This season Tennessee State is 2-7 overall and remains winless at 0-5 within the confines of the Big South-OVC.
While no team is perfect, those deficiencies become all the more glaring as a team’s record dips below .500. One of those shortcomings for Tennessee State has been its offense and the numbers bear this out. The Tigers currently rank last in th Big South-OVC, averaging just 14.2 points per contest. The Tigers are also the conference kaboose in yards per game (256.3), yards per play (4.4), total yards (2,307), rushing yards ( 802), passing yards (1,505), plays (525), and touchdowns (13).
Nationally, Tennessee State, out of 126 FCS teams ranks 121st in scoring offense,122nd in yards per play, 122nd in passing offense,105th in passing yards, 120th in rushing yards, and 121st in touchdowns.
The Tigers’ offense has only topped 300 yards of production just twice on the season ( 336 against Alabama A&M and 351 versus Western Illinois) and has three games in which they failed to crack double figures.
Tennessee State has shown an ability to score via the big play. Of the 13 touchdowns the team has scored on the season 8 have been of at least 22 yards or more, with 5 of them being 50 yards or more. When asked about his team’s lack of offensive consistency, in terms of being able to put together long stretches of productive play TSU head coach Reggie Barlow had this to say on a recent Big South-OVC Coaches Media Call:
“When there is continuity up front with our O-Line and young quarterback [ we get consistent play.] We have scripted plays for him and it seems to come a little easier and the game slows down for him. Our coaches, do a good job of collabing and coming up with a game plan that fits the talent we have here at this point.”
Saturday, Tennessee State takes on the Skyhawks of UT Martin (4-5, 4-1) who are the Big South-OVC’s 4th-ranked defense, allowing 27.3 points per contest. UT Martin defeated TSU 28-21 in the matchup last season.
