When it comes to the NCAA basketball tournament, there's a theory among many coaches that all anyone can reasonably do is field good team after good team and get into the big dance every year.
Eventually, the luck will even out and you'll have a team that comes together just at the right time and gets all the right breaks to make a big run. Virginia Tech football has hung around long enough to finally get one of those everything-goes-right sort of seasons.
Texas, LSU and Ohio State are examples of high powered programs that had been knocking on the door for a while and then finally found the right bouncer to let them into the club. Virginia Tech has five double-digit win seasons in the last seven, but hasn't been able to get into the national title mix since Michael Vick was around hurt by painful losses that even the most hopeful of Hokie fans have been able to set their watches to. Say this about Tech; when it goes down, it makes a big splash.
But this year has the potential to be different. This might be the year when everyone assumes a rebuilding job must be done, and then all of a sudden, it'll be November and the Hokies could be unbeaten and ranked in the top five. Is this one of the five best teams in America? Heavens no, it's probably not one of the top 15, but as the discriminating college football fan has realized by now, it's all about the schedule.
There's a road trip to Miami for what should be for the Coastal Division title, but the road team has won the last two games in the series and Tech has beaten the Canes two of the last three times. Road trips to North Carolina and Boston College will be battles, but let's be serious here. If the Tar Heels and the Eagles are two of your biggest road obstacles to playing in the national title game, you're going to be in the hunt. Of course, there are some decent home games against Georgia Tech, Clemson and Virginia, but Tech should be favored in each game.
Does that mean Tech can't use the nobody-believes-in-us whine that helped carry the team to the 2004 ACC title? No, because just about everyone will pick Miami, Florida State, or even someone like Clemson, to win the championship because of all the holes on the Hokies.
The lines will take a big hit replacing some key all-stars with unproven talents, there isn't the running back depth of past years, and the quarterback situation is still a question mark. That's not to say there isn't hope for all the parts to come together, but in a league as good as the ACC has become, everything needs to be clicking to win the title.
And, to beat this into the ground, that's where the schedule comes in. Playing Northeastern, at North Carolina, Duke and Cincinnati should allow the Hokies time to figure out if Sean Glennon, Cory Holt, or Ike Whitaker will be the right quarterback to lead the team. It'll give the defensive tackles time to get their feet wet, and allow the offensive line to mesh
Fine, so it's asking the world for a team this flawed to play for the national title, but once in a while, everything comes together. Don't be shocked if this is that year for Beamer.
The Schedule: It'll be a major shocker if the Hokies aren't 5-0 going into a nationally televised road trip to Boston College. This is a tailor-made national title schedule with only one game, at Miami, that Tech is likely to be the underdog, and there isn't another killer game to be found. Outside of the trip to Miami, the road schedule is a light breeze playing at North Carolina, BC and Wake Forest.
What you need to know on offense ... While the temptation will be to pound away with talented sophomore backs Branden Ore and George Bell behind a big, but inexperienced, offensive line, the real stars are in the receiving corps with five tremendous game breakers to work with. The big question is at quarterback where big, talented sophomores Sean Glennon and Cory Holt will battle with redshirt freshman Ike Whitaker to take over for Marcus Vick with Glennon starting the season.
Best Offensive Player: Junior WR Eddie Royal. Actually, the entire receiving corps could be here with David Clowney, Josh Morgan, Josh Hyman, and Justin Harper all able to put up big numbers. Royal is the most dangerous of the bunch with the best blend of moves, quickness and home-run hitting capability. Now he has to actually produce like a big-time weapon.
What you need to know on defense ... The Hokies led the nation in total defense last season and finished second in scoring defense. While there are some major losses to overcome, the same blitzing, attacking style that made the D so successful last season should work again. Everything will revolve around the back seven led by the 1-2 linebacking punch of Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi. The secondary should be solid even with top corner Jimmy Williams off to the NFL. The concern is on the line that loses three all-stars and needs some tackles to step up and shine right off the bat. Chris Ellis will be one of the ACC's new star ends.
Best Defensive Player: Junior LB Vince Hall. Safety Aaron Rouse will be among the nation's best and linebacker Xavier Adibi is a dangerous player who could become an All-American if he can be better in pass coverage. Hall is the heart-and-soul as the team's leading tackler last season and a do-it-all defender who should be the ring leader of one of the nation's top defenses.
Key player to a successful season: Sophomore QB Sean Glennon. While he doesn't have the upside of Cory Holt or Ike Whitaker, he's the most ready to step in and start getting the call for opening day. The longer he's solid, the longer the other two prospects can grow with more practice reps. With a good running game and an elite receiving corps, there's no reason to not put up big numbers.
The season will be a success if ... the Hokies go 10-2. The game at Miami might mean the ACC title might be out of reach, but considering how many holes Tech has to patch up, winning double-digit games would be a major success.
Key game: Nov. 4 at Miami. Assuming Tech can avoid its annual meltdown, brain cramp game against a team like Boston College or Georgia Tech, the game against the Canes will be for the division title with a chance to stay in the hunt for the national championship.
2005 Fun Stats:
- Fourth quarter scoring: Virginia Tech 123 - Opponents 30
- Rushing touchdowns: Virginia Tech 30 - Opponents 6
- Time of possession: Virginia Tech 32:37 - Opponents 27:23
The Last Time Virginia Tech …
…played in a bowl game…2005 (Gator Bowl vs. Louisville)
…missed a bowl game…1992
…pitched a shutout…2005 (Ohio)
…was shutout…1995 (Cincinnati)
…scored 50 points…2005 (Virginia)
…went undefeated…1954
…won a conference title…2004 (ACC)
…had a 3,000-yard passer…1972 (Don Strock)
…had a 1,000-yard rusher…2003 (Kevin Jones)
…had a 1,000-yard receiver…never
…had a first-round draft choice…2004 (CB DeAngelo Hall and RB Kevin Jones)
