Week 8: Virginia Tech @ Clemson (Oct. 20, 2012)

[hokiegrad]

didn't have anywhere to put this, so kicking off the Clemson thread...

JC has supplanted Holmes as 1st string TB per the depth chart on hokiesports.com. Holmes is now co-listed with Gregory and Scales at 2nd string.

 

[hokiehi21]

Hokies: 37
Tigers: 31

 

[HoHumHokie]

What can Bud do to try and slow down Clemson's offense? We have no one who can cover Clemson's WRs. We saw against Cincy, UNC and Duke what leaving our corners on an island gets us. I say we screw the nickel and do everything we can to unleash RVD on Boyd! We need to get some licks on Boyd early and often. And this may be a good game to start Tyrell Wilson at DE. Is T. Edwards back yet....need our most athletic LB's in this game.

 

[Hokie200proof]

I'm hoping for a win... but after a 4-3 Hokie start, that abortion of a Game 5 loss by the Nats, zero hockey to date (and none of the horizon) and the Redskins being kinda "meh" (outside of RG3)...




I'm kinda like - fuck sports. I wasn't even that mad after the UNC loss. In years prior I would've woken up in the drunk tank and learned what I got up to through the court proceedings that followed.


So... Go Hokies... or not. Whatever.

 

[robV703]

So I think I figured our defense out. It's all been a ruse up to this point. Bud's been leaving our covers guys on islands this whole time just to trick Clemson. We're going to switch it up now and play lots zones that will confuse Tajh. I predict at least 3 picks, 2 going for touchdowns. Also 2 special teams scores. So something like VT 31 - CU 24.

I have no idea what will really happen, both teams are hard to predict...

 

[Taz_Hokie]

I'm kinda like - fuck sports. I wasn't even that mad after the UNC loss. In years prior I would've woken up in the drunk tank and learned what I got up to through the court proceedings that followed.

That sounds almost exactly what I DID do after the UNC game.

 

[hunzworth]

What can Bud do to try and slow down Clemson's offense? We have no one who can cover Clemson's WRs. We saw against Cincy, UNC and Duke what leaving our corners on an island gets us. I say we screw the nickel and do everything we can to unleash RVD on Boyd! We need to get some licks on Boyd early and often. And this may be a good game to start Tyrell Wilson at DE. Is T. Edwards back yet....need our most athletic LB's in this game.

If our front four(8) can play up to their potential our defense can at least slow them down some. That was the biggest difference after the first Q against Duke, we starting be able to pressure with 4 so that we could drop the LB's back in coverage or play a safety over the top. I've said all year that we needed to quit putting our DB's in so much one on one, i think they looked a lot better with LB help underneath or a safety over.

I like your thinking about sending RVD after Boyd as i hope we hit him early and often, i also wouldnt be opposed to firing bonner off the edge from time to time as he almost always seems to creep up to the line in nickel anyway.

 

[Lumbee09]

I don't like that Clemson has an extra week to prepare for us. I foresee a similar result as our last two games against them. I'm hoping we get more offensive production since they've allowed 31+ in their last 3 games (one of them being BC).

Clemson: 38
Hokies: 24

 

[ckhokie]

We've pressured the quarterback for 3 quarters this whole season, so I'm not to quick to say that the D is fixed. I am not exactly sure how we're going to guard Hopkins, Watkins, and Ford if Boyd has time to throw.
Clempson's D isn't anything fancy, so if we can continue to grow on how we ended the Duke game, I think we'll score points and it will be crucial to move the ball in order to give our D some rest, but the key really is in getting stops against Clempson's offense. The game being a nooner snoozer helps us.

I think Lumbee is pretty in line with what my prediction would be. 35-21 Tigers

 

[VTfoozball]

I haven't watched much of Clemson this year but they seem like a better version of UNC. And we all saw how that turned out. Maybe if Clemson doesn't show up VT will have a chance

 

[VTfoozball]

That reminds me...UNC installed a new offensive system and in year 1 it's successful. That shows how stupid the talk is you hear about how changing coaches at VT will result in a multi-year setback

 

[awaz]

clemson's defense still sucks.. i think you guys are a little low on the score

49-31 clemson

hopkins and watkins are going to slaughter exum whenever they line up against him.. i almost feel bad for him in this game

 

[hokiehi21]

clemson's defense still sucks.. i think you guys are a little low on the score

49-31 clemson

hopkins and watkins are going to slaughter exum whenever they line up against him.. i almost feel bad for him in this game

VT will shorten the game by running a ton and converting 3rd downs, keeping Boyd, Ellington, Watkins and Hopkins on the sideline.

 

[hokiegrad]

What can Bud do to try and slow down Clemson's offense? We have no one who can cover Clemson's WRs. We saw against Cincy, UNC and Duke what leaving our corners on an island gets us. I say we screw the nickel and do everything we can to unleash RVD on Boyd! We need to get some licks on Boyd early and often. And this may be a good game to start Tyrell Wilson at DE. Is T. Edwards back yet....need our most athletic LB's in this game.

Why would we start Wilson over Gayle after Gayle has his best game of the year, and looked like our best DE in the game before as well? Or were you thinking on the opposite end?

 

[hokiegrad]

If our front four(8) can play up to their potential our defense can at least slow them down some. That was the biggest difference after the first Q against Duke, we starting be able to pressure with 4 so that we could drop the LB's back in coverage or play a safety over the top. I've said all year that we needed to quit putting our DB's in so much one on one, i think they looked a lot better with LB help underneath or a safety over.

I like your thinking about sending RVD after Boyd as i hope we hit him early and often, i also wouldnt be opposed to firing bonner off the edge from time to time as he almost always seems to creep up to the line in nickel anyway.

the problem is figuring out how to get pressure without putting our DBs on an island...

To that end, I am also hoping that we see more RVD in this one. I thought it was weird that they were talking about getting away from nickle going into the Duke game. If there was one game on our schedule where I could see us playing a lot of nickle, it was Duke. So we'll see if the fact that they didn't really get away from nickle at all was them changing their mind (or just talk to throw Duke off?) or it just being against Duke. I'm hoping the latter.

If Clemson comes out in a 4 WR set, sure, go nickle. But shouldn't we be able to match up with a more typical look in our base package? I would certainly hope so...

 

[hokiegrad]

I don't like that Clemson has an extra week to prepare for us. I foresee a similar result as our last two games against them. I'm hoping we get more offensive production since they've allowed 31+ in their last 3 games (one of them being BC).

Clemson: 38
Hokies: 24

I think the extra week to prepare thing gets overblown. I'm not sure it's all that helpful during the regular season, except to get guys healthy, or if you've got a whole lot of things to try to correct. If you're healthy and clicking, it's more a hindrance than anything.

I would certainly hope we can put up more than 24 against that D...

 

[hokiegrad]

I haven't watched much of Clemson this year but they seem like a better version of UNC. And we all saw how that turned out. Maybe if Clemson doesn't show up VT will have a chance

better on O, maybe. Worse on D.

 

[Ballboy534]

better on O, maybe. Worse on D.

Through 6 games this season, Clemson is giving up an average of 27.3 points per game, 203.1 yards rushing per game (5.35 YPC), and 242.8 yards passing per game (given up 8 TDs to 7 INTs and forced 7 sacks). In 2011, Clemson gave up an average of 29.3 points per game, 176.9 yards rushing per game (4.35 YPC), and 217.5 yards passing per game (giving up 26 TDs to 14 INTs and forcing 24 sacks).

 

[wildturkey]

If the defense can get pressure on Boyd, we can win. If not, Clemson will just sit back and pick us apart 10 to 15 yards at a time.

Clemson 41
VT 17

 

[m477hokie]

I hate making predictions, because it is impossible to get it right (if this season is any indication), but I think VT wins in a close one. For better or for worse, we are an emotional team I think, and if Logan is keyed in and the defense is playing with the same swagger as last game, I think we can pull it off. I really think our offense this year has much more potential than last year's, and the O-line has continued to improve. JC has cleared his jitters and if he can get going early with just one big run, Davis will be open all day (yes he is the best receiver on the team).