Bitter blog - 2014 in review: After Brewer showed glimpses, what could it mean for 2015?

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I am looking forward to seeing Brewer play again next year. I think with the time running the offense and the fact the running game will likely improve a little, I see Brewer performing better in year two. But maybe we can mix in a little more wildcat with Durkin or Motley.

it will be interesting to see what all the young qb's do if Brewer wins out, I am sure part of the incentive for Loeffler to get them to come to Tech was the chance at early playing time...

I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction:
“I served in the United States Navy"

And I'm fairly certain they'll get a chance, but it won't just be gifted to them. Hopefully if they play better than Brewer, they'll play on Saturdays.

VT Class of '12 (MSE), MVBone, Go Hokies!

100% Agree. We are just acquiring a lot of young recruititcorns at the qb position and if they are not getting a chance because brewer is written in as the starter then they might look at transferring.

I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction:
“I served in the United States Navy"

Yes, however this is an issue at every school. If a recruit wants to be a QB at a P5 school chances are they're going to face challenges and have to prove themselves. I see no reason why a kid would immediately look to transfer from Tech just because they have to battle to become the starter.

OSU this past year is a perfect example...

Pain is Temporary, Chicks Dig Scars
Glory is Forever, Let's Go Hokies!!

Braxton Miller has already been rumored to be interested in FSU, LSU, Oregon and VT. Golson of ND has shown interest in LSU. Cam wasn't going to see behind Tebow forever so he bounced and got in trouble. Croker left FSU. Phil Simms from Hampton Roads left bama for UVA didn't work out well for him. Point is its hard for a top guy to sit 3-4yrs for a chance only at his Senior yr. bama's Sims this yr did it, I can't think of another Top 25 program's QB he has done that.

Geaux Hokies

all those guys were 5 stars....

quick question.... is dj durkin chris durkins dad?

twitter @smithey_daniel
head scout BSP scouting specializing in north florida/ southern GA highschool football scouting

Uncle, I believe.

do you think that would hold any weight now that he is at mich st which is where chris durkin originally commited?

twitter @smithey_daniel
head scout BSP scouting specializing in north florida/ southern GA highschool football scouting

After the MSU fans trashed Durkin when he flipped to VT, I would hope he wouldn't give them the time of day.

"Exit light..."

Hutson Mason at Georgia did it this year.

Not even a Super Bowl ring helped him start in Tuscaloosa?

No, I *don't* want to go to the SEC. Why do you ask?

We don't love dem Hoos.

I almost guarantee someone will transfer within 2 years. We're in a spot where its very likely by 2016 we're rolling 4 deep with quality players at QB. It would take an absurd set of circumstances for all of them to see the field, and the guy slotted at 4th I would not blame at all to transfer somewhere that he knows he'll get playing time. I wouldn't even be shocked if both the 3rd and 4th guys look to go elsewhere.

"When I was growing up, Virginia Tech was a school that was kicking ass and taking names, and it's time we get back to that" - James Franklin

Agreed, and agree with the sentiment that while it sucks that it doesn't work out for some great players lost on the depth chart, this is exactly the scenario we need to be in if we want to contend for titles with any regularity.

We've going to have a wide-open battle for starting positions by a lot of great recruits next spring/summer/fall. Some of them are going to be disappointed, and some may transfer.

I hate to see anyone leave, but it's much more preferable than to have a team full of athletes that couldn't find any other D1 team willing to take them.

O-line has been and remains my biggest concern. It takes years to build the O-line and it certainly hasn't helped having 3 different coaches in 4 years. This is the first time since 2011-2012 seasons that we have had the same O-line coach for at least 2 seasons

Onward and upward

If Brewer doesn't blow everyone else out of the water in spring practice, I think the summer competition will be really interesting. I refuse to believe Brewer at his best is head and shoulders better than the rest of our quarterbacks until its proved otherwise. Yeah, experience matters but three years of starting didn't seem to keep Logan from making the same mistakes time and time again as a passer (not bashing, just stating what I saw). I don't want to start brewer just because of experience and because he played well against anOSU, I want someone who is talented enough to create big plays on a somewhat consistent basis and who can cover up any potential deficiencies the Oline may have. If Brewer is that guy, so be it, but I'm hoping one of the young guys really shines this spring.

Brewer at his best is for sure better than a group of QBs who have never taken college snaps.

do we know that for sure? not to undervalue college snaps, and i know QB is different, but if we had taken that approach this season players like Isaiah Ford wouldnt have started from day 1. I dont want to start Brewer just because he has experience that the other guys dont. only time will tell i guess haha

QB is different than WR in that regard. Let's put it this way, the incumbent senior starter is the best QB available probably 9/10 times.

If we went by this mentality, Mark Leal would have been our starter all year long.

Go with whoever gives you the best chance to win going forward. If that's Brewer, great, but I don't want experience to be the all encompassing trump card that invalidates everyone else. Just as if we go with Ford or Durkin this year, and then Lawson shows through practices while redshirting this year that he's a special player, when 2016 comes around, I want Lawson to be the guy. Play the guy that gives you the best chance to win, and eventually the stability will come.

That being said, if we don't play Brewer this year, we're looking at 3 starting QBs in 3 years, with a very strong possibility of it being 4 starting QBs in 4 years if/when Lawson gets his chance. That kind of instability will hold any offense back.

"When I was growing up, Virginia Tech was a school that was kicking ass and taking names, and it's time we get back to that" - James Franklin

Mark Leal would have been our starter all year long.

Yeah, but then he would've missed out on that incredible job opportunity!

"That kid you're talking to right there, I think he played his nuts off! And you can quote me on that shit!" -Bud Foster

Exactly, so for the best interests of Brewer, maybe we should go with someone else, just in case NASA comes calling and he needs to leave ASAP to start training for Mars.

"When I was growing up, Virginia Tech was a school that was kicking ass and taking names, and it's time we get back to that" - James Franklin

Leal wasn't an incumbent starter though...

Off the top of my head, at least 6 teams (LSU, UF, TAMU, Clemson, Miami, and Oklahoma State started true freshman QBs at one time or another and made bowl games. Arizona started a redshirt Fr and made the Pac 12 title game.

Brewers best three games for QBR were still below the AVERAGE game for Tyler Boyd. The remaining 10 games were all below the league median.

I don't think Brewer has anything wrapped up.

"Brewers best three games for QBR were still below the AVERAGE game for Tyler Boyd."

Tyler Boyd is a WR for Pitt. I cannot figure out who you meant instead.

"Nope, launch him into the sun and fart on him on the way up"
-gobble gobble chumps

"11-0, bro"
-Hunter Carpenter (probably)

I guessed Tajh Boyd

"That kid you're talking to right there, I think he played his nuts off! And you can quote me on that shit!" -Bud Foster

I thought that at first, but Tajh was redshirted his freshman year and was a back-up to Parker during his r-Fr year, so that doesn't really fit what the OP was trying to assert. He didn't start until his third year on campus.

Maybe the OP meant Tyler Murphy, but that doesn't really make sense either since he transferred to BC for his last year of eligibility.

"Nope, launch him into the sun and fart on him on the way up"
-gobble gobble chumps

"11-0, bro"
-Hunter Carpenter (probably)

There is more than the QB involved in it. Lof had little time to get to know the pieces he had to play with this year with so many true freshman (or Brewer, who he had only seen film on) starting. By the time he knew who the starters were and what they were good at, there was not enough time to work on their weaknesses and develop a playbook around what they could do well. The eternal offseason optimist in me believes that knowing so much more about what he has, and what they need to work on, will allow him to develop and work on the execution of the plays they are best suited for, which should result in more success for the offense and Brewer. If he cannot do that we are not where need to be OC wise. If he can do that, and Seamless can get more consistent line play, we should have a much better offense.

Sometimes we live no particular way but our own

Seamless.
That spell-check 'll get after ya.

"It's a Hokie takeover of The Hill ... in Charlottesville!" -Bill Roth

Its gonna be interesting.
A. Brewer with a year+ of on-field experience.
B. An offensive skill position player set that is returning pretty much intact (we will miss Willie Byrn but he wasn't used as much in the last couple of games - that is not a negative towards him as much as it is a comment about future continuity for the VT offense)
C. 85%+ of our offensive points scored were by freshman - which includes our kicker Slye (who had ice in his veins against Cincy)
D. How many RBs will we have next year?
E. The O-line losses 3 but has hungry guys in the wings and some great recruits coming - with 2 this month!

Up is the only direction we will go from this year.
Let's. Go. Hokies!

Pain is Temporary, Chicks Dig Scars
Glory is Forever, Let's Go Hokies!!

D. How many RBs will we have next year?

All of them.

"I liked you guys a lot better when everybody told you you were terrible." -Justin Fuente