Post-game wrap: Virginia Tech’s Coastal hopes essentially over following 30-12 loss at Miami
Tough deadline tonight, but here’s my story for Friday’s paper. And here’s a link to Aaron McFarling‘s column.
We’ll be flying back today, but I hope to write my five thoughts post on the plane at some point. Finding time to post it between flights might be an issue. I might not get it up online until later in the day.
Now for a little bit more.
** First things first, as I mentioned in the story, the Coastal is essentially out of the discussion for the Hokies now. Virginia Tech (4-5, 2-3 ACC) is now a game and a half behind Miami (5-4, 4-2 ACC), which also owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The ‘Canes have only Virginia and Duke left on their ACC slate, so it’s time for the Hokies to readjust their goals. The ACC title it out of reach. So is the Coastal Division. What’s left?
“I think the greatest thing you can play for, when it’s all said and done, is pride,” head coach Frank Beamer said. “When it looks tough, you really see what people are made out of, and things are really tough right now. We’ve probably got the best team in the ACC coming next Thursday. … So things are tough. But pride and trying to get to a bowl game — we’ve still got that to play for.”
The players sounded shocked afterward that that’s what their goals are.
“We’re so used to winning here,” linebacker Jack Tyler said. “It’s kind of a weird feeling. … We’ve been so good for so long. We have the coaches to get us back there and the players. We have the talent. We just have to execute and get it right on the field.”
They Hokies vowed not to fold up shop.
“We haven’t not made it to a bowl game in forever here at Tech,” cornerback Antone Exum said. “We have to make sure that doesn’t happen. … Nobody wants to go out losing, nobody wants to lie down for anybody. We’re not going to lie down for anybody. We are going to give it our best shot and play our hearts out. I know I am.”
** Let’s take the loss in pieces. The offense managed only 12 points and failed to score on seven second-half possessions against a Miami defense that entered the night allowing an ACC-worst 499.1 yards and 32.4 points per game.
The Hokies had four red zone possessions and produced only six points, turning the ball over twice. The first came on an interception by Logan Thomas on an underthrown ball to fullback Joey Phillips on the opening drive. The second came on a critical play in the third quarter, when he mishandled a snap on a third-and-goal from the Miami 1 and fumbled it away.
“I don’t fault our effort,” Beamer said. “I do fault our execution.”
The offensive effort was even more jarring, considering Miami finished the game minus two defensive starters. Safety Deon Bush came out of the game after a hard hit with his helmet on J.C. Coleman that drew a flag. Linebacker Denzel Perryman left the game late with an ankle injury.
Virginia Tech finished with 421 yards, 65 more than Miami, a difference that was much more drastic earlier in the game.
“It hurts, it really does hurt to drive the ball up and down the field like that and not get any points,” right tackle Vinston Painter said. “It hurts as an offense. It hurts as a lineman.”
** Thomas finished with 199 passing yards and a career-high 124 rushing yards, 73 of which came on a touchdown run. But he was off for most of the night.
He had three turnovers and completed only 19 of 37 passes, missing some open throws. The most glaring miss came in the fourth quarter, with Tech down 20-12. The Hokies got into a fourth-and-one at the Miami 39 and had a nice play set up. Thomas sold a play-action fake and had Phillips wide open coming out of the backfield. He overthrew him by several feet, turning the ball over on downs, a play that summed up the night.
For the first time, Thomas declined to show up for interviews with the media afterward, although teammates came to his defense.
“It just not Logan,” running back Tony Gregory said. “It’s all of us.”
** The stats will say Tech ran for 222 yards, but it’s misleading. Seventy-three of those yards came on Thomas’ run, when a linebacker slipped and created a huge hole for him to run through in the middle of the defense.
Take that out and the Hokies had 149 yards, only 98 of which came from their tailbacks. Gregory had 10 carries for 50 yards, Michael Holmes had eight for 25 and Coleman had five for 23, the opposite of the paring down of the running back rotation coaches had spoken about this week.
“There’s no question we’d like to run the ball better,” Beamer said.
The split of carries was bizarre. Coleman, who coaches said was assuming a larger role, didn’t have a carry in the first quarter. Holmes, who coaches said was getting a reduced role, got significant time. Beamer’s answer for why was perplexing.
“We kind of got down to packages a little bit and trying to take advantages of guys’ skills,” Beamer said. “Those packages weren’t called there in the first part of the game. We’d like to get Holmes going, get him back there at the tailback position. Let him get going. … Just the way the game went was J.C.’s deal.”
** The special teams mistakes continue to pile up. Punter A.J. Hughes didn’t handle a wide snap correctly, took too long to get it off and had a punt blocked. That led to an early touchdown. One possession later, the Hokies gave up an 81-yard kick return to Duke Johnson.
Asked about the problems, Beamer said it wasn’t a difficult fix.
“It’s pretty simple,” he said. “The punters catch the ball and you kick it. When you’ve got a lane in a kickoff coverage, you stay in that lane. It’s pretty simple, and we spend a lot of time on that. You just execute.”
More on the special teams problems in a follow-up story for Saturday.
** While there was lots of focus on the offense, the defense didn’t have a great first half. Put in unfavorable situations because of special teams gaffes, the Hokies couldn’t keep Miami out of the end zone.
Miami quarterback Stephen Morris connected with Allen Hurns for a 16-yard touchdown pass after the blocked punt. After the long kick return, Mike James got free out of the backfield and was wide open for a 16-yard touchdown that made it 14-3.
“[The short fields are] frustrating, but at the same time it’s nothing we can’t handle on defense,” Tyler said. “We have to do what we have to do and that’s make stops. Giving up 30 points isn’t going to win a game either.”
The Hokies’ defense hung tough for a while after that. After those two quick touchdowns, the Hokies gave up lots of yardage but no touchdowns, forcing Miami to kick field goals after drives of 70 and 82 yards.
But they gave the offense ample opportunity to mount a comeback in a third quarter, when Miami only gained three yards. The Hurricanes were forced to punt five straight times to start of the second half. Tech couldn’t capitalize with any points.
Things got out of hand late. Miami broke through with a 69-yard drive highlighted by a trick play, a wide receiver pass back to Morris that went for 20 yards. Johnson got into the end zone on a 7-yard run to make it 27-12, an insurmountable lead considering how the game was going.
** Beamer kept coming back to execution as the reason for the Hokies’ struggles, again citing four or five plays that could have changed the tenor of the game, a refrain growing old to a frustrated fan base.
“Turning the ball over in the red zone twice? That’s what I’m talking about. Execution,” he said. “Defensively, we gave up a couple of long plays. Execution. We got a punt blocked. A guy bobbles the ball and get a punt blocked. Execution. Kickoff coverage — we got a guy that gets out of position and all of a sudden pops on us. Execution.”
** Beamer had a serious discussion with the officials after the end of the first half, wanting to know why the clock kept running when the Hokies had gotten close to a first down.
Beamer’s contention was that with a close play, the clock should stop for a measurement. The Hokies didn’t get it, but there was miscommunication about whether or not Tech wanted a timeout.
Here’s how Beamer described it: ”I was waiting for them to stop the clock to measure or give us a first down and stop the clock. The clock is going to stop either way. Well the clock didn’t stop. And finally I called a timeout. So then they measure and now we’re a little bit short. And, they didn’t come to me, but they said they came over and said, ‘Do you want your timeout?’ But no one asked me. So now, they put the ball back in play and start the clock again. And we’re sitting there with three timeouts.”
Beamer said 6 or 7 seconds ran off when the officials didn’t stop the clock before the measurement and 7 or 8 after they started it again without granting Tech a timeout.
“We would have had one more shot at a play there,” Beamer said. “It’s miscommunication. It’s kind of an unusual situation. Just … things not going quite right.”
** Here are a few stats of note:
- Miami was 1-for-12 on third downs.
- Tech had a 34:21 to 25:39 time of possession advantage.
- The Hokies had zero sacks.
- Miami was 6-for-6 in red zone scoring.
- Johnson had 13 touches and 218 all-purpose yards.
- Demitri Knowles had a solid game returning kicks, taking back four kicks for 145 yards. His long went for 51 yards.
** So what now? It’s a strange position Virginia Tech is in right now, one the Hokies haven’t experienced in a long, long time.
“I’ve always said there’s a thin line between being OK and not OK,” Beamer said. “I think sometimes you just assume you should win 10 games and that should happen. But it doesn’t just happen. You get in there with some inexperienced players at times, but his late in the season there’s certainly no excuse either. Just not quite clicking.
“It’s a team game and we’re just not quite clicking. I think everyone’s trying as hard as they can, but it’s very frustrating, very disappointing. I know our fans are disappointed and I’m disappointed because we’re disappointing them. But we’re trying to get this right. You’ve got to keep hanging in there and it’s going to turn around.”
November 2, 2012 - 12:05 AM
It was bad enough to lose a game, the 5th of the season, but it was downright embarrassing to lose the game tonight against Miami. Now let me be clear, Miami was not very good either. Both teams were so bad, especially in the first half, that they embarrassed the ACC. I have been a Hokie fan for 50 years, through thick and thin–mostly thin, but like most fans have becomed accustomed to having a tough, talented and competitive team. We do not have any talent to speak of on this team. Recruiting is in the crapper. The coaches have gotten old and stale. My feeling is that we should name a building or something for Coach Beamer and Jim Weaver for all they have done for Tech athletics and then ask them to resign gracefully. As much as I hate to say it, it is time for a house-cleaning of the football program at Virginia Tech. If you don’t think so replay tonight’s game and watch with an open mind.
Not sure if the actual figures have been noted, but this was Tech’s 4th loss, in a season, by 14 or more points.
You have to go back to the probation days of the early Beamer era, when he first took over, to see that many, and in those seasons, 4 was it. FSU is going to give it a 5th one, this season.
This team is not struggling, it is bad – at a level that VT has not seen since 1987 and 1988 – and those years there was a legit reason – they were short handed.
If Frank Beamer doesn’t make some serious moves after this season, his legacy at Tech is going to start to fade before it becomes a legacy. He is about to “Bowden” the Tech program – problem is, at least Bobby didn’t have his trophy case sitting empty for all to see.
Look at the teams VT has beaten this year: Austin Peay, GT (barely, and look how bad they are), Duke, Bowling Green. 4 wins against subpar teams. Go back to the end of last year into this year’s losses: Clemson, Michigan, Pitt, Cincinnati,UNC, Clemson, Miami.
Hokies record against BCS conf schools in their last 9 games going back to ACC championship game is 2-7.
This is not a 4, 5, 6, plays away problem. It starts at the top and for starters Frank needs to get rid of that look like he is trying to divide 4,233 by 247.5 in his head.
Please save us the humiliation – No bowls.
VT has seen my last dollar until a new OC is hired and allowed to implement his staff. Last dollar. Seriously. Tired of execution problems.
Boy, things got out of whack out there tonight. Where to begin? How about with this thought – When the players fail to execute, as Frank blamed them for doing, in one game, it is indeed on the players. When the players fail to execute in at least six of nine games in a season, it is equally on the coaches. The general expectation by anyone aware of the game is that the coaches train the players, they ‘coach’ the players into performing at a certain level. When the players fail to do so, the coaches use various methods to change that behavior. We’re currently at 75% of the season mark, and our coaches have yet to coach the players into playing a full game well. The coaches have also failed to coach the players into playing even half of their games well.
The coaches didn’t throw the interceptions against Miami, but they are responsible for working with Logan on his mechanics so that he won’t throw those interceptions for the reasons he did tonight – bad mechanics. I could cite other examples, but that should make the point.
This wasn’t just one game where the players failed to execute properly. This was another in a season filled with games where the players haven’t been coached into playing better.
One thing we’re really fortunate about – Miami is NOT very good this season. Their QB Morris is really bad. Their talent level is not there, which is inexcusable. I understand how young they are, but they just don’t have anything, except Duke Johnson, and they don’t use him as much as they should.
The next team we play has a lot of talent, and they’re using their talent well. We lost 30-12 to a team that is bad. We better hope the ‘Lane Stadium advantage’ is working overtime next Thursday.
My prediction for offseason personnel changes? Frank Beamer announces that Shane will take over the title of special teams coach, thus preserving the cliched ‘BeamerBall’ name. There were rumors a year ago about O’Cain considering retirement after this season. That may or may not happen, depending on his personal decision. Other than that, I don’t see any changes coming. O’Cain’s decision will be his alone, and the continued elevation of Shane doesn’t project as substantive.
Another note – what happened to the much ballyhooed RB adjustments? Frank could have saved everyone time by just saying – ‘We’re going to drop from 4 RBs down to 2, except we’ll give 3 of them equivalent carries, and just run Logan a lot more’. Our RB with the most carries only had ten carries? If that is indicative of how Shane coaches his personnel, then how are we supposed to improve when Frank gives his son the title of special teams coach in the offseason?
Well stated Doug, but I have no faith the administration at VT will do anything about this. I’m an alumni from ’88, and a season ticket holder who gave up my tickets after the ’92 season – not from lack of faith or support of the team, simply logistics of getting to the games. One thing has always been a constant – loyalty to the coaching staff by the administration and the Virginia Tech Athletic Fund Staff (A.K.A. – HOKIE CLUB STAFF). A change in the coaching staff is not going to go down that way my friend, and especially not by a “house-cleaning”. What needs to happen, is it needs to be masterminded by HCFB from within. He needs to shake up the coaching staff, and show the current players and potential recruits he is still in charge, and hasn’t lost control of his committment to his players and especially the fans. This way, all the loyal HCFB supporters won’t get crap tossed in their faces, and it can be accomplished by “non-drastic measures”. I hated to see the way Joe Paterno (obviously much different cicumstances) and Bowden (same circumstances) went out. We CAN afford to experiment NOW, especially since the season, in my opinion, is officially in the crapper.
The football program at Virginia Tech is in serious trouble, and it is not going to get any better unless some changes are made, and soon, as after this season ends.
There is no need to focus on certain plays, the officials, or certain players. That is ridiculous, and a total waste of time and energy.
The problem is the philosophy of the football program, the philosophy is outdated, boring, stale, and without any foresight into the future.
Coaching changes need to be made after the season, and that is the entire offensive coaching staff, including the ” chose one ” son of the coach.
If coaching changes are not made after the season, then it is time to consider changing the head coach, and maybe it is time to consider that alternative anyway.
I am a fan and have been for almost fifty years, but there is absolutely no enthusiasm for this present team and for the coaching staff.
SOMETHING needs to be done, and done NOW.
After every loss CFB harps that the players aren’t “executing”. Isn’t it the job of the coaches to teach the players how to execute. I have to disagree with Doug that recruiting is in the tank. Our coaches are in the tank and someone’s about to flush.
I have cancelled my tickets to the NC game. Bring back AUSTIN PEAY!! Go DOGS!
After watching this unprepared team and same coaching staff mistakes I am agreeing that changes need to be made, from top to bottom. We have plenty of talent and execution was severely missing. My 8 year old grandson could have perdicted Thomas running the ball near goal line. We have a fast tailback who we run up the middle. ???
I am agreeing with Rick
Harvey
I know the “Fire Beamer” and “Fire Weaver” trolls will have their tantrums to follow. Here are a few non-childish thoughts:
1. Bear Bryant and Joe Paterno each had mediocre seasons in their third decade as coaches… 6-5-1 and 5-6 respectively… and yet each managed to have a 12-0 season within 5 years because their athletic directors were not panicky fools.
2. Many of these same “fire Beamer” trolls would have done so after 1992… and VT would have missed the best 20 year run in the history of VT football. (And, the winningest FBS program from 1995-2011.) If you think great football coaches will just line up to coach at VT right after a short-sighted firing of a Hall-of-Fame caliber-coach after just one mediocre season, you are delusional.
3. Yes, this has been a disappointing season, and yes, there is a lot of work to do to get from mediocre to elite again. We should trust that job to someone with experience doing just that… Frank Beamer.
Every college football fan base has short-sighted, apoplectic fools in its midst… and we will be hearing their tripe in the months to come.
I just hope the VT administration remains wise enough to ignore that noise.
Well, last night certainly was a success! We succeeded where few teams before us have. We managed to make this year’s Miami team look good. Now I’m old enough to recall when a Southern Conference championship and a Liberty Bowl bid was the height of ambition, so I am well appreciative of what Beamer has done, but our philosophy of how to recruit O-linemen has got to change. Tony Dorsett couldn’t run behind this line.
It,s time for some changes.Before out stands look like Miami,s. Also lets play some of the younger players that will be there next year!! Andy can you check on that ? Please.
It is a sad event.
What is going on with special teams? VT doesn’t even try and block kicks anymore.
Offensive play calling. Everyone who has ever watched Tech can call the play.
I can understand some mistakes but Tech is blowing games they can win.
Beamer is going to need to shake up the coaching staff. If your making the cash he is making then at some point you have to look in the mirror and just see it is working.
Beamer gets upset the McShay guy at ESPN says what is obvious and has been obvious for years. Beamer, just watch the tape. Everyone knows it.
Logan Thomas is pretty good but go try and recuit Peyton Manning Jr. in the next few years.
I also do not understand the defensive scheme. Our DB’s play off the receivers 10 – 15 yards at the line of scrimmage. Is it any wonder they move the ball on us.
The columnist said it best today. We are going to need some changes.
What are we going to do when we play Alabama and then Ohio State and eventually Notre Dame. It’s going to be a massacre if you don’t make a few changes. Hopefully, we got some good recruits or its going to be a long few years.
Good news-Logan Thomas is coming back next year
Bad news- Logan Thomas is coming back next year
Well Andy your Homer prediction was off again as usual. But my prediction of 6 losses is on target. Frank again in his interview did nothing but make excuses as did Stinespring . It’s stomach churning to listen to the same BS from these guys. Thomas had a nice night rushing but you shouldn’t be relying on your QB for that. His passing again average at best as he is drastically overrated. Tech fans after all the build up year in, year out should be appalled at the product put on the field for what you pay in ticket prices. You can go to a VMI game and watch a pitiful team for a cheaper price. Beamer Todd McShay was right your offense is way to predictable and vastly out dated. Get over the loyalty and get did of O’Cain, Stinespring and Newsome. Or go down with them.
I am still of the opinion that Frank Beamer has earned 3 crappy years. This is one. If the woes aren’t remedied by season after next, he needs to be fired. I think that is more than fair, and it is more time than most programs allow.
Folks they are close; they’re just a few plays from being undefeated…LMAO
This season is the best thing that could have happened in Blacksburg because nothing was going to change otherwise. I know of a high-dollar donor that talked with the athletic dept. and told them that if certain offensive coaches remain they were pulling their annual donation next year.
… “it’s going to turn around…” really coach?! WHEN???!!!
Pretty embarrassing game last night. Clearly shows that talent alone is not enough. I’ve been a Hokie fan for 35 years. When I came to Blacksburg in 1977 the team was average at best. A bowl game came along once in a decade, and we were happy to get it. A succession of coaches were not inspiring, and even Beamer looked like a loser for a couple of years. Football was just a fun pastime in the fall, no expectations. But Frank found the seam and had the genius to exploit it and built the Hokies into a nationally respected gridiron power without resorting to the unethical practices of many of his peers. The 95-96 seasons put us on the map, and the Michael Vick inspired successes put the name “Hokie” into the national spotlight. But the game continues to change, and unfortunately VT as become a victim of its own success. For the past several years it has been obvious that VT has lived off talent, guts and luck, but reality has finally caught up with the team and the system. Just like in business, you have to continuously re-invent yourself to remain relevant, and now it’s time for Frank to tackle that goal. I think he can do it, but it will require some drastic changes, and I don’t know if he is willing to make them. His legacy is secure, and there could be no better story than to lead the program into the next phase as he winds down his career. But, that might be too much to ask. It’s difficult to shed the system that has been so successful in the past. There is always the mirage of ‘a few tweaks’ that draws you away from the real oasis of success. Bold moves are required. And what if he can’t make them? Well, I would be disappointed, of course, but still I am thankful for the past 20 years of Saturday excitement that Frank gave us, and happy that I was here when Virginia Tech was somebody to fear.
Total team loss. Thomas and Davis were having words on the sideline, what was that about?
Tech has done a remarkable job staying in the top 20 and at the top of its league for so long. Yes, we have struggled to be nationally relevant, but we should be happy with what we have had over the past 20 years. That being said, I think Frank figured out what got the VT program to that position and he has stuck with it. Unfortunately, the game changes with time. I’ve not seen Tech keep up with those changes. HOWEVER, in a nutshell, I think it boils down to one key element….VT’s offensive coaches are horrible. Play design and play calling is laughable. How can anybody on that staff not see that? Maybe I’m biased, but it seems to me that Tech has more broken plays that go for big yardage (based on the playerss’ athleticism) than designed plays that go for big yards. Please please please, we need an offensive overhaul. My cash will be going to the engineering department for now.
Joel, please, you’re comparing Beamer to Bear Bryant and Joe Paterno? Beamer is a good college coach and he did put VT on the map, but he’s clearly plateaued. VT will never recruit like Penn St or Bama so the thought of any success close to Paterno or Bryant is a pipe dream. Beamer shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as those 2 legends.
VT going to the Toilet Bowl baby. Go Hokies. ACC Coastal Chumps. Embarrassed again on national tv.
I’ve a Hokie fan for around 30 years and they are terrible. I would thank Beamer for everything that they have done and send him on his way. If they won’t to keep him around offer him like player relations job or something to that nature. Go out right now and find high caliber coach to run the team and work start to work on recruiting for next year. The biggest problem is that the offense is too predictable because if a normal person can sit at home and know what plays the offense is running before they run it and you know that other teams defense can. Logan Thomas is not a quarterback and should be moved back to the tight end position. He isn’t accruate and he doesn’t have the ability to think before he throws the ball. Defense has been stellar for all of these years the problem now is your defensive backs and safteys wants to be the hero and make the big play and not play smart and work as a team.
FIRE BEAMER AND STINESPRING NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The statement by Beamer that the effort was there but the execution was not is a very lame attempt to exonerate lack of performance by the coaching staff. The facts are the VT offense had been poor for years and the special teams are far from special.
The fact that Beamer is still clinging to the 4-5 plays that could have changed the game verbiage only highlights the denial.
Even during the 10 win streak there were reasons to make some coaching changes. But Beamer clung to the “we won 10 games last season” stubbornly to hold tight to coaches he wanted to protect (coaches, I might add, that no other team apparently has any desire to entice away from VT). Well, the 10 wins bubble is popped, and in case Frankie hasn’t looked, it is NOVEMBER and VT is 4-5 and at this point has a losing season.
Did you see those empty seats last night? That’s what Lane stadium will look like soon if changes are not made.
Andy,
This is from 2009. This is why fans are so torqued about this year.
http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/14154/letter-stinespring-needs-to-go
Do any of the comments look familiar?
If the offense is so predictable, why were the receivers open? Looks like an execution problem to me. Underthrown passes, overthrown passes, silly fumbles, missed blocking assignments.
1.The carrying out or putting into effect of a plan, order, or course of action.
2.The technique or style with which an artistic work is produced or carried out.
Well, after letting last night sink in a tad, I decided to do some research to figure out how VT’s season might wind up, since they’re essentially out of the running for everything except a bowl bid and keeping the Commonwealth Cup in Blacksburg…the latter of which I would take over a bowl bid at this point, honestly. I took to the Massey rankings, because I wanted to get a feel for the teams VT has played and how they rank out, since only 1 is actually ranked in the polls (Clemson).
To start, VT is ranked 61st (before last night’s loss, anyway). Their 4 wins are against teams ranked 63rd (Duke), 72nd (Bowling Green), Georgia Tech (81), and Austin Peay (FCS, not ranked). Based on that, those are 4 teams they should have beaten, and they did. Their combined record is just 15-19, pulled down by AP’s 0-8 record…despite that Duke and BG are both 6-3.
For the teams VT has lost to, Clemson is 17th, Cincy 40th, UNC 44th, Miami 56th (before last night), and Pitt is 71st…so generally, they lost to the higher-ranked teams. That’s the marking of a mediocre football team…generally beat the lesser competition, and lose to better competition. In general, that is what the Hokies have almost always done anyway…it’s just that this year the team is so much worse than usual…and it shows in the on-the-field results.
So, that brings us to the final 3 games…FSU, BC, UVA. FSU is ranked 11th and is 8-1 overall. VT will probably have the doors blown off by the half. If VT manages to keep it within 2 touchdowns, I will be surprised. A win would be some solace on a bad year, but will not erase the horrendous execution, coaching, and lack of general leadership this team has…nor will it erase the need for substantial changes. But, it would be cool nonetheless.
The final 2 games come against the cellar-dwellers of both divisions. Both teams are a puny 2-6 overall, and both teams have just 1 win over a FBS team: BC beat Maryland last week by 3, and UVA beat Penn State in week 2 by a point. They’re bad, really bad. How bad? BC is ranked 101st, UVA 102nd. VT should win both, given their track record, and eke out a 6-6 record and a bowl bid…barely.
But, that still doesn’t do anything to change the fact that 11 of the 12 VT opponents will come from the Big East, ACC, and MAC…conferences ranked 5th, 6th, and 9th on the season. In past years, VT would destroy a schedule loaded with this many weak teams. This year, they are the ones getting destroyed. They are now 2-7 in their last 9 games against BCS-level opposition. Let that sink in. 2-7. The 2 wins are against Duke and Georgia Tech, and there is a good chance that neither one of them finishes better than 6-6 on the season. Yes, VT really is that bad this year. Finally, all of the things long-time observers have been raising red flags over have all sort of come together in a bit of a perfect storm. And the results are mighty ugly.
Sorry.. Same old Story from FB. Execution is .. 1.The carrying out or putting into effect of a plan, order, or course of action.
2.The technique or style with which an artistic work is produced or carried out. – Perhaps there is an issue with ‘the plan or course of action’ which is coaches responsibility that is impacting the players ability to execute it. Also per the definition, The ‘ Technique’ – hello, coaches, you coach Technique for the work to be carried out.
Will the Defense has shown ability to stop teams at times, lets face it, this is not the same agressive, PLAYMAKING, defense we have seen in the past, we create very few turnovers, very few defensive scores and even fewer game changing plays from defense.
Offense – starts with the line, and again we are week there, and even in the best of times with Newsome / Stiney the O-line has been questionable. THE difference between VT, ACC and SEC teams – Line play, the trenches is the first place the SEC is supperior to ACC. I also feel with the continuous rotation of RB’s, none of them is given the opportunity to get into the feel and flow of the game, and it is also causing each of them to not develop as they should.
Changes have to be made, the administration, the coaches, the team can no longer hang their hat on ’10 win seasons’ and perhaps not even 20+ years of bowl games..
I said it WEEKS ago…Bottom line…..this is a BAD team……period….I predicted a 6-6 season and it looks like that may play out , but honestly this year may be UVA ‘ s year to finally beat us…not because their talent level has increased but because ours has dropped so much..I live in Bristol Tennessee and I feel like a great bowl game, at least from a local interest point of view would be us vs. UT , providing both get to 6 wins.
Wow! Just wow! Another game ends and the coaches throw the players under the bus. But that’s to be expected, since the program has been on cruise control for the past several seasons. The pretend goal is to win a national championship. The real goals seem to be to win 10 games, go to the ACC Championship game, and go to some bowl game (to lose). Recruiting goals appear to be to outdo UVa in gathering up in-state talent; recruiting nationally is “too hard” (as some orange-tinted-glasses fans say, it’s tough to get good players to come to the small town in the mountains — yet WVU has managed over the years to attract some pretty good talent). Yes, the roster was a little thin this season (recruiting again) and there were a lot of young, inexperienced players. Yet Bud Foster has been able to put together another one of his defenses that keeps VT in the game (not that it is perfect, there are still missed tackles, bad coverage, etc.). Stinespring had a boatload of talent with Tyrod Taylor and a gang of great receivers and runners and did nothing with it. Last season he still had a lot of talent and did nothing with it. This season there is a dearth of talent and experience, but instead of adjusting (VT coaches: “what’s adjust mean?”) whatever mish-mash “scheme” his offense has, he adds more wrinkles to it (but still runs the same basic “if it’s working, we’ll stop doing it and try something else” plan).
I would like to have the maroon Kool-Aid and orange-tinted glasses concession in Blacksburg next Thursday for all those fans who want to pretend there is nothing wrong (with a special on the really dark glasses, for those who want to gaze upon the emperor who has no clothes).
Those same imbibers will yammer about those who are calling for coaching changes, tagging them as “not true fans” or “bandwagon fans.” Yet I’ll bet most of those who want change are frustrated long-time backers of the program who are tired of the broken promises and same-old same-old and want to see good things happening again for a school they love and support.
Oh, that’s right. We open with Alabama next season. That should be an exciting game. Maybe we can install another new offensive ‘wrinkle’ for that game.
Let me make one thing clear!!……..Even though I predicted a Miami win on this forum yesterday, I do NOT like, will NEVER like the often “overrated” and “cupcake” filled shedules of the Virginia Tech Football program…….
HOWEVER, I have always respected them in terms of having a “toughness” about them!! – Of being a “hard-nosed, “down-in-the-dirt”, “NEVER-GIVE-UP” football team……….
The display last night against a Miami team, that is almost dead last in every defensive FCS statistic, was simply shocking and unbelievable!!!……….Not, that I feel sorry for them, but, apparently some wholesale and fundamental changes has to be made…….Even in the past years, when the Hokies won a lot of games, but, would always “choke” on the national stage and in BIG games earning a “2-27″ record all-time against TOP 5 competition, I still RESPECTED them………..
After what I saw last night, I have lost that respect………It was a pathetic, error-filled and sad display……..My, how VA TECH football has fallen!!……And the handwriting has been there for years, but, Beamer refused to acknowledge it…………And with the departures of a lot of experience and wide receiver and offensive line, how is next year looking????
No power here in New Jersey so I missed game glad to hear things remain the same
Look forward to next year key players return new ones come in,
New Jersey has is in chaos hope it gets better for VT!
ONE TINY ASIDE FROM THE TECH INEPTITUDE THIS YEAR: IF TWO OF OUR TALENTED JUNIORS WOULD NOT HAVE OPTED FOR THE PROS—WISON AND HOSLEY WE WOULD HAVE HAD A LITTLE MORE PUNCH–ESPECIALLY WISON ON OFFENSE—YOU CAN’T REPLACE THOSE GUYS
WE ARE UNIFORMLY LOUSY IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE GAME THIS YEAR—TALENT–EFFORT-EXECUTION-TOUGHNESS AND COACHING IS ALL DOWNHILL–WHAT A FUNK OVER THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
FRANK HAS BEEN LIVING OFF OF LUCK AND EXCEPTIONAL TALENT- THRU THE YEARS-WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE STRENGTH AND TRAINING PROGRAM–MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT TOO.
THE TALK ABOUT COASTAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND BOWL GAMES ARE BOTH JOKES.
I WONDER IF YOU TALK OFF THE RECORD TO THE SENIORS THIS YEAR AND CANDIDLY ASK THEM WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE TEAM SINCE THEY FIRST ENROLLED AND PLAYED ON THE TEAM–YOU COULD PROBABLY GET SOME REAL INTERESTING AND ACCURATE INSIGHT AS TO WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING.
We need to fire Beamer now! Why would any recruit want to come to Tech now? At least we were winning before. Now what!?!?!
Neither of these teams looked very good last night. ACC is weak.
I think the change is needed at the top. Beamer is past his shelf life and the team looks stale. In any case, even in good times this coaching staff could never go beyond 10 wins and never came close to playing for the national championship in spite of extremely good talent. Beamerball has become BeamerFALL and basically FB has lost his edge. I think he needs to retire and let some young coach take over (Butch Davis is unemployed and may be interested) who can refresh the team.
I agree with Doug, “recruiting is in the crapper” (1st blog).Go online and take a look at the class rankings as listed by ESPN, Rivals and Scout.
VT did not even make the top 25 by ESPN in 2010 and 2011. They were ranked 25th by ESPN last year.
Rivals ranked VT 23rd in 2010, 33rd in 2011 and 22nd in 2012.
Scout ranked VT 37th in 2010, 39th in 2011 and 27th in 2012.
I’m not bringing this up to debate the significance of recruiting rankings. However, its easy to see when you look at them that those teams that are consistantly in “National Championship” conversation seem to always be at or near the top.!
About last night ……
First, I want to say that we (San Antonio Hokie Alumni Association) had the privelege of enjoying the company of the mother of one of our starting players. She was in town for a military event related to another child and came to see us. She said this was the first game of his she missed since he was 8, so I figure she is close to the situation and how the players feel. The team (coaches, players, parents) believe in Frank and the total program. No loss of faith even though they can’t understand why it is happening. They consider fan ugliness to be understandable but not helpful. I agree.
One of our parents of a current student told me about an “open letter” to the student body regarding their behavior this season. I understand this “letter” was quite sharo in pointing out that our fans are “spoiled” by years of unending success and have come to believe we are “entitled” to a national championship.
There is a word for the current generation who feel so entitled about material things and their place in the world. It is “Aristobrats”.
So maybe our angry fan base are “Aristohokiebrats”. This how I will address you in the future.
So all you Aristohokiebrats, get over it. We have watched other teams have down years and this is just our turn.
Beamer is not leaving and he deserves better from you.
Shane is not the heir apparent. He is an assistant coach who is being being groomed as a coach but unlikely to take a top 30 program without experience elsewhere or earning it.
It is not the coaches fault that a RB cannot put his hands on a perfectly placed handoff near the goal line. This is a player mental thing.
I agree last night was disgusting and painful.
We will all live through it.
Beamer DOES deserve mention with the greats whether you like it or not, title or not. The numbers prove it as do the players in the NFL, the money, etc.
Get over your selves Aristohokiebrats. If you were capable of being a major college coach, you would be.
WAKE UP BEAMER! Ask yourself what is behind the “poor execution.” I will not leaving you hanging in suspense — It’s poor coaching! It is also much deeper than that,,, it’s predictable and unsophisticated play calling. You continue to stick by Stiney and Newsome with a blind vigilance while at the same time blaming the players for the ills of your program. Your loyalty to Stiney and Newsome is to the detriment of program.
I am afraid Beamer has become content setting his sights reaching a conference championship game in an otherwise weak conference that garners no respect. Beamer’s delusions of grandeur every season of playing for the national championship are just that, delusions and every year I just laugh. VT continues to be out coached and out played anytime they play against the “big boys.”
Even when the program reaches a BCS game by default as a result of dominating inferior opponents in the ACC, the offense continues to perform at a subpar level – just look at the stats over the last 10 years! Every season is like Groundhog Day, the VT defense bails out the underperforming offense, but alas the defense has an off year in 2012 and further exposes the VT coaching staff and offense for what they are, nothing more than a cut-rate offense.
If you’re not careful Beamer you too will fall out of favor just like your peers Bobby Bowden and Joe Pa. The sport is passing you by because you refuse to adapt and acknowledge and address the underlying root cause. Every season you stand on the sideline after a loss with this dumbfounded look on your face as if to wonder what just happened…
Andy, hopefully you have a read on this. Who are the locker room leaders among the players? Not the ones the coaches send out to do interviews, but who are the guys who are ‘player coaches’?
Joel, most of us don’t necessarily want Beamer fired, but if he’s unwilling to make staff changes that have been needed for some time, then there’s only one thing left to do. As for your 1992 comment, do you mean the year that he went 2-8-1 and did not want to make ANY changes to his staff (sound familiar?), yet was FORCED to by his AD. After those FORCED changes, VT began their run.
Andy, do you think it was a mistake on the coaches’ part to play Logan at QB instead of TE? He hasn’t played very long at the QB position. He had such a great year last year, but now, it seems, without an effective offensive line, receivers, runners, etc., the burden of doing it all himself is overwhelming. Not having confidence in each other as a team has been mentioned all season by game announcers as has the statement of players waiting for another player to make a play instead of making it themselves. Seems like this would have improved by now but seems to only get worse. No energy, no extra effort, no enthusiasm. I noticed all four runners are still going in and out of the games while the coaches have said several times there are too many runners.
Well, that was fun. It was the Michigan game all over again. We dominated Miami the entire game and still managed to lose by a significant margin. This team has no will to win on either side of the ball. No motivation like VT teams of past. While talent is definitely lacking at receiver, O line, RB and defensive secondary it is coaching that has failed to establish the will to win. Almost every team has 4 or 5 plays per game that if executed correctly it changes the game. VT has ALWAYS has those 4 or 5 bad plays, the difference this year is we lack the ability to make up for those gaffes the way we always have.
Running Back – Someone needs to tell Frank Beamer or whoever is making this decision that Michael Holmes is not very good. I’m sure he’s a great kid and perhaps his time will come, but he’s too slow to get outside and too small to pound it up the middle. Is there fan or sports journalist alive who thought that the changes Frank professed in the running game would lead to Holmes being the primary back? NO. For me the rankings were Cole, Gregory, Scales and then and only then Holmes. FB doesn’t get it and he refuses to admit he’s wrong about Holmes. It’s Frank’s stubborness that concerns me most right now. Too stuborn to listen, to stuborn to change.
Receiver – Logan has struggled this year and the many overthrown passes are probably his fault, but there’s a reason Marcus Davis rarely saw the field until this year. There’s a reason, even when healthy, Roberts never broke out. Knowles is young and Fuller a converted track star who maybe with more time would have been exceptional.
Offensive line – Via did a good job for a 3rd string center, but the line is barely getting by. Wang’s ankles must be made of eggshells, Miller is gone and the rest have shown little.
Special teams – Beamer Ball is dead, has been on life support for a long long time. However, as Frank Beamer noted if everyone does their job perfectly we don’t have those problems. Huh? When is that not true? One mistake is a player, many mistakes over a long period of time is the coach. When your very accurate PK is missing extra points the psyche of special teams has eroded. I would not hesitate to say that VT is special teams is the worst in the ACC, if nothing it is the most mistake prone.
Logan Thomas. He’ll be back and we should all rejoice. He’s the only thing standing between us and oblivion. Yes the passes have sailed high this year, I don’t know why, but he’s carried this extremely mediocre offense on his shoulders to create what little offense has existed. I still think he’s the best pocket passer VT has ever had, but he’s surrounded by very little talent or too much youth.
I’m willing to give Bud a pass, he’s making the best of a very mediocre secondary, but the will is lacking here too. I don’t see it any better next year in the backfield, but it’ll be good enough if the offense can improve enough. They can’t get much worse.
Time for significant coaching changes on offense and it’s time for Weaver in his last AD days to sit Frank down and tell him that. Frank stays, but he’s lost the clarity needed to address the coaching weaknesses and that must come from outside. Those 10 win seasons, many of them, were mirages. They obscured the reality we always faced during bowl games that we do not have the offensive tools to compete at any level beyond the ACC.
I read these posts and remember how my team and it’s fans turned on their legendary Coach and ran him out of town. It was 1997,98, and 99 when Charlottesville erupted with cries of George must go. Finally it happened and we all no how well UVA has done since then. I call it the curse of George. So all of you Hokies keeping demanding change and you might get something you really don’t want. You know what you have with Beamer and your 15 year run has been great and carried the entire university sports program. Get rid of him and not get a suitable replacement such as Al Groh, and you may end up as irrelevant as UVA has become in football. We could call it the curse of Beamer.
Whoever decided that Logan Thomas is a QB should be held accountable. He probably would be a good tight end. He might be a good junior college QB – somewhere he can get the experience needed. He is NOT a D1 QB (at least not today)and Hokies are being ill served to have him stumble through gaining the experience he needs in actual, real season games that we have tried desperately to support.
The time has come for VT where the coaches are outdated to today’s football and they have lost their intensity as being good coaches. This is reflected in the players not properly executing the fundamentals of football playing, tackling, QB and center football exchange, punter handling snaps, blocking, run blocking, quarterback making the right decisions and the list goes on. When the players are making fundamental mistakes at the end of the season then the problem is with in the coaching. If the players are properly coached then they do not make those errors. Study good coached teams and poor coach teams and then replay the Miami game the proof is there. This happens to all coaches that reach the end of their effectiveness. The problem is the athletic program keeps these coaches along indecently. How long will the VT supporters allow our football program decline before we make necessary changes? Penn state and Florida State went years loosing before they made the necessary changes. It will be many years before Penn State recovers. This is Florida State first good year since the Bowden error. Typically the athlete department will not make the necessary change out of respect of the past and it will be up to the supporters to threaten to pull their funding before timely changes are going to be made. Beamer has had a good career and his time is now up and ready for retirement.
I take exceptions to ugly fan comments by Zman. Not because we don’t have some ugly spoiled fans, we do. I sat in the stands when we lost to VMI so I remember what true mediocrity is like.
However, the calls for offensive coaching changes are years old, not just this year. We have had a top 20 defense and a bottom 50 offense far too often and fans have screamed for changes for years.
No coach of a successful program has or would stand for the lack of performance by their offensive coaching staff year after year. It would never have been allowed to go this far. Coaches recruit the players. Coaches train the players. Coaches decide the lineups and call the plays. Coaches make far too much money for me to feel sorry for them. Frank Beamer pulls down a cool $2mil + and much of that comes out of the pockets of fans.
Do I think fans in the stands should observe a modicum of decency? I do. I don’t even like booing in any form. However, to say that fans don’t have a right to be angry and dissappointed when the offensive and special teams changes they’ve suggested for years lead to a season like this is strangely off base.
Player play and Fans pay. Frank Beamer has earned my respect and admiration, but he does not get a free pass. A prior post mentioned Bear Bryant and Paterno. Bryant was a different age, when there were really only a handful of programs capable of participating at the NC level. And Paterno? really? Paterno should have been shown the door many years prior and that is a lesson for us all. After some terrible seasons yes he was able to reestablish Penn State at the Va Tech level NOT the Alabama/LSU/OSU/USC level but his loss of control and loss of judgement were absolutely responsible for the events finally uncovered the last two years and the damage to that program. Frank Beamer is certainly not in that category, but he does not deserve to put on a pedestal so high that he can’t climb down on his own.
ZMAN the point is that the running back should have had enough handoffs in practice that a bad handoff does not happen in games. Years ago when a player made fundamentals error they had to run until they dropped in next days practice. Discipline separates the good teams from the bad.
Anyobody feel like discussing how soon we should expand the stadium to 80K seating capacity? That was a popular topic among the internet Hokie crowd the last couple of years. Since we need to focus on positives, now is probably a good time to talk about this.
I see Advance Auto is about to be sold, so the Taubman family will be flush with cash. No, wait, they’re busy propping up the art museum from being bulldozed. How about the Fralins? Wait, they’re in wallet deep on the same failed mission, no need to take on another.
Well, there’s GOT to be some wealthy Hokie booster willing to fork over an 8-figure sum to forward this much needed objective. After all, that’s one of the primary means of displaying how serious we are about competing at the elite level in college football, right?
“When Virginia Tech led the nation with 41.4 points per game and was ninth nationally averaging 451.8 yards during Michael Vick’s breakout year in 1999, only one team averaged more than 500 yards and two more than 40 points.
Yet those offensive numbers remain the highs of the Beamer era. Virginia Tech has cracked the top 50 nationally in total offense only four times under Stinespring, who has been a lightning rod for criticism over the years.
Last season, with ACC player of the year David Wilson, the school’s two all-time leading receivers, Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale, four senior offensive linemen, including ACC blocker of the year Blake DeChristopher, and Thomas, the Hokies averaged 413 yards per game, their highest total since 2000 but still one that ranked only 35th nationally.”
I have said it over and over the past few years, start with Running Newsome out of town and continue with a few others. The offensive line is BAD and Newsome is a BAD coach of the line. Booooo to the offense and special teams !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, what’s the latest word on the planned indoor practice facility? It’s supposed to be the only one in the nation tall enough to allow full punting practice when Jim Weaver decides where he wants to build it. As the orginator of BeamerBall, and the father of special teams play, Frank Beamer knows how important it is to have such a facility available for 10-12 days a year. Not to mention, at the cost of $25 million and rising, it seems like money well invested in a program that many internet fans call the face of VaTech. It’s really critical that we fully donate to provide this for Frank, so his namesake special teams can continue their standard of excellence into the future.
Anybody heard anything new?
Pathetic performance ..play calling and Logan… Bench Logan for rest of season and put in LEAL…Logan can compete to get his job back…bench LOGAN HE IS TERRIBLE TERRIBLE fire O’CAIN and STINESPRING now and SHANE can’t coach running backs Gregory too small and Holmes and Scales best but not used
WHAT fan would pay to see them play any game …sick…stay home this year with Virgina Va Tech vs a bowl…..Beamer says bowls and 10 win seasons instead of LISTENING which he does not do…their play style is 1960′s…SAD…they were touted as National Champion dark horse…what is their rank 94th in nation
Flash back to when Beamer questioned Todd McShay for calling the VT offense 10-15 years outdated. Beamer said- McShay hasn’t been to any practices, he doesn’t know.
Maybe McShay hasn’t been to practices coach, maybe he has just looked at the team in the games they have played.
To Zman, I can say this. In 1992, VT went 2-8-1 (it just happens to be the LAST time that VT had a losing record in the month of November). Even when 2-8-1, VT lost some heartbreaker games, 50-49 to Rutgers on the last play, 13-12 to Southern Miss on a late field goal, 13th ranked NCSU kicked a field goal to tie the game on the final play, etc). That year, VT scored more points on eventual national champion Miami than anyone did.
Then, ticket prices were $10 a ticket, and you could park anywhere you had an imagination to park. You sure as heck didn’t have to PAY to do it. Today, ticket prices a 5 TIMES that amount, parking is $10 a game, and they rope off every area where people use to park for free. This was all justified under the mantra that if you want to see a good team, a perenial top 25 team, then this is what you have to pay- this is what the other programs are getting.
Fast Forward to today: What has changed? answer: the performance of the team on the field. Fans have been fleeced and have anteed up to see better than VT beating the likes of Austin Peay and Bowling Green, which just so happen to be HALF of the VT wins this year.
You can label whatever creative word you want to come up with, but in my view, the fans deserve a better offense than they are being given. A better offense than they have seen for the last 8 years.
As Sean McDonough said in the Nebraska/VT game (won by VT 16-15 on a Tyrod Taylor miracle) “How does Virginia Tech win 10 games a year with an offense like this?”
In 2012, they won’t.
Blame play calling and the ability to produce points as an offense all you want. Bottom line the coaches don’t block, or take simple center to qb snaps, drop numerous passes, overthrow and underthrow passes. Coaches don’t let punt snaps sail wide or slip through punters fingers and get blocked. They most certainly understand defense coverage schemes which apparently our secondary players can’t seem to grasp. 3 deep coverage and the flat guy is 30 yards down field instead of 10 to 12 leaving receivers wide open. The defenders in the secondary are simply not getting the job done on the field and Logan is struggling to get the ball to wide open receivers, who in turn run bad routes and drop a ton of passes. You can’t game plan for poor performance, plain and simple.
Continue to ring the “Fire a Coach” bell. I love how people talk about wanting to change this play or that play. Change this scheme or that scheme. Can’t run the ball because we simply aren’t talented enough to do so. Did anyone see how Gregory took that hand off last night? This guy has been around awhile too! That looked like a sandlot player reaching out and grabbing for the ball instead of raising the elbow and taking it on the belly. The thing is, I love the way Tony runs the ball, hitting the hole hard and then making his move. There is no way a college level coach would teach that, obviously did it on his own. Execution! Holmes is dancing way too much and looks like he freezes when he takes the hand off. Coleman, well here’s my negative point of view for the coaching staff. He didn’t have enough touches at all. I think the one thing that was danced around in the post game interview was why Coleman didn’t get enough touches. Do I think that we need to fire someone for not getting Coleman enough touches? Of course not. I would like to see some players, MAKE plays. Roberts has dropped enough passes. Davis has jogged and ran enough poor routes. The O-Line is not attacking enough and more times than not, there is no hole to run through. When there is…we dance or bounce it to the outside, where speed meets speed. Logan, I think he’s great but I believe all the preseason hype has caught up with him and he feels he’s let people down. He doesn’t look like the same confident QB he has been in the past. Offenses rely on playmakers to MAKE plays, sadly we didn’t do that last night or really much at all this season. Doesn’t deal with schemes in the least bit. If you think last night was about schemes and play calling, then I don’t know where you got your football knowledge unless it was on the XBox.
Zman. You hit the nail on the head. The one thing sports today are lacking, is the loyalty to anyone. Coaches in today’s sports are given a snapshot of 3 to 4 years to produce something great. This starts at the high school ranks and moves forward. I’ve known some great coaches who have been run out because, someone didn’t play enough. Believe it or not, you can have all the knowledge in a particular sport you want, but like they say. “Alot of times it’s about Jimmy’s and Joe’s, not X’s and O’s.”
Frank Beamer is the winningest active coach who’s spent his career primarily in FBS football. His current record is 255-126-4, which includes a whole boatload of MAC & directional state universities, to be sure.
One bit of trivia I’ve mentioned before that many may ignore. Frank Beamer is the winningest coach in FBS history – under the above parameters of counting his W-L record – the winningest coach in FBS history who has never won a national championship. Only one other coach in the same category has even managed to win 200 games while also leaving the trophy on the table – Don Nehlen of WVU. Nehlen ‘only’ won 202 games, though, while Beamer has beaten a whole lot more MAC teams than Nehlen did at WVU.
Anyway, just trying to find the rays of sunshine on a Friday. Yet another milestone that Frank continues to stretch…
It’s not only the players who aren’t executing it’s the coaches and I grow tired of Beamer blaming everyone else and that it is just a few plays here and there. Special teams play is dead, the offense is on life support and last night in the fourth quarter I think even the defense quit. I’m thinking the defense just got tired of carring the load. My wish list is HC Lorenzo Ward, OC Bob Stitt and DC, if Foster doesn’t stay, is Todd Grantham. Too many years of poor recruiting and tired coaching. There has to be changes and Weaver needs to search further than the water cooler.
Well said Zman!! Coach Beamer does not deserve to be tossed out on his can after one bad year in the last twenty and should be allowed some time and leeway to get things turned around. He most certainly deserves our respect for how he has built this program with class and dignity.
On the other hand, let’s not fool ourselves… in the end, it all comes down to wins and losses…and whether or not the fan base will continue to support him with their pocket books.
If he doesn’t make offensive coaching changes soon (like after this season) his demise will unfortunately come sooner rather than later in my opinion.
GO HOKIES!
While special teams were disappointing, really only two things needed to turn it around. Offensive line needs to learn how to own the line of scrimmage and D needs to learn how to tackle.
Zman-Thank you. I tend to agree with your assessment. About a year after the last Lane Stadium expansion, I began to wonder how quickly Tech fans would turn on Frank and company if there was a drop off in wins vs. losses.
Success does breed expectations, but it also demands perspective. Without Frank Beamer, VT football would never have achieved the level of success it has. One bad season is not evidence that Frank is past his prime or ready to be put out to pasture.
Todd McShay or ESPN is either the biggest idiot alive or still does not have a clue……..LOGAN THOMAS never has been, or will be, a TOP 5 quarterback!?……..Last year, he took the college football world by storm because here was a 6-6, 260 lb quarterback (former tight end) and there were comparisons to CAM NEWTON simply because of his size………….He “lack” of talent was masked last year because of the outstanding receivers (Boykins, Cole, etc)………….HOWEVER, the “real” Logan Thomas has been on display and it is not good!!……….Inaccuracy is paramount, missing open receivers, overthrowing open receivers, making bad reads, etc……..And last night’s game was a highlight reel of shortcomings and why Logan was overrated last year BIG TIME!!!……..No wonder he has stated he plans to return next year……..With NO experience back next year at the receiver position and yet another “revamped” offensive line, will it get any better???……….Next year’s draft, Thomas has a better chance a getting a “tight end” position than quarterback – which he never really was anyway!!………And that’s the “REAL”……
A lot of fans believe in Frank Beamer as well Zman. Most fans, not Aristohokiebrats, are not happy with the offensive coaching staff. I am sure the players do have confidence in this program, but I find it hard to believe that they aren’t upset with the current state of the team. The interview with Exum after the Hokie game said it all. He felt like the defense played well enough to win the Clemson game. His reply was described by the Washington Post as terse. I remember players in the past complaining about the offensive play calling. So has about every commentator who works VT’s ball games. Last night Mark May said at half that our problem in the game was poor coaching and poor execution. He then went on to cite a couple of offensive plays that were called and said who calls that? No this is more than a problem with the spoiled Hokie fan base. This is more than a down year, and most everyone knows it.
I recall you at the beginning of the season whining about how the team stinks. So your attempt to make everyone feel bad about their opinions fall flat with me. Just because you watched the game last night with a parent doesn’t make you any more knowledgeable about the situation or better than anyone else on here who are complaining. You have complained on this blog plenty.
As far as the fans feeling entitled to a NC championship, why did VT build the empty trophy case? As a fan, I see that as an enticing goal, but not attaining that goal is not going to keep me from cheering for my Hokies. The fans didn’t build that trophy case, Vt built it. I would like to see us win the big one, but right now a bowl win against a ranked opponent would be nice.
As far as being a college coach, I am not capable of being a coach, but I have watched a lot of football in my life. Not being a coach doesn’t make me or any one else less capable of seeing that there is an offensive staff problem at VT. Besides, last I checked, there aren’t any women coaching in the NFL or at the college level.
And yes, I agree that Coach Beamer deserves to be mentioned with the greats of football. I have a great deal of respect for him. He has built a great football program at Virginia Tech and he deserves respect for his accomplishments. Go Hokies!
Slowest “hurry up” offense in the history of football + less talent on the field that can’t make up for poor coaching + Logan choking and playing too tight + predictable offense + WRs that can’t catch + RBs that can’t run = Bad Season for Hokies.
Rob…this quote of yours is AWESOME! I’ve had the same thought for quite some time but couldn’t have described it any better: “This is not a 4, 5, 6, plays away problem. It starts at the top and for starters Frank needs to get rid of that look like he is trying to divide 4,233 by 247.5 in his head.”
I just have to wonder where F$U football would be without Bobby Bowden. I mean, they would never achieve their current level of success without him. No other coach in the nation could have ever elevated an easy academic school in an easy football conference to elite status in the fertile recruiting fields of Florida. No other coach from any other school in the nation over a two decade period could ever come into F$U and essentially turn around a mediocre program into a Top Ten team nationally. Only Bobby Bowden could ever do that. No, there was only one coach in college football that could have achieved that – Bobby Bowden.
What? F$U is coached by Jimbo Fisher now? He’s re-ignited the program inside of two seasons? They’re once again a Top Ten program, and the elite in their conference? Just like back in the ‘good ole days of Bobby’? Bowden’s last five years record was what? 38-27 before the NCAA sanctions? Wow, no wonder so many Seminole fans constantly said that Bobby should be allowed to coach as long as he desired, and to also name his successor. After all, he MADE F$U football, and the university, according to some on the internet.
Anybody remember Bill Dooley? He coached at VT before Frank Beamer. His last five years were 39-17-1. Then Frank Beamer took over, and according to some people on the internet, ‘built the program from scratch, and became the face of the university.’
And people say that we should never make coaching changes because they’re guaranteed to ensure failure. That no other coach in college football could have done what Frank did, or that they could replicate that in the future.
As I continue to say, look at Bobby Bowden, look at JoePa. Learn from history.
And I STILL haven’t called for a single coach to be fired. I’m just pointing out the obvious, folks. Time passes everyone by, even supposed legends.
I say turn this team over to Shane Beamer before next week’s game with FSU. It will be the beginning of a new era of Hokie football.
Todd McShay and all the other guys at ESPN have one job – get you to listen to their shows for the maximum amount of time per day possible. They can be right, wrong or indifferent. They want you to tune in so they can sell advertising. Colin Cowterd explains this a couple times per week. If they were really great at talent evaluation they would be Mel Kiper or the Director of player personnel for some team. They aren’t. Why anyone takes McShay seriously is beyond me but it’s a free country.
Beamer has a right to wrankled when reporters and fans want him to respond, seriously, to a reporter’s shot. I don;t know what all you guys do for work but I bet you wouldn’t be too thrilled with evaluations by folks who know not what you do. I’ve worked public service, private enterprise and in a not-for-profit. We have scorecards too.
If you Aristohokiebrats were honest at all, and not just venting, you would admit that effort does not always result in a great scorecard. Not in your line of work and not in Beamer’s. Your boss might dump you if you have a bad year but unlikely if it was preceeded by 10 good.
Bob H – so don’t go. Spend your money elsewhere. Thanks for coming.
Fred, no amount of reps is going to prevent a fumble. Not in the pros, not in college and not in high school and not in pop warner. It just frosts my butt that the fumble occurred but you just can’t support the argument that it is a coaching failure related to mechanics. A coaching failure on the issue of game emotions, maybe. Not mechanics.
The one thing I am glad about this season is that Barry didn’t take my bet of $1K that we would be better than 7-5. Phew!
Some of you Aristohokiebrats have “wish lists” for coaches. Good for you. Dump Beamer and replace him with ….. ? A WISH !!!
Good plan.
CR – in some ways you are really good and in some ways the King of the Aristohokiebrats.
Bowden was replaced long after the glory faded, but not the first season after a bad. Joe Pa, for all his faults, turned things around on the field.
I personally don’t believe that Beamer has overstayed based on 9 games. Its fun to “hate Stiney” and all but this year is a total breakdown top to bottom. Saint Bud is having a bad year, too. So good, fire ‘em all and replace them with …….. what exactly? Coaches YOU like?
Good luck with that. Maybe you should replace Jim Weaver as AD.
The time for venting is past. Now let’s get behind the kids and teach them a little class.
Is it so hard to believe that players are not responsible for making plays and executing game plans? Currently, society as whole has a problem with young people taking responsibility. You hear, “Kids nowadays, they don’t take responsibility for their actions”, but if you read the quotes from players after these games, they are taking responsibility. Why? Because as football players they understand it’s up to them to perform, not the coaches. These players are trying to take responsibility for their poor play but fans who only know how to see the negative side of things tell them the same things that they are ridiculed for in society. “It’s ok Johnny, it’s the coaches fault you didn’t catch that pass.” “It’s the coaches fault you didn’t hit that wide open receiver.” “It’s the coaches fault you don’t know the difference in man to man and zone coverages.” Players are not fired like coaches are. People will say, “Coaches get paid though!” Well athletes can get scholarships that allow for a great free education. Coaches get fired but ultimately have to rely on players who perform to keep their jobs. Players are coached up on game plans, schemes, and techniques in season and out of season throughout the year. Let the players man up and shoulder some responsibility, they are the ones playing the games.
The problems most everyone can see this year with the VT football team have been slowly developing for a few yrs. One of the first things to go was the concept of BeamerBall when special teams began being not so special. Then recruiting wasn’t as productive. Sure, we got a lot of the state’s top 25 but most did not work out as good as we had hoped. The downward trend began. Frank Beamer has done so much for the program and I have advocated naming a street or a building for him to honor him as he deserves. However, it is time for Frank to step down. NO NO, I do not want to see him thrown out like coach Bowden. I would like to see coach Beamer bow out gracefully sparing his school the embarrassment of firing him. People grow old and we get set in our ways, we don’t work as long or as hard, we cannot fathom new ways of doing things and that is just inevitable. That’s ok. Problem is there are people who don’t want to make changes because of the “look what he has done for us” mentality.
Beamer has done a lot for us but the school and the fans have done a lot for him in return. He is a wealthy man. He should retire now and enjoy it.
Logan did very well last year because he had good, experienced teammates to help him out. This year, he doesn’t. There’s no such thing as a one-person football team, and I emphasize TEAM.
Many of the same coaches who have led VT to success are still there in these days of loss and inexperience. I guess people want to blame someone, but reality says at some point in time, this team, any team, is going to have some rough going. VT is no exception.
Loyal fans are there through thick and thin. GO HOKIES!!
Crooked Road. . . I remember Bill Dooley! Winningest coach in Tech history (up to that point). Dooley got to the point that he thought football was bigger than anything else at Tech and he was untouchable. VT President fired him for thinking so. Tech hires no-name alum from small college as head coach thinking that football will always be secondary to academics. Fast forward 25 years. . . winningest coach in school history, thinks football is bigger than anything else at Tech and he is untouchable. . .
Beamer is turning into Paterno & Bowden… It’s a young man’s game…
Exactly. If you don’t like what you see at Virginia Tech. Go watch someone else. Like I said before, UVA wanted Welsh out the door, they got a Groh instead. Meanwhile, the rest of loyal Hokie Nation 70,000 will still be at Lane supporting our football program Thursday night as we tangle with FSU. Loyal fans don’t jump ship after a rough spot. I know these players and coaches are working their tales off. It’s not easy to do when you’re losing and have little to play for. I’ve gotten the chance to be apart of to the highest level of high school coaching, in the VHSL State Championships in both football and basketball. Those memories made are irreplaceable because of how the community rallies around you and how the players and coaches come together. Then, it wasn’t too long after that, we had the dreaded down year where we missed the playoffs for the first time in several years and all the suddent…we were the dumbest coaches around. Those same people who sang our praises just a mere few years before were now calling for our heads. But, we continued to work, believed in each other and the system. The talent pool was filling up again, and what do you know…back in the playoffs the last two years. Once again, praises all around. It’s the life of a coach and a player for that matter. We all take responsibility together. Coaches make calls, players execute.
Give me an over/under on empty seats at Lane for the FSU game.
I have 2 tickets plus a lot 16 parking pass that I am trying to get 90% of face value for and have had absolutely no nibbles at all.
Technically the game will be a sellout because all the seats are “sold”. I predict 10,000 empty seats.
How long before those seats become unsold seats if this kind of play continues?
Most fans aren’t turning on Frank because of 1 bad season. They’re turning on him because the problems this year, which has mainly been the offense, have been there for many years and he has not done anything about it. It looks like he’s put more emphasis on collecting “yes men” friends for a coaching staff than choosing the right people for the job. It’s one thing to make a poor decision but it’s criminal when there is no attempt to correct it. It’s because of the lack of action that fans are wondering if Beamer has what it takes to lead a football team anymore
#70 is on target. I will say though I find it odd that Exum feels he has the right to criticize ANYONES performance. If I was him the last thing I would be looking for after the game would be a camera or a microphone. He was torched BAD giving up Miami’s first touchdown in the first couple minutes of the game, and really didn’t play much better from then on out. This football program is like Mindy and Mork reruns. You can still watch them, but who in the hell would want to?
First, I think Crooked Road, and a few others, need to find a life. Anyone with the time to post here 7-8 times a day must be pretty bored. Second, be careful Andy!! Next our true VPI fans will turn on you.
Beamer has run a good program the right way for years. He deserves better. Better fans. Since when is Tech supposed to be a yearly national power? Would you rather be USC? Win at all cost?
Tech has problems in the locker room this year, That’s obvious. Thomas is a good quarterback, great player. Sophmore jinx. If I were him I’d fly this year. Who needs ‘experts’ at every corner?
All you true blue ‘Hokie’ fans put your goodwill ‘Hokie’ sweatshirts away for the year. ODU is starting up a team. Thay need fans. Check ‘em out.
“FIRE FANS” , save Springsteen.
Pete
Zman, you silly rabbit. Your problem is that you think anyone who is unhappy with the state of the football program is a knee jerk child. As I told another geezer on here yesterday, I’ve been suffering the Hokie fan syndrom for almost four decades now.
Feel free to link where I ever called for a Hokie coach to be fired. You can’t do it. I’ve criticized them, absolutely. Blather on the internet doesn’t get a coach fired, though. Yet I’ve never said on here that they should be fired. That’s for private phone calls, made by people with far more stroke than me. All I’ve said is that we’ll never improve as long as we retain certain ones.
You are now calling for us to ‘get behind the kids’ and not vent? Funny, you’ve spent the last two months calling for us to not vent for other reasons. So, essentially, you just don’t want to hear that anything might be wrong in Camelot. The world doesn’t work that way.
As for you phonily claiming I’m calling for them to hire ‘my’ coaches? Once again, I’ve never named a coach that I want hired at VT. Link it and prove me wrong. You know you can’t, and you know you won’t put forth the effort to even check. You just want the noise to stop, and everything to go back to Camelot.
My only ‘request’ for the next coaches that we hire, and the next athletic director we hire? That they have zero connection to anyone currently in the VT athletic department, especially the football coaches. I want someone from outside. New meat. Fresh air. Funny thing, there have actually been documented circumstances where schools have developed successful athletic programs when nobody was tied to VaTech football. Like Guinness says – Amazing But True!
I’m not holding my breath…
Wow, I just read another rant by Zman, and I have to say – talk about falling off your meds! Yikes! You’re now whining because Todd McShay had the audacity to question your football diety’s offensive philosophy? Seriously? You claim that McShay has no idea what Beamer does? What makes that especially funny is that Beamer’s favorite boy, the ‘esteemed’ OC for the Hokies, claims to a news reporter to not understand what McShay does! We all know McShay’s not as stupid as the Hokie OC likes to claim he himself is, but it bears examination.
One other point I keep making – Frank Beamer doesn’t provide anything to refute McShay’s claim. Frank’s favorite boy OC doesn’t provide anything to refute McShay’s claim. You don’t provide anything to refute McShay’s claim. All that the three of you do is become overly emotional & irrational in your attempts to deflect the blame elsewhere.
So, bottom line? I’m sure you feel supremely complimented. I just compared you to Frank Beamer & his boy. If you’d like to discuss what you think are the positives of Frank Beamer’s offensive philosophy, I’m game. i just know that you’re not. You’re still welcome to Mike Gundy up, though…
I don’t know what these Beamer apologist are seeing, but these no shows on offense are not new. And folks want to continue to blame the players, but how many seasons and how many different personnel groups does it take for an idiot to see that whomever is running the offense at Virgunia Tech sucks. It is not the players, and it is not the state of Virginia for recruiting. The offensive side of the ball has cost this team dearly. Southern Cal, Auburn, Alabama, Boise State, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan; these were games that Tech had to win if it wanted to take the next step. Maybe no team could win all of them, but Tech managed to lose all of those games? And if I recall correctly the defense showed up in every last one of those games until tiring out finally because the offense couldn’t produce. That year that Virginia Tech played Alabama for that first game of the season, that was a national championship caliber football team. It was that talented, especially on offense! The last year Marcus Vick played in Blacksburg, that was a national championship caliber football team too. Oh, and the whole Sean Glennon nonsense, by far, Corey Holt was the better QB. Sean Glennon should have been yanked in the Georgia game and Holt should have been brought in to save that game. Sean Glennon should have never been more than a career backup. Logan Thomas should be a wide receiver. He should have played in that Alabama game as a true freshman at wideout. Tech should be on one helluva run right now if only they had an offensive coordinator.
First, get rid of the empty “National Championship Trophy Case”. What an embarrassment. In it’s place, put a tattered old lunch pail on a pedestal.
That’s what got Hokie football to it’s current state. Also it should serve as a reminder to FB that Bud Foster is the key guy that has brought intensity to the team.
FB and the Offensive staff just don’t seem to have ANY intensity or desire. I get really tired of seeing FB’s expressions, or seeing Stinesprings goofy smirk. And most annoying, is to see how the coaches continuously throw the players under the bus.
It has been very obvious, that every game this year, including the games we have won, that the team was flat and unprepared at the start of each game. Sometimes well into the beginning of the 3rd quarter. Now THAT I lay on the coaches.
Logan is a great athlete and good kid, but it is clear he is not getting some of the coaching and mentoring he needs on fundamentals. And he gets the sh##t pounded out of him all game which is another factor. Under a coach like Urban Meyer, Logan probably would be a Heisman candidate.
Speaking of Urban Meyer, and for that matter Jim Harbaugh and a few other enlightened coaches, do you ever hear what they say after a game? They NEVER throw their players under the bus. They may say a few critical things about certain positions after a win, and the need to work harder, etc., but after a loss they take the blame as the coaches should. I once heard it said that great coaches give the players credit for wins, and take the blames for losses themselves. THIS is what I am most dissapointed in with FB and his offensive staff.
I thought Seth Greenberg was a very good coach who did a lot in a tough conference, with much less talent than his rivals. Yet he was forced out after building the program up. Yet our AD seems to let FB run the show. Weaver really needs to step down – soon.
I’m an alumni that was part of the Bill Dooley years and then watched with pride as FB took us to the next level. My best friend from High School played under Dooley. And I have a kid at VT now, and hopefully, another on the way soon. I admire what FB did, but as others have said, maybe he should retire soon and not take the slow slide to mediocity as did Bowden and Paterno.
1 bad season in 20 + years and automatically everything is over. Heck let’s just clean house and get rid of everyone. Let’s look at Auburn 1-7 two years removed from a National Championship….Florida experienced some down years, they are on their way back. This program is not on the decline, do some changes need to be made, yes. Does that mean firing the man that built this program to where it is now, no. (George Welsh, UVA need I say more) These kids and coaches devote countless hours to this program, they deserve more respect then they are getting.
Half of being a fan is being there during both the wins and losses. That’s what being a true fan is all about. And it’s sad to see some of the fans acting the way that they are. Feel free to jump ship now, and trip on your way off. Say what you want about my post….but Thursday night my butt will be in that stadium jumping up and down when Enter Sandman begins to play…..
Miami was #119 out of 120 schools in rush defense and Tech could not establish a ground game at all!
Also, the Boston College game on the road, don’t chalk that up as a win folks, the Eagles are a legitimate threat to beat this team!
#86 VT fans won’t migrate to ODU, but ofensive recruits from that area will soon. Just hide and watch. What top ranked recruit from Tidewter would choose to play for these coaches and this offense?
VT’s issues are fixable and I would expect Logan to come back and have a great senior season. For those mocking Miami for being so ‘bad’ keep in mind this Canes team has 64 FR/SOPH on it’s roster, 1st YR starter at QB, a 2nd YR HC, and of it’s four losses they lost to the nation’s #2 and #3 on the road and #9 at home in addition to UNC (6-3) by 4. I predicted this young Canes team to go 7-5 and look good at times and horrible at others – that’s exactly who they’ve been. From Miami’s perspective, if we don’t give up the blown assignment on Logan’s 3rd down 70+ TD run things could have been much worse than 30-12. And BTW, Miami has outgained VT in yds and lost to the Hokies a number of times. Bottom line, is Miami is 5-4 (4-2 ACC) with a young but maturing team and VT is in a downward spiral (that can be fixed but probably in the offseason).
That’s why I call ‘em the Chokies.
“Aristohokiebrats”, indeed. Some of the older ones have been helping to pay the way for our under-achieving teams for a bunch of years.
We just expect some pride in a job done to the best of one’s ability. Some of the boys last night acted like they were on vacation. Pitiful performance. No way any of them could be proud of the way they played.
U guys got it all twisted up. McFarling’s article hits the nail on the head. It always comes down to coaching. Time for Beamer to make some tough, but needed decisions on the OC, OL coach and more – you’re either committed to filling the shrine you made for a NC trophy at all costs, or you stay in bed with your buddies and get bed bugs…. If JoePa and Bowden can do it, so can Mr. B..
Guys, college football…whether you like it or not…is a business and Beamer is the CEO. And we the fans are the shareholders. Whether through ticket sales, donations, or even TV viewing audience to sell commercials.
And just like in all businesses, success can create a sense of comfort and that comfort can lead to tunnel vision. I won’t use the coach examples, as they have been extensively mentioned, but instead look at what happened at RIM. Blackberry was a great product. But their arrogance and refusal to adapt the changing market and technology turned them from a $130/share company into a $8/share company.
We are the RIM of college football. The problems are deeper then he deserves “1-3 bad year(s)”. The problem is that this year there is no NFL caliber talent to cover up the poor offense schemes, bad game planning, lack of in-game adjustments, attention to detail in practice and lack of player motivation.
This CEO needs to reshape his company and make the necessary changes to make and KEEP us relevant. That’s why he gets paid the big bucks.
Just a few quick things about last nights game, I get a chance to get on the message boards here and talk a little smack or express my opinion, so everyone else is allowed to do the same I have no issues with that.
However anyone who is running around screaming that Logan Thomas is not a D-1 QB is quite frankly showing a lack of knowledge on any football outside of Hokie football games and maybe has a weird man crush on Mark Leal.
Yes, Logan did not play his best game last night. He missed a few oppurtunities. He made some mistakes. But he has all the tools and has shown flashes of brilliance this and last year. While he isn’t Tyrod Taylor or Bryan Randall yet, I see nothing that shows he won’t reach that plateau. And seriously have you seen anyone who “can” throw a better 40yd frozen rope strike to a WR on the money ie to Danny Coale last year versus GT.
It’s a combination of a lot of things. No true running game, spotty (but not totally horrendous o-line play). Defense that seems to only be right on 95% of their calls, (Look Eddie Whitley was a smart smart dude and helped a ton on getting the calls right back there and exum is playing corner) and then takes a series off at the worst times.
ST teams has been the wrong kind of special. I truly believe we should just go after every punt with reckless abandon, because that intimidation of blocking punts was the most beneficial thing about our special teams. We were in their heads before they even got to 4th down.
I agree with the idea that if a player does it once it is their fault, if they do it over and over it is the coaches fault. (unless they are the only one doing it over and over…) I try to be subjective even though I have despised Stiney as an OC for a long long while. (2007 I think napalmed any love I had for him). It isn’t always the gameplan but the problem is we can’t script plays for all 4 quarters. (our scripted drives have looked pretty darn good.)
Is LT throwing the ball high because he has poor mechanics or is the receiver cutting the route short, or making his cut at 9 yds instead of 10? (I tend to think it is both, which leads to a lot of tipped pass drops and int’s) etc etc. I could go on for days.
However it’s just that we aren’t any good as a TEAM. Individually I can see the talent, I can see the players desire to work hard and put forth the effort. I don’t doubt that Stiney and Newsome put in the work, I honestly don’t think football has passed CFB by. I think he knows what needs to be done. I think it hurts him too.
He’s the old Novelist who just can’t put away the manual typewriter, it works right? He’s used it for years, putting out great novel after great novel. He sees the young uns using these new fangled computers pumping out books 2 and 3 to his one. At some point he has to make the switch or get overrun by the new technology. I truly hope he makes the right move cause I for one, have truly enjoyed the work he’s done so far.
Very painful year to watch VT football. Last night was the worst. I hope there are some underclassmen who can step up next year. Please recruit some BIG Offensive linemen.
VT is in a truly weak conference and has always played a weak schedule and then stunk up a bowl game to which such a weak program should never have been invited. Any coach who could not have won a national title with the criminal punk Vick should have been fired at that time. It is time for VT fans to face reality and to realize that no team in the ACC will be a national power in the next decade.
Question to consider – if VT goes 6-6 and gets a bid to Nashville/CLT/Shreveport, will you go? Why or why not?
Dear Mr. Zman and all you other CFB apologists, I am the most loyal CFB supporter there ever was, but you need to pull your head out of the clouds and come back down to earth. This blog is a forum to debate and express our feelings as fans, whether you are a aristohokiebrat or geezer. There comes a time when you have to question the leadership my friends, and hope that FB makes a fair and honest evaluation of not only the players, but the entire coaching staff as well. I think that is what most of us are asking for here, not his head on a platter, but fixing what’s wrong. I would feel better comparing FB to JoePa and Bowden, and perennial top 10 team coaches if we could:
1.) Beat top 10 teams
2.) Fill the trophy case with a crystal ball
3.) Not make the ACC the laughing stock of football (that goes beyond the issues with the HOKIES.
GO HOKIES!!