What would your VT game plan be?

[gtg936g]

Rather than predicting a score what would be your play calling be?

I think if VT plays us like last year we will hit the edges hard. Run at the edge with quick pitches (towards the side where pressure comes from) when pressure comes. Use motion from the slot WR spot to throw off the VT blitz timing. Test the one on one coverages with some quick throws.

 

[collegeballfan]

Depends on whether the GT OL can block the VT defense. May just end up praying.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Drink heavily.

 

[OldJacketFan]

I just pulled up the hokie 2 deep, they're lighter in the britches than I would have thought. Across the front four they're 231, 262, 293 and 249, LBs are 215, 213 and 210. We know Foster is going to move folks around and look to penetrate in the A gap. Running downhill and using the size advantage ain't a bad thing. Handle the A gap blitz and Laskey could have a big day. I know Tech hasn't handled the A gap blitz well but that is the key to handling the hokie D.

 

[Mitch Matthews]

Should be a shootout

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Drink heavily.

I drink only when we score a TD or we have won. So I expect a relatively sober game.

My game plan for our O would be to take what they give us - inside, outside or passing. I'd give preference to outside pitches and short passes since I think we have a lot of speed at AB and WR. I would look at bringing in the OL splits a bit if we the VT jump the line is being effective. I'd go for it on fourth a lot (like CPJ has been doing). Oh yes, I'd put Byerly in after two series. Let God sort out who is playing better.

For the D, I'd work to stop the run first till we find out whether the VT QB is hot or cold passing. I'd blitz a lot into the gaps and hope to either pressure the QB (he seems to be better with time as all are) and maybe get lucky on stuffing the run. I'd keep safety help back foro long run insurance, so I'd give up more intermediate runs.

For ST, I'd kick the ball for TBs every time and not try to get fancy. I'd let the ball go into the end zone rather than try to return it if we have a choice. For punt, do what Rodwell has been doing -- high cover-able punts of about 44 yards. As noted, I'd limit the FG attempts by going for it on fourth.

 

[UgaBlows]

Lets cheat and play dirty

 

[Sean311]

Honestly I think we are going to get manhandled on both fronts. I see us losing this one. The only thing I can see us doing is exploiting the over aggression of the defense and getting big plays on play action.

 

[GTBandit22]

Hurry up if we are any good at it.
Jump balls to Smelter and Waller opposite Fayson if they play cover 0.
Have the A backs set to keep them from jumping the snap.
Hit the seam route when it is there.
Move JT around the pocket to help mitigate their inevitable pressure.
Defense needs to attack and make them go over us. But that will be the story all year.

We have a tough row to hoe up front on O, and our front 7 on D will have to play much better than they have. The good news is VT is beatable if we play well.

 

[Ibeeballin]

O- changing offensive pace so their blitzers can't time the snap. More Synjyn at Bback. Stretching their D vertical with our big WRs

D- 8 in the box and throw the kitchen sink at Brewer

 

[InsideLB]

Let's see....sky high VT dismantles OSU at horseshoe. Emotionally letdown VT falls in close game to decent ECU squad at home.

Will be interesting to see what Vegas thinks. I think VT is going to come out sky high.

The question is how will GT come out? Could be one of two ways. Either they learned a ton from this game and they come out wiser, more seasoned, and with some confidence they can get it done with the game on the line. Or there is a big loss of confidence and the zombie-like shell-shocked performance of the second half continues. I'll be very interested to see the vegas line on this.

I think what JT did has to build confidence for a young QB. I remember Tyrod Taylor was playing awful for several games and then VT had a come from behind win in which he played like crap but got it together to win it at the end. He never looked back. JT hasn't been playing like crap but he is a young guy feeling his way. Maybe this gives him the confidence to move up to the next level. Will be interesting to see.

 

[MacDaddy2]

Quote from our defensive coordinator Clubber Lang, "PAIN"

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

No punches on successful 3rd down defenses and we will be fine.

On O...do what we do. We will be ok on O. VT will likely use NT in a zero tech. That will take away the midline. Rest of the play book will be in. JT needs to not force plays...let the game come to him. A star will be born next week.

On D...I'd blitz the hell outa that QB....he's a gunslinger and will take chances. Fail to rush him enuf to rattle him a little and they will kill our D with the pass. I'd mix in some zone coverages to keep him guessing. But if we don't get to him it will be a long day. If we can hit him some and rush him he will make mistakes. Corners need to play well.

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

They will bring pressure because they are small and quick. They are vulnerable to the pass but that is not our forte currently. I would have the B Back literally mash any a hole that tries to jump the line of scrimmage like they were doing last year until they run out of guys to send or figure out the only thing they are going to get by doing that is a headache. Also change the snap count and practice it a lot this coming week. They usually give up a few big plays to the option so if we can score in the 20's we should have a chance. On D we have to up the pressure. Their QB is inexperienced and if you can move him off the spot he is not all that accurate. He can scramble so if he does get out we need to put a kill shot on him as early as possible. I think we are better in the kicking game so that is probably our single best trump card on VT.

If we can just not beat ourselves, we have a very good chance to win.

Go Jackets!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Our offense has to keep their offense off the field as much as possible. I would call a relatively conservative game to begin with. Mid line option, toss sweeps and the give to Laskey. On passing downs I would be very careful and run it where possible, either with quarterback draw or option / pitch. If we are able to keep their defense from getting too aggressive I would try long jump balls to Smelter and Waller. Early in the game I might be inclined to use more zone blocking and slowly mix in more cut blocking if the defense is getting aggressive. If we can control the tempo on offense I would then go play action pass as soon as possible. Get them on their heels and I would run wheel routes on pass plays and true triple option on running plays.

The kicking game will be critical. The defense looks very vulnerable right now. I would alternate two approaches depending on game situation. With a long field and time and score in our favor I would want a bend but not break approach. Make them have long drives but stay away from the quick score. If they are able to move the ball at will then it will not matter and I say blitz, blitz and blitz some more on running downs and passing downs.

 

[thwgjacket]

Rocket toss because their LB's looked slow getting to the edge when ECU ran the sweep play. Then as soon as they start overcommitting to stop it hit them with the trap with the AB where we fake the toss. If none of that works then we can just throw pop-ups to our single covered WR's. That last part is pretty much all ECU did.

 

[Matt E]

Go on 2 and 3 instead of having a predictable snap count. This drives me batty when we don't adjust the snap count!

 

[GlennW]

I used to laugh when some of our offensive linemen would take their mouthpieces and use something to blackout areas to give the impression they were missing teeth, and then grin across the line of scrimmage just before the ball was snapped; kind of a "toothless grin" through the facemask so to speak. The guys looked so crazy you just didn't know what to expect once they started to drive at you.

I think what VA Tech has shown us over the past several years is that they're willing to sell out up to 9 men in the box to stop our BB and QB from the start, and try to jump our snap count. They count on their DB's can cover our A-Back's and WR's one-on-one, including trying to "outphysical" them.

For us to beat VA Tech, we HAVE to be able to take control of the offensive line of scrimmage from the snap of the ball, and dominate through the whistle. We know where we want to go with our players, and they try to "out-quick" us to the point of attack and keep pressing. I think we need to exploit it by drawing them in with some screen passes to the middle of the field instead of the outside receivers, and we can run the counter-options, but I would consider putting Waller in as an A-Back and set him in motion so he could lay a block for the B-Back counter, and maybe have someone else faster step into the B-Back position.

I think we have more speed in our offense against VA Tech than they've ever seen, and if we can leverage the speed against their aggressive nature, it could be a huge boon for us. If we can break someone loose from the log jam Bud Foster will stack against us, then it will go for a long play, and my guess is that if Justin Thomas is the one who is able to break out, he may take it to the house because at that point, our WR's will be engaged with their DB's, and I put my money on our more physical DB's and fast QB in the open field.

 

[Gojackets55]

Shotgun hahahaha

 

[takethepoints]

On O: do what we've been doing for an entire game. No problems here except consistency so far. I don't think the Turkies D is as good as in the past either. If we score 28, that might be enough.

On D: fasten your chin straps and get ready for a no-huddle O at times. I don't expect VT to run no-huddle all the time; they haven't trained for it. But they'll use it as much as they can, especially if they get behind. Until we show we can stop a no-huddle O, we'll continue to see them. Over and over.

Buuuut … I'm thinking that a win will be hard up there, under any circumstances. It always is.