SB Nation - Josh Oglesby

NCAA10 Sim: Hokies 31, Wolfpack 24

Hokie20 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:13 -0000

Josh Oglesby scored the go-ahead touchdown with 21 seconds left in the game to help Virginia Tech come back to beat NC State 31-24 in a thriller.

The Hokies rolled out of the gate in the first half, scoring 20 unanswered points in large part to senior tight end Greg Boone. The crowd favorite caught two touchdowns in the first half to lead the Hokies to a 20-point cushion.

Things were looking good for the Hokies until Russell Wilson and the Wolfpack started to heat up midway through the second quarter. Wilson finally hooked up on his first touchdown of the day with Owen Spencer to cap a calculated drive with just over 30 seconds until halftime. Instead of running the clock out before the half, Tech decided to try to score one more time when Tyrod Taylor got picked off by Audie Cole. Wilson took only two plays to hook up again with Spencer for a long 34-yard score and the Wolfpack had all the momentum heading into the locker room down by six.

State didn't stop when the third quarter began. In the opening possession, the Pack scored a field goal before Taylor was picked off again. Four plays later, State had their first lead of the game, 24-20 in front of a stunned Lane Stadium crowd.

The Hokies dug deep in the fourth quarter and cut the lead to just one point thanks to a Matt Waldron field goal. State got the ball back and did some damage but missed a field goal attempt with 2 minutes to play.

Two minutes was all Tyrod Taylor needed to lead Tech on a 15-play drive including four quick run plays capped off with the touchdown run by Oglesby.

NCST 0 14 10 0 -24
VT 10 10 0 11 -31

Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
VT:FG 3:15 M. Waldron, 25 Yd FG
VT:TD 2:17 G. Boone, 18 Yd pass from T. Taylor (M. Waldron Kick)
2nd Quarter
VT:TD 4:21 G. Boone, 9 Yd pass from T. Taylor (M. Waldron Kick)
VT:FG 2:51 M. Waldron, 42 Yd FG
NCST:TD 0:36 O. Spencer, 2 Yd pass from R. Wilson (J. Czajkowski Kick)
NCST:TD 0:00 O. Spencer, 34 Yd pass from R. Wilson (J. Czajkowski Kick)
3rd Quarter
NCST:FG 3:00 J. Czajkowski, 29 Yd FG
NCST:TD 1:47 T. Baker, 1 Yd run (J. Czajkowski Kick)
4th Quarter
VT:FG 4:22 M. Waldron, 31 Yd FG
VT:TD 0:21 J. Oglesby, 1 Yd run (M. Waldron Kick)

Significant Stats
First downs NCST: 18 VT: 14
Total Offense NCST:394 VT: 360
Turnovers NCST: 1 FUM, 1 INT VT: 3 INT

NC State Top Player Stats
Passing: R. Wilson 18-33 for 299 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: T. Baker 25-for-77 yds, 1 TD
Receiving: O. Spencer 8-for-166 yds, 2 TD
Defense: R. Michel 6 TAK, 1 INT

Virginia Tech Top Player Stats
Passing: T. Taylor 15-31 for 222 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: R. Williams 22-for-108 yds
Receiving: G. Boone 3-for-33 yds, 2 TD
Defense: J. Johnson 8 TAK, 1 TFL, 1 DEFL

2009 Virginia Tech Football: What to Watch vs. Georgia Tech

furrer4heisman — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:15:27 -0000

More photos » by Don Petersen - AP

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The Team

The Hokies are riding high after two dominating performances in three weeks. I'd like to see the Hokies play with confidence but no over-confidence in this game.
Paul Johnson has plenty of motivational tools for his team going into this one. Everyone's ragging on his defense. Some are saying the Hokies have a shot at the BCSCG if they win out, but not the Jackets. Kam Chancellor said he knows how to key on Johnson's offense. And Georgia Tech is an underdog at home. I firmly believe Georgia Tech is going to play its best game of the season Saturday. The Hokies have to match that effort.
After years of dominance in ACC road games, the Hokies lost three of four league road games last year. A win Saturday would go a long way to reestablishing their road warrior rep.
The Jackets' last win over a Top 10 team came in 2006 against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
The winner of this game has represented the Coastal in the ACCCG every year the ACCCG has been held.

Virginia Tech Offense vs. Georgia Tech Defense

The Georgia Tech defense has struggled at times this season, but has played much better at home than on the road. In games at Miami, Mississippi State and Florida State, the Jackets gave up at least 7.1 yards per play. At home against Clemson they gave up 5.7 yards per play and against North Carolina they gave up 3.5
The key in those games was their pass rush. Defensive end Derrick Morgan can be an absolute beast getting to the quarterback. When he is effective, Georgia Tech doesn't have to blitz as much and the middle of the field is vulnerable.
This happened last week against Florida State. The Jackets tried blitzing on third down and got burned. They tried dropping into coverage on third down and also got burned. The key is Morgan and his ability to get to the quarterback.
Cornerback Jarrard Tarrant is a big threat as a kick returner but has struggled on defense. In fact, the entire Georgia Tech secondary has had trouble this year, especially when lined up man to man. As we know, Tyrod Taylor loves throwing against man coverage and if the Jackets show that this week, he and Jarrett Boykin could have big games.
The middle of the Jacket defense got exploited the entire game against Florida State. However, the Hokies haven't used their tight ends as much as we expected this year. If Greg Boone and company were ever going to have a good game, this would be it.
Christian Ponder's mobility also gave Georgia Tech fits last week. If Tyrod Taylor can break containment, he could have a big game rushing.
I'm not sure if Ryan Williams is going to put up the kind of numbers we saw last week. First of all, he's battling an illness. Second, what Georgia Tech has done well is stopping runners who try to run East-West. North-South runners like Josh Oglesby have had success against the Jackets. Anthony Dixon ran for over 100 yards against them on 18 carries. Jermaine Thomas almost got to the century mark against them last week.
I also worry about the offensive linemen, who have taken turns getting dinged up in recent weeks. Now comes work Sergio Render is listed as probably due to a strained pectoral muscle. The Hokies don't have the depth on the line to deal with news like this.
The key for the Hokies will be their red zone offense. Billy Hite's play calling in the red zone infuriates me from time to time because we always do the same thing. We run it out of the power I twice, get forced into third and long, run play action even though the defense is coming, have to throw it away and then kick a field goal. Leaving points on the field won't work against Georgia Tech. Stick It In, Stick It In, Stick It In!

Virginia Tech Defense vs. Georgia Tech Offense

Whoooo, were do I even start. OK, let's begin with the quarterback Josh Nesbitt. He's improved as a decision maker and as a passer. However, he'll still put the ball on the ground from time to time.
Turnovers will be a big key for the Hokies. While stopping the Yellow Jacket offense is tough, they will occasionally stop themselves. Recovering fumbles will be big.
Teams have had success against Nesbitt when they've gotten the ball out of his hands quickly. If the dive gets taken away, the ends need to clamp down and force a quick pitch so the linebackers and secondary have enough time to pursue the A-Backs and make the tackle. Miami was very good at this. FSU was not.
What I've noticed about Nesbitt is he will call his own number on third down a lot more often than he'll give the dive or pitch the ball. He can do this because he looks a lot bigger and stronger this year than last. He runs high and is tough to bring down. He'll be frustrating on Saturday because he'll convert a lot of third and short plays himself.
Another key for the Hokies will be avoiding over-pursuit and reacting too much to the dive play with Dwyer. When everyone bites down on the dive play, that's when Nesbitt or Anthony Allen will break a huge play. Look, Dwyer is going to have at least one long run in this game. But if we can hold him to two to three yards on the rest, we could have a lot of success Saturday.
The problem is, our defensive tackles have also been dinged up and haven't gotten the kind of push we'd like to see. John Graves and Taco Thompson have to disrupt the middle of that option attack for the Hokies to get stops against the Jackets.
The biggest difference between this year's Jacket team and last year's is the sheer number of weapons Paul Johnson has at his disposal. In addition to Nesbitt and Dwyer, Roddy Jones and Embry Peeples improved a lot after last year's game. And then, GT added Louisville transfer Anthony Allen, who has rattled off some breath taking runs of his own this year.
Allen, Peeples and Jones will have big games if the Hokies' tackling woes from earlier this year show up again.
Oh yeah, then there's wide receiver Bey-Bey Thomas. He's a treat when Nesbitt is accurate passing, which has been the case of late. He's a big, strong receiver who's a matchup problem for the Hokies. Winfield said earlier this week the Jackets are running more play action off their dive play and throwing it to Thomas. This play worked a lot against Florida State. Georgia Tech will lull teams to sleep with the constant run game and then hit them over the top to Thomas. They caught Miami doing that the third week of the season.

Outcome

At the beginning of the season I picked Virginia Tech to lose two games: Alabama and this one. And like I told Winfield earlier this week, I will keep that prediction.
I think the Yellow Jacket offense will get its points and the Hokies will have enough trouble running the ball that they'll be playing catch up to GT throughout the game. In the end, the Jackets will keep the Hokies at arm's length and get a big ACC Coastal win.

Watch the Box Score For

Turnovers
GT First Down Yards
VT Third Down Conversions
GT Red Zone Percentage

Virginia Tech Players to Watch

25 - Josh Oglesby, So., RB
81 - Jarrett Boykin, So., WR
26 - Cody Grimm, Sr., LB
22 - Stephen Virgil, Sr., CB

Georgia Tech Players to Watch

9 - Josh Nesbitt, Jr., QB
18 - Anthony Allen, Jr., RB
37 - Jerrard Tarrant, So., CB
91 - Derrick Morgan, Jr., DE

Final Score

Georgia Tech 35, Virginia Tech 30

2009 Virginia Tech Football: What to Watch vs. Boston College

furrer4heisman — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

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The Team

We are going to learn a lot more about this Virginia Tech team these next two weeks. Whatever the Hokies are will come out against Boston College at Georgia Tech. I'm interested to see how the defense performs against the Eagles and how the offense performs against the Yellow Jackets.
The only complete game we've seen this year was against Miami in a torrential downpour. I want to see the Hokies do that in a game in normal conditions. These next two weeks would be a great time for them to do it.
I seriously doubt the Hokies are going to win the rest of their games. And if they're going to have a bad week and drop a conference game, I'd rather it come against an Atlantic Division team like Boston College than a team that is going to contend for the Coastal Division like Georgia Tech.

Virginia Tech Offense vs. Boston College Defense

Unlike previous years, the strength of the BC defense is its secondary. The defensive line was already missing Ron Brace and BJ Raji from graduation. Now its key defensive end, Alex Albright, is hobbled by an ankle injury. We'll find out if he'll play when the injury reports are released Thursday. Right now Brad Newman is listed as a starter instead of Albright. The linebacking corps is without Mark Herzlich and other key members have been injured this year as well.
But the BC secondary has been big for the Eagles. Led by CB DeLeon Gause and Donnie Fletcher, the Eagles are allowing 6.2 YPA this year, but 7.6 YPA in conference games against Clemson, Wake Forest and Florida State.
The key for Virginia Tech on offense will be the running game. If BC can force passing downs, Tyrod Taylor will have to throw against a secondary that returned five interceptions for touchdowns last season.
If the Hokies do have success through the air, it will be over the middle against BC's linebackers. Look for Greg Boone to have a decent game.
I think Taylor and Ryan Williams will be able to find yards outside of the tackle box. When Taylor is forced to throw, I hope he'll tuck and run rather than try to force something against the BC secondary. Last year, he had 110 yards rushing against the Eagles.
The Hokies were limited in the first game against BC last season because they weren't able to get yards on the ground. Darren Evans was still coming into his own and was stymied by Raji and Brace. He averaged 1.6 yards per carry in that game. However, I think Williams will be able to find running room to the outside that wasn't there against Duke. And if Josh Oglesby can get yards going North-South to complement Williams, it will be a long day for BC.

Virginia Tech Defense vs. Boston College Offense

The Hokies will have success against the Eagles if they are able to get pressure on David Shinskie. Shinskie has been great the last two weeks since taking over at quarterback for Justin Tuggle. Shinskie threw for 431 yards and five touchdowns against Wake and FSU. If the Hokies can't get heat on him, he'll be able to pick the Hokies apart.
Tech is still giving up big plays through the air and that's something Shinskie and the Eagles can do if Jason Worilds and Cody Grimm don't get to him. Last season the Hokies gave up big plays through the air that cost them.
Kam Chancellor and Dorian Porch need to avoid big plays like they did in the Miami game. Boston College has two solid receivers in Rich Gunnell, who is the active leader in catches in the ACC, and Justin Jarvis has been improving each week along with Shinskie.
Stopping BC's run game will be equally difficult. BC's offensive line struggled early, but improved the last two weeks in home games against Wake and FSU. I think Montel Harris will see a lot of success running against Virginia Tech. The Hokies' defensive tackles have yet to step up and have a big game and I think we'll see more of the same this week, even with John Graves closer to 100 percent. I think Harris will become the fourth running back to have a 100 yard game against the Hokies this year.

Outcome

Harris will be the reason this game is close. But Shinskie and BC's struggle on the road combined with Virginia Tech's advantage on special teams is why it will win.

Watch the Box Score For

Virginia Tech Sacks
Turnovers
Montel Harris Rushing Yards
Virginia Tech Rushing Average

Virginia Tech Players to Watch

34 - Ryan Williams, Fr., RB
8 - Greg Boone, Sr., TE
6 - Jason Worilds, Jr., DE
22 - Stephan Virgil, Sr., CB

Boston College Players to Watch

15 - David Shinskie, Fr., QB
2 - Montel Harris, So., RB
34 - Mike McLaughlin, Sr., LB
9 - DeLeon Gause, Jr., CB

Final Score

Virginia Tech 23, Boston College 20

2009 Virginia Tech Football: Boston College Game Guide

furrer4heisman — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:15:31 -0000

More photos » by Greg M. Cooper - AP

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Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1, 2-0) vs. Boston College Eagles (4-1, 2-1)

Time: Noon EDT
Date: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Place: Lane Stadium at Worsham Field, Blacksburg, Va.
TV: Raycom Sports

Boston College: The Eagles got a big win last week at home against Florida State to improve to 4-1 and 2-1 ... BC lost its lone road game of the season, 25-7 at Clemson in a game that was delayed twice by lightning and heavy rain ... BC's quarterback is David Shinskie, a 25-year old freshman who is a former baseball player ... while it looked like Justin Tuggle would win the job in early games, Shinski has come on in the last two games, throwing for 431 yards and five touchdowns against Wake and FSU.

Trends: The Hokies have won four consecutive games since beginning the season with a loss to Alabama ... Boston College has won its last two games after losing at Clemson ... the Eagles have lost four of their last six games away from home, including last year's Music City Bowl and ACCCG ... Virginia Tech has won 11 consecutive home games ... its last home loss was 14-10 against BC on Oct. 25, 2007.

History Lesson: The Hokies are 3-3 against Boston College since the two teams joined the ACC, including 2-0 in the last two ACCCGs ... Tech was 8-3 against the Eagles while the two teams were in the Big East, including a seven-game winning streak 1996-2002 ... Tech is 11-6 all-time against BC ... the Eagles have won the last three regular season matchups.

What to Expect

Expect another 100-yard game from the opposition. Montel Harris is a solid running back and BC's offensive line has come along nicely. After two games without an opposing 100-yard rusher, I think it'll happen again this week.
Expect Shinskie to test Tech deep. The Hokies are getting burned by the deep ball again and it's something that cost them last year in Chestnut Hill.
Expect Tyrod Taylor to be able to get some rushing yards. I don't think the BC linebackers and defensive ends are going to be able to keep him in containment. The Eagle secondary will play well enough that Tyrod will have plenty of chances to tuck and run.
Expect this to be a "Williams Game". Josh Oglesby had success running North-South against Duke while Ryan Williams couldn't find space. But I think this is the kind of game where Williams will be able to get yards outside the tackles.
Expect the Hokies to have the advantage in the kicking game. In four years, BC still hasn't been able to find a kicker better than Steve Aponovicius. He's still there and BC still can't attempt long field goals because of it.

Hokies win if: They get pressure on Shinskie, don't get beat on special teams and can exploit BC's inexperienced linebackers both on the ground and in the passing game.

Eagles win if: They're able to stop the run and hit big plays through the air. Basically, it would need to be a replay of last year's regular season game.

Dot-dot-dots: Saturday is Virginia Tech's homecoming game ... the Hokies are raising money in honor of BC linebacker Mark Herzlich for Uplifting Athletes, a non-profit that raises awareness and research funds for rare diseases ... Herzlich, the reigning ACC DPOY, will miss the 2009 season after being diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer ... Tech hopes to raise $9,400 by selling $1 wrist bands and present the check at Saturday's game ... the amount is significant because Herzlich wears No. 94 ... the last time a VT QB threw for more than Tyrod Taylor's 327 yards against Duke in a win had to have come before 1995 ... that's as far back as HokieSports.com's game-by-game stats go.

Boston College Links

BC Interruption
Eagle in Atlanta
Eagle All Access
Towers on the Heights

Virginia Tech 34, Duke 26: What They're Saying

furrer4heisman — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:05:09 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

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The Hokies captured an ugly win Saturday at Duke to move to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in league play. While there were plenty of bright spots, mostly on the offensive side of the ball, this game showed the Hokies still have a long way to go to be the kind of team most people thought they would be at the beginning of the season. And incredibly, it starts with the defense and its ability to defend the pass. Here's what the mainstream media and blogosphere has to say about Tech's win in Durham.

National Media

Duke's effort falls short against Virginia Tech (Annette)
"As for Virginia Tech, it can exhale. The Hokies' validity as a top-10 team will come into question, though, from outsiders unfamiliar with Duke's progress. You have to credit Duke's defense for holding the Ryan Williams under 100 yards rushing. Tyrod Taylor deserves credit for winning with the passing game, and that's the difference in Virginia Tech this year. We just didn't think Duke would be the team to point it out."

Hokies Too Much For Blue Devils (850 the Buzz)
"Although Virginia Tech played a sloppy game committing 12 penalties for 105 yards, don’t make the mistake of thinking that was the reason for the close score. Duke played well and had a realistic shot of winning the game. They might not have won, but Duke definitely knows they are moving in the right direction."

Hokie Beat Writers

Hokies Get Unconvincing Win Over Duke (Mark Viera)
"Virginia Tech did not perform like a team that appeared to be the class of the Atlantic Coast Conference with a win over Miami a week earlier. Against the doormat Blue Devils, the No. 6 Hokies (4-1, 2-0) were sleepwalking until the fourth quarter, when they roused themselves with two touchdowns to put away the game before a crowd of 26,211."

Devil in the Details (Kyle Tucker)
"P.S. How about Josh Oglesby. The guy has absolutely MAXIMIZED his playing time this season. Today, he had six carries ... and scored two touchdowns, 12- and 19-yard runs that sealed the win. He finished with 59 yards. He now has 190 yards on 31 carries this season (6.1 ypc). But kudos, too, to starter Ryan Williams. He was bottled up for 28 yards on 14 carries in the first three quarters. When Tech needed it, however, he ran for 55 yards on 10 carries in the fourth."

Hokies take to air to top Duke (Randy King)
"While Tech's offense was efficient, amassing 477 total yards (327 passing, 150 rushing) with no turnovers, the Hokies' defense was victimized by long-yardage plays that kept Duke alive. Tech (4-1, 2-0 ACC) also was hurt by 12 penalties for 105 yards, both season highs."

Virginia Tech wins despite warts in Durham (Darryl Slater)
"The Hokies had plenty to wince about today, including 12 penalties for 105 yards, their most since the 2005 ACC championship game against Florida State, when Tech had 17 penalties for 143 yards. But the Hokies’ offense, especially their passing offense, didn’t leave them sour. Tech gained 477 yards—its second most in 26 games against ACC competition dating to the beginning of the 2006 season, which is when the Hokies’ offensive swoon began. The only game during that span in which they gained more: Georgia Tech in 2007, when they had 481."

Hokie Bloggers

No. 6 Hokies passing game emerges (VT Hokie Fans)
"The final score is not indicative of how close the game actually was. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Hokies only led 20-16, but Virginia Tech’s depth eventually wore the Blue Devils down on both sides of the ball."

3 Key Plays - VT vs. Duke (Tech SuperFans)
"And finally, it was on a play-action roll-out which is a play that this offense has been needing for years. Last week against Miami, Coach Stinespring FINALLY decided to use this play as a way to defeat the blitz. It was really great to see that last week wasn't a one-time fluke in the use of this play."

Virginia Tech 34, Duke 26: Postgame Stream of Consciousness

furrer4heisman — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:47:50 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

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It was way too interesting for way too long, but the Hokies finally put away the Blue Devils late. It was anything but pretty, as EBJ said in the game thread, the coaches have a lot of things to scream about in practice this week. But first and foremost, kudos to David Cucliffe and his Duke Blue Devils. They had a good game plan and executed it well. In they end, they just couldn't complete drives and get seven points on the board instead of three. But Duke played very, very well in this game.

First Star: Tyrod Taylor. He had a career-high in passing yards and two long TD passes. Duke sold out on stopping the run to force Taylor to beat them. He played well enough to do just that.
Second star: Josh Oglesby. He made the tough runs late in the game to put Duke away. While Ryan Williams couldn't find room to run against the Duke front seven, Oglesby stayed North-South, averaged nearly 10 yards per carry and scored twice.
Third Star: Jarrett Boykin. Really, this should go to all the receivers and tight ends, who made key, clutch grabs all day. Boykin had the better numbers with six catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. His 62-yard reception on 3rd and 34 was a game-changer.
The offense played well for Virginia Tech. The Hokies didn't have success running the ball early against a defense that was playing the run almost exclusively. But those runs that were unsuccessful early helped wear down the Duke defense and set up the rushing success Tech had late.
When fans were calling for play action passes early in the game, the Hokies actually ran them and had big gains off them. Duke was playing man coverage against the Tech wide receivers most of the game. While they had good coverage most of the game, Boykin and Danny Coale were able to go up and make big catches early to put the Hokies on the scoreboard. Taylor's deep balls were accurate throughout the game and by putting loft on them like he did, it allowed the receivers to find the ball, go up and make plays.
In the fourth quarter, when they needed it most, the Hokies were able to sustain drives by moving the ball on the ground. On their first drive of the fourth, Williams and Oglesby combined for 53 yards on seven carries. On the second TD drive, they combined to run the ball seven times for 41 yards. The Duke defense finally succumbed to the constant battering on the ground from Virginia Tech.
The rush defense was fine and when the Hokies were able to get pressure on Thaddeus Lewis they were able to disrupt the timing of Duke's pass game. But holy shit did we give up a lot of big plays through the air. There were coverage breakdowns everywhere.
Duke had the kind of game through the air today that I thought Miami would have last week. Lewis spread the ball around to a lot of different receivers and had a lot of long plays. It was ridiculous and better fixed by next week when the Hokies face Boston College.
The penalties were ridiculous and cost the Hokies throughout the game. It was just as bad if not worse than the Nebraska game. When the Hokies are doing everything they can to beat themselves, you get scores like 34-26.
I was wrong, wrong, wrong. We didn't see Duke's Sean Renfree or Virginia Tech's David Wilson the entire game. Wilson's absence raises a lot of questions from me. Did he not see the field because the game was close? Was it because he's not "getting it"? Are there just not enough carries to go around? I'm happy with the way Williams and Oglesby are playing, and the coaches must be, too, because Wilson hasn't seen much action other than the Marshall game.
Around the ACC, North Carolina and Clemson both lost. UNC was at home, playing Virginia and managed three points. Something is very wrong with that offensive line. Clemson, my pick to win the ACC at the beginning of the year, just isn't a very good football team right now.
Our opponent next week, Boston College, is currently playing FSU on the secondary TV. I'm interested to see how BC QB David Shinskie plays and what the Hokies will have to do next week to stop him.

Virginia Tech Hokies Football September Awards

Hokie20 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:36 -0000

Virginia Tech's 3-1 record is pretty stout after playing three ranked teams in the first four games of the season. Plenty of questions surrounding this squad still remain unanswered as the Hokies dive into the ACC schedule. One third of the way through the regular season, it's time for some first-month awards.

Top Rookie
David Wilson - HB: Wilson's first performance against Alabama was short-lived, but he quickly burst onto the scene against Marshall in Game 2. Leading the Hokies in rushing in his first game at Lane Stadium with 165 yards is quite a rare site.
Runner up: Jayron Hosley

Top New Starter
Jake Johnson - LB: Jake is starting to make a name for himself with that huge neck restrictor and powerful shots to the opposition. Sure, he missed a few tackles against Nebraska, but he still leads the team in solo tackles with 13 and is tied overall with 32.
Runner up: Beau Warren

Top Offensive player
Tyrod Taylor - QB: Tyrod would not have been selected for this spot mid-way through the month. Taylor has worked hard to make quicker decisions and the rain against Miami amplified it. He knew he could use his legs just as well as his arm, because after all, he is a dual threat quarterback.
Runner up: Josh Oglesby

Top Defensive player
Jason Worilds - DE: If you get a chance to go to the Duke game on Saturday, take a few plays to watch Worilds in action without following the ball. This guy plays through pain and takes care of business when nobody else can penetrate the offensive line. Don't be surprised if he reaches the 10-sack plateau by season's end.
Runner up: Rashad Carmichael

Surprise player
Barquell Rivers - LB: The redshirt sophomore is tied with Johnson for the lead with 32 sacks. Ever since his big plays in the Orange Bowl, Rivers has quietly made big plays in the middle of the field and breaking up passes on the perimeter.
Runner up: Nekos Brown

MVP
Ryan Williams - HB: He could have fit in with the Rookie category, New Starter, Offensive Player or Surprise Player. Williams has been the best player and has picked up the entire Virginia Tech team and carried it on his back. His burst of speed and power is just what the doctor ordered for a struggling passing game.
Runner up: Cody Grimm

Assistant Coach
Bud Foster - Defensive Coordinator: Who else would it be?

Poll

Who's Virginia Tech's September MVP?

#5 Tyrod Taylor

2 votes

#6 Jason Worilds

3 votes

#26 Cody Grimm

34 votes

#34 Ryan Williams

134 votes

173 votes | Poll has closed

Virginia Tech 31, Miami 7: Postgame Stream of Consciousness

furrer4heisman — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:25:34 -0000

More photos » by Steve Helber - AP

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I. Am. So. Drunk. Woo! What a game! What an amazing game on both sides of the ball. The Hokies are playing the way we thought they could at the beginning of the season. Follow me, follow me to freedom.

First player of the game: The Rain. For all the talk about how the Canes would be comfortable in the rain because they were from Miami, it appeared to affect them a lot more than it affected the Hokies.
Second player of the game: The Fans. You were loud and it came through on TV. A game ball to all of you.
Third player of the game: Jeremiah Weed Sweet Team Flavored Vodka + Bourbon Whiskey. Thank you.
The Hokie defense was swarming all over the field, especially Jason Worilds, Cody Grimm and Rashad Carmichael.
Worilds was in Harris' face the entire game. Grimm was all over the field and Carmichael played an incredible game at field corner for most of the game. Stephan Virgil made his return, but it was Carmichael who had the biggest impact on the game at boundary corner. He was in on run defense and made a big interception when Miami was trying to get back in it.
On offense, Bryan Stinespring called a good game, no matter what you have to say about him. He called plays that used Miami's speed and overpursuit against them, unlike last season's game. The QB read options, counter plays, screens and reverses put Miami on edge throughout the game. It was the kind of game I wish Stinespring would call every game.
Ryan Williams was an absolute hoss the whole game. We rode him to victory.
Tyrod made plays with his legs and arm when he had to. It was perhaps his most impressive performance of his career. He took what the D gave him and looked good for the whole game.
The special teams was either a home run or a strikeout. There were a couple of muffs that almost went Miami's way and a bad snap on a punt that did go its way. But other than those plays, Brent Bowden and the punt coverage, return and kickoff teams were outstanding. We finally beat Miami at special teams. How 'bout that BeamerBall, Randy Phillips???
The offensive line played its best game of the season. There were a couple of injuries that had me holding my breath that turned out to be OK. But it was a great game by them in run and pass blocking. Tyrod had time and Williams and Josh Oglesby had big holes. Both Williams and Oglesby ran hard the whole game and got extra yards on every carry.
Absolutely amazing. With Georgia Tech's win over North Carolina, the four favorites for the Coastal Division are now tied in the loss column. It's anyone's game now. It will be yet another close, exciting finish in the ACC in the race to Tampa.
Incredible.
And with that, I'm out of sweet tea vodka/bourbon. Time to switch to Yuengling.
It's a great day to be a Hokie. An outstanding day to be a Hokie. Just like every day.

2009 Virginia Tech Football: What to Watch vs. Miami

furrer4heisman — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Steve Helber - AP

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The Team

The Hurricanes have confidence. They're coming off two wins against two very well thought of opponents and they won in impressive fashion. They came from behind to win on the road against a rival and they dominated a team that dominated them last year. They're riding about as high as they will be all season.
Hokie fans have to hope that the Hurricanes are peaking early and that the Hokies are just now beginning to find their stride. The Hokies are coming off an improbable win and will be playing in front of their home fans. If that doesn't give them confidence to match the Hurricanes, nothing will.

Virginia Tech Offense vs. Miami Defense

There are two things the Hokies have to do to stop Miami's offense. The first thing has nothing to do with their defense. Instead, the onus is on the Hokie offense to sustain drives, get rushing yards and keep the Miami offense on the sidelines. The problem is, the Hokies haven't had many sustained drives this season.
Against Alabama and Nebraska, the Hokies have averaged 2.2 yards per carry and 6.0 yards per pass attempt according to CFBStats.com. The Hokies will need better production from running backs not named Ryan Williams and from Tyrod Taylor.
Williams has averaged over five yards per carry against Alabama and Nebraska. He's the Hokies' home run hitter. But for Virginia Tech to sustain drives, someone other than Williams has to be able to churn yards against the Canes.
The Hokies' offensive line also has to keep Tyrod Taylor upright. They improved at that against Nebraska, but still struggle at pass blocking. If Tyrod is able to find the running room he couldn't in the Hokies' first three games, then Tech will have a chance. Tyrod's running ability has to come through in this game against a young Hurricanes defense that hasn't always been able to stop scrambling QBs this year.
For the third time in four games, the Hokies are facing a very strong defensive line. Even without one of its key cogs, Adewale Ojomo, the Canes have an impressive defensive front. Exit Ojomo, enter freshman Olivier Vernon. Miami has the depth the Hokies have been trying to build for years and don't lose a lot from its first to second team.
The Canes' ends disrupted Georgia Tech's because their ends were able to destroy the Jackets' tackles and force a quick pitch from Nesbitt. They were then able to use their speed at linebacker and in the secondary to track down Georgia Tech's backs. What the Hokies have to do is use the Canes' speed against them.
I didn't see misdirection plays and zone-read options the Hokies used against Marshall against Nebraska. I think these are plays that can take advantage of Miami's overpursuit and lead to big yards.
Miami also has a vulnerable secondary. When Tyrod has time, he's capable of exploiting vulnerable secondaries. It's happened against lesser opponents. It can happen against Miami if the Hokies are able to let him make his reads and make decisions.
Of course, Tyrod's throw has to be accurate to take advantage.

Virginia Tech Defense vs. Miami Offense

Miami is good at exploiting the middle of the field through the air. The Hokies' linebackers and safeties have been giving up big plays through the air this year. This could be a lethal combination if Virginia Tech doesn't remedy it before Saturday.
Miami also has two good running backs in Graig Cooper and Javarris James. The Hokies have allowed three 100-yard rushers in three games. Once again, this could be a lethal combination if it isn't remedied by the defensive coaches before Saturday.
The Miami player I'll be watching is sophomore wide receiver LaRon Byrd. He's a smart player who's tall and could have a big game against Tech this Saturday. But the Hurricanes have four receivers who are all capable of having big games.
Aldarius Johnson missed the Georgia Tech game, but had three catches for 48 yards against Florida State. Travis Benjamin is the fastest players on Miami's offense and will present matchup problems for the Hokies against Dorian Porch and Kam Chancellor. Leonard Hankerson is just tall and experienced and playing with a confidence level he didn't have in his first two seasons.
As I mentioned above, there are two ways to stop Whipple's offense. The other way the Hokies can potentially stop Miami's offense is by getting pressure on Jacory Harris. Harris hasn't faced pressure in his first two games. That pressure is going to have to come from a banged up defensive line. Both Jason Worilds and John Graves have been limited in practice this week due to injuries.
Worilds is the most likely Hokie to get to Harris. Not only is he Tech's best defensive lineman, he'll be matched up against Miami's least experienced offensive tackle in Matt Pipho. Nekos Brown will have a much harder time getting around Jason Fox, who is one of the best offensive linemen in the ACC.
Virginia Tech's ability to avoid big plays from the Miami offense will be its biggest challenge. While is obviously susceptible to big plays in the passing game, if I'm Mark Whipple I'd run the ball until Virginia Tech can prove it can stop me.
This will be the most interesting matchup to watch because it's Whipple's desire for a balanced attack against Bud Foster's desire to make teams one-dimensional.

Outcome

I actually think this one could get ugly. The Hurricanes match up well against the Hokies. What they are good at is what Virginia Tech struggles with and what the Hurricanes struggle against is what the Hokies don't do well. It will take pressure on the quarterback, turnovers and exceptional special teams play for Virginia Tech to win this game.

Watch the Box Score For:

Turnovers
Virginia Tech sacks and QB hurries
Miami yards per carry
Tyrod Taylor's completion percentage

Virginia Tech Players to Watch:

5 - Tyrod Taylor, Jr., QB
25 - Josh Oglesby, So., RB
6 - Jason Worilds, Jr., DE
22 - Stephan Virgil, Sr., CB

Miami Players to Watch:

47 - LaRon Byrd, So., WR
65 - Matt Pipho, Sr., RT
94 - Eric Moncur, Sr., DE
6 - Randy Phillips, Sr., SS

Final Score

Miami 31, Virginia Tech 10

Who To Watch And What's Going To Happen vs Virginia Tech

Jon Johnston — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:03:20 -0000

More photos » by Don Petersen - AP

Virginia Tech's Ryan Williams (34) looks to use his speed against a Husker defense that's suffered some break downs in their first two games. Stuffing him is a key part to winning.

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Now that Miami has had their way with Georgia Tech, Nebraska - Virginia Tech remains the only game between two Top 25 opponents this weekend. That means the eyes of the nation should be on these teams, so it's a great opportunity for the Huskers to showcase (unless they want to hear more about USC quarterback Matt Barkeley's shoulder) how far they've come under Bo Pelini.

After the jump is who you need to watch from Virginia Tech and a projection of what's going to happen.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor

Taylor has started 17 games and has a 14-3 record. A dual-threat quarterback, much has been made about how he hurt Nebraska badly in the loss last season. Taylor is a decent quarterback, though not great, even though Frank Beamer has talked him up this week as has Taylor himself. Worry more about the perceived threat Taylor presents and the Hokie running backs will tear holes in the defense.

Running Backs

Ryan Williams

A redshirt freshman, Williams has taken over the starting position as Darren Evans sits the season out due to a knee injury. Williams is one of those guys that will run 40 yards to make 20, juking along the way.

David Wilson

True freshman back that runs a 4.33 in the 40. Wilson isn't about putting on the moves and juking people out of position, but he can stop and start quickly. Both Williams and Wilson are speed backs. Virginia Tech's only power back is.......

Josh Oglesby

The Hokies will use him to bash the Husker defense. There's nothing fancy about him, and he's not a break away threat, but he will gain tough yardage when it's needed and hang onto the football doing it.

Tight End Greg Boone

Boone missed the Marshall game with an injury, but will play against Nebraska. He's a good blocker, has good hands, and will be going up against Nebraska linebackers that so far have struggled this season (although the return of Phillip Dillard and his experience might be the perfect antidote).

You may see Boone taking direct snaps out of Tech's "Wild Turkey" formation out of which the Hokies will run read option plays (not a spread, zone read as you might think).

Defensive End Jason Worilds

Worilds presents a problem for the Husker offense. He'll spend most of the game on the left side of the line against Marcel Jones. Last season, Worilds lead the Tech defensive linemen in tackles 62), lead the team in tackles for loss (18.5), and lead the team with eight sacks, good enough to finish fourth in the ACC despite playing most of the season injured. The season was good enough to earn him second-team All-ACC honors.

If he's not contained, Worilds can change the football game.

Linebacker Cody Grimm

The Gobble Country guys refer to him as deathbacker. There's a good reason for that, as last season Grimm was third on the team in tackles despite starting only one game. He finished second in tackles for loss (14) and tied for second in sacks (7.5).

Lane Stadium - Louder Than You Think

The Hokies' home, Lane Stadium, has a capacity of (only) over 66,000, much less than Memorial Stadium's 85,000, so you might be tempted to think it can't be as loud. However, the stands are close to the field and the stands more vertical, so that all the sound is projected onto the field. That's why Lane Stadium has earned it's reputation as one of the toughest places to play

Noting A Pet Peeve

Can we collectively get over the hand-wringing about the Husker defense? They've given up 12 points in the first two games, but by the sounds of the internets you'd swear they'd nearly lost ‘em.

What Both Teams Want To Do

Both Virginia Tech and Nebraska will focus on stopping the other team from running the ball, but for slightly different reasons.

Nebraska will want to stop the run because that will take Virginia Tech out of their comfort zone, as a key to their success is a good running game. The Huskers will want to force Tyrod Taylor into throwing the ball, to make him prove that he can win a game with his arm. Stopping the run will be tougher than it sounds - it's time for Pierre Allen and Barry Turner to have big games because the Hokies will work their speed backs to get to the edge and take advantage of our youthful linebackers.

Virginia Tech will want to stop the run and force Nebraska into obvious passing downs. They'll want to disrupt the timing of the passing game and get pressure on Zac Lee to force him into making mistakes. In fact, they'll count on it. That's the way they play football. They currently have a 33-game non-conference winning streak at home.

I'm not so sure that by trying to stop the run they'll play right into Nebraska's hands. There's nothing other than history that says the Huskers have to run the ball successfully to win games. Times have changed.

Special Teams

You can't write an article about Virginia Tech without mentioning "Beamer Ball", head coach Frank Beamer's emphasis on using special teams to win ball games. Beamer coaches that unit himself, utilizing many of his best players on special teams.

Punter Brent Bowden is (so far) one of the best punters in the nation, averaging nearly 46 yards per punt. Dyrell Roberts (I wonder if he has two other brothers named Dyrell... sorry, bad and esoteric joke) is ranked fourth in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 48.75 per return and having scored a kick return touchdown already this season. Jayron Hosley is ranked fifth in the nation in kick returns, with nearly 25 yards pre return and has already returned a kick for touchdown.

All of that, and I haven't even mentioned the Hokies knack for blocking field goals.

What's Going to Happen

If Virginia Tech moves to stop the run, it'll open up the passing game, and I'm not just talking about Mike McNeill and the rest of our tight ends against their linebackers. Niles Paul and Curenski Gilleylen will have big games as the Hokies have struggled in pass coverage.

Virginia Tech's offense will move the ball against our defense well enough to keep them in the game for all four quarters. Tyrod Taylor will make some big plays, but not enough to win the game by himself.

The key question is - who's going to make more mistakes, Zac Lee or Tyrod Taylor? You might be tempted to say Lee due to his youth, but the Hokies offensive line can't pass protect worth a darn, which leaves our man Ndamukong Suh in a great position to make some big plays. Maybe pick up an interception himself.

I like our offense against their defense. Their offense against our defense is about even. That means as long as we stay even or ahead of Virginia Tech in the turnover battle that we should win this game.

Final score prediction will be in the prediction segments we release shortly. Stay tuned.