I think the main factor in the game is VTs lack of talent. Are we more talented than Cuse? Yes, but not by much. Our last 4 years still matters, even today. Recruiting wise VT has finished the last four years on average behind Miami, UNC, Pittsburgh, and us and GT are dead even in recruiting. We simply do not have the players defensively and we play well defensively when we have emotion, but we can't win games by talent alone like we could many years ago.
I like Coach Fu and his staff, but today, we just got beat by a home team, a home crowd, and a team with far more emotion, and the overall talent gap with us and Cuse is actually not a whole lot. Defensively, we have nowhere close to the players we used to have. Our linebackers are mediocre and our defensive backfield is mediocre. Our front four is good. Overall, an average defense at best when no emotion is applied. At home, with Foster, and with emotion, we are good on D but far from excellent.
I am extremely disappointed with our linebackers and safeties ability to cover. They simply don't have the ability to get there. Its simply not their fault either. They just physically can't get there. This was exposed with the Syracuse hot route or in route 4 straight plays.
Offensively, our OL talent is above average and with many starts under their belts, they are good, but not great or excellent. At WR, our talent is below average. Your WR talent is judged by your top four W Rs in 2016s offensive age, not your top 2. I. Ford is very good, but not great. He's a late second to early third rounder. Cam Phillips is above average. After these two, we have a major falloff. B. Hodges is good, but not great. In the backfield, our RB talent is below average to bad. I am not sure why, but it's obvious that Mackenzie is our best back and our only explosive back, but I am not sure why he does not get to play. Maybe there are underlying issues.
Overall, with our coaching and add emotion at home, we are a good to very above average team. I think we are 8-4 to 7-5 at worst. Sure losses in my opinion are Pittsburgh ( I give us a ten percent chance) and Notre Dame (40 percent at most chance to win). Miami and Duke our toss ups and I think we have a 60 percent chance of winning both games. I think we go 8-4 and the Coastal still goes to VT as we will win the Tiebreaker over Pitt and UNC.
The above percentages and thoughts are simply one guys opinions. The percentages are certainly not facts.
The Coastal could be put away in my opinion in the next few weeks. If we beat Miami and somehow, some way beat Pittsburgh on the road, we win the Coastal even with a later loss to Duke. The problem is, I see Pittsburgh smacking us worse than the Cuse. We absolutely have no chance to cover their RB or WRs across the middle with our LB matchups. They will shred us. Miami has more talent than Pitt, but add the emotional factor and Blacksburg on a Thursday night and you have a nailbitingly close game.
Overall with our talent level and playing in at least the second best conference, 8-4 would be a solid coaching effort and would be playing above the level of talent and depth that we have. Add to that an ACC title game appearance and it's a solid effort by the players and coaches. In the Coastal, on the 85 scholly roster, we are 4th or arguably 5th most talented Coastal team behind Miami, UNC, Pittsburgh, and arguably, GT.
Only my opinions. The future is bright for VT football.