90/50/10- NC State Edition
Credit: University of Tennessee Athletics
By A.J. Cook
It’s time for our weekly 90/50/10 posting!
Every week, we will pose an eventuality that we feel is 90% likely to happen, 50% likely to happen, and 10% likely to happen in Tennessee’s game that week.
This week, Tennessee takes on the NC State Wolfpack in a neutral site tie in Charlotte.
Here’s what we’re thinking:
90% Chance – Tennessee will at least triple its sack numbers from last week (1)
As dominant as Tennessee was against UTC last weekend, they only managed one sack. It was an underwhelming debut for one of the most anticipated groups coming into the season.
Tennessee averaged a little over three sacks per game last year, and they return most of that production this season. So why only one sack against an overmatched Chattanooga team?
Did it have anything to do with the snap count most of the players seemed to be on? Yes.
Did it have anything to do with UTC’s gameplan to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hand as quickly as possible? Of course it did.
Was Tim Banks keeping the blitz packages vanilla? Probably!
There’s no reason to be concerned about Tennessee’s defensive line. If anything, this game against NC State will be their opportunity to show the rest of the country how good they really are.
NC State threw the ball 40 times last week in a rock fight against Western Carolina. They may have to throw more than that this weekend if they want to keep up with this dynamic Tennessee offense.
Which only means more chances for James Pearce and company to get home.
50% Chance – Nico Iamaleava sets a new Tennessee record this weekend
I’m all for tempering expectations, staying levelheaded, tapping the brakes on the hype train, and whatever other cliché you can think of to describe not getting too excited.
But when you’re hot, you’re hot. And Nico is on fire right now.
He followed up embarrassing one of the best defenses in the country in the Citrus Bowl against Iowa last season with the dismantling of Chattanooga last weekend. In both games, he managed to set or tie an impressive Tennessee record.
Against Iowa, he tied the bowl rushing touchdown record with 3.
Last weekend, Iamaleava threw for more yards in a half than anybody else in Tennessee history.
All the while, he has been drawing attention from the media on a national level. And none of it has shown any signs of slowing down.
What will it be this weekend? Who knows. But with his current trajectory in production, it feels like a 50/50 proposition he will set another record for Tennessee’s books.
10% Chance – Kevin Concepcion has two or more touchdown receptions
Credit where it’s due, true sophomore receiver Concepcion has been pretty good for the Wolfpack.
He followed up a 10 touchdown season last year in his true freshman season with a 3 touchdown performance last weekend against Western Carolina. The guy has proven he can find the endzone, and he will probably continue to do so this year with Grayson McCall throwing him the ball instead of Brennan Armstrong.
On top of that, if there are any questions marks that remain for this Tennessee team, it’s the secondary. No doubt Concepcion will be a point of emphasis for them this weekend.
“But AJ, surely they aren’t so bad they’ll give up two receiving touchdowns to the same guy?”
Fun fact! Oddly enough Concepcion has never scored 1 touchdown in a college game. He either scores 0 or he scores several. Never just one.
So if he scores one touchdown, he’s pretty much required by law to score another. It’s a real shame it probably won’t be enough to get NC State the win.
