Five thoughts after Virginia Tech’s loss at Miami
Virginia Tech continued its downward spiral of a season Thursday night with a 30-12 loss at Miami. The Hokies are looking at some must-win games just to be bowl eligible, something I don’t think anybody would have predicted before the season.
Now that I’ve landed in Greensboro, here are five thoughts about last night’s game.
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1. Despite his struggles, it’d be foolish to go any other route but with Logan Thomas as quarterback.
Thomas put up some decent numbers at Miami, including a career-high 124 rushing yards, thanks to a 73-yard touchdown run up the gut, and 199 passing yards, but I don’t think anyone could make the argument that he was sharp. He completed only 19 of 37 passes, missing open receivers. His first-quarter interception in the red zone on a pass to fullback Joey Phillips was a terrible read and badly underthrown. He underthrew a wide open Demitri Knowles on a pass near the sideline in the third quarter that would have been a big gain. His biggest miss might have come on the fourth-and-one in the fourth quarter, when he overthrew Phillips out of the backfield after a play-action fake. (Play-calling critics have plenty to rant and rave about from this game, but that play was drawn up about as well as you could do it). On top of that, he fumbled at the goal line in the third quarter when Tech was close to trimming a 20-12 deficit.
That said, he’s still the Hokies’ best option at quarterback. He made a few plays Thursday and had to shoulder the load for a running game that still is off a tick, carrying it a career-high 22 times and taking a pounding at the end of several runs. He’s a gamer, and his up-and-down play this year notwithstanding, that’s something the coaches recognize and the team respects. Running back Tony Gregory said as much afterward, saying everyone still has Thomas’ back. And if Thomas is going to return for 2013, like he says he will, Tech will need to have him in a good frame of mind to lead this team. There’s a reason he was named the first junior captain in Frank Beamer’s tenure (although not showing up for post-game interviews was a decidedly un-captain-like move).
I got a couple tweets sent my direction and a blog comment or two in the second half and after the game to this effect – why not give Mark Leal a chance? The backup quarterback always seems to be the most popular player on the team, but there’s not any evidence that Leal, who has only played in garbage time, would be better for this offense. ESPN’s Todd McShay said it correctly – Thomas has all the potential in the world; you just hope he can put it all together. Those moments have been fleeting this year, but he’s still Tech’s best offensive weapon by far.
2. Nobody knows quite how the running back rotation is going to work, and that might include the coaching staff.
We had heard all week that the running back rotation would be pared down. Or, at the very least, we heard that the Hokies had already done that, shifting the load to J.C. Coleman and Gregory while having Michael Holmes take a backseat. Thursday’s rushing split didn’t follow that logic at all. Gregory had 10 carries for 50 yards. Holmes, surprisingly, got eight carries for 27 yards. And Coleman, who didn’t get a carry until the second quarter, had five carries for 23 yards. Beamer had a lengthy, meandering explanation for the split afterward that basically amounted to Coleman not getting as much work because of game situations. He also said the team wanted to get Holmes going. That seems to be a reverse course from the last two weeks.
Coleman is still only 2½ weeks removed from a 186-yard day against Duke. Six touches against Miami (he had one reception that went for two yards) doesn’t seem like nearly enough for someone who has displayed a game-breaking ability. Gregory showed a nice burst on his runs, and a 5-yard average is nothing to scoff at. Holmes had a nice run or two but still didn’t display much of anything that showed why the coaching staff is insistent on getting him a good share of the work.
The point might be moot. The rotation might be because none of the backs is quite talented enough – or, at the very least, ready at this point of their career – to be a featured tailback. Then again, Virginia Tech has crafted solid seasons out of running backs who wouldn’t be NFL stars before (Branden Ore, Cedric Humes, etc.). It’s probably just as much, if not more, a function of the blocking, which has been lacking all year. Whatever the underlying reason, I don’t think you’ll see the Hokies come up with a solution by the end of this year.
3. The defense is capable of shutting teams down in stretches, but not for a prolonged time.
The third quarter seemed like vintage Virginia Tech defense. Miami had three yards. The Hokies pressured ‘Canes quarterback Stephen Morris. They allowed no points and forced five straight punts at one point. But those stretches have been few and far between this season. I realize the offense and special teams put the defense in a bind on those first two touchdowns, but they didn’t put up much of a fight to keep the Hurricanes out of the end zone (the touchdown pass to Mike James out of the backfield looked like a replay of ones the Hokies gave up at Pittsburgh and at Clemson). Miami seemed to have receivers running free in the secondary for most of the first half and fourth quarter. And despite a recent resurgence, Tech’s defensive line produced no sacks (the stat sheet also said no hurries, but that can’t be accurate, given the pressure Morris was under for a while there).
Something seems missing from this defense, and it probably comes back to disruption. The Hokies didn’t force a turnover Thursday. But it’s more than that. Part of Virginia Tech’s defensive success over the year has been creating turnovers and, in many cases, directly turning those into points. But they haven’t had a defensive touchdown since the 2010 ACC championship game against Florida State. That’s 24 straight games. With a team that has a razor-thin margin between winning and losing, not having those kind of game-changing plays has had a major effect. The 1999 team had six defensive touchdowns. As recently as 2008, the Hokies have five defensive touchdowns. But in the last four years, they’ve had three total. That’s a drastic change.
4. Special teams are a problem that can’t be overlooked.
I’ve been writing for a while that Virginia Tech’s special teams have actually been improved this year, what with Kyshoen Jarrett and Knowles supplying threats in the return game, Cody Journell being pretty consistent in the kicking game and A.J. Hughes being a major upgrade at punter in terms of average. And it’s true that individually, some players have put up some good numbers.
But in a larger sense, there have far too many big special teams mistakes (and really, there are no other kind on special teams) that have turned the tide of games. Hughes dropped a snap against Georgia Tech. The Hokies gave up a kick return for a touchdown against North Carolina. Christian Reeves inadvertently touched a short punt to turn it over at Clemson. And last night, Hughes bobbled a snap that led to a blocked punt, the kick coverage team gave up an 81-yard return to Duke Johnson and Journell missed a long field goal and an extra point.
Beamer insists the issues are execution-related. And he has a point. Simply catching the snap and staying in your lane are execution problems. But coaching has to have something to do with that. Tech reps special teams as often as it ever has, yet these problems keep popping up on a weekly basis and have for a while (roughing the kicker penalties in last year’s ACC title game and Sugar Bowl proved costly, and Danny Coale’s ill-advised fake punt attempt will not soon be forgotten). Beamer made his reputation on being a special teams guru, but that part of the Hokies’ game has lagged for years now. If “Beamer Ball” wasn’t already long-expired concept, last night might have cemented it as one.
5. This isn’t something that looks like it’s going to get fixed this year and there’s a legitimate chance the Hokies’ bowl streak could end.
Despite the insistence by Beamer that this team is close, it’s hard to buy that argument. The Hokies have now lost four games by double digits – Pittsburgh by 18, North Carolina by 14, Clemson by 21 and Miami by 18. Those are not outcomes where four or five plays make all the difference. Going back to last year, Virginia Tech is 2-7 in its last nine games against teams from Bowl Championship Series conferences. The Hokies’ seven-game losing streak away from Lane Stadium is the longest streak since the a nine-game skid in 1987-88. And it doesn’t figure to get any better next Thursday, when Florida State, the ACC’s best team , comes to Blacksburg. Virginia Tech managed one touchdown against the league’s worst defense. What will it accomplish against the league’s best?
The greater concern now is merely making a bowl game. I’ve long thought Boston College and Virginia would be games Tech would have an easy time winning. I don’t have that belief now. This isn’t a team that’s proven it can win on the road, so even beating a Boston College team whose coach might be on his way out is no guarantee. Virginia has obviously not been good this year, but if ever there was a reason to be motivated for the finale of a regrettable season, wouldn’t it be to end your state rival’s nearly two-decade long bowl streak?
Tech fans who haven’t had to deal with this situation in 20 years are understandably upset right now. It will be interesting to see if the coaching shakeup so many have clamored for all these years finally happens now that Tech has almost no shot of winning the Coastal Division and could be sitting at home for the holidays, an unthinkable outcome at the start of the year. Beamer has preached togetherness after the losses, something completely in character for the long-time coach. He said both coaches and players are to blame for the team’s situation and both coaches and players will have to be the ones to pull the Hokies out of it. But what he does after the season might be a different story. At age 66, he has only a few coaching years remaining. If he thinks it’s necessary, will he be willing this close to retirement to make a major overhaul to the coaching staff? A change is not cure-all. Many such decisions have backfired on coaches across the country. But it will be interesting to see if Beamer chooses to go that route, especially now that Tech’s record confirms something is amiss.
November 2, 2012 - 2:11 PM
It is a sad day for the Hokie Nation. The future is far from bright.
I agree with keeping Logan in as starter. He is the best option. He did kinda stink last night but dang he ran way too many times!!! Seems like if a play works they fixate on it. Passes to Malleck and qb runs seemed to be the theme last night. Defense certanily isn’t as good as in years past but they play ! They could have tanked last night but they gave a good effort ecspecially in the second half. Well except for the missed tackles. Really enjoyed the commentating last night, they will be in attack mode next Thursday night. I think last night pushed alot of fans over the edge as your and A-mac’s comments sections are in high numbers. I haven’t been a fan of Beamers since we lost to Kansas and I’m glad he is proving me right. Today’s rediction………We lose to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl (or whatever it’s called) @ RFK.
“They’re close” alright says Frank. Close to being as bad as UVA. Maybe worse. If you were a recruit, especially on offense would you go to VT after hearing the coaches babble and witnessing events like last night? Didn’t think so.
“There’s a reason he was named the first junior captain in Frank Beamer’s tenure (although not showing up for post-game interviews was a decidedly un-captain-like move).”
Well, geez, what was Logan supposed to say?
“There were some passes I would have to have back. It was a bad snap and I dropped the ball, that’s on me. I sure didn’t appreciate being hauled back by that Miaimi player [when Logan fumbled the snap, a 'Canes player grabbed Logan by the back collar of his jersey, and hauled him off].”
Hell fire, what is Logan going to say that will make it all better?
Nothing at this point. I’ll bet the bank that he is hurting, angry, and disappointed all at once.
Amac said it best. It is becoming increasingly obvious that these issues are not minor but cracks in the foundation of the program. We have not even had a difficult schedule this year. What self proclaimed big time program loses 7 games in a row at neutral NFL stadiums???
You cannot play when you want to play. You got to play every down like it was your last. Watching players eyes and movements on the field and on the sideline, they looked for something bad to happen. They have no confidence that they are going to win. Going back to Lane stadium for Florida State and looking for that special feeling to make them play better will not happen. Most players like to travel and go into someone’s house were it will be loud and crazy and shut the fans up. Florida State has played in bigger stadiums than Lane, so it won’t make any difference. You play to win the game!! What I saw last night was the problems are deeper than the surface. The hokies have a lot to think about before next Thurs. They cannot do this playing sub-par teams and turning around and get it done against a decent team. It all starts from scheduling. They get used to playing tuff teams. Ask LSU, WVA., Mazuo, Texas AM, etc. Not just playing one great team a year and be done.
Logan cannot be the best option. Any lineman could have completed that 4th-and-1 pass in the left flat to a receiver wide open and just 15 yards away. Thomas IS the primary reason for the losses that keep piling up. His record as a starter is abysmal and there is nothing to indicate it will get better. He gets credit for comebacks that were necessitated by his poor play. He gets far too little criticism for stinking up the joint. He is, at best, Grant Noel with feet. Move him to tight end for a nice big target for Leal to throw to.
Beamer’s coach speak is getting real old. Maybe he should retire from coaching and become a politician, he has the speech down perfect !!!!!
I think you would actually be doing Logan Thomas a favor by removing him from the starting QB job. He looks like the pressure of his poor play is eating him alive. He seems like a really great, smart and physically capable guy. I certainly don’t mean to disparage him. It just appears to me that he, and the team, need a change.
1. It would be foolish to bench Logan Thomas, for a plethora of reasons. Mainly, Leal has shown zero reason he’s better. Secondly, the message it would send recruits would be poisonous.
2. The apologists like to pretend Shane Beamer is a good coach & a future good head coach, just like they like to pretend he is a good recruiter. Neither has basis as shown by his nearly two years here. What the apologists gloss over is that he was recruiting coordinator at South Carolina, not an actual recruiter. Andy can correct me if I’m wrong, but recruiting coordinators do not visit recruits, the ‘coordinate’. As for the Hokie RBs, it is more than evident that the coaching staff is determined to force feed Holmes in as the #1 RB, even if he doesn’t deserve it. What answer does Shane have? Does Frank have?
3. No argument there.
4. I will never accept that Frank Beamer just blithely took a time out in the Sugar Bowl and spent all that huddle time to just casually toss out to his backup punter – ‘Hey, we’re going to run a fake rugby punt/run option. If you think you can go for it, go ahead…’ No, everything about Beamer’s history suggests he wanted the fake all along, NOT that he would just toss it out for a player to decide on the spur of the moment. None of that matters when Frank’s namesake can’t help but mess up so many big moments in so many games against non-cupcake teams.
5. Beamer will not make any substantive changes, regardless of the final W-L record. This is NOT a one year problem, like the myopic apologists like to wrongly claim. It’s been going on for years. The difference is that this year, there’s no future NFL star to cover for the inadequacies.
LAST NIGHT JUST ADDS TO ANOTHER PITIFUL PERFORMANCE BY THE HOKIES. LOTS OF GREAT FANS HAVE PUT UP WITH THIS FOR WAY TOO LONG AND IF BEAMER DOESNT WAKE UP AND GET THIS SHIP ON THE RIGHT TRACK NOW, HE NEEDS TO GO. THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING DOWNHILL SINCE HE GOT RID OF BILLY HITE AND BROUGHT HIS SON IN. I JUST HAVE A FEELING THAT MOVE HAS BITTEN HIM IN THE ASS. IF I WAS A GOOD RECRUIT, I WOULD THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE I SIGNED ON WITH A SINKING SHIP.
I remember Coach Sharp,Coach Coffee and Dooley. The Question is what best Virginia Tech Football and that what everyone wants.Coach Beamer is it time ? Can you and your staff take us to the level we want?
Slice it, dice it, sugar coat it any way you want Andy. But when your defense comes out in the second half of a 20-12 game and gives you the ball with 5, count them again, 5 , (that’s five) three and outs and you produce zero points to get you back in the contest the problem lies at the feet of the offensive coaches and players. period. Watching LT short hop, over throw and lobbing the ball with no zip on it to the outside receivers made Leal look like a good call to me after the third three and out by Tech in the third Quarter. I watched some of the Tech – Miami game from last year on ESPN classic while waiting on the game to come on, and man did Thomas look good in that one…..poised in the pocket, lots of zip on the ball to Davis and other receivers all over the place. THAT guy was missing from the game last night….don’t know where THAT guy was, but the cat wearing # 3should have been yanked in the third after two or three 3 and outs. Could Leal have been worse….I doubt it …..
Aristohokiebrats AND Aristohokiegeezers both, the whole problem is that we have had a total team collapse for reasons that are simply not to be understood.
I pooh-poohed the losses of seniors and NFL early exits because I thought we would reload. Nope.
I thought for sure Davis and Thomas would meld. Not yet.
I thought one of the backs would stand-up with distinction as has happened every season in recent memory. Not so much.
And if all else failed I figured that Defense would keep it close. Sigh.
The GT game told me that we were as strong as I thought we were. After all the Todd McShays of the world – who are all knowing – said so before the game itself. Got that one wrong.
Special Teams to make a play when needed? Groan.
Its really hard to see a bright spot when the season has gone so poorly. But this is a game. Just a game. Hard to remember that. And its a game played by very young men. Hard to remember that too. And even though these young men are treated well, maybe to a fault, the are still very young men prone to the mistakes and ego and strutting and lall that other stuff.
Looks like no Bowl to me this year and a long streak of winning seasons comes to an end. When the coach says we have to “play for pride” I tend to assume that means he is afraid the team will quit.
In many ways I don’t think this is such a bad thing. Unhappy as I am about the season one can look for opportunities instead of preaching doom and gloom. Very young men can learn to reach down into themselves and re-comit to excellence. Coaches can reach down into themselves and re-comit to excellence. Fans can reach down into themselves and decide what is really important; winning or learning.
I am tempted to say now that wining is the only thing just to be silly but I don’t believe thats true.
I will encourage Bramer to follow the example of another great coach. Vince Lombardi once pulled his team into the locker room after a game and said “Time we go back to basics. Gentlemen, THIS is a FOOTBALL”. To which one wise guy replied “Can you repeat that coach?”
The player didn’t need to be talked down to and our team doesn’t need to be insulted by Aristohokiebrats and Aristohokiegeezers.
Time to support and encourage, not kick when down.
U S A Today Paper – Want Ad:
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Seriously – Hope we can keep the current 2013 Recruts and get Letters of Intent!
Go Hokies – Will take – 6 W and ^ Losses!
Oops….didn’t mean to post it twice….fat fingers on an IPad will do that.
If last night’s game came as any surprise to anyone, I don’t know why. This situation at Tech did not just start this year. It has been in the making a long time. Yes, Beamer has done lots of good things for Tech, but I don’t put him in the great coach category. Check his record……… He has lots of wins over mediocre and dog teams, but scant few over any ranked teams. His greatest victory was over Texas in the 1995 Sugar Bowl. This down year is just the beginning of more to come. Thank goodness we are in the Coastal Division or we would probably never see another ACC Championship game. In my opinion, all of our problems come from Frank Beamer. No matter who the assistants are, they coach Beamer’s philosophy. I think he should step to the side and let some new blood come in. No guarantees with a new coach, but I’ll take that chance. I would be satisfied with 6/5 and 7/4 seasons as long as we knocked off some team of substance every once in a while. And, my once in a while is not one in 20 years.
It’s not the end of the world nor life and death. All good programs hit bumps in the road. It is time to support these young men and give them encouragement. Some VT fans need to get a life. Life is full of ups and downs. Just time to get to work.In time, they will turn it around.
I disagree with not giving Leal a try. Move Logan to his natural TE position, he’d be a heck of a target and blocker given his size, also possibly could line up at fullback in short yardage. Leal is an unknown yet, actually played QB coming into VT, and I look at it as Ryan Malleck or Randall Dunn out (Logan in at TE) for Leal and I think i’m potentially gaining quite a bit. Also I think we should play Scales at tailback, especially in short yardage just for size factor. Holmes and Coleman just can’t get it done. On the defense Exum moves back to safety and Manning comes in at CB to get reps.
Z, not exactly making me want to run through a brick wall. Still – you didn’t want to hear critical comments before the season. You didn’t want to hear critical comments during the first half of the season. Now, you don’t want to hear critical comments 75% of the way through the season. What, you only want to hear critical comments the third week of February, and never any other time? Good luck with that.
@Zman: you and Dave from Salem really need to get together and co-write a book. This is a blog, not a philosophy class.
Beamer and now Beamer and son are busy pimping themselves out for KGuard gutters and Stop-In Convenience Stores. WHAT is up with that? Beamer’s plan seems to be to have his son carry on his legacy. Please…he needs to go no matter how nice a guy he is.
We are playing sloppy and losing games that are winnable. That’s what is the most frustrating about all of this. But I agree with Z-man. This isn’t the end of the world and Beamer has enough good will stored up to try to right the ship. Nonetheless, it’s time to own this and get it fixed….even if that means removing some of his old friends and bringing in and listening to some new personnel with fresh ideas because what worked in the mid to late 90′s isn’t working anymore and hasn’t for some time. As someone mentioned above, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Past losses to Georgia, Kansas, Boise, Michigan etc. were all tough to swallow because it was obvious that we had the better players but not the better game plan/coaching.
He better make coaching changes or this program is done untill tech hires a new coach and it better not be shane beamer
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: An ibis and a turkey walk into the bar, and the bartender says: “Wait, so Virginia Tech can’t even hang on special teams anymore?” Logan Thomas threw for 199 yards and rushed for 124 more, including a 73-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. No other Hokie entered the end zone last night, or managed a score of any kind in the entire second half. The specter of an all-Florida ACC championship game looms, unless Duke gets its way. And isn’t the possibility of Duke getting its way one of the more purely delightful things about this season?
Coach Frank Beamer was on record saying they were going to pare down the number of running backs. Yet, there were 3 that had carries, beside Thomas, with no clear featured back.
Knowles and Fuller were elevated to co-#1 on the depth chart. Yet, Roberts and Davis saw more of the field than those two. I don’t have any access to see the number of snaps all four were in on. Eyeball test shows that Roberts and Davis were on the field more often. Roberts dropped a sure touchdown pass.
Special team, which is supposed to be coached by Frank Beamer (or more accurately, coached by a committee), killed the team last night. Two costly mistakes on special team brought the fire out of Beamer.
To borrow a phrase from Bud Foster, the defense played their nuts off in the 2nd half, doing everything to give the offense a shot to score points, and when it was all done, the defense folded because they were worn down.
Now, there were some bright spots. Logan Thomas’ 73-yards quarterback draw for a touchdown. Knowles two magnificent kickoff returns. Logan Thomas also did something I have never seen from any Hokies’ quarterback, and that was sliding on the turf for downs rather than to try to squeeze extra yards.
When Coach Foster’s defense is demoralized and have given up (which is overly obvious ) and mayby so has Foster; then the game is over. Watching the rest of the season will be too painful. The invitation to walk to the President’s House after the FL State game is still open if you want to join me. It is the only power we have to express our desires.
The offensive coordinators come up with a mediocre game plan and stick with it through hell or high water. And the “no-huddle” style they have been running takes them completely out of rhythym. It is almost like they are intentionally trying to be out of rhythym.
You could see the wheels starting to come off against Kansas. Thanks to Bud Foster’s genius and a whole lot of luck, Tech somehow managed to keep getting 10 win seasons. But that type of play is just not sustainable.
As for Logan, I think he would have been a first round tight end pick. The hokies cheated him out of that opportunity. So far this year, he leads the nation in interceptions. Keep in mind, this is against terrible pass defenses.
The season is done. Looking to the future, we need to start getting Leal some snaps and build up his experience. Let Coleman start and give Holmes one or two series a game. Oglesby is a chronic fumbler and is just not very fast.
On defense, Exum is simply not a good enough cornerback for Bud to keep putting him on an island.
My two cents.
At what point do the offensive coaches start asking themselves some difficult questions. Like- am I being fair to these young men? Not necessarily telling them they must resign. But they should really be asking themselves if they are adding to or subtracting from these young men’s lives. Only they can give a valid answer to those type of questions.
Good for you zman. Good for you John. Good for you BJ.
These VT coaches are not going anywhere unless big donors force them out. They have a great thing going called apathy and mediocrity while drawing enormous salaries for what little they are contributing. The fans will have to live with it for at least this season, some fans will be okay with it because Beamer represents success of the past and the 10 win seasons; others are ready to send the entire coaching staff out on the next train to Siberia because they expect better after listening to the media over the past 15 years tell them how great Virginia Tech is. You make the call, what is the most important thing that Beamer can do at this time?
I meant to say Gregory in the post above. Don’t know why Oglesby was in my head.
Crooked Road – Whatever complaints you may have against the coaching staff, Shane Beamer’s recruiting shouldn’t be one of them. He was the primary recruiter on three of VT’s seven 4-star recruits last year (Joel Caleb, Deon Clarke, and Drew Harris), and he’s also the primary recruiter for Holland Fisher this year. That’s a lot of talent to bring in during his first two years on the job.
Agree with you, Brad, on Logan. Have to wonder if VT coaches made a big mistake in switching Logan from TE to QB. He’s only played at QB for a short time and without an adequate offense, he is hindered. Would the NFL draft him as a TE instead of QB? I remember the great pass Tyrod made to Logan the other year when Logan came in off the bench. Beautiful!
Sam–if these recruits were even under the false illusion that VT was going to be great, my 11 year old could have recruited them. Shane Beamer is drawing a fat paycheck because he is the Coach’s son. That is about all there is to that story, most Hokie fans are not impressed with him in the least.
I’m not sure how you can blame the offensive game plan for last night loss. The coaches game plan had the ball moving up and down the field for 421 yards. I didn’t see one coach on the field, throwing interceptions, mishandling snaps, dropping passes and making bad throws. The way the offense moved the ball they should have scored 40 points.
540Hokie – They didn’t that’s the problem. If the starters aren’t gamers bench there butts. Steve Spurrier would have no problem parking 6′-6″ 260 on the bench until he stops throwing like dolly parton boobs and all. Leal is a heck of a quarterback and has been under-estimated. The mental case that Logan has like Trevor said is he’s beat the heck up, and keeping our stunod receivers in route must be mentally exhausting too. Yank him and give him a chance to catch his breath after being beaten up play after play. But that’s the difference between Spurrier and the jerk we have in the booth. He didn’t worry about feelings he worried about results. A good head coach is the same way. There has been little result its time to hold the staff accountable for their lack of production. Tech may be playing bad but they aren’t bad, just no leadership, no accountability, no plan, no coaching.
And for you fools that think the defense is responsible. It can’t play the whole freaking game! Exum is a great safety, he is an OK corner. But this ain’t soccer you can’t make the corners run the whole game! So so to bed your mama’s callin. The offense has quit on the coaching because there is none. There is no credibility. As far as recruiting goes, get a name guy back in the booth. There is nothing to worry about, the talent is there, it just needs to be utilized without worrying about who’s toes you’re going to step on.
Looks to me like Thomas and pretty well the rest of the team are going through the equivalent of the “Sophomore curse.” Shouldn’t really happen to everyone at once.
21(A.Bobcat) where are you pulling me in from??? I have made very few posts lately. I can only say new coaches on offense so many times. Special teams too. There is another Dave on here. Are you getting us mixed?
Yes we moved the ball and put no points up in the 2nd half. This Miami team is not difficult to move on.
I didn’t even know they played football at Va. Tech anymore! I did hear that Jim Weaver has called Roanoke College, Hollins University, and Virginia Western Community College to see if he could schedule football games with them for next fall. Perhaps he should be calling Blacksburg and Salem High Schools instead, OR maybe the Little Sisters of Charity Convent in Baltimore! That way the Chokie Hokies might win a couple of games! Time for Beamer to retire! He’s becoming like the old over the hill coaches like JoePed up at Pervert State Univ. or Bobby Bowden at Florida State!
Aristohokies, brats and geezers, have a common trait: always see the negative and believe anyone with a different point of view is dumb.
Maybe so but its hard to jump Beamer and Weaver and, for that matter, Steger about Tech athletics. We’ve come a long way baby. Anyone who uses Charley Coffee and Jimmy Sharpe in the same breath with Frank Beamer is delusional. Check their records before, during and after their tenures. No wonder I saw Sharpe many times in the bar of the old Red Lion….
The Aristos scream for change. When it happens they criticize the change.
Yup, I rant from time to time – especially against refs who can’t see obvious opass interference and don’t know what a fumble is. That fumble thing still sticks in my craw but they called it the same for Clemson as for us.
And I can listen to criticism that is well intended and has some analysis behind it.
What I dislike is the “I know more than … ” baloney the Aristos often try to pass.
To some degree giving people a place to vent is a legitimate purpose of a blog site. I get that. But now that the chips are really down and things have fallen apart I see no good purpose served by insisting that the most successful sports program in our history requires radical surgery and that the people who have built that program require removal.
I go back to a question none of you Aristos have answered. Replace them with what? Some dream hire you have? Har har.
I can remember watching the remains of the seamingly invincible 00′, 01′, and 02′ Hurricane teams, slowly fade away…leaving Miami as the rebuilding shell it is today. For years you guys have gotten by with good players, and great coaching. But if the coaching isn’t there anymore, your program must act quickly.
It could be th difference between say a two or three year downtime…and a seven or eight year period, like I’ve had to endure.
The problem with the team is the problem with the program, the entire football program has the wrong philosophy about college football these days.
The problem is not certain players, officiating, or certain plays.
This type of season has been coming for years, and now it is here, and more will follow unless some changes are made, and made soon.
The football program is boring, stale, out dated, and was over rated in the past years.
It is time for some coaching changes at Virginia Tech, and it is getting very close to time for a coaching change at the top of the program.
@Dave in Salem: I apologize, I did have you mixed up with someone else. Sorry!
Tech fans are realizing what the rest of the world already knew: The Jokies are the most overrated program in the country.
Asking for a replacement for an o coordinator who has underperformed isn’t asking for much Zman. That is not “radical surgery.” Since when is replacing an o coordinator radical? People get replaced on their jobs all the time. I agree that no one should lose their job on a whim, but this as been a problem for many years. This isn’t about one bad season. David in Salem posted a great link. You should go back and read it. I realize this man has a family, but he just seems inept to many people. It seems like it pains you to think about change on the staff, but maybe a few tweaks here and there bringing someone from the outside in can make a positive difference. Also, I don’t like hearing criticism about the program, but Todd McShay really had nothing to gain from his comments. He was just calling like he sees it. However painful that is for us to hear.
You know there is always some moron calling for the backup QB when the offense struggles. You really think that bringing in a guy with no experience, a perpetually bad offensive line and limited running back talent is going to do better? Come on! In Fact, for coaches (or fans) to remove Thomas would be a selfserving act of cowardice in my opinion. He’s the one kid out there who is surely giving every ounce of himself and perhaps the only leader on the field. How do you think your passing would be affected after you had taken 25-30 hits running it up the middle trying desperately to make up for a poor line, RB stable and WR corps. The whole idea of it is stupid and those who bring it up put themselves in the same category as fans all over the nation who call for the backup QB.
Anyone who thinks Bud Foster is the problem is also foolish. Look in the backfield. Bonner? Exum at Corner? There’s not enough talent there, but still Bud brings it most every week. Bud Foster is perhaps the only thing that gives me any hope for the future. It’s almost a waste of breath to say Stinespring must go. It is of course obvious, but Beamer doesn’t have the stomach for it. Plus what talented offensive coordinator wants to come to a program where Beamer is going to hamstring you? I think we owe to much to Frank Beamer to show him the door after one bad season but our patience is and should be waning.
Look at the VT website’s slogan: “Invent the Future”
I’m not a band wagon fan. I grew up a Hokie, graduated in ’89 and will always be a fan. My time at VT taught me to never settle, always strive for more. Don’t let this season’s disaster go for naught.
IF Beamer refuses to take ownership of the programs problems and remains in denial, change needs to start at the top level and work down. There is a Board of Visitors that can direct the AD to make changes. Its happened a many other colleges. Beamer always wanted VT to become another Florida State. Alright, we are heading down the same path when Bobby Bowden refused to make changes or retire and the program went into a 4 or 5 year deline. Bowden had to be forced out.
Well, we are there now.
VT needs an Offensive Coordinator.
VT needs an O-line coach.
VT needs a Special Teams coach.
VT needs its Head Coach to quit passing the buck and take ownership. He’s in charge, take the responsibility and not just the glory.
VT administration, AD, Coach Beamer – start to invent our future today.
Shane Beamer is the least of the problems. All you guys on here just want to bury him because he is Frank’s son and you’re irritated with Frank. Shane is probably our biggest coaching/recruiting asset we have right now along with Torrian Gray, Cornell Brown, and Bud. There is talent in this program, along with some really good coaches. Unfortunately until this program cuts the fat so to speak we will be weighted down with a lot of the same ol same ol and garbage we are seeing right now….The cupboard is not bare. Instead of blaming Logan Thomas, do you think maybe he’s regressed because we don’t have the coaching to make him any better? Do you think maybe if we had better coaching our players would not be sloppy, inconsistant, and be able to execute better? Watch the games, its alawys the same story. We find ways to lose, we don’t execute, make mistakes, and against other well coached teams we look like a joke. There is a reason we can’t win big bowl games. There is a reason Frank’s record is terrible against top teams. There is a reason we make fools of ourselves when the spotlight is on us in big non-conference games. It’s not a coincidence. Our coaching overall is terrible. We have a stale and out dated philosophy. There is no attention to detail, sloppiness, no intensity, no sense of urgency, etc, I could go on and on…Frank deserves a lot of credit for all he has done, but at some point there is a crossroads and Tech football is at that crossroads. We could go on business as usual and continue to decline as I see it. Or we could revamp the program, get some life back into it and make it exciting and appealing again. But it all starts at the top!
Beamer hired his son now it’s time he “retires” him…
Maybe it’s time for a little humor. As John McKay of the Tampa bay bucks said of his team. After another bad team performance, a reporter ask John what he thought of his teams execution? John gave the reporter a serious look, and said
” I’m all for it”. Go Hokies, and make us proud with a strong finish, a winning season, and a bowl win in a nfl stadium.
The short coach
I grew up in a little SW Virginia mountain town (I think the population is around 200-300), and take great pride in saying that I am a proud VT alumni, and successful in life. I’m proud of where I grew up, and identify with the VT football program, as the rise of the Beamer program paralled my own career rise. Even though I live in PA, everyone important in my life knows how much I love Hokie Football.
I am the most loyal FB supporter you will ever find. I agree with Mike’s comments above, and feel like his comment hit it on the head – “Invent the Future”. You have plenty of FB apolgists like Zman, who at first glance, I thought was simply bashing “aristohokies”, “brats”, and “geezers”. But, on second review, I can identify with what his message is. Lets not be too hasty here folks, but let’s let the VT administration, AD, Hokie Club, etc, etc, know we are not just going to let this storm pass, without a thorough review of the coaching staff.
GO HOKIES!
I agree with #48 @VTRedwolf. Logan had a bad game and made bad reads and throws, but he basically IS the offense. However bad the offense is. He’s even the team’s leading rusher and he’s not even TRYING to be a rusher a la Collin Klein. Again, that’s a reflection of a crappy running game, but where is the evidence that Leal would be better? All the justifications I’ve heard thus far for putting in Leal consist of “he’s not Logan.” Which is true, but it would be a lot more helpful if you could be more specific than that.
Remember that Bryan Randall did not become the hero until his very last year at Tech. Bryan Randall had a rocky “second year” in 2003, losing his starting job to Marcus Vick for some time in what turned out to be a very disappointing 8-5 year for the entire Tech team.
Then the next season we saw Randall help keep VT in the games vs. #1 USC and #2 Auburn (though the VT defense deserves plenty of credit, too) and win ACC Player of the Year in 2004 and of course lead VT to a completely unexpected ACC title with a win over a UVA team that seemed to be rising at the time with Al Groh and stealing even more in-state recruits from VT.
It’s way too early to give up on Logan, people.
I don’t see how anyone rules out Leal. Logan has been awful and can’t even make the simplest of throws. What good does his running do if he can’t pass? Do not underestimate how bad Logan has been this year or how good Leal is. The pass protection is there most plays and there have been plenty of open receivers
This year’s results are not just one bad year. This will be the 3rd year in a row that VT has slid in the year end AP and USA polls and the 1st year since 2003 that they will end the year unranked. “If” they make a bowl game, it will be poorly attended (think blue field bowl game). It was the drop in home game attendance that was the wake up call at FSU and it will be the same before it happens at VT. Buckle up for the ride.
New rankings just out… we are now ranked #104 in the Nation on Kickoffs (out of 120 schools). This is one of the lowest statistical rankings on this Team and now in the Nation.
When Michael Branthover was doing Kickoffs we were ranked #21 in the Nation. At that point, the ranking was one of the better rankings on this Team and in the Nation.
This is a decision that has gone from bad to worse.
#PUTBRANTHOVERBACKIN
Go Hokies!
I have been one of Beamer’s biggest supporters for years. Living in WVU, Ohio State, Pitt, nad Penn State country, it has always seemed like I have had to defend our coaching staff. It has finaaly occured to me this year WHY?? I’m tired of that. Now I just agree with most of the comments. What do I have to defend them with. I’m not suggesting we should totally clean house, but come on, our offense has been stagnant at best for a few years now. We have just been lucky enough to have talent to overcome. As for Thomas, I guess this year proves how much two great receivers and a stud running back mean to a QB. I’ve been a die hard Hokie fan for 25+ years. This is the first time I have ever turned games off and quit watching. It pangs me to admit that, but it’s true. Foster, thank goodness you still bring the passion of VT football. You are truely a bright spot in a very dark season. Let’s go Hokies!!! Forget about bowls, championships, etc., and play for the pride of a proud program!!