Game Review - vs. Georgia Tech

Mid-season, big game, high stakes, Hokie players running out onto the field beating their chests with frost rising from their breath, fans shouting deafening cheers that Lane Stadium's engineering is designed to trap...It's Thursday night football in Blacksburg. Does it get any better?

Thursday night the Virginia Tech Hokies hosted the Georgia Tech Ramblin' Wreck for a game that could have at regular season's end determined who wins the Coastal division of the ACC. The Hokies pulled out the win in the final seconds of the game with an interception in the endzone to stop a Yellow Jacket drive to tie the game. With the win, the Hokies planted a steak in the ground as the clear favorites to win the division. It's not a done deal yet. Contests against North Carolina, Miami, and Virginia still lay ahead. But our beloved Orange and Maroon have have nonetheless positioned themselves very well within the ACC. After the loss to James Madison, many made comparisons to Michigan's loss to Appalachian State just a few years ago. That loss marked the beginning of the Wolverine's program headed into steep decline. After a heartbreaking loss to Boise State just one week prior, many casted shadows of doubt on where this season could lead with a loss to James Madison. But the Hokies did the opposite. They regrouped and refocused. They knew they still had their entire ACC schedule ahead of them, and they set their sights on that. They've battled back and have played up to a level that has exceeded expectations. And after Saturday, there will probably be a few less two-loss teams, which means a bump in the rankings. But don't let those heads swell too big to fit into their helmets. Like I said, the Hokies still have formidable opponents ahead.

Turning our attention to the game, the Hokies opened the game they way they have against so many teams this season. They played on their heels for the entire first quarter. Georgia Tech unleashed the same offense they did a year ago with the triple option run. During the first fifteen minutes of the game, it worked like a charm. They earned 158 yards and 14 points. The game opened with the Virginia Tech special teams allowing a 44 yard kickoff return. On the Yellow Jackets' first drive, they methodically ran down the field where quarterback Joshua Nesbitt ran the ball into the endzone for a touchdown. The Hokies punted after their first drive, and on the ensuing Georgia Tech drive, Virginia Tech's defense broke down, and Nesbitt took advantage of it by running 71 yards for a touchdown. So just like that, less than ten minutes into the game, the Yellow Jackets commanded the game with a two-touchdown lead. Having seen the Hokies in this situation before and battle back several times during the season, I expressed discontent and disapproval, but I didn't really start to worry. The Hokies then put together a good drive to end the quarter. They didn't quite get into the endzone by the quarter's end, but they opened the second quarter with Ryan Williams, returning from his injury, punching the ball into the paint for a touchdown.

The rest of the second quarter went by largely without incident. Each team had a couple of drives, but we can essentially call the second quarter a draw. Jayron Hosley fumbled on a punt return, and that shifted momentum after a really big Hokie defensive stop. One thing I would like to say about the second quarter is that the Hokie offensive line looked great. At times, they didn't just give quarterback Tyrod Taylor a few seconds to find a receiver; they gave him until Friday morning! I don't think a gnat could have gotten through. This trend continued well throughout the game. This makes for quite a change from season past when a Virginia Tech offensive line collapsed under the blitz of the Ramblin' Wreck, albeit under different coaching, but let's give credit where credit is due. Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, Josh Nesbitt left game due to injury and his backup quarterback, Tevin Washington entered the game. The third quarter went by fairly quietly as well. First, I want to credit the Yellow Jacket offense with their creativity. At this point in the game, I frequently noticed the camera man fooled by Georgia Tech offense and even wondering which runner had the ball myself. But the Hokie defense fortunately didn't go the way of the camera men and me. They made frequent stops on the triple option runs. Their intensity kept the Yellow Jacket's offensive line on edge. They committed false starts time and time again reacting to the Hokie defense's adjustments.

Moving into the fourth quarter, the Hokies finally earned a touchdown on a David Wilson rush. One note on David Wilson, I have to imagine that every Hokie fan has a new found appreciation for his abilities. I haven't really seen him shine like this, but he could have been Ryan Williams or Darren Evans with a different jersey number. After a few more changes of possession, the Hokies finally did something that I've been waiting seasons to watch them do. They methodically moved the ball down the field consistently with short but very controlled gains, and they capped it off with a go-ahead touchdown. Then, Georgia Tech dug deep and mustered a drive that tied the game with just over two minutes to go. Lane Stadium and viewers at home and in pubs could smell overtime, but then all of a sudden, David Wilson struck again. He ran the kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown, a big play for the Hokies' special teams. The Yellow Jackets had to dig deep once again, and they did. A non-passing team took to the air, and they got themselves within striking distance. With roughly 20 seconds to go, quarterback Tevin Washington dropped back to pass into the endzone. Virginia Tech corner Rashad Carmichael lost his footing leaving his man briefly open, but that ended up as only a tease for Washington. As Washington released the pass into the endzone, Carmichael unleashed a burst of speed to make up the ground he lost to intercept the pass and end the game.

Overall, this is a huge win for the Hokies. It more strongly establishes them as the leading team of the ACC Coastal division. They also remain as the only team in the ACC without an in-conference loss. I'm still worried about two recurring problems that I think the Hokies need to overcome very soon. First, mistakes on special teams are costing them. Fumbles, blocked kicks, and missed field goals have hurt, and if they face off against an SEC or Big 12 team, they will punish the Hokies severely for those types of mistakes. Second, the Hokies slow start is a problem. If they start slow against an offensive powerhouse like an Ohio State, USC, or LSU, that's going to be too deep of a hole from which to dig out.

Next up is North Carolina in a little over a week.

LET'S GO HOKIES!

Game Preview - VT vs. Georgia Tech

Who would have ever thought that the Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech game on Thursday night in Blacksburg would look like a "trap" game for the Hokies but that is exactly what I'm scared of it becoming for the players. With a 2-game lead in the division over Georgia Tech, Miami and UNC, the Hokies could lose once in their next 4 games and would still win the Coastal. But the way momentum works in college football, losing just once is a tricky thing to do.

Yes, the Hokies are in the midst of a 6 game win streak while the Yellow Jackets are coming off of a loss to a Clemson team that couldn't even beat Boston College. Yes, the game is in Blacksburg and the VT has revenge in mind after losing in Atlanta last season. But there are three factors that balance all of that out for the Yellow Jackets:

1) First and foremost, the Hokie defense has 7 new starters who have been gashed for big runs by several opponents already this season. The Georgia Tech offense is absolutely BUILT on big runs. Their running attack is predicated on taking advantage of any lapse in responsibility or poor open field tackling by the opponent. So far, VT's defense has been susceptible to both break downs in responsibility AND missed tackles. This is not good.

2) Georgia Tech is playing for it's life in this year's game. They know if they lose, their chance to defend their ACC title is done. Their backs are against the wall and Coach Paul Johnson - who is dangerous under normal circumstances - is going to be at his most cunning and fearless. I wonder if we'll even see the Georgia Tech punter as I'd expect Johnson to go for it on 4th down any time it's less than 7 yards to go from basically anywhere on the field.

3) Georgia Tech is going to score points. Their offense is too good. Not to oversimplify, but you have to outscore them to win. And anytime Hokie Nation is relying on the Hokie offense for a win, that is at BEST a 40/60 proposition against you. No opponent is a gimme when VT's offense has to carry the day. We all learned that earlier (and oh so painfully) this season. "Oh but the talent!" you cry out, my Calm and Beloved Reader. "Oh but our offensive coordinator", I respond. Don't EVER underestimate Coach Stinespring's ability to out-think himself, mis-use the personnel, fall victim to a blitz package and fail to make in-game adjustments. EVER.

So Georgia Tech has some bullets for this streetfight. And I laugh at the notion I hear from several commentators talking about what the teams that have beaten Georgia Tech have done on defense (minus the bowl games of course). Miami last year, Clemson this year, you would have thought these were amazing defensive performances. The simple fact is, those offenses got on the board early and made the Jackets play from behind. The Hokies had MANY opportunities to do that last year in Atlanta in the first half and failed as miserably as one can. Given the ball inside GT's 50 yd-line four different times, the Hokies came away with 3 points.

In this game, the Hokie offense absolutely, positively HAS TO get an early lead. Not necessarily score first - though that would be nice - but at least get a touchdown or two on their first few possessions. Get the Lane Stadium crowd even more revved up. Force a few passes from the Georgia Tech offense. Grab the momentum and the game by the horns. These are the huge impacts that the Hokie offense can have on this game. And against the 3-4 defense they should have opportunities.

The 3-4 coached by Al Groh (don't we wish he was still the head guy at Virginia?) is a schematically superior defense to the 4-3 because of the nearly unlimited flexibility in defenses or blitzes you can run out of a certain look. But it comes with one major condition. You HAVE to have the athletes at linebacker and a monster at nose guard to make it work. It's slowly being adopted across the NFL, but only in cases when teams have players like Terrell Suggs, or James Harrison, or Jason Worilds. Hybrid freakish athletes who can bullrush past offensive tackles as well as keep up with RB's and TE's in routes and make tackles in space. There aren't a whole lot of players like that at the college level, and Georgia Tech's linebackers are no exception. Each is decent at either being fast and athletic or big and strong, but none of them have the complete combination with the closest being ILB Brad Jefferson.

The Jackets have a big enough guy at nose guard in TJ Barnes at 6'7, 330 lbs, but he is just a big guy who lacks quick feet and a good get-off on the ball. This prevents him from tying up two guys on the offensive line which is what nose guards in the NFL are able to do. Single blocking the nose guard really frees up the pass protection for the rest of the linemen. Put it this way, Barnes is no Ndamukong Suh. So the Hokies SHOULD in theory be able to run and throw effectively against Georgia Tech.

When the Hokies are on defense, it's all about stopping one guy - QB Josh Nesbitt. He makes the entire Jacket offense run. By eliminating him on every play, and tackling him at the point of attack each time, you can effectively hamstring GT's offense. Of course, the gap between how easy that is to type and how easy that is to do is the size of the gap in talent between Ryan "MF" Williams and myself. It's the size of the gap between Michael Strahan's front teeth. It's the size of.... it's hard to stop Josh Nesbitt is what I'm saying.

On top of that, the Hokies need to absolutely punish B-Back Anthony Allen on the dive play, even when (or especially when) he doesn't get the ball. LB Bruce Taylor has a hurt ankle and despite him playing at such a fantastic level the past few games, I think it's a given that backup Jack Tyler will get playing time in this game, if for no other reason than to get some fresh pads in there to pound on Allen. Tyler, by all accounts, is very skilled at running through the "trash" and getting to the football in the running game. He also had better be skilled in pounding Allen's head in because there needs to be a lot of that on Thursday night.

I can only hope and pray (and meditate and cry and plead and beg) that the Hokies finally come out for a big game against a tough opponent and play lights out football in the 1st quarter, the way they have in the 2nd and 3rd quarters the past few weeks. If they do, this season can continue on its magical course. If they don't, the season can come off the rails faster than you can believe (2003 anyone?). This game is no trap. It's bigtime football, and the Hokies better bring their "A" game.

GO HOKIES!!!!!

TSF Poll... Some Contention

This week Oregon earned away one vote after beating USC. Boise does the opposite of what it did in the BCS... they went up.

TSF Poll
#	TEAM	Points
1	Auburn (2)	74
2	Oregon (1)	73
3	Boise State	69
4	TCU	66
5	Alabama	57
6	Nebraska	54
7	LSU	51
8	Stanford	50
9	Utah	46
9	Wisconsin	46
11	Michigan State	43
11	Ohio State	43
13	Oklahoma	38
14	Missouri	37
15	Iowa	31
15	Virginia Tech	31
17	Arizona	30
18	Oklahoma State	29
19	South Carolina	23
20	Temple	18
21	Mississippi State	13
22	Baylor	10
22	NC State	10
22	Nevada	10
25	Florida State	9