Hokies Taken to the Woodshed at Pitt

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1. 25 missed tackles will do you in every time. The boys come back strong this week. Don’t give up the ship – just 3 games in!

2. Take the lunchpail and put it in the empty trophy case. Make em earn it back. That wasn’t a lunchpail D, it was a garbage pail D. Sad, but true. As for the O, the OL coach has struggled since he arrived and change is needed there. Get Stiney out of the booth. As for game prep, Pitt seems to have Frank’s number across the last 4 outings. The only common denominator in the entire equation is Frank/staff.

3. No doubt the entire team took the day off and clearly did not come to play with any fire. This rarely happens with Bud’s crew as Bud has delivered year after year for the most part. You can see Bud’s intensity passed on to his players and it appears obvious to me he expects that they play with very high intensity. On the other hand, the O rarely starts the season with much fire and it shows time and time again. Stiney, O’Cain, continue the vanilla approach and Newsome’s wait and hope things get better with the line is the same movie we see year after year! Love the 10 win seasons, but need to get creative to take the next step to be true top 10 team. I realize coaches have different personalities, but the O (especially the O-line and Newsome) are deserving of having industrialized strength can of whoop ass administered to them this week in practice!

   1. I am a 72 graduate of VT and have been a strong supporter for 40+ years. We have been frustrated for several years by stunningly poor performances in big games. We all agree players have to make plays. However, you could see from the outset, that Pitt was ready to play this game and VT was not. How can the entire team not look ready to play (probably several deer in the headlight expressions)
      You have to point this and attribute this directly at the coaches. While I think we will see that Pitt is not as bad a team (played Cincy on the road with a short week) as we thought, there is no excuse for getting pounded the way we did. It is acceptable to lose…… happens to 50% of the teams each week; but to never be in the game from the out set, how pitiful.
      It has long been an issue with the offense. Two Clemson games last year are recent examples. Until FB is willing to make some offensive coaching changes, nothing will change. We will continue to win most of our games. However, we will never be in the elite level because we don’t recruit many 4 Stars on offense. Therefore, they have to be coached up and we do not have the men on the sidelines or in the booth to get the job done.
      I think with the lack of experience at RB, WR, and offensive lineman who don’t want to knock people around , 8 wins may be as good as we will do this year.

      Go Hokies!!

4. embarrassing loss..nothing else needs o be said.

5. Ahhh, you gotta love college football. It’s unpredictable! Each week half the teams lose. This week it was us. Disturbingly familiar pattern though … big hype, then shock and disappointment.

   It was bizarre seeing Pitt push us all over the field. Tech did not drive for a SINGLE touchdown … both of our scores were huge long yardage plays. Eliminate the FOUR turnovers, and maybe things would have been different. Still there appeared to be a big difference talent-wise. Is that possible? Let’s hang in there, and hope things get better. Coaching changes that have been suggested will have to wait for the end of the season.
   In the meantime, let’s try to act like fans, not jackals.

6. It is a sad day when all we have to feel good about is Virginia’s loss, but that is true. As someone said, ” any team can have a bad day”, however, I think we could see this one coming whether or not any of us will admit it. When our 260 pound quarterback could not make one yard on three tries last week against a Division II team, we should have been concerned. When we could not make one yard on two tries this week, we should realize we just can’t get it done in the trenches.

   Well….. I’ll be there next week and I hope things will be better because this has the makings of a very long season. For some strange reason, I have the idea that this time next year, we will be concerned about the offensive line performance. No…..that must just be a bad dream. Tom

7. Vote with your money. Dont renew tickers and/or contributions if you dont like the way things have been going. When the Hokie Club ask why, simply tell them you will return to donating when changes are made.

   Currently, coaches and athletic admin could simply sweep it under the rug as “fans just dont understand”. Money talks more than rants on message boards.

   1. that is exactly why i didnt renew my club seats and season tickets after the NO MI loss in January…..we have more talent than ever before so there is no excuses the administration or coaches….yeah u will hear we are a young team and all that spin but these kids know how to play football, its not rocket science…. spin spin spin

      1. Yeah this was supposed to be one of VT’ best defenses ever?
         Excuses were written by the UVA football program not VPI.
         This game is a wake up call for some and for others just more excuses!

      2. Yep…THIS may well be the year that we lose a LOT of the bandwagon fans. I didn’t see all that talent you refer to, and if you read the recent TSL articles, it was apparent we don’t have quite the play-makers we thought we had.

         Very tough game, tough loss…may WELL be headed for a tough season. Guess we’ll find out if we are really as “special” a fan base as we think we are, or if many will abandon ship because the seas appear to be turbulent..

         That game made me want to PUKE…it was a disgusting display from inept football, that EVERY PERSON on the team, including the coaches, will have a hard time coming to grips with..

         I’ll see those of you who are willing to fight through the tough times next week in Lane stadium. As to the rest of you (in the words of Yogi Berra), “If people don’t want to come to the Game, nobody is going to stop them”…..Suit yourselves!

   2. You act like this is professional sports. They are a bunch of 18-23 year old kids out there playing a game. If you are that wrapped up in it that you feel you must stop support VT, maybe it is time to step away.

8. I know CFB’s habit is always to give credit to the other team for their good play, but he should have at least noted that he and the coaches failed the players miserably yesterday. That team was not prepared to play and that fault rests with the coaches. Yes, Pitt played well but the Hokies stunk.

   I sure as hope that behind the scenes Beams is taking it to both coordinators because both sides of the ball failed to show up. We stunk it up yesterday and that to me is the fault of the coaches more than anything.

   1. The coaches can “prepare” players until they’re blue in the face but at the end of the day, it’s the players who have to go out and execute.

      VT didn’t come to play yesterday. It’s that simple. It’s obvious that they fully expected to come into Pittsburgh and just flatten an 0-2 team that had just lost to Youngstown State. Instead, they got punched in the mouth on the opening series and never responded. They were physically whipped on both sides of the ball, and it’s been a long time since that happened. (LSU in 2007 is the last game I can remember where we were physically manhandled the way we were yesterday.)

      But good teams sometimes have bad days (VT vs. JMU in 2010). It wasn’t a conference game and all of our goals for the season except playing for a national title are still on the table. (And realistically, our chances of playing for a national title this year were remote anyway.)

      I believe that we’re a much better team than we showed yesterday. But there’s a LOT that needs to be corrected. The coaching staff has their work cut out for them.

      1. I am a CFB fan and have been for years because he does things the right way, but in the end its his and his coaches responsibility to have the players prepared and executing. They have as much talent on both sides of the ball as they have ever so its not that we were over matched and could not execute.

         We failed to perform because we not ready mentally. Its the coaches responsiblity (just like any boss) to have their players prepared mentally and physically. If one or two players failed to meet their obligations, that is one thing; however, what we saw yesterday was whole sides of the ball not performing. Each and every position was overmatched. Our “vaunted” D-line was pushed off the ball. Our LBs failed to be in position or make a tackle. Our secondary was beat regularly.

         On O, the line could not move the ball. Our RBs were tentative. Our QB made poor decisions. In other words, a complete team failure. That falls on the coaches more than anything. I just think CFB and the rest of coaching staff over looked Pitt.

         I will admit its been rare to see them perform this poorly. I think the last time I can remember being overmatched like this in all facets was maybe LSU, but that was more a case where the talent completely dominated. Pitt does not share that same characteristic.

         We were out hustled and we were out coached. Maybe not so much in the game but definitely in the week preparation. Our players were not prepared yesterday and it is as simple as that. And I think if you were to ask CFB, I think he would agree. Its always ultimately his responsibility to have the team prepared.

         1. Yes, this.

9. The team took a loss, happens all over the country. The difference is Beamer and the Hokies usually are able to turn things around. A lot of crying on this board, support your team and hope they can get better from the loss.

10. Disappointed how we played and as usual disappointed in our offensive coaching. How many more times are we going to try Logan Thomas running up the middle. That worked last year but it hasn’t this year – the other teams are expecting it! A blind person would know that isn’t going to work. I get so frustrated with the OL and our offense period. This has become a problem year in and year out. Why won’t someone fix the problem? I can take a loss when a better team shows up and beats us but we have met the enemy and it is us!

    The ACC was 0-3 yesterday against the Big East. Just how bad is football in the ACC? I would say the results prove my point. The Hokie Nation was embarrassed and should be and Coach Beamer “there you go again” with your list of excuses. We need to make changes in our coaching staff and the Hokie Nation is yelling – START WITH THE OFFENSIVE COACHES!!!!

    1. You may have missed this yesterday, but the VT defense got lit up for 530 yards and 27 first downs yesterday. It wasn’t just the offense.

       1. No, I didn’t miss that either; however, my years of following Tech it has been the lack of offense more than it has been a lack of defense. Total melt down yesterday!!

11. Herbstreit mentioned before the game that it had the feeling of a “spring-game” for VT. He couldn’t have said it better because they played it like it was a “spring-game”. They must have thought that the blue jersey’s Pitt was wearing meant limited contact.

12. Wonder how the USC message board is doing now or the UT boards?
    MSU as well among a few others. LOL
    CFB except for Bama, LSU and just a couple others is crazy. Except FSU may be for real this year.

    I know everyone will jump me, but why not wake up Logan and throw Leal in there to see what he can do? Never happen with Beamer 1, but what would it hurt at this point? LT hits Davis for that WIDE open TD pass and it could have been a different game. Instead, we go out deflated again and expect the D to help us out and they were just tired and undermanned in the secondary with injuries to even help a little. Something NEEDS to change and they better find it quick or else we may risk losing a top recruiting class and potential 14 class.
    Our OL is hurting our RBs. I will get jumped again, but with our D depth, I think we need to play Edmunds on D and hopefully the 2 new ones next yr will help out.

    GO HOKIES!
    NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP!

    1. Ha ha… I was thinking the same thing about LT – put in Leal. I live in SEC / LSU country – Les Miles would give it a shot.

13. I can’t wait to hear the post game comments…I am sure the offensive line will grade in the 80’s, all of the coaches will blame injuries and I am sure Frank will say the same thing he always does…we were just out of sync and just missed a few plays here or there. If we had just executed we would have won…duh!!!! I am tired of this crap. Every year it’s the same thing, our offense sucks and we just barely seem to get by and then get killed in the ACCCG or the bowl. Not this year folks. The defense was obviously overhyped and won’t be able to keep us in games. You can’t intercept a pass in their territory, only down 11 and go three and out with the most pitiful play calling, execution and “want to” I have ever seen and expect to win. Woeful. It is all coaching and always has been. Wake up everyone, haven’t you heard this story before?

    If Frank doesn’t make a significant change in his offensive coaching staff after this year then something is seriously wrong. How many years are we going to have such a pitiful offense and just keep doing the same thing over and over? Newsome is woeful and has been from day one, stiney sucks out loud and what was Shane thinking? Martin Scales was the only back doing anything so he takes him out…brilliant! My bet is Frank makes all of his offensive coaching staff change offices to shake things up. That will fix it. Good lord. I am truly embarrassed.

14. Bad: Coach Beamer struggles every year to motivate his players to play hard and be ready to play at the start of games for all but the big games. Clearly after all the years of average to below average OL play our OL coach has shown he can’t do the job. No need to worry that Logan will go pro after this year. Not all his fault. Hard to pass without a running game. We went from Stiney to Stiney and O’Cain running the offense (mediocre was to be improved by 2xmediocre)
    Good: Wake up call came in non-conf game. Bud has enough DL players to sit those that don’t want to play hard. We have enough film of what we can do to fix some things against a solid BG team next week and decide that the lunchpail means more than just a picture in the media guide.

15. VT did not lose , they were completely dominated on both sides of the ball by a tougher, more talented, harder working, better coached group of Pitt Panthers . In the words of Buddy Ryan, it was a real but kicking and VA Tech provided the butt. This can and probably will happen again this season (FSU, Clemson,UNC are better than Pitt).

    What really pisses me off was how badly our offensive line sucked and the fact we have no running game!!!

    Going to be a long, low win season for a way overhyped Hokie football team. So play those talented freshmen where we need help and get ready for next year.

    Go Hokies

    1. You forgot to mention another team we play in two weeks which just beat Pitt, Cincy.

16. No one is “Listening!” COACHING!!!!!!!!

17. When we lost the first two games in 2010 there was still something to look forward to for the rest of the season, this year we played badly the first two games, won those but there was still a since that trouble was ahead all be it we thought it would show itself later in the schedule. In 2010 we could look at it and see what needed to be corrected and it was for the must part corrected. Looking at this team you would think they were young across the board offense an defense but that’s not the case, where do we go from here? it’s one loss and it really feels as if we’ve lost 3 games. So unimpressed with anything this team’s done this year so far, I don’t see leadership from Bruce Taylor on Defense nor is there leadership from Logan on Offense. Someone has to step up and step up now, can we get Mr. Ray Lewis to give us a pep talk on defense and my all time great Mr. Tyrod Taylor to speak to the offense oh that’s right they are on the same team maybe someone can make it happen and record it and play it back before every game, just a thought.

18. Well, that pretty much sucked. As an ’83 VT grad and, obviously, long time Hokie fan(atic), I have to hold on to the fact that some of our better seasons have, unfortunately, been mired by slow starts and heart wrenching losses. I admittedly believed the dark horse national championship chatter and thought that this team would get it together after a home scare from GT and a lack of focus against A-P. Pitt physically manhandled us today, which was both surprising and adds a sense of anxiety to the rest of the season. With that said, I do feel like this team is still building and feeling out their chemistry and has some upside. I also don’t think this team has the ego iss.ues that our immediate-post MV1 teams had. Conference play awaits and I look forward to seeing how resilient this coaching staff and team are.

    1. …mmmm, I graduated HS in ’83, VT in ’88 on the 5-yr plan. Too many cups of coffee tonite.

    2. You can (almost) always count on VT teams getting stronger as the year goes on and this should be no exception. Still, once, it would be nice to see Beamer’s maxim of “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish” not be cover for a bad start, but instead set the table for a strong start and a stronger finish.

19. This is like a bad dream. Watching Tech get over rated early then showing their true colors ….. Against what is supposed to be lesser competition …. Today was an embarassment for the program and those of us that support the team emotionally, verbally as well as financially …. I cannot give up on “my team” but they sure make it hard!
    When will we quit talking about 10 win seasons ,,,,, maybe when they no longer exist and think of them as “the glory days” … Real sad that this staff has not learned from past debacles and used them as learning experiences.

20. We’ll be lucy to win 7 this year!

21. When you think about it, the number of games where we have played well is far exceeded by those where we haven’t the past two seasons. We have been living on borrowed time. Almost getting by with smoke and mirrors. How many times in the recentpast have we struggled to beat teams we should have dominated. Reminds me of 2001-2003 period. A lot more hype than production. For a coach and program that prides itself on physical play and controlling the line of scrimmage, I would think it is time for some serious introspection. Of course we can always bring out the “10” win season platitudes.

    1. Given likely loses to FSU and Clemson, and a tough game against Cincy that manhandles Pitt, the 10 game win streak could well be history! Too bad our offense is so consistently poor. For the remainder of this season we need to realize we do not have the players to run up the middle.

    2. Please don’t let me hear another word about those 10 win seasons. When the ACC was at it’s low point VT should have been winning conference championship after championship and many of the BCS Bowl Games. Instead we have blown opportunity after opporunity to elevate the program and when that has happened all to talk about are those 10 Win Seasons!!!! Give me strength……………dear Lord.

22. Beamer best wake up & quickly. He needs to drop the loyalty and ditch Stinespring, OCain and Newsome & get some real coaches that can move this stagnate program forward. His loyalty is KILLING us!

    1. Its time to take a sledge hammer to that d@#n reserved trophy case!!!!

    2. Newsome is the weak link, he needs to go now IMO.

       1. Frankly changing anyone on offense without changing coordinators would be like changing chairs on the Titanic. The offense needs overhauled but I am not optimistic Beamer is willing to face this fact.

    3. Agree completely, HokieAvalanche. Loyalty is great, but not if it’s at the expense of accountability. Beamer’s loyalty to his primary offensive coaches — Stinespring, O’Cain and Newsome, as you mentioned — sure seems like it has deminished his capacity to hold these coaches accountable for results, both in terms of general offensive productivity, as well as individual player development. Maybe it’s just me, but player development on the defensive side of the ball at Tech seems far superior to player development on the offensive side. That’s just my observation. It’s not based on any investigation or research into the question.

       1. Bethelhokie you are so right when it come to player development on offense I was just saying the same thing all week. On the defensive side of the ball our coaches take 3 star recruits and make them look like 4 and 5 star players for the most part, but on offense need I say anything. I think some how we need to get more 4 and 5 star recruits on offense in order to get any hope of a national title and to make up for the lack of coaching on the offensive side. There has to be change some where some how!

    4. Beamer needs to hire his good friend, ex Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen to run the offense. His offenses always put up good numbers with less talent than VT’s offense.

       1. good idea – Win Win – better offense for VT and it meets Franks requirement of hiring folks he knows well….

23. Pretty much a real embarrassment for the offense and the defense today. It feels like it wasn’t even as close as the final score indicated. Very hard for Hokie fans to watch this one. You really can’t blame the coaching staff for this performance. For the most, part they are an excellent group who know what they’re doing and expect a performance driven team effort. While injuries and inexperienced youth on the field played into this defeat, I think all the players need to do some soul searching after this performance. Today they were the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players”. With the heart of the schedule coming up in a few weeks they will need to improve drastically if they want to return to Charlotte again.

    Oh yes, and lets all thank Jim Weaver for the Austin Peay’s of the world that he manages to schedule almost every year. Thank You Jim! These bottom dwellers do so much to get our guys ready for the tough in-conference schedule play. Where would we be without you?

    1. One has to question how well this team was prepared for this game! Were we just out coached today? Or, are we just not a good football team? The defensive lapses are certainly due to being so thin in the secondary. We may take a number of lumps this season.

24. Getting beat by Pitt was surprising, getting dominated by Pitt was shocking. Even with several opportunities to get back in the game we could not pull it off. Line play on both sides of the ball usually decides games and despite a horrible day from Logan we could have pulled out the game with better line play.

    1. Both lines were dominated ….
       Watch the game again and count how many times the interior linemen were flattened … A real embarrassment !!

25. Its time to take a chance. Take the redshirt off Trey Edmunds.
    Maybe we can get something going!

    See how Pitt used their true Freshman RB!

    1. Or play scales more.

    2. No!!!! That will not make the difference this year and the dude is just too inexperienced and raw. Scales spelled by Coleman s probably the best bet. Holmes looks very tentative, indecisive and slow hitting the hole.

    3. None of the backs would do well behind the line play that I witnessed today ….

    4. Agree about trying Edmunds.

26. perhaps next year we can wait for the defense to play a couple of decent games before we declare them to be potentially the best defense of the Bud Foster era. They play well against GT, but are not nearly the dominant force everyone expected them to be!

27. Our defense is overated, offensive line is offensive and are running backs have no confidence. Add to that Logan had a terrible game passing and you get beat by a team like Pitt.

28. This game reminds me very clearly of the debacles in 2006 and 2007. The ineptitude of our offense is astounding considering the talent we have at most of the skill positions (specifically QB and WR). Our running back situation reminds me of the Humes/Imoh year were we did not have any one running back, so we decided to run anyone on our roster with a glimmer of hope

    What I saw today was simply horrendous. Not because we lost. Not because we were dominated on both sides of the ball. Our players did not seem to care nearly as much at the Panthers on this afternoon. That is why we lost.

    I blame the coaching staff for not motivating our players in games that they should easily win. But some of the blame has to be on the players who came out seemingly to “expect to win”. I sincerely hope this attitude does not continue this year or we will have another year like the early 2000s with a toxic locker room, program debilitating losses, and a dejected fan base.

    1. This was really a trap game for VT. After the titanic win over Austin Peay could you expect anything less than a let down.
       Thanks Jim Weaver, schedule maker to the gods.

29. You could have written a three word article: “Reread the Title.”

    But we do appreciate the details. Funny, I find I read all the details after a loss like this and not so much if we win won of these creampuff games. Wallowing in the mud of misery.

30. Thanks, Chris. Good summary.

31. A lot of football to be played. Defense has young guys …they’ll get better. The OL is huge concern. We look slow….

32. This one is on the coaches. The guys were simply not ready to play from the start. We have more talent and yet got blown away.

    1. I know the offensive line gets graded after a game. Do the coaches?

       1. Oh they will will be in the 80’s.

33. When will Stiney ever stand up & take responsibility – our offense is a mess!

    1. Take responsibility for what exactly?

       You can complain about play calling all you want, but when you miss open receivers …..throw picks ……and can’t push the pile to get afoot…..the problems aren’t with the design of the offense.

       1. its not just the play calling. its the whole offense. from playcalling, to game plans, to identity, to all the different gimicks he’s been installing. you cant sprinkle a little of this and a little of that in your playbook and be effective. are we are a power running team or read zone option or pistol. do we like ball control or are we up tempo. for god’s sake, just pick a damn philosophy and run with it.

    2. I’m not a Stiney supporter, but he did take responsibility post game. Said he needed to coach better.

       1. Bettrer if he said I need a new job.

34. This is just another repeat of history. And we will get the same responses from the head coach. This one was a full blown group effort. We really don’t get better we just play in a very weak league

35. Agree it isnt a conference loss…. But the acc is getting torched by the big east today… And that to me is the worst.

    1. Agreed I think the Big East took this weekend to tell the ACC “take Notre Dame and these butt whippings with you” I’m sure they are have a big chuckle today!!!

36. Looks like the excuse of a short week last week was just that and excuse. This is a bad team lets face the facts we beat Ga Tech because it was the first game of the season and they were out of sink. This could be the worst Va Tech offense in many many years, not a running game to even mention and the butt whippin’ we took today will only get worst when FSU comes to Blacksburg. Word to Logan don’t believe the hype son you need another year in school already and maybe a bigger helmet because your head got big so let’s hope it was deflated today on Heinz Field. Oh about that top ten Defense of ours hmm not so fast my friend…….wOw!!!!!

    1. Agreed!!!!

    2. You hit it right!!!
       When you watch this game …. If anyone can tell me that the players didn’t think they were supposed to win without a fight you would be lying ….
       Tech layed an egg ….. And I am afraid it is the first of what will be a long season.

37. COACHING!

38. Starts in the trenches, but this woodshed loss is on the entire team; coaches did not have these kids ready to play. With the said, the game plan in place was executed poorly. Logan Thomas looks as if he’s been abducted by aliens and out inability to convert short yardage plays at critical junctures in the game is frustrating to watch. They need to figure this thing out over the next two non-conf games or it’s going to be a long season.

    1. Maybe Logan is letting all of that first round hype get to him. Just go out and play.

    2. I watched both of the first two games in frustration. Line play is a constant deficiency at Tech. I keep listening every year to the same line hype and it takes 8 games to work it out. I was also worried when Stiney left the field to go back up where the plays are called. Today the stop starting prior to the play call at the line seemed to mess us up more than Pitt. I agree that LT may have a case of the Deshazo where Gary Tranquil ( UVA clone) screwed him up s o bad before his senior year.

39. They better grow up fast! We may not win 7 games Chris! I can’t understand we have all this talent and just can’t seem to get past a certain level. Other top teams seem to get it done! No fire on the D or O line!

    1. Agree…we hear a lot about the talent…but rarely see it displayed on the field…lucky win against GT, poor performance against the worst 1-AA team in America, and blown out by a team that could get out of its way or stop anyone the first two weeks of the season….

       a frustrating year appears to be on hand

       1. Hopefully, this is a wake up call! If not, clemson and fsu will eat our lunch and dinner!

          1. Clemson and FSU??? What about Duke and Bowling Green?? VT has struggled terribly to even beat Duke and right now they will lose to Duke easy not to mention at B.C.

             1. Your right!

       2. So true!!!!

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