The one valid concern in this game is the experience/level of play that Milroe is at versus Nico. Not saying Milroe is going to be a better QB overall but he is definitely better at this stage. He is also a solid runner. Add in Ryan Williams who is an absolute baller and could win the Heisman and Alabama has the tools to score more points on us than any other team to date.
Tennessee's main advantage is our defense line/line backers which might be among the best in the SEC and an improved secondary. Add in the home field advantage and potentially momentum coming in from Florida.
Honestly, Tennessee can win this game with one major change, they hit those downfield passes that were overthrown in the Florida game. If that happens, I think Tennessee will be in a good spot to win.
Well, to the coach’s credit, they did speak to the point of stopping that:
“If you slow them down and take away the deep shot, then you’ve got a chance. You want to get them into 12 personnel with two tight ends as much as possible,” said one coach. “If you can shift guys pre-snap, it slows them down and makes them think. If they’re going fast, they have the advantage. They don’t care what kind of front you’re in. They’re gonna go super fast, and it takes the defense out of what they can do. You try to get lined up as fast as possible but you’re probably going to set a guy free in the secondary. If you slow it down, now you can shift in and out of fronts. You can blitz and do different things to help you.”
Not every team has the personnel to do that, but Alabama will. How the Crimson Tide attack the Vols remains to be seen. But three coaches agreed on the recipe: Do whatever it takes to keep the Vols’ talented receivers from getting over the top of a defense.
“They’re always one play away from just jumping on you,” said one coach.”
Here’s their “Nico take”:
As for Iamaleava, his youth has been something coaches pounced on.
“The more he has to make decisions post-snap, the better. That’s the key. And then getting hits on him,” said one coach. “But their whole game is the run game. If that’s going, the offense is going. If you neutralize the run game and make the quarterback have to make decisions, you’ve got a good start.”
Iamaleava hasn’t thrown for 200 yards in a conference game this season and has just one touchdown and one interception in his first three SEC matchups.
Per TruMedia, 15.4 percent of his passes this season have been off target (77th nationally). Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton was 37th nationally last season with 12.7 percent of his passes going off-target.
In three conference games, Tennessee has just four passes longer than 30 yards.
“He never puts the ball in danger,” a coach said. “That’s really uncommon for a young quarterback . …He was going to put the ball where it needed to go, and if it was double-covered or a tight window, he wasn’t going to force it.”
Another coach said the young QB might be risk-averse to a fault, especially considering how much Tennessee’s offense improves with the threat of home run balls. Iamaleava’s hesitancy — and, thus far in his career, inaccuracy — also doesn’t allow his big, talented group of receivers opportunities to make plays on balls downfield.“
