First off, let's look at VT's previous 3 ACC games and what I thought was the biggest factor in their victories: defensive 3rd down conversion percentage. Entering the Real Tech game, VT had given up only 9 first downs on 43 third down attempts (20.9% conversion rate). Only giving up roughly three third downs per game is huge especially for a team that lives and breathes off the kicking game. They effectively forced ACC teams to punt about eighty percent of the time. Against the Real Tech, VT gave up 8 third down conversions out of 15 attempts. We only had to punt 4 times versus VT's previous three ACC opponents punted 24 times (8 punts/game). Nice.
Also, a look at our performance per down gives us even more information. In the first half, we were only averaging about six and a half yards per set of downs. The second half saw us spike into an excess of twenty yards per set of downs. That certainly doesn't hurt. We mixed in nice short yardage runs to run the clock and long, game breaker plays. The lost fumble really hurt 'cause we could've put the Hokies away but ultimately and thankfully it didn't matter.
Defensively, I thought we played a lot better than FSU but we had no answer for Tyrod Taylor. I don't think anyone really has an answer for Tyrod. You can't spy him with a defensive back 'cause then you're lining up a small defense against a running offense. And you can't catch him with your base defense. I think we did the best we could with the personnel available to us. Save the 66 yard run and GT's defense only gave up around 1.7 yards per running back carry. That lone freak play shoots up the Hokies' legit rushing production to about 5.3 yards per carry. The Hokies need to seriously work on run blocking if they wanna take on serious run defenses in a bowl game. Or they need to add more designed runs for Tyrod 'cause he's the only player, to me, that produced efficiently against our defense.
In closing, I thought we played a great game. There was an obvious game plan in the second half and it showed in the T.O.P.. The BDS crowd loved the game and I'd really like to see the Charlottesville Drought end on Saturday.
Also, a look at our performance per down gives us even more information. In the first half, we were only averaging about six and a half yards per set of downs. The second half saw us spike into an excess of twenty yards per set of downs. That certainly doesn't hurt. We mixed in nice short yardage runs to run the clock and long, game breaker plays. The lost fumble really hurt 'cause we could've put the Hokies away but ultimately and thankfully it didn't matter.
Defensively, I thought we played a lot better than FSU but we had no answer for Tyrod Taylor. I don't think anyone really has an answer for Tyrod. You can't spy him with a defensive back 'cause then you're lining up a small defense against a running offense. And you can't catch him with your base defense. I think we did the best we could with the personnel available to us. Save the 66 yard run and GT's defense only gave up around 1.7 yards per running back carry. That lone freak play shoots up the Hokies' legit rushing production to about 5.3 yards per carry. The Hokies need to seriously work on run blocking if they wanna take on serious run defenses in a bowl game. Or they need to add more designed runs for Tyrod 'cause he's the only player, to me, that produced efficiently against our defense.
In closing, I thought we played a great game. There was an obvious game plan in the second half and it showed in the T.O.P.. The BDS crowd loved the game and I'd really like to see the Charlottesville Drought end on Saturday.