A LITTLE SECRET

by Mad Jay

This week the Virginia Tech football team faces a great challenge - stare down a path that realistically leads to the ACC championship and take the first step. The initial obstacle to overcome is the Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech, Thursday night in Atlanta, Georgia.

In preparation for this game, I have reviewed countless hours of game film and interviews. This has led me to conclude that Georgia Tech is going to try something defensively that nobody could possibly predict, except me...........and maybe every other football fan of either Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech; every alumni of both schools; the concession-stand employees at the game on Thursday; Ralph Nader; and Tommy (the deaf, dumb and blind kid that The Who wrote a rock opera about). So by nobody, I guess I just meant Brian Stinespring. Anyway, this writer is predicting that Georgia Tech is going to blitz the holy-milk-and-cookies out of the Hokies.

For Virginia Tech to win this game they will need to stop three things - the blitz, the blitz and the blitz. The Yellow Jackets are going to come with the defensive rush on 1st down and 10, 3rd down and long, in the red zone, at midfield and maybe even if Bryan Randall is taking a knee at the end of the first half. If I were the coaching staff I would expect to be gang-rushed by all three starting Yellow Jacket linebackers and the strong safety as I arrived at the stadium getting off the team bus.

Until Virginia Tech defeats a blitzing defense, as properly demonstrated by Miami on Saturday against the NC State Wolfpack, teams are going to haunt Bryan Randall in the backfield. The defense of the Hokies can get the job done assuming that they cover this freshman phenom at wide receiver, Calvin Johnson. The special teams are back to playing the way I expect Hokie special teams to play.

So if Virginia Tech wants to finish the season strong it all starts with being able to handle the blitz in a raucous stadium in downtown Atlanta. As an eternal optimist, I raise my drink in hopes that the blitz is picked up and Virginia Tech returns to Blacksburg victorious! But if the Hokies lose this game by failing to pick up the blitz, you'd better buckle your seatbelts before reading next week's installment.

Go Hokies!