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I need to review the film on that play, but I was surprised that Beamer went for it on fourth down. I am not sure if wind was a factor at that point, but Duke didn't blitz much so it was a long shot that anything would have opened up unless there was a bust by the secondary.
Well, that depends on Loeffler. Based on how effective the zone stretch was early, Edmunds should have been well on his way to a 20 carry 115 yard day. He was averaging around 6 yards a touch, and should have had more with one play negated by the Benedict penalty and his trip where there was nothing but daylight later. The offensive line played about as well as you could ask them to play Saturday. If anyone complains about how they played, said person doesn't know their ass from the Grand Ole Opry.
Always learning something new from your reviews. Excellent write up!
I guess that's what I've always wondered. If Foster got pro level talent to run his scheme wouldn't it be able to work better?
don't know if you saw this in the other thread, but it seemed like we were having success running a hurry up offense (can't remember the exact point in the game), and then we just stopped doing it. any idea why?
Trey is still the guy for the job, and it was a mistake for him to get as few touches as he did on Saturday. Loeffler had success with Trey's bread and butter early, and also had some solid runs when they went no huddle and ran power leads from the pistol.
But, he isn't a veer tailback, and he doesn't always look comfortable on some of these read plays. Also, I think Coleman got far too many touches. Being in on the goal line on the 2nd and 1 where Hopkins was in was pure silliness. Coleman is a good kid and works hard, but for a small guy, he isn't as fast or as elusive as he needs to be to compensate for his inability to move the pile. I have seen him make one guy miss on a running play in two seasons (versus Duke in the 4th quarter Saturday on a jet sweep.) For him to be in on the goal line, I just shook my head.
Right now, Edmunds would be my tailback, and he would be getting 20 touches a game in ways where he can be effective, not just pounding veer dives. Mangus would be the guy who gets those jet sweep touches, as he is a better receiving threat and threatens the edge a bit more. For as well as Mangus has played when he got regular snaps, I have not seen anything from Coleman that suggests that Mangus should have ever lost that playing time.
his grandfather is also in the hospital. not making excuses for his poor kicking, but something to think about before attacking him (not you, but people in general)
Based on glimpses in what we have seen this season, in your opinion, is Lefty's offensive scheme capable of giving as much confidence to Hokie fan's as Bud Foster's Defense does? What is going to need to change in personnel type for Hokie fans to feel good about the new coaching staff and having an offense clicking and giving defenses fits?
Edit: Okay, I'll re state my question since no one will ever be as good as Bud Foster, anywhere. But, what is missing that will really get this offense going? How good will it be, and what will it look like, when/if it is clicking?
As well as Dadi's played, he's not as complete a player, or as seasoned as J.R. In my opinion, J.R. was the MVP of the defense heading into Duke. It's tough to head into any game without your best player, especially a senior
As soon as I couldn't find #42 on the sidelines this was my thought. Hopefully he will learn from his mistake and move forward. And hopefully Kyle and Brandon will be healed up for BC.
Fosters defense could work on occasion in the Pros if you found the defensive line talent willing to sacrifice their own earning potential to free up linebackers and safeties to make plays. But, it would be much more prone to give up big plays, as elite quarterbacks who can make good throws under pressure can take advantage of man coverage. See Aaron Rodgers vs VT in a bowl game around a decade ago.
We were all psyched about Trey Edmunds after the Bama game, but in reality, he's averaged well under 4 yards per carry even with the 77 yard run. Outside of that one run, the ground game has looked only slightly better than last season. Is Trey still the guy for the job? If so, is it him or the o-line that has been the main reason the run game has been struggin so bad?
Under center is an interesting term, because for me a big question will be, will the quarterback be under center. I think Loeffler has used Thomas from the gun much more often than under center because Thomas is more comfortable seeing the field from the shotgun. I think Loeffler ultimately would like to run more of the stretch plays and bootlegs, but that requires a quarterback who is quick enough to get to the handoff exchange point and who can threaten the edge on the bootleg while being able to throw accurately on the run.
Logan has almost become too mechanical, as often he seems to be holding off on making throws until he is set properly, which causes him to miss open receivers. Our site owner pointed that out to me and it is a great observation.
I noticed this a few times this game, and others, and I believe you've mentioned this before. Something that is assisting the defense is the sheer amount of times Logan goes with the ball, because they collapse on him, when it looks like if he had given it to the RB, it would be a pretty big play.
It's hard for those plays to actually work when the defense KNOWS Logan is keeping the ball 9 out of 10 times.
Dadi makes a ton of plays, but he does have a habit of being undisciplined. For example, on the Duke touchdown drive, Anthony Boone got outside of Dadi's contain on a couple of read options. That, with the two penalites, made the drive. Wiles got frustrated and pulled the starting group, and in comes Ken Ekanem, who on que bit on the dive fake, was sealed inside, and Boone walked in for a touchdown.
Dadi is going to be the best player on the defensive front next season, but he has that Lavar Arrington streak in him where he will make great plays, but sometimes get caught out of position. For him to be effective, he will need a really good defensive tackle inside of him next year who can absorb double teams and free Dadi up to create chaos. Between Maddy, Williams, Baron, Harley, and the freshmen, somebody will need to step up who can tie up the middle of the line and prevent teams from baiting Dadi up field and then sneaking plays inside of him.
you're going to get blown up.
My question is about Dadi. I know we have seen some great plays the past two games but...I am more interested in what he is doing on all the snaps in between. Does he look like a great defensive end or just a physically talented specimen who has managed to be in the right place a few times.
Great Post!!! Thank-you!
French, what do you think the ceiling for the running game is this year? Looking ahead, what sort of improvement can we realistically expect there next season considering the Grimes recruits will likely need time in the weightroom before seeing the field?
I've always wondered, can Foster's D work in the pros? Why or why not?
Also they honored Jarrett Ferguson during the game do you think Rogers can be as good as, or better than, he was?
It is a 8 (better) than last year. Everything is designed much more effectively, even the read option stuff that frustrates me so much. The big weaknesses are:
1) Logan doesn't read the option as well as you need to rely on the read so much
2) Sometimes Loeffler calls plays where all the receivers are in the same area of the field, making them easier to defend.
3) Execution (out of Loeffler's hands)
The reality is, there are a bunch of square pegs in round holes right now. If a team can cover man to man, the Hokies offense is going to struggle. Period.
I think I'm a yeller, goober, and a traditionalist.
Fuck. I'm only 21 years old, I shouldn't be getting compared to old grandpa leatherhead.
Know what though?
Back in my day the Hokies lined up in the I, ran it up the gut, and we motherfucking liked it. Back before all this spread pistol bullshit that the NCAA is so keen on now. It was a simpler time. A better time.
We blocked punts and kicks, and we sure as hell would have blocked kickoffs if the option was available to us. I don't call batted passes batted passes. I call them pass blocks.
I realize that's a leading question. Y'all can deal.
Also, Sam Rogers was a HS QB...#RogersForQB?
Key lime.
I said before the season, with this scheduled they could go anywhere from 11-2 to 8-4. The defense at full strength is national championship caliber, and the team would go as far as the offense takes them. Right now, they just don't have the big plays guys on offense, and no college team can sustain 10-12 play drives without somebody making a mistake. They are college kids. Mistakes will happen. Big plays lower the impact of those mistakes. Fundamentally, they are a much better offensive team than the 2011 team. But, the 2011 team had guys who could go outside of the framework of the offense and make huge plays by "out athlete-ing" our opponents.
Everyone needs to understand. On offense, this is a rebuilding year, and next year will be as well. We won't get a complete look at what a Scot Loeffler offense is until his guys are in place and have experience, which starts in the 2015 season.
On defense, the front seven will get a major overhaul after this year. The strength of the defense will be Facyson and Kendall Fuller. If the Hokies can stop the run, they should be a contender in the Coastal while the offense develops.
I don't know. I would have agreed with you had this been Pitt or UNC, even ECU or Marshall.
But this was Duke. And they didn't even play that good, even for Duke, as far as I saw. Logan Thomas had an absolutely TURRIBLE day at the office, and once again the run game couldn't get going. Now we've got Cody Journell problems. That kid is going to be a psychological grease fire by Saturday.
In my unecessary, humble opinion, the team has got to come up with a plan, process, or mission statement, that discourages LT from playing hero ball. That's where he gets into trouble. I've said it before, every time LT is thinking about THE game, and not HIS game, VT does ok.
If the Hokies going up to Chestnut Hill for a nooner and carving out a 6-3 win is your idea of payback...I'm cool with that at this point.