The Hokies continue to have no run game except the occasional 9 yard run by LT. Our O-line got man handled the entire game, and made no holes for our run game to get going. On numerous plays Pitts DT Aaron Donald looked like he came unblocked, if our O line does not get better a team will shut down the WR and force us to run. We cannot count on our Defense to win our games every week. I'm so stoked for VT to be 6-1 but we have Got to get meaner on our front line. Go Hokies!
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While our offensive line hasn't dominated, I wouldn't say a lack of will or toughness is to blame.
#TRUTH
Those guys haven't been very healthy in the past few weeks, so there's been a little shuffling. Needless to say, the bye week comes at a good time for those guys.
Couldn't agree more.
If I were a d-coordinator, I would key on shutting down the pass and make the hokies beat me running.
I think they're banking on Logan messing up somewhere along the way.
Not me. If I was a D-coordinator I would do exactly what Pitt did. Don't allow any passes to go over your head, keep everything in front of you and rally to the football, stop the run and hopefully get a stop on third down. If you don't, stop them in the redzone and prevent touchdowns.
And pray like heck that your offense gets lucky with some throws down the field. That's going to be the only way to beat this defense if you don't have a mobile QB. Foster has a lot of plays with one on one coverage, if you can get lucky on a couple of them at the right times you can at least change the field position on the Hokies.
I completely agree.
Pitt played a fantastic game against us. The only team (including Alabama) to not turn the ball over to our great defense, so their offense was very disciplined as well.
On defense, they've got a decent line of their own (that DT was a beast, and their end is almost as good.) They stopped the run and didn't give up the big play.
And we still outscored their offense IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
Really at a loss for how our line can be so consistently bad at that aspect of the game. But that's what we have French for.
Beginning to think there were just too many bad habits left over from Newsome to overcome.
But hey, this was an average performance by Logan, and we still pulled out the W. If he can learn from today, and tighten those passes to the crossing routes up (I've all but given up on him ever being able to throw a screen with any consitency) to where they were the last 2 weeks, we should be fine all the way up to Miami.
Sucks to keep having my hopes dashed that it will all come together and we'll finally get a stress-free game, but thanks to my patron saint of the Distilled Grain, I will abide.
I think this has been Grimes' approach so far:
Look at our starting five OLs. R-Jr Wang has bad ankles, a bad foot, and a hurt wing. R-Jr Benedict will never be 100% because of the knee injury he suffered in high school. R-Sr Miller is the ultimate wounded warrior - too many injuries to list, including the bad leg injury he suffered last year. As a Jr, Farris started five games at center in 2012, and has started all 7 games this year at guard. McLaughlin is a true freshman - he has 7 college games as a starter to his credit, that's it.
Now, add to the above the fact that most teams have loaded the box against us this year, daring LT to beat them through the air. Alabama played a defense that was reactive in style and we dinged them for 153 rushing yards. WCU played a normal defensive alignment and we hit them for 237 rushing yards. ECU was the first team this year to load the box against us and they were very effective, limiting us to 53 yards on the ground. Marshall played a more normal defense and we got them for 201 rushing yards. The last three teams (GT, UNC, and Pitt) have loaded the box against us and they've held us to 55, 48, and 76 rushing yards respectively. Are you catching a pattern here?
I'm sorry to be the first to tell you if you don't already know, but what you're seeing now from the Tech OLs may be the best we're going to see this year. They will do moderately well against defenses that don't load the box, and not very good against defenses that shoot every gap and force our guys to make decisions about who to block.
But, in the meantime, LT is making good decisions as to where to throw the ball, and our receivers are getting a lot of work - they're getting better with each game. That will eventually force defenders to back out of the box and we will see better results from the running game.
This is why I think a lot of people, myself included, think that Gibson should be starting at tackle ahead of Benedict. Benedict is large, powerful and mean, but he just isn't quick enough. I'm sure French and gang will do their reviews and such, but from my vantage point Saturday, it seemed we moved the ball the most when Gibson was in. Kind of reminds me of a couple years ago when we had Lanier and Becton rotating every series or two.
I'm hoping for a gradual transition this year to a starting job not only for Gibson, but also for Smith, Conte, and Arkema. I've seen postings indicating that Gibson doesn't practice very hard and has been kicked into Grimes' doghouse.
The question at this point in time for everyone but Gibson is, are they ready, and if not, when? When will they know enough to be able to detect pass and run blitzes? We need fresh legs on the offensive line this year, and we need them as quick as possible.
Now wasn't there some question about who we're worried about after the bye?
We can't overlook a single opponent. The way our O plays every game will be close. We just got to focus on the next opponent.
The bye week should be huge for these guys. Let's see what they do with a week to get healthy and work more.
Hope so, but I'm not sure they have much more. They just aren't very good. Farris looked like a matador today, and Wang and Miller weren't much better. We also just aren't good running the read option. It seems all of our Running plays take way to long to develop and when they do, the D is already right on top of it.
I also agree that the read option looks terrible. Logan is the most unnatural of runners unless he's headed North-South on the inverted veer. If our running game is going to suck eggs, I would at least like it to be a tailback fighting for those tough yards instead of our QB.
I remember at least one run to the Outside Saturday where I thought Logan looked surprisingly quick. I think it was a designed QB keeper to the left and he gained about 7 or 8 yards. Posting from my phone or I would look for a clip of it.
Edit: On computer now, found it. It was an option run, but he got outside and upfield very quickly for a 9 yard gain:
I still think they showed some promise running against Alabama. If they really are as banged up as we have been hearing, they should improve. I don't think they'll be great, just show improvement. If anything, it's more practice time.
I think the offensive line gets a free pass until we drop another game. The rushing attack will come around, although maybe not this year. I don't care if the rushing game improves at all this year as long as they're winning.
I'm sorry but I can't agree to that on any level. The O line has gotten a free pass not just this year, but since Newsome arrived and to this day since we're still paying the price. Simply not fair to the Defense, which with FEW exceptions shows up every year. I do care that our running game sucks, and I would be shocked if Loeffler shared your opinion that winning is good enough. I get what you're saying - wins are great - but that's what people thought w/ the former staff and all the ten win seasons. If we truly want to be elite then it has to be in all phases of the game.
Amen! We will not win big games until we get a great O line. Stop making excuses, we need to improve on the O-line.
Can't the short passing game be used the same way that the run game is used? It essentially does the same thing as a run in making the linebackers stay honest and it will eventually free up the deep ball and double moves.
The OL has been effective in the passing game and maybe the recruits that are coming are better suited to the smack-you-in-the-mouth running game than the current OL members are!
We need to hand the ball off under center instead of all this delayed option crap every time. loffener is standing up in the Offensive coordinator box like he's nervous every game all game. Lets get this Offense Rolling and win the ACC!
How can we go on with a broken Wang?
This comment made my night
Somtimes, you just have to wang it.
Earlier this season we were just happy for wins. Now it sounds like people are getting picky again.
Let's not forget we have a new OL coach teaching in a new offensive system with banged up players. This team is going to get about 20 points a game and hopefully more when they fully gel.
Now look at our remaining schedule and tell me which team is going to put up more than 20 on this defense?
Let's be happy with what we have and the direction we are going and reserve judgement until the film is reviewed. I don't think many thought we would be 6-1 at this point.
Amen to that. One more point - we have a freshman at fullback and another true freshman at TE. Really do not have a reliable second TE. If these three positions were veterans, I believe Loeffler might be going for some power runs.
Here is what I am intentionally choosing to believe, whether it is a fact or not:
If I'm the OC, I know that Logan is our most dangerous weapon. We have to set him up to make plays and we can't get him hurt. So I focus on getting the passing game up and running first. It looks to me like we're practicing pass protection more than we're practicing run blocking, and I'd guess it is because we need Logan to make plays. Notice how LT3 is our most effective runner? It looks like we practice plays that put the ball in his hands. I'm betting we'll work on getting the run game up and running in the bye week heading into Duke. We'll need to, because Boston College is looking a lot better than I thought they were going to look.
Hope you are right - that we get the running game going - like a fast horse jumping off of a treadmill and knocking down the door.
Worst thing this team could do right now is to feel comfortable and complacent in their preparation and execution vs Duke and BC. They are both good teams, with lots of fight in them. And we have a history of dogfights with them even when they had down years recently.
And worst thing we could do as a fan base is to not appreciate what this team has done so far this year after losing like 18 players from last year ( due to various reasons). This team has character - if we do not embrace them, shame on us. I will take the W. Would like to see some true dominance all around; but I can wait for that, as long as there is earnest effort all around.
This was the best comment I've seen all night.
T-shirt idea.
I think it's AMC has the catch phrase " characters wanted".
I could see a good riff off that.
USA has that slogan
Did anyone else notice that half of Wang's snaps out of the shotgun lacked the necessary zip? It seemed like the timing of the play was off as a result, and the d-line was getting an extra step on our backfield because of the delay in executing the read/exchange.
Wang lacked zip? [Insert joke about Viagra here]
I edited my post a couple of times to try and not make a Wang joke...its just so hard...oops.
My original was, "Wang's snaps were a little soft," or something to that extent.
Agree. Wang does not go hard when handling balls...
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Debatable, but I guess it depends on if Wang is on Offense or Defense...But since Wang is on Offense, going hard allows the QB to give it to the Tight End quicker and more efficiently...
I feel dirty...I think I better go take a shower now.
I saw a statistic the other day that said 69% of people will find something dirty in every sentence.
There's also a statistic that 100% of people who believe your stat are gullible.
As long as Wang helps us stick it in the right end...zone
I am very excited with how this team has played. They have fought every week and the OL has been better than I expected honestly. The run game has been bad but I do attribute a lot of that to defenses stacking the box. The best thing that will improve our run game is LT continuing to not make mistakes in the passing game. He has played very smart the last few weeks. He is going through his reads and not throwing it hoping something good happens. If it isn't there he isn't forcing it.
If teams are going to stack the box, I would like to see us bring in more blockers and run some power football at them. It has worked when we brought in an extra linemen and run right at them. Give our guys confidence in pushing the defense around early in games. Come out under center and hand the ball off.