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Louisville
Klein State
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Louisville
Kansas State
Georgia
Buckeyes
Notre Dame
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On Newsome, they continue to reach block everything, and I don't know if the 1960's Packers or the 70's Raiders, or even a Madden special line of Jonathan Odgen-John Hannah-Dwight Stephenson-Gary Zimmerman-Jonathan Pace could reach block EVERYTHING. Simple line calls and option blocking would solve many of their problems blocking, but the communication and recognition is attrocious (please see my next column on sliding protections to a blitz).

Give Sherman's performance this season, and years prior to the last two, I would have to assume that Coale and Boykin were products of the hard work and awareness of Coale and Boykin instead of anything Sherman did. You can't watch the film of guys tanking their blocks and quitting on routes and think he is doing a good job and holding them accountable.

I disagree with you. The Hokies are very effective in the screen game, and it becomes a tremendous tool for putting them into effective down and distance.

The problem that I have is that they changed the way they ran the screens. We didn't see a single one from the I-twins set, which has been bread and butter since last season. While "screen" doesn't sound like a sexy call, they had the ability to run it a ton of different ways, which prevented the defense from attacking it. One could involve the outside receiver criss crossing with the slot guy and slipping inside. The next could involve the outside receiver option stalking the corner and the slot guy moving wide at the snap, so it in effect becomes a toss sweep. Or they could quick screen to either one against off coverage. There was variety.

O'Cain scrapped all of it for this game. Every screen was from the shotgun (I showed three. There was also a quick screen to Demetri Knowles, oddly enough on the play after he lost 15 yards on a Darnell Jefferson reverse. Five points if you know the reference.) The diamond formation that O'Cain used took away all the flexibility that the normal twins I gives them, and Clemson attacked it accordingly.

The solution should have been to fake the screens and slip a "blocker" behind the aggressive DB's. It is a simple concept. Have the screen guy set up, but the blocking receivers ole the block and get downfield. The Hokies ran it once or twice last year for significant gains, and they even managed to run it for a nice gain AGAINST CLEMSON on Saturday. http://youtu.be/CTvOD0OS2yU?t=17m34s With how Clemson was defending the screen, I would have come back to it again and again until the Tiger DB's started playing back off a bit, which open the screen right back up.

that is embarrassing. Had a busy week and totally didn't check what the Thursday night game was. At least I got one right. But I don't know why I keep trying here... Everyone listen up! Go with the opposite of whatever I pick!

Louisville
TT
UGA
tOSU
ND
MSU

Louisville -3.5
Texas Tech +7.5
Florida -6.5
Ohio State Pick
Notre Dame +10.5
Mississippi State +23.5

Good point, plus possible #1 Bama vs. an unranked team would be a less attractive TV matchup for ESPN

The Ville
KState
Florida
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Miss State

I have a better opinion of Sherman than you do. He did, after all, take two relatively unheralded receiver prospects in Danny Coale and Jarret Boykin and turn them into the two most prolific receivers in school history.

But as for Newsome, I'll chip in for his bus ticket. The sooner he's on his way out of town, the better. Nothing personal against him. I'm sure he's a very nice guy. But he's not a good OL coach and his schemes are too difficult and too passive.

As for O'Cain, I'd been pretty happy with his play selection this season up until last week. But last week he was awful. Why we insisted on repeatedly trying to run the zone stretch play to the edges for minimal gains when Clemson was vulnerable up the middle is utterly beyond me.

But on the attempted screen out of the diamond formation that was nearly intercepted, if you'll look carefully at the film clip, the Clemson DB actually had a running start BEFORE the ball was snapped! Not only did he know what play was coming, but he also apparently knew the snap count!

I will always have the greatest admiration and appreciation for Frank Beamer and what he has accomplished at VT. I will always support my Hokies 100% no matter what. But if Coach Beamer doesn't see the need for significant changes on the offensive side of the ball after this season, then he never will.

1) Spjut will start at 133, Carter will start at 141, Neibert will start at 149, and redshirt Brascetta

OR

2) Spjut will start at 133, Carter will start at 141, Neibert will start at 149, and Brascetta will start at 157.

Either way, Spjut is the man at 133 because nobody is small enough to get down that far. Carter will start at 141 because he's the better wrestler between himself and Neibert. As far as 149 and 157 go, we will have to just wait and see. I can't imagine a r-Jr (Neibert) sitting for his senior year though.

Great info - really appreciate you doing this article. What will be the lineup next year when Carter comes back? If Carter wrestles at 141, will Neibert move down to 133? And what about Spjut? Looks like we will have 3 guys for 2 spots.