Hokie Hotline Notes for 9/22/08

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.


Bud Foster

  • The Tech defense played very hard against UNC.
  • UNC has some good receivers and a good quarterback, so they are going to
    make some plays. They know what they are doing. This was a well played game,
    all the way around.
  • Foster was really proud of the defense for holding UNC to just three
    points early in the game when they had so many chances to score.
  • Tech has some very good young prospects on the defensive line like
    Courtney Prince and Antoine Hopkins. Hopkins almost played this year as a
    true freshman. Dwight Tucker has promise as well. Isaiah Hamlette and Joe
    Jones are red shirting at defensive end, and they could be needed next year.
  • Davon Morgan had his best game on Saturday. He’s getting better and
    better. He was around the ball and where he needed to be.
  • Kam Chancellor is doing a great job of getting the team set up. Foster is
    pleased at how he is progressing. He’s getting better each week. Foster isn’t
    disappointed in him like the sportswriters are.
  • Knowshon Moreno came down to Tech and Georgia. He went to Georgia because
    he could get in with two math credits. He needed three math credits to get
    into Virginia Tech.
  • Nebraska is a sleeping giant. They are one of the top programs in the
    history of college football. They have very good tailbacks. They are really
    trying to establish the run this year and mix in the pass. It’s going to be
    a fist fight. They are very good up front.
  • Hunter Ovens is coming along fine. He has been moved back to whip
    linebacker to try and create some depth there. Foster is excited about him.
  • Foster isn’t sure how Mike Paulus wasn’t flagged for intentional grounding
    in the end zone. That should have been a safety.
  • The defense has improved quite a bit. They have improved their practice
    habits and their meeting habits. That is helping them on the field. They are
    building trust with themselves and with the coaching staff.

Sean McDonough

  • Sean McDonough will be calling the Virginia Tech-Nebraska game on Saturday
    night.
  • VT and Nebraska will learn a lot about their respective teams on Saturday
    night. Nebraska is trying to get back to their roots of running the
    football, which is probably the correct decision.
  • McDonough always enjoys watching Tech play. They are a very well-coached
    team. The Tech staff is good people, and they do things the right way.
  • Football games are tough for announcers to prepare for because there are
    so many players. The Tech SID always was a great job helping them out.
  • Nebraska is one of the truly great college football venues in the country.
    It’s the sea of red.

Jim Weaver

  • Weaver was proud of the team for hanging in there for 60 minutes. That’s
    the classic example of why you have to play the game for 60 minutes.
    Sometimes things will start to go your way.
  • Tech was supposed to be playing Wisconsin this year and next year. That
    series got pushed back to 2016 and 2017. Weaver was able to reach an
    agreement with then-Nebraska- athletic director Steve Peterson to play this
    year and next year, effectively replacing Wisconsin.
  • Weaver was asked about bring the “Stick it In” cheer back. He
    said that cheer doesn’t have anything to do with scoring touchdowns.
  • Every game at Nebraska has been sold out since 1962.
  • This past weekend was great for the ACC. Georgia Tech and Miami had huge
    wins out-of-conference, as did NC State. Georgia Tech is especially
    impressive.
  • The Nebraska game will be very physical. VT has to be tougher than
    Nebraska and not make mistakes in the kicking game.

Frank Beamer

  • Tech hung in there at UNC and gave great effort. They found a way to win.
    Beamer feels very good about being 2-0 in the conference.
  • It was a great team win. The defense was terrific, and the offense got it
    done when they were needed.
  • The offense struggled in the first half. It was a little bit UNC, a little
    bit VT. They just struggled. But they were able to fight back in the second
    half.
  • Tech had to call back-to-back timeouts in the first half. They put in a
    new formation this week, and one of the freshman wide receivers came off the
    field. They called a timeout, and he didn’t get back on the field, so they
    had to call another timeout.
  • They are trying to save Macho Harris a bit, because he is playing offense,
    so they aren’t using him on kick returns right now. Davon Morgan and Kenny
    Lewis are doing a good job right now.
  • Sean Glennon has had some tough things happen to him at Tech. He was ready
    to go on Saturday, and he came in and did a good job. That says a lot about
    him.
  • Chris Drager is playing well and had a big catch. Jarrett Boykin is a guy
    who is really coming on fast. He played wideout in high school, unlike
    Dyrell Roberts, and that makes a big difference.
  • Darren Evans has a good running style. He keeps getting better and better.
  • Early in the year, it’s an advantage to have a week off. Nebraska was off
    this past Saturday.
  • Beamer says this might be the biggest team Tech has played. Their
    receivers are huge. They have some big linemen as well. 17 of their top 22
    players are either juniors or seniors.
  • The Hokies have the receivers they want to work with. With Macho getting
    some work, they aren’t having any thoughts of moving around players, like
    Kenny Lewis, to wide receiver.
  • Beamer said the sack on Mike Paulus, which could have been intentional
    grounding, has been submitted to the ACC office for a review. Tech will get
    an explanation.
  • Florida runs a nice fake draw jump pass with Tim Tebow. That’s probably a
    play Tech should look at for Tyrod Taylor as they keep moving forward.
  • Nebraska is big and physical. They are well on their way to getting back
    to that style of play. Joe Ganz is a guy you have to be worried about at
    quarterback. This will be a physical football game. The Hokies know what
    they are getting into.
  • Blake DeChristopher came back against UNC. He finished the game strong. He
    made a couple of nice blocks.
  • The wide receivers are doing ok with their blocking. Danny Coale threw a
    key block on Kenny Lewis’ touchdown run. The skill level is very good. As
    long as they are playing hard, they’ll get better.
  • In the end, offense is about execution. Stinespring has called a good play
    if it works, and he’s called a bad play if it doesn’t work. That’s just the
    way it is.
  • Cody Grimm has played really well at whip linebacker. He’s the quarterback
    for the punt team, he’s on the kickoff team and some other special teams. He’s
    also playing well on defense. He’s earned his scholarship.
  • Nebraska has well-respected coaches. Bo Pelini has had a good defense
    wherever he’s been. The pride is back in the program, and they are going to
    be tough to handle.
  • Tech had a really good practice on Monday. They players are still excited
    about the win on Saturday, and they are excited about going to a place like
    Nebraska.

Monday was Day 1,395 of Virginia Tech’s continuous possession of the
Commonwealth Cup.