Game Thread: #17 VT vs. East Carolina University 12pm ESPN

[Ragingcroc]

I am still riding on the high from last night but its time to look forward to next week. ECU always seems to play us close. This is the classic trap game.

I am hoping we can get our run going again. It didn't look too great against Ohio State. I think Brewer will continue to play at a high level. Hopefully, we'll have better pass protection so he won't have to make as many throws running for his life.

I think our D will be great as always.

My prediction is 23-10 Hokies.

 

[vtfan15]

I'm sure the rushing problems and pressure on Brewer had a lot to do with the fact that Ohio State's d-line might be the best in the nation. If I remember right I think we had 0 negative plays vs. William and Mary so I expect this week to be somewhere in between.

Definitely a trap game, but I don't expect us to have too much trouble with ECU. Especially with it being a home game. This team just seems to have "it" so far. And having an offense doesn't hurt either .

 

[HoHumHokie]

I am still riding on the high from last night but its time to look forward to next week. ECU always seems to play us close. This is the classic trap game.

I am hoping we can get our run going again. It didn't look too great against Ohio State. I think Brewer will continue to play at a high level. Hopefully, we'll have better pass protection so he won't have to make as many throws running for his life.

I think our D will be great as always.

My prediction is 23-10 Hokies.

I watched the ESPN replay of S.Caroline-ECU. VT will rush for a 200+ and score 30+ Expect Shai and Marshawn to wear them down and get yards in chunks in the second half.
ECU will get some yards through the air, but they will stall when/if they get deep into VT territory. Bud always has a good game plan for stopping the ECU pass attack so I am not too worried.
VT 37 ECU 17

 

[hokiehi21]

Hope you're right but that early noon kick has me a tad worried. Could be sleepwalkin

 

[wildturkey]

It's cliched to say but this is a game where you'll learn a lot about the make up of this team. When the schedule was made, it was apparently obvious this was a trap game. They know it too so its just a matter of being prepared for it. From what I've seen so far, there's little doubt we should win from a talent perspective. It's just going to be a matter of mental fortitude.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

23-17 Hokies and I hope that I am way wrong. This game has me terrified.

 

[hokiegrad]

Need to take care of business. ECU is not OSU, and it's our house, but I always worry the week after a big win like last Saturday... Upper classmen need to make sure the young guns calm down and focus. I think we have the right kind of mentality in these freshmen that I'm not too worried about that, though. Hope I'm right.

 

[Hokie200proof]

I'll be interested to see how this one goes. Noon game against a "meh" opponent after a huge win. If this team is going places, they'll take care of business in a no-doubter (maybe not a 30-point win, but control the flow of the game starting from the first drive).

We're still a young team, so I worry about these games almost as much as I do the big ones.

 

[NickVT10]

Stay focused guys and build off what we have done so far

 

[Sleepy T]

ECU is plenty good enough to upset VT. I like it that this game is in Lane. The crowd will be jacked, the coaches and the veterans will keep the younger guys focused.

For some reason I am liking the make-up of this team. I think we win in convincing fashion, but not completely dominating. Getting the running game back on track should be the focus of the week.

 

[ACC_HOKIES]

It's easy to call this a trap game, but ECU is a worthy opponent without the threat of any sort of letdown. ECU is a pretty respectable team, especially on offense. It'll be a good test on pass defense, offensive consistency, and balance of intensity and poise throughout the season.

I'll be interested in how we attack this from a defensive perspective the next two weeks. Polar opposite offense between ECU and GT/OSU. What translates from week to week? Who keys in as playmakers? This will be a true showcase of the ultimate flexibility of our defensive scheme. We've done this before, and the same opponents have had time to adjust. Let the games begin.

I'd love to see some special teams break out for Tech in this one. It doesn't have to be a block, but a decent return, pinpoint kicking, etc. We've done well in defending returners, but otherwise nothing special so far.

I also want to see some power running developed. This is a good defense to work on that. Sure they will key in, but that's all the better if the OLine can figure out how to move them out of the way. The passing game should remain diverse when we need it.

Go Hokies!

 

[amszete]

Would like to see our running game with Marshawn and Shy take over for this one and wear them down by 3rd quarter. You can't score if you are not on the field and/or the other team's defensive talent is gassed - old school VT football.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I would argue that ECU ranks between 3 and 5 on our toughest opponent list this season. I picked them to beat us at the beginning of the season and I am concerned going into this one. We should win, but this is a really good veteran team that we are about to play. Every red zone trip needs to end in a TD, IMO.

 

[vtfan15]

I'd love to see some special teams break out for Tech in this one. It doesn't have to be a block, but a decent return, pinpoint kicking, etc.

Stroman looked like he can break one at any time. I was impressed with Newsome too. Those two young guys are fast.

 

[Hokie200proof]

Well, this is either a trap game or a game we should win.

If this is the same old Hokies, we have a good chance to lose this one. Coming off a big win, it's a noon game against an unranked opponent... in year's past that's trouble.

What I saw last Saturday makes me more confident to say we surprise ourselves again and take care of business in a blowout win. Anything short of that suggests that Saturday was a one-off and not an indication of a team coming into its own. The FSUs, Bamas and Oregons of the world wouldn't bat an eye at ECU... and we are all (with history on our side) are approaching this one cautiously.

Saturday will tell the tale. If we put it to them as we should, I'll feel a lot better about our chances to get back to the ACCCG or beyond (and far more optimistic about next season as well).

 

[awaz]

I was at the ECU/SCAR game this past weekend, ECU should have won that game. For whatever reason, about halfway through the 2nd quarter, they stopped throwing the short routes that carved SCAR up. There may have been an adjustment made by SCAR to negate those short throws, but I'm not a smart enough football mind to catch whatever it was. Perhaps playing closer to the line of scrimmage? They gave them tons of cushion early. I'm hopeful that with VT's secondary, they can take that away and without those short routes, ECU's offense is nothing special IMO.

On offense I'm not concerned one bit. SCAR put up 33 and the only reason it wasn't a bunch more is because Dylan Thompson looked really off. Lots of inaccurate passes from him and quite a few interesting play calls from Spurrier. The section I was in was getting real antsy about that.

I fully expect VT's defense to shut ECU down. I'm expecting something like 31-13. Just can't let the nice start to the season get in their heads. Have to keep playing hard, it doesn't just come to you, gotta earn it.

 

[VTscores]

VT has excellent coaching, but there were enough mistakes made that Ohio State could have taken advantage of.

Enough self-congratulation over Ohio State. That one is history. ECU and Georgia Tech are next.

 

[hokiehi21]

VT has excellent coaching, but there were enough mistakes made that Ohio State could have taken advantage of.

Enough self-congratulation over Ohio State. That one is history. ECU and Georgia Tech are next.

 

[virginiatechhokie07]

New helmets for the game. Hope we come out firing on all cylinders and don't take ECU lightly. They always play us tough, but it does help that we will be in the confines of Lane for this one.

 

[VTscores]

Cool helmets, as long as they can win wearing them.