- 0
Only 2 days remain before VT and Clemson square off for the 2011 ACC Football Championship game in Charlotte, NC. Yes, I know, Clemson won the first game this year by a score of 23-3 against what appeared to be a totally mismatched VT team. Clemson's #40 defensive player was a one-man wrecking machine against obviously inferior VT offensive linemen. VT left offensive tackle (#72) was pathetic in his feeble efforts to block #40, or any other player for that matter. He has been a liability to the VT offense pretty much all year and he isn't quick enough to get out of his own way. An offensive back needs to be lined up on the left side to assist #72 but that tips off the defense that the play is a pass, while also taking the offensive back out of play for other assignments. The root of the problem is the year after year poor recruiting VT does for top-notch offensive linemen.
Now let me talk about the Virginia game against VT on November 26. One word sums up my opinion of the game played by VT and it is "AWESOME"!! It has been years since I have seen a VT team play with such error-free intensity. The game plan was excellent, execution was excellent, and the outcome was as desired. If I've heard the following statement once, I've heard it 100 times since last Saturday, "We never know which VT team is going to show up to play". I wish I had an answer as to why that statement has proved to be true so many times in the past but it's beyond my comprehension to even venture a guess that explains the wisdom and accurateness of that statement. Maybe it's like Logan Thomas said when Virginia was playing Florida State and Logan stated he was pulling for Virginia because if they won it would make the game Between VT and Virginia an even bigger event. Good statement but can't VT teams get themselves motivated on their own to play to their athletic and God-given ability? Apparently they can't and maybe that's the answer to the question about which VT Team is going to show up to play. Let's hope that the VT "A" Team shows up this Saturday night and wins the really BIG game.
December 4, 2011 (After the game):
Final score Clemson 38, VT 10.
The results of this game can be summed up as follows:
1. VT was totally outclassed by the athletic and physical superior play by the Clemson athletes.
2. VT coaches once again didn't properly prepare their players for the challenge of Clemson.
3. Too many injuries to key VT players and not enough depth of talented players to take their place in a seamless transition.
4. Several bad calls by the officials but not enough to blame them for the loss. e.g. VT player did block the punt before making contact with the Clemson punter, Logan Thomas was horse-collar tackled and grabbed by his face-mask with no call against Clemson, due to the no-huddle offense of Clemson they received the benefit of favorable ball placement several times that didn't look like a first-down. Clemson back #7 was allowed TD when he actually didn't cross the goal line with the ball because he tossed it to the official standing at the goal line and what's worse is the fact that the play wasn't reviewed.
5. VT coaches failed to make adjustments to their game plan, both offensively and defensively, when it was obvious Clemson was controlling VT in their current game-plan.
6. The continued liability of players such as #72 who were allowed to fail at their assignment without a coaching adjustment.
7. Clemson player #40 once again manhandled VT players just as he did in the first 2011 game against VT; coaches should have known this was coming and made plans to prevent it.
8. Finally, VT came to Charlotte with their "F" Team instead of their "A" Team.
CASE CLOSED!!