What's next for Nico Iamaleava and the Tennessee offense?

Tennessee football's 19-14 loss to Arkansas makes the fourth straight season the Vols have lost inexplicably on the road in at least one game since Josh Heupel became the Tennessee head coach. 

It is the first time, however, Tennessee has lost one of these games with a freshman quarterback. Nico Iamaleava started his sixth game on Saturday and suffered his first career loss after winning his first five career starts. 

When viewed from that perspective, Nico seems to be playing above his potential early in his career, yet he's receiving a lot of the blame for Tennessee's loss. Is he responsible? Partially, but there's no reason anyone should blame Nico for the loss or be ready to write him off after one loss. 

Tennessee isn't a program that should be expected to win at least ten games every year and every game, but maybe Alabama and Georgia. The Vols are on the rise; unfortunately, success isn't a straight arrow. There are dips, tests, and tribulations programs face on the rise to the top. It's how they respond that separates them from everyone else. 

With that in mind, what's next for Nico and the Tennessee offense?

Tennessee's coaching staff has to open the playbook and let Nico be the gunslinging athlete he's expected to be as the Vols' starting quarterback. The playbook looks to be getting smaller by the week, but if the Vols expect to compete in the College Football Playoff this season, they are going to have to open things up offensively. 

Fox's Joel Klatt doesn't think the Vols' loss to Arkansas is as big a deal as some are making it. He believes this could be a launching point for the Tennessee season, where they bounce back, grow from the loss, and get better as they get deeper into the season. 

Klatt also mentions that Nico has to anticipate the throws he'll make before the ball is snapped. I'm sure he has pre- and post-snap reads for every pass, but he has to trust himself and his receivers and anticipate when and where he'll throw the football. 

Klatt is right about at least one thing—Nico looked most comfortable against Arkansas when he was out of the pocket. That could have been because he was rattled from the pressure and the opposing crowd, or he's a quarterback who's better rolling out and on the run. 

Either way, TenLea'se has to solve its offensive line problems and consistently create a safe pocket for Nico, or the coaching staff needs to play into his strength, get him outside the pocket from time to time, and let the redshirt freshman sling it in space. 

If they can do that and Nico can better anticipate when and where he's going to throw the ball on any given pass play, the Vols' offense can get back on track, and Tennessee can return to a near-unanimous College Football Playoff contender.