Star quarterback Nico Iamaleava will face some unusual pressure as Tennessee and Oklahoma kickoff at 7:30 PM ET.
It’s finally game day, and the Tennessee Volunteers will face the Oklahoma Sooners. Josh Heupel and his star quarterback Nico Iamaleava traveled to Oklahoma to face the Sooners’ strong defense and Brent Venables, which made headlines.
Tennessee and Iamaleava will experience something new this season. That is the pressure Oklahoma will apply. Oklahoma excels at zone blitzes, and its edge rushers are even better at clearing a route to the quarterback.
Iamaleava has only been fired once this season, owing to his excellent offensive line. However, without Lance Heard at tackle, the offense line will most likely rely on Dayne Davis. This will be interesting to monitor, as Oklahoma will most likely want to attack this side of the field strongly with Heard away. R Mason Thomas has emerged as one of the country’s best defensive linemen this season, with three sacks and a forced fumble. The Vols haven’t faced a stronger pass rusher than Thomas yet, which will be interesting to see in this game.
Iamaleava’s movement will be important, as he will most likely make noise with his legs. If Iamaleava can remain calm during the Oklahoma storm, the Vols could have a productive night in the office.
All questions will be answered as Iamaleava prepares for the toughest game of his collegiate career thus far. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET, and the primetime lights shine brighter than ever on the Redshirt-Freshman.
