2008.08.30
Final: East Carolina 27, Virginia Tech 22
Virginia Tech made some big plays on special teams Saturday, but it East Carolina made the biggest plunder.
The Pirates' T.J. Lee blocked a punt and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown with 1:52 left in the game to beat the Hokies 27-22 in Charlotte, N.C.
Tech punter Brent Bowden said after the game that it was the first punt he'd ever had blocked. Lee said he got the punt with his left arm, quickly looked around to see who would get the ball and saw the ball bouncing right to him. He grabbed it and raced untouched into the end zone without taking a glance up at the video board.
"I didn't want to get caught from behind," Lee said when asked if he looked up to himself sprinting toward the end zone. "When I scooped the ball I just wanted to get in the end zone and get this win."
The debut of the 2008 Hokies didn’t look anything like what we’re used to seeing.
Are the Hokies good enough to compete for another ACC title? Can they get better in the areas they stunk at? Will this team with inexperience at so many positions be mentally strong enough to show the resiliency that the Pirates showed?
All questions that will most assuredly spark different opinions.
-- Jeff Gilbert
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I am a life long (44 years) Hokie fan and I am sick of the same old same old. The defense played awful today at ECU, granted Bud Foster lost 8 starters and is no doubt rebuilding. Stinespring on the other hand got out coached again. Even in the best of times in Blacksburg the offense is very predictable, and Stinespring is almost always out coached. It's time for him to go. Beamer needs to go out and get a real Offensive coordinater. And Glennon is not a leader, can't feel pressure, can't shake off a bad play and can't adjust on the fly. Beamer needs to take the red-shirt off of Taylor this week and not wait untill the dig a huge hole. Also the "experienced offensive line" better tighten up quick or the ACC teams will kill them. They could not keep ECU's rush out. And several times they only rushed 3 or 4 and still they could not protect Glennon. ......So get rid of Stinespring, tighten up the O-line and play Taylor. LET'S GO....HOKIES
Comment by jeff osborne — August 30, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
Wow- I knew this year was going to be bumpy, but this was rough. My thoughts:
* Glennon can't get the job done. We are all going to turn old and gray waiting for him to turn into a good QB.
* O-line still can't pass protect. The run blocking looked better than last year, though, for the most part.
* Offensive play-calling still stinks.
* Running backs look like they could be pretty good.
* Defense has a lot of work to do. Zero pressure on the QB, tackling was awful, coverage was not very good. They almost seemed small or tentative or something. This one worries me, but I also know that Coach Foster can teach them and improve them during the year.
* Why does the offense always seem so inept when it comes to game management- working the clock and 2-minute drill, getting play calls in on 4th down, etc.? They act like they've never done any of this before when it matters in the game.
I guess we Hokie fans are going to have to buckle up for this season...
Comment by Fred — August 30, 2008 @ 6:11 pm