Freaking Hokies

[vatech1994]

So, let me see if I've got this right:
1) We come out totally unprepared to play and get down 17-0
2) We throw three interceptions, all of which were just simply stupid throws from the moment they left the QBs hand
3) The QB play regressed badly from BOTH the QB options for the entire game
4) A coach who I've frequently criticized for running too much, blatantly ran the ball too little. Both our running backs averaged over 5 yds/carry yet we didn't start the game running the ball and we went away from running it AFTER scoring our first touchdown on 11 straight Ore runs.
5) We were blatantly outcoached in all phases of the game except defensively.
6) We had a 25 yard field goal block when an interior lineman just blatantly blocked the wrong guy.
7) We tried a pitifully inept onside kick with 3:00 left and two timeouts despite that being an eternity in the college game where the clock stops while the chains move on first downs.

Despite all of this, we lost 24-21. We were so clearly the better team. We just gave it away.

[the Edge]

8. Our receivers dropped two deep balls on play action passes.
9. Our Traditional strength, special teams was out played and out coached by Kansas.

[backwardsk]

How much of the loss do you guys put on Ore for getting himself suspended? He did well in the three quarters he played, but are you guys down on him for missing the 1st quarter?

That punt return reverse was great.

[vatech1994]

How much of the loss do you guys put on Ore for getting himself suspended? He did well in the three quarters he played, but are you guys down on him for missing the 1st quarter?

That punt return reverse was great.

I would be more upset with Ore if Kenny Lewis Jr. (not a particularly talented back) had been unable to gain yards in the first quarter. However, that wasn't really the issue. Beamer simply chose not to use him as often as he should have. Lewis was getting yards, just not huge yards. We never punted in the whole game due to a lack of success running in a particular series of downs.

Once Ore got in the game, Beamer didn't use him particularly well. He got almost half his carries (11) on the one long touchdown drive we had in the first half. From 9:34 in the 3rd quarter through 9ish left in the 4th quarter, VT had 5 possessions. The first four of those possessions, the score was 17-14.

Here is the summary of the possessions:
1 - Ore 4 rushes, 23 yards, drive ended when we tried to kick a 25 yd field goal on 4th and 1
2 - Ore 2 rushes, 16 yards, drive ended when Beamer tried to throw on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down with no success
3 - Ore 2 rushes, 18 yards, drive ended when Beamer tried to throw on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down with no success (completed one for short yardage)
4 - Ore 1 rush, 2 yards, drive ended when Beamer tried to throw on 2nd and 3rd down and Glennon threw an interception on 3rd down
5 - Ore 0 rushes, 0 yards, drive ended when Beamer tried to throw on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down with no success

They simply couldn't stop the run yet Beamer chose to throw the ball on 1st and/or 2nd down (in addition to 3rd down) to end 4 of the 5 drives. Why????

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=280030259&period=4

Detailed Info
Virginia Tech at 9:34 KU VT
1st and 10 at VT 18 Kansas penalty 15 yard pass interference on Chris Harris accepted, no play. 17 14
1st and 10 at VT 33 Branden Ore rush for 14 yards to the VTech 47 for a 1ST down.
1st and 10 at VT 47 Sean Glennon pass complete to Greg Boone for 37 yards to the Kans 16 for a 1ST down.
1st and 10 at KU 16 Branden Ore rush for 5 yards to the Kans 11.
2nd and 5 at KU 11 Branden Ore rush for a loss of 1 yard to the Kans 12 out-of-bounds.
3rd and 6 at KU 12 Branden Ore rush for 5 yards to the Kans 7.
4th and 1 at KU 7 Jud Dunlevy 25 yard field goal BLOCKED.
DRIVE TOTALS: VTech drive: 6 plays 75 yards, 03:03 VTech FGA

Virginia Tech at 5:23 KU VT
1st and 10 at VT 25 Branden Ore rush for 7 yards to the VTech 32. 17 14
2nd and 3 at VT 32 Branden Ore rush for 9 yards to the VTech 41 for a 1ST down.
1st and 10 at VT 41 Sean Glennon pass incomplete to Justin Harper.
2nd and 10 at VT 41 Tyrod Taylor rush for 6 yards to the VTech 47.
3rd and 4 at VT 47 Sean Glennon rush for no gain to the VTech 47.
4th and 4 at VT 47 Brent Bowden punt for 41 yards, fair catch by Aqib Talib at the Kans 12.
DRIVE TOTALS: VTech drive: 5 plays 22 yards, 02:42 VTech PUNT

Virginia Tech at 0:39 3rd quarter KU 17 VT 14
1st and 10 at VT 6 Branden Ore rush for 4 yards to the VTech 10.
2nd and 6 at VT 10 Sean Glennon pass complete to Josh Morgan for 8 yards to the VTech 18 for a 1ST down.
1st and 10 at VT 18 Branden Ore rush for 14 yards to the VTech 32 for a 1ST down.
End of 3rd Quarter
Virginia Tech at 15:00 KU VT
1st and 10 at VT 32 Sean Glennon pass incomplete to Josh Morgan.
2nd and 10 at VT 32 Sean Glennon pass complete to Carlton Weatherford for 2 yards to the VTech 34.
3rd and 8 at VT 34 Sean Glennon pass incomplete to Justin Harper.
4th and 8 at VT 34 Brent Bowden punt for 33 yards downed at the Kans 33.
DRIVE TOTALS: VTech drive: 6 plays 27 yards, 01:50 VTech PUNT

Virginia Tech at 11:56 KU 17 VT 14
1st and 10 at VT 9 Branden Ore rush for 2 yards to the VTech 11.
2nd and 8 at VT 11 Sean Glennon pass incomplete to Justin Harper.
3rd and 8 at VT 11 Sean Glennon pass intercepted by Justin Thornton at the VTech 32, returned for 30 yards to the VTech 2.
DRIVE TOTALS: VTech drive: 3 plays 2 yards, 00:55 VTech INT

Virginia Tech at 10:57 KU 24 VT 14
1st and 10 at VT 33 Virginia Tech penalty 5 yard false start accepted.
1st and 15 at VT 28 Tyrod Taylor rush for 7 yards to the VTech 35.
2nd and 8 at VT 35 Sean Glennon sacked by Mike Rivera at the VTech 28 for a loss of 7 yards.
3rd and 15 at VT 28 Sean Glennon pass incomplete to Josh Hyman.
4th and 15 at VT 28 Brent Bowden punt for 44 yards downed at the Kans 28.
DRIVE TOTALS: VTech drive: 3 plays -5 yards, 01:56 VTech PUNT

[the Edge]

The sequence of plays after the interception reminded me of a Ravens game, abandon the run and panic. I guess that could be attributed to Ore being out. :(
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=280030259&period=1

1st and 10 at VT 50 Jahre Cheeseman rush for 1 yard to the Kans 49. 2nd and 9 at KU 49 Tyrod Taylor pass intercepted by Aqib Talib at the Kans 40, returned for 60 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
DRIVE TOTALS: VTech drive: 5 plays 24 yards, 01:29 VTech INT
1st and Goal at KU 30 Kansas penalty 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct on Aqib Talib accepted.
Scott Webb kickoff for 68 yards returned by Eddie Royal for 28 yards to the VTech 45.
DRIVE TOTALS: Kans drive: 1 play 60 yards, 00:00 Kans TD
Virginia Tech at 5:15 KU VT
1st and 10 at VT 45 Sean Glennon pass complete to Josh Hyman for 4 yards to the VTech 49. 7 0
2nd and 6 at VT 49 Sean Glennon pass incomplete to Josh Morgan.
3rd and 6 at VT 49 Sean Glennon pass complete to Justin Harper for 24 yards to the Kans 27 for a 1ST down out-of-bounds.
1st and 10 at KU 27 Eddie Royal rush for 1 yard to the Kans 26.
2nd and 9 at KU 26 Sean Glennon sacked by James Holt at the Kans 31 for a loss of 5 yards.
3rd and 14 at KU 31 Sean Glennon pass incomplete to Justin Harper. 4th and 14 at KU 31 Jud Dunlevy 49 yard field goal MISSED.

[RShack]

Whenever a football team goes a month between games, you never know what's gonna happen. Regardless of all that's wrong with polls/BCS/whatever, this is the main thing about the whole bowl thing that I think is goofiest of all: All the teams have the whole season to get tuned-up, and then everybody sits around getting rusty for a friggin' month before the Big Bowl Game that their season will be remembered by.

[SteveA]

Whenever a football team goes a month between games, you never know what's gonna happen. Regardless of all that's wrong with polls/BCS/whatever, this is the main thing about the whole bowl thing that I think is goofiest of all: All the teams have the whole season to get tuned-up, and then everybody sits around getting rusty for a friggin' month before the Big Bowl Game that their season will be remembered by.

All true, but it does seem to happen to us (Hokies) more than most teams. I realize that jsut getting to 15 consecutive bowls is something only 3 other teams can claim, but the 6-9 record gets to be a bit frustrating, especially to those of us who make a lot of the trips (12 out of 15 for me) and look forward to the annual bowl trip.

There definitely has been a pattern of underachievment in Tech bowls. Games where our usually strong special teams are outplayed by the opponent like last night, or the National Championship game that was essentially lost on special teams. Last night marks the second time a fake punt has been used against us successfully in a bowl; I don't recall us ever succeeding with one. And we've had plenty of situations where some facet of the game has drastically underperformed based on the season, such as last night where 2 QBs who combined to threw 5 INTs in 12 games threw three in one game. Or the year when FSU and Javon Walker shredded a good secondary. Or last year's choke.

But my real gripe from the game is that when I go to freakin' South Florida I don't expect to be tailgating in 52 degree weather. What a gyp!

[glenn__davis]

Probably Gus Gilchrists' fault.