2007-08 Hokie Hotline Notes for 11/26/07

The Hokie Hotline (football and basketball season)

When: Every Monday from 7:00-9:00 during football season, 7:00-8:00 during basketball season.

Where: Click here for a list of radio stations, and to find the link for listening to the show on the Internet (look to the right on the hokiesports.com page that loads when you click the link). You can see the show in person at Awful Arthur’s in Blacksburg, and you can also watch the archive on hokietv.com.

Hokie Hotline Notes, sponsored by Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech

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Bryan Stinespring

• Saturday’s game lived up to its billing. It was a great game. Stinespring
  would have liked to have sat in the stands and enjoyed it.
• The defense played well early, and Coach Beamer made a great call on the
  return on the reverse. That set a great tone for the game.
• The offensive line has been healthier, and that has been a big part of the
  offense’s improvement. Branden Ore’s health has also helped a lot.
• Tech had some guys who played through a lot of pain. Josh Morgan’s pin in
  his finger came out when he was hit. Greg Boone played through a hamstring
  injury. He could have easily sat out. There was no way that Ed Wang should have
  been able to finish the game. He sprained two ligaments in his ankle, and
  shouldn’t have even been able to push off.
• Ryan Shuman’s knee swelled up a bit after the game. He had to have his knee
  drained this morning. He got the game ball after the UVA game. He played great.
• Royal should have thrown the ball to the tight end on the trick play. Boone
  was open running down the middle.
• Tech didn’t kick the field goal before the half because the wind was
  swirling. Dunlevy would have had to kick a low line drive through the wind,
  which opened up the chance of a block.
• Tyrod Taylor has a bad cold, or some sort of a flu bug. He’s been resting
  up, so he’s full strength for Tuesday. He’ll return to practice on Tuesday.
• Both quarterbacks are playing very well right now. Everyone knows that Tyrod
  can run, but he’s also a terrific passer.
• Tech switched quarterbacks 20 times on Saturday. We should expect more of the
  same going forward.
• The Hokies are already familiar with BC. They have to go back and change some
  of their vernacular at the line of scrimmage.
• Linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar is the Matt Ryan of BC’s defense. He sets the
  defense, and he’s a leader.
• BC is second in the nation in rush defense. Their front four are strong and
  physical. They don’t get moved around. Their defense is all about closing
  gaps. Their linebackers are good at running to the ball.
• BC will zone blitz on first down. They don’t do that to rush the pass, they
  do that to get an 8-man front. Their defense tries to keep everything inside and
  in front. You have to maintain drives.
• Cornerback DeJuan Tribble is doubtful with a knee injury. He would be a big
  loss. He’s had a great year. He was named 2nd Team All-ACC.
• The football team is ready to play. The goal is to win the ACC Championship.
  It just so happens they are playing Boston College.

• This will be the first time that two 10-win teams have played each other in
  Jacksonville.
• Virginia Tech has won 10 regular season games four years in a row. Weaver is
  very proud of that statistic.
• Tech already sold 6,000 ACC Championship Game tickets heading into the UVA
  game. They have a responsibility to sell 10,000 tickets. That shouldn’t be a
  problem.
• The people of the Gator Bowl have done a great job of putting together the
  ACC Championship Game. They want to have a great crowd so they can keep the
  game.
• If BC beats Tech, the Hokies have a possibility to get an at-large bid in the
  BCS. However, that would be unlikely. Weaver doesn’t think the Chick-fil-A
  Bowl would have a problem inviting Tech back for the second year in a row.
• If Tech beats BC, they will likely play an at-large team. They would be
  playing Georgia or the Big 12 runner up. Weaver thinks there’s a good chance
  it could be Georgia.
• Weaver thinks the talk about the BCS every day is good for college football.
  If there was a playoff system, we wouldn’t be having all this discussion.
  There wouldn’t be as much talk about college football. The BCS is good.
• Since last year, six of the 12 ACC schools have either fired their coach, or
  he has left. Ted Roof of Duke and Chan Gailey of Georgia Tech are the latest.
  They were both let go on Monday.
• When searching for a new coach, you have to find someone who fits the
  environment of the school. Frank Beamer fits the environment at Virginia Tech
  obviously.
• Boston College has the ability to hang in there and win games. They did it
  against Virginia Tech and Clemson. They are going to be a great challenge for
  the Hokies.
• Frank Beamer is 27-5 in ACC games. That includes a 15-1 mark in ACC road
  games.
• Virginia Tech and Cal will play in men’s soccer on Wednesday night in
  Blacksburg. It will be the second round of the NCAA tournament.

• Beamer said he’ll have a better dance routine for the locker room if Tech
  beats BC on Saturday. He said that all the coaches will be dancing if they pull
  that one out.
• The win over UVA was a great victory. They showed a lot of toughness. So did
  UVA. It was a physical football game.
• Josh Morgan, Greg Boone and Ed Wang wouldn’t come out of the game. There
  was a lot of “want to” from Tech players in that game. Beamer thinks
  everyone will be okay by Saturday.
• The team just came together at the end of the season. The offense got better,
  and this has been one of Tech’s best seasons on special teams. The new kickers
  have been great.
• The Hokies want another shot against BC, but the Eagles know they can beat
  Virginia Tech. BC also went down to Clemson and beat the Tigers, which was very
  impressive.
• When you play a team for the second time, you are a little ahead in game
  planning. But both teams will do something different, and it will come down to
  adjustments.
• Tech will have Vince Hall and Tyrod Taylor this time around, and that is very
  important. Beamer just hopes that guys like Shuman and Boone are ready to roll.
• Beamer thinks some athletic directors are getting carried away. Southern Miss
  fired Jeff Bower, who is an alum and has done a great job down there.
• Beamer would have liked more touchdowns in the red zone against UVA, but he’s
  glad they got the field goals. When you have a defense like the Hokies have, you
  just need to score in the red zone, whether it’s a field goal or touchdown. Don’t
  waste opportunities.
• Branden Ore is as healthy as he’s been, and he’s got a much better
  offensive line now. Ore only had one lost yard against UVA, so there wasn’t
  much penetration.
• Stinespring handles the quarterback situation. He decides which quarterback
  is in the game. He has to make a decision quickly, and he’s done a great job.
• Everything turns up a notch in the ACC Championship Game. BC will be ready.
  They know they can go anywhere and win. They are well-coached defensively.
• The officials on Saturday did a good job of letting the players play. There
  weren’t a lot of calls against either side. It was a very clean game.
• Normally the coaches would be out recruiting right now. Beamer told his staff
  to call the recruits and tell them “sorry we can’t be there, but we’re
  playing for a championship.”

Monday was Day 1,094 of Virginia Tech’s continuous possession of the Commonwealth Cup, with at least 350 more days to come!