I read this on the ESPN blog and the stat blew me away. Here is the link: http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/80788/which-conference-produces-th...
I thought this was interesting since It wasn't long ago most associated VT football with great defense and a smashmouth offense. Obviously things have changed but I was still shocked when I saw this. The first 2 years of this streak the program had successful seasons: 1 ACC championship, 2 BCS bowl losses*. We also had fairly balanced offenses with productive RBs (Wilson, Williams, Evans). The last three years we.... (I don't remember, I blacked out).
My assumption is that this stat is a result of a combination of the following: solid overall offense for 2 years, airing it out from behind the last 3 years, trying to go to more of a spread offense, and a drop in talent/rotating door at RB position. Do y'all agree? Anyone else suprised by the stat?
*It was a catch
Comments
I think I just really miss the days of pounding the rock down our opponents throat... Is it football season yet?
Giggity. Is that euphamism?
While a good passing game can strike quick and can kill an opponent, I've always been a fan of a power running game. Give me bruiser over a scat-back any day. I'm a longtime Steelers fan, and I LOVED watching Bettis dish out the punishment. First and second quarter he was only getting short gains, but by late third to fourth quarter they couldn't stop him. Plus he had the speed once he broke into the open.
Line up and beat 'em into submission, now that's football!
And yet so many don't want him as our QB...smh
So because he hit 2500 yards that makes him a good qb?
I didn't say that. I am just tired of people writing him off as our QB.
He wasn't perfect by any means but he deserves respect.
I think he'll be better next year with an improved line, but I'm not sure what part of his 111th ranked 6.1 Y/A or 98th ranked passer rating or top 10 15 interceptions performance this year deserves starting qb respect.
As a player he undoubtedly deserves respect. Any qb who can take the hits he did and still get up slinging is a qb I want out there
I'm not sure that there's a difference between starting qb respect and respect given because the guys shoulder got dislocated and he came back in to lead the offense in a critical game. The guy made some dumb mistakes in his FIRST year starting but so did Tyrod who most people love sooooo.......
Tyrod was a true freshman and Brewer was a redshirt junior. Don't act like thats the same
A redshirt junior who joined the team in the middle of the summer, had to learn the entire playbook in a little over a month, and still beat out Leal.
IMO i have a weird feeling Leal never recovered from his Sun Bowl performance. If I remember correctly Lefty basically said Leal wasn't anywhere near ready/didn't take preparing for games seriously which was a direct result of his effort/game. Not to be a douche to Leal but that doesn't say much. Yeah it sucks he got passed over year after year but you always have to prepare for that 1 moment.
I didn't really mean to imply that Leal was that good. It's more impressive that in one summer Brewer passed the options at qb who each had over a year more experience in the system.
i agree 100% it really is crazy/sad that a new qb was able to learn enough of the system so quickly and beat out someone who has had more years in the lefty offense.
Motley had a back injury. So the competition wasn't exactly balanced between him and Brewer leading up to the season opener.
Yes, but we all saw Motley out there in action. He seemed pretty limited as a QB. I know he had a class that conflicted with practice and the injury but I just don't think he could've taken the starting job from Brewer.
Is it impressive for Brewer or an indictment of the other QB's in the program? Maybe some of both is probably the reality. I really like Brewer, but given Beamer's loyalty, I have to think if he thought he had a viable "home grown" option at QB, he'd have gone that way instead of bringing in a transfer.
My refute is the same as VTFencer so yeah. Before coming here he spent 3 years in an entirely different system and for a large part of one of those he was hurt. He arrived here last May and had 3 months to learn our stuff. The difference isn't that big.
But he still had 3 whole years of developing from high school and learning how to be a college qb. That is a big difference
It may have been his first year starting but it was his fourth year out of high school and in the college game, so a comparison to Tyrods first year is not the apples to apples. That being said, he also had freshman receivers, running backs, tight ends, and an up and down line. His physical abilities are limited in downfield throwing and arm strength. I would expect a good sized step forward since he and all the parts around him have another year of experience, and hopefully we can Taylor our O around his skill set, if he is the starter again.
I wouldn't put Brewer and Tyrod in the same straw-man; it's really not fair to Brewer. Tyrod might have struggled in his first year, but Brewer's ceiling is much closer to Tyrod's basement.
Don't, just don't. They are entirely two different men with vastly different play styles and abilities. You are trying to compare an apple to a grapefruit. They both have very good qualities and qualities that need help. Their single best quality was the same, they chose to come to Virginia Tech.
"Their single best quality was the same, they chose to come to Virginia Tech."
This was also my best quality!
I have yet to determine one good quality of a grapefruit, even if one enrolled at Virginia Tech.
I like peeling ruby red grapefruit and eating them like oranges. :)
right on
Ok so obviously I'm not trying to say that Brewer and Tyrod are even close to the same quarterback. What I was trying to say, however, has already been said here so I won't just bombard people with repetition.
I can't argue against your assumption.
Yards passing is a pretty overrated statistic honestly. If you're ahead comfortably you're running the ball. Or if you're running successfully. This speaks more to VT's inability to run the ball successfully and build comfortable leads, then it does to a particular ability or strength in the passing game
That's the crux of it, I think. When you cannot run, you pass, out of desperation if nothing else. I, for one, am with those who want a good passing game, but really, really, really want to see smash mouth running that is capable of at least picking up the first on 3rd and 1. Our best teams seemed to be able to do both, if necessary, but without a good running game, I feel like we're always going to be on shaky ground.
I attribute a lot this to health at the QB position. A QB will have a harder time reaching 2500 yards if they can only play part of a year.