Tech-UVa a noon kickoff on ESPNU, plus five thoughts from the Hokies’ win at Boston College
I’ve finally landed in Greensboro, which gives me a chance to get to some Internet access that doesn’t come at an airport rate. (Take some cues from Greensboro’s free WiFi, Newark. I paid $12 for a sandwich. At least give me some free Internet. It’s not too much to ask.)
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Anyway, just before my flight left, the ACC announced game times for next weekend. Virginia Tech’s game against Virginia in Lane Stadium will kick off at noon. It will be televised by ESPNU.
Here’s the full lineup of games:
Saturday, November 24
- Georgia Tech at Georgia, ESPN, Noon
- Virginia at Virginia Tech, ESPNU, Noon
- Miami at Duke, ACC Network, 12:30 p.m.
- Maryland at North Carolina, RSN, 3 p.m.
- Boston College at NC State, ESPN3, 3 p.m.
- Florida at Florida State, ABC (National), 3:30 p.m.
- Vanderbilt at Wake Forest, ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.
- South Carolina at Clemson, ESPN, 7 p.m.
As usual on Sunday, here are five thoughts after Saturday’s 30-23 overtime win against Boston College …
1. Like it or not, when properly motivated, Marcus Davis makes this offense go.
The vitriol some fans had for Davis last week reached peak levels — and some would say went over the top — for his lack of effort in blocking. And he paid the price, forced to watch in the first half Saturday at BC from the sideline. But the Hokies paid a price too. Their offense looked out of sorts with Davis out. Say what you will about his effort (and at times it’s completely warranted), but when he’s on, he’s the biggest play-maker Tech has. He takes the top off a defense like nobody else on the team. He can go up and make a catch on a defender like he did in the third quarter for a touchdown. And this week, he made a clutch catch on a deep ball, something he was only 1-for-2 on last week.
There’s a reason why he leads the team with 43 catches, 858 yards and five receiving touchdowns. In fact, 105 more yards and he’ll be the school’s single-season receiving yards leader, passing Andre Davis’ mark of 962 set in 1999. He could take the Hokies off the list of established FBS schools that have never had a 1,000-yard receiver before, a group that includes run-first teams (Army, Navy and Nebraska), a relatively new program (South Florida) and a one that has struggled historically (Temple).
I still think Corey Fuller is Tech’s most dependable receiver, because he provides a consistency that allows quarterback Logan Thomas to trust where he’s going to be on a particular play. That’s huge in a passing game, and I think it’s clear Thomas is more comfortable looking Fuller’s way. But Davis, with his physical skills, can do things at the position that no other receiver on the roster can do. Tech needs him to be at his best for the offense to go. It looks like this week’s first-half benching touched a nerve with him. Hokies fans are probably wondering what took so long.
2. The win is nice, but a lot still ails this offense.
A win is a win is a win, but there were still big problems with the offense. Tech had three points at halftime against a Boston College defense that had been giving up 29.9 points a game (the Hokies reached that mark but needed overtime to do it). The first half was a disjointed effort. If not for a fortunate tipped ball that ended up in Fuller’s hands, the Hokies might not have scored. The second half was better, but still full of issues. A long kick return yielded a touchdown when Thomas spun his way into a second-effort touchdown on a fourth-down sneak, barely getting it across the goal line. On one wide receiver screen, both players went to block on the play (apparently not wanting to be featured on Deadspin) and the ball zipped by incomplete. Even at the end, when the Hokies were moving the ball well, they bogged down in BC territory, with a few errant throws, clogged up runs and even a fumble thrown into the mix. The clock management by the staff in that situation was equally bad, only to be out-done by BC’s coaches running out the clock on the ensuing possession and playing for overtime, a dueling banjos of time mismanagement.
Thirty points is the most points Tech had scored since Duke. And the Hokies crept over the 400-yard mark for the fourth time in the last five games. But this was a bad Boston College defense. The Eagles were giving up 228.4 rushing yards per game coming in. Virginia Tech ran for 154. The Eagles are now giving up 463.7 yards per game. Tech managed 401, 25 of which came in overtime. The Hokies didn’t give up any sacks to one of the worst pass rushing teams in the country, but Thomas was still under pressure quite a bit. And even Thomas would admit he wasn’t his best, completing less than 50 percent of his passes for the third time this year, although he snapped a six-game interception streak. The win is a salve for a team that needed something to feel good about again, but Virginia Tech can’t ignore the fact that there remain plenty of offensive issues to address in the offseason.
3. This is the pass rush the Hokies always envisioned.
Poor Chase Rettig. The BC quarterback was under siege all day, pummeled by a Hokies pass rush that sacked him a season-high seven times and hit him several more times. By the end, he was understandably gun shy, finishing 13-for-30 for 129 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. But the Hokies have been doing that to a lot of quarterbacks lately. They have five or more sacks in four or the last five games. After getting only eight sacks the first six games, they have 22 in the last five. Their 30 sacks this year rank 19th nationally.
What was most impressive Saturday was the variety of players who got in on the plays. Coming into the game, you probably would have figured James Gayle, Luther Maddy and Dadi Nicolas would have had the best shot at getting to the quarterback. They had pressure, but never notched a sack. Instead, a group of players got in on it. Bud Foster continued to blitz his linebackers like crazy. Bruce Taylor and Alonzo Tweedy had two sacks apiece. The defensive line showed its depth, getting a sack from Tyrel Wilson and J.R. Collins and watching Corey Marshall and Derrick Hopkins combine for one. Line coach Charley Wiles has substituted liberally with his group, and head coach Frank Beamer thinks it’s keeping them fresh, which helps in the rush. Nicolas and Wilson’s emergence has helped that as well. It allows Collins to play inside, where he appears to be more effective. And it opens up snaps for Marshall at end. Overall, the front seven, even though it gave up 167 rushing yards to a bad BC ground game, is playing at a high level.
4. Antone Exum is starting to turn into a pretty good cornerback.
It seems like all anyone remembers about Exum is the Cincinnati game, where he was isolated for most of the afternoon against a good receiver and had several penalties that convinced the fan base that moving him from safety to corner was a bad offseason decision. Well, he played a great game at BC and has generally been the Hokies’ best cornerback all year. He made a couple of well-timed plays yesterday, getting a hand in on the receiver one time to knock the ball away right as it arrived, his ACC-leading 15th pass breakup this season. Would that have been interference earlier this year? Maybe. Perhaps he’s getting acclimated to the position.
But given Kyle Fuller’s struggles, some of which has to do with the injuries he’s been battling all season, Exum has been a blessing for the Hokies’ secondary. (Although Fuller made a heck of a play early on to flip the ball into the air on an early interception by Tweedy that the refs missed on the field and in the booth, the latest in what seems like a never-ending series of mistakes by the ACC’s replay officials.) Many have criticized the decision to move Exum away from safety, where he the leading tackler last year. But given Virginia Tech’s situation in the secondary, corner is where he would have made the most impact this year. It might be too late to make enough of an impression to get in the All-ACC discussion, but give him another year at the position and it seems like he could get to that level.
5. Given the way UVa played last week and how the Hokies have played at home, it would seem like Virginia Tech should win next week.
I know, way to go out on a limb. But there have been a lot of things Virginia Tech should have done this year. Only a handful of those things have actually happened. The team that showed up at Boston College was not the same one that played Florida State. It was a flat group for a half, showing a lot of the same problems that have plagued it all season. So yeah, Tech should beat the Cavaliers and, considering it has played noticeably better at home this year, will probably be favored pretty heavily to do so, but that’s not guarantee.
As up-and-down as Virginia Tech has been this year, Virginia is just as hard to figure out. Who knows which UVa team will show up next Saturday — the one that clobbered N.C. State and out-scored Miami for an upset win or the one that lost six straight earlier this year and didn’t show up in its first home Thursday night game in six years with its hopes for bowl eligibility on the line? Virginia Tech still has that postseason goal to motivate it, needing one more win to go to a bowl for a 20th straight season, as if there was really a need for extra motivation against a state rival. The Hokies have owned the series, winning eight straight and 12 of the last 13, but if ever there was a year that they were vulnerable in this game, even at home, it would be this one, its worst season since 1992. As the Hokies have proven time and time again this year, if they’re not sharp, they’re vulnerable. Barely squeaking by the worst team in the ACC proved that Saturday.
November 18, 2012 - 2:43 PM
It’s nice to know that 10 games into the season the coaches finally found out how to motivate Davis … sit his entitlement mindset on the bench for a while. That might work for some of the others as well. Withhold some pay and maybe the offensive (literally and figuratively) coaches would get motivated.
The players are demoralized from the lack of good coaching. It takes a home field crowd of 60K to get them to play their best,like against Fl ST. They struggle away with the weakest teams in the nation. It is cowardice to blame the players. They are boys. All boys need lots of adult guidance and training. VT has the talented players to win. They don’t have the skilled coaching to win. I hope UVA wins and VT does not go to a bowl !! !
Uh Oh……Peppers Fairy is upset how our ‘boys’ are being treated.Lets all hope UVA puts tech, and its coaches, in place. Ra ra UVA…..i suddenly feel like a ‘coward’….yawn….
#1 comment – actually it took three years and ten games for the coaches to determine they had the authority to treat Marcus Davis like a college player and not an NFL diva. Of course, they then spent the 2nd half making him the primary receiver, so I doubt he ‘learned’ anything from that lesson, other than his behavior the past 3.75 years has been rewarded.
As for his being the most physically talented WR on the team, that’s been the case every year he’s been at Tech, including the years Boykin & Coale were here. His physical talents weren’t and aren’t the problem. It’s his mindset.
Bottom line – he’s only here for two more games, so then he can join other physically talented Hokies in the NFL, like DeAngelo Hall, for example.
It’s been a bad year. I’m still a fan and I hope Tech beats the tar out of UVa. Gotta take the bad with the good. It’s been pretty good over the years. Why do folks with negative attitudes read about the Hokies in the first place. Maybe it’s time for PF and CR to take over the coaching duties. I don’t care for Stiney but that’s what we have and Beamer isn’t going to fire him. Maybe hire Chad Morris as OC and let him be the “Head Coach in Waiting”? Beamer built the house, the house is still standing.
Maryland has $50 mill for a buyout? And the Big 10 actually wants them? Wow! Maybe Swofford should offer a straight trade UM for Penn State.
Agree with Andy on Davis. He played very well in the second half and is evolving into a very good receiver, definitely the most talented VT has. LT looked just average. The whole O as usual just seems sluggish. There was one series early second half they looked crisp. Otherwise, just too slow.
I know the D gave up less than 300 yds. but I feel they still need the big play guy who can dominate the game. Taylor and Tyler are okay, but it was as if Gayle did not even play. Agree also that Exum is evolving nicely into a quality CB, probably better than Fuller at this point.
Special teams just seem like a disaster waiting to happen IMHO. Too many penalties and execution problems.
I had cautiously optimistic hopes about this team. I do not feel this is a one off, an aberration of a year. Looking for the D to continue to improve next year but something is truly amiss on O and special teams. Something more than just another year under the belt can cure.
Andy you’re heading said it all(When properly motivated) and even tho im not a fan of this guy the blame mostly goes towards the coaching staff to allow this guy to play this way for his whole career. Hes been playing like he did against FSU every week butt he was finally called out on Youtube and not by his coaches and thats CRAZY!!! Yes he may be the most gifted player butt at Whose expense? The entire team?!!! So you allow a guy whose super talented butt lazy as H… to be more important than the team?! IF a player is a cancer that player must be removed cause cancer spreads and i could tell this there was Major dissention in da hokies locker room and maybe this is a hugh reason why! Also yes he has more catches than everyone esle butt was also targeted much more than everyone esle even tho Fuller he was the clutch guy in week 1 against GT!!!!!
Plus go back and count how many he dropped and consider verses say fuller or knowles ratio of drops based on how how many times they were targeted!!!!!
As harsh as I have been about the Hokies this year, agree with your comment about Exum. He has been on an island all year and is a damn good corner. He has the physical tools for the next level IMO.
So peppers ferry says “The players are demoralized from the lack of good coaching.” I’m guess he is all omnicient and can read minds. pf, if this is your opinion fine, don’t make it look like a statement of fact. The players I have talked to are behind the coaches 100%.
Also you said, ” I hope UVA wins and VT does not go to a bowl !! !” In my opinion you’re either not a Hokie fan or you”re a blithering moron. I’ll let you pick which.
Tennessee parted ways with Dooley yesterday and has requested permission from VT to bring in Stinespring for an interview immediately. This could be monumental. If we lose Stinespring, he may take Newsome with him and I can’t imagine O’Cain staying behind. This could very well affect VT for several years on the offensive side. Meanwhile, thoussands of anxious fans will be holding their breath.
I vote for moron….
Did this team play up to expectations? – No
Were the “expectations” reasonable? – On the evidence, maybe not!
Are there injury problems? – Kyle Fuller, for sure; O-line, I hope so! Others, who knows?
OBTW, PF – You ever have a child, that, despite your best efforts, doesn’t “grow up” until they reach yheir mid 20′s? God Bless You!
540Hokie – If you have followed AB’s columns all year, you should know that Crooked Road never misses an opportunity to prove what a blooming idiot he is!!
The real issues on Offense start on the line, AGAIN this year.. Newsome has to go, and we must recruit better OL.. BC had < dozen TFL's this year and had 5 or 6 by halftime.. That is problem #1 for offense.
George, you misspelled onion. Just sayin’…
This is the game we need. Let’s hope the players will be as motivated as the coaches. A precious Sun Bowl bid awaits us.
Maybe,just maybe, we needed this kind of year to come along.This could result in changes being made.It could wake us up and let us see better things in the future.We all wish that we could have gone longer with our records intact but it didnt happen.We are VA Tech and we will bounce back.Future has a way of working things out for those that strive to run as clean a program as possible for these kids and Im shure that we will come out on top in that regard.Best of luck Tech this weekend and happy holidays to all the tech gang and especially the great tech fans,you are the best.
Charlie, thank heavens, the voice of reason. Yes, VT has had a really disappointing season by all accounts and those of us who bleed orange and maroon are crushed by the poor team performance across the board including the coaching staff. Lets take a step back and look at the big picture: 1) We have a clean program unlike UNC, Ohio State, So. Cal., etc. 2) Our coaches are boring and aren’t having extramarital affairs (Arkansas). 3) We aren’t in a three year slide (Tennessee).4) we aren’t the focus of national attention for all the wrong reasons (Penn State). OK. So this is a bit dramatic right? I’m from a three generation Hokie family and no one wants to see VT succeed more than I do. But seriously people…football is a game. Let’s keep it in perspective. Is this the worst thing going on in your life? If so, be thankful for your good fortunes.
CR, I seldom agree with you but am pleased to see you have a sense of humor. GO HOKIES!!!!!
All I want for Christmas is all of this stinking offensieve coaching staff gone!! MERRY CHRISTMAS.
John, the money has spoken, & your Christmas wish is going to be granted, mostly at least. Three new faces next year, four new job titles…
Charlie I’ve expressed those same feelings before. I am hoping that even with a win over UVa someone is going to say WTF have we been doing? My concern is that with the win and possibly a bowl victory Frank will sit back and repeat the same old tired mantra, “We just need to keep doing what we do but do it better”. Oh how I have come to despise those words…
I’ve said all season two problems jump out at me. #1–Tech is giving up about 26 points a game. Does that sound like VT football? I’ll give you a hint: H*ll NO!! Pick-6s, bad field position, and fumbles for points go against the D in good years and bad, so I’m not buying commentary about improvements on the defensive side. Tech is just giving up WAYYY too many points to be a winner. The Tech offense has to score 27 to win, and it is well known, well documented the Tech O has struggled (unbelievably, they ARE averaging about 27 points a game, but not in the games that matter). #2–Tech has the weakest stable of running backs I can remember. None of these guys will ever be mistaken for Wilson, Williams, Evans, Jones, and its a major reason why the O has struggled all year. Does this sound like VT Football? I’ll give you another hint: see above hint. I say good riddance to 2012, reshuffle the deck in the off season, and come back new and improved in 2013. I expect much improvement then–it sure can’t get any worse.
Some of you guys are too eager to through VT under the bus. So what if they had a terrible season. Every team goes through it. IMO we need to revamp our coaching staff. Losing Newsome, Stinespring and O’Cain might not be a bad thing. Its because of their poor recruiting that this class isnt performing well. Its O’Cains fault that Logan hooked up with that trainer this summer and screwed up his throwing motion, rhythm, etc. If its not broken dont fix it!!! We need a bigger, stronger, tougher OL and Newsome isnt producing that so by all means let him go. Stinespring and O’Cain play calling have been horrible so by all means let them go too. Bud is doing a great job with what he has. The failing defense is not from a lack of effort but from a lack of rest. I blame the offense completely. When the offense runs the clock, the D performs. When they dont, then the D is horrible. You be the judge. Time to revamp the playbook with new plays and formations. Add more misdirection. This is 2012 not the 90s. Everyone knows what play we are running by the way we line up. Lastly… Can we please stop wasting time during the no huddle?
An offensive coaching change is drastically needed, but I say careful what you wish for fans. Did you hear the latest news about the Tennessee head coach Dooley getting fired?? Phil Fulmer had a record of 152-52, and was fired in 2008 in the middle of a 5-7 season, and look what has happened since then (He was the head coach for 17 years). Lane Kiffin coached one year and took off for a more high profile (and I’m sure higher paying) job, and then Dooley got the boot.
There’s something to say about consistency in a program. I think it will be a cold day in Hell before the VT Admin forces Beamers hand on a shake up, so unfortunately we are stuck with the offensive coaching staff. It will be interesting to watch what University of Tennessee does – see who they hire.