Post Wake Disaster Brain Dump

Guys, I expected the offense to struggle. So much about college football is determined by match-ups. Ohio State had an awful offensive line and great athletes who were getting their first taste in pressure playmaking. The quick defensive line and movement overwhelmed their front, and the inability to hit the big play cost the Buckeyes the game.

Wake presented a similar challenge. They had great blitz design and timing, and for whatever reason (my film review will be singularly devoted to pass protection) the Hokies identification of blitzes and pickups have been horrendous all season. It was a match up nightmare that I expected would present the offense major difficulties, but that they would scrape together enough points to win in a 17-7 type manner.

I don't think even I, on my most negative of days, could have predicted what we saw today. I am not sure how to quantify it. The Hokie offense had fits and spurts like an damaged engine. Brewer again was indecisive. Our mystery man who sets the protections continued to shift protections away from the blitz, seeing Sam Rogers (GET HEALTHY TREY EDMUNDS) left to deal with two pass rushers by himself. Receivers struggled to get separation (or it looked that way on TV-those at the game feel free to correct me.) Coleman again looked pretty good, but is limited on how he can be used.

Beamer will take heat, and I don't know if he will survive. Last season, Loeffler found a few things that worked well enough to build offensive structure off of them. This season, any elements where they do well are siloed as part of the overall structure, making them easier to defend. (Inside and outside zone reads have worked sometimes the last two games, but are limited because there isn't a running threat presented on the keeper to tie up backside pursuit.) The play action seems to be built off the jet sweep structure, which has been ineffective. We have not seen any quick slants off IZR action- which was a staple between Logan and DJ Coles last year.

I am going to look more at Motley's play, but I would have made the switch. As I said on twitter, the only justification for not making the switch was that Motley's limited practice time means he only has that "Wild Turkey" package down. And, I would argue that the justification is misplaced because A) you have to win the game and it seemed pretty clear that if Motley could give you anything in play action, he would provide a major upgrade to the running game and B) as a staff, if you are not going to play one of the redshirts YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE NEXT MAN UP PREPARED WITH THE WHOLE GAMEPLAN. So, if Loeffler didn't make the switch because he didn't feel that Motley was prepared, then that is on Loeffler. If he didn't play Motley because Loeffler didn't think he gave them the best chance to win, then I don't trust his feel for the game.

Looking at the bigger picture on offense, the one thing that I wanted to see Loeffler do was change the offensive culture. Starting with the end of the Kevin Jones era (2003), the Hokie offense moved away from the power I/option concepts of Ricky Bustle and tried to "modernize" in order to excite a fan base that complained about predictability and to attract recruits who wanted to play in a high scoring system.) First, they shifted to zone concepts and more drop-back passing. Then, we had the brutal "We Went to Texas to Learn the Spread in a Weekend" effort with Logan. And, after changing the offensive staff, the offensive ethos still is to trick and deceive rather than dominate. Perhaps the scheme reflects the staff's belief that the personnel can't dominate, but that just perpetuates that mindset.

Even with their limitations and a handful of breakdowns, the defense played beyond well enough to get the win today. I join Bud Foster in their frustration, and I am also despondent because I know that good kids are going to be catching a bunch of crap this week.

I am at a crossroads here. I have been a fan a long time, and I have seen this scenario play out time and time again in other programs, and I know that burning things to the ground and rebuilding rarely have the immediate improvement and turnaround that everyone involved wants. But what the results we saw today, which from what I could tell was in no way a byproduct of a lack of EFFORT by the players, just is not acceptable.