Game Thread: Sun Bowl: UCLA (9-3) vs. Virginia Tech (8-4)

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field is prepped and ready

 

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three year starter OG Xavier Su'a-Filo, projected 2nd R pick

 

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Most repeated phrase in El Paso, TX on last day of 2013: What a beautiful Sun Bowl game day!

 

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today's Sun Bowl between Virginia Tech and UCLA has a ton of NFL caliber prospects. The best prospect for either side is UCLA's star pass rushing linebacker, All-American and Lott Trophy winner #11 Anthony Barr (10 sacks, 20 TFL) who is projected top 10 overall

The other big UCLA linebacker prospect is Eric Kendricks who led the Bruins with over 100 tackles but is out for the Sun Bowl due to ankle surgery.Like his brother, Eagle linebacker Mychal Kendricks, Eric is fast, smooth, and excels in pass coverage.

Xavier Su'a-Filo is an intriguing guard prospect. A big man at 6-3, 305, Xavier is light on his feet and is a strong run blocker.

Brett Hundley, the quarterback of the Bruins, is a possible top 10 to early-second round prospect. He needs a big game in the season finale to solidify his stock.

Switching gears to Virginia Tech, the best prospect they have to offer is senior cornerback #17 Kyle Fuller (his status is still up in the air for the Sun Bowl) who was 2013 first team All-ACC. He's a projected 2nd R and is a sticky player that offers tight coverage and is one of the top zone corner prospects in the nation. He has good size at 6'0 and 190 lbs and many think he could be a perfect slot corner.

redhirt senior #1 Antone Exum (who is likely out for Sun Bowl with ankle injury) is a massive 6-1, 224-pound cornerback in the mold of last year's first round pick Xavier Rhodes. Exum is a similar prospect, but his stock has cratered due to an ACL tear early in the year. He has been relatively untested thus far (only played 3 games) and a large part of his stock will be based on medical evaluation. He'd be perfect in a man scheme, but may move over to safety in the NFL.

Finally, the last prospect who bears mentioning is redshirt senior #99 James Gayle, a 6-4/255 defensive end (5.5 sacks, 21 QB hurries, 10 TFL). He's a pure pass rusher who relies on speed, speed, and more speed off the edge. He needs a big game to push his stock in the earlier rounds, as he is currently a fourth- to fifth-round prospect.

 

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Luckily, Virginia Tech has
good depth at cornerback, with
Kendall Fuller and Brandon Facyson
playing well as freshmen.

 

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Bruin beat writer:

The staple of the Virginia Tech
Hokies since Frank Beamer
has been their coach has
been the high level of play
by their defense and their
special teams. While their special
teams suffered this season, the
defense may have been one of their
best ever.

It's one of my favorite defenses to
watch and had arguably the best
performance of any unit this season
in their first game against Alabama,
where they made AJ McCarron and
the uber-talented Rolling Tide
offense (a group that averaged
nearly 39 points a game) to 206
yards of total offense (just 110
passing yards). If not for a punt
return TD, a kick return TD and a
interception returned for a
touchdown (yes, 3 return TDs in one
game) the Hokies were in a position
to start Alabama with an 0-1 mark.
This season, the numbers really
speak for themselves. The Hokies
are ranked near the top of the
nation in a pleathora of categories.
Scoring defense (8th at 17.4 points
per game), total defense (4th at
269.6 yards per game), sacks (4th
with 37), tackles for loss (13th with
7.5 per game), rushing defense (8th
with 103.8 yards per game),
passing yards allowed (3rd at 165.8
per game), passing efficiency
against (3rd in the NCAA), passes
intercepted (5th with 19 on the
year) and 3rd down conversion
defense (3rd at just 29.5%
conversions allowed).
Talent difference aside, this is the
best defense that UCLA has faced
this season. Better than Stanford,
Oregon, Southern Cal or Arizona
State. Most analytical measures
have the Hokies either as the best
defense in the country or very near
the top. They 100% get my stamp of
approval as well, for whatever that
is worth.

 

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Bruins beat writer (cont)

Let's take a closer look at the front
seven and the secondary of the
Hokies.


Front Seven

The cool thing about the Hokies is
that they rotate a lot up front and
all of their players contribute. As
pass rushers, they're extremely
effective in getting to the
quarterback and getting negative
yardage plays. They've had issues
with dual threats quarterbacks and
have yet to play as explosive a
threat as Brett Hundley (though there
are maybe 3-5 players on Hundley's
level as a dual threat QB in the
entire NCAA). Regardless there is
no Anthony Barr on that defense,
they have 7 players with 3.5 or
more sacks. Same thing with tackles
for loss, as there are 8 players with
7 or more TFLs on the season. The
listed starters in their defense front
seven are as follows:
At the two DE spots, seniors James
Gayle (6'4", 255 with 10 TFLs, 5.5
sacks and 33 QB hurries) and J.R.
Collins (6'2", 248 with 10 TFLs, 5
sacks and 23 QB hurries) are the
starters, but expect to see a lot of
redshirt sophomore Dadi Nicolas
(undersized at 6'3", 224 but has 7
TFLs, 13 hurries and 4 sacks as a
situational rusher) as well. These
ends aren't big, in fact UCLA has a
huge size advantage on VT's
defense up front. They are however
very effective rushers and quick as
hell. Think more disciplined
versions of Cassius Marsh.

The interior lineman are perhaps
more impressive as a group, and
are a huge reason why the Hokies
are able to sacrifice size on the
exterior of the line. The pair of
junior Luther Maddy (11.5 TFLs, 6.5
sacks and 14 hurries) and senior
Derrick Hopkins (7.5 TFLs, 11
hurries and 4 sacks) are one of the
better defensive tackle combos in
the NCAA and one of the bigger
combos as well. Hopkins (6' and
311 pounds) was a 2nd team All-
ACC selection and Maddy (6'1" and
296 pounds) was 3rd team, which is
a conference that featured Aaron
Donald (guy that beat Anthony Barr
for a couple awards) and a Florida
State DL that might have 6 NFL guys
on it . They're backed up by a
capable pair of freshmen in Woody
Barron and Nigel Williams that will
see a lot of action in rotation.

The linebackers are a pretty
talented unit as well (it's not
hyperbole if it is true) led by senior
Jack Tyler , who is a 3-year starter
and a next level guy that was once a
walk-on for the Hokies. Tyler isn't
massive at 6'1", 230 but produces
like crazy from his linebacker spot,
recording 93 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and
4 sacks in 2013. He's complimented
by senior Tariq Edwards (10.5 TFLs
and 3.5 sacks) and sophomore Josh
Trimble at the other two spots.
Trimble is the backer that is on the
field the least of the trio, as the
secondary has players that are
required more often on the field
(UCLA's defense loses a defensive
lineman in these sets, the Hokies
lose a LB). That group of backers
will likely be the only players that
factor into the outcome on defense
from the linebacking core.
UCLA's offensive line and running
backs will have a tough task in
containing this group, both in pass
protection and trying to run the
ball. It's a great test to end the
season and should be a lot of fun to
watch how they handle the game
plan a creative coordinator like
Foster.


Secondary

I'll preface this section by saying
that it is a strong possibility that
every player in this secondary will
be an Day 1 or 2 NFL draft pick in
the near future. 6-deep on high
level NFL prospects is no small feat.
Some NFL teams barely have that
much talent (Cowboys and Falcons
fans get what I'm talking about).
The stars are the combination of
brothers in Kendall Fuller and Kyle
Fuller (who may be injured for the
Sun Bowl). The pair are essentially
the same player physically (5'11"-6'
and around 195 pounds), but
Kendall is a true freshman and Kyle
is senior. Kyle had a very
productive season (10 pass
breakups and 2 interceptions in
well under a full season of games,
and still selected 1st Team All-ACC,
2nd Team All-American by Walter
Camp).

Kendall Fuller might end
up being an even better player, and
the only freshman defender that I
would consider on Myles Jack's
level. Kendall had 6 interceptions to
lead the Hokies (only 5 players in
the NCAA had more) and started 11
games.

The rest of the secondary doesn't get
enough credit, as junior Kyshoen
Jarrett (2nd on the team with 67
tackles, 3rd team All-ACC), junior
Detrick Bonner (43 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2
INT and around 30 starts in three
years) and freshman Brandon
Facyson (3rd team All-ACC as a true
freshman, recording 5 interceptions
and 12 pass deflections and ideal
sized at 6'2") are all capable of
starting for the vast majority of
teams in the country and combined
to be arguably the best pass defense
in the country this season. One
huge piece that was missing for
most of the season, but will be a
part of the Sun Bowl is redshirt
senior Antone Exum. Exum was an
All-ACC player in 2011 and 2012
but suffered an ACL injury in the
offseason and then came back and
injured his ankle during the season.
Exum is going to be a steal for some
team in the draft, he's a huge
corner at 6'1", 220 pounds with
every tool a DB needs except
perhaps durability.

This secondary is big across the
board. Exum is the biggest guy, but
both Fuller brother are good-sized
and every player that will see the
field is at or above 6'0" and more
than 195 pounds. The UCLA
receivers will have to play physical
and block well all game on this
group as they can shed blocks, make
tackles in space and shut down
routes in press coverage
consistently. The blocking on the
edges is something to keep an eye
on because if the Hokies beat those
blocks, that will force Brett Hundley
to look elsewhere on screens and
quick passes, which puts more
pressure on the young line against
a good pass rush.
I'm going to keep getting more
excited about this matchup because
it is the best one game test of telling
how ready Brett Hundley is for the
next level. There is not many
defenses that I would rather see
Hundley face than this one (maybe
Alabama or Michigan State). It's
foolish to weight a decision on one
game; but, at full strength, the
Hokies secondary is the best in
college football. Scouts will have
their eyes on this game, for many
reasons.

 

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Hokie fans have been waiting for
defensive end James Gayle (6-4, 268) to
break out and have a monster season
ever since he arrived in Blacksburg
he is a physical freak

The top man on the Bruins’ defense is
outside linebacker Anthony Barr but
he is likely to be long gone by the time
the Redskins pick. When the UCLA
defensive is on the field (former
Redskins LB coach Lou Spanos is the
coordinator) their eyes may turn to
end Cassius Marsh. He plays end in
their 3-4 front
Marsh projects to a 4-3 end in the NFL
or perhaps as an outside linebacker in
a 3-4. He has mobility and a good
motor, traits that could get him
selected somewhere in the middle
rounds of the draft.

 

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Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA

This UCLA linebacker is the top pass-rusher in
the class by a landslide, and he has All-Pro
written all over him at the next level.
Barr has 20 tackles for loss on the season in
2013—seventh in the NCAA—along with a
whopping 10 sacks and six forced fumbles, which
is second in college football. He's lethal on the
edge in containing the run, getting to the
quarterback or even dropping back into
coverage.

At 6'4" and 248 pounds, Barr will be able to
translate immediately into life on Sundays and
will make a quick impact wherever he goes. B/R
NFL draft expert Matt Miller has him going
fourth overall to the Falcons in his latest mock.
The Bruins finished with a 9-3 record and a trip
to the Sun Bowl, where they'll face a formidable
Virginia Tech squad from the ACC. Barr will have
his hands full trying to contain Logan Thomas, a
dual-threat quarterback who loves to scramble
the pocket and is a NFL draft prospect in his
own right.
If Barr can corral Thomas and keep him from
making plays with his legs, it will further boost
his already substantial draft stock.

 

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It will be a big test for Hundley
who faces the third ranked pass
defense of the Virginia Tech Hokies .
While most don't expect Hundley to
enter the Draft, he has the raw
physical ability to possibly warrant
a top 10 pick if he does.

 

[TigerBait1971]

are you writing poems?

what's up with the formatting?

 

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If incredibly talented but
inconsistent quarterbacks are your
thing, the Sun Bowl is for you.
UCLA's Brett Hundley would likely
be a top 10 pick if he decides to
declare for the 2014 NFL Draft. He's
big and mobile with a strong arm
to test defenses vertically. He's
struggled a bit to string together
consistent performances, but the
talent is there. Virginia Tech
quarterback Logan Thomas is
similarly talented but not as refined
and even more inconsistent than
Hundley. Thomas' strong arm and
big frame don't do much to ease
concerns over his spells of
inaccuracy and questionable
decision making.
UCLA has two other prospects who
should both be drafted in the first
two days. Pass rusher Anthony Barr
has the look of a top 15 pick given
his length and first-step quickness.
Guard Xavier Su'a-filo has played
all over the line for the Bruins and
will have an NFL future whenever
he decides to go pro.
One of the more interesting match-
ups of the day will feature Virginia
Tech's cornerbacks against UCLA
wide receiver Shaq Evans.

 

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are you writing poems?

what's up with the formatting?

Its how it cut and pastes on my phone here. Sucks
I am not near any computers

 

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Virginia Tech: James Gayle, DE.
Some of Gayle’s appeal comes from the fact that
he might work in a 4-3 or 3-4 defense, with a
move to OLB necessary for the latter. His 6-4,
255-pound frame might be more suited for a
hybrid role than anything else. Gayle
led the Hokies with 33 QB
hurries on the season.

UCLA: Brett Hundley, QB.
Hundley has yet to declare for the draft, and there
is ample evidence that he should head back to
school for his junior season. On the other hand, if
he does forego the rest of his college career, he
might make his way into the top 10 — the dual-
threat upside here is tantalizing, even if his early
NFL days might be rough.

 

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Tuesday's Sun Bowl is the final college game for
Virginia Tech senior quarterback Logan Thomas.
Whether it's the last college game for UCLA
sophomore quarterback Brett Hundley is one of
the biggest questions surrounding any draft-
eligible player.
Hundley is a third-year sophomore with a high
upside, and he has said he will decide whether to
turn pro after the bowl game. Bruins coach Jim
Mora Jr. said Monday that he doesn't think
Hundley is turning pro and is "hopeful" his
quarterback remains in school .
Hundley (6-foot-3, 222 pounds), a redshirt
sophomore, has thrown for 6,585 yards, 51
touchdowns and 20 interceptions in the past two
seasons; he also has rushed for 942 yards and 18
scores. His rushing numbers were better this
season, his passing numbers better last season.
Hundley is one of the most athletic quarterbacks
in the nation, but he has struggled against top-
notch defenses. He'll see another top-notch
defense in the Sun Bowl: Virginia Tech is fourth
nationally in total defense and No. 3 against the
pass.
As for Thomas, he has struggled against every
type of defense -- good, bad and mediocre. He
has excellent size (6-6, 254) and a cannon for an
arm, is a good athlete and can hurt opponents
with his running ability. But his mechanics are
flawed, he takes way too many chances, and his
decision-making makes observers (and, probably,
his coaches) shake their heads in bewilderment.
Thomas will have chances to impress scouts in
pre-draft workouts, and a good game against a
solid UCLA defense would impress, as well.

Other prospects to watch are UCLA linebacker
Anthony Barr (6-4, 248), Virginia Tech defensive
ends J.R. Collins (6-2, 248) and James Gayle
(6-4, 255), UCLA wide receiver Shaquelle Evans
(6-1, 204), Virginia Tech defensive tackle Derrick
Hopkins (6-0, 311), UCLA defensive end Cassius
Marsh (6-4, 260) and UCLA linebacker Jordan
Zumwalt (6-3, 235). Two Hokies seniors,
cornerbacks Antone Exum (6-1, 220) and Kyle
Fuller (6-0, 194), are top-level prospects who are
battling injuries and might not play.
There are some juniors to watch, too, most
notably UCLA offensive tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo
(6-3, 305), whom some analysts feel will be an
excellent guard in the NFL. Other juniors to keep
an eye on are Virginia Tech strong safety Kyshoen
Jarrett (5-11, 198) and Virginia Tech defensive
tackle Luther Maddy (6-1, 296).

 

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[Taz_Hokie]

Ugh, I guess it's time. GO HOKIES!!