud. We can only hope the next piece of news on the standout youngster is more of a positive one.