First and foremost, let me say that its game week. We made it. Congratulations everyone.
Anyway, I said at the end of last season that there was no way I was going to buy into the #BeatBama business. I applauded Joes efforts to try and reinvigorate the fan base after the most disappointing season in years but I couldnt get behind it myself. I couldn't have my heart broken again by the team, not again. I would believe it when I saw it. That said, I felt like I knew a couple of things about last years Crimson Tide that maybe the average fan didnt know, things that are important for this Saturday.
1) The offense was bound to be good because it was powered by one of the best offensive lines in (at least) the past 5 years of college football. The 10th and 11th picks in last years NFL draft, the Rimington Award winner and a consensus top 15 pick in next years draft in Cyrus Kouandjio. Are Eddie Lacy and TJ Yeldon good? Yes and Yeldon is great. But Nick Saban himself couldve picked up a yard or two per carry behind that line.
2) The turnover margin was the single most important statistic in an Alabama football game last year. Per ESPNs box scores, only LSU, Georgia and Texas A&M. (ESPN claims that Florida Atlantic also won the turnover battle but the play by play says all fumbles were recovered by Alabama) In those three games, Alabama went 2-1, winning those two games by a combined 8 points and needed to score the final points in order to win each. In those games, the losing team also gave Alabama a net of 36 and 49 extra yards in penalties.
3) Their secondary showed holes in close games. Alabamas defense is predicated on stopping you on first and second down to force you into a passing third down. When the game is close, you can afford to be less predictable on third down. Against Georgia and A&M, Alabama allowed a receiver King and Swope, respectively to gain over 110 yards and against LSU, quarterback Zach Mettenberger went 24 of 35 for 298 yards. All of those numbers are well above their season averages.
Now lets look at this year.
The Hokies return every starter on the defensive line as well as leading tackler and tackler for a loss Jack Tyler. They ranked 19th in the country in sacks and tied for 9th in tackles for a loss last year. This simply embarrasses Alabamas returning experience on the offensive line which Phil Steele tallied as the 20th least experienced offensive line in the country. And that incredible line from last year gave up an average of 1.77 sacks per game, only ranking 56th out of 120 teams.
While Tech will be without Antone Exum, the secondary can hold it together, at least for a single game. If the coaches say that Kendall Fuller and Brandon Facyson are ready to play, I believe them. Keeping Amari Cooper, Kevin Norwood and Kenny Bell in front of the defense will be of upmost importance but Kyoshen Jarrett and Detrick Bonner have a year of experience of doing just that. Even without a dominant pass rush, I still trust this secondary against a passing offense that was 78th in the country last year in yards.
As for our offense against their defense, they will be great again like it always will be under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. And until proven otherwise, I refuse to buy into our offense being anything better than mediocre. I also dont care about any of that. If LSUs offense, one that ranked 85th in total offense with an offensive line that paved the way for a pedestrian 170 yards per game on the ground and gave up 2.46 sacks per game, can go for 435 yards against the Tide and nearly double their time of possession, so can Virginia Tech, at least under Scot Loeffler. End of story.
And if he and Logan Thomas cant do it, the return game should help. Kyoshen Jarrett ranked 9th in the country in punt returns and Demetri Knowles ranked 12th in kickoff returns. Tech relied on Dyrell Roberts to get back into the 2009 game and arguably could have won that game despite getting more than doubled up in yardage without two special teams turnovers from inexperienced players.
But lets not forget one of the most important factors for any football game: motivation. Hokies know that anything can happen in a single game (see 2010). The Crimson Tide have been too busy caring about getting revenge on Texas A&M to worry about little ole Virginia Tech. After all, the Hokies come in unranked and as a 19 point underdog while Alabama has been elevated to god-tier. From all visible markers, Tech has the distinct advantage in the motivation category.
Heres the moral of the story. I only care about three things for this game: our defensive front, our coaches mimicking what another team did last year and holding onto the football. I dont care about our lack of depth in the defensive backfield. I dont care if our offensive line hasnt improved yet. I dont care about not having a go-to tailback. I dont care about their fantastic linebackers and I really could not give a flying fuck about how many national championships theyve won (exactly how many is it?) or whatever other measuring stick people want to throw out that does not matter for a single game.
LSU, Georgia and A&M kept it close with Alabama last year because of defense and solid passing games with big plays decided the final score. If our defensive front dominates their inexperienced offensive line, Alabama wont be able to move the ball and the game will always be within reach. If our coaches can follow LSUs blueprint for moving the ball against Alabama, the game will be at worst be a couple of plays away.
Do I think we will #BeatBama in Atlanta this year? Honestly, no. This is still Virginia Tech and we just cant win the biggest games we play and thats the only reason why I think our odds of winning are just at 33%. Be scared of Alabama because they are a well-coached team with playmakers at the offensive skill positions and a top notch defense. I know I am, as is Frank Beamer, Bud Foster and every other coach and player on the roster. But if you dont believe there is a chance this team beats Alabama, youre not only a bad Hokie but you drank the Kool-Aid of another team. And while that Kool-Aid may have tasted decently, I promise you that it didnt taste nearly as good as you think it did.
Comments
I've drank it before. Gonna drink it again. Psyched for Hokie football and ramming it down Alabama's fucking throat.
#BeatBama #shocktheworld
This is what I've been saying ever since I started re-watching Alabama games. That secondary was NOT an elite secondary, and at times looked just slightly above average. In my opinion, Loeffler is exceptional at finding ways to get his WR's into one-on-one match-ups with the opposing secondary. Considering that Logan Thomas is at his best when chucking it down the field, I think this is the one part of the game Tech can do the most damage.
Good post, keep 'em coming!!!
I say don't be scared to line up against anybody. If you are scared to lose there is no reason even stepping on to the field. If you ain't ready to give up everything then you have already lost. Fuck bama go Hokies.
I used scared because it's healthy to be scared, it's a natural reaction to something that starts your fight or flight reactions. It's like getting on a roller coaster, you're inherently nervous because it could break or something but you do it anyway. The Hokies don't fly away from being scared. Never have and so help if me God if they start.
Scared? If the boys show up scarred we've lost already. Fuck that! When the odds are stacked against you like this,just storm the beach and hope for the best!
Excellent post. You're right, if Mettenberger+TheHat can throw on Bama them LT+Loeffler can as well.
I know Manziel and LT have a very different type of mobility, but I wonder if aTms success of having their QB going "off schedule" will be a key to our game. Or will Bama have focused solely on LTs ability to beat them unscripted and not respect his ability to pass as well as Mettenberger (and on a good day, like Murray). Can LT pass like Mettenberger AND keep a play alive like Jonny?
As a UGa fan 2nd, I watched the SECCG game the closest. Lacy and that OL wore down UGAs front 7 (and back 4...) then Yeldon slit them open. Yeldon reminds me a lot of David Wilson....but does Bama have the pounder like Lacy to wear us down? A guy like Yeldon puts a premium on tackling.
yup http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2ARNqHNCA That man among boys is 5-star T-Frosh Derrick Henry. That's not mentioning Dee Hart, Jalston Fowler or Kenyon Drake.
I agree that this team has weaknesses, but let's not kid ourselves into thinking that there's any aspect of the game that they're actually bad at, just some where they're less dominant than they have been in the past.
Derrick Henry will be that guy, but not for our game
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9177943/derrick-henry-ala...
Have you heard anything that says that, besides that article?
Everything I have read indicates he is back and has been a full participant of fall camp, being one of the better rushers.
He's back. http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2013/08/spotlight_on_alabama...
Enjoyed this post, how I've been feeling all summer about this game. Hope all the no-chance talk has put a huge chip on their shoulders, and I got a feeling we'll be seeing a balls out relentless Hokies team that we can all get behind win or lose.
Welcome to TKP!
This post really puts things into perspective, well done! We've already seen the purpose with which our team has been preparing for bama. Our injured players would like nothing more, than to be fighting for every yard against the tide.
No outcome is guaranteed, which is why the game is played.
This game reminds me of 1996 Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield.
Despite having already incurred a loss to Buster, there was still this aura of invincibility surrounding Tyson. Well, someone forgot to tell that to Holyfield. If you saw the match (I vividly remember the PPV party that I held in my apartment in Blacksburg that year), it was clear that someone who grows up a bad-ass doesnt lay down and give up at the sound of the bell when staring down another fellow gladiator, despite what the press says. At one point Evander was even talking smack and taunting on his way to a HUGE upset.
There are teams out there that will in fact lay down, particularly those that either lack tradition or are so far removed from it that mediocrity has become firmly entrenched into their culture. Were not there. Alabama has the countrys best players, but its a big country. I have faith in the fact that our guys grew up believing that they are bad-asses too.
Great post. Respect the the tide? Yes. Fear the the Tide? No. It's part of our fight song (play to win): "With winning hopes we fear defeat no longer!"
Fear is a certain form of respect
Same word, different meanings.
One of the best lessons in my life was during Organic Chem lab, when the TA told us, "Do not be afraid of chemicals. Have respect for them. When you are afraid, you make mistakes with dangerous consequences, but when you understand and respect what you are up against, you won't have any problems." I feel like that same lesson is applicable here. We may not be referring to consequences (serious burns, blindness, and suffocating fumes), but I think it still works!
I expect us to come out and punch them in the mouth just like last time we played them. Even though we lost, we were up until the 4th qtr. Hokies will not be afraid, no way. These kids will have so much adrenaline in them and will play this game hard. I can't wait!
Fear is about the unknown. We all know about bama. No reason to be fearful about what you know. What is there to fear? The team is not afraid to play bama. I am not afraid to cheer for the underdog. I am not afraid to #beatbama.
A big key is going to be the first few possessions of the game. If we stop them the first time out we gain confidence. If we happen to score on our first possession, we gain even more. Our young team will realize that they CAN play with Alabama...Conversely, the Tide will realize that we are NOT going to roll over for them and we are NOT intimidated.
I absolutely LOVE this underdog role and the Cinderella mentality. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We can shock the world on Saturday night and usher in the dawn of a new age of Hokie football.
We need to win the turnover battle, LT has to play lights out and we need to stop the Bama running game...then anything can happen.
Believe my friends....BELIEVE! This is what makes us the HokieNation and this is what Virginia Tech is all about.
#DOOMSDAY #BEATBAMA
Not saying it's impossible, but that's a lot of big needs you just listed. LT will likely need to have a game as good as his 2011 Miami, Bama has a stable of backs that can get about 4 yards a carry and burst one on occasion, and winning the turnover battle against their D is us against the odds. I think the best we can get is an even 0 in the turnover margin.
But I do believe that we will show up for this game. We're not gonna lie down and let them pound us into submission.
I'd like to see some easy pass attempts for Logan to get started. If he can nail some early short passes, I think it'll help him get in a rhythm