Who: Virginia Tech Hokies (7-3, 5-2 ACC) at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-6)
When: Saturday, November 19, 2016 at 3:30 PM EDT
Where: Notre Dame, Indiana | Notre Dame Stadium (80,795)
Watch/Listen: NBC/Virginia Tech IMG
Spread: Notre Dame opened at -1, but the line has since moved to Notre Dame -2.
Weather: 38 degrees at kickoff, 40% chance of snow showers/rain
Series: This is the first matchup between the two schools.
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Comments
Currently snowing like crazy here in South Bend. Lots of Hokies in town!
Sort of off topic-Game Day is in Kalamazoo for the WMU game. Its snowing like crazy there. Go Hokies and lace up your Canadian Sorrels, enjoy the game.
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Jingle Bells and may there be no joy in Mudville tonight!
This is a question that is for French and probably should be on a different thread, but here goes.
Knowing that we need to establish a ground game, would you ever foresee CJF shocking the crap out of an opponent (like today) and totally change offensive formations to go more power-I or option? Even if it were just the in the 1st quarter or first half, I could see giving them something they haven't prepped for or seen on film.
Personally, I would love to see an old school ground game today with BOTH of our backs rushing for over 100 yards.
Thoughts? Too gimmicky?
I don't think so. It takes months to install an offense and even longer to start being consistent. It seems like completely flipping philosophies over a 5 day period is fairly unlikely.
I'd love to see it though, whatever we are doing isn't working very well right now. With high winds, cold air, and wet footballs I think the ground game will be really important today.
Leg for the reply!
I guess for clarity, maybe not throw the baby out with the bath water, but instead of a RPO, just line up and get Evans under center, lead with Sam or Peoples, and shove the ball down their throats.
A slant pass, a pass in the flat, just to keep it honest, but man do we ever need to just RUN THE DAMN BALL!
Oh yeah, Go Hokies!!
My concern is the center-QB exchange. We've spent months of the offseason and the entirety of our current season in the shotgun and we're having issues with good snaps. If you suddenly want to shift any amount of focus on a traditional, under-center I-formation, that's a big adjustment for a center who's used to pitching the ball back. With our sporadic turnover issues and Fuente's insistence on protecting the ball (and he's not wrong), I don't see this happening.
Go Hokies!
!!!GO HOKIES!!!
Just landed in a Chicago LETS DO THIS Hokies!
Excited for the game today! I'm expecting big things from Mr. Sam Rogers!
Who's ready for the quality of our road win to be brought into question because of the weather?
I can live with that. Just win, baby!!
I've had a bad feeling in my stomach about this one all damn week. Hopefully that turns out to be wrong.
4 GAME WINNING STREAK STARTS NOW. LET'S END THE SEASON RANKED
+1
I really hope we pull it out but I'm not feeling great. Let's just say I'll be much more subdued watching this than I was against Pitt. Perhaps due to decidedly less bourbon consumption, but probably due to more realistic expectations this week.
Still...GO HOKIES!!!
Same here....I'm afraid this team's inconsistency has subdued any expectations I developed earlier in the season. I still have hopes we can win this game. But, no expectations whatsoever.
What radio channel will carry VT IMG in South Bend?
98.1
College Gameday Picks
Desmond: VT
Greg Jennings: VT
Corso: ND
Kirk: VT
We just got a surprising amount of love from the Gameday crew.
I was expecting only Desmond to pick us
Same, I was expecting Kirk to really dump on us after the egg we laid last week.
Des has favored us most of the year. ...I've got a soft spot growing for the guy.
Sounds like you have a hard spot growing for the guy
I'm in Barcelona. Anyone know where there is a bar that might be showing college football? Right now there is a Barca game on, rugby nationals, and Premiere League going on at the same time. The odds are slim, but I'll try
Good luck! My wife and I are going to have to find a place in Tuscany to watch the UVA game next week. First world problems, I know, but I need to see us dominate those Hoos. And if we lose, I'll drown my sorrows in wine and pasta.
LETS GO HOKIES!!
Seriously toned abs..... what?
I can appreciate athletic excellence.
Fam this weather is NOT lit AF. Still wouldn't miss this for anything.
Kind of glad I passed on this one, I was on the fence until a few weeks ago. I moved to upstate NY last December, and have still made it to 4 games so far, and I'm driving to VA for Thanksgiving and the UVA game.
I'll catch the next one in South Bend in 2019.
Agreed. Weather is rough but worth the 7 hour drive from Omaha with my 17 year old son in tow. Super impressed by the number of Hokies here. Amazing turnout! Way to go Hokies!
Off topic but not sure where else to put it. What do you guys think Fuente has as far as a vision for the running game? It's obviously not quite what we're used to from a structure standpoint, and certainly not what anyone wants from a success/impact perspective. That being said, those of you with better knowledge of the game and specifically Fuentes history, what should we expect if he ever has a chance to reach his vision? Thanks!
The key is the OL. OL OL OL. This has been the root of our offensive woes for years, and it won't be a quick fix.
Interesting bit with the numbers, courtesy of Hokiesports.com's various schedule and history pages.
This is the fifth VT game on NBC, and the first regular season game. All of the rest were bowl games (I'm assuming all Gator Bowls) in 1998, 2001, 2002, and 2006 (all played on January 1 or 2, so really they go with the prior year).
All four of those games were against teams currently in the ACC: UNC, Clemson, FSU, and Louisville. We were Big East for the first three, and ACC for the last.
Our record is 2-2 on the peacock.
Time to start our next three game winning streak...set what I did there!
I've drank enough to drown a mufuckin' fish.
KEYS GO HOKIES!
It stays
Remember the last time Bud faced a Brian Kelly offense? That was fun. Let's do that again.
It's cold, windy and snowing LETS DO THIS! Lots of Hokie Maroon here.
Jimmy Clausen is just as punchable now as he was 10 years ago.
Agreed. Just looks like a douche.
Wonder how much it hurts Brian Kelly's face to smile for those senior photos?
Ugh... didn't realize this was on NBC. So much for being able to watch it at first try. Need to change my Sling sub again.
Rudy was offsides!
But I'm nervous, we have to put the running game together. It's week 11, for fuck's sake.
Hokie crowd sounds great!!
"Large contingent" already called out by NBC.
I'd feel better if we were wearing maroon pants
camera just panned the stadium and THERE ARE A LOT OF HOKIES at Notre Dame.. way to represent for those of us who couldn't make the trip. let's do this!
I like the mentions of VT fans showing up there. The commentators have been giving VT some good press.
Go Hokies!
Good kick, good coverage.
Facyson got lost on coverage, but came back and made the play.
EDIT: This man to man coverage is leaving some big holes.
Well, the D looks shakey especially the secondary.
I wonder if the D even made the trip today
Our defense looks completely lost.
No pass rush. Soft coverage. Nobody home on the first couple plays. Defense not looking great. Going to be a long day I'm afraid.
Let's Go Bud!
Well, the defenses of old would would get beat up on the first drive of the game and then clamp down. Here's to hoping that's the case, because they don't look like they care about football right now.
really enjoying the end of this Miami NC State game...said no one ever!!!!!!!!!!
Can't stand how soft our coverage is so far.
Ends look a bit slow.
Pass rush is leaving something to be desired.
Hope to see some adjustments, can't give Kizer time like that.
The sad thing is these NBC announcers are going to be complete ND homers today.
What is the point of playing zone defense if they're not going to attack the ball.
Not a great start
W.O.W.
Sucks to say, but that is pretty typical of our defense right now
Either we keep up in a shootout or we are getting fucking boatraced. No pressure on Kizer at all. We're going to get chewed up and spit out on defense.
Please don't let this be last week all over again...
This defense has really become soft as the season has progressed. Is that injuries, scheme or something else? Been tough to watch for a while now.
From what I hear on other threads, our DL, mainly DEs, are somewhat knicked up. Tough to get pressure with one arm. Not enough depth all over.
Really hope Bud can make an adjustment because our defense looked completely confused on basically every play.
If we lay an egg on the first drive this could be 2007 LSU all over again. That will make me physically ill.
Get fired up boys!
Dudes are wide open in the secondary...honestly, something that I was expecting going into the game.
Uh guys? Did anyone see if the defense made it off the bus?
Tim Settle Kick return!!!!!!!!!!!
Fat guy kick return!!!! Go Tim!!!
I like That Sam Rogers on that play
Come on Jerod, hit your receivers.
That's it boys. Got nothing in the trenches. Just not our year.
Seems like you called that one a bit early.
Well, yeah. I was wasted, emotional, and overly reactionary. Lol. My bad.
Evans needs to get get gloves or something. 2 slips already.
great
Crap, that's a fumble.
Son of a bitch
member when we were a good team? Oooo i member
Sam has to chip that guy
Seriously, can we send somebody to find the VT football team? They've looked like crap for a while now and it has carried over to this preseason game.
Wow. Starting out with turnovers already.
Alright D. Tighten up.
I'm so tired of the mistakes that have been made in the past two weeks... Defense better hold up here.
Big stop there!
Shout out to Dan Hicks for saying "Motuapuaka" correctly.
I get that it is "cold" but ND doesn't look slow or confused because of it. I'm fairly sure that the cold temperatures isn't what's wrong with VT.
Good series by the defense there.
Well if you take out the weather Jerod doesn't fumble the ball and we are winning
They got his name right. That's something, right?
But not on 4th down.
I don't like our energy at all. Don't see excitement so far.
If motu gets low he stops him there.
Wait, why did they move that ball forward a yard before the snap?
And why did Moto get fucking plowed through on the 4th down run. He needs to get his big boy panties on.
That would have been targeting against VT.
FAINT
Edit: DANGIT, TREVON HILL
Yes!!!
HOLY SHIT....come on.
What the fuck
Stupid penalty negates a TO.
MOTHERFUCKER 94
Who is Motuapuaka's backup. He must be terrible if Moto is starting over him.
Walk on huelskamp and yeah. He bad
good god we are awful lol
There was some serious holding going on in that play, but I'd have overlooked it it that interception had counted.
So far Notre Dame getting all the breaks.
Ekanem was mugged
I was waiting for the flag too.
Glad I'm not the only one that saw that. Thought it was really obvious.
Who the fuck was that
I'm logging out. I need to try to stay calm. This isn't working so far. Yall have fun.
Yup, this game is about to fall apart. That dumbass fucking penalty just killed the only remotely positive thing that's happened today. Fuck.
I'm legit thinking this is gonna become a blowout fast. What happened to the defense?
Injuries, mostly. Losing Stroman has been huge. D-line mostly playing through pain. Combine little pass rush with missing one of the best CBs in the country and you have basically the same defense as last year - can step up at times but is maddeningly inconsistent.
Edmunds trying to avoid targeting?
That's what it looked like to me. Praise the QB for ducking a shoulder, but if Edmunds hadn't dove for his ankles HE would have been getting the penalty. That dumb ass rule needs to be rewritten.
Alexander looked lost out there.
4 defenders against 3 and you give the under receiver all that room. DBU looking awful not even attacking.
this is eerily similar to Memphis last year, started hot, ended poorly
Our offense needs to step up and stop these ridiculous three-and-outs and turnovers. This is a age of offense; and we obviously cannot rely on holding a team to less than 20 points every week.
We shouldn't have to hold teams that low. It's not reasonable anymore. Bud was told that he wouldn't have to do that anymore, we see how that's worked out so far.
48-7
Nah, looks like it'll be 48-10.
We are going to miss an extra point?
The word that describes this entire squad right now: soft.
Someone needs to motivate this team or we're gonna get steamrolled for the rest of this season.
Ken and Andrew have regressed so much. Just watch either one to see why the D sucks right now.
I think Ekanem is still hurt. Not sure about Motu.
Ekanem's been playing injured for a month, so there's that.
Motuapuaka, well, he's what we got.
We havent played nasty recently,
But if anything, this is an opportunity for Jerod to become a legend
I think I'm going to head back to the woods and take my frustration out on some venison.
If I'm ND I QB keep. We cant tackle them.
Big break there!
We got gifted 3rd down on that bad snap, but the defense just manned up at the goal line.
No idea why the line was so close on this. Should have been at least 14.
honestly one of the best bets of the weekend imo
Great stop by defense after heartbreaking loss of interception
You know what, all things considered, I'll take only giving up 3 there.
Offense (read: Evans) needs to tighten up here.
After how porous our D was on that drive - only giving up 3 is a win.
LETS GO
HOKIES
Now maybe the offense can at least stay on the field for 2+ minutes so the defense can work out whatever is going on out there.
I have my doubts.
Our defense doesn't deserve any of the praise they have gotten from the announcers. Good thing I didn't let myself get emotionally invested in this game. I learned my lesson last week.
It saddens me that I did the exact same thing. I'm caught up in it now that the game is on, but absolutely zero emotion or expectation leading up to kickoff.
have we made a comeback this season yet? I cant think of a game where we got down and then won
Pitt
Liberty was briefly ahead 13-10.
Liberty and Pitt.
Murphy got that country speed, good field position.
Didnt we come back against pitt?
Murphy just said "f*** yo Gatorade!"
Nice return. Took out their gatorade as well.
Love seeing the quickness of Henri, seems like he has a bright future.
A good kick return there.
Woohoo, two yard gain. Too bad he had do dodge 3 defenders in the backfield.
If we don't score on this drive, I'm getting obliterated. This is just too depressing.
Don't get dead.
Ugh
Holy shit this offenses is a hot mess. WTF is going on? Cold hands and wind isn't affecting ND. STFU with that TV commentary.
We can't snap the ball or hold onto it
Our offense looks like absolute shit. This many games into the season and Gallo still sucks at snapping.
ANNNND more snapping problems. Jesus this offense is seriously bad.
What the fuck
This is so disappointing
If they can't execute then put the other players in until the starters can figure it out.
I really do think we should be doing this. Our depth sucks, and I think part of that is the backups get very little run. If the starters are gonna play like shit, might as well give the backups some experience.
Literally it's something almost every play...
There's no excuse for not being able to execute a snap or a mesh at this point in the season.
What the piss...
Gonna be blackout before half.
luckily, i think we have all evolved enough as vt football fans that we knew there was a good chance of this happening.
What the FUCK is going on!?! Someone needs to get in their faces and get them wake the hell up.
They are awake. They're just not very good.
The defense is getting pounded and they're not the worst unit we're fielding.
Fix it offense. This is incredible.
Seriously, that's blowing my mind. As bad as the defense has been lately, they aren't the reason we've looked like crap.
Even if that snap wasn't high, Evans had no protection. Need the OL to step up.
Hey guys, it's still early! We got this! Have faith!
Leg for your positivity
Wow, this is pathetic. Haven't been able to snap the ball, a basic task, all season long.
Defense needs to step up here and get a damn 3 and out or else this game is done.
how hard is it to find someone who can snap the fucking ball? I don't see high school teams having this problem so consistently.
Yep. Funny, sad, and true all the same
People keep talking about our D but our offense for the last few weeks has been piss poor. Lack of fundamentals /execution .
LOL MOTO
Both edge defenders losing contain. Did they even practice on their assignments this week?
Need a stop and a score. Stop the bleeding, make it one score.
Imagine what this offense would have looked like if there wasn't an offensive minded coach brought in.
Our offense hasn't progressed at all. They haven't added any additional offense plays or wrinkles since the 3rd game of the season. As bad as Loeffler was at playcalling, at least there was progression of opening the playbook.
Matu is hurting us, agsin
There is something wrong with this team. It's more than a defense having film. It's more than injuries on defense. The players are off. Maybe they hit saturation with this staff for the year, maybe their senior leadership isn't as effective as they thought...idk but it's an abomination on the eyes and embarrassing.
The secondary is bad and the mlb are bad. Really good d line play hid them early in the season but teams know how to exploit them now. Opposing offenses have been running the same 15 odd plays. Read options, inside counters/traps, and zone crossing routes and Bud is not adapting bc if he did the secondary would be fully exposed.
I'm not even mad anymore. They haven't been fun to watch since before Pitt. We saw flashes against Syracuse and Tennessee how ugly it could be and it's been trending that direction for a while. This is nothing new. We are opposite of Duke, a BAD TEAM with a DECENT RECORD.
Alright, 3rd and long - need to get off the field here. Or not.
Receivers are breaking up more passes than our DBs.
Good lord he just has so much time
This zone defense isn't working Bud.
The DBs look completely lost. Even before the snap, they're not sure where they should be.
gg ez game
Is Alexander playing high? He's absolutely lost out there.
This defensive strategy of leaving one receiver and the QB open every play isn't working.
If our defense lets them score on this drive, I'm going to have to pass on watching the rest of the game. I'm in no way interested in watching a beat down due to poor ball management once again.
Same here. As much as we love our hokies (chokies too), there's just too much emotional investment to ruin a nice saturday.
They just scored! Good Riddance!
Ain't nobody got time fo dat.
Bud must make SOME adjustment, NOW
guys are busting coverage. That 3rd down defense looked fine and the corners are f'ing lost.
Time to go man coverage.
He should. With that said, the offense has 4 total yards in the first quarter.
Typical VT......been seeing it for 40yrs
This is a different strand, though. Usually, the defense looks like they know what's going on.
At least Moto can come in and hit the RBs once someone else has slowed them down.
Alexander keeps screwing up on his damn coverages
oh man, this team just imploded this year.
All they had to do was show up to exceed expectations set in the first half against GT....and they couldn't even do that. SAD.
Frank made right call....stayed home to watch beauty contest instead of this mess
Eeesh.
Maybe they can only play man coverage. Zone doesn't seem to be working.
Adjustments I'd like to see made:
1) Faster-developing plays on offense (OL isn't holding enough for read options to happen successfully)
2) Tighter coverage by the secondary (ND is finding huge holes in the zones)
Good call.
3) Correctly executed snap
4) Get off the field on 3rd down
Adjustments I'd like to see:
SHOWING UP TO FUCKING FOOTBALL GAMES!!!
We're not good. If I wasn't so goddamned sick right now, I'd already be hammered. Fuck it. Cold meds and whiskey go well together, right?
I am tired of hearing how we have a history of great defense. History does not win games. This rediculous. We are getting our butts kicked on defense and don't know what to do with the ball when we do have it. Hate being negative, but it is so frustrating to see us play like this. As I said last week, it seems we were over achieving early in the season and the true colors of the team are now coming to light.
You're definitely not wrong. Mstu is not staying in position and getting knocked over or knocked off of the plays too easy. Maybe it's his play assignment but it sure is killing us.
Did we peak out too early in the season?
First quarter yardage was 173-4. We are not a top 50 program right now. Clueless in every aspect.
If we can beat the Hoos next week, can you imagine what Clemson is going to do to us in national tv
I'm torn. I want us to be UVA and make it to the championship game but I don't feel that this team deserves that honor.
I assume you mean "beat" UVa.
Right now, I think we are being UVa
Beating UVA is a mandatory requirement for coaching staff. No questions.
I don't know that you'll have to worry about that, unfortunately.
This is gameover. I don't see our offense doing anything.
Okay, to improve on offense they just need to get more than 4 yards in this quarter. Can they do it?
If we lose to LOLVA this year, I quit. Btw our D is horrid if no one has said it already...
Faster deceloping plays . Ha we can't even snap the damn ball or hold on to it
Going to the kitchen to chop onions so my wife doesn't ask why I'm crying.
lmao
Just go ahead and stick the onion in your eye. Less painful than watching this game.
This is embarrassing. Once again, defense is playing bad; however, we have no chance of making it a game if we can't even snap the ball.
I hate these kinds of national games. The one's where we stomp teams are never on big time tv, but this game being on NBC will not be a good look.
Rudy just scored on us.
Rudy just f'ing scored
That was a perfect pass. Hard to beat that without exceptional coverage.
A pass rush might work. But it was a great throw and catch.
Who is this team's motivator? Really I'm serious who is it?
Shia Lebouf
No one. Absolutely no leadership or motivation on this team. Our sideline looks completely dead. The first damn thing that goes wrong, the whole thing snowballs out of control and nobody knows what to do. Piss poor effort all around. No excuses this late in the season.
I don't know, but he's not very good at his job.
Came back just to say I'm out on TKP and the game for the rest of the day. I just can't stomach watching this garbage. Still love my Hokies but this is just bad.
Have a good one, and be safe
Damn, we just look all out of sorts. Kizer is an NFL QB we can't give him time. That's on the DL to go out and whip someone's ass.
Hey we went to man and they immediately scored. Now their QB who plays pulley based on emotions is going to light is up. That pick should have started the lack of confidence.
Well, I guess if there's good news it's that their offense doesn't have the ball anymore
That first quarter TOP stat line says it all.
Must be great for Notre Dame fans being on national television every week and having to deal with 30 minutes of commercials every other play
Well at least we've had great field position - LOL!
Love me some henri
Positive of this game: Henri Murphy
Bright spot thus far: KR Henri Murphy.
And it takes us until the 11th game of the season to realize the kid has speed and vision and can help us. Wow
Stroman has had his moments as well.
That's because for games 1 through 9, Stroman hasn't been anywhere near bad.
I'm not downing Stroman, more just complimenting Murphy's talents and why it's taken so long to get him involved somewhere on the field.
Where is the player leadership on this team? Seems like everyone is waiting for someone else to do something. I suspect Justin will address this sooner rather than later. No pride or belief is the biggest culprit here so far...as a continuation of last game. Good news is that these are cultural foundations that can be built. Fuente is more than likely a guy who can do it.
Murphy looking good today.
Bright spot in a dismal half so far.
Jesus, stop with the cold bullshit.
If our offense does nothing again on this drive then it's time to put in Motley.
Our banged d-line can't handle their big uglies and our secondary can't keep up with their skilled receivers that long... and I'm actually ok with that. It's one thing to get beat because the other team is better. The mistakes and miscues are a whole other thing.
Henri Murphy where he been all season?
Our offensive line has to give Evans more time to throw. They are not doing hardly anything.
The offensive line is offensive.
Our offense has been off the field so fast that NBC could not "introduce" the ND defense until the 2nd quarter. That sucks for us!
I really don't want to jump the gun, but....this team is not playing very good football right now.
Now? What? This is just a continuation of last week. You didn't watch?
Our fullbacks are better runners than our running backs
Peoples is a RB playing FB for us, going by his HS production.
Really need some points on this drive.
I don't know what to say about the defense, other than they need to make some serious adjustments in the game plan.
The defense has looked horrible, but the ND offense can't put up yards and points if they aren't on the field. Our horrid offense is contributing to the shit defense.
Okay guys, we've gotten 15 yards. That's an improvement.
Must be great for Notre Dame fans being on national television every week and having to deal with 30 minutes of commercials every other play
Again
Oooooooh 24 karat gold chocolate
Have turned the sound off can't stand these freaking homer announcers.
Guys. Been a tech fan since 99. This is really hard to watch. We're imploding.
Hope someone steps up.
Looks like Juice's ACL is just fine.
Chocolate with gold?! I'll pass.
Apparently the OL only like to get involved at the end of runs. LOL
Its hard not to think that this team is mentally checked-out.
-Absolutely getting dominated on both Lines. The more I see of Vice's OL coaching, the less I like.
-Motu has gone from pleasant surprise to massive liability over the past 3 games
-Tackling and angle-taking is abhorrent.
-continued dumb, unforced turnovers.
Score!
Yes!
Can we jut run the quick out to Bucky over and over again
Or a read when he actually reads
Good drive. As long as we stay out of our own way we can get back into this game.
Finally kept on in IZR
French is smiling wherever he is
FINALLY! This is the exact play that French mentioned in one of his reviews if Evans would actually pull it and run
Finally, the offense is starting to move. Took them the entire first quarter just to warm up. Now the defense has to stop Notre Dame's offense
Fucking finally.
Boogity Boogity Boogity.
We've scored more than Army!
Oh, it's happening Sweetheart!
(I hope...)
That was a nice drive.
I'd like to see more of Peoples running the ball.
Now time for Bud to make some adjustments and for the defense to play with some balls.
That's was a weird ass GE commercial, I was paying attention tho so kudos.
That was a good drive. An intentional drive.
I say we keep that up.
The bubble in the coca cola commercial looks like ND moving up the field on our defense.
Hey it's bad when we start talking about the commercials.
That ge commercial is 10/10 A+
That was a good drive by the offense. Now lets see the defense step up here and get a stop. This is a team game, now lets see the whole team play.
Did they say his Dad's name was Afron?
Please continue to run the ball Notre Dame.
We really should have had that safety.
He almost got the first down.
Big stop on that drive. Should've been a safety, but I'll take an incomplete pass
Thank god he missed that throw, if he had avoided the safety and found the first down I would have died
Did the defense finally get off the bus?
With that said, had a chance for a safety and got lucky he threw a bad ball to a wide open receiver.
We're lucky that wasn't caught.
Nice stop, but we could have had the safety. Tackling is still a bit weak
See what happens when the defense has a chance for assistants to spray Gatorade in their mouths?!?!?
Wow, that was not a very good special teams play. I guess all 3 phases have to have brain farts before they can start playing as a team.
It's almost as if the defense having some time to regroup was beneficial.
Let's do that again on both sides. And then again.
That was how I punt in NCAA 14, low and away from the returner.
Can we try Henri out at punt return?
That's why you RUSH the damn punt!
Either rush the punter, or set up a return,when you dont do either, you get these results.
Cheers to hockey
Heck yeah!!!!
I'm hoping that running Evans isn't the whole offensive game plan.
Please get a first down. Jesus.
We really need a first down here
Whats all the discussion?
LOL that's against us? Guess we know the Refs aren't going to be calling a fair game today.
Finally glad to see Fuente passionate.
Our fullbacks are better runners than our running backs
I think that was a bullshit call.
You think? No, it was in fact a bullshit call.
I typed that before I saw the replay.
Now I KNOW that was a bullshit call.
i was waiting for this to surface
nah, he's clearly saying "(I) Wanted fudge with that!" The man loves his chocolate.
Upon further review I was wrong. It's "(I) wanted fun KitKats!" So clearly he didn't get fun sized kitkats in his welcome basket at the hotel. Totally understandable. I'd be pissed too.
I like how the fellow who I believe to be the get-back coach just glides out of frame.
That's actually one of two guys who signals in the offensive plays. Never figured out his name though.
I can tell you, if it takes you that long to decide the call you already forgot what you saw.
GET AFTER EM COACH IDGAF
FINALLY A FIRED UP FUENTE!!!
Fuente is HOT.
Wow, Fuente needs to keep it together. That's 15 we couldn't afford.
When the officials make obvious bad called the coach has to react strongly
You can react, but don't cost the team 15 yards. ND has the ball at the 40. That 15 yards puts them at the 25.
Especially when Teller never fucking moved!!!
He was absolutely right to be hot. It was the wrong bullshit call.
The draw that we always run on 3rd-and-10+ wasn't going to get us a first down anyway. That was the perfect time to get the 15 yard penalty, especially if it fires the team up.
No. He needs to show some fight for his players.
Terrible call and he is absolutely right.
Everyone has bitched all year that he doesn't get fired up, and when he does get fired up over a total shit call, you criticize for that. Geez, he can't win. I think our team needs that fire, so I'm glad to see it.
Fuente was right. This is obviously home-field officiating
Fuck
Fuck pat narduzzi
And Matt Ryan.
Fuente was correct on that one.
Fine. Take the penalties. The zebras got it wrong.
I'm so fucking mad
I love seeing that kind of emotion from Fuente!
Seconded. The unsportsmanlike penalty was bad, but fuck these goddamn ACC refs. Seriously bullshit. I hope we feed off this emotion and knock the hell out of the Domers now.
Terrible punt. Good bounce.
I'm not even mad. I'm just so very tired of the horrible officiating. I hope something gets done about it across all of college football. I don't think these guys should be able to call themselves referees anymore.
Totally agree. So tired of officials being incompetent.
Good for you coach, that was bullshit!
No shit he's mad, it was the obvious wrong call
goddamn you have ZERO percent chance of picking up the first down like that. At least throw it up and hope for a PI call. Fucking cowardly shits.
Or you know a INT on your side of the 50 when it was SNOWING AND WINDY AS SHIT.
F the refs. That's terrible.
Fuck this shit. Fuck these refs
Wow. They weren't talking about who to call that on. They were talking about how much they want to screw us this week.
Not surprised with that screwed up penalty - we are playing ND and if there is a question, which way do you think it is going to go. Refs didn't have a clue. I wish Fuente would chew some players butts like he did the refs.
That moment when someone drugged cornelsons coffee and the second year intern closed his eyes and pointed at a play and told the offense to run it, because a student of the game wouldn't run it to Rogers on 3rd and 24!!!!
Student of the game... interesting... what would the play call be otherwise?... a 20+ yard pass downfield when the defense is in a call to prevent exactly that? 3rd and 24, windy conditions, maybe you could have called a screen pass but it would have been essentially the same result as the draw. Good lord, let's back away from the edge and stop jumping on the players or coaching staff on a play by play basis.
4 possessions and our O has really only had a chance to do anything on 1 of them.
Our defense is losing containment. Everything looks good except that..... For now
Need to force a turnover on some of those loose runs.
Spoke too soon. Matu out of position again
Finally, the refs see holding.
TWO guys holding him.
Thank goodness those blind mother fuckers saw that holding.
Only because Mook's arms were being held out so he looked like Touchdown Jesus. That's the only way the officials can see it in ND's stadium.
Leg for "Touchdown Jesus".
This is the unpopular opinion: Fuente should have restrained himself, at least enough to not draw the unsportsmanlike. He isn't Pat Narduzzi
He's not Narduzzi because he was RIGHT.
Fine, he cost the offense 15 yards. Plain and simple.
Facts are facts.
True, but that was obviously a ridiculous call.
As witnessed by the minute they spent saying "Are you SURE nobody saw movement from the offense?"
EDIT: I did give you a leg to cancel your negative vote, though. You're entitled to an opinion.
If it lights a much needed fire under the offenses ass, then it was the exact right thing to do. The offense wasn't going to convert a 3rd-and-10+ anyway.
it better with this deficit
um okay lama
I'm sorry, but after putting up with the absolute horseshit coming from the Pitt sideline during that entire game, and not one fucking flag getting thrown, and this is the FIRST time Fuente has gotten fired up, and that's when an ACC officiating crew finds their damn flags?
All of that AFTER they completely screwed up the penalty call. Not only was it not a false start, the movement wasn't even on the same side of the ball as Teller.
Yeah, that really was a doubly bad blown call.
Erikk banks get yo helmet on
TO hear these fucking ass hole announcers comparing Fuentes ire with that of nardz is infuriating. There is a big difference in the cause of the reaction.
Faycson got schooled.
Arm tackling. Either we are getting out coached on defense or our guys just haven't clue. Frank should have stayed and had a motivational talk with this team.
Can we start Blitzing?????
Even when blitzing we're not getting any pressure. But our DBs are not even covering the receivers.
No pass rush, plenty of time for their quarterback, and we leave a receiver uncovered.
Same formula.
Wide open receiver, no pass rush.
Kizer just has too much time.
Bud it's time to give up on the soft zones. Your #DBU is completely lost. Might as well jsut gamble yolo and bring the heat and hope for the best.
Seriously. I'd almost rather see the Bear right now. Bud has literally zoned out with the zone. We can't just keep letting teams nickel and dime us down the field.
Holy fuck, is there a defensive line on the field? If you are hurt, you are doing the team a disservice by being on the field and not fighting to get to the QB. Sit your ass down on the bench.
I agree. Mihota and Ekanem are trying to play through injuries, but they aren't the same players.
And apparently Tim Settle has done something to get the amount of playing time that he's getting
That wasn't even that bad of coverage but Kizer is way too good and I mean WAY too good to not find the open guy.
He has a clean pocket with extra time every single play.
So I'm trying to see who was supposed to be covering that TE that scored. Was it Little (aka Tremaine) Edmunds?
That guy was like the 4th read and I think Terrell has been playing corner since Alexander went out
The secondary is just as clueless as the refs!
this is beyond embarrassing.
Get a score before half make a 10 point game and then receive the kickoff. That would be neat.
Woody looked like he was on the ND oline. Anyone catch that?
If they even want a chance, the offense needs a TD.
I'll be here holding my breath. Call 911 if I don't post anymore.
OMG, you made me bust out laughing, even in the middle of this crapfest.
Bottom line is that we are not what we thought we were. Our defense looks horrendus as we aren't getting any pressure. And some please tell Bud to give the corners some help.
Maybe Narduzzi is coaching the D?
I wonder what it would be like if our QB had 14 seconds to sit in the pocket like ND's.
Cornelson has to do something different. He's not making good play calls.
Our execution is just ass
Well our recovery percentage of our own fumbles is going up today.
Put Motley in already. Jerod Butterfingers Evans has killed 2 drives.
*edit* he made me eat my words there. But the fact is we got lucky on 3rd down there.
I'm not really sure what our Defensive strategy is here:
We've brought 4 and gotten no pressure and let Kizer pick our very loose Zone coverage apart all day long. I guess 17 easy points weren't enough to convince us that that wasn't working.
I forced myself to sit through the painful mess that was last week's game...I won't do it again. This team has regressed incredibly and I'm not in the mood to ruin another Saturday.
Game over. Bud's guys are getting smoked. They are mixing things up and we have been out coached. The concentration level is only going to get worse because the game that means the most is next week. They'll start looking to next week which will be a challenge. Ball handling is horrible. TIME FOR MOTLEY.
Survival offense.
Just trying not to lose the ball.
There a defibrillator anywhere in notre dame stadium? Maybe we can use it on Eric Gallo
Like his hands aren't twitchy enough already.
Nice decision and run by Evans.
CJ Carroll.
Another bright spot.
How bad does the backup have to be for Gallo to still be out there screwing up snaps?
Chung had a bunch of bad snaps when he's gotten playing time.
So basically, we don't have any good centers besides the long snapper.
Backup is Chung you may remember him from the battle at Bristol
Ah yes, officiating consistency.
Oh look, finally the right call.
I was over here like "if they don't call THAT offsides..."
Why wasn't it offsides the first time shitheads?
Can't lie, I like the commentators thus far.
Not identical. The refs mad the wrong call last time.
Gallo.......
NBC's coverage of penalty calls is awful.
Inelligible men down field is killing us this year.
Gallo is killing us.
Wasn't his fault that time. He was only 2 yds downfield, not 3.
I seriously doubt our o-line made it more than 3 yards down the field considering they can't even open holes for the running game.
Its easy to go forward when you've already let the pass rusher by
Oh yeah there's a guy named ford on our team
Wow, this team just can't stop screwing itself.
Just saying, they missed that spot by 1/2 a yard. People still got the 1st down though. Good job.
That was not illegal man downfield. He was right at 3 yards.
The drops nooooooooooo
OMG CAM.
Phillips has to catch that!
Made up for it, sweet move.
Great move by Cam. Broke his ankles.
Well he made up for the drop
The JUKES!
Phillips is going to ball out next season. He just made up for the drop and then some.
LOL. "I don't know, the vacuum cleaner. Maybe they pulled the plug for a minute?"
YES!
Offense showing some signs of a heartbeat.
Yeah sure
Yeah sure!!!
This defense is absolutely HORRIBLE.
Edit: sorry I'm a couple minutes behind.
Keep going. It gets a little better.
There we go. Nice move Cam!!!!!
CAM PHILLIPS MAKING UP FOR A DROP IN A BIG WAY
Redemption is spelled C-A-M
This is Virginia Tech, not UNC.
Cam broke that guys ankles.
Way to pick yourself up CAM!
I AM BLOWING HOLES IN MY LIVER RIGHT NOW YOU GUYS
Okay defense (and special teams), don't let them score in the next 1:18. Go into the half down 10, and score 7 with the first possession of the 2nd half.
Crap, who is hurt?
NVM, guess it wasn't too bad.
Omg moto, Edmunds had the other gap covered. Trust your teammates.
Just saying, if I'm any offense with a remotely mobile QB he's running most of the time.
Justin.......
Matu looks like he's hiding, even when he eventually get the tackle.
Glad Adonis is okay. We definitely need him for the rest of this game and next week.
Good lord, kelly just berated the poor kid for not getting OOB. God, he is up there with Narduzzi.
When did Colt Pettit move to TE (Wearing #80 today)
There we go Bud. Bring the heat!!!
Hey a pass rush sighting!
First blitz I've noticed.
Kelly has no class. Screaming like an idiot at his player.
Great blitz and hit! I love it. We don't do that enough!
If I see Motu play hopscotch in the hole again I am going to absolutely lose it. How has he been here this long and nobody is not correcting this??
Is there not a 10 second runoff there?
Stupid false start
He reestablished short of the marker!
Why no pass rush?
He got that first. The secondary couldn't be any softer today.
I wouldn't be surprised if there was an unprovoked review and overturn for ND.
Edit: At least it was a coaches challenge. And I was wrong about the overturn. Niiiiice.
Pro officiating really pro
Man, these refs are hustling to get ND's ball set....
The 3rd down defense is just awful. That's at least the third time they've converted a 3rd and long with minimal resistance.
Notre Dame being out of challenges could come in handy.
We also get the ball after the half.
We ain't whipped yet.
So far the only bad call went in NDs favor.
There were also a few non-calls for holding that were in Notre Dame's favor.
Good. Cost them their coaches challenge.
Tough nuggets kelly!
Why are they replaying this but not the Evan incomplete pass...I mean fumble?
Don't knee it Don't knee it Don't knee it
Oh well
10 point deficit? I'm not complaining, especially knowing we receive the kick. Could have been much worse.
Honestly, I think the refs blew that replay in our favor. We've been due for one of those.
Given how the game started, I'm ok going into the break down 10 (and receiving the kickoff).
I'm not okay with being down 10. However, I can deal if the offense scores in the opening possession of the 2nd half.
I look at it this way: we could have been down much more than 10.
Given how awful we played in the first half, I guess I can live with only being down ten at half. Let's hope it's not twenty at the end of the fourth.
Dammit now we have to look at Jimmy Clausen's face for 15 minutes.
I am not pleased but if we score on this opening drive we can make this a one score game. Hopefully Bud finds a way to generate more pressure, but honestly, players have to make plays, DL getting whipped doesn't help scheme.
Let's focus on the positive.
VT is still in this game.
Much will be determined by how we open the second half. If we don't score, or if the defense gives up points after we do, we're in trouble. I feel like a 10-point deficit is doable, and not as bad as it looked like it was going to be.
The defense needs to change its approach. The inability to generate pass rush, for whatever reason it is, is giving an NFL-bound QB way too much time to see routes develop or take off. The secondary is playing a soft zone; it's almost like watching us play prevent defense the whole time, hoping they'll screw up. That doesn't work when guarding a small lead, and it certainly isn't working now.
Offense needs to hang on to the ball. Mostly, we've gotten behind the sticks because of a fumble or bad snap.
Well that was a decent job not giving up points at the end of the half to keep things manageable but we need a BIG team adjustment for the 2nd half if we want to win. Everyone standing behind the front 4 on defense is a total mess. On offense, Gallo keeps snapping the ball as if we have an 8 foot tall QB. Evans can't seem to hold the ball when he gets it. Hopefully Cornelsen saw that we actually had success when we slowed down and ran the ball north with the RBs. Use that as the focal point to build a drive instead of the quick east/west passes that Evans is struggling with the last couple of weeks. Can't be happy with this seeing that its many of the same problems we've seen for the last month now. Finish strong.
He came to VT because it really suited his skill set; then Bucky became a TE and then a WR. oh well.
Offense showing signs of life and talent.
Defense needs a better game plan that includes fewer open receivers, or at least a little pressure on Kizer.
Kizer is doing well with time, would guys like a return to the cover zero and cover one of the last two years? I certainly don't think I know better than Bud and his staff. We might not have personnel to pull it off right now, but we might get some much needed stops if we turn this into a shootout.
Thoughts?
One burned corner early in the half could put the game out of reach. I'd air on the side of caution until we can get within a score.
Dear Eric Gallo,
We really need you to play a better second half.
Thanks,
Everyone
Defense has to generate a pass rush in the second half, and Moto has just got to be...well...better.
Offense has actually looked pretty good after what was a god-awful 1st quarter. Unfortunately, the first quarter counts, so no room for error in the 2nd half.
I mean there was a lot of precipitation in the first half so we can just not count it right?
It was windy too. Except when ND had the ball.
Btw, this is a really poor ND team. You take Kizer out of the mix and they would be lucky to have won half the games they did. Were not a great team, but we SHOULD dominate the second half if we can just muster some semblance of pressure on the QB.
Maybe they are a "poor team", but they are probably the most talented team we've played this year.
I don't think this is even close to accurate. Tennessee and UNC would kill ND in my opinion.
I sure would like to see VT win one of these on national TV.
Notre Dame isn't that good a team. VT should be able to win this one.
I do feel like we've played poorly on the national stage more often than not lately. It's one thing to look bad, it's another to look bad when everyone is watching.
Win as a team, lose as a team. Cliches, they'll get after ya!
Let's go...
I will reiterate what I said last Sat, the AD needs to hire some sort of outside analyst/effectiveness evaluator to study the team and their practice and prep methods in between games from top to bottom during the week and fix the leaks and blatant inefficiencies. I will also add that until the coaches and coordinators are willing to coach, scheme and the players willing to practice and prep above the passion level of the fans, this is the continued product we will see/witness.
Do you know anyone who coaches or play D1 athletics? I haven't met one coach or player that doesn't have more passion and dedication than any fan.
Wasn't saying the outside person should be me or you. Just somebody qualified. And in terms of playing above the passion of the fan base, the product and results on the field during the last 3 weeks negate that. Now there are players (individuals) and coaches/coordinators that do that week in and week out. But it's not enough.
This is all about VT as a team stepping up to adversity and eliminating errors.
Need to plug some holes in defense.
We're 0-0 against Notre Dame.
Obviously important first drive here. Let's execute
Let's play like we are down 10-0.
I see Danny!
Hahah I thought the same thing. He was king of getting open on long gainers and getting tackled inside the 10.
IT'S THE #25 BEAMER MAGIC SON
TAKE THAT, RUDY!!!!
WE AIN'T WHIPPED YET
Nice, explosive play! I love it! It's great to see the explosive plays go for the good guys.
Now that's a TD drive. CJ Carrol with the Big Play!
Is this a new team we put out for the second half? Good offensive Drive. What changed? And can they repeat it the rest of the game
Evans put a glove on I think!
Now THAT'S how you open a half. Time for the defense to make a statement.
Shout out to the sophomores on that drive.
Peoples didn't redshirt last year? I don't remember.
He played almost exclusively on special teams.
Now we're going to find out if Bud was able to patch the holes in the defensive game plan.
Steven Peoples....1A Galax to scoring touchdowns in Notre Dame Stadium. Love it!
Them SWVA guys can play.
Yes sir!
I especially like that we scored a TD on a red zone possession. It was a great play to get us close and then the offense finished it off.
That's what I'm talking about. Great way to open up 2nd half. Let's go defense.
Diablo was so focused on blowing up the blocker he forgot to tackle the KO returner.
Our kick off coverage has been really good this year. It doesn't get a lot of attention because Slye puts it out of the endzone on most kicks, but when they've had to cover, they've done it well.
McClinchy.
False Starts.
McFlinchey bro
Clinch, Flinch -- both false starts.
The short route they kept hitting we called a "rocky" and it's very hard to cover. Can be run at multiple depths and easy to sell as a deeper route.
I've caught that route on corners infinitely more talented than me.
LET'S GO!!!
HOKIES!
That was a HUGE stop.
Though it was mostly due to a bad throw.
I'll take it.
3 and out. Good start to this half.
Excellent series by the defense. Let's see what you got, offense.
Defense came out in the 2nd half looking great too!
Good job D. Coverage looks tighter. Just hope that doesn't open up the double moves Bud was worried about.
ND looked like our O on that last drive. Good!
Feed
DannyWillieCJ the rock!Lots of comments about how VT can just play their game and beat a relatively poor ND squad in the second half... do we have realistic expectations as a fan base? I mean, we've struggled against lesser teams than the Irish, and the Irish are certainly talented. VT has to play a good (or better) half in all three phases to have a chance, and we haven't consistently done that over the last few weeks. We are not a team that can just flip a switch and dominate. If our lines were physical and beating on 'em, then maybe that'd be the case.
I for one think we can do this because I like how the staff has made adjustments at half time this year, and because ND hasn't exactly been consistent this year either. If we can establish any form of rush/pressure on D, and the O-Line fires off the ball with physicality and sustained effort, we'll get right back in it.
Let's give these guys the encouragement they deserve, and not undervalue the task in front of them.
Go Hokies!
That was a great fade route by Evans and Ford!
Need to capitalize as much as we can while
the wind is at our backthe wind is in our face.Holy crap that was a horrendous pass.
Edit: it looked tipped. Why wasn't that reviewed?
Horrible miscue on that screen
The wind just knuckleballed that thing.
I've never seen the wind turn an incomplete pass into a fumble. Wow.
Seriously, it looked tipped in the one replay they showed.
Get in FG range guys!
Might have been a drive killer
Eh, at least it wasn't a draw.
Wow, terrible play call.
Wow huge self inflicted drive killer
Still better than a touchback.
We should have taken advantage of that drive; oh well.
That one hurts real bad. Taking a lead or tying it up there would have been an enormous shift in momentum
Defense seriously needs another stop here.
punting from the 32 yard line..........
I'd like to see another replay or two of that pass. It just looked funny to me. Maybe the wind really did made it change that much, but it really did look tipped by the DL in the one replay they showed.
Looked to me like a sudden gust blew it just out of reach at the end.
Good hit. Hope is he OK.
Actually, never mind. We got lucky.
Edmunds might get another targeting here
Wow, can't believe they didn't call a flag on that.
Boy, we got away with one there.
What in the fuck is he supposed to do? They broke down at the same fucking time. Seriously, wtf?
Edit: Sorry about the language, but it irritates me. What else was he supposed to do? Slow motion replay makes it look easy/obvious. If you pull up on a guy, he will keep going (see M.Vick vs WVa.). If you go low, the new thing is hurtling people. If you go low and the guy ducks into you, it's targeting. I really don't have a good grasp on this penalty.
Probably not much, but they often call hits against sliding QBs roughing.
EDIT: My comment was less about targeting and more about hitting the QB when sliding.
Nice acting job. He played it as much as he could.
lol they get their fumble snap negated by a procedure penalty
Yeah, but the whole right side moved half a second before the snap.
I wish declining false start penalties could be a thing. lol
I also believe all incorrect calls against VT should be reviewable. =)
how is that not holding on Walker???
Gotta get this stop, let's take the lead
Hey more pressure on the QB!
Show a replay. Was that holding?
Bud definitely got after em during the half.
Damn. Damn. Damn.
Wow that one hurts bad
There's that dumb luck again...
Off of Phillips hands to an INT. Nothing Evans could have done about that one. Phillips has to catch that ball.
Fuck man that's just unfortunate, gotta make that catch Cam
I think Cam checked up a bit or that would have been in the bread basket.
God dammit CAM. Seriously, your hands are like rocks today. WTF. That's the second sure catch you've dropped today. This time it caused a TD into a turnover. I don't care if you did juke the dude with the ball in your hand, you need to be benched for that crap. Catch the dang ball.
Edit: Angry and tasteless. I'll own it though. I still love you Cam. You'll do great as the WR anchor next year!
Hell of a turnaround that was.
Well crap! That's a dagger.
Oh the words I want to spew right now...
My god I'm so sad
Motu strikes again.
I miss Hall and Adibi.
That TD is 100% Cam Phillips fault. His bad hands just caused a 14 pt swing in this game.
Phillips didn't give up a 67 yd run. You can pin the pick on him, but the D needs to stop the run.
The stupid interception we should still have the damn ball
Nope, bricks for hands actually caught the ball there was no one around to stop him. It would have likely been a TD.
Matu gives up ANOTHER big play that costs us dearly. Over purses and gets caught in traffic. The story of his career.
Why do you say 'Matu' with an 'a'?
Es no bueno.
Thanks Cam.
Their success is Matu over pursuing and getting caught inside in traffic. As usual.
Motu yet again taken right out of the play.
Why cant our RB's do stuff like that?
ND hadn't done a thing on offense since half way through the 2nd quarter and Cam gave them this momentum.
Offenses should never block Moto. He takes himself out of every play. That one he ran up the the scrum, turn his back (for some god aweful reason) and watched the RB scream down the middle (where he was supposed to be).
Cannot believe he is the best we have. We will not be an elite D with a guy like him starting.
I'm trying not to bash the kid. It's not his fault. He tries hard. He's just not good enough, strong enough or talented enough. Bud needs to coach and recruit better.
Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events
Game over. This team has no clue how to take advantage of having 10 minutes of momentum. Zero points. Also should be a requirement of every team member to immediately dump their gfs and not be allowed to get with any chicks. Clearly they need to go home, have some private time and learn how to use their goddamn hands.
Um, I don't think they need anymore lotion on them.
It's not over. Only 10 point game.
Not so fast my friend.
I hope I'm wrong but that stretch was THE spot to take control of the game.
Is this game on NBC or the ND network? Oh yeh, they're the same.
Edit: I was angry, removing comment. There was not reply, so nothing is hurt by removing this.
Mihota did a really good job of maintaining his position on that zone read so that the QB wouldn't get outside... Motu was supposed to have leverage in the gap the RB attacks, instead he leans towards Edmunds and gets himself blocked right out of the play.
This team has unbelievable knack of sabotaging themselves!
That's the truth. GT didn't beat us and we've continually shot ourselves in the foot this game.
We should be up by 4 right now, not down by 10.
Or at the very least tied.
Flutie is just the worst. Throws on the left are the easiest. Throw to the left are the hardest. Throws across the middle are easier. So they're all easy...and hard.
That's kinda how they were in his career.
I did not like that spot.
Big third down.
Nice agressive play call on 4th down.
Anyone still think the offense isn't play with any emotion?
They woke up. Too bad they were in a 17 point hole before they felt like playing football. 4 yards in the first quarter. No matter how good you play, it doesn't make that okay.
Does anyone remember a few years ago when Tiger Woods hit a perfect wedgeshot that hit the flag pole and then rolled into a pond so he dropped a ball but dropped it like two feet from the original spot and was penalized an additional stroke? We just did the football equivalent of that
LOL, calling out the OL for pushing forward. At least they do something right.
Just imagine if our OL blocked the D-line like the ball carrier.
THAT'S HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO RUN MARSHAWN BRING A GOLDEN-DOMED CONVOY BEHIND YOU
Marshawn is my favorite every down back.
He's my favorite punch-you-in-the-neck back.
STICK. IT. IN.
So predictable.
Why?
Those two runs, left a lot to be desired.
Seriously. What is up with all these 3rd-logan-esque plays.
Ugh. Down 10, so take the 3 now I guess.
That's where we need cunningham!
Anyone know if he's still in concussion protocol?
Evans run was too predictable there.
Plus the motion by Ford gives the D-Line an indication of when the snap will occur & brings an extra defender into the box.
I always think they need to vary the snap even when bringing the WR in motion to fake the jet sweep. Snap much before the WR gets to the QB or try and go with a hard count right after he passes the QB to try for offsides.
Oh, you mean they sniffed out 3rd-and-Evans? That's the most predictable thing this offense does.
Works better if you mix it with, well, anything else.
Right. We've been doing that way too often lately. Earlier in the year, we seemed more creative with play calling. Would have been a Sam Rogers TD out of the backfield.
The old Logan Thomas inverted veer. Gross.
They knew what we wanted to do and they nailed it. Would have liked to see the Cunningham td rollout
We should've given it Juice at least one of those two plays.
Yep, I like that on second and two
got on here to complain about 2nd and 3rd down calls. glad to see 18 people beat me to it
Just unbelievably predictable play calling there. You can't just assume your going to get it every time with the QB draw. You have to have some faith that your O can get one yard multiple ways. Much easier to stop when you know what is coming.
Mannequin challenge fails if you blink.
I'm seriously mad that we don't have the lead right now. Offense put up 4 yards in the 1st quarter and did absolutely nothing to slow down the 17-0 hole we were in. Then the tipped INT. I'd like to give the offense credit for fighting back (just like against GT), but if we loose this game they still get 70%+ of the blame.
Edit: Changed some wording.
You're being a little tough on Phillips, as he's made some pretty good plays as well.
I felt the same way. I changed the wording before I saw your reply.
Don't disagree with the first qtr and cam comments, but the D is equally responsible for their piss poor play for the majority of the game. Still have the fourth qtr for all to redeem themselves.
There has been some redemption already, but not complete just yet.
More holding there that wasn't called.
Nicely played defensive line shift.
Man, I hope Baron gets to put in work in the NFL.
The defense looks fired up. This is the VT defense that I absolutely LOVE.
Great 3 and out there!
That's our lunchpail D boys!
take advantage of field position
Need 7 points here.
Feed Juice.
Gotta tie it up here. We are playing way better than them outside of two costly plays. Let's make it happen!!
G O B B L E S O P T I M I S T I C A L L Y
[ GOBBLING INTENSIFIES ]
OT: the music in that Reese's Pieces Big Cup commercial makes me want to leave this Earth.
Outside of the one busted play after the tipped INT, the defense has been lights out since about the mid-2nd quarter.
Why didn't the announcers get a chub after Evans ducking a shoulder. They couldn't get off Kizers jock after he did the same thing.
That was a good move by Cam to pick up a couple extra yards.
Please no obvious QB keep... PTL!
Tapped into my Oktoberfest reserve for this 4th quarter
I'm running out of the beer I brought back from my honeymoon in Iceland. Send help.
It wasn't late, it was thrown during the play. Sorry your announcer eyes didn't see it.
The ref threw it into the players so it was hard to see, but definitely not late.
It was questionable though...think we caught a break there
Well, I'll take it.
Make up for the offsides / false start snafu. LOL.
Bad PI call there...but we were due.
Not sure I agree with the penalty. I'll count is as a make-up call from the horrible false start and subsequent Fuente foul.
I like Peoples, but we need Juice here.
YES! BUCKY!
WE. AIN'T. LICKED. YET.
Bucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The refs are so biased they didn't even want to signal the touchdown.
I'd hold your tongue on calling the refs biased after that PI call.
Glad to see our offense finally starting to score TDs in the red zone.
GENGHIS KHAN HODGES
He's kicked the extra point already. That was an indication that it was a TD!
ND fans booing the TD. I think it's a requirement that Touchdown Jesus respect Gods Gift
They were confused by the refs refusing to call the TD, I guess.
BUCKY HODGES IS SIX FOOT SEVEN, FAM!
Need the defense to step up this series.
If you take away the busted play after the tipped INT (defense shouldn't have been on the field), VT would have more total yards than ND /UNClogic
TOP is back in order too. Offense has given our defense some chances for breathers.
in reference to the PI call: "I'm surprised we didn't see a review of that." - Announcer
Really?? Who are you and why are you announcing a college football game?
It's the Notre (dame) Broadcasting Company. You're surprised?
KEY PLAY!
Bud don't adjust PAAAWWWWLLLL
Another 3 and out!
Thought we were still ranked #25 in some polls.
ND has had 173 total yards since we scored the first time and that includes a 67yd bust.
If only we'd gotten off the bus at the start of the game - we'd be up 2 scores.
LETS GO
HOKIES
Okay offense, give the team a lead. Here's to another red zone TD!!
Ugh,I got drunk and missed 3 quarters. I'm so ashamed.
Worked out for ya.
I'd say you really only missed 2. The first one wasn't good.
Still need points, and some defense, in order to win this.
Not just points, TD's
May have to settle for points.
Truth
Well that was a wasted play. The offense needs to be on the same page down here in the red zone. Please score a much needed TD!!!!
OMFG, 3rd-and-Evans. I mean, I know the dude is a beast and was carrying the team, but there HAS to be another person on the team that can pick up yards. Seriously.
Maybe if Bucky were more aware of the called play...
These goal line play calls are driving me nuts. Just throw the fade again to Bucky.
... not like they didn't try that.
AGAIN!
At least they tried Juice and Bucky on that series.
Well, lets hope the defense keeps up what they've been doing. Play hard, fast, and smart. Let's go defense!!
I'm super thankful to have a lead, feels like we should be up much more though.
I refuse to accept that our OC is that inept, so I'm going to assume Evans broke that off on his own.
Alright, need the D to step up!
Broken tackles on the kick off. Not sure if that is a good omen...
Big Tim says don't worry.
I love how much opposing fans hate our kicking unit hyping up our fans.
Haha, me too. Cracks me up every time.
Big TIM in da house!
Nice tackle, Settle!
Need one more play this series from the defense!k
EDIT: That's what I'm talking about!
EKANNIBAL
Edit: Shoutout to NBC for airing his recruitment story.
Awesome to see the D Settle in there!
Ekanem with the sack (while being held!)
Holding and Ekanem still sacks him!
Big Ken coming up big when it mattered most!!!
Let's finish this offense.
YES
3 First downs and we can all FAM!
Ekanem definitely getting some good Kudos there.
I love the positive light Ken put on our program and I love that the announcers were covering it.
Why is Evans running on first down?
Would like to see some short throws. Not confident we run for a first down alone
Agreed. Hope we play to win tonight.
Color me happily wrong
Is it too greedy to ask for another
Score?
I don't believe Brian Kelly. I remember this being talked about back when he committed to VT.
Come on offense, finish this thing off. Don't settle, make your big uglies move their big uglies. Pop one here, get a first down (or TD). Don't eek out a win, finish it with authority.
I don't like this game plan, but it's working.
FAM, It's almost time for Buzzketball post-football-win edition!
Let's go ahead and win this one first.
Ahh, yes. 6'7 Bucky Rogers got a shoutout.
Another Bucky Rodgers heard lol
Dang, they made it to 2:03 left in the 4th before breaking out Bucky Rogers.
...go for it
Go for it. Go out and win the game, don't just settle for outlasting the opponent.
Trusting the defense I guess
Dial up that pass rush Bud!
Dang, put it on the defenses shoulders. I thought we were past this.
D E F E N S E
I do not like this at all....
Visions of the 2007 BC game haunting me right now...
Don't you put that evil on us!
NO BIG PLAYS!!!!
I'm not a coach of course, but c'mon. I would of even put Settle out there to make sure we got that 1st down...but we'll see
Holy hold on Ken. Where are these refs?
They haven't called it all game!
Well they also have no timeouts but still...ol' coach must have some balls.
I mean, you saw him bobbling it but don't mention it announcers. WTF. Can we get a replay actually showing the ball?
4th Down!
Lot of holding there.
I'm so nervous I want to throw up. I can't imagine being a player right now.
Come on defense! Win this one!
Did I just hear "Lets go Hokies clapclap clapclapclap" on tv?
Throughout the game, the ND band we're starting the chant "let's go Irish", and the Hokie fans we're picking it up and yelling Hokies.
ND fans were leaving early (weather, which is common in colder places; then disappointing play) and since VT fans spent good money and travelled, the ND band was essentially leading a "Let's go Hokies" chant through the entire second half.
There were a ton of Hokies at this game (I would guess almost 2:1 at the start, and probably almost 40% VT at the end).
The only place the ND fans were strong was in the student sections (NW corner of stadium). The seniors were having a marshmallow war all game (senior night) and they were doing push-ups every ND score; the rest of their fan base was pretty meh.
I was wondering what I kept seeing fly out of the stands on TV.
RIP Kizer
That play only took 4 seconds?
These announcers need to STFU on everything being targetting.
Exactly.
There was no helmet to helmet there.
No it was helmet to helmet. Though very slightly.
WE DID IT
TIME FOR BUZZKETBALL
What the heck, it was his shoulder. These announcers just ALWAYS want a targeting whenever there is a big hit.
A little unsatisfying, but I'll take it.
VT WON!
You have to give them some credit for having heart and not throwing in the towel! These kids battled this one out.
Unsatisfying? We just came back from 17 down emphatically.
Way to hold on Hokies!
Team showed great resilience in coming back here. Sorry I doubted you guys.
YESSSSSSSSS
Thats how you win a game!
Way to come back and win this team! That was a team win. Offense and defense stepped up when it was needed most.
With that said, how about you pick up next week where you finished this week. The 2nd half of Duke through the first half of this game was nasty. Lets not do that again.
EVERYONE APOLOGIZE TO BUD
I can't wait to hear French explain to us what adjustments he made.
Its not always targeting when helmets from two opposing players contact each other.
I'm not even sure those helmets touched on the second play.
I owe this team a huge apology. I had given up on this game, and figured they just weren't in it today. I'm glad to admit I was wrong..
lol at the comments from the first half of this game. Would have thought the world was ending
I just lost a year off of my life... and I love it!
FAM!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(inhale)
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(passes out)
What a game.
Shout out to the ones that hung in there with us.
LIT AF FAM!
LOL @ the tailfeathers
FAM!!!
What a game! I couldn't not watch but I had to stay away from the forum. I'm back!
Go Hokies!!!!
Another 3 point win. GO HOKIES!
3 point win... that's how many points at the top of a W
Illegal touching is a a very appropriate penalty for a Catholic School.
I retract my previous statement about the game being over in the 3rd quarter. It really felt like it was.
Big exhibition win. Gutty performance by the team. Can't wait to get to Lane next weekend.
On to the bourbon!!
The WWWLWWWLWWWLWWWL trend continues!
Sooo that means we'll win the ACC championship.
Let me hit Vegas.
I apologize to anyone who I offened with my earlier comments. Way to fight and come back. Next up UVA. See y'all Saturday.
First thought, we are lucky two targeting calls were not made on Edmunds!
Second thought, we won a game through a lot of adversity!
Third thought, see everyone in Lane next week!
Go Hokies!
Good job Hokies !!!! The team needed this more than anything to show resilience and improvement from the offense starting in the 2nd quarter. Most of all HOKIE NATION that showed up to the game thank you!!!!!!! Maroon everywhere in the stands
Gritty comeback win after a really poor start. Good to see that effort to just grind out a win. Now let's come out with a 4 strong quarters next week so my family doesn't have to see me screaming out f bombs every 2 minutes during Thanksgiving weekend.
Geez, watching that ND defense was like watching Foster's unit vs insert almost any mobile QB ever.
Like, for example, DeShone Kizer?
Trying to remember the last mobile QB we played...I think you have to go all the way back to DeShone Kizer
I was thinking more along the lines of Ga Tech, Duke, Syracuse.
So we're going to focus on the times we didn't stop a running quarterback and ignore the times we stopped a running quarterback?
I won't ignore it. I'll acknowledge it. Robinson, Kinzer, Dantzler, Marshall and White (WVU), McNabb (back in '97). But neither will I ignore all the other ones.
Kizer is a better running QB than Duke's or Syracuse's (average's more running yds/gm than either). GT has a RB playing QB.
Which makes it all the more embarrassing and unbecoming of one of the greatest defensive coordinators in all of div 1 college football.
Not really. If you give the opponent more chances via poor O play, they have more opportunities to make plays. Duke & Cuse are classic cases. Heck, ND was a case of both in a single game.
The fact of the matter is that Foster did a poor job of accounting for them in those games and it showed. I feel like he started to do better in this recent one. It needs to be habitual.
Come on man, don't be such a wahoo.
Uh oh
It's really sad that sharing my thoughts on the game makes you feel like resorting to cheap and petty personal attacks. You might like what I posted on Joe's recent thread a lot more palatable. It may help provide better context and insight for you.
Actually, I recall film review pointing out players being out of position, NOT the scheme didn't account for a running qb. Foster can only draw it up. If the players are out of position, he can't run out on the field and move them to the proper position.
I agree. That is correct. The reason I hesitate to go there because I know they are working and fighting their asses off, so I tend to be more down on the scheme vs execution, though I fully know one cannot exist without the other.
So the logical conclusion is that Bud's given up?
I just said one can't exist without the other (scheme cannot exist without proper and correct execution). If players are not minding the gaps or their assignments, the scheme won't work (breaks my heart to say that about the players).
No, he'd prefer to be incorrectly blaming the coach than the person that's making the actual error. I'm not advocating we blast any of these kids by any means, but mis-allocation of fault is completely pointless.
If I'm not mistaken, all of this is a fundamental part of the reason why we actually play the games: 1) can the coaches prepare and coach a team to succeed and 2) can the players consistently execute the plan.
With Bud's history of success and success, this year, I can't understand people calling him out and suggesting that he doesn't know that he's doing. I'm glad that I don't go through that level of scrutiny in my life.
It's because the execution (or lack thereof) on the field is a reflection of the scheme and competency of the coach/coordinator. It's kind of what you sign up for (whether you like it or not). The other reason for my hesitancy is due to the fact that Stinespring often threw players or the offense under the bus rather than taking responsibility for his ineptness as a coordinator. But Bud is not even on the chart as far as Stinespring is concerned.
We're going to have to agree to disagree. You're picking and choosing 1 element from select games to say Bud shouldn't be DC. I'm looking at a larger body of work to say you are wrong. Further discussion won't change either of our opinions.
Hold up, now I never, at any point, suggested or indicated that Bud shouldn't be DC. On the contrary, I believe the team and program would be very lost without him. Like most fans, it drives me up the wall watching mobile QBs and RBs that can pass, basically stroll through the 1st and 2nd lines for backbreaking chunks of yardage on a repeated basis during games, because I feel very passionate about that. We as fans al have things that make us tick more than others. In fact, the defensive unit (particularly the secondary) is my fave (even in sort of off years like the '10 season).
Thats weird, because what you said was
Fair enough. Fixed.
Denard Robinson says hi.
Fuhhh! Any one have any blood pressure meds I can borrow?
YES! NO BOWL FOR ND!!!!
Well technically its still attainable because of the 5-7 rule but no winning season!!
Yeah, USC is going to finish them off next week. I can't see Notre Dame going on the road and winning that game.
I couldn't watch the game today but we get a GIFTORY!!
Now to spam-f5 HokieTapes until the replay gets posted.
I'd like to apologize for being so negative....watching game with nd fans 1st half was killing me..they .
Apology accepted FAM. Time for UVA hate week and the annual beatdown.
"they..." Lol, should we send a search party for you? Did they abduct you from your keyboard?
Just now sitting down to watch the game. I'm sure it was covered above but I can't read through literally 850 comments. Fuente was fucking PISSED after that missed false start in the second quarter!!! Unsportsmanlike after that?! I have not seen him so fired up all season long and I fucking loved it!!!!!!
Gotcha man. Read these comments and the subthreads that spawn from them (it's not a lot):
http://www.thekeyplay.com/comment/490878#comment-490878
http://www.thekeyplay.com/comment/490882#comment-490882
http://www.thekeyplay.com/comment/490895#comment-490895
http://www.thekeyplay.com/comment/490893#comment-490893
http://www.thekeyplay.com/comment/490917#comment-490917
Fuck nd. Oh top shelf talent ......blow me.
Fuck Notre Dame.
I was at ND tonight and the Hokie fans represented well. I came back and read this thread and I'm just glad the team doesn't give up like we do on here sometimes. Our team didn't bail, they kept fighting and found a way to win. That's what good teams, who want to be great, do. As fans..we could probably do a little more of that too.
These threads are always entertaining to read after a roller coaster game.
They sure are