TSL Poll: Favorite Play by a Virginia Tech DB

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1. Banks’s pick 6 against UVA in 1995 was the best… Not even close. Druck had “just engineered the greatest comeback in Tech history” (thanks Roth) and the Hoos were attempting to drive for the game winning FG. Banks’s pick not only saved the game, but sent Tech to the Sugar Bowl that year. And all of that is to say nothing about the UVA coach (Geek no less) who attempted to trip Banks as he raced down the sideline. What an incredible Tech moment.

2. Frank Loria stopping Florida State back, at the goal line on 4th down, going over the top for a potential score late in the game with a 2 point lead in the first Tech televised game at Lane in 1966. Tech went on the score the upset against a ranked team. I was a freshman and have been hooked on VT football ever since.

3. Well, there is the most well known VT DB of all time, none other than big whistle Coach Frank Beamer.
   He must have had some big plays, pretty sure he had a pick 6 somewhere in his career.

4. Ike Charlton’s “night, night” hit against Cuse WR.

   Kam hit on FSU RB on sideline in 2007.

   Jimmy Williams 2005 Sugar Bowl INT against Auburn — Roth (or Tirico?) Said, “VT needs a turnover”. Seconds later Williams made a diving sideline pick.

   Vinnie Fuller TD off a punt block v. WVU in 2004. We were 1-2 and that may have been a turning point in the season.

5. Just thought of another great DB play, though it was largely unheralded at the time, from the 62-0 beatdown on Syracuse in 99. On one of Syracuse’s best yardage plays of the game (it might have gone for a 1st down), a screen to the right in which an OL pulled, Cory Byrd fought through the OL block and made a tackle on the WR, saving what could have been a big play for Cuse. Byrd was outweighed by ~ 100lb but had the strength to fight off the block and the quickness to take down a WR in the open field. This was one of my favorite DB plays, even if it wasn’t a pick six or a game changer, because it showed our “want to” and superior athleticism against a team that was expected to pose a challenge. VT already had a commanding lead and the players could have mailed in the rest of the game, but that defense was not going to be scored on that day.

6. Riley pick against osu

7. I picked no. 2. Missed the whole 2003 season for some reason.

   The game against Virginia was one of the most memorable events in my life, and signified a true new era in VT football for me, culminating really, in the NC in 1999.

8. Ashley Lee against Vandy with 182 yards of Int. return yards back in the day!

   1. Lee intercepted and took 2 Shovel passes to the House, I had forgotten. That’s up there for sure.

9. top eight are all against Miami (5) or the Hoos (3)…

10. So many to choose from, but D. Hall had the great assist from Bill Roth to push it over the top.

11. Never been happier than right after Eric Green’s punt block. But it didn’t make me change my screen name.

    1. Nice!

12. Eric Green’s punt block 2001 versus Miami.

13. Kyle Fuller against duke in 2011 at the end of the 4th quarter, where he pancakes his blocker, covers the receiver, then sacks a confused quarterback rolling out on his bootleg with no one to throw to. That was an impressive play.

14. Utterly ridiculous that someone would try and force you to choose amongst a list of great things. It’s like anything else where there are multiple good choices….I say why must I choose. Like vanilla or chocolate….they’re both good…I’ll take some of both. Redheads, blondes, or brunettes….why choose they are all good.

    All the DB plays are great I vote for them all.

15. The list is very long, a lot of Big plays. I voted for other. Ike Charlton’s Int.-TD to seal it against Clemson at Lane in 1999. Tech had played lethargic, not one of Vick’s better Games. My Brother knew someone who lived near the Stadium-Her House actually shook on that play. A few minutes later-Corey Moore’s Scoop and Score. I like Ike.

16. Kyle Fuller vs. Alabama. What an incredible play.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLTLkn4BVso

17. Why is the Eric Green interception on there? No doubt that it was a great play, but I think VT would have had better field position had he batted the ball down rather than pick it up (it was 4th down).

    1. That was key to chalk up the int stat. To get in brock s head. Key

18. In my mind the best play by a VT DB ever was when Ike Charlton absolutely destroyed the receiver from Syracuse during the 62-0 beat down and then mimicked putting himself to sleep to tell the other VT defenders that he had knocked the guy cold. They played that in the 2000 Enter Sandman video – absolutely loved it. Give it to me Roscoe is close, as is Anthony Midget’s 3 interceptions in his first start against Miami as a Freshman and Roland Minor’s pick six to ice the game against GT in 2004.

19. I agree with many, those DB hits at Clemson, 1 would have been enough to set the tone, but them we kept coming

20. I know he didn’t score but Flowers baiting Sewell into a pick in 07 at VA right before the half which set up a great Glennon to Royal TD strike. That gave us the MO before halftime. Flowers baited Sewell so well too and he broke on the ball perfectly.

21. Crushing hits against Clemson (Spiller/Davis) on those silly bubble screens they used to love running. It was our first trip to Clemson as an ACC team. While I’m not interested in seeing kids get hurt, those were clean hits, we got snot bubbles, and it took Clemson out of thier game.

22. Wow, tough choices.

    This should have been “pick your three favorites”.

    Not all my favorites are interceptions. Kyle Fuller had a couple pass breakups against Alabama in 2012 (?) that were highlight film material. One in particular where he was trailing the receiver on a drag pattern across the middle and without interfering, went over his shoulder and batted the ball away with his off hand. Just classic DB play, but one very few can pull off.

    1. 2013…Can’t forget this, because it was the night before I got married and we had a game watching party with friends and family.

23. I know whip is considered a LB position but I’d like to add Cody Grimm’s 4 caused fumbles against NCSU on the first 5 plays of the game (may have numbers off slightly) as one of my favorites. Also his pass defense in the endzone against Miami in the rain – I think in the 3rd quarter? Phenomenal coverage guy for a “walk on”. And a great DB for a LB.

24. 1967 Frank Loria 95 yard touchdown for TD. Not bad for a “small” safety. See FSU game below.

25. Kyle Fuller blowing up the GT option attack 2013

    1. Yesssss!

       1. Couldn’t agree more, Kyle fuller the entire 2013 GT game

26. I believe it was Wiley who had the pick against Miami in Miami where they were toying with us at the end zone to give Dorsey a Heisman video moment and it back fired on them! That was my favorite. Even though we still lost the game, it didn’t give Miami the rub it in our face play they thought they had and it showed we didn’t give up…it also made the score much closer than the game actually was.

    1. That was Willie Pile. You’re absolutely right, it helped the game continue to be a semblance of a game, instead of a complete embarrassment.

       1. Willie had his option on that play. I thought at first he was going tom blow Dorsey up. He could have leveled Dorsey on that play if he wanted to. Instead he went for the ball and returned it.

          1. That’s exactly how I remember it. He could have ended Dorsey’s season but instead he took the pick 6. They should have just handed off to McGahee. He already had 3 or 4 touchdowns and we could in no way stop him at all. I think two of his TDs were untouched.

    2. Yea, I had forgotten about this. Me and several buddies went to this game, and my memories are flooded with how arrogant the Miami fans were afterward. They were in our face during the game and on the way back to the car. Fans were throwing bags of Tostitos at us (National Championship game was Tostitos Fiesta Bowl) and talking so much trash. I will say this, though, it was way more fun in that environment than playing them at Sun Life Stadium. The Orange Bowl was an unsafe (as the visiting team) but really awesome place to watch a game. I just kept responding with “wait till we get MV2 baby”. Unfortunately, 2005 happened.

27. DJ Parker pick 6 in first quarter of 2007 game at Clemson. Set the tone early.

28. Brandon Flowers hit on Drew Weatherford in 2007 has to be one of the best hits ever and was definitely a game changer. HOkies were down in the 4th Qtr when hit occurred and won big.

    1. That was beautiful, especially since Weatherford was 6″ taller and 35 lbs heavier. Payback for them knocking Glennon out of the game.

29. Brandon Flowers hit on Frank Gore to take him out of game, BF step in front of UVa receiver

30. Riley’s pick-6 against OSU last year. It’s not just a recency bias thing, either; I live and work in Ohio. I’m surrounded by OSU fans and that one guaranteed a fun Monday morning at work.

    1. Father-in-law is a big OSU fan. I hear ya.

       Hoping for 2-0

31. What about Vince Fuller’s return of the blocked field goal against WVU in 2004?

    The Kyle Fuller blitz through the middle and strip against GT a few years ago was a great one too, set the tone for the game.

32. Fuller’s blocked field goal against then number 3 WVU run back length of field in the rain for a touchdown. Early 2000’s

33. Hosley’s 3 INT game against NCSU in 2010 isn’t as heralded, but is still a huge highlight for me – especially since we were down 17-0 at one point. But for me, 03 Hall vs Miami takes the cake!

34. Macho Harris splitting Jacoby Ford in two…….

    1. This. There were so many great DB plays in that game.

35. No love for Donavan Riley last year on Columbus ?!?

36. There are a lot of great plays…DHall vs. Miami is definitely one.

    For me, and maybe it is because it is fresh, but the Riley pick 6 vs. OSU last year made me completely lose it. I was expecting something to happen that would cause us to lose the game and that just made me go nuts. We had lost so many big games and it was an awesome win.

    1. Agree…I was watching at BWs in Bburg…about broke my hands drumming excitedly on the bar

37. “He said, ‘Give it to me, Roscoe!!'”

    1. The call and play combine to make this the obvious choice.

38. FYI: Antonio Banks returned a blocked field goal in the 1993 Independence Bowl.

39. Macho Harris’ pick 6 vs ECU – at home 1st game of the year in 2007. The Hokie Nation needed a win that day and without that play, we may not have gotten it.

    1. X2 for Macho’s game-clinching pick6

40. “Honorable Mention” goes to Brandon Flowers KTFO Florida State’s QB Drew Weatherford in 2007

41. 1966 against Florida State. Nationally ranked FSU had a 4th and goal at the VT 1-yard line and 175 lb Frank Loria met their 225 lb fullback head on at the line of scrimmage and drove him BACK. Tech held on for a 23-21 win.

    1. We won that game on a safety when Jud Brownell sacked FSU QB in end zone.

       1. Yes, that was fairly early in the game, but it was the difference.

42. Antonio Banks ’95 is my vote – mainly because of the UVA coach who stuck his leg out to try and trip him.. LOL

    1. Exactly!!! I remember seeing that and saying WTF!

43. Just for its uniqueness, there was an interception in 2004 where I believe Fuller got the int, then pitched it to Eric Green who went for a 30 yard return. I always loved that play because it showed how close our secondary was and how they knew what each other were thinking.

44. This poll would’ve been better with embedded YouTube videos 🙂

45. This is easy for me. When Brandon Flowers made that incredible interception against UVA in 2007 right before halftime. It was the best interception I have seen from a Hokie. UVA was driving, VT was down, but that interception turned the tables. A minute or so later, Glennon hit Eddie Royal to give us the lead and momentum before halftime. We went on to win, of course, 33-21…….

    1. Great point.

    2. Agreed. Flowers was a beast on 07.

46. DeAngelo Hall’s is the winner. The crowd went absolutely INSANE after that!

47. I clicked on DHalls, but I think at least one of those Clemson 2007 hits, or Jarret’s hit against Pitt in 2013 need to be on the list.

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