VOLUME 006 ISSUE 007 (2005.10.13)
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CONTENTS
Game Review - Versus Marshall
Three Key Plays
Mid-Season Review & Outlook
ACC Standings
Rankings
Predictions
Hokie Trivia
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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
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
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| AP | USA Today | TSF
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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
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