Hokies Defeat Georgia Bulldogs 74-62 in Blacksburg

The Essentials

The Game


The Hokies held Georgia scoreless for the first five minutes of this game while starting on a 5-0 run.  However, Georgia battled back and thanks to a few Leslie Travis layups, the Bulldogs found themselves tied with the Hokies at the eight minute mark at 18 apiece.  But the Hokies used a nice 18-9 run over that last eight minutes to head into the half with a fairly commanding nine point lead.  The 2nd half was more of the same for Greenberg's bunch as Tech jumped out to as much as a 15 point lead before seeing it shrivel down to seven with just six minutes left to go in the half.  The Hokies rallied once more and went on a 10-2 run and was able to put the game out of reach with just over three minutes left.  Delaney missed a three-pointer with just a few seconds left and the shot clock running down but Tech had already wrapped up the 74-62 victory.

Stats:

Up Next:  VMI (12/09) - Blacksburg, VA


The Hokies are off to their best start under Seth Greenberg as Tech is currently scored at 6-1 on the year.  But, if the Hokies want to stay on this positive win streak they are going to have to defeat a strong and tough opponent in the high-scoring VMI Keydets.  VMI knocked off Kentucky last year so they have the ability to come into somebody else's place and ruin the afterparty.


The game isn't televised but if you have a ticket, head to Cassell Coliseum on Wednesday and cheer on the Hokies.

2011 Recruiting Update: Athlete Dominque Terrell

Dominique Terrell
Osbourn Park High School
Mannassas, Virginia
5'10", 165 lbs, 4.4 seconds
Offers: Virginia Tech, Maryland, Miami, Tennessee, West Virginia, NC State, UNC, Duke, and more.

Editors Note

Since the 2010 recruiting class seems to be wrapped up now with Furman being a silent commit to Michigan, I'm going to start focusing on some of the 2011 kids since they are now rising seniors.

Justin's Take

I've been debating on whether to do a post-season ranking of the top 2011 players in the state of Virginia.  If I don't get around to it, I do want to admit that Dominique Terrell would be my number one player right now.  Terrell is just so explosive with the ball in his hands and really reminds me of a smaller Ryan Williams with the way that he runs.


Terrell has the ability to play on either offense or defense but with his athletic ability most coaches probably won't commit to one position until they get him on campus.  The Hokies will be looking at Terrell as either a cornerback for Foster or a wide receiver for Coach Sherman.  With the ball in his hands, Dominque can do things that just make you say "wow" but If he wants to play at the NFL, cornerback may be the way for him to go.

Strengths:

• I love the way he runs especially when he can get to the outside and cut up the sideline.  He doesn't have the moves that some running backs have but he has enough speed that he really doesn't need those moves. 
• Terrell has that big play ability that most coaches look for now days, especially those in the SEC.  Through two years of starting, Dominique has five runs of 50 or more yards in just four playoff games. 
• Although he hasn't really played much receiver in his career, he does have a few plays on film where he's catching the ball.  He does seem to have good hands, which leads me to believe that some teams may try to get a leg up on the competition by promising him that he'll get the chance to start on the offensive side of the ball. 

Weaknesses

• For me, size is a bit of a concern.  Terrell is listed at 5'11" on his Rivals.com profile more realistically he's about 5'9".  What concerns me the most is that he's only listed at about 165 pounds heading into the season.  I think Dominique has the ability to play at about 190 pounds but at that weight it would all but rule out running back, especially in the system that Virginia Tech has. Can he bulk up, can he maintain his speed at a heavier weight?  Those are really the only concerns I have.  

As far as recruiting goes, Terrell is still wide open and hasn't taken any visits to date.  He claims to like the bigger schools such as Miami, USC, Florida, but also has expressed interest in both in-state schools.  The Hokies will have to battle if they want to keep this kid in-state but it will all start with getting him on campus for the junior day in February or for the Spring game in April.  If Terrell doesn't visit for either or both of those events, Tech will be in a deep hole that they'll really struggle to dig themselves out of.

Terrell's recruitment is going to be interesting to follow because if the Hokies want to take that next step and be able to compete with the SEC, they're going to have to get kids like Terrell to commit and come play in Blacksburg.  Also, it will be interesting to see if the new coaching staff at UVA will be able to make a play for Terrell as well.

Recruiting Update: Josh Furman Down to Virginia Tech and Michigan

Josh Furman
Old Mill High School
Millersville, Maryland
6'2", 193 lbs, 4.32 seconds
Offers: Michigan, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Maryland, West Virginia.

Justin's Take:

After watching this team's last 12 games, it's pretty clear we're in need of a few big time linebackers. Furman has the potential to bulk up and play either the WHIP Linebacker position being vacated by Cody Grimm or potentially either a Rover or Free safety.  With his size and speed, there's not many positions that he can't play although having him on the edge would be beneficial for a few reasons.  I personally would love to see him at the WHIP linebacker spot if he does pick Virginia Tech. 

However, at this point I think Josh is going to pick the Wolverines on December 19th, when he announces his decision at the Crab Bowl in Maryland.  For some reason, he just seems to give more glowing reviews to Michigan than he does VT.  Obviously I could be mistaken and with recruiting, you never know but right now, I think he's a Michigan lock.

Quotes: 

When asked about Virginia Tech:

"The program has been successful for a long time and they always seem to do well.  Virginia Tech has a really great atmosphere too. I really bonded with the team. The players are a lot like me. We had a good time together. They are all fun and outgoing guys and I felt like they were being totally honest with me. I felt a good connection with them."

When asked about his visit to Michigan earlier in the season:

"I had very good time.  The Big House was loud and action-packed. It is a great place and the crowd was great too. Having a chance to be around the players was nice. They are very outgoing and they were really trying to get to know me. They are the type of guys that are just like me. On our way to the game the streets were flooded with fans everywhere. I have never seen that many fans going to a game before."

 On how his relationship is with Michigan coach Tony Dews:

"I have a great relationship with Tony Dews.  He is my favorite recruiter. I call him up a lot just to say hi. He is my type of coach. Coach Dews is so down to earth that we can talk about anything. We talk about recruiting, but we also talk about life."

On his strengths and weaknesses as a player:

"My strength would definitely be my athleticism.  My weakness at this point is my coverage because in all my years (playing defense) I've only been rushing the quarterback. I just need the repetition. Then I'll get it down."

 

Regular Season Wrap Up Part 1 - The Superlatives

Team MVP:  Cody Grimm


Some are going to argue with me here and say Ryan Williams deserves this award, and really he does but what we were able to accomplish on defense this year all centered around the play of Cody Grimm.  Grimm leads the nation in forced fumbles and tied a Virginia Tech record with three forced fumbles in one game against NC State.  That was his MVP moment this season.  If it wasn't for his play in the first quarter of that game, the NC State game would have been too close for comfort.  Instead it forced the RB's and Russell Wilson to think about keeping two hands on the ball, forcing them down on first contact.  I'm going to save the majority of the stats for part two of this article but I also wanted to point out here that Grimm leads the team in tackles with 99, tackles for loss with 9.5 (tied with Jason Worilds), and of course leads the team (and nation) in forced fumbles with 7.  Impressive for a kid who decided to walk-on at Tech, turning down a few scholarship offers to do so.

Offensive MVP: Ryan Williams

The old saying "you can never have too many running backs" really rang true for the Hokies this season.  Exit Darren Evans, who set a school freshman rushing record last season with 1265 yards, and enter Ryan Williams, who easily broke that record in two less games.   Ryan was the heart of our offense this year and without him, I'm not sure I want to speculate at what our record would be. Williams set a school and ACC record this year, rushing for 100 yards in 9 of the 12 games this season.  Also, if Williams can grind out 111 yards in the bowl game, he will break Kevin Jones single season rushing record he set back in 2003.

Defensive MVP: Rashad Carmichael

This is the first time since 2003 that I have a hard time choosing who else on defense is really worthy of winning this award.  Our defense was really average this season, in 10 of the 11 spots.  Worilds had good numbers but didn't do anything eye-popping this season, same with Chancellor, Rivers, and Brown.  Rashad Carmichael is the only one I can truly say had a better year than I was expecting.  Replacing Macho Harris at the boundary is a tall task, especially when you practice all spring and all summer at the field corner position.  Carmichael made the best of it though, leading the Hokies with five interceptions, one of which led to the Hokies only defensive score this season.  Carmichael went from a truly unknown against Alabama to quite possibly the next in a great line of cornerbacks here at Virginia Tech.


Team Freshman of the Year: Jayron Hosely

After Ryan Williams muffed the first punt return of the year, Hosely replaced Williams and never relinquished the job.  Hosely finished the season with a 10.9 yards per return average and took one back to the house against Marshall.  While he mostly starred on special teams, Hosely also saw some action at cornerback in five games this season.  In those games, he registered 8 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and two pass deflections.

Most Improved Player: Brent Bowden


Brent Bowden infuriated me at times last season due to lack of consistency and ability to shank punts.  This year was a completely different story as Bowden seemed to find his consistency and is one game away from setting a new Virginia Tech record for punting average.  The record is 43.1 and Bowden is setting at 43.9 heading into the bowl game.  If you were to ask me who our punter is going to be next season, I would probably shake my head and reply with "I really don't know."  But, after watching Bowden reel off booming punt after punt, I'm really going to hate having to hold my breath every time we call out or punting team next year.

Ryan Williams Named ACC Rookie of the Year

Congrats to Lil Sweetness on earning the ACC Rookie of the Year Title

Here's the link: http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120109aac.html

Williams, Boykin Close to Making History

Just a small nightcap here, but following up on a story I started last week, Boykins 6 reception, 174 yard game against the Pack only moves him closer to a milestone that he's destined to break.

Boykin now has 66 receptions in his career and through only two seasons he is now over halfway to becoming the Hokies most productive wide receiver in school history.  See the chart below:

Also, after Ryan Williams 8th 100 yard rushing game of the season, he too is close to making history.  Williams is just 292 yards shy of tying Kevin Jones single season rushing record.  Although that's a lot of yards to gain with just two games left on the schedule, I wouldn't bet against the kid.  See below.

 

 

Also, no chart for this but after Cody Grimm stripped three fumbles in Saturday's 38-10 victory over NC State, Grimm now leads the entire country in forced fumbles with 7 on the season.  Congrats to possibly the future 2009 ACC Defensive player of the year. 

2009-2010 ACC Bowl Predictions

Since there are only two weeks left in this 2009 regular season, it's time to figure out who is going where.  Obviously, with 2 weeks left a lot can still happen but as long as Clemson takes care of UVA this weekend (and with Clemson always finding a way to choke, who knows) but the ACC Championship game is all but set, Clemson will take on the Yellow Jackets in Tampa Bay.

But as you can see from the below, there is still a lot to figure out in this bowl season as there appears to be 7 ACC teams that will end up bowl eligible by the end of the regular season.  Have a look below.

Predictions:

Orange Bowl - Georgia Tech vs TCU

I'm picking GT to win the ACC even though I think Clemson has the best chance to give them a run for their money.  But, if this holds true it appears that the Yellow Jackets will more than likely face one of the Non-BCS teams, either Boise State or TCU.  At this point, it seems like the Fiesta Bowl Group wants Boise St, so that will send an undefeated TCU team down to Miami to play the winner of the ACC.

Gator Bowl: - Virginia Tech vs Notre Dame

The Hokies really have three options, Champs Sports Bowl, Gator Bowl, or the CFA bowl.  The CFA bowl loves Virginia Tech but will take a look a long look at the loser of the ACCCG.  Since Virginia Tech has already come to town twice this year, their may be some doubts on whether or not the Hokies will bring as many to say Orlando or Jacksonville.  As long as the Hokies win their final two games, they will more than likely end up in the Gator Bowl against either Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, or possibly West Virginia.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl - Clemson vs Auburn

If Georgia Tech happens to lose the ACCCG, I would look for possibly South Carolina being their opponent, but with Clemson and South Carolina playing each other here in a few weeks, the bowls won't force a rematch.  The middle of the SEC has been pretty average this year and their are six teams with either six or seven wins right now.  So at this point, the Tigers could play Ole Miss, Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas, Auburn, or even Tennessee.

Champs Sports Bowl - Miami vs Northwestern

The Hurricanes have a very passionate fanbase, but their fanbase is one of the most national fanbases in America along with UNC, Notre Dame, and USC.  That, unfortunately, means that the Hurricanes will be regulated to a lower tier bowl just because the top two ACC tie-ins will probably pass on them due to ticket sales.  The Hurricanes should be able to bring about 15-thousand fans to Orlando which is why I'm picking them here.  Miami will get matched up with a middle of the road Big 10 team.  The options are either Michigan State, Northwestern, Minnesota, or the Wolverines of Michigan if Richrod can pull off an upset of Ohio State and get that elusive 6th win.


Meineke Car Care - Boston College vs South Florida

Boston College only brought about 10-thousand fans to last years bowl game so I could see them falling a little further if the this bowl group doesn't mind bringing back UNC for the second straight year.  The Eagles have a few options on who they might play here with Rutgers, South Florida, West Virginia, and possibly even UCONN being able to sneak in and grab up this bowl bid.  Odds are the ACC teams opponent will be either USF or WVU.

Music City Bowl - North Carolina - Tennessee

Played in Nashville, Tennessee; this would be almost a dream scenario for this bowl and would probably draw a lot of media attention.  However, both teams may have other options if they would like to play elsewhere.  The ACC team would likely face either Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, South Carolina, or possibly Mississippi State if they can win their final two games.

EagleBank Bowl - Florida State vs Central Florida

Located in Washington D.C. and not even played in a football stadium, this is definitely one of the lower tier bowls, but if this bowl group can some how lock up Florida State, they could actually be able to sell some tickets this year... possibly even more than the Nationals did in RFK this year.  The Blue Devils of Duke may be an option here if they get their 6th win, same goes for NC State who has to win out.  But at this point this looks like an FSU vs MAC, CUSA, or WAC type of bowl.

Emerald Bowl - Duke vs UCLA

Hell of a basketball matchup but too bad this game will be played on a baseball field using football rules.  Duke needs just one win in their final two games (@ Miami, Wake Forest) to go to their first bowl in a very, very long time.  The Blue Devils could face a few different teams depending on how UCLA does and how the Pac-10 finishes.  The Blue Devils could play Cal, Arizona, or UCLA at this point, or possibly a bowl eligible WAC team if UCLA does not finish bowl eligible.

Hokies To Play Cincinnati at Fedex Field in Washington D.C. in 2012

According to Heather Dinch at ESPN.com the Hokies have agreed to move the game from Ohio to Fedex field, so all in all this is a no brainer for the Hokies. 

Tech defeated the Bearcats 20-7 in last years Orange Bowl and with the Notre Dame job opening up this year, odds are Cincy will lose Brian Kelly and their program will take a step back.

You can read Heather's article Here

Game Review: Hokies Defeat Brown 69-55

Overview:

The first game of the year is over and done with and Tech is now 1-0. That’s really all you can hope for with this bunch. The Hokies struggled mightily in this game as Tech was plagued by sloppy play and senseless turnovers. Also, Tech failed to really find a 3rd scorer this year, something that’s going to be a season long
issue.

But for now, Tech is undefeated and honestly, this isn’t a bad starting point. Delaney played very well, as you can see below and some of the Hokies supporting cast has improved their games from last season.

The starting five for this game was Malcolm Delaney, Dorenzo Hudson, Terrell Bell, Victor Davila, and Jeff Allen. That group scored 62 of the Hokies 69 total points in this one. Erick Green added a 3-ball, Boggs added a jumper, and Thompson added a layup to round out the 69 points.

Hokies Jarrett Boykin on Record Breaking Pace

If you're looking for a recruiting success story, then look no further than the Hokies own Jarrett Boykin.  The Virginia Tech coaching staff was high on his high school teammate, Eddie Whitley who dazzled the scouts earning First Team All-District player in his junior season at Butler High School in Matthews, North Carolina.

However, after Whitley committed to the Hokies, he told the coaching staff to take a peak at Butler's 6'2" wide receiving prospect.  That prospect was Jarrett Boykin.

Jarell Eddie, Tyrone Garland Sign with Virginia Tech

Early signing day is here for the world of College Basketball as today is the first day that current High School seniors can sign with the respective college of their choice.

The Hokies received two big commits from Forward Jarell Eddie and Guard Tyrone Garland.

Jarell Eddie is the highest rated player (according to Rivals.com) that the Hokies have ever brought in.  Eddie is ranked 63rd nationally in the Rivals150, which is 26 spots higher than Malcolm Delaney in 2007 and 16 spots higher than Jeff Allen who was also in the 2007 class.

(To read the entire article click here -> Read More)

Virginia Tech Nike Pro Combat Uni's Unveiled

You can see more over on www.hokiesports.com but honestly, I think they look pretty sweet.  Leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

Daily Discussion: Focusing on the Positives

Sitting at 6-3 overall, the Hokies are far from where they wanted to be at this point in the season.  Even though things haven't gone according to plan, Tech has still accomplished a lot this year and we've seen the return of some familiar sights in Blacksburg as well.

After writing my "What the Hell is Wrong With The Hokies" article last week, I've decided to spend my Monday talking about some of the positives from this season.  Obviously, when you're 6-3, you've still had a pretty good year.  Win out and you're probably a top 10 team by the end of the 2nd week in January.  So Tech still has a lot going for them and since Tech will return 12 starters next year, the Hokies are still in contention for a top 10 starting spot again in 2010.

But for now we'll keep it focused on this season.

Hokies Survive Trip Into Pirate Territory, Win 16-3

From the Associated Press/ESPN

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Freshman Ryan Williams ran for a season-high 179 yards and Virginia Tech (No. 23 BCS, No. 22 AP) avoided its first three-game losing streak in six years, holding off East Carolina 16-3 on Thursday night.

Tyrod Taylor had a 13-yard touchdown run, Matt Waldron kicked three field goals and Williams atoned for his critical miscue last week against North Carolina by cracking the 1,000-yard mark for the Hokies (6-3).

They had a 379-277 advantage in total yardage, forced three turnovers and made just enough plays on offense to bounce back from losses to No. 10 Georgia Tech and the Tar Heels while also avenging last year's loss in Charlotte in which the Pirates turned the tables on Beamerball.

Daily Discussion: Where the Problem Lies

This last week has been a tough one for Hokienation as fans have gone from booking trips to Pasadena to planning their two-hour car ride down to Charlotte for the Meinikie Car Care Bowl.  Obviously, with four weeks left in this college football season, a lot can still happen (VT still has a shot at winning the ACC, can you believe that?).

However, since the Hokies have a non-conference game this weekend, I'm not going to dive into the psyche of the ECU Drunkin Pirates, instead I'm going to do some soul searching on what exactly is wrong with this Virginia Tech team.

The Virginia Tech fanbase has become spoiled over the past few years.  Going into this season, Tech was alone with USC and Texas as the only schools to win 10 or more game each of the past five seasons.  So, it's no secret that Tech fans have become accustomed to winning.  But, with the Hokies now losing two straight, some fans have pulled out their guitars and began their Kumbaya chants while other have resorted back to burning Stinespring statues in effigy.

2010 Football Schedule Gets Shuffled

Ok, well maybe not shuffled but the Hokies Athletic Director Jim Weaver agreed to move the Western Michigan game from 2010 to 2016 in order to allow WMU to play Notre Dame in 2010.

Tech was set to play Western Michigan in Blacksburg on September 11th but will now have to try and find another team to play in 2010.  Odds are the Hokies will have to fill that void with an FCS opponent much to the fan base's dismay but with only a few months to schedule the game, there's not a whole lot Weaver can do.

Tech will play Central Michigan, East Carolina, and Boise State next year in out of conference play and will hopefully be able to find another D1 team to fill the current hole in our schedule. 

Tuesday Thoughts: The Future Cometh

I went into this past Saturday’s game knowing that the Hokies winning streak may be in jeopardy and for that these past few days have been a little easier on me than most.  As the fanbase recovers and cancels their Orbitz.com trips to Pasadena, the team still knows that there’s more football to play.

Sure the national title hopes are gone, but the ACC Championship hopes are still there.  Georgia Tech owns the tie-breaker but with one slip-up, the Hokies are penciled right back as the Coastal Division Champions.  Right now, that’s the only thing the Hokies can shoot for (editors note: GT has not won in Charlottesville since 1990, they play at UVA this weekend). 

I’m trying to keep this article relatively the same week to week but for some reason I really don’t feel like going back and watching the film on this one.  Watching a game that VT loses on live TV is hard enough, going back and having to watch it again… well it’s not for the feint of heart.

So, this week’s “Tuesday Thoughts” article will mainly be focused on the future including the next five weeks and beyond.

Yellow Jackets Sting Hokies 28-23 in Atlanta

A small night cap here for you guys, not really going to break anything down or go in-depth on anything.  I'll save most of my thoughts for Tuesday and I'll let Daniel give you the game recap when he gets that posted early on this week. 

However, I have to admit that I really saw all of this coming.  The Hokies have struggled with these kind of games in the past and well, most teams struggle with these kinds of games.  It's hard for a top five team to head on the road and walk away with a victory.  It just is.  The home crowd, the home team giving you your best shot, and the fact that most of these games are played under a night sky cause these games to never work out well for the ones ranked in the top five.

The Hokies had plenty of golden opportunities in this game and failed to convert on any of them...especially the one's in the first quarter.  Three straight trips into GT territory resulted in zero points.  That folks, will not win you a football game. 

So just like that, the Hokies left Atlanta for the second time this season, hanging their heads in defeat. 

Even though the national title hopes are gone and the ACC Coastal race is hanging by a thread, Tech still has five games left on their schedule with all five being very winnable games. 

This bye week couldn't come at a better time for the dinged up and now emotionally injured Hokies.  Tech will enjoy their first Saturday off since the last weekend in July, which was almost three months ago now. 

The good news for Tech fans is that if the Hokies can win out and if Georgia Tech finds a way to lose to UVA, Duke, or Wake Forst, your beloved Hokies will make the long journey back down to Tampa with a chance to claim their third straight ACC Championship. 

And for some reason, I feel like that's going to happen.  Maybe I'm psychic (failed to win the Mega Millions this past week so I doubt it)  but I have a good feeling about how the rest of the season is going to go. 

All I know for certain is, I would absolutely hate being UNC next Thursday night. 

Virginia Tech vs Georgia Tech Preview

By Daniel Smithey

It’s that time again - half way through the ACC season - and from here on out every game is a big one, but none will be tougher than Saturday evening's match up between the 19th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and your 4th ranked Virginia Tech Hokies.   If the Hokies can leave Atlanta with a win the stage will be set for them to go straight to the ACC championship  ....  and with some help to the national championship game.  

Rewatch The 2008 VT vs GT game

Click Here to rewatch last years Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech game. 

Or you can visit Attila's Hokies blog by going to www.techturf.net

Daily Discussion: Midseason Heisman Report

The ESPN poll I posted a couple of days ago got me thinking, how would I vote for the Heisman if I did indeed get a chance to vote?  Well, I've been doing some soul searching and I've decided to list my top 10 candidates for this years 2009 Heisman Award.

Note that the Heisman goes to the year's most outstanding football player.  It doesn't say offense or defense, nor does it say most talented or most valuable.  It's the most outstanding football player, the player that was the best and most consistent player all year long. 

So because of that, my rankings may disagree some with the talking heads at ESPN who tend to vote for whoever they hype up the most (Tebow).

2011 Recruiting Class: Names You Need to Know

It's never to early to look towards the future when it comes to college football.  For some teams, that's about the only thing they have to look at.  However, for the Hokies, the future keeps getting brighter and brighter as the Tech coaching staff keeps rolling in top recruiting classes one right after another.

The 2011 class will be a smaller class, around 12 to 15 depending on attrition and whether or not anybody leaves early.  But, the good news for Tech is they have a large amount of in-state talent to pull from, including several who will be guarenteed four or five stars come this time next year.

So without further adieu, let's take a look at some of the prospects that the Hokies will be eying for the 2011 recruiting class.

Taylor, Williams Receives Heisman Votes on ESPN

It's been a long time since the word "Heisman" has buzzed around Blacksburg but for the next two years at least, the Hokies will have a big contender in the Heisman race in either Tyrod Taylor or Ryan Williams.

If Taylor and Williams keep playing like their playing, there's a good chance at least one of them could end up in New York this December.

Tuesday Thoughts: Week 6 Edition

Ask any coach today and they'll tell you that when you can get your team to peak around the middle of the season, good things will happen for you down the stretch. At the midway point in the season, the Hokies just played their best and most complete football game of the season as they beat Boston College 48-14 in Lane Stadium.

The Virginia Tech offense was dominant in the win with Ryan Williams slashing through the BC defense along with Tyrod's effectiveness through the air. If Coach Beamer wanted to, Tech's offense could have easily put up 600 yards of total offense against the outmatched Eagles defense. But, after surviving a close scare against Duke last week, the coaches needed to get some of the backups some game time and did just that.

There's not much that Bud Foster's defense can do these days that surprises me but I have to admit I was a little surprised that our defense played as well as it did on Saturday. Tech's D gave up just 3 total yards of offense heading into halftime. On top of that, Boston College had negative yards for the majority of the first half. Combine that with the Hokies first defensive touchdown of the year, and you have yourself a pretty flawless day.

Virginia Tech vs Boston College Highlights

A Look Towards the Future: DT Nick Acree

Nick Acree
Defensive Tackle/Offensive Tackle
6’6”, 295, 5.01
Fork Union Military Academy – Fork Union, VA
Offers: Virginia Tech (committed), Florida State, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, UCLA, USC, and West Virginia. 

VT weeks 1-4 Recap

Gobbler Country's VT vs BC Game Guide

Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1, 2-0) vs. Boston College Eagles (4-1, 2-1)
Time: Noon EDT
Date: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Place: Lane Stadium at Worsham Field, Blacksburg, Va.
TV: Raycom Sports

Check out what the guys over at Gobbler Country have to say about this Matchup between the Eagles and the Hokies. 

Article Here

3 Questions From a Boston College Blog

How will Shinskie react on the road
Shinskie's brief appearances on the road in Clemson were a disaster. It will be interesting to see how he plays this week in another hostile environment. He has made quantum leaps these past two weeks and has really stepped into his role nicely but can he continue his solid play in Lane Stadium?

Read More of this Article Here

Daily Discussion: An Improved Hokie Offense

Just a short blog here as I'm going to let the stats (or facts) do most of the talking.

When a coach says stats don't matter, he's lying. Although stats can be deceiving and are misinterpreted most of the time, they still give you at least an outline of how the team is performing. But when you decide to glance at your favorite teams state page, you have to keep everything in context and remember that the Hokies are not the Houston Cougars.

Virginia Tech vs Duke Highlights

ESPN.com VT vs Duke Recap.

This review is brought to you buy ESPN.

DURHAM, N.C. -- With No. 6 Virginia Tech not at its best, Tyrod Taylor needed to be. He certainly was.

Taylor threw for a career-high 327 yards with two long touchdown passes to help the sometimes-sloppy Hokies dodge a letdown and beat Duke 34-26 Saturday.

Taylor was 17 for 22 with TD tosses of 36 yards to Danny Coale and 28 yards to Jarrett Boykin, and Josh Oglesby had two late touchdown runs once the rushing game opened up for Virginia Tech (4-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference).

"I know we have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball," Taylor said. "It's just my job to get the ball to them."

Playing one week after dominating then-No. 9 Miami, the Hokies were nowhere near that crisp this time. But they were good enough to claim their ninth straight victory against Duke.

"I don't think that's the old Duke football team," Tech coach Frank Beamer said.

Thaddeus Lewis was 22 for 40 for 359 yards with two touchdown passes, including a 4-yarder to Austin Kelly with 25 seconds left. But Lewis said the pesky Blue Devils (2-3, 0-1) too often settled for field goals, with Will Snyderline kicking four, including a 43-yarder that pulled the Blue Devils to 27-19 with 7 minutes left.

"We needed to get seven points, and we didn't do that," Lewis said. "But three points is better than no points."

The Blue Devils, 17-point underdogs, kept this one tight throughout, but were denied their first win over a top-10 opponent in two decades. Before last year's 14-3 loss in Blacksburg, Duke hadn't come within 24 points of the Hokies since they joined the ACC in 2004.

"We got close enough in the fourth quarter to go beat a great team," Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. "Once you taste that, you like it. I wouldn't say we spit it out -- it wasn't a choke -- but we just didn't finish."

Indeed, Tech spent much of this one looking ripe for an upset after routing the Hurricanes 31-7 to vault back into the top 10. By halftime, the Hokies had matched their season highs with seven penalties for 55 yards, and they finished with 12 flags for 105 yards.

"Too many penalties and too many long plays," Beamer said. "We weren't as sharp as we would like, but I don't think it was lack of effort. Part of it was Duke, and part of it was us. ... Sometimes I think you've just got to win some games that's not real pretty on the road, and this is probably one of those."

Ryan Williams, the nation's No. 6 rusher, was held to 83 yards on the ground, 40 fewer than his average. But he had 41 yards and a pair of third-down conversions during the drive that ended when Oglesby's 12-yard touchdown run made it 27-16 with 9 1/2 minutes left. Oglesby added a 19-yard score 7 minutes later that made it 34-19.

For much of the way, Duke keyed on stopping the ground game, and Taylor took advantage.

"When we needed to run the football, and we did, and got points, that was critical to this ball game," Beamer said. "They were going to take the run away, so you've got to be able to throw the ball."

Taylor led the Hokies to 17 points in a 9-minute stretch of the first half, then made just enough plays down the stretch to preserve their early lead. He directed three straight scoring drives to help the Hokies rally from an early 7-0 deficit, countering Duke's first touchdown pass with his touchdown to Coale.

Then, one series after Matt Waldron's 40-yard field goal put Tech ahead to stay, Taylor put the Hokies up 17-7 with his scoring pass to Boykin -- who wrestled Duke's Leon Wright for the ball and came down with it near the sideline in the end zone.

Later, Taylor connected with Boykin for 64 yards on third-and-34 to keep alive a drive that ended with a 33-yard field goal by Waldron to put Tech up 20-13.

"He told me, 'Just get the ball down the field, and if the guy makes an interception, you tell your wide receiver to make the tackle,'" Taylor said. "Jarrett kept the play alive, he went down there and I found him down the field and he made a great catch."

Taylor went on to surpass his previous best of 287 yards set two years ago in his first college start against Ohio.

Duke's only lead came late in the first quarter when Lewis faked a handoff and hit wide-open Brandon King in stride down the left side for a 48-yard score. Snyderwine added field goals of 29, 25 and 47 yards for Duke.

A Look Towards The Future: Nick Dew

Nick Dew
Safety
6'2", 200 lbs, 4.45
First Colonial High School - Virginia Beach, VA
Offers: Virginia Tech (committed), Arkansas, ECU, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Purdue, Syracuse, UVA, and West Virginia.

Rankings
Rivals.com: 3 star, 49th best defensive back, 18th best in-state
ESPN.com: 4 star, 49th best player in the nation, ESPN 150 member, 7th best Safety
Scout.com: 2 star, 131st best defensive back.

ESPN Bio and Analysis

Dew is the entire package and a major sleeper. He has a great blend of speed, quickness, size and athletic ability. A tall drink of water that has good overall size and is an intimidating player both sides of the ball. As a defensive player could line up at safety, outside linebacker or defensive end. A real threat coming off the edge as a pass rusher or blitzer. Times his get off the ball well and shows a real burst when coming on the blitz; runs by blockers or uses his hands and long arms to defeat pass protectors.

Uses hands to control the blockers pads and works the edge of the offensive man to win the one on one battle. Gives exceptional effort and will not be denied getting to the quarterback. Often deflects the pass with long arms while on the blitz or pass rush once the quarterback releases the ball. A rangy athlete that is a long strider and can cover a lot of territory within just a few strides. Shows a real burst getting to the football in order to make the play. Can change direction quickly and is always in control of his body; never off balance. Exceptional jumping ability and gets way into the air to break up passes on defense and to catch the ball as a wide receiver on offense.

As a receiver runs good routes and is a real threat due to speed and vertical ability. Few receivers are more dangerous running the fade or takeoff. Dew has tremendous athletic talent and has all the tools to standout at the next level. He can line up at several positions and with his speed and athleticism can be a major producer on special teams as a punt or field goal blocker.

Lemming's Notes

A fast rising FS who shows a smooth backpedal, he's quick in transition, and does a good job in pass defense. He also proves to be very reliable in run support. An explosive ball player with good anticipation and timing, he's able to break down in the open field and make plays. He's also known for his sure hands on defense. Grades–His GPA is over a 2.5. Benches 310 and has 37" vertical jump. Favorite Schools– Committed to Virginia Tech.

Hampton Road's Recruiting Summary

One recruiting service ranks him the No. 9 prospect in the state and the No. 29 safety in the country. Purdue likes him as a receiver because of his fearlessness to go up and get the ball. Virginia Tech sees him as a rover/linebacker, but most schools like him as a defensive back.

“He’s strong enough to play linebacker but also quick enough to cover someone out of the backfield,” Patriots coach Bill McTyre said. “He’s a unique individual.”

Others call him “the total package.” He has a great blend of speed, quickness, size and athletic ability. He’s a great open-field tackler and his long arms and jumping ability on the blitz make him a nightmare for quarterbacks. He can bench 275 pounds, has a 36-inch vertical and runs 4.4 in the 40.

He also might be playing with a chip on his shoulder after he received just one vote for All-Beach District. Instead of complaining, he worked harder.

“I just shook my head because I knew what he could do,” McTyre said. Now everyone else will find out what Dew can do. He has been chosen to play in the 2010 Under Armour All-American game Jan. 2 in Orlando.

Not surprisingly he’s getting a lot of interest. He has got many offers, including from Virginia Tech, Purdue, Virginia, Syracuse, West Virginia, Maryland, Louisville and Arkansas. He’s getting interest from Alabama, Duke, Michigan State, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Justin's Assessment

I very rarely agree with anything ESPN says but in this case, their 4 star ranking of Nick Dew is by far the most accurate I've seen. It's easy to see that something about the Virginia Beach native has caught the eye of the Scouts and needless to say, he caught the eye of defensive coordinator Bud Foster and offensive line coach Curt Newsome, who was his lead recruiter.

Dew has the ability to play several different positions at Tech including Rover, Free Safety, and WHIP Linebacker. With Tech having 4 senior at those positions, It wouldn't surprise me to see Dew sneak his way into the two deep by this time next year. It's going to be awfully hard to keep a player of his ability off the field, even if it is best to let him redshirt and adjust to the college game.

Nick is fully qualified and will enroll in the second summer session next July.

Videos

You can view Nick Dew's Hampton Roads.com recruiting profile, which includes his highlight film, here.

Articles

Nick Dew Commits to Virginia Tech - HamptonRoads.com

A Look Towards The Future: Ricardo Young

Ricardo Young
Duel-Threat Quarterback
6’1”, 175 lbs, 4.5
H.D. Woodson High School – Washington D.C.
Offers: Virginia Tech (committed), Cincy, UCONN, ECU, Louisville, Maryland, USF, Syracuse, UVA, and WVU

Rankings
Rivals.com: 3 star prospect, 5.5 rating overall
ESPN.com: 3 star prospect, 76 rating overall
Scout.com: 3 star prospect, 48th best QB


ESPN.com Bio and Analysis:

Young has a lot of traits to him that are strong as an undersized, athletic passer that should probably be in the spread working from the shotgun, but he is not. As a result though, he is a guy that is very comfortable dropping from center in the three and five step passing game and has a nice feel for timing.

He has just marginal height and a lean, muscular frame that is built like a wide receiver. He is a good enough athlete to move to another position if need be, but in the right offense should stay at QB. He is very similar to both Detchauz Wray and Malik Stokes in terms of size, ability level and methods. Young has adequate-to-good arm strength and shows very good zip in the short and intermediate ranges of the field. In fact, this is where he is most accurate and efficient and he displays the drop speed, feet and balance in the pocket to provide good timing and get the ball out.

Shows a live arm and quick, whip-like release. He can be a bit robotic and isn't as smooth in his overall delivery as Stokes, but his mechanics are very consistent and he is capable of getting rid of the ball in a hurry. Gets set and can plant and throw on the fifth step without re-setting on timing routes which is becoming rare at the high school level with kids that are always in the shotgun as opposed to under center. Shows very good touch on the deep ball and can lay it in over coverage to the outside shoulder when on time.

His arm has its limits vertically, but it is all about timing for him. He is very athletic and can evade the rush and make plays on the move when things break down. Throws very well on the run when outside of the pocket and can definitely keep a play alive with his feet. When you watch Young you do not see a physically imposing player with a rocket arm, but more of a Pat White-type passer. He is a good prospect, but we are not sure he is a possible great prospect in terms of size and physical tools. We feel the school he picks needs to have some spread elements to the offense to enhance his strengths and mask his weaknesses because we are not convinced he would be a true pocket passer at the next level against top level competition.

Lemming Notes:

The most athletic QB in the region, this guy can get the job done with his arm and his feet. It might be stretching to say he is 6-1 but it not stretching it to say he has the ability to take Virginia tech to an ACC title. On Film–I was impressed with his accuracy, his dominance in short to medium range passes, shows a quick release, and a much stronger arm than I was aware of. He can make all the throws including throwing the deep out with authority. He is a leader on the field, makes very good decisions, is cool under pressure, and can get the job done when it is most needed. Stats–He earned D.C. All-Area honors after throwing for 3,100 yds and 31 TDs. Grades–His GPA is perfect 4.0. He has a 30" VJ. Favorite Schools–Committed to VIRGINIA TECH.

Stats:

2008 season: Threw for 3,089 yards and 31 touchdowns and added 780 yards on the ground to go with 11 rushing TD’s

2009 season: Follow his senior season here: Washington Post - High School Sports


Justin’s Assessment:

There's a reason why I'm starting this "Look Towards the Future" series with Ricardo Young. In my mind, he's easily the Hokies most underrated and most under valued recruit. He has all the tools to be a success in the Hokies current offensive scheme and when you watch him on film, he even reminds me a bit of a high school version of Tyrod Taylor.

Obviously, Ricardo does have a few weaknesses right now. Arm strength is a bit of a concern but can be fixed, more on that later. Also, his max bench press is at 205 heading into his senior year and while that seems like a lot, that would put him close to last place if you compared that to our freshman testing numbers this July. The good news is that Young will enroll early here in a few months (January of 2010) and will get a jump on the rest of the class by participating in spring practice next April. This will really help as Young will more than likely redshirt next fall giving him a full year and a half in the weight room before he challenges JuJu and Logan Thomas in 2011 for the starting job.

If you ask anybody around H.D. Woodson, one of the more redeeming qualities Young possesses is his ability and knowledge of how to examine and break down film. Ricardo spends almost two hours a day in the film room, looking for that extra advantage against the opposing team. Some times its the little things, more so than the physical things, that make a player great.


Videos:

You can see a lot of videos of Ricardo Young in action here

Virginia Tech vs Miami Highlights

Daily Discussion: Hokies National Title Hopes Loom Large

1:11 was all that was left on the clock when Vick and the Virginia Tech offense took the field on a dreary day in Morgantown. In a game the Hokies should have easily won, the sensational freshman saw Tech's national title hopes dwindling as West Virginia was about to pull one of the biggest upsets in the history of their football program.

However, after a Vick scramble down the sideline and a Shayne Graham field goal, Tech survived and went on to play Florida State in the national championship game that January.

Flash forward 10 years.

1:26 was all that was left on the clock when Tyrod took the snap from center, pump faked, danced around in the pocket, and sent a prayer that was answered by sophomore Danny Coale who took the pass all the way to the two yard line, setting up a Tyrod

****

If the Hokies are able to make it to the National Championship game, the 2009 Tyrod Taylor chapter will replace the 1999 Michael Vick chapter as the great story ever written in Virginia Tech football.

Obviously, the heave to Danny Coale was a big play, but what made the drive in Morgantown so special is what happened afterward. Tyrod Taylor and this Virginia Tech team has the chance to accomplish something that has never been done before in school history and that's to win that elusive BCS crown that has for so long eluded this program.

Tech has been close in the past, climbing up to 3rd in 2007, being in the top 3 in 2003 before falling off, and coming a missed field goal away in 2004. That's a lot of heartbreak.

But this year feels different and even with a struggling offense, the Hokies have the talent and ability to make this 2009 season a year to remember. There's still a lot of work left to do, a lot of edges to smooth out, but nevertheless the Hokies will have the chance to be there in early December when the last regular season BCS poll comes out.

Even though the lunchpail is more of a defensive symbol for Bud Foster's boys, I think the team should embrace the message it portrays: "What's Important Now."

Win, Just win.

Miami Injury Report For Virginia Tech Game

Questionable

WR Aldarius Johnson


Doubtful

RB Lee Chambers
OT Cory White


Out

DL Adewale Ojomo
DE Andrew Smith
DT Marcus Forston
TE Richard Gordon
DE Gavin Hardin
LB Shayon Green


Obviously the two biggest players on this list are Aldarius Johnson and Marcus Forston, who are two very talented underclassmen that could have given the Hokies some trouble in this game. Johnson may play but he will not be at 100%

The Hokies also have a few players listed on the injury report as Worilds, Virgil, Whitley, and Ryan Williams are all listed as probable.

Gobbler Country Breaks Down Win Over Nebraska

A pretty good rundown of the current conditions in Blacksburg. Give it a read at the link below.

http://www.gobblercountry.com/2009/9/21/1045634/virginia-tech-16-nebraska-15#storyjump

Highlights of the Two Big Plays from Yesterday's Game

Southern Pigskin's Thoughts on the NEB vs VT Game

You can read this full article here Southern Pigskin - VT vs Nebraska

Sometimes it's good to go outside of the fan base to get a non-biased and pretty accurate review of what happened yesterday in Lane Stadium.

This guy is on the money, while most Hokie fans will stew over our inept offense, the national media will look at this game as a huge win for the Hokies and the ACC. The final score is the only thing that matters in college football today and remember nobody cared back in 2007 that we lost 14-10 to a 2nd ranked BC team we dominated for most of the game.

Week 3: ACC Schedule and Predictions

Georgia Tech at Miami - Thursday, 7:45 pm EST

The Canes struggled to stop the option-offense last season as they lost 41-23 in Atlanta. However, they get Paul Johnson's squad at home this year and are looking to prove that they can win the Coastal Division. Georgia Tech has struggled to beat both of their opponents this year (Jacksonville State and Clemson) so I would expect a close game. However, with the Miami style of defense, I just think Georgia Tech will have too many big plays and should role the Canes by a touchdown or two.

Prediction: Georgia Tech - 38, Miami - 24

Duke at Kansas - Saturday, 12:00 pm EST

Todd Reesing had two scholarships coming out of high school, one from Duke and one from Kansas. Now in his senior season, Todd will get to show the Duke program what they missed out on four years ago. The Blue Devils are 1-1 heading into this road game with a win over Army and a loss to Richmond. Also, Duke has lost 36 straight games on the road against ranked opponents. So, logic says take Kansas here but I think Duke could put up a fight for the first half or so.

Prediction: Duke - 13, Kansas - 52

East Carolina at North Carolina - Saturday 12:00 pm EST

Sadly, this matchup could feature the two best teams in the state of North Caroina. UNC has struggled offensively in both of their first two games but thanks to a late safety against UCONN, they remain unbeaten so far in the 2009 season. ECU is in the same boat as they lost a hard fought game to West Virginia last week and almost lost to Appalachian State in week one. This is a big game for both teams as UNC would like to stay unbeaten heading into a showdown with the Yellow Jackets next weekend. ECU needs to build some confidence in the fact that they are capable of actually beating a division one opponent, something they did very well last season. This wil be a close football game but I'll go with the home team in this one.

Prediction: ECU - 20, UNC - 24

Boston College at Clemson - Saturday 12:00 pm EST

With Florida State falling to Miami in week one, the Atlantic division race is wide open. Clemson lost to Georgia Tech last week but with a win this weekend against the Eagles, they could be right back in the mix. Boston College suffered a tragic offseason but they have played very well in their first two games of the season, even though both were against lower tier opponents. Clemson is hard team to pick especially since they seem to disappear in big games, but they were my sleeper pick to win the Atlantic division this year and I'm sticking with them.

Prediction: Boston College - 13, Clemson - 17

Mid Tennessee State at Maryland - Saturday 3:30 pm EST

Revenge games are normally fun to watch and Maryland fans are hoping that remains true as Middle Tennessee State travels to College Park to take on the Terrapins. The Terps have been pretty bad so far this year, they got walloped by the Golden Bears in week one then won by a field goal in week two against JMU. This game could be a confidence builder for Maryland or it could be one that ruins the season for this team. However, I always like picking the team that has revenge on their minds, so I'll go with Maryland even though I'm not real confident on this one.

Prediction: MTSU - 20, UMD - 31

Virginia at Southern Miss - Saturday, 3:30 EST

If UVA is going to win a game this season, this may be one of their better opportunities even though they have to travel to Southern Miss. So. Miss is 2-0 with wins at home over Alcorn State and Central Florida. Neither one of those is a great win but they clearly have a better resume right now then UVA. The Cavs head into this game just looking for something positive to happen. Vic Hall is listed as questionable so with just Sewell and Verica behind center, this could be another long day for the Wahoo people.

Prediction - UVA - 10, USM - 38

Nebraska at Virginia Tech - Saturday, 3:30 EST

Another revenge game from last season as the Huskers head to Lane Stadium to take on the Hokies of Virginia Tech. Tech marched into Lincoln last year and walked away with a stunning victory, thanks in part to Dustin Keys who went 4 for 4 on field goals in that game. This years Nebraska team is a bit younger but every bit as talented as the team that the Hokies faced last season. However, Nebraska will need to find an answer to the Hokies fountain of youth at tailback. This should be the marquee game of the week in the ACC and if you're headed to Blacksburg, expect a close one.

Prediction: Nebraska - 23, Virginia Tech - 30

Gardner-Webb at NC State - Saturday, 6:00 pm EST

NC State struggled against an SEC defense in week one but exploded for 65 points in week two against Coach Beamer's old stomping grounds in Murray State. Against another FCS foe, expect the Wolfpack the light up the scoreboard again and walk away with another easy victory.

Prediction: G-Webb - 0, NC State - 63

Elon at Wake Forest - Saturday, 6:30 pm EST

Wake Forest has played two tough teams in the first two weeks of the season (Baylor and Stanford), but this week they'll finally get a bit of a break. Wake Forest has the better athletes and should be able to control this game fairly easily. With Wake's brand of football, I wouldn't be too surprised to see this one stay close for a while but the Demon Deacons should be able to ride off into the sunset in the 2nd half.

Prediction: Elon - 10, Wake Forest - 45

Florida State at BYU - Saturday 7:00 pm EST

What do you make of Florida State? They play stride for stride with Miami then lost on a last second play. Then in week two they almost lose to Jacksonville State. Something tells me that this weeks game may be a bit more about pride then actually winning the game. BYU is 2-0, coming off two impressive victories against Oklahoma and Tulane. I think FSU should be able to play with BYU in this one but I have a hard time picking the Noles here.

Prediction: Florida State - 17, BYU - 30

Game 3: Virginia Tech vs Nebraska Breakdown

Sorry folks for not posting an analysis of last weekend's blowout but there wasn't much you could really take from that game. David Wilson and Ryan Williams dominated against average competition and our talent level won us that game.

However, this week the Hokies will have a challenge on their hands as the Nebraska Cornhuskers make their way to Lane Stadium. Nebraska is an improved team from what the Hokies saw last season but just like Alabama, they have a few new starters that could ultimately decide the fate of this game.

Nebraska hasn't really been tested yet this season as they beat Florida Atlantic 49-3 in week one and then dumped Arkansas State 38-9 this past weekend. Both teams are in the Sun Belt conference and neither team is predicted to be in the top three in that conference. So needless to say, this will be a measuring stick for Nebraska on what to expect this season.

I'm going to try out a new format for this game, hoping that this will lessen the workload for me but not damaging the quality content on this site. So first we will examine the teams offensive impact players.

Impact Players - Offense

Junior quarterback Zac Lee has taken over for the now graduated Joe Ganz. Lee has played very well so far in the Huskers first two games of this season, completing 75-percent of his passes for 553 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has completed passes to 11 different receivers as well. So far this season, Lee has shown pretty good poise in the pocket as well as the ability to run when need be. Obviously, the quarterbacks play is always crucial to whether or not a team performs well but for Lee, this will be his first ever game on the road in front of a raucous Lane Stadium crowd. If Lee does not perform well, neither will Nebraska.

Junior running back Roy Helu Jr. performed well in last years matchup but only received limited carries. He had 21 yards on just four carries including Nebraska's only rushing touchdown in last years matchup. This year, the Hokies defense will see a lot more of Helu Jr. seeing that he's taken about 90% of the snaps this season for the Huskers. They do have two other running backs that they can rely on but the majority of their carries have come in the 4th quarter of Nebraska's first two games.

Defensive Impact Players

Senior Ndamukong Suh is probably the Cornhuskers best defensive player. At 6'4", 300 lbs, Suh is an athletic enough lineman to make plays as both a run stopper and a pass rusher. Suh had 6 total tackles in last years matchup, which also includes 1 tackle for loss. In the Huskers first two games this season, Suh has attained 12 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

Senior safety Larry Asante is a name Virginia Tech fans should be familiar with as the Hokies recruited him a few years ago. Larry is now the starting safety at Nebraska and currently leads the team in total tackles this season with 15. I'm not sold that Nebraska's defensive backs are much better than last years but if they want to control the Hokies passing attack, Asante is going to have to step up and make some plays for Nebraska.

Matchup To Watch

I think the biggest matchup to watch in this game is going to be the Hokies running backs vs the front seven of the Huskers defense. Obviously, Nebraska isn't going to have a top 10 defense this season but it will be a lot better D than what the Hokies saw against Marshall this past weekend. If Ryan Williams, JO, and David Wilson have success running the ball, it's going to be a long day for Nebraska. But, if they can contain them and keep Williams or Wilson from busting a big play then Nebraska's offense should be able to muster enough points to keep them close, if not leading heading into the 4th quarter.

Last Meeting

Of course, the last meeting between the two teams came last season when the Hokies traveled to Lincoln and walked away with a huge 35-30 win. The game really wasn't as close as the score indicated, Nebraska added a late touchdown with 50 seconds left to get within five after a masterful drive from Joe Ganz, but failed to recover the onside kick. Tech dominated the time of possession and won the turnover battle 2-1.

Prediction

I thought heading into last years game that Nebraska would probably beat us in their house but lose to us this year in Lane Stadium. Well, that wasn't the case as the Hokies won a huge matchup, showing the nation that Tech could travel on the road and knock off a big time opponent.

I think this years game will go along similar to last year. Virginia Tech should be able to score in this game and they should be able to develop a consist ground attack with Williams leading the way. If that happens and the Hokies don't turn the ball over, I would expect Tech to win by at least two touchdowns.

Nebraska will need to bring their A game in order to win and that's hard to do when you travel to a different time zone. Like I said earlier in this article, this game will come down to quarterback play, if Lee can handle the pressure from the crowd and the Virginia Tech defense, Nebraska will have a good chance to win. If not, Nebraska and their fans could have a long plane ride home.

Nebraska - 24
Virginia Tech - 37

Interesting Stats

Virginia Tech has the number 13th ranked rushing offense, Nebraska is ranked 37th respectively.

Nebraska has the 17th ranked passing offense, The Hokies are ranked 115th in the same category

Ryan Williams is 14th in the nation in rushing yards per game, Roy Helu Jr. is 22nd.

Nebraska has only 1 turnover this year, the Hokies have 3 so far.

Virginia Tech vs Marshall Game Highlights

Rumor Central: Stephan Virgil Done For The Year?

Stephan Virgil updated his facebook status yesterday saying "I hope this MRI goes well." Well, nothing has been made official but at this point, it does not look good for Virgil to play this weekend.

Cris Hill will start a field corner and Rashad Carmichael will switch over to boundary against the Herd.

Stephan tweaked his knee in the 4th quarter of the Alabama game and limped off of the field, never returning to game action after that.

Once something has been made official, I'll post it on here but as of now, I'm listing Virgil as Doubtful for this weekend's game and am hoping that it's nothing worse.

Marshall Thundering Herd Game Preview

After a disappointing opening weekend for the Hokies, it’s time to pick up the pieces and get back on track against an average Marshall team.

The Thundering Herd come into this game 1-0 overall after beating Southern Illinois 31-28 last weekend. It’s hard to tell how good Marshall is from this game but seeing that the Salukis are an FCS level team, Marshall isn’t going to be anything close to what the Hokies saw against Alabama last weekend.

Tech should be able to rebound nicely this coming weekend but in today’s game, nothing is certain anymore (see NIU vs Iowa game last weekend).

Also, for all of the VT fans that will be at this game, wear white. The White Out was a success last year and it appears that it could become an annual event… all the money goes to a good cause so why not chip in a few bucks and help out Herma’s Readers.

Without further adieu, on to the Marshall breakdown

Quarterback

Junior Brian Anderson was one of the lone bright spots for the Herd offense this past weekend as he finished his first game 27 of 36 passing for over 300 yards, three touchdowns and just one interception. Anderson has a strong arm and can sling it when his line gives him time too.

Behind Anderson on the depth chart are a slew of capable quarterbacks including sophomore Mark Cann and junior college transfers Press Taylor and Jacob Laudenslayer. Cann, who figures to be the primary backup, is a strong armed 6’5” quarterback that can make a lot of throws but is far less mobile than Anderson.

Running Back

The Herd had to play without junior running back Darius Marshall who was suspended for the opener due to drug charges back in the spring. Marshall should be available this weekend in Blacksburg so he could be a player to watch if he does indeed start this game.

Sophomore Terrell Edwards-Maye got the start and really struggled against the Salukis defense last weekend. Maye ran for just 28 yards on 15 carries. His backup, redshirt freshman Martin Ward, was a bit more effective running for 54 yards on just 14 carries. As you can tell, the running game clearly didn’t get going last week with Marshall on the sidelines.

Wide Receiver

In his first career game at Marshall, junior WR Chuck Walker had ten receptions for 119 yards. Walker, who is listed at 5’10” and 177 pounds, probably won’t have as big of a game against the Hokies defense but he looks to be Anderson’s favorite target.

Other than Walker, the Thundering Herd are pretty ordinary at wide receiver. Freshman Antavious Wilson and junior Wayne Bonner are possession wideouts that could have a really tough time getting open against the Hokies talented secondary. Other than those two, the Herd does have a few other wide receivers that will dress but nobody really stands out on the list as somebody that could break our defense.

Tight End

Cody Slate is s 6’4”, 229-pound senior that could be a first team All-Conference USA player by the end of the season. Slate caught nine passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns last weekend so stopping him is a must for the Hokies defense to completely shut down this Marshall team.

Offensive Line

Marshall allowed two sacks, 72 yards rushing, 316 yards passing, and eight tackles for loss last week against an FCS opponent. The Salukis were able to consistently get pressure on Brian Anderson and completely shutdown the Marshall rushing attack. The Hokies defensive line should have a lot of success in this aspect on Saturday, as Tech’s defensive lines could be one of the best and deepest in the ACC.

The line did return most of the players from last years group that only allowed 13 sacks all season but they allowed two last weekend and shows some signs of regression this year.

Offensive grade: C+

With Marshall at running back this could be a fairly good offense in conference-USA play but the Herd just doesn’t have the ponies to hang with the Hokies defense. I could see them scoring a touchdown or two but I think this could be a long day for Marshall’s offense.

Defensive Line

Senior DE Albert McClellan is one of the best linemen to come through Marshall University, as he should end up in the top five on the Herd’s career sacks list. McClellan needs just one and a half more sacks to advance to sixth on the all-time list.

However, other than McClellan, there’s not a whole lot on Marshall’s defensive front. The front seven of this defense really struggled against the Salukis giving up 105 rushing yards on just 28 attempts. The front four also only recorded two sacks in this game, one of which was McClellan’s 18th career sack.

Linebackers

Senior linebackers Brandon Burns and Mario Harvey are seasoned players but neither one is overly impressive. Burns finished with just five total tackles against Southern Illinois where as Harvey finished with just three and never seemed to be around the football much from what I saw on film.

This should be a pretty solid group by the end of the season but this group struggled a bit last weekend. By looking at the front seven, Tech’s three running backs should be able to have success against this group and get into the secondary fairly often as long as the Hokies offensive line holds up.

Defensive Backs

When your three of your top four leading tacklers for this season are defensive backs, you know your defense isn’t very good. Chris Dieker, the Salukis starting quarterback, shredded this secondary for 206 yards and converted 8 of their 14 3rd downs in the game as well.

So what’s the best cure for a horrible passing offense, well it could be this Marshall secondary. If the Hokies want to get back on track offensively and quiet the critics, they will need to have a big game against this secondary.

Defensive Grade: C-

While the front four is one of the best in Conference USA, the defense as a whole could struggle some against the Hokies speed and size on offense. I think the Hokies should be able to have a hundred yard rusher this weekend and would expect Tyrod to find some throwing lanes.

Final Prediction

The Hokies really need to come out this Saturday and make a statement win against this Marshall team. If Tyrod can throw for around 200 yards and if either Williams or Oglesby can get over the 100 yard mark, the critics could back off of the Hokies flailing offense for at least a week.

Marshall – 10
Virginia Tech – 34


Other Notables


Junior RB Darius Marshall, sophomore CB DeQuan Bembry and junior LB Corey Hart were all suspended for the season opener due to team rules violations this summer. Sophomore CB T.J. Drakeford was expected to start against Southern Illinois, but was on the sidelines in street clothes due to a lingering foot injury. Sophomore Ahmed Shakoor started in his place opposite junior D.J. Wingate.

Head Coach Mark Snyder is 16-31 in his tenure at Marshall as he in now in his 5th year as head coach.

The first meeting between these two occurred back in 1913 in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Hokies won that meeting 47-0. Virginia Tech is 7-2 all-time against the Herd and has not lost to Marshall since 1940. The two most recent meetings were in 2002 and 2005. Both of those meetings were in Blacksburg and the Hokies won both games by an average of 26.5 points (41-14, 47-21).

Jaymes Brooks, the Hokies starting right guard, missed the majority of the 4th quarter against Alabama due to cramps. He practiced on Monday and is good to go this Saturday.
Greg Boone injured himself early on in the Alabama game and is expected to play this Saturday as well.

Marshall is ranked 100th in the nation in net punting and 69th in kick return yardage defense.

Alabama Game Recap and Analysis

After six months of hype, a week chalked full of advertising, and 60 minutes of football; the game ended just as most college football pundits believed it would.
The Hokies traveled to Atlanta to take on a determined Alabama team and came up short, losing 34-24 in front of over 75-thousand.

As much as this loss hurts, Hokie fans needs to realize that there are 11 games left in this season, and in all eleven Virginia Tech will be favored. The reason for this is because the Hokies played pretty well on Saturday, for an ACC team that is.

Tech was able to prove that the top ACC team could hang with the top SEC team, a feat that went by the wayside last year when Clemson was mauled in the same building by the same team.

The Hokies started off this game slow, allowing two long Alabama drives, both of which ended in field goals for the Tide. However, on the returning kickoff, Dyrell Roberts raced 97 yards down the left sideline to give the Hokies the lead in the first quarter.

After Leigh Tiffin and Matt Waldron set of field goals, Alabama regained the lead after a masterful Bama touchdown drive that was capped by a 19 yard Roy Upchurch touchdown run.

However, the Hokies weren’t done as a turnover sparked some life into the Hokies offense as Ryan Williams busted through the offensive line to score his first career touchdown, giving Tech a 17-16 advantage at the half.

The third quarter saw a lot of body shots thrown, but both teams failed to land a haymaker.

That all changed as the fourth quarter saw a large outburst of scoring and it was the Tide who regained the lead on a Mark Ingram six yard touchdown run. McElroy was able to find Collin Peek, the tight end, in the back of the endzone for the two point conversion.

The Hokies turned the ball over on the next possession setting up another Leigh Tiffin field goal, which gave Alabama a ten point lead with just over ten minutes left.

After another beautiful Dyrell Roberts return, Tech was able to punch it in thanks in part to a 32 yard run by impact freshman Ryan Williams. Tech closed to within three but the Alabama offense was rolling and the tired Virginia Tech defense couldn’t stop it. On the next drive the Tide rolled 74 yards on just five plays to put the game out of reach on a 19 yard pass and catch to Mark Ingram.

Tech had one last offensive possession but the Tide defense sacked Tyrod twice and never gave the junior signal caller a chance.

Alabama was able to walk away victorious for the second year in a row in Atlanta, Georgia.

Analysis:

While many Virginia Tech fans will look to point fingers, the loss could be attributed to numerous amounts of factors. Simply, the Hokies were just outmanned and outgunned on the field tonight. Alabama had a more talented team and it showed but the tenacity of this team allowed Tech to stay in it until the very end.

But looking at it at a micro-level, Tech made far too many mistakes to overtake a talented Alabama team. Ryan Williams muffed a punt that lead to a field goal, Davon Morgan fumbled a kickoff, a phantom holding call took away a first down, and a pass interference call gave Alabama a first down even though the ball was uncatchable.

If any of those things bounced the other way, this could have been a completely different outcome.

The Bad:

As much as I like Tyrod Taylor, I thought at times tonight he appeared to be a little timid in the pocket; worrying about the rush more than what’s happening downfield. I say this without having looked at any of the game film. It appears that early on, Tyrod was determined to stay in the pocket more than taking off in running, something he would have done more often last season. Nevertheless, I don’t think you can put any blame on Tyrod’s play tonight. He managed the game well and didn’t turn the ball over.

The offensive line’s blocking in the fourth quarter was atrocious. Dechristopher at right tackle and Greg Nosal at right guard seemed to be lost at times tonight, especially on the last drive where both of those guys were responsible for the two sacks that ended Virginia Tech’s chances tonight.

I am really surprised that Rolando McClain wasn’t ejected from tonight’s game. After two personal fouls including one for shoving an official, McClain was not ejected from the game. For the cheap shot on Render and bumping into a referee, he should have been tossed. In an ACC basketball game, he would have been ejected as soon as he touched an official, not sure why that’s so different in football.

I’m not one to blame anything on the refs as there are always phantom calls or no calls that hurt each team. But it seems like the holding calls were just thrown in randomly. Now, if you ask any offensive lineman or defensive lineman, there’s “holding” going on, on every play. But while Tech got flagged for holding on a few key plays, Alabama got away with two big holds that allowed a few of their drives to keep going. Tech did get a few calls that went their way in this game but if your going to call holding call it consistently on both teams.

Who would have thought our defense would have had such a poor showing last night. Obviously, it wasn’t all there faults but Alabama did have a very good 3rd down conversion percentage so the defense could have saved themselves 10 to 15 plays if they just could have stopped the Alabama offense on third down. But, you very rarely expect an opponent to be able to put up 500 yards of total offense on a Bud Foster defense.

My final point here is one that should register with every Virginia Tech fan. Another shot of launching this program into the arms of the elite falls short due to problems that are consistently on going for this program. Lack of an elite level QB, lack of a great offensive line, and lack of creative play calling along with consistent execution plagued this team again tonight. For some reason we just cannot get over that hump.

The Good:

While this loss does hurt, I did see a lot of good things out of this team tonight. Two years ago, we couldn’t have even hung with these guys. This year, we hung with them and were a big play away from winning it at the end.

Ryan Williams was our offense tonight and boy is that kid going to be special. When
Evans comes back next season (I’m hoping he gets a medical redshirt making him a sophomore again, might be a bit tricky since he’s already redshirted but there’s a chance he could get one), Tech will have by far the best group of running backs in the nation. The Hokies may struggle a bit this year but boy are these guys going to be fun to watch.

How about Dyrell Roberts getting his first ever kick return TD in his young career. He was a few steps from breaking a couple last season, so it was nice to see him do this against the best team we’ll see this year. Hopefully he can take a few more back to the house this year.

Take away the last two possessions but our offensive line played reasonably well last night. Notice the words “Terrence Cody” never came out of either Herbie’s or Musberger’s mouth last night. Gotta give credit to Sergio and Warren for taking care of the big fella all night long. DeChristopher and Nosal struggled at the end but a large part of that was miscommunication.

After Ryan fumbled the punt return, Jayron Hosley was the man catching the punts the rest of the night. The one return he did have was pretty impressive as he eluded about five defenders before getting brought down for only a small gain. The kid is only a true freshman but it appears he has the “it” factor we need as a punt returner.

Sadly, Brent Bowden could have possibly been our MVP last night. Bowden boomed a couple of punts and really looked a lot more poised than he did last season.

Lasting Impression:

While it would have been nice to win this game, the Hokies at least were able to hang with the best team in the SEC and even slug them in the mouth a few times. It’s clear that the Hokies are not on that SEC level yet but since Tech doesn’t play in the SEC, that spells trouble for the rest of the conference since, let’s be honest, the ACC is pretty pathetic.

The Hokies should be favored in their 11 remaining games and honestly; we should probably win all 11 of our remaining games.

If we can get through September 3-1, watch-out because the Hokies national championship hopes might not be done yet.