We’ve got some good old Thursday night football in the ACC as Virginia Tech travels down to the ATL to take on the Yellow Jackets. The Hokies are in the driver’s seat in the ACC Coastal, same as every year it seems, and this contest against Georgia Tech will be another step towards getting them back to yet another ACC Championship Game. To help us get our minds right for this game we’ve got MR. ALL CAPS FOR FOOTBALL himself, The Key Play. If you’re not following him on twitter you’re doing yourself a disservice.
1) Georgia Tech enters this game with a week off and coming off their biggest win since a 13-3 win over the same Clemson Tigers team in 2007. How does the Yellow Jackets up and down performance of this season make you feel about what is going to happen in Bobby Dodd tonight?
To be honest Mike I am indifferent, for a couple of reasons. Both of their losses were on the road, one of which was against Miami, who have had the Bees’ number these last couple of seasons. More importantly, this is a rivalry game, the most competitive one for each school. We’re always beating UVa, they’re always losing to Georgia . See what I did there? So, I really don’t consider what either school has done up until now. Since Paul Johnson arrived at Georgia Tech the Bees have played us harder than any team in the ACC, I’d like to think we can say the same about us against them.
2) Virginia Tech has been up and down too in the 2011 season. Putting up 30 or more points in five games. Playing tight games against Miami and then another tight contest against Duke. Looking at your team, what is this Hokies squad? Are they the potent and capable offense that we’ve seen against Miami and in the second half against Wake Forest or are they still riddled with offensive issues as we’ve seen against ECU and Duke?
Tonight’s game is going to answer this question better than I ever could. I think the jury is still out on the 2011 Hokies. Fans know more about their team than outsiders; that’s not a profound statement. The average college football fan probably only saw Clemson whoop up on us, that’s it. No one nationally, or locally really, will celebrate a 10-2 VT record if those two losses are against the only real competition we faced. We need a marquee win to accentuate this season.
Statistically, this offensive unit will probably end up being the best we’ve put on the field since joining the ACC. Slow starts have been an unwelcome theme, and yes we only scored 17 and 14 points against ECU and Duke respectively. However, we did own the ball for 37:22 against the Pirates and we rolled up 433 yards against the Blue Devils. We made a lot of stupid makes –penalties and turnovers– at the worst possible times which prevented more points for going on the scoreboard. If we curtail the mistakes, we are capable of lighting it up.
3) Being the defensive guy that I am I’ll start there, what do you think about this Bud Foster unit? We know they’re sixth in points given up for the season but you’ve seen great Virginia Tech defenses, tell me, how good is this unit as we enter the last month of the season?
It’s much better than it should be. Injuries have really plagued the defense this year. We’ve lost three starters, Whip Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, linebacker Bruce Taylor, and defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins for the season, the latter two were All-ACC players. Backup d-tackle Kwamaine Battle was also lost for the season. Gouveia-Winslow’s backup Alonzo Tweedy isn’t playing because of a high ankle sprain. Other starters like All-American corner Jayron Hosley (hammy) and defensive end James Gayle (ankle) are dinged up and have played sparingly these last couple of games.
Injuries are a part of the game though, and as Bud Foster has done his entire career, he’s made adjustments, and they’ve worked. He’s shaking things up again this week too. To answer your question, I think they’re very good. They pressure the quarterback well, make tackles in the open field and create turnovers at opportune times. Personally I love this group’s character, they’ve embraced the “next man up” mentality. But be advised, Georgia Tech will get their yards and points, they always do.
4) An extra week to prepare for Georgia Tech this year and since Paul Johnson’s arrival that has been one of the surest way to beat the Jackets. Beamer is 2-1 against Johnson since his arrival in the ACC, as a bit of Devil’s Advocate tell me why the “GT can be beat when you have an extra week” meme might not hold true tonight.
5) I’m going to eat some crow here, I did not believe in Logan Thomas or David Wilson going into the season. Both have been a refreshing surprise for me as Thomas is finding his way and becoming a legit quarterback in the ACC. With Wilson I wasn’t sure he could be an every down back but he is absolutely great to watch. Talk about those two guys filling their roles on this team, have they out performed your expectations?
I had some fun over the spring and summer updating the Logan Thomas Hype-O-Meter. I think every preseason preview of Tech mentioned a comparison of LT3 and Cam Newton based on their similar size, athleticism and arm strength. At the time it was very much unwarranted, Cam Newton was a Heisman winning national champion. Logan had never taken a snap as a starter. However, he’s definitely starting to live up to the hype, and he’s exceeded my expectations. Quarterbacks under Beamer tend to struggle in their first year as starter. Logan is bucking that trend. There have been growing pains, sure, but no one expected the coaches to ask him to win games. The consensus going into the season was he’d be a big ole handoff machine, but the coaches have deferred to him in big spots, and he’s succeeded.
I think the coaches need to be more dedicated to Logan being involved in the running/option game. We get away from those plays too much. The threat/success of him carrying the ball on zone reads and speed options really loosens things up for counters and sweeps with Wilson. David has the ability to hit daylight if just one defender to over pursues.
Athletically speaking, Wilson is probably the most talented running back to have played at Tech. He spent his summer breaking running back records in the weight room. However, he’s not the best runner we’ve had. Ryan Williams saw the field better, made all the right cuts and was cognizant to take the yards that were there. Wilson becomes less of an athlete and more a running back each week, and objectively I wouldn’t take any other back in the country over him. He’s the emotional leader of this team and the man eats Chick-fil-A on Sundays, enough said.
