Identity: The Key to the Spring

By: french60wasp
on April 17, 2012, 5:07 PM | 11 comments

Before I get into the key issues I will focus on as I attend my first Hokie spring football game this Saturday, I would like to take a moment to also welcome Brian Marcolini to @TheKeyPlay's staff. I have been very impressed with his first post and he will be an excellent addition to the team.

So, after shooting off my mouth all last week about my concerns about the lack of offensive identity in the offense made worse by adding offensive plays that require a new fundamental skill set to be learned by the offensive line, quarterbacks, and running backs, now the Hokies coaching staff has an opportunity to make me drink a big ole glass of shut the hell up this Saturday. Here are some of the key things I will be looking for in the performance this weekend.

1) Offensive Identity

I exepect that if the Hokies extensively use a pistol and spread package, they should showcase the full array of BASE plays out of each set. I have spent some quite moments this week watching YouTube videos of Nevada's pistol offense, and there are a couple of base plays that I feel the Hokies must establish in order to utilize the set in the heat of the ACC schedule.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Nasty -- Closed Scrimmage Notes

By: french60wasp
on April 12, 2012, 12:59 AM | 10 comments

Word just came from the Hokies 66-play scrimmage this evening that the Hokies defense got 10 sacks on 66 snaps. And, that was with both James Gayle and JR Collins sitting out of the scrimmage to do classwork. Either the defensive line will be unstoppable this year, or the offensive line may be abysmal. Let's hope it is the former.

Other notes from the beat writers:

Logan Thomas was 9-13 for 70 yards. Michael Holmes lead the running backs, and a little bird told me that Martin Scales may have passed J.C. Coleman on the running back depth chart... Coleman didn't gain a yard on 6 carries.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Identity Crisis: Another Offensive Makeover in Blacksburg

By: french60wasp
on April 10, 2012, 2:29 PM | 23 comments

During spring football, hope "springs" eternal. Hope and expectations for the following football season abound, and any struggles can be dismissed as the learning curve that every college football team must endure as seniors graduate and future NFLers head to the draft.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

The Million Dollar Man and Unfriendly Space

By: french60wasp
on April 5, 2012, 11:26 AM | 10 comments

As the Hokies start to ramp up spring practice, we outsiders have received trickles of information that have started us down the road of starting to formulate conclusions about the makeup of the 2012 Hokie football team. What are some of mine?

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

You know what get's me fired up?

By: french60wasp
on March 26, 2012, 5:38 PM | 4 comments

As we stand on the eve of another spring football season, I resign myself to worry about the Hokies. I worry that the linebacker depth has evaporated. I worry that all the moves in the secondary rob Peter to pay Paul. I worry about offensive line continuity and new running backs. And, I worry about finding punters, place kickers, returners, and guys who can make things happen in coverage.

But, it is the promise of expectation and potential which brings us back every year and lets us hope to dream the impossible dream. And, when I look at the Hokies roster this spring, the thought of Mark Shuman and Laurence Gibson winning jobs on the left side of the offensive line gives me something to aspire to hope for.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Quick Reaction and Analysis of a Wild National Signing Day

By: french60wasp
on February 1, 2012, 5:39 PM | 16 comments

National Signing Day certainly turned into a festival atmosphere for Hokie fans, with tons of positives coupled with some negatives to give both the most ardent homer and the most disaffected crumudgeon plenty to talk about.

The Hokies were able to secure two of their top three remaining targets in multi-talented athlete Joel Caleb and bruising defensive end prospect Ken Ekanem. Meanwhile, Koren Kirven disappointed Hokie fans by joining Nick Saban's NFL machine down in Tuscaloosa. Finally, the Hokie blogosphere and twitterverse went crazy as MARGINAL linebacker prospect Ja Wand Blue decommitted and headed down to the Harvard of the South in Coral Gables.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Hokie Prospect Review: Trey Edmunds/Woody Baron

By: french60wasp
on January 27, 2012, 3:04 PM | 7 comments

Top of the weekend to you fellow Hokie fans. We are knee deep into recruiting season, and as always, it is time to get excited about the new faces of the Hokie program. Today, I have watched some video on two commitments for the Hokies next season, Trey Edmunds and Woody Baron.

Trey Edmunds

Edmunds is a 6'2 210 linebacker/running back from Dan River High School in Ringgold, Virginia. With a deep running back class already committed, the Hokies are projecting Edmunds to play linebacker, by most accounts at the backer position. Edmunds was a Parade All-American whose production from both sides of the ball was outstanding (similar to Darren Evans, who was a 3 star recruit but was also a Parade All American. Edmunds is ranked as a 4 star by Rivals.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

A Game of Inches: Reviewing a Heartbreaking Sugar Bowl Loss

By: french60wasp
on January 4, 2012, 3:58 PM | 41 comments

I woke up this morning with teeth gritted, brain throbbing, and my heart aching. The Hokies played their collective asses off last night, and for the outcome to be what it was just makes you sick to your stomach for those kids. The defensive line, perhaps for the first time since the injury to Antoine Hopkins, completely dominated the line of scrimmage. The Hokie secondary (after a couple of hickups early) was a ballhawking unit. The linebackers did all that was asked to make Denard Robinson look like a freshman without a clue. Logan Thomas and his receivers had an outstanding game.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Bitter Pills: Lessons Learned from a Crushing Defeat

By: french60wasp
on December 4, 2011, 9:06 AM | 14 comments

Some days you are the hammer. Some days you are the nail. On Saturday, the Hokies were the board. The Hokies faced a perfect storm of an offense that utilized misdirection to completely counteract the Hokies "gap-scheme" defensively, coupled with a Clemson defensive line that completely manhandled the left side of the Hokies offensive line and their center all night. When VT did have time, their playmakers didn't make plays. It is easy to be upset with the final score, play calling, officiating, or whatever the gripe. I have tried very hard to remain calm and analytical both during and after the game.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

ACC Championship Preview: Act Like You Have Been There

By: french60wasp
on November 30, 2011, 2:51 PM | 7 comments

Well folks, our long journey has brought us full circle. The Hokies arrive in Charlotte prepared to face a Clemson team which dominated them in Blacksburg several months ago. The Hokies have improved their level of play since that loss, as several key receivers have returned to health, Logan Thomas has gone from a question mark to THE ANSWER, and the defense has seen growth from their young players standing in for injured defensive stalwarts. Clemson however, stumbles into this game as losers of 3 of their last 4, including being dominated at the hands of South Carolina (who was without several top offensive weapons including Marcus Lattimore.) Vegas has established the Hokies as solid favorites, despite Clemson's win in Blacksburg.

Continue Reading »
DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Pages