Looks scary tonight against Tennessee specially the way our D line looked and with our lack of depth! If we don't score pretty every time we will be in trouble!

Bad news: I'm trying to do it a different way than in the past (a little more systematically), so it's going to take longer, at least for this first one. I hope to have defense up late this evening, but it might have to wait until tomorrow morning.

The good news? Tim Settle - when he was on the field - had an absolute monster game.

Hokies on pace to do something that they haven't since 2008:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/acc-spotlight-inside-the-recruiting-numbers

Not often a game with two missed field goals is described like that, but this was indeed a good one from the ST units:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/special-teams-play-a-key-role-in-wvu-win

Seems like he's telling reporters that cover various schools he'll be all sort of places on his high school's bye weekend, including both me and Ryan Snyder from our Penn State site:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/new-england-four-star-hopes-to-visit-psu-later-this-month

I'll try to catch back up with him to clarify.

Last year, VT finished with an average punt of 38.83 yards, No. 106 in the country. Through just one game, Oscar Bradburn has averaged 46.50 per kick. Maybe he doesn't sustain that, but it's a HUGE improvement in hidden yardage.

Bradburn also had one touchback and one punt returned for -3 yards, for a net of 44.38 per kick (and even the touchback landed at the five and was a mistake by the coverage team). Ludwig had just two touchbacks last year, but allowed 14 returns for 61 yards, a net of 35.96 per kick.

There's something to be said for the coverage team's part in all that, of course, but even if they played a significant role in the improvement in net yardage per punt, that's hopefully something they'll be consistently better at this year. There's also something to be said about where the punts come from: Bradburn only had to lay up once when he was punting from inside opponent territory - he'll surely have to do it more this year when the offense is moving a little more consistently (but not quite consistently enough).

Quincy Patterson with the performance of the week this time around:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/hopkie-haven-friday-night-lights-2017-week-three

Jackson removed all doubt last night. Yes, he is going to make freshman mistakes and his performances may be uneven over the season, but he is the real deal. HIs decision making was outstanding.

I would say zero but even the shiet teams can manage 3...certainly you could manage 3 can't you Turkey Shiet?

Great command of the O. No mistakes. Ran and threw the ball when we needed you to.

But you need to slide and not take so many big hits.

Getting ready for the beginning of the regular season:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/hokies-in-the-nfl-2017-week-zero

I don't usually write another preview-type piece after the actual preview, but there's a long way to go until 7:30:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/virginia-tech-keys-to-the-game-against-west-virginia

Chris Cunningham now listed as co-starter with Dalton Keene at TE thanks to the ever-popular "OR."

Friends with Quincy Patterson, but Hokies got in the door too late here:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/four-star-talen-horton-tucker-cuts-list-to-13

If you want to catch the replay, it's here:

http://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=3147209

Saw where he is the starting QB at UMass. Had two decent games so far but granted against Hawaii and Coastal Carolina. 21/30 275yards 1TD 1 INT and 25/41 316 yards 1 TD. Glad to see the young man doing well.

A couple other sites in out network run something similar to this, and it's really popular. Let me know what you think:

https://virginiatech.rivals.com/news/the-3-2-1-west-virginia-1

Go Hokies!

When I was watching our defense we stayed mostly in man to man. I thought Brian was bringing more zone? That has changed obviously but why? Would that have helped stop 2 wide receivers?

As I write, and before re-watching the game:

WVU really picked on Terrell Edmunds and Mook Reynolds in the pass game. They didn't rise to the challenge often enough. That said, they're not pure pass defenders, and not many teams are going to have a QB-WR group that can exploit them this much. It's still worrying because the majority of WVU's receiving came from just a couple players, so it's not like the Mountaineers' depth at receiver was the difference. Definitely something that needs to improve before Clemson though.

The backup defensive line is pretty far off from contributing in a meaningful way. I wonder if we'll see more snaps from those guys sprinkled alongside the starters, rather than replacing the lines wholesale. As it stands, VT can't go from "good at four positions" to "liability at four positions" in one fell swoop.

DeShawn McClease was outstanding, didn't show any ill effects from the injury that caused him to take a year off. The running backs were used in different ways, so that may have helped his rushing average, but nobody else who carried the ball is getting positive yardage, much less a score, on his touchdown run. An impressive combination of power (for a little guy) and shake.

Josh Jackson is going to be fine. He probably won't have many other 100-yard rushing days (and the coaches probably won't want him to), but a 146.3 passer rating against one of the more confusing - not necessarily best, but confusion is a problem for young players - defenses he'll face is a good sign. That it was in his first game indicates he'll likely get better, especially since the run game supporting him can get better in a hurry.

Some young receivers showed nice things... they need to step up, get open, and make plays though. Cam Phillips can't do it all.

He looked strong when he got his chances. Great effort. Hope its not to serious.

I see both these names landed on the Clemson most wanted article. The article states both have interest and McFadden is all but gone if the want him. Any insider thoughts on this ?