So full disclosure, I was only able to find one ~3 minute highlight tape from Conference USA on Youtube about this team's game with FCS Monmouth. I figured I would at least offer some names to watch and the few tidbits I was able to draw from a very small sample size. Feel free to share anything you might know about MTSU as well.
A familiar face at QB:
Bailey Hockman, former NC State QB who started against VT last year in lieu of their preferred (and current starting) QB Devin Leary, who through multiple bouts with contract tracing missed crucial camp time last August/Sept. Hockman transferred to MTSU after starting several games for NC State in 2020 posting markedly mediocre stats (2088 yds, 7.8 ypa, 13-11 TD-INT).
Some potential Playmakers:
Freshman WR Jaylin Lane (no. 83, 5-8, 174) - Had a punt return TD in addition to leading team with 91 rec yards and a TD.
CJ Windham (no. 81, 6-2, 212) and DJ England-Chisolm (no. 7, 5-7, 150) accounted for 7 catches, 88 yards and the other 2 TD receptions.
It's difficult to decipher who their preferred options are on the ground. They ran the ball 34 times for 96 yards, with eleven different players receiving a carry, with nobody getting more than 7 carries. Chaton Mobley (no. 44, 6-1, 232) did get a rushing TD on a wildcat play, perhaps something to note there.
Lines of Scrimmage:
Their OL consists mostly of players of normal FBS size, but they allowed the Monmouth defense to play in the backfield regularly. I am expecting our DL to create pressure and make plays in the backfield.
Their DL is mostly 6'2-6'4 and the ends are mostly 230-250ish, and the interior is mostly 260-285ish. So decent length but not a ton of beef in the middle. Nobody listed over 300lbs on the DL.
Highlights from their first game:
Comments
Thank you. Very helpful. Makes me think how much fun Foerensics would have been for a team where announcers call them "Middle."
Speaking of "Foe"rensics, is TheFifthFuller still doing that? I was hoping for one today since MTSU is an opponent we've never played before.
I didn't wanna say anything but I'd kind of noticed that too
It was a foe-rensics - don't remember which one, that pushed me from viewing to registering and commenting.
I thought I remember TFF saying he wasn't going to do them any more after a certain point? Either last season or the year before. But I could be talking out of my ass.
Well, shit. We should crowd source one.
Those types of blocks like by No. 31 at 1:03-ish of the highlights will always make me chuckle
Trying not to get the block in the back
Didn't know where else to put this but here is the uniforms for this game.
hokiesports photo gallery of uniform reveal
While I'm glad we've gotten away from the tacky military appreciation unis, it seems like a big whiff to go straight white out this year.
I know it won't happen, but it'd be cool if Tayvion and Barno were captains for the coin toss
I'm actually kind of upset that the American flag logo is not present on the helmet....
There's a small-ish one on the back
Our helmets look like a NASCAR...could we have anymore stuff on them?
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but i do love fig newtons.
How many must win games does Coach Fuente have this year? This is certainly one. Surely cannot afford to lose this one.
No worries, I am sure our wonderful ad who himself just got extended has another ridiculous extension with a huge buyout lined up after the heels upset
You're getting DV'd for tone and timing, but comments like yours are still warranted if you ask me.
Pulling the "upset" of UNC was and is awesome. But VT football always plays its best as an underdog with nothing to lose. Like, nearly for always. For nearly as long, it's the Furmans/Rhode Islands/MTSUs/etc of the world that the team comes out flat for. I won't go super far back because who got time for that, but damn near every "cupcake" game in 2019 was still a game up into the second half, and I don't need to speak on 2018.
Want to change the narrative? Want to stop comments like these? Want to win over a few more Beard hairs?
Come out and bury MTSU today. Just bury them. Play consistently good football. Playing with the same intensity as UNC is a big ask, but it's what good teams do. Turtle before halftime, make all the headscratching runs into the strength of the defense you want, I don't care. Just execute. Give me a reason to have the faith Whit has. Give me something to continue to believe in.
update: would've felt a lot better if the first 30 minutes were more like the last 30, but Fam
This is a 5⭐ comment right here
Agreed. Bury them.
I agree, the thing I want to see most from this game is a dominant first half performance from the ones to the tune of 28+. Avoid the hangover, take care of business like we should against a team like MTSU. I'd like to see the 2's run the real offense in the 2nd, but that's secondary to the first half dominance I want to see.
I agree. And I definitely agree that "upset" is a very loose term here. Imo, you can't relaly have an upset until the middle to later parts of a season once teams have established themselves. There are obvious expectations such as playing a team like Bama or OSU that clearly has a big edge. But not so much against teams like UNC or recent FSU.
Thank you for throwing this together, Chris, it is much appreciated
Its Gameday boys! LETS GO!!!!!!
HOKIES!!!
My score prediction: 42-3
This would be an extremely satisfactory result.
That's what I strive for :)