Spring Ball 2012.

[Camfantasy]

I wouldn't expect much out of the actual starters as far as the spring game and practice goes either. They need some reps to gel together, and I imagine our DL will probably make them look silly while they are developing that cohesiveness.

 

[sparko]

I have a feeling that our 10-deep DL is going to make a lot of OL's look silly in 2012.

 

[sparko]

HokieHaven.com - Spring Practice Report: Camp is underway

 

[Sleepy T]

Gayle and Collins are going to make a lot of opposing OTs look bad this coming year. If our OTs learn to hold their own against those guys, we'll do okay.

Agreed. Will be a good test for the OL throughout the year leading up to September..

 

[hunzworth]

http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybitter.../06/hokies-offensive-line-a-work-in-progress/ <----- about the OL



BTW does anyone else miss kyle tucker? Dont get me wrong andy bitter has done a pretty decent job but KT was the man in the spring and summer.

 

[hunzworth]

Va. Tech's Painter envisions big year on offensive line | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

 

[Sleepy T]

This guy has always been a specimen and a total beast at his position from a physical standpoint (much like Acree IMO). If these guys could get it together technically they will have a chance to be drafted. We need Painter to step up this year in a big way.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

If anyone is going to the scrimmage today, a quick right up and pics would be greatly appreciated and heavily repped

 

[hunzworth]

ill be there. Doubt ill be quite as detailed as last year but ill drop a few lines and maybe a pic or two this afternoon or in the morn. going downtown after so;....

 

[ckhokie]

Looks like the O is struggling to get going. Like everyone's been saying though, it's like this every year at this time

1s vs. 1s

Andy Bitter ‏ @AndyBitterVT Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Brief 1 vs. 1 period. Defense gets stop on first drive. Maddy beat Benedict for a sack. Marcus Davis with leaping catch for 20 yards.

Andy Bitter ‏ @AndyBitterVT Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Second 1 v. 1 session is all defense. Four plays, 0 yards. Remember, it's all backup linebackers out there too

More bits of D

Andy Bitter ‏ @AndyBitterVT Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Dadi Nicolas with the hit of the day. Plants Daniel Dyer for a loss on a run. Drew an ooh from the crowd

Andy Bitter ‏ @AndyBitterVT Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
High throw by Logan Thomas off Dyrell Roberts' hands, picked off by Ronny Vandyke

THE KEY PLAY ‏ @thekeyplay Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
It's becoming evident why the coaches moved Ronny Vandyke ahead of Nick Dew at the beginning of spring practice. He can ball. #Hokies

Andy Bitter ‏ @AndyBitterVT Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Kyle Fuller with a pretty easy looking pick six of Mark Leal, who was under heavy pressure. 51 yard return

Andy Bitter ‏ @AndyBitterVT Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
From the looks of it, the second team OL is going to have a looooong day against the first team DL

I think everyone has Twitter anyways..

 

[hokiehi21]

Any chance Vandyke becomes the starter at Whip?

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Any chance Vandyke becomes the starter at Whip?

Absolutely! Foster will put the best 11 out there, regardless of class. It is nice to see the D being so dominant with the entire starting linebacking crew out.

 

[robV703]

A few comments on the scrimmage:

-8 false starts by my count, I know that's typical this early put it still peeves me.

-LT was inaccurate.

-Antone looked pretty good in coverage, though on one play he had a hand full of jersey.

-Manning also looked good in coverage with the exception of a PI call on an under-thrown ball.

-Corey Fuller was in for Coles, and he didn't look at home to me. Had at least one drop.

-We brought Dyrell in motion a lot, never gave it to him on the sweep though.

-Brantover had a bad day, fumbled a snap on a punt and had his only FG attempt blocked (protection issue not his fault.)

-Kyshoen Jarrett had a punt return for TD. Showed good quickness. Also looked good at FS.

 

[hunzworth]

A few things:

- We came out with a number of new formations and seem to be trying to incorporate a true H back into the offense.

- Judging by what was shown today, I look for the read to be a bigger part of our offense next year.

- The OL is still a work in progress the first and second D were able to pressure quite a bit today. The bright spot IMO is Painter, except for 1 (that i could tell) missed assignment he seemed to really hold his own. Painter gave Gayle all he could handle for the most part. This OL seems to be the exact opposite of last year, we seemed to struggle with pass blocking but looked decent in the run. Stiney was fired up and all over the DL, Newsome spectated.

- Coleman and Holmes both had their moments today. Coleman had a nice run up the right sideline were he looked both fast and shifty, not sure but i think that was against first D. Holmes is patient as advertised and seems like a guy that is happy picking up 2-3 yards when thats all he has. <---RW was also good at that IMO so at least from that standpoint i can see the comparison. Scales runs very hard, turned a busted play into about 5-6 yards with a nice stiff arm today. I dont mind him as a 3rd RB.

- Logan didnt seem near as comfortable behind the line there was a lot of pressure today. He had his moments but the entire O seemed kinda out of sync (especially early on). One of the bright spots was a nice run that LT cut inside would have been a TD if not blown dead. Leal looked decent today as well but it seemed the WR's were having a hard time getting much seperation and both QB's faced a lot of pressure. Leal surprised me with a couple of runs today. I always viewed him as a QB who could buy time with his legs but not really a runner, but he could have picked up big yards a few times if not blown dead. Leal did throw a pick six to KF, it was a deep ball thrown well behind the WR. Gresh had a TD to Mellstrom (i think) but i missed that

- Marcus Davis was the highlight of the WR's today IMO because he was really the only one getting open. He had a really nice catch from Leal. Knowles also had a nice catch but didnt get to show his jets. EL Smiling also had a nice one handed catch while being held.

- Jarrett had the highlight of the day with a nice PR TD. He is fast and elusive.

- Justin Taylor and Kris Harley looked good out there on the DL. <---as far as new guys. Maddy also looked impressive.

- Exum plays the corner aggressive as hell. Had a couple nice PBU's but has got to be carefull of getting PI. Manning looked good in coverage also, but judging by TG getting after him must have had some mental mistakes. KF is a beast.

Overall its about what i expected out of a first scrimmage. The D looks flat nasty and ready to get after it. The offense still looks a little shaky but again its the first scrimmage. I think focus was a big factor on offense as there were a lot of false starts and dropped balls. The special teams again dont look so special but hopefully we get it together between now and sept.

 

[hunzworth]

forgot my camera could have gotten some nice recruit pics and a few of DW.

http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybitter...nse-rules-the-day-at-hokies-second-scrimmage/

 

[sparko]

RVD gettin love everywhere I read .. He must be KILLIN it though I haven't had the chance to see him yet. Which leads one to wonder. With RVD apparently locking things up after Tweedy, JGW and two nasty LBs coming in with high expectations (Edmunds/Clark) -- when is Nick Dew gonna start bringing it?

http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybitter...complete-package-at-whip-linebacker/#comments

 

[hunzworth]

http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybitter...kies-wr-dyrell-roberts-is-back-on-right-path/

 

[hokiehi21]

How serious is Marcus Davis' hamstring problem?

 

[EvanGWatkins]

How serious is Marcus Davis' hamstring problem?

Not sure yet. He will be evaluated either tomorrow or Friday. If its torn he could be done for the year,I tore mine once,not easy to recover from

 

[hunzworth]

some stats from tonights scrimmage courtesy of Andy Bitter:

Coleman: 6 carries for 0 yards (long of 5)

Michael Holmes 5 carries, 25 yards. Martin Scales 4-15. Knowles had a TD run of 11 yards. Must have been an end around

Logan Thomas 7-13, 90 yards, TD. Corey Fuller 3 catches, 56 yards, TD. Demitri Knowles 2 catches, 64 yards, TD

Defensive numbers are tough to read on here. Looks like 10 sacks. Derrick Hopkins led the way with two

No picks but quite a few TFLs for the defense. Manning, Laiti, Roth, McCray and Hopkins look like they have two apiece

Not a banner night for punters. Branthover with two that traveled 62 yards. Keyserling with one for 30. Branthover 1-2 on FG, Goulding 1-1