VT came in 6 place in ACC preseason Power Ranking .
http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/73062/acc-power-rankings-preseason...
Despite the optimism in VTs camp, the Hokies seem to have many doubters.
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Keep in mind its ESPN ranking. So take it with a bucket of salt.
Keep in mind its Preseason rankings. So take is with a bucket of salt.
FTFY
Did this get edited? I coulda swore it said bucket of shit, then I took a bite of my lunch and looked back up and it said salt. Did I really just do that?
...I thought I saw the same thing, actually. I read it as bucket of shit, scrolled away, came back and it was salt. I think it's all in our minds though, one usually assumes "bucket of s.." will be shit. Especially with the word starting with an S and ending with T.
Interesting though.
I like being the underdog. We don't ever seem to fare as well when we aren't.
How cute
Its ESPN's blog. When it comes to legitimate football knowledge, they lack severely.
Don't stick your tongue at me, Heather
I doubt she had much to do with it because Miami is #8...
I don't think shes doing the ACC Blog anymore. End of an error!
I think you misspelled...Oh you.
I think is based solely on the fact that VT's QB will be making his first start in Orange and Maroon; whoever it ends up being. That and our running game has some serious question marks. VT is better as the hunter than the hunted anyway.
Was a little surprised to see L-Ville ranked in front of us. And best of luck to Duke to repeat. Having one magical season is easy, staying on top is much harder.
especially when they don't have one of the QB's anymore and the OC from last year is gone.
Their description nails it:
The schedule sets up nicely for the Hokies to return to prominence, but there are still so many questions on the offensive side of the ball to be sorted out. The QB battle remains the hot topic, but the onus may be on the underperforming O-line and young running backs to step up if Tech is to find an offensive identity.
No way we should be ranked PRESEASON higher. Now, end of the year, we will prove them wrong. We all know that. But right now, there are questions...
Ncsu at 13 is way too low. That's a bowl team this year.
If its from ESPN, then Alabama must be number 1 in the ACC.
Remember, these are power rankings, not expected rankings. I mean, UVA is above Wake, BC, and NCSU.
ESPN's rankings are for the birds, just not Hokie birds.
I don't see anything wrong with this. If you were to be asked "Why should VT be higher preseason?", I think the only legitimate answer you might be able to give is the strength of our defensive backfield and potentially our D as a whole (and even there there are ?s...see defensive line)
Not everything from ESPN is a slight against VT (even though overall ESPN is trash). The summary they give nails it. Until VT gets out and proves otherwise (and I strongly believe they will get out and prove otherwise), the last 2 years do mean something from a perception standpoint.
And the schedule. We have the easiest draw in the conference. With a more challenging schedule, this is a 6-7 win team again.
Yes, I feel if VT played FSU, Clemson, and Louisville on the schedule this season, I don't think they would get swept but 1-2 would also seem like the ceiling on that trio.
Yea, I'd hate to see the response on here if we were in the Atlantic. Say it would probably put us on a switch with Syracuse down at #9. Not that big a change, but big in terms on what tier program VT is now. Bottom half vs Top half. 3rd in Coastal vs 4th in Atlantic
I go 2-1.
Louisville lost more than people realize when Bridgewater went to the league and Strong went to Texas.
And unless Chad Morris's system is completely indestructible, I think they're in for a downswing what with having lost 4 of the 6 starting offensive skill players.
This.
I do not understand why so may pundits are so high on Louisville. The last two years they were lead by a really good QB in Bridgewater on offense. I do not know who the next QB will be, but I know that he is not Teddy Bridgewater.
More importantly, Strong built a stout defense and instilled a culture and attitude of toughness. Petrino is known for many things, but stout defense and tough football are not high on that list. He may be good with QBs, but did he recruit the starting QB for his system?
Even with Strong and Bridgewater, UofL could not even win the AAC. I think people are over-looking the step up in competition that UofL is facing and how that will affect them over the course of a season.
They have a first year head coach, a first year starting QB, and a brand new offensive system. This scenario does not scream third best team in the conference to me.
They did win the Big East and embarrass Florida in the SEC's own bowl though. But that was two years ago.
Also, Todd Grantham (new Louisville DC, left from Georgia) wasn't wowing anyone with his defense here in Athens the past few years.
if I remember, Todd Grantham is a VT guy. Why come to the ACC is competing against his mentor Beamer? Louisville must have offered a lot of cash.
yeah, when do we play them next? 2027?
I think we need a new unit of time, e.g. "We're approximately 15 ECUs away from playing Louisville."
my problem with this is alot of the teams above us have the same question marks. I dont think that we are a solid #1 as far as having all our own questions answered at this time and we are an overall great team but I do think we a week 1 win over W&M by 30pts to see us jump to #3 in these power rankings. our ? are no more glaring than any other teams in the ACC other than FSU and none i repeat NONE of those other teams are returning anything on either side of the ball that would make me believe that they have the potential to be a TOP 5 in the country O or D exept for us. I think that alone should stand for something in these "power rankings"
Pre-season or post-season, UVA is ranked way too high.
Our division is a mess and only the nolies and ligers from the other division seem to have their ish together the last few years so I am ok will a lower "power ranking" until a few weeks into the season when things start to work themselves out with results on the field...
One could put teams 3 through 8 in any order and have a legitimate argument. The real issue with this list is HOW THE HELL IS UVA NOT #14?!?!
I'm surprised they didn't fall into the category of "also receiving votes".
Yeah seriously! How do you win zero ACC games in the previous year and
not get voted for last place?!?!?
You bring in 2 good defensive players and a few 2 and 3 stars to fix your offense. /sarcastica
i honestly expect them to be better. now how much better is another subject all together.
I guess a turd with glitter sprinkled on it is better than a regular turd, but it is still a turd.
Interesting theory.
I think the only to know for sure is to test it. I'm hitting Chipotle and picking up some glitter on my way home. My night just got a lot more interesting.
I do too. Lambert can be the best QB they've had there since Schaub. Better RB than we have. Solid receiving options. Strong defense across the board. Their schedule isn't favorable, but it wouldn't be shocking to see them end up in a bowl game.
And yet they have question marks at the coaching position, so actually it would be pretty shocking to see them in a bowl game.
Their receiving core is not that good at all. Ask any UVA fan that and they would agree. VT's is much better. They also lost their best receiver in TE Jake McGee who transferred to Florida. And Lambert isn't that good, Brewer is probably better. Their defense is talented but lacks coaching, so we have the comfortable edge there too. Parks is probably better than any running back we have right now (although that could change this season) but I'm willing to bet we average more rushing yards this year with much more options. So no I don't think they have a good chance at all of making a bowl game.
The problem (read: overwhelming awesomeness) with Lambert being the QB is that he's a statue. We all saw what happened in the second half of the UVA game - Foster blitzed almost every play, and the UVA offense couldn't do squat. Also, with the loss of McGee, UVA is now in the same position we were last year. McGee was a huge part of their offense and arguably their most talented player (along with Parks). It'd be hard for them to do worse than last year - seriously? 2-10, winless in the ACC? c'mon, man - but I'd say a bowl game is their absolute ceiling.
Still don't get all the hype & love for Duke ! Glad we are only a few weeks away from seeing what a "paper tiger" they are. What a tuff occ schedule they have.
Check back Thursday for a little more on that particular subject.
Wow just looked at their schedule for the first time. I would be questioning if that was even a D-1 worthy schedule except we play all the same conference teams.
NC State is the worst.... Georgia Southern, Old Dominion, South Florida, Presbyterian...
F um..
Duke will miss Connette a lot more than people think and their best defensive player Kelby Brown who was All-ACC preseason just tore his ACL. Wishes for him to have a speedy recovery.
I don't think it's so much "doubters" as it is haters. Deep down and in the back of their so called brains they know our guys are gonna take it.