But kind of what I expected tonight. The score wasn't indicative of how close the game was.
The hope is that Wells trusts the offensive line enough to actually scan the entire field before throwing. He missed a lot of reads tonight and left a lot on the table. The OL pass pro was great but god-awful in the run game. The run defense was not good.
That being said, there is positive momentum again. WRs look like the strength of our team. Pass Pro was great. The adjustment I would love to see Bowen make is spreading out the WR splits (taking advantage of Wells' arm strength), going into 3-4 WR sets, and forcing defenses to defend sideline to sideline. Maybe it'll open up the middle of the field for the RBs to run between the tackles.
Purdue looks very winnable, Fresno State's QB shredded their secondary tonight. Very realistic we can be over .500 coming into FSU.
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I'm happy with the win, once we settled in, we started to control the game and we made it look easy in the second half.
But I am worried about QB. Wells has the accuracy and consistency of a sawed off shotgun. Anything over 5 yards and who knows where the throw is going. If he was able to hit an open guy last night we hang 50 on them. Against the rest of our schedule, it'll completely derail what we are trying to do offensively.
But, the scheme is there. We are getting players open and the plays are there to be made. You can see what we are trying to do, and you can see that it should be able to work, so there is absolutely reason for a lot of hope going forward.
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I mean that, too. But there were a few times where he had time and a pocket and just flat out missed the target.
That said, I'm also worried about defensive, and especially defensive pursuit. We overplayed every single read option they ran. If I'm Purdue, I'm running the RPO on every play next week until we can prove we can stop it.
Which, again, it's nice we can talk about this after a 20 point win.
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FAM! A lot of focus on the negative in the game thread, but Wells threw 3 TDS and no picks. Our WR looked like weapons and we have a back that can churn out a few yards.
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FAM!!! Over 30 points for the first time for Pry. Rahne complaining the entire game like he's a 5 year old that can't have chicken nuggets for every meal.
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Hate to be DC here but, we obviously upgraded some positions in the off season and ODU obviously downgraded theirs.
On paper we should've throttled them.
They say the biggest improvement is from week one to week two; let's hope that's true.
Now I gotta go sleep off this half bottle of 101.
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It was a busy day I am winding down. Went bowling and too the pool. I found a pimento cheese sandwich at a Greek restaurant. So it was good. Lots of anxiety with everyone, trying to get one of the girls to open up more.
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Good luck there - my experience with my kids is they'll need to see it before they do it. You'll need to be an open book and constantly learning who they are. Pulling for you, adoption is a whole different game but I believe all kids really need is love and security. The rest works itself out.
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Also, gotta say I appreciate that post game interview. Shout out to all the fans, admin, and local high school coaches from Pry. Also pointed out they have a lot to work on and gotta get the run game fixed. He says all the right things, I really want him to succeed.
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I feel like Keller and Lawson were missing their gap fits all damn night. Which is why I think Johnson saw so much playing time. But I'm no expert, so 🤷♂️.
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I didn't see a ton of it, but what I saw in the 4th was actual routes that had recievers open over the middle, and Wells hit them with some consistency! Our run blocking looked bad. We can't defend the option. We can attack on defense when we need too. Lots of guys on the line looked to play with a good motor. There is sone work on defense but I liked watching them play.
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It's a win and that's good. Time to embrace the air raid until the O-Line figures out how to run block. The place settings at Wyatt Teller's intergalactic house of pancakes are getting a bit dusty
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We don't sustain momentum without them. Seems like for the last several years our defense always gives up long drives for scores every time we start clicking on offense. Nice to see the ball bounce our way a few times.
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Joe came so close to buy rounds for undergrads. Going to enjoy each game as it comes this year. Seeing sacks, passing TD'S, a safety, INT and almost taking a punt to the house was beautiful to see. Now to see it in person next weekend.
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My biggest gripe on this game? The fans. At the opening during Enter Sandman every kid has their phone out and then they leave at halftime. The second half student side was 1/3 empty. I just don't remember that happening "back in my day." Man I feel old even offering up this take...
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We just haven't fielded an entertaining football team lately. The current undergrads go for Sandman and if we don't maintain their buzz quickly they are out. Winning will bring them back.
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It was terrible. Wes Durham needed to shut up. IIRC they kept the shot on the booth up with them talking over the team coming through the tunnel and until the song started. The only person to ever do that well was Chris Fowler.
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It was very full. My wife and I were there and we went to the wrong section by accident. We got stuck in the tunnel leading out to the student section (33) when Sandman started. It could have been an ugly situation. It was so packed with kids we couldn't move. I thought we were gonna get pushed down the stairs at one point. As a drunk undergrad, I would have thought it was lit. As a 46 year old, I felt a little different.
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Well, I am old and have been offering the same take now since I first commented on The Key Play. I hate the fact that cell phones even work in Lane, but I've heard all the reasons so many of you want that instant and unbreakeable connection, so I'm sure nobody cares what I think. Things are different today. My game days were spent watching the game and talking to my buddies I was sitting with and getting to know some of the folks sitting around us. That ain't the case anymore. HANG UP AND CHEER FOR YOUR TEAM!!! Plenty of time to play with your phone other than those three hours or so a few days a year.
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I do jut what you said but with the eternal "official timeouts" and the huge video scoreboard not always -or in yesterday's case I think NEVER-showing scores of other games, I get curious about other scores games. Also though I don't do this, for those who want to have their messages on the board during those segments they show fan stuff , you need service to do so.
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For me, it isn't the time during the game, but the time before/after.
You try to meet up with somebody before or after the game and you can't make it work bc you can't get a text out for 6 hours. You can't take a phone call to explain to someone new where you're parked. You can't call that buddy who's running late to the tailgate and make him grab some more ice, napkins, cups, etc.
Or, you want to meet up with somebody at half time and you can't coordinate.
And the last part, I can deal with all of the above, but sometimes you can't convince people to join bc they know they'll be without service for half the day. Suppose they have a wife who is pregnant and need to be able to be reached in an emergency, for example.
The bottom line is its 2023 and the fact that we're still having this issue is pretty embarrassing.
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Exactly which is why it was so surprising but exciting that I DID have service for most of this game; now I hope that wasn't an accident but (dare we hope)- a new norm? We shall see this upcoming Saturday!
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Yeah, yeah, I get it. Your wife's pregnant or your kid's sick, or your dog's dying...all good reasons to stay in touch, but also good reasons not to attend the game.
As for hooking up with your buddies, the before and after thing doesn't impact in the stadium behavior. I truly wonder how we were able to manage such things "back in the day" and still have a great time during the game.
I had a business that took my clients out of touch for several hours at a time. After cell phones became ubiquitous, I noticed folks were coming with possible emergencies hanging over their heads. One guy was so worried about his wife he didn't enjoy a moment of the experience and kinda ruined it for his partner, especially once he realized that while I could shorten the float somewhat by rolling up the rods and bending to the oars for the takeout, he was not going to be able to just pop into his car if his wife goes into labor halfway through the day.
I guess I'm saying that while cell phones giveth, they also taketh away. I don't care to be contactable any and everywhere I am, and if things are dire enough for me to believe I need to be, I won't go. Again, this is just me and my old man's frustration with how annoying people's addiction to the little box can be to those around them.
No matter though, I'm not going to change anyone's mind, and for the record, I do own a cell, but unless I'm traveling now that pay phones are about gone, it isn't going to be in my pocket. I didn't carry a phone on the river at first, and then just a tracphone I never had to use, but once everybody had 'em, I didn't even bother to pack it since my clients always did. Their smart phones came in handy one time, I'll admit, when we tracked a big thunderstorm and its approach to the river, enabling us to shelter for a bit longer and stay dry. Once, in ten years. Otherwise, they were a distraction that I had to ask my clients to curb while on the water.
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The cell phone use in general certainly doesn't bother me, although I have been put off by loud and self-important conversations in what I consider inappropriate circumstances. I also get irritated by even my friends and their incessant need to piddle and play with their phone when in a social setting. It's rude, and I don't need to accept that it is not. Need I mention the times I've sat behind an idiot on their phone at a green light waiting for them to hang up and freakin' drive, already? People at nice restaurants taking pictures of their food and texting and talking on their phones while dining with friends. This OK with you? I don't care unless I'm unlucky enough to be at the next table, does that mean I am to just get over it?
Of course, not everyone is so rude, but rudeness is increasing in my opinion, as cells are seen now as a basic human right and more important than more traditional ways of being together. To that point, the students at VT events being more interested in a little screen than in the actual reason to be there in the first place.
Old and in the Way, but not going totally quietly, I guess.
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I hear you on all that. And I actually share some of the same sentiments. I'm fine being without my phone. In some ways, for me personally, it is good, because not having service forces me to put it down and not be available to clients 24/7. I actually enjoy disconnecting.
But I think we have to look at this from a societal norm perspective. Like it or not. In that respect, it is so frustrating when you try to explain tailgate location, in-game meetup spots, and all this stuff to others ahead of time, and they just say "I'll just text you." Then you have to have the awkward "well, actually..." conversation.
And at least for me, it is not just limited to in-stadium. Maybe it's better this year (I wasn't able to go to ODU), but I routinely have trouble with service from the moment I get to our tailgate on Southgate Drive. So, if it is a 3:30pm game, that means I'm pretty much unavailable from 10am to 7pm.
The other thing that is frustrating is you have to download all the playlists beforehand because you can't get enough bandwith to stream music. Sure, I can do it. But it is a hassle. It's 2023. Nearly anywhere else on the planet (even out in the country) we can just fire up the tunes and get rockin. I used to love telling friends "hey man, you're playing DJ for the tailgate tomorrow," which was fine when everyone had an iPod. But now, you can't do that without explaining that they need spend their entire Friday night downloading everything on their phone because they won't be able to stream Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, Amazon, etc. Or, you just do it yourself. It is an added step that shouldn't exist. I know I'm not the only one that feels this way.
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Exactly! (though only 1 and 3 for me lol). I DO agree it should be intermittent use f screens while in group of people(pay attention mostly to the -person in FRONT of you rather than the person/things off in the ether).
I am SO hoping the great service I had for last week's game was NOT a fluke but the new normal....BUTTTT I won't hold my breath ; proof in the pudding this Saturday!
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FAM! We're not world beaters, but this team looks like they've made progress from last year, and I will absolutely take it. Tuten isn't going down on first contact, Jennings looked legit, Lane looked legit, Holloway almost broke another return for td, and we didn't shoot ourselves in the foot. I will sleep well after that.
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FAMtabuloius win last night. A couple of glaring items that has the most impact:
1. LB gap discipline, over pursuit, and lack of patience (staying home just a little bit longer) was our D's Achilles Heel for ODU's run game. When the LB's would "hold their position" for a split second before acting, the run was stopped. Meaning, small gain (3 yards tops) or LOS tackle. Way too many times the LB's got lost in the trenches scrum and left the second level wide open AF. This seems to be a recurring theme for the last 5-6 years that I can recall.
2. There has to be a QB coach that can teach Wells finesse. The guy seeks to think he has to missile the ball so effing hard each and every time (almost every time). There were three TD's that didn't happen b/c of how he throws. Open receivers, red zone passing should covert on those plays at this level of football. To be fair, let's call it 2/3, so 14pts left off the board.
3. Like last year, why not have play calls under center? I would like to see more roll routes to receivers (specifically TE's). I would love to throw in a little play action from time to time. I would like to see a RB actually moving downhill when taking the handoff occasionally vs from a stand still.
4. Throw down field more.
5. Don't run the ball up the middle like, ALWAYS.
6. Great Pass D
7. Delighted to see decent Pass Pro for the QB
Overall, for the first time in I don't know how long, we saw a team improve in the second half. It used to be if we don't win in the first half it's probably over. Wells did improve, but I would like to see Drones be the starter for an entire game to see what he does.
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I hear ya. Quite aware. Just saying. I would like to see it brought back on occasion. Throw in a wrinkle. I like the days of under center and understand modern football is from the shotgun. My vice....I'm sentimental.
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I had a great time watching, and got plowed enough in the process most of it will be new to me when I get a chance to re-watch. It felt like Hokie football! FAM.
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I loved that play too, that call was set up from using the same play a few times earlier in the game. Changing Gosnell from blocking to faking the block and releasing for the pass was perfection.
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That right there makes me hopefully for Bowen. That's what has been missing for it feels like 20 years, those set up plays, thinking about the game as a campaign and not individual plays. Taking a 3 yard play in the 2nd quarter to have a 20 yard play in the 4th.
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I'll add one then. From a scheme standpoint I hate trying to stretch the field horizontally we're not fast enough on the outside and those plays can turn into massive losses instead of opening up the field vertically.
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Entry to the stadium with the new metal detectors went smoother than I'd feared. Lines moved quickly and steadily at gate 1-fastest I've ever gotten in the stadium (other than that rain game where it started late due to lightning about 5 years ago- we stood right outside of the gate for that cause I was too drunk to walk back to the parking lot so we were in the first 100 people in the stands when they finally opened the gates)
IDK if changes were made but we had wifi signal for the whole game- I was able to text out pics, check ESPN for scores AND my son even did a Facetime video call during a timeout! Hope that is a sign of good things to come.
We were able to use all the fireworks for the entrance, the scores, and postgame without it feeling like we has to fire some off for little successes like recent years!
Loved that on the one score later on, Skipper fired before the refs actually signaled TD when there was a flag and all of us thought it was an illegal formation call to negate the TD catch but turned out to have been offsides.
Crowd noise was great all the way through the game despite the outflux of many students.
non-field stuff:
1) kick for cash guy nailed the field goal for $1000
2) props for doing the Margaritaville singalong in honor of Jimmy Buffett passing (RIP)
3) had hopes the video crew finally understood that it's not 'karaoke' if you don't put the words on the screen
but then they blew it later in the game and didn't the second time.
4) The contests/prize stuff was good for the most parts (esp the 'name as many flavors of ice cream in 20
seconds" one that the VT fan got 18 and then the VT player(can't remember who) quickly drew a blank
after naaing 3 or 4 and then guessed things like 'cookie monster', 'salt and vinegar', and 'mayonnaise'- IDK if
he just started guessing potato chip flavors instead but the crowd loved it - literally LOL. But the eat a slice
of pizza race was lame- the 'winner didn't even swallow half the stuff he put in his mouth-so not really an
'eating contest'.
5) For Shout' singalong video they had Frank open it up and Bud finish it-awesome!!
6) For that and MOST of the music/singalong stuff, the timing of starting it during timeouts was much
better than previous years b with the notable exceptions of some of the "get loud/noise stuff which they
would do with 1:30-2:00 still on the "official timeout timer" thus guaranteeing the crowd couldn't sustain
it- if you're gonna do it during timeouts- start it with 15-30 seconds before refs blow the whistle ready to
play so it's not wasted.
7) recognition of folks was topnotch- wrestling team, women's basketball team, etc.
8) concessions as usual ludicrously long lines -you'd think going cashless would help but NO.
Suggestion- return to having at least some roving walk around vendors in the stands- give them "Squares
or tap to pay readers if you don't wanna use cash but let me get a water, coke or popcorn from my seat
without missing 20 minutes of the game. Or (IF they've solved the wifi issue) let folks order with an
Ubereats type system- put in your order, payment info, and seat location /number. I never order anything
at the games because I'm not willing to spend 20-30 minutes i line to get it.
TLDR- the stadium experience was overall much better than recent post-Covid years but still fair room for improvements
to pay readers"
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Cashless is almost never faster if you have the prices correct for cash so thay change is easy. The touchless goes fast if you have a fast connection, but the chip (inserted) just takes a while.
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They need to switch to an app. I've used it at some concert venues like The Anthem in DC, but basically you open a tab in their app and buy drinks and food throughout the show/game, then you can just close out the tab whenever from your phone. It's always been pretty smooth in my experience and keeps the line moving.
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I give the film/video people major awards for the show on Saturday. They lost the hard drive with all the prepared materials on Thursday morning and had to start over. Only a couple glitches and missing words for Margaritaville (last minute addition due to Buffett dying).
Cash has always been faster than cashless, and we also no longer have people in the stands selling drinks. That also contributes to lines being longer.
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They lost the hard drive with all the prepared materials on Thursday morning and had to start over. Only a couple glitches and missing words for Margaritaville (last minute addition due to Buffett dying).
Thanks for this info- I agree then A grade (maybe A- for the review replays being a bit wonky)
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I haven't had a chance to watch the film footage, but did 26 actually commit targeting? They showed the other 4 reviews on the big screen but not that one?
Good win, Pry showed some humility by not ramming in that last touchdown as much as I wanted him to.
Defense really needs to step up in run defense or it is going to be a long season.
Go Hokies!
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Yeah he hit with the crown of his helmet. The one that doesn't make sense is the non-targeting call on the ODU linebacker. He used the crown just like all the other ones but somehow didn't get penalized for it. If they are going to make this a point of emphasis, then they need to be consistent with the calls.
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Pry showed some humility by not ramming in that last touchdown as much as I wanted him to.
Yeah, up until the post game handshake I thought the two coaches were friends. So I always would have expected that to have happened. Now he can really win our hearts by ramming in one last pointless TD against Narduzzi.
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Defense was concerning last night but I also feel we overcommitted to the pass rush which led to them gashing us up front with the run. I think a lot of that can be cleaned up in practice. You definitely see a lot more speed and athleticism but we need to be in position to make the tackle rather than getting washed out of the play constantly.
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Any of the hissy fits Rahne was throwing. There was also what appeared to be an argument between Rahne and Henderson (#42) on the sideline. I think it was in the 2nd quarter, they definitely were on offense at the time which made it more awkward.
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The entire sequence on that fumble. Can't remember which VT player pointed the wrong way, but he quickly realized his mistake. Air guitar follows seconds later.
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Did we have any penalties last night outside of the targetings? That was a super clean game, that should be one of the biggest takeaways in my opinion, big improvement there
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Believe there was one delay of game very late in the 4th quarter but yes a remarkable reduction in penalties - esp no false starts and no illegal formation ones.
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The delay of game was on the coaches, it seemed. Was surprising we didnt call a timeout since it was 2nd and goal from the 5 and then we ended up kicking a fg
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That was the type of performance I was hoping for from this team against ODU. Defense was not as polished as I thought it would be. Receivers and Tuten are as advertised. I expected us to be a 5-7 team before the season and that hasn't changed, which is good because if it had changed it would've changed down.
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The Great:
-Hokie Nation as always showing up 🦃
-No turnovers/turnover margin
-No false starts or stupid penalties in general
-2nd half Wells
-The transfer players balled. Jennings, Lane, APR and Tuten are gamers
-SACKSBURG
The Good:
-The playcalling. Outside of a few plays here and there generally I thought Bowen called a good game.
-We have the beginnings of an offensive identity
-Pass pro (generally)
-The defense swarming the ball carrier and not giving up on the play
The Bad:
-Offensive line run blocking was offensive
-Over pursuit on RPO type plays
-Linebacker play
-Missed opportunities on offense from poor accuracy (1st half Wells and periodically)
-Wells progressing off of his reads too early against probably the worst defense we play
-Wes Durham and Tim Hasselbeck
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at least the commentators were focused on the 2 teams playing.... controversial take, but the viewing experience on ACCN is better than the big networks that are playing to a wider audience the whole time and talking about anything but the game.
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Wasn't all bad. I appreciated Hasselbeck's frustration with the targeting issue, as well as his noticing Wells going through his progressions too quickly. My misery in those areas was enjoying the company.
But still. FAM.
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Out of curiosity what about Hasselback and Durham don't you like? I kind of like Hasselback a lot as a color guy, Durhams voice isn't the best but I think he generally does a good job play by play and isn't annoying
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Hasselback was alright I guess. He's not my favorite but better than some.
Durham to me feels like he's screaming sometimes; wouldn't shut up during Sandman and other times just had useless filler, more so then typical play by play.
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Yep. Little Docs had the graves at least since '70 when I returned to Blacksburg after the Army. My wife worked the lunch counter for 10 and 25 cent tips for a while.
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Thanks for the reminder of how old I am lol! Next you'll be telling me about traffic backups onto I-81 all the way from campus on 460 on move in days and graduation....
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I very much remember this phenomenon from the early 80's. You would have thought that Blacksburg was a massive metropolis from the hour-long wait to cover about ten miles. The Beamer Bypass was such a blessing.
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We only had four penalties, zero turnovers, we COVERED and were 50% on 3rd down! These were some of the most maligned things about last years team. There is a lot of football left to be played in this season, and I'm sure that 3rd% will go down against the meat of our schedule, but there is a lot to be satisfied with from last night's performance. The path back to where we want to be is long, but as of right now it appears we are moving in the right direction.
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Also per the post game stats, our average drive started on ODU's 49 yard line (mostly from turnovers and a 47+ yard punt average - hidden yardage for the win!
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Comments
Nice! Fam!
Lot of work to do... but a win is a win. We'll take them, as many as we can get.
FAM!
But kind of what I expected tonight. The score wasn't indicative of how close the game was.
The hope is that Wells trusts the offensive line enough to actually scan the entire field before throwing. He missed a lot of reads tonight and left a lot on the table. The OL pass pro was great but god-awful in the run game. The run defense was not good.
That being said, there is positive momentum again. WRs look like the strength of our team. Pass Pro was great. The adjustment I would love to see Bowen make is spreading out the WR splits (taking advantage of Wells' arm strength), going into 3-4 WR sets, and forcing defenses to defend sideline to sideline. Maybe it'll open up the middle of the field for the RBs to run between the tackles.
Purdue looks very winnable, Fresno State's QB shredded their secondary tonight. Very realistic we can be over .500 coming into FSU.
I'm happy with the win, once we settled in, we started to control the game and we made it look easy in the second half.
But I am worried about QB. Wells has the accuracy and consistency of a sawed off shotgun. Anything over 5 yards and who knows where the throw is going. If he was able to hit an open guy last night we hang 50 on them. Against the rest of our schedule, it'll completely derail what we are trying to do offensively.
But, the scheme is there. We are getting players open and the plays are there to be made. You can see what we are trying to do, and you can see that it should be able to work, so there is absolutely reason for a lot of hope going forward.
I'm much more worried about OL than qb
This is fair. They are both suboptimal
I mean that, too. But there were a few times where he had time and a pocket and just flat out missed the target.
That said, I'm also worried about defensive, and especially defensive pursuit. We overplayed every single read option they ran. If I'm Purdue, I'm running the RPO on every play next week until we can prove we can stop it.
Which, again, it's nice we can talk about this after a 20 point win.
I don't know if he just can't consistently throw the ball or he's seeing ghosts.
A start is a start FAM!
Let's Go! FAM!
Hokies! FAM!
WINNER WINNER TURKEY LEG DINNER
Broke 30 points fam!
We have work to do, but Pry has us moving in the right direction. FAM all and good night.
Fam! Better than last year because we won....
But damn... we have some serious work to do in order to get to 5 wins. This is not a good football team right now.
FAM! A lot of focus on the negative in the game thread, but Wells threw 3 TDS and no picks. Our WR looked like weapons and we have a back that can churn out a few yards.
Can't wait to see the film review. Many times it was as if Tuten had no offensive line in front of him at all.
And was only pressure on passinng downs a handful of times- no sacks!
FAMMMM ... WASNT PRETTY BUT THERE WAS FIGHT TO THE END
FAM!!! Over 30 points for the first time for Pry. Rahne complaining the entire game like he's a 5 year old that can't have chicken nuggets for every meal.
A win is a win!!
FAM!
But i'm scared
Second half was much improved...a win is a win so FAMMM! However we need to improve our running game.
Already off to a better start than last season FAM!!
I know this may not have been the 86 Bears, but 0 sacks allowed and only 3 TFL on 43 carries
Give credit to the RBs, they got hit at the LOS all night and still managed to get positive yardage.
FAM! LOST MY PARLAY BUT WILL GLADLY TAKE THE HOKIES COVERING FOR TKP
FAM! We won! Better start than last year. Enjoy each one, I know I will. We have lots of areas to improve on, but still, we won!
LET'S GO!!!
HOKIES!!!
149 push-ups and half a bottle of Kentucky Spirit. Tomorrow is gonna hurt FAM
Winning feels niiiiiice
Despite the flaws, We were noticeably better than last season. Maybe one game is anecdotal, but I think we're in a better place right now.
And we did the thing and scored more points than them.
FAM!!!
Hate to be DC here but, we obviously upgraded some positions in the off season and ODU obviously downgraded theirs.
On paper we should've throttled them.
They say the biggest improvement is from week one to week two; let's hope that's true.
Now I gotta go sleep off this half bottle of 101.
He said we had no chance to cover. So he was wrong. Don't be like him.
30pts and we beat the spread. Holy shit
And the over!
Good teams win, great teams (and the Hokies) cover. Also, shoutout to KingJames! If you read this, hope you had an awesome day, FAM!
It was a busy day I am winding down. Went bowling and too the pool. I found a pimento cheese sandwich at a Greek restaurant. So it was good. Lots of anxiety with everyone, trying to get one of the girls to open up more.
Good luck there - my experience with my kids is they'll need to see it before they do it. You'll need to be an open book and constantly learning who they are. Pulling for you, adoption is a whole different game but I believe all kids really need is love and security. The rest works itself out.
Always good to start the year with a VicTory! Keep working, boys. Lots of work to do but there's some hope.
Also, gotta say I appreciate that post game interview. Shout out to all the fans, admin, and local high school coaches from Pry. Also pointed out they have a lot to work on and gotta get the run game fixed. He says all the right things, I really want him to succeed.
Where the hell did Will Johnson at LB come from?
I feel like Keller and Lawson were missing their gap fits all damn night. Which is why I think Johnson saw so much playing time. But I'm no expert, so 🤷♂️.
I didn't see a ton of it, but what I saw in the 4th was actual routes that had recievers open over the middle, and Wells hit them with some consistency! Our run blocking looked bad. We can't defend the option. We can attack on defense when we need too. Lots of guys on the line looked to play with a good motor. There is sone work on defense but I liked watching them play.
Fam.
Gotta be happy with a win.
Plenty to improve on, but much more satisfying to be 1-0.
Go Hokies!
That wasn't soul-crushing or humiliating.
I could get used to this FAM!
Call me a pessimist but the ball bouncing our way really helped us a lotttt. Our defense has work to do.
Also NCAA has got to fix targeting asap.
Also.
FAM.
It's a win and that's good. Time to embrace the air raid until the O-Line figures out how to run block. The place settings at Wyatt Teller's intergalactic house of pancakes are getting a bit dusty
OL couldn't run block and DL couldn't stop the run, going to have to clean that up, but got the job done tonight.
I feel like some of that was just well timed reads, then again I've thought that for the last ten years watching mobile QBs carve up our defenses..
Every time I asked for a turnover, we got one. FAM
you should ask for more
We don't sustain momentum without them. Seems like for the last several years our defense always gives up long drives for scores every time we start clicking on offense. Nice to see the ball bounce our way a few times.
Statistically likely we would regress to the mean(positively) after last year's incredibly bad luck on recovering the ball.
Fam. 1-0 is undefeated!
FAM:
Great timing!
Joe came so close to buy rounds for undergrads. Going to enjoy each game as it comes this year. Seeing sacks, passing TD'S, a safety, INT and almost taking a punt to the house was beautiful to see. Now to see it in person next weekend.
Just sayin there's been a lot of talk about how lane is obviously the superior PR and Tucker's numbers are a "small sample size" but seriously guys.
I can't believe it didn't happen.
When that punt return opened into green field did your wife just look at you As you checked the bank account.
Thankfully she pays little attention to my internet shenanigans.
My biggest gripe on this game? The fans. At the opening during Enter Sandman every kid has their phone out and then they leave at halftime. The second half student side was 1/3 empty. I just don't remember that happening "back in my day." Man I feel old even offering up this take...
We just haven't fielded an entertaining football team lately. The current undergrads go for Sandman and if we don't maintain their buzz quickly they are out. Winning will bring them back.
I was thinking the same thing, just jump and be in the moment, that recording is going to suck if you are doing it right
Really on TV it looked pretty full.
Sounded full, too. Crowd noise seemed to be available when the team needed it.
It was terrible. Wes Durham needed to shut up. IIRC they kept the shot on the booth up with them talking over the team coming through the tunnel and until the song started. The only person to ever do that well was Chris Fowler.
It was very full. My wife and I were there and we went to the wrong section by accident. We got stuck in the tunnel leading out to the student section (33) when Sandman started. It could have been an ugly situation. It was so packed with kids we couldn't move. I thought we were gonna get pushed down the stairs at one point. As a drunk undergrad, I would have thought it was lit. As a 46 year old, I felt a little different.
Well, I am old and have been offering the same take now since I first commented on The Key Play. I hate the fact that cell phones even work in Lane, but I've heard all the reasons so many of you want that instant and unbreakeable connection, so I'm sure nobody cares what I think. Things are different today. My game days were spent watching the game and talking to my buddies I was sitting with and getting to know some of the folks sitting around us. That ain't the case anymore. HANG UP AND CHEER FOR YOUR TEAM!!! Plenty of time to play with your phone other than those three hours or so a few days a year.
I do jut what you said but with the eternal "official timeouts" and the huge video scoreboard not always -or in yesterday's case I think NEVER-showing scores of other games, I get curious about other scores games. Also though I don't do this, for those who want to have their messages on the board during those segments they show fan stuff , you need service to do so.
For me, it isn't the time during the game, but the time before/after.
You try to meet up with somebody before or after the game and you can't make it work bc you can't get a text out for 6 hours. You can't take a phone call to explain to someone new where you're parked. You can't call that buddy who's running late to the tailgate and make him grab some more ice, napkins, cups, etc.
Or, you want to meet up with somebody at half time and you can't coordinate.
And the last part, I can deal with all of the above, but sometimes you can't convince people to join bc they know they'll be without service for half the day. Suppose they have a wife who is pregnant and need to be able to be reached in an emergency, for example.
The bottom line is its 2023 and the fact that we're still having this issue is pretty embarrassing.
Exactly which is why it was so surprising but exciting that I DID have service for most of this game; now I hope that wasn't an accident but (dare we hope)- a new norm? We shall see this upcoming Saturday!
Yeah, yeah, I get it. Your wife's pregnant or your kid's sick, or your dog's dying...all good reasons to stay in touch, but also good reasons not to attend the game.
As for hooking up with your buddies, the before and after thing doesn't impact in the stadium behavior. I truly wonder how we were able to manage such things "back in the day" and still have a great time during the game.
I had a business that took my clients out of touch for several hours at a time. After cell phones became ubiquitous, I noticed folks were coming with possible emergencies hanging over their heads. One guy was so worried about his wife he didn't enjoy a moment of the experience and kinda ruined it for his partner, especially once he realized that while I could shorten the float somewhat by rolling up the rods and bending to the oars for the takeout, he was not going to be able to just pop into his car if his wife goes into labor halfway through the day.
I guess I'm saying that while cell phones giveth, they also taketh away. I don't care to be contactable any and everywhere I am, and if things are dire enough for me to believe I need to be, I won't go. Again, this is just me and my old man's frustration with how annoying people's addiction to the little box can be to those around them.
No matter though, I'm not going to change anyone's mind, and for the record, I do own a cell, but unless I'm traveling now that pay phones are about gone, it isn't going to be in my pocket. I didn't carry a phone on the river at first, and then just a tracphone I never had to use, but once everybody had 'em, I didn't even bother to pack it since my clients always did. Their smart phones came in handy one time, I'll admit, when we tracked a big thunderstorm and its approach to the river, enabling us to shelter for a bit longer and stay dry. Once, in ten years. Otherwise, they were a distraction that I had to ask my clients to curb while on the water.
I mean, if people being on their cellphone bothers you, you should definitely not go out in public in 2023.
The cell phone use in general certainly doesn't bother me, although I have been put off by loud and self-important conversations in what I consider inappropriate circumstances. I also get irritated by even my friends and their incessant need to piddle and play with their phone when in a social setting. It's rude, and I don't need to accept that it is not. Need I mention the times I've sat behind an idiot on their phone at a green light waiting for them to hang up and freakin' drive, already? People at nice restaurants taking pictures of their food and texting and talking on their phones while dining with friends. This OK with you? I don't care unless I'm unlucky enough to be at the next table, does that mean I am to just get over it?
Of course, not everyone is so rude, but rudeness is increasing in my opinion, as cells are seen now as a basic human right and more important than more traditional ways of being together. To that point, the students at VT events being more interested in a little screen than in the actual reason to be there in the first place.
Old and in the Way, but not going totally quietly, I guess.
I hear you on all that. And I actually share some of the same sentiments. I'm fine being without my phone. In some ways, for me personally, it is good, because not having service forces me to put it down and not be available to clients 24/7. I actually enjoy disconnecting.
But I think we have to look at this from a societal norm perspective. Like it or not. In that respect, it is so frustrating when you try to explain tailgate location, in-game meetup spots, and all this stuff to others ahead of time, and they just say "I'll just text you." Then you have to have the awkward "well, actually..." conversation.
And at least for me, it is not just limited to in-stadium. Maybe it's better this year (I wasn't able to go to ODU), but I routinely have trouble with service from the moment I get to our tailgate on Southgate Drive. So, if it is a 3:30pm game, that means I'm pretty much unavailable from 10am to 7pm.
The other thing that is frustrating is you have to download all the playlists beforehand because you can't get enough bandwith to stream music. Sure, I can do it. But it is a hassle. It's 2023. Nearly anywhere else on the planet (even out in the country) we can just fire up the tunes and get rockin. I used to love telling friends "hey man, you're playing DJ for the tailgate tomorrow," which was fine when everyone had an iPod. But now, you can't do that without explaining that they need spend their entire Friday night downloading everything on their phone because they won't be able to stream Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, Amazon, etc. Or, you just do it yourself. It is an added step that shouldn't exist. I know I'm not the only one that feels this way.
I like the connectivity for 3 reasons.
1) Emergencies personal and things like stadium evacuation notices or necessary announcements.
2) My parents can't travel and like to ask questions during the game and tailgate and get pictures of their granddaughters.
3) Scores of other games.
Exactly! (though only 1 and 3 for me lol). I DO agree it should be intermittent use f screens while in group of people(pay attention mostly to the -person in FRONT of you rather than the person/things off in the ether).
I am SO hoping the great service I had for last week's game was NOT a fluke but the new normal....BUTTTT I won't hold my breath ; proof in the pudding this Saturday!
FAM! We're not world beaters, but this team looks like they've made progress from last year, and I will absolutely take it. Tuten isn't going down on first contact, Jennings looked legit, Lane looked legit, Holloway almost broke another return for td, and we didn't shoot ourselves in the foot. I will sleep well after that.
FAM!! Lane was awesome tonight. Great way to start the season. First points on a safety!
WATCHED ON DVR SO AN HOUR LATE FAM!
Fam.
Looked like real football, and got the job done.
Lots to work on, but I'll take it.
FAM!
Better start than last year that's for damn sure. Would like to see the defense from ODU's first possession more often!
Tuten is going to be special if the OL can figure out run blocking!
Truly the only stat that matters.
FAM.
FAMtabuloius win last night. A couple of glaring items that has the most impact:
1. LB gap discipline, over pursuit, and lack of patience (staying home just a little bit longer) was our D's Achilles Heel for ODU's run game. When the LB's would "hold their position" for a split second before acting, the run was stopped. Meaning, small gain (3 yards tops) or LOS tackle. Way too many times the LB's got lost in the trenches scrum and left the second level wide open AF. This seems to be a recurring theme for the last 5-6 years that I can recall.
2. There has to be a QB coach that can teach Wells finesse. The guy seeks to think he has to missile the ball so effing hard each and every time (almost every time). There were three TD's that didn't happen b/c of how he throws. Open receivers, red zone passing should covert on those plays at this level of football. To be fair, let's call it 2/3, so 14pts left off the board.
3. Like last year, why not have play calls under center? I would like to see more roll routes to receivers (specifically TE's). I would love to throw in a little play action from time to time. I would like to see a RB actually moving downhill when taking the handoff occasionally vs from a stand still.
4. Throw down field more.
5. Don't run the ball up the middle like, ALWAYS.
6. Great Pass D
7. Delighted to see decent Pass Pro for the QB
Overall, for the first time in I don't know how long, we saw a team improve in the second half. It used to be if we don't win in the first half it's probably over. Wells did improve, but I would like to see Drones be the starter for an entire game to see what he does.
No one from middle school up runs QB under center, not even my 3-4 grade girls flag runs under center it's shotgun.
I hear ya. Quite aware. Just saying. I would like to see it brought back on occasion. Throw in a wrinkle. I like the days of under center and understand modern football is from the shotgun. My vice....I'm sentimental.
I had a great time watching, and got plowed enough in the process most of it will be new to me when I get a chance to re-watch. It felt like Hokie football! FAM.
I have very few complaints about the offensive game plan...several plays/points were there if we run block better and Wells delivers catchable passes.
Agreed. Very few complaints with the play calling, which is refreshing.
That pass over the middle to Gosnell was one of my favorite plays from the past few years. We haven't see a play/throw like that in a while.
I loved that play too, that call was set up from using the same play a few times earlier in the game. Changing Gosnell from blocking to faking the block and releasing for the pass was perfection.
That right there makes me hopefully for Bowen. That's what has been missing for it feels like 20 years, those set up plays, thinking about the game as a campaign and not individual plays. Taking a 3 yard play in the 2nd quarter to have a 20 yard play in the 4th.
I'll add one then. From a scheme standpoint I hate trying to stretch the field horizontally we're not fast enough on the outside and those plays can turn into massive losses instead of opening up the field vertically.
I remember lots of jet sweep success
FAM - improvements from 12 months ago.
- Win
- No turn overs
- No false starts
Baby steps but we'll take it. I think Pry will get the run defense right. OL is gonna be a challenge.
Also no illegal formations!
Few notes stadium experience wise:
Entry to the stadium with the new metal detectors went smoother than I'd feared. Lines moved quickly and steadily at gate 1-fastest I've ever gotten in the stadium (other than that rain game where it started late due to lightning about 5 years ago- we stood right outside of the gate for that cause I was too drunk to walk back to the parking lot so we were in the first 100 people in the stands when they finally opened the gates)
IDK if changes were made but we had wifi signal for the whole game- I was able to text out pics, check ESPN for scores AND my son even did a Facetime video call during a timeout! Hope that is a sign of good things to come.
We were able to use all the fireworks for the entrance, the scores, and postgame without it feeling like we has to fire some off for little successes like recent years!
Loved that on the one score later on, Skipper fired before the refs actually signaled TD when there was a flag and all of us thought it was an illegal formation call to negate the TD catch but turned out to have been offsides.
Crowd noise was great all the way through the game despite the outflux of many students.
non-field stuff:
1) kick for cash guy nailed the field goal for $1000
2) props for doing the Margaritaville singalong in honor of Jimmy Buffett passing (RIP)
3) had hopes the video crew finally understood that it's not 'karaoke' if you don't put the words on the screen
but then they blew it later in the game and didn't the second time.
4) The contests/prize stuff was good for the most parts (esp the 'name as many flavors of ice cream in 20
seconds" one that the VT fan got 18 and then the VT player(can't remember who) quickly drew a blank
after naaing 3 or 4 and then guessed things like 'cookie monster', 'salt and vinegar', and 'mayonnaise'- IDK if
he just started guessing potato chip flavors instead but the crowd loved it - literally LOL. But the eat a slice
of pizza race was lame- the 'winner didn't even swallow half the stuff he put in his mouth-so not really an
'eating contest'.
5) For Shout' singalong video they had Frank open it up and Bud finish it-awesome!!
6) For that and MOST of the music/singalong stuff, the timing of starting it during timeouts was much
better than previous years b with the notable exceptions of some of the "get loud/noise stuff which they
would do with 1:30-2:00 still on the "official timeout timer" thus guaranteeing the crowd couldn't sustain
it- if you're gonna do it during timeouts- start it with 15-30 seconds before refs blow the whistle ready to
play so it's not wasted.
7) recognition of folks was topnotch- wrestling team, women's basketball team, etc.
8) concessions as usual ludicrously long lines -you'd think going cashless would help but NO.
Suggestion- return to having at least some roving walk around vendors in the stands- give them "Squares
or tap to pay readers if you don't wanna use cash but let me get a water, coke or popcorn from my seat
without missing 20 minutes of the game. Or (IF they've solved the wifi issue) let folks order with an
Ubereats type system- put in your order, payment info, and seat location /number. I never order anything
at the games because I'm not willing to spend 20-30 minutes i line to get it.
TLDR- the stadium experience was overall much better than recent post-Covid years but still fair room for improvements
to pay readers"
Cashless is almost never faster if you have the prices correct for cash so thay change is easy. The touchless goes fast if you have a fast connection, but the chip (inserted) just takes a while.
They need to switch to an app. I've used it at some concert venues like The Anthem in DC, but basically you open a tab in their app and buy drinks and food throughout the show/game, then you can just close out the tab whenever from your phone. It's always been pretty smooth in my experience and keeps the line moving.
Yeah there was some bar I was at in Herndon where I just scanned a bar code and did everything on my phone and food and beverages just came to me.
I give the film/video people major awards for the show on Saturday. They lost the hard drive with all the prepared materials on Thursday morning and had to start over. Only a couple glitches and missing words for Margaritaville (last minute addition due to Buffett dying).
Cash has always been faster than cashless, and we also no longer have people in the stands selling drinks. That also contributes to lines being longer.
Thanks for this info- I agree then A grade (maybe A- for the review replays being a bit wonky)
I haven't had a chance to watch the film footage, but did 26 actually commit targeting? They showed the other 4 reviews on the big screen but not that one?
Good win, Pry showed some humility by not ramming in that last touchdown as much as I wanted him to.
Defense really needs to step up in run defense or it is going to be a long season.
Go Hokies!
Yeah he hit with the crown of his helmet. The one that doesn't make sense is the non-targeting call on the ODU linebacker. He used the crown just like all the other ones but somehow didn't get penalized for it. If they are going to make this a point of emphasis, then they need to be consistent with the calls.
Targeting. Consistency. Pick one
Yeah, up until the post game handshake I thought the two coaches were friends. So I always would have expected that to have happened. Now he can really win our hearts by ramming in one last pointless TD against Narduzzi.
They shook hands but Rahne still looked annoyed at him even after Pry chose not to go for another score...
I hope to see that look a bunch more times in the future.
The look on 4 and 10's face, priceless!
FAM - felt good to be back in Lane. Lots of work to do on both sides of the ball but they look like a more cohesive team this year.
Defense was concerning last night but I also feel we overcommitted to the pass rush which led to them gashing us up front with the run. I think a lot of that can be cleaned up in practice. You definitely see a lot more speed and athleticism but we need to be in position to make the tackle rather than getting washed out of the play constantly.
FAM!
It wasn't the utter domination that I was hoping for but I'll take the dub.
1-0, FAM!
So THIS is what Sunday mornings are supposed to feel like.
Does anyone have any GIFTORY suggestions?
Ref at the video screen reviewing for targeting 45 times
Spinning the Targeting Wheel of Destiny!
Ref ducking one of Well's 150mph rockets
That was really impressive IMO.
Do you remember when this was?
Try the 2nd of the final 3 TD drives, around midfield? Going off memory here so who knows, but I remember watching it.
I think this might be one of them, 3:37 in the 3rd quarter; also longtime lurker, first time poster, sorry if this didn't embed properly!
Welcome to the TKPC FAM, FAM!
Thanks FAM! I would just give you a leg, but I'm not quite to 20!
Let's fix that.
Nailed it! Thank you!
Any of the hissy fits Rahne was throwing. There was also what appeared to be an argument between Rahne and Henderson (#42) on the sideline. I think it was in the 2nd quarter, they definitely were on offense at the time which made it more awkward.
Their offensive coordinator was throwing some as well....
Gosnell reception over the.middle.
Holloway punt return
Pick and 30 yd return
Defense causing 3 fumbles (somehow)
Girls bball team recognition
Air Guitar at 1:54 left in the 3rd quarter.
Edit: my memory is impacted by the bourbon I drank last night but I think this was the fumble recovery
Ha we were laughing at the air guitar
The entire sequence on that fumble. Can't remember which VT player pointed the wrong way, but he quickly realized his mistake. Air guitar follows seconds later.
Team jumping into the cadets on the runout
Wells riffing on the RPO to duck it and follow the back
Powell-Ryland sacking Wilson with the LT.
the look on that ODU player on the sideline while jennings caught the long ball
#91 pointing the wrong direction on the last fumble recovery, I laughed like a little kid when he realized and pointed the other way
I wanna see when the on field reporter was talking and the Hokie Bird leaned into the shot wearing some kind of straw hat! :)
Ref ducking the pass to (I think) Wright.
When was that?
Second half on ODU's side of the field. Best I can do.
4th quarter right by thr end zone
I looked at both of those throws in the situation you described and I just don't see it.
It showed in the re-play and the camera shot was from the south end zone shot toward NEZ.
Took place at the 3:33 minute mark of the 3rd. Pass to Wright. Around two plays after Ali's great sideline catch folks want to see make Giftory.
It was an instant replay angle from the QB perspective and not part of the live coverage.
Huh I guess I did catch some of the 3rd then.
Strong's "Thanks for the gift" INT in the 3rd Q(?)
and Wilson's reaction before having to run Strong down
Skipper firing for the TD
The easiest kind of safety
Running something we have not seen in about 6 years, a QB sneak or run up the middle that worked on short yardage.
Winning is better than losing. That is all.
Did we have any penalties last night outside of the targetings? That was a super clean game, that should be one of the biggest takeaways in my opinion, big improvement there
I was just thinking that ODU didn't really break up any passes, all of Wells incompletions came from drops out over throws.
Yeah if he can learn to not always throw 100 mph I think he's pretty solid. I'm not nearly as pessimistic about him as a lot of people are
nd a clean pocket with very little pressure on Wells. OL couldn't open holes but Wells wasn't running for his life so we got THAT going for us.
There was an offsides, I believe.
We had one offsides IIRC
No offensive penalties fam!
"VT will have no false starts" would have made someone a tidy sum if available as a betting line. Makes me miss "Halfwits and Wagers" around here...
One delay of game IIRC very late but yes otherwise.
Yes, think we were down in the red-zone at the time.
Believe there was one delay of game very late in the 4th quarter but yes a remarkable reduction in penalties - esp no false starts and no illegal formation ones.
The delay of game was on the coaches, it seemed. Was surprising we didnt call a timeout since it was 2nd and goal from the 5 and then we ended up kicking a fg
That was the type of performance I was hoping for from this team against ODU. Defense was not as polished as I thought it would be. Receivers and Tuten are as advertised. I expected us to be a 5-7 team before the season and that hasn't changed, which is good because if it had changed it would've changed down.
Fam. Will take the W; lots to work on. Still feeling good about my 5-to-6 win prediction.
The Great:
-Hokie Nation as always showing up 🦃
-No turnovers/turnover margin
-No false starts or stupid penalties in general
-2nd half Wells
-The transfer players balled. Jennings, Lane, APR and Tuten are gamers
-SACKSBURG
The Good:
-The playcalling. Outside of a few plays here and there generally I thought Bowen called a good game.
-We have the beginnings of an offensive identity
-Pass pro (generally)
-The defense swarming the ball carrier and not giving up on the play
The Bad:
-Offensive line run blocking was offensive
-Over pursuit on RPO type plays
-Linebacker play
-Missed opportunities on offense from poor accuracy (1st half Wells and periodically)
-Wells progressing off of his reads too early against probably the worst defense we play
-Wes Durham and Tim Hasselbeck
at least the commentators were focused on the 2 teams playing.... controversial take, but the viewing experience on ACCN is better than the big networks that are playing to a wider audience the whole time and talking about anything but the game.
Fair point. They did call the game in front of them.
Wasn't all bad. I appreciated Hasselbeck's frustration with the targeting issue, as well as his noticing Wells going through his progressions too quickly. My misery in those areas was enjoying the company.
But still. FAM.
Especially poetic justice that Jennings caught two TDs against his former team! He has gotta feel great about that!
Out of curiosity what about Hasselback and Durham don't you like? I kind of like Hasselback a lot as a color guy, Durhams voice isn't the best but I think he generally does a good job play by play and isn't annoying
Hasselback was alright I guess. He's not my favorite but better than some.
Durham to me feels like he's screaming sometimes; wouldn't shut up during Sandman and other times just had useless filler, more so then typical play by play.
W's are fun.... Fill the grave
Yeah man! Which restaurant in Blacksburg has the graves in the window/store display?
Souvlaki
Same window, place, and display, but the business was called Little Doc's drug store in the previous century. 1970's.
Yep. Little Docs had the graves at least since '70 when I returned to Blacksburg after the Army. My wife worked the lunch counter for 10 and 25 cent tips for a while.
That's something I appreciate about truly local businesses. I doubt a corporate-owned would allow a location to keep that tradition alive.
Thanks for the reminder of how old I am lol! Next you'll be telling me about traffic backups onto I-81 all the way from campus on 460 on move in days and graduation....
I very much remember this phenomenon from the early 80's. You would have thought that Blacksburg was a massive metropolis from the hour-long wait to cover about ten miles. The Beamer Bypass was such a blessing.
Fam...
We only had four penalties, zero turnovers, we COVERED and were 50% on 3rd down! These were some of the most maligned things about last years team. There is a lot of football left to be played in this season, and I'm sure that 3rd% will go down against the meat of our schedule, but there is a lot to be satisfied with from last night's performance. The path back to where we want to be is long, but as of right now it appears we are moving in the right direction.
Also per the post game stats, our average drive started on ODU's 49 yard line (mostly from turnovers and a 47+ yard punt average - hidden yardage for the win!
Fam!
It was a damn fine day to be in Blacksburg.
FAM!