On Saturday night, as my friends and I filed out of the Georgia Dome, I experienced a bit of dj vu.
Despite the lopsided loss the Hokes just took at the hands of Alabama, I was overwhelmed by a feeling that was oddly familiar.
The last time it occurred, I was watching former Tech defensive linemen Jim Davis, hoisting his helmet high, smiling to his teammates and a throng orange and maroon-clad fans cheering wildly as the Hokies trotted off the field.
It was August 28, 2004. Virginia Tech was just defeated by No. 1 USC 24-13, the Hokies 4th consecutive loss. In fact, at that point, Tech had lost six of its past eight games dating back to the 2003 campaign.
However, in that moment, standing on FedEx Field, watching Jim Davis rally his teammates and the Hokie faithful, I was more optimistic about the future of Virginia Tech football as I had been in some time.
And the same feeling overwhelmed me as I waited for the MARTA on Saturday night.
The similarities between both evenings circumstances are striking, in my opinion.
You had Virginia Tech, coming off what is, by its standard, a very poor season (8-5 in 2003, 7-6 in 2012), facing the ultimate challenge to begin the season a neutral field showdown with the undisputed No. 1 team in the land.
In both instances, Tech was lead by a senior quarterback (Bryan Randall in 2004, Logan Thomas in 2013) whose career had very much been a mixed bag up until that point. Both Randall and Thomas were surrounded by a wealth of inexperience on offense (three of Techs top five receivers in 2003 were freshmen Eddie Royal, Josh Hyman and Josh Morgan; freshmen Trey Edmunds and Jonathan McLaughlin got the start at running back and left tackle, respectively, while the majority of Thomas receiving corps are sophomores or younger).
Heralded freshmen Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall got serious snaps at linebacker versus the Trojans in 04, while 5-star corner Kendall Fuller made the start Saturday night against the Crimson Tide.
In both instances, the Hokies were huge underdogs 16 points in 04, around 20 on Saturday.
And while overall Tech wasnt as competitive against Alabama as it was versus USC, there were numerous positives to take away from both games.
On both occasions, the Lunch Pail Defense was outstanding. For the most part, Buds boys held Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White in check, limiting USC to just 101 rushing yards, 55 fewer than its 2003 total and 78 less than what the Trojans would go on to average in its 2004 National Championship season.
While you may not notice it by just glancing at the score, Saturday night in the Georgia Dome was arguably more impressive. Alabama averaged 445.5 yards-per-game and 6.9 yards-per-play in 2012. The Hokies limited the Crimson Tide to just 206 total yards, 3.3 yards-per-play and 11 first downs, their worst offensive performance since 2008.
Moreover, Techs defense was especially disruptive for AJ McCarron, holding the two-time National Champion quarterback to career worsts as a starter versus FBS opponents in completions, completion percentage, passing yards, yards-per-attempt and quarterback rating. The Hokies also picked off McCarron, something that happened only three times last season.
Keep in mind that McCarron was not only the most efficient passer in the nation as a junior, but has faced seven teams that finished among the top 20 defenses in America the year he played them: Penn State, Florida, Vanderbilt and LSU (twice) in 2011; Michigan, LSU and Notre Dame in 2012.
French went into great detail earlier this week breaking down exactly how the Tech defense held Alabama in check as well as anyone in recent memory.
On the other side of the ball, Trey Edmunds looked like a star in the making rushing for 132 yards, the most ever by a Virginia Tech tailback in his debut. In addition, Edmunds was just the third player in the past five years to rush for 100 yards against Alabama.
Perhaps more importantly, the offensive line looked substantially improved, allowing only one sack, after giving up 25 in 2012.
2004 was one of my favorite seasons in Virginia Tech history. It provided some incredibly memorable moments Eddie Royals catch and run versus Miami, the frenzied comeback at Georgia Tech (25 points in the 4th quarter), Vincent #ALLOFTHEFULLERS 74-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown against No. 6 West Virginia, James Anderson picking off Jordan Steffy and promptly knocking him silly on the return, Jimmy Williams sprinting from across the field to chase down Alvin Pearman, who was headed for pay dirt and the aforementioned Davis sacking Darian Durant to drive the Tar Heels out of field goal range with about a minute to play.
In some ways, 2004 was the quintessential Virginia Tech football season. No one expected much the Hokies were picked to finish 6th in the ACC preseason poll but when the dust settled in December, Tech was atop of the ACC mountain in its first season as a member.
Of course, the Hokes went on to nearly knock off an undefeated Auburn squad in the Sugar Bowl. 2004 was also the first of eight consecutive 10-plus win seasons for Frank Beamer and company.
In addition, it was a real treat to see Bryan Randall come into his own as a quarterback and leader, while players like Eddie Royal, Josh Hyman, Josh Morgan, Justin Harper, Vince Hall, Daryl Tapp, Xavier Adibi all came into their own as the season progressed.
Obviously no one knows how the 2013 season will unfold, but if what we saw on the field Saturday afternoon in Atlanta was any indication, the Hokies may have been able to somehow find victory in defeat, using the loss to Alabama as a springboard to a successful 2013. And that should give any Virginia Tech fan the same feeling I experienced on August 28, 2004 and again this past weekend hope.
Comments
With our schedule, expecting more wins this year than last is not at all unreasonable. Too bad we don't have a chance to stomp on wvu, at least in regular season this year.
Not to mention Jim Davis batting down 2 (?) passes to keep Miami out of the end zone in a close one at the OB.
I road tripped down for that game as a sophomore. Amazing!
Did Daryll Tapp also knock down some passes?
If by "passes" you meant "passing aircraft", then, yes
Great post! I was fortunate to attend the USC game that year along with the Miami win (I can still picture Eddie on that crossing route then getting called some choice words by Miamians as my drunk wife is running down the sidewalk screaming Gobble Gobble Gobble) then the Sugar Bowl with the almost great comeback against Awwwbern! (entire rack of test tube shots anyone!) Hope LT3 finds some rhythm Saturday! Let's GO!
HOKIES!
2004 was easily my favorite season of Tech football during my time in Blacksburg. This post gives me hope...
...it all begins Saturday.
I remember in 1995 (my junior year), we opened the season with two losses. The first to Boston College, the game was close, but I remember watching stone handed receivers drop a bunch of balls, including some critical ones at the end that kept us out of scoring positions. Final score was 14-20. Then we lost a hangover game 0-16 to Cincinnati (that game sucked so bad...one of the only times I've left early...just couldn't watch the garbage on the field that was VT football that day).
Then, we beat the Miami Hurricanes for the first time in the next game (I still wonder where the hell did that come from?) The thing is...those prior losses, the D played good. For the Miami game, we got enough offense together (and sort of special teams...the holder was messing up and we missed something like 4 or 5 FG's against Miami that day).
Seeing us against 'Bama, it's all stuff that's correctable that went wrong. We've got games against a couple of opponents that should be overmatched. So...by the time we're back in Atlanta for the game vs. GT, I'm actually very optimistic that our team will be better, and I'm looking forward to the season.
Last year, it wasn't that our team was losing that bothered me. It was that the issues didn't look easily correctable. The game breakdowns on here, and elsewhere, it was obvious that there was something wrong at the foundation of the team. Bad coaching on offense, etc. We hadn't seen it that bad before (and come on, if we could eek out 10 win seasons with Sean Glennon behind those awful lines he had...Stiney had to have been doing something half right despite his faults). It was truely demoralizing. This year, so far, despite the loss, we see solid fundamentals behind the team. It's very encouraging.
We also had a dropped TD pass in that Miami game. I remember the '95 season well. I too, was at the 2004 game against USC at Fedex field. What a game! We had them until Reggie Bush broke loose late in 2nd half. We had a young team with a veteran QB. I loved what Randall did that year. I also loved what he and Royal did in the GT game come from behind victory that year, too. In addtion, we played the 2 best teams in the country very tough in USC (13-0) and Auburn (12-0). Auburn got the shaft in the NCG, but would have given USC a close game. This year's team does have some parallels with that 2004 team. Good be a special year.
I remember that dropped TD pass vs. Miami in '95 quite vividly. I was sitting in the old green wood bleachers that used to be the north end zone seating, about 6 rows back. I believe it was Bryan Still. That ball hit him in stride, in the hands, just as he crossed the goal line. Then it hit the ground, about 20-25 ft in front of me. All of us sitting there said some very mean things about Bryan (and likely his mother as well) about that time.
Even with how the rest of the season went, I don't think we totally forgave him that drop until he ran that kick back for a TD against Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
I felt the same way. This season could end up alot like 04'. Lets just play hard each game and not let a loss like NC State in 04' happen.
Oh, Brandon Pace...
It doesn't get said enough...
The offensive pass interference call on Josh Morgan in that USC game is still one the top 3 or 4 worst referee decisions that I have ever witnessed.
Call was on Josh Hyman and you're right - it was awful. I was fortunate enough to be standing on about the 20 yard line when it happened and couldn't believe the call when it was made.
2) It was a catch
3) Maybe when, who was it, Oklahoma went to USC and that on side kick happened?
4) PI against Miami, MNC vs OSU
Let's Go!
A couple of quick thoughts on comparing '13 to '04:
1. It's worth noting that even as a senior, Randall didn't become the BR we remember until the GT game. Remember that pick-6 he threw against WVU? Abysmal. He used to do that stuff all the time. But, then, he stopped and closed out his senior year in legendary fashion.
2. The ACC competition in '04 stunk. Brock Berlin was the best QB we faced all year in conference. We drew as easy of ACC schedule as possible this year, but still, the QB play is markedly improved.
3. We can be a lot better this year offensively as we were that year. Better RB's, better OL, better coaches.
This is a great piece with great perspective. I don't know if the Hokies will run the table from here on out, but the defense is good enough for it to happen. I saw great effort from 95% of the team, and it sounds like this week Beamer is dealing with some of the guys who were not quite 100% committed.