Interesting USA Today article here with quotes from Dadi, Coach Beamer, Big Lu and a refreshingly even-handed assessment of the upcoming battle in Lane on September 7th. I really like hearing the optimism coming from the players this season, sign me up for the hype train. Would appreciate any thoughts on whether this year's team is going to have a strong set of team leaders in comparison to previous seasons.
Link here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/acc/2015/08/08/virginia-tech-...
First forum post ever, I think, please forgive mistakes.
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thanks for the post! Interesting article.
You did a great job!
This will certainly be an interesting year.
There is good basis for the optimism. I'm really hoping reality falls in line.
Totally agree with Foster in that article as well where he said we could have won 10-11 games but injuries killed us. I think all our losses except one were within 7 points if I"m correct. That and the struggles on offense, however even with Brewer being an interception machine in the first half of the season we were still in everyone of those games. So that's hopeful. Frustrating year last year, I'm excited for this year. Even if we don't get the win against OSU, I think we can take the path that they did last year and perhaps get a rematch in the National Title game. That would be awesome.
Edit: Also agree with Dadi in the Dline. I mean I don't follow other teams players and such and know some teams hav some good Dlines but ours has to be one of the top 10 in the country at least looking at it coming in. DE's already named best duo in the country in the pass rush. The middle is no slouch either. Just need to prove it in games.
Forget top 10, our Dline is already being touted as top 3 by many fans.
If Dadi continues the trajectory he has shown year after year in his Hokie career, this season is going to be the stuff of legend.
If he and Ekanem stay healthy, and Dooley and Mihota are capable backups, I think we have a great chance to see all sorts of records set this year in terms of sacks and TFL, from all positions on the d-line.
I just want to see us set a new record for wins.
Virginia Tech first team in NCAA history to have a 15 win season? Make it so TH13.
That. Would. Be. Epic.
I still think last year could have been a very special year had half the starting lineup not gotten hurt. This season, we have an improved offensive line, I'd like to think. We're returning Michael Brewer, who can hopefully get back to what he was during the Ohio State game. We're returning J.C. Coleman, who looked awesome during the latter part of the year. We're returning Trey Edmunds, who looked awesome during the 2013 season till he broke his leg. We're returning Marshawn Williams (yes I think he's going to play), who looked awesome at times last season. We return Sam Rogers, 'nuff said. We return Isaiah Ford and Cam Phillips, who might be better than the Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin tandem. We return Bucky Hodges and Ryan Malleck, the best tight end duo is Tech history, IMO.
Then on defense, we return the whole defensive line. Deon Clarke returns at linebacker, and while Motuapuaka but have looked a little rough around the edges during the spring, he got valuable experience last year when Chase Williams was out. Then Brandon Facyson is returning to his old self, according to the coaches, and Kendall Fuller is Kendall Fuller. Donovan Riley has shown big play ability with his interception against FSU in 2012 and his interception against Ohio State (although that ball was thrown right to him), and Chuck Clark is going to be a lot like Brandon Flowers in my opinion. Then Joey Slye and A.J. Hughes are both returning.
I'd have to agree with Dadi. This could be a very special year.
If I'm Ohio State, I will be trying to take advantage of Mike linebacker and rover.
If I'm Bud Foster, I know that that's what they will be trying to do, and I will plan for it.
Agreed. Everyone is obsessed with OSU's QB depth but I'm much more worried about Elliot carrying the rock all night long.
This is why the suspensions for them hurt, because they're now very thin with experience at WR, so our secondary should be able to matchup pretty well with them to contain the passing game, which should allow for us to focus more on stopping the run. Before, I'm not sure we would have been able to do both, and they would have picked that weakness apart.
I totally agree with you. When was the last time there were this many playmakers on both sides of the ball? If the o-line can stay healthy, this is going to be a fun season.
Thank you for sharing!
As long as they don't start believing their press, the D has potential to be excellent. On paper potential is not indicative of on field performance.
They can't start playing for themselves, they have to play for each other. Stay focused and grind every play.
I really like the attitude of these young guys and Brewer for that matter. We haven't had this much locker room leadership in a decade of ever imo.
Dadi is not a big trash talker. When he talks he means it. If hes promising a special season, I believe him!
Honestly, could you imagine being the opposing QB and looking at our starting defense through all the ranks what would be going through your head? On top of that with the added effect of Lane Stadium at full force! Wish I could be there on Sept 7th! I have to watch the game at work with two other (deliusional 60 pointer spread) Buckeye fans...
The article was a good read
, but that comment section might be the pinnacle of enlightened discourse.Edit: thought the comment section from the CBS twitter-banter article was on this article. My bad.
Eleven Warriors reacts to the same article
I love how the "IT'S A TRAP" gif showed up in both comment threads.
It's not surprising to me at all that they attribute a lot of VT's success to Michael Brewer having "the game of his life".
He had a great game, but the rest of VT was solid as well.
I'd LOVE to see a repeat...
...and they perceive that a "special" season is 100% hinged on September 7th, as if its our only game. Notice in this thread there was barely a mention of beating Ohio State? They wouldn't.
I hope we win for many reasons and one of them is to watch 11W crumble into chaos.
I don't think it will happen (I think it will be a close game decided late in the 4th qtr), but strange things do occur in sports....what happens if WE win in a blowout?
No matter what the outcome, there will be excuses and more excuses. If it is close, we got all the lucky breaks and calls. If it is a blowout, the team didn't care about the game that much but they are still the better team plus they had guys suspended. I imagine even if we lose in a close game they will have excuses why the game was so close.
This is the type of anOSU fan I hate and know way too many of.
Hmm...the one side of the LOS they might dominate on, they're missing their AA and facing a healthy OL (so far).
Not just an AA, he's in the rare spot of being a defensive player on the short list for Heisman....
They really do think they're just going to plug and play and everything will be fine. I don't buy it, you don't replace talent like that. Bosa last year eliminated half the field of play from our playbook, as we literally ran most plays to the side of the field he wasn't on. With him out, the entire field of play opens back up, which should ease the pressure off our offense a bit.
He might technically be on some heisman watch lists, but there is a popsicles chance in hell he wins it.
They've had a few more winning seasons to develop their Homerism. Albeit, we're pretty good at it and that's how I know trying to reason with Homer is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. The only thing we can do is pull for our team and let the talking be done on the field.
Don't get me wrong 11w has its share of good guys, but lately, the ignorant dumbshits really are making it difficult to find them.
Are they known for no huddle, up tempo offense? I think the point of subbing the d-line is that Bud's backups are more than capable of keeping up the pressure, not that we think we'll have another 14 point lead.
They run no huddle, but it isn't really up tempo. They're actually around average in that regard.
UNC and ECU were much, much faster as far as tempo. Duke and Cinci went faster as well.
I don't know that going up tempo helps as much when the opponent has a rather svelte front 7. Helps against 3-4 teams with big front 7s like Bama and Oregon, but being physical is much more likely to wear down our front, IMO.
Every time I read the name of their site my dyslexic brain definitely sees "Elven Warriors" and this is all I can think of...
Gotta admit, I think I might have a big glass of the koolaid this year. I didn't drink
anymuch last year, but for some reason I'm awful thirsty this preseason.