Tennessee gets its first best look at the future, and it's beautiful!

It may have been a cupcake on the schedule for Tennessee, but reps are still important for former blue-chip recruits like quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the final third of the Vols' regular-season schedule. Tennessee obliterated UConn on Saturday 59-3 to improve to 7-2 on the year. While Joe Milton III got the start again, we did see more run out of Iamaleava than we have up to this point.

He completed five-of-nine passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, as well as a 25-yard run on the afternoon. Iamaleava's dual-threat playmaking abilities could help usher in a new era of Volunteers football. While guys like Georgia's Carson Beck and Missouri's Brady Cook could be back next year, this is the last season Milton will play in front of Rocky Top. It is The Nico Iamaleava Show come 2024.

It may have been a pullback year of sorts for Tennessee after breaking through the year prior, but that was with Hendon Hooker in his final season at the helm of the offense. Losing him in the South Carolina defeat was devastating, but anyone who watched him play in 2021 and 2022 knew how special of a player he was. The hope for Tennessee is that Iamaleava can be that for the Vols in 2024.

Here is his first collegiate touchdown for the Vols, a brilliant 19-yard strike McCallan Castles for six.

The ball looks so smooth coming out of his hand, so Tennessee fans have to be excited about this.

Tennessee Volunteers get a good look at the future with Nico Iamaleava

With the Volunteers saddled with two losses before huge division games with Georgia and Missouri, you have to wonder how soon Heupel will pivot off Milton in favor of Iamaleava down the stretch, should Tennessee lose a few more games. The sooner we know if Iamaleava is a guy, the better off we can forecast what Tennessee can be going forward. After all, this is Milton's last season with the team.

It is abundantly clear that Heupel is the right coach to lead Tennessee, now and in the future. He has consistently shown that he can guide this team to around eight or 10 wins a season. The big question for him is if he can get the Vols to level up. Georgia is the two-time reigning national champions, Missouri is on the come up and the rest of the league is ferocious once the SEC goes division-less.

Overall, there are reasons why Milton has beaten Iamaleava out for the starting job and considerable playing time. He may have Heupel's trust more, as Iamaleava is only a true freshman and is rather inexperienced. But if you want to take a glimpse at what Tennessee's future could be like, look no further than their talented five-star freshman backing up Milton for the time being. He looks so good!

Seeing Iamaleava lead Tennessee next season will be one of the SEC's most interesting storylines.