Virginia
Tech Hokies
Recap:
On and away from the field, Virginia Tech endured a rollercoaster ride that
began with an emotional tribute to the victims of the April 16 campus massacre
and ended with a second ACC crown in four years. Using a familiar formula of
great defense and special teams, the Hokies battled back from a lopsided Week 2
loss to LSU to go 10-1 before getting dumped by Kansas in the Orange Bowl. It
took awhile for the offense, particularly the line, to mesh, but when freshman
QB Tyrod Taylor began doing his Michael Vick impression on the field, Tech
became much tougher to defend on the boundaries.
Offensive Player of the Year: RB Branden Ore
Defensive Player of the Year: LB Xavier Adibi
Biggest Surprise: QB Sean Glennon. Although he may never be the next
coming of Jim Druckenmiller in Blacksburg, Glennon developed into a steady game
manager in the second half of the season. For a stretch of eight games from
Sept. 15 to Nov. 24, he rarely misfired, connecting on the intermediate routes
and going well over 100 straight passes without an interception.
Biggest Disappointment: Losing to Kansas in the Orange Bowl. Tech
entered the game as one of country’s hottest teams, but suffered a fifth loss in
its last seven bowl games, throwing three crucial interceptions that led to 17
Jayhawk points.
Looking Ahead: Although reinforcements will be needed on defense, at
Virginia Tech, rebuilding is not in the lexicon. Will a two-quarterback system
be used again in 2008, or will Taylor or Glennon earn the majority of the
snaps? Stay tuned in the spring.
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2007 VTech Preview
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2006 VTech Season
2007
Schedule
CFN
Prediction: 10-2
2007 Schedule: 11-3
Sept. 1
East Carolina
W 17-7
Sept. 8 at
LSU L 48-7
Sept. 15
Ohio
W 28-7
Sept. 22
William & Mary
W 44-3
Sept. 29
North Carolina
W 17-10
Oct.
6
at Clemson
W 41-23
Oct.
13
at Duke
W 43-14
Oct.
25
Boston College
L 14-10
Nov.
1 at
Georgia Tech W 27-3
Nov.
10
Florida State
W 40-21
Nov.
17
Miami
W 44-14
Nov.
24
at Virginia
W 33-21
ACC Championship
Dec. 1 Boston College W 30-16
Orange Bowl
Jan. 3 Kansas L 24-21 |
Jan. 3
2008 Orange Bowl
Kansas 24 ... Virginia Tech 21
In a strange game, Kansas started off the scoring with a
60-yard interception return for a score from Aqib Talib, and held a
17-0 first half lead after Marcus Henry caught a 13-yard touchdown
pass. And then Virginia Tech found a groove, going 68 yards in 13
plays at the end of the half by running Branden Ore, who scored with
a one-yard touchdown run. The Hokies got rolling in the second half
on an 84-yard punt return for a score from Justin Harper on a
reverse, but a blocked field goal and an interception gave the
Kansas all the momentum as Todd Reesing scored on a two-yard run
early in the fourth for the winning touchdown. Tech came up with a
15-play, 78-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown grab from Harper,
but KU recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
Offensive Player of the Game:
Virginia Tech RB Branden Ore ran 23 times for 116 yards and a
touchdown
Defensive Player of the Game: Kansas P Kyle Tucker punted
five times for 250 yards, averaging 50 yards per kick, putting three
inside the 20
Stat Leaders: Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean
Glennon, 13-28, 160 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Branden Ore, 23-116, 1 TD. Receiving:
Justin Harper, 4-64, 1 TD
Kansas - Passing: Todd Reesing, 20-37, 227 yds,
1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Brandon McAnderson, 15-75. Receiving:
Dexton Fields, 7-101
Thoughts & Notes ...
5
Thoughts on the Orange Bowl ...
Orange Bowl Stream of
Consciousness Quarter By Quarter Game Notes ... Virginia Tech
survived several bad breaks and great Kansas field position by
fighting back into the game, but down three, it lost all the
momentum by not going for it on a key fourth and short deep in
Jayhawk territory in the third quarter, got the field goal attempt
blocked, and it was all KU the rest of the way. ... Kansas not only
matched the Virginia Tech pass rush, it bettered it five sacks to
four. Give a little credit to the mobility of KU QB Todd Reesing,
but also credit the Jayhawk defense that showed up with an attitude.
... While Tech came up with some big special teams plays, including
a touchdown on a punt return, it lost the battle. KU got the key
blocked field goal, got a first down off a fake punt, and got a
whale of a game from punter Kyle Tucker, who pinned the Hokies deep
time and again. The Hokies didn't connect on their two field goal
attempts, and that was the difference.
Dec. 1
ACC
Championship
Virginia Tech 30 ... Boston College 16
Tied at 16 midway through the fourth quarter, Eddie Royal
caught a 24-yard touchdown pass to give the Hokies the lead for
good. The Tech defense held on with an interception on fourth down
deep in its own territory, and a 40-yard interception return for a
score from Xavier Adibi with 11 seconds to play. In a strange first
half, BC got on the board first as Jamie Silva snatched the ball and
took it for a 51-yard score. A Matt Ryan 14-yard touchdown run gave
the Eagles a second quarter lead, but the extra point was blocked
and returned for a two-point conversion to spark a run of 23
unanswered points. Sean Glennon threw three touchdowns passes to
three different receivers.
Player of the game:
Virginia Tech QB Sean Glennon completed 18 of 27 passes for 174
yards and three touchdowns with an interception.
Stat Leaders: Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean
Glennon, 18-27, 174 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Branden Ore, 19-55. Receiving:
Josh Morgan, 8-55, 1 TD
Boston College - Passing: Matt Ryan, 33-52, 305
yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Andre Callender, 15-51. Receiving: Andre
Callender, 13-92
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Much will be made about the Hokie
defense and special teams, but once again, the offense stepped up
and was the story. Sean Glennon only threw one interception against
Boston College and did a great job of spreading the ball around and
limiting his mistakes. Of course, the defense did its part, and even
though BC got its yards, it didn't get on the board over the last
2.5 quarters and rarely seemed able to find any sort of a rhythm
after the first few drives. Now it's on to the Orange Bowl to cap
off a great season. The school needed a positive year, and the
football team more than came through.
Nov. 24
Virginia Tech 33 ... Virginia 21
Virginia Tech got up early on a nine-yard touchdown run from
Tyrod Taylor and a 20-yard Jud Dunleavy field goal, but Virginia
took the lead on a 27-yard Mikell Simpson run and an eight-yard dash
by Jameel Sewell. Eddie Royal, who caught six passes from 147 yards,
gave the Hokies the lead for good with a 39-yard touchdown catch.
The Cavaliers just only managed a two-yard Sewell scoring run in the
second half while Tech got two of Dunlevy's four field goals and a
five-yard Taylor run to stay ahead. Each team came up with six
sacks.
Player of the game:
Virginia Tech RB Branden Ore ran 31 times for 147 yards
Stat Leaders: Virginia - Passing: Jameel
Sewell, 15-24, 121 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Mikell Simpson, 16-81, 1 TD. Receiving:
Mikell Simpson, 6-17
Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean Glennon, 13-19,
260 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Branden Ore, 31-147. Receiving: Eddie Royal,
6-147, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
offense is humming at just the right time. Tech won the Coastal
Division title by cranking up the defense a few notches, but it was
the offense that made the four week run to the rematch with Boston
College relatively easy. The dual quarterback system appears to be
working perfectly as Sean Glennon is throwing efficiently and
effectively, while Tyrod Taylor doesn't have to carry the entire
team on his shoulders. The confidence has to be sky-high going
against the Eagles, and if the offense continues to be balanced and
productive, it'll be hard to keep this team out of the BCS.
Nov. 17
Virginia Tech 44 ... Miami 14
Virginia Tech blew open a tight game with 24 unanswered points
with short touchdown runs from Branden Ore, Carlton Weatherford and
Jahre Cheeseman in a dominant performance to set up a game against
Virginia for the Coastal title. Miami got a four-yard touchdown run
from Kyle Wright and a one-yard pass to Leonard Hankerson, but
finished with a mere -2 rushing yards and 213 yards of total
offense. Virginia Tech took a 17-0 lead helped by a 15-yard Justin
Harper touchdown catch and the first of Ore's two runs.
Player of the game:
Virginia Tech LB Vince Hall made 13 tackles
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright,
21-36, 215 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Javarris James, 10-7. Receiving: Sam Shields,
6-81
Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean Glennon, 13-24,
171, 1 TD
Rushing: Branden Ore, 15-81, 2 TD. Receiving: Josh Hyman,
3-60
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Suffocating doesn't begin to describe the Virginia Tech defense
against the Miami running game. The Canes couldn't get anything
going, and eventually had to just give up trying to run, and that
allowed the Hokie defense to tee off. The team is in a perfect
lather for the critical showdown with Virginia for the division
title and a chance to play Boston College for the ACC championship.
The combination of Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor worked well enough
even though neither had a great game. The running game was creative
enough to pick up the slack.
Nov. 10
Virginia Tech 40 ... Florida State 21
Virginia Tech was down one going into the fourth quarter
thanks to a an FSU run sparked by a 40-yard Dekoda Watson
interception return for a score and an eight-yard DeCody Fagg catch,
and then came 20 unanswered points. Tyrod Taylor ran for a
three-yard score and Chris Ellis picked off a pass for a five-yard
touchdown. Taylor threw two first half touchdown passes and Branden
Ore ran for a two-yard score on the way to a 20-yard Hokie lead
before the Noles made their midgame run.
Player of the
game:
Virginia Tech QB
Tyrod Taylor completed ten of 15 passes for 204 yards and two
touchdowns with an interception, and ran 17 times for 92 yards and a
score
Stat Leaders: Florida State - Passing:
Christian Ponder, 8-18, 105 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Christian Ponder, 5-51. Receiving:
DeCody Fagg, 4-63, 1 TD
Virginia Tech - Passing: Tyrod Taylor, 10-15,
204 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Tyrod Taylor, 17-92, 1 TD. Receiving:
Justin Harper,
5-167, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Now
that's the Tyrod Taylor everyone was waiting for. The
super-recruit showed a bit more patience and more passing ability
after coming off his ankle injury, while tearing off some nice runs
on the way to a 92-yard day. The defense didn't have its best day,
but it forced three turnovers and dripped the hammer in the fourth
quarter when the momentum turned. Now it's a two-game run to the ACC
title, getting a dead-in-the-water Miami team in the home finale
before the showdown at Virginia.
Nov. 1
Virginia Tech 27 ... Georgia Tech 3
Virginia Tech's Sean Glennon overcame the loss of his jersey,
wearing a modified Georgia Tech jersey, to throw a 40-yard touchdown
pass to Justin Harper and a 71-yard pass to Josh Morgan. The day
belonged to the Hokie defense that forced six turnovers, including
five interceptions, and held the Yellow Jacket offense to 271 yards
and a 24-yard Travis Bell field goal. Georgia Tech had one big
chance to get back in the game, but a trick play just missed on a
sure touchdown pass just out of reach for WR James Johnson.
Player of the
game:
Virginia Tech QB
Sean Glennon completed 22 of 32 passes for 296 yards and two
touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Georgia Tech - Passing: Taylor
Bennett, 11-26, 157 yds, 4 INT
Rushing: Jonathan Dwyer, 10-68. Receiving:
James Johnson, 7-136
Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean Glennon, 22-32,
296 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Branden Ore, 19-86. Receiving: Josh Morgan,
6-103, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Talk
about bouncing back from a rough loss, the defense was all over
Georgia Tech QB Taylor Bennett, forcing him to make mistakes all
game long. He's not Matt Ryan, and the Yellow Jackets never got a
chance to breathe. Sean Glennon was nearly perfect, coming up with
one of his sharpest, best games of his career. While Tyrod Taylor is
still in the mix once his ankle is healthy, Glennon might be the
calm, even-keel fit for the attack right now.
Oct. 25
Boston College 14 ... Virginia Tech
10
Shut down cold for roughly 55 minutes, Boston College and QB
Matt Ryan woke up to pull off the improbable comeback thanks to a
24-yard touchdown pass to Andre Callender with 11 seconds to play.
Down 10-0 and the ball on his own eight, Ryan took the Eagles 92
yards in just over two minutes, finishing up with a 16-yard scoring
pass to Rich Gunnell. With 2:11 to play, BC went for the onside kick
and got it as the ball bounced off a Hokie before the Eagles
recovered. Ryan went 66 yards in seven plays for the game-winning
score. Virginia Tech got a 44-yard Jud Dunleavy field goal and an
eight-yard Eddie Royal touchdown catch for the lead, but only
finished with 265 yards of total offense, while BC finished with 32
rushing yards.
Player of the
game:
Boston College
QB Matt Ryan completed 25 of 52 passes for 285 yards and two
touchdowns with two interceptions
Stat Leaders: Boston College - Passing: Matt
Ryan, 25-52, 285 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Andre Callender, 7-29. Receiving:
Brandon Robinson, 5-86
Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean Glennon, 15-25,
149 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Branden Ore, 21-101. Receiving: Eddie Royal,
4-77, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Sometimes you just lose to a superior
player. Virginia Tech did a phenomenal job of making BC QB Matt Ryan
look awful for almost the entire game, and then the defensive line
got gassed, couldn't finish its pass rush, despite doing a good job
of getting into the backfield, and got a horrible break when it
couldn't get the onside kick. The offense wasn't great, but it was
good enough. There didn't need to be any big chances taken with the
way the defense was playing. Everything worked according to plan,
and then Ryan had other ideas. There's no need to worry about the
loss too much. Tech still wins the ACC title if it wins its next
five games.
Oct. 13
Virginia Tech 43 ... Duke 14
Virginia Tech's much-maligned offense cranked out 441 yards
getting help from an unlikely source, as Sean Glennon stepped in for
an injured Tyrod Taylor and threw for 268 yards with a 25-yard
touchdown pass to Eddie Royal in the second quarter and a 40-yarder
to Josh Morgan at the end of the third. Kenny Lewis and Branden Ore
each added short scoring runs, and Jud Dunleavy hit three field
goals on the way to a 43-7 lead after three quarters. Duke's scores
came on a one-yard Thaddeus Lewis run and a 19-yard pass to Brandon
King.
Player of the game:
Virginia Tech QB Sean Glennon completed 16 of 21 passes for 258
yards and two touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Duke - Passing: Thaddeus Lewis,
13-24, 119 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Re'quan Boyette, 8-42. Receiving: Eron Riley,
3-37
Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean Glennon, 16-21,
258 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Branden Ore, 17-37, 1 TD. Receiving: Eddie
Royal, 6-90, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Ahhhhh, Duke. Nothing like playing the Blue Devils to jumpstart the
offense, but it all came from the passing game as Tech only gained
99 yards on the ground. Sean Glennon came in and was cool and
mistake-free, making the throws that were there and not forcing
anything. He didn't have to. The Duke offense wasn't any threat to
the Hokie D that came up with five sacks. The one big problem was
the overall play of the offensive line; Duke won more than its share
of battles. The play from the front five has to be much better
against Boston College in two weeks.
Oct. 6
Virginia Tech 41 ... Clemson 23
Virginia Tech got out to a 31-5 halftime lead by scoring just
about every way possible. D.J. Parker took an interception 32 yards
for a score 1:10 into the game, Eddie Royal returned a punt 82 yards
for a touchdown, and following a Mark Buchholz 33-yard field goal to
get Clemson on the board, Macho Harris returned a kickoff 100 yards
for a touchdown. The Tigers mounted a comeback, with Cullen Harper
hitting Tyler Grisham for a three-yard score, and Aaron Kelly for an
18-yard touchdown, but a Branden Ore two-yard touchdown run in the
final minute made the final score more impressive.
Player of the game:
Virginia Tech LBs Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi combined to make 21
tackles and three tackles for loss
Stat Leaders: Clemson - Passing: Cullen Harper,
38-66, 372 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: James Davis, 6-9. Receiving: Aaron Kelly,
11-175, 1 TD
Virginia Tech - Passing: Tyrod Taylor, 7-14, 65
yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Tyrod Taylor, 15-118, 1 TD. Receiving: Justin
Harper, 3-33, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Much
will be made about Beamer Ball, and the way the Hokies beat Clemson,
but it was the defense, specifically the play of the linebackers,
shutting down the vaunted Clemson running game, that was the most
impressive aspect of the win. Not to be glossed over was yet another
lousy day from the offense. It didn't need to do much, considering
all the scoring from the special teams and defense, but 219 yards is
still 219 yards. However, Tyrod Taylor started to show off what he
can do with his legs, cranking out 118 rushing yards.
Sept. 29
Virginia Tech 17 ... North Carolina 10
It wasn't pretty, but Virginia Tech pulled off the win with
short touchdown runs from Tyrod Taylor and Branden Ore, and got
stingy defense throughout. The Tar Heels only managed a 32-yard
Connor Barth field goal in the first 54 minutes, and then made
things interesting with a one-yard scoring run from Anthony Elzy.
They got into Hokie territory on a final drive, but a sack and a
false start penalty killed the comeback attempt. UNC outgained Tech
306 yards to 241. The two teams combined for ten sacks.
Player of the game:
Virginia Tech LB Cam Martin had 10 tackles and three sacks.
Stat Leaders: North Carolina - Passing: T.J.
Yates, 16-25, 182 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Anthony Elzy, 11-74, 1 TD. Receiving: Hakeem
Nicks, 8-94
Virginia Tech - Passing: Tyrod Taylor, 10-19,
66 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Branden Ore, 19-93, 1 TD. Receiving: Eddie
Royal, 4-14
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... When
you have a top-shelf defense, everything else seems to fall into
place. The offense is playing too poorly, with Tyrod Taylor
continuing to struggle with his downfield passing, and Branden Ore
getting keyed on game in and game out. There's no excuse for only
coming up with 241 yards of total offense against North Carolina,
and there will need to be far more from the attack to win at Clemson
next week.
Sept. 22
Virginia Tech 44 ... William & Mary 3
Virginia Tech rolled out a 27-point first quarter on two Jud Dunleavy field goals, short runs from Branden Ore and Kenny Lewis,
and a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown from Brandon
Flowers. Just to add to the early blowout, Eddie Roay took a punt 60
yards for an early third quarter touchdown, and Ore scored on a
34-yard pass play. Tech outgained William & Mary 133 yards to five,
allowing just a 22-yard Brian Pate field goal.
Player of the
game:
Virginia Tech LB
Purnell Sturdivant made eight tackles, two sacks and two
interceptions.
Stat Leaders: William & Mary - Passing: Jacob
Phillips, 17-40, 243 yds, 3 INTs
Rushing: Thomas Schonder, 9-42. Receiving: Drew
Atchison, 5-81
Virginia Tech - Passing: Tyrod Taylor, 6-13, 72
yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Tyrod Taylor, 5-52. Receiving: Branden Ore,
4-48, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Fine, so the Hokies didn't really need to try against William &
Mary, and the foot was quickly taken off the gas after the defense
and special teams dominated, but 287 yards of total offense and just
12 first downs has to be a bit concerning. Again, the outcome was
never in doubt, but it would've been nice if the running game, kept
on rolling with the backups, it would've been nice if Tyrod Taylor
was a bit better throwing the ball, and it really would've been nice
if there weren't so many penalties, committing 11 for 95 yards.
Sept. 15
Virginia Tech 28 ... Ohio 7
Virginia Tech's defense dominated, allowing just five first
downs and 114 yards of total offense, but the Bobcats were ahead 7-0 in
the second quarter on a four-yard Kalvin McRae touchdown run. That was
the only fun Ohio would have all game, as Tech reeled off 28 unanswered
points on touchdown runs from Kenny Lewis, Tyrod Taylor and Branden Ore,
and then Kenny Lewis put it well out of reach on a 44-yard scoring
run. Ohio converted just three of 17 third down chances.
Player of the game:
Virginia Tech LB
Vince Hall had 14 tackles, three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks..
Stat Leaders: Ohio - Passing: Brad Bower, 9-16, 70
yds
Rushing: Kalvin McRae, 22-55, 1 TD. Receiving: Kalvin
McRae, 6-26
Virginia Tech - Passing: Tyrod Taylor, 18-31, 287
yds
Rushing: Branden Ore, 18-82, 1 TD. Receiving: Josh Morgan,
6-119
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Now
that's the Hokie defense everyone's been waiting for. Vince Hall and the
D were swarming all over Ohio all game long, and outside of a second
quarter touchdown, never let up and made the game more of a blowout than
it looks on paper. Tyrod Taylor was fine in his debut, and while he
failed to make too many big plays, outside of a 59-yard pass play to
Josh Morgan for a touchdown, he didn't make many mistakes. This was a
good first step, and now it's important to keep working on the passing
game against William & Mary.
Sept. 8
LSU 48 ... Virginia Tech 7
Tyrod Taylor ran for a one-yard score late in the third
quarter for the Hokies. That would be in for fun moments for Tech, as
LSU stomped, ran over, and dominated its way to a shockingly easy win.
The Tigers got out 27-0 helped by a 67-yard Keiland Williams touchdown
run and short scores from Jacob Hester and Matt Flynn. Williams added a
32-yard run in the fourth quarter and Ryan Perrilloux threw two garbage
time touchdown passes. The Tigers outgained the Hokies 598 yards to 149.
Player of the game: LSU RB Keiland Williams ran seven
times for 126 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for ten
yards
Stat Leaders: Virginia Tech - Passing:
Tyrod Taylor, 7-18, 62 yds
Rushing: Tyrod Taylor, 9-44, 1 TD. Receiving:
Josh Morgan, 4-20
LSU - Passing: Matt Flynn, 17-27, 217 yds
Rushing: Keiland Williams, 7-126, 2 TD. Receiving:
Brandon LaFell, 7-125
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
The Hokies have to
have a short memory. Whether it was 8-7 or 48-7, the loss to LSU was
going to sting. Confidence, especially in the offense, is going to be a
problem after Sean Glennon was quickly replaced by Tyrod Taylor. While
that might be a step back to eventually take a giant leap forward, that
only works if the defense is playing well. A national title-caliber D
doesn't allow close to 600 yards to anyone, but after facing Ohio,
William & Mary and North Carolina in the next three weeks, there will be
plenty of time for Taylor, if he turns into the starter, to jell.
Sept. 1
Virginia Tech 17 ... East Carolina 7
In one of the most emotionally charged games in college
football history, Virginia Tech needed a while before finally
putting East Carolina away. Victor Harris picked off a pass for
a touchdown late in the first half for a 10-7 Hokie lead, and
Sam Wheeler provided the breathing room with a 21-yard touchdown
catch. East Carolina managed a two-yard Chris Johnson touchdown
run in the first half for its only points.
Player of
the game ...
Virginia
Tech TE Sam Wheeler caught seven passes for 81 yards and a
touchdown.
Stat Leaders: East Carolina - Passing:
Patrick Pinkney, 14-25, 115 yds
Rushing: Dominique Lindsay, 10-50 Receiving:
Phillip Henry, 4-30
Virginia Tech - Passing: Sean Glennon,
22-33, 245 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Branden Ore, 23-70 Receiving: Sam Wheeler,
7-81, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Did the emotional factor actually
hurt the Hokies? With so much hype and so much surrounding the
game, it was almost like the Hokies, especially on offense,
played extremely tight. However, this wasn't the type of
performance that'll inspire much in the way of confidence before
having to face LSU's defense. Sean Glennon was shaky at best,
and the offensive line had an awful game. There wasn't any room
to run, and Glennon was under pressure far too often.
Defensively, the stars came through as Xavier Adibi, Vince Hall
and Brandon Flowers all played like All-Americans.
Sept. 1 - East Carolina
Offense: Skip Holtz likes to spread the field out and turn his
quarterback loose, but with the battery of James Pinkney and Aundrae
Allison gone, the Pirates will put more emphasis on the ground game.
That means extra carries this year for versatile senior Chris Johnson
and his young understudies, Dominique Lindsay and Norman Whitley. While
strong-armed sophomore Rob Kass will replace Pinkney behind center, an
adequate replacement for Allison will be much tougher to find. Look for
the quarterback to utilize a group of tight ends that has the potential
to be as good as any in Conference USA. For ECU to improve on last
season’s weak offensive output, the veteran line needs to give Kass an
extra second or two in the pocket and create more daylight for the
backs.
Defense: If the Pirate defensive line doesn’t outright dominate
at times this season, heads will roll at the end of the year. There’s
way too much talent and depth on this unit for it not to make a quantum
leap from 2006. Junior end Marcus Hands, in particular, has the size
and quickness to be special after underachieving last fall. Penetration
up front figures to help a secondary that’s easily the weak link of this
defense. Three starters, including both corners, need to be replaced
from a group that was one of the underrated team strengths for the past
two seasons.
Sept. 8 – at LSU
Offense: There's a little bit of nervousness among LSU fans with
a major change underway in the offense under new coordinator Gary
Crowton. There'll be more option, more quick timing patterns, and
quicker reads on the line. Fortunately, the loss of JaMarcus Russell
won't hurt as much as it would for almost any other program with Matt
Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux returning to run the attack. The backfield is
loaded with options led by star newcomer Keiland Williams working behind
a great line with enough returning experience to dominate. The receiving
corps won't be as productive without Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis, but
Early Doucet and Brandon LeFall will be a great 1-2 combination.
Defense: The nation's number three defense in each of the last
two years might crank things up yet another notch with eight starters
returning led by the nation's most impressive line. Tackle Glenn Dorsey
and end Tyson Jackson might be top five draft picks next season, while
Ali Highsmith leads a fantastic linebacking corps that'll only get
better once the star prospect backups get more time. Chevis Jackson and
Jonathan Zenon form a top lock-down corner tandem, while Craig Steltz
and Curtis Taylor will be more than just fill-ins for safeties LaRon
Landry and Jessie Daniels. With all the talent returning, expect more
big plays, more turnovers, and more dominance against the average to bad
teams.
Sept. 15 - Ohio
Offense:
You know the fastball is coming, but can you
hit it? Ohio will try to add more passing to the attack, but this is a
running team that'll pound away with Kalvin McRae behind a good, though
not as good as last year, offensive line. The attack has to be more
versatile after being stuck in the mud against the good teams on the
schedule, and that's where new starting quarterback Brad Bower comes in.
He'll be looking to add more passing to the mix, but he doesn't have a
great receiving corps to work with. The tight ends will get more
involved this year to try to keep things moving.
Defense: The defense made a night-and-day improvement from 2005,
and should be among the best in the MAC again if replacements can be
found for the three star linebackers and All-MAC corner T.J. Wright. The
defensive line is big and active, and it needs to be stronger against
the run. Getting into the backfield won't be a problem with All-MAC end
Jameson Hartke leading the way. The safeties will be fantastic leading a
deep and talented group. It's all up to the linebackers, who have
talent, but are relatively inexperienced and haven't stayed healthy.
Sept. 22 – William & Mary
Sept. 29 - North Carolina
Offense: The offense only cranked out 293 yards and 18 points per
game with fits of wild inconsistency. Expect a bit more of the same with
a young team still trying to figure out who the starters are going to
be, but the overall production should be better. Step one is to
determine who the quarterback will be to handle the passing game that'll
run three and four wide sets. T.J. Yates was the star of spring ball,
but he'll have to hold off star freshman Mike Paulus. There are plenty
of good, inexperienced running backs to work with, and Hakeem Nicks is a
potential star number one receiver. However, there aren't any
certainties in the depth chart quite yet. The line will be serviceable,
but nothing special.
Defense: It might take a year to turn things around after a
disastrous 2006, but the young talent is there to get really, really
excited. The defensive line has a slew of great prospects to work with,
while the back seven has athleticism and quickness by design with a
smallish linebacking corps. The return of Trimaine Goddard at safety
will be a big help for the secondary, while the hopeful emergence of
more pass rushing help for end Hilee Taylor should help the coaching
staff implement it's attacking, aggressive style.
Oct. 6 – at Clemson
Offense:
Clemson had
the ACC's best offense last season, but it didn't get nearly enough from
the passing game. Expect more of the same. The 1-2 rushing punch of
James Davis and C.J. Spiller is among the best in the country, and while
the line loses four starters, there's enough experience and talent up
front to pave the way for a big rushing year. The receiving corps has
potential, but a quarterback has to emerge to consistently produce.
Cullen Harper has the job to start the year, but superstar recruit Willy
Korn will likely take over at the first opportunity. No matter who's
under center, and despite all the bells, whistles and formations of the
Rob Spence offense, it'll be all about the running game.
Defense: As long as the corners are fine, this will be one of the
nation's best defenses. The line, even without Gaines Adams, will be
amazing, thanks to the emergence of Ricky Sapp and a great rotation of
tackles. Assuming Tramaine Billie (broken ankle) and Antonio Clay
(family tragedy) are back, the linebacking corps will fly around and
make plays all over the filed. The safety situation is one of the ACC's
best with Chris Clemons, Michael Hamlin (broken foot and all) and
DeAndre McDaniel all potential all-stars, and the corners should be
decent, at worst.
Oct. 13 – at Duke
Offense: Eleven starters return to an offense that lived
through the growing pains of a youth movement in an attempt to take a
giant leap forward. New offensive coordinator Peter Vaas, who comes over
from Notre Dame, should help make quarterback Thaddeus Lewis more
consistent. Helping the overall cause even more is a veteran line that
needs to be far better after doing next to nothing well throughout last
year. It'll be tailback by committee with several different options to
see carries, while the overall strength will be at receiver with several
young, big, good-looking targets for Lewis to use to push the ball
deeper.
Defense: The defense is still not going to be a rock, but there's
promise with several good young players to revolve around. Top prospects
Vince Oghobaase and Ayanga Okpokowuruk are rising stars on the line,
while Patrick Bailey is a playmaker who'll be one of the ACC's better
pass rushers. Michael Tauiliili is a playmaker at middle linebacker, but
the outside linebackers are question marks. Safeties Chris Davis and
Adrian Aye-Darko are good, and they'll need to be with major concerns at
corner.
Oct. 25 - Boston College
Offense: It's Matt Ryan's offense and everyone is just playing in
it. The new coaching staff will install a new zone blocking scheme,
putting a premium on quick, flashy runners, but the line might not be
suited for the system. The receiving corps is decent, but nothing
special, and the tight ends are promising. It all comes down to Ryan,
who'll have more control in the attack, able to change things up a bit
on the fly, and he should be tremendous now that he's healthy. He was
the best quarterback in the ACC last year, and that was with a broken
foot.
Defense: Is it time to start
giving the BC defense a little love? It allowed 17 points per game in
2004, 15.92 in 2005, and 15.69 last year. With defensive coordinator
Frank Spaziani back, it should be even better with nine starters
returning including the entire front seven if linebacker Brian Toal is
back from a shoulder problem. The monster tackles, B.J. Raji and Ron
Brace, will gum up everything inside, while the deep linebacking corps
will quietly be among the ACC's best. DeJuan Tribble is one of the
league's best shutdown corners, and Jamie Silva is a top free safety.
The problem? There isn't a reliable second corner, and strong safety is
a question mark.
Nov. 1 – at Georgia Tech
Offense: Is it possible an offense can lose the offensive
coordinator, a sure-fire NFL superstar and a four-year starting
quarterback and be better? Absolutely. Calvin Johnson's departure will
sting, but the passing game should be even better with Taylor Bennett
(or any one of a slew of terrific prospects) taking over for Reggie
Ball. Patrick Nix left to take over the Miami offense, but John Bond is
a veteran who did a good job with the Northern Illinois program for the
last three years. James Johnson will be a decent number one target, and
now someone else has to quickly emerge to take the heat off and give
Bennett more options. Tashard Choice is an All-ACC caliber back leading
a deep and talented group of runners working behind a fantastic line
loaded with experience and depth.
Defense: The defense had two lousy games against Clemson and West
Virginia and was solid against everyone else. With just about everyone
returning, expect another great year holding almost everyone to under
300 yards and around 20 points. The defensive line will be one of the
team's strengths with one of the best groups of ends in America. MLB
Philip Wheeler deserves All-America attention while the safety tandem of
Jamal Lewis and Djay Jones will be one of the ACC's best. The corners
are a bit suspect and the proven linebacker depth is a bit thin, but
those aren't glaring problems.
Nov. 10 - Florida State
Offense: After a dreadful two seasons, the offense is under new
leadership with new offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher coming in to
breathe life into the nation's 70th ranked attack. Step one is to find
some semblance of a running game, and that starts with talented junior
Antone Smith getting more carries. The offensive line, problem one over
the last few years, gets a big upgrade with the addition of line coach
Rick Trickett from West Virginia. He's immediately pushed everyone to
get into better shape and to get a lot tougher. The passing game won't
be forgotten about, with Fisher wanting to bomb away down the field to
Greg Carr and DeCody Fagg. Now a steady quarterback has to emerge
between Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee.
Defense:
The defense
came up with a better year than it got credit for, but it gave up too
many points. Now the potential is there for this to be a Florida
State defense again with tremendous speed and talent in the
secondary and a good enough front seven to come up with a big year.
There are question marks. Everette Brown is a good-looking pass rushing
end, but he needs help from the other side. The linebacking corps will
be special as long as Derek Nicholson and Marcus Ball can quickly return
from torn ACLs, otherwise it'll be an undersized group with no depth. As
always, there's a slew of NFL talent to work around, highlighted by
tackle Andre Fluellen and safety Myron Rolle.
Nov. 17 - Miami
Offense: After a miserably inconsistent year finishing 87th in
the nation in both total and scoring offense, the attack needs to play
up to its talent level. The backfield will be amazing with Javarris
James and true freshman Graig Cooper each good enough star for just
about anyone in the country. The line has potential with two good
tackles in Jason Fox and Reggie Youngblood to work around, and now the
passing game has to be far better. The Kyle Wright vs. Kirby Freeman
quarterback battle will be an ongoing debate, and the receiving corps
has to step up and be better. Lance Leggett emerging as a true number
one target would be a start.
Defense: The defense finished seventh in the nation last year
despite not getting any help from the offense. The starting 11 should be
good enough to shut everyone down, but there will be early concerns with
the depth on the defensive line and the secondary. Safety Kenny Phillips
and end Calais Campbell might be the two best defensive players in the
nation, and everything will revolve around them; they must stay
healthy. The linebacking corps might not have name stars, but it'll be a
rock against the run with a good rotation of talents.
Nov. 24 – at Virginia
Offense: Until the receivers prove they can play, it'll be run,
run and run some more with mobile quarterback Jameel Sewell and decent
backs Cedric Peerman and Keith Payne working behind a much improved,
veteran line. The tight ends are excellent, but the receiving corps
suffered a nasty blow when it lost leading receiver Kevin Ogletree with
a knee injury. Now it'll be up to Sewell, a rising star but an
inconsistent passer, to make everyone around him better. Don't expect
anything flashy for a while.
Defense: Somewhat quietly, the Virginia defense had a terrific
year finishing 17th in the nation in total D and 22nd in scoring D. It
should be even better with ten starters returning, including top linemen
Chris Long and Jeffrey Fitzgerald to anchor the front three. All four
starting linebackers are back to form a solid group that doesn't make a
whole bunch of mistakes. This might not be the most athletic defense,
but it's aggressive and is always around the ball.