Safety Kam Chancellor again came through during today's mini scrimmage in Blacksburg. He intercepted another pass and returned it for the scrimmage's only touchdown.
The defense has been getting the best of the offense throughout the spring, especially through the air. Tyrod Taylor was again sub-par, connecting on 3 of 8 passes for 36 yards. At what point should we start being concerned about this?
Linkage
Hokies
- Annette reports Josh Oglesby is doing well but also not talking to the media. (ESPN)
- Tyrod goes to the video tape to improve his mechanics. (RTD)
- Don't count out Cris Hill for the field corner spot (RTD)
Atlantic Coast Conference
- "You've gone soft on me, Jeff." Find out if this quote came from Brian or Mrs. Jeff. (BCI)
- GT is pwning UGa this year. (The Legacyx4)
- Aaron Curry appears to not be an ass hole. (Blogger So Dear)
- But did Dabo contribute to keeping Austin weird? (ACC Now)
- Buzz Blog does a horrible job of putting the sports calendar in bracket form. The Rose Bowl a No. 1 seed? Gimme a break. (Buzz Blog)
Stuff Only I Care About
- A new ECU Pirates logo for current times. (EDSBS)
- Run for your lives. They're letting bloggers on TV. (Goose's Roost)
- I thought Anne was a little kind with her grades. (Sabretooth's House)
- I'm sad to see MacT go. (Puck Daddy)
- Amalie Benjamin (who I love and would in a heartbeat give up my hard-drinking, road-tripping bachelor ways for) discusses whether or not to blame Matsuzaka's arm fatigue on the WBC. PS - I blame the WBC. (Extra Bases)
Showing posts with label tyrod taylor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tyrod taylor. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Hokies Get Prematurely Assessed
The Doc is only few premature assessments deep this year, but he's already chosen Virginia Tech as a target. Hinton takes a close look at Tyrod Taylor and how he actually regressed in his second season under center for the Hokies (sophomore jinx?). His main point is that if Tyrod doesn’t improve in his junior year, we’re looking at basically having a fast Glennon as our QB (my words, not his).
He also looks at our love of Bud Foster and disdain for Bryan Stinespring and brings up a couple of good points. Foster is beloved because the defense remains strong despite losing key players. However, despite Stinespring not having much to work with our fan base still loathes him and blames him for our losses with no praise in victory.
The Doc’s bottom line is that we’re a dark, dark horse for the BCSCG. Our margin for error remains very slim going into 2009 and Tech fans should be more excited for the possibilities in 2010.
My only disagreement with Hinton’s view on our season is on the Alabama game. Yes, Alabama started 12-0 in the SEC last year. But I think it lost too much from that team to just come out and smoke the Hokies like it did last year against Clemson.
And the LSU comparison isn’t valid because we faced the Tigers at their zenith on the way to national title. LSU had yet to suffer the injuries it did that caused it to lose two games. They were healthy, we had no offensive line and we walked into a hornet’s nest in Death Valley that night that in hindsight we had no chance of surviving.
He also looks at our love of Bud Foster and disdain for Bryan Stinespring and brings up a couple of good points. Foster is beloved because the defense remains strong despite losing key players. However, despite Stinespring not having much to work with our fan base still loathes him and blames him for our losses with no praise in victory.
The Hokies have finished in the bottom 20 nationally in total offense three years in a row, a cruel inverse to the success of the defense. It's hard to be creative, though, when you're so limited in the passing game -- all the way around: Tech struggled not only at throwing and catching, but allowed more sacks last year than any other offense in the ACC -- and when your most effective strategy is hurling a 215-pound hammer at the line of scrimmage.
The Doc’s bottom line is that we’re a dark, dark horse for the BCSCG. Our margin for error remains very slim going into 2009 and Tech fans should be more excited for the possibilities in 2010.
My only disagreement with Hinton’s view on our season is on the Alabama game. Yes, Alabama started 12-0 in the SEC last year. But I think it lost too much from that team to just come out and smoke the Hokies like it did last year against Clemson.
And the LSU comparison isn’t valid because we faced the Tigers at their zenith on the way to national title. LSU had yet to suffer the injuries it did that caused it to lose two games. They were healthy, we had no offensive line and we walked into a hornet’s nest in Death Valley that night that in hindsight we had no chance of surviving.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Hokie Blogs Spring Roundtable Roundup
A humble group of Hokie bloggers spent last week discussing Virginia Tech football to coincide with the beginning of fall practice. We tackled issues facing the Hokies going into one of the most anticipated seasons in Tech history. It was a great exercise and we got diverse answers from the group. Hopefully we can do it again in August prior to kickoff. Below is a overview of the roundtable as well as links to individual answers.
Linkage
Beer Control Offense
(BCO | HokieJayBee)
College Game Balls
Gobbler Country
The North End Zone
(Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5)
Tech Superfans
(Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5)
Virginia Tech Fan
Questions
1. From reader Riggs: "Are we really going to be that good next year? I just don't see us being a top 10 team given last season's offensive output. Tell me that we're overhauling the offense, or we're adding new packages. Give me some hope."
Our panelists agree that Tech is a Top 10 team with Top 5 talent. However, most of them believe the offense will hold the team back. Specifically the offensive coordinator will hold the team back.
From College Game Balls:
...With that being said we aren’t going undefeated and more than likely will shit the bed against Alabama and 1-2 ACC teams. Why because unfortunately we aren’t overhauling our offense and even more importantly Bryan Stinespring is still calling the plays. In my inebriated state I actually starting to think our offensive scheme works, we just call really dumb plays at the worst times. Like QB sneaking out of the shotgun on 3rd and goal from the one. We always seem to shoot ourselves in the foot.
However, there are a couple of reasons to believe this team can still do something special. VT Fan notes that most of our tough games are at home or on a neutral site. The toughest road test on paper will be the second trip to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets.
Another reason is the parallels between the 2004 team and this squad, specifically regarding the quarterback. From The North End Zone:
The last time we went from having two quarterbacks to just one, we went 10-2, won the ACC, and lost by 3 to an undefeated Auburn team in the Sugar Bowl. This time won't involve weed, underage girls, or traffic violations, but I think the mindset is still the same.
I don't know that we will be a top 5 team. I just think that this year is going to be our best shot in a while.
However, after Tyrod, the quarterback situation is murky for the Hokies. Which leads us to Q2.
2. From Beer Control Offense: "Are you concerned about the lack of depth at quarterback? How many significant snaps do you think VT's back up quarterback will get?"
Those who are fretting over the QB situation are, to use their own words, scared shitless. BCO will have the bourbon at the ready in 2009:
Whoever (the backup) is, keep your arm loose, 4-5 games even if for a play or 2, he'll be needed. We could see a lot of Wild Turkey those games, on the field and in section 18 beside the BCO as he screams "GOD NO!!" I think there will be at least 1 game where Tyrod does not start or gets knocked out early, extended stay in the infirmary will kiss preseason expectations goodbye.
In order to mitigate the injuries to Tyrod, CGB suggests running the Wild Turkey formation more often to give Tyrod time to rest each game, instead of using it as a gimmick formation. If I remember correctly, Florida did this when Tebow was a freshman in short-yardage and goalline situations. And I'm pretty sure the Gators won it all that year.
Only four of the responders were not afraid of Tech's lack of QB depth. Those include myself, CGally from The North End Zone, HokieJayBee from BCO and MadJay from TSF.
HJB takes the Alfred E. Neuman approach because if Tyrod goes down, everything will go to hell anyway. MadJay thinks the offense will run the same scheme and put up the same production with or without Tyrod. Myself and CGally point to the fact that the QB usually doesn't determine whether or not we win games.
The way we typically win games is through Bud Foster's defense, which has its own issues going into the spring.
3. What position do you think is most important to the Hokies on the defensive side of the ball this spring? Are there any young players who will step up during spring on that side of the ball?
Despite the lack of depth on the defensive line, our noble bloggeratti was split nearly 50-50 between the linebackers and the cornerbacks. What it comes down to is the Hokies have more holes to fill at linebacker, but a bigger hole to fill at cornerback.
Tech lost two one-year starters at LB, but return Cam Martin as a third-year starter. The players stepping up at LB are young and inexperienced, but are supposed to be the most talented group of youngsters we've had at LB. From VT Fan:
You would think linebacker - Mike and Backer - key positions that are being completely turned over to new starters, mostly Fr and So players. Barquell Rivers and Jake Johnson get good reviews and are penciled in as starters, but behind them are Bruce Taylor and Quillie Odom who were highly touted recruits and I’m anxious to see these guys. I especially think Bruce Taylor, who we thought was headed for the D-line, is a guy to watch.
Those concerned with the cornerbacks are worried because of how important Macho Harris was to last year's D. Not only was he the best player on that side of the ball, he was also the team's emotional leader.
Stephan Virgil will start at boundary corner for the first time this year while SOMEONE will eventually step up and take the field side. Who that someone will be is up for debate. While I would rather see someone other than Rashad Carmichael there, The Northerner at The North End Zone is a fan of his:
He’s the oldest cornerback we have since Macho left, and we have always been relatively strong in the cornerback position. So I think he will have to step up, and you can bet that Foster is giving this guy tons of tape on how the position is played. I have faith in our defensive coaches that this position will not be an afterthought.
I liked the position Where's The Ice from TSF took. He isn't concerned with a certain position on the field. He's concerned about who will be the leader of the D on and off the field:
Harris' personality and gusto for the game made him naturally suited to that role, and his fellow teammates viewed him that way. Every squad needs an on the field leader, and out of training camp somebody needs to assertively take that role in such a manner that the other 10 players on the squad respect him and recognize him in that mold.
However, I personally disagree that someone will come into that role 1/4 through the season. That will be way to late. Hell, even August will be too late for that. Tech's leader on the defensive side of the ball has to step up during spring practice and over the summer.
4. What change would you make to college football's spring football system?
A few responders want to see spring football become summer football. This is for a couple of reasons. First, as CGB points out, it's too disjointed from the August practices. Also, moving it to summer would give us something to do during those months. Pitting it up against March Madness drowns it out with some schools (like UNC).
MadJay from TSF agrees with me that teams should be allowed to scrimmage other schools. And CGally from TNEZ had the most unique response with regards to how the maroon and white teams are chosen:
Additionally, I think they should pick teams like in gym class. I would love to see Glennon's face as he was passed over again and again.
5. From College Game Balls: "What kind of music do you think the team is bumping in the locker room? And is Beamer getting down? I know the '99 team was big into Method Man and Dr. Dre."
HokieJayBee and CGB say the team is probably listening to Lil' Wayne... considering Lil' Wayne is collaborating with every other artist on the face of the planet. Seriously, when is the Lil' Wayne-Taylor Swift duet coming out?
HJB also says Beamer is getting down with the team for the good of Hokie Nation:
I seem to think this Beamer Dance Off is some sort of reward for the players. Beamer, on Thursday before Saturday match-up with TEAM X in a big game, the team is screwing around, the coaches are pissed, losing the team's focus,........"quit that lolly gagging you lazy fVcks, quit screwing around!!!! Tell you what, focus up here tonight and tomorrow at the walkthrough, and I'll let you bump whatever you want to in the locker room after the game and I'll even bounce with you on camera if we kick the sh!t out of TEAM X!!!!" Enormous roar, sudden team focus, big win. Dancing Frankie Beamdog.
The Northerner hopes there's at least one song we can all agree is being played on player's iPods:
And of course, Enter Sandman had better be getting some play time or else we have a real problem. But I doubt that even needs to be said.
Amen.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Spring Football Roundtable
Hokie bloggers have convened (virtually, at least) to discuss matters concerning Tech football going into spring practice. Beer Control Offense, College Game Balls, The North End Zone, TechSuperfans, Virginia Tech Fan and myself took time to answer the same questions. The recap will be posted on Monday. Here are my answers:
1. From reader Riggs: "Are we really going to be that good next year? I just don't see us being a top 10 team given last season's offensive output. Tell me that we're overhauling the offense, or we're adding new packages. Give me some hope."
I don't think we should be considered a national title contender by the media. I want our players to think they have the chance, but I think we play a lot better when people doubt us. It looks like outside of the ACC media we aren't considered a national title contender, which is good. I think a preseason ranking of No. 9 or No. 10 suits this team.
The offense is more talented, but you won't see any dramatic changes to the scheme. There also won't be the gaudy numbers a lot of fans want to see, but that's just not Virginia Tech football. We're going to try and control the clock and keep our defense on the sideline. We aren't going to be a high-scoring offense but I fully expect us to have a more efficient and effective offense.
There are important holes to fill on the defense and depth issues on the offensive line. A key injury to the line or problems with new guys at cornerback and linebacker could derail our quest for a national title quickly.
The Hokies are going to be good and be in contention for at least the ACC championship this year. We won't dominate teams like we did in 1999, but we won't fold dramatically like Clemson did last year.
2. From Beer Control Offense: "Are you concerned about the lack of depth at quarterback? How many significant snaps do you think VT's back up quarterback will get?"
Last year, Tyrod missed the Maryland game and was ineffective against Miami after being injured against FSU. In 2007, he was injured against Duke and missed the BC and Georgia Tech games.
With his history, it stands to reason we're going to need our backup QB at some point. I think the way our offense is set up we won't be in a lot of trouble if we have to turn to Ju-Ju Clayton or Greg Boone. We can rely on the running game for the most part and still win games.
The problem comes, like at the end of last year's FSU game, when we're down and need the backup to bring us back. Cory Holt played well against the Noles, but was just unable to get us into the end zone. It was a tough situation, but not one that happens to many teams.
Usually, you know ahead of time you're going to be without your starter and can prepare properly for the upcoming game with your backup. It worries me that our backup quarterbacks are unknown commodities, but I don't think it will be as big a deal as some are making it out to be.
3. What position do you think is most important to the Hokies on the defensive side of the ball this spring? Are there any young players who will step up during spring on that side of the ball?
I think the most important position is cornerback. Stephan Virgil is moving back to boundary corner and there will be a new field corner this year.
Virgil knows the boundary side because he was a backup there before starting on the field side in 2008. However, I think his size is an issue when it comes to stepping up and helping stop the run.
On the field side, I didn't like what I saw out of Rashad Carmichael last year. To me, he had trouble communicating and being in the right spot a lot last season. I'm hoping someone else can emerge at that position either in the spring or summer unless Carmichael has made dramatic improvement this season.
4. What change would you make to college football's spring football system?
I would allow teams to scrimmage other schools. The end of session spring game would still need to be an intrasquad scrimmage, but at least let teams see how they stack up against each other in controlled scrimmages. Basketball teams are allowed to do it in the summer. Every other level of football does it. College football should be able to scrimmage as well.
5. From College Game Balls: "What kind of music do you think the team is bumping in the locker room? And is Beamer getting down? I know the '99 team was big into Method Man and Dr. Dre."
Of course Beamer's getting down. We've seen the video evidence. We just need some of the guys to step in and improve his moves. At least teach him the eclectic slide or something. Of course, I can't dance at all so I have no room to talk.
As for the team, my guess is the music preferences break down by position:
O-line: Definitely old school stuff. R&B, Motown.
Skill Position: Jay-Z. Gotta be Jay-Z. The skill guys are the ones who get all the pub, so they're probably listening to guy making the most money.
D-line: Biggie and 'Pac. They want a message with their rhymes.
LBs: Lil' Wayne.
DBs: More hardcore. DMX and Tech N9ne. You can't properly KTFO people unless you listen to DMX and Tech N9ne.
1. From reader Riggs: "Are we really going to be that good next year? I just don't see us being a top 10 team given last season's offensive output. Tell me that we're overhauling the offense, or we're adding new packages. Give me some hope."
I don't think we should be considered a national title contender by the media. I want our players to think they have the chance, but I think we play a lot better when people doubt us. It looks like outside of the ACC media we aren't considered a national title contender, which is good. I think a preseason ranking of No. 9 or No. 10 suits this team.
The offense is more talented, but you won't see any dramatic changes to the scheme. There also won't be the gaudy numbers a lot of fans want to see, but that's just not Virginia Tech football. We're going to try and control the clock and keep our defense on the sideline. We aren't going to be a high-scoring offense but I fully expect us to have a more efficient and effective offense.
There are important holes to fill on the defense and depth issues on the offensive line. A key injury to the line or problems with new guys at cornerback and linebacker could derail our quest for a national title quickly.
The Hokies are going to be good and be in contention for at least the ACC championship this year. We won't dominate teams like we did in 1999, but we won't fold dramatically like Clemson did last year.
2. From Beer Control Offense: "Are you concerned about the lack of depth at quarterback? How many significant snaps do you think VT's back up quarterback will get?"
Last year, Tyrod missed the Maryland game and was ineffective against Miami after being injured against FSU. In 2007, he was injured against Duke and missed the BC and Georgia Tech games.
With his history, it stands to reason we're going to need our backup QB at some point. I think the way our offense is set up we won't be in a lot of trouble if we have to turn to Ju-Ju Clayton or Greg Boone. We can rely on the running game for the most part and still win games.
The problem comes, like at the end of last year's FSU game, when we're down and need the backup to bring us back. Cory Holt played well against the Noles, but was just unable to get us into the end zone. It was a tough situation, but not one that happens to many teams.
Usually, you know ahead of time you're going to be without your starter and can prepare properly for the upcoming game with your backup. It worries me that our backup quarterbacks are unknown commodities, but I don't think it will be as big a deal as some are making it out to be.
3. What position do you think is most important to the Hokies on the defensive side of the ball this spring? Are there any young players who will step up during spring on that side of the ball?
I think the most important position is cornerback. Stephan Virgil is moving back to boundary corner and there will be a new field corner this year.
Virgil knows the boundary side because he was a backup there before starting on the field side in 2008. However, I think his size is an issue when it comes to stepping up and helping stop the run.
On the field side, I didn't like what I saw out of Rashad Carmichael last year. To me, he had trouble communicating and being in the right spot a lot last season. I'm hoping someone else can emerge at that position either in the spring or summer unless Carmichael has made dramatic improvement this season.
4. What change would you make to college football's spring football system?
I would allow teams to scrimmage other schools. The end of session spring game would still need to be an intrasquad scrimmage, but at least let teams see how they stack up against each other in controlled scrimmages. Basketball teams are allowed to do it in the summer. Every other level of football does it. College football should be able to scrimmage as well.
5. From College Game Balls: "What kind of music do you think the team is bumping in the locker room? And is Beamer getting down? I know the '99 team was big into Method Man and Dr. Dre."
Of course Beamer's getting down. We've seen the video evidence. We just need some of the guys to step in and improve his moves. At least teach him the eclectic slide or something. Of course, I can't dance at all so I have no room to talk.
As for the team, my guess is the music preferences break down by position:
O-line: Definitely old school stuff. R&B, Motown.
Skill Position: Jay-Z. Gotta be Jay-Z. The skill guys are the ones who get all the pub, so they're probably listening to guy making the most money.
D-line: Biggie and 'Pac. They want a message with their rhymes.
LBs: Lil' Wayne.
DBs: More hardcore. DMX and Tech N9ne. You can't properly KTFO people unless you listen to DMX and Tech N9ne.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
What They're Saying About the QBs
Here's what mainstreamers and bloggers alike are saying about Beamer's decision to play Tyrod this season:
Kyle Tucker, Virginian-Pilot: "My hunch is that Sean Glennon’s days of significant snaps are numbered. Why? Because just one week ago today Rodney Taylor, Tyrod’s dad, was telling me they chose to redshirt the kid because he had no interest in sharing time."
Darryl Slater, Richmond Times-Dispatch: "You’d think that if Beamer is going to pull Taylor’s redshirt, he’d plan to give him significant snaps. It seems unwise to use another year of Taylor’s eligibility by splitting time with Glennon, as he did last season."
Aaron McFarling, Roanoke Times: "Taking the redshirt off Tyrod Taylor doesn't just mean he's going to play; it means he's going to play a lot. Sean Glennon? Barring injury, he just went from "the guy" to "change-of-pace guy" in three days."
David Teel, Newport News Daily Press: "In retreating so quickly, Beamer and his staff appear indecisive, panicked and easily manipulated. But better to change course now than several weeks and who-knows-how-many defeats into the season."
Heather Dinich, ESPN: "On the surface, this decision shows a lack of faith in Glennon to get the job done on his own, it shows reason to be concerned about the development of the offensive line, and it says that Kenny Lewis' team-high 58 yards aren't gonna cut it."
Patrick Hite, ACC Nation: "So, let me get this straight, you go through the entire spring and summer, decide at nearly the last possible moment that the team will be fine with Glennon as the only quarterback and then after one game — a game that Tech would have won if not for a special-teams breakdown at the end — decide to undo a decision that was, presumably, in the making for five months or so?"
Matt Hinton, Yahoo!: "Taylor may not be a better passer, yet, but he has a better arm than Glennon, far more time to develop it, and in the meantime has the wheels to do some good otherwise. The smart money was always on the kid wresting the job for himself, and with the faint of heart still nervous over this "redshirt" nonsense, now you can double down."
Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com: "I’ll have to admit, I’m relieved that Taylor is playing for another reason. I have despised the rift in the Tech fanbase about Sean Glennon over the past couple of years. If you listed to the Hokie Hotline last night, it was pretty clear that Beamer isn’t happy about it either. He blasted the Tech fans who have been blasting Glennon. And as a board monitor of the biggest Virginia Tech message board on the internet, I have to say that I’m happy Taylor is playing."
College Game Balls: "The biggest negative I see is that Glennon will still be taking snaps. This should be Tyrod’s team and we should allow him to develop a cohesion with the new receivers and help the seniors have a winning and memorable season. All in all I am happy with the move. However, I wish we weren’t blinded by loyalty at the beginning of the season. Regardless of seniority if we want to win as many games as possible we need to take a USC like approach to the depth chart: the best players will play."
Kyle Tucker, Virginian-Pilot: "My hunch is that Sean Glennon’s days of significant snaps are numbered. Why? Because just one week ago today Rodney Taylor, Tyrod’s dad, was telling me they chose to redshirt the kid because he had no interest in sharing time."
Darryl Slater, Richmond Times-Dispatch: "You’d think that if Beamer is going to pull Taylor’s redshirt, he’d plan to give him significant snaps. It seems unwise to use another year of Taylor’s eligibility by splitting time with Glennon, as he did last season."
Aaron McFarling, Roanoke Times: "Taking the redshirt off Tyrod Taylor doesn't just mean he's going to play; it means he's going to play a lot. Sean Glennon? Barring injury, he just went from "the guy" to "change-of-pace guy" in three days."
David Teel, Newport News Daily Press: "In retreating so quickly, Beamer and his staff appear indecisive, panicked and easily manipulated. But better to change course now than several weeks and who-knows-how-many defeats into the season."
Heather Dinich, ESPN: "On the surface, this decision shows a lack of faith in Glennon to get the job done on his own, it shows reason to be concerned about the development of the offensive line, and it says that Kenny Lewis' team-high 58 yards aren't gonna cut it."
Patrick Hite, ACC Nation: "So, let me get this straight, you go through the entire spring and summer, decide at nearly the last possible moment that the team will be fine with Glennon as the only quarterback and then after one game — a game that Tech would have won if not for a special-teams breakdown at the end — decide to undo a decision that was, presumably, in the making for five months or so?"
Matt Hinton, Yahoo!: "Taylor may not be a better passer, yet, but he has a better arm than Glennon, far more time to develop it, and in the meantime has the wheels to do some good otherwise. The smart money was always on the kid wresting the job for himself, and with the faint of heart still nervous over this "redshirt" nonsense, now you can double down."
Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com: "I’ll have to admit, I’m relieved that Taylor is playing for another reason. I have despised the rift in the Tech fanbase about Sean Glennon over the past couple of years. If you listed to the Hokie Hotline last night, it was pretty clear that Beamer isn’t happy about it either. He blasted the Tech fans who have been blasting Glennon. And as a board monitor of the biggest Virginia Tech message board on the internet, I have to say that I’m happy Taylor is playing."
College Game Balls: "The biggest negative I see is that Glennon will still be taking snaps. This should be Tyrod’s team and we should allow him to develop a cohesion with the new receivers and help the seniors have a winning and memorable season. All in all I am happy with the move. However, I wish we weren’t blinded by loyalty at the beginning of the season. Regardless of seniority if we want to win as many games as possible we need to take a USC like approach to the depth chart: the best players will play."
Thoughts on Glennon
It took all of one week for the experiment to end. Sean Glennon was given the offense all to himself and failed not only to equal last year's dreadful offense, but to even do enough to beat East Carolina, a team the Big Least won't touch.
You can't blame it all on Glennon for Saturday's debacle. He had a lot of help. He had an offensive line that stopped all pass and run-blocking in the fourth quarter and had an OC that repeatedly went against conventional wisdom of what do do in certain situations. He ran when he should have passed, passed when he should have ran and was always one play behind what East Carolina was doing.
But some of the blame is deserving. Glennon was rarely accurate with his passes, seemed uneasy in the pocket and threw two bonehead interceptions. Glennon is good at checking down to open receivers, but that's not what this offense needs. It needs a field general, not the ACC's answer to Craig Krenzel. The Hokies simply don't have the talent to have a guy at quarterback who is not only immobile, but afraid to take chances.
Add that to the fact that Glennon has struggled to start the season all three years he's been given the keys to the kingdom. He has simply failed to get better between seasons in both 2007 and 2008. The Hokies can't afford to have their starting quarterback start from scratch every year.
Glennon played well in the Hokies run to the Peach Bowl [sic] and last year's ACC title, but is simply not a good enough quarterback to compensate for Tech's dearth of talent on offense this year.
It's finally time for the Sean Glennon era at Virginia Tech to end and the Tyrod Taylor era to begin. You'll notice under the labels of this blog there's one titled "Defending Glennon." That's because until Saturday, I thought Sean Glennon was a good college quarterback. He isn't. Sure, he'll get better as the year goes on, help Tech win a couple games and maybe even lead the team to a conference title.
But he's not a good college quarterback. Nate Hybl won a Big 12 title without being a good college quarterback. He simply didn't screw it up for an excellent defense and talented offense. Glennon did that the last two years. This year, the defense is down and Eddie Royal et al are gone. And so are Glennon's chances of being successful.
You can't blame it all on Glennon for Saturday's debacle. He had a lot of help. He had an offensive line that stopped all pass and run-blocking in the fourth quarter and had an OC that repeatedly went against conventional wisdom of what do do in certain situations. He ran when he should have passed, passed when he should have ran and was always one play behind what East Carolina was doing.
But some of the blame is deserving. Glennon was rarely accurate with his passes, seemed uneasy in the pocket and threw two bonehead interceptions. Glennon is good at checking down to open receivers, but that's not what this offense needs. It needs a field general, not the ACC's answer to Craig Krenzel. The Hokies simply don't have the talent to have a guy at quarterback who is not only immobile, but afraid to take chances.
Add that to the fact that Glennon has struggled to start the season all three years he's been given the keys to the kingdom. He has simply failed to get better between seasons in both 2007 and 2008. The Hokies can't afford to have their starting quarterback start from scratch every year.
Glennon played well in the Hokies run to the Peach Bowl [sic] and last year's ACC title, but is simply not a good enough quarterback to compensate for Tech's dearth of talent on offense this year.
It's finally time for the Sean Glennon era at Virginia Tech to end and the Tyrod Taylor era to begin. You'll notice under the labels of this blog there's one titled "Defending Glennon." That's because until Saturday, I thought Sean Glennon was a good college quarterback. He isn't. Sure, he'll get better as the year goes on, help Tech win a couple games and maybe even lead the team to a conference title.
But he's not a good college quarterback. Nate Hybl won a Big 12 title without being a good college quarterback. He simply didn't screw it up for an excellent defense and talented offense. Glennon did that the last two years. This year, the defense is down and Eddie Royal et al are gone. And so are Glennon's chances of being successful.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Tyrod Taylor No Longer Redshirting
Head coach Frank Beamer announced at a press conference today sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor will play Saturday against Furman.
This is the second consecutive season Taylor was scheduled to redshirt for the Hokies and the second consecutive season the reshirt lasted one game. Senior quarterback Sean Glennon was inconsistent in last Saturday's loss to East Carolina, throwing two costly interceptions.
There is no word on which quarterback will start against the Paladins. However, I think it's in the Hokies best interests for Taylor to start, at least for now. Glennon needs to have his confidence rebuilt and has struggled early in the season for three years now.
Tyrod is the future of this team and it makes sense to give him a chance to gel with the young players on offense. He also makes the offense more dynamic if the offensive line isn't going to be able to protect the quarterback, just like last season.
This is the second consecutive season Taylor was scheduled to redshirt for the Hokies and the second consecutive season the reshirt lasted one game. Senior quarterback Sean Glennon was inconsistent in last Saturday's loss to East Carolina, throwing two costly interceptions.
There is no word on which quarterback will start against the Paladins. However, I think it's in the Hokies best interests for Taylor to start, at least for now. Glennon needs to have his confidence rebuilt and has struggled early in the season for three years now.
Tyrod is the future of this team and it makes sense to give him a chance to gel with the young players on offense. He also makes the offense more dynamic if the offensive line isn't going to be able to protect the quarterback, just like last season.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Blogs on Glennon and Taylor
Here's what others are saying about yesterday's announcement:
EDSBS: What will Glennon do on 3rd and 31?
Dr. Saturday: (Link to post not working) Maybe Tyrod isn't progressing as quickly as expected.
Heather Dinich, ESPN: This makes Glennon and Tyrod better.
Kyle Tucker, V-P: Had a feeling this was coming.
Daryl Slater, RTD: Doesn't think Taylor playmaking would have made a huge difference for the offense.
Basically, the bloggers think this isn't a great move for the Hokies and the professional journalists think it benefits everyone. Only time will tell.
EDSBS: What will Glennon do on 3rd and 31?
Dr. Saturday: (Link to post not working) Maybe Tyrod isn't progressing as quickly as expected.
Heather Dinich, ESPN: This makes Glennon and Tyrod better.
Kyle Tucker, V-P: Had a feeling this was coming.
Daryl Slater, RTD: Doesn't think Taylor playmaking would have made a huge difference for the offense.
Basically, the bloggers think this isn't a great move for the Hokies and the professional journalists think it benefits everyone. Only time will tell.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Everything Old is New Again
Sean Glennon is a redshirt senior who, barring injury and collapse, will have the starting quarterback job all to himself this season. The last time a redshirt senior had sole possession of the Hokies' starting QB job was 1998 when Al Clark led Tech to a 9-3 record and a win over Alabama in the Music City Bowl.
That team was talented and young. They started the season 5-0 with impressive road wins over Clemson, Miami and Boston College. But Clark was hurt before the Boston College game and missed the next three games, including an embarrassing 28-24 loss to Temple.
The Hokies were 5-0 and the Owls 0-6 going into that game. Clark was a capable but unimpressive quarterback who had the reigns for parts of 1997 and all of 1998. His last season included three of the most jaw-dropping, heart-breaking losses in Tech history.
The Temple game, a last-second loss at Syracuse and an incredible 22-point comeback win by Virginia in Blacksburg. All three hurt and all three taught the Hokies something different. The Hokies' most difficult games were all on the road in 1998. They passed most of the tests, but fell at the Hokie House of Horrors in Syracuse. They also dropped home games against teams they should have easily defeated.1998 was also the year a highly-touted quarterback from the 757 took a redshirt season and sat on the bench. When Clark went down, there was thought of pulling the redshirt off the freshman, but Michael Vick would have to wait another year before being unleashed on college football (pun intended).
This year is a slightly different scenario. Glennon is a better quarterback than Clark was and Taylor has a year of experience. But there are a lot of similarities. The 2008 Hokies are young and talented, most of their tough games are on the road and there are upsets waiting at home.
The Coastal Division is very poor in the ACC this year and I still expect Glennon to lead the Hokies to the division title. Some fans may be shocked or angry that Tyrod isn't going to play this season, but we've been down this road before.
Glennon to Start, Taylor to Shirt
Head coach Frank Beamer announced at today's press conference that senior Sean Glennon will be the starting quarterback for 2008 and sophomore Tyrod Taylor will redshirt.
The possibility remains that Tyrod could play in 2008 if there's an injury to Glennon or the offense is a giant ball of fail.
Glennon followed this same path by redshirting his sophomore year in 2005 when Marcus Vick was the Hokies' starter. Glennon was going to be in competition with Vick for the starting job in 2006, but Vick was kicked off the team before they started camp.
What this means is Glennon no longer has to look over his shoulder and can relax and be the starting QB. This worked out for Bryan Randall when Marcus Vick was suspended for the 2004 season. Randall went on to lead the team to an ACC title.
What this means for Taylor is he has three years to be the starting quarterback and is eligible for the NFL after the 2009 season.
The coaches are obviously confident they don't need Tyrod to compensate for the youth at wide receiver and running back. I don't want to say it seems like they're giving up on the 2008 season, but this is move that is indicative of looking toward the future.
Tyrod will have three years as the starting quarterback with young players such as Dyrell Roberts and Ryan Williams. All three will be sophomores next season. But if you're going to do that, why not play all three this year and get them familiar with each other?
I never really saw this move coming. I always thought we would need Tyrod to win in 2008. Looks like I'm going to have to completely redo those stat projections.
The possibility remains that Tyrod could play in 2008 if there's an injury to Glennon or the offense is a giant ball of fail.
Glennon followed this same path by redshirting his sophomore year in 2005 when Marcus Vick was the Hokies' starter. Glennon was going to be in competition with Vick for the starting job in 2006, but Vick was kicked off the team before they started camp.
What this means is Glennon no longer has to look over his shoulder and can relax and be the starting QB. This worked out for Bryan Randall when Marcus Vick was suspended for the 2004 season. Randall went on to lead the team to an ACC title.
What this means for Taylor is he has three years to be the starting quarterback and is eligible for the NFL after the 2009 season.
The coaches are obviously confident they don't need Tyrod to compensate for the youth at wide receiver and running back. I don't want to say it seems like they're giving up on the 2008 season, but this is move that is indicative of looking toward the future.
Tyrod will have three years as the starting quarterback with young players such as Dyrell Roberts and Ryan Williams. All three will be sophomores next season. But if you're going to do that, why not play all three this year and get them familiar with each other?
I never really saw this move coming. I always thought we would need Tyrod to win in 2008. Looks like I'm going to have to completely redo those stat projections.
Monday, August 25, 2008
CT Reports Tyrod Likely to Redshirt
The Collegiate Times, the Virginia Tech campus newspaper, reports Hokie sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor is likely to redshirt the 2008 season and senior Sean Glennon will be the team's fulltime starter.
The paper is citing a source "close to the football team." CT reports head coach Frank Beamer will make the formal announcement at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Honestly, I think the paper is jumping the gun by claiming Taylor will redshirt. It credits the source saying Glennon will start, but only says Taylor's redshirting is "likely" and doesn't credit it to the source. They may just be trying to pull in more readers. Hell, it go me to link to it.
If this is true, Taylor will follow the same route Glennon took during his Hokie career. Glennon was Virginia Tech's backup in 2004, redshirted in 2005 and was a starter the last two seasons.
It would also tell me the coaches have confidence in the wide receivers and running backs to be good enough playmakers that the quarterback won't have to compensate.
However, what happens if Glennon gets hurt? He's not mobile and was injured during the season last year. If he goes down, will the redshirt be pulled off Taylor a second consecutive season?
Also, the decision to redshirt him means Taylor would be eligible for the NFL after the 2009 season.
Taking everything into account, I think CT is full of it. Glennon will probably be named the starter tomorrow, but I seriously doubt Taylor redshirts.
The paper is citing a source "close to the football team." CT reports head coach Frank Beamer will make the formal announcement at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Honestly, I think the paper is jumping the gun by claiming Taylor will redshirt. It credits the source saying Glennon will start, but only says Taylor's redshirting is "likely" and doesn't credit it to the source. They may just be trying to pull in more readers. Hell, it go me to link to it.
If this is true, Taylor will follow the same route Glennon took during his Hokie career. Glennon was Virginia Tech's backup in 2004, redshirted in 2005 and was a starter the last two seasons.
It would also tell me the coaches have confidence in the wide receivers and running backs to be good enough playmakers that the quarterback won't have to compensate.
However, what happens if Glennon gets hurt? He's not mobile and was injured during the season last year. If he goes down, will the redshirt be pulled off Taylor a second consecutive season?
Also, the decision to redshirt him means Taylor would be eligible for the NFL after the 2009 season.
Taking everything into account, I think CT is full of it. Glennon will probably be named the starter tomorrow, but I seriously doubt Taylor redshirts.
ECU Depth Chart Notes
Greg Boone has been nothing short of spectacular this summer as a tight end, wide out, fullback and dump truck. So I wasn't surprised to see his name at the top of the tight end depth chart in this week's game notes.
What did surprise me was Sam Wheeler was nowhere to be seen. He's listed behind co-No. 2s Andre Smith and Chris Drager. Wheeler, who will wear No. 18 and not No. 83 this year, is listed on the travel roster and will make the trip to Charlotte.
I expected a lot from Wheeler this season. He was a reliable target for Glennon before tearing his ACL against Georgia Tech. My hope is Wheeler's still not 100 percent and will work his way back up the depth chart as the season progresses.
Having two viable tight end threats will allow Boone to be moved around and utilized effectively in the offense. He's tough to tackle as a fullback and poses a problem for undersized defensive backs when moved out wide.
I expect Boone to get the ball a lot (and do a lot with it) early in the season. However, I'd like to see Wheeler get back in the mix as well.
Yes, I realize that was waaaaaaaay too much to write about tight ends.
Other goings on in the depth chart:
- Glennon and Taylor are linked by a big "OR" at quarterback, although a starter is supposed to be named tomorrow. My guess is it will be Glennon with Tyrod getting 30-40 percent of the snaps on Saturday. They just aren't announcing it so ECU doesn't know what to prepare for.
- Kenny Lewis is the starting tailback with Darren Evans as the back-up. I just don't think Lewis is an every down back. This might not work out too well.
- Danny Coale, not Ike Whitaker, is listed as the No. 1 split end, meaning we will be started two freshman wide receivers on Saturday. This goes against everything we thought from reading the scrimmage reports and quotes. It looked all along like it would be Whitaker as the starter. I expect he'll still see a lot of playing time.
- Davon Morgan is the starting rover over Dorian Porch. I'm a big fan of Morgan's. Porch is consistent, but unspectacular and I think Morgan is the better player. He'll still get beat from time to time, but is the better playmaker.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
2008 VT Stat Projection: Quarterbacks
In Monday's projection for the offense as a whole I said the Hokies will average 230 yards per game this year through the air. Multiply that by 12 regular season games and you get 2,760 passing yards that need to be accounted for by the two quarterbacks.
As I've said all along, I expect the dual-quarterback system to win out with Glennon as the starter getting most of the snaps. I expect he'll flourish in his senior year and collect about 65-70 percent of the Hokies' passing yards. Tyrod will obviously have a lot more yards on the ground because that's what the Hokies will need from him.
Last year, Glennon threw for 1,462 yards in the regular season while Tyrod threw for 888.
Regular season only
Sean Glennon 2008
145-225, 1,800 Yds, 11 TD, 4 INT
64.4 Comp%, 8.0 Ypa
Tyrod Taylor 2008
73-128, 960 yds, 6 TD, 3 INT
57.0 Comp%, 7.5 Ypa
Last season, Glennon completed 60.9 percent of his passes and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt. Tyrod completed 53.7 percent of his passes and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt.
Last year Glennon and Taylor combined to throw 305 passes in the 12 regular season games. This projection has them combining for 353 passes. That's an increase of four passes per game. I believe this is reasonable because Glennon will be be involved more than last year, where he didn't play in one game and barely saw action in four others. In 2006, he threw 276 passes in the 12 regular season games he started.
Also, the Hokies' running back situation will call for more passes. All five potential backs are unproven or have no previous game experience.
These numbers would give Glennon just over 65 percent of the passing yards and almost 64 percent of the passing attempts. Will that be enough to placate the redshirt senior and third year starter? If the team's winning, probably. If it's not, changes will be made, one way or another and feelings will be hurt. But, that's the risk with the two-quarterback system. When the team's winning, everyone's happy. When it's not, no one is.
As I've said all along, I expect the dual-quarterback system to win out with Glennon as the starter getting most of the snaps. I expect he'll flourish in his senior year and collect about 65-70 percent of the Hokies' passing yards. Tyrod will obviously have a lot more yards on the ground because that's what the Hokies will need from him.
Last year, Glennon threw for 1,462 yards in the regular season while Tyrod threw for 888.
Regular season only
Sean Glennon 2008
145-225, 1,800 Yds, 11 TD, 4 INT
64.4 Comp%, 8.0 Ypa
Tyrod Taylor 2008
73-128, 960 yds, 6 TD, 3 INT
57.0 Comp%, 7.5 Ypa
Last season, Glennon completed 60.9 percent of his passes and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt. Tyrod completed 53.7 percent of his passes and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt.
Last year Glennon and Taylor combined to throw 305 passes in the 12 regular season games. This projection has them combining for 353 passes. That's an increase of four passes per game. I believe this is reasonable because Glennon will be be involved more than last year, where he didn't play in one game and barely saw action in four others. In 2006, he threw 276 passes in the 12 regular season games he started.
Also, the Hokies' running back situation will call for more passes. All five potential backs are unproven or have no previous game experience.
These numbers would give Glennon just over 65 percent of the passing yards and almost 64 percent of the passing attempts. Will that be enough to placate the redshirt senior and third year starter? If the team's winning, probably. If it's not, changes will be made, one way or another and feelings will be hurt. But, that's the risk with the two-quarterback system. When the team's winning, everyone's happy. When it's not, no one is.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
ESPN's VT Preview
David Teel from the Newport News Daily Press previews the Hokies' season for ESPN. Teel discusses:
- The effect the events of April 16, 2007, still has on the team
- The loss of Branden Ore and the RB situation
- Why he feels Coach Beamer wants Tyrod to win the QB job
- Why Tech is expected to win the Division
- The effect the events of April 16, 2007, still has on the team
- The loss of Branden Ore and the RB situation
- Why he feels Coach Beamer wants Tyrod to win the QB job
- Why Tech is expected to win the Division
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
2008 VT Preview - Quarterbacks
During almost his entire Virginia Tech career, fate has conspired against senior Sean Glennon. Now, when it seems he's finally won the starting job. When he's finally convinced everyone he's a worthy starting quarterback and super-human, super-sophomore Tyrod Taylor should be used for a change of pace or only in certain situations, it appears fate has duped him once more.
With Virginia Tech's lack of playmakers and experience at running back and wide receiver, it appears Taylor will see more action in the fall because the Hokies need his ability to make defenders look stupid.
I won't argue that Taylor is the Hokies QB of the future. He'll likely be Tech's starter next season and he'll likely be an excellent one.
But Glennon has earned this season. He saved the Hokies last year and led them to a title. He improved game-by-game and is the Hokies' best option as the conductor of the offense.
He's had two bad bowl games, but Taylor wasn't exactly spectacular against Kansas, either. That's why until he proves that he's a better leader of the team than Glennon, he should be utilized only in situations where the Hokies need to throw a curveball to the opposing defense.
And Taylor will get his chances, as well. Glennon doesn't have much mobility and was injured against Florida State last year.
But this is Glennon's team. Give him a chance to have one last season and see what he can do with the reins.
My guess is Tyrod will get a lot of playing time early on while guys are establishing themselves at wide receiver and running back. I just hope this doesn't turn into a situation like some baseball teams go through where the "blow the team up" and play all the young guys.
Is it possible the coaches would play Tyrod, Ryan Williams and Dyrell Roberts to get them experience with an eye toward 2009? Sure. But I have more faith in the coaching staff than that. I expect Glennon will still get most of the snaps. He's the team leader. He's earned the right to play his senior season.
With Virginia Tech's lack of playmakers and experience at running back and wide receiver, it appears Taylor will see more action in the fall because the Hokies need his ability to make defenders look stupid.
I won't argue that Taylor is the Hokies QB of the future. He'll likely be Tech's starter next season and he'll likely be an excellent one.
But Glennon has earned this season. He saved the Hokies last year and led them to a title. He improved game-by-game and is the Hokies' best option as the conductor of the offense.
He's had two bad bowl games, but Taylor wasn't exactly spectacular against Kansas, either. That's why until he proves that he's a better leader of the team than Glennon, he should be utilized only in situations where the Hokies need to throw a curveball to the opposing defense.
And Taylor will get his chances, as well. Glennon doesn't have much mobility and was injured against Florida State last year.
But this is Glennon's team. Give him a chance to have one last season and see what he can do with the reins.
My guess is Tyrod will get a lot of playing time early on while guys are establishing themselves at wide receiver and running back. I just hope this doesn't turn into a situation like some baseball teams go through where the "blow the team up" and play all the young guys.
Is it possible the coaches would play Tyrod, Ryan Williams and Dyrell Roberts to get them experience with an eye toward 2009? Sure. But I have more faith in the coaching staff than that. I expect Glennon will still get most of the snaps. He's the team leader. He's earned the right to play his senior season.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
5 Guys Who Need to Excel in 2008
Here are five players the Hokies need to have great years in 2008:
1. Jr., Ed Wang, OT
Wang will move from right to left tackle in 2008, replacing the departed Duane Brown. Why is Wang important? Because at left tackle he'll be protecting the quarterback's blind side. Wang missed most of fall practice and the first six games of the season in 2007 due to a broken left ankle. This year, the Hokies need Wang healthy from the start as he adjusts to the most important position on the offensive line.
If Wang is able to fill Brown's shoes at left tackle, Glennon will be kept upright more often and the Hokies pass game will be improved. However, if he can't adjust to his new role, the passing attack and the offense overall will be in big trouble.
2. Jr., Kam Chancellor, S
Hall, Adibi, Flowers and Ellis are all gone from last year's defense. New leaders need to be found and quickly or we might see a repeat of the matador defense the Hokies used in 2003 (Ole!). Chancellor needs to be the guy that steps up and guides the defense. He's also switching positions from rover to free safety and will need to make adjustments before the season. Chancellor broke out as a sophomore last year at rover and was one of the Hokies' hardest hitters.
Now at free safety, Chancellor will be quarterbacking the defense and I believe will lead the Hokies to another outstanding year on defense. He's bigger and faster than free safeties Tech has had in the past. However, he needs to take over this defense. His leadership skills will be vital to preventing a repeat of 2003's disaster.
3. Sr., Dustin Keys, K
Assuming Keys wins the position, the Hokies will need him to be clutch in 2008. This is the second consecutive season Tech has a new kicker. Last season, Jud Dunlevy beat out Keys and a host of others to win the job and performed admirably during the season.
We'll know Keys is doing a good job if we don't notice him. If we do notice him, that means he's missing kicks. That's not good for a team that I think will have a lot of close calls this year. With so many new players playing new positions this season, Tech will need as many points as they can get.
Is this the part where I'm supposed to make a pun about Keys being a key player in 2008? OK. Good.
4. So., Tyrod Taylor, QB
Here's all Tyrod needs to do in 2008:
1. Show up healthy in the fall and prove to Hokie fans and media he doesn't need to be redshirted.
2. Give Glennon a breather when he needs it or if he gets hurt (like in the FSU game last year).
3. When in the game, give opposing defenses a different look in strategic situations to keep them on their toes.
Nothing more. Nothing less. The kid doesn't need to be a world-beater yet. Next year, however...
5. Jr., Cordarrow Thompson, DT
"Taco" had a strong spring after dropping 30 pounds. The Hokies will need him to help anchor its rush defense since No. 1 defensive tackle John Graves has yet to show his potential at the position.
Thompson showed signs of being a solid player late in the season in 2007. He finished the season with four tackles, and a sack while being No. 5 on the depth chart.
Coaches are raving about Thompson's ability. The Hokies are very thin at defensive tackle, so they will need Thompson and Graves to have big years in the middle of the defensive line.
Coming Thursday: 5 Freshmen or Sophomores to Watch in 2008
1. Jr., Ed Wang, OT
Wang will move from right to left tackle in 2008, replacing the departed Duane Brown. Why is Wang important? Because at left tackle he'll be protecting the quarterback's blind side. Wang missed most of fall practice and the first six games of the season in 2007 due to a broken left ankle. This year, the Hokies need Wang healthy from the start as he adjusts to the most important position on the offensive line.
If Wang is able to fill Brown's shoes at left tackle, Glennon will be kept upright more often and the Hokies pass game will be improved. However, if he can't adjust to his new role, the passing attack and the offense overall will be in big trouble.
2. Jr., Kam Chancellor, S
Hall, Adibi, Flowers and Ellis are all gone from last year's defense. New leaders need to be found and quickly or we might see a repeat of the matador defense the Hokies used in 2003 (Ole!). Chancellor needs to be the guy that steps up and guides the defense. He's also switching positions from rover to free safety and will need to make adjustments before the season. Chancellor broke out as a sophomore last year at rover and was one of the Hokies' hardest hitters.
Now at free safety, Chancellor will be quarterbacking the defense and I believe will lead the Hokies to another outstanding year on defense. He's bigger and faster than free safeties Tech has had in the past. However, he needs to take over this defense. His leadership skills will be vital to preventing a repeat of 2003's disaster.
3. Sr., Dustin Keys, K
Assuming Keys wins the position, the Hokies will need him to be clutch in 2008. This is the second consecutive season Tech has a new kicker. Last season, Jud Dunlevy beat out Keys and a host of others to win the job and performed admirably during the season.
We'll know Keys is doing a good job if we don't notice him. If we do notice him, that means he's missing kicks. That's not good for a team that I think will have a lot of close calls this year. With so many new players playing new positions this season, Tech will need as many points as they can get.
Is this the part where I'm supposed to make a pun about Keys being a key player in 2008? OK. Good.
4. So., Tyrod Taylor, QB
Here's all Tyrod needs to do in 2008:
1. Show up healthy in the fall and prove to Hokie fans and media he doesn't need to be redshirted.
2. Give Glennon a breather when he needs it or if he gets hurt (like in the FSU game last year).
3. When in the game, give opposing defenses a different look in strategic situations to keep them on their toes.
Nothing more. Nothing less. The kid doesn't need to be a world-beater yet. Next year, however...
5. Jr., Cordarrow Thompson, DT
"Taco" had a strong spring after dropping 30 pounds. The Hokies will need him to help anchor its rush defense since No. 1 defensive tackle John Graves has yet to show his potential at the position.
Thompson showed signs of being a solid player late in the season in 2007. He finished the season with four tackles, and a sack while being No. 5 on the depth chart.
Coaches are raving about Thompson's ability. The Hokies are very thin at defensive tackle, so they will need Thompson and Graves to have big years in the middle of the defensive line.
Coming Thursday: 5 Freshmen or Sophomores to Watch in 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Serenity Now
There's been some overreacting to Saturday's Spring Game by Hokie fans and some members of the media. Tyrod Taylor had a less than impressive performance for the maroon team in its 24-3 loss to the white team.
However, the impressive play of Sean Glennon should be the bigger story. Glennon threw a pair of touchdown passes and looked good for most of the game. While many Hokies are fretting over Taylor, how he's progressing and whether he should be redshirted (the answer is no), I feel comfortable knowing Glennon had a good day.
Here's what I've taken away from Spring Practice and the game on Saturday:
1. Sean Glennon is a good quarterback
2. Tyrod Taylor isn't as bad as he looked Saturday
That's about it, as far as the quarterbacks go. Really, quarterback isn't a position I worry about. Even if Taylor isn't as good as he was last season, I know Glennon will be improved. He's improved every year he's been with Tech and has become a great quarterback and leader. There's no quit in Glennon.
I wasn't upset with Glennon because he was unhappy to be demoted to the second team after the LSU game last year. That's the reaction I wanted to see out of him. And sure enough, he went on and led the Hokies to a conference championship.
The Hokies will need Glennon to win the ACC next year. They won't need Taylor.
However, that said, Taylor is a special player who is still developing. He adds dimensions to the Hokie offense Glennon can't add and should play next year. But Glennon should be THE guy. He's earned it. What Taylor can provide is athleticism and variables that most defenses have trouble stopping. He doesn't need to redshirt, but he doesn't need to start, either.
Two quarterback systems can work if each player's role is clearly defined before the season starts. That's what Florida was able to do with Leak and Tebow. The same can work with Glennon and Taylor, but the roles have to be clear. We can't have a situation like in the Orange Bowl where one of the quarterbacks is basically taken out of the gameplan.
Glennon should start. Both should play.
Pithy Spring Game observations by someone 1,100 miles from the contest:
1. Kam Chancellor is the new leader of the defense.
2. Tech doesn't need to replace four receivers to be a good football team. They just need to find one good one. Brandon Dillard is that one. Now, we need to find receivers who can fill roles.
3. We need to be a lot more worried about the kicking game than we are.
4. We're stacked at tight end with Boone and Wheeler. Hopefully we'll use them.
What you missed while tailgating at the Spring Game:
- Women's Outdoor T&F successfully defended its ACC title in Atlanta. The Hokies also claimed seven individual titles.
- The softball team took two of three from FSU. They are two games back of UNC in the loss column in the ACC standings and have a three-game series against the Tar Heels in Blacksburg this weekend.
- The men's lacrosse club team lost 17-16 to Georgia in the championship game of their conference tournament. Georgia scored the winning goal with 22.7 seconds left.
- Former Hokie soccer player Patrick Nyarko scored a goal in a Chicago Fire reserve game Sunday. Nyarko's was the only Fire goal in a 3-1 loss to Kansas City's reserve team. According to the game report, Nyarko deflected an attempted clear from KC's goalie into the net for his first goal as a member of the Fire's reserve team.
However, the impressive play of Sean Glennon should be the bigger story. Glennon threw a pair of touchdown passes and looked good for most of the game. While many Hokies are fretting over Taylor, how he's progressing and whether he should be redshirted (the answer is no), I feel comfortable knowing Glennon had a good day.
Here's what I've taken away from Spring Practice and the game on Saturday:
1. Sean Glennon is a good quarterback
2. Tyrod Taylor isn't as bad as he looked Saturday
That's about it, as far as the quarterbacks go. Really, quarterback isn't a position I worry about. Even if Taylor isn't as good as he was last season, I know Glennon will be improved. He's improved every year he's been with Tech and has become a great quarterback and leader. There's no quit in Glennon.
I wasn't upset with Glennon because he was unhappy to be demoted to the second team after the LSU game last year. That's the reaction I wanted to see out of him. And sure enough, he went on and led the Hokies to a conference championship.
The Hokies will need Glennon to win the ACC next year. They won't need Taylor.
However, that said, Taylor is a special player who is still developing. He adds dimensions to the Hokie offense Glennon can't add and should play next year. But Glennon should be THE guy. He's earned it. What Taylor can provide is athleticism and variables that most defenses have trouble stopping. He doesn't need to redshirt, but he doesn't need to start, either.
Two quarterback systems can work if each player's role is clearly defined before the season starts. That's what Florida was able to do with Leak and Tebow. The same can work with Glennon and Taylor, but the roles have to be clear. We can't have a situation like in the Orange Bowl where one of the quarterbacks is basically taken out of the gameplan.
Glennon should start. Both should play.
Pithy Spring Game observations by someone 1,100 miles from the contest:
1. Kam Chancellor is the new leader of the defense.
2. Tech doesn't need to replace four receivers to be a good football team. They just need to find one good one. Brandon Dillard is that one. Now, we need to find receivers who can fill roles.
3. We need to be a lot more worried about the kicking game than we are.
4. We're stacked at tight end with Boone and Wheeler. Hopefully we'll use them.
What you missed while tailgating at the Spring Game:
- Women's Outdoor T&F successfully defended its ACC title in Atlanta. The Hokies also claimed seven individual titles.
- The softball team took two of three from FSU. They are two games back of UNC in the loss column in the ACC standings and have a three-game series against the Tar Heels in Blacksburg this weekend.
- The men's lacrosse club team lost 17-16 to Georgia in the championship game of their conference tournament. Georgia scored the winning goal with 22.7 seconds left.
- Former Hokie soccer player Patrick Nyarko scored a goal in a Chicago Fire reserve game Sunday. Nyarko's was the only Fire goal in a 3-1 loss to Kansas City's reserve team. According to the game report, Nyarko deflected an attempted clear from KC's goalie into the net for his first goal as a member of the Fire's reserve team.
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