Halftime: Rutgers 10, Virginia Tech 0
ORLANDO, Fla. — Virginia Tech’s worst season in 20 years seems like it’s about to have an appropriate ending.
The Hokies trail Rutgers 10-0 at halftime of the Russell Athletic Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, a game in which their much-maligned offense has done next to nothing.
It was the first time this year Virginia Tech failed to score in the first half. The Hokies finished with only 73 yards on 38 plays, an ugly showing in a season full of them for the offensive group.
Worse yet, the Hokies’ offense gave up the game’s only touchdown. Virginia Tech started horribly, falling behind 7-0 after only 17 seconds. On the second play of the game, center Caleb Farris sent a shotgun snap past an unready Logan Thomas.
The ball trickled into the end zone, where Thomas couldn’t get a handle on it. It squirted free for Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene to recover for quick touchdown, although replay showed Thomas might have been down for a safety first.
The Scarlet Knights didn’t do much on offense either, managing 130 yards, but a double reverse to Miles Shuler went for 25 yards later in the first quarter and set up a 36-yard field by Nick Borgese to give them a 10-0 lead.
Virginia Tech didn’t come close to scoring. Thomas faced constant pressure from Rutgers’ front seven, sacked twice and hit numerous times after releasing the ball.
He completed only 10 of 20 pases for 83 yards, getting picked off by Brandon Jones on a deep ball near the end of the first half.
The Hokies had even less success on the ground, finishing with 17 rushes for negative 10 yards. The tailback quartet of J.C. Coleman, Michael Holmes, Martin Scales and Tony Gregory combined for 11 carries and 10 yards.
December 28, 2012 - 7:11 PM
Beautiful! The chokies are showing that its ok to play like crap and still have backers like the loyal choking nation defending them!
Can you say we need new offensive coaches? I have been all season.
Stiny, must go!
Pitiful! Let some of the other guys play.
Yellow Rose, are you watching this? Are you hoping your Saint continues his streak of unparalleled excellence? The DuckPond is supposed to be frozen over tomorrow, so his morning stroll should be easy enough.
I’m just wondering. I sat through the vaunted VMI game, I don’t know if you were man enough to do so or not. I’m sure the internet claim will be ostentatious, though. Regardless, the gulping acceptance of false claims of high aspirations while actual embrace of mediocre results seem to be somewhat contradictory. I know that’s far too vast of a discussion for you to attempt, but I just want you to know I realize you’re hiding from it.
The MVP’s are all of the Hokies who actually paid to be at the game in Orlando…you’re better fans than me…thanks for your support.
BTW, i’m no football expert but who in the NFL is going to draft James Gayle early enough to make him justify leaving early? I haven’t watched every play (catching up on Hoarders episodes) but has he even made a tackle? I respect his confidence but would think a DL who’s leaving early would be clobbering the offense like Corey Moore used to.
Gayle just make a TFL (-1) to close out Q3 – congrats!
My wife hopes Spiney doesn’t get fired we went to Hawaii this year instead of the bowl game. So I guess you can say Spiney saves marriages. She is planing a trip to London next year. Please fire Spiney I want to be somewhere warm during the winter next year not London.
2 straight passing plays of 25 and 35 yards and we’re going to run the ball 3 straight times congratulations what a great offensive coach!
I’m not sure that blindly financing the lackluster effort is the essence of the best fans. To each their own, but I can’t see how blind allegiance to whatever results, good or mediocre, is superior to matching expectations to the public proclamations of the coaching staff.
After about the 11th punt in a row, if precedent says you are going 3-out any way, why don’t you just go long to the left corner for 3 consecutive plays? sure, it isn’t creative, but you have x number of receivers, and if you can get the plays off quickly enough, you’re going against the same corner 3x in a row, and he will get winded. Put your fastest receiver last.
If that’s what happened, why did they wait until the 4th qtr to go against him like that???
Sorry, just one more comment- if VT gets the ball down to the Rutgers 29 yard line again, whether it is 4th down or first, just kick a field goal. Otherwise, VT will just move out of field goal range with that JC Coleman rush for a loss play they keep running. Take the 3!
Congrats to the Hokies, but only to the defense, you guys won the game. MVP Antone Exum both before and after the game on and off the field, class act. The main thing I have noticed as a difference with the team (aside from the obvious offensive struggles)… no swagger. Tell, me, would Corey Moore, Cornell Brown, Xavier Adibi, Brandon Flowers, Jayron Hosely, Kam Chancellor, Macho Harris, Darryl Tapp, Vegas Ferguson, DeAngelo Hall, Corey Byrd, Antonio Banks, Torrian (Himself) Grey, Tyronne Drakeford, and Bruce MF’N Smith (could go on and on)have just played mediocre defense and been “brand x” in a bowl game… I think not! Bring back the swag! We Are…… (aren’t we?)
they won but they all need to go I’ve never seen an offense so terrible
Hokie Pokie, I agree with everything you said, from the fans at the game to the comments about Gayle. He did submit his name to the NFL for evaluation. I would think if he isn’t projected to go in the first two rounds, we’ll see him in Blacksburg next year. I’m surprised Bruce Taylor hasn’t received a little more NFL buzz.
Virginia Tech 13 Rutgers 10
Changes are coming! 3 coaches gone and 1 moved to recruiting coordinator.
Virginia Tech’s offense looked the worst I have seen since the early 90s at least the last time they were 7-6 they could put up some offense in the exciting early 2000′s loss to California 52-49. This one the offense couldn’t do anything that looked fluid. I think there were approximately 4 plays that Tech looked decent on offense. This Rutgets team must have played attrocious opponents this year. For all Logan Thomas did not do in this game….. the Rutger quarterback looked like a poor High School quarterback throwing the ball up for grabs …… reminded me of Denard Robinson last year against the Hokies in the Sugar Bowl. Now that the season is over ….Frank Beamer needs to HIRE an offensive genius and let the chips fall where they may on the offensive side of the coaching….the quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator and play calling was AWFUL. Priority RECRUIT OFFENSIVE LINEMAN …. what were these guys doing …… they sure weren’t there against what was said to be a smaller but quicker defense of Rutgers. …… Well at least the Hokies saved themselves the humiliation of a losing season.
The best case scenario, an ugly VT win highlighting an inept O. I love the W, now the waiting begins…
Hey CR,oops, VT won. Probably ruined your day didn’t it. Well tough you know what for you.
If this game doesnt convince Coach Beamer that changes are needed with the “offensive” coaching I don’t know what it will take. The offense has gotten worse as the season has progressed. That’s hard to do. Thank you Bud Foster and the defensive unit. Unlike your offensive counterparts, you did get better through the seaon. Though I haven’t seen anyone who really needs to think about leaving early for the NFL.
Lastly, Mr. Potato Chip… Shut the F up! You are an annoying individual.
Potato Chip to Shut the F- Up +1.
Also add crooked road, berry in ivy, ancient bopcat and all the other ass grabbers that repeatedly trash everyone because, sadly, there is nowhere else in their lives where people actually pay attention to them.
#22 Mike, so you think that any criticism of Beamer & staff is now suddenly unjustified because of their ‘stellar’ 7-6 record this season? Umm, sure. We should all be so proud of this season and point to it as the real definition of Frank Beamer’s production as a head coach? Okay, if you say so.
Mike #9, I wondered the same damn thing!!?? You haven’t run the ball for positive yardage all night, you have a QB showing signs of life for the first time all night, your o-line hasn’t blocked ll night, yeah, let’s run it… 3 STRAIGHT TIMES!!!
Mike 22- not the other guy- crooked road that comment had nothing to do with VT- we’re just tired of your comments every five minutes as the font of all knowledge.
#25 Mike, I haven’t posted on here for nearly a week until this morning. You’re tired of my posts ‘every five minutes’? The statistics I post are factual, yet you provide zero content to argue against them. If you want to engage in discussion that is more substantive than name calling, feel free. I’d love it. It certainly seems that you’re incapable of understanding anything that is not adulatory of Frank Beamer, though, so that would probably be beyond your limitations. Rational discussion, that is. This isn’t a cheerleading blog, so you might as well try to accept the mature concept that others might disagree with your fantasy of Hokie Camelot. The football program is about to undergo some MUCH needed and LONG overdue personnel changes, whether it makes you weep or not.
Stiny must go !!! He never blames himself, He is the leader of the Offense, Run Run Pass. The shell game of O Cane calling BS. I’m tired of sending money up there for sub par performance. Thank goodness for Bud. All fans need to bombard Weaver with our disgust and demand a change