Recent Comments
Your words about Beamer were true eye openers. They hurt, but that’s what they say about the truth, isn’t it? It hurts. I just didn’t know it hurt this badly…
I don’t know how to feel about people saying that officiating should not have mattered. When a player gets burned on a pass interference, you can’t tell me he won’t play more conservative for the rest of the game to avoid getting burned again.
After listening to all the talk about Logan Thomas before this season started, I told a few of my friends, "Logan Thomas will lead Virginia Tech to a national championship win." After the Clemson loss in the regular season, I put a bit of an asterisk on that claim: "Logan Thomas will lead Virginia Tech to a national championship win.*
*But not if Brian Stinespring is within a thousand yards of Blacksburg."
I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment that we need a real offensive coordinator. Brian is a cancer to the Hokies. With Shane doing so well on the recruiting side, I think the team could take that hit with losing Brian. It'd be worth it. I know Frank is tied to him, but he needs to choose: hurting his friend's feelings, or truly helping this team.
I am so excited for Logan Thomas next year. He is an amazing kid, leader, and QB. And remember the beginning of the season when people/fans were saying he sucked and should have never been converted to QB?! HAHAHAHA, suck it haters.
In addition, poor execution hurt. Leading 6-0 in the first quarter, the Hokies went for it on fourth-and-1 from the Michigan 4 and failed to get it. And then a fake punt by Coale late in the game came up short, giving the Wolverines field position that ultimately led to a Gibbons field goal to give Michigan a 20-17 lead with four minutes left in the game.
“I was given the option,” Coale said. “If there was an opening, I could run. If there was pressure, I could punt it. I should have punted it. I thought I could get one yard. I saw an opening, but it closed quickly. I should have punted it, and that was my fault.”
“If they dropped and we had a seam, then we were going to go for the first. If not, we were going to kick and pin them down deep,” Beamer said. “We had that option going. Their guy [Jake Ryan] did a nice job. He looked like he was going outside, and then jumped back underneath and got us.”
I've been looking everywhere, but I can't find it. I'm pretty sure Danny in an interview after the game said Beamer gave him the option and that he chose to go with the fake and regrets the decision...
Let me start off by saying that I greatly appreciate mgoblue's comments about our classy fans. A michigan fan on Bourbon Street said the same thing and I thanked her as well. However, I must follow it up with my deep regret for not having the same experience joe seemed to have. I have never been yelled at or cussed at more by fans of any other school in my entire life (and I've attended Miami, FSU, UVA, and BC games). Sure I came across a few fans and stopped to shoot the shit with them (some who even apologized for the behavior that they saw coming from their fellow fans, directed at my group), but my jaw was left hanging wide open at some of the things people did and said to me. I had the astonishing displeasure of sitting behind one particular fan, heckling me throughout literally the duration of the game, despite being told to stop. I can assure you that this is not an exaggeration. One kid next to me, who wore both jerseys and swapped throughout, was appalled by the behavior of that fan behind me. I was sincerely depressed by what I saw because I was truly hoping for another Nebraska experience. I wish I had been wherever joe was. I'm very interested in playing Michigan State/ohio state to see if their fans are any better/worse...and I can't stand ohio state.
Becton, Gibson, Via, and Miller had a good bit of snaps. Hopefully Farris will have a little more fire. David Wang is also back with GA transfer Benedict.
Does Beamer have the cajones to fire Stinespring now? It's been obvious for years, but after the Michigan game it needs to be done. In OT, two running plays up the middle before Danny's catch?
Michigan couldn't cover our receivers all day, and couldn't match our speed outside and yet every time we got in the red zone we turned ultra conservative. Can you imagine the Hokies with an innovative Boise type offense?
Next year we'll have a great defense,and Logan Thomas at qb. We need a spark at OC.
Let's stop talking about it, and do it!!
Dyrell did pursue and was granted a medical redshirt for this past season. He's coming back :)
Would have been a total beast that year. Definitely the most talented back VT has had in the last decade (my opinion, of course).
RW was a far far more complete back when he went pro, even after that down year. Personally I'll be surprised if Wilson goes before Polk and put him even with James. Miller is a lock to go before him. He's got all the speed, quickness, strength and balance in the world but he does not see the field and anticipate his blocks like a great RB.
I may be putting him in an RB box though, and some NFL team may just see him as a big-time play maker along the lines of Harvin and CJ Spiller who isn't necessarily a full time RB and take him earlier than I expect.
Glad these four r-JR's are all getting their degrees.
1) Agree on all points, I don't know for sure the exact reasons, but for Exum and Whitley being swapped this year says a lot to me about how well Exum was playing at ROV. (that is to say, not meeting the coaches' expectations)
2) I'd love for Gibson to show he can play OT. Becton and Via will both be seniors, as will Painter (if he even factors in) and we'll need two younger backups getting practice reps at least, getting ready for 2013. However, losing Prince hurts depth at OG, and I haven't really heard anything about Davis or Gough to know if they're viable #2 guards opposite Arkema. It may depend on whether one of them can step up at OG or if Acree step up at OT as to where Gibson winds up.
3) The backup TE situation was very convoluted this season. For a while G2 was getting reps, along with Randall Dunn, and then Eric Martin seemed to establish himself through the end of the season. Meanwhile Malleck had his shirt burned for seemingly no reason. I agree though, if Malleck isn't going to be the #1 or #2 TE, he should redshirt. We've got plenty of guys there for 2012, including 2 r-SR and a r-JR
Two new CB's just seems like asking for trouble. I just don't see Coach Gray messing up a steady progression of reserve->FC->BC with our corners. It's a tradition that has prepared our corners very well for the NFL. They get the full spectrum of our zone & man coverages and we get our best corner handling the toughest position in the secondary.
Plus Fuller's strength is that he plays great near the LOS and can cover anyone in press coverage, so if he moves I think it would be to Rover where he would be up closer to the LOS more often than at FS.
The Sugar Bowl matchup was quite ironic for me, as I had taken a good friend of mine for his first trip to Blacksburg for the BC game back in October. He is from Michigan, was raised going to the Big House, recently moved to NC (where I live), and is a diehard "Go Blue" guy.
He loved the town, the atsmosphere, and was overall thoroughly impressed. After one trip, he wanted to make B'burg an annual outing and basically adopt us as his "other" team. I know that one person does not make a sample size, but I think it's safe to say that Michigan fans are first class. I would be more than glad to pencil them in on our schedule.
RMFW is still the #1 complete back to come out of VT.
actually, its probably kj/rmfw as 1a/1b.
ore as a sophomore, not the fat & unmotivated jr version. he used his blockers better than any vt rb, I can remember.
rw still the best & my fave tho.
Pass Blocking is usually quicker to pick up, because it's a little more reactive than proactive. So, hopefully the new O-line can give LT3 enough time to get the ball out while VT finds a running game.
Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I am sure he is a good kid off the field, and his effort and athleticism on the field were off the charts, but we would be challenged to find a more selfish, less football savy tailback for this team. Give me a Lee Suggs, a guy who makes the winning play with the game on the line (getting 3 on a 3rd and 2 to run out the clock) rather than a guy who loses 22 yards on a 2nd and goal. This season, David Wilson had numerous opportunities to put the game away with the ball in his hands during close games. He did not succeed on time. Mr. Between the 20's. Mr. Meaningless Yardage. Mr. Highlight. Call him what you want, but I have watched enough football over the years to know that Logan Thomas is the guy who won football games, while David Wilson accumulated the yards only when his teammates set the table perfectly for him.
If Michael Holmes can be a Brandon Ore type guy (which is the comparison I have heard the most), then he may not run for as many yards, but he will be an upgrade in helping the Hokies win tough games. Tough games, ie, the times David Wilson was the most invisible.
dwalt88 you are right on point for all. Personally the call on the field, whether it be an incomplete pass or touchdown, should've stood. Also the two refs in the end-zone thought it was not even debatable: clear touchdown catch even after seeing the replay (per ESPN source Heather Dinich/Twitter feed of David Pollack) as well as former NFL receivers and their former head of officiating. That being said it sucks that the call came out the way it did: three people saw it one way and two saw it in the opposing view and majority rules in this case unfortunately. Overall I thought the crew called a poor game, missing way too many o-line holds/false starts/offsides on both defensive lines but it only aided in the outcome- VT shooting themselves in the foot, in my opinion, was still the greatest factor in our defeat.
Great point TEP. Though I loved DW4 and thought he was an electric back, he is above all else a running back and is replaceable. Offensive line positions are the most important on any team minus QB's and, in my experience, mike linebackers/strong safeties. Much like defenseman in hockey, the goalie is always the most important but they are a close second. Wingers and centers are replaceable and are a dime a dozen, a great defenseman is a real commodity that doesn't come around often. That being said I was rather impressed with the unit minus the Clemson debacles. It will be tough next year and can see why DW4 bolted: short career span in the League for small backs and he would be running behind a young, inexperienced, and possibly weaker offensive line in Blacksburg.
that Lamar will probably go before Wilson. Wilson will be followed by Polk from Washington. Most people put LaMichael James as just a third down back due to his lack of burst speed. 1st round RBs usually surprise me, and you don't usually see more than 1 or 2. Ryan Williams went in the early second and I still believe he is a better developed running back then DW is now. I agree with you that he is likely taken in the 2nd round.
@nickjeffress reload? You can't reload unless you fire the gun. These new guys have no experience! Honestly, OL is by far the most important unit on a football team. Building chemistry and confidence takes time. Not an offseason. Grades don't mean anything, but experience means everything.
We gave the game away. It seemed as if we were trying to give it away. It's very easy to blame it on the refs, but honestly I blame the coaches. Not putting players in opportunities to make plays. DW getting the ball in open space on the outside... We ran the option twice to DW, and had amazing success. We somehow find things that work, and then forget to use them. We must question who is pulling the trigger on the offensive calls. Bud can't keep carrying this program... he needs help!
On video. All of it. The reason the ball moved was because his chest came slamming down on top of it. The kid was in the fetal position on the sidelines because he knocked the wind out of himself catching that ball. If the tip of the ball is pointing in toward his chest and he's got it held up against himself..as his upper body tips forward the ball's gotta go somewhere. Hard to describe through text. As Coale goes tumbling out of bounds (after his elbow hit in bounds), that ball never moves. It is hugged up against his chest the entire time. He had control of it. It was a catch. And whoever said catching the ball with your forearms makes it not a catch? Rewatch the second quarter. There's a clear catch in there where a michigan player, while standing up, catches a ball by trapping it with his forearms against his chest. Either way, you truly believe there was enough visual evidence there to overturn the original call? A catch made within nine yards of three different officials? A catch the commentators called his prettiest of the game? A call michigan's coach agreed with? I wasn't a fan of how little explanation there was after the review. The commentators thought the officials' explanation of michigan's center catching the tipped ball was good, but when Coale's touchdown catch was overturned, I would've liked more of an explanation.
I don’t agree with the Iowa call now..though that sounds biased having not known about it previously and it now being after the fact.