🏈 Is Tennessee's offense back?

Hello. This is the Josh and Swain Newsletter, a quick roundup of the week’s top stories and topics involving Tennessee and the sports world.

Here’s what we have for you today:

• How Nico Iamaleava is stepping up entering his third season at Tennessee

• Tennessee’s SEC tournament matchup — and NCAA tournament hopes

• The amount of awards for UT’s basketball players is pretty wild

• Why Tennessee’s baseball team is the team to beat again in the SEC

TENNESSEE’S OFFENSIVE TALK

The first week of Tennessee’s spring football practice brought some offensive buzz.

✳️ Quick disclaimer: this is spring football. There’s a long way to go beyond anything said in March and April. 

With that out of the way, here’s a look at some Vols’ offensive talking points after the first week of spring football. 

🟠 Nico looks ready to lead

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava has been in the program for more than two years now. 

Entering his second season as a full-time starter, he knows he has to be a vocal leader. 

Especially with veterans like Bru McCoy, Cooper Mays, and Dylan Sampson gone. 

“They know I’m not the loudest,” Iamaleava said. “They know I’m not the rah-rah guy to everybody. But at the same time, I need to be in certain instances.”

Offensive line transfer Sam Pendleton praised Iamaleava’s on-field composure.

The offense has a lot of talent — but a lot of youth. 

Iamaleava’s role as a leader will be vital. 

🟠 Mike Matthews’ strong start 

Matthews has a chance to be Tennessee’s top wide receiver in 2025.

On the practice field, he’s looked as expected. 

Jayson Swain said “no one was really able to cover him in one on ones” while Swain watched Matthews at practice on Monday.

More from Swain on the show:

As Swain noted during the segment, Matthews has to continue to work and stay healthy. 

But nothing has changed about Matthews’ potential to play at a high level this fall. 

The receiver room has plenty of potential. 

But it’s the least experienced position group on the team. 

Let’s see how they develop this spring — and if Tennessee tries to add a veteran WR following spring practice. 

🟠 The David Sanders Jr. hype

The five-star freshman hasn’t won the starting right tackle job after one week of spring practice. 

But nothing has changed with the expectation that he will win the job before the season begins on Aug. 30.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel complimented Sanders for his talent and the way he works.

Sanders “looks like a five-star,” according to Pendleton. 

Sanders will make mistakes like all freshmen do. 

But he also has more ability than most freshmen. 

Other spring talking points

◼️ The two-way talk of Boo Carter is real. We expected Carter to get snaps on offense this spring, and he has. 

It’s too early to know what kind of role Carter will have on offense. 

But he’ll have one — along with a huge role in the Vols’ secondary.

◼️ The development of second-year defenders continues to be an important storyline. 

What kind of move can Edrees Farooq make at safety?

How about linebackers Jordan Burns and Edwin Spillman?

Tennessee has recruited well on defense. 

Let’s see who emerges to help strengthen the Vols’ depth, which still needs some help. 

◼️ Tennessee won’t replace Dylan Sampson’s production with one person. 

But the Vols’ group of running backs will have a chance. 

Peyton Lewis (another second-year guy) will benefit from his freshman experience last year. 

DeSean Bishop will likely continue to outperform expectations. 

And freshman Daune Morris, who flipped from Southern Cal to UT, could make an immediate impact. 

THIS IS MARCH

Tennessee’s basketball team will play Texas on Friday in the SEC Tournament.

📍 Nashville
⏰ 3:30 p.m. ET (roughly)
📺 ESPN
📻 99.1 The Sports Animal | 107.7 WIVK

What’s at stake for Tennessee?

The Vols appear to have a shot at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

“Florida, Alabama and Tennessee battling in Nashville for the final No. 1 seed,” Lunardi wrote earlier this week. 

A No. 2 seed looks more likely for the Vols — either in the East or Midwest regions. 

Duke is the projected No. 1 seed in the East; Houston the projected No. 1 in the Midwest. 

If Tennessee wins on Friday, the Vols should lock up a No. 2 seed at worst. 

There’s also the question of how much Tennessee wants to win the SEC tournament. 

It sounds like a silly question, but it’s due to the SEC title game on Sunday. 

That shortens the turnaround — and rest — ahead of the NCAA tournament. 

Last year, Auburn won the SEC tournament on Sunday and flew to Spokane, Wash., for the NCAA tournament. 

The Tigers proceeded to lose that Friday to seed Yale. 

But Tennessee should have a closer draw for the first weekend of the NCAA tournament.

A reporter asked senior Igor Milicic Jr. about the suggestion that the SEC tourney isn’t worth winning.

Milicic seemed confused. 

Tennessee’s players will have the mindset of winning the tournament. 

Imagine Jahmai Mashack and Zakai Zeigler NOT trying to win if they’re on the court. 

Tennessee’s focus has to be on Texas.

Tennessee laid an egg against Mississippi State in the Friday game of last year’s SEC tournament. 

That didn’t hurt Tennessee in the NCAA tourney — the Vols made a run to the Elite Eight. 

But Tennessee will need to focus on Texas, which is on the bubble for the NCAA tournament.

The Longhorns will view Friday’s game as a chance to punch their ticket into the Big Dance. 

SPORTS NUGGETS

🏈 See what Will Backus believes is the biggest question for Tennessee this spring.

🏈 The American Athletic Conference has set a minimum for its schools’ revenue sharing plans.

🏈 Rich Rodriguez isn’t banning his players from using TikTok. He’s just banning them from dancing on TikTok.

🏀 Read Chris Low’s story on Chris Lofton, who was profiled on SEC Storied this past Monday (recommend you watch that, too).

🏀 Here’s the latest bracket projection from Jerry Palm at CBS Sports.

🏀 The status of Duke star Cooper Flagg will be worth monitoring after he injured his ankle on Thursday.

⚾ Here’s a series preview for Tennessee vs Florida this weekend.

UT’S DESERVED RECOGNITION

Tennessee’s basketball players have racked up individual honors this week. 

Here’s (a long) updated list of some of the recognition Tennessee’s players have received.

“Some of the recognition” is in bold because it’s difficult to keep up with all of their honors.

There will be more that come, too.

Example: Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler were both listed among the 15 candidates for the John R. Wooden Award and All-American team.

The honors below include group voting from the SEC’s coaches and the Associated Press, along with individual publications. 

Zakai Zeigler 

First-team All-SEC — Coaches poll
Second-team All-SEC — AP poll

SEC Defensive Player of the Year — Coaches
First-Team SEC All-Defense — Coaches

Third-team All-American — Sporting News

Finalist: Bob Cousy Award (nation’s best point guard)
Finalist: Lute Olson Award (nation’s top player)
Semifinalist: Naismith Defensive Player of the Year

Chaz Lanier

First-team All-SEC — AP poll
Second-team All-SEC —Coaches poll

SEC Newcomer of the Year — Coaches

Third-team All-American — Sporting News

Finalist: Jerry West Award (nation’s best shooting guard)
Finalist: Lute Olson Award (nation’s top player)
Finalist: Riley Wallace Award (nation’s top transfer)

Jahmai Mashack

First-Team SEC All-Defense — Coaches

National Defensive Player of the Year — Field of 68

Semifinalist: Naismith Defensive Player of the Year

➡️ There will be more individual honors for these players before the awards cycle ends. 

Some other notes from the honors listed above:

• Tennessee was the only team to have two semifinalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. 

• Lanier and Zeigler joined Ernie Grunfeld and Bernard King as the only Tennessee duo to receive All-American honors in the same season.

• Zeigler is the first player in SEC history to make the league’s All-Defensive team four times

• Zeigler is the third player in SEC history to win the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award twice

These awards follow some historical team success for the players listed above. 

• Tennessee has won 25-plus games in four consecutive seasons. 

• The Vols have nine 25-win seasons in their entire history — six of them have come under coach Rick Barnes. 

• Mashack and Zeigler are tied for the most wins by a four-year player in UT history with 104 wins. (They’re tied with Wayne Chism and Quinn Cannington — and will pass them with one more win.)

And not to be ignored: Mashack was named a Torchbearer by UT chancellor Donde Plowman last week. 

That’s the highest honor given to a UT student, which recognizes the impact Mashack has made off the court. 

What will happen in the SEC and NCAA tournaments?

We’re about to find out. 

But there’s no doubt Tennessee basketball is on a special run. 

THE REAL SEASON BEGINS

Tennessee baseball will open SEC play at home against Florida this weekend. 

🕰️ Start times: 

Friday: 6:30 PM
Saturday: 6 PM
Sunday: 1 PM

Tennessee (17-0) is the nation’s last remaining unbeaten team. 

(UT’s basketball team was also the last unbeaten team this season.)

How good have the Vols been so far this season?

Tennessee leads the country in home runs (50), slugging percentage (.690), and team ERA (1.77).

“How ya wanna get down?” Allan Bell of Driving The Line joked on Thursday’s show.

Tennessee’s competition is about to get a lot tougher in the SEC.

But UT has every reason to be confident going in. 

The Vols’ pitching staff is led by Liam Doyle, who leads the nation in strikeouts. 

And Tennessee’s offense appears to have more capable bats than spots in the lineup. 

Tennessee ranks No. 1 in multiple polls and continues to be everyone’s team to beat.

That’s just the way Tony Vitello’s program likes it. 

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