How would you rank the biggest moments for Virginia Tech football in 2012?
As the New Year winds down to its final hours, it’s time to take a look back at the last 366 days. We in the newspaper industry like to make lists of top moments from the last year. I’m working on a top five for Virginia Tech right now.
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Now, top moments doesn’t necessarily mean positive moments. Just big moments, whether good or bad, that shaped Virginia Tech football in the last calendar year. I think the biggest moment for 2013 will probably occur early in the New Year, whenever the Hokies’ coaching situation is settled (South Carolina offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Shawn Elliott is the latest hot rumor).
But that won’t count for the purposes of this list unless anything happens within the next half day (which it won’t). In the meantime, here’s some of the bigger moments from 2012 that I’ve pulled out. Which ones would you put in a top five and in what order?
- Missed opportunity in New Orleans: The Hokies missed their chance to break through on the BCS stage against a name opponent that Tech thoroughly outplayed for most of the night. Special teams mistakes, red zone troubles and Danny Coale‘s touchdown catch in overtime that was inexplicably overturned by replay made the Hokies uneasy in the Big Easy.
- New York state of mind: Running back David Wilson went to the New York Giants in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Hokies first first-round selection since tackle Duane Brown in 2008. Two rounds later, cornerback Jayron Hosley was taken by the Giants, reuniting the Tech teammates in the Big Apple.
- Kicker Cody Journell reinstated: The kicker who was arrested last December on a breaking and entering charge plead it down to a misdemeanor, completed 100 hours of community service and returned to the team in good standing over the summer.
- The Fuller family connection continues: It wasn’t a victory on the field, but it was on the recruiting trail when five-star cornerback Kendall Fuller committed to play at Virginia Tech, where his three older brothers had played. With Fuller, Wyatt Teller and Holland Fisher, the Hokies could have their highest-ranked recruiting class in the last decade.
- Journell comes to the rescue in the opener: At the time thought to give the Hokies a leg up in the Coastal (how untrue that would be), Journell made two late field goals against Georgia Tech — one to tie in regulation, one to win in overtime — to complete his comeback in the season opener.
- A no-show in Pittsburgh: The curtain was pulled back on the then-unbeaten Hokies, who were out-classed in all phases in a 35-17 loss the Panthers. It foretold problems that would plague Virginia Tech all season.
- Gio goes wild: Losses to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati could be brushed off as non-conference defeats. North Carolina was a league foe and ran all over Virginia Tech in a 48-34 win. Running back Gio Bernard ran for 262 yards, the most ever against a Frank Beamer-coached team.
- Biggest comeback for Beamer: Things looked bleak when Virginia Tech fell behind Duke 20-0 in the first quarter, but the Hokies scored the next 41 points. Receiver Marcus Davis had 144 receiving yards and two touchdowns and running back J.C. Coleman ran for 183 yards and two scores to complete the biggest comeback for Tech in Beamer’s tenure.
- Oh so close against Florida State: The Hokies were up 22-20 on the No. 8 Seminoles with 2:19 to play, but EJ Manuel drove FSU down the field, hitting Rashad Greene for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds left to send Tech to another demoralizing last-minute loss.
- A scary moment for Michael Cole: In the third quarter of the Florida State game, safety Michael Cole stayed down at the end of a play, lying motionless on the field after attempting to make a tackle. He was immobilized and put on a stretcher, taken to a nearby hospital with what was later called a cervical neck sprain. He was released later that night but didn’t play again this season, with his football future uncertain.
- Bowl eligible … barely: The Virginia game will not be replayed on ESPN Classic anytime soon, with both offenses struggling to move the ball on a blustery, November day. But Antone Exum‘s interception set up another game-winning field goal by Journell — his second during the regular season — to give the Hokies a 6-6 record and get them into a bowl for a 20th straight year.
- Exum treats kids to a Best Buy spending spree: An underdog selection, but a good story nonetheless. With a $470 Best Buy gift card at his disposal, part of the Russell Athletic Bowl swag, Exum spent it on three kids he met in the story. The story went viral on Twitter and the cornerback was lauded for his generosity.
- Offensive issues on display in the bowl: The Hokies beat Rutgers 13-10 in overtime of the Russell Athletic Bowl, but the season-long offensive shortcomings were on full display, with Tech gaining only 196 yards. Players and coaches celebrated afterward, but there was a foreboding feeling regarding the future of the coaching staff, which could get an overhaul in the offseason.
Any I miss? Feel free to go off the board. Again, looking for a top five.
December 31, 2012 - 11:16 AM
Not sure about 2012, but I hope the biggest moment for 2013 will be the complete overhaul of the offensive coaching staff (and hopefully Pep Hamilton coming on board.)
Here are some things I remembered during the year;
- To add to the “Missed Opportunities in NO”; Danny Coales fake punt at the Sugar Bowl and why he thought that was a good idea?
- The Jawand Blue/Charley Wiles signing day “conversation” that went public on Twitter.
- Shake up on defense moving Exum and Fuller to CB, and Jarrett and Bonner to FS and ROV
- And last but not least, the Hokies beating UVA (again) in order to stay bowl eligible.
AB -
Shawn would be a much better get than the Stanford OC as rumors go. LORD KNOWS the Hokies need help with the OL and Coach Elliott can make sure this happens – AND – bring some of the ‘Ole Ball Coach’s wizardry on the offensives side of the ball. Just my deductive reasoning…
/r
RT
Hard to pick any one thing when you feel like you’ve been holding your breath for 12 months.
The wasted month before before going to Orlando. I guess they were designing helments. Time was not spent on coaching.
It would be Exum. There are so many things more important than sports as much as I enjoy sports and, especially, VT sports.
Forget (if you can) this miserable year in Tech football history and fire all offensive coaches and hire replacements that really know how to put together an offense that is in the same league with the leaders in the top 10..
I cannot understand why the espn commentators or any of the media discussed the offsides penalty on Rutgers the second play of the bowl game.
The ball was snapped because the DT had jumped into the neutral zone (watch the re-play) & a flag was thrown, but the official picked up the flag, when asked why by the VT center & coach Beamer he said that the head official overruled him for some reason, but it was definitely offsides. This should have been discussed a lot but was hardly mentioned, I don’t get it.
Also the ESPN commentators were continually ragging on VT & praising Rutgers as if they were Rutgers alumni, Matt Millen should not be on the air anywhere, totally biased. VT’s defense were playing just as well as RU, but they continually talked about how RU’s defense was totally dominating the game.
I’d have to nominate Frank Beamer’s decision to telegraph his intentions by calling a desperation TO in the Sugar Bowl, then calling the fake rugby punt/run with a backup punter. Beamer’s throwing Danny Coale under the bus by falsely claiming all the responsibility rested with Coale was the coup de grace. For me, that was the moment that encapsulated the year.
I’ll get a jump start on the moment of 2013 by calling Frank Beamer’s replacement of his entire offensive staff, save The Golden One. How Frank handles/bungles that will be a critical factor in the next several years of Hokie football.
I think Exum was the memory from this year. You gotta love that kid AND the team members who threw part of their gift cards in to round out the total amount.
It has not come yet, firing the offensive coaches !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it was the normally smart Danny Coale going for the fake punt in the Sugar Bowl when he should have kicked it. That is obviously the players call and he made the wrong one. All joking aside I think it’s the amount of talent coming in including scooping up the last Fuller.
This is a joke, right?
I like Jim’s idea and Victor makes some good points
Who cares? The important thing is the Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech. Yo baby, they whupped those Trojans. Finally an impressive ACC victory.
Laugh-Laugh-Laugh all you want to but I see VT as a team over achievers this year, yes over achievers that had a ton of Heart as well as Tons of adversity, inexperience, and poor execution I believe caused these growing pains, not the coaches.
1. Injuries to key lineman
2. Offensive Starters Returning just -> two, how did anyone expect VT to score? Not a single returning Running back with a Single Career Yard or score? Former VT Best Pair of Receiver’s, both over 1000 yards 90% plus scoring graduated, and the VT converting a High School QB Marcus Davis to receiver in college who had never played receiver did as good as he could (he did not like contact….Period! but won games for VT), A group of lineman that spent their careers as back-ups and truly seemed to give effort but also seemed out of sorts or on the wrong page and should maintained blocks longer?
3. Blaming the coaches or play calls for VT’s woes is superficial; the kids on the field win or lose 90% or more of the games.
For example, if Nick Saban coached this year’s VT football team would they be playing for the National Championship, or you just add whatever great Gig in the Sky coach to the equations aforementioned and replace Beamer and gang and ask yourself would it change the VT Season outcome? Really Now, Would It?
Go Hokies, 9 Months Until we play UA ; )
Maybe the right memory from 2012 is waiting for 2013.
I, like most Hokies, was frustrated by the lack of offensive cohesion this year. You cannot dispell, however, the success we have experienced over the last 20 seasons (save ’97, ’03, and ’12). The best programs in the nation stub their toes every once in a while. We should count our blessings that the year it happened to us, we not only qualified for a bowl, but won it… One year does not a trend make… I personally don’t care if we finish ranked 119th in offense as long as we continue to win ACC championships… Not ready to throw the baby out with the bath water just yet. Also, will be concerned about losing commitments from potential signees should we lose the likes of Stiney… just sayin’.
Eric (class of ’96)
#1 – Missed Opportunity in NO
#2 – Fuller Family Connection
#3 – Biggest Comeback ( especially against Duke )
#4 – Bowl eligible and winning the game ( barely on both )
#5 – Yet to come ( will be in 2013 and will be coaching changes )
I would take some conference pride in GTs win over USC but without Barkley that was not a bowl team. Plus it was obvious USC didn’t want to be there in a crappy bowl after such high expectations for the season. Tainted win. Even when the ACC wins in a bowl game they have to have help
A third straight loss to the Clemson Tigers who now appear to be the class of the ACC.
They ran over 100 plays in beating a tough LSU team. Watching that game should make Beamer &Weaver realize how far we have to go just to be in the same area code as these guys. We better make our coaching changes carefully and quickly. We need to keep this year’s recruiting class in tact and can’t have a repeat of the Seth Greenberg fiasco that left us with no coaching options due to the timing of Weaver’s bizzare decision.
Yeah we had young players on offense but most of the defense back. I’ve said it for a long time, good programs reload, not rebuild. All of their young players have red shirted and some have been in the system for years. With the recruiting classes Tech’s supposed to have had the past few years, never should have had this years record, no more than 2or3 losses. Not only do we need new offensive coaches but a new locker room attitude. Maybe 6 losses will put a burr under their saddle.
Bitter you are a joke. You censure someone when they put negative comments about your Chokies and don’t display the comment. What a joke you are.
Actually, I censor (if we’re spelling things correctly) people who use foul language and resort to extensive name-calling. If you don’t like it, go to another blog.
Bitter there wa no foul language and you allow all the other Chokie fans to say whatever they want especially if it involves U a of which I am not a Wahoo fan so what’s up with that? It’s ok for the Chokies to cl Beamer and others or mondo anything they want? Your a frigging Hokie lover and a joke.
Oh if want to do spell check then u need to look at major dad and half the others in here smart ###.
On your previous post (which I deleted), all you did was call people idiots and pansies. Bring something to the conversation other than name-calling and your posts will stand.
Also, it’s “you’re a frigging Hokie lover and a joke,” not “your a frigging Hokie lover and a joke.”
Let’s see you correct the others ? Also you think Beamer is so great? He’s afraid to change anyone on his staff? So that does make him a pansie. It’s amazing you allow the Chokie faithful to name call but anyone against your beloved Chookies is not. Again if you want to spellcheck comments look at some of your faithful who can’t spell at all.