Immediate Thoughts on 24-3 Duke W

- The defense was so incredibly sound tonight. Jones popped a couple of runs (note, two of them were against the 2 DL) but otherwise you can't ask for any better. Tremaine Edmunds had a half dozen terrific plays where he was engaged with a blocker and still made the tackle in the box. Ricky Walker and Trevon Hill were monsters. The secondary was sound. If a team doesn't have slots that can attack from the boundary side (on Floyd) passing the football will be a slog for most teams.

- Offensive line had their best game since West Virginia. I know there were some negative plays. But at game speed, it looked like when Duke jammed things up, it was with more defenders in the box than there were blockers to account for them. Wyatt Teller really had a strong game. Duke has a couple of great DL (Dimukeje and Ramsey) and maybe the two best LBs in the league. Despite a myriad of blitzes, the OL was engaged and sound coverage. Fortunately a good number of the misdirection runs popped free.

-The issue was the lack of vertical passing game. Duke blitzed all over, and then went man and robber down the field. Beside the Phillips fade and the Savoy TD, Duke didn't get hurt when they loaded the box.

-I thought it was odd that McMillian didn't get more touches. I thought he ran hard. But McClease looked his best in weeks. Peoples was really strong before getting hurt again. Fox ran well. Holston protected the ball. Still, McMillian had some wiggle and was still in on kickoff. Fuente and McMillian's relationship is certainly an oddity.

-Special teams- every kickoff finishes at the 25. Stroman saves yardage by fielding kicks and then gets his +10-15 yards when he can return. Punt coverage and Bradburn is killing it. The Hokies are winning field position and Shibest's bunch can't be underappreciated.