![images[1]](http://www.virginiatechfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/images11.jpg "images[1]")
With a ton of vacation days to burn in 2009, and confirmation that my kids flu this week was NOT H1N1, I made a last minute decision to drive down to Blacksburg Thursday morning and join buddies for the UNC game. Traffic on I-81 around Roanoke was a b*tch, maybe a sign of things to come for the trip. After some rather quick tailgating in lot 3, we headed into Lane. It didn't have a good vibe.
Here my thoughts on the game.
My seats were with a partner in the lower deck of the south end zone (SEZ), a place I had never sat before. Actually I have watched a game in the upper part of the SEZ, but the lower half seemed a lot different. The view of game was magnificent. Everything is right out in front of you, and it was a glorious night for a game. But as soon as the fireworks ended from the "Enter Sandman" opening, I didn't think Lane had its usual vibe.
Now it maybe where I was sitting. That area of the SEZ was definitely more laid back, a lot of sitting during the game and not the usual fan participation you see even in the east stands in heavy alumni sections. But my buddy and I noticed it right away, Lane wasn't at the same energy level it needed to be.
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The game turned out to be what I and probably many of you feared. It started out great. Two big offensive plays, and even after the Jarrett Boykin fumble, the defense was all over the UNC offense including a big sack by Nekos Brown that you could see develop right in front of me.
However again this week the Hokies squandered a great effort by the defense and great field position in the first half, and slowly wore down in the 2nd. Combine that with the continued problems with run stopping, and getting off the field on 3rd (and 4th down), especially in the second half, made this game seem awlfully familiar to last week's game vs Georgia Tech.
Maybe its not too surprising that this game resembled the game against GT because the Hokies sure spent a lot of the last week and half focused on the Yellow Jackets. It never seems to fail in college football, let something distract you during preparation and it gets you beat. Teams are too even in terms of talent and if don't give them your full attention during the precious little time you have to prepare, you'll lose.
I also thought the last week was filled with too many comments that "A 10-2 season is still a good season." The problem I have with that statement is that it has you not totally focused on the next game, but the game after that, and after that, and after that, and so on. Another time-tested phenomena in college football is that the minute you look past someone, they'll beat you. Instead of worrying about 10-2, the Hokies should have been worrying about the next 1.
This UNC game was frustrating because in watching the first half, it was clear Virginia Tech was the better team. Granted, not by a lot, not by say the difference between VT and Marshall, but VT should have beat UNC at home. But the continued inability to simply play to your potential, especially on offense, is maddening to watch.
I received a stat from a buddy via Blackberry this monring that maybe someone can verify: VT has 9 drives in the last 2 games where they penetrated the opponents 50 yard line yet came away with 0 points. When you just lost games by 5 and 3 points, there's your reason.
On defense, everyone is obviously frustrated with the run stopping and the long sustained drives its results in. Against Georgia Tech, I chalked it up as not surprising given GT's experience and VT's relatively young and thin front 7. However this should not have happened against UNC, and you can now officially call this lack of run stopping a trend. Bud's got his work cut out for him fixing it. He's got limited tools to work with at LB especially.
So what does it all mean? We are going to have to ride this season out with the hand we've been dealt. The Hokies are a good team, but have flaws on both offense and defense. You can't really count on either one to win a game on its own (like you could the defense in season's past). Both are also capable of having good or very good games. But against good teams, but have to play well for the Hokies to win. Special teams are a wash.
This next game against ECU is very pivotal. The mental state of the Hokie players will be waivering this week, with many of their season goals officially out of reach. The coaches will have to make sure they are focused, and prepare them (better than last week) for a tricky opponent. ECU is a no-win opponent, their good enough to beat Virginia Tech but despite beating the Hokies last year won't elicit the same competitive fire as other teams on the schedule. Let's hope the Hokies hold it together, prepare well, and this time beat an inferior team.
What are your thoughts on the game?
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
My seats are in the SEZ. I actually prefer it to when I’ve sat on the 50 at the bottom of the west side, you have a much better perspective on the play. It used to be very loud, nobody sat on defense and everyone yelled, until the Great Reshuffle a few years ago. It’s much more tame now.
“VT has 9 drives in the last 2 games where they penetrated the opponents 50 yard line yet came away with 0 points.” I haven’t fact-checked this, but I don’t doubt it. I know that between going for it and failing on 4th down (while in field goal range) and missed field goals, we’d have more than made up the difference in our last two losses.
Michael-
I did like the view from the SEZ a lot. We were at a perfect height and about even with a hash, and you do get not only a great perspective on how plays develop, but a great view of the whole stadium scene.
hokieg