Recent Comments
RBs have a limited shelf life. Take the money when it's there. Sucks cause I'd love to see him on the offense next year and I think he could get better (and learn not to RUN 22 YARDS BACKWARDS WHEN NEAR THE G-D ENDZONE), but he was gone. Plus I've never been able to get him to stay more than 1 year on NCAA 12, so that's an indicator.
not to mention, who blocks ON the ol next year? lol 4 starters gone?? yikes
holmes, coleman, harris in that order.
about the OL. I understand 4 is a lot to lose, but on the whole, I was not as impressed with this group as I had hoped to be. I think we lose experience, for sure, but we should reload to coaches say 80-grades/fans say 60-grades with ease.
Can't be angry about anyone not on the field (except maybe the replay booth). I am proud of VT's performance, except for the mistakes. I think we have been making them throughout the year. That we still win 10 or more games a year despite those mistakes shows something. We just need that special year where the focus is crisp, injuries are minimal, and the breaks fall our way when we need them. A famous coach said "It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference." I think we prepare well but not quite good enough to get over the top.
That would be the better question! Seriously concerned about guys with limited reps on OL
DW will be the talk of combine. The kid is a monster!
I agree running backs aren't as valued as they've been in the past, but Wilson's is an athlete that's built to wow at the combine. McShay of Scouts Inc. may not be the best, but he's certainly not the worst evaluator of talent and he has him rated 20th overall. Also Montee Ball, and even the big name quarterbacks like Barkley and Jones returning to school will open up more slots in the first and second round. I think we can all agree Trent Richardson is the consensus pick for first running back taken. After that it's just Wilson, LaMichael James, and Lamar Miller and from everything I've seen it looks like a toss up between Miller and Wilson.
Baring an injury or collapse at the combine, I'd be shocked at this point if Wilson doesn't go in the 1st, or more likely, 2nd round.
and you have to believe LT will pick up some of the load as well for the rushing attack
Now who the hell starts next year?
All I can say is good luck. I think he falls to 3rd round, maybe fourth, not second, unfortunately, not based on his talent, but on the realities of the NFL these days. RB's are not valued as much as they used to be.
I just got back from New Orleans yesterday afternoon. I swear that city is going to kill me one of these days. I haven't had a chance to re-watch the game yet, but the one thing i do know is that there was definitely not enough indisputable evidence to overturn Coale's touchdown. Maybe it was the massive amount of 3 for 1 beers I consumed on Bourbon St. before the game, but I generally enjoyed the game. Maybe it was because I knew going in that, because it was a bowl game, we would end up doing something stupid...like say, maybe running a fake punt. Oh well, what's done is done. Had this been the national championship game, I would be way more heartbroken. As it is, I had a GREAT time in New Orleans, cheered my ass off for my team, and came away very, very proud of them.
Also, EVERY Michigan fan I talked to (and I talked to a lot) was so incredibly nice. I'm with the rest of you, sign me up for a home and home with them anytime.
I will address a couple of main points.
1) I think Exum stays at free safety. He has been at his best when given a good vantage point of the field and can go sideline to sideline. His weakness at that spot is a lack of ballhawking ability, especially finding the ball in man to man and zone pass coverage and making interceptions. I also don't think Kyle Fuller moves, mainly because field corner has become so important in Bud Foster's run defense scheme and a lack of trust in the tackling ability of Jarrett and Bonner. See Brandon Flowers, that is Kyle Fuller's future.
2) Regarding my dream offensive line, I know Gibson is slotted as a guard. He was recruited as a left tackle, and in very limited snaps he exhibited outstanding footwork. Left tackle is a position of athleticism and strength. Becton is a safe choice, but Becton has very limited upside, which has been exposed when he plays an NFL caliber defensive end. Also, the Hokies are much stronger at guard with the coaching staff trusting Wang and Benedict. If the coaches had trusted Becton, Lainer never would have seen the field after his recovery. While Acree has worked at left tackle, his lack of leg strength and athleticism would suggest to me a move to the right side. I still thing Painter should be a drive blocking monster at guard, but little birds keep telling me that the kid has no motor. If Shuman is a masher, I'd like him at guard too.
3) If Malleck doesn't start, then he needs to be redshirted. They wasted a year with him this year.
JC Coleman thinks he will be the starter.
with michigan or the fans, but the vt players outplayed them. vt was done in first by things they can control, unimaginative play calling and stupid social teams coaching decisions before I get to reeks of b10 friendly reffing.
never angry at michigan, just at an opportunity lost by clearly the better team that night.
I played my anger away on the basketballcourt the other night.
I think ronny vandyke ends up being a really productive rover. I would feel much more comfortable with him there than a true freshman though they are both studs and jones just committed to bama. Everything else about this lineup is like a wetdream, lol.. Also I would watch out for the farrow kid he is going to be a stud seriously. Love your articles french. You write everything I am thinking to myself.
We put App State back on the schedule for 2014 (when Hoke's first full recruiting class will be juniors), a game which many feel is Lose-Lose. I live in Raleigh, and every time I go out with any UM stuff on I get the App-State jeers. So I want nothing more to nuke them back into the Stone Age (shameless Rodney Dangerfield reference for those of you old enough to remember).
Alabama (neutral site) is our season opener this year, followed by Air Force (home), cupcake UMass (home) then ND on the road before the conference schedule starts so Michigan is not afraid of putting some quality OOC teams on the schedule.
About a week and a half ago the B1G and the PAC announced that they would play a cross conference game every year starting as soon as 2014. It is mostly likely going to happen in a single weekend, so you'll have a PAC-BIG football challenge like the BIG-ACC challenge in basketball. Additionally, the match may be based on the previous year's record. This gives us many of the advantages of conference expansion and some marquee match-ups without diluting the conference (cough Pitt/Syracuse) because we already have enough kicking dogs (Indiana and Minnesota). This will most likely preclude any more difficult OOC games other than the cupcakes and ND.
As far as the WV road win, it looks great, but its further proof that the transitive property never works in football.
I'm really not that sensitive. I was glad their was limited chippiness and PF's. While I was watching the game I was mad at every hold and hands to the face especially when they came on those 3rd and longs that kept getting converted, but that stuff happens in every single game on both sides of the ball. Martin was held on almost every series all year, this game was no different. But that's football, it happens on every play. You can tell that VT is well-coached. Everyone seemed like they were good kids. Our best receiver, Darryl Stonum, hasn't been on the field all season and it really hurt us in the passing game all year. He's suspended (redshirting) for a DUI and will be back next year if he can stop driving without his licence (arghhh). But the point I'm making here is team discipline is important for both teams, and you can tell by the way they act on the field.
Maybe this is my pie in the sky pride or wishful thinking, but it is my experience that the teams generally mirror the ethos of the institution and that makes me have a great respect for VT.
We were missing arguably our two best defensive players too... a stud line backer and a beast defensive lineman
The best part about the current bowl system because it gives teams an opportunity to play that never would otherwise. A VT-Michigan Home & Home would never happen and it is a shame that more coaches at top tier schools won't step out on a more regular basis and play a home and home series. Everyone wants to do a 2-1 or just a one time home game.
Have to give props to LSU having the balls to do it this year. That WVU road win at night is looking pretty damn good right now.
I am Michigan fan who was at the game, and would just like to say that it was a good game. VT played great game and had a good defensive game plan to shut the Wolverines down. But nobody is mentioning that Michigans defensive line was without two main players, the O-line had a center with one good leg. I haven't heard any mention of it, but during the pre-game warm ups, I also saw number 77 (Taylor Lewan) fall funny, and get up with a very noticeable limp. All I am trying to say with this is that I feel Michigan wasn't at full strength and just wish I could have seen it. Not to say things offensivley would have been different, but it might have. Either way, it was a great game, and all of the Virginia Tech fans I meet where very classy, and i would also like to see a home and home series.
fuller to fs
exum to rover
if edwards to whip (i doubt) then clark to backer, taylor is way better at mike and clark is faster.
lolololol marshall is not going back to de. unless he gets a lot quicker and more comfortable in space. ALOT.
harley could have played by october, i hear.
holmes will be a nice grinder for tech while the youngens find their legs.
likely 2 new starting cb's. bonner's speed may be an issue, but he will tackle.
Running this down.... I know this is kind of a dream lineup where certain players somehow get a lot better and the coaches completely change their habits, but I'll throw in my 2c anyway...
my comments in []
SE- Dyrell Roberts [I see him as 3rd WR due to the severe injury he'll still be rehabbing in the spring. Regardless Roberts, Coles and Davis will be interchangable at WR, all seeing about the same # of snaps.]
FL- DJ Coles
3RD- Marcus Davis
TE- Ryan Malleck [Somehow I don't think he jumps Eric Martin during the off season.]
LT- LAURENCE GIBSON [I'd be really really surprised to see him beat out not only Becton who has played a ton of snaps, while Gibson has played basically zero. Shuman is in line to be the #2 LT as Gibson was 3rd string RG this year. I think he winds up the #2 RG behind Benedict.]
LG- Daivd Wang
C-Andrew Miller (need depth here) [Farris will be a r-FR and 2 years behind Miller, hopefully he can get some snaps over the next two seasons to get him ready for 2014]
RG- Bruce Benedict
RT- Michael Via
QB- Duh
RB- ??????????? [Wilson if he returns, and Holmes if Wilson goes pro. I think Holmes is going to be a breath of fresh air for those of us frustrated with Wilson's blind & greedy running]
FB- Martin Scales [Phillips will be back, and I've got no reason why Scales would surpass him]
SE- James Gayle/JR Collins
DT- Antoine Hopkins/Luther Maddy
DT- Derrick Hopkins/Kris Harley
DE- Corey Marshall/Zach McCray [I'd love to see this but realistically Marshall will be backing up JR Collins at End]
MLB-Jack Tyler/ Telvion Clark/ [I have lots of doubts about this lineup, not just that our coaches wouldn't actually move Edwards to Whip (I'd love to see it too), but that Bruce Taylor could beat out Clark at Backer. There's a good chance that Taylor never plays another snap for us as a starter, lisfranc are terrible injuries to recover from, and he's far better as a Mike.
Backer- Bruce Taylor/Chase Williams
Whip- Tariq Edwards/Trey Edmunds [Edwards moving over would require Clark staying healthy and proving he can handle Backer week in and week out. I'd love to see this and think there's a realistic chance of it working out if the coaches take a leap of faith.]
BC- Kyshowne Jarrett/ Dietrick Bonner [Tradition continues and Fuller moves to BC]
FC- Kyle Fuller [Jarrett, Bonner, and Farrow will battle for this slot, but I see Bonner with the experience edge taking the starting slot.]
FS- Antone Exum [Theron Norman backing him up. ]
R- Cyrus Jones/Joel Caleb [There's no way a t-FR starts at Rover, much less guys who didn't play a similar position in HS. Its too key a position for us. Plus we have 2 solid prospects in the pipeline with Aromire, and Vandyke. Then at FS there's Cole and Norman either of whom could step up and make T.G. comfortable enough to move Exum to Rover.]
Honestly, after the first interception of Jayron's was overturned (close call but I thought it was the right one), I figured Coale's would be as well. It looked like there was NOWHERE near enough to reverse but hey, that is a break of life unfortunately. Still stings greatly though....
YEA DONALDVEN! JUST PLEASE DON'T DECOMMIT! I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE HE'S IN BUT I ALWAYS WORRY WITH RECRUITS OF HIS CALIBER...
Joe- great write up as usual: caught the emotion and spirit of the night incredibly well in this article. I agree with all points. This team reminded me so much of the 2004 team and oddly enough ended their season in the same place and, unfortunately, on a similar note in New Orleans. Minus the Clemson games, this team never stopped fighting and played hard until the end and those final gut wrenching moments in overtime. The future is bright and I cannot wait; however, this loss still stings for so many reasons. To echo the sentiments of everyone I am not ashamed to say I felt so terrible for Danny Coale and the shaft job he got from Beamer. The catch was debatable, but that is a break of the game and the mantra of $h@% happens applies there. When your coach essentially throws you under the bus after what you've given the program over four or five years, that's where I have taken great issue.
That being said, the coaching showed its true colors again. I will say what I said last year: bring in a REAL OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR WHO HAD SUCCESS EITHER ON THE COLLEGIATE OR NFL LEVEL. Steinspring and O'Cain are o.k. position coaches and recruiters (in the case of Stiney) but neither can manage a game effectively or have great difficulty at effectively reading defenses. Foster, on the other hand, reaffirmed my belief in him with such an amazing game plan, play calling, and player execution. It's a shame he's burdened with such issues on the other side of the ball (minus the passing game two nights ago). Overall this team has a bright future but will continue to hit a ceiling with the current makeup of offensive coaches. Once again we sit at the same place as after the disaster known as last year's Orange Bowl: facing the unknown. However, I feel more confident in the team moving forward then I did everyday until our opener this season. Thanks for a great year boys and girls. Looking forward to this again!
Just saying it doesn't look good. At a minimum he might lose the scholly.