VT Roster Breakdown

[BamaFossil]

This thread has some excellent posts by several VT fans. Thanks for coming aboard and talking no-smack (from VT fans... :tongue: ) football.

I'm very concerned about this game. I'd be less concerned if the game were midway through the season, after our OL and QB have more game-experience working together.

As sports-writers have noted (e.g. CECIL HURT: Will the Tide roller coaster finally stop | TideSports.com | The Tuscaloosa News | Tuscaloosa, AL ), since 1996 Bama has been on a 3-year cycle of:
- rebuilding year
- good year
- poor & disappointing year

Then the cycle repeats. Last year was obviously a good year. We're hoping to break the cycle this year. A loss to VT doesn't necessarily portend a disappointing year since VT is a possible MNC contender. But it could. Bama better not overlook VT. I don't think we will.

 

[BamaMoon]

I'm not saying Bama will lose this game, but I've said before in other posts that if we have to lose a game somewhere in the regular season, this would be the one loss that wouldn't be too devestating. It being early and an out of conference game would allow adequate time to recover in terms of the BCS. I think Bama wins, but VT is a quality opponent and it could go the other way and Bama could still have a great season regardless.

 

[bamaslaw]

I agree moon - If we lose a tough, hard-fought game and run the table (including winning the SECCG), we'll be right there in the national championship talk.

That said, I'd rather not have to worry about that

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I think both teams have some real question marks and which one gets the best answer to those will most probably win. I tend to lean in our direction. I think the defenses are almost a wash, but I think we have the better chance at the good answers to the questions because our offense, I think, has more possibilities, if those are just realized...

 

[freefall]

Hey Freefall, why don't you give us a breakdown of Bryan Stinespring?

& do you honestly think he is going to out-scheme Saban's defense???

I'll answer the second part first: not a chance. I think that it's possible that we'll have some success on offense, but if we do it will be due to talent and execution, not because Stiney out-scheme'd anyone.

Obviously I don't have a high opinion of the guy. However, instead of boring you with a long-winded rant, I'll simply point to the last eight years as evidence of the fact that he's just not very good at his job.

Sadly, this is a rare case where one of Coach Beamer's biggest strengths becomes a weakness. He is extremely loyal to the folks who work for him, and that's served him very well over the years. The continuity in our coaching staff has been a big part of our success. However, he has painted himself into a bit of a corner this time. As long as we win 10 games a year he can ignore the criticism, but as soon as we have a disappointing season he's going to have a hard time ignoring the fans (and more importantly, the donors) who are calling for Stiney's head.

 

[BAMA504]

You had me going for a minute there, at least until the "Big 10" part.

I posted some numbers in another thread a couple weeks ago. I won't argue your top two selections (SEC 1st, B12 2nd) but I'd definitely put the ACC 3rd, and not all that far behind the B12 either. Yes, the B12 had 7 teams finish in the top 30 in total offense, but they had none in the top 30 in total defense, and only one in the top 30 in scoring defense. Like many of you SEC fans, I'm a firm believer in the "defense wins championships" mantra, so I hold that against the B12.

IMO the B10 is a distant 4th, or maybe even 5th. Once you get past tOSU and PSU there isn't much there. Depending on USC's supporting cast from year to year, I think they alternate with the B10 for 4th place on the list.

But I'm sure there are enough other "which conference is best" threads, so I won't say anything more in this one.



That I agree with. For VT to have any realistic shot in the national picture, Tyrod has to develop into an actual dual-threat QB, meaning he has to be as much of a threat through the air as he is on the ground.

I appreciate the input and this is actually great being able to talk football and not trash so here we go...

I will give you that the ACC might be 3rd overall but when I look at the end of the year I have to take notice of who ended up where in the final polls. Now being as I am too lazy or busy depending how you see it... I am posting here but anyways I just don't see the ACC having teams in the top 10 year in and year out like I do other confrences. Not even sure where VT ended up last year but heck for that matter I am not sure where we ended up because after the Sugar Bowl I have been stewing and not interested in even knowing because I KNOW where we should have been~!~

Other than that I agree with the defense I love a defensive team it is the one game changing element that can offset a weaker unit... IMO it doesn't matter if you can score 50+ a game the question is can you stop someone from scoring 51+ per game.. I look at OU last year and while we have some great OU friends and posters on here they should have won that game but the first half failures just killed them. Ask yourself of the 2-3 times OU went down there and did nothing had they of scored TD's like they normally do does uf win that game??? Probably not because uf is based on a dual threat QB but the threat is gone when you know he is passing and they probably would be glad to make him run rather than throw in that case.... I know I wish he would of ran more on us than throw because he was lights out in the passing game and made throws I had never thought he could make~!~:mad2:

Either way like Earle said both teams have some big question marks and the team that answers at least part of them in this game wins it. We have all beaten the BAMA OL to death but it is the biggest quetion mark we have bar none... We can live with a freshman QB if we had to but it won't matter if Tebow was back there (well maybe it would) if the OL does not block we are in for a long long night..
For VT while you have no one glaring weakness you lost some good players and have some question marks on the Ol as well, while you have more experience they are not really an advantage IMO... The biggest thing I can see is your QB while fast and can run cannot pass very well but who knows he might come in and tebow our ... although I pray that does not happen you just never know it will depend on how much time he has to throw it and can one of our CB's actually look back for the ball to knock it down or catch it themselves......:conf2:

 

[BamaJama17]

I saw where Darren Evans ran for 61 td's his senor year in hs.

 

[NATidefan]

To me this game will be decided by which team can establish somewhat of a running game. If we can, long day for the hokes and vice versus. If neither can, and we both resort to passing a lot, it will boil down to turnovers and field position.
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[BAMA504]

To me this game will be decided by which team can establish somewhat of a running game. If we can, long day for the hokes and vice versus. If neither can, and we both resort to passing a lot, it will boil down to turnovers and field position.
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I hope it does turn out to be an air battle because even with a new QB I like his passing more than Tyrods and we have one of the best WR's in CFB.

Honestly here is what I see VT doing, I think they will do just like us for a while and play this game not to lose by running and then running some more then turn it over to the defense to make something happen. No crazy stuff or risky passes just simple stuff to not beat yourself...
What I see VT resorting to is having Tyrod start to take chances with his feet and using him as more of run option than passing option. Beamer is no fool he knows the odds are our offense will be sluggish and I don't think he will take a chance on losing by having Tyrod throw the ball around. I think in the second half or late in the second quarter VT will switch gears and try the spread option or whatever they call it nothing to risky but a different look.
I can see BAMA sticking to what they did last year in short passing game and looking for the TE to create mis-matches and some movement of the pocket if they can't hold the line. I don't see BAMA getting to crazy either nothing that will get us beat but the screens and quick slants or dump off to the backs in the flats. I do see us taking our shots like last year because G Mc does throw a pretty nice deep fade so maybe if were on the 50 we can take a shot or two but I would see us playing it close to the vest with this OL for a while.

 

[freefall]

Fullback: #42 Kenny Jefferson (rSr, 5'9"/220

Hey folks, just a couple quick updates here... Jefferson has been suspended for the game for the infamous "violation of team rules" (in this case, a DUI arrest last month). #31 Kenny Younger (rJr, 6'0"/223) will start. He's a tough special-teamer recovering from knee surgery in 2008 who had a good spring. I don't think this changes much, other than the obvious fact that losing anyone with game experience hurts at least a little.

Also, Ryan Williams (#34) has been named the starting tailback for the game. You'll see a healthy dose of all three backs but Williams is now officially the #1 guy.

 

[RedStar]

End: #6 Jason Worilds (rJr, 6'2"/240): Very quick off the line (sub-4.5 speed), great pass rusher and solid against the run.

Yeah, bringing this one back from the dead. That's how we do it in the offseason.

I was looking over the NFL combine results and noticed Worilds ran a 4.72 40 yard dash. I instantly remembered this thread. I remembered thinking at the time “There’s no way they have a DE who runs a sub 4.5 or else he’d be garnering some major attention.”


This isn't meant as a knock on you freefall (if you even still post here.) I'm sure you were just passing on some info you had heard as well. Either way, 40 times should ALWAYS be taken with a grain of salt. Not a single D-Lineman broke the 4.6 barrier this year, much less the 4.5 barrier.

We always hear about recruits who run a 4.40 Forty Yard Dash. So far only 5 out of 325+ players have run a 4.40 or better.

 

[Rasputin]

Yeah, bringing this one back from the dead. That's how we do it in the offseason.

I was looking over the NFL combine results and noticed Worilds ran a 4.72 40 yard dash. I instantly remembered this thread. I remembered thinking at the time “There’s no way they have a DE who runs a sub 4.5 or else he’d be garnering some major attention.”


This isn't meant as a knock on you freefall (if you even still post here.) I'm sure you were just passing on some info you had heard as well. Either way, 40 times should ALWAYS be taken with a grain of salt. Not a single D-Lineman broke the 4.6 barrier this year, much less the 4.5 barrier.

We always hear about recruits who run a 4.40 Forty Yard Dash. So far only 5 out of 325+ players have run a 4.40 or better.

40 times are the most fabricated stories about athletes that exist. Just walk around to a local highschool if you don't believe me, and listen to how many guys they have that run a 4.4 or better! A true 4.4 is a rarety and doesn't exist in many places...

 

[CapstoneGrad06]

40 times are the most fabricated stories about athletes that exist. Just walk around to a local highschool if you don't believe me, and listen to how many guys they have that run a 4.4 or better! A true 4.4 is a rarety and doesn't exist in many places...

Exactly. I was convinced that Javy was faster than Kareem, but then KJ runs a 4.41 and 4.48 today. Javy ran a 4.55, and then tweeked his hamstring.

 

[Va Bama Fan]

I agree that 40 times are exaggerated. Living up here in VA, it seems that VPI must time their players running downhill. They seem to be faster than anyone else.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Exactly. I was convinced that Javy was faster than Kareem, but then KJ runs a 4.41 and 4.48 today. Javy ran a 4.55, and then tweeked his hamstring.

This is not Javvy's first time to have problems with that hamstring...

 

[freefall]

This isn't meant as a knock on you freefall (if you even still post here.) I'm sure you were just passing on some info you had heard as well.

I still drop in occasionally. Gotta say I was surprised to see this thread pop back up. Anyway I'll take the knock for that one even though as you say I was just reporting what I heard/read elsewhere; it's not like I timed him myself. Same thing is true with David Wilson, who was a tFr RB last year. Some folks here didn't believe that he runs a 4.3x, or that he squats 600lbs. All I can say is that in HS he was a national-champ in the triple jump, and if his HS coach says he runs a 4.3-something and the Tech coaches say he squats 605 then I believe them.

For whatever reason, VT has a reputation for posting really fast 40 times. Not sure why but IIWII. Sometimes they're legit (e.g., MV1, dhall) and other times they're not. It's not like 40 times really mean much anyway, especially for non-WR/DB players.... 3-cone and shuttle are much better indicators.

ETA: It's also possible that the guy did run a 4.5 as a freshman, only to slow down a little after 4 years of lifting and working hard to get bigger. Hell I ran a 5.1 or so in HS... but I was pretty skinny until my senior year. Right now it'd be a miracle if I ran a 7.x but I can lift a LOT more weight now than I could then.

@studmlb55: when I said 4.x I really meant any 4.xy, so if a guy ran a 4.48 I'd still say he "runs a 4.4".

 

[freefall]

I know, I know: :beatdeadhorse5:

But hey, just in case anyone is still reading:

Hokies Journal - Jason Worilds shows well at Hokies pro day

According to that article, his best 40 time was 4.47, and his average was 4.51. I don't get it. I don't know if schools have gamed their electronic timing systems or maybe shortened the track, but a bunch of them (including VT, UF, and others) always seem to have guys who claim super-fast 40 times that are only possible on their home track. Maybe he just didn't have a great day at the combine, or maybe the track at VT runs downhill, I dunno... but hey it's the offseason, not a whole lot else to argue about right now.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I know, I know: :beatdeadhorse5:

But hey, just in case anyone is still reading:

Hokies Journal - Jason Worilds shows well at Hokies pro day

According to that article, his best 40 time was 4.47, and his average was 4.51. I don't get it. I don't know if schools have gamed their electronic timing systems or maybe shortened the track, but a bunch of them (including VT, UF, and others) always seem to have guys who claim super-fast 40 times that are only possible on their home track. Maybe he just didn't have a great day at the combine, or maybe the track at VT runs downhill, I dunno... but hey it's the offseason, not a whole lot else to argue about right now.

I've certainly thought that about UF. Also, UTw were congratulating themselves before the BCSCG over their "superior team speed" vis a vis Bama. Didn't look that way to me. Once Trent got a step on them in the open not a one of them could catch up. In fact, he was gaining ground on them all the way to the EZ. However, I think he was the legit 100m champ in FL when he was a senior in HS.

 

[92tide]

I've certainly thought that about UF. Also, UTw were congratulating themselves before the BCSCG over their "superior team speed" vis a vis Bama. Didn't look that way to me. Once Trent got a step on them in the open not a one of them could catch up. In fact, he was gaining ground on them all the way to the EZ. However, I think he was the legit 100m champ in FL when he was a senior in HS.

hell, even dareus outran a few of them

 

[freefall]

I've certainly thought that about UF.

You aren't alone:

Fine, we get it: Florida is fast. There's no need to exaggerate. - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF Blog - Yahoo! Sports