Post-game wrap: Heels humble Hokies 48-34, send them to worst start since 1992
OK, I’ve filed all my stories. Here’s my game story. And here’s Aaron McFarling‘s column.
Now for a few more notes and quotes …
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** Frank Beamer summed up his thoughts on the game like this, and Tech fans will probably agree with him on this take:
“I don’t think it’s time for excuses,” he said. “I think it’s time for results.
The results aren’t pretty. Virginia Tech is 3-3 after Saturday’s 48-34 loss to North Carolina, the earliest in a season the Hokies have had three losses since 1992. Tech went 2-8-1 that year, mind you.
“I never thought we would be considered an average team by any means,” cornerback Antone Exum said. “That’s not what we’re about.”
** I out-lined the defensive shortcomings in the game story, but here they are in bullet points:
- Tech gave up 533 yards, the second time it has given up more than 500 yards this year. The Hokies have given up 495 yards or more in losses to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and now, North Carolina.
- 339 of those yards came on the ground. That’s the third-most against a Tech team under Beamer and the most by a team that wasn’t primarily running the option.
- Tar Heels tailback Giovani Bernard gashed the Hokies’ defense for 262 rushing yards, breaking the previous high by an individual against Tech, when Wake Forest’s Josh Harris ran for 241 yards in 2010. Bernard had 10 runs of 10 or more yards.
- The Tar Heels’ 48 points were the most the Hokies had allowed in a league game since joining the ACC, easily surpassing the 38 that Georgia Tech scored in 2006.
- UNC had never scored more than 24 points in any of the last eight meetings with Virginia Tech. It had 28 at halftime.
- UNC’s 48 points were the most by either team in the history of the series.
“I came to Virginia Tech because we’re known to play great defense,” defensive end James Gayle said. “I feel like we let the team down.”
The biggest problem? Missed tackles, which defensive coordinator Bud Foster called “pitiful.”
“We’re not making plays in space,” he said. “Our defense is designed to have a free hitter. And when you have your free hitter there, you’d like him to make a play. Right now we’re not making that play. We’re missing that and it’s going for big plays after that.”
“You say, ‘They’re minor things, they’re minor things,’” Exum said. “But too many minor things add up to something major.”
The game story essentially deals with the defensive problems, so read that.
** I will point out one crucial play that came in the second quarter, though. North Carolina had a fourth-and-one at its own 38 to start the second quarter. The Heels raced to the line and snapped it quickly.
Bernard basically ran off tackle for a 62-yard touchdown untouched, giving UNC a 21-14 lead.
Gayle said afterward that it was a look Tech hadn’t seen. Foster said that was nonsense.
“We had the defense in there and we had practiced that,” Foster said. “So that’s a copout. Just go execute. Just go perform.”
** What’s the mood in the locker room? Down? Angry?
“I think a little bit of both,” Exum said. “Guys are angry that we’re not performing as well as we should. We’re losing games. Kind of down and disappointed. But I think it’s my job as well as a couple others to be a leader, to stay upbeat, to stay confident and let the guys know that this isn’t the end. We’re going to keep continuing to fight, continuing to get better. We’ll get this thing together.”
** North Carolina won despite being flagged 15 times for 126 yards. Tech would have liked to have seen a few more thrown.
“I felt like they were holding all day today, to be honest,” Gayle said.
Foster noted Tech’s inability to keep leverage or make tackles in the open field, but couldn’t help but agree with Gayle.
“I saw a couple [holds] early,” he said. “There was one critical play on the first drive and their tackle made the best tackle of the day on Jack Tyler. We should use that as a guide and a technique for us, defensively.”
** Now, to the offense. The final stats don’t look bad, but the overall consistency of the group, particularly in the second half, was still a big shortcoming.
Quarterback Logan Thomas broke out of a season-long slump, throwing for a career-high 354 yards and two touchdowns. In a role reversal, he had to answer questions about what it was like for the defense not to hold up its end of the bargain.
“It’s tough,” Thomas said. “They’ve done it for us plenty of times. We understand.”
The Hokies took a step forward by scoring points in the first quarter for the first time in four weeks, racing down the field and getting into the end zone on a 13-yard run by Thomas, Tech’s first opening-drive touchdown this year.
Thomas had a solid game, completing 26 of 49 passes and hooking up with Marcus Davis and Corey Fuller on touchdowns of 50 and 63 yards, respectively, to keep the Hokies in the game.
Fuller had 143 yards on five catches, Demitri Knowles had 83 yards on six catches and Davis 66 yards on three catches.
“I thought our line did a terrific job handling them, giving me time to throw,” said Thomas, who was sacked once and threw one interception on a deep ball.
It was the most points for the Hokies in a losing effort since a 52-49 loss to California in the 2003 Insight Bowl.
** BUT, the running game was abysmal. Tech couldn’t establish the run, then abandoned it late when facing a huge deficit. The Hokies’ 40 rushing yards were the team’s fewest since the season opener in 2007 against East Carolina, when they had 33.
Thomas led the team with 20 rushing yards. Michael Holmes was the leading rusher with only 19 yards.
He lost a costly fumble early in the third quarter, having the ball ripped away by North Carolina linebacker Travis Hughes near midfield. The Tar Heels would capitalize with a touchdown, turning an eight-point lead into 15.
“The guy rips the ball out and a couple plays later, they’re in the end zone,” Beamer said, fixating on the play afterward. “Just big turnarounds.”
** Wide receiver Dyrell Roberts somehow held on to a pass on the Hokies’ first drive, having his helmet knocked off with an illegal hit by North Carolina’s Tim Scott. He stayed in but would ultimately leave with what was later diagnosed as a concussion.
Roberts played one more drive and had a critical error. A busted coverage left him open, streaking up the left sideline. Thomas zipped a pass right to him, but it went through his hands and bounced off his facemask on third down, leading to a punt.
Roberts left the game and had a towel over his head on the sideline. He changed into street clothes for the second half.
** North Carolina’s Sean Tapley returned a first quarter kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, the first time a team has done so against Virginia Tech since Syracuse in 1993.
The Hokies had gone 237 games without giving up a kick return for a touchdown, what was the longest active streak in the country.
Virginia Tech answered later with a 93-yard kick return for a touchdown by Knowles, the first of his career. It was the Hokies’ second touchdown in the return game this year.
** Here are a few more dot, dot, dots …
- Virginia Tech had been 13-0 since joining the ACC in league road games in the state of North Carolina, including a 4-0 mark in Chapel Hill.
- Tech had won 23 straight road conference openers, a streak that dated back to its time in the Southern Conference.
- Thomas’ rushing touchdown in the first quarter was the 15th of his career, breaking a tie with Bruce Arians and moving him into fourth place on Virginia Tech’s career list for a quarterback. Michael Vick is up next, with 16.
- Antoine Hopkins started at defensive tackle alongside his brother, Derrick. It’s the first time they had started side-by-side since last year’s Clemson game, when Antoine tore his ACL.
- Running back Tony Gregory didn’t travel because of a knee injury. Linebacker Tariq Edwards did not make it because of a death in the family.
- Safety Michael Cole (Cave Spring) led the team with 11 tackles.
** Lastly, Foster put the gravity of the situation into context with this quote. I’m guessing no Virginia Tech fans would have thought this was an issue coming into the year.
“We’re 1-1 in the league on our side,” Foster said. “We’ve still got a lot to play for, with the meat of our schedule still ahead of us. We’ve got to play well just to make a bowl game.
“We’re going to take it one at a time. We can’t look beyond that. We’re going to play … one … game … at a time. One play at a time. One series at a time. One game at a time. That’s what we’ve got to get back to doing. Getting back to playing with passion, playing with trust, having trust in each other. I think that’s an issue a little bit right now from our side of it. I think guys are looking around rather than going and making a play.
“We’ve got to go earn our success. I think what’s happened over the years. We’ve got to be careful that we think it’s just going to happen. And how we’ve made it happen is we’ve earned it. There are teams that have probably been more talented than us in the past, but we out-willed them, out-efforted them, we out-fought them, whatever it may be. And we’ve got to get back to doing those things.”
October 6, 2012 - 6:11 PM
Beamer RETIRE! Were all sick of this crap, your a joke for keeping this sorry staff together. Foster must be back on the drugs he seems to have lost his touch.
Outclassed, outsmarted,outcoached. Total team loss. The brilliant halftime interview with Beamer has convinced me its time for wholesale changes in Blacksburg.
If that loss didn’t say its time for coaching changes then maybe when we lose to duke next week it will. Frank wake up and fire Spriney. Frank make changes before people want you gone. The defense has lost the swagger because they know the offense is so bad.
Maybe the Beamer boys should quit selling fast food at the local convenience store so they would have time to do more coaching!
In year past we had a quarter-backs that could run.Logan is good but think about Vick, Tie-rod,Clark,Randall it give you more.
If beamer doesn’t make changes it’s simple RETIRE! Nobody cares the guy has beaten 1 top 5 team and Tech’s talent level has dropped big time. Instead of going out on dinner dates with stinespring, newsome, and o’cain beamer should of been looking for a new staff. Even the rednecks are fun too watch now!
Beamer and his staff reminds me of an old married couple who have nothing in common but can’t go anywhere because nobody wants them.
Knowles really played his tail off today. He did everything they asked him do. That hit on Roberts definitely made him see stars. Hope he comes back next Saturday, Tech is going to need him, heck, they need everybody available to play Duke, who’s playing hot right now.
If the defense don’t shore up their issues, they may not even go bowling this year, and the wailing from the Hokies’ fans would be deafening.
THE DEFENSE WAS PITIFUL AND THE PLAY CALLING ON CRITICAL DOWNS WAS THE SAME OLE CRAP. WE WILL BE LUCKY TO WIN 50%. OUR GAME WITH UVA SHOULD BE WON BY THE TEAM WHO MAKES THE LEAST MISTAKES. RIGHT NOW , I AM NOT SURE THAT WILL BE VT.
Give credit were credit is due, Tar Hills just outplayed the hokies! Should of beat them last year also. Tar Hills wanted it more. Stop giving the excuses, missed tackles, ect. Bring on DUKE!!! 3-3 and have not played a rank team yet??
So the only games that are even “winnable” are Duke, BC, and UVa. One slip there, and the bowl streak is over. I will still watch every game, and cheer for the team…but it is not looking good.
It is not time for (Frank) Beamer to go. Sure, I think some changes need to be made, but not Frank. I think one problem is the lack of a great RB. When was the last time, VT was this weak at that possition? I don’t pretend to know if that is coaching or talent. It is easy to question Shane…but Wilson was great last year (but was that residual Hite coaching?). I think there have been some misses in recruiting. Harris had to prep. Coleman was 4 star and has looked decent (they have all had flashes)…but honestly, there are not many successful 5’8″ 190 lb running backs in 1A ball. The legitimate knock on Frank and Stinespring is they apparently, don’t know what to do without an NFL caliber back.
The Hokies “Chokies” for the rest of their season will be very bad for their fans and their players. I truly feel for their players the ones who play on the field. As for their coaches each and every one of them can be canned. What I don’t get is that how can people keep making excuses for a team that for years has been nothing but over rated? I know that their head coach Beamer has built a very decent foundation and for me it is his time to let go. I didn’t go to VT but if I did I would be very ashamed of the fact that this Football team is not only embrassing themselves but the ones who work and attend VT. I know its on deaf ears but its time for whole sale changes in the entire athletic program. Like the saying goes: No athletic program should be bigger than the school and this football program is and now its time to get it fixed from top to bottom!!!!
After watching todays Tech game and then channel surfing tonight’s games it is becoming clear that this years Hokies are nowhere near a top 25 team in talent. The Hokies look slow and small on defense for the first time in years. If this doesn’t improve the future looks even worse.
I think Giovani Bernard is still running. Gashed seems too small a word for what I saw. I have been wanting Foster to be the new coach but dang today makes me wonder. His focus in the offseason was to learn to better defend the spread. He went with speed on the d-line and that’s the deal with why you can’t stop the run. Not to mention we were supposed to be rolling 8 deep on the line. Always bad when the safety leads in tackles. Andy can I give Bud a pass or can you at least give me something to restore faith in Bud? I know depth is an issue. Is the recruiting really as bad as everyone is saying? Weaver & Beamer if your reading this please pay attention to the following. I would really love a job. I would at excel at a job where I can consistently underperform yet still recieve annual raises. Judging by Frank’s homepage I’m qualified as I have shopped at a stop-in, used to have Intelos, sorry I’m drawing a blank as to what else your peddling these days. Most importantly I love to travel,eat at fine restaurants(I should have introduced myself @ Brennans in NOLA last year), and can be an aw shucks good ole boy better than anyone.
This team is not really a good team, the season to date proves that fact.
The way this season is going could be an indication that the program is finally in a free fall into being just another team as some of our opponents and critics have been saying recently, and some of them have been saying it for years.
If this trend continues the program will be in decline and only a change of
philosophy will renew the program. That change of philosophy would mean a change in the coaching staff, or the entire staff.
Time will tell, but the times are changing at Virginia Tech.
hard times in Flatrock. Question is are the people with enough money to have Weaver’s ear seeing what everyone else is seeing? Whammy Ward had a great night tonight, oh that’s right he’s not in the ‘burg anymore.
Hokiesports is saying tix are still available for the Duke game. Is the sellout streak over?
Duke 38 Hokies 28 ….. The ugliness continues.
My skepticism of FSU was right on before the start of the season.
Good for a Glennon!!
I think it will take more than a single crappy season to force wholesale coaching changes. I think if this season torpedoes that we may see a couple of minor changes. We are mottling to have great years every year. Every team has them. Ondefense tackling is an issue. I see two more losses in fsu and Clemson. All elseis up for grabs.
Blacksburg has some beautiful scenery on a Saturday afternoon. Enjoy it, Lane Stadium will be there next year.
What is the full story on the failed defense?
Was it over rated, as is often the case?
Are the players too small in size for their positions, not good enough, poorly coached, or what is the answer?
To have been so highly thought of by the coaches before the season, this is ridiculous.
This is a team, and a program, that is in deep trouble with serious problems.
With bad season Thomas should stay in school and get ready for Alabama next year
Play young guys build on the future!
Let me get this straight. You haven’t been running the ball ALL day (40yds total)and you are behind but within reach. Bad snap puts you deep in your end with a 2nd and about 29. Let’s see, lets call a run up the gut…yea, that will work. DAMN..get rid of the O staff !!!!
Actually, FSU just needs an offensive coordinator in order for this team to rock! That is their only problem. And I agree with Frank, it is time for V-Tech to start looking around for a replacement for coach Beamer. And by replacing Beamer it doesn’t mean name him AD either. He is too much of a pussycat and will not do what is necessary to stay ahead of the competition. Stinespring should have been gone after the Kansas game. He sure as heck should have been run out of town after the Stanford loss. After Beamer refused to can him after the Michigan game, both Stinespring and Beamer should have been ran out of town. Why people are so afraid to loose Beamer is crazy. The state of Virginia is only behind Florida, California, Texas and Georgia for putting players in the NFL . We are tied at 5th place with Alabama. That is a serious talent pool and no coach would turn that down. Quit being afraid to loose Beamer and look at all that could be gained. It’s the state of Virginia now, not Beamer whose credibilaty is being questioned! It’s just that serious!
i wouldnt wasted hard earned money to put up with drunken rude cursing people shoving and acting like animals to watch the bud and frank horror show
don’t panic people! despite the demise of both vt and uva, virginians still have one team to cheer for. to bad they’re from morgantown.
I’m calling it now, FSU is going to get a top notch offensive coordinator after this year!
I agree with 757′ but would add one thing. Fire Weaver immediately so that idiot doesn’t have anything to do with the next coach. He would probably hire Al Groh or somebody worse if that is possible. Also, Aaron is right this year was going to happen eventually and most could see it coming, BUT it is going to get worse from here!! If these are their best lineman that are getting dominated every week, the guys replacing them will not be upgrades at all and look at their recruits from the last 3 years and tell me where the lineman are? THAT is why there is so much frustration now because most people could see this coming for 3 years.
The only worthwhile thing Weaver could do is wiggle his way out of the Bama opener next year….talk about a disaster!
thank god for logan thomas. play calling continues to be abysmal although i think it is more the plays and formations than the calls. i’ve never seen a team have so few holes to run through (and that is not just this year, it has been that way for years). tech recruits incredible athletes who are able to keep vt successful in the acc although i would like to see a few more hogs on offense and defense and a few more players with a mean streak. personally, i don’t think the offensive coaches are qualified to design and run offenses at the level vt wants to play and the fans have come to expect. as for yesterday’s game, i think unc was bigger and meaner and wanted it more. the talent on unc’s team (albeit probably some shady recruiting to field that team) is a sign of what to expect against fsu, clemson, and miami. as for duke, you know they will design a creative offense to compete based on their talent. whether their talent is enough, we will find out next week. for one, vt better find out how to increase its pressure on the qb or a 500 season may be in jeopardy….
Let Vandyke play WHIP…stop the nickel…move Taylor to Mike…Let Nicholas play Backer and Tweety to safety….
All these negative comments are shameful. Yes, this is going to be a long year (probably a bit over due). Im a ’93 grad and can certainly remember the bad old days…every top program in the country has gone through a rough patch – Coach Beamer and Coach Foster have turned our program into a factor on the national scene each year for the past two decades…If someone had predicted that 20 years ago, any rational person would have laughed out loud…C’mon Hokies – show some class and get behind our team…otherwise we come off as a bunch of spoiled brats – now is the time to back your team…if you disagree, go jump on the WVU bandwagon…let’s see how long that coach stays in Morgantown…Go HOKIES!
BENCH DAVIS NOW he not only drops critical third and fourth down passes butt his lackidaisical effort and lack of focus affects the whole team i mean if younger guys see him half assing it imean what type of message do you think tht sends to them. HE PLAYS LIKE A LOSER!!!!! And not only him butt ROBERTS too cause i knew somrthing was wrong when his scuuurrred ass didnt want to return punts in fall practice now he gets stuck one time and sits on bench wit towel over his head THIS IS FOOTBALL DAMMIT hes soft forreal!!!!! Both of these guys couldnt bust a grape in a fruit fight!!!!!!!!
“That is a serious talent pool and no coach would turn that down.”
No, but what a coach would turn down is a school that would can a coach who has done for this program what Frank Beamer has done. You obviously don’t remember what it was like before Frank. We couldn’t even get into a conference. We’d play schools like Memphis, Vanderbilt, East Carolina and every now and then we could convince Florida State or Alabama (77-6)to kick out butts. You don’t treat a man who has done all he has done for the school like that. Since we’ve had a winning program, student applications are up. Average SAT scores for incoming freshman are up. Hokie Club contributions and season ticket sales are up. Research and endowments have increased. Do you think all of the new highways in the Blacksburg area would have been built if not for these increases? No way. Think about the big picture. The whole school, not just the football program has benefitted from the fact we have had a successful football program.
“I don’t think it’s time for excuses,” he said. “I think it’s time for results.”
That’s it, Frank? Wow! Go home to Mayberry, you can now you know, Sheriff Andy is gone, take Foster with you.
“BUT it is going to get worse from here!! If these are their best lineman that are getting dominated every week, the guys replacing them will not be upgrades at all and look at their recruits from the last 3 years and tell me where the lineman are? THAT is why there is so much frustration now because most people could see this coming for 3 years.”
Palmetto State Hokie that is an excellent point. The offense is loosing three seniors off of this years offensive line, Wang is constantly banged up, and wide receivers: Marcus Davis, Corey Fuller and Dyrell Roberts are seniors. Logan Thomas may enter the draft and play the position in the pros that I think he would be all world at (wide receiver).
imo…
i agree that frank should stay. he has done wonders for vt. i think his biggest weakness is, sad to say, his loyalty. too bad that college sports has come to this but with the amount of money that schools and fans invest, it is a business…and successful businesses make the necessary decisions with their brains rather than their hearts. we can all agree it has been one of the best football programs in the acc, and i believe strongly that vt runs as clean of a program as any major fbs school. but, signs are there that this “dynasty” is beginning to crumble. weaver is out of touch, the mystique of beamer ball is gone, and uva and other schools are making a bigger dent in the 757. for me though, the greatest change to the vt football program would be to hire offensive coaches that can run a real offense. thank god for vt’s incredible athletes over the years because without them, these problems would have been more prevalent earlier.
Coach Beamer has been at Tech for 27 years! Frank Beamer owes the school and its fans in the same way that the school owes him for being the great guy that he is. The Tech administration can point to that 27 year track record of standing behind its coaches with GREAT pride. The school has shown patience, and it has shown that it will give its football coach time and 27 years of job stability.
The time is here NOW to expand on what has been built. The foundation for all of this success are the student athletes in this great state of ours. You talk about being blown out by Alabama decades ago, UNC could have easily put up a bigger score than they did if the coach for the Tarheels hadn’t decided to go conservative. Bama is on the schedule next year, has recruited very, very well and I believe they will absolutely demolish the Hokies next year and make you think that Bear Bryant was still on the sidelines.
The thing is though that the Hokies, unlike a Tennesse, Oklahoma, or a West Virginia has the natural, homegrown resources to run with the big dogs. For any new coach, that’s job security, facilities, a cool administration, a rabid fanbase and a talent pool in your own backyard that is one of the 5 best in the United States. What coach in his right mind would not jump at that? If Tech canned Beamer tomorrow and went after the offensive coordinator for Florida to become head coach of the Hokies he would be on the first train smoking to Blackburg.
And justfan, just imagine Tyrod Taylor is your QB; Boykin, Coles, Coale, Davis, Justin Turner (Tennessee) and Logan Thomas as your wide receivers; Bobby Massie, Morgan Moses, Quinton Spain, Jaymes Brooks and Greg Boone are your offensive lineman, dyrell roberts and David Wilson are your slot backs and Ryan Willams and Darren Evans are your running backs. Instead of Stinespring a competent coordinator is running this offense. Someone like Boise State’s offensive coordinator. This is the offense that the state of Virginia can produce to go into battle against Alabama or Stanford and win! Because this is what it takes! Any coach would crap his pants to put that on the field!
Are you living in Dream Land “757″?????……..How about coming back to reality!!!
Beamer please retired or fired Stinespring!!!!!!!! I’m diehard Hokie fan but something has to change because we are not even close to being national contender. Way we played past couple of games we would be lucky to win divison 3 football. Let Bud Foster or Shane Beamer take over the team and push the team to the next level. Beamer take your legacy and retire and no hard feelings.