Monday Thoughts: Rootin' Tuten

Will Stewart | Founder

October 21, 2024

By the time this game started Thursday night, I was fully convinced Virginia Tech was going to win to go to 4-3, and that it’s the Georgia Tech and Syracuse games over the next two weeks that will really tell the tale of the season.

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58 Comments

Lancelot Link October 22, 2024 at 12:19 PM

Re: video of Evans' run: a lot of cut blocks on that play. My, how things have changed, probably for the better.
MotorCityHokie80 October 22, 2024 at 12:12 PM

I attended the game. On a positive note the team looked absolutely unstoppable at times. The parachuters were very cool. The announcer saying "this is a key play" got monotonous and annoying. Mix it up or think of something else. I liked the seat backs.
1. Nicov48 October 22, 2024 at 8:37 PM
  
  I fully agree. The team looked confident. I do feel like he said Key Play at some odd times. I liked the seat backs too, felt like an office chair and really supported your back
KKPsiHokie October 22, 2024 at 10:47 AM

My gripe is the "fun" interviews of the players played frequently over the jumbotron at time-outs. Who the heck CARES what a player's favorite food or favorite color is in the middle of a GAME? How does that help us win? The opposing team is right there hearing it too and it does the opposite of intimidate. Unless you are Buddy the Elf, this fun/light stuff about the players during the game needs to go. Find some other time/venue to play that. The opposing team needs to think our guys eat raw meat and would be in prison if not for football, etc. etc. THAT would be intimidating...
1. Hokie_1989 October 22, 2024 at 2:37 PM
  
  Good point!!
2. middletennhokie October 22, 2024 at 3:18 PM
  
  +1
3. Clark1 October 23, 2024 at 7:41 AM
  
  I Agree!!!
Hokie Witch October 22, 2024 at 10:16 AM

I can’t stand those seat backs!
Cappydave October 22, 2024 at 6:00 AM

Yeah, The "Sandman" coverage on ESPN TV was really underwhelming and weak.
1. MiamiSailingHokie October 27, 2024 at 11:55 PM
  
  ACCN with Mark Hertzlig is the best, esp the opening presantation.
hokieben October 21, 2024 at 11:55 PM

I noticed that Bill O'brien didn't shake Pry's hand at the end of the game. I assume he might have been upset that Pry left Tuten in at the end of the game to get the rushing record. If I remember correctly, he set the record with over 4 min. left in the game. Given the circumstances with the record, was Pry wrong to keep Tuten in? I don't think so, but what is the protocol in that situation?
1. 134140Hokie October 22, 2024 at 10:37 AM
  
  They didn't show the handshake on TV, but they were tracking players walking around and may have missed it. I was curious if anyone who was at the game saw it (or not).
  1. hokieben October 23, 2024 at 1:50 AM
    
    I went back and watched the replay again and saw O'brien walking away from Pry so my apologies to coach O'Brien. It was difficult to see because you could only see the back of his coat.
`lag October 21, 2024 at 9:51 PM

I've always been a Darren Evans homer, and as you've alluded to he's been somewhat forgotten. What I remember is him solving the red-zone problem VT had, March down the field but not be able to punch it in for the TD. DE could consistently give you that 3-4 yards and finish that drive for the TD. I'll give you Ryan Williams, but I'd take DE over Wilson any day. Wilson would get yards but it would be either ten yards or 0 yards for a nice average but you couldn't depend on him in the way I've just alluded to if you just need that 3-4 yards. Also missed is he pounded the defense and the opposition would start to melt away in the third quarter. I had this theory he had a superb center of gravity and knew exactly where it was on a defender, that clip of the guy getting trucked being a classic example. probably didn't hurt that much, he just out-leveraged the guy. Anyway, I wish he had gotten another year as the feature back. Ore is another guy to be remembered, maybe the most talented of all behind a weak Oline but also skilled at making the wrong life moves.
1. jsumm88 October 22, 2024 at 7:13 AM
  
  I agree, anyone who doesn't list Darren Evans in their top VT backs is just wrong.
2. atlhokie1 October 22, 2024 at 8:17 AM
  
  Agree - wish Evans had stuck around for that senior year.
wehokie October 21, 2024 at 9:43 PM

All the LOUD music played (on video board) right up to the snap, numerous stupid games, obnoxious announcer saying “it’s a key play” about every other play is way over the top. Getting close to where I would rather stay home & watch on TV
1. Clark1 October 21, 2024 at 10:27 PM
  
  AMEN!!!
2. VTBuck20 October 21, 2024 at 10:58 PM
  
  Absolutely. I'd much rather hear the bands play. Plus, VT fans don't need to be told when to cheer.
  1. BK82 October 22, 2024 at 9:37 AM
    
    AMEN!!!
  2. hokiehowl October 22, 2024 at 2:35 PM
    
    Absolutely right about the marching band. That was missing. The blaring music and idiotic games are bush league and is not… Virginia Tech.
3. hokieben October 21, 2024 at 11:47 PM
  
  Agreed! And while I enjoyed the fireworks, what happened that they didn't fire the Skipper?
4. atlhokie1 October 22, 2024 at 8:19 AM
  
  Just not VT. Went to a W&L game a couple of weeks ago and the music pre-game and halftime was so loud you couldn't even speak to the person beside you.
5. hokiehowl October 22, 2024 at 2:34 PM
  
  All of the stupid games reminds me of UVA basketball games in the JPJ. I can’t stand it. Our Jumbotron crew needs to be replaced. They are awful.
YardBird October 21, 2024 at 9:29 PM

The unis looked better on the field than they did in pics. Helmet too. I change my mind- I kinda like them.
mwills98 October 21, 2024 at 9:27 PM

Agree, blarring music and flashing lights (ala UVA) in between plays just sucks. Let the band play and the fans make the noise.
1. MISTERBIG October 21, 2024 at 9:59 PM
  
  The music and announcer were WAY too loud. Tone it down PLEASE!!!!
  1. Clark1 October 21, 2024 at 10:28 PM
    
    Agree!
    1. hokiehowl October 22, 2024 at 2:37 PM
      
      I noticed it during the Rutgers game. It was extremely annoying.
  2. Hokie Pokie October 23, 2024 at 8:04 AM
    
    I had someone call me from the Hokie Club or Athletic Dept to ask what I thought about our Lane stadium experience and my two points of feedback were (1) turn down the music, at least some of the time, and (2) please remove the seatbacks.
2. Clark1 October 21, 2024 at 10:34 PM
  
  I wish that video board would short out, permanently! I hate that constant chatter and noise. It’s irritating to the Nth degree. We have two wonderful bands so let them play and get rid that monstrosity, PLEASE!
  1. hokiehowl October 22, 2024 at 2:37 PM
    
    Hope the athletic program gets this message. Stop making us look like crap with the idiotic Jumbotron stupidity.
LifetimeHokie12 October 21, 2024 at 8:14 PM

My "what if" was on the Colin Schlee trick play on the opening drive of the 3rd. What if we don't kill the drive by running that play which lost 5 yards? Do we go score and the game never gets tight? Do we still turn it over twice in three plays on our next two possessions? Ultimately it didn't impact the outcome, but that was the one play in the 3rd that really stuck with me.
1. techcabber October 21, 2024 at 10:46 PM
  
  Agreed! And it's not much of a trick play. He comes in and he runs the ball. That was a killer.
2. rhinor23 October 21, 2024 at 10:47 PM
  
  +1
  1. middletennhokie October 22, 2024 at 9:10 AM
    
    Agree with all the comments regarding the constant music and announcing. They have rendered the MVs useless. Reminds me of attending a minor league baseball game where every last second is filled with some cheesy act intended to keep the fans from being bored. Problem is, you've actually taken the crowd out of the rhythm of the game.
3. 23434 October 22, 2024 at 6:46 AM
  
  That play totally changed the momentum. VT chose to start the second half by going away from what had worked and give BC a chance. Dumb and my guess is that they will try it again.
4. Steeltown Hokie October 22, 2024 at 10:07 AM
  
  Agree
Two4VT October 21, 2024 at 6:17 PM

What is the best way for fans to voice their views on gameday experience? Just e-mail the athletic department?
1. HokieJ October 21, 2024 at 10:15 PM
  
  Agreed. Where do we voice our displeasure.
hokietony October 21, 2024 at 5:35 PM

Concerning the game experience. To be honest, I never noticed the blaring music and the third down chant by the announcer was just fine. I think it’s the old-school fans who don’t want anything to change during the game.
1. vtce2000 October 21, 2024 at 5:57 PM
  
  agree, the music is just fine and does serve to get the fans up and yellling. The announcer yelling its third dooowwwwnnnn needs to stop though.
  1. TophNWHSU07 October 21, 2024 at 7:13 PM
    
    They need to do the gobble sound for third downs imo.
    1. HokieSapp October 22, 2024 at 12:08 AM
      
      When I rewatched the game I could hear the gobble on TV a few times, but not in the stadium (only heard it once). I would rather hear that more loudly than the music or announcer at those times.
2. HokieBandit October 21, 2024 at 6:32 PM
  
  Should cut the music in half and the announcer entirely
  1. George Baylor October 21, 2024 at 7:36 PM
    
    Bandit, you are correct. But doubt music or announcer will change. Also stop the stupid contests during dead-balls. Who cares how much pizza one can eat in 30 sec. Beat the Other Tech, come Sat.
  2. VTScanlo October 21, 2024 at 8:33 PM
    
    I agree with this. We need to hear the band play some stuff. College football has a better atmosphere when the band is playing. And yes, we are smart enough fans to know when it's 3rd down, when to make some noise, and when it's a key play. We aren't UVa after all!
    1. hokiehowl October 22, 2024 at 2:40 PM
      
      Exactly. The VT fans are not stupid. Let’s put the marching Virginia‘s music back in the game and eliminate all of the stupid contests which basically is the athletic department saying… Our on field presentation is not enough so we have to add in a lot of stupidity.
  3. wehokie October 21, 2024 at 9:36 PM
    
    Ditto
3. HokieGator October 21, 2024 at 7:02 PM
  
  It's not the announcer saying it's 3rd down... It's his random "It's a key play!". Very random. Also, the music itself doesn't bother me. The bass is fine. It's the high end noises. It's especially bad when we play the thing that has the fake fan cheering. It is more like extremely loud white noise that is painful.
4. sacramento hokie October 21, 2024 at 7:11 PM
  
  Sorry old timer here the music is loud and dreadful and is played right up until the opposing qb snaps the ball
5. middletennhokie October 22, 2024 at 3:26 PM
  
  Understand your thoughts here, but maybe it's not new vs old. Check out the blue blood programs and see if that is how they run their in game experience. You will never see that in an SEC home game. The crowd and the bands play a larger role.
IB4TECH October 21, 2024 at 5:34 PM

I wonder how many rushing yards and sack Hunter Carpenter had. Seriously, this is a real treat to witness the talents of Tuten and APR.
Bmackattack October 21, 2024 at 5:21 PM

It's amazing that a staff so aware of a 16 year-old record is so unaware of basic clock management....
1. Will Stewart October 21, 2024 at 5:37 PM
  
  ☝️ That there is funny.
2. seekoHoG October 21, 2024 at 6:04 PM
  
  Or uniform numbers.
3. Boblope October 21, 2024 at 10:44 PM
  
  From your mouth to God’s ears.
4. Vtgolfnut October 21, 2024 at 11:55 PM
  
  The staff had another time out issue this game but got away with it. Let the clock run at the end of the 2nd quarter with 24 seconds left and 2 timeouts. Drones threw a touchdown pass so it didn’t matter, but 12 seconds ran off and it could have made a big difference if that pass was incomplete.

Monday Thoughts: Rootin' Tuten

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