Stat Pack: Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 14

We haven’t done a Stat Pack in a while, so here’s some number-crunching from today’s 17-14 Hokie win over Virginia, in advance of Chris Coleman’s full game recap:

  • Virginia Tech ran 95 plays. The previous season high was 82 against Miami.
  • VT’s offensive output, however was just 303 yards, their worst performance of the season.
  • Virginia only ran 56 plays to VT’s 95, but the Cavs had a higher yards-per-play average than VT, 3.9 to 3.2.
  • The 17 points by VT was their second-worst total of the season, tied with Pittsburgh (35-17 loss) and Clemson (38-17 loss). The worst was 12 against Miami (30-12 loss).
  • Logan Thomas ‘ 29 carries (for 89 yards) were a career-high. The tailbacks only carried the ball 25 times for 74 yards. Martin Scales led the tailbacks with 10 carries for 37 yards.
  • Leading 14-7, Virginia tried a fake field goal that failed. The Hokies responded with a 15-play, 85-yard drive to tie the game. After the failed fake FG, VT ran 42 plays for 182 yards, and UVa ran 13 plays for 13 yards.
  • The disappearing Holmes: Michael Holmes has 69 carries for 282 yards, but has not carried the ball in the last three games. He did not play against FSU or BC, then played and had no carries against Virginia.
  • The Hokies punted 9 times, the most by a VT team since the 2007 Matt Ryan game, when VT also punted 9 times.
  • Detrick Bonner led the Hokies with 10 tackles, a career high for the r-sophomore.
  • VT had 23 first downs, compared to just 7 for Virginia. That’s the second-most first downs for the Hokies this year (24 vs. Miami).
  • Virginia’s 7 first downs are a season low for VT opponents. The previous low was 12 for Bowling Green.
  • Virginia’s 217 yards are a season-low for VT opponents (221 by Austin Peay).
  • After starting 9-of-26, Logan Thomas completed 9 of his last 12 attempts. Ever seen a guy run more hot and cold IN a game?
  • Redshirt junior Antone Exum has 5 career INTs in 40 games … including 2 in the last two games.
  • Martin Scales 10 carries for 37 yards were career highs in both categories. This game was also his first career start.
  • In the battle of two bad turnover-margin teams, VT won the turnover battle 2 to 1. VT is #89 in TO margin, UVa is #111.
  • VT’s 37:30 in time of possession was a season high, beating out the 34:21 posted in the Miami game. VT has won the time of possession battle seven times this season, including the last five games straight.

That’s it for today’s Stat Pack, folks. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

40 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. I caught London on the local news last night, LOL! The way he can consistently oversell and under achieve, he could probably claim a cabinet seat in the current Washington administration.

  2. I”ve been reading the web “replies” more than ever this year – only out of curiosity. The best stat of all is that with the season over and I won’t be reading ’em anymore since I won’t need to read about the Bowl game.

    Probably something like 90% have been redundant comments by a bunch of complainers that don’t even sound like Hokies (Complaining about Exum tripping after making a game saving interception?).

    Personally, I prefer to be proud of our kids who gave us all they had, admittedly under difficult circumstances at times.

    I look forward to seein’ the majority of them back for another year to take advantage of the changes that I’m convinced will be made.

    1. Good for you,veniceFLhokie, continue to be proud of an inept bunch that went 6-6. as you hang out at your Del Boca Vista. Enjoy your Paradise, and don’t peruse the frustrations of Tech fans stuck in Virginia, and dealing with the worst Football team in
      20 years. Get back to following the Dolphins, Wow, what great strides they made this year, how hard they played.

      1. FYI – I Haven’t missed but one home game since 1993. Sorry but my daughter picked a bad date to get married!

        True Hokies take the good with the bad.

        1. OK, I apologize to a degree, You are a SuperFan, as am I. But don’t denigrate us guys who know plenty, We all watch the SEC, and it is tough sometimes-as in “Why can’t We be like that?” Beamer, with incentives, makes over 2 Mill a year, and I expect a better product! With all of our Marquee losses in Big Games, as well as the Bowl Games, I am just not able to continue with the Rah-Rah BS, Tech has broken my heart too many times to bounce back like you. I have been there long before 1993 when they sucked off and on many years. I have gotten used to good, and am not ready to go back to bad. Let’s bury the Hatchet, give me a pass . Go Hokies!

      2. Hey, don’t be hatin’ on my Dolphins. Yes, they have sucked since Marino retired, but they have made progress this year … and, uh, Ryan Tannehill has a hot wife.

  3. On ML’s icing the kicker…what are the odds that icing actually works? What a bonehead decision.

  4. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a victory in bad weather, and a good finish to a bad season. I have set in Lane Staduim when you had to look real hard to find someone else there. This reminded me a lot of the -30 wind chill factor against VMI a few years back. This is the kind of game you just want to be over with as quick as possible, and have a win. I hope we have learned enough from this year to just go back to smashmouth football next year, with a few passes mixed in? It may not be the most entertaining type game, but you know you have won a ballgame when it’s over, and you feel like you have left some people on the ground in the process.

    1. As far as VMI, are you talking when We lost 6-0, that was 31 years ago, or when We won in the coldest game in Tech history, that was 35 years ago. I was at that one, both were horribly cold. I like the way you say a few years back. Go Hokies!

      1. I remember that “77 game. Took my son and we left at halftime, walked over to the Cassell to wait for the BBall scrimmage. Coldest game since the blizzard of ’37, when VPI scored a safety on Saint Alban’s first play from scrimmage and everyone left Miles Stadium except the officials, who had to stay for two quarters to get paid. Even the O-line guys wore sleeves in that one! They didn’t keep official weather temperatures in those days, but they couldn’t fill the water buckets because the pipes were frozen. Most of you won’t remember that game because even the memories froze!

    1. It is apparently the best play this offense has …………..agreed ..we have a mess on our hands

  5. Wow, what an Ugly game, what a miserable game weather-wise to be at. I still have the heat cranked back at home, I’m still chilly, gonna let it run. Some interesting Stats, I had no idea that Logan ran it 29 times, I knew it was a bunch. That one run when 3/4 of the UVA Defense wrestled him down finally, that was the Highlight of my Day! Gonna talk to my Wahoo older Brother about the Fake Field Goal, he was there and is now back home, sound asleep. They would have gone up 17-7 on a suck VT Offense. They gave us the game, Bless You- Mike London- sometimes you’re an Idiot. Thanks Exum for your INT, and then tripping over yourself, rather than takin it to the House, just so I could sweat out the last second kick, which took 20 minutes or so. Thanks also to the JumboTron which continued to spew out Ads during the eternity leading up to the final kick, I hope nobody shows up at that damn Wrestling match tomorrow. Nice of Logan to come out and give Journell some props right before the kick, once the Scoreboard finally stopped squawking. On a bad day all the way around, Logan Thomas was the conquering Hero in the end, He got it done, and I’ll leave it at that.

    1. If I remember correctly, Logan came out to talk to Cody before the fg that he missed. I remember laughing with my dad saying he was probably giving Cody advice on accuracy.

      1. You are Correct, Sir. It was so cold I had a Braine Freeze. As far as griping about the “Chatty Cathy” Scoreboard, Yaw had to be there. The Fans and Players were all just wanting to get it over with, Make the Kick, let’s get the Hell out of here, and that thing just went on and on, droning out BS, when We all wanted to just go Home. It was so cold. at that point I just didn’t care anymore. On the way Home I saw a Dog stuck to a Tree, not really, but it could have happened.

    2. Yeah, some of the people in “game operations,” I assume, need to get their act together. They were talking about one wrestling match, and displaying on the screen on that took place eight days prior (11/16).

  6. these stats are as schizophrenic as this team has been, so i guess it shouldn’t be surprising. Bonner leads in tackles, LT with 29 rushes, Holmes MIA, 23 first downs and 9 punts?!?

    plenty to dissect in the off season as part of the forensic analysis which will inevitably, and should, ensue.

  7. After getting stuck for over an hour on 81S going to the game & 45 mins on 81N going home the win helped make the sucky traffic bearable. Of course, any win over the Yahoo’s makes for a great day.

  8. Thankful for two things this Thanksgiving weekend.
    1 – thanks London. fake field goal was a huge mistake. London blew it!
    2 – thanks D

    1. How about London not using his two timeouts at the end of the game to give the Hoos a chance to get the ball back?. Head scratcher. Hopefully, he won’t say he was saving them to ice the kicker.

      I was shocked to see Will and Chris pick us to beat UVA by anything more than a touchdown. That’s not us this year (Duke aside). As badly as LT is playing we are not going to run away from anyone. After his fumble I was ready to see Leal. Trying to make throws while you are falling down looks great when it works but is not a high % play.

      Thanks to the defense for giving us a chance.

      1. Funny how many people pick out Logan to criticize as not playing well when he has had no help. No one on offense has played well all year, but at least Logan has showed effort and heart. That is hell of a lot more than we can say about most of the guys save Corey and JC.

        1. Agreed. Yesterday was the first time I lost my temper watching Logan but he made plays in the 2nd half and put us on his back in tough conditions. It was very helpful that we had the wind and hoos were going against the wind in the 4th. Those conditions were not conducive to passing or catching the ball yesterday for either team.

        2. Sorry, but that is really unfair. You threw just about the whole team under the bus, with little knowledge of all the individuals who played hard and smart all season.

  9. Final game had as many surprises as the whole season. Glad this part of over and we are headed to a bowl.

  10. Ugly win, ugly season, and an ugly Bowl…but a win against the Hoos and hopefully offensive changes to come.

    1. It was definately ugly but that Commonwealth Cup is beautiful!

      This helps an awful lot in the recruiting wars. London is more of a story teller than a coach!

    1. Ever try catching a punt in a 20 mph swirling wind? Smart decisions by both teams to not take risks fielding shanked punts.

      1. Understood. If that was the plan, just get totally out of the way then. Every time that ball got to bouncing I was just waiting for it to hit one of our players.

        1. Agreed, there were a couple of scary moments out there after some horrible punts. Normally it drives me crazy when our returners give up huge amounts of yardage on PR’s by not fielding. Yesterday was one of those days that nobody had any idea where the ball was going or end up. Cold ball, high winds combined to cause major problems even on the drop of the ball before the punter kicked it. Lots of shanks. Reminded me of trying to hit a 4-iron on a cold windy day. Hit it just a little off center and ball goes nowhere except where the wind decides to take it! 🙂

          1. Understand the not wanting to field it given the conditions, but why not get close to block? Seemed like we were setting up a return based on the lack of pressure on the punter, but also seemed like we never had any intention of fielding the punt …..is it a formation infraction to rush 11?

    2. I only played regional county ball arranged at school, but I sure learned that fielding a punt is like trying to catch a butterfly in a windstorm.

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