Virginia Tech Hokies: Road to Turning Around Misfortune

[gorillapittpray]

Big win!!! Im doubting Reid tho he just cant throw the ball man whoever #1 is for you is big as hell no homo lol good luck in the bowl game

[mm boost]

LOL he's actually not that big, and he is the safety for Virginia Tech in real life right now...Antone Exum. He's only 6'2" 220 lbs or so, nothing too big. I think the receiver beside him is just really small.

And I am starting to doubt Reid too - he is dangerously inconsistent, although when I start doubting him, it seems like he steps on the next play and makes a huge play/score. I don't know. Trey Gresh who got benched come in for that one driver, and was 1 for 1 12 yards, 2 caries 9 yards and a touchdown. Its a small sample size, but those were good results. I am going to have to evaluate him, Reid, and Reid's 5* redshirt back up in spring ball to see who gets the start.

[JLWebb]

haha MAN... your quarterback WAS rocked at the goal line in the scamble. That was awesome.

[gorillapittpray]

Quote: Originally Posted by mm boost

LOL he's actually not that big, and he is the safety for Virginia Tech in real life right now...Antone Exum. He's only 6'2" 220 lbs or so, nothing too big. I think the receiver beside him is just really small. .

lol there arent to many safeties walking around 6'2 220 lol thats a big dude (no homo)

[mm boost]

yeah that is true, until you look at the video of #2 Ryan Caldwell who rocked that receiver after that deep bomb tip drill...he is 6'5" 220 lbs...he is an ANIMAL in human flesh! ohhh...and how about my freshman coming in in the spring...tight end from Newport News, VA Trae Fisher 6'8" 257 lbs 5*....oh man I can't wait.

and yea JLWebb, Reid got his jock knocked in the dirt. When he hit me, I went OOOOOOOHHHH....it made me cringe lol. The ball went flying out, it was violent. That was the FIRST time anyone has hit this qb that hard, he seemed rattled after it too. Viscious, son!

[mm boost]

BCS Discover Orange Bowl Preview Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Oklahoma Sooners will be posted this weekend, along with full recap, pictures, interviews, and highlight videos of the game's biggest plays. Stay tuned

[Howie5]

MM- thanks for introducing me to this dynasty site. It's great. Your Hokies seem to be on the right path, def gunna follow your dynasty. Good luck w the Sooners, that'll be a tough game. This is your 4th season, correct? Im about to begin my 4th year with the Hokies, lots of talent is gone from last years squad, including Antoine Exum who you guys were talking about in a previous post. I changed my D to a 4-2-5 after my first season... how TCU does it & was extremely successful. Ive used the multiple playbook for my first three years, but Ryan Williams & David Wilson have graduated so I have Tony Gregory and a few true freshman at the RB spot...I may work in a BYU type offense, as I like going under center and pounding the ball but also mixing in some 5 wide. I plan to do posts after each game too, makes it more exciting.

[mm boost]

-OFFENSE WINS GAMES, DEFENSE WINS . . . BOWL GAMES-

(AP - Miami, FL ) In the second meeting in the last 4 years, #9 Oklahoma Sooners and #4 Virginia Tech Hokies went bowling at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. Virginia Tech got the best of the Landry Jones-led Sooners in the last meeting, totally dominating them to win the Fiesta Bowl. This time around, things looked to be different, especially after the first half when both teams were fighting tooth-and-nail to go ahead of the other. Sooners were sporting their #2 runner up to the Heisman Kevin Ford, who was heavily recruited by the Hokies 2 years ago. Virginia Tech, sporting their 2nd starting qb of the year, a true freshman in Brandon Reid who has been great at times, but has had a string of misfortune as of late in terms of getting on the same page as his receivers. Little did we know that this game would turn out to be a test of defense, instead of the test of these prized quarterbacks.

Re-Cap
Oklahoma received the ball first to start the game, and Kevin Ford wasted no time in absolutely shredding apart the Hokie defense. A deep 47 yard pass play from Ford lands in the bread basket of his receiver, as he toe-taps, and completes the pass to put the Sooners in scoring position.

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Photo

McDonald pulls in the 47 yard pass from Ford and gets both feet in to complete the pass, and put them in scoring position

2 short plays later, Ford shows how much of a dual threat he is by calling his own number, and running the option play out of shot-gun. With all the momentum to this point, Ford takes off to the left, is being closed in on by the end, pitches the ball, but little did he know that Foster had called a weak side blitz, and Jerrod Stone (user controlled ) jumps the pitch, and takes it back 26 yards for a big shift in momentum.

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Jerrod Stone jumps the pitch from Kevin Ford and returns it 26 yards

Reid comes out, wasting no time and connects with his huge target Adam Singletary on a post, and he takes it down inside the goal line of the Sooners. 2 plays later, Greg Arnold punches it in on a strong sweep out of the flex formation - VT 7, OU 0.

The pitch pick-off by Stone on the previous possession really set the tone by giving this young Hokie defense confidence, and showing them that Ford can be stopped, and that in order to win, they will have to make big plays. On the next possession, the Sooner offense is shut down, and the Hokies get the ball back quickly. On the first play, Reid calls a quick hitch to Singletary, but once again shows that he is not on the same page, as he leads the pass up the sideline instead of outside shoulder on the hitch, and the pass is picked off deep in Hokie territory. A few short plays later, the Sooners are on the goal line, and on first down, Cooper is stuffed in the backfield. On 2nd down, Cooper gets the ball on the sweep, but has his legs taken out short of the goal line. On 3rd down, Ford drops back, throws a quick slant to his receiver, but Ryan Caldwell has other plans as he shows great awareness by diving and knocking the pass away

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Photo

#2 Ryan Caldwell dives and knocks down the 3rd down pass from Ford to prevent the touchdown

The Hokies were celebrating the big step deep in the redzone, but were caught off guard when Ford and Cooper both come back on the field on 4th down instead of the field goal unit. Ford calls an audible at the line of scrimmage, catches the hokie defense off guard, and Cooper punches it in from 1 yard out to knot it up - VT 7, OU 7.

On the ensuing possession, the Sooners lock down the Hokie offense, forcing them to punt. Ford and Cooper both return to form on the next possession, as they work down the field like clockwork. Trying to catch the Hokies off guard, noticing that the corners had been playing off the ball, Ford calls a quick hitch to one of his prime targets, but Foster disguised the coverage, calling man, and James Gayle breaks free off the edge, putting immediate pressure on Ford forcing him to dump the ball off quickly and slightly off target, and Spencer Carter jumps it, spins, and takes off 71 yards for the touchdown - VT 14, OU 7.

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Spencer Carter jumps a pass from Ford 71 yards for the touchdown

The first quarter comes to an end with the Hokies holding the 7 point advantage. Things begin to slow down in the 2nd quarter, until Brandon Reid is hit hard on quick screen that is tipped and picked off by the Sooners. After the play, trainers attend to Reid, as he clearly is in pain in his shoulder area, and he is helped off the field. Ford and the Sooners waste no time, as they punch it in to knot it up - VT 14, OU 14.

Trey Gresh gets Foster's vote of confidence, and takes over for Reid. The running game clearly showed its struggles early on in the game, and lasted throughout. Gresh was able to connect with a few nice pass plays, and leads them into field goal range, and Jackson does not disappoint - VT 17, OU 14.

After trading unsuccessful possessions, Jerrell Grayson is able to break a sweep to the left, and takes it in from 29 yards out to increase the Hokies lead by 10 as the 1st half ends - VT 24, OU 14.

Halftime

Coach Bud Foster is known for his speeches, and whatever speech he gave at half time, must have been something else, as the Hokie squad comes out possessed, and completely dominates the Sooners in the 2nd half. McCray breaks the school record in sacks (single season 21, and career 43), by piling up 3 more sacks, and increasing his total to 21 on the season. The main story, though, was not only the dominance of the Hokies' defense, but by Trey Gresh at the quarterback position. After being benched at the start of the season, he is proving his case now that Foster needs to reconsider who will be the starting quarterback next season.

It all began early in the 3rd quarter, as Gresh led the Hokies down the field, and score quickly after connecting with Logan Thomas from 39 yards out to go up by 17 - VT 31, OU 14.

Gresh was only just beginning at this point, as he kept outdoing himself on each possession. On the Hokies next possession, Gresh calls his own number on the QB Iso (which Reid has seen a lot of success with all year himself), and he goes untouched down the sideline to score - VT 38, OU 14.

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Trey Gresh 26 yard QB Iso Keeper for a touchdown

Not to be out-done or forgotten, defense was the main story of the Hokies on this day, as on the ensuing possession, Ryan Caldwell absolutely obliterates a helpless Sooner player, squandering all hopes of a possible comeback, forcing the fumble:

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Ryan Caldwell #2 crushes an OU player to force the fumble, and give the Hokies the ball back

On the first play, Gresh connects with Adam Singletary on a post, and he lets the big man do the rest as he takes it untouched down the field and through the middle of the Sooner secondary 73 yards for a touchdown - VT 45, OU 14.

Gresh still had something left in the tank, as late in the 4th quarter, Jerod Thomas takes out Cooper's legs on a screen play, forcing the fumble, and giving the potent offense of the Hokies the ball back with some time left in the game.

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Photo

Thomas #27 takes out Cooper's legs on the screen pass, forcing the fumble late in the 4th quarter

Gresh wastes no time yet again, as he connects with Logan Thomas over the middle in blown coverage, and Thomas takes it to the house 72 yards:

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Logan Thomas catches a pass from Gresh and takes it 72 yards to paydirt

On this play, Logan Thomas put his name forever in the history books at Virginia Tech, as he became the all time leader in receiving yards for a career, and for the season, as he eclipsed the 1,027 yard mark on the year, and 2,600 career yards in his career. This guy will truly be missed next season, as he has been a staple of the Hokie offense the last 4 seasons.

Final: Virginia Tech 52, Oklahoma 14

Play of the Game: Spencer Carter's 71 yard interception return for a touchdown in the 1st quarter

Player of the Game: Trey Gresh 11 of 20 292 yards 3 touchdowns; 9 carries 50 yards 1 td

Erin Andrews - "I am standing by with Coach Foster - Coach, how do you feel after this big victory over Oklahoma?"

Foster - "Erin I can't put into words how proud I am of these young men tonight. The way we started the season, losing on the road against Southern California in a heartbreaker, and to bounce back, win 13 straight games, and to win the Orange Bowl in this type of fashion - I just cannot express how proud I am of these guys. It took a lot of heart, and a lot of hardwork and dedication to be able to cap off this season in this way. We had our ups and downs all year, but these guys rallied behind me, and stayed true to my beliefs, my visions, and my morale, and we come together and finished off an incredible season."

Erin - "And Coach, what do you have to say about Trey Gresh, and has he proved his point in that he should be considered for the starting job next season?"

Foster - "I said it when I took over after Beamer left, and I will say it again. If I was to go into battle, Trey is a young man that I would have right by my side. I trust him, and I believe in him, and for him to be benched early in the season after struggling, and to never complain a single time and just keep working hard at practice and in the film room - it says a lot about his character. He was ready when Reid got hurt in the ACC Championship Game, and he was ready tonight after Reid re-aggrivated his shoulder injury, and was out for the rest of the game. To rebound and respond when called upon in a big atmosphere like the Orange Bowl - that says a lot, and he has made his statement clear. We have a long time until off season work begins, but I will say that Trey showed a lot of heart and passion for the game tonight. The one thing I can say is that we have 2 amazing quarterbacks, and I don't think we can go wrong with either one."

Erin - "Now Coach, I know Trey has already been awarded player of the game, but if you was to pick someone else to give a game ball to, who would it be?"

Foster - "Without a question, I would bring 11 balls, and give each player of our defense a game ball. To come up with 3 interceptions and 2 fumbles against the #2 quarterback in the country is unbelievable. This sends a statement, and sets a benchmark for expectations in the future. This shows that we can hang with the best of them. This will definitely give these younger guys the confidence that they need on the big state. Each year we keep creeping higher and higher up the ladder, and with that comes increased competition and higher expectations. We showed tonight that we deserve that recognition. Caldwell, Exum, Gayle, McCray, Stone, Thomas, Logan - all of these guys are players of the game in my eyes. McCray, Gayle, Thomas, Stone, and Exum will be sadly missed next year, but they set the tone for these young guys. We will be ready next year. After all, we have one vacant spot in our trophy case (laughs)"

Erin - "Coach Foster, thank you for your time, and congratulations on such a successful year, and for winning the ACC Championship and of course the Orange Bowl here tonight in only your first season as head coach. Best of luck this offseason!"

Stats
Reid 7 of 16 58 yards 1 int - injured
Gresh 11 of 20 292 yards 3 tds; 9 carries 50 yards 1 td
Matthews 17 carries 57 yards
Grayson 13 carries 61 yards 1 td
Thomas 5 receptions 139 yards 2 tds
Singletary 3 recep 112 yards 1 td
McCray 11 total tackles 4 TFL 3 Sacks

Ford 19 of 35 367 yards 1 td, 3 int
Cooper 18 carries 101 yards 1 td
McDonald 6 receptions 114 yards 1 td

News
-Texas defeats LSU in the National Championship 37 to 18

-Hokies end the season ranked #2 in the country

-Jerrod Stone declared to leave early for the draft, and Anthony Andrews (81 overall sophomore defensive tackle) transferred to Alabama. Foster was able to talk Lee Anderson (3 time all american corner) out of leaving for the draft, as well as Nick Acree ( 2 time all american junior defensive tackle)

Next-up
Off-season news - recruiting, depth chart, spring ball results, and schedule for 2014.