Virginia Tech came out strong on Thursday night, and the Hokies played their best game of the year. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough, as #10 Florida State scored a touchdown with 40 seconds left to win 28-22. Tech dropped to 4-6 overall and 2-4 in the ACC with the loss.
This game featured some of the same mistakes we’ve seen in the last two losses. Logan Thomas threw two interceptions, Marcus Davis had a critical fumble when the Hokies were driving, a holding call in the redzone negated a touchdown, and Cody Journell missed a field goal on a drive that started at the FSU 30.
Virginia Tech outgained Florida State 385-311. The Seminoles entered the contest ranked #7 nationally in total offense, and #1 in total defense. FSU was averaging 234 rushing yards per game, but the Hokies came up with an amazing effort and limited the Noles to -15 (minus 15) rushing yards, sacking quarterback E.J. Manuel five times in the process. The Tech defense also recorded a safety. Tyrel Wilson and Jack Tyler split a sack, while Corey Marshall, James Gayle, Dadi Nicolas, and Bruce Taylor had one sack each.
Freshman cornerback Donovan Riley also recorded his first career interception, snagging a tipped pass at the goal line in the first quarter when Florida State was threatening to score.
Logan Thomas went 19-of-34 for 298 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. His first interception gave FSU the ball at the Tech 28, and resulted in a Seminole field goal. His second interception ended the game. He also rushed for a touchdown.
Overall, Florida State scored 10 points off Virginia Tech turnovers. Marcus Davis fumbled at the Tech 49 in the third quarter, and FSU converted it into a touchdown.
Tech’s superstar on offense was wide receiver Corey Fuller. He finished the game with seven receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown while working primarily out of the slot.
Virginia Tech faced a third and three from the FSU six yard line trailing 20-19 with just over two minutes remaining in the game. The Hokies played conservatively, going with a read option with Logan Thomas (who only rushed for 13 yards on the game). The play was stopped for a short gain, and Cody Journell kicked a short field goal to give the Hokies a 22-20 lead.
However, Florida State responded – as good teams do – by driving down the field and scoring a touchdown on a deep crossing pattern with just 40 seconds remaining. True freshman safety Desmond Frye, who was in the game because r-freshman Michael Cole was carted off the field with a neck injury, took a bad angle on the tackle attempt, and Rashad Greene scored. Cole’s injury turned out to be only a neck sprain, fortunately.
We’ll have much more on this game later today.
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What a great effort, particularly by our defense. I was at the game and it was clear to see that there was no quit in this team. Likewise, the atmosphere with the crowd was also great……it’s clear that most folks are still backing the team. I hope that we had some recruits in attendance…..if so, they too would have been impressed. It’s definitelly not the year that we are accustomed to and we are all disappointed; however, if we play with the intensity that we did last night in the two remaining games, we should be able to win out (that would mean a victory over UVA, something that is a necessity)!
Good game even FSU fans realized that this won was given to them. High light of our tailgate Jimbos wife an son came through lot 2 got a pic of him holding a VT ball. If we play like this at BC we should win. Whats the current word o hurt hokie on d?
I enjoyed watching V. Painter last night. Very quietly, he made Werner a non-factor. I wish the light had come on sooner, but props to his play down the stretch this year.
Looking at that guy & the way he’s playing makes you wonder how he was kept off the field. I simply don’t believe he could have been so bad that he didn’t get on the field even as a backup as weak as our O line has been the last 4 years.
The “Fire all the Coaches” crowd won’t have much ammo after last night’s game. The Hokies lost, but O’ StineyCain called a pretty good game. This one really came down to a couple of bad passes, a couple of drops, and that weird Marcus Davis turnover.
I hope LT isn’t too down on himself after this one though. Even though he seemingly lost the game with that last pick, He kept the Hokies in the game with a few heady plays, and some tough running. When he got sacked and scooped up that fumble…major, major save on that one. The FSU guy would have picked that up and gone for six pts.
Anyone notice Kevin Sherman and Curt Newsome on the sidelines last night? Sherman looked like his hair was on fire all night, and Newsome looked pouty. Spidey sense tells me those two have been put on notice. Wouldn’t be surprised to see either of them gone at the end of the year.
The O is still not good enough. We still have no identity on offense. That points to coaching. This team has played two games at a high emotional level. Two out of ten. That points to coaching. Our staff has under performed this year an it shows through the play of the team.
Are you kidding me. There is a lot of Ammo left. The game does not change anything concerning coaching of the offense. Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.
If anything there’s more ammo now – Players not executing is directly attributable to the coaching staff. They aren’t holding players accountable for their mistakes, hence, the players are continuing to make the same mistakes without consquence. If the threat, and follow-through, to pull starters from the game (or not start them at all) in favor of younger talent should be something that each one of the coaches should be emphasizing. The lack of effort, discipline, and fundamentals (see the Davis fumble) tell me the coaches aren’t getting the message across, or even trying to get the message across.
if we had won that game, BC, UVA and the a bowl…the offense still needs to change.
Can’t really agree about the lack of ammo. The players, especially on defense, gave an inspired effort. The offensive game-plan was still “meh” and they could have won if the O was better. Calling an okay/average game, at best, when your job is on the line – plus an inspried effort by the players – can give you one respectable game. And even this one respectable loss was filled with the types of gaffes that teams don’t make if they are coached better everyday in practice. If Beamer wants to end his career on a high note, he needs a new leader on the offensive side.
On a positive note, in addition to the inspired defensive performance and the inspired crowd, I was glad to see Alonzo Tweedy get some snaps from scrimmage last night. He’s a great tackler and ferocious competitor who deserves more PT.
D was awesome. O left too many points on the field, 14 to be exact. A missed field goal (3), TD called back and settled for a fg (4, and that pass play on third and goal was horrible because it was thrown 10 yards short of the goal line. should have at least thrown into the endzone) and an overthrown pass at that would have been a TD as the reciever had the db beat and was at the 2 when the ball passed him (7 forget who it was though).
Plus 2 turnovers lead to 10 points for FSU. Thats a 24 point swing.
They played great and it was awesome to see the entire team fight. Missed some turnover opportunities on D but they had the momentum the whole game.
Hopefully the effort carries over and they don’t get down on themselves and spiral out of control.
Can’t wait to here FB say “A play here or play there and it’s a different game.” True, a stop on that 4th down play by FSU (one play where I thought the D lacked intensity. they had him stopped behind the line at first and then the d stopped moving). The TD doesn’t get called back and we don’t miss the FG…..we dont give up 10 pts off of turnovers….we convert some of their turnovers….MD doesn’t drop the ball wide open down the sideline….you get the picture. I just don’t want to hear the same old same old.
Great effort though, thats the type of game I would have thought we would have had had VT been ranked and only had 1 or 2 losses coming into that game.
Ah well, I know the comment is kind of all over the place. Go Hokies!
Another loss is hard to take – and I know many people don’t care much for moral victories – but VT has nothing to be ashamed about last night. That was the # 10 team in the country and Tech’s D hit them hard all night. And the offense finally showed some life. If the team played like that all year, they’d be 8-2 right now.
I haven’t been following the Hokies as long as most on this forum, but I’ve seen and heard enough to know this: Foster’s D can play with anybody. The players were blowing through FSU’s enormous line last night like FSU was down one player. Unfortunately, the O is nowhere near that level. When time and time again, you see flashes of brilliance (OK, maybe just competency) mixed into a mostly ineffective and mistake-prone performance, that’s a coaching problem. A player with as much potential as Thomas wouldn’t regress like this in a thriving system. With a better offensive coordinator and an updateed offensive scheme – which will attract top recruits – this team would be so much better.
If I were an opposing defensive coach I would try to keep the tech offense in 3rd & short, or 1st & goal, because thats when they become predictable. In those situations they don’t get tough, they get cute and tricky.
Chip Kelly said, your identity is not what you say it is, its what you do! Well we choke on third and short and go backwards in the red zone!
But, the players did an awesome job last night, and I for one could not be more proud of them!
You two are spot on…well said.
Point #1: If our D played like that every game this year, we’d have that 8-2 season you talk of.
Point #2: “And the offense finally showed some life”………….”some” is a hugely conservative word. It was yet another showcase of the defense handing the game to our offense on a silver platter, yet they couldn’t produce. If we had any semblance of a balance, talented offense we would have blown FSU out of the water with the way our defense was keeping FSU in check.
“Some life” was meant as conservative praise. Can’t give the O much more credit than that. There is enough talent to produce an average or maybe a slightly above-average offense, but as coached, the sum is less than the total of its parts. Good coaching produces exactly the opposite outcome: look at the D.
Better offensive coaching would also bring better players. This is reminescent of the later Paterno years when faster recruits simply didn’t want to play in such an out-dated system that wasn’t going to help anyone get to the pros (they all want that chance whether realistic or not).
I’m a BC grad myself, so I know much more than I care to about what ineffective coaching can do to a team. BC has a great QB who has never had a chance to play on a respectable team becasue of the horrendous head coach there.
I hate to call a player out but since he called his team out this week I’m going ahead and ask why do we still have Marcus Davis on the field????? I’m not even talking about his fumble last night. How many balls does he not catch game after game? Takes so many plays off, doesn’t block. Go back and look at our games this year when the play finishes near him he is never engaged in a block. He is standing there. In the first half last night J.C. takes the ball around the end and needs one block and you guessed it, no block! Davis doesn’t even touch the guy!
All the measurables you would want in a football player, except hands! I find myself hoping for pass interference every time the ball is thrown to him because i have no confidence in him hauling in a pass. Couldn’t agree more about his lack of blocking
His effort is hard to take, not reaching/diving for off-the-mark passes. Also, the point has been made here before: he simply doesn’t have the instincts to athletically compete for catches (or the will perhaps). He should look in the mirror before calling out his teammates.
And please announcers: stop talking about his “freakish” abilities. Give me the shortstop who makes the routine plays any day.
Agree…It’s been frustrating to watch Davis all year. There are entire YouTube videos dedicated to plays with him loafing on blocks, not running routes, and giving up on passes thrown his way, while usually whining about non-existent pass interference. The being afraid to make contact with anyone on blocking bugs me the most. The biggest mystery to me this season has been why do the coaches keep him in the game when there are hungrier players with more heart that would step up. I’ll be glad when he graduates.
Couldn’t agree more, same for Roberts. I was so pumped when we recruited Davis, and it’s a damn shame he’s let so much talent go to waste. Could have been an early draft pick, now will never get a call. Put the young guys in and get them ready for next year.
Tough game for my favorite hokie kyle fuller. I know hes been affected by injuries this season, but hes seems like a better fit at safety/ nickel corner. I hope with the added depth at corner next year he goes back to safety
Agreed. I hate to switch our secondary again in the offseason, but I like the idea of Fuller at FS, Exum at Rover, Jarret at boundary, then the best of Manning/Bonner/Tookes/Riley/Greene/little Fuller at the other corner.
Exum has improved a great deal at corner. I would leave him at FC, bring in either Kendall Fuller/Riley at BC. Kyle Fuller to FS, w/ Jarrett at Rover. Bonner has finally started to improve as well.
What is with Scales getting zero reps? Last week Coleman got the red zone 2 back carries and came up short. This week we pound Coleman up into the middle late near the goaline. Scales was touted as the big bruiser, that I’m guessing might take a LB into the endzone with him. Just don’t get it, again.
Sorry, Holmes last week.
Please assure me that his lack of reps has nothing to do with his walk on status. it is unreasonable based on what we saw early this year to not consider him in some of these “packages” as Shane calls them. I don’t understand why more fans or media don’t ask this same question,,I just don’t get it again either
Ask where? Ever since they stopped taking callers on the HokieHotline there is no way fans can ask anything. Besides, the answer would have been:”You are all out of whack!”
the article highlights the conservative 3rd and 3 call..What about the call on 2nd down. A running play by Coleman. It is like we HAVE to set up 3rd downs. Do we just love 3rd downs?
Its time for some changes in the coaching. You have a losing season going on and you have 4th and one deep in FSU side of the field and down 1. Why in the hell you kick a field goal only to go up 2. GO FOR IT if you dont make it FSU is pinned in side the 5 the defence stops them you get ball back near mid field and all you have to do is get in field goal range as time runs out kick field goal and win the game.
I’m sorry, but there is no way you go for it on 4th in that situation. The coaching staff would have been pounded even more had they not made it. Their history this year on 3rd and 4th and shorts is awful and the D had been playing well. You have to take the 3 there. Now, do I like the 3 plays calls prior to 4th down, no. Too conservative.
AHHHHH when we kicked the field goal, there was 2:18 on the clock. Besides, FSU went for 2 and made it. That would have been a gutsy call and our luck with those plays against bad defenses was not so good.
While i agree with kicking the field goal. I didn’t agree with the 2nd and 3rd down calls, also more time could have been run off the clock.
Did anyone see the video clip of the Oregon coach after the game. They run off a play every 13 seconds.
Feel your pain but that would have been an ugly headline this morning. Frank should have known their offense would slice and dice for at least a field goal…JUST like end of half…Is anybody home in the OC box.
We always play not to lose..that point of view permeates the entire program..with the exception of our terrible 2 minute defense..Its like we go missing on D with 2 minutes or so left..been doing it for years in big games.
No doubt FSU is a very talented team and the Hokies played with them until the end. But as FSU showed in the end, good teams find a way to win and they did. Our O line once again failed miserably on the critical red zone 3 and 3 at the end as that has been a glaring repeating issue throughout the season but, there has been enough said on that issue this season. I do give the players credit as they finally seemed to be playing with passion/fight including the O. Bud’s crew played lights out and had great game plan vs. FSU but just felt the snake bite like Cincinnati game at the very end. While this would have been huge win, I hope the team can carry the passion they played with last night for last 2 games and blowout both BC & UVA and then win big in whatever small bowl they sneak into with 6-6 record. It would be the best ending we can hope for this season. Go Hokies!
2nd and 5 was bigger to me. We still run Coleman straight into the middle. Nothing.
“What the hell happened?” said Rip Van Winkle after 20 years of sleep.
I feel like ‘ol Rip. I feel like I woke up to find my beloved Hokies in the worst season in 20 years. One would think that after 19 bowl seasons Frank and company would have the hang of winning by now. But noooooo. All the analysts and critics can come up with reasons for this astounding demise. But the fact remains that embarassment reigns in Blacksburg in 2012
Two things stand out to me that are totally unHokie-like. First, the Hokies are giving up 26 points a game, nearly 32 to teams not named Austin Peay and Bowling Green. One of you stats guys go back and tell me the last season Virginia Tech gave up that much scoring. And I remember in pre-season hearing how this was going to be a year when VT’s D would return to top 10 status. Good Grief! What the hell happened? I’m sorry, but I’m not buying into recent reports that the D is improving. Points against us are on the D’s national statistics in good years and bad, no matter how many pick-6s, fumble returns, and poor field positions there are.
Second, how in the hell did Frank allow our quality in running backs to get so low? None of the current crop will ever be mistaken for Wilson, Williams, Evans, Jones, etc. Only two 100 yard running games this year? And one by the QB? Did I read that right? Something is definitely wrong in Mudville…er, the ‘Burg.
I remember years ago when Casey Stengel was coaching the hapless Mets. He started spring training off by bringing the team together and saying, “Gentlemen, this a bat, and this is a ball.” In 1969 the hapless Mets became the miracle Mets. I suggest Frank take the lesson. This off season and next spring the Hokies need to be re-introduced to the pigskin and the basics of the game.
I’m 65 years old. I have too much emotional investment in VPI Gobblers/Virginia Tech Hokies, too many memories as a boy idolizing gridiron heroes no one else cared about, too many family generations and nearly 100 years of orange and maroon flowing through the Latham family blood. I’m over it. I’m going back to bed and pull ‘ol Rip’s beard over these weary bones. But Frank, you better wake up. The buck stops there in that chair you occupy.
Good nite!
The D has its weakness but a D is not the problem! BTW we have the talent at RB …. They are sitting on the bench! Magnus and Edmunds! And JC is good! The playcalling needs to put him in better offense packages… O.line needs to be better!
Yes. Stop all the lateral runs
The negative yards from a sack are recorded in the rushing yards so the total rush yards for FSU are not a true sign of how well FSU rushed the ball.
Despite that fact, the D had a great game making the FSU offense one dimensional . Even if you remove the sack yards from the rush yards, Bud’s D played a great game. Field goals instead of TDs put us in position to win the game.
I did really like lining JC up in the slot and matching him up with a linebacker. Perfect usage of his skillset.
This is the stupidest post I’ve read in quite some time, so much so that I will not legitimize it by spending the few minutes it would take to blow it apart. You were probably one of the old farts in my section last night who never stood and never cheered. Do us all a favor, quit the Hokie Club and give up your seats to someone who’s going to support this team no matter what.
Let him vent, it’s harmless at the point.
Whoa!!n You need to get a life jerk. Us old farts have spent more time and money and Yes emotion supporting our Hokies than you ever will.
Bullcrap, but even if that were true that doesn’t automatically qualify you as a coach or administrator. Or even a knowledgeable fan, as the original poster demonstrated. SEriously, if you can’t see the improvement on the defense this year then you’re just not paying attention. If you want to quit on this team, be my guest, but I never will.
Improvement is a big word!!! Don’t talk about improvement until it covers 60 minutes. Seems we still need work on the last 2 or 3 minutes of each half.
Also, it does no good to totally shut down their running game if you simultaneously give up 70 yards passing and a TD in 4 plays.
The announcers last night hit the nail on the head… in short they said good defense, but prone to giving up the BIG play. Hmmm, what could they be seeing?
And the comment above “The negative yards from a sack are recorded in the rushing yards so the total rush yards for FSU are not a true sign of how well FSU rushed the ball.” Is laughable!!! Even if each sack was for a 20 yd loss we would have held that mighty offensive jugernaut to 85 yds rushing… I think Bud would take that any day!
Don’t get me wrong, I totally agree that given last nights performance, had the D played that way the entire year, 8-2 would be a more realistic record, but the fact remains (given our offensive prowess) if you give up 28 points you will lose.
I agree, HokieMacMuffin is a jerk!!!
In defense of the D, In the past Tech teams, we didn’t give opponents shorts fields all the time via turnovers. The turnovers are not characteristic of Beamer Ball, and have been increasing steadily. Also, Rip, scoring is way up in college football – our opponents actually know how to run an O.
Martin Scales is our best option – but no
We didn’t elect a rich, out of touch, old white guy. What a travesty. The D was great last night, the lack of a running game is killing this team.
FOB
Where did this become a forum for YOUR political rants…let the guy rant, EVERYBODY else does; including you.
Don’t agree with him…well isn’t that too damn bad. Give the guy a break. While I don’t agree with him entirely, he makes a couple of good points. The “D” was great last night…for 28 minutes in the First half, and 28 minutes in the Second half. The last 2 minutes of the half and the game KILLED us as well!
Oh…that is a paraphrase of another (conservative) old white guy in his post game interview…BUD FOSTER.
As usual, there was plenty of blame to go around. Lack of Offensive flow and blocking goes without saying. I’m just thankful that, at the end of the day, the entire team played HARD, and the fans were engaged throughout!
NOBODY is happy with the result…not O&M 69, not you, and not me! That is no reason for jumping all over him, and takes away mightily from this board, IMO!
Team played lights out — Yet still found a way to lose
I don’t think VT found a way to lose. FSU is a very good team. Give them credit ofr finding a way to win. The holding call on LT’s TD run hurt us. Not saying it was a bogus call, but the timing sucked. And I’m not sure MD’s fumble was legit either. Looked from the scoreboard replay that the ball came out after he was down. Maybe you guys saw more on TV replays and can set me straight on that one.
I’ll go with the 4 or 5 plays away from a win in this game because we played well, played hard, played with passion, determination, a sense of urgency. Despite the loss, I’m glad I was there.
Me too.
It is a tough week to be a conservative Hokie. It can only get better from here!
I feel sorry for the D because they played their nuts off. I feel sorry for the Offense because they have no quality coach.
First obama is reelected, and then this is our ‘best’ game of the year. What a crappy week altogether. Heading back overseas- I’ll catch you all in 2013.
hey Recon – thanks and stay safe!
Considering FSU was giving up about 230 yards and 12 points per game defensively and putting up 530 yards and 45 points per game offensively, I would say both units played their nuts off. Unfortunately, as well as they played for most of the game, both units make mistakes at critical times. The FSU TD’s at the end of both halves were killers and the offensive miscues in the form of turnovers, penalties that took points of the board and a failure to pick up a last first down on the last drive resulted in the loss.
Exactly, plus FSU had an off week w/ extra time to prepare. Terrific all around effort, but as has been said, the good teams find a way to win.
Recon: Keep you head down and cover your assets at all time! I don’t want to see you in my MTF (military treatment facility). Semper Fi, Semper Gumby and God speed.
Are you allowed to wear Hokie stuff under your camo?
Be Safe and we’ll Be Thankful for for your service and safe return home.
PS – I agree with your assessment on the events of this past week.