. . we showed the nation what we are: An average team in an average conference. Great year for UC standards. Mr. Kelly will continue to build the program, but there's certainly work to be done. A good step in the right direction.
very disheartening... two games in a row where we look flat. I am sure alot has to do with their power game and elusive qb, but missing tackles is not what i am used to from a UC defense.
Excellent post. While our guys did us proud both on and off the field throughout the season, tonight's game was a step back to reality and a big embarassment for the Big East. I love our players, classy to the end.
With that said, Tony Pike has been a big disappointment. He played poorly, yes, but more importantly he played with a severe lack of intelligence. Bad, bad, bad decisions. I feel bad for Dustin. I believe he should have been given the second half. I'm not convinced Pike is going to set the world on fire next year. He choked big time on a big stage. He gave his team (both offense and defense) absolutely no chance tonight.
To me it was very apparent that the difference in this game was big game experience. Obviously despite Techs poor record, they have been there before. I would hope that if we can get back there again next year, we will play with a lot more confidence and compusure.
(01-02-2009 12:31 AM)SpokaneBearcat Wrote: [ -> ]To me it was very apparent that the difference in this game was big game experience. Obviously despite Techs poor record, they have been there before. I would hope that if we can get back there again next year, we will play with a lot more confidence and compusure.
Good point, SB. VT-decent team from a great program, while UC-good team from a poor program.
As far as getting back there...ehhh...with the huge losses on D and Pike increasingly revealing his shortcomings, I'd say chances are slim. I think this season really hurts the Big East's argument to be included in the BCS.
I really wish people would stop talking about the big easts bcs bid. We lose one and and all the sudden we should lose it? Screw the big east, I'm worried about this team.
NATI, you gotta admit that UC's fortunes and the Big East's fortunes go hand in hand. There is a lot of grumbling nationwide about the BE's BCS slot. If it goes so does UC's football program.
(01-02-2009 12:48 AM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote: [ -> ]NATI, you gotta admit that UC's fortunes and the Big East's fortunes go hand in hand. There is a lot of grumbling nationwide about the BE's BCS slot. If it goes so does UC's football program.
The grumbling comes from the jealous - the MWC & WAC and the little 11 - or the conference attempting to deflect attention from themselves - the acc.
The little 11 doesn't like that there is another conference that doesn't have a championship game and that can get a team into the title game by winning all of their games. They want that reserved for their pathetic teams.
Unfortunately, the acc will have this victory over UC to use for the next several years.
(01-02-2009 12:53 AM)cpawfan Wrote: [ -> ]Unfortunately, the acc will have this victory over UC to use for the next several years.
THAT was my point. Hate losing to a stupid 9-4 team to cap off the best season in your program's history.
(01-01-2009 10:57 PM)bvillecat Wrote: [ -> ]. . we showed the nation what we are: An average team in an average conference. Great year for UC standards. Mr. Kelly will continue to build the program, but there's certainly work to be done. A good step in the right direction.
Good post Bville
They ran the ball at will on the best d-line in school history. Their defense was easily the best we've played all year. VT just a little better at most positions. Still a bit of a talent gap, but things are headed the right direction.
I agree, there was a little bit of a talent gap and I thought Kelly for one of the few times this year was out coached, just my opinion.
Even though they ran on us... it's not like they were much better than us. The most telling stat in this game was the turnover margin. Especially when they start first and goal after an interception. I think our defense played great last night.
As far as Pike, yes, he was struggling at the end of the year, but for the good of the kid and the rest of the QBs on the team, I think they need to know they wont get yanked after every pick, so Im good with him trying to let Pike try to win it. Talent should pick up as long as UC's in the Big East and UC keeps winning
(01-02-2009 10:31 AM)faNATIc Wrote: [ -> ]Even though they ran on us... it's not like they were much better than us. The most telling stat in this game was the turnover margin. Especially when they start first and goal after an interception. I think our defense played great last night.
I thought the Defense played well too, Evans is no scrub, he has ran up and down on teams in the ACC, I said in a thread the other day it was all on Evans, if he gets going there isnt much you can do on VT and I remembered the UConn game and thats what a great back can do to UC. Add all the picks and it couldve been worse, I was surprised at the VT secondary, they were very very good.
(01-02-2009 10:43 AM)icehole3 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-02-2009 10:31 AM)faNATIc Wrote: [ -> ]Even though they ran on us... it's not like they were much better than us. The most telling stat in this game was the turnover margin. Especially when they start first and goal after an interception. I think our defense played great last night.
I thought the Defense played well too, Evans is no scrub, he has ran up and down on teams in the ACC, I said in a thread the other day it was all on Evans, if he gets going there isnt much you can do on VT and I remembered the UConn game and thats what a great back can do to UC. Add all the picks and it couldve been worse, I was surprised at the VT secondary, they were very very good.
A lot of missed tackles because they were going for the ball rather than simply tackling. Its what they do, it just wasn't effective against the Hokies.
(01-02-2009 12:31 AM)SpokaneBearcat Wrote: [ -> ]To me it was very apparent that the difference in this game was big game experience. Obviously despite Techs poor record, they have been there before. I would hope that if we can get back there again next year, we will play with a lot more confidence and compusure.
I'm sure experience had a little to do with it but UC should have won that game 24-20 IMO. I could not believe Tony lobbed that ball in the end zone, no zip whatsoever and it allowed that guy to close. He will get better, he has to or he won't have a job next season. I agree with the other poster about Grutza, I don't understand why he wasn't given a shot when it was apparent that Pike was off.
gregg
(01-02-2009 10:29 AM)icehole3 Wrote: [ -> ]I agree, there was a little bit of a talent gap and I thought Kelly for one of the few times this year was out coached, just my opinion.
Definitely.
I think the main reason we lost is lack of big game experience. Granted we had big games this year against Oklahoma and WVU which we nearly blew but we have never played in such a big Bowl game. The players were psyched and the offense looked good the first drive when they scored but once the initial adrenaline goes away I think they got a little nervous. To me Pike had that deer in the headlight look. From the upper deck I couldn't see his face but the way started to hesitate when throwing or running you know he didn't want to make a mistake.
We'll learn from this experience and improve. And the other conferences don't have much room to talk about the Big East not belonging. I think it was either VT or the ACC that hadn't won their BCS bowl in the past 3 or 4 years, and the Big 10 is something like 1-6 in bowl games this year, Penn State got spanked and I don't think OSU will beat Texas.
(01-03-2009 01:31 PM)bcat80 Wrote: [ -> ]I think the main reason we lost is lack of big game experience. Granted we had big games this year against Oklahoma and WVU which we nearly blew but we have never played in such a big Bowl game. The players were psyched and the offense looked good the first drive when they scored but once the initial adrenaline goes away I think they got a little nervous. To me Pike had that deer in the headlight look. From the upper deck I couldn't see his face but the way started to hesitate when throwing or running you know he didn't want to make a mistake.
We'll learn from this experience and improve. And the other conferences don't have much room to talk about the Big East not belonging. I think it was either VT or the ACC that hadn't won their BCS bowl in the past 3 or 4 years, and the Big 10 is something like 1-6 in bowl games this year, Penn State got spanked and I don't think OSU will beat Texas.
Excellent post. Did we play our best game? Obviously no way. But I'd strongly disagree with 2 issues here......
First the game somehow indicted the talent level of our team vs. some mystically "superior" team from the "really elite" BCS level. What? 370 total yards to 310. We turn it over 4 times.....at 4 critical times & situations..and we still would have only been down 6 w/ 8 minutes to go if we score from the 1 yard line! They couldn't block Bird the entire game. The running back and QB were tough.....but Donald Brown of UCONN and Pat White of WVU gave us problems too. To me the game was similiar to UCONN......we went completely skewed to the pass from a play-calling standpoint (hated that decision), a really good running back controlled the clock and possession time, and we turned the ball over with bad decisions. I did not come away feeling like we somehow weren't in VaTech's league talent wise... in any way.
Because we lost..this yet again brings up the BE's lack of credibility? I can't believe UC fans even help perpetuate this. Alabama laid a complete egg last night, was "dominated" in every way against a MWC team............obviously the SEC is over-rated. The ACC...with it's 12 team league of huge "state" schools, tradition rich programs like Florida St, Miami, VaTech, UNC, etc....takes 5 years to win a BCS game and we react to our loss by indicting the entire Big East? The "Little 11" bombs almost every year in bowl season...and yet their fans continue to look down there noses at the BE as if they deserve or have earned anything. No..the BE didn't have a dominant Top 10 team this year. No..we didn't tackle, mix our play calling, or have Pike make good decisions. But..we were not dominated physically. The SEC and Big 10 fans simply want "more" BCS slots and hate the fact the Big East takes one away. It was one bad game, it was disappointing...but the Big East will continue to get better...don't buy in to the elitist Big 10/SEC bull-****.
Good post MBL. Virginia Tech was the better team that day and deserved to win, but I still think we beat them 6 or 7 out of 10.