Open Invite to The Wolfpack Fan(s)

[wolfTrip]

Biggest Question of all..

Is the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair going to be styling and profiling at the game?

Unfortunately, I believe he has some outstanding tax issues with Mecklenburg Country and has moved away, so he is not the same presence he used to have 10-15 years ago. He was always pretty drunk, so he didn't like to get to far from home so he could stumble or have a short drive home. His favorite spot was the Lodge on Colony Road(30 minute drive from the stadium) where you'd find him at the end of the bar pounding Coronas and talking up women that were 20-30 years his junior.

 

[DeusExMachina]

Dear Wolfpack fans,

I'm not allowed to like y'all, and I hope y'all lose every game.

Signed,

The guy that married a HUGE Tar Heel fan.



(*seriously, I ain't got nothing against y'all, I just hope my wife never sees this LMFAO. It's almost as bad as me saying something positive about Dook.*)

 

[Volnanza]

Dear Wolfpack fans,

I'm not allowed to like y'all, and I hope y'all lose every game.

Signed,

The guy that married a HUGE Tar Heel fan.



(*seriously, I ain't got nothing against y'all, I just hope my wife never sees this LMFAO. It's almost as bad as me saying something positive about Dook.*)

Ouch!

 

[BruisedOrange]

Does North Carolina even have internet capabilities?

Ever heard of the Research Triangle?

 

[foolonthehill]

Does North Carolina even have internet capabilities?

Since Cisco's and IBM's networking divisions are located here, I would say yes.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

Does North Carolina even have internet capabilities?

Hell, we invented the internets.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Welcome. Nice post.
I’m originally from Western Carolina myself and love Charlotte.

- We have a true freshman as our 5th DB star position in that will lock up with Conception. He’s very talented and it will be a monumental task to stop him.

- Last year we did struggle against Austin Peay. That’s because Joe Milton. He’s gone.

- We could have scored 100 on Chattanooga. Chat had a barn burner with WCU last season. Like 52-50 or something?

- NC State added some talent, but we added more and extended our offensive potential. Because of the QB change. We’re still average in the secondary. Better than last year but still average in the SEC and NC State even with Roger’s and Conception I don’t think they can go up and down the field on our defense.

In summary it’s still the beginning of the season, but Heupel has a killer mentality like Steve Spurrier. Tennessee is deep. They’re fast. They’re experienced and very mature as a team.
NC State may have been looking ahead to Tennessee and perhaps that’s why they played poorly? Tennessee does not look ahead.

You have Clemson who is no longer a National Title contender. They’re not comparable to Tennessee. Tennessee very much is a Playoff Caliber team and NC State unfortunately will be playing them a year too late. If this were last year, it would have been very close. But this ain’t last year.

This game will be in hand way quicker than NC State is prepared for. Mostly because Nico will hurt NC State with his legs first. He’s a 4.4 guy at 6’6 and is more polished than any pocket QB around. He’s a Unicorn. Like Vince Young…with good mechanics and accuracy

NC State is playing the best team they have ever played under Doreen’s stint. You’ll see as the seasons goes on, but you’re playing a Top 3 team this weekend…

49-10 Vols

I agree with everything you said except there ain’t no way that Boo or anyone else is going to “lock down” Concepcion. He’ll get his, it just won’t be nearly enough. I also find it hard to believe that Nico is a 4’4” guy but regardless he’s incredibly quick for a guy with Peyton Manning’s dimensions.

Also, @93wolf , as JP mentioned, if you think keeping Nico in the pocket and making him beat you with his arm is going to be a win for you, you will be sorely disappointed. Don’t let the Citrus Bowl and those rushing touchdowns fool you: this kid is not a running quarterback insofar as that means “run first.” He’s an absolutely lethal pocket passer who happens to be a dynamic athlete as well. If he has time in the pocket, bring some gravy, because he will carve your secondary up like a turkey on Thanksgiving.

 

[VolFanatic27]

Here's my thoughts from a State fan...

I wouldn't put much stock in us having a close game or you have a blowout, it's just week 1.

State has skilled players outside of KC, so you're secondary will be tested. That being said, your DL can definitely disrupt any well laid plays if we can't come up with a good scheme to deal with them. We do have a lot of Transfers in key positions, QB, RB, Center, TE, WRs. All but the WRs are well tested and proven though from their previous schools. But everyone still has to mesh together no question.

Think you will see a lot more RPO action than you did in the WCU game, the coaches were holding that back for a few reasons. Not giving away too much for the next game and trying to settle McCall in with his new WRs. Obviously he was a little erratic but I think that's just rust from not play since mid year last season. But yeah he needs to be more accurate this game no doubt.

Now Tenn fans have never lacked for confidence in their teams, have some relatives that are fans, but the hype for Nico is thru the roof. He's a good young talent, but he is still a freshmen. 2 keys to game imo is control your DL the best we can and make Nico pass and read from the pocket. We do those things and I think this will be a 4th quarter game. We are very capable of scoring with you imo.

All that being said we have a terrible history playing at Charlotte for some reason. Hopefully the past doesn't predict future results yet again!

Hope for a good clean game, and good luck the rest of the season!

Welcome to the board, glad you’re here and looking forward to our matchup! You’re right, it’s only been one game and we can’t take anything for granted.
BUT (you knew it was coming), I think you might be overly optimistic. There are few to almost no OL’s that can control our DL, it’s our deepest and most talented group and we have 3rd stringers who would start for a lot of P5 teams. The best your guys can do is get the ball out quick. On the chance that you can force Nico to pass and read from the pocket he’s going to burn you early and often. The dude is poised, calmer and more confident than a freshman has a right to be, and a straight up baller the likes of which we haven’t seen for quite some time.
Here’s hoping both teams get out with no injuries!
52-20 UT

 

[PEPPERJAX]

WolfSack!

 

[Wolfxci]

I'll jump in......

Frankly, I think most Wolfpack fans think Tennessee will win. Some blowout predictions I've read here seem a bit optimistic. I do think Tennessee likely wins by ~17 (let's call it 30-13).

However, NCSU has been very good the last few years at getting turnovers (particularly interceptions). Lamaleava is playing in his 9th collegiate game. The talent is undeniable, but young players can be prone to a cascade of mistakes. If NCSU gets an early INT and Lamaleava is too hard on himself things could get interesting for the Wolfpack. In a straight-up matchup Tennessee wins this game at least 85 times out of a 100. In a game where UT turns the ball over or gets a punt blocked or NCSU special teams score then things get interesting.

NCSU does have a lot of talent in the skill positions on offense. The big question is whether the NCSU offensive line can protect long enough for some of their wideouts to win. I honestly don't think so (at least not consistently), but you never know.

Tennessee's offense against State's defense is a clear advantage for UT. State has to have sustained drives to keep the UT offense off the field and I'm just not convinced that's going to happen. Again, NCSU is going to need UT to make some mistakes for this game to be close and give NCSU a chance.

As a fan, I'd love for NCSU to win this game, but I'm not going to get bent out of shape if Tennessee wins. As others have said, this season for NCSU is going to be defined by beating Clemson and FINALLY making an ACCCG appearance.

As for the quips about North Carolina as a State versus Tennessee as a state (particularly the internet jibe)....that's just laughable.

Here's to a fun game!!

 

[DC_Vol]

Dear Wolfpack fans,

I'm not allowed to like y'all, and I hope y'all lose every game.

Signed,

The guy that married a HUGE Tar Heel fan.



(*seriously, I ain't got nothing against y'all, I just hope my wife never sees this LMFAO. It's almost as bad as me saying something positive about Dook.*)

I used to live in North Carolina - my company was headquartered there. As soon as I got there, I was told I had to pick a team. Most of them were Duke or UNC alums, so I picked NC State just to ruffle some feathers.

I took advantage of the alumni base and the company tickets and went to several UNC, Duke, and NC State football games.

Duke had the coolest stadium, IMO.

UNC had the best pregame in-town experience.

NC State had the best tailgate experience along with the best fans. Always a good time for visitors.

All of them were basketball crazy. ACC tourney time was the best.

I really enjoyed the time I spent in NC. Would move back in a hot second.

 

[livefaith]

Does North Carolina even have internet capabilities?

300 baud rate dial up just got released.

 

[livefaith]

Hell, I live in Ringgold and still stuck with dsl lol

I do too. But in 11' the tornado wiped out my street, and RTC came and fibered everything. Smoking fast depending on how much I wanna pay

 

[Scot Harvath]

Hell, we invented the internets.

No. Al Gore invented the internet.

 

[livefaith]

Hell, we invented the internets.

Hold on. Al is that you?

 

[statefan22]

I'll jump in as well.

No one can deny the talent that Tennessee has on both sides of the ball, and James Pearce has a chance to have a monster game. However, I think Nico will struggle more than many people expect. I saw an interesting stat from the NCSU site insidepacksports.com about Nico Vs Pressure. Nico has faced pressure on 24 drop backs. He is 2 of 9 for 42 yards with 9 sacks and 7 scrambles. Small sample size sure, but this would be a cause of concern for me if I was a Tennessee fan. States defensive coordinator, Tony Gibson, will blitz you until you can't see straight.

I also think State has more talent then many posters on here realize. The problem for State is the majority of the talent was acquired for the transfer portal, and portal talent usually takes a while to mesh. Will it mesh enough before Saturday? No one really knows, and I think that's why the line is closer then many people think it should be.

My biggest concern for this game is Tennessees defensive line has their way with State's front. State was stopped on two 4th and 1's in obvious rushing scenarios against an FCS team. Not good.

I think Tennesee's biggest concern should be trying to stop KC Conception. No one has really been able to do it yet, and if Tennessee's secondary is shaky........watch out.

I've seen many posters on here predicting that Tennessee wins by 20+. I think there is a chance that happens, but the chance isn't very large. Vegas currently has the line at 7.5. Teams that are favored by a touchdown lose around 30% of the time. Just something to keep in mind.

In the end I think Tennessee eeks out a close one 28-24. I could be very wrong, but the truth is I just don't know what to expect from this team at this point in the season, and if any NC State fan tells you otherwise they're lying.

 

[volmanNC]

Does North Carolina even have internet capabilities?

Yes, I have 2400 baud modem.

 

[barrylee]

Good first post wolf Trip.

That is how you introduce yourself to a rival school's board!

The dude from Okie should have opted for this mentality. Wish NC State all the luck in the world AFTER SATURDAY..

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I'll jump in......

I do think Tennessee likely wins by ~17 (let's call it 30-13).

Here's to a fun game!!

I'll jump in as well.

I think Tennessee eeks out a close one 28-24. I could be very wrong, but the truth is I just don't know what to expect from this team at this point in the season, and if any NC State fan tells you otherwise they're lying.

Good to have you here, fellas. Interesting write-ups by both of you.

I am concerned about Conception, he's a talented player. And the Heupel-led Vols have had trouble at times with teams relying on one amazing wideout or tight end.

And so if I were Coach Doeren, that's what I would do. Quick outs, slants, screens, anything that gets the ball out of the pocket and into Conception's hands within a second of the snap. Over and over again. Do that, and you negate our strongest unit, the DLine. I think that's your best bet offensively.

Do that, and the Wolf Pack could get a game score up in the 20s.

Your trouble is going to be stopping our offense. Nico is less raw than you seem to think, 22. But you are more than welcome to try to fluster him. He did have an off-kilter minute or two right before the half last week. I'm not sure you can get him there again, but hey, worth a shot.

Because otherwise, I think we have the speed and skillsets to score easily in the 40s if not higher.

So a 20-something to 20-something game favors the Pack. If we start inching into the 30s and higher, I don't think it will be close.

Best to you guys all season outside of this Saturday. I would sincerely love to see you win the ACC.

Go Vols!

 

[NighthawkVol]

The biggest concern I have, outside of limiting Concepcion’s yard’s & touches, is making sure their TE is covered. This was the one area UTC had a little success in against our defense.

The 2 biggest question marks in the UT D are 1 safety spot (Brooks starts there, Thomas spells him) and the STAR position (Harrison/Boo). The 2 most talented options, from what I saw, on NC State’s offense are Concepcion, who will mostly play Slot, and Joly, the TE. The STAR covers the Slot and a Safety typically covers the TE. So this is a matchup concern at those two spots.

Now, I use the term “question” because those positions are largely unknown. Boo is obviously very talented and may show out well in this game. Given what I saw Saturday, I hope Thomas starts to get more minutes than Brooks. He looked good against UTC. I thought he was our best Safety.

 

[24pack]

Looking forward to Saturday. Hope for a good injury free game.

NC States struggles in game one are being largely overblown IMO. Grayson McCall has enough history to know he is an accurate QB. In the game against Western, he missed at least 4 TDs. Some mistakes were as simple as throwing behind a quick slant that would have been a no doubter TD if there was proper ball placement.

Overall there is a lot of talent on this offense. Definitely enough to cause some problems for your secondary.

The offensive line performance does concern me, but I’ll withhold judgement until after this game.

States defense is a bit of a wildcard for me. Missing two central components of our starting lineup for virtually the whole game. On top of that, this was about as vanilla as you will see Tony Gibson call a game. They still very well may get torched but you will see a ton of different looks and exotic blitzes.

Odds definitely do favor you guys, but I don’t think this game is going to be the cakewalk many of you predict.

 

[FBtime]

I'll jump in as well.

No one can deny the talent that Tennessee has on both sides of the ball, and James Pearce has a chance to have a monster game. However, I think Nico will struggle more than many people expect. I saw an interesting stat from the NCSU site insidepacksports.com about Nico Vs Pressure. Nico has faced pressure on 24 drop backs. He is 2 of 9 for 42 yards with 9 sacks and 7 scrambles. Small sample size sure, but this would be a cause of concern for me if I was a Tennessee fan. States defensive coordinator, Tony Gibson, will blitz you until you can't see straight.

I also think State has more talent then many posters on here realize. The problem for State is the majority of the talent was acquired for the transfer portal, and portal talent usually takes a while to mesh. Will it mesh enough before Saturday? No one really knows, and I think that's why the line is closer then many people think it should be.

My biggest concern for this game is Tennessees defensive line has their way with State's front. State was stopped on two 4th and 1's in obvious rushing scenarios against an FCS team. Not good.

I think Tennesee's biggest concern should be trying to stop KC Conception. No one has really been able to do it yet, and if Tennessee's secondary is shaky........watch out.

I've seen many posters on here predicting that Tennessee wins by 20+. I think there is a chance that happens, but the chance isn't very large. Vegas currently has the line at 7.5. Teams that are favored by a touchdown lose around 30% of the time. Just something to keep in mind.

In the end I think Tennessee eeks out a close one 28-24. I could be very wrong, but the truth is I just don't know what to expect from this team at this point in the season, and if any NC State fan tells you otherwise they're lying.

The only two games that really matter are Iowa and Chatt. Most of those pressures were vs Iowa in his first game as a starter and who had a top 5 defense last year and despite the pressure and sacks he still scrambled for first downs and TDs. The thing about Nico is that when he leaves the pocket he can and will find WRs downfield so your DBs will have added pressure to maintain coverage.

 

[VolForLife83]

I do too. But in 11' the tornado wiped out my street, and RTC came and fibered everything. Smoking fast depending on how much I wanna pay

I use RTC also, but they say, they don't provide it I'm my area. Live off Davis Ridge.

I get 50mps, which ain't horrible, but id love to get a little more.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Vols need to take care of business early in this game, cannot let the Wolfpack hang around, Doeren will send the house at Nico and he will need to make good decisions. Going to be a great game, I stick by my prediction, UT-38 Pack-20.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

I come in peace. 37 yo, 2009 grad of State who lives in Charlotte. I will be there Saturday.

Coming into this season, I think most fans had these goals, in order.

Win 10 games
Make/win the acccg
Make the cfp

In order to do that, we see the need to accomplish 2 of the following 3 feats. In order; 1. Beat Clemson in DV in week 4. 2. Go undefeated(8-0) after Clemson. 3. Beat UT.

You all might have anecdotes of State fans talking about being super confident about this week but we as a fan base see them as the drunk guy at the bar who is mouthing off. COULD State win Saturday? Its possible. But not likely. I think most State fans reasons for hope are 1. UT hanging 50+ on an FCS team and still being mediocre is a thing. 2. UT looked great week 1 last year too and followed that up with a squeaker against Austin Peay and loss to UF. 3. We hope our rustiness was due to multiple transfers and looking ahead to week 2.

As far as personnel, offense, we are still getting to know them. Qb, 2 of top 3 rb, 2 of top 4 wr, te, and C are all transfers. The one offensive weapon we had last year is back, slot WR Kevin Concepcion. He'll catch passes down the field, take handoffs, reverses, screens etc. 120 yards of offense and 2 tds is par for the course for him. Your dc is going to key off of him this week. Our hope is that the wrs, te, and rbs State picked up will take some pressure off of him. After one game, that doesnt appear to be the case...120 yards and 3 tds on thursday.

Defense: state fans typically expect a top 4 acc defense every year. Tony Gibson 3-3-5 has been here since 2019 and for most of those years, hes had high level linebacker play, with multiple all acc selections and culminating in a acc dpoy/bednarik/butkus winner in Payton Wilson last year. We're not sure if we have anywhere close to that production this season but our heir apparent(Fordham) dropped a pic 6, recorded a tackle, and got ejected all in 5 plays on Thursday. From most accounts, most of the transfer NIL was spent on the 2ndary and that is seen as the strength of the defense at the moment.

As I mentioned, most State fans saw this as our hardest game coming into the season. This weekend reinforced that. A lot of us were flipping back and forth between UTCvsTenn and ClemvsUGA early Saturday. We ended up locked into the Clemson game bc that seems the more likely win in the next month that will help unlock the aforementioned goals.

PSA: Have a great time in Charlotte. Lots of good bar/brewery/restaurants to choose from near the stadium. Don't spend too much in the stadium...everyone hates David Tepper(Panthers owner). Don't give him too much extra money.

Win or lose, you all will have a good year. Running joke around here was how teams, normally but not always from the SECW, would have career years the year they popped up on our schedule....