Your winning North Carolina State Eye in the Sky!

Virginia Tech=45, Nc. State=24

THX” @Coach God for letting us, play!

Virginia Tech football took a peach in the 1-hole. In a time of partial global pestilence, famine, and left vs. right terror. Or at least a little taste of all of that… depending upon where you O&M fans state or state come out.

Personally, I and the Pro’est Life 4-horsemen of the Apocalypse are happy to be avoiding the glue-factory for the moment. And we are likewise happy to see the 2020 football season finally tip-off… with no word yet from reposed Man o’War or Seattle Slew.

I for one -and I may be the only one, in the media- I for one however am unsurprised that V.Tech won here. State was not really all that and a snap and Florida State aside, this could actually be *the* seminal VicTory that poor Coach-Fu’ has been questing for, for nearly half a decade running. So, let us see what R.A.T.T. went right and a few things that need some measure of maintenance. Although make no mistake men, this is a BIG damn win. And as 2020 innominate(s) wear along? It might even prove to be larger than ^that^!

1Q 14:58 remaining:
2-seconds into 2020 and we scored a… “steal”? Huh?!? Who are you and what have you done with Virginia Tech under coach… Fu’? As Keshon Artis is a physical guy, to begin with, and he was not real virally far from really having to play Mike-Lb in this game… just ask po’ #19 of Nc.State!

1Q 12:19 remaining:
Most curious to see our Qb(1a) target our already outta bounds Wr along the State sideline on this inline route. As neither our Qb nor our Wr knew they were actually outta bounds on the throw-point here. Wild… (as this gives new meaning to being truly: ‘locked-on-target’ indeed).

1Q 8:4o remaining:
Now you know… as in you now know that Crawford has been nursing an August Camp real knee ding now gone full-blown knee-dent. (as observe, he is nearly the only one on the V.Tech sideline who eschews celebrating the Divine INT. As poor #36 literally does not even move; and that’s just not a good sign. (St.Nikon bless!) Ditto: 2Q 12:42, where Crawford plays one play and gimps one right-knee inward downfield at the end of the plunge-play while showing very little resistance at the point of attack to begin with. Dang…M*A*S*H

1Q 4:17 remaining:
Did anyone else catch this… (foreshadowing, intended). As BAX windmills both shoulders to start the drive and then the drive itself starts off with a down-n-out pass play. LOL… you poker-face ‘tell’ this over on the sidelines, not out in front of everyone for anyone to see! (and he went Pete then: “repeat” on this immediate pass-play body-language cue again in the 2nd-half!)

Do you see what Eye see? (mo’ below…)

2Q 10:25 remaining:
Hand cramp champ’! St.Julia bless, as this was NOT the time to ‘throw it away’ as the TSL Pay Message Board is want to have me say. In very particular moving backward and with a launch point off of your hind or weight-falling backward right and unsteady plant-foot. Ugly lookin’ cramp too; ain’t it?

Fu’gly lookin’ cramp, ain’t it?

2Q 8:08 remaining:
Here is the big ole j.Fuga injury… five-eight gets doubled and driven off the LOS (line-of-scrimmage) at the top of your screen, and just gimps or hyperextends his right-knee as he tries to plant his right-foot and hold his ground a bit. Does not look super bad on film— easy for me and my right-knee to say 62 miles away. St.Nikon bless!

2Q 5:27 remaining:
Nice to see Hoffman demonstrating a modest steal if you are a Tech-fan, or a block in the Wolfpac’ back if you are more parts Stately indeed. Either way, at least #76 finishes what he, starts!

3Q 4:24 remaining:
If bowling-ball or curled-up roly-poly shaped Mario Kendricks can sack Qb’s with his mouthpiece stuck in the top of his helmet… it makes you wonder what he can do with his mouthpiece stuck in his… mouf?!?

As Kendricks’ warmed into this one and played a little better and a little better as this one wore on.

3Q 1:17 and the Game of Life remaining:
God Bless #21 of Nc.State. (reported to be a: hip-injury) as this is just never a good thing to see. A cruel mistress this terminal-contact sport, indeed.

Dangnation

Game Duration:
Shout-out to my boy DAX. Who took his demotion to Lb3 (in lieu of Tis’) as a true blue-ribbon of efforting integrity poster boy! As DAX was busting ass on every special-teams play and scraped pretty well to the ball in relief at ‘backer for most of the night (2nd in stops off the bench does not suck; much less, happen!)

Not everyone still pours their heart into every play… and not everyone had never met a jersey that they will always untuck pre-game or a roll of tape that they will barbershop pole arm-tape right on up. “All the world’s a stage” and our DAX plays many a VeeTee football, role.

administering aNesterhesia… 1o1!

4Q ~9 minutes remaining:
Have any of you ever seen the pride of Minisink Valley, Ny. (#30, Rich Cummings) and the pride of Pittsylvania County Va. (Chris Coleman) in the same room at the same, time?

Me… neither!
2 j.Wayne (true) GRITS, 1, dream!

4Q 4:03 remaining:
(A+ special teams) Coaching the, verb!

Time To Throw (TTT)©:

Virginia Tech:
Qb pressured=2!
Qb hurried=o
Qb hits=18
Sacked=2

Nc.State:
Qb pressured=9
Qb hurried=1
Qb hits=14
Sacked=7!

Pollard (a semi-surprise starting Dt1 for the very dented Crawford) may be the very first V.Tech Dt I actually like in zone-blitz. He has a real knack for hitting the hook-zone just right and hiding/disguising his attempt at the same. The caveat raised to the trade-off power is… although Pollard can indeed cover very well at a soaking wet ~260 lbs. in the passing game, his run-fits were closer to roller-skates at times upon breaking tape. As State nearly moved him at will as he wore down a bit.

Maxx Philpott and Josh Fuga are big and good looking younglings (r-Fr. alike). And they are one other thing… tall. As in they both play very tall on their run-fits standing-up at times and frankly, they both need some time in the old-school backbreaking Chute Drill to get this sorted out.

Ashby on the other hand, really pressured the Qb well— truly, as he has found a bit of the weight, he had cut on the 2-week q’tine isolation chamber and moved pretty dang well for/in spite of it. Lucas Duncan likewise was very aggressive as a debuting backside or short side run-fighter; some call this football I.Q. When this really is epic 15-15 Gen. Chucky Yeager crossover or Pt.Guard type field-vision.

The defensive game ball might just go to Mister Conner. The last of a dying legacy of Fu’BAR hitters who is tackling better and better in space. Additionally, Conner also shed-blocks and strung-out-plays until help or the sideline arrived like a warrior on the edge. If double-deuce (#22) is not entirely careful, two-two is gonna be at least 3rd-string All-A.c.c.

There is no way to prove (or disprove) this one… tho’ I do gotta wonder if j.Ham woulda gone to this soft of a Zone with about 20-minutes remaining in this one? Not that it mattered all that much, tho’ former starting Qb1 (Leary) picked up some decent enough medium throws vs. the same {sic: soft Zone} to close. Or for that matter, maybe the ghost of j.Ham just wanted to go very vanilla umbrella coverage and let the game clock play the role of the 12th man to close? Time=tell, here…

On the other hand… you gotta give a hand to the (ailing) Defensive Staff. They sure had the wimp-wristed outside throwing tendencies of both Qb’s from Nc.State scouted Summa Cum Laude. As our Cb’s broke on the ball successfully, or the football itself came up short-hop unsuccessfully time-in or down-n-out over and over again.

On the third hand… you do realize that we just allowed a traditional 18o on the ground, rushing; right??? NOT one of which logged north of 14-yards, either?!? And, and, and, State had to abandon their run-fits a bit while chasing down 2.5-scores or as much as 3-full-scores for nearly the closing 53-minute duration! Did the armchair Qb sharps among you catch that?

In point of WWI trench-warfare fact… how ’bout this… O&M eggs and j.Ham only allowed a very salty looking 2.66 yards/rush right up until the end of the first 1Q of play! This is tight enough; right? After that, however, they allowed a rather user-friendly looking not better than 5.55 yards/carry which ballooned to nearly 7 ypc to close! And they had their nadir rushing/Quarter total in the 3rd-stanza of play. Don’t know how many halftime adjustments were missed or eschewed entirely? Tho’ it looked like we tuckered out on film a bit. As our dLine played higher and higher and that’s a sign of “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” This is only one data-point; granted, and State is downright solid upfront and mo’ solid than most at Rb. However, we need Crawford to get his right-knee to come correct prior to @U.n.c. I’ll Fiddy-$pot Ulysses S. Grant you that one as well.

And on the final hand…  De, Eli Adams might just be trying to turn into a solid pass-rushing specialist right before our very Eyes’.

Longfield Management (Lo.FM)©:

Virginia Tech:
positive: ||| (1 TD! 1 State D flag)
Swiss (neutral): |||
negative: |||| ||| (1 VT flag)

Nc.State:
positive: |||| |||
Swiss (neutral): |||| |
negative: |||| |||| |||| (1 INT! 2 ‘Pac’ penalties)

Jalen Holston really showcased some sharp-looking northerly burst up field on Saturday night— and he and his Roger Craig signature high knee-action look do run with some measure of punchy authority. Nice to see him back and actually looking smarter than before.

Evan Fairs actually showed some real live signs of being able to block out in space at Wr; as he routinely sprang a couple of Qb’s and Rb’s alike with his short-side push or seal blocks invading the opposing island-Cb for Corny & Co. on Saturday night.

Qb passing missing itself was not too too bad, actually…

…although I am wondering if BAX overcompensated for a decent+++ caliber arm as he missed long every single time? (or maybe he was just too dang jacked-up?)

Snapping under HOFF was noticeably improved. As he only had one really off one; and then we had one on Special-Teams as well. That one (in theory) concerns me a bit more.

Catching and tipping with a most welcome double-zero charting is rare. Very rare. Lotta “moooo” left in that steak rare. And most unusual for a 1-hole opening game date to boot. Lotta offensive coaching PROPs to go around for all of ^that^ here. As that’s no small 2020 ask all things upside ‘rong considered.

FIRE…

PROPers at our Qb-coach (Coach Corny), as both of our Qb’s sold their R.P.O. play-fakes better thus far early on into this year. In point of fact, QVT nearly went naked backside bootleg late in the 4th Q for actually carrying out frontside play-fakes for the duration of this contest to this point. “Bravo Zulu” gentlemen, bra-vo!

…Corny!!!

Saw me more oLinemen hustling downfield for the 2nd and 3rd Nc.State layers and at least attempting Lb or Secondary blocking. i.e. we REALLY need to reup Coach Vice, STAT! ’cause someone is gonna come a Vice-Squad calling and it won’t be any longer than the upcoming off-season at this rate. And as good as we did look upfront on O? We missed some assignments or just lacked plain old recognition. The very likable L.Smith in particular ‘whiff’ blocked more than once tho’ he is playing with two dinged wrists so there is that as well. That being said… damnation if Herbert is not loaded-for-bear upstairs! Not many Rb’s look like they have largemouth bass stapled to their biceps, tho’ Khalil sure does. And if you are a true-blue O&M oLine mechanic… did you like or dislike the (plant) fingertip 3-point stance on Saturday night? Not exactly a lotta weight tipping forward is it? (as this almost tips plays laterally or into pass-pro’ itself with so much weight loaded backside or on your heels).

Oline grading… look how shiny that was as a piechart Blocking Ratio goes!

Typically you hope for a 2:1:2 ratio as positive:Swiss:negative blocking grades go per play on average. Tho’ 2:1:1 is unheard of to the science-fact objective point of being… unique! Never seen that! And that still includes at least a handful of 100% blown assignments, maybe closer to 6 or even 7. As HOFF was having to recall a few blocking-calls on some kinda empty stadium (i.e. NO crowd noise) foul-up on breaking tape. Or maybe they are just new to how he does things cadence/calls wise? Either way, as great as this was, it coulda been at least a little better. And if you are Oct.31st or a Vice Squad opponent? That really should be a scary thought indeed.

A skewing thought however is the fact that we had so many longer, runs. Waaaaaay more than we normally do. As five, that’s (5) different ball-carriers had carries north of 15-yards! Or at least 1.5 first downs per elongated jaunt. That’s nutty… and that is skewing the fanbase euphoria and -of course- ‘fanning’ the flames. Plus, Nc.State is an average (if that) defense crew. Still yet, this was a helluva a Hokie ground-ganging (or gaining), night!

Nonetheless, do observe our Pass-Pro’ up above… only 2 Qb hurries allowed is a new record! That’s Gah.Tech Flexbone schematic territory under P.J. And our Qb hit counter will only go up with not less than three full rushing Qb1’s. Which makes for a pretty dang flushing good passing-cup. Let me tell you! (as they have to fear/monitor the escape-artist ˆ3 fear-factor power per BAX, Hookin’ is easy and QVT!) m.s. (mid script: you knew where Ry’ on wheat would be… are you sure of the pocketed domicile of: BAX, HennBoss or Q? Me, neither…)

As the Qb’s went… the Fu’fense was truly humming right along with BAX at Qb1. Almost to the point of outright: “singing” itself. More parts Billie Holiday, smoother, more entertaining if you will.

The Fu’fense then goes more parts, (sledge) Hammerstein, with a boomin’ BASS turned all the way up with QVT at Qb1a. Tho’ this is one helluva a Pivotal change of pace.

Make no mistake on that techmen. And then we have a possible returning Hook-up to deal with as well. And if this was the N.f.l.? Eye’d surely be recommending dealing one of these three potential Qb1’s for help elsewhere if we only could.

So, who should be the starter, now?

the Starter always starts >>> “if it ain’t broke don’t break it

…or…

if it ain’t broke don’t break it” >>> the Starter always starts

You Qb1 tell me down below…
…though Eye can tell you right here… this is an epic problem to have!

 

the takeaway

…we won when how many picked us to win?

Though (“THX” @Coach God) that’s why you come to this, page; right?

And beyond that… and beyond a truly epic job of being short on everything single thing that you can be short on for a college football game— I’ma really not sure what else we rightfully can takeaway from this one here?

…the new normal may indeed suck, tho’ NO football swallows!

Because in all candor… Nc.State looked worse than I had thought in real-time on Saturday night upon breaking-tape. Which is not Fu’ or VeeTee’s fault, mind yah.

***

Nevertheless, Eye now wanna see what we look like vs. a real football team?
And what do we look like when we are at or really close to being at full strength?

Now that may have to wait for week no.3 and @U.n.c.
As duking it our (hopefully) won’t do much for
us/VeeTee this time around.

Although, win these two and odds are we will finish as 2020 North Carolina State Champions!
(though there I go again… putting the cart out in front of the horse)

Beating Nc.State as easily as we did is R.A.T.T. code for what(s)???

View Results

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xxx‘s & ooo‘s

Notice the Fu’fense was kinda on schedule in chain-gang terms, at least sorta. However, it is rather that the Fu’fense hit more Lo.FM. doubles, triples, and even an inside-the-park HR or three here-n-there or when it had to as opposed being/remaining: “on schedule” propper. This is something of a bailout, tho’ it is one helluva a great problem to have when truly juicy individual ballers cover for team this/that.

Observe that the Fu’fense (under Q) hit some deft Lo.FM throws as well. QVT seems to have a backside knack for throwing a nearly too short pass right into the breadbasket catch-point of the reaching back Wr like a stud. This is not just shielding with the nearside V.Tech’s Wr’s shoulder this is a hip-check on a near QVT underthrow, thrown in for great measure; literally!

Additionally, see that we did not exactly tear-it-up on Lo.FM’s our ownself. We just did not wet the A.c.c. bed like State did— and that is a credible start. Now we need our Qb’s to take the next developmental step and start to hit positive Lo.FM plays during negative down-n-distance situations.

As you can see above… we won the TTT metric thanks to pressures and sacks. Tho’ it will be most intriguing to see how O&M green eggs and j.Ham do vs. a truly dual-threat (much less vs. a mobile) opposing Qb?

As the State offensive Staff never stuck to the run, and they never schemed their pocket set-up point away from our blitz-points. That’s not our fault, for sure, nonetheless; the calculus of how much of that is our credit Eye shall leave to you.

i.e. we coached as good as we could to be so dang coaching thin… and yet the State whistles
did not impress me or Coach Shania Twain, much.
🎶🏈🎶

In the meantime, however, this is no small VicTory.

It really ain’t gents.

As Fu’ and company had nearly every single reason or excuse or alibi to go out there and have the quarantined Hokiebird lay a big fat Ag.School O&M egg in this one. No (true) starting Qb1? Check. Four positive coaches in the last couple of weeks, with two still positive coaches out on Saturday night, including debuting defensive coordinator j.Ham? Done. All kinds of Secondary dings, dents, hurts, and off-field ills? You betcha. With several starters, not more than one week (or less) back from cv19 hiatus and just plum having a tough time fielding a team to get that practice work in, in the first place. Yups!

And yet we still pulled the O&M fat outta the Owens Dining Hall fire?

YES!

oOo

As coach Fu’ and Virginia Tech needed this triumph like a dead man needs a coffin and they damn well undertook a winning and excuse free attitude in doing do.

#HealthSafeTest!!!

And frankly, although we just practice-field totally flunked perfect-attendance,
we actually passed this opening pop-quiz with flying colors!

 (as this is the proudest, I’ve been of Fu’ and Co. since the got here)

The Rest of the Story...

So, in the sequestered, cutout, NO fans era… and I have to wonder out loud -and we all know how dangerous that can be- I have to wonder out loud… if the start is not gonna=the finish (way more often than not) here?

Let a Playar… play!

Eye say this as… both teams really flattened out in the final 20-odd minutes or so of play.

Both along the sidelines (coaching) and out on the field (ballers) as their body-language, meta-communication, and/or emotions went.


This will assuredly put a premium on a Vinnie Lombardi or on a Jackie Lambert respectively when chasing in socially-distant stadiums.

That is now way more parts library than they are outright sports-bar in terms of their energy-crisis or lack of Qi. (Qi is Chinese for: energy). File this one away for @U.n.c., Clemson, and possibly @Pittsburgh or maybe even for uva Fu’ture reference.

  

Like the 3Q 11:33 remaining INT return by the not entirely dull-looking Lucas Duncan kid over at Boundary-Cb in the above pic’.

Bet the over on me and Walter Payton simply loving the old-school or show-school signature: “high-step” on this intercepting return.

i.e. with football now being played in near tranquilizer dart mausoleums?

Now is NOT the time to be the enemy offun!

💯

#wimps!

Virginia Tech=45, North Carolina State=24

LETS GO!

Hokies!

bourbonstreet**

6 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Excellent insight & read as accurately noted no football =not good. Keen observation that the only thing slowing down the State running game was State coach Staffs play calling. Much credit to Cornelsen’s catch me if you can offensive as noted at least for one game. The Hokie Offense set the tone and was the alpha of 3 units vs the historical Defense establishing tone. Could be the Fuente Era has finally arrived…time will tell.
    Great to have your Eye reports on football. Can’t wait for to read the Durham Massacre prediction later this week

    Let’s Go…Hokies!!!
    Beat Duke

  2. Always enjoyable read—and more so as I learn B’street Speak and able to read it better.
    One note – your concern on bad snap on punt — yes, however – it was our 3rd string walk-on (?) transfer long-snapper (was with the Hoovers last year of all places). Hopefully we’ll get our 1st and 2nd string back — and/or the 3rd stringer will be practicing all week.

  3. I’m a happy reader – got the quote is was hoping for …”like a dead man needs a coffin”. So true, perfect time to get that coffin too!

    All joshing aside. On your view of things, did you see the new nasty on the field? I’m not talking a pancake, I’m talking things that point to a bit of ornery-ness, steely eyed, iron jawed lumberjack brawling – maybe even to the fading echo of the whistle?

    A second thought came during the game: many opined that the pack had an advantage now that they can debrief charlie w…..would you say the flip side of that applies as well? We kinda know Charlie’s tendencies as well…thus the OL was put in good shape to dominate?

    1. LOL!
      Yah; that one was in there b4 you even threaded it on Will’s pay side too!

      Did you see the new nasty on the field?
      Maaaaaybe. Or, how soft is, State?

      Good take on ole Coach Wiles. +1.
      True. We had to know a few of his looks before he even got to ’em.

      b.street

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