If you're not getting better, then you are getting worse.
The Hokies were not able to use the Austin Peay game to build depth and rest some beat up players, and I think that three football games in 13 days really caught up to the Tech, especially the rough nature of the Georgia Tech game.
At the same time, this was a beat down of the worst kind. Clemson, Stanford, LSU, and Alabama had terrific football teams. I can't recall feeling this frustrated over a loss since Boston College on Thursday night a few years ago. Every concern raised here over the past two weeks was exposed in a drastic fashion. We knew the offense was not explosive. In order to be successful their execution had to be outstanding to sustain long drives. Yet on every critical play, one mistake—either blocking, reading a block, flub on a route, or horrid decision making/mechanics by the quarterback—derailed the play. Defensively, we knew that the secondary was one bruised shoulder away from being a disaster, and we saw that scenario play out in macabre fashion.
What we didn't expect, and perhaps most troubling, is the degree to which Pitt used Bud Foster's tendencies against him to completely outmatch the defensive front seven. As we will discuss in more depth below, Pitt ran variations of the same running play almost 50% of their snaps. The play allowed the Hokies to slant to the whip side, as if stopping a zone stretch play, and Pitt's tackle and H-back would seal the defensive end and the backer inside, forcing the Hokie safeties into one-on-one open field tackles against two outstanding running backs.
Foster failed to adjust, and repeated 7-12 yard gashing runs by Graham and Shell completely neutralized the Hokie pass rush. The lack of pass rush exposed the Hokies defensive backs, who were outmatched in their first real challenging situation of the season.
Schemes aside, this team lacks dynamic playmakers on both sides of the ball. Yet, their best athlete on defense (Ronny Vandyke) isn't getting playing time. Offensively, you have a Shell clone in Trey Edmunds sitting back in Blacksburg, while the tailbacks getting playing time don't produce. Matt Arkema replaced the injured David Wang, and had several awful busts in the 3rd quarter on basic running plays that derailed the Hokies attempt to come back. However, Laurence Gibson only saw playing time on the extra point team. I can not fathom why the Hokie staff can not get their best talent on the field, especially when these players can address their weaknesses.
My positives are few and far between The special teams looked better, Brent Benedict played really well, and Ronny Vandyke showed a glimpse of the special talent he put on display in the fall scrimmages. James Gayle played a nasty game and should have drawn a half dozen holding penalties, and Luther Maddy gave Pitt fits. However, he lost his gap discipline more than I would have liked.
Now, it's time to shout a bit.
Offense
Identity
Again, what is this team's offensive identity? Well, last year that was a tough question to answer. This season, we have one definitive answer. THEY ARE NOT BULLIES. With the exception of the off-tackle short yardage play that I highlight below in my offensive line review, and the Scales veer dive, there was not a single downhill running play called. Everything involved a counter step, a delay, some finesse, and it backfired. For whatever faults they had in the past, against weaker teams the Hokies dominated the line of scrimmage. The east-west nature of the running game has even neutralized that natural aggressiveness.
The need for an aggressive, downhill running game with a workhorse back is palpable. Against Pitt, the Hokies needed a 20-25 carry a game back to come in after the first two Pitt scores and get 5 or 6 big first downs and let the defense settle in. Darren Evans essentially won the game against NC State by coming in and getting 4-7 yards a carry on a long drive to the end zone. The workhorse back is the great equalizer that prevents teams from gaining momentum. Even the coaching staff admits, through their distribution of carries, that none of the running backs who dressed in Pittsburgh are guys that they trust to win the game. Meanwhile, Pitt rode their true freshman, despite having an all Big East back return as a starter. It must be nice to have a 6-2, 215 pound stud freshman running back to grind up an opposing defense. Oh wait, Tech does, but he is sitting in a dorm in Blacksburg. Anyone that watched the two scrimmages in fall camp knows that Trey Edmunds and Rushel Shell are mirror images in ability, style, and power. Nevertheless, Edmunds sits, and the other guys fumble and run into the backs of blockers.
I have spent a significant amount of time on this site defending the offensive coaching staff, but this game made it clear that this staff does not know how to effectively run the spread/pistol offense. Three days in Texas does not teach you the feel for play calling, the techniques for blocking, or the pace needed to be effective. Instead, it produces a mess. We can all see the big things. Let me share with you a subtle thing that drives me bonkers.
Early in the first quarter, the Hokies ran a nice jet sweep to Marcus Davis. Davis ran from his flanker spot outside of the left hash mark, took the handoff in the center of the field, swept around the right end, and finished with a seven yard gain just inbounds on the right sideline. He was hit hard in the legs and ran nearly 30 yards to get 7 and a first down. On the very next play, Thomas goes play action, stares down Davis, and throws a 30-plus yard bomb to him.
Let's think about this. Davis has one major weakness, getting separation on deep balls. He had just ran almost 30 yards on the previous play, and he took a hard shot low on his legs. If the plays are scripted, why do you run him on a sweep the play before running him deep on a one-man route? If they are calling the play on the fly, shouldn't you be paying more attention to the flow of the game and come back to Roberts, perhaps with Davis running the jet sweep motion again to draw a safety up?
These are the little things which good play callers understand. Yes, they have to change things to break tendencies. But, they also must have a feel for the game, use the defense's tendencies against them, and know when to take chances. Instead, the Hokies staff looked like a lady at the black jack table yelling “hit me” on 20. It was a mess.
Logan Thomas
How did Jordan Jefferson kidnap Logan Thomas and wear his uniform? I have been a huge proponent of Logan, but he has regressed significantly. Pitt again exposed Logan's inability to see the blitz by anticipating the snap count and moving as soon as Logan looks at the center. Logan's mechanics were so off that sometimes he was throwing with a huge windup and finishing with his right leg kicked up like a flamingo. Other times, his back was arched way back and he was getting no push off his right leg, causing throws to float high. He again struggled with the read option. He made at least three glaring errors reading the option man, getting his back crushed for a significant loss. I don't know if the changes in offensive philosophy have messed up his footwork, but my eyes tell me that he has something wrong with his right ankle, hamstring, or knee. The lack of push off on his throws is glaring, and most of his runs look tentative. Last year, Logan was a bull in a china shop. This year he looks like he doesn't want to break the china. Let's take a look at some examples of these problems.
Logan's Mechanics
The Hokies are driving after a third-and-Logan sneak for 10 yards. Logan overthrows a deep out pattern, clearing Corey Fuller by several yards for an easy Pitt interception. What happened?
11:05–11:11
Logan feels some pressure in his face. If you freeze the shot at 11:07, all of Logan's weight is on his back foot. He then short-arms his release. He fails to drive down through the back of the football, causing the ball to drift high. Everything about this play is lackadaisical. He fakes the handoff to the wrong side (or Scales was lined up wrong and Logan didn't notice). His weight is on his back foot right up to the end of his throwing motion. And, he failed to finish because of the pressure. For a deep pass, this is a relatively easy throw for any NFL caliber quarterback.
Ah, but perhaps the pressure prevented the follow through (which shouldn't be a great excuse for someone with his talent, but let's excuse that throw). Rewind to the first quarter.
2:01–2:07
Above, Logan runs a waggle to his right. This time he has no pressure, but his weight again is on his back foot (his knee almost looks like it is going to buckle), his back is bent backwards, and he has an elongated wind up before the throw. He throws it well over Fuller's head on a curl route.
Again, later in the first, Thomas runs play action and throws deep to Davis.
3:38–3:43
Again, he has all day to throw, but his weight is on his back foot, and he bails out on the follow through. Here we have the same thing on this deep throw to Knowles in the third quarter.
14:53–14:59
Somewhere along the way, Logan's mechanics have been completely messed up. I am not sure if it as result of the new offensive scheme. I am not sure if it is a byproduct of the lack of cohesion with the receivers. I just don't know what has happened to a guy who I was so high on last year.
Logan Reacting to the blitz
Here, the Hokies are near the goal line after a nice drive. On third-and-three, Pitt blitzes the safety and their middle linebacker.
8:38–8:49
Again, the blitzers do not move until Logan looks at the center's back, then immediately the safety and linebacker start to move towards the line. Logan must improve this tell.
Thomas fails to see the late blitz movement and doesn't audible or change the protection. The back (Scales) goes to the right flat on a pass route. Becton takes the outside blitzing safety, leaving Wang one-on-two against the blitzing linebacker and the stunting defensive end. Wang picks the linebacker, and the end sacks Thomas. Still, the first fundamental of a hot read against the blitz is that the soft spot in coverage is the area where the blitz came from. Corey Fuller is wide open, right at the first down marker, right where the safety vacated. Yet, Logan is looking right, which tells me he still has no idea that a blitz is coming. The lack of awareness and vision is stunning for a quarterback who played as well as Logan did last year.
Offensive Line
There were serious struggles with blocking fundamentals, especially from the left side of the offensive line. I believe this stems again from the multiple sets of blocking styles (zone and man) that require different techniques.
Let's examine a simple off tackle running play from the I-formation ran in the first quarter.
On this play (which is the Hokies bread and butter goal line play), the right tackle and tight end block down and double-team the 3-technique defensive tackle. The tight end then rolls off the defensive tackle when his pads are turned and moves down to the middle linebacker. The right guard pulls and kicks out the end, and the fullback leads through on the corner. The center, left guard, and left tackle all reach block the gap to their right, cutting off back side pursuit.
The Hokies have the perfect play called, as Pitt has over shifted to the twin receiver side. However, Pitt's defensive line strategy was to read reach blocking on the back side of the play, shoot the inside gap, and try to close off the slow developing plays from the back side. Both the back side end and the 1-technique tackle shoot the gap to the inside, blowing up the play as Holmes reaches the hole.
3:45–3:52
Poor fundamentals wreck this play. Let's start with Nick Becton. The defensive end starts out on his outside shoulder, yet at the snap, the end completely crosses Becton's face. Becton's first step should be hard inside, getting his head and left shoulder inside the path of the end. If the end is still getting across his face, he should cut him. This should be an easy block, as Becton has a good angle at the snap. But, instead of taking a sharp first step and getting his head past the slanting end, Becton stands up out of his stance without taking any kind of step. The end turns Becton's pads, takes a great angle, and meets Holmes right in the middle of the running lane. This is inexcusable for a fifth year senior.
I've been hard on David Wang, but I think that offensive line coaching and a communication failure let him down here. A guard reach blocking a 1-technique is the second most difficult block for any offensive lineman, especially if that nose is shooting the center-guard gap. Given the play call, an experienced center should call a “roll it” block.
How does a roll-it block work? As the center sees the alignment, he would make a verbal call to the left guard. At the snap, the center would block back on the 1-technique tackle, because he has a much better angle, he is in the path of the nose to the running lane. The guard then pulls around behind the center and tries to cut off the back side linebacker.
It seems simple doesn't it? Yet, after watching the film for the three games this season, I did not see VT run a back side roll-it a single time. In my experience, it is a basic tenant of any Pro/I offense. The lack of it being incorporated is either a huge failure in teaching by Curt Newsome, or this is a major communication error by Andrew Miller. When coupled with the poor fundamentals on reach blocks by both Becton and Wang, a play that should go for a huge gain turns into a loss. This happened far too often.
And Laurence Gibson can't play; The Matt Arkema file
19:44–19:47
Watch Arkema at left guard. It would be funny, except, it put the Hokies in second-and-long on the absolutely critical drive following Exum's interception.
Running Back or alternatively, "WHY TREY EDMUNDS SHOULD BE THE STARTING RUNNING BACK FOR THIS FOOTBALL TEAM."
I like Michael Holmes, but these backs are not explosive enough to make mistakes. The coaching staff pretty much admits that none of the four backs are dependable because none of them get enough carries to get into any kind of a rhythm. Coleman isn't an every down option right now because he can't break tackles. Holmes goes from aggressive to tentative in a matter of snaps. Either you see each back failing to make the correct cut to hit the hole, or they are way too easy to tackle. Here are two terrific examples of the lack of explosiveness that go beyond the fumbles issues we have seen.
The Hokies get a stop and get the ball back with enough time to gain some momentum. After a nice first down by Randall Dunn and a powerful 9-yard run by Thomas, the Hokies run pistol and give to Scales on the veer dive on second-and-one.
10:51–10:55
Scales gets the handoff, and darts towards the line. The linebacker is there to fill, but it should still be enough of a gain to get a first down. Yet, their only power back stops and dances in the hole. Are you kidding me? Scales (who looked good on the previous drive) has to get that first down.
Later, the Hokies go for broke on a fourth-and-one on a critical drive to get back into the game. The Hokies again run their off tackle power to the right.
15:42–15:49
Brent Benedict has an outstanding kick out block again, just like against Austin Peay. The right side of the line caves in the left side of the Pitt defense, although Martin loses his feet and the Pitt DE sheds him. Phillips then misses the block on the safety flying forward. Now, I understand that Phillips and Martin have both failed to execute on this play. Still, there is a large bubble in the defense, and Holmes ends up mano-y-mano with a Pitt defender, and the Pitt defender wins.
Every football coach will tell you, in short yardage, there will always be one defensive player that you can't account for, and your running back must beat him, either by running over him or making him miss. I don't have a doubt in my mind that Trey Edmunds gets that first down. I have a mountain of video evidence that none of the four backs that traveled to Pittsburgh could get that first down. Ultimately, that is very discouraging.
Defense
Defensive Front Seven
I think we can all agree that the most disappointing aspect of the game Saturday was to seeing the defensive line just get manhandled by the Pitt o-line. The Hokies struggled at the point of attack, but the biggest problem was the back side gap control of the defensive ends and outside linebackers. Often, the back side tackle for Pitt would allow the trailing defensive end to get just inside, and then the tackle would seal him inside. The Pitt backs would cut back and get up field quickly. The problems were compounded by horrendous run support by the Hokie defensive backs. Here is a great example from the first quarter.
4:22–4:28
All the blocking on this play looks like a zone run to the left. The Pitt o-line all zone blocks left. If you freeze at the 4:24 mark, you can see Tyrel Wilson and Bruce Taylor have both over-pursued to the right, giving the Pitt left tackle and guard great angles to seal off Wilson and Taylor. Rushel Shell (wow, it must be nice to have a 6-2 215 stud true freshman running back. Oh wait...) runs on the path of an interior zone run, but he plants his left foot and cuts back into the space vacated by Wilson. Meanwhile, Exum doesn't seem very eager to fly in and fill the gap on top of allowing the Pitt receiver to get to Jarrett for a block. Pitt outsmarted and out-muscled the defense upfront, and the Hokie defensive backs did a poor job of run support. This theme repeated itself throughout the day.
Two plays later, from a slightly different formation, Pitt runs the same play back to the left.
4:48–4:54
Again, the end (Corey Marshall) pursues inside and this time Pitt uses the fullback to seal him. Both middle backers are moving to the left, and Jarrett is slow to come up because he has man responsibility on the slot receiver. If you freeze at 4:49, Taylor (who had a horrible game) has been sealed inside and Marshall has effectively been trapped inside by the fullback. Jarrett and Fuller are both there, but Fuller just got his shoulder dinged on the prior play and seems to have no interest in tackling, and Jarrett takes a poor angle. A 4-5 yard run turns into a 10-yard play. Pitt clearly saw this tendency by the Hokie ends to over-pursue the play side gap, and they schemed to take advantage.
Pitt kept right on coming with the same play in the second half.
13:11–13:16
Here, J.R. Collins is collapsed inside and Taylor is blocked down inside. Cole comes up to make the play. Next play, same thing again, with Cole being forced to fly up and fill that outside gap. As the game wore on, Pitt focused more and more on attacking away from the whip side, taking advantage of Taylor at backer.
Even when Tyler moved to backer, the Hokies couldn't make the adjustment. Here in the fourth quarter Pitt comes right back with the same play, trapping Collins and Tyler inside leaving a huge seam for Shell.
20:08–20:13
It doesn't help when Exum can't shake off his block to make a tackle.
Nevertheless, the Hokies couldn't adjust because Pitt also had success running straight ahead. Every defensive end struggled, but Corey Marshall gets completely fooled on the snap count, and Kyle Fuller hurts his shoulder coming up in support.
4:40–4:47
For a guy I have lauded as a potential superstar, this is absolutely pitiful by Marshall.
Pitt took advantage of every weakness that I have raised on the Bench, especially against the linebackers. Bruce Taylor repeatedly was sealed inside and failed to get off blocks. Tyler was rendered ineffective by down blocks, just like the Clemson game. And JGW had struggles in coverage, but at least he was effective enough when Pitt ran right at him, Most of Pitt's running game was focused on staying away from the whip and stud end side.
Pitt also preyed upon the linebackers immobility in man coverage against their check down receivers. The Hokie blitzes were completely ineffective, and while they were wasted running into Pitt blockers, there was no underneath zone help for the safeties. Bruce Taylor struggled in space, and looks like a shadow of the linebacker we saw early last year. Foster did not help him by putting him in man situations. Both Tyler and Taylor looked awful on the Graham touchdown reception.
16:46–16:53
On this play, Pitt takes the boundary corner inside via man coverage with the H-back running a skinny post. Taylor has Graham in the right flat, but because Exum has been pulled inside by the skinny post Taylor has no help if the back turns up. Pitt ran this play earlier in the game and Taylor was not athletic enough to cover Graham when he turned up, but Sunseri had a bad under throw when pressured. Sunseri came back to it, and Taylor wasn't even close to being athletic enough to turn and run with Graham. He looked like Barquell Rivers, and that isn't a compliment. To compound things, Tyler also got sucked deep on a deep interior route, vacating his short zone. Pitt ran a wide receiver drag back side, and if Sunseri had chosen not to throw to Graham, the Pitt WR was wide open right across the middle for at least a 10-yard gain. It looked like amateur hour.
When your defense lacks athleticism, size, and playmakers, against both the rush and those big guys running seam routes, how can you not have Ronny Vandyke in the game somewhere? He could have been on the field at rover, or replaced Taylor on passing downs at backer. They needed him on Saturday, and for reasons I can't understand, they didn't use him, even after he handed them 6 points on his punt return block.
Secondary
The game plan against the secondary over the last 4-5 years has been simple. Get the safeties in man coverage and put big bodies against them. I wish I understood Coach Gray's technique. For as long as I can remember, in man coverage, the DB's allow the opponent to get closer to their cushion than just about any other college program before they turn and run with the receiver. I am guessing that the logic is that the deep throw to a streaking receiver is a much lower percentage throw, and it allows the DB's to attack underneath routes. A bad side effect is that the DB's have to turn their back to the quarterback and run to catch up. I think all of us can remember plenty of times when a Hokie DB has looked flat-flooted, and either fails to catch up, or catches up but the receiver makes the catch before the DB sees the ball.
Tech sells out on a blitz, and Jarrett is on an island, gets beaten, and then turns, runs, and doesn't turn around to find the ball.
10:07–10:14
Luckily for Jarrett, the Pitt receiver doesn't make the play.
However, this scene repeated itself all game long, with every DB being victimized.
4:40–4:47
Bonner is caught flat footed when the slot receiver runs too close to his cushion and is easily beaten for a touchdown. Bonner has to be quicker in shifting to his backpedal when the receiver is threatening his cushion.
With young, inexperienced guys, you expect major growing pains. Foster's insistence on blitzing the whip, which forces the two slower linebackers into coverage, exposes the young guys, compounding their mistakes. I think we need to accept the fact that this secondary is going to have major issues all season, and without the pass rush to force mistakes, they will look even worse.
No one looks worse on film than Antone Exum. After watching him during fall camp, I expected some struggles with coverage, but I never expected him to lose his natural aggressiveness and ability to tackle in run support. Exum was dreadful on Saturday, often either failing to break down and make a solid tackle, but sometimes even failing to make an effort to get in on a play.
Exum is at safety, comes up in run support, and whiffs on Graham.
6:14–6:20
Exum coverage and tackle fail. This needs no commentary.
11:53–12:00
Exum gets beaten on a simple flag route by Mike Shanahan.
22:18–22:24
Exum was the hardest hitter on the defense last year, and had sideline-to-sideline range at safety. Now, he looks like he is scared to crack an eggshell. What is going on? He became more aggressive as the game went on, but for him to be beaten so badly by a tall, slow receiver on that late touchdown really makes you worry about Sammy Watkins in a few weeks. Yikes.
If there is any good news, it is that most of these problems are correctable. The Hokies are still in prime position to win the Coastal Division, and I have seen enough positives to think that this team can still run the table, although without a healthy Kyle Fuller it will take some major improvement. I think the Brent Benedict needs to be an every down player, and that the staff needs to figure out a way to get more playmakers on the field. Edmunds would make them a better offense. Vandyke (at whip, rover, or maybe even backer), and perhaps Dadi Nicolas makes them a more dangerous defense, even if they make mistakes. The talent they do have certainly can be utilized more effectively.
Here is to hoping that this week was an aberration, but everyone in that locker room, including the staff, needs to use the next two games to find an identity and correct these mistakes, or this ACC season could be one huge disappointment.
Comments
"Multiple" gripes....
I wish our offense had an identity. Too many different things going on on offense. Here is the old saying "He who is a jack of all trades is a master of none". I yearn for the old power run/ play action days.
problem is that our FB stinks
Going back to "power" formations usually means having a FB in the game. When was the last time Philips actually blocked someone on a running play? Our tight ends play Ole' more than our OL does. I don't think that adds up to a team capable of power running.
Last year we were doing rather well with Ace, Ace 3-WR, Shotgun 3WR and Shotgun 4WR. But for some reason we're going away from that. And what happened to the shotgun read option? that should be our bread and butter that's run 15-20 times per game.
The announcers on TV regularly mention how the opposing coaches talk about how hard it is to prepare for our offense. Well that might be the case if our offense could execute. Instead they're muddled up by 15 formations and contrasting philosophies.
Sadly, I can give a counter point to each of those solutions.
The shotgun read option has not been working because Logan has repeatedly made the wrong reads. I think that he has looked to hand off even though it is the wrong read because his leg is dinged up.
Phillips actually played well against GT and Peay, but he didn't have many shining moments against Pitt. Eric Martin really struggled.
The differences between zone blocking and man blocking shows itself on the OL. If they run a power play that should be man blocked, and they come off the ball zone blocking, defenders who are trying to get up field will be successful because the angle and head position of the blocker allows them to go upfield. It happens again and again, most often on goal line.
O'Cain should be having Logan watch film of NC State when he had Phillip Rivers as QB. O'Cain understands that offense, and it fits the talent that they have. The pistol only works if Logan is a dangerous runner. Right now, for whatever reason, he isn't, therefore the defense can key on the backs and the backs are not good enough to win that battle.
can't argue with any of that
I just wish we'd give the inverted zone read option more time - in practice and in-game. Our RB's aren't good enough / established enough to go strictly on designed runs.
Thomas as the inside option, and Coleman as the outside option. And heck, run a faux-options with the ball just going to JCC - the defense will still have to respect Thomas up the middle.
Disappointing
Thanks French for the review of yet another annual dud game from our squad. I feel like this sort of showing is totally predictable and somewhat of an annual tradition unfortunately.
To gain credibility we need consistency, and we just don't ever get it. Not that anyone probably thought this was a "great team", but it seems like same old story, just another year... Hokies simply don't show up for a game. Who could argue that this isn't a yearly trend? In my opinion this speaks directly to coaching and the staff's ability to get our team prepared and coached up for every game throughout the season. We seem to lack mental focus and toughness that the big boys of college football build around.
This loss will probably get everyone fired up and we will come out strong over the next few games and have a "nice" season, but I wish that for once we could show up week in and week out for an entire season. It would make a loss so much easier to swallow.
Thanks
I know you hear this a lot French, but thank you for that in-depth analysis of the game. I couldn't figure out what went wrong, especially on defense, and you provided the insight I could not even begin to describe.
All that being said, do you have any idea why RVD and Edmunds aren't taking the field? I assume its for separate reasons since RVD dresses and Edmunds does not, but given everything you said, the fact that we neither enough to make a mark, leaves me lost. Especially given that coleman does dress and the two are at the same seniority level (thus eliminating the standard "seniority" argument).
Everyone here is hoping we fix everything by UNC, but I'm hoping we fix a lot of this by UC. But that's for reasons that only involve me and a bet I may or may not have made in the offseason with my girlfriend.
Thanks again sir.
With Van Dyke, I am not sure. In scrimmages, JGW was always blitzing or zone on the slot receivers. Van Dyke played the slot in man, pressed, every play, and I can only recall him being beaten once (on a post by Corey Fuller where RVD looked a bunch like Bonner for the 2nd Pitt TD, but Logan threw incomplete to Davis on the corner.) JGW has played well, but to me, with so much weakness in the secondary, RVD fills a need much better.
With Edmunds, your guess is as good as mine. He is much more in the mold of their traditional back, but more of an inside runner. He is nimble, but he has an upfield burst to go with his power. He looked very similar to Shell in running style and size. I thought initially that he must have struggled with the pistol/gun stuff or in pass protection, but in the 2nd scrimmage he got chances to pick up blitzes and he rocked guys. (He knocked Matt Roth out of the scrimmage with one shot.) It can't be because of experience, because Coleman and Holmes don't have that much more. I would figure that they would take a kid like Edmunds, with an NFL pedigree and a polished background, and get him on the field as much as possible, because he will either be in the NFL in 2 years OR he will transfer in 2 years. They played Wilson with two backs that are MUCH better than Holmes and Coleman in front of him in 2010 without the redshirt. Why do this with Edmunds when he can fill such a glaring need.
Trey Edmunds
Are the coaches saving these players for next year and writing this year off? ( I know that doesnt make sense but remember these are the same coaches that tried to redshirt Tyrod Taylor and play Sean Glennon as starter for two years.) Note: I could be wrong on that but I am 80% certain they burned his red shirt in the LSU game and then burned it again after another horrible season opener.
We would be a lot better in 2013...
....if Edmunds and RVD were playing right now.
I'd heard
I believe I read a quote from one of the coaches somewhere (Bitter's blog?) that Edmunds wasn't ready yet, had good flashes and bad mistakes, or something to that effect. Basically being a true freshman (without the advantage of spring practice like JC). But I am starting to think he needs that shirt pulled, reliable or not, and he'll learn on the job. Our run game has been pitiful. The guys we've got in there now aren't tearing it up, so... Unless Holmes/JC/Scales have a great week in practice I hope we see that shirt come off next week. He should dress for BG regardless, unless he's just not practicing well.
All good but the elephant in the room is that the team just wasn't ready to play. Marcus Davis was quoted by Andy Bitter saying they "took Pitt lightly". This happens every year on every team with different players and only one constant- the coaches. If they can't get they team focused and motivated they're failing.
Sadly, a 5th year senior's job is to make sure everyone plays at 100% all the time. A locker room has to police itself. This comment speaks volumes as to why a guy with Marcus Davis's measurables has not started until this year.
I agree that the players should self police, but could you imagine Vince Lombardi walking around practice thinking, "I don't need to motivate these guys, they should just do it themselves". Of course not, in fact he's known as a guy who got more out of his players than they even knew they had.
This principle is epsecially true in college, where you're literally dealing with kids. And say what you will about Marcus Davis, but this has been happening consistently since long before he got to Blacksburg. In fact Beamer himself admitted that he was not getting kids prepared for bowl games a few years ago and changed his routine. Unfortunately the problem isn't confined to bowls. I can't see how the coaches don't take responsibility here.
exactly French
The coaches need to be making sure the players are jacked in, absolutely, but there is no excuse for a 5th year senior not being jacked in regardless of what the coaches do or don't do. I can't believe Davis said that.
Great analysis as always. This team was horrible in pretty much every phase of the game. At least we have a consistent punter. Yes, Kyshoen's big return brought a moment of cheer but can't make up for the fact that everybody looked out of place the whole game. FOUR in a row to Pitt? That is unacceptable.
Great Analysis
Love these posts. I think it is safe to say the whole team was just off. Foster will figure something out. The offense is something I have no confidence in. We are no longer the tough physical team but we are not finesse either. Caught in the middle somewhere - LOST
With all the criticism heaped on Newsome (and I myself have been vocal in criticizing him) we have never tried basing our offensive scheme/philosophy on one Blocking scheme (whichever he feels he can best teach his current talent and building on what that blocking scheme allows.
The highest complement I can pay you, French, is that through reading your work you have made me realize that for all the attention the skill position players get, offensive success in any scheme or system is predicated on efficiency and effectiveness of the offensive line.
We have asked Curt Newsome to do the impossible and criticize him when he can't. He might well be a horrible offensive line coach, but I can't be certain because we've never once put him in a position to succeed. He learned OL coaching at JMU. JMU runs a spread option. So what do we do? We ask him to produce lines that can block a power I rushing game. But we're also going to throw some shotgun spread in there. And some Ace. Oh, and a jumbo Ace package too. And here comes the Pistol. Block for it all, would you?
The reason the line has sucked under Stinespring isn't because of the line coach, it's because no line coach in the country could block for this Frankenstein's monster of an offensive system. The lines Grimes produced for Rickey Bustle were not great lines. But they knew how to block in the power I and they knew how to do a decent job at pass pro when we had a quarterback we trusted to win a game with his arm. We kept it simple and the line produced.
Now as for real world application, I know you are a power rushing enthusiast, French, but this line is undeniably strongest at pass pro. Despite the early struggles of Logan Thomas, he's the biggest play maker we have on offense and it's dreadfully apparent that we have no feature back to lean on unless Frank is willing to burn Edmunds' redshirt and endure the two fumbles a game that will come during his adjustment to the college game. In light of this, the only adjustment I can see working is abandoning the power run game and basing the run on jet sweeps, counters, and draws and using WR screens and quick slants to augment the run game. I know the thought of it makes you cringe, but do you think based on the performance of the line and the tailbacks through three games there's a better adjustment to be made?
East-West Offense
But as French noted it in his post, this is essentially what we already have. Almost all of our runs this season are slow to develop, and go left/right before moving up the field. O'cainspring have called very few running plays that attack the line of scrimmage.
Within the philosophy of the offense they're trying to run, two plays would help us attack between the tackles better, one we run often, but fail at, the other I haven't seen all season. Logan misreading the zone read not only puts the running back in a position to fail, but it leaves the middle of the defense untouched. He needs to read that play better, more often than not it seems like he hands it off when he should keep. Where is the designed QB blast/iso, or QB power? Eliminate the read and just have the big quarterback get physical and churn out yards between the tackles.
In a perfect world, the pistol should bridge the gap between the spread plays, and traditional runs (zones, powers, etc...). If executed and schemed properly, it should allow the tailback to hit any gap, extremely quickly. Read this for a more detailed analysis: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Deconstructi.... However, by my eyes, we are using the pistol as just a formation, not part of the greater offensive philosophy. It's another puzzel piece from a different box that Beamer Co. is trying to fit in.
Ultimately, I think sweeps, counters, and draws are all important as compliments to well executed rushing attack. However, I do not want our base offense to be one that constantly moves parallel to the line of scrimmage, it's counter-intuitive.
Full disclosure, I don't want it either. I'm just trying to be practical about what this collection of players on offense can realistically be expected to do this season, and so far I've seen nothing that says we can be reliably successful running up the middle 25 times a game.
If we resist abandoning the power run game simply because we've always been a power running team, even when we don't have the horses to run it, then we're guilty of exactly what we criticize Beamer and Stinespring for doing.
We pass protect so, so much better than we run block. And so far as I can tell, our best athletes are at wideout, not tailback. If we have to rely on the Stinescreen and the quick slant instead of the tailback iso to get five yards then so be it. I'm in favor of doing whatever we have to do to be effective on offense, even if it's something we've never done before.
I'd rather be Oregon than Alabama if our roster is better suited to be Oregon.
Regarding the pistol, there was one play against Pitt where we shifted before the snap from Pistol to Shotgun. How did we do this? The tailback moved from behind LT to beside him. LT did not move at all. We keep him lined up the same distance behind the line in both formations, and that's just wrong. Having LT six yards behind scrimmage in the pistol is eliminating all of the formation's quick play potential.
Then again, are we really shocked that we're mishandling how we utilize this latest wrinkle added to the offense?
Great Post
I have been thinking about this for the last two days and I wonder if making changes to the coaching staff could help the team. It seems like we have alot of older coaches, no offense to anyone reading this post, who have been coaching in the ACC as assistants or Head Coaches and who at one point were successful but maybe dont have the time or can't for whatever reason pick up all the concepts of a newer offense. (I know this is echoing what was said above). I would like to see fresh blood on the O side of things especially, not saying this wouldnt be with out risk, but I look at Clemson, Stanford, and Oregon (not saying we need that Offense just an example) where offenses were changed very successfully. I am aware of places where that didnt work out aka Michigan. I just think we are going to die a slow death with this multiple offense with no full commitment to any one philosophy. Side note I wonder how that affects our recruiting.
I want the Hokies to be the 1976 Raiders. Power running behind beast offensive lines. Stretching the field with deep passing. Bad-ass pass rush and a secondary that makes you pay every time you catch a ball. The Hokies of the mid-90's made me a fan, and that was their modus operandi. Wins and losses aside, I want to see the Hokies be the bully, not be the trickster. Ultimately, the trickster still gets beat up.
Sharing that dream
In my limited viewing of college football it seems that offenses and defenses go through cycles...triple option, wish bone, spread, air raid, 4-4, 4-3, 3-4, 3-3-5 etc. Seems like the power offense is coming back because defenses have had to become smaller and faster to handle the spread offenses. Seeing Stanford's success, yes I know they had a number draft pick qb the last couple of years, makes me think that the coaches could recruit and run that system pretty well but they would need to bring in at least an OC that knew how to run that offense very well.
To do that we have to compete with the SEC in recruiting, because that's where ALL the bullies are going to school. We can do it, but we have to up our recruiting budget and enlarge our recruiting footprint. And I don't see Frank or Jim Weaver pushing to do either of those things.
Trickster is cheaper. And at the end of the day this whole thing is still a financial endeavor.
to tag along
"Yet, Logan is looking right..." Not right enough. Scales probably could have waltzed into the endzone. Though I'd have been happy with Fuller picking up the first down, which was an easier read/throw. Frustrating.
"giving the Pitt left tackle and guard great angles to seal off Wilson and Taylor". I think you mean FB and LT. And their FB sealed our DE overpursuing inside on the next example as well. Was this a theme for the day? At least they didn't throw it... Exum left his responsibility completely uncovered on the outside. I have to think seeing that distracted Fuller into overrunning the play. He should have cut up much sooner, but he was probably thinking about how he could get all the way outside to take that wide open receiver.
"Cole comes up to make the play" and is in great position to do so, making the TB pause... but then decides he needs to be responsible for the outside (which Exum had) as well, and fights back directly into the block. Exum has to cut back over to get the tackle.
"It doesn't help when Exum can't shake off his block to make a tackle." He has looked terrible at this all year. He's ok in space, but when he's got a man next to him he has no idea what to do. It's not like the WRs are throwing good blocks on him or anything. He has the size and strength to go through/around them with what they're doing. He needs to move back to FS or rover.
pause at 4:41 and see Taylor directly behind Tyler. Both caught too far inside from where they should be at that point.
"how can you not have Ronny Vandyke in the game somewhere?" Excellent question. And it should be apparent at this point that neither Taylor nor Tyler is the answer at backer. Heard a suggestion that we should try JGW at backer, and put RVD in at whip. Sounds good to me. What do you think, French?
got the wrong video linked for the Bonner example.
Why doesn't Exum bump the WR on that TD? Don't let him just run by you. As for "really makes you worry about Sammy Watkins in a few weeks"... I wonder if Exum will still be playing corner at that point. That experiment may be over.
how did Manning look to you?
Good article as always
So if Logan really is hurt, what do we know about Leal at this point? Not that I think we would actually pull him unless he goes down and can't get up.
Also, I'm sorry if I missed it if you said this, but what do you think about the season Dyrell is having so far? To the uneducated me watching the game with a beer in my hand, it seems like we need to try to get the ball to him more often.
Looking at the positives, I think the special teams are playing better than I expected at this point. AJ Hughes has really impressed me so far. Also, I have to believe Bud will get the defense back to where they need to be. I would not want to be in practice with him this week.
Regarding LT and injury...
...there was a scrimmage where he was pulled because of a sore arm. I wonder if that sore arm (was it actually referred to as 'dead arm'?) has led to some of him mechanical issue?
It looks like a combination
Something in the right leg and maybe the right arm. If he is afraid to run and can't throw correctly it will affect confidence. Fear and doubt would cause him to make the wrong reads to avoid contact or the harder throw. Result is inaffective offense.
Listening to the radio it sounded like there were a lot of dropped passes. Was this the case? Did Tech fail to convert many 3rd downs or stall drives due to this?
Credit to Pitt for an offensive scheme that tied up our front line and backers. Bud didn't adjust and couldn't do much since the base defense relies on aggressiveness. Pitt used that aggressiveness against them. On many of the running plays it looks like a rugby scrum. Why can't our O line block like that?
I don't remember a lot of dropped passes
One big one by Malleck on a 3rd and 5 when it was cut to an 11 point lead. Drops were about the only problem we didn't have a problem with in this game.
Fearful
As always, superb job French. Generally your write-ups make me feel a bit better about the team as a whole. However, after reading this masterpiece, I find no comfort in the days to come. I'm hoping that we figure out things like over-pursuing, losing contain, and that ever-important aspect of football called "tackling". Evidently, Foster didn't get to the chapter dedicated to tackling in the official VT playbook yet, so for any members of the team out there that may be reading this, let me catch you up to speed:
1. Break down
2. Drive THROUGH the intended target
3. --And this one's kinda important-- WRAP THE FUCK UP!!
That's it! That's how it's done! It's amazing that a defensive unit that was touted by Coach Foster as potentially the greatest to ever play at Tech doesn't understand basic tackling form. Well, let me back up, maybe they understand how to tackle, but they sure as shit didn't display it on Saturday.
Here's my defensive shit-list for this game:
1. Exum - Liability in coverage, pathetic in tackling, and absolutely lackadaisical.
2. GW - Sir, what the fuck are you doing with your time here?
3. Taylor- You have lost your killer instinct, which was your best asset 1year ago.
Bright spot of the weekend...I went to the Eagles game and it was amazing. Only thing that kept me from sulking until next Saturday.
I've seen VT play poorly and loose to good teams. I've seen them play good and loose to great teams. I've seen one side of the ball play god awful football only to have the other side come in and save the day against all kinds of teams. But I can't remember a game where we played so effin' terrible that we made a team that had looked to be one of the worst in D1-A look like MNC contenders. (As a note, I didn't get to watch JMU and I just can't seem to remember the Temple game for good reason.)
I am not buying into the bounce back mode this time. At least when we lost to JMU, I knew we looked pretty darn good against Boise who, say what you will, was one of the better teams in the country. This time we looked okay against GT, below Mediocre against AP and abysmal against the Pitt. How am I supposed to believe we will bounce back after regressing for the 3rd straight game!
We obviously have a major issue at RB that I don't think can be solved this year. I know alot of people here want to see Edmunds, but asking a true frosh to come in and save the day seems a bit ridiculous to me. Can he help? Maybe, but I don't think throwing that kid into the fire is the answer. As someone stated above, our best athletes are at wideout this year. Between our version of Randy Moss (aka Marcus Davis), DR, Corey and Demitri, we have to get the ball in these guys hands. Not to mention we have some very good receiving TE (where's George^2 these days? I just miss hearing his name) that can make plays. I really wish instead of trying to plug in another running back as the media tries to convince us VT can do every year, that we try to utilize talent where we have it and RB is not the spot for it this year. In no way am I saying that MH and JC won't be good backs for us, but they are not there yet and I expected Shane to be able to see that. This does not give the line a pass as they have to help these guys out as well. As french has pointed out, they appear to be lazy and that comes back to coaching all the way from Beamer down to Newsome. Get your shit together guys! As for Logan, I have no idea what happened but the Jefferson comparison is valid. His regression, (there's that word again) is startling. I don't know if his San Diego trip screwed up his form (he better get a damn refund if so) if O'Cain did it (he better get demoted or fired if so) but this is not the QB of last year. I am curious if they have told him to try to be a pocket passer to help his draft stock, and that is making him tentative in the zone read plays. Either way, please find the Delorean and bring back my LT from last year!
D wise, I am very disappointed in our lack of adjustment at halftime even though it wouldn't have mattered. Many games in the past we have gotten it handed to us in the 1st half only to have Bud make adjustments and get it turned around in the 2nd half but we made the same mistakes all game long, over-pursuing and what I felt was loss of gap assignment. Poor tackling is not an adjustment though and that was abundant all day long and I feel that that is laziness again.
Our teams need to realize that they are not as good as everyone says they are. I wish to god we would be unranked every year, because when that used to be the case, we came out with fire and proved we belonged. Now we belong and we are proving we don't.
I'm disappointed more than I ever have been in our team. Can we turn it around? It's possible, but we have to get our head out of our ass and prove we are a big boy school instead of assuming it by birthright.
Sorry for the wall of text and what is probably a jumble of ludicrous thoughts, my anger just spilled out for bit. I'm not going to reread it so it probably makes little sense but I've had this bottled up since Saturday afternoon and just had my release. If it's any consolation, I feel better now.
I'm missing
X, Vinnie, KJ, Bruce Smith, and Jim Pyne....(heavy sigh)
WVU 2003
Last time I felt like this DURING a game. I still get pissed and lament past losses while looking back, but this one definitely reminded me of Quincy Wilson running for 178 yards...I flinched everytime the ball was handed off to him. I can handle LSU giving it to us, near misses by Boise St and Mich, valiant fights against future Champions like USC (Auburn after vacating wins?) and Bama, I can even handle flat games against JMU...
...but a 2-4 WVU team manhandling us, that was painful to watch and so was this.
French, do you really think we can still run the table? FSU looks like they are on a mission. I know it's silly to predict at this point but your comment surprised me.
Also, is there any possibility of Edmunds playing this year after the coaches come to their senses?
According to Beamer, he won't play and the coaches are going to reevaluate the running back situation this week.
#RVD4THEFIELD
So they are reevaluating, but not considering playing Edmunds?
yea didn't get that either
Joe, he said a week ago (after 2 games) that he was redshirting...did he reaffirm this recently after the Pitt game?
Yes, at today's press conference I believe.
Sounds like it yes. Sad to say that i didn't get that many looks at edmunds on the fall practice tape ... french: i gather you think that edmunds could come in and be more effective day 1 than anyone else that we've seen? or do you think with our woes at OL that it will even matter that much?
I say burn his shirt. We've got Drew Harris coming next season, at least one the season after (probably two) .. hell -- we may even get Derrick Green (he may not be so worried about the depth chart at this point). We need an effective RB now
Based on what I saw, Edmunds would have been my opening day starter, and I would have put the shirt on Coleman because he is the only other one they could have put a shirt on. Holmes would be my 2.
Harris looks like a faster Evans. Upright runner, one cut and go guy. But, on his film, nobody touches him, so I have no idea if he will be great or not. Plus, he isn't in the program yet. Remember, LeSean McCoy was supposed to come to VT and didn't qualify, and Todd Nolen never did get into the program either. You never know.
there was a time
When David Wilson was more effective than RMFW when they shared carries, and I don't believe he is the better back by a long shot. Speed to the hole.
Not the same circumstances here, but goshblamit I wish we were not so dogmatic all the time..."thou shalt redshirt because of ball control issues and lack of experience in pass-protection blocking." We redhsirted RMFW, and he left after 2 years. What was the point.
With Logan off...
possibly due to injury, he cannot reliably get the ball to the receivers. With a lack of a running game, partly due to blocking and partly due to RB talent, the O will struggle. Need Beamerball and the D to step up or else we are going 7-5.
Most teams make their biggest improvements from week 2 to 3. In this case Pitt did that but VT didn't. I think fatigue and injuries at keys spots may be a factor.
Pitt was technically week two for us. Just saying.
Time to Call Out Shane Beamer
Of course, Shane Beamer is a great recruiter. He's probably the best that VT has ever seen. But, my question is, can he coach, and why is he coaching the RBs.
Shane Beamer was a long snapper and wide receiver in college. Shane has never coached RBs before and never even worked with them as a graduate assistant. He has a heckuva ton of experience coaching special teams and has spent some time with DBs, but never RBs. In fact, according to the HokieSports bio (http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/beamer.s.html), he has only been a graduate assistant on the offensive side for 1 year, working with QBs and WR of Georgia Tech.
But my issues are with the way the RBs are running and his comments. It is clear each of the 4 RBs are not running well, and it is clear their mechanics aren't very good either. It seems, every time they make contact, they stop moving their feet (see the Scales video above) which is a sure-fire way to get tackled backwards. Likewise, they lack the vision and are always working left and right, instead of up-field. Maybe this is why:
French, what was your most negative comment about David Wilson? If I remember right, it was the fact that he never just took the 2 yd gain when it wasn't there. Ran east, west, or even south, but never north. It's obvious, Shane Beamer believes that putting more effort running towards the sidelines is a better way to get a first down.
This quote also disturbs me, although I'm not sure it is his "offense." However, I think he was highly involved in bringing the new "innovative" pistol offense, which has been ineffective thus far.
I really like Shane and I love what he's doing on the recruiting trail. But, I am currently finding myself questioning the RB situation at VT, which I never have in my ~13 or so years of being an avid VT football fan.
Could just be the players, but ya
Since he took over the RB's have seemingly been less effective at short yardage. First DMFW and his Quest for the Edge. Now we've got a converted FB and two freshmen that Shane has to coach up. It's not surprising there's a drop off in coaching, when you go from 30 years experience to 1. Now on the other hand, Billy Hite was quoted as saying he coaches his RB's up until they touch the ball and he doesn't tell them what to do after getting the hand off. Of course there's more to it than that, but after 30 years as an RB coach he's probably forgotten more than Shane has ever learned about the subject. And with that long a track record it was easier to see what was coaching and what was player limitations.
(Shane was RB coach for Mississippi State in 2006)
I wonder what Hite's role actually is...
...I'm sure he has some job description that defines him as not a "coach", but he sure as hell still looks like the RB's coach to me.
I'm surprised that uva or the like hasn't made a huge stink about this. Basically, it looks like we have an extra coach on our staff than everyone else (unless everyone else is also supplying "coaches" with these administrative type positions.)
I don't want to over-simplify the running back position but other than making the right read, hitting the right hole, and picking up a blitz, it's not the most technical or complicated position in the world. i think our lack of success has more to do with the running backs and the oline than coaching. obviously, teaching a rb patience, how to hold on to the ball, how to read/follow blocks, etc .. are coaching points but a lot of the position is athleticism, more than most positions. it's one of the least heady positions
- scales lacks speed, athleticism, and stamina
- jc lacks size, size, size, and vision (because of his size)
- holmes could be a GOOD back but he's really indecisive .. he's not a total bruiser or speedster. he seems to be a north-south runner when he decides to hit a hole.
and let's be realistic .. tony gregory is not in the equation so shane beamer need not even include him in the equation.
scales is a short yardage back. he doesn't have the speed or the hands to be anything else.
jc, at this point, is not an every down back (and may never be). he should be used at a scat-back and we need to get him opportunities in the open field. with the way our oline is blocking, he doesn't have a chance back there
that leaves holmes -- he's our best option in a uniform. he needs to be getting 20 touches a game so that he can start getting into a rhythm. this running-back by committee approach is all good when your committee is 2-3 every down studs (like evans, williams, wilson) .. we don't have that (this year).
Bruce Taylor
Watching the game I saw a lot of bad things from Bruce Taylor and thought he looked big and slow... to the point that I went and looked up his listed weight in previous years to see if he had gained (he hadn't).
One of my non-VT friends really put into words how bad Bruce looked in space though. He saw a highlight of the Pitt TD on the HB Wheel Route and asked me why we were trying to cover their back with a Defensive End.
Dreadful to watch
If you watch closely after a poor throw or breakdown in coverage or even missed tackles. The players were looking at each other with disgust and arguing with each other. This was hard to watch. I am reasonable and wasn't expecting an undefeated season but I wasn't expecting underachieving and blaming others for their mistakes after they just made their own mistake. Just dreadful to watch. I am hoping for improvement and getting some of our young playmakers some snaps.