8-1

Let's start by getting all the pleasantries out of the way. We won. A tick on the left side of the column is all that matters. Boykin and Coale had another stellar game. We're going to reminisce about this duo at tailgates for a long time to come. Anytime we recruit another little known two-star receiver you better believe people are going to say, "kid could be another Coale."

After every game I realize how important Cris Hill is to this team. I give a lot of well deserved credit to Kyle Fuller for being able to step in and play Whip/Nickel, but without Hill filling in for him strongly at corner that'd never be possible. He had another 6 tackles and held his ground all afternoon in coverage.

If that game itself was the trick, then David Wilson was the treat. YEAH BAD HALLOWEEN PUNS FOR EVERYONE. Believe me there are runs when I'm screaming for him just to take the couple of yards that are there, instead of shooting for the moon. But afterwords when I take a look at his entire body of work I appreciate his aggressive and ambitious running style and the numbers and points he puts up. Also, credit to Josh O for doing work and putting up six in relief of Wilson. That was a tremendous cutback on his 31-yard run.

I thought the offensive line played well enough. They only allowed one sack and a few hurries. They didn't dominate the line of scrimmage, but they were on their men most of the time. Becton is still a year away. I'm at wits' end watching him try to gain experience and level up during crunch time. Lanier has out played him all year long and deserves to be in any game within 35 points.

Now that the pleasantries are behind us, here's the truth: we will not win another game this year if we play like that. As a team we looked lackadaisical, executed poorly and played undisciplined in each phase of the game. Nine penalties for 94 yards is absolutely inexcusable for a team in maroon and orange. I think most of you will be quick to knock O'cain and Stinespring for the lack of points. I'm not going to do that, in fact I think we had a diverse and well called game plan. Keep in mind we put up 433 yards of offense. We were moving the ball, but we didn't finish drives.

We had 13 possessions, two ended in scores, two ended in Logan Thomas interceptions, one was LT3's hot-potato-fumble in the two-minute drill, another (77-yard drive) ended in a missed chip-shot field goal and our final possession was all victory formation. Only six drives ended in punts. Two of them started on our side of the field, went over 30 yards and ended in Duke territory. I'm still not going to put the remaining 4 drives on just the coaches.

An example of how bad execution kills good bad play calls from one of the remaining four drives.

1st and 10 at VT 4 — Logan Thomas rush for 9 yards to the VT 13.

It's a play-action pass. That's a call completely against our tendencies on first down, especially when you consider our field position. Duke only rushes 5, so 6 defenders are back in coverage. Logan doesn't have time to let the receivers get open because he's playing out of the end zone. He bypasses an open Wilson in the flats...

...for a nice nine yard scramble.

2nd and 1 at VT 13 — David Wilson rush for a loss of 3 yards to the VT 10.

It's 2nd and 1. We're holding a slight lead. Running the ball for the first to keep the clock moving is the right call. The play is what we called "G" back in high school, an off tackle run with the front-side guard (Brooks) pulling to lead the way.

Brooks is pulling around out front. It appears Wilson will pickup the first down easily.

Tight end Eric Martin can't make the block on his man...

And the defneder blows up what should be an easy 7+ yards in the backfield.

A great play call poorly executed.

3rd and 4 at VT 10 — Logan Thomas pass incomplete to Chris Drager, broken up by Matt Daniels.

In this situation I wouldn't have minded seeing a zone read option to ensure the clock keeps moving, but it's nothing I'm riled up over.

Logan targets Drager behind the sticks.

Even if he catches it he's not getting the first down.

4th and 4 at VT 10 — Michael Branthover punts for 36 yards.

PUNTS, PUNTS, PUNTS, EVERYBODY!

My point is this. This offense isn't the same one that we all choked down and couldn't digest the last seven seasons. We're doing the things everyone, including myself (especially myself), have bitched, moaned and groaned for us to do. We're spreading the field, running the option (and a whole mess of new plays off of it) with the big athletic quarterback and speedy running back, we're rolling the quarterback outside of the pocket, calling screens and throwing over the middle more. Most of all, we're adapting. We are not lining up in the I, or Ace all afternoon and just banging our head against the wall running the ball until we're bloody and lying on the floor. When players don't execute, no offense is going to look good.

Logan didn't have a spectacular game. Obviously. He had some terrible lapses in the passing game as well as some misreads on the option. But he always looks so damn calm in the pocket, which makes me relax and believe he's going to make a throw. I love watching him stand like a statue in the pocket and just huzz the rock down the field. That Tebow-ish jump pass for his lone touchdown requires a lot more skill than what looks to be necessary.

The defense gave up 326 yards, but took advantage of four turnovers and limited Duke to ten points; bend, but don't break (and thank the football Gods for missed field goals). The injuries to Gayle and Hosley really concern me. Gayle said after the game his ankle was 80%, he has two Thursdays to nurse it back to full strength. The backup defensive ends don't hold their gaps well at all and were getting pushed out of position all afternoon. Jayron wasn't All-American Jayron today. Like most of you, I have to believe his hammy is still bothering him. He did fine covering the underneath routes, the passes in front of him. However, he couldn't catch up to the receivers and play the deep balls behind him. Eddie Whitley couldn't get it going today either. He was out position in coverage, missed a couple of wide open tackles and had an insanely stupid personal foul. He's a better player than that. I'm ecstatic Barquell locked up the game. I only saw him struggle a couple of times, most notably trying to move laterally to cover the back coming of the backfield.

This season's special teams are the worst that I can remember them being in a long while. Someone else might have to get near the Frankinator's kickers because right now the coaching is absent.

Why are most of us either pissed, depressed or aggravated about today's game? Personally, I'm worried that we'll play this bad of a game against Georgia Tech, or Carolina, or God help us Virginia. It's like I'm pretending we do that, then reacting to it accordingly. Realistically, we're not going to come out flat against those teams. They're not Duke. I have to believe we'll get rested up, stew over over this abyssal performance and look to atone against the Bees.

It's Georgia Tech week(s), act accordingly.