http://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/chase-complete/2015/01...
Thought this was an interesting read. The low and high points of our respective seasons. Should be a fun lead up to the game since they are keen on revenge and proving the game was a "fluke" and us the exact opposite.
Personally I'm not sure how anyone can call that game a fluke, it was a pretty solid defeat.
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It was a fluke in the context of their season. They didn't do the things they did against us against anyone else. Barnett was....you know....good, the rest of the year. He wasn't good that day. Missed a bunch of open throws, got flustered by the rush, misread a sight read on the last interception.
If I'm an OSU fan, I assume that if they play like they did in the other 13 games of the season, they will beat us going away. If I'm a VT fan, I think that if we did it once before, we can do it again. We didn't play a perfect game (our offense pretty much stunk besides a few drives) and we'll be playing at home.
Regardless of what anyone wants to call that game, let's go out there and kick their asses again to put the debate to rest.
Man, they have a pretty arrogant fan base when it comes to predicting the Labor day outcome. Also sad how very few give VT credit for beating them in that game. They were young and inexperienced and we used that to our advantage and beat them. It will be a fun match-up in September.
Don't look now Nick, but we were "young and inexperienced" too. Hodges, I. Ford, Phillips. Brewer, Shai, Juice, and I'm sure some more on the O line were all playing their second game in a VT uniform.
Beat me to it.
Also Slye and Stroman, and a hobbled Facyson.
Also, it seems most fail to mention that our offense was also young and inexperienced, yet OSU could not take advantage of that.
They don't have Bud Foster.
The intelligent ones give VT credit, as 11W pointed out you out played and out coached us and walked away with the deserved W. You came into our house and did what it takes and any fan should respect that. We do have our share of idiots, however; but my biased perspective is the 11W article was pretty fair and respectful of VT while lamenting our teams seeming inability to get their act together.
Do I wish we played that day like we did later in the season? Sure, but as Sir Charles said sometimes you just have to "take your butt whipping and go home..." and we certainly got ours whipped that day.
Do I think we win on Labor day? Certainly, given the way we played at the end of the year and the players we have returning. Do I expect it to be easy given how your season went? No, because you will have a healthy team and starters that are experienced as well; and Beamer is one heck of coach.
I think it will be a better game than some are thinking. Certainly you all will and should be favored, probably by a pretty good margin. Lane is going to be electric and most of the team from last year will be back. I think it's going to be a slobberknocker and great to watch.
Who all ended up leaving from OSU?
I can't answer the question of who left, but in my opinion, the biggest loss of them all was Tom Herman. It will be interesting to see how the combination of Warinner and Beck will work out for them.
Losing Herman was big but at least Warriner stuck around. Given UM's offensive mindset I'd be more worried about losing defensive coaches.
The good news is when you lose assistants to jobs that are a step up it makes it easier to get the hot up and comers since it will help them achieve their long term career goals as well.
True. Much easier to land a home run hire when the predecessor was hired away for a bigger and better opportunity than when they are fired. Herman though was a great play caller.
Despite the accuracy of this statement, you never would have thought that was the case the day after our game against OSU, based on 11W. Funny how that works.
Overall we we did pretty good since many juniors decided to return rater than leave early, including our 3 QB's and some other key players.
Our biggest losses are probably:
Defense: Michael Bennett on the line and Doran Grant at Cornerback; Noah Spence at DE is a big loss but he didn't play all season due to a suspension so even leaving a year early isn't to bad.
Offense: Jeff Heuerman at TE and Devin Smith at WR -> he was our best deep ball threat and made some amazing catches.
I was hoping Bosa wouldn't be around; he's a wrecking ball. Overall it seems like mostly a rematch. We lost both our starting safeties and our Wang and LT on the OL.
Yeesh, Bosa is just a monster. Really not looking forward to seeing him again, especially potentially against a true freshman tackle.
Was Bennett the massive guy that didn't play a whole lot, but when he did, he disrupted everything? Or am I thinking of someone else?
Probably, since he really came on strong as a starter latter in the season after he switched positions and Washington became the nose guard. Having Bosa back and Washington move back to Bennett's spot will help a lot as a new guy takes over for at nose guard.
At this point I don't think it really matters if what was written gave VT all the respect in the world, we would still nitpick and complain because we want our team to find reasons to be upset with OSU and play angry. I don't want to speak for all Hokies, but I imagine most want to be the underdog and have the team play with a chip on their shoulder. Especially against an elite team.
I've spent some time lurking their website, and there's a few that are so arrogant that it's not even funny. There's a lot saying that OSU will put 80 pts on us or that we won't score at all. I don't recall a team that has ever put 80 on the LPD, but if history is any indication, I wouldn't count on it.
I'm not sure why OSU fans don't give more respect. Hopefully the team gives them a reason to come next September, win or lose.
Appreciate the intelligent OSU fans btw.
Yea, we have our share of fans whom I wonder what color the sky is in their world. I think we win but it would be a one or two TD difference and a close game throughout. The last team I remember us putting 80 points on was Pitt; but that was OK because Mark May is from Pitt
They didn't call our game a fluke, he said the win at Navy the week before was flukey.
The performance of the Ohio State linebackers and defensive backs was abysmal. I didn't think Barrett played poorly. If Ohio State's receivers make the same catches that East Carolina's group made the next week, the game is much closer or the Buckeyes win. The wideouts KILLED Ohio State that week.
There was a swing pass that Barrett overthrew early in the 4th QTR that would have went for a mile. I've often thought of that pass, it may very likely would have changed the outcome of the game. It was just one play, but Barrett missed it. He didn't miss those later in the year.
And that RB, totally grew up by the end of the season.
I get anxious thinking about that swing pass
Yeah, their linebackers and nickel corner couldn't hang with VT's tight ends, Willie Byrn, or Sam Rogers at all that night, especially on rub routes. 18 catches for 150+ yards and 2 touchdowns. Really killed them.
Reading those message boards reminds me why I HATED living in Ohio. Also shows you how great TKP readers are.
Every fan base has their share of bad apples. You just get a lot more of them when you're a historically great team that is currently winning.
I lived in Cbus for 4 years and Dayton for 3. There are ALOT of a hole anOSU fans. While the people who are season tickets holders/boosters etc are mostly good people the fans who sobt are the most hard core a holes.
Eh, overall I think the folks over there are good. We've had our share of a-holes on this board in the past as well.
It's not even that they're a-holes, it's just pure delusion. Not a single one has processed the possibility of VT scoring or stopping them on a single possession. Better hope the Buck's team doesn't read their press clippings too much, or they're gonna walk into Lane expecting a cupcake only to be faced with Bud Foster once again.
Eh I give them a pass. They are coming off winning the golden vag is very convincing fashion. Plus we didn't score a point against Wake, so it's possible.
Fair enough. I'm sure they'll have an injury or will see a guy miss a tackle in a scrimmage or something and they'll concede a field goal or so.
I snorted when I read the golden vag comment. Never gets old...
Good point about Wake. But still, I really don't think they will be able to put 80 on Bud Fosters defense like some of them have been saying. Can they expose some flaws? Sure. But not 80 points.
I read it more as tongue in cheek. People on here have said things similar about other opponents, myself included. At the end the day we certainly are a topic for discussion and will always be the "1" in the loss column for them.
The best thing for VT football right now is for OSU fans to fill the OSU players' heads with such things as: Fluke, VT sucks, OSU wins this easy etc.
Plus, I don't think the players will be out for revenge as much as they would have been if the loss cost them the NC. It was an early season loss that really ment nothing to the outcome of their season.
It still helped start the narrative that the BIG was atrocious, which they heard over and over before the playoff selection.
They don't even get the weather right.
I remember debating between shorts or jeans when I got there and being happy I chose jeans. It was a comfortable night and if anything a bit chilly.
Cold weather has a very different connotation in Columbus. That game was, by our standards, played in beach weather...
True. There's probably some discrepancy in perception of cold between a CA native and an Ohio native.
OSU was one overthrown swing pass to the hb away from tying it up. Hopefully those plays fall for us again next year
And VT was a play here or there from being a 9-10 win football team last year and nobody talking about how beating OSU was a fluke.
Thats how football works. I can't think of any particular play from the OSU game that sticks out as being pure luck.
Yea I know I'm just saying it was a dead even game that we happened to come out on top. Both teams had big plays, bosa sack fumble, Riley pick six. I'm just saying that was a simple play they missed that they hit 9/10 times
I would say we had one lucky play though. I think it was a third down, brewer rolled out and floated a sideline ball to Rodgers across defenders. It worked out, but it was a bad decision. It was the kind of decision making we saw from brewer in the following weeks with the gt and ecu picks
Eh, that was the result of the scheme rattling a young QB to a large degree.
I guess we will just have to hope OSU doesn't show up huh...being that it is labor day...
Regarding their supposed arrogance I mean, they did just win a national championship in dominating fashion. Seems to be a pretty good reason to be confident.
That being said, yeah, they think they're gonna destroy us. We'll see
Also, their fans keep mentioning "miraculous" plays and amazing catches. Outside of Sam Rogers' catch I don't remember much of those at all. They struggled with stick routes and guys in the slot the whole game, nothing fluky or lucky about that.
At least this next game won't be in Ohio. I'm still bitter that the vaunted extra capacity amounted to a bunch of HIGHLY obstructed view seats without any warning whatsoever. Shamefully greedy stuff from an athletic department. Not to mention the cops writing up citations for an entire parking lot just for tailgating. The Ohio State fans I met were great, but their university and police department make me glad we're finally getting to play the rematch in Blacksburg.
All I know is that if you give Bud Foster an entire off season to prepare for you, you're going to have a bad time.
Unless you are just wildly more talented. Than it doesn't matter who the defensive coordinator is.
Don't you know that you're supposed to put this in a South Park Ski Instructor meme?
In 2013 the defense held Alabama (who I believe were as talented that hear as tOSU is this year) to 14 offensive points. And I simply do not see our ST's giving up 21 points ever again to anyone.
Just food for thought.
AnOSU fans how do you view the fact that the team will have 4-5 QB's looking to gain the starting slot this upcoming year?
We went 9/17 (~53%) on third downs against anOSU. The rest of the season, we went 76/196 (~39%). I'd call that a fluke (however, I'm sure someone who is far more statistically inclined than I could check standard deviations and figure out exactly how flukey this game was).
EDIT:
For reference, GT had the best third down conversion (57.9%) followed by Auburn at 52.5%. VT finished the season with the 79th best third down conversion percentage. So, if we had maintained the OSU third down conversion rate all season long, we would have finished the season with the NCAA's second best third down conversion rate.
I guess it comes down to what your definition of a 'fluke' is. Ignoring offensive injuries, I don't believe that we could have maintained a similar conversion rate over 12+ games. Maybe I'm wrong. We were in the zone that night - we just made difficult plays what felt like every third down. That doesn't happen every game.
Also wanted to add that I don't think calling this OSU loss a 'Fluke' is demeaning at all. On September 6th, OSU played below their average quality of play for the season. VT played above it. Sure, injuries made it difficult to evaluate our true potential, but inexperience made it just as difficult to determine OSU's ceiling at the time.
Would not Wake Forest also be considered a fluke? (3/15 on 3rd down conv).
I like to think Wake Forest was a fluke. IMO, there are hypothetical scenarios where one can say 'If this team were to play 10 times, we'd see a similar result X times.' If you think it unlikely that that same result would be repeated, then I would call it a fluke.
Yeah but injuries add up. Worse OL, worse RBs, worse WRs (all relative to what we had at the OSU game) means you can't compare third down averages later on in the year to the OSU game. Just like you can't compare the team that lost to Wake at face value to the team that beat OSU.
Like WVU, it's all relative.
Well played sir....well played...
I think the article is a terrific read which doesn't dismiss our win as a fluke so much as view it as an aberration. There is some chest thumping and hyperbole, but by and large I think it reads like a comments section on TKP. Got a particular chuckle out of the comments claiming no such game against VT ever took place. Felt good to be on the other side of that equation for once.
Yes some of the comments reference it as a fluke game moreso than the article itself.
I don't think, regardless of whats said on either said, that anything is going to serve as "extra" motivation for either team come time for the rematch.
They come in looking to avenge their only loss (that occured in the Shoe in front of a then record crowd at night), while VT will be preparing to play the (presumed) #1 team in the nation.
Lol those comments, did they learn nothing from that night? You won't beat us walking away with it.