Nico Iamaleava has been far from elite in big games

The Tennessee Volunteers won a huge game on Saturday against Alabama, and this is absolutely a time in which Volunteer fans should be celebrating, but there's an unfortunate truth about this team that has to be addressed: Nico Iamaleava is not playing well in big games.

Against the Tide, Nico completed just 14 of his 27 passes for 194 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He made individual big plays, but the Volunteer offense wasn't a consistent operation on Saturday. In fact, Tennessee was aided mightily by an opposing Alabama offense that was having even bigger struggles.

In the Vols sole defeat this season, Nico saw similar struggles. Against Arkansas, he completed only 59 percent of his throws for 158 yards, no touchdowns, and added a mere 17 yards on the ground. Against Oklahoma and Florida, the story remained the same. Against NC State, he threw two interceptions.

Nico is a young quarterback, and it's completely understandable that he is not dominating the SEC yet. Growing pains are a perfectly normal for a player of his inexperience. There were moments against the Tide where it looked like he was growing up before our eyes.

Until he puts together a complete game against a top tier defense, the Tennessee offense has a distinct ceiling.

Ask yourself this: What would it have looked like if the Tennessee offense from Saturday night was playing the Georgia defense that suffocated Texas?

Youth is obviously a big part of this, and Josh Heupel is an expert at coaching quarterbacks. Nico is only going to keep growing, and he'll undoubtedly get to a point where he is in command in games against the SEC's better defenses

For now though, the Volunteer offense, and its quarterback, have some big steps forward still to take.