In 2024, Tennessee football will start a young quarterback with extremely limited experience. Nico Iamaleava takes over with just one start under his belt and not enough appearances to cost him a season of eligibility.

With a young quarterback taking over the offense, the Vols will rely on experience at other positions to help him. A load of this is on the offensive line which returns four players that started down the stretch when healthy.

The timing of a veteran-led offensive line pairing with a young quarterback is extremely fortunate. It doesn't always work out this way but it could be the perfect storm for Tennessee this season.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

"Biggest thing with college football all the time is timing right," Vols offensive coordinator Joey Halzle said. "You don't have long-term contracts like the NFL. We got to time up bringing in a new quarterback with four offensive linemen that are returning. It's huge because now everything is not on him. So bringing all those guys back was huge for us."

One of the first pieces to return on the front was John Campbell Jr. The tackle decided he'd return for his final season of eligibility after transferring in from Miami a year ago.

His decision to return came with a sacrifice, though. With the addition of former five-star Lance Heard out of LSU, he was asked to flip from the left to the right side of the line.

However, this apparently wasn't much of a tough decision for him. Backup quarterback Gaston Moore said Campbell is constantly telling the team that he's willing to do anything for them.

Halzle says the end goal of it is to win a title.

"John coming back and willing to play both sides is just a testament that he wants to go win a title," Halzle said. "That's why he came back, he wants to go win a title and he's doing what he feels is best for the team for us to go win a title. Having those guys with who we've got around them gives us a chance to attack every Saturday."

In the interior, Cooper Mays and Javontez Spraggins also elected to return. Mays was banged up toward the beginning of the year but was healthy down the stretch. Conversely, Spraggins suffered an injury that held him out for the remainder of the season and for the following spring camp.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Jordan Ross looking to continue strong run of Tennessee edge rushers

Spraggins is in good health now. It was a long journey to be cleared but he had his sight set at the light at the end of the tunnel.

"It was a tough process," Spraggins said. "Everything it going to tough when you're dealing with something like an injury with surgery. I didn't take it like anything hard personally but I knew the faster I get my knee right is the faster I can play in the field."

Between these notable returners in Spraggins, Mays and Campbell along with others such as Jackson Lampley and Dayne Davis, there is plenty of experience for Iamaleava and others to fall back on. Even Heard is playing a similar role despite entering just his second season.

This also benefits younger offensive linemen who will play behind this group up front. Jeremias Heard enters his freshman season new to the offensive line and with plenty to learn.

Being able to watch and learn from this unit is already a benefit for him.

"Johnny Cambell, Lance Heard, Cooper Mays have helped me a lot," Jeremias Heard said on who's helped him. "Along with Dayne. They've all helped me switch over to offense from defensive line."

Tennessee will host Chattanooga for a tuneup game to get on the same page before its first true test. Then, it will hit the road to play a neutral site game in Charlotte against NC State.

If the offensive line uses its maturity to its advantage, Iamaleava may be able to avoid some early growing pains many young quarterbacks experience.

–––––

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.

–––––