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maryanne There's Something About Mary
Smile Friday, throwback edition. Some of my BFFs and I at a Hokie football game.
Clearly from happier seasons becuase there weren’t many smiles like this during the 2012-13 season… unless you were drinking. Which never happens at football games. :)
Some of our favorite photos (that we took) from the last few seasons.
In case you missed it, Virginia Tech QB coach and play caller Mike O’Cain says he was fired this week by Frank Beamer.
With Syracuse and Pittsburgh joining the ACC in 2013, the ACC today released a partial schedule for next season. The complete schedule for the 2013 season is expected to be released in early February.
Next season, Virginia Tech will play home games against Western Carolina, Marshall, Duke, North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Maryland.
The Hokies will hit the road for games against Alabama (technically considered a neutral site game), East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia and Boston College.
Hokie fans might notice some repeats from the 2012 schedule. As Tech did in 2012, it will host Duke in 2013 and will go on the road again to face Boston College and Miami, just as the Hokies did in 2012.
That’s because with the addition of the Orange and Panthers, the ACC had to introduce and entirely new scheduling model. This was necessary to balance hone and away schedules.
For more details and information about the new scheduling, click here.
Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the best tackle/annihilation of the 2012-13 college football season: Jadeveon Clowney absolutely destroys Michigan’s Vincent Smith.
It was a down season for the Hokies. The streak of eight straight 10-win seasons game to an end, no first team all conference selection on either side of the ball for the first time since the early Big East years, and once the final rankings are out, the streak of 13 consecutive top 20 finishes will also fall by the wayside.
The Hokies still finished with a winning record for the 20th straight season, played in a 20th straight bowl game, and beat the Boohoos for the ninth straight year. In all of that, we found 10 moments that we can look back on and remember fondly.
No. 1 - Antone Exum’s fourth-quarter interception vs. Rutgers
Trailing 10-3, and showing no signs of life on offense, the Hokies needed a big play to get a some kind, any kind of momentum. Antone Exum gave them exactly that with this pick that set up the game-tying touchdown.
No. 2 - Antone Exum’s fourth-quarter interception vs. U.Va.
Tech came into their regular season finale vs. Virginia with a record of 5-6 and needing a win to become bowl eligible. With the game tied at 14 late in the fourth quarter, Exum came up big with this interception. The Hokies ran the clock down and set up Cody Journell’s game-winning field goal as time expired to beat the Hoos for the ninth straight year and earn a 20th straight bowl invite.
No. 3 - Cody Journell FGs to beat Georgia Tech in the season opener
Coming into the 2012 season, Virginia Tech was heavily favored to win the ACC’s Coastal Division title. In a rare first-game conference matchup, the Hokies hosted the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on a Monday night prime time game. It was ugly, but the crowd was loud and Cody Journell, who had some off-the-field troubles in the off season, kicked the game-tying field goal as time expired and then after a Kyle Fuller interception in overtime, Journell kicked the game-winner to get Tech’s season off to a winning start.
No. 4 - Michael Cole’s interception vs. Clemson while on his back
For the third straight game, Clemson manhandled the Hokies. But there was one bright spot, albeit it an unexpected one. Safety Michael Cole was in the right place (on his butt) at the right time to haul in this interception - one of the few bright spots in a 38-17 loss.
No. 5 - Kysheon Jarrett’s 94-yard punt return for a TD vs. Pittsburgh
The Hokies lost badly to the Panthers, 35-17, and managed only one score in the second half — Jarrett’s punt return for a touchdown. It was the second longest punt return in Virginia Tech’s history.
No. 6 - Ronny Vandyke’s block on Kysheon Jarrett’s 94-yard punt return
Vandyke’s crucial block took out two Panthers at the 50 yard line and sprang Jarrett for the touchdown.
No. 7 - Demitri Knowles first career catch is goes for a touchdown
Knowles has all the potential in the world and in his first college football game, as a true freshman, he gave Hokie fans a glimpse of what he can bring to the table in the next few years.
No. 8 - Logan Thomas runs for a 73-yard touchdown, breaking Michael Vick’s record
Lost in a down season was the fact that Logan Thomas put up some pretty big numbers, despite his struggles. In 2011, Thomas broke Bryan Randall’s single season record for total offense with 3,482 yards (3,013 passing/469 rushing). In 2012, Thomas managed to break his own record with 3,500 yards (2,976 passing/524 rushing).
On this 73-yard TD run against the Canes, Thomas broke Michael Vick’s record for career rushing TDs by a quarterback at Virginia Tech. Through two seasons as the starting quarterback at Tech, Thomas has 20 rushing TDs.
No. 9 - J.C. Coleman’s 86-yard touchdown run vs. Duke
Duke was on the verge of becoming bowl eligible and looked like the Blue Devils were going to get that all-important sixth win against the Hokies. Duke jumped out to a 20-0 first-quarter lead, but Tech staged the biggest comeback in the Frank Beamer era and scored the remaining 41 points to win the game.
Rookie running back J.C. Coleman recorded his first career 100-yard game, and as it would turn out, the team’s only such performance by a tailback during the 2012 season. If Coleman can get some solid blocking in the next couple of seasons, he could be scary good. David Wilson good.
No. 10 - Bud Foster celebrating Exum’s INT vs. U.Va. and then getting tackled
Bud Foster is unquestionably one of the best defensive coordinators in the country. His high energy, tenacity and relentless game planning and scheming, has endeared him to the Hokie Nation and many fans believe he’s earned the right to be the next head football coach for the Hokies. While that doesn’t look likely anytime soon, Tech fans, for the time being, can rely on Bud to make the most of the talent he has.
Posted on TheACC.com - Permalink
Dec. 6, 2012
“We, the undersigned presidents of the Atlantic Coast Conference, wish to express our commitment to preserve and protect the future of our outstanding league. We want to be clear that the speculation about ACC schools in negotiations or considering alternatives to the ACC are totally false. The presidents of the ACC are united in our commitment to a strong and enduring conference. The ACC has long been a leader in intercollegiate athletics, both academically and athletically, and the constitution of our existing and future member schools will maintain the ACC’s position as one of the nation’s premier conferences.”Fr. William Leahy, Boston College
Mr. James Barker, Clemson University
Dr. Richard Brodhead, Duke University
Dr. Eric Barron, Florida State University
Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson, Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. James Ramsey, University of Louisville
Dr. Donna Shalala, University of Miami
Dr. Holden Thorp, University of North Carolina
Dr. Randy Woodson, North Carolina State University
Fr. John Jenkins, University of Notre Dame
Dr. Mark Nordenberg, University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Nancy Cantor, Syracuse University
Dr. Teresa Sullivan, University of Virginia
Dr. Charles Steger, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Dr. Nathan Hatch, Wake Forest University
Three Hokies earn weekly ACC honors following Virginia Tech’s historic come-from-behind win over Duke. Read more.
With the Hokies struggling, the end of several streaks appear to be jeopardy.
1. The Hokies have won at least 10 games in each of the last 8 seasons. Going into the Duke game, Virginia Tech would have to win its remaining six regular season games and then win either the ACC title game or a bowl game to get to 10 wins. With road games against Clemson and Miami and a home game against Florida State, that streak is in serious jeopardy.
2. By my count, Virginia Tech has sold out 90 consecutive home games dating back to the 1998 season. Following the 2010-11 season, more than 1500 season ticket holders did not renew their tickets for the 2011-12 season. And tickets are easier to come by the last two seasons. As of today, tickets are still available for the Duke game tomorrow. The same was true for the Bowling Green game. The saving grace for the Hokies could be that their remaining two home games (after Duke) are against Florida State and Virginia.
3. The Hokies have 19-straight winning seasons. Since Frank Beamer was nearly fired following a 2-8-1 season in 1992, Virginia Tech has had a winning record every year since. Unless the Hokies get things figured out, that streak is in serious trouble. Duke is very capable of beating Tech. Then the Hokies are on the road against Clemson, which owned the Hokies last year, and then Miami, which seems be to on the uptick this season. And then the Hokies come home to face the resurgent Noles.
4. Nineteen straight bowl game appearances. If the Hokies can’t find a way to finish 3-3 down the stretch, Tech fans can say goodbye to a 20th straight bowl game. It’s hard to fathom the Hokies beating Clemson and Miami on the road based on how they’ve played so far, and Florida State beat Clemson in impressive fashion, so there’s three losses there. That means the Hokies have very little wiggle room down the stretch.
Does this mean Virginia Tech can’t beat Clemson, Miami and FSU? Of course not. Anything’s possible and we’ve seen Jekyll and Hyde seasons before from the Hokies. But based on what we’ve seen through six games so far, it’s difficult to see Tech pulling off any of those upsets.
Five things that could put the Virginia Tech Hokies back on track
Back to basics.
Yes, the Hokies need to get back to the basics of football on the field, i.e. blocking, proper angles, and tackling. But they also need to get rid of the “new uniform for every game” nonsense and go back to the more traditional uniforms. Especially the all maroons.
You’re probably asking how a simplified uniform combination can help Frank Beamer’s wayward team play better football. The answer is it probably wouldn’t, but it would likely give the players and the fans a greater sense of identity. It would also be one less distraction for the players, who get questions each week about their thoughts on the uniform combination the seniors have chosen. Enough already. You are Virginia Tech, not Oregon University or Maryland.
Shake up the coaching staff.
There, I said it. Specifically, Frank Beamer needs to replace his top level offensive coaching staff. Virginia Tech’s offense has been stagnant, inconsistent, predictable and unreliable for years. It’s time for a change. It’s time for new blood, new ideas and new energy.
Is that an indictment on Stinespring as a person? Of course not. Has he had some success, sure. But college football, like it or not, is a results-driven business. If you don’t win, you eventually get fired. Georgia Tech got through half a season before firing its defensive coordinator, Al Groh, because his defense couldn’t stop a paraplegic sloth.
Stinespring supporters will cry that he’s a great recruiter, but what’s great recruiting if you can’t utilize those players’ skills on the field? Getting great players doesn’t mean squat if your offense and coaching aren’t on par with other college football programs. Underperform long enough and you’ll start to lose recruits to better coached teams.
A sub par season.
What would a sub par season be for Virginia Tech? For a team that’s won at least 10 games during the last eight seasons, anything less than 10 wins would be considered sub par. The Hokies are 3-3 heading into Saturday’s game against Duke. Tech would need to win its final six regular season games just to get to nine wins and then would need a win in the ACC championship game or a bowl game to reach 10 wins. Bottom line - that probably isn’t going to happen.
The Hokies have Duke, at Clemson, at Miami, Florida State, at Boston College, and Virginia remaining on the schedule. Based on what the Hokies have done so far this season, it’s hard to see them beating Clemson and Miami on the road. The Hokies have Florida State at home, but the Noles (5-1) are playing well this season and will likely be favored to win in Blacksburg. And unless Tech gets back on track, and quickly, the losses are going to start piling up.
Boston College and Virginia are both games the Hokies are capable of winning, but Tech has lost two of their last three games at Chestnut Hill. UVA is another winnable game, but given how the Hokies have played so far, it’s hard to say how they’ll do in the regular season finale.
First, the Hokies have to get past a resurgent Duke program that is 5-1 and one win away from being bowl eligible. The Blue Devils are tied with Miami for the Coastal Division lead. Duke pounded the Wahoos last weekend, 42-17, in Durham.
It is not unrealistic to think that Virginia Tech could finish with a losing record this year and miss a bowl game. If Duke comes into Lane Stadium and wins on Saturday, the Hokies will be 3-4 and facing back-to-back road games against Clemson and Miami - not a position Beamer and his staff want to be in.
A 7-5 finish could give Beamer a slight reprieve from the fans, but 6-6, 5-7, or worse will not be acceptable to a fan base that has enjoyed a 20-year streak of winning seasons and bowl game appearances. Worst case scenario (5-7 or worse) and Tech fans will demand change and could question Beamer’s future as the head coach for the first time since the 1992 season when the Hokies went 2-8-1, which is also the last time the program had a losing season.
Mind you, Beamer’s job is not in jeopardy, even if the Hokies finish with a losing record. He’s done so much for the program and the university that he’s earned the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to turn things around. For those that feel he’s untouchable need only remember the name Bobby Bowden. Beamer’s not there yet, but fail to right the ship and no coach is untouchable.
Review recruiting strategy.
I’m not going to pretend I know enough about recruiting to spell out exactly what’s going wrong, but I know that other successful programs seem to be getting more out of their 4- and 5-star recruits than is Virginia Tech. It could very well be the coaching not being up to snuff. I just don’t know.
I do know is that the Hokies used to get players that no other schools were interested in and then turn them into All Americans and NFL prospects (i.e. André Davis, John Engelberger). As Tech’s program gained more recognition on the national stage, Beamer started getting higher ranked high school prospects to come to Blacksburg and for a time, it was working.
In recent years, however, it seems as though a lot of talented players have not been playing up to expectations and their rankings. Of course you’re going to have players who just don’t pan out in the college game, but it sure seems like an unusually high number of recruits that come to Tech end up lost on a depth chart. Why is that? I’m not sure, but somebody in Virginia Tech’s athletics department needs to address the issue, whether it’s not recruiting the right kind of players for the system, the system itself, or the coaching; changes need to be made.
Ditch the trophy case.
Take the empty national championship trophy case out of the Merryman Center. You can put it back once you’ve won one. Until then, focus on beating a top 10 program and winning a BCS game against a quality opponent (other than Louisville or Cincinnati).
