NC State Coach Dave Doren Says Nico Iamaleava Part of the 'Unknown' for Tennessee

Evan Crowell | Sep 3, 2024

Dec 28, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren looks on from the sidelines during the Pop-Tarts bowl against Kansas State Wildcats in the fourth quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / nathan ray seebeck-usa today sports

The Tennessee Volunteers head up to Charlotte, North Carolina to Bank of America Stadium to face off against the NC State Wolfpack on Saturday night. The Vols are fresh off a 69 to 3 win over Chattanooga to kick off the 2024 season and with their eyes now set on NC State, Wolfpack head coach Dave Doren spoke to the media Monday about the matchup.

Doren's defense will have quite a challenge on Saturday when they face off against Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava and his offensive unit that managed to produce a 314 yard day with 3 TDs in just two quarters of football.

Dave Doren on Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava

"You're kind of leaning on the Iowa game for some of it. You look at their spring game knowing that's DNA and kind of vanilla. Then you have the opener and he really only played a half of football. You can watch Coach Heupel's offense for a long time and see what it is, but the players within it are obviously going to be what makes it go. But the scheme itself hasn't changed a lot over the years. It's just the guys that are playing in it and what they're capable of doing. But it's Week 2. And Week 2 in a game where they only played 50 percent of the game with their starters. So there's gonna be some adjusting. There's gonna be some unknowns. That's just how it is and it's gonna be the same thing for them with us. Our offense is gonna evolve as the season goes on from Week 1 to Week 2 in particular. That's coaching. You get on that sideline and now you have the iPad to see what they're doing. Our guys have to do a great job within the game of winning their 1-on-1s, tackling and using the rules and tools of each side of the ball to adjust to things that we didn't practice."

It's not only a tough study for Doren because of the newness of Nico Iamaleava and the unfamiliarity with him, but it's also a tough study considering just how immensely talented Iamaleava is. He can make extremely special plays with the ball in his hands.

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