Game Review: My Own Scoop of Humble Pie and Wahoo Shame

Damn that was satisfying. I will write that again. Damn that was satisfying. Following our festive consumption of succulent turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a tall glass of Avery Brewery Joe’s Pilsner, we nervously spent our time with family and friends nervously awaiting perhaps the most important football game to take place between Virginia and Virginia Tech in the last decade. I know I did. I ground on my teeth while I slept envisioning Logan Thomas running away from UVA’s pass rush. I woke up at 6:00AM Saturday morning in a cold sweat after a nightmare where UVA successfully bled the Hokie defense with short passes and power off tackle runs. I won’t lie to the readers of The Key Play. I was a nervous wreck.

Kickoff came, and instead of a Saturday evening spent chewing fingernails and hurling obscenities, we were treated to the most complete Hokie effort of the season, made even more satisfying by the complete implosion of UVA’s players and coaching staff. UVA’s football program managed to live up to every stereotype that Virginia Tech and ACC football fans have stuck to their lapels over the years. Mike London coached a desperate strategy, starting with a ridiculous 4^th down call early in the game, and it clearly showed his troops that he lacked confidence in their ability to win the game straight up. His players slowly lost confidence, and suddenly UVA’s most important players looked like their counterparts from past weak teams. Perry “Superman” Jones started to get alligator arms in the face of contact, as if he didn’t want the ball when his team needed to make a play. Michael Rocco, who faced a vicious Florida State pass rush with enough poise to effectively make plays with his arm and his feet, suddenly began to miss open receivers against man coverage and exhibit a complete loss of pocket presence. Morgan Moses looked 350 pounds of chewed bubble gum instead of one of the top offensive line prospects in the country. Chase Minnifield was reduced to flapping gums and a penalty to be called later. They looked the part of soft players whose courage failed them and took their natural muscle memory. UVA’s fanbase could not have had a worse day if their turkey dinner was being served in the bottom of a Newark porto-potty.

It is easy enough to revel in UVA completely falling apart under a winner-take-all pressure game against their primary rival, but the Hokies not only took advantage of the UVA slapstick routine. The Hokies delivered a sledgehammer performance, dominating UVA in every facet of the game. Again, using our key themes for the season, let’s review the Hokie performance.

Quarterback Performance

I want to take each of you back to the early part of the season, after Logan Thomas had given us uneven performances against ECU, Marshall, and Clemson. I said again and again, Logan has all the tools to be the best passing quarterback Virginia Tech has put on the field in my time as a fan. I said, you can’t teach his measurables. You can’t teach his arm strength. You can’t teach his demeanor. He didn’t have experience playing quarterback at the speed of D1 College Football. His instincts and vision were a work in progress, but Mike O’Cain had in Logan Thomas unlimited potential.

I don’t think any of us could have imagined that he would realize a great deal of that potential so quickly. Perhaps even more impressive than his deep strikes to Marcus Davis or his bone-crushing block on a hapless UVA linebacker, was his command of the offense and the confidence he instilled in his team. Logan Thomas controlled the pace of the game. He dealt with a somewhat shaky first half performance by the left side of the Hokie offensive line by making quick throws in rhythm down field. He froze the UVA linebackers with his most sharp execution of the zone-read option game, which opened up huge holes for David Wilson in the second half. He audibled effectively and made the UVA defense look timid. It was beautiful to watch.

Offensive Identity

The Hokie offensive performance can only be summed up in one way, me eating a big ole piece of humble pie. The Hokies sharply executed all different components of their offensive design throughout the game. Mike O’Cain was able to create big plays in the option game, pass pro, play action, one back zone, and I formation principles. He showcased new looks, including play action off the mid-line zone read play, balanced two tight end one back sets, and he effectively created matchup problems for UVA’s weakest defensive backs. O’Cain called a magnificent game that we should all commend him for.

Every Hokie offensive player contributed in some way. David Wilson struggled in the first half, but in the second half, we saw the All-American caliber performance that those who know football know David is capable of delivering. The zone-read gave him space, yet he assertively hit every hole big or small. And, once David Wilson got to the second level, he completely outclassed the UVA secondary with his speed and power. I have been critical of Wilson, but I thought that was his most complete performance of the season.

The receivers continue to deliver at the highest level. Marcus Davis FINALLY had the big game we have been waiting for. Chris Drager effectively blocked and got downfield to make the UVA secondary pay attention to him. Danny Coale blocked effectively and served as distraction, while Jarrett Boykin delivered a solid performance. The Hokies are very effective passing deep and using short routes to get Thomas comfortable. It makes the Hokies very tough to defend.

My only concerns from the offense are quite simple. First, I was troubled that the Hokies didn’t effectively run the ball for large stretches in the first half. Those struggles seemed to be focused on the left side of the Hokie offensive line, with Andrew Lainer, Greg Nosal, and Nick Becton struggling in the running game. Despite those struggles, Mike O’Cain continued to run left, again, again, and again, and finally the Hokies were able to start finding some cracks off that side. It worked, but while the Hokies continued to bang away, UVA was able to get two consecutive three and outs in the 3^rd quarter that gave them a sliver of hope to get back into the game. Blake DeChristopher and Jaymes Brooks are the two best run blockers on the Hokie roster. At money time, USE THEM.

Those two series were the only true negatives I could find in the second half. Virginia Tech was up 21-0, and had a chance to put the game away early. Instead, the Hokies were forced into 3^rd and longs because of their inability to run, and then Jarrett Boykin could not make two VERY TOUGH catches to sustain drives. I am not knocking Boykin, as those would have been very tough plays, but closers and champions will make those plays. The Hokies were fortunate that the Hokie defense was able to retain the momentum advantage with their dominant second half play or the game could have been closer. Against Clemson, the Hokies will have a series or two where the Hokies will be pressured to sustain a drive when Clemson knows they will be run-focused. The Hokies ability to run the ball regardless of Clemson stacking the box will be paramount to a victory next week.

Defensive Scheme and Personnel

The defensive line looked explosive again, with standout performances from James Gayle and Luther Maddy. Jack Tyler, Kyle Fuller, and Tariq Edwards took turns using the lanes created by the stunts of the front four to completely shatter the confidence and testicular fortitude of one Michael Rocco. The secondary was given the tough task of playing man coverage on most of the passing downs, and while they bent, they didn’t break. Every secondary guy seemed to get one or two pass breakups, and they were often close enough that Rocco couldn’t find the target.

Bud Foster found the magic blend of being able to blitz unmercifully to sustain QB pressure, while being able to trust his front four to completely neuter the UVA running game. It was a thing of beauty. It will be telling to see if Foster comes out against Clemson dictating the down and distance with his blitz, or will he sit back and read-and-react to Clemson’s misdirection single wing style offense.

Special Teams

Danny Coale kicked. Great performance, but I hated how it seemed to limit his touches in other facets of the game. Coverage was excellent, Journal made his kick, and the return teams FINALLY got a big play from Jayron Hosley.

Criticisms? What in the blue hell was Frank Beamer thinking on the Meyer’s field goal attempt? His team was controlling the game, and a punt would have likely brought a quick end to the half. It was a silly risk, and if UVA had even cashed in a field goal, it could have had a major impact on the momentum of the game. Fortunately, it didn’t change the outcome.

As I posted on Twitter, I hope every recruit in the Mid-Atlantic was watching. Come to Virginia Tech, and beat people up is the message. The shot of the UVA kid getting LT3’s autograph coupled with the UVA “faithful” leaving the stadium to try a sifter of Crozet’s freshest merlot should be on the cover of every recruiting packet that goes to kids considering both schools. Scoreboard bitches.