Since we had the discussion last night of "Who's the best QB/RB/WR Tech has every played against", lets see what we can come up with for the best DL/LB/DB Tech has ever played against. Post by their overall careers, including their pro careers. This should be tough...
D-lineman: Dwight Freeney/Syracuse.
Linebacker: Luke Kuechly/Boston College.
Defensive Back: Ed Reed/Miami, although I think Shaun Taylor could've been just as good or better....R.I.P.
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DL - Suh (though Julius Peppers was a RS-F for UNC when we played in the Gator Bowl if that counts)
LB - Kuechly (might go down as the best LB to ever play the game if he keeps playing at this level)
DB - Ed Reed
Suh's numbers in the 09 game are ridiculous. I think he has 5 batted passes in that game. Their defense was insane.
Yes it was. Fortunately our Hokies executed this:
And that was with Stiney at OC.
You know what they say about the blind squirrel...
That is my most memorable moment as a student at a VT football game. I have yet to hear Lane that loud ever again. Miami 2011 isn't close.
True story: I broke my leg jumping down onto the field from going over the edge of the top of the stands rather than walk to the stairs
When Blackout hit the ground.
And I bet it was still worth it for the story
I have been watching college football for 30 years. Suh is the best d-lineman I have seen play in that time.
D lineman? That DT from ECU last year.
Best LB? No idea?
Best DB? Doesn't matter, at any point we had a better DB on the field than any opponent had.
EDIT: "That DT from ECU" is named Terry Williams.
Gosh that 400 lb man was unstoppable
He was good - but to be fair, our OL was shyte. Not sure if he'd be that effective against us if we had one of our better OL's at the time.
Suh though - he destroyed our 09 line, which in retrospect was pretty decent.
the way our offense
iswas...all of 'emI would have to say Ray Lewis at LB. Agree with Freeney and Reed.
Edit: Forgot about Deion Sanders. I would put him ahead of Ed Reed at DB.
Dwight Freeney
Ray Lewis
Ed Reed
Suh
Ray Lewis
Ed Reed
These were easy picks for me.
DE: Dwight Freeny, Mario Williams
DT: Suh, BJ Raji
LB: Shane Skov, Ray Lewis, Luke Keuchly
Safety: Ed Reed, Sean Taylor
CB: We're DBU, the best corners we saw were in practice
I would put Herlizch over Skov
Good call, I struggled with that 3rd linebacker.
Aqib Talib had a good day against us in the Orange Bowl.
About 10 years ago Bill Roth was on the radio in Richmond and the host asked him who the best opposing player was he has seen in Lane Stadium. His answer was Ray Lewis.
DT- Suh, Wilfork, Aaron Donald
DE- Robert Quinn
LB- Ray Lewis
DB is tough. Biggest dagger was Aqib Talib
Ha ha. I clicked on this thread thinking that everyone would say Suh, but French will probably be the only one to pick Wilfork.
DT: Suh
LB: Ray Lewis
CB: Kelly Jennings, MIA 2005 - 2 INT's that game....
We didn't play Miami in 2005.
I'm surprised by all the Ray Lewis . Keuchly was an absolute monster of a college LB
I'm surprised by the love for Kuechly. He never beat us in three tries, only averaged 0.5 tfl, averaged 5 solo tackles a game, and actually got torched a couple of times.* He never really had the impact that others have had against us. In fact, he got outplayed by Bruce Taylor in 2010 and 2011. I know he had a great career, but still, as far as playing well against VT goes...
*For comparison, Ray Lewis beat us twice, averaged 1.5 tfl, averaged 6 solo tackles, had a forced fumble and an interception, and completely shut us down twice. Ray Lewis was arguably an even bigger monster in college.
See above. Nailed it. Kuechly never had a big time game against VT. In all honesty, the best BC linebacker against VT has been Steven Daniels. He has been a monster these last two games not only making tackles but also jamming gaps.
Did you see Ray play against VT? I am asking because I can't imagine you being surprised if you did. In the 1995 game at Lane he was questionable with a bad ankle. I would hate to have seen him at full strength. He seemed to either make every tackle or be close enough when the tackle was made to shake the guy's hand.
I did... amazing player even on Miami teams that were starting to trend downward after Warren Sapp left.
who was the skinny DE at NCSU that had a million sacks against us in one game?
Manny Lawson? He was a skinny d-end from NCSU.
yeah...he had three of their TEN sacks on Randall in 2004
And we still almost won, it looked good from where I was.
Looked good from where I was sitting too! That may have been the overall nastiest VISITING defense to play in Lane. Felt bad for them, though. Their offense might have been more chaotic than ours. I know at one point they had a back-up TE playing QB. Dude had 2 attempted passes...both interceptions.
Yep
DE- Julius peppers
LB- mark herietz (however you spell it)
DB- dre bly or Alfonzo Smith (wf) really liked his game
S- Eric berry (Tennessee)
Eric Berry is right there with Taylor and Reed as one of the best college safeties that VT played against, however he didn't have a great game against VT. UT's defense all around was doo-doo that night.
It was shocking how ill-prepared that Tennessee team looked in the bowl game. I agree that, Berry, who was a great player, did nothing against us.
UT was coached by Lane Kiffin. 'Nuff said.
I remember in the lead up to the game reading interviews with Tennessee players. The asked about our defense and the guy said, "they're good, but we play a lot of good D's in the SEC." They asked another one what he thought of when he thought of our offense. "Option" he said. "They run a ton of option." I knew right there we were gonna win.
Bly made our receivers look like 8th graders in that Gator Bowl
I don't remember Tech having any receivers between Freeman-Still and Davis.
I thought Tim Green, the SU DE who had 4 sacks against us in '88, was going to go on to a great pro career. But it was his teammate, DT Rob Burdette, who had the better pro career. Burdette torched us in that game as well.
Everyone on the FSU D in 1999 title game. Even Vick couldn't get much going.
Suh was a monster in Lane that day.
Dat 3rd quarter tho.
You are correct on the House of Spears.
My reaction as well. Vick was electric against Florida State, with the exception of running the wrong way on the opening series 4th down on a speed option where he found out that the Seminoles were not Temple.
He ran around the backfield a lot. But I think his total running stats were only 82 yards. Which is good but considering how he torched defenses all year, and how much running he was doing in the game, was amazing D.
Edit: he had 97 yards on 23 carries, but that isn't a lot for that much running by the best/fastest running QB in college football
Many of those carries were plays where he had to run for his life to escape that pass rush. He ran around the backfield a lot. He also ran all over the field a lot. The guy played one of the all time great games, considering the circumstances. Many FSU fans consider that to be their best team, and that's saying a mouthful. Think about Bowden's praise for Vick and he has seen a few players in his time.
Corey Simon was a beast that game. In the backfield on literally every play.
Still one of the best games I have attended....
DE: Dwight Freeny
DT: Ty Warren for Texas A&M was near impossible when we played at Kyle Field. Wilfork was a literal and figurative monster
DB: lots of good ones Dre Bly, Terrell Buckley stand out.
The 2001 Miami Hurricanes.
I...didn't realize we could do this.
LB: Ray Lewis
D Line: Didn't we play Warren Sapp?
DB: Taylor (EDIT: didn't realize we played FSU with Deon. So Deon is the answer).
Lets face it, we played some major talent when Miami was up.
D-lineman: warren sapp
Linebacker: ray lewis
Defensive Back: deion sanders