FalcFans Forums

Thought I'd start one since we're getting pretty close for any that want to discuss. I have plenty to say, but am curious what others think before I throw in my .02 cents+.

Should be an incredible game. The clash of the two systems. I do think VT prevails, and pulls away in the second half. I will have more to say as well, but it's late.

Boise State doesn't have the speed defensively to match up with Virginia Tech at the skill positions.

But it will be interesting to see if Boise can put points on VT's defense. Austin Pettis and Titus Young are a good pair of receivers. Pettis might have the best hands in the country, and if you give Young a step, he can take it the distance. Boise State has a light, athletic Alex Gibbs-esque O-line that could create avenues for Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin to run through, and if given time Kellen Moore can make the throws.

I think VT ultimately wins, but wouldn't be surprised if it gets up in the 30s before its all said and done for either team.

I have been piecing together pertinent info since this game was announced months ago. Compiling what I believe to be keys to the game. Some of its gonna be long, as I’ve pasted stuff from articles to get a better jist, and I don’t have to retype it. I had collected so much data/info/articles that I had a tough time wittling it down to be concise. Whatevers longwinded, it’s pertinent.

Matchup - BSU is VT is a lot of ways when you think about the Hokies fifteen years ago. VT has taken the long, steady climb appraoch, knocking at the door once, still trying to kick it in. This is easily VT’s best shot to have a special season since 1999. Beamer and Co have been quietly assembling better overall talent, and making a few redshirt decisions that show what they think this years team is capable of. BSU, while comparable on their rise to prominance, has taken the more fast track approach in todays media driven football world. In either instance, it’s impressive for both considering how hard it is to rise and stay with the elite of college football. I would also add that there are some out there routing Boise on as a supposive BCS system buster, but that really doesn’t have much logic. Especially considering the annual schedule they’ve risen to prominance with. At the same time, when they’ve had a chance to play someone big, they’ve taken full advantage of those opportunities. Either way this should be a great Labor Day game, both teams sporting their uber-cool brand new Nike Pro Combat jersey’s.

Coaching – Hard to beat VT on this one, we’ve probably have more continuity on staff than any other team in the country. I’d like to think VT is more battle tested w/ our schedule than BSU. On the other hand, theres no denying Boise is a well coached team or they wouldn’t even be here. The VT coaching staff has been very complimentary of Boise’s coaches and program, but thats Beamer’s style no matter what, to be classy. Peterson has stated he believes this VT team to be better than the Oklahoma team they beat in the bowl a couple years ago. The obvious question is whose system, gameplan and players win out?

Offenses (BSU) – BSU runs an offense that is not gimmicky like most say, its more of a spread the field out completely and use all of it efficiently offense. They basically want to make you defend the entire width, not as much the depth. A lot of multiple sets to give different base looks, but to setup a balanced offense. They will dink and dunk a lot more than people realize to accomplish this, basically a get the ball in your playmakers hands offense. Screens, wheel routes, bubbles, etc. Certainly nothing new as a concept, but few are as efficient as they are in really doing so. It’s also the reason Kellen Moore has such a high completion percentage and low sack/interception total, he gets the ball out quick. They also like to run the ball w/ multiple backs, and have had success in doing so. Finally they have those sprinkled in trick plays that they always seem to hit at the right moment.

Here’s recently what Bud Foster had to say about their offense...





One problem their offense has been having this offseason, that could linger into Monday night and be a big problem for Boise is their offensive line shuffling and continuity, or lack there of. Here’s comments from this week. Boise coaches are downplaying this, but this isn’t what you’d wish for playing anyone, let alone a Foster defense, reloading or not.

At 1:30 p.m., No. 3 Boise State released its depth chart for Monday's season opener against No. 10 Virginia Tech in Landover, Md. By 5 p.m., offensive line coach Chris Strausser already had changed his starting five.

That's how it's gone for the Broncos since the beginning of the 2008 season - and how it's likely to go for a while.

"It's hard," Strausser said. "It's hard to take that next step as a group when you don't know what that group is. For whatever reason, we've had a Coach Chris Petersen doesn't worry about the changes anymore. It's not a concern at all to me," he said. "I have real great confidence that we'll get a good five out there and away we go. It's always nice to have the same five out there, getting better together, but that just isn't how it's been around here. For us to have that situation would be abnormal."


Offenses (VT) – This could easily be the most potent and dangerous offense VT has ever fielded, and thats considering the two Vick years where he was unstoppable himself. VT’s never had this much talent and depth across the board, esp at oline, which has been our offense achilles heel recently.

VT’s never had 3 probable future NFL running backs to tote out there all at once (who has?), all practically as good as the next. Ryan Williams is overall uber talented, Darren Evans is the power sledgehammer and new to the equation is David Wilson. This is the same kid that ran wild for team USA and is a track star who was supposed to redshirt. Before it was thought that there was simply no reason to burn his redshirt w/ the other two playing and how many carries could he actually get. The entire staff thought he was simply way too good not to play this year, and he brings a lightening bolt speed element that honestly the other two don’t have. We’re gonna have a sick play set this year called the “Pony”, where at least two of them are in there together. I don’t think you could literally cherry pick three contrasting backs across america from high school and get a better trifecta. The duo would have been only rivaled by Alabama’s duo, but now obviously we’re pushing the chips in with the trio. I had been all for Wilson redshirting to get seperation for them, but if he’s the guy that pushes us over the top, and is too good to sit, well thats a wonderful problem to have. Beamer on burning Wilson’s shirt...



Like I said before, Beamer and Co don’t pull this move EVER, so that tells you what we think about not only him, but the potential for this team as a whole.

The thing thats newest to VT is the derth of wide receivers we have now, coupled with the development of Tyrod Taylor. The three junior WR’s are all set, but are being pushed to the max by the 4th and 5th , (both 6-4, 225 and fast) that over time are too talented not to play. The fifth kid is the same as Wilson with not taking a reshirt, DJ Coles is too good not to play. So literally the younger guys are more physically talent then the trio of juniors, again, great problem to have. So this leads to the X factor that pulls it all together in Tyrod. I’ve said before, but the kid took his game to another level the last part of last season. Has continued his uptick and now, I’m not as sure where his ceiling is as I was before, in a good way. I think he’s improved that much as a passer, and with all the toys now, we’ll truly see what he’s made of. I don’t think it hurts that BSU probably has never played a mobile qb, esp one like him. But at the same time, theres simply NO resason for him to have to run. We need to take a page from Boise and let the playmakers do just that. Here’s what I had been trying to say this offseason in regards to Taylor, but I think our OC sums it up better than I did (but also echos my comments). FWIW, his summer scrimmage numbers are very, very impressive. Here’s the numbers from this past weekend... Taylor: 16 of 17, 319 yards, 3 TD (The one incompletion was a throw away).

Bottom line, in any years if you told the VT fan base that the O is the strength, and that were basically contingent on Bud Foster having his young reloading squad ready, we’d laugh and call it an offseason, what a great “problem” to have. Our strength has become our weakness, but not really as I’ll post below in the D section.


Offenses : Contrasting Both - Let’s finalize the offenses by contrasting how they did last year and against whom. This is where you really start to notice big, big differences in how you got here, and how battle tested were you. Hokies win this in a landslide, and should be relevant Monday night.

VT had the 24th ranked scoring offense. The average national ranking of the defenses we faced as 46.6. We faced 4 top 30 defenses -- Bama (2nd), Nebraska (1st), BC (19th), and UNC (13th). We faced 2 bottom 30 defenses -- NCSU (99th) and UMD (100th).
Of all four comparisons here, the defenses faced by VT had the highest average (46.6). We played the top 2 defenses in the country and overall our 24th ranking on scoring offense was well-earned.

The easiest road to a high ranking was achieved by the Boise offense. They ranked 1st in scoring offense in the country. The average national ranking of the defenses faced was 82.1. They faced ONE top
30 defense -- TCU (6th). They faced SIX bottom 30 defenses -- Miami (OH) (108th), Hawaii (90th), San Jose State (109th), Idaho (114th), Utah State (107th), and New Mexico State (101st).

Boise State's schedule was full of really bad defenses, which made it easy for them to achieve their ranking.

Also, VT played no Div. 1-AA opponents in 2009. Boise played UC-Davis. I didn't include UC-Davis in the analysis -- their offense was ranked 49th out of 118 teams IN DIV. 1-AA. Their defense was ranked 82nd. Translate those rankings into Div. 1-A, and the Boise State averages get even lower (i.e., easier).

Defense review and conclusion next...

Defenses (VT) - I’ll lead w/ VT here to transition off the above comment. Here’s what Foster had to say this week about the VT D that has to replace so many starters that people in the media are skeptical.



He’s more or less saying that he’s cemented the 1’s, and now is working on cementing all of the 2’s. Not a scenerio being played out in the media, but what more could the man have proven the last decade? This isn’t his first rodeo or retool job, and it sounds like to me below that he’s got his arms around what Boise likes and wants to do on offense. Either way he’s the in-game adjustment master, so even if they come up with a new wrinkle, they’ll need to adust that to his adjustment. His ability to do this is no small reason why VT has had such a successful defense the last decade. We’ll find out how good Boise is at counter-punching pretty quickly.

What most in the media don’t realize either, is that at least all or most of the positions are being taken over by people that are either physically superior or gonna be better football players. VT has simply continued to recruit better, just like the offense suddenly being loaded. Foster has said he expects FS, Field CB and MLB to be upgraded immediately. So you can see why a knowledgable VT fan wouldn’t be making much fuss over this being our biggest “problem”. Again, good problem to have imo. X factor for VT D is Gregg Williams (Chase Williams’ his son, freshman VT LB), Saints DC’s spent a good bit of time w/ Foster this offseason, teaching each other new blitz schemes. I expect to see some that BSU hasn’t seen on film yet fwiw Monday night.

One more angle is what VT’s dline coach Charlie Wiles has to say. He’s right, they haven’t been behind much and that matters a lot to me.






(Defenses BSU) - Actually the strength of the BSU team, despite what the media says. BSU’s D has been dominating their O all spring/summer...

It's nearing the end of August, and we still haven't talked about Boise State very much. The Broncos have had a couple of scrimmages of their own and are getting excited to play the Hokies. Today's article focuses on those scrimmages, as well as a Boise State running game that could decide the outcome of the season opener.

Boise's Defense Dominant
If you aren't a close observer of Boise State,you might think that it's their offense that gets the Broncos so many wins. At first glance you would be right, as Boise finished first in the country in scoring offense in 2009. But I've been saying since the spring, and I'm saying it again now, the Bronco defense is better, and it might not be particularly close.
Let's take a moment to look at Boise State's intrasquad scrimmages. In every recent example I could find, going back to the spring, Boise's defense has flat out dominated their offense. Back in March, the Bronco offense had six consecutive three-and-outs in a scrimmage, including three by the first team offense. Quarterback Kellen Moore was just 5-of-12 for 15 yards that day.

Fast forward to August, and we're seeing more of the same. In Boise State's first scrimmage of the month, the offense had 31 carries for zero yards. Yes, zero. The Boise defense dominated the offense in the trenches.

In this past Saturday's scrimmage, the defense dominated yet again. The offense did not score until the ball was placed at the 25 yard line for redzone work. Defensive end Shea McClellin had four sacks all by himself, and the Boise offense was shut down despite the fact that the defense was missing five starters due to injury.

Kellen Moore was 8-of-12 for 44 yards, and the offense found things to be very tough against the Boise defense.

Sure, defenses are generally ahead of offenses at this point in the year, and we don't know exactly how the Broncos run their scrimmages. But to shut down the Boise offense like that defense has been doing, while missing five starters to boot, is impressive.
So if Boise State can't move the ball on a defense that is missing five starters, how were they able to put up such huge offensive numbers last year? Simple: defenses in the WAC stink. Average rank was 81.31.

Bad, putrid, awful. Those words accurately reflect the caliber of defenses that Boise State faced for most of last season. Take out the Fiesta Bowl against TCU, and that average drops to 88. When Louisiana Tech has the third toughest defense that you face all year, then you aren't exactly playing the who's who of college football.

On the two occasions Boise State did face a defense with an actual pulse, things didn't go very well. They put up 361 yards against Oregon, but that's because they had the ball for 42 minutes. (Oregon's offense only picked up seven first downs against that stout Boise defense.) The Broncos only averaged 2.8 yards per carry against Oregon, and just 2.4 against TCU (to go along with just 317 total yards). Considering they had zero yards on 31 carries in a recent scrimmage, we have to conclude that Boise State doesn't have much of a running game when they play an opposing defense that can actually get off blocks and run to the football.

Boise State wins football games with their defense. They beat Oregon and won the Fiesta Bowl against TCU because their defense was dominant, holding the Ducks to nine points and TCU to 10. The defense also scored a touchdown on an interception return against the Horned Frogs.

Think Boise State head coach Chris Peterson is a little worried about the Hokie defense? Check out this quote from an article covering Saturday's scrimmage:
"Our offense, we need to take the next step here in the next couple weeks in a hurry," Peterson said.

So....if you’re winning more with defense, one huge problem is if you can’t stop the run, and you’re playing a 4 headed run monster...

Boise State’s defense ranked 28th nationally against the run last season, but that doesn’t tell the whole tale. Against the best backs they faced, the Broncos struggled.
They saw six tailbacks who finished among the top 60 individual rushers in 2009. Those six combined for 140 carries, 804 yards (5.74 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns.
This could be good news for a three-headed Virginia Tech rushing attack that features Ryan Williams (fifth nationally with 1,655 yards last season), Darren Evans (36th nationally with 1,265 yards in 2008) and sophomore sensation David Wilson, who averaged almost 5 yards per carry in preseason scrimmages, prompting coaches to scrap his planned redshirt year.

Williams, Evans and Wilson will be looking to do what some of these guys did against the Broncos in ’09 ...

Ryan Matthews, Fresno State: led the nation in rushing with 1,808 yards (19 carries for 234 yards, 3 TD against Boise)
Vai Taua, Nevada: ranked 17th in the nation with 1,345 yards (24 carries for 160 yards, 1 TD against Boise)
Robert Turbin, Utah State: ranked 20th in the nation with 1,296 yards (14 carries for 61 yards, 1 TD against Boise)
Daniel Porter, Louisiana Tech: ranked 28th in the nation with 1,132 yards (24 carries for 92 yards, 1 TD against Boise)
Seth Smith, New Mexico State: ranked 54th in the nation with 1,016 yards (35 carries for 114 yards against Boise)
DeMaundray Woolridge, Idaho: ranked 59th in the nation with 979 yards (24 carries for 143 yards, 2 TD against Boise)

NOTE: The Broncos also faced top-60 rushers in Oregon’s LaMichael James and Nevada’s Luke Lippincott, but James hadn’t won the job yet and carried just twice (for 22 yards) against Boise and Lippincott was injured after one rush.

If You Can Run, You Can Win
The running game will probably decide who wins the matchup between these two teams. Considering the Hokies have Ryan Williams, Darren Evans and (maybe) David Wilson, you have to like Virginia Tech's chances.

Perhaps more important than how the Tech running game will fare is how well the Boise State running game will do against the Hokie defense. History says that you can't beat a Bud Foster defense with a one dimensional offense. The best way to attack Tech is right up the middle with a power running game, and use that success to work in an efficient passing game.

Will Boise be able to get that running game going?

Similar to the first table we ran, Boise State didn't exactly play many good rushing defenses. The two most talented defenses they faced, with players who could be reasonably compared to Virginia Tech's personnel (Oregon and TCU), held the Broncos to under three yards per carry.

I don't think that's going to get it done against Virginia Tech's defense. The Hokies might have a few kinks in their armor thanks to the loss of so many defensive starters, but they certainly aren't Utah State, Bowling Green or Miami of Ohio.


Defenses : Contrasting Both - Let’s finalize the defenses by contrasting how they did last year and against whom like we did the offenses. This is much more even as Boise played better offenses than the pourous slate of D’s they played last year.
VT's scoring defense was ranked 9th in 2009. The average national ranking of the offenses we faced was 62.5 (out of 120 division I teams). We faced 3 top 30 offenses -- Bama (22nd), GT (15th), NCSU (30th) and a 4th that was 31st (Miami). We faced 3 bottom 30 offenses (ranked 90th or lower) -- Marshall (96th), Maryland (98th), and UVA
(105th).

Therefore, we earned our defensive ranking against a fairly typical schedule (overall about average w/ some very good offenses and some very bad offenses faced).

By comparison, Boise State had the 14th ranked scoring defense. The average national ranking of the offenses they faced was 52.3. They faced 5 top 30 offenses -- Oregon (8th), Fresno State (14th), Idaho (20th), Nevada (6th), and TCU (5th). They faced 3 bottom 30 offenses -- Miami (OH) (116th), San Jose State (118th), and New Mexico State
(120th).

Therefore, they earned their defensive ranking against an above average slate of offenses (overall) -- however, the bad offenses they faced, were REALLY bad (3 of the bottom 5 offenses in all of D-1).

Past Schedules & BCS Experience –

I think you need to be battle tested to come out on top of games like these. Here’s a final look at the 2009 schedules from last year. Boise's schedule, is a who's who of nobodies.

Boise State Schedule:
Oregon
Miami (OH)
Fresno State
Bowling Green
UC-Davis
Tulsa
Hawaii
San Jose State
Louisiana Tech
Idaho
Utah State
Nevada
New Mexico State
TCU

VT Schedule:
Alabama
Marshall
Nebraska
Miami
Duke
Boston College
Georgia Tech
North Carolina
East Carolina
Maryland
North Carolina State
Virginia
Tennessee

Dovetailing off of the schedules is playing actual BCS teams...

The truth is, of the Broncos’ whopping 123 wins in the last decade, only six have come against BCS teams.

The Hokies are 72-31 against BCS teams during that span.
~~~~

Ultimate Keys and Who Wins -

So in essense the Broncos aren’t going to be winning any experience or battle tested contests w/ the Hokies. I think thats one big advantage for VT in this matchup.

My main advantage is, when you take a look at who the Broncos have, or haven’t, stopped in the running game recently, VT starts to look like a nightmare matchup for Boise. With the backfield VT has (power, blend, speed and a mobile qb), and their commitment to running the football, that adds to that fear. See teams like Oregon and TCU abanadoned the run early in the first quarter, making it much easier for Boise to win those game. A Frank Beamer team is NEVER going to stop running the football, esp with three backs to do so. So its not a matter of Boise trying to stop the run in the first quarter, its can they do it all the way through the fourth? Fresh backs simply aren’t gonna be a problem for VT. I don’t see a team that has tested Boise in this manner, so we’ll see where the rubber hits the road Monday.

Another advantage for VT is our team speed, especially on defense. New starters or not, one thing the VT defense always has is speed to burn. This will be VT’s fastest secondary ever, and everyone new can run to the ball like always, maybe moreso. We have a propensity when playing teams like this to keep everything in front of us. So in essense, let them do their screens and bubbles, just keep ‘em contained and let the speed/pursuit take over. Make your tackles and make them earn it with long drives. Most teams can’t sustain drives of 60-80+ yards on VT, let alone all game. Boise will probably get yards, but do they get points out of them? Big, huge difference playing a tech defense. Finally, if Foster is pleased with the 1’s, then I don’t even give it a second thought.

Ultimately, I think VT wins this game, in what should be plenty entertaining. I think our run game, coupled with Tyrod will be more than they can handle for four quarters. They haven’t done well stopping good running attacks, and thats right in VT’s wheelhouse. Conversely, I don’t think Boise is going to be able to run the ball much, as VT will make them one dimensional. This will hurt their playaction, hurting their overall offenses production. Then its a question of how good is Kellen Moore really? I like VT’s “home” field advantage too, Boise simply doesn’t know what they’re walking into, touting bringing a whopping 7,500 fans, to a 90,000 seat stadium, 4 hours from Blacksburg.

Time for battle tested VT to kick in the door this year! Who better to do it against than ESPN’s new media darling? I like VT over Boise in a mid scoring game (20esque), pulling away in the fourth quarter.

Good stuff WT. I like VT to win 27-17. I don't see Boise St. putting up more than two TD's on VT's defense, (if that). Too many people are comparing this game to other big name teams that Boise has played, (and beaten). But this team plays better at the end of the season IMHO. A "right off the bat" game before a hostile crowd isn't a bowl game.

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/vtfootball/wb/258899

The Boise State coach views Virginia Tech as one of the elite programs in the country and its offensive backfield as one of the best as well.
By Randy King

Boise State has won 113 of 130 games the past decade. It's loaded again this season, ranked No. 3 in the country, and a 2 12-point favorite over No. 10 Virginia Tech in Monday's season opener in Landover, Md.

So what, according to Boise State coach Chris Petersen.

''I will say this: We're no Virginia Tech,'' Petersen said Monday. "Coach [Frank] Beamer has been doing that for a long time and they're a national player ever year. Year in and year out, Virginia Tech's name is going to be mentioned right there with the best of the best.

"We're pretty new to this whole thing. I think down the road, if we were spoke about like a Virginia Tech, that would be a tremendous, tremendous accomplishment for Boise State.''

Not exactly bulletin-board material for the Hokies, hey? Well, what else would one expect from a coach who doesn't allow his players to do interviews with the media of the opposing team.

Ruffle some feathers? Not this Boise bunch.

Listen to Petersen.

First, there was the subject of Tech's running game, where the Hokies will run the proven duo of Ryan Williams and Darren Evans, plus wild-card speedster David Wilson, at the western intruders at FedEx Field.

''I don't think we've probably played anything like this, like their running game,'' Petersen said.

"Certainly, not last year ... I can't remember anyone having a backfield like they have with a big, physical offensive line. Which is scary, because you're always about stopping the run, and that's one of the things that they do as well as anybody.

"So it's just something we're going to have to deal with.''

When the topic of Tyrod Taylor came up minutes later, Petersen confessed there's "not a great answer'' in regards to dealing with Tech's senior quarterback.

"I think anytime you've got a dual-threat guy that creates all kinds of problems,'' Petersen said.

"It's really that simple. How do you stop that? I don't know.

"You've got to play great team defense, stay in your lanes, and when he takes off, you'd better have 11 guys running after him. It's probably nothing more concerning than a guy who can run like that.

"Everything you spend all day long on is designing coverages for this route, that route, for this run, for that run. And, all of a sudden, you get a scrambling guy taking off and doing some things, all those plans are out the window. It is concerning."

"That's why I think, not just us but everybody in the country, is worried about Virginia Tech this year," Petersen concluded.

Petersen's lovefest turned to a guy who won't be playing. That would be Beamer.

''I have had a chance to meet him twice,'' Petersen said of Tech's longtime coach.

"I met him probably a year and half ago. Then, I got a chance to spend a few days with him at a function this past year.

"I really like him ... just a really good guy, an easy guy to be around and talk to.

"Those are the guys that everybody is always rooting for and want to do well, and you can see why he's such a popular figure back there.''

Certainly, Petersen didn't say anything to make him unpopular with the Hokies' vast following. Of course, why do that since the crowd at 88,000-seat FedEx figures to be somewhere around 85 percent pro-Tech?

"I'm glad you guys are seeing that as well as we are,'' noted Petersen, laughing.

While the Hokies will be making a 45-minute flight from Roanoke to Washington, D.C., on Sunday, the Broncos will making the four-hour-plus trip east from Idaho on Saturday.

''It is what it is,'' Petersen said. "A lot of guys travel across the country. That's not going to be an excuse if we don't play well.''

At least, the Broncos will be flying charter. Just like the Hokies.

''I wish we were playing in the west ... primarily where our recruiting is,'' Petersen noted.

"I think the thing that's good about it is that everybody has so much respect for Virginia Tech that anytime we play a program that's respected like that, people are going to look at us.''

I think it's going to be closer than you think BB. I'd probably say VT wins 27-24. I do think VT's running game will give them the edge in this one, but I wouldn't underestimate Boise's offense in this one. Titus Young is one of the most explosive players in the country, and is pretty much guaranteed to get 7 points every game, whether it be on a screen or on a KO return. Even with VT's good special teams/defense, I'm not sure they will contain him. Austin Pettis is probably the best possession WR in the country as well.

Boise State has been very successful in the past because of their ability to get big plays. But I don't think they will be too out of place if they are forced to sustain longer drives.

I expect VT to get off to a good start/early lead in this game, but by the 2nd half/4th quarter, I expect Boise State will start to make things interesting.

Don't forget BB, that VT is also a team that is better towards the end of the year as well. VT has played tougher opponents, but that doesn't mean they've regularly played teams as good as Boise State is.

Just watched Beamer on Jim Rome. He didn't sound that confident. He did say he likes TT even more than he did Vick. That's high praise. After picking up the research on this game the last two days, and reading both teams various message boards, I'm getting much more confidence out of the Boise St. side. They are really confident they can stop Williams cold. They think they can contain the VT offense to under 20 points. I know I predicted VT to win 27-17, but I may have to take a TD away from VT.

Boise ST. is still favored, so I'm still going with the upset... VT 20-Boise 17

I’m not sure the grim reaper could stop Ryan Williams cold, so that just a ridiculous stance for them to take. Let alone the four headed monster. See Boise is a confident bunch, but its overconfidence due to the fact that they’ve fast tracked their way to the top against s***ty teams. They don’t know any better basically. You sure don’t hear their coach talk like that. Conversely, you’ve got a cagey vet in Beamer, whose not gonna show is ass 4 days before the game on national tv. If anything he overpraises the opponent b/c he’s too classy.

Beamer has as recently as the past 2 weeks went on record as saying he thinks at this point, TT is everything that Vick ever was. Enormous praise considering Vick didn’t soil his rep until after college. I think while TT is still underneath where Vick was athletically (who isn’t?), he’s lunar miles further in understanding the offense, executing it flawlessly, making his own checks/audibles, knowing when to run, being a leader, developing as a passer, etc. I think he’s come full circle and is finally ready to show it all off w/ the weapons at his disposal.

I can pretty easily say Pettis and Young won’t have seen a secondary w/ this physicality and speed before. So we’ll see how good they really are (and I know they’re damn good). FWIW, they better be worried about our returners putting up pts w/ Dyrell Roberts and David Wilson. You can’t really get more speed returning the ball than that, and I don’t worry much about their spec teams. We’ve got a nasty Pride and Joy Unit this year (punt block), so unless they get us on some trickeration, they should be more worried than us. Their ST coach certainly is (I’ll post below), and wouldn't be surprised in the least to see VT block a kick. Even Beamer who always pays more attention to that has put more renewed focus into it, and the P/J unit sounds primed.

I think you may be underestimating how much Foster will try to make them earn each yard, each drive, all day. I just don’t think they’re gonna have much success running the ball either, so that makes it potentially even tougher. This isn’t the norm for them as they’d like to gash you at some point throughout the spreading/dinking/dunking, so somethings gotta give.

The reason VT and BSU get better (can’t speak as much for BSU, but VT does every single year) is good coaches coach up and gel a team over a season. I can’t remember the last year that VT wasn’t a lot better by the bowl season.


Are you kidding me? Since 2004, out of conference we’ve played USC, LSU and Bama to OPEN the season. BSU has a 1-2 game season, and the rest are a joke. Not knocking them as a team, but comparing the schedules is a JOKE. They didn’t want out of the WAC b/c it was murderer’s row.

VT 27 - BSU 16


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/09/0 ... -test.html

My impression of widetrak tonight:

http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

Sad. Ran out of bounds twice and an incomplete pass to stop the clock on the last drive. Dumb penalties...even though that last sideline call was bogus.But all in all Boise was the better team.

Man, that one took a lot out of me...I had put a lot of eggs in that basket.

Basically, you can't spot anyone a 17-0 lead. A fumble, missed blocking assignment leading to a blocked punt and another f'up basically gave them 17 easy points. Then we decide to actually play, but needed to put the game out of reach and didn't. Then blew the final drive. Not sure what else TT could have done, hated to see him have to run so much out of necessity. He did great w/ escaping, and did what he could when actually given time to throw the ball, Boykin played very well. Ryan Williams can only do so much w/o holes, which leads me back to our oline as a problem, AGAIN. That and some of the play calling too, esp those final two drives. The only other thing is obviously the young D played as well as expected, but couldn't hold them off that final drive (even though I thought they did pretty well considering 7 new starters).

What sucks is obviously vt is a top tier team this year, but now out of any hunt really since I'd imagine Boise is gonna get a spot a the table this year fwiw.

Boise state never loses, therefore every week I pick them and every time they play a named school everyone is shocked. Too bad there is no playoffs as I think boise would have taken out Alabama last year. Oh well thats why the NFL is better than college football and the NCAA tourney is better than the dragged out NBA

They will lose to Oregon St. and probably to Nevada.

I disagree on both, we'll see. If anything I could see them losing to a really poor team that they overlook.