Maryland vs Virginia Tech

[McNulty]

My wife is a huge Noles fan and alumni. We have season tickets for the Noles (and have had them for a few years now), so I got to see VT in person this past weekend.

I'd seriously doubt Glennon will be making an appearance in this game. He was writhing in pain when he got injured. I thought for sure he blew out his knee because he was squirming so much. They had to pick him up and carry him off the field. Tyrod Taylor is a bit of a different story. He stayed on the sidelines the entire game after getting hurt on the first play with an icepack on his ankle....I saw him limping around a few times, which is more then I can say for Glennon. Even if Taylor is able to go, I'd imagine his running ability will be limited in some capacity.

Their third QB, however, was much better than you'd expect a converted WR to be. He's a tall drink of water, and threw a nice ball. He's relatively mobile too. I commented to people in my section that I thought he played better then Glennon did for the quarter he was in there, and everyone seemed to agree. He showed a lot of poise for someone who had only thrown 19 career passes.

Defensively, I'd wager to say that VT is a little down this year. I'd love to hear from some of the VT fans on the board about this. Macho Harris is going to be a tough matchup for Heyward-Bey. He was all over Greg Carr, who did make 3 great catches, but Macho had great coverage on Carr even during the big gainers.

VT very well could have (and maybe should have) won this game if they hadn't roughed the punter (which lead to a key TD drive) in the third quarter.

VT seems to love to use the tight end in the passing game. So we'll have to cover well with our linebackers. Their freshman running back (Evans) looks like a good one, and I'm sure with their QB injury situation the Terps will see a steady diet of him.

[Dr. FLK]

If we lose to VT with a WR playing QB, I'm going to be pretty disappointed. VT isn't the same caliber of team they have been in year's past. The Terps "good defense" needs to show up, and they need to continue to open up the offense. The more #8 gets the ball, the better. IMO, this is a game the Terps need to win.

[SteveA]

My wife is a huge Noles fan and alumni. We have season tickets for the Noles (and have had them for a few years now), so I got to see VT in person this past weekend.

I'd seriously doubt Glennon will be making an appearance in this game. He was writhing in pain when he got injured. I thought for sure he blew out his knee because he was squirming so much. They had to pick him up and carry him off the field. Tyrod Taylor is a bit of a different story. He stayed on the sidelines the entire game after getting hurt on the first play with an icepack on his ankle....I saw him limping around a few times, which is more then I can say for Glennon. Even if Taylor is able to go, I'd imagine his running ability will be limited in some capacity.

Their third QB, however, was much better than you'd expect a converted WR to be. He's a tall drink of water, and threw a nice ball. He's relatively mobile too. I commented to people in my section that I thought he played better then Glennon did for the quarter he was in there, and everyone seemed to agree. He showed a lot of poise for someone who had only thrown 19 career passes.

Defensively, I'd wager to say that VT is a little down this year. I'd love to hear from some of the VT fans on the board about this. Macho Harris is going to be a tough matchup for Heyward-Bey. He was all over Greg Carr, who did make 3 great catches, but Macho had great coverage on Carr even during the big gainers.

VT very well could have (and maybe should have) won this game if they hadn't roughed the punter (which lead to a key TD drive) in the third quarter.

VT seems to love to use the tight end in the passing game. So we'll have to cover well with our linebackers. Their freshman running back (Evans) looks like a good one, and I'm sure with their QB injury situation the Terps will see a steady diet of him.

I was there too. A few comments.

Cory Holt was a QB in high school. He's a cousin of NFL WR Torry. Anyway, he only became a WR after losing out in a multi-way QB competition to Glennon and Marcus Vick. So calling him a "converted WR" is shortchanging the fact that he has been a QB the majority of his life and just a WR the past couple years. I was very impressed with what I saw of him.

Even though Glennon was writhing in pain, the word in Blacksburg so far is that his injury is less severe and he at least has a possibility of playing vs Maryland. Tyrod Taylor is definitely out.

Your comment about how we like to throw to the TEs had me laughing....we hadn't thrown to the TEs all year and the fanbase was screaming for it, as we watched our extremely young WR corps drop pass after pass. Finally in the FSU game we did go to Boone quite a bit. Hopefully that will continue, but it certainly hasn't been a season long characteristic.

Yes, we are a bit down defensively mainly because we lost two great linebackers. Also, in past years we have been able to generate a really good pass rush with just a four man rush, but we don't have quite the talent up front to do that so Bud Foster has had to get a bit more creative and mix in a lot more blitzes. However, Jason Worilds has emerged the past few games as the next in a long line of stud VT DEs, and he's only a sophomore so he can only get better.

You're right, regardless of who is QB, our game plan will be to run the ball as much as possible.

[McNulty]

I was there too. A few comments.

Cory Holt was a QB in high school. He's a cousin of NFL WR Torry. Anyway, he only became a WR after losing out in a multi-way QB competition to Glennon and Marcus Vick. So calling him a "converted WR" is shortchanging the fact that he has been a QB the majority of his life and just a WR the past couple years. I was very impressed with what I saw of him.

Even though Glennon was writhing in pain, the word in Blacksburg so far is that his injury is less severe and he at least has a possibility of playing vs Maryland. Tyrod Taylor is definitely out.

Your comment about how we like to throw to the TEs had me laughing....we hadn't thrown to the TEs all year and the fanbase was screaming for it, as we watched our extremely young WR corps drop pass after pass. Finally in the FSU game we did go to Boone quite a bit. Hopefully that will continue, but it certainly hasn't been a season long characteristic.

Yes, we are a bit down defensively mainly because we lost two great linebackers. Also, in past years we have been able to generate a really good pass rush with just a four man rush, but we don't have quite the talent up front to do that so Bud Foster has had to get a bit more creative and mix in a lot more blitzes. However, Jason Worilds has emerged the past few games as the next in a long line of stud VT DEs, and he's only a sophomore so he can only get better.

You're right, regardless of who is QB, our game plan will be to run the ball as much as possible.

Interesting about the tight ends. I read yesterday on a Seminole beat writers page that "Someday FSU will remember that the TE is an eligible receiver and that he, you know, needs to be covered". So maybe that had something to do with it.

I'm shocked a bit about Glennon. Good news for him at least.

I'm really hoping you weren't wearing an Orange Vick jersey. If you were in section 13, that was me screaming at him all game.

[Todd-O]

Talk about a must win game.

The Terps must win this game -- otherwise they will lose the ability to ultimately control the outcome of their regular season.

Come on Terps!

I would love to see them reach 7-2... wouldn't that set the table for a sick game versus FSU???

[jrma0601]

Va tech is look really weak right now with the WR as the qb. I can see us winning the game something like 24-10

[Mackus]

In Blacksburg on a Thursday night, not the best of odds for the Terps. They've struggled on the road and VT should be fired up. I think this one will be tough to pull out, although they've certainly got a chance.

[glenn__davis]

Is this the first time we've played them away since the ACC expansion? I could've sworn we played there once before, but I can't find it.

Anyway, while I think MD has as good a shot as anyone to win the ACC title, I'm a little surprised at some of the optimism here. VT certainly isn't the VT we all know and love this year, but they're not bad. At their place on a Thursday night just doesn't seem like a good situation for the Terps.

[Mackus]

Is this the first time we've played them away since the ACC expansion? I could've sworn we played there once before, but I can't find it.

Anyway, while I think MD has as good a shot as anyone to win the ACC title, I'm a little surprised at some of the optimism here. VT certainly isn't the VT we all know and love this year, but they're not bad. At their place on a Thursday night just doesn't seem like a good situation for the Terps.

Wasn't it at VT that Maryland was getting absolutely blown out in the 1st half (on a Thursday I believe) and Fridge deciding to try and ice their kicker by calling 2 timeouts before his kick right before half despite the team being down by about 35? Like 3 years ago or so. Or was that maybe against WVU?

[Baltimore Chop]

Is this the first time we've played them away since the ACC expansion? I could've sworn we played there once before, but I can't find it.

Anyway, while I think MD has as good a shot as anyone to win the ACC title, I'm a little surprised at some of the optimism here. VT certainly isn't the VT we all know and love this year, but they're not bad. At their place on a Thursday night just doesn't seem like a good situation for the Terps.

Maryland played there on November 18, 2004, which was after the expansion. Maryland All Time Football Results

The Terps lost a close one, 55-6. I left after the 3rd quarter was over.

This is the game where they went through three QBs as Joel Statham was pulled for ineffectiveness twice. After the first time, Jordan Steffy relieved him, played OK, but was KO'd by a pretty brutal hit on a ball that was picked off.

Statham came back, continued stinking up the joint, before he was relieved by Sam Hollenbach by the end of the 3rd quarter. You can relieve this horridly bad game (nationally televised game, too) here.

Edit to say: Mackus, I believe this is the game you are referencing. Look in the play by play section at the end of the 1st half -- Maryland calls two consecutive timeouts, despite being down 38-3 (good memory by stating it was a 35 point deficit).

[glenn__davis]

Thanks BC and Mackus. I looked through the results but must've just read over the game in Blacksburg. From what I can tell, the only other time we've played them recently was a 38-9 drubbing in CP. I realize we're talking about completely different teams with completely different personnel, but until we at least have a competitive game with them, I can't predict a victory in Blacksburg on a Thursday night.

[Baltimore Chop]

Thanks BC and Mackus. I looked through the results but must've just read over the game in Blacksburg. From what I can tell, the only other time we've played them recently was a 38-9 drubbing in CP. I realize we're talking about completely different teams with completely different personnel, but until we at least have a competitive game with them, I can't predict a victory in Blacksburg on a Thursday night.

Yeah, this is going to be a tough game, to say the least. Maryland hasn't exactly impressed on the road yet this year (save for one half at Clemson).

The big question is how well VT can exploit Maryland's sorry excuse for a defense that doesn't like to blitz, and allows entirely way too many yards via seam routes/dink and dunk plays.

No doubt in my mind that the offense shows up to play in that environment -- just a matter of how long it takes for them to get on track.

[DrungoHazewood]

Thanks BC and Mackus. I looked through the results but must've just read over the game in Blacksburg. From what I can tell, the only other time we've played them recently was a 38-9 drubbing in CP. I realize we're talking about completely different teams with completely different personnel, but until we at least have a competitive game with them, I can't predict a victory in Blacksburg on a Thursday night.

I was at both of those games, and was obviously quite pleased with the results. I wouldn't guarantee a similar outcome this time. As Steve has pretty much said, Tech is in kind of a rebuilding year with almost exclusively freshmen at wide receiver and running back. Holt has been a QB at Tech, and was the backup in 2005 when they were preserving the redshirt on someone (Ike Whitaker, maybe?). He's 11-25, 141 with a couple TDs and a pick in his career.

Interesting side note, if Glennon can't go and something were to happen to Holt, they are apparently working out Greg Boone at QB. Boone is the starting tight end, was recruited at QB, but eventually found himself at TE because where else are you going to put a 6'3", 280 skill player? If Boone is taking some snaps we can be sure something went horribly wrong, but it might be entertaining.

[OregonBird]

I think VaTech takes this one.

Terps don't seem to play well when the lights shine brightest on them (national TV). Instead they get exposed.

It will be a close one but I don't think the Terps will match the Hokies' intensity at home.

[markpolis]

I think VaTech takes this one.

Terps don't seem to play well when the lights shine brightest on them (national TV). Instead they get exposed.

It will be a close one but I don't think the Terps will match the Hokies' intensity at home.

Yeah, they really laid an egg in the Cal, Clemson and Wake games.

This year has been just the opposite. The games they were supposed to win (Mid.Tenn.St. and Virginia) they have stumbled. This year they have shown up for the big games. Hopefully Thursday night won't be any different.