Virginia Postgame

[bke1984]

Been thinking the apathy comments many have posted. It’s exactly how I feel right now. If we can’t recover and get to 5 wins I think you’re going to see historically low season ticket sales next year. This is the sort of thing that can force an ADs hand. Big money donors are an important thing, but season tickets also account for millions of dollars of revenue. If he loses the general fan base it could be more costly to keep him at some point. Not sure any of this will happen, but it easily could.

 

[CuseJacket]

I didn't watch the game - I watched the Braves (yay!). But, come on, 636 yards total O? And 240 of that on the ground? I mean, these guys had a hard time getting to 100 YPG rushing before they ran into Tech. We're getting better on O ourselves (at least against teams that, you know, can't stop anybody), but I expected that we would get better on D this year. After all, Collins is supposedly a D guru. Instead, another track meet ensued. Also, I noticed that we had diddly in sacks and TFLs. Part of that is Armstrong, of course, but we need more pressure in the worst way.

Well, maybe more when I watch the game film. I'm not, mind, disappointed; this was at Scott Stadium, after all, and I didn't expect to win. But it does make getting to even 5 wins more difficult. I don't see one team left that we'll be favored against.

We are favored by 3.5 against VT at home next week.

 

[Madison Grant]

This team is a little better than last year, but it is hard to say how much better.

All the points count, but having 27 points with 2 1/2 minutes left was never going to be enough to beat UVA. Sims is progressing slowly but he is still more potential than finished project.

Defensely - Frankly their hasn't been much good for the defense all year and this game is just a continuation of that. The game against Clemson has to be put into perspective of how Clemson has played all year - which is pretty much ineptly. They haven't scored 20 points in regulation against a P5 opponent all year. The defense played well against UNC, but at this point that looks more like the exception than the norm - almost all our sacks against P5 teams came in that one game. The defense doesn't do anything well. It doesn't stop the run and it is even worse against the pass. It seldom is able to generate consistent pressure and its secondary is a mess and doesn't cover well and frankly seems to have communication issues.

1) I'd say we're significantly better on special teams and offense (even with a cascade of OL injuries). Sims has had 2 300 yard passing games this year and another for 297. We had ZERO the first two years. The transition to conventional offense is taking off, but still needs to keep progressing.
2) The other way of looking at that (as with the winning drive against Duke) is that Sims shows a knack for stepping up his game in crunch time.
3) Totally agree. Zero pass rush. Bunch of 4 star transfer DBs that can't cover sheet. Changes need to be made on that side of the ball.

 

[cthenrys]

Agree with this post.

The staff has brought in players which have improved the kicking game. And the offense has improved statistically this year. (Hard to believe Clemson is last statistically) The defense is still near the bottom. Just don't see the team improving significantly year over year.

I do not leave a game going "That is a well coached team".

It is frustrating being a Tech fan. Will be in the stands the last three home games. It is going to be painful listening to the dawg fans...

It’s not a well coached team. Hasn’t been at all. That’s the top guy and it won’t be a well coached team as long as he’s here

 

[smokey_wasp]

PAT=point after touchdown. Did we miss 2?

Missed an XP and failed 2 point conversion

 

[Techfan02]

I'll bet you we stop VT after the D hears it this week then we won't score like last week then we go back to the offense then so on until we die.

 

[LibertyTurns]

I'll bet you we stop VT after the D hears it this week then we won't score like last week then we go back to the offense then so on until we die.

Maybe the locker room has some pride and will take over this week? That’s about our only hope.

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

VT will circle the wagons and give us their best shot next weekend. I see where the ESPN crowd is demanding Justin Fuente be fired immediately if not sooner, so you know they will cancel his arse asap! The boys will bow up and win one last one for the old coach.

Our defense will give them as many chances as possible to score so we will have to score 50 and hope for some turnovers.

Go Jackets!

 

[iceeater1969]

I’ve been a huge homer for Collins the last 2 seasons. Love the energy, the love of GT and Atlanta, he’s a local guy, etc. I’ve tried to give him some cover with the “scrimmage“ seasons rhetoric even though elementary coaching mistakes were being made every week. This year should have been different but it’s not because he just isn’t a good game day coach and it’s obvious not much development is taking place. Those who say Sims is getting better are accurate. But it’s not due to coaching, it’s due to natural progression of an athlete getting playing time. What we see from Sims is a kid who is better because he is playing, so naturally he’s going to get more comfortable and use to game speed. If he was getting any coaching at all he would be way beyond where he is now after getting double digit starts.

A random thing I saw from Collins this week which speaks volumes is on a UVA pass play where the WR caught it and our DB pushed him back 5 yards and Collins is pleading with the ref to spot it at the point where he hit the ground and not 5 yards upfield where his progress was stopped. It’s like he doesn’t even know the rules. In fairness (although it just may have been the TV angle) I didn’t notice him fighting ball boys for the ball to hand to the ref this week. I like the guy, but I’ve never seen high school coaches do the goofy stuff he does on the sideline. He does everything except actually coach. Most coaches are already thinking of the next play before the ball is even snapped on the current play. Collins from what we see is almost like a fan. The play is over, he argues about a spot or fiddles with the ball or dabs everyone up all while the next play clock has started and then he thinks, oh, it’s 2nd and 5. Did y’all notice when he was yelling to the team that it was 4th down. What kind of head coach has to tell his grown arse players what down it is instead of matching wits with the opposing coach. If we were improving I could laugh this off as just his goofiness, but if he does this during games I can only imagine what team practices are like.

His in game hyper ism gets to me too.
I sit right behind the bench and i see pop up him all over the place. Its like he is the players mother - reminding random guys of some tid bit, be positive, etc.

Imo, our db players are playing slow and soft - like they dont see the route that is being run until its too late.

Now a good thing i see him do is work w spe ial teams. The go for 2 trick play pass to sims was a good call.

 

[Madison Grant]

VT will circle the wagons and give us their best shot next weekend. I see where the ESPN crowd is demanding Justin Fuente be fired immediately if not sooner, so you know they will cancel his arse asap! The boys will bow up and win one last one for the old coach.

Our defense will give them as many chances as possible to score so we will have to score 50 and hope for some turnovers.

Go Jackets!

Watched them all year. Virginia Tech's offense is a bag of a--. Do NOT mistake them or their QB for UVA. However, their defense is a mile ahead of UVA. I expect us to have a better shot at winning this game. This is the kind of game we need Sims to hurt the opponent with his feet.

 

[Root4GT]

"Either our offense found something that works, we had a good night or UVA has a terrible D." A mixture of all three. The game was not as close as the final score would indicate. The roughing the passer call on UVA in the first half that resulted in an interception was a terrible call.

It was the correct call. QB was hit in the head by the defender. That is roughing the passer by definition.

 

[RamblinRed]

I wish we would play more fundamental defense. There is obviously a strong desire to force TO's (alot of stripping at the ball), but if you don't get that ball out then the ball carrier (WR, QB, RB, TE) tends to get extra yards because we don't wrap up. So far the idea of creating more TO's is a bust this season. We have 6 TO in 6 games against FBS teams and three of them came against UNC. Otherwise we haven't forced more than a single TO in a game.

 

[bobongo]

It was the correct call. QB was hit in the head by the defender. That is roughing the passer by definition.

It was a cheap penalty. Had the shoe been on the other foot, we'd be howling.

 

[GTRambler]

Could have scored at least 14 more points. The two interceptions in the first half down close to the Hoos’ goal really hurt.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

His in game hyper ism gets to me too.
I sit right behind the bench and i see pop up him all over the place. Its like he is the players mother - reminding random guys of some tid bit, be positive, etc.

Imo, our db players are playing slow and soft - like they dont see the route that is being run until its too late.

Now a good thing i see him do is work w spe ial teams. The go for 2 trick play pass to sims was a good call.

Yesterday watching the Bama game, their DB’s were getting burned the first half. After a Tennessee TD as the DB’s came off the field Saban met them about 5 yards into the field and laid into them. Not just yelling but giving them instruction on angles and where to be. Those players didn’t blow him off or expect a hug, they stood there and listened knowing they better figure it out. It is such a difference from what we see in our games where guys play like dog doo and get dabbed up for it and then do the same thing on the next drive with zero repercussions. I can guarantee you that Bama’s DB’s will be tight this week in practice. And I guarantee whoever is VT’s QB will have his best game of his season next Saturday.

 

[bke1984]

It was the correct call. QB was hit in the head by the defender. That is roughing the passer by definition.

Sure. By rule it’s correct, but it doesn’t change the fact that it was a bad throw and a bailout. He released the ball before he was hit, so I’m not buying the hit to the head affected his throw angle. If so then my critique changes to he should eat the ball and take the sack instead of throwing a potential pick. It was a bad play by Sims that he needs to learn from

 

[smokey_wasp]

It was a cheap penalty. Had the shoe been on the other foot, we'd be howling.

We would be, but that is just how fans are. That's called 100 times out of 100.

 

[GTRambler]

Could have scored at least 14 more points. The two interceptions in the first half down close to the Hoos’ goal really hurt.

Oops, I need to correct myself. It was one interception in the first half, not two. So at least 7 more points. The other interception was nullified by a penalty against Virginia.

Also, isn’t our defense supposed to be “effort based,” as is called in the ATL Chart???

 

[DavidStandingBear]

Here are a couple of my thoughts:

• We have played 4 straight games with offenses ranked in the top 20 of total offense with Pitt and Virginia as #4&5 respectively (yes somehow Duke is #16). So these teams have been putting up big numbers against most of the teams they played this year. It is not like we made terrible offenses and QBs look like world beaters.
• There are still glaring deficiencies on our defense. We are constantly dropping 8 into caverage but still managing to leave receivers wide open. This is extremely frustrating as our secondary is our most veteran group and supposed to be Collins specialty. We are also not able to get pressure fast enough with only 3 rushers. The 3-3-5 worked great against UNC when we were bringing a 4th and sometimes 5th rusher from different places every play. This caused missed assignments on D and allowed a more effective pass rush. It seems like we have mostly abandoned that since then.
• I have been very critical of the OL this year but they played much better tonight even through the injuries. Another positive thing I wanted to note, when lining up 2 plays after Paula had the holding call it was clear he was still getting on himself about it, but Cochran noticed and stopped him to coach him up so he didn't let it effect his play moving forward.
• Sims gives us the best chance to win games but he HAS to get the INT issue fixed! I did see some improvements this game from him too. He held onto the ball well on some tough runs where he had previously had issues fumbling. It also seemed like he did a much better job working down his progressions in the passing game.
• Kick-off unit may be the best unit on the team.
• The Braves are going to the World Series for the first time this century!

Maybe we should move to a group of 5 conference so we don’t have to play elite teams? The ACC is plenty tough but what if we played a Big10 or Sec schedule? maybe Sunbelt?

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

It was the correct call. QB was hit in the head by the defender. That is roughing the passer by definition.

You call that love tap a "hit"?