Monday Thoughts: False Starts and Sandstorm

23 Comments

1. 

   Bay Area Hokie November 2, 2022 at 11:03 AM

   Having been to a South Carolina game this season (but no VT game for the second non-Covid time since 1995), I have to say that you should have gotten seats closer to the students in the North Endzone. Sandstorm is electric. Beamer has done a great job there and he is loved by the fans. (Satterfield- not so much) Hopefully this is the bottoming out year for VT. I’d like for us to have things clicking (as in 8-4, 9-3) in a few years.
2. 

   132711Hokie November 2, 2022 at 7:52 AM

   I wonder if only bad teams commit ten false starts. I suspect so, but maybe not.
3. 

   Austin Gobbler November 1, 2022 at 2:15 PM

   I well remember that 1988 schedule. I was finishing my first year as a Second Lieutenant at FortHood, Texas. Our crusty battalion commander was a Southern Miss grad. I took a lot of grief from him that season when the Eagles hammered the Hokies 35-13. I feel similarly about this year's football season - pretty awful and not much hope to hang onto for a victory. Here's hoping that next season is an improvement! GO HOKIES!
4. 

   cdogvt November 1, 2022 at 1:05 PM

   An L is not an L. Those early teams were tough and had grit. We were bad on O many times but I always felt we were a tough out and earned respect, even when we weren’t talented enough. This team feels, forgive me, like we know we are going to roll over and lay down when the game is on the line. our competition has no fear or concern. The fact a true freshman QB had no trouble throwing all over us is a sign. I am an optimist and love the Hokies, including the players on this team - it is a group of good kids - but we don’t seem to have a quality that we can hang out hat on now and something to build towards. If we had the same record, but had low penalties and played tough defense through out where we fought tooth and nail, came up with a few big plays in critical situations, but just couldn’t score enough, say, that would be way more positive than this - where we are bad to really bad in all 3 phases, with moments of being decent to good in all 3 phases to make is hopeful….but then completely collapse in all 3 phases when we need it most. I honestly can’t think of anything positive coming out of this season at all to build for next year.
5. 

   George Baylor November 1, 2022 at 12:12 PM

   Will, you are too "nice" I would change one word "This looks like a bad team that doesn’t know how to win." Change bad to "awful." A grad from `63 and season ticket holder since 1969. I've seen the Good, Bad and Super Ugly of VT football. Pry and his staff have an absolute 100% rebuilding job to restore us to GOOD. GO HOKIES!!!
6. 

   Cheesehokie November 1, 2022 at 11:16 AM

   Will, I have always envied your job. Until now..... It must be excruciating to write about this season. Let's hope that these experiences build character and perspective.
7. 

   SBP94 November 1, 2022 at 8:14 AM

   As someone who is married to a Gamecock, and experienced a few games at Williams-Brice, let me say that is a place with an extremely annoying game environment. I have no problem with loud, but they put the volume at "Gonna Blow Your Eardrums Out" level. And Sandstorm... so Godawful annoying. It's just the same 30 seconds stretched out into a 4 minute song, and played over and over and over.
   1. 

      MDHokie79 November 1, 2022 at 9:31 AM

      SBP I can see that just from the video, and it seemed to fire up no one. Maybe they need a new song/tradition, eh?
      1. 

         knapnhokie November 1, 2022 at 11:37 AM

         yea steve perry and journey over and over can get after ya
8. 

   No_Limit_Hokie November 1, 2022 at 5:08 AM

   Odd that two of the top (bottom?) four teams in terms of average penalties per game, were 1993's Poulan Weedeater Independence Bowl Champions, and 2004's ACC Champions, who lost three games, two of those to undefeated teams. I believe we need a better division of penalty types, when discussing the issue.
9. 

   Long-Lost Hokie October 31, 2022 at 10:35 PM

   Interesting stat about false starts. In *other words*, we're worse than we were last year, but last year was pretty bad too. So a team prone to false starts last year (bad coaching!) is now...prone to false starts. It's worse, yes, but probably due to the fact that they are (A) still prone to false starts, and (B) still having trouble getting comfortable in a new system. Yet on the subscribers' board, some would have you believe this was a much more disciplined team under Fuente, and that these procedure penalties are proof-positive that the coaches are a bunch of clowns. Don't get me wrong: it's not good. The coaches need to improve their performance, and so do the players. But most of these players have needed to improve their performance for some time now, even prior to Pry.
   1. 

      Long-Lost Hokie October 31, 2022 at 10:44 PM

      Also, re: Monet and point differentials... Big picture, conference losses: - 31 ... - 16 ... - 6 ... -1 ... Trending clearly in a certain direction. Three of those games have been on the road. Our next opponent is not as good as any of those four teams. And it's a home game. Law of averages, right? (Please start Bryce Duke. And Daequan Wright.)
      1. 

         hokiepro November 1, 2022 at 11:01 AM

         Rebuilding = lose big, lose close, next step is win close…but I’d prefer win big this week because big it’s close I’m not sure we’d win…we tend to find a way not to
         1. 

            hokiepro November 1, 2022 at 11:02 AM

            *because IF it’s close
   2. 

      marymoss November 1, 2022 at 1:39 PM

      Those numbers from last year were for the entire season.
10. 

    IB4TECH October 31, 2022 at 10:01 PM

    About the 1992 season. IIRC, VT played well for 3 quarters in the games it lost. 1992 was the year that we had the least number of seniors due to the scholarship reductions in 1987. Also, IIRC, we were thought to have worn down by the fourth quarter. I think you are right in that we probably did not know how to win. Having good veterans is a good thing to have.
11. 

    134762Hokie October 31, 2022 at 9:29 PM

    Damn Will did you sleep until 10:00. That’s pretty easy to leave Raleigh at 8:00 and be in Columbia by noon. With time to spare to meet with Shane. I see you are not a road warrior.
    1. 

       UpperQuad October 31, 2022 at 10:26 PM

       Nothing good happens before 10AM on a Saturday
    2. 

       Will Stewart October 31, 2022 at 10:50 PM

       I was traveling with a woman. Nuff said.
       1. 

          hokiepro November 1, 2022 at 11:03 AM

          Absolutely nuff said ?…does Mrs Stewart know? ?
12. 

    khakiblue October 31, 2022 at 8:35 PM

    I think Tech hasn't lost every game in October since the early 50's. That's the last century for you young guys.
13. 

    Atlee Hokie October 31, 2022 at 7:13 PM

    One thing I will say about those early teams under CFB. I feel most average to good teams thought they would have a W at the end, but I also think they were glad the game was over. Those early Hokie teams played as tough as their limited ability and lack of depth allowed.
    1. 

       teaysvalleyhokie October 31, 2022 at 8:08 PM

       I would agree. I started VT in the fall of 1986, Dooley's last year. Those next 2-3 teams were unremarkable, but tough. Maybe it's me, but I feel like football was more physical then, and especially VT, those guys were strong. I feel a lot of the difference is how offense is played now, more spread out, shotgun, offensive linemen who are taller and thinner, and more hand-fighting on the lines.