Georgia Tech Steals a 'T' and 'W'

Alex will have a post-game story published in a little bit. I'm dejected and frustrated by that loss, so I wanted to pen some gut reactions.

Michael Brewer trusts his arm too much. Forget the three interceptions for a moment. There were several other balls he completed into windows draped with Georgia Tech coverage that looked like interceptions when the ball left his hand. The picks are unexplainable given the circumstances. Brewer threw the first when VT was up 13-3, that lead to a GT touchdown. VT led 16-10 when he tossed the second, a Bees' pick 6. The last came at 24-all. Georgia Tech used the generous field position to ice the clock and bang a game winner through the uprights. He completed 72% of his throws on the day for 297 yards. Given how well he moved the offense throughout the afternoon, the risks he took were unnecessary.

Brewer seems to be a mix of game manager and gunslinger. This offense is more talented than last season, but not good enough to recover from its own mistakes. If the quarterback competition was as close as the coaches made it out to be in August, Brewer should have to earn his job in practice this week. This offense won't consistently be successful with a quarterback that averages two interceptions a game and is careless with the football.

Scot Loeffler must trust Brewer too, because he kept giving him the opportunity to air it out. On the Virginia Tech series before Georgia Tech's fourth quarter game-tying drive, Shai McKenzie ripped off a 6-yard run. There was about 6 minutes and counting in the game. This was the time for Loeffler to feed the beast and manage the clock. I'm no more than a knucklehead with a Computer Science degree that writes about football, but I thought Loeffler would go back to Shai two more times. Instead he dialed up a bubble screen that lost 4 yards and was almost jumped back to the house. That play's been moderately successful for the Hokies this season, but given the time and score, why risk the throw.

Thus far this season, the short passing game has picked up the slack for the struggling run game, but Georgia Tech trotted out the worst defensive front the Hokies have faced all season. I loved the way Tech opened the game: rush, rush to setup a manageable third-and-six 17-yard completion to Rogers out of the backfield. I thought the would signal the Hokies leaning on the run in early downs more often, but that wasn't the case.

According to cfbstats.com, Virginia Tech averaged 9.3 penalties per game through last week, only 8 teams averaged more. Twelve more flags (79 yards) today, will keep Tech among the nation's worst. I don't know if Tech's attracting all that laundry because it's careless and undisciplined, or because the coaches don't have sufficient time to teach during the week. Practice time in college is a precious limited resource, and many of the penalties have come before the snap because Tech tried to substitute too late. Knowing when to be on and off the field is a basic requirement for playing football, but Tech's schemes are complex and there are a multitude of packages.

If he's healthy and can carry the load, Shai McKenzie should be the starting tailback, no questions asked. Not only does he pass the eye test, the kid can cut on a dime, then rev up his legs to run through a tackle, but he's got the stats to back it up.

I don't know how anyone can look at those numbers and not conclude he should be getting the bulk of the carries. He's earned it.

Everyone else who writes about Virginia Tech is going to roast the defensive backs, so I'm not. Bud's demanding a bunch from his back-end playing in man coverage, and unfortunately when there's a breakdown, it's magnified because the defensive backs are on an island without a rescue ship in sight.

Former Virginia Tech clipboard holder (quarterback) Jeff Beyer provided spot-on analysis for the Bees' game-tying score.

Gotta hand it to Thomas there, threw into the blitz, and a little pump fake to throw off the db.— Jeff Beyer (@jbeyer16) September 20, 2014

Bud brought the blitz from the boundary, one of his favorite attacks because he's had plenty of success with it. Neither blitzer can disrupt quarterback Justin Thomas enough. Donovan Riley is in man coverage, and he gets fooled for a second too long by Thomas' pump fake. That's all it takes.

Thomas played a gutsy game today rushing 22 times for 165 yards, credit him for making a subtle, yet back-breaking play.

Virginia Tech did positive things too. Chase Williams flew around Worsham Field like a man possessed and wrapped up just about everything in arm's length of him.

Corey Marshall made this million dollar play.

The freshman wideouts danced again. Isaiah Ford caught 8 balls for 114 yards. Cam Phillips hauled in 6 passed for 79 yards.

Unfortunately, the only thing that'll be remembered about this afternoon is the loss. When Hokies took the early 13-3 lead, I thought they'd push Georgia Tech around bully their way to a victory. Instead, the Yellow Jackets took advantage of three unforced errors and snuck out of Blacksburg with the 'T' and 'W'.

The regular season is a third over. Put your hand up if you had Tech winning in the 'Shoe then dropping back-to-back games in Lane; moving on then. Tech's 2014 campaign isn't a lost cause yet, not by a long shot. The Coastal Division is going to be a bumpy ride for all teams involved. Each team is flawed enough to where a sweep, or even finishing with a single conference loss, seems unlikely.

However, if the Hokies don't nix the penalties, take care of the football, and improve in coverage, this team won't win on the road in Chapel Hill and Pittsburgh. Tech could reach the halfway point of the season in October with nothing to play for except a win against the 'Hoos.