Game Thread: Boise State vs. Virginia Tech

[TideEngineer08]

I don't think we would have made the errors that VT made, but our inexperienced secondary would have been picked apart by Boise's QB and their 2 good WRs. #1 and #2 on Boise were really good, and were easily getting open against the VT secondary. I don't think it would have been easy for us to win that game, but given the ball with a 4 point lead and 4 minutes in the game, I like our chances.

Boise State largely won the battle up front, which gave their QB time to find those open receivers.

I'm not sure our secondary is better than Va Tech's, but we'll find out more this Saturday.

But this much I know. Boise State does not win the battle of the LOS against us. I get it that they are gritty and never back down, but we do the same. And we are bigger and faster.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Call me crazy but I imagine last night's Boise State giving Saturday's Alabama trouble.

In what way?

I mean seriously, we wouldn't have spotted them the easy 10 pts VT did and we certainly would have played better on both sides of the ball than VT did.

If you really believe that, tell us why you believe that.

 

[Hamilton]

Now ESPN is saying that wins over Fresno State and Nevada for BSU would be "quality" wins.

 

[twofbyc]

Boise State largely won the battle up front, which gave their QB time to find those open receivers.

I'm not sure our secondary is better than Va Tech's, but we'll find out more this Saturday.

But this much I know. Boise State does not win the battle of the LOS against us. I get it that they are gritty and never back down, but we do the same. And we are bigger and faster.

You're not?

 

[TideEngineer08]

You're not?

I'm not going to base anything off of a game against San Jose State except that our team showed up ready to play.

We have one player (Mark Barron) that I'm sure of. Other than that, they all get their first real test this weekend.

 

[BAMA1979]

Was anyone else surprised by VT's total inability to run the ball other than Tyrod's scrambling? All I heard about for a month leading up to the game was how VT's offensive line would push BSU's defensive line around and how VT had the best running back tandem in the country. I don't think they averaged two yards a carry last night.

 

[kayakerjess]

Was anyone else surprised by VT's total inability to run the ball other than Tyrod's scrambling? All I heard about for a month leading up to the game was how VT's offensive line would push BSU's defensive line around and how VT had the best running back tandem in the country. I don't think they averaged two yards a carry last night.

Agreed. VT got whipped at the LOS, on both running and passing plays.

One thing that surprised me was that there were not more stretch running plays called. It looked like the middle was clogged all night, but I think with the speed of Williams, they should have been running around the end. It's like they were stubbornly saying, "we WILL run it between the tackles.." even though it obviously was not working.

 

[REBELZED]

Was anyone else surprised by VT's total inability to run the ball other than Tyrod's scrambling? All I heard about for a month leading up to the game was how VT's offensive line would push BSU's defensive line around and how VT had the best running back tandem in the country. I don't think they averaged two yards a carry last night.

VT's O-line was definitely disappointing. They looked like matadors out there at times.

 

[MBA_99]

Question: If you're a school like Va Tech, and you have a pedestal that says "Reserved for BCSNCG Trophy", what do you do?

Specifically, IMO they made the national picture due to Michael Vick but have probably peaked and will never be a true contender again. You just can't be in Blacksburg, VA and recruit a full team of national champions.

So is it more embarrassing to have that pedestal in your building 50 years from now, covered in dust, or is it more embarrassing to admit it was "premature" at best and take it down now?

 

[twofbyc]

Question: If you're a school like Va Tech, and you have a pedestal that says "Reserved for BCSNCG Trophy", what do you do?

Specifically, IMO they made the national picture due to Michael Vick but have probably peaked and will never be a true contender again. You just can't be in Blacksburg, VA and recruit a full team of national champions.

So is it more embarrassing to have that pedestal in your building 50 years from now, covered in dust, or is it more embarrassing to admit it was "premature" at best and take it down now?

And, was it just me, or did Beamer look drunk in the pregame interview? He was on the verge of slurring, but he wouldn't look at the camera or the reporter (and she was worth looking at!). I felt uneasy from that point on.

 

[twofbyc]

VT's O-line was definitely disappointing. They looked like matadors out there at times.

I think one of the biggest coaching FAILS of all time. Those rb's were never put in postion to be able to make big plays, from what I saw...but I only saw the 1st, and the final score, and maybe that wasn't enough...

 

[jps1983]

Question: If you're a school like Va Tech, and you have a pedestal that says "Reserved for BCSNCG Trophy", what do you do?

Specifically, IMO they made the national picture due to Michael Vick but have probably peaked and will never be a true contender again. You just can't be in Blacksburg, VA and recruit a full team of national champions.

So is it more embarrassing to have that pedestal in your building 50 years from now, covered in dust, or is it more embarrassing to admit it was "premature" at best and take it down now?

It gives them a goal to strive for each year. I agree that VT probably won't win a title anytime soon with the re-emergence of Miami and fresh start for FSU in the ACC. Even GT is gaining momentum in the conference, but as we all know college football goes in cycles, so there's no reason to think down the road VT can't find some magic like they had with Vick.

 

[Tidewater]

I walked away form that game last night thinking a blasphemous thought. It is time for Frank Beamer to give some serious thought to how he is going to transition his replacement into the head coaching job, and step away from being the Hokies' head coach. Beamer built Tech into what they are (a generally solid team that will win conference championships from time to time, but will probably never make it over the hump and win a MNC). I doubt Tech will ever be at the level they were in 1999, at least not with Beamer at the helm.
The offensive coordinator (a long-time Beamer friend & protégé) can't perform or design an offensive scheme worthy of the talent he has on offense, but won't be fired. The Hokies had a punt blocked, had to call a time out to get the right personnel on the field on special teams. Frank Beamer does his Bobby Bowden confused "Dadgummit, what just happened?" look on the sidelines. The team looked confused, unfocused, undisciplined, and downright unprepared.
Before Tech starts the downward spiral that FSU just went through, it is time for Coach Beamer to plan the transfer of control, sooner rather than later (his current contract extends through 2016).
Of course, Beamer is making too much money to expect him to quit and he has done so much for Tech football that the Tech leadership will find it very difficult to fire him, so the slow downward spiral will continue until Beamer has used up all the goodwill he built in the last two decades, and gets canned.
Sad.
Now we all have to listen to Boise-mania for the next four months. Thanks, Hokies.

 

[freefall]

I think one of the biggest coaching FAILS of all time. Those rb's were never put in postion to be able to make big plays, from what I saw...but I only saw the 1st, and the final score, and maybe that wasn't enough...

Nope, that's pretty much dead-on accurate.

Some of you will no doubt recall those of us who came around here last year and said that we had a bad offensive coordinator (I went so far as to say that he's the worst in D1A). Well, as I said to some friends last week, calling one good game against Tennessee in last year's Peach Bowl does not wipe out years of ineptitude. Yeah, the players have to execute, and there's no excuse for boneheaded mistakes and missed assignments, but at the end of the day, the primary responsibility of the coaching staff is to put the players in the best possible position to succeed, given their particular strengths and abilities.

And that is something that our OC has utterly failed to do, for 8 years and counting. And since the HC stubbornly refuses to hold him accountable, we're going to continue to under-perform and choke in big games.

I wish I could argue with the poster above who suggests that we will never build an MNC-caliber team in Blacksburg. But right now it's pretty clear that without either another once-in-a-generation athlete or wholesale changes in the coaching staff we're about as good as we're likely to get.

 

[freefall]

It is time for Frank Beamer to [...] step away from being the Hokies' head coach.
[...]
Before Tech starts the downward spiral that FSU just went through, it is time for Coach Beamer to plan the transfer of control, sooner rather than later (his current contract extends through 2016).
Of course, Beamer is making too much money to expect him to quit and he has done so much for Tech football that the Tech leadership will find it very difficult to fire him, so the slow downward spiral will continue until Beamer has used up all the goodwill he built in the last two decades, and gets canned.
Sad.

As we were leaving the game last night, a friend of mine said that this cemented Beamer's legacy. Sadly, I think he (and you) are absolutely correct.

Now we all have to listen to Boise-mania for the next four months. Thanks, Hokies.

*hangs head in shame*

Sorry all. :conf2:

 

[squalor]

You can read how upset we were with the Hokies in the game thread. We're ticked off cuz we were pulling for you so much. Your team was the only chance we saw to shut those smurfs up. Good luck with the rest of your season. That said, most of us hope you lose many more this season. Your loses will make BSU's accomplishment less meaningful.

 

[Tidewater]

I wish I could argue with the poster above who suggests that we will never build an MNC-caliber team in Blacksburg. But right now it's pretty clear that without either another once-in-a-generation athlete or wholesale changes in the coaching staff we're about as good as we're likely to get.

Freefall, I did not write that the rub salt in the wound. VT is my second favorite team and I live in Blacksburg. I wish they would get it together (or that Coach Beamer's loyalty to his alma mater & employer would outweigh his loyalty to Stiney). I hate to see talented football players underachieve, especially against an over-rated under-challenged Boise.

 

[RedStar]

As we were leaving the game last night, a friend of mine said that this cemented Beamer's legacy. Sadly, I think he (and you) are absolutely correct.

What do you think the realistic chances of that are? Has there ever been any mention of when he would step down?

 

[BEATtutorsee]

He's holding that offense hostage...

There offense is hey lets spread them out and call a pass and you'll go back and run around for 5 minutes and gain 3 yards.

I'm not agreeing with you, but how would that be his fault exactly? All you guys complaining about Tyrod Taylor should be complaining about the coaches, because ultimately it's their job to recruit the players and put the best players on the field for their team. It's not Taylor's fault that they haven't recruited a better QB.

 

[Tidewater]

What do you think the realistic chances of that are? Has there ever been any mention of when he would step down?

Beamer just signed a contract extension to the 2016 season (signed before the BSU game)