Tech Thoughts: injuries (VT and OSU) and getting defensive indeed!

“This is a good sword.”
-Aragorn, The Two Towers-

Aye, it tis’…

That the 2014 Virginia Tech football starters be, as this top-22 has a much finer edge than most national rankings posit. However, there really isn’t a metric ton of depth in play here folks, and I even ran outta space below to detail the suddenly –10 years worth of experience (Godspeed @ Benedict and @Shuman) 2014 coach Stacy offensive-line.

None of what you are about to read will make no never mind, providing the aforementioned top-22 remain locked, cocked and Training Room ready to rock –Coach God wiling.

However, and nevertheless, we are critically thin and even less experienced at numerous spots; plural, Read on to find out just how much…

Will Stewart writes (over on the pay side MB), and I quote: “First time I saw Motuapuaka, I thought: that guy looks like a football player.”

Ahhhhhhhhhh-negative flyby g-rider, that pastern is full.

What Will should have written is: “First time I saw Motuapuaka, I thought: this guy’s just not very good.”

No, wait, actually, he was pretty close to terrible last year. I’m pointing that out to be mean you say? Nope, I am pointing that out to make a point. Think Gouveia-Winslow as a rookie Whip vs. J.m.u. bad; and less athletic too boot. Slow, pokey, narrow –as in Motuapuaka has Cb shoulders playing the Mike linebacking spot. No hating, just look at the pic men. This reminds one of D’lo and his Jr.High looking upper-body in point of fact. ‘tua also has a history of shoulder hurts; not exactly good or even moderate ones, either.

To be direct, ‘tua nearly caught every single block that came his way last year. He got physically enveloped and could not physically fight his way over the top for you armchair Qb’s; nor was  he -as said above- quick or darty enough to simply squirt bye underneath.

I can rightfully say that because he obviously stands out so much at practice; what with his Predator style haircut; he’s actually rather hard to miss.

Or……….in other words……..?

This kid has improved more as in way way way more than any Lb has from year-to-year; EVER at Virginia Tech! Amazing, even staggering what a modest weight-cut has done for his second-layer game; totally amazing at that. Who the hell are you and what have you done with 2013 Andrew Motuapuaka?!?

WAR ‘tua being Tech’s M.I.P. !!!
(most improved player)

VT 2014 back-up Defense:
1 quality De, and another that is vaguely there; as Dooley has improved not only his body, he has improved his run-fighting physique and someone is hearing he went out and found a few pass rushing movies too boot. And yet, a 2o9 lb. back-up does not cut the D-1 mustard, and it might not even pass the scholastic ketchup in this day-n-age.

As good as this D is………………..it could be, better! And as good as this starting D is, it could drop like a rock with 3-4 nuclear injuries as well. My personal estimate you ask? I’d say Top-15 when healthy; and somewhere in the vicinity of 55-65th best if they get nuked. As we are greased lightening fast, and yet we are mutually paper thin at about 5-6 spots depending upon the severity of your Eye.

Baron and Williams may wanna take me to task at Dt for omitting them here, at least a bit. And I may recant, come October/November. I’m pretty high on the legacy Barron kid myself, though I wanna see him work full and get back in football shape, first. Williams is a solid back-up, very solid, although he’s not exactly cut of starting timber, either. I’m square with Mike linebacking, and there is speed to burn at back-up Whip and ‘backer spots. Ramon Miner and R.V.D. (Ronny Vandyke) bring lead-pipe mega voltage to the field, they really do; so they could enter into this diagrammed equation after some further seasoning takes hold.

However, no matter how fast the rest of ’em are, they are inexperienced and make no mistake folks, these defensive back-ups are bantamweight to a man. The Secondary is better, we’ve got 2 fringe quality starting Cb’s, and we’ve got an overload of talent in the Rover pipeline –may have to move somebody here in point of fact. Fs isn’t half-bad, as Desmond Frye is just a month or so removed from some extra coaching and repetitions away from making this pic.

See what I mean? As there a plenty of places to attack these Bud Reserve “2’s” and most of them just so happen to be off-Tackle or wide-side. (Don’t believe me? Just ask scrimmage#1’s non-penalized rushing total of ~260 total Ground Chuck yards!)

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(this as a rarefied Cut-n-paste from the TSL Pay side MB)

“VT has its shot to steal one @OH.state! (for God Bless reasons)” -bourbonstreet-

Sources say he (Braxton Miller) re-injured his throwing arm non-contact (EDITOR’s note: this is now confirmed; out for the year). Oooooooh, that does not read good sports fans. Like something “snapped” on it’s own.  Godspeed @Braxton.

However…………….VT now has its shot. No really! Look at the pic to the right of back-up Qb J.T.Barnett’s wind-up. Who taught him to have the ball vertical like that?!? Or in other words………..this is a very very slow release. That newbie OH.State oLine may have to pass protect for part of an extra “1-Mississippi”. Think the fastest VT defense in 8 or 10 years may wanna have a say in that? If Bud Foster sees a cut open up; think he might wanna put some extra leather on it inside the squared-circle?

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This VT team will now feel like it has a sneaky chance.; mainly because it (now) authentically does.

I’ve had been toying with this upset pick all summer long folks.

Though make no mistake here, “the” OH.State still out-gains us by say 140-150 total yards of offense. And yet, that’s a whole helluva lot better than out-gains us by 200+.

Is NOT saying VT can take OH.State’s A+++ punch——->b.street
Is NOT saying VT will be taking OH.State’s A+++ punch, either——>b.street

(this is our window of opportunity that just preyed open folks)
(and a crack is a whole helluva a lot better than plain ole slammed shut! Ain’t it???)

 Bud Foster=2o, J.T. Barrett=19

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

bourbonstreet**