Thursday, October 27, 2005

VOLUME 006 ISSUE 009

TECHSUPERFANS (TM) - THE NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 006 ISSUE 009 (2005.10.27)

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CONTENTS
Game Review - vs. Maryland
Three Key Plays
Rants & Raves - For #1 and #2 to Fall
ACC Standings
Rankings
Hokie Trivia

Looking for a good place to catch the game? Visit
this site to find Hokie-friendly places and more!

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3 Key Plays
by "Mad" Jay

1) James Anderson intercepts a Maryland pass
deep in Hokie territory to kill a Terrapin drive
in the first quarter. Trailing on the road is a
recipe for disaster, and Anderson, who has been
playing so incredibly well this season and still
being overshadowed by Hall and Adibi, stepped up
and made a great pick to keep the game scoreless.

2) Vince Hall gets a personal foul called against
him on a 3rd down play in the second quarter where
the Hokies have the Terrapins stopped. The call
keeps the drive alive for Maryland and they kick a
field goal to make the game 7-3. These become the
first points scored off turnovers against Tech the
entire season, and they wouldn't have happened
without this mental breakdown by Hall. This is key
because in combination with two personal fouls on
Maryland's sole TD drive at the end of the game it
gives Bud Foster the ammunition to drive home the
importance of mental toughness. Without these silly
mistakes, Tech pitches the shutout. Against a better
team, these silly mistakes could be much more costly.

3) Following three consecutive drives where he had
thrown an interception in the third quarter, Marcus
Vick throws a perfect 6 yard pass to Jesse Allen out
of his own end zone on 2nd and 10 and then rushes for
11 yards on 3rd and 4 to kickstart a 99 yard drive
that would make the score 21-3. These were almost all
runs, but Vick calmly ran the offense despite those
three straight interceptions. QB Coach Kevin Rogers
can work on the interceptions with Vick, but that
type of poise and leadership on a drive when the game
was still very much in doubt, is an example of what
Marcus is truly capable of.


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Game Review - vs. Maryland
by "Mad" Jay

In every championship season there is at least one game where
the eventual championship team doesn't play up to it's best and
still comes away with a win. A team needs a few lucky ball
bounces or referee calls during a season. I don't begrudge them
this. Someone has to win and sometimes destiny appears to play
a role. Virginia Tech's game against Maryland was NOT this game
for the Hokies. But make no mistake, with the weaknesses I saw
in the Tech coaching and some of the mental errors the players
made, the close game is still coming.

The first quarter of last Thursday's game was a very good battle
between two hard-hitting teams. James Anderson's KEY pick on the
Hokie 12 yard line killed Maryland's deepest penetration of the
game until garbage time at the end of the game and the Hokies and
Terrapins slugged their way to a 0-0 score at the beginning of
the 2nd quarter. From there, Vick took the game over with his arm
and his legs. He put together an 80 yard scoring drive to take
the lead 7-0. He then threw a 48 yard pass to Clowney to the
Maryland 7 yard line and had a TD run on 3rd and goal taken away
by the fact that instant replay wasn't used. Vick stretched the
ball across the plane of the goal line on a play that would have
been on every highlight reel across the nation if it would have
been officiated correctly. Instead the ball was ruled down at the
one yard line, and wasn't reviewed. WHAT EXACTLY IS INSTANT
REPLAY FOR AGAIN!?!??!

So faced with 4th and goal, on the road, in the second quarter,
up only 7-0, Beamer made the right choice and kicked the field
goal to put the team up by two scores and take the crowd out of
it. No? Actually you are right, Beamer decided to be an idiot and
made a terrible decision to go for the TD. Fortunately,
Stinespring demonstrating his full understanding of the game, and
remembering all of this writer's insults from last season when he
called toss sweep plays on two 4th and shorts against Georgia
Tech, he decided to just punch the ball in up the middle. And he
had the big backs Branden Ore and George Bell in the game to do
it. No? Omigod you are right, he had little Mike Imoh in the game
to try and dive in.Imoh fumbled and Maryland recovered and drove
the ball back down the field and scored a field goal!!!!

Now I can swear to you that I did not second guess either of these
decisions - you can ask The Blonde - I was jumping up and down and
screaming at the TV when Beamer decided to go for it, at what an
indefensible call this was. When I saw Mike Imoh in the game, I
started foaming at the mouth and running around. And when I saw the
play call was to run Imoh up the middle and Imoh fumbled, I started
having convulsions and damn near swallowed my tongue and choked to
death.

But don't lose sight of the fact that Vick was able to lead the
team BACK down the field to answer the field goal. He had the Hokies
at the 1 yard line with first and goal. Again MIKE IMOH WAS IN THE
GAME!! To make matters worse, on third down (after a failed QB
sneak and a fumbled handoff) Imoh caught a pass out in the flat with
7 seconds left and didn't get out of bounds to stop the clock! I
didn't see the subsequent rushed field goal attempt that apparently
ricocheted off the upright leaving the Hokies with no points,
because I was out in our backyard drinking from our dog's water dish
and howling at the moon.

I have preached here before, and now I ask you to turn your hymnals
to page 432 - "Be Thou My Helper In The Strife". You see, coaches are
supposed to put their teams in positions to win the game, not be
obstacles to winning the game. If Tech is up 21-3, and it is the 4th
quarter, and they are at home, I can see going for a TD on 4th and
goal from the 1 yard line. Going for it up only 7-0, in the second
quarter, on the road means Beamer was an obstacle to his team's
chances of winning. Stinespring, by having little Mike Imoh in the
game on the goal line when you have a stud bigger back named Branden
Ore on the sideline is hurting his team's chance of winning. By not
coaching Mike Imoh to get out of bounds with 7 seconds left on the
clock at the end of the first half so that the field goal unit can
come on the field in an orderly manner, Billy Hite was hurting his
team's chances of winning.

I would have been disappointed in the players if Tech comes out of those
two situations with field goals instead of touchdowns, but I would have
given credit to Maryland's defense and moved on. This is a bigger point,
because it speaks to the coaches. Tech came away with no field goals,
no nothing, and against better teams (Boston College anyone?) that can
DEFINITELY be the difference between winning and losing. The coaches
need to come away from this game with a renewed commitment to goal line
offense. Let's move on.

The third quarter opened with a bang as Vick, apparently unfazed by the
debacle at the end of the first half, led the team on a TD drive capped
by Mike Imoh's TD run. I still disagree with Imoh being in there, but
give him credit for running his heart out to score from 2 yards out.
The Hokies were up 14-3. And then the craziness ensued.

Just as analyst Kirk Herbstreit predicted, Justin Hamilton made a pick
on Maryland's ensuing drive. The Hokies are famous for scoring points
in spurts with help from the defense and special teams. but Vick entered
a weird zone and threw the first of three consecutive drive-killing
interceptions to give the ball right back to Maryland. To Bud Foster's
credit the defense gave up exactly zero points from these three
interceptions. The defense in the second half was flat-out inspirational
(minus the stupid personal fouls at the very end). But let's break down
Marcus' three picks for just a second. After all he had thrown only two
all season.

First pick - using terrible fundamentals, Vick threw a lame duck off his
back foot and the ball hung up there for an easy interception. Vick made
the right read but didn't set himself and tossed a badly underthrown ball.
Rogers will chew on his ass for this one, and Vick knows better anyway. I
highly doubt we will see another pick like this the rest of the season.

Second pick - Vick made a poor read and didn't see D'Qwell Jackson
(Maryland's All-American linebacker) drop into coverage. He threw the ball
right to Jackson. It didn't look as bad upon review because Vick did look
the safety off, but I think he expected Jackson to be on a pass rush, not
back in coverage. Marcus prides himself on reading a defense and I imagine
he will spend even more time in the film room now. We're all human and
this could have just been a simple mistake.

Third pick - Worst pick of the night. Vick threw a pass on an inside route
too tall for TE Jeff King (which means it was VERY high) and it was
deflected into the Maryland DB's hands. This bothered me because it was
like the pick he threw against Marshall. Even if Jeff King (or in the
Marshall game, Josh Morgan) climbs the ladder to make a very tough catch,
he is exposed to a dangerously big hit from a safety. Vick was set in the
pocket, he wasn't under a lot of pressure, he just threw the ball too high.
On an outside route, a high throw is a safe throw. On the inside routes,
he has to keep that ball low or else injuries or interceptions can happen.
I imagine this is the pass he will put a lot of reps into this week during
practice. I couldn't see his body position clearly from the TV camera angle
but he may not be stepping into this throw as much as he needs to be.

After the third pick ended with zero Maryland points, Vick calmly led the
team on a 99 yard drive, including a KEY 11-yard QB draw on 3rd and 4 from
his own 7 yard line. With the way the Hokie defense was playing, this drive
iced the game at 21-3. But I would be remiss if I did not mention Branden
Ore in the 4th quarter. As if the coaches need any more proof that this
player is ready to contribute, all they need to do is watch his film from
the 4th quarter against Maryland.

Branden Ore changed the face of the running game when he came in. He ran
6 consecutive times on the final scoring drive to make the score 28-3.
The Terrapins knew he was coming and they couldn't stop him. On one play
he beat two Maryland players (one of them completely unblocked) to get a
first down. This is the type of gamebreaker that the Hokies need to truly
threaten the top teams and make the offense two-dimensional. Ore needs to
see meaningful snaps in the rest of the Hokies' games this season.
Rushing Cedric Humes back into action from his broken arm is more than
unnecessary. It is unfair to Humes, because, when he does return, I want
to see him contribute at the level he was at earlier this season as well
as not re-injure himself. And it is unfair to the team, because Ore has
shown the ability to take the running game to another level.

Listen closely folks, the Hokies are a top 5 team because they have good
talent. They do not have the all-around talent of a Texas or USC, but the
hallmark of the Hokies is taking care of the ball, taking it away from
their opponents and not making stupid penalties. Against Maryland, the
Hokies were awakening the ghosts of Ronyell Whitaker and Maurice DeShazo,
with personal fouls and turnovers. They just need to show the mental focus
and toughness from last year, and the talent of this year's team can take
them even farther. The coaches just need to make sure they give the team
the best chance to win possible. The Maryland game has made me nervous,
but I am excited about being at the Thursday night game against Boston
College and watching the improvements made from last week to this week.

GO HOKIES!!!!


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Rants & Raves - For #1 and #2 to Fall
by Brian "Where's the Ice?"

What will it take for #1 USC or #2 Texas to fall from their
current BCS rankings? This exists as part of the unavoidable
road to a Virginia Tech appearance in the Rose Bowl, this
season's national title game. Of course that pesky part of
Virginia Tech going [insert U-word here] for the season also
looms, but that probably won't matter if Texas or USC don't
lose. So in this piece I'll break down the games that I think
present the best odds of that happening, although I have very
reserved optimism that it actually will. Not to mention, I
really don't think the Hokies deserve their number 3 BCS
ranking this week. If Maryland caught a missed pass and a
questionable call didn't go the Hokies' way, fans could have
quite easily witnessed a Maryland 14-0 lead at the half of
that game.


USC vs. California, 10/29

California has all the firepower to beat USC. USC has a
better team, but if California uses its assets well enough,
the Golden Bears could have what it takes to storm the gates
of Troy.

On offense Cal will not try to focus on any of the USC
defensive weaknesses; they don't have any. Instead, Cal will
just try to do what they have done well this season so far:
running, running, running. Tailbacks Justin Forsett and
Marshawn Lynch have compiled a total of 867 and 653 yards,
respectively. In addition to their rushing, Cal also has
a pair of strong receivers in DeSean Jackson and Robert
Jordan, who have amassed 397 and 375 yards in receiving this
season.

So what should Cal do in their quest to unseat USC from the
numero uno spot? They should take advantage of USC's typcial
slow offensive start. USC tends to put their scoring off
until late in the game like a second semester Senior puts
off a term paper. If Cal can get out front early, and I
mean way out front, they could hang on to just barely contain
the USC fourth quarter offense.


Texas at Texas A&M, 11/25

Texas A&M in recent years has bounced between the high end of
mediocrity and the low end of good. This season doesn't tell
too different a story for them. In all likelihood, the
Longhorns will drop the hammer on the Aggies with a decisive
win, but I don't want to count Texas A&M out of the game yet.

First, and foremost, this game makes an annual, traditional
rivalry. This rivalry compares to that of Virginia Tech vs.
West Virginia or Virginia Tech vs. Virginia. If one team had
a lossless season and the other team had a winless season up
until this game, both teams would still come out of the gate
at full throttle. And the Aggies will do just that. Heart
over talent could win this game for them.

The simple mathematics of this contest, however, lend very
little support to the Aggies. Texas' passing protection just
buries the needle on A&M's. The Longhorns have produced nearly
double the defense the Aggies have so far this season. For
rushing defense, the numbers have some similarity, but Texas
still wins out in this stat by more than 100 yards.

As far as offense, the two teams have performed very
similarly. Texas wins out in most of the categories, but not
by much.

The real question mark here lies in the defense, and nobody
beats a top ten team without a formidable defense. So as long
as A&M crowns themselves with the conference's worst defense,
Hokie fans shouldn't hold their breath for too long that this
upset will happen


USC vs. UCLA, 12/3

I still favor USC in this match up, but out of all the chances
for the current number one or number two to fall, I think this
game has the best odds. Their game against Arizona State could
give them a win that propels them into the enthusiastic state
in which they need to play to beat USC, but at the same time a
loss could spiral them into a downtrodden mood of defeat. And
should the game of USC vs. Arizona State still lay ahead, I'd
cite that contest on this list too. ASU has what it takes to
beat USC, they just didn't come through with the W. UCLA has
an offense that nips right at the heels of the Trojans in stats.
While their defensive stats trail a little farther behind, they
have an ability to make a surprise impact on the USC offense.
The USC offense gets most of its yardage in one-shot big plays,
very inconsistent. If the UCLA defense can stop the big plays
that USC has executed this season, they will win.

To go into some more detail, USC has produced %30 more passing
offense than rushing. UCLA has performed better in their passing
defensive than that of their rushing, ranking as second in the
conference in that stat. If UCLA can, not necessarily shut down,
but contain the USC passing game, they will walk away from the
contest as the victors. UCLA has allowed very few passing plays
where the opposing offense gained thirty-five yards or more. USC
makes most of their big gains with Matt Lienart's long throws.

No, I haven't forgotten about a Heisman candidate named Reggie Bush. How
do you disable a Trojan when he has several weapons? You take away one
of his weapons forcing him to rely primarily on the other. The Bruins
must take the Trojan's spear forcing him to rely on his sword such that
they know his next move. [Editor's Note: You can read more about Sun
Tzu's strategies in his excellent book "The Art of War".]

Reggie Bush will put numbers in the rushing yards category as well as
points on the scoreboard. UCLA will need to adopt a strategy that
involves limiting the extent to which he can run, not eliminating him as
a factor. In that attempt they will not succeed. The key to limiting
Bush's running ability lies in making him their only reliable offensive
asset. To do that, UCLA must take away the long yardage passing asset
that the Trojans posses by closely marking the receivers.

UCLA's offense trails USC's significantly in individual stats except for
the one that matters most, points on the board. There, UCLA finishes a
close second to USC in the conference. What does that mean? They finish
their drives by getting the ball in the paint and through the uprights.
That matters big time, and that indicates that UCLA has the offensive
firepower to stand toe to toe with that of USC's.

UCLA has its largest weakness in rushing defense, and they can't
expect to suddenly improve upon that when Reggie Bush carries the ball.
UCLA will need to produce some big time offense to win this game, no
doubt, but they have the ability to do that, even against USC. The
question lies in their defensive strategy and their ability to execute
it.


The BCS

Last, but not least, you may notice that Texas actually rose to number
one in the BCS this week by gaining only two points in the computer
poll. Virginia Tech has its toughest opponents ahead on its schedule:
Boston College and Miami. And that doesn't count the ACC championship
in Jacksonville. The College Football world expects Florida State to
represent the Atlantic Division in this game, but don't count Boston
College out of that race either.

So what relevance do these facts hold? It could give the Hokies a bump
in the polls as well. Nonetheless, should Virginia Tech continue its
road to an unbeaten season and victory in Jacksonville, especially
against the Seminoles, that would only strengthen the Hokies' chances
of gaining enough points to pass Texas or USC without either of those
schools losing. Not likely, but it could happen.


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ACC Standings

ATLANTIC DIVISION
Florida State 4-1 6-1
Boston College 3-1 6-1
Maryland 2-2 4-3
Clemson 2-3 4-3
Wake Forest 2-3 3-5
NC State 1-4 2-4

COASTAL DIVISION
Virginia Tech 4-0 7-0
Miami 2-1 5-1
North Carolina 2-1 3-3
Georgia Tech 2-2 4-2
Virginia 2-3 4-3
Duke 0-5 1-7


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Rankings

--+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------
|AP |USA Today |BCS |TSF
--+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------
1|USC |USC |Texas |USC (2)
2|Texas |Texas |USC |Texas (1)
3|Virgnia Tech |Virginia Tech |Virginia Tech |Alabama
4|Georgia |Georgia |Georgia |Virginia Tech
5|Alabama |Alabama |Alabama |UCLA
6|Miami |Miami |UCLA |Georia
7|LSU |LSU |Miami |Miami
8|UCLA |UCLA |LSU |Notre Dame
9|Notre Dame |Florida State |Penn State |LSU
10|Florida State |Notre Dame |Florida State |Boston College
11|Penn State |Boston College|Oregon |Penn State
12|Ohio State |Penn State |Wisconsin |Florida State
13|Boston College|Ohio State |Ohio State |Wisconsin
14|Oregon |Oregon |Boston College|West Virginia
15|Wisconsin |Wisconsin |Notre Dame |Oregon
16|Florida |Texas Tech |Texas Tech |Texas Tech
17|Texas Tech |West Virginia |West Virginia |Northwestern
18|West Virginia |Florida |TCU |Ohio State
19|Auburn |Auburn |Florida |Aubrn
20|TCU |TCU |Minnesota |California
21|Northwestern |California |Northwestern |Florida
22|Fresno State |Minnesota |Aurburn |TCU
23|Tennessee |Northwestern |California |Minnesota
24|California |Fresno State |Colorado |UTEP
25|Michigan |Tennessee |Michigan |Michigan
--+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------


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---Writers:
"Mad" Jason Oakley
Anand "EhhTee" Trivedi
Brian "Where's The Ice?" Wrenn


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An EhhTee Production, llamas not included; 170.


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Disclaimer:
This news magazine is in no way affiliated with, or supported by,
Virginia Tech, the Virginia Tech Athletic Department, the NCAA, the
BCS, the Big East Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference or any
other organization other than EhhTee Productions. EhhTee Productions
is an institution created by the author of TechSuperFans for the
further advancement of the media through electronic means.

TechSuperFans and TechSuperFans.com are trademarks of EhhTee
Productions. EhhTee Productions and its staff are in no way
responsible for any losses or actions taken by its audience.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

VOLUME 006 ISSUE 008

TECHSUPERFANS (TM) - THE NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 006 ISSUE 008 (2005.10.20)

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CONTENTS
Game Preview - vs. Maryland
Rants & Raves - The Bye Weekend
ACC Standings
Rankings
Hokie Trivia

Looking for a good place to catch the game? Visit
this site to find Hokie-friendly places and more!

http://www.cwimedia.com/forfansbyfans.html


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Game Preview - vs. Maryland
by EhhTee

After a twelve day break, the Hokies travel to the National
Capital Region to take on the University of Maryland Terrapins
on Thursday night. The Virginia Tech Hokies (6-0, 3-0) are
coming off of a much needed bye-week that gave some of the
injured players time to heal.

The series between the two teams dates back to 1919. Maryland
has the lead at 15-12. However, the Hokies have dominated the
series in recent years. The Terrapins last victory in the series
dates back to 1990.

Maryland (4-2, 2-1) is also coming off a bye-week after
demolishing the pitiful Temple Owls (0-7). The Terrapins with
only two losses to West Virginia and Clemson are off to a season
that hasn't surprised many. Head coach Ralph Friedgen has brought
the team back into bowl contention and a victory Thursday would
give him and his team a good jump start into the second half of
the season.

The Terrapins are not going to be easily pushed around. They will
be fired up at home with a chance to knock off the number three
team in the country. With the Florida State loss to Virginia on
Saturday, Maryland coaches are sure to push the possibility of
another ACC upset.

Offensive Notebook

The running back core will surely take apart the Terrapins
defense. The return of Mike Imoh (Sr., #20), the success of
Branden Ore (r-Fr., #28) and George Bell (r-Fr., #34), and the
lackluster performance of the Maryland line against the run will
prove disastrous for the Maryland defense. The Terrapin defensive
line is young and undersized. Against the run, they rank 85th.

Where the Hokies may struggle is through the air. Maryland comes
in with the third ranked passing defense in the country. However,
they have not faced the likes of the maturing (on the field AND
during play) quarterback Marcus Vick (r-Jr., #5). He'll have
targets like David Clowney (Jr., #87), Jeff King (r-Sr., #90),
and Eddie Royal (So., #4) to select from, not to mention his ever
present threat to take off with the ball.

Defensive Notebook

The Hokie defense will face a balanced attack from Maryland
offense. Their offensive line is very young but has proven to be
able to protect quarterback Sam Hollenbach (Jr., #14) in the
passing game. Because the Terrapins are so balanced, it will be
important for the Hokies to shut them down early. If the Hokies
can shut down the run and get ahead early. It will force the
Terrapins into the air.

Key players to watch...

Hokie Offense

Mike Imoh returns to the lineup after sitting out against
Marshall. Watch for his reactions as he tests out his healed ankle.
Marcus Vick continues to prove himself on the field. Live on
national TV, he will try to prove that he deserves an invitation
to the Downtown Athletic Club in New York this December. Jeff King
is always a threat at the tight end position. King always seems to
produce results when given the chance. Hokie Defense Chris Ellis
(r-So., #49) is a formidable force at defensive end. He had eight
tackles against Marshall. Xavier Adibi (r. So., #11) had his first
interception of his career in the game against Maryland last year.
Watch for him to repeat last year's success. Cornerback Brandon
Flowers (r-Fr., #18) has received the nod to start against Maryland.
This will be his second career start. He returned an interception
for a touchdown in his last game.

Maryland Offense

Quarterback Sam Hollenbach will be the focus of the Hokie defense.
If they can shut him down, this will be no contest. Tailback Lance
Ball (So., #44) is the Terrapins leading rusher. He has 346 yards
on the year on 57 attempts. Danny Melendez (Sr., #85) is
Hollenbach's favorite target. It'll be very important for the
secondary to stick to him like glue.

Maryland Defense

Trey Covington (r-Fr., #55), defensive end, leads the Terrapins in
tackles. Watch for him to swarm to the ball on the run. Maryland
linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (Sr., #52) is probably their best
defensive player. Some would say that he's the best in the ACC. If
there's a tackle, he's likely to be involved. Gerrick McPhearson
(Sr., #38) is probably the Terrapins best out of the secondary. At
Cornerback, he is very likely to be stuck to Eddie Royal or David
Clowney.

Overall Outlook

The Hokies are going to be watched carefully by the entire college
football nation. They will be picked apart by analysts and coaches
across the country. This is a chance for the Hokies to prove
themselves worthy. The Hokies have a tendency to play down (and
sometimes up) to opponents' levels. Should the Hokies do that early,
they may lose some of their support in the rankings. This is the
Hokies chance to prove that they belong.

Injuries

Injurys to the running back core have been both problematic and a
blessing. Tech's go-to receiver Mike Imoh was out against Marshall
due to an ankle injury received prior to the Marshall game. Cedric
Humes (r-Sr., #32), the second in the rotation of experience backs,
got the nod to start against the Thundering Herd, but was quickly
injured (ankle as well). Imoh is set to return this week, while
Humes will most likely sit this one out.

Defensive end Noland Burchette (r-Jr., #96) will be returning as
Chris Ellis's backup. His injury to a tricep should be healed up
for Thursday.

At Defensive Tackle, Carlton Powell (r-So., #99) will also be
returning as the number two to Tim Sandidge (r-Sr.). Powell also
had an ankle injury.

The Golden Bell

Virginia Tech recruiting at the backs positions was quickly
tested as redshirt freshmen Branden Ore and George Bell were sent
in to carry the load against Marshall. Hokie recruiting has once
again proven that they can find gold as Ore rushed for an
impressive 146 yards in the game against Marshall. Both Ore and
Bell scored touchdowns in both the Marshall game and the Duke
game.

ACC Too Strong For It's Own Good

The ACC continues to take itself apart as its middle core is
always a threat to knock out the national contenders. Last
weekend’s Virginia win over Florida State is not comforting for
Hokie fans as it was that same Cavalier team that lost to the
Terrapins. And yet, the Terrapins have also fallen to West
Virginia.

BCS

The first Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings came out on
Monday placing the Hokies third behind USC and Texas. It's almost
certain that this will be on the back of the players' minds as they
prepare for this game. If all three teams were to win out, it
appears that the Hokies would be the odd team out. It is up to the
coaching staff, under the leadership of a now well paid head coach
Frank Beamer, to make sure that the players focus on this game only.

The Ocho

The game is an ESPN Thursday game giving the Hokies a tremendous
advantage. The Hokies are 10-1 on ESPN on Thursday night. Their
last game on Thursday night was against the Terrapins in Blacksburg
last year. The Hokies won 55-6.


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Rants & Raves - How the Bye-Week affected the Hokies
by "Mad" Jay

The 3rd ranked Hokies didn't play this past weekend, but there
were repercussions that shaped the landscape of the rest of
Virginia Tech's season. Let's get right into it -

USC beats Notre Lame

This was the best football game I have seen in the past two
years. My view on how football should be played and how both
teams should leave everything they have on the field was
personified in this contest. By being pushed to the brink and
surviving, USC showed that they have the grit and toughness
to overcome any circumstance. It is going to take a flawless
game from anyone intending to beat USC. And while the Heisman
award has become a joke to me already, if Reggie Bush doesn't
win it this year, they may as well stop
giving the award.

Unfortunately a USC loss would have allowed VT to control its
own destiny, but as of right now, Texas or USC is very likely
going to have to lose for the Hokies to be in the title game
and I don't care what the first BCS standings reflect. It only
matters what the second-to-last BCS standings show to
determine who plays in the title game. Of more importance to
me watching this game was how Notre Lame and coach Charlie
Weis handled a blitzing aggressive defense. I plead for Tech
offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring to carefully review
this film - not as game preparation if the Hokies are
fortunate enough to play USC in the Rose Bowl, but as game
preparation against ALL of our upcoming opponents. The Irish
used a dizzying array of quick-hit runs, screen plays, QB draws
up the middle and three-step-drop slants and fades as a
definitive answer to the blitz. Notre Lame executed these plays
to the tune of 31 points against the Trojans. It would be my
wildest dream that Stinespring incorporate a few of these plays
in Tech's upcoming games against defenses that are sure to blitz.

Louisville loses to WVU

By making an improbable and phenomenal three-overtime comeback
against the Cardinals, West Virginia put itself in the driver's
seat to win the Big East, join the Top 25 rankings and boost
Virginia Tech's schedule strength in a major way. You will never
hear me say Let's Go 'Neers, but it helped Tech that they came
back and beat Louisville.

Wake Forest loses to Boston College

This was important for two reasons: first, Tech needed Boston
College to make a huge comeback (at home by the way) and win
this game to help schedule strength, and second, Wake Forest
exposed a huge weakness in Boston College's ball security
(five turnovers). Virginia Tech is top five in the nation in
turnover margin. Unfortunately BC has a bye this week to
prepare for Tech and don't be surprises if the Hokies have to
deal with both Quinton Porter and Matt Ryan in its Thursday
night contest.

Florida State loses to Virginia

Wow. This is why you have to love college football. Anyone
and everyone knew Florida State would win. Virginia had lost
half it's offensive line, Florida State's defense is a top
five defense and their passing game was starting to get hot.
Two of my all-time least favorite top vie (Notre Lame, Miami
and whoever's playing the Hokies make up the other three
spots) in the entire world were playing each other, but
unfortunately Tech needed Florida State to pull out a win.
Instead two bad things have happened - Virginia gets an
enormous confidence boost, a season changing boost that can
turn a team around, AND, if Florida State makes the ACC
title game and the Hokies are fortunate enough to get there,
it will only be Tech playing with incredible pressure since
the Seminoles were eliminated from the national title picture
with this loss.

Penn State loses to Michigan

I simply list this here because another traditional power has
fallen from the unbeaten ranks. Penn State had a chance to make
a claim for the title game, but lost it when they couldn't stop
Michigan from scoring a touchdown on 4th down with one second
left.

Clemson killed NC State

Last but not least, The Fighting Amatos are killing Virgina
Tech's strength of schedule. Chuck Amato studied for too long
under the Bobby Bowden School of Zero-Discipline and now
penalties, turnovers and mental mistakes have ruined a program
with ridiculous talent. All NC State can do for the Hokies now
is knock off Florida State in Tallahassee to potentially keep
the Seminoles out of the ACC title game.

The Hokies used this week to get Imoh and Adibi healthy and
the rest of the team ready to go for a night time road game at
Maryland where the Terrapins will be out for revenge from last
year's 55-6 shellacking. I hope that this weekend's games
showed Tech that each game is going to be a battle from here
on out and it will take every ounce of ability, focus, mental
toughness and heart to reach the team's goals. Any game where
those factors aren't present put this season at great risk.
There isn't much sense in speculating on "what-ifs" at this
point. From now until the end of the season it's time to
concentrate on "what is".

GO HOKIES!


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ACC Standings

ATLANTIC DIVISION
Boston College 3-1 6-1
Florida State 3-1 5-1
Maryland 2-1 4-2
Clemson 2-3 3-3
NC State 1-3 2-3
Wake Forest 1-3 2-5

COASTAL DIVISION
Virginia Tech 3-0 6-0
Miami 2-1 5-1
Georgia Tech 2-2 4-2
Virginia 2-2 4-2
North Carolina 1-1 2-3
Duke 0-4 1-6


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Rankings

--+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------
|AP |USA Today |BCS |TSF
--+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------
1|USC |USC |USC |USC
2|Texas |Texas |Texas |Virginia Tech
3|Virgnia Tech |Virginia Tech |Virginia Tech |Texas
4|Georgia |Georgia |Georgia |Georgia
5|Alabama |Alabama |Alabama |UCLA
6|Miami |Miami |LSU |Notre Dame
7|LSU |LSU |Texas Tech |Alabama
8|UCLA |Texas Tech |Miami |Texas Tech
9|Notre Dame |UCLA |UCLA |Miami
10|Texas Tech |Florida State |Penn State |Penn State
11|Florida State |Boston College|Florida State |Boston College
12|Penn State |Notre Dame |Boston College|LSU
13|Boston College|Ohio State |Oregon |Auburn
14|Ohio State |Penn State |Wisconsin |Tennessee
15|Oregon |Auburn |Ohio State |Ohio State
16|Auburn |Oregon |Notre Dame |Wisconsin
17|Tennessee |Wisconsin |West Virginia |Oregon
18|Florida |Tennessee |Auburn |Virginia
19|Wisconsin |Florida |Tennessee |Northwestern
20|West Virginia |West Virginia |Florida |Michigan State
21|TCU |TCU |TCU |Florida
22|Michigan State|Michigan State|Minnesota |Michigan
23|Virginia |California |Nebraska |Nebraska
24|Fresno State |Virginia |Michigan State|TCU
25|California |Minnesota |California |NC State
--+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------


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TSF Trivia - How about the number six?

(1) The Hokies have opened their season with SIX consecutive
wins for the tenth time in school history.

(2)The Hokie defense has only allowed SIX touchdowns in this
season.

(3) The Hokies have won SIX of their seven ESPN Thursday
night contests at Lane Stadium

(4) Thursday night's game will make the appearance number
TWELVE (not six, but divisible by six) for the Hokies on
ESPN's Thursday night football match up.

(5) The Hokies defense ranks third in the nation in passing
defense. They've only allowed 133 yards per game this season.

(6) TSF creates its poll much the same way as the AP and USA
Today, only with much fewer entries. All members contribute
their weekly rankings. Each rank holds a value in points.
Those points add together to create a total for each team
present in any of the rankings. TSF orders the teams from
highest points to lowest, and that produces TSF's rankings.


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---Writers:
"Mad" Jason Oakley
Anand "EhhTee" Trivedi
Brian "Where's The Ice?" Wrenn


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Disclaimer:
This news magazine is in no way affiliated with, or supported by,
Virginia Tech, the Virginia Tech Athletic Department, the NCAA, the
BCS, the Big East Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference or any
other organization other than EhhTee Productions. EhhTee Productions
is an institution created by the author of TechSuperFans for the
further advancement of the media through electronic means.

TechSuperFans and TechSuperFans.com are trademarks of EhhTee
Productions. EhhTee Productions and its staff are in no way
responsible for any losses or actions taken by its audience.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Maryland Preview

by EhhTee

After a twelve day break, the Hokies travel to the National Capital Region to take on the University of Maryland Terrapins on Thursday night. The Virginia Tech Hokies (6-0, 3-0) are coming off of a much needed bye-week that gave some of the injured players time to heal.

The series between the two teams dates back to 1919. Maryland has the lead at 15-12. However, the Hokies have dominated the series in recent years. The Terrapins last victory in the series dates back to 1990.

Maryland (4-2, 2-1) is also coming off a bye-week after demolishing the pitiful Temple Owls (0-7). The Terrapins with only two losses to West Virginia and Clemson are off to a season that hasn't surprised many. Head coach Ralph Friedgen has brought the team back into bowl contention and a victory Thursday would give him and his team a good jump start into the second half of the season.

The Terrapins are not going to be easily pushed around. They will be fired up at home with a chance to knock off the number three team in the country. With the Florida State loss to Virginia on Saturday, Maryland coaches are sure to push the possibility of another ACC upset.

Offensive Notebook

The running back core will surely take apart the Terrapins defense. The return of Mike Imoh (Sr., #20), the success of Branden Ore (r-Fr., #28) and George Bell (r-Fr., #34), and the lackluster performance of the Maryland line against the run will prove disastrous for the Maryland defense. The Terrapin defensive line is young and undersized. Against the run, they rank 85th.

Where the Hokies may struggle is through the air. Maryland comes in with the fifth ranked passing defense in the country. However, they have not faced the likes of the maturing (on the field AND during play) quarterback Marcus Vick (r-Jr., #5). He'll have targets like David Clowney (Jr., #87), Jeff King (r-Sr., #90), and Eddie Royal (So., #4) to select from, not to mention his ever present threat to take off with the ball.

Defensive Notebook

The Hokie defense will face a balanced attack from Maryland offense. Their offensive line is very young but has proven to be able to protect quarterback Sam Hollenbach (Jr., #14) in the passing game. Because the Terrapins are so balanced, it will be important for the Hokies to shut them down early. If the Hokies can shut down the run and get ahead early. It will force the Terrapins into the air.

Key players to watch

Hokie Offense
  • Mike Imoh returns to the lineup after sitting out against Marshall. Watch for his reactions as he tests out his healed ankle.

  • Marcus Vick continues to prove himself on the field. Live on national TV, he will try to prove that he deserves an invitation to the Downtown Athletic Club in New York this December.

  • Jeff King is always a threat at the tight end position. King always seems to produce results when given the chance.
Hokie Defense
  • Chris Ellis (r-So., #49) is a formidable force at defensive end. He had eight tackles against Marshall.

  • Xavier Adibi (r. So., #11) had his first interception of his career in the game against Maryland last year. Watch for him to repeat last year's success.

  • Cornerback Brandon Flowers (r-Fr., #18) has received the nod to start against Maryland. This will be his second career start. He returned an interception for a touchdown in his last.
Maryland Offense
  • Quarterback Sam Hollenbach will be the focus of the Hokie defense. If they can shut him down, this will be no contest.

  • Tailback Lance Ball (So., #44) is the Terrapins leading rusher. He has 346 yards on the year on 57 attempts.

  • Danny Melendez (Sr., #85) is Hollenbach's favorite target. It'll be very important for the secondary to stick to him like glue.
Maryland Defense
  • Trey Covington (r-Fr., #55), defensive end, leads the Terrapins in tackles. Watch for him to swarm to the ball on the run.

  • Maryland linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (Sr., #52) is probably their best defensive player. Some would say that he's the best in the ACC. If there's a tackle, he's likely to be involved.

  • Gerrick McPhearson (Sr., #38) is probably the Terrapins best out of the secondary. At Cornerback, he is very likely to be stuck to Eddie Royal or David Cloney.
Overall Outlook

The Hokies are going to watch carefully by the entire college football nation. They will be picked apart by analysts and coaches across the country. This is a chance for the Hokies to prove themselves worthy. The Hokies have a tendency to play down (and sometimes up) to opponents' levels. Should the Hokies do that early, they may lose some of their support in the rankings. This is the Hokies chance to prove that they belong.

Injuries

Injuries to the running back core have been both problematic and a blessing. Tech's go-to receiver Mike Imoh was out against Marshall due to an ankle injury received prior to the Marshall game. Cedric Humes (r-Sr., #32), the second in the rotation of experience backs, got the nod to start against the Thundering Herd, but was quickly injured (ankle as well). Imoh is set to return this week, while Humes will most likely sit this one out.

Defensive end Noland Burchette (r-Jr., #96) will be returning as Chris Ellis's backup. His injury to a tricep should be healed up for Thursday.

At Defensive Tackle, Carlton Powell (r-So., #99) will also be returning as the number two to Tim Sandidge (r-Sr.). Powell also had an ankle injury.

The Golden Bell

Virginia Tech recruiting at the backs positions was quickly tested as redshirt freshmen Branden Ore and George Bell were sent in to carry the load against Marshall. Hokie recruiting has once again proven that they can find gold as Ore rushed for an impressive 146 yards in the game against Marshall. Both Ore and Bell scored touchdowns in both the Marshall game as well as the Duke game.

ACC Too Strong For It's Own Good

The ACC continues to take itself apart as its middle core is always a threat to knock out the national contenders. Last weekendÂ’s Virginia win over Florida State is not comforting for Hokie fans as it was that same Cavalier team that lost to the Terrapins. And yet, the Terrapins have also fallen to West Virginia.

BCS

The first Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings came out on Monday placing the Hokies third behind USC and Texas. It's almost certain that this will be on the back of the team's mindsas they prepare for this game. If all three teams were to win out, it appears that the Hokies would be the odd team out. It is up to the coaching staff, under the leadership of a now well paid head coach Frank Beamer, to make sure that the players focus on this game only.

The Ocho

The game is a ESPN Thursday game giving the Hokies a tremendous advantage. The Hokies are 10-1 on ESPN on Thursday night. Their last game on Thursday night was against the Terrapins in Blacksburg last year. The Hokies won 55-6.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

VOLUME 006 ISSUE 007

TECHSUPERFANS (TM) - THE NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 006 ISSUE 007 (2005.10.13)

Would you like to receive this newsletter in you inbox?
Come check us out at http://groups.yahoo.com/techsuperfans!

CONTENTS
Game Review - Versus Marshall
Three Key Plays
Mid-Season Review & Outlook
ACC Standings
Rankings
Predictions
Hokie Trivia

Looking for a good place to catch the game? Visit
this site to find Hokie-friendly places and more!

http://www.cwimedia.com/forfansbyfans.html


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Game Review - Versus Marshall
by Brian "Where's the Ice?"

Virginia Tech's offense came out of the gates slowly in the first half only putting two touchdowns on the board while the defense allowed one scored by Marshall. The Hokies seemed lifeless for most of the second half where scoring took them long drives that progressed at a sluggish rate. Quarterback Michael Vick threw his second interception of the season, a passed that bounced off of Josh Morgan's hands into Marshall's Chris Royal's hands, brother to Eddie Royal of the Hokies.

To add to the dismay of the second half, Virginia Tech running back Cedric Humes sustained a broken arm. Humes underwent surgery on Sunday. Some sources report he has a status of doubtful for the game versus Maryland on October 20, and others report he could miss up to six weeks in recovery. This weakened the Virginia Tech running squad even further due to Mike Imoh's sitting out this game due to an ankle injury. The Hokies plan to dress him in the game against Maryland.

In effort to get the Hokie offense back into full form, Branden Ore rose to number one on the depth chart for the remainder of the afternoon. He and the Hokie offense began to produce very soon after his entry into the game with his fourteen yard touchdown run. This put the Hokies up by seven going into halftime.

During the second half, the Hokies played quite differently. Their offense produced seventeen points during a time span of three minutes and twenty-nine seconds midway through the third quarter. Brandon Pace hit a field goal, Vince Hall returned a fumble for a touchdown, and David Clowney caught a forty-eight yard touchdown pass. This very quickly produced the offense that the Hokies had lacked through most of the first half. You could say they had made up for lost time.

Branden Ore amply filled the shoes of Cedric Humes and Mike Imoh by amassing 146 yards over 19 carries. The Hokie offense, mostly in the second half, produced 409 yards of offense, 176 in passing and 233 in rushing. The Hokie defense contained the Thundering Hurd's offense very well most of the game, and they forced a fumble that they turned into a touchdown during the same play. However, if a team like Marshall can rush for 164 yards while passing for 117 against Virginia Tech, Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster needs to whip his squad into better shape prior to the bigger in-converence games to come soon.

This almost Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide performance will simply not cut it when playing the powerhouses Miami and Boston College. If Virginia Tech's offense plays as stagnantly as they did through most of the first half, Miami and Boston College could have the score run to a number tough to match in the second half. I don't know whether the Hokie players didn't get themselves fired up enough to play because they didn't calculate Marshall as a formidable opponent or whether they just didn't have the chemistry Hokie fans have seen over the passed several games. Somewhere late in the second quarter, maybe sourced in anxiety over Humes' injury, the Hokies turned on the jets and began playing like the scoring offense and defensive machine that they ACC has come to know over the past season and a half.

This week, the Hokies get the week off from play, so Virginia Tech fans can take the week to catch another game or two as a prognosis of what lies down the road this season in Hokie opponents.


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Three Key Plays
by "Mad Jay"

1) Cedric Humes breaks his ulna (one of the bones in his forearm) during pass-protection midway through the 2nd quarter. As everyone who reads TSF knows I have been down on Humes since he hurt his leg in spring practice 2004. He flat out has not been the same back. HOWEVER, I must admit that he was coming back to form this year. His performance against WVU and Marshall were genuinely starting to look like the tackle-breaking Humes of old. I still don't think Humes is an NFL-caliber back, but I truly feel bad for this senior who has been a leader on the team especially with his output lately.

The reason this is a key play though is because it introduced running back Branden Ore to the rest of the country. One-hundred forty-six yards and 20 broken tackles later, they know who Branden Ore is. I saw Ore up close and in person against Duke and this kid is the real deal. Barring injury he will be a star. His performance against Marshall sets the stage for a Mike Imoh/Branden Ore backfield that will be extremely potent the rest of this season, with another super back-up in George Bell. This revamped running attack should help reduce some of the pressure on Marcus Vick. Again, let's appreciate Humes and look forward to his return by the end of the season, while at the same time get excited about Branden Ore continuing the lineage of stud running backs at Virginia Tech.

2) Brandon Pace converts a 19 yard FG to close out the first drive of the second half. The Hokies came out hot in the 3rd quarter and set the tone for the rest of the game. The drive let Marshall and the Hokie fans know that the team had responded to a very unfocused effort in the first half.

3) On the second play after the Brandon Pace FG, Chris Ellis stays at home on a bootleg and forces a fumble by Marshall QB Bernie Morris. The ball goes straight up in the air and is hauled in by Vince Hall who rumbles in for the touchdown. This makes the score 24-7 and essentially puts the game out of reach.


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Mid-Season Review & Outlook
by "EhhTee"

Back from his five week hiatus in India, "EhhTee" has returned fired up to comment on some College Football!


History of the World – Okay Just Football – According To EhhTee

With the unofficial mid-point of the season behind us, it’s time to look back at all the little things that make us mad and make us glad. Having spent a month in countries where they play another kind of football and that baseball-looking sport with a flat bat, I’ve only now begun to pick up on the wonders of another great college football season. The Virginia Tech Hokies are, of course, flying high. Where’s the Ice and MadJay have kept you well informed so far. So grab a frosty beverage, strap on your helmet, and join me on a magic carpet ride back through the first half of the season.


Instant Replay

Instant replay has made its way into Division I-A college football this year. Hold on. Wait a moment…

Yes, upon further review, instant replay has made its way into Division I-A college football. A year after the Big Ten experiment with it, the NCAA has adopted the rule to ensure the referees get the calls right.

Never could I be called a fan of instant replay, but I do think the current scheme is working. Unlike its NFL counterpart, the NCAA rule only allows for booth reviews of on-field calls. That is to say, the coaches don’t have that ridiculous red flag (It clashes with most team colors anyway and only Bill Cower can really pull it off. He’s so dreamy!) The challenges come only from officials in the enigmatic booth upstairs. It is a good attempt to ensure two things: the refs get the call right and there will always be peace on earth.


The Florida State University Native American Heritage and Remembrance Team from La Florida

The Seminoles are a tribe of Native Americans who reside in the state of Florida. The Seminoles are a tribe of Native Americans who reside in the state of Oklahoma. These are two distinct and separate tribes. One takes pride in the usage of their name as the symbol and mascot of one of their state’s prominent universities. The other takes offense to such “disgrace” of their heritage. The latter saw fit to complain (later reversing its position on the matter) and now the proud Florida State Seminoles, along with seventeen other schools with Native American themed mascots, may be forced to change their name or face banishment from post-season play.

My only question is: who’s next? Will PETA go after Boston College for using an endangered species as its mascot (Eagle)? How about we send in Green Peace to take out the Stanford for using a tree on their uniforms? Will the Sinn Féin scold Notre Dame for the slanderous Fighting Irish mascot? Does the Velcro industry will have a big problem with the Akron Zips?

What about the Hokies? Well, I think since most of the country doesn’t know what a Hokie is, nobody’s going to have a complaint about them.


The So Called Number One

Okay, I’ll admit that twenty-seven straight victories is impressive. I’ll even admit that USC might be the greatest team of this decade to date. But at 5-0, this year’s Trojans have some chinks that can be easily penetrated by three power-packed teams they have yet to face. This weekend will be their biggest test to date as they go to South Bend to face the surging Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I may be convinced of their supremacy if they board the plane Saturday night with a win. But I don’t think that’s going to happen.

The Trojans also still have to face UCLA (pronounced oo-kala) and California. These are two very powerful teams and had it not been for a UCLA victory over Cal last weekend both teams would be .


Georgia on My Mind

On the opposite coast we come to sleepy Athens, GA. The University of Georgia Bulldogs are atop the SEC East and have never looked better. Last weekend they left their cozy town to travel to Knoxville, TN. Neyland Stadium, home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers, is one of the toughest places to play in all of college football. Georgia proved their domination of the SEC East, and perhaps the entire SEC with an impressive victory over the Volunteers. Georgia is playing the best football in the country right now.


The Insanity That Is the Big Ten

Michigan is 3-3. Ohio State is 3-2. Penn State, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are atop the conference. Where did this come from? The Big Ten is in a state of upheaval. Michigan faces red-hot Penn State this weekend and is in danger of posting their worst start since 1967. Ohio State, who was favored to win the conference, was stunned in Happy Valley by Penn State last weekend.

Joe Paterno is leading his Penn State Nittany Lions to one of the greatest turn-arounds in college football. Last year the Lions were an abysmal 4-7. The year before, they were even worse with a record of 3-9. What’s more, the Lions are 3-0 in conference with victories over Ohio State, Minnesota, and Northwestern. Those three wins equal the sum total of the Lion’s Big Ten wins in 2003 and 2004 combined.

Coincidentally, the last time the Lions defeated Ohio State was in 2001. The victory was Joe Paterno’s 324th win. At the time, he became the winningest coach in NCAA Division I-A passing Bear Bryant. Paterno is currently second to Bobby Bowden who passed him recently.


Notre Dame Not So Lame?

In another turn around story, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have surprised many with a 4-1 start. An offense fueled by a coach that knows how to make a lot from a little, a stubborn defense that knows how to keep teams out of the red zone, and maybe even a little bit of Irish luck have brought the hype, and the hoopla, back to South Bend.

Last year, Charlie Weis left his job as offensive coordinator of the NFL champion New England Patriots to coach his alma mater Notre Dame. He has been able to reinvigorate the team and has given the Irish faithful hopes of a BCS bid. He even let a terminally ill kid call a play on the field making the Charlie Weis story my nominee for this year’s “Awwwwwww” Award.


ACC Expansion

Not a surprise to true SuperFans, the Hokies are the cream of the crop in the newly expanded ACC. However, if we recall one of the motivation behind the expansion, was to bring in Miami to boost the conferences overall strength. Enter the Hokies. No one ever suspects the Spanish Inquisition, and no one expected the Hokies to be the perennial powerhouse of the ACC.

However, with three teams in the top 10, and perhaps the strongest middle-tier teams in Boston College, Maryland, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, and Virginia, the ACC is the strongest conference in Division I-A football.


Big Least

Even less surprising is the dismal performance by the recovering Big East. Perhaps the worst BCS-eligible conference, the Big East is struggling to keep its teams ranked. West Virginia and Louisville are mediocre teams that are playing some of the worst teams in the Division and at times struggling to beat them. Louisville had major trouble with lowly Kentucky and lost to South Florida.


It Takes TWO to Make a Thing Go Right

Here we are again. Nine teams are still . The top three teams could potentially run the table and what do we have? The 2004 situation could be repeating itself in 2005. Last year three teams finished without a loss and Auburn was left out of the championship game. This year the Hokies sit in the same spot the Tigers sat last year. Will it happen again? Only time and the rest of the season can tell.


Game to watch this week:


Thursday, October 13
Clemson at NC State, ESPN, XM Channel 191, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 15
Wake Forest at Boston College, JP/Raycom, XM Channel 191, 12:00 pm
Miami at Temple, FSN, XM Channel 192, 1:00 pm
Georgia Tech at Duke, ESPNU, XM Channel 193, 3:30 pm
Florida State at Virginia, ESPN, XM Channel 193, 7:45 pm
USC at Notre Dame, NBC, 3:30 PM
Colorado at Texas, ABC, 3:30 PM


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ACC Standings

ATLANTIC DIVISION
Florida State 3-0 5-0
Boston College 2-1 5-1
Maryland 2-1 4-2
NC State 1-2 2-2
Wake Forest 1-2 2-4
Clemson 1-3 2-3

COASTAL DIVISION
Virginia Tech 3-0 6-0
Miami 2-1 4-1
North Carolina 1-1 2-3
Georgia Tech 1-2 3-2
Virginia 1-2 3-2
Duke 0-3 1-5


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Rankings

---+----------------+----------------+----------------
| AP | USA Today | TSF
---+----------------+----------------+----------------
1 | USC | USC | USC
2 | Texas | Texas | Texas
3 | Viringia Tech | Viriginia Tech | Virgina Tech
4 | Florida State | Georgia | Georgia
5 | Georgia | Florida State | Florida State
6 | Alabama | Miami | Alabama
7 | Miami | Alabama | UCLA
8 | Penn State | LSU | Penn State
9 | Notre Dame | Notre Dame | Texas Tech
10 | LSU | Penn State | Notre Dame
11 | Florida | Texas Tech | Miami
12 | UCLA | UCLA | California
13 | Texas Tech | Florida | Boston College
14 | Boston College | Boston College | LSU
15 | Ohio State | Ohio State | Florida
16 | Michigan State | California | Tennesee
17 | Tennesee | Michigan State | Auburn
18 | California | Tennessee | Oregon
19 | Louisville | Louisville | Minnesota
20 | Oregon | Aubrun | Michigan State
21 | Auburn | Oregon | Wisconsin
22 | Minnesota | Minnesota | Nebraska
23 | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Colorado
24 | Colorado | Colorado | Northwestern
25 | TCU | West Virginia | NC State
---+----------------+----------------+----------------


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Predictions
by Brian "Where's the Ice"


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TSF Trivia
Some ACC Honors

(1) The ACC honored Hokie linebacker Vince Hall Monday afternoon (10/10/2005) for his level of play against Marshall. He made ten tacles, three of which me made solo. He also had two quarterback hurries.

(2) On October 3, the ACC co-honored Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick along with Wake Forest quarterback Cory Randolph as best offensive backs of the day during their defeats of West Virginia and Clemson respectively.

(3) On September 26, the ACC honored Hokie tight end Jeff King as the ACC Offensive Lineman of the week for his performance in Virginia Tech's victory over Georgia Tech.


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---Writers:
"Mad" Jason Oakley
Anand "EhhTee" Trivedi
Brian "Where's The Ice?" Wrenn


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An EhhTee Production, llamas not included; 170.


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Disclaimer:
This news magazine is in no way affiliated with, or supported by,
Virginia Tech, the Virginia Tech Athletic Department, the NCAA, the
BCS, the Big East Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference or any
other organization other than EhhTee Productions. EhhTee Productions
is an institution created by the author of TechSuperFans for the
further advancement of the media through electronic means.

TechSuperFans and TechSuperFans.com are trademarks of EhhTee
Productions. EhhTee Productions and its staff are in no way
responsible for any losses or actions taken by its audience.

Friday, October 07, 2005

VOLUME 006 ISSUE 006

TECHSUPERFANS (TM) - THE NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 006 ISSUE 006 (2005.10.07)

Would you like to receive this newsletter in your inbox?
Visit us at http://groups.yahoo.com/techsuperfans.

CONTENTS
Game Review - Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
Three Key Plays
Game Preview - Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech
Letter from Frank Beamer
TSF Trivia
ACC Standings
Rankings


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Game Review - Virginia Tech vs. WVU
by "Mad" Jay

One might walk away from a 34-17 win in Morgantown, West Virginia feeling pretty good as a Hokie fan. NOT THIS GUY! There are so many areas that have got to be shored up for this Virginia Tech team I don't even know where to begin.

Actually, I will begin by giving a congrats to Marcus Vick just to get out of the way one area where the Hokies were strong. Vick was out of this world on Saturday. Unfortunately in a few instances, he was out of control of his emotions - though I certainly can't cast the proverbial first stone on that point - but his play was beyond reproach. I have never seen a Hokie QB, that accurate over an entire game. In fact I've only ever seen a few QB's that accurate over an entire game, either in the pros or college. Vick threw one bad pass to a double covered Jeff King but other than that he was perfect (his second incompletion was a well thrown ball but Jeff King had it knocked out of his hands). Give credit to a guy with the entire Hokie Nation along with many other casual football fans watching every move, who responds as well as Vick has this season.

Now to examine a bit further, West Virginia almost never blitzed on defense. Yes, it's tough to throw to the right guy and at the right time when the defense is dropping 7 and 8 guys into pass coverage, and I've already given Vick credit for his accuracy and decision making. However, I STILL have not seen Bryan Stinespring able to execute an offense against a blitzing defense. I stay awake at night thinking of what Boston College, Miami and yes, even Virginia are going to bring in terms of pressure on the QB. Read this statement now, and know it as a fact later - AT SOME POINT THIS SEASON, Stinespring is either going to develop an answer against a blitzing defense or Tech will lose a game it should win.

The running game is still unacceptable, but I give credit to Cedric Humes for running much harder than he has earlier in the year. At least now we know that Mike Imoh has had a reason for looking like a shadow of his former self in that ankle injury he suffered early in the season. It is a great decision by Coach Beamer, Billy Hite and Imoh to sit him this week against Marshall, and I look forward to seeing what Branden Ore and George Bell can do, though I am sure my esteemed colleague will touch on that in his preview.

So what bothers me about the running game is less about the running backs and much more about the lack of push the offensive line is getting. Finally, late in the game, the line started to get a nice push on the defense, so credit is due to their work in the weight room and practice field for being in shape. But where is the heart and fire to go out and slobberknock the guy across the line into submission in the first half? Just because the line was supposed to be this team's Achilles Heel doesn't mean they have to live down to expectations. Who coaches the offensive line, you may ask? Well it's none other than TSF favorite Bryan Stinespring.

Since I will be ill if I spend any more time on Stinespring, let's focus on the defense. Actually focus and defense don't belong in the same sentence when discussing this past week's game. The Hokies held West Virginia to 17 points simply because they had better talent. Other than Vince Hall the focus was very poor. It's easy to be fundamental when tackling the players from Ohio and Duke, so I don't give any credence to all that talk about tackling drills earlier this year. Guys need to focus on the Four "Ups" (run up, gather up, keep their head's up and wrap-up). It's taught into their brains their entire lives as defensive football players and you know damn well Bud Foster expects them to do it.

One play serves as a great example of both bad and good. WVU running back Steve Slaton broke a long gain on one particular play in the third quarter. He broke a horrible tackle by D.J. Parker at the point of attack and then proceeded to break weak tackles from Aaron Rouse and Jimmy Williams, before being brought down by none other than D.J. Parker 44 yards downfield. I admire the true effort made by Parker, but damn if he wrapped up on Slaton's leg in the hole, the play goes for 2 yards.

And let's just go ahead and give Jimmy Williams his mulligan right now. Wow he played poorly. He blew the pass coverage on a 2-yard TD to the tight end, he missed at least 4 tackles that I saw and he got outworked (despite a very nice initial hit) on a short-yardage 4th down play that resulted in a WVU first down. We will find out about Jimmy Williams if he learns from this and uses this game to fuel the rest of his season. Williams will be chosen first round in the draft next season, but the difference between getting picked 8th and 18th in the first round is about $5-6 million dollars over the life of a rookie contract, so let's see how he responds.

Special teams was again stellar with Nic Schmidt continuing to boom kicks and D.J. Parker showing a Garnell-WIlds-esque ability to always be around the ball at the right time. Brandon Pace's two field goals were right down the middle.

So besides special teams and Marcus Vick there is a lot to work on in Blacksburg. I expect to see improvement this week against Marshall.

GO HOKIES!!


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Three Key Plays of the Hokies vs. Mountaineers
by "Mad" Jay

1, 2 and 3) Marcus Vick runs for a 9-yard TD to open the scoring. This play was really the ONE KEY PLAY of the game and dwarfed the importance of all others so much that I am actually using it for all three. It put the Hokies on the board first which helped quiet the rowdy Mountaineer crowd. It got Vick fired up and into the game early. As an answer to all the jeers he took from WVU fans prior to kickoff this was a fire which fueled him the entire game. The play converted yet another turnover into points which is so important. This play was the first VT third down conversion of the game, setting the stage for an emergence from a season-long funk in third down conversions. The Hokies were 35% to convert third down this season and finished 67% for the game against a WVU squad that was only giving up 19% of their opponent's third down conversions. And it forced the West Virginia defense to expect the QB draw, which led to the TD pass to Jeff King later in the game. What a play!!


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Game Preview - Marshall vs. Virginia Tech
by Brian "Where's the Ice?"

On October 5, 2005, the era of NHL lockout came to a close with the 2005-
2006 season opening games. What does this have to do with the Hokies
playing against the Thundering Herd? Absolutely nothing. But It still has
me fired up to watch the Hokies win.

Moving onto the matter at hand, Virginia Tech (5-0) hosts Marshall (2-2) at
Lane Stadium in this week's Homecoming matchup. Marshall plays in
the Conference USA, but should fall subject to any underestimation. Some
believe Marshall exists today's Virginia Tech of the late eighties and early
nineties.

Marshall's quarterback Bernard Morris stands 6'4" weighing in at 206 lbs.
The season he has passed for 674 yards over 108 attempts against the
likes of William & Mary, Kansas State to whom they lost a very close
game, Central Florida, and SMU. With a completion rate of approximately
sixty percent, he can definitely play the position.

Morris will rely on Ahmad Bradshaw standing 5'11" 190 lbs and himself for
rushing yardage. He's compiled ninety-two yards over thirty-one carries this
season, so he has the potential to run. Bradshaw, the starting tailback,
has accrued 176 yards over forty-nine carries.

For the passing game, Jimmy Williams and the rest of the Hokie defense
will guard Hiram Moore. He has twenty-seven receptions over the course of
which he has gained a total 358 yards. Not only does Morris extend his role
beyond quarterback, but running back Bradshaw has caught twenty-nine
passes, the team leader, for 229 yards.

In Virginia Tech, Marshall without doubt will face their toughest opponent
of the year. They will face the highest scoring defense in the nation, and
an offense with a quarterback who completed fifteen of seventeen passes
in his last game. However, because they Hokies have such a bright
spotlight shown upon them in the College Football world, Marshall will
probably have themselves psyched up to play, especially after only loosing
to Kansas State, a Big Twelve team, by two points.

While Virginia Tech has this game to win or loose based on how well they
show, don't expect to watch the same type of massacre performed on Duke
and Ohio. The Hokies certainly should win this game, but Marshall will
probably get on the board enough to earn a respectable score considering the matchup, but their squad just doesn't have the same offensive potency
as the last time they faced the Hokies.

Talking a look at Virginia Tech, expect to get a glimpse of some of the
second string players from the Hokie squad. Hopefully, Beamer won't
wait as long as he did against Duke to send in the second string players.

Running backs George Bell and Branden Ore will definitely get a lot of
carries this week. Cory Holt will probably begin taking snaps either late
in the third or early in fourth, after Beamer has quarterback Marcus Vick
take a few snaps with the running backs that he'll most likely use in
coming seasons. Indicated by the amount of time Holt has spent on the
field versus Sean Glen non, he has taken firm control of the number two
quarterback spot.

All in all, this game should reveal, as the Duke game did, how Virginia Tech
will develop. But the Hokies do have something at stake here. If they put
on a mediocre performance against this team because winning won't
require any more, then this could affect that supercharged and focused
attitude that runs through the veins of every player right now. That could
seriously affect their ability to focus on the tough opponents ahead of
Miami, Boston College, and Virginia.

Marshall at Virginia Tech, ESPN 360, XM Channel 192, 12:00 pm
Lane Stadium/Worsham Field, Blacksburg, Va.

Other Games to Watch:

Wake Forest at Florida State, JP/Raycom, XM Channel 193, 12:00 pm
Virginia at Boston College, ABC, XM Channel 191, 1:00pm
Maryland at Temple, XM Channel 194, 1:00 pm
Duke at Miami, ESPNU, XM Channel 192, 3:30 pm
North Carolina at Louisville, WHAS-TV, XM Channel 191, 4:30 pm
Oklahoma vs. Texas, ABC, 1:00 pm

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Letter from Frank Beamer
This ran in the Collegiate Times on October 6, 2005

Dear Hokies,

As we begin the second half of the 2005 season, I want to take a moment to say thanks for your outstanding support of our football program.

The game day atmosphere at Lane Stadium is known across the nation as the best in college football. Just ask the gang at ESPN.

You can take great pride in knowing that you play a big part in our football program and have a key role to play each and every Saturday.

That is why I am asking you for your continued support to make Lane Stadium one tough place to play, and a first-class venue for our visiting fans, as well as your own Hokie teammates in the stands.

Hokies Respect is more than just a slogan. It needs to be our standard for how we conduct ourselves in and around Lane Stadium.

College football is a great game and we all need to make sure that we do not let a few spoil the fun.

In keeping with Hokies Respect, let's extend a warm welcome to our visiting fans and treat them the way you would want to be treated on the road.

Come Saturday - be loud and be proud; and remember, at Virginia Tech we strive to gain our opponents' respect on and off the field.

LET'S GO HOKIES!

Frank Beamer
Head Football Coach


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TSF Trivia

(1) Marcus Vick leads the ACC quarterbacks with nine touchdown
passes.

(2) Virginia Tech Hokie Eddie Royal will face his brother, Chris of
the Marshall Thundering Herd this Saturday.

(3) Former Hokie football player Shaine Miles holds the job of tight
end coach for Marshall. He played for Virginia Tech 1993-1996.

(4) How do you answer the question, "What is a Hokie?"

In 1896 Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College changed
its name to Virginia Polytechnic Institute. With this name change
came a new cheer, and so the school held a contest where students
made their own submissions to participate. A senior named O.M.
Stull won the first prize for his cheer called "Old Hokie". When asked
for the significance of the word Hokie, he simply replied that he used
the word in effort to get attention. Many began to recognize the word
as a nickname for Virginia Tech.

The "Old Hokie" yell:
"Hoki, Hoki, Hoki Hy!
Tech! Tech! V.P.I.!
So la-Rex So la-Rah
Poly tech-Vie-gin-i-a!!
Rae, RI, V.P.I."


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ACC Standings


ATLANTIC DIVISION
Florida State 2-0 4-0
Maryland 2-1 3-2
Boston College 1-1 4-1
Wake Forest 1-1 2-3
Clemson 1-3 2-3
NC State 1-2 2-2

COASTAL DIVISION
Virginia Tech 3-0 5-0
Miami 1-1 3-1
Virginia 1-1 3-1
North Carolina 1-1 2-2
Georgia Tech 1-2 3-2
Duke 0-2 1-4


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Rankings


========================================================
Rank | AP | USA Today | TSF
========================================================
1 | USC | USC | USC
2 | Texas | Texas | Virginia Tech
3 | Virginia Tech | Virginia Tech | Texas
4 | Florida State | Georgia | Georgia
5 | Georgia | Florida State | Florida State
6 | Ohio State | Ohio State | Ohio State
7 | Alabama | Tennessee | Tennessee
8 | Tennessee | Miami | Alabama
9 | Miami | California | California
10 | California | Alabama | Notre Dame
11 | LSU | LSU | Wisconsin
12 | Notre Dame | Notre Dame | Miami
13 | Florida | Texas Tech | Penn State
14 | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | LSU
15 | Texas Tech | Florida | Texas Tech
16 | Penn State | UCLA | Nebraska
17 | Arizona State | Boston College| Boston College
18 | Boston College| Penn State | Florida
19 | Michigan State| Michigan State| Auburn
20 | UCLA | Arizona State | Michigan State
21 | Michigan | Auburn | Oregon
22 | Auburn | Louisville | Virginia
23 | Louisville | Georgia Tech | Georgia Tech
24 | Georgia Tech | Michigan | Arizona State
25 | Oregon | Virginia | Michigan


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---Writers:
"Mad" Jason Oakley
Anand "EhhTee" Trivedi
Brian "Where's The Ice?" Wrenn


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An EhhTee Production, llamas not included; 170.


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Disclaimer:
This news magazine is in no way affiliated with, or supported by,
Virginia Tech, the Virginia Tech Athletic Department, the NCAA, the
BCS, the Big East Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference or any
other organization other than EhhTee Productions. EhhTee Productions
is an institution created by the author of TechSuperFans for the
further advancement of the media through electronic means.

TechSuperFans and TechSuperFans.com are trademarks of EhhTee
Productions. EhhTee Productions and its staff are in no way
responsible for any losses or actions taken by its audience.