ORLANDO, Fla. – A year ago, Josh Heupel said Tennessee football's “future is freaky bright.”

The Vols had just beaten Clemson in the Orange Bowl behind MVP quarterback Joe Milton, who had just taken over the starting job and looked forward to the 2023 season.

On Monday, Heupel said he’s “really excited about who’s in that locker room and who’s coming back and where we have an opportunity to go in 2024.”

The Vols (9-4) had just routed Iowa 35-0 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl behind MVP quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who made his first start after Milton opted out.

It’s the same type of optimism one year apart. But there’s a distinct difference.

After the Orange Bowl, Milton had one season of eligibility remaining. And we now know that he was close to a finished product as a college quarterback.

Iamaleava has four seasons of eligibility remaining. Remember, this was technically a redshirt year. And if the freshman reaches his five-star potential, he’ll be in the NFL before that eligibility clock runs out.

“There’s a lot of stuff I want to work on, but I’m still thinking about this win we just had,” Iamaleava said. “But the sky is the limit for this team.”

Nico Iamaleava has room to grow but tremendous upside

OK, so let’s talk about room for improvement and those rising 2024 expectations.

Iamaleava showed his smooth running ability. It’s what got him into the end zone for three rushing touchdowns, tying a UT bowl record. And it’s what Iowa players acknowledged gave them headaches.

That mobility is also what got Iamaleava into trouble. He held the football too long and took six sacks.

Iamaleava showed his passing talent on some accurate and eye-opening throws. He was 12-of-19 passing for 151 yards, one TD and no interceptions. He also didn't see some open receivers, particularly a couple times on deep routes by Squirrel White.

“I believe (Iamaleava) is going to be a great dynamic playmaker, and we know that,” Heupel said. “I thought he handled himself really composed all day long. There are lot of a things where Nico can continue to grow in, and he will continue to grow in.”

The offseason starts now. And UT has three months until spring practice and eight months until next season to minimize those negatives and maximize Iamaleava’s positions. It should be a fun experience after a promising debut as the starter.

Nico Iamaleava can thrive if Vols play like that

Don’t overlook the formula that UT followed to a dominant win over Iowa (10-4). It can be replicated next season with Iamaleava behind center.

The Vols had a strong running game and a smothering defense – two best friends to any quarterback.

UT rushed for 232 yards with next season’s backfield of Dylan Sampson and Cam Seldon against one of college football’s best defenses.

And UT’s defense forced three turnovers, led by next season’s tone-setter. All-SEC defensive end James Pearce caused a fumble and returned an interception for a TD.

Give that support to Iamaleava, and the Vols can win.

Granted, the offensive line and wide receivers didn’t play their best game. But they were shorthanded due to injuries in ways they won’t be next season.

ADAMS Nico Show opens to rave reviews for Tennessee. He was as good as billed vs Iowa

How much better could Tennessee be in 2024?

Iamaleava’s upside adds a layer of intrigue to UT’s 2024 season.

Could a UT team led by Iamaleava beat North Carolina State in a Week 2 nonconference game? Probably.

Could the Vols win in Heupel’s return to Oklahoma in the SEC opener? Maybe.

Could Iamaleava beat Florida in Week 6? It’s at least trending that way, considering that would be Iamaleava’s seventh start.

What about beating Alabama and Georgia late in 2024? That would be very difficult. But the odds are looking better.

And could Iamaleava lead the Vols into the playoff picture when the bracket expands to 12 teams next season? Well, that's also a tall order. And it may depend more on the supporting cast around Iamaleava than his play.

After all, the Vols have their quarterback.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How Nico Iamaleava's MVP outing impacts Tennessee football 2024 outlook