Keeping Perspective: 1988 VT Football

As I've read comments from the past few weeks, I have been reminded of my first VT games. In the spirit of sharing, I'd like to offer up a a few tidbits from the September 20, 1988 Hokie Huddler. The game covered by that issue was VT's 35-13 loss to the University of Southern Mississippi in one of the all-time mud bowls. The Golden Eagles quarterback? Sophomore Brett Favre. Reading articles from the Collegiate Times that season, and the Hokie Huddler, have reminded me how special this program has become to all of us.

• "Before Virginia Tech's showdown with Southern Mississippi head coach Frank Beamer told reporters, 'This is an important week for us. This game will tell us a lot about our football team.' " (p.3, Colston's Corner).
• "Tech's loss last Saturday night tied a school record for most consecutive road losses (eight, first set during the 1973 and 1974 seasons). Since 1946, Tech is 33-38 in night games, including an 0-4 mark under Beamer." (p.3, Colston's Corner)
• "There's no television game this week, but you can catch the game on the Virginia Tech Football Network." (p.7, Press Box View by Bill Roth). Keep in mind, the Hokie's next opponent was Syracuse - fresh off their run at a national championship.
• VT fell victim to special teams play, with CFB saying "The quickest way to lose a game is in the kicking game, and thats certainly how we lost tonight." (p.8, Game Analysis). But things to come were foreshadowed: "Our punter [Kelly Fitzgerald at the time] is like our quarterback." (p.9, Tech Tidbits).

The goals for the Hokies at the time were expressly laid out by CFB and the staff. (p. 14, Insider). After reading this list for the first time in 27 years, my thoughts were "this truly defined what Hokie football would become." And as a member of Hokie Nation, I think this absolutely sums up what I expect when I walk into Lane, or click on the television.
Offensively:

• Gain 350 yards of total offense, 200 rushing / 150 passing
• Get a first down on their first drive 80 percent of the time
• Make 19 first downs
• Have two or less turnovers
• Have at least 50% efficiency on 3rd down conversions
• Score 25 points per game
• Score 100% of the time inside the opponents 35-yard line

Defensively:

• Force 4 turnovers
• Not allow a run of 22 yards or more by the opponent
• Not allow a pass completion of 25 yards or more
• Give the offense field position inside the opponent 50 or [a defensive] score
• Not allow touchdown inside the 10-yard line
• Not give up more than 13 points, 3.3 yards per run, or 7 yards per pass
• Average one sack per eight passing attempts

Oh, both lists end emphatically with WIN.

The Hokies were 1-2 after the loss. The victory was against none other than ECU, a 27-16 win at Lane. Yes, the series with the Pirates really has been going on THAT long. Virginia Tech would finish 1988 with a record of 3-8, with the only additional wins coming against Cincinnati and James Madison.

Edit As I tapped this out this morning I had no idea what today would bring. Thanks, Coach. For football, certainly. But even more importantly - thank you for being the physical embodiment of Virginia Tech, and a gentleman in every sense of the word, for this entire run. Thank you, sir.

Note: There are two absolutely great football photos in that issue of HH, if I can obtain appropriate permission I'll update the post with them. The cover shows Glenn Watts (OL) and Rich Fox (FB), sitting on an old-style wooden bench leaned against the wall, dejected, and quite literally covered head-to-toe in mud. The second, on page 9, shows Brett Favre getting clocked by VT DE Jimmy Whitten.