How Tennessee freshmen quarterbacks have performed in bowl starts

The highly anticipated first career start of Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is set for New Year's Day against Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

The crown jewel of the Vols' 2023 signing class, fans have clamored to see Iamaleava play significant snaps since before his arrival on campus last spring. Now, they'll get the chance.

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The path to starting opened up on Wednesday after starting quarterback Joe Milton III announced that he was passing up the bowl game to focus on the 2024 NFL Draft.

That decision thrusts Iamaleava into the starting role after completing 16 of 26 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown in four games. He'll be going up against a Hawkeyes defense that ranks top 10 nationally in both pass defense and stopping the run.

It also places Iamaleava with some elite company.

When he takes the first snap inside Camping World Stadium on Monday, he will become the fourth true freshman signal caller to start in a bowl game in Tennessee program history, joining the likes of Peyton Manning, Casey Clausen and Tyler Bray.

It remains to be seen how Iamaleava's career will end up and one bowl game will hardly define it, regardless of how he performs, but past history has been a decent indication.

The previous three quarterbacks enjoyed successful, productive careers with the Vols, set up in part by playing in the postseason.

Like Iamaleava, Manning's first appearance was filled with anticipation.

The son of another SEC quarterbacking legend, Archie, Manning was a highly sought after prospect, wanted by several high profile programs before he signed with Tennessee in 1994.

His debut in the Vols' season opener against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and it was a rocky one, but Manning moved his way up the depth chart was took over as the starter by the end of the of the season.

Against Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl, which was played at Florida Field in Gainesville because of stadium renovations in Jacksonville to make way for a new NFL franchise, Manning shined.

He put a stamp on his freshman season by going 12-of-19 passing for 189 yards and a touchdown in a convincing 45-23 victory over the Hokies.

Manning finished his Tennessee career with a plethora of records and accolades. The Vols went 11-1 during his sophomore campaign before leading the program to an SEC title as a senior in 1997, the highlight of a storied collegiate career that set up an even more successful pro career.

Clausen had a similar trajectory early on. He backed up quarterback A.J. Suggs to start the 2000 season but was impressive enough to unseat Suggs by the middle of October.

He was named the starter before the Alabama game and led Tennessee to a 20-10 win against the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa to kickstart a six-game win-streak to end the regular season.

That streak was snapped vs. Kansas State in a 35-21 loss in the Cotton Bowl where Clausen struggled, tossing three interceptions and just one score, but those showings were few and far between the rest of his career.

Over the next three seasons, Clausen had a proven knack for winning close games, particularly on the road where he went 14-1. He got Tennessee within a game of the BCS National Championship as a sophomore, but an upset loss to LSU in the SEC Championship Game kept the Vols out.

Bray had the misfortune of playing during a down stretch for the program.

A four-star recruit from California, Bray made several appearances as a freshman in 2010 and earned the starting spot over Matt Simms before the Memphis game.

Bray headlined a 50-14 thumping of the Tigers and led Tennessee to four-straight wins to get bowl eligible in head coach Derek Dooley's first season.

The Vols lost to North Carolina, 30-27 in overtime in the Music City Bowl despite Bray passing for 312 yards and four touchdowns, though three interceptions were costly.

Bray shot up the Tennessee record books in the next two seasons, finishing with 69 touchdowns and 7,444 yards, both which are fourth all-time among Vols' quarterbacks.

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