Virginia Tech Game Day - Week 9

Dan E. Dangerously · Nov 9, 2013

The season is two-thirds over with and Miami still controls their destiny for the Coastal Division. The Hokies are coming to town and it wont be easy. Get hyped.

ANDY: ...You think you'll ever get out of here?

RED: Me? Yeah. One day when I got a long, white beard and two or three marbles rolling around upstairs. They'll let me out.

ANDY: Tell you where I'd go. Zihuatanejo.

RED: Zihua...?

ANDY: Zihuatanejo. It's in Mexico. A little place on the Pacific Ocean. You know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific? They say it has no memory. That's where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory. Open up a little hotel right on the beach. Buy some worthless old boat and fix it up new. Take my guests out charter fishing.

RED: Zihuatanejo?

ANDY: In a place like that, I could use a man that knows how to get things.

RED: I don't think I could make it on the outside, Andy. I've been in here most of my life. I'm an institutional man now. Just like Brooks was.

ANDY: Well, you underestimate yourself.

RED: I don't think so. In here I'm the guy who can get things for you, sure, but outside all you need is the Yellow Pages. ****, I wouldn't even know where to begin. Pacific Ocean? ****! About to scare me to death, somethin' that big.

ANDY: Not me. I didn't shoot my wife and I didn't shoot her lover, and whatever mistakes I made I've paid for them and then some. That hotel, that boat... I don't think that's too much to ask.

RED: I don't think you ought' a be doing this to yourself, Andy! This is ****** pipe dreams! I mean Mexico's in the way the **** down there, and you're in here, and that's the way it is!

ANDY: Yeah, right. That's the way it is. It's down there, and I'm in here. I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living... or get busy dying.

That whole scene from Shawshank sums up the past 10 years for the Miami Hurricanes and it's fan base. Years of never knowing when we'll be near the top of this awful league and out of irrelevance. Becoming accustomed to our present state (Cokerized/Shannonized) and not sure if we can actually hang with the big boys. Yet like the pathetic mopes we are, we still find solace in the fact that someday it will eventually happen. All of that goes on until someone finally says they're done waiting, and does something about it.

We win tonight, and Duke is the only team that stands between us and a rematch with FSU. In the rare occasions that we had these kind of opportunities we've crapped the bed. Not again. We can't. If we lose to them today, don't get your hopes up on them blowing another game to an awful team. Virginia Tech is only good for 2, maybe 3, awful losses per year. I think they've maxed out already. We aren't going to backdoor our way into Charlotte this year. We need to win the division outright and that starts today.

Where: Joe Robbie/ Pro Player/Dolphins/Dolphin/Land Shark/Sun Life Stadium

Who: Virginia Tech Hokies (6-3) vs. #11 Miami Hurricanes (7-1)

When: 7:00 pm/et

How:

3 obvious story lines for UM in this game:

1. Can one of Duke's backups step up in his absence?
2. Can Miami win the special teams battle?
3. Can Miami protect the football?

With Duke out for the rest of the year, Dallas Crawford moves into a starting role this week. It also means that guys like Clements, Hagens, Edwards, and Tucker will be forced to get more time as well. Obviously none of these guys can replace what Duke brings. With all due respect to Crawford and his performance against UNC, Virginia Tech is a **** of a lot better defensive team. The ground game is going to struggle if these guys can't step it up as a unit.

Last year Miami won this game largely because they got great field position on 2 big special teams plays. One was a big kickoff return by Duke Johnson, the other a blocked punt by Gabe Terry. Neither of them will be playing tonight. UM's special teams haven't done a whole lot this year. So it would be nice for them to make an impact in this game, or at the very least, not have some kind of meltdown that allows the Hokies to make a big play. I don't really care if they score from it, I just don't want to hear the announcers say the phrase Beamer Ball.

As much as we like to pat our defense on the back for forcing turnovers, Virginia Tech has forced just as many. They can get to the quarterback and they've got ball-hawking DB's coming out of their ears. If Morris get's pressured by Gayle or Nicolas and lofts some awful pass, their DB's will be there to make the pick. The Fuller's and freshman Brandon Facyson are always lurking in the secondary. We're going to have a hard enough time moving the ball on these guys without Duke and Dorsett, so protecting the ball will be paramount.

Last time they met: November 1, 2012

[video=youtube;6KdZBTgLNgk]www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KdZBTgLNgk[/video]

What we said in our recap:

Me said:
...UM needed to seal this game now, and finally put a drive together. They hadn't gotten a 1st down since Walford's catch on a drag route in the 2nd quarter. Morris finds a wide open Scott for a big gain, and after that Miami's offense got out of their funk. Mike James started running downhill for the first time all game and was punishing defenders when he lowered his shoulder. Fisch calls another Dorsett to Morris throwback that goes for a big gain. Duke Johnson punches it in later to make it 27-12 UM.

UM's defense started to pin their ears back now, and Olsen Pierre started living up to his 'Lucifer' nickname. He recorded a sack and deflected pass on back to back plays to force another punt.

Duke broke a big run off the left tackle and UM started bleeding the clock. Eventually Wieclaw tacked on his 3rd field goal of the game to make it 30-12...

I hate Virginia Tech.

Know your enemy: The Key Play

What they're saying:

Mason said:
...Did you know that Virginia Tech has gained more yards than their opponent in every game this year, except against North Carolina? UNC only gained 35 more yards than the Hokies, but they also turned the ball over 3 more times. "Total Offense" is easily one of the most overrated statistics in all of football. Turnover margin and red zone TD efficiency, those are the two numbers you need to look at at the end of a game. If your team wins those two, they're golden.

Thomas can't afford to be careless with the football for a third week in a row. Virginia Tech will not win this game if he is. Early in the ACC schedule, Thomas did a really good job at playing within himself and not getting crazy with the ball. He didn't throw an interception for over a month. My point is, Thomas has shown he's capable of being smart with the football. Of course, his receivers haven't been blameless either. A couple of Thomas's recent interceptions have come on plays where he's put the ball on the receiver and the receiver didn't bring the ball in. That can't happen against Miami.

Virginia Tech's defense is tied for second in the nation with 17 interceptions this year. Miami has thrown 12 interceptions this season, placing them in a tie with Virginia Tech and a bunch of other schools for 104th worst. Torrian Gray's secondary is primed to have a big game, if they are healthy enough to get the job done. Even if Kyle Fuller isn't ready to go on Saturday, the three other corners (Exum, Kendall, and Facyson) are capable of making plays. Exum didn't look like his old self on the field yet, but this could be the perfect game (and opponent) to open up the daycare. When that switch comes on, this secondary will be frightening. Interceptions are a team affair, and the ball hawks will need good pressure from their pass rush, but I believe the Hokie front-four is up to the task. It sure would be nice to not only see Tech win the turnover battle, but to see the defense turn one of those turnovers into a touchdown...

I hate these guys too.

Miami Notes

1. Deon Bush's INT last week made his dad feel a bit better.
2. Dallas Crawford is eager for the opportunity to start.
3. Miami has been focusing on 3rd down defense this week.

Virginia Tech Notes

1. Thomas and the Hokies hope to turn their season around this week.
2. Frank Beamer wants to be BFF's with Al Golden.
3. Hokies' coaches swear there is not a QB controversy.

Favorite Virginia Tech related Image, Photoshop, Video or Gif:

/splace

Miami Roster Stuff

2 Deep Depth Chart

Date	Pos	Player	Injury	Status
Miami Injuries
11/04/13	DL	Olsen Pierre	Leg	Questionable
11/03/13	RB	Duke Johnson	Ankle	Out For Season
10/20/13	WR	Phillip Dorsett	Knee	Out Indefinitely
08/15/13	OL	Danny Isidora	Foot	Out Indefinitely
08/15/13	OL	Hunter Knighton	Shoulder	Out For Season

Virginia Tech Roster Stuff

2 Deep Depth Chart

Date	Pos	Player	Injury	Status
Virginia Tech Injuries
11/07/13	OL	Brent Benedict	Foot	Probable
11/04/13	DB	Brandon Facyson	Concussion	Probable
11/04/13	DB	Kyle Fuller	Groin	Probable
11/04/13	WR	Willie Byrn	Back	Questionable
11/03/13	LB	Chase Williams	Hamstring	Questionable
11/03/13	DL	Ken Ekanem	Hamstring	Questionable
11/03/13	DL	Matt Roth	Head	Questionable
11/03/13	P	Mitchell Ludwig	Leg	Questionable
09/19/13	LB	Devin Vandyke	Knee	Out For Season
09/18/13	DT	Corey Marshall	ACL	Out For Season
08/30/13	TE	Ryan Malleck	Shoulder	Out For Season
08/20/13	OL	Adam Taraschke	Personal	Has Left Team
08/20/13	CB	Davion Tookes	Personal	Has Left Team
08/20/13	DL	Jarontay Jones	Personal	Has Left Team
08/15/13	OL	Mark Shuman	Knee	Out Indefinitely
08/15/13	LB	Ronny Vandyke	Shoulder	Out For Season
08/15/13	RB	Tony Gregory	Knee	Out For Season
08/13/13	CB	Donaldven Manning	Personal	Has Left Team

Game Day Character:

Andy Dufresne said:
Yeah, right. That's the way it is. It's down there, and I'm in here. I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living...or get busy dying.