Recent Comments

It's a 12:30 kickoff, and I want a legit tailgating pass. I went to tell people we will be at SPOT X in LOT Y, not "come look around for us."

Just so, you didn't think I forgot ...

HALP: We need a parking pass. Please let me know if you can help.

Use the watch ESPN App or ESPN3, the games are usually on there also.

Is there a section on this site for hall of fame posts? longlosthokie deserves a spot.

I've never seen or heard of that poster, though, so the name fits.

I started reading this post in the middle and the following stream of thought ran through my head:

Ron Cherry is plain AWFUL. He has bad mechanics, bad judgement for a ref with his experience, and throws the flag way too hard when the penalty is right in front of him. It is hard to blame him, though, after learning officiating under a set of bad ref-coaches for so many years. I've heard he used to be a line judge, but when the officiating crew needed a referee, they asked him to change and he took one for the team. He's still the best option at referee because the other guys on the crew don't get any in-game experience. He's just so maddeningly inconsistent and makes officiating mistakes of a referee with much less experience, which I wouldn't have expected from him. Off the field, he has really high character, and I love the guy, and his record is pretty good, but I can't help but be frustrated sometimes. Ron Cherry might be the worst official in ACC history

hehe

If I was designing the game plan against Miami (a MUST WIN game for this program) I would:

Run the ball early and often from under center

The offensive line hasn't been terrible in run blocking, despite the poor rushing numbers. Given how little the Hokies have ran from under center recently, it might actually catch the 'Canes off balance. Even if it isn't terrible effective, it'll keep Logan from getting hit and open up the best big-play opportunities for the Hokies... play action. Loeffler has a really good play-action package from under center (see Knowles early play-action touchdown vs UNC?). Also, you never know, Edmunds may get lucky and break one like he did vs Bama.

Also, I'd run mostly from a one running back formation. Sam Rodgers is already one of my favorite Hokies, but he hasn't been incredibly consistent in run blocking from the I-formation. I'd rather have the slot receiver in the game to increase the odds of popping one up the middle. If Loeffler wants a lead blocker, he can flex Cline off the LOS and Wham block with him coming across the formation.

Run Edmunds the majority of the time

Time for Shane to pick a back and stick with him. Edmunds has the goods to be an every down back. I love JC Coleman, but it's been two years and I've seen zero evidence that he has the Warrick Dunn quickness needed to effectively run in between the tackles (Yes he had that one great game... against Duke). Give Edmunds a chance to get into the flow of the game.

Throw from under center

I don't even know if Tech has any quick-hitting throws from under center in the playbook. I don't recall any non-screen three or five step drop passes this season. Lining up under center presents a good "triple threat" to a defense. Threat of a quick hitting run play, of a deep throw, of a quick throw. Impossible to defend against all three.

Pick your spots to run Logan

Logan is too good to NEVER run, and if used as a change up (instead of the work horse) Thomas could be devastating. If Miami sees a lot of traditional runs early in the game, their defenders will allow their eyes to start taking them to the running back on the read plays later. This opens the door for Thomas to pull the ball and pick up yardage in critical situations. There's no need to run Thomas on your 30 yard line in 1st and 10 with 10 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter... but when you are on the opponents 30 and it's 3rd and short and there's five minutes to go in the game? Yeah, let's go ahead and give it to the big fella.

Limit Thomas's short throws

Loeffler has a good pass design for his short yardage throws (TRIANGLES!) but he fall in love with it too often. Yes, Scott can get someone open in those situations... but Thomas still has to find the right guy and then make the throw. Too many things can go wrong, especially at this point in the season when the opponents are familiar with your passing game. Opponents have been able to disguise their coverage and fool Thomas into throwing interceptions this year. Limiting the number of times Logan has to throw it short (a play that has a fairly low reward) will help lower the turnover numbers.

I think Glennon had much better talent to work with then Thomas did. Glennon could throw the ball to an NFL receiver and let him do work. Thomas doesn't exactly have that luxury.

Logan is one of those types of quarterbacks that drives people nuts.

I apologize for bringing this up, but there's a reason for it. This whole love/hate relationship with Logan is very similar to Sean Glennon. I remember bitching about Glennon because, his arm is one of his strengths and accuracy, but man, he was turnover prone (does this sound familiar at all?).

What is the biggest difference between Glennon and Thomas? I could make a chart, but I think it comes down to two things: Thomas could move and truck somebody while Glennon was moving like he was wading in cement. And Glennon had a stud quarterback right behind him who eventually unseated Glennon. Thomas doesn't have that type of threat in spite of fans howling for Leal.

For the record, I think that Leal brings a different asset to the table, but I do not think he will scare defensive coordinators the way Thomas does. Leal is probably the best in short range games (his touchdown pass to Malleck in the spring game comes to mind), but I cannot recall his long passes being on the money like Thomas' pass to Knowles in the UNC game this season (that was a thing of beauty, the type that makes NFL scouts change their shorts). Another thing about Leal is he can buy time with his feet, something that Thomas struggle to do because of his size makes it awkward (don't try to say, "But, but Cam! But, but RG3! Those kids are freak of an athlete) for him to keep chopping while on the run. I also think that when Thomas throws on the run, the ball tend to come out of his hand very awkward.

Thomas is an outstanding athlete and I believe that Thomas knew the game was in his hands and he blew it. There's no doubt in my mind that if Thomas had a chance to do it over again, he would have taken the sack and let AJ take care of the field position because #puntingiswinning.

I would also argue that even if Thomas took the sack and AJ gave the defense plenty of grasses to defend, there is no guarantee that the defense would force a quick three and outs with the abuse Boston College laid on the defense all day long.

Football is indeed a number game, and sometime, the odds are simply not in the Hokies' favor. That's why I like Loeffler and he clearly understands how to make the numbers work in his favor. The red zone interception against Duke, something French and I was discussing on Twitter this afternoon, is something that eats at Loeffler because he said he did a study. He said if you don't make the completion in the red zone, the percentage of success drops dramatically, and therefore, it becomes a point of emphasis to make the completion. Maybe that's why we are seeing more shotgun formations near the red zone because Loeffler is playing with the number in his head.

This is something I have never heard from Stinespring or O'Cain. Clearly, Loeffler seem to have a great grasp on what to call, but sometime, the numbers don't favor him.

Sorry for the long winded tl;dr post, but I just have thoughts that come outs like a train.

Regarding point 2, that was my reaction to your posts. Any psych major would be able to deduct that you're clearly the one taking things personally with your snarky comments and responses, but you go ahead and think what you think. Makes no difference to me.

LT never played TE in high school. He was PROJECTED by the recruiting services to be the #1 TE coming out of high school because of his desire not to have to play QB at the college level.

This needs to be stated over and over and over again. It's so funny to hear fans say, "But, but Logan was a tight end," when evidences provides the contrary. I have gotten into a debate with a stubborn fan who insists that Logan has a future in the NFL as a tight end, and I gave up trying to explain that one cannot simply flip a switch and gets the tight end position down pat. Now, Logan could probably get away with being a tight end based on his athleticism, but there's so much more in being a tight end, and it takes times to get that.

This is similar to the arguments some fans made that for Tyrod to be successful in the NFL, he should be moved to wide receiver to take advantage of his blistering speed, but the Ravens drafted him as a back-up quarterback to Joe Flacco. So, I think some fans simply don't know what the heck they are saying without considering the other side of the coins.