This team has had two valuable lessons this season:
1) How important a good week of practice is (Tennessee game)
2) Not underestimating an opponent and not buying into the hype (Syracuse)
We just had a great win against Miami and I want to see if we have learned the two lessons and come out ready to go against Pitt.
As everyone has mentioned, Pitt has been a freakin thorn in our side for years. I think that Bud will have the defense ready and I REALLY hope that he has addressed the issues in the secondary. I'm sure French can explain it but they seem like easy communication fixes to me.
I think the most important thing will be how our offense does against Pitt's defense. Narduzzi has had an extra week to prepare and that scares me a bit. Hopefully Fuente and offensive staff will be able to make the necessary adjustments and put up some serious points.
I'm optimistic about this game and I think we'll be ready to go. We get through this game and I'll be a real believer in this team and hopeful we can make a real run at the division.
Go Hokies!
Comments
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
leg for Si meme.... love me some Si
I couldn't resist a "Yes" by "Si."
Yup.
Yep.
Yeah.
That dude is clearing shaking his head... FOUL!
Maybe he is from Bulgaria.
Yes he is and Clint is correcting him. Eastwood wins. Every. Damned. Time.
Bronson wasn't a slouch himself.
Don't screw with Charles.
or his friend Wildey
via GIPHY
Extra pair of socks I bet.
Good topic. Thursday should be interesting.
Syracuse game was confusing. Team seems to be good but
after that game you never know.
Looks like a lot of points can be had in this one with Pitt letting up an average of over 31 points/game. If our offense shows up and Bud locks them down, I'm hoping the Hokies can make a statement out of this one
This will be our offense's second opportunity to expose a statistically bad defense. Last time, they failed to do so, hopefully they answer the call this time.
Bad news is that they are expecting rain all day in Pitt.
Oh well, that just means that if we lose ESPN will write off our loss because of the rain and it won't really matter. Also their win over us won't mean as much because we lost :)
But we are 1-0 in the rain this year.
And it definitely wasn't raining inside the Dome
I think the team is with that
Is #80 Devin Wilson?
#89
He is number 89
Gotcha. Looks like an 80 from this vantage point.
Look at the helmet.
Last I checked...100% chance of rain in the morning. By evening, the prediction is for "showers." Perhaps the rain will move through by game time.
If only TKP had its own weather guy.
That actually could play to our favor... Pitt likes to run the ball, they're really good at it. They're also really bad at throwing the ball. So if the weather is shit, they'll likely go overly run heavy and we'll be able to essentially sell out to stop it.
We have experience in the rain in conditions unlike anything the Pitt team has ever seen. We know we can go into crap weather and play well. We also know we can adjust our offense and still get things done. As we did it on the road.
In bad weather, I'll take us. We have the experience to deal with it.
The experience AND success.
I subscribe to the opposite logic: rain is a disadvantage because they are better at running and have a better o-line. Even when you can key on run or pass, like Syracuse, it's still hard to beat solid offensive execution.
Let me counter your counter... We're good at stopping the run this year. We've consistently been able to hold the opposing rushing attack in check over the course of the game. Where we've been beaten is in the air with passes 20+ yards downfield. Wasn't a great matchup for Pitt to begin with, and if the weather plays a part, it becomes an even worse one.
Pitt leads the ACC in rushing defense at 96.6 yards per game. Virginia Tech is third at 103.6.
Aside from Georgia Tech, Pitt hasn't faced a rushing offense currently ranked higher than 95th in the country.
well our rushing offense isn't really scaring anybody....
We're 42nd in that category. Not nearly embarrassing either.
The last time we had a rushing attack that didn't finish the season ranked in the 80s or lower, we had a feature RB that did standing backflips while catching rabbits on Sundays after eating Chick-Fil-A.
84th in yards/attempt though. And 105th in Bill Connelly's S&P+. What VT's rushing attack lacks in quality they make up for in volume.
I wonder if that also helps our TOP, because that's really important.
*ducks*
It's about as important as getting a RB into a rhythm. If people are going to cling to that as a thing, then I suppose time of possession can be a thing too.
So you're saying time of possession by each individual running back is the most important stat of all???
*forget ducking, leaves the country*
Stealin my thunda... report will be up tomorrow morning or tonight!
I see what you did there
And he said "I come from a land down unda!"
Please stop.....a pun with a really bad song.
You out your mind, Musky. Men At Work was the shit.
(and puns rule)
This man likes to speaka my language
The big thing I'm looking for is a team that can come back from being behind and/or win when they don't play well. Realistically, practice isn't going to be great every week, and a team can't play their best football every game. So far, we're 0-2 in games where things aren't going our way, and we've only won one game in which we trailed at any point (Liberty, where we were briefly down 13-10 in Q2).
Obviously, we haven't trailed in many games because we've been playing well. Looking forward to a day when the first half doesn't go as planned, and we still manage dig out a tough win.
I agree, however, on the flip side of the coin, if it comes down to a choice between scoring the crap against a team and making them play catch up vs come from behind, I will eagerly choose the the first one. Just score. Just win.
Honestly, I don't need this team to tell me much more about them. I already know they're a better team than they have been, and I know they are capable of playing at arguably a higher level than any Tech team we've had over the past 10 years in any given game. They've already shown they can play in bad weather and they've already shown they can go into a ranked opponent's house and light them up. At this point, all I'm looking for is to see more consistency, but that's not realistic to ask out of a team under a new coaching staff.
I have seen enough out of this team this year to know we're going to be a very good football team in the very near future. At this point this year we're playing with house money, and we're doing pretty damn well with it.
Agreed. It's going to take awhile to exorcise and completely eradicate the playing down/below opponents level mentality that was permanently embedded to our program. It's like trying to remove a very large misprinted tattoo.
I would still take 2010 over this years team I think. That team was really really good.
I'd love to mix our current coaches with the roster we had in 2010... Just to think if we had this offensive scheme and playcalling run by a Sr Tyrod Taylor
Would've gotten that Natty Champ monkey off our backs. Also, we'd be 1-0 vs Boise and 0 hangovers against a certain school from Harrisonburg.
I was thinking the same thing. Leg for getting there first
Yes, my favorite team since 2004. 2007 was damn good too. And, AND, there would be no curse to the best all black jersey we've ever worn.
I'd like to know more about how they handle winning against Pitt.
I think this entire season will tell us a lot about this team. We have shown that we can go toe-to-toe with solid competition, and that we can lay an egg when we shouldn't. I think this team is capable of punching Pitt in the mouth, and then falter against Duke/GT. Its how we SUSTAIN our success that will show the fortitude (physical and mental) of this team.
I was very critical of this team, saying we had to earn the respect we weren't given prior to UNC. I'm not ready to crown this team as "back" until we have earned it on the national stage (by consistent, high level performances, win or lose). The one thing this team needs to still show us is that they can overcome a deficit. The ability to "rally" was something that Beamer's best teams had, and Fuente's teams need to demonstrate.
Let's do that later. I would prefer a blowout win vs. Pitt. I remember leaving the Pitt game with bad weather in a half-filled Lane Stadium last year knowing for the first time with certainty that Beamer would not be back. Pitt gets pumped to play us every year. We need to match their intensity and walk out of Heinz with a big win.
Works for me.
I feel better about the Pitt game because of the Syracuse loss. It gave the team a wake-up call and gave Fuente a chance to reinforce everything that he has been preaching about practice and prep. It's a good building block too for the younger guys on the team.
Yes.
WE'VE MADE IT
Good point. Would rather have lost to Syracuse than Miami.
wish granted.
YES!!!
I get where you're coming from, but I feel like this season has been an exercise in moving the goalposts. Just about every game, someone says, "I think we'll know a lot more about this team after this game."
Personally, I've seen enough to form an opinion on the Fuente-era Hokies. We're a good team, with the potential to be great, that will rely on both offense and defense to win games. On a day where either struggles, we will face the very real possibility of a loss to any team we face. The offense cannot function without playmakers, but we don't necessarily need blue chip recruits to run it. And the defense will always look better when the offense lets them play with a lead. As long as the offense is functioning, the big play breakdowns that the defense still surrenders won't cost us games.
Agree with this 100%. When we execute Feuntes offense and Buds defense we can win a lot of games. But we don't have the talent to overcome big mistakes or lack of execution. I've watched UT since our game and they play pretty mistake prone and rely on a 5* to bail them out. In the aTm game they had something like 7 turnovers and were still in the game. If we can get recruiting back to the Tyrod era with a few game changers on offense we'll be a dangerous team. When things break down like they did at Syracuse it's nice to have a Tyrod to fall back on. Championship teams always seem to have a mix of both (game changers and good system). Unless you're bama and then the toughest part about winning is just making sure everyone shows up for the game.
The fact is, we know much more about this team after EVERY game.
I think this team will live and die by offensive execution efficiency. The thing which doomed us against both Tenn and Cuse was inability to convert key third downs/fumbles. This is to be expected from a relatively young team with a new HC. Really good teams will play better in certain situations as season goes along. I fully expect Pitt to lose this Thursday if the offense shows up. At this point Bud and thd defence are playing at such high level that you have to expect them to show up. The only game they had problem with was against Cuse, but then they got gassed out by fourth qtr.
Actually, assuming that the Hokies win Thursday, next Saturday will tell us a lot about the Hokies. They'll be ranked, and heading to Durham to play Duke in a sleeper. They need to be able to keep up the energy to avoid Syracusing.
I think the team will be pretty jacked up to play on Thursday.
Man... Wallace Wade could be majority Hokie that day. Duke is practically giving tickets away, as the team has gone back to their baaaad ways this season, and the Dukie die hards are staying away.
Basketball season?
And assuming that the Hokies win next Saturday, the next Saturday will tell us a lot about the Hokies...
ad infinitum
I think the final W-L record will really tell us a lot about this team and where their ceiling is this season.
No, next season will really tell us a lot about where this team can be long term, and whether we can sustain success
Speaking of not being able to sustain success....
That's me, derailing things left and right. But not the hype train, that's still chugging along.....albeit at a slightly slower pace.
Don't worry. The color logs are ready to go whenever we need the speed again.
oh, I was talking about Sacha Baron Cohen
Still more deserving of an Oscar than Leo.
I don't know about that. After Duke, there's really no more classic "trap" games...
GT @ home - There's never been a problem prepping for the Jackets
ND @ ND - If this team can't get up for South Bend, just turn your scholarship letter in at the door on your way out.
UVa @home... Nothing else needs to be typed here.
We owe Duke some serious pay back, too. Esp after a 4OT loss, last year. I would be shocked if the Jrs and Srs on this team allow a let down for that game.
Fuck Duke, Fuck Matt Ryan and especially Fuck nd. Stomp their / they're / there asses into the mud.
I'm done now.
To me, this game is not about execution or player ability. This game is about outstanding coaching and game-planning. Too many times this team has faced Pitt and been out-witted. We've seen it with Sunseri and multiple other mediocre players and teams. If Justin Fuente wants to beat Pitt, he needs to bring his excalibur to the game. Don't fucking show up and play conservative. Go nuts, get up early, and set the tone. Anything less spells a loss for VT, leaving the team and fans waiting for someone else to fuck up and lose. While that may be more and more the norm in the Coastal and otherwise in the ACC, that's not good enough for me over the long term. We have too much history and too much potential for that crap. GO HOKIES.
It's crazy to think that with a win on Thursday, we will be bowl eligible and for the first time in a couple years, we won't have to worry about if we'll keep the streak in tact or not. (playing uva to keep our bowl streak alive is NOT a good feeling)
Anywho, for me, I say we'll really see what this team is about after playing Pitt because I think we're getting a complete team. Pundits like to blame UNC on hurricane Matthew and Miami on the fact that they're missing like 90% of their defensive starters. They won't be able to say shit *IF* we handle this talented Pitt team like we've handled every other team that we've beaten this year.
I'm getting anxious just thinking about it. I can't sit still, and Thursday evening can't come fast enough. I am, however, nervous. Especially if it rains, with their really strong running game.
Make no mistake, it is 100% clear to me that this is one of the best teams that we've had since Tyrod Taylor days...I just wanna see what we're fully capable of.
What's on the latest on our guys that were out last week?
They've been practicing. Seems as long as they don't have any setbacks, they'll be ready to go. Good thing. We'll need all hands on deck against this Pitt running game.
Speaking of: on Thursday night, we need to take advantage of the fact that we rotate so many good players on the DLine. This is the best OLine we'll face this season, but one thing I have seen watching some of their tape is that the defenses they've played don't do a ton of subbing up front.
Here's hoping our gang of 8+ can wear down their really good 5.
It would definitely be nice not having to wait til the last game
to know if we're going to be bowl eligible.
Pitt is much better offensively than Miami. They have scored 37 points or more against every Power 5 opponent they have played. The Hokies offense will need to be incredibly efficient on offense.
Some pretty poor P5 D's in that list and when they played a decent D, they got short fields for TD's. Not knocking them. Taking advantage of mistakes is what good teams do. But it's not like they are running neck and neck with Texas Tech in O production.
Perhaps. However, their third down efficiency is spectacular. They are a damn good offensive team. They just are not explosive in the vertical passing game.
We've always struggled with their run game, so I'm sufficiently concerned. It's also worth noting that in FBS games, they are a full yd/carry higher at home vs on the road.
great, so a team that can extend drives on offense and we have been a faster scoring offense this year. Lots of time on the field for the D then. Let's hope we can stuff the run early and build a lead to force them to try the passing game.
Where does their strength lie? Innovative plays or old fashioned
talent/execution?
Indeed, I would love to see us give Pittsburgh one to the face. A nice, knockout blow to the chin that cements us as the Coastal favorite going forward. Nothing I would love more but that's
everybodyjust me.