TSL Podcast 371: Vanderbilt Recap

10 Responses You are logged in as Test

1. I could not put my feelings about this game into words. Everything Chris Coleman said resonated. Thank you, Chris.

2. A few things folks aren’t talking about.
   1 – On Vandy’s roster of starters, there is literally only 1 guy that isn’t either a senior or grad. Not sure if coaches honed in on that, but clearly the Hokies were going to play a team that doesn’t make many mistakes, and in game 1 of any season, that’s usually who wins.
   2 – Vandy’s QB is going to give plenty of team headaches. This is a bowl team even in the SEC.
   3 – The Hokie coaches put in two guys with the same number. That penalty gave them a do over and 3 points which allowed the game to go into overtime. Can’t invent new ways to lose.
   4 – Perhaps already stated, but, this team not being ready to play is now an epidemic. It happened last season. It’s happening now. Coaching is at least 50% mental, and making sure kids are ready to play hard, play fast, play decisively, and play disciplined, and play angry, and play like the other team is the biggest challenge there is, every time.
   5 – Offensive play calling was like watching a high school game…particularly in the first half.
   6 – Drones, dare I say it, seemed like he has a chip on his shoulder about being a pocket passer and “not just a running QB”. That’s a problem. Why? Because during pass plays he had a lot of opportunities to run 5, 10, or more yards but decided to try and throw it anyways and they were bad balls, off target, low, and almost intercepted, and into coverage.

3. Well, I DVR’d the game and was able to watch certain pieces live, but unfortunately, I didn’t record the end of the game, so I can’t make any judgement about what happened there. However, I feel like I watched a completely different game from the one everyone else seems to have watched. Vanderbilt was suppose to be a horrible 2 and 10 team that couldn’t shoot straight. What I saw was not a 2 and 10 Vanderbilt team. They played awfully well, and I don’t know how you couldn’t notice. Sure, VA Tech could have played better and maybe could have taken Vanderbilt more seriously. But hardly anybody is talking about how well Vanderbilt played. Diego Pavia had to be one of the fastest players on the field- he ran by almost everyone on our defense. And his touchdown pass to the end zone just over the outstretched hands of Mansoor Delane could not have been thrown any better. Vanderbilt’s defense stacked the line, stopping every run and short pass play that Tech ran. I will say that VA Tech’s defense is not a Bud Fosteresque defense and probably never will be. But as much hype that Tech got in the preseason, Vanderbilt was advertised as a bad team even more so. Vanderbilt’s offense this year is the coaching staff of last year’s New Mexico State’s offense, a team that won 10 wins each of the last two years. Not too mention they brought their highly effective quarterback, as well. And Vanderbilt’s defensive coaching staff from last year has also been revamped, apparently for the better. I predict Vanderbilt will go to a bowl this year. I believe Tech will be bowling as well. They lost to a good team on the road and shouldn’t be looked down upon for doing so. They deserve better.

   1. Totally agree. And Vandy had all seniors and grad players, so you know they were locked into the new scheme’s and didn’t make mistakes. Hokies should have won, regardless, but they were outcoached, and outplayed, by a better football team.

      1. I should say “on that day”

4. Nice to see someone saw the band Squeeze live in Nashville.
   Their song “Another Nail In My Heart” sums up the football game and this program.

   1. Wow, I haven’t bought one of their albums since I was in college in the early 80’s. Maybe the next noon game we play the coaches can go around early & serve some “Coffee In Bed” to wake the players up before halftime.

      1. They played Burress with Elvis Costello my freshman year 80-81

   2. My question for Will would be – how was English Beat? That is quite a double bill.

5. The tech fans showed out — but it was, quite frankly, typical for a Vandy game. Their stadium is always more opposing fans than home fans.

Comments are closed.