Happy vs Unhappy: Hokies 2013

I don't have a plan of action or an outline for this entry so excuse the rambling and musings.

Ultimately, the reason I'm most excited about this VT football season is because hype is low and I expect very little.  It's hard to be disappointed when the "feels meter" is hovering right around 0 going into the 2013 campaign.  There's question marks everywhere, mostly on offense, and we start the season against NFL, Jr.

I will be happy if

In the opener against 'Bama in Atlanta we score at least 10 points and don't lose by more than 17.

I know, I know. What? Am I even a Hokie fan?  I would be okay with a 27-10 defeat?  Well, only sort of.  Of course winning would be much preferred and also prove the existence of God which would also prove that Nick Saban is indeed Satan himself.  (Satan and Saban are similar...)  We all have our theories.  But with a new set of coaches, new coaching scheme, the same O-line, and the same wishy-washy quarterback it's really hard for me to feel confident playing against arguably the best college football program of the last twenty years.  Go ahead though, call me cynic.

mrsec.com

But look on the bright side.  We scored 10 points!  Right?  Remember last year when scoring 10 points was pretty awesome?  Even when we lost, watching our clueless offense peddle tricycles down the field and somehow scoring was mind boggling.  Were the other defenses even trying on that possession?  So yeah, 10 points against Alabama with our O-line of weak-hinged saloon doors, a quarterback more unpredictable than Johnny Manziel's Twitter account, not a single running back with college experience, literally no tight-end, and a handful of nobodies with "WR" near their name on the depth chart.  YEAH, 10 points against Bama in the first game might be all the confidence VT needs to go unblemished the rest of the year, right into the ACC championship.

And have a real good time.

Plus, 27 Alabama points means we either blocked an XP (BEAMER BALL!) or had Bama replace a couple of TD's for FG's (BUD BALL!).  I don't see how one can argue that either of those are bad.

I will be unhappy if

We come within a touchdown of losing or lose by 43 points.

If we come within a touchdown of dethroning the king of college football during our season opener with our fresh coaches and offensive band of misfits, I might seriously consider burning down every house within walking distance of the Blacksburg Country Club.  How dare you get my hopes up when they're so down!?  I already said I'm okay with losing this one!  You're going to make me feel like we have a shot and then murder my heart like that?  No.  Not okay.  Either you go out there and win or you lose by less than 17.  Period.
 
Remember Cincinnati last year?  Yeah.  We sucked.  If we had lost by the third quarter, I could have probably made it to my hot yoga class in time but no, you had to drag it out until the bitter end and lose on the last play.  Fuck.  Matt Ryan, too. Fuck.  It's hard to bounce back from a near victory and gut wrenching defeat, especially one against a team like Bama.

Stupid sexy Matt Ryan.

But seriously, don't lose by 43 points either.  If we lose by more than 17, I'll be pissed but I'll get over it in like 4 days.  But 43?  That will suck the life right out of the entire organization.  We'll turn around the next week and lose to Western Carolina or whoever and then my life won't be the same after that.  I'll have to change my name and move to the midwest where football is still popular but so is being sad and obese.  I could fit in there.  Get a job polishing wagon wheels or whatever the fuck they do out there for fun.  Anything to get my mind off the pain.

nytimes.com
48-7 didn't feel good either.

I will be happy if...

The new receiver's coach teaches the fundamentals of down field blocking.  As sorry as our O-line is at blocking, at least they try each play.  Last year, any rare moment a running back made it to the second level of defenders, the receivers were usually standing around clueless, probably expecting a bubble screen or something.  Marcus Davis even procured internet fame for sucking so bad at blocking.  To me, receivers blocking downfield is tremendously more important than anything the line can do.  Decent O-line blocking can net 3-4 yards at a whack.  But if your backs are consistently getting to the second level, a good block on a corner or linebacker means 10 more yards, 15 more yards, or more.

Aaron Moorehead seems perfect for the job.  He was a big receiver in his day (6'3, 200+) and blocked like a beast.  It's fundamental and our receivers have no excuse not executing decent down field blocking regardless of who's coaching.

I will be unhappy if...

Well, if we don't.  There's not much that can be done with the current state of our O-line.  Sure, Grimes has recruited well having only been in Blacksburg a short time so the future hogs look bright but this year is going to be what it is.  Then we have the shortage of high profile runningbacks we're used to.  Not having the established run game is really what I think handcuffed our offense last year aside from having a playcaller who scripted plays that had pretty shapes and no logic.  This year won't be much different at runningback and a starter from last year already got the boot before the season. 

So who do we have?  Gregory, Coleman, Edmunds, ...?  *shutters*.  With these offensive limitations, any chance a back has to net yards down field can't be hindered by receivers afraid to get their pads dirty. It happened an embarrassing amount of times last year.  It was so bad, even ESPN's worthless commentary picked up on it and pointed it out.

bleacherreport.com

I will be happy if...

By the time mid October rolls around, Logan Thomas isn't getting booed in the third quarter.  I don't think the 2011 Logan Thomas was an apparition but I also don't think he was first overall NFL draft selection material.  I also don't think 2012 Logan Thomas is really all the fault of Logan Thomas.  I think 2013 Logan Thomas would happily be a nice average of the two and I'm okay with that.



Less interceptions would be nice, maybe a 4:1 TD/interception ratio as opposed to 3:2 ratio of last year.  And I don't know, maybe some leadership?  Too often Logan would just storm to the bench and sit down real hard instead of getting together with his offensive teammates and deciphering Bryan Stinespring's sidewalk chalk formations.

I will be unhappy if...

By the third quarter of the second game, Logan Thomas doesn't look solid.  Bama is going to give him hell and I won't judge too harshly as long as he plays smart.  But by the time the second half of the next game rolls around against whoever (Blacksburg Summer Rec League Football Squad #4) if he doesn't look more polished, more confident, and more under control then our season is completely doomed.  Panic button, panic button.  Abort.  Overreaction!  Bu that's just me.

We'll probably have to settle for a MAC Tire Butt Plug and Jimmy Dean Sausage Apple TV Bowl against Miami...of OHIO.  But hey, as long as we win...

mgoblog.com

 I will be happy if

As cliche, predictable, and elementary as it sounds, I'll be really happy if this Loeffler dude pans out.  I'm too entrenched in VT football to force my narrow scope of what I want Tech to become outward to give an unbiased judgment.  As of now, he seems likeable which wins 0 football games.  His resume isn't terrible, but that doesn't win football games either.  So I'm blindly looking forward with hope that this change that we wanted becomes the change we needed.

techsideline.com

I will be unhappy if

Could our offense really get worse?  Last year as the exception for wins and losses, as a perennial top 20 program the last 15 years in recruiting and performance, to not yield a better offense than we have is nauseating.  I can't see it getting more disappointing or more uninspired but if it does, consider me quite unhappy.