Recent Comments
I would probably let this slide, if you weren't listed as "columnist" right next to your name, and everyone is entitled to mistakes, but you used the wrong word in there.
"...shotgun rather THAN pistol..."
This message brought to you by your local Grammar Nazi.
To be completely honest I'm not sure he's a sure fire NFL talent just yet with Exum. I know he's gotten better towards the end of last year and he's a fan favorite for our team. I really love this kid's determination and will to get back on the field and I think he'll be eased in.
I want to see if his technique has improved. He has trouble with what Kyle has trouble with in playing man, which to me is turning back to locate the football. He's playing the wideout's eyes and hands and that's fine, but there's times where he's over-aggresive in coverage which can lead to pass interference calls and his hips were a little tight last year as well being that it was only his first time playing the corner's spot and his tackling should be a little better for someone's at that size. I'd like to think he'd be a 3rd to 4th round draft pick if not go undrafted in next year's draft.
Please don't take this as me being a negative Hokie or someone that think he's a bad player, that's not what I'm saying so before I see a replied comment just try to read in between the lines of what I'm trying to say. I'm trying to be reasonable, but I've studied film on him for awhile and I payed attention to a lot of Db's and there technique, I completely understand what he means to our program and this team. I also, saw that one of the commentors said that Exum was his best player of all-time. That's clearly his opinion and I don't discredit his opinion mines was Macho Harris, but Facyson and Fuller are coming along that they might change that. I would definitely like to see what he can do to enhance our defense even more.
Well played. Got a good Monday chuckle. Thanks for that!
Anyone is our strongest compeition as long as our offense proves to be inept. The offense has got to execute extremely well against Marshall for me to have any good ACC hopes. If the offense keeps stalling on drives, and playing subpar, the defense can only do so much for us. The offense has to at least score on 3-4 drives. It didn't help that Journell massively stunk it up...but points have to be in the board from offense to be winning against a team like UNC, GT, Miami who we know will put up at least 14 points.
"Exum could come in and do THAT much better because he has proved that he can"
This is key--he has proved that he can. That doesn't matter at this point coming off an injury. If he supplants Kendall or Fascyon, it had better be because he is darn well ready to play. If he can't prove he is better after his injury then he shouldn't play...In fact, he should take his time to make sure he is completely ready and do a lot of workouts for NFL scouts--they know who he is and would rather have a healthy (and good) Exum than a banged up one who wanted to show something in his senior year before he was ready. I'm all about him coming back, but he has to show he is ready. (Case and point: RG3, looks extremely rusty and is clearly improving, but man it's hard to watch).
That reminds me...I remember hearing ideas floating about Kendall's ability to play both sides...heck, move him over to offense and let exum take over. But, this week the WR's looked alright.
Don't worry I enjoy the experience once I'm in Lane, and will yell so much that I will lose my voice no matter who we are playing. That being said like most college kids I'm not a morning person, and I've really enjoyed the night/afternoon games a lot better than noon kick-offs. I'm also still bitter that we don't have a Thursday night game this year to the point that I may not eat real food for a while to go to Atlanta for the second time in under a month.
Yup. I remember getting texts from everyone about that after the game.
GT is his goal, also don't care about reference. Regardless, that would be a good goal since you typically want a more athletic defense out vs. GT. So hopefully we can get him out there.
Hopefully french gives you a more detailed response but in general, and more specifically with Foster--mobile QB's are contained by disciplined defense. If everyone is playing their role on defense, mobile QB's will have minimal success. Commentators were saying ECU's QB zone reads were mainly a product of having never put those on film, so that was a wrinkle that Tech had to work with and eventually shut down. Not to mention, when facing a mobile QB, Foster makes a good adjustment.
I think the game plan for the opponent will determine where Exum will play when he comes back (he played some nickel I believe as a true freshman) but eventually making his way back to corner. The guy is coming back from injury so I don't know if corner will be his best spot immediately. I'm hoping he sees the field as corner for GT though, but we'll see.
I fear GT the most. We have to play them on a short week. Miami doesn't know what home field advantage is. UNC and PITT we have at home and both of their defenses look pretty underwhelming. We can definitely win all of those games but I'm afraid that we'll drop a dumb one. I could see us beating GT and then losing to UNC..which wouldn't make any sense...but that's how it goes sometimes.
Which he also cannot do, because his original redshirt year was not a result of injury.
I think he was trying to say to take a medical redshirt this year and play for his sixth year next season.
Thanks French. This gives me a true understanding (and appreciation) of just how talented our young players are.
I believe it was Mendenhall?
I think it's hard to go deep when the defensive line is swarming in the backfield seconds after the ball is snapped. Same for keeping a rhythm, it's one thing to say it, another to do it. I thought the d-line did a great job of forcing Carden to run around like a chicken with its head off all afternoon. That really seemed to rattle him and disrupt him from getting into the flow of the game.
Those are great observations. On tape prior to the game, ECU went no huddle but didn't seem to be in much of a hurry, so I was not worried about their tempo as long as the defense could get off the field. The Hokies dominated TOP, which kept the pass rush fresh for the end of the game.
As far as throwing deep, they had not had a pass completed over 25 yards even in the shootout against ODU. Against the Hokies, I can only recall one real deep ball, and Fayscon nearly picked it off. I am not sure if that was a byproduct of their system or the QB's arm strength, but Foster's defense (playing off on the edge) means that unless you have a big time receiver that can blow past a corner even if the corner has a 10 yard cushion, the deep sideline stuff is out. I guess they didn't feel that their slot guys could beat our nickel coverage from the slots deep, or that Carden didn't have the arm to make that throw.
If it's any consolation the UNC-VT game will probably be a 3:30 start and the Pitt-VT game has a chance to be a night game.
pretty much every SEC team has one.
Guess we are doing a brunch tailgate! Grilled French Toast, anyone?
two things i noticed from ecu's offense: they never (or at least i dont remember) went deep, and they played with no tempo. all i heard all week was how will the d hold up to ecu's tempo? good thing it's not gonna be hot because of all that tempo, and it didnt seem to me that they even tried to play with tempo.
He cannot redshirt. This is his last year.
I could see them all on the field (the Fullers, Facyson, healthy-Exum) on the field in a nickel package with (likely) Jarrett and Bonner being pulled. Whatever the case, these fast-hitting, HUNH offenses won't be able to gas our secondary. We're just too deep ... and our front seven is just too bad-ass.
I think that you're telling future recruits that, if Tone is healthy, you're giving him reps at his position because it's his "money" season. Kendall and Brandon will understand that .. respect that .. and would hope to get the same benefit if they were in the same position because he's earned it.
Personally, I wish the guy would consider redshirting. The longer those injuries heal, the better the long-term outlook in my opinion.
GT for Exum would be a double edged sword. I love the amount of experience we have on defense vs. PJ's offense (KYFuller, Edwards, Jack, Collins, Skip, Maddy, Bonner, Gayle, Jarrett...those are guys who have faced and beat this offense 2 and 3 and 4 times).....so it would be great to have Exum out there on the edge taking the pitch man......
...but ...cut blocks....on Exums knee. That would be a tough first game.