Recent Comments
I think with Motley being a dual threat qb, along with all the remaining backups being dual threat too, we should probably start chop blocking and running the triple option. We just need Loeffler to channel his inner Paul Johnson.
Urban has never exhibited anything short of complete respect for Beamer. Back when we were going against OSU for Joel Caleb, the story goes that when Caleb called Urban to tell him he was coming to VT, Urban's reaction was only to say, "You're going to play for a great man in Frank Beamer." In this era of cutthroat recruiting, it doesn't get much more on the level than that.
I agree. Going into the game, I was expecting the DL to really cause them some fits again. Unfortunately, I don't recall too many times where they got good penetration up front. We committed a large chunk of players to the line of scrimmage. When they didn't produce, it didn't leave too many people to clean up the mess. Half the time, those players were out of position, caught in the wash, or flat out beat.
DBU certainly didn't live up to the hype either. The scheme put them into some tough situation, there's no doubt about that. They only gave up 200 some yards, but it was on 10 catches. The stop-and-go on Fuller was pretty embarrassing, and when their receivers got open they had excess separation for the most part. Are they banged up, or are we just seeing the effects of having to shuffle people around after Reavis was dismissed?
All in all, the defense needs to improve if they're going to get some wins moving forward.
2 ways to combat this, neither or which the students will like
1 - install seats with chair backs to discourage standing on bleachers.
2 - clamp down on NEZ entry enforcing a policy where names are checked on tickets and student IDs... if they don't match, you don't get in.
Putting it in perspective, OSU also put up 42 points on Alabama and Oregon, and 59 on Wisconsin (who is supposed to have some great defense). That is good company to be in. Also, there were a few very questionable calls, like the interference calls, and there was another holding instance that went unnoticed as well.
We actually contained Elliot very well, but it was their other play-makers who flat out just made plays. I doubt we will face another offensive player who will outright spin move on us.
I actually thought that as a team and systematically, OSU wasn't very good..they just happen to have a handful of NFL-talented guys who made some huge individual plays, otherwise they didn't have much for methodical drives.
I do think our "DBU" needs a bit of work, they may have ate up too much hype in the pre-season. I am optimistic about the rest of the schedule.
The problem is, if there's any chance that Lawson's the guy, you don't get a better break-in period than Furman and Purdue. I'm sure the coaching staff is waiting to hear how Brewer came through surgery, but if there's any chance that he doesn't come back (or is gone the full 8 weeks), what's the rationale for not going with Lawson? Do we think Motley will lead us to the ACCCG? Are we worried starting Lawson might jeopardize the bowl streak?
The way I see it, everything changed when Brewer's collarbone snapped. The future is now. Everything I've heard about Lawson, it seems like he's level-headed and mature. I don't think he expects to come into this level and set the world on fire. If he takes some knocks as a true frosh, I don't think it will discourage him. And if we have a chance to get him eleven games of experience, it makes the transition to next season that much easier.
Motley seems like the reactive choice to me, Lawson the proactive one. I think you take your lumps with your QB of the future.
I haven't seen a replay of it yet, but I said immediately to those around me at the game that AM completely blew that. My memory of the play in real time is that he followed the blocking and didn't fill the gap allowing Elliott to cut back....a la Duke Johnson last year.
Big Durk is starting at QB next week. When the NCAA comes and says "you don't have any remaining eligibility" he'll ask to see their tickets to the gun show and promptly remove them from the premises for not having tickets to the gun show.
Not the first time and certainly won't be the last. I saw it a couple times over the past few years. Miami 2011 was recent. GT in 2010 also had it happen I believe. As a structural engineer, the strength of the bolts that connect the bleacher to the stands is miniscule to that of the rest of the structure connections. We took a look at all the connections a number of years ago for Steel design and most of them have massive safety factors due to stadium requirements.
but I just find it odd that the coaches would be holding him back on purpose the last couple of years with the play calls they've used him with.
When in the history of VT Football has the backup qb been given the opportunity to use the entire playbook? We haven't exactly been putting opponents away early with any regularity for a long long time.
How much real time last year did Motley have an opportunity to play, much less pass?
Come on guys -- you may be completely right and Motley is worse than just a game manager under center, but the sample size right now just isn't there to support the claim.
Yep. And bad experience is a bad educator.
Don't sleep on QBs who wear #16
I definitely think we're going to see some different things (that play to his strengths) in the coming weeks for Motley than we saw last night.
Don't forget, Motley got thrown in against on of the top Ds in college football with a game plan that wasn't designed for him, and no margin for error injury-wise.
I don't think he's an all-conference QB (even though he got a pre-season player of the year vote in 2014). But with a game plan designed for him against a more typical college D, I think he can be an adequate QB - and certainly better than he appeared last night.
Just watched...go Durkin!
Durkin...after researching a bit. Lawson would be lost. Motley will still be change of pace guy.
Still wouldn't want to be in that locker room today for film review with Bud.
Bud has his work cut out for him, that's for sure. I don't think the defense lacks for talent (although I'm a lot less confident about that than I was 24 hours ago). But they appear to lack leadership. I think we will learn a lot about them in the next 3-4 weeks.
Boykin and Coalesce helped out LT in his 1st year as a starter, but it was his THIRD year as a college QB. There's a huge difference between r-So Logan Thomas and true Frosh Dwayne Lawson with basically no reps with the first team to date.
We only took the knee once, and we should have taken it every time.
Here are our six kickoff returns (not counting the one out of bounds):
1Q (15:00) -- Willoughby, J kickoff 65 yards to the VT0, touchback.
1Q (9:44) -- Willoughby, J kickoff 65 yards to the VT0, Greene, D return 18 yards to the VT18
3Q (13:53) -- Willoughby, J kickoff 65 yards to the VT0, touchback.
3Q (2:05) -- Willoughby, J kickoff 65 yards to the VT0, McMillian, T return 16 yards to the VT16
4Q (12:26) -- Willoughby, J kickoff 63 yards to the VT2, McMillian, T return 24 yards to the VT26
4Q (8:16) -- Willoughby, J kickoff 65 yards to the VT0, McMillian, T return 17 yards to the VT17
The only one on there that should qualify as "trying to keep hope alive" is the last one. Even the 3rd quarter (2:05) kick was only at 28-17.
Forgot about Jackson! Yes!
The depth chart may have said that, but there was no real battle.
That's not at all what I remember.
I'm transfixed on the relative size of his legs to his arms in the picture. Can't help but compare to this.
"Motley and Lawson are fairly close to each other right now..."
Says who?
From what I saw of the play calling for Motley last night, the coaches were in utter fear of Motley getting injured. They didn't utilize his strengths because that would have put him in harm's way. That says to me that neither Durkin or Lawson is capable of much more than a basic package or two right now. One or both is going to get a crash course starting today...
Does Big Durk say why?
I bought mine from a Hokie, so I didn't check mine (which ended up being legit).
But I take absolutely no offense to being called dumb for not checking...