Got a tear in my eye watching this new O

[BigDaddyHokie]

We finally have an O to go with our always good D!

Yeah we had 1st game problems but I like spreading the D, the misdirection, the getting the ball to play-makers in space.

Very efficient for the 1st game not matter who came into the game. We used 4 RBs and about 5-6 WRs touched the ball.

Evans is the real thing. He has command of the O and hits the receivers in the numbers on all his short throws so they can make plays. He throws a pretty spiral and has the fade route down pretty good with Ford and Hodges already. We can use that all year.

I like Motley getting time because we'll need him.

I'm sure that we didn't see everything on O this week in the playbook.

Foster's D was ready but no surprise. We get 2 starters back next week.

Our AD and Fuentes are looking damn smart and classy keeping Foster on.

Look out TN.

 

[hokiemtc]

I SAW ADJUSTMENTS during the game on offense. Wow...just wow, on that one.

It was mesmerizing watching the coaches see that something wasn't working, so they ditched it and tried something different.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

My biggest shock was that 53 yard FG we attempted early. I thought we should have gone for it on 4th down on LU side of field.

 

[VTHokie1001K]

Wow you guys are a lot more optimistic than me. I thought Evans looked very average for most of the game...he did seem to get into a rhythm towards the end though. Our OL played pretty terrible and we had no running game. If we can't open up a running game against Liberty then we are in trouble when we play someone with a pulse. Also didn't understand the lack of carries from McMillian that first half. Of course maybe we were just playing vanilla with UT next week but who knows. The running game looked awful.

I did like the lack of false start and idiotic illegal sub penalties we seemed to get every other play last year. Defense looked solid.....and our punter looked T.E.R.R.I.B.L.E.

Next week should be interesting.

 

[hokiemtc]

Our running game did look terrible.

But I also think Evans was a little off on his downfield throws, but otherwise looked poised and settled in for the most part. He won't miss those throws all year, and his passing numbers will look a lot better when hits a couple of those things.

I think the accuracy will get dialed in over time as he gets used to his new receivers and the speed of FBS football. Everyone has to remember that this was the first time he's ever dressed for a game at this level, and the offense he was playing in was brand new as well. Overall, I thought it was pretty solid for his first career start. Heck, VT has had a few multi-year starters before that didn't look that calm in the pocket. Noel? Glennon?

I thought Evans looked a lot better than Dobbs did the other night, and Dobbs has been starting for ages.

 

[VTHokie1001K]

Our running game did look terrible.

But I also think Evans was a little off on his downfield throws, but otherwise looked poised and settled in for the most part. He won't miss those throws all year, and his passing numbers will look a lot better when hits a couple of those things.

I think the accuracy will get dialed in over time as he gets used to his new receivers and the speed of FBS football. Everyone has to remember that this was the first time he's ever dressed for a game at this level, and the offense he was playing in was brand new as well. Overall, I thought it was pretty solid for his first career start. Heck, VT has had a few multi-year starters before that didn't look that calm in the pocket. Noel? Glennon?

I thought Evans looked a lot better than Dobbs did the other night, and Dobbs has been starting for ages.

I agree he looked better than Dobbs...and as I said...he did get into a rhythm...that first half he had no touch at all and wasn't checking down at all. On that fumble he just started down Hodges and never saw that rush. He'll improve, dude has talent....and honestly Motley showed nothing.

I'm less concerned with Evans than I am with our OL and running game. I thought our OL was supposed to be vastly improved this season? Absolutely zero holes or running room for our RB's.

 

[hokiemtc]

This might sound funny to some people, but I'm 100% convinced that our oline is too big, and has been for the last decade. 6'-7" olinemen look fantastic getting off the bus, but they can't keep leverage against shorter dlinemen who get up under their pads, and they usually have slow foot speed which means they can't handle speed rushers, either. That means they can't run block OR pass block effectively.

Back when we had brutally effective olines, those guys were not that big. Jake "Nasty" Grove was one of the best linemen I've ever seen (both in college and in the pros), and he was not a very big guy at all. But he was very strong in the lower body and very quick on his feet for his size, and he could block just about anything.

Sometime I need to go back and look at the size of the olines in Fuente's previous stops. You don't score as many points as those offenses scored without having great olines. What were the physical makeup of those lines? Will Fuente gravitate in that direction once he gets his own guys in the system?

 

[RockyTopRowdy58]

We finally have an O to go with our always good D!

Yeah we had 1st game problems but I like spreading the D, the misdirection, the getting the ball to play-makers in space.

Very efficient for the 1st game not matter who came into the game. We used 4 RBs and about 5-6 WRs touched the ball.

Evans is the real thing. He has command of the O and hits the receivers in the numbers on all his short throws so they can make plays. He throws a pretty spiral and has the fade route down pretty good with Ford and Hodges already. We can use that all year.

I like Motley getting time because we'll need him.

I'm sure that we didn't see everything on O this week in the playbook.

Foster's D was ready but no surprise. We get 2 starters back next week.

Our AD and Fuentes are looking damn smart and classy keeping Foster on.

Look out TN.

What 2 starters were out this week?

 

[hokiemtc]

Adonis Alexander was suspended at corner. Stroman started in his place and had a terrific game (2 INTs), but Alexander has most of Stroman's speed plus 4 extra inches added on. Alexander hits HARD, which is why he spent much of last year at safety. Big, fast, physical corner. Alexander is a sophomore, so he'll be around for a while. Coach Foster thinks he is a future 1st team AA and future NFL player, and likens his game to former VT player Kam Chancelor.

Marshawn Williams is a 230 pound sledgehammer at tailback who is still out from an earlier knee injury, but is due to return to the lineup any day now. He was the former feature back and now will be in the 3 back rotation with McKenzie and McMillian. All 3 tailbacks are sophomores, so these guys will all be around for a while as well.

 

[SacrydDreamz]

This might sound funny to some people, but I'm 100% convinced that our oline is too big, and has been for the last decade. 6'-7" olinemen look fantastic getting off the bus, but they can't keep leverage against shorter dlinemen who get up under their pads, and they usually have slow foot speed which means they can't handle speed rushers, either. That means they can't run block OR pass block effectively.

It seems to have worked out OK for Alabama, Baylor, Wisconsin, etc... tall, heavy lineman aren't the issue, but technique and sheer athleticism are. We have not had the coaching or the level of talent as many of the other schools with successful rushing attacks.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

Not much difference in size from what he recruited at Memphis....6'5 290-300lbs give or take an inch or lb. The only thing Ive read about their OL preference is footwork and ability to keep their feet moving. I remember reading that about the new OL verbal (Brown). A little undersized but he naturally keeps his feet moving and thats what they liked.