Terrordome? More like a nightmare.
On a night where Thursday night football returned to Lane Stadium with a bang, the noise you heard was the sound of Hokies fans' hearts crashing to the floor.
Thursday night's loss to Miami was an embarrassment at every level. Scot Loeffler's first half play calling was baffling. His second half play calling was almost more so, given the score. Players missed almost as many assignments as they did tackles on Duke Johnson. Everything just went south in almost epic fashion.
There are so many places to begin criticizing this team and coaching staff, but the more I think about it, the less productive it seems. Calling out specific players would be a fruitless exercise; after all, they're kids. Kids who were just as, if not more, amped up for a Thursday night game in Lane on national television. I'm sure every single one of the players was recruited with some variation of the same pitch describing how there is no atmosphere in college football like it.
Enter Sandman reflected that excitement. It just never really translated to the on-field performance. A week after being literally and figuratively run over by a seemingly less-talented Pitt team in front of a primetime audience, most expected this Tech team to come out of the gates with a renewed focus. Instead we spent four quarters watching Duke Johnson outgain the entire Hokie offense 286-262.
What happened to the stoic, hard nosed, blue collar Hokies that traditionally dominate at Lane? As Brian noted
earlier in the week, the electricity that once made Lane Stadium one of the most feared places in the nation has lost its mystique. After Thursday's loss to The U, the Hokies are now 6-5 at home over the last two years, and 13-6 since we registered on the Richter scale closing out Miami in 2011.
Our entrance may be intimidating, but our on-field performance of late has been anything but.
So What Now?
Words are a powerful tool. They have the ability to elicit change and mobilize people to support a cause. However, history has also shown us the power of real, tangible action. You've heard the saying 1,000 times: "Actions speak louder than words." So here we are — as a University; as a football team; as fans and alumni — at a major crossroads. What now?
Since significant changes were made to the coaching staff and make-up of the football program two years ago, we have continually heard and said the same lines time and again: "We're improving every week." "We're almost there." "You can see it." I'm guilty of it myself. The win over Ohio State was supposed to be that watershed moment for this team, yet all we have seen since is regression.
Benjamin Franklin once said, "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning." For all of the talk about how this team is on the verge of lasting success, it sure feels like we're trending in the opposite direction.
We are all keenly aware of the clout money has in college sports. Fans and alumni have an incredible power to push the needle simply by disengaging from the team. When fans stop coming to games, both the university and the greater community lose out. When alumni choose to stop giving money to a cause they no longer support, the administration takes notice.
As Thursday's game unraveled for Tech, social media exploded with talk of change, perhaps with little thought of what the trickledown effect would be. Change can be good; but change for the sake of change may only provide instant gratification that has little resonance over the long term.
At 4-4, with four games to play, this Hokies team is essentially left playing for three things: Extending the 21-year bowl streak, maintaining control of the Commonwealth Cup and pride. As fans, it is a foreign and unpleasant position to be in.
We are walking a dangerously thin line as a fan base. When fans lose interest in attending games, it is a difficult trend to reverse. Just ask Virginia.
The question is what role should we play as fans? Are we supposed to approach attending games as though the team owes us something? As a fan, do you choose to fork over your hard-earned money to scream your lungs out and cheer in support of your team because you believe that they owe it to you to deliver a victory? I get it. It is hard to watch the team you love underperform. It is only compounded by the sacrifices you make to attend the game.
The alternative is having the mindset that you play an integral part in the outcome, as though you are that vaunted twelfth man. It's that mindset where you're cheering plays an essential role in the performance of the team, contributing to the excitement and the energy that helps push them forward, regardless of the score or the adversity.
We can complain about how we've grown tiresome of a particular player's performance or call for a certain coach's head. But for 99% of us, all of that is out of our hands. As fans, let's control what we can actually control. We can impact the volume and the energy within both Lane and opposing stadiums. We can ensure that Lane Stadium returns to a terrifying place for opposing teams, regardless of the on-field play. Let's continue to impress visiting recruits by showing them how raucous Lane can be and that the volume will remain cranked up until the final whistle. We can continue to stand behind these players and demonstrate that we will show up to every game wearing maroon and orange and contributing as best we can.
Let me be clear: I am not pointing fingers. The fans who have filled the stands at Lane have been great in their support. I don't have to get into how much each of us love this team and this university. We treat them as an extension of ourselves. When they win, we are overwhelmed with joy and love; when they lose, our heart hurts for days on end.
I'm terrified of a time when people start talking about how difficult Lane Stadium used to be for visiting teams. I would take that statement personally. That's not something you can blame on the players or the coaches. It is our job to show up and cheer just as much as it is their job to show up and play hard for 60 minutes.
Legendary coach Vince Lombardi said, "I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious."
We've got four games left. Let's show up en masse at Wallace Wade and BB&T Field. Let's show up at Lane. Let's scream our lungs out and shake our keys so hard that our knuckles bleed. Let's work to do our part in helping turn this thing around. Let's tell both present and future Hokies that we will always be there, and they will never walk alone.
Comments
I was this close to saying fk'it. I can't bear to watch this team stick daggers in my giant Hokie heart over and over again. But what you said right there... well... I just bought two tickets to BB&T.
Win or lose, we're still HOKIES.
You bet!! We aren't quitters. These players and coaches deserve our support. We aren't like the pearl and bow tie wearing Wahoo fans who never make it in the game or leave when things get tough!! We are TOUGH!!!
I appreciate the pep talk, but it's hard to play and execute the role of the 12th man when the other 11 players aren't ready and / or don't show-up, and the coaches responsible for getting them ready can't get through to the players. This is a team sport, and when one person doesn't execute, the whole system fails... As a fan I want to cheer. But I've already given up on attending games years ago because the investment wasn't worth the return. Now, the thought of investing 3 1/2 hours of watching TV vs. what I could be doing with that time on other things is a hard discussion. My wife used to understand that Saturday (and Thursday for when it was scheduled) were unheard of to pull me away from the Hokies. Now, I'm offering my time to go do other things [tear roll]...
Some of that I'm sure is attributed to getting older and maturing... But a lot of that is me being tired of getting kicked in the groin by this program.
Hey there, it's okay buddy. Nobody's gonna bash you for not being a 'real fan' or 'true Hokie', at least I'm not going to.
As much as I'd like to see you and everyone else at the rest of the games this year, it freakin sucks when the team is playing like they currently are.
I wont even pretend to be a real fan any more, if being a real fan is defined as sticking with your team no matter what. I remember the days when my expectations would be to crush the opponent, regardless of who we played. Then it morphed in to "we're gonna win"... which gave way to "I think we'll win", and in-turn transitioned to "its a toss-up", and finally "I expect to lose".
Which is what i'm most disturbed about - I expect us to lose. Not because I want the team to lose, but because the reality of this program and the leadership has left me shaking my head for too many years. I dont expect things to improve without a change at the top, and until that change happens we will continue to see things get worse (which is a bold statement considering what happened last night) and what the rest of the ACC and college football leave us in the dust.
This is where self-deprecating humor has lifted me in my times of woe
I think the point is that realizing the team is bad (i.e. expecting to lose) and supporting your team aren't mutually exclusive. That's essentially what the #BeatBama movement was about last year.
Expecting your team to lose but supporting them anyway against teams like Alabama is one thing...
Expecting them to lose while attempting to support them anyway against teams like Pitt, Miami, and BC is a conpletely different proposition.
I'm not sure I agree. My support isn't contingent on the quality of football we're playing.
Having said that, I also will admit that as someone who just left school and is currently living on a substitute teacher's salary on the other side of the country, my level of support right now is merely wearing maroon and orange and watching the games on TV. I recognize that people who invest considerable time and money by attending the games and making donations would likely feel differently, and I can't blame them.
If you want a coaching change and want to let administration know by reevaluating your investment to the program, I absolutely support your right to do that, but I think PhillyHokie is right. I've always felt that having the ability to showcase our pride through the support of athletics (not just football) is a unique privilege, and when the teams are bad, the fan support becomes even more important and more meaningful.
I also wear maroon and orange and watch the games on TV. I don't think that's the kind of " support" that Philly is talking about here.
I realize that. I just threw that in there because I felt hypocritical taking a "keep supporting" stance, when I haven't had the ability to offer any support this year. Thought I should come clean. But I still stand by what I said. If I were still in the area and had the financial means, I would still be going to the games.
Great post. Last night Lane was the best it's been in years IMO. Everyone was hyped up, there was an electric buzz and everyone was looking forward to a good game.
Then, the crowd fell silent. I don't blame them. There wasn't much to cheer about. Then, the boos came. That was surprising, however again it was acceptable, at that point in the game screen pass after screen pass people were getting frustrated.
Then, people started leaving at the half. On a Thursday Night Blacksburg game. I was shocked, but again, I wasn't angry at the fans. I don't really believe in the 'True Hokie' nonsense and them leaving doesn't make them any less of a fan than anyone who stayed.
People drove hours, took days off to come and watch our Hokies at least put up a fight and show at least some signs of improvement from their loss to Pitt. That didn't happen, in fact we regressed even more. I agree completely that pointing fingers is futile, so I'm not going to be doing that, but a half empty Lane going into the third quarter showed a strong message to the AD and coaches that we as a Hokie nation will not accept this mediocrity. There has to be changes, and the coaches, particulary Frank Beamer, needs to show some fire to the fans as well because this is a slippery slope and if they don't give a sense of confidence to the fanbase then there's no turning back.
I would love to see what the year-over-year Hokie Club contributions have looked like for the last 15 years. We're in year 3 of a major lull in the program, and it will be very interesting to see how the fans reflect their displeasure with their donations.
I have to admit I am considering lowering my contribution level from gold to silver. It is hard to argue with the wife that the current program that infuriates me so watching the games should also take so much of my earned cash.
People like to pretend there is not one, but there has always been & always will be a cost/benefit ratio of time & money spent by college sports fans. Those that say they're diehard fans but don't have season tickets? Why not? It costs too much for their budget? Okay, fair answer. Those who live in NoVa or the 757 but don't attend games? Too far to drive? Fair enough.
All of those people have made cost/benefit analyses and determined they can't devote enough to do so. And that is fine. So it is no different for the fans who decide that spending $2K annually plus the expense of tickets, etc. to watch the games is too much. That's fine, too. Everyone has their price, even when they claim they don't.
I can never accept the argument that fans should contribute regardless, 'because the program needs your support'. It rings hollow and self serving to me. I've got zero problems with anyone deciding to cut down or eliminate their contributions or their dedication. That's everyone's own decision to make.
And I am only considering cutting down not eliminating. I have given to Tech since I graduated in 97 regardless of buying season tickets. I have actually only had season tickets since 2002.
Understood, I was being inclusive of all scenarios, not just yours. I know how you feel. I've been a season ticket holder in both sports since the early 80's. When we have seasons like this, I am grumpy beyond belief when I am asked to write my donor check. Let's just call it a severe case of feeling taken for granted. That's not a healthy thing. I understand what you were saying, and can imagine what your wife's comments would be, as I've heard them myself from mine, ha!
EDIT - 'only' having season tickets for over a decade now is great!
Yup, I had friends tell me they saw me on TV as I was one of the fans left in the stadium as it was empty on camera at the end.
Completely agree
I'm a diehard Carolina Hurricanes fan in hockey. I went to the games when they were out in Greensboro, making the 90 minute drive each way just to see them play in front of about 7k fans when they first came down. I tried to make as many games as I could growing up, and when they made their run in 2006 to win the Cup, I drove down for at least one game each round from summer classes at Tech, even scalping a very pricey ticket to Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. From 2007 through about 2011 I had at least a partial season ticket plan in the club level every year, costing thousands. But 2 years ago, I just had to pull the plug and stop getting tickets. The price of tickets was going up every year, and the 50% jump from $80 per game to $120 per game for the section I was used to getting tickets in while the team was finding ways to get itself out of playoff contention was just too much to stomach. I might get to a game here or there, but last year I really just couldn't bring myself to go to any of the games. Not because I wasn't a fan, but it legitimately sucked to be a fan and to see a team struggle that badly on the ice. I want to go to games, and I want to see them play, but at a certain point, the investment has to be worth the payout. It doesn't make sense to continually pour money into something knowing you're going to be miserable watching while you're there. I have better things to do with my time and money (like getting married, buying a house, going on vacations, etc) than to give thousands per year to something that ticks me off.
I hate to say it, but Virginia Tech football is starting to go down this path. Last year I went to the Maryland game, and while the tailgate was great, watching the team play was downright miserable. Before that, the last time I made it to a game in Lane was the 2011 Clemson game. Same result, it was a fun experience before the game, but the game itself sucked. I didn't have fun. If I'm paying that kind of money to drive to Blacksburg, fill up my tank with gas, rent a hotel room, and get a ticket, I at least want to have fun watching the product on the field. For anyone that went to the game yesterday, I can't imagine the product they saw was enjoyable in the least, and for the amount of money you need to pay for the privilege of watching us get mauled at home, I dunno... I just am not sure its worth it anymore.
And none of that makes you any less a Hokie than anyone else.
Or a (Carolina) Hurricanes fan, for that matter! They're my favorite hockey team, as well, FWIW. I got my picture made with the Stanley Cup back in the day when they had it displayed at that big mall at the corner of Glenwood & the Beltline, I forget the name now.
Anyway, point well made in both instances...
Crabtree Valley Mall
For the record, I recently purchased a house not too far away from there.
Yep, that's it! At one point, I lived up off Creedmoor Road for a while during that time. It's a nice part of town. I always wanted to buy a house in Five Points & renovate it, but my wallet was far too thin, if you know what I mean.
I've decided to tell people I drive hours and took days off for Brew-Do. Seems like a better return on investment at this point
I personally don't like it when frank shows fire. When he gets angry or agitated he just appear old to me.
Oh, I thought the Frank Face was what made him look old and detached from the game
I just don't think Frank does fiery well and when he gets upset it's definitely not flattering. But I've never been in the locker room with him. My only POR is watching him on the sidelines. He doesn't come across as detached to me.
I have no doubt that Whit took this personally. Hopefully he sacks up and makes some changes
Extremely rational and well versed. Thank you!
First off, I'll still watch every week and I'll still be at the UVA game freezing/screaming my butt off.
That said, I've been a staunch supporter of CFB for some time but its hard to keep hitting the "I Believe" button when all the post-game talk is about how proud he is in the team's performance. Its ok for a head coach/CEO/leader to admit he is disappointed in the performance of the team. Admitting a failure is not quitting on the team, its holding people accountable. The constant rhetoric of "We get better every week" when the results point in the opposite direction is even harder to stomach than our on field performance.
The lack of consistency is troubling, the lack of execution is frustrating, but the seemingly lack of public accountability is the hardest for me to take.
Well said... Makes sense.
I agree that we should still show up and impress recruits and support our team. However, the atmosphere can only be so electric due to the results on the field. First 30 minutes last night, Lane was awesome. But it's hard to be electric if you don't have anything to cheer for. "H-O-K-I-E-S Hokies!" was only heard twice in the first half. Hard to cheer when the offense gets 2 first downs in a half, while Miami is meanwhile running the ball at will.
The Fans showed up and did their part, the team did nothing even close to resembling responding in kind.
Look, I see what you're saying with the whole "we can't control the coaching or the players, but we can control what we do." I get it, but it's a two way street. When the Fans show up and do their job, the team absolutely *must* deliver any sort of performance enhancement as a result of said effort...
If they don't it becomes an unreasonable request: "Show up and cheer your brains out for 60 minutes despite the fact that the team refuses to show up game after game after game." I mean, at some point it starts to sound like an abusive relationship.
There's another thing fan bases can do: demand better.
I agree with you 100% - fans absolutely have the right to demand better. My concern is that many will choose to do so by no longer supporting this team in person. Pro sports fan bases pull this move all the time, protesting poor performances and demanding change through walkouts and empty seats. This can work in pro sports because it can push owners to spend money to sign players, make more intelligent personnel decisions, etc. However, college sports is a much more complex situation.
Virginia Tech does not have the operating budget of Texas or Alabama, and as such, we cannot accomplish the same level of change by decreasing revenue for the school. Want to change coaches to improve the product on the field? That costs money. Want to get better recruits? While you can lure free agents with lucrative contracts, moral programs don't have the ability to use dollars to do so. You promise them other things, like shiny new practice facilities, NFL prospects, primetime games and great atmospheres. A lot of that comes from butts in the seats week-after-week. Yes, I understand that big money donors tend to donate more to when they are pleased with the on-field product, but these are not mutually exclusive issues. Everything is so interrelated that people need to remember how important it is for this program's resurgence to keep attending and continue cheering.
If fans keep donating, spending thousands of dollars per trip for a game, and cheering their brains out for 60 minutes regardless of the actual on-field product, where's the incentive for any change to happen or for the team to get better?
College football is an entertainment product. Fans spend money to be entertained. Expecting the fans to continue to spend money as the team refuses to be entertaining is an unreasonable request.
The Program has to meet the team halfway here if they want to expect people to show up, spend money, and cheer like they did last night. Getting blown out and almost shut out on national television to a hated rival who isn't even that good this year simply isn't going to cut it.
I'm with philly on this. The sign of a truly committed fan is doing your part even while demanding change. You can't hold back as a means to manipulate change out of the university. You need to make your demands known while making it clear that you aren't going to support them any less.
Consider this analogy: what happens when a wife is unhappy with a husbands actions an she chooses to withhold sex as a means I change him. Ever seen that turn out well?
True
But not the defining reason of success.
Recruiting is the reason most teams end up playing for National Championship. Look at Auburn, Bama, FSU, Notre Dame, LSU, or Flordia and where they ranked in recruiting class the year before they played for or won a NC.
Until we change the recruiting policy and procedures of Hokie Football it really won't change the on field results. Miami's 2013 Class was ranked 15th. included 8 ESPN 300 players. In 2012 the U was 8th ranked class by ESPN, including 5* RB Duke Johnson
After recruiting the big time players you then have to coach them
Thats why it's a time for change
Good post.
"Recruiting is the reason most teams end up playing for National Championship." - agree 100%. All of these teams that get to the Championship game have multiple top 10 recruiting classes on their team. It's basically a prerequisite for getting there. Now of course all teams with great recruiting can't make it to the Championship, and that's where coaching and luck come into play. But without the elite recruiting classes to work with, teams can pretty much count themselves out of the discussion.
If the team hadn't shown up last night the game would have been forfeited and I'm positive I saw the players on the field so they did show up. They just didn't play very well but they were definitely there.
I agree with totally and I'll add my 2 cents. Since we are using qoutes, Einstein said doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is insanity and in the words of Huey Lewis & the News "Sometimes bad is bad" and that pretty much sums it up. No more finger pointing or excuses!
Please do this. I cannot speak for the NC Triad Chapter, but with our chapter, we get most of our funding over the years based completely off the turnout we get for the Duke football tailgate. In 2011 we had around 440 people show up, which netted the chapter nearly $5,000, which is our operating budget for 2 years, when you consider the scholarship we fund.
Right now for the Duke game this year, ticket sales are slow, we have just over 100 people signed up, and with the performance we've been seeing, we're not expecting to come anywhere close to the numbers we need to really get by. If you're thinking about going to either of these games, go and support VT. Not just because the football team needs it, but the local alumni chapters need it as well.
If you want to go to the game at Duke on November 15th, please purchase your ticket and/or tailgate pass through the Triangle Hokies at the following link: VT vs Duke Tickets & Tailgate Pass
If you're going to the game at Wake Forest on November 22nd, please purchase one of their Tailgate passes through the following link: VT vs Wake Forest Tailgate Pass
The results of your tailgate success (or lack thereof) should be reported in a factual manner to Whit. Whether positive or negative, he should be made aware of it. The only way we can improve is to be able to monitor factors like that and then work to improve them.
The Athletic Department is aware of the financial strain a sub-par football team puts on the various Hokie Club and Alumni Chapters across the region. When apathy kicks in, it hurts everyone across the board. With that said, Whit will have a chance to see this firsthand, as he is scheduled to make an appearance at our tailgate for Duke.
The Athletic Department has been working with the Alumni Association quite a bit since Whit took over. There is a bit of a push from the Director's office to have the Hokie Club working more hand-in-hand with the various Alumni Chapters, so they've made an effort in trying to understand how the finances work.
You can well attest to the immediate change since Whit took over, I'm sure. I know it must be refreshing to have an AD that is actively engaged and aware of contemporary trends & methods of university boosterism in both academics & athletics.
If you guys sell paper bags with eyeholes cut out for $5 apiece, you might make your operating budget for the next half decade :)
Jokes are usually funniest when they are sprinkled with just enough of the truth. Sadly, this was well-played.
I needed the laugh after driving 8 hrs with the wife and 2 little kids to watch that mess last night.
We've been spoiled as a program and come to expect success but even in the down years we always seemed to find a way. This year is just painful to watch. It had so much potential. There is a clear leadership void in this team. The offense is awful. Someone has to make the hard call...like bench brewer who seems hurt or scared or whatever! Lefty needs to go and for once this program needs an offense to compliment its defense. I'm glad to see soo many demanding change. I am sick of hearing the maybe next year or its ok we're rebuilding. I love Hokie football and I expect the ship to right or changes to be made.
What makes you think ANYTHING will change if we replace Loeffler?
The beginning of this year we were operating a completely different offense than what we're doing now. We're now running the same crap we ran in 2012 that led to coaches being fired. The calayst for this change was in the Western Michigan game when Shane got puffy chested and got up in our OC's face demanding a shift in how the plays were called. We've been a run heavy team ever since, at the detriment to the offense that Loeffler was establishing early on (one that was working, by the way, getting at least 300 yards in each game).
What we're seeing now is the offense that Frank and Shane want us to run. Doesn't matter who is calling the plays, this is the offense we will eventually see.
Preach it brother.
The interesting thing is the admiration Frank showed for Chad Morris's up tempo offense.
Our offense is completely puzzling except to opposing defenses!
I'm not so sure it was Frank calling the 4 bubble screens all within 5 minutes. Look, I'm not at all defending Frank or Shane Beamer but Loeffler is not a good offensive coordinator and it's very frustrating to hear people defend him. Logan Thomas wasn't the greatest QB but he's better than what he looked like under Loeffler. Bucky is a match up nightmare and he's hardly ever used in a way to exploit that. All the pre-snap motions and all that look cool but it's not confusing anyone but our own players. I refuse to believe that UCON has more talented players than we do, yet they gave ECU's defense fits last night. Maybe Loeffler would be a better fit in a NFL system or somewhere else in college but I think he will likely be Frank Beamer's biggest mistake.
As far as the OSU game that everyone seems to want to keep going back to. Re-watch that game. Pay attention to how many of those "awesome plays" could've easily been TOs and a couple pick 6s. Look at the play call in reference to the down and distances. We loved them because they worked, doesn't mean they were smart calls. Brewer was extremely fortunate that night as well. Even though we won that game, I told my wife, Brewer was not going to be the game manager that takes care of the football like he was advertised to be. I was slightly more impressed with the offensive line but some of those big runs had more to do with the RBs breaking tackles or OSU's defenders being out of position. In other words, that game looks more and more like a fluke every week. We got lucky and caught Ohio State sleeping. If we played that game today, OSU would beat the Hokies by 4 TDs. I'm confedent in that. And if drastic changes aren't made in the off-season, we'll see that scenario play out in Blacksburg on Labor Day next year.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and mine could be off base but I just don't understand how any reasonable football fan could look at our offense and the way it's steadily gotten worse, and not hold the man that's in charge of the offense accountable. It's easy to blame Beamer, it's easy to blame Newsome, but they aren't currently in charge of the offense. And we can blame talent like Loeffler tried to do when he threw Auburn's players under the bus but like I said, our offensive players are better than this. Just like Auburn's players were better, he just didn't know how to use them effectively. Read some Auburn message boards, they feel sorry for us because they know Loeffler is a head coach career killer.
I agree with your take here. I do think we have some really talented offensive players. To me it boils down to the programs inability to recruit Offensive Lineman in the past. We are really seeing firsthand now how bad the line is. I do not think it will get better by simply replacing Loeffler. Its a mindset in this program and it is not going to work any more. New minds would be great but I dont think it changes until Beamer leaves. He is too set in his ways similar to the way Bowden was at FSU at the end.
I agree with you on Beamer as well. I'm not saying I think he sould be fired but I can see a conversation taking place between him and the AD. Something along the lines of "tell me your plan to fix this, and give me a realistic time table to have it fixed" Bottom line is something needs to change, quickly. I just wonder if maybe Frank is too close to the end of his career to risk ANOTHER staff shake up and then give that 2 or 3 years before we see results. It's a tough call but that's why they pay these guys the big bucks. For the record, I have always been a very loyal CFB fan. But I'm also a realist and as he has said many times, what he has built at Virginia Tech is bigger than him, it's bigger than just one person. I agree. Let's just hope whatever decision is made, it's made for the good of the program.
You know who has overseen both teams and over a decade of offensive ineptitude? Beamer. Unless we somehow managed to replace the worst OC in college football with the 2nd worst OC in college football, there might be that philosophical/underlying bigger problem that another poster referenced in another thread.
And not to mention, our special teams suck too.
Hey, we blocked an extra point last night!
/sarcastic enthusiasm
We also punted a 23 yard punt to our own 24 yd line. And then the worst part, a gif was made and posted to the facebook page for StreakingTheLawn.com. When #LOLUVA starts making fun of our football team, with actual success, you know we have hit rock bottom. While I hate the way our team is playing, I hate #LOLUVA much much more.
Everything you said here is on point couldn't have said it better me self
Then Scot Loeffler should pack his bags this morning and find some other school that appreciates his genius.
I think your "Shane yelling at Loeffler" thesis is ludicrous, but I don't think it's ludicrous to blame Frank for a decade+ of under performing offense. He reached success with a ball control offense and we are now in an "out-score them" world. That's not good and likely will not get better until Frank steps away.
But if I'm Scott Loeffler, if I am not allowed any autonomy, it's time to walk away. That's fine with me, I think he is a very poor OC in a very difficult situation. This is at the root a (Frank) Beamer problem, but having someone as disjointed as Loeffler calling the plays is a recipe for disaster.
This is one of the best articles that has been posted on the site since I joined. Exhibit A for why TKP is THE premiere site for logical, well-thought, debate. Thanks, PhillyHokie!
Full disclosure: I left Lane Stadium early last night (midway through the 4th). For the first time ever. I'm not proud of it, but I also don't regret it.
I showed up in Lane screaming like a banshee. I jumped, I stood (in fact the west stands seemed to be standing more than I've ever seen before for the first quarter), and I yelled to the point that I'm pretty sure people around me were actually annoyed. And I wasn't alone. But you cannot keep up that kind of support when the product is THAT bad. I got to the point where I'd rather go pack up my tailgate and go to bed (and attempt to make it into work today) than watch another screen for no gain.
Frank's response about being "proud" with that performance doesn't exactly inspire me to show up with the same enthusiasm next weekend either. I'll be there, don't get me wrong. But this program has me feeling pretty apathetic now.
Pardon my ignorance, but what am I looking at here?
OK, it was a stretch, and I hesitated quite a bit before pulling the trigger.
I posted a graph of the stock market (which I thought was obvious) and I did it without explanation, to possibly evoke the thought that success is not always measured in a straight line ticking upward. That graph mirrors some of our big years, some of our big drops, and certainly shows a juggernaut coming out of nowhere around the same time.
I'm not ashamed to admit that my girlfriend and I left during the third quarter, right after the third fumble. The feeling before the game was indescribable, it was electric. Everybody was pumped and my gf started crying because she'll never see another Thursday night game (at least as a student). We were ready to watch the Hokies stomp Miami into the fricking ground. We would've run through a gd wall. Then fast forward to the third quarter when wright fumbled the ball. It was the third fumble of the quarter, it felt like the temperature was higher than our yardage total and we'd had enough. We finished our turkey leg and left. We came home and she studied for an exam she has today while I worked on a costume for a show I have this weekend. We left a football game, a VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL GAME, to study and work on costumes.
To say we shit the bed last night is an understatement. We lit the dang thing on fire. That was awful. There are zero positives. There was nothing that makes me look forward and say "maybe next week." That game was definitely and turning point. I went from defending Lefty and Brewer to calling for major change. I'm tired of listening to the "we're young, he's gotta get his guys in to run his system, give it time" bs. We need a fire lit under us. Something has to give somewhere. I just hope that absolute cluster of a game is enough to prove it to the staff.
Just as an addendum, I will be at the BC game cheering as loud as ever. And probably the uva game. I just want it to be worth it.
Unfortunately, its only a turning point if something is done about it. My fear is that program views this as just a bad night hurt by injuries and a bad match-up, and not as a clear sign that we now a last place team.
I really dont think Beamer will realize we are a bad team until we lose to UVA again or not make a Bowl or god forbid both. As long as he has that to hang his hat on we will just be a middle of the road ACC team.
We're not even a middle of the road ACC team right now, we're in dead last in what might be the worst division of a power-5 conference
He realizes it, he will just never admit it. To do so would be to admit a deficiency on his part. A weakness, an inability to evolve. And as long as we make a bowl game, even if it is a crap bowl game and we go into it at 6-6, some people will cheer and use it as false 'proof' that we are still relevant. Same as with the 10-win streak, while Stinespring spent a decade leading one of the most incompetent offenses during the 2000's.
Philly, thank you for this. I stand firmly with you and everyone else who supports the Hokies. I'll see you in Lane next Saturday. LET'S GO!
"As fans, let's control what we can actually control. "
I've been a hokies fan for + or - 30 years. And I will always be a fan! But to say go out and spend money so the coaches that are producing such a bad product gets paid is in insane. I get what you are saying about supporting the team and I agree to some extent but If you go to a restaurant and get poor service/food do you go back to support them. I think not. The point I'm trying to make is yes we should control what we can and stop giving our hard earned money for a bad product. If the money keeps coming in there is no reason for the Administration to make changes. I am going to take control of what I can and not buy anymore tickets/make donations to a failing product. The time is now to make a change if not we may find ourselves in a hole to deep to dig out of. We still have a name that sales but if we allow it to go back to the early 80's we may never attract the type of coaching talent we all want. CFB did make VT football what it is today and he was a great coach but I think he is way passed his prime and its time to respectfully move on. We are not PSU or FSU and cannot afford to digress any further. We do not have the same draw as those schools and will loose any hope of ever landing VT's next great coach.
VTs next great head coach is on the staff... His name....Bud Foster
All due respect to Bud, who is clearly one of the top D coordinators in the country -- but, does anybody really know that he's going to be a great Head Coach? Sure, I hope he would. But he has never been in that position so there is no guarantee.
I think it's a fair question. Now, down vote if you must.
Nope. I have no idea if he would be an even serviceable head coach. But I want us to be the ones that give him that chance.
But then I think about how Randy Shannon turned out, so...
I'm being realistic about the whole thing. Frank would pull a Barry Alvarez, he'd still be around. Just not on the field. Bud deserves a shot to yell at the offense, which he could do as a head coach. Torrian for DC. New LB coach. Give Bud enough money to maintain or remake his offensive staff to his liking. Why not? I'm willing to take that risk on Bud MF Foster.
On point, horse.
How many of us have read the articles w Bud earlier this year on TKP, met him, know or met people who know him, or heard him speak in person. Collectively, this number is large. Bud MF Foster is the real deal w a plan for developing young men academically & as football players. He knows that his job is to deliver a top notch defense...done! year in, year out. He also understands that nurturing young men to be contributing citizens later in life w tuf love is the true measure of his success. He has demonstrated this how many times?
Clearly he has shown his ability to lead and deliver a continuous successful product. What better way to insure a smooth coaching transition and avoid the Bowden mistake.
If you want fire and visible signs of accountability, Bud shows us all this week in, week out. He will succeed.
We have insisted on smoking one hell of a cigar while driving down the road for many years. Now, when we find ourselves in an unfamiliar place, we're just going to have to throw the butt of the cigar into the woods for lack of a better ash tray option. This is going to start one hell of a forest fire, the consequences of which we cannot even begin to fathom. But to suggest that we shouldn't take ownership of that fire, to park our car next to it and try to make s'mores and roast turkey legs over it while we bask in its wild and interminable glow? That is ludicrous.
Bud Foster, head coach, is ours. We deserve each other. Whether Smokey the Bear uses him as a cautionary tale for us or for the rest of college football is up to him, not us.
My only concerns with Bud being given the HC job almost defacto is that as you say, who knows if he'll even be a servicable head coach. I would hate to see him turn out to be a horrible head coach and then get removed. He may be a good DC but not neccissarily a good HC. Also, I question why he wasn't hired as a HC at some of the schools he has interviewed for a few years ago. I believe there was at least 3 or so HC vacancies that he interviewed for and didn't get it. Curious as to why. We'll never know but it is interesting. I would hate for Foster to turn up like Kiffen....an atrocious HC but a pretty good OC (in foster case great DC).
However perhaps he turns out like Saban. A former DC who now pumps out championship caliber teams year in and year out.
I guess what I'm saying is I just don't want it to be handed to him. Should he interview for the job? Yes. But lets not just grant it to him due to loyalty reasons. I'm sure Whit will make a great hire whomever it is, whenever it is.
I agree with HokieBone. I am tired of Frank saying how he is proud of this and proud of that. Go out there and say he was embarrassed, ashamed, appalled, disgusted. Shake some things up, fire some shots across the bow. I know thats not Frank's nature, but it is needed. It just feels like we are stuck in some sort of status quo.
Now don't get me wrong, I love this team and this program, and I will be the last person to ever say that Frank should go, but at least develop and evolve. Lane was amazing last night, the fans were wild, all Maroon everything, etc. In North Endzone it was absolutely batshit crazy and then THUD. We got smacked in the mouth at home on a Thursday night. That is simply unacceptable. It literally hurt my eyes to watch the atrocity that was Tech football last night. If I were a player I would go into hiding out of sheer embarrassment.
They are better than what they showed and they know it. In my unrelenting support of Tech football I know they will get it together, but it needs to be fast. It felt really bad watching fans leave in droves at halftime. I don't blame them one bit, but that should not have to happen on a Thursday night. We are Virginia Tech, we don't lose home football games on Thursday nights (minus FSU, UNC, BC...).
Sorry guys, rant over.
Haven't we lost five straight games in Lane to Power 5 conference opponents?
We haven't beaten a Power 5 team at home in over a calendar year
It all comes down to the play on the field. If the team plays as they did last night, Lane will get emptier and emptier as the season(s) go on. People need to be held responsible and it is not the fans.
I wasn't happy with the product yesterday. I'm as frustrated as anyone. I drove back to Charlotte after the game cold & tired & demoralized. I also watched that scoreboard hit 00:00. I cheered when we finally scored. I couldn't help but think about what the recruits were thinking when we saw the bare bones of Lane Stadium for the entire 4th quarter. Dalton, Settle, DeBerry, Sweat...I will stand up & scream as long as you put on orange & maroon. We'll lose some, everyone does, but if I get to go to Blacksburg, I'm going to cheer for you for every play.
Good mindset. I will cheer like hell for any young man that suits up in our school's colors. I will criticize coaches and administration when warranted, but empty stands is the wrong message. Game-day attendance is support of the players. I realize that requires buying tickets, which fills the coffers of the administration, which some would claim supports or enables failure, but there's no way to get around that. Show up for our guys. Not the ones wearing headsets, the ones wearing helmets.
Are there many schools those recruits are going to visit where the stands would be full of raucous, cheering fans down 30-0 with 5 minutes lefts in the game?
People continually are asking far too much of this fanbase. We are ony human. Expecting us to act superhuman is unfair.
Probably not but to have all those recuits at this game and lose like that to cause that to occur is what sucks. I mean even if we lost and it was a close game that doesn't really hurt but when you get throttled it's a little embarrassing.
I agree, I am not going to change my plans to impress some high school kid, no matter who they are.
I'm just saying booing Brewer off the field and checking out after the third quarter can't impress recruits, and if our fans leave s bad impression on recruits and they go elsewhere the product on the field isn't going to get better no matter who's coaching.
Which means it is even MORE critical that someone in charge of the program - Frank - makes the difficult decisions and changes to prevent the fans from voicing & showing their displeasure. The onus is NOT on the fans to blindly support whatever substandard performance they are provided, it is on the program to make the changes.
Iowa state. It's incredible how full and loud their stadium is, despite years of suck. I respect isu and their fanbase
As much as I hate the excuse "wait for next year" as much as everyone else, I keep looking at where Mississippi State and Ole Miss are right now. Looking at the former, 2011: 7-6, 2012: 8-5, 2013: 7-6, 2014: currently 6-0. The latter since their coaching change in 2012: 7-6, 2013: 8-5, 2014: currently 7-0. Next year will be the third under Lefty, and maybe our O-Line can have the same coach for two years in a row as well. I force myself to sit through games like last night for the payoff that will come when things turn around. I don't want to sound like a Beamer apologist, since last night was atrocious. But if he has decided to put all his eggs in the 2015 basket, then that basket had better deliver.
I'm already looking forward to next year being better.
This year, I want us to KEEP the Commonwealth Cup in Blacksburg.
The only people who make this a reality are the guys on the field and for that I'll shout "Go Hokies!" from the top of someplace very high until I'm blue in the face.
*will repeat until we also win a National Championship ^_^
Sad part about looking at the Mississippi schools and their success this season, VT has actually out-recruited them for the most part. Other than that highly-touted class Ole Miss snagged up in 2013, the Hokies have better recruiting rankings than both schools (most definitely over Miss. St) according to Rivals. So what that tells me is that it comes back to coaching...
Just embarrassing and sad what happened last night. That felt worse than the 2005 game that came with much much higher expectations.
I can certainly understand the sentiment that the Hokies are a product, and that fans should treat the team as a consumer would etc....
But....
I see the Hokies somewhat more personally. I think everyone here does, really. I don't see them as my children, but there are more similarities to that comparison than looking at myself as just as a patron to a business. I get disappointed, sure. I want the best for them. I want them to earn what they get, for their satisfaction, as well as my own. I am guilty of living my life vicariously through them. And I will never turn my back on them, no matter what.
Last night, they came home late with a wrecked vehicle. That's about all I know right now. But eventually, everything will be right again.
That is all I have, plus a little something from #teamcake...
There is a time to follow and there is a time to lead. We need the sort of leadership from some on this roster that helped salvage 2010.
Agree, I mentioned this on the open thread for the game last night. There is no leadership on the offense. I didn't see any player on the sideline getting into any other players about the game. Usually there is a shot at somepoint where players are trying to light a fire under someone. LT did it last year. This year Brewer just looks ho-hum on the sideline and defeated. Where is someone trying to kickstart this offense from a player standpoint??
Sam Rogers was still running like a mad man down 30 in the 4th. I think he's our best leader.
So my question, is what can we realistically do? We want change...we want positive results. I'm not saying make coaching changes...but attitude adjustments. We want to see what the future could hold...right now the future is bleak.
How do we (fans) make a statement, make our voices heard without destroying the program?
Do we show up and support the team? The message could be "everything's okay...keep doing what you are..."
Do we stop coming (or worse boo)? The message to this team and recruits is the fans don't support the team.
I, for one, have no problem losing (this year), as long as we lose playing our game. Our D is hurt, but I just shrug when Bud throws everything at the other team and they beat him (GT for example). But the O is just offensive...is this really Lefty's system? No...then run it...go down swinging! If it's a talent issue, how can you best use the talent (cause this ain't it)?
I'll be at the BC game...my plan is this:
- I will cheer when the team enters and plan to cheer the entire game.
- When I see the team playing "safe" or "not to lose" (whether it be D or O), I will calmly sit down without so much as a whimper.
- When I see the team being aggressive and "taking the game" to the opponent, I will cheer my friggin head off...roaring "this what I want to see".
Wonder if 50k fans (no way we're selling out) did the exact same thing? Think Whit and CFB would get the message?
I'm just gonna leave this here...
Thanks for the pep-talk PhillyHokie. I needed it.
After being a pep-talker myself last week, I'm embarrassed to say I gave up last night. That was the first Hokie game that I have not watched to the final whistle by my own choice in 17 years.
The first drive in the second half gave me a glimmer of hope. Hurry-up offense and running the same play (at least it seemed to me) over and over and over again actually worked to move the ball. Whatever was said at halftime seemed to cause a difference in how the OL played - we got push and holes opened up for Marshawn.
But after the third fumble I just couldn't watch anymore. I can't believe how we keep finding new ways to self-destruct game after game.
But, I'll be back next Saturday to cheer on my team. I just hope I see a team that plays all 4 quarters fast and decisive like they started the second half.
I want to see the team line up and run the play that was called, throw the ball downfield, and run north-south. Quit hesitating and running backwards on returns and put all the pre-snap motion, the gimmicks, the east-west, and slow developing plays on the shelf until we're up by 28. And for goodness sake, hold on to the ball.
Exactly why I'm still a Hokie
The bell cow leader of the defense, the one guy we could not have hurt,is out for the season. The leader of the defense, senior linebacker is out. The replacements are talented, but inexperienced, and not prepared to go all game without a let up. Before the season we knew the power rushing game would be what challenged the D the most because of size, and the only way to combat it would be a ball control offense. Fumbles happen when players try too hard to make something extra happen, especially when they rarely get to run in a game. I am surprising myself with how okay I am with the game in hindsight, when I can see it without the maroon colored glasses. If we can just start throwing a catchable deep ball up for grabs when we get single coverage and the youngsters keep improving we can reach the goals above and improve as a team, even if the record does not reflect it.
Thanks for the post. As usual love going through the comments, but my early expectation for this team (and I might have been more than a tad Homerish with it) was 7-5 or 8-4 at best. Of course, like everyone else I wished for more, but with two experienced and much needed O-linemen out, no experienced QB, a small JC as our lead back, no experienced over-the-top deep threat at receiver, a thin (literally in size and in numbers) D line, no stud linebackers and a new place kicker all gave pause to great expectations. Despite sitting at 4-4 with many things deserving criticism there have been some surprises and flashes and I'm with the team in thick or thin. Others will have to decide the future of the program. I'll just continue to be a Hokie and if that means taking my lumps from time to time so be it. For at least eleven weeks a year, there's always next week.
When my kid's were growing up and their teams sucked, I still cheered them on because they need to know they can always count on me no matter what. That is part of the deal. Mom and Dad are alwys in their corner. And it is still that way, good times or not. That is also what is so great about being a Hokie. Support is unconditional, not some type of commodity to be bought or sold. Will I express my frustration? Sure. Will I support change in leadership? I have before when I thought it was warranted and I no doubt will again. But Hokies are family and do not have to earn my support.
Collegiate football programs that deal in revenues of tens of millions of dollars usually tend not to be operated like pee wee football programs sponsored by a local convenience store. The expectations are usually different. The expectations for 'support' are also different.
not for me.
if i was spending money for stadium naming rights or buying corporate seats to impress clients as some kind of commercial venture, i might see it differently. if VT stopped doing things the right way, i might see it differently. if i could no longer identify with the culture at the university, i might see it differently. but none of those things are the case.
I think the point he was trying to make is that Tech football, for a lot of people, isn't just a leisure activity where the decision to support is based solely on the on field performance or lack there of. An insanely large portion of Tech fans only know Tech football as Beamer and Bud. You see Frank out for a jog around campus or helping freshman move in, you see Bud eating in D2 and other things that make the relationship much deeper than a purely economic one. Whether or not its a good thing, for a lot of people Beamer IS what Tech is. He's never been flashy or fancy and he's definitely not an egoist as so many coaches in the world today are. So yeah, speaking from the other side of the coin, I cannot remember how many terrible sporting events and teams I played for that no matter what my parents took me to and stayed they whole time. While at the time it didn't seem to mean much, knowing your parents were supporting you made you just that much more motivated, even if it did not always lead to success. Tech football and the university itself has way more of a family type of feel than any other school ive visited in my 4 years here. In fact im pretty sure, based off his press conference, thats one big reason Buzz came here. No matter how this year and the next couple turn out I would sell my soul to make sure I am in Lane for Beamer's last game and I bet you would too. So yeah, id say support for football is more about emotions on the fan side than it should be, and probably more on the school side than you'd think.
I understood his point. I just challenged the veracity of it. The point I made that wasn't recognized is that no matter how sentimental you might feel, there is a cost/benefit ratio among donors. Labeling people who understand that component as 'leisure' fans completely misses the point. I attended VT. As soon as I graduated, I became a Hokie Club member, even though I could barely afford it. I bought season tickets in football & basketball. That was three decades ago. I still have them. That is not 'leisure'. That is dedication. When I decide to change my attendance or contributions, neither makes me more or less of a fan. When I decide to criticize the programs in an effort to improve them, that does not make me less a fan. In my opinion, seeing obvious lack of performance and ignoring it makes me less of a fan.
Virginia Tech football is my drug. The addiction is bad. When the win I feel like I'm on top of the world and that world is shiney and bright. When they lose my heart breaks and my veiw on the world is "f that" for everything. But in a few days I'm itching for the next game just in the hopes that I will get to feel the excitement of a win.
The players and coach's may change but my addiction for Virginia Tech football will never fade. I will support and cheer for anyone and everyone that suits up for us and represents our Hokie family. I do not care about their level of talent. I only care that they wear their uniforms with pride and play their hearts out.
I did not grow up a Virginia Tech fan but the second I took a tour of the campus I knew I was and always had been a Hokie fan. Now who's next?!
I don't think the booing is directed at the players. The booing is directed at coaches who call really stupid plays.
I can't believe how dumb our passing game looks now. How is it that Brewer looks like a different person? If he's so hurt that he can't throw beyond 15 yards then we need to put in someone who isn't hurt. His his confidence busted? Well put someone in who has confidence.
Honestly, I keep hearing about how great Loeffler is at coaching and developing quaterbacks but I have yet to see that. He stated after the UCLA game that he was partly to blame for not giving Leal the necessary attention that he needed. Logan really really improve over last year, and Brewer has regressed. This marks season #3 that Loeffler has stunk up.
Look at all of the players that are transferring out or are taking leave of absences.
The Tech program right now looks like an Enron or Worldcom; its about to collapse and implode.
A couple of thoughts. First I was happy that we blocked our first kick of the year. ( They said one last week, it looked like a clean miss to me). Some of the players on our offense never stopped trying, Sam Rogers I am looking at you! (Only running back not to fumble this year, I believe).
For all the great talk about Bud Foster and our Defense, they got schooled last night. We had way to many holes in formations from design that Miami exploited again and again. Yes, we have injuries, our players are fast but way to light to stop any sort of power running game. See Pitt, see last night, and I am afraid of what BC is going to do. Our DT look like DE's, our DE's are built like light LB's and our LB's are safeties anywhere else. Please Bud figure out something that you can do with our current players, because plug and play isn't working.
As for Brewer, he seems most comfortable playing the hurry up offense, and note we had almost no pre-snap penalties so the offensive line must like it as well. We ran from the hurry up decently as well, 4.8 yards per carry average for 42. But he hasn't thrown the ball over 15 yards in 3 weeks? Either he is hurt or the offense has been re-tooled to eliminate those throws.
All I can say, is I hope the team can get it together sufficient for the following:
a) Bowl Qualify - Keep the streak alive for the players and fans.
b) Beat UVA - Keep the Commonwealth Cup where it belongs.
c) Stay healthy, learn, and grow from the experience.
Good post! I agree that for all Bud's success, it seems sometimes his schemes out scheme his own team even. It just seems that we often hear how athletic guys are, but they never seem to hit the field. What is it about his system that superior football players are not on the field? He needs to find a way to get the so-called studs such as the Van Dyke's and McKinnon's tuned in and playing. Does that mean simplify things? Maybe, but I am not sure. What's up with that?
One thing you will notice about Bud's defenses is, as VT gets down in a game by more points, he tend to dial up more and more heat which if not executed PERFECTLY, end up with breakdowns. The best answer for a better Bud Foster defense is some real help from the other side of the ball. If you go watch some of the games again, you see exactly what I'm talking about.
You know there are some fan sites that are too negative and others that are too positive. I wish I could find a site where we can be realistic about the team we support. I hope this is that site I am searching for.
Look, at what point as fans do we call a spade a spade? As it has been repeated by some other commentors, at some point we need to acknowledge that our team is failing. I think we are at this point. This team has failed. I'm sorry, but we lost and we were almost shutout at home, in Lane Stadium! If I were being brutally honest, we were shutout last night. That TD we scored was against a Miami Defense that seemed disinterested in the last drive since the game was a forgone conclusion. As some would call it, "A garbage time TD."
I don't think its time to force HC Beamer out nor OC Loeffler, but if we do not win the ACC Coastal next year, then at a minimum OC Loeffler needs to be shown the door, if not HC Beamer and the rest of the Offensive staff. Why again is Shane Beamer the RB coach?
I wonder how many programs have been ruined in the past 15 years by whiny fan bases after the hokies thoroughly demoralized them. Face it, we are seeing how the other half lives. I don't think Loeffler or Beamer are to blame. We have no offensive line push and no qbs on the roster that can complete a designed pass beyond 15 yards. Skill positions are pretty good right now. Defense just needs to have some confidence in the offense to take the pressure off. Go ahead and push for the firing of Beamer and Loeffler and blow the program up...and be prepared to turn into UVA. But, when Beamer rights this ship and we are back to 10 win seasons again, please oh please appreciate them this time. Go Hokies forever and always!
I like your optimism but don't criticize the site. I think that's why you got downvoted by some people
I was criticizing other fanbases/programs that have made irresponsible rash decisions in regards to coaching changes or even player benchings. We are simply on the brink. Sorry for the mixed message.
It's been a busy day for me and I haven't had much time for key playing, but I just wanted to say this is probably my favorite (serious) article posted on this site. You nailed exactly what I've been thinking, but much more eloquently than I've ever thought it.
My 2 cents 24 hrs later: our struggle boils down to talent. We don't have the horses to compete. Once our 1's go down, there is a significant drop in depth. If u watch some of the highlights from the past two losses, it is clear that our guys are in position to make plays, they just aren't. Jarrett at PITT (3 key misses). Brewer consistently missing open receivers. Matuapauka getting bundled up in the gap. Running backs fumbling, the oline struggling to get movement. I firmly believe that the players have been "ready" to play. I just don't think we have a stacked hand, like some of our opposition. Miami's backup had 115 yards last night. The starter? Over 250. Yikes. That output by Duke Johnson was more than our ENTIRE team.
Until we recruit elite talent, we'll be a 10 win team at best. Blame the coaches, blame the AD, blame the lack of "game preparedness"...let's face it: in one on ones, we just aren't good enough.
That being said...once a Hokie, always a Hokie. Let's beat Boston College!
Agreed. Talent is the biggest issue with the program right now. But coaches are the only ones who can really do anything about that. So it's a bit of a chicken/egg syndrome.
Yesterday was the first and will be the last time I ever leave a game early (mid way through the 4th quarter). I regret not cheering the players for every play.
I left because it is just too painful to watch. 2 weeks in a row with horrible and un-inspired game plans. Why does it take some halftime speech and game adjustments to get any offense going? I love the kids wearing the maroon. I want to see them put into a chance to succeed. They're not getting the coaching they deserve. No player on the offense is any better than they were in game 1.
Hokies know there will be tough times and tough games. We understand that there will be growing pains. But we also need to see a plan, passion, some signs of improvement; we are getting none of that.
The halftime adjustments do appear to be working to some degree. I wonder if Loefffler could be more effective from the field than in the box.
I personally feel like the drastic half time adjustments like we saw at Western Michigan, and again Thursday night are Frank Beamer directing Loeffler to run the damn football instead of Loeffler's erratic non-sense. At least some production was coming from that albeit too little too late vs Miami.
This sucks. I feel like I got dumped by my high school sweetheart... It's one of those feelings where you honestly don't know what to even think or do because you are so upset and confused. This sucks a lot.
The first 2 losses were tough. But at least the team showed some heart in the losses. The guys even battled back against Pitt (my auto correct wanted Pitt to be pitty). However, the Miami loss was disappointing, depressing and demoralizing. Fans were there to cheer and put life into the team, we did what we could. This team needs to figure out how to get life into itself.
All that being said, if you take a away the fumbles.... it might have been a game.
I enjoyed taking my sons to their first night game at Lane and the tailgating before it. Enjoyed talking to Joe and Brian.
Still, it was hard to watch a game of unranked, slightly above .500 teams and see us so thoroughly outplayed. The old rivalry this was not.
The only other time I left early was a few years ago when we were on the other side of a blowout.
We have not been competitive for two straight games versus average teams. Our concern is not without reason. Depending on how the rest of the year goes, all options should be considered by Frank, and, as hard as it is to say, by Whit as well.
I have been too mentally invested in this team. I will keep my passion at the games and in front of the tv but am going to try to not let future failures ruin my week. Not easy, but necessary. I love this team, but life goes on.
I hate to say it, but I am actually considering the end of my season ticket run. I live about 5.5 hrs from Blacksburg and over the past 10 years or so have enjoyed marking off 2-3 weekends per year for the pilgrimage to the NRV. We would normally win, and if we didn't we could expect a good game and a great weekend.
My buddies texted me from our seats on Thursday which are in a good spot (row VV) and the 5 rows in front of them were completely empty. I have never seen it like this before. I can't even sell the tickets that I don't go to for half price. At this point, it is a poor financial decision to support the athletic program for such diminishing returns.
The team needs change of some sort. Success comes with expectations, and with expectations come consequences.
What a bummer.
Athletic programs across the country, pro and college, are seeing drops in attendance. Multiple things attribute. Certainly the state of the team plays in. Also, the tv product has gotten better and better. There is a generational change happening as well, students don't go to games like they use to. ADs everywhere are going to be challenged with how to fill empty seats.
Well said @PhillyHokie007. Well said.
I have to say one thing that has been really pissing me off since half time of this game. Our seats are on the 20 Alum side about 10 rows up. When the players were going into the locker room for the half, this ass hat stood up a couple seats down from me and starting booing the players and yelling at them say "you suck". As a VT community, can we just knock these pricks the hell out? These players are still book bag toting kids. If this guy wants to say "hey Beamer, you suck balls", I don't care he is a grown man and can take it. So I am asking this community, if you hear this non-sense near you, say something. If you partake in this crap...stop!
Thanks for listening.
I'm glad someone said this. We all need to remember that at the end of the day, true freshman to red shirt senior, they are kids. If I'm this embarrassed of the team as a fan imagine how they feel. I assure you they are not proud of themselves. The last thing they need is pointless insults.
Well said and Go Hokies! No matter how you may feel about the team, booing the players is going to far.
If I didn't have weddings in November, I would be at all of the remaining games - our schedule makes it easy to make the final 4 games.
With that....
Screw the U, and GO HOKIES! Here's to plucking the feathers off the Eagles on Saturday!