Loading ...The following is a cheat sheet I’ve thrown together with some key stats and factoids that might help you guage where NC State and Tennessee sit going into the Chick-Fil-A Kick-Off. Feel free to add more information in the comments section.
Catching The Game
This week’s game will be broadcast on ESPNU as a part of the Chick-Fil-A Kick-Off event at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The only other major college game on TV during this same time is a match-up between Penn St and Stanfard on ESPN (and several regional ESPN syndicates).
Expected Outcome
Tennessee has talent and depth, but Coach Dooley has had problems getting the team to click. Don’t be fooled by last season’s record; the Vols went 5-7 last season, but that included a mid-season losing streak where starting quarterback Tyler Bray would find himself on the disabled list. Tennessee is much better than their record indicates, but at the end of the day, they still lack a cohesive offense; their passing game is amongst one of the best in the country while their offensive line returns a cadre of starters that lead to a terrible 2011 campaign and an underperforming running game (their offense in 2011 earned almost 500 less total yardage than NC State). Their strength is their defense due to adjustments to the 3-4 defense and the addition of some strong defensive players, but with an experienced offensive line protecting Mike Glennon, NC State should come out on top.
Click here to view our in-depth preview of Tennessee and click here to view our pre-season conclusions article for 2012.
Quarterback Comparison
Tyler Bray may have Glennon on experience, but in Mike’s one season as starting quarterback for NC State, he has nearly matched Bray in every statistical category. Bray also suffered an injury last season and while he returned to action for the last several games of the 2011 season, time will tell if ghosts of an injured past will re-appear, especially if NC State can get some pressure on the pocket and some linebackers can step up.
Coaching Comparison
Derek Dooley has a long list of stations he has served at as a coach, but what he doesn’t have is patience. Spending no more than 2 or 3 years at any one school, Dooley has experience everywhere from FCS programs, to the NFL, to SEC programs. Ironically, he was a player at UVa while Tom O’Brien was still an offensive coordinator with the Wahoos. O’Brien’s record looks god-like compared to Dooley’s and for this reason, the coaching war seems clearly in NC State’s favor.
Notes
Every team has their strengths and weaknesses. NC State has maturity and discipline while Tennessee has defensive depth. Unfortunately, when you run a program with the pressures that an SEC schedule brings competing with a coach who has never spent more than a couple years with any given team and sports and overall losing record, you can’t expect a lot out of them. Tennessee is definitely better than their 5-7 record indicate, but NC State should still be able to get a big win against a “big name” opponent on a national stage with little television competition.
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This assessment is HILARIOUS!! The best thing about TN is their Offense & how explosive it is. The Defense is the unproven commodity in this one, total opposite of what this writer has… :\
Editor: NC State’s offense totaled almost 500 yards more of total offense than Tennessee. The offense relies on a “pro” spread offense which plays right into our highly touted secondary’s strengths. If you are saying the offense is good, I’m not going to argue. What I will argue with is that you know they are the strength of the team. Bray, if he stays healthy, is the strength of the team. Hunter, if he doesn’t tear his knee up again and if Bray stays healthy, will be a big part of Tennessee’s strength. Tennessee can pass, which is what NC State frankly wants the Vols to do, but they can’t run. THAT is the cohesiveness that the offense is lacking. Your line is also terrible is opening up for the run, which is probably Tennessee’s best option against an inexperienced linebacking corp for NC State.
The defense is much more concerning to me as an NC State fan. You have made positive changes to a 3-4 defense and added some huge talent on the defensive line. Our offensively line is suppose to be much improved, but until we see it on the field, that 380lb nose tackle scares the Hell out of me.
See responses in your post.
This entire write up is full of errors. Tyler Bray is from Georgia? LOL
Editor: See Wufpacker’s comment. Correction will be made.
Oh and they still lack a cohesive offense? That’s our strongest part of the team and until you compare the Teams Tyler Bray has faced then don’t compare the Stats of the QB’s.
Editor: Yeah, unfortunately the quarterback is kind of a big part of your offense. See more on offensive vs defensive concerns in Jason’s post.
If Tyler faced the Weak Schedule that the Wolfpack faced his Numbers would be Playstation like! Hell, they already are! I can’t wait to visit this site on Monday and see how you compare the Vols and Wolfpack then.
Editor: If you think Tyler Bray’s stats are “playstation like”, then it’s no wonder you went 5-7 in the SEC last season. On that note, I’m not sure I would bring up your “stronger schedule” since you managed to lose to every team on your “tougher schedule” worth bragging about.
See responses in your post.
Full of errors? I would beg to differ.
-”Tyler Bray is from Georgia? LOL”
Surely you’ve heard of typos? G vs. C (Hint: they’re both on the left side of your keyboard there, Rocky Mop…errr Top). See what I’m saying? And in case you missed it, “Cheat Sheet” is in the title. Considering that, would you really expect an itemized account of every opponent each QB has faced in their careers?
-”I can’t wait to visit this site on Monday and see how you compare the Vols and Wolfpack then.”
You must have a really full life.
I am a vol fan, so will state bias up front. I will say this is a poor cheat sheet on our current team. The strength of this team is the offense. Our offensive line returns everyone.
Editor: Your offensive line returns everyone from a line that did terrible in 2011. Unless they made some massive improvements in the off season, the line won’t be anything to hang your hat on. You’ve signed a great recruiting class that includes Bourque (RB) that can help improve the ground game, but you also lost several great offensive players like Cam Clear, Brendan Downs, and Da’Rick Rogers.
Tyler Bray broke the freshman passing record set by none other than Peyton Manning prior to an injury that forced him to miss much of last season.
Editor: Right… and now he is a junior, so you are skipping a year in there. I’m not “blaming” him for getting injured, but saying “he did great his freshmen year!” when that was two seasons ago as some sort of trophy is a bit lame.
The running game absolutely sucked last year, so kudos for that assesment, but an off-season addition of S.C.’s former running back coach and new offensive line coach should help address these issues. Last year we were starting freshmen and sophmore offensive linemen. They have had the same strength coach for two years in a row after having three in three years-so strength should be greatly improved.
Editor: So have you heard any buzz that they are greatly improved, or are you just suggesting that they “should be”? Maybe they’ll take to the field and be monsters here in 2012, but last year that line was terrible so until you see something better or see some kind of dramatic change, “should be” is about as good as you can make an assessment and I’m not about to state Tennessee’s offense is better than NC State’s on a “should be”.
The defense has talent, but not much depth. This is the first game with new offensive coordinator and a 3-4 scheme, so expect miscommunications could be an issue.
Editor: First game with a new DEFENSIVE coordinator, and I don’t understand all of the concerns over the defense. Is it a new scheme? Yes. Is it radically different? No. You have a great JUCO transfer that plays nose-tackle for the 3-4 defense and an amazing defensive coordinator. The defense has great talent and finally has a competent DC to run the program into something resembling a powerful defense. I think Tennessee’s D has great potential to be much better than NC State’s (well… aside from our secondary). The only thing that I would see tripping up UT’s defensive success is for Dooley to interfere and try micromanaging things. Sunseri is smart and knows how to run a program. I’d be far more concerned about a “experienced” offensive line that isn’t rumored to have made any major shake-ups and a [continued] non-existent running game.
I would concede coaching experience and success to NCSU. Offense probably goes to vols, but at worse is a wash, and the defense is a big question mark for TN, so until they produce and have played at least one game with this staff I would give NCSU the nod just out of priciple.
Thanks for your comment. See my responses above.