ON MY MONDAY MIND:
WHAT VOL FANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT APP STATE:
OFFENSE:
-Jr QB Taylor Lamb threw for a school record 31 TDs and 2387 yds in 2015 against only nine interceptions
-SR RB Marcus Cox rushed for 1423 yds (5.9 ypc) and 9 TDs in 2015
-RBs Jalen Moore (731; 5 TDs), Terrence Upshaw (442, 3 TDs) and Lamb (436; 5 TDs) along with Cox combined to make App State the 6th best rushing team in America last
-ASU lost three of their top-4 wideouts from last season but Shaedon Meadows has big-time playmaking ability (21 catches; 20.9 ypc; 3 TDs in 2015)
-WRs Jaylan Barbour (Soph) and Jaquil Capel (Sr) will be expected to step up to aid the receiving corps.
TE Barrett Burns (10.8 ypc; 9 TDs) is a valuable -and often targeted- weapon.
-The offensive line that drove last season’s offense returns three starters (RT-Colby Gossett; LG-Parker Collins; LT-Beau Nunn)
DEFENSE:
-The ASU defense finished 11th in the country in Total Defense and lost only two starters from the unit (DE Ronald Blair; S Doug Middleton).
-The unit registered 98 TFL including 10 or more in three games and had 15 sacks in the last three games of 2015.
-The D-Line returns starters DE-Nate Norwood and NT Tyson Fernandez but lost their best in Blair who had 7.5 sacks and 19 TFL in 2015.
-The Mountaineers return all four LBs including ILBs Eric Boggs -who led the team in tackles with 104- and John Law (72 tack, 9.5 tfl).
-Jr CB Latrell Gibbs had 7 interceptions last season
SPECIAL TEAMS
-Sr P Bentlee Critcher returns after an excellent 2015 season where he averaged 43.4 ypp.
-R-Fr K Michael Rubino will handle placements. Neyland Stadium on a Thursday night is probably not the ideal setting to get your feet wet.
ODDS AND ENDS
-The Mountaineers are used to winning. Last season’s two losses were to Clemson and Sun Belt Champion Arkansas State and they became the only team to win 11 games in their first full FBS season.
-ASU had quick starts in 2015 outscoring opponents 121-52 in the 1st Quarter
-Mountaineers had 36 sacks for 234 yards while allowing opponents only 11 for 71
-App State fumbled 19 times losing 13 in 2015 so ball security was most certainly a point of emphasis in the off-season.
WHAT THE VOLS MUST DO:
SLOW THE TRAIN: Last season the men from the mountains ran downhill all season long. As mentioned above they finished 6th in America in rushing and bring back every piece that drove the ground attack except two offensive linemen. Their passing attack on the other hand will probably suffer growing pains early due to extensive losses in their receiving corps. Stack the box and make the Mountaineers advance through the air.
CLEAN POCKET AND #11 JERSEY: Though sack master Ronald Blair is gone the Mountaineers utilized aggressive blitzing schemes to record 36 sacks for -234 yards in 2015. The Vols O-line needs to limit negative plays and Mike DeBord needs to use the Vols strong rushing attack and play action to limit the damage. Dobbs’ ability to escape the pocket won’t hurt either
SHOW THEM THIS AIN’T THE SUN BELT: ASU limited opponents to 3.4 yards/rush while gaining 5.3 ypc when they had the ball. The Vols should be superior enough on both fronts to reverse those numbers.
IT’S POWER-5 FOOTBALL BROTHER: Since upsetting Michigan in 2007 ASU is 0-6 versus Power-5 football opponents with an average margin of defeat of 49-11 (08-LSU 41-13; 10- Florida 48-10; 11-Va Tech 66-13; 13-Georgia 45-6; 14-Michigan 52-14; 15-Clemson 41-10). They don’t believe they’re going to win the game so don’t give them any reason to.
KNOCK IT LOOSE: App State fumbled almost twice as many times as their opponents in 2015 (19-10) and lost over twice as many (13-6). The Vol D should feast on takeaways in this contest.
GET RED IN THE RED ZONE: App State’s defense -which you’ll remember returns 9 starters- was very good in the Red Zone last season holding opponents to 64% (28-44) scores and only allowed TDs 39% (17-44) of the time. The Mountaineers offense was very efficient when penetrating opponent’s 20 yd line scoring 88% (44-50) and scoring TDs at a 72% clip (36-50). The Vols need to exert their will on both sides of the ball when it gets close to the goal line.
MY FANTASY (SADLY) I completed my first real fantasy football draft -where owners actually gather together and select their teams rather than miles apart on their computers- Sunday. It’s always one of the most fun days on the sports calendar because usually my fantasy fortunes go downhill from there. Hope springs eternal on draft day and here is the initial roster my hopes are riding on this year:
POSITION; PLAYER/TEAM; RD/PICK SELECTED
QB-DREW BREES Saints; 5-9
RB-ADRIAN PETERSON Vikings; 1-9
RB-C.J. ANDERSON Broncos; 3-9
WR-BRANDIN COOKS Saints; 2-6
WR-DONTE MONCRIEF Colts; 4-6
FLEX-DeVONTE PARKER Dolphins; 6-6
TE-JULIUS THOMAS Jags; 9-9
D/ST-EAGLES 13-9
PK-BLAIR WALSH-Vikings; 18-6
DL-EVERSON GRIFFIN-Vikings; 20-6
LB-DeANDRE LEVY-Lions 19-9
DB-REGGIE NELSON-Raiders; 21-9
RESERVES:
QB-JAMEIS WINSTON Bucs 12-6
RB-MATT JONES-Redskins 7-9; SHANE VEREEN-Giants; 11-9; CHRIS THOMAS-Redskins; 15-9; ROBERT TURBIN-Colts; 17-9
WR-STEFON DIGGS-Vikings; 8-6; VINCENT JACKSON-Bucs; 10-6; CHRIS HOGAN-Patriots; 14-6; ROBERT WOODS-Bills; 16-6
MONDAY BUMPERS: I’ve Never Found a Girl-Eddie Floyd; Get On Up-Esquires; Good Lovin Ain’t Easy-Marvin and Tammi; Um, Um, Um, Um-Major Lance; Too Weak to Fight-Clarence Carter; Yearnin for Your Lovin-gap Band; Take me to the River-Al Green
MONDAY MUSING: Four days out; I may hyperventilate.
