TechSideline.com: 2006-07 Hokie Hotline Notes for 11/13/06

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2006-07 Hokie Hotline Notes for 11/13/06

by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com
Associate Editor
Nov 14, 2006

The Hokie Hotline (football and basketball season)

When: Every Monday from 7:00-9:00 during football season, 7:00-8:00 during basketball season.

Where: Click here for a list of radio stations, and to find the link for listening to the show on the Internet (look to the right on the hokiesports.com page that loads when you click the link). You can also watch the archive on hokietv.com.

Bud Foster

They aren't big on defensive stats right now. If they win the next two games and finish #1 in total defense, then he'll be very proud. He thinks Wake Forest and Virginia Tech are playing better than any team in the ACC right now.
Foster went back to the Georgia Tech game and said some of that was his fault. He messed up on a couple of play calls. The Boston College game was closer than the score indicated, and the defense played well.
The defensive line has really progressed. Not only the starters, but the backups. Cordarrow Thompson and Kory Robertson have played very well the last three weeks. That has been a key to the defense improving.
Pound for pound, Brandon Flowers is one of the best football players the Hokies have had. He is a great cover guy, and he is very physical. His consistency is his best attribute. He understands the game very well.
Macho Harris made a great interception against Kent State, but he was injured on the play. He stayed out of drills on Monday. Foster thinks he is going to play on Saturday. He has been playing very well lately.
Brenden Hill has really turned into a good football player. He has come a long way as a person and a player in this program. He is a very athletic guy out in space. Foster wishes he had another year.
Wake tries a lot of misdirection. The Hokies have to stay at home on defense and play disciplined football. Wake forces you to play assignment football, and if you don't, you'll get beat.
Wake has some talent on offense. Kevin Marion and Willie Idlette are very dangerous with the ball in their hands.
Foster said he is very pleased with this group. They are playing as a team and playing for each other. They are disciplined, and overall they are playing great defense.
The mark of a great defense is tackling. The game comes down to blocking, tackling, securing your gap and playing fundamentals. The teams that execute those things the best will win.
The Hammer Award for biggest hit went to Brandon Flowers this week. He made a great play with a big hit on the receiver on Saturday.
The lunch pail is currently residing in Bud Foster's office.
Florida State and Boston College played Wake Forest's offense well, they just lost concentration a couple of times and gave up big plays. That has happened to a number of teams this year.

Jim Weaver

There are still tickets remaining to the Wake Forest game on Saturday.
There should be some bowl reps at the Tech-Wake game on Saturday, but Weaver isn't sure who.
A lot of scenarios still point to the Gator Bowl. Weaver said it is still a possibility, but the Hokies need to finish the season first and let the bowls shake themselves out.
Butch Davis can't start contacting recruits for UNC until he officially takes over when the Tar Heels' season is over. But he will be familiarizing himself with the state of North Carolina and the top recruits.
Weaver said he isn't sure if the current stadium expansion situation will have an effect on future plans for expansion. He hasn't been briefed on the situation in some time.
Weaver said booing isn't as important to him as other things. But he has gotten some complaints from Tech fans about booing the visiting team, so he feels it's his job to try to do something about it.
Weaver said the athletic department tried to work with Tech people in the Maryland-DC area to build awareness about the BB&T Classic in the Verizon Center against GW and how to get group seating for the event.

Frank Beamer

Some players played well against Kent State, and others didn't. Not everyone showed up with the correct focus and intensity. Some players didn't go all out. Offensively, if one guy messes up, then the play is going to look very bad.

It’s human nature to not be as ready mentally for Kent State, a team who just lost to Buffalo, after you have just beaten Clemson and Miami. But the team has to be ready to play Wake Forest this weekend.

If the Hokies keep winning, they will go to a great bowl because their fans travel so well. But right now they need to beat Wake Forest.

Having so many early commitments has changed the recruiting strategy so much. Mostly the staff is talking to players who have already committed. They don't have a lot of spots left, so they aren't talking to too many uncommitted players. Also, they can get a head start on the 2008 recruiting class.

Right now the offense just needs time. Sean Glennon has played "very, very well." A couple of injuries on the offensive line set the team back, and there is a lot of youth. They have good coaches that know what they're doing.

Beamer looks forward to getting some offensive linemen in the next recruiting class. They got behind on offensive linemen, and that's showing up right now. But they are about to make up for that.

Nick Marshman had some good plays against Kent State. He also had some bad plays. He should improved this week because he got reps in a game. Brandon Frye is questionable for Wake Forest, as is Macho Harris. Greg Boone is doubtful, and Cam Martin is out.

You have to adapt your offense around what kind of quarterback you have and what kind of running back you have. But you try to recruit players who fit your system the best. Some players on Tech's offensive line need to get a bit tougher.

Wake Forest has done a great job. They lost their starting quarterback and starting tailback at the beginning of the season, yet they are still 9-1. Jim Grobe has done a great job of coaching. Besides having talent, they are playing with confidence.

Sean Glennon is throwing the ball well for the most part, and making good decisions for the most part. Mike O'Cain has done a good job working with him. Ike Whitaker has talent, and they would like to take advantage of it, but it's really hard to get him on the field.

But if they played both quarterbacks, and something went wrong with Ike, then that could kill the chemistry of the team. Too many bad things can happen with the situation. Florida State and Miami are having quarterback controversies, and look at how those teams are struggling.

Florida State and Miami have tried going with their backup quarterback, who happens to be more athletic than the starter, but it didn't work very well for them.

Beamer knew Butch Davis wanted to get back into coaching. Davis asked Beamer if he could use him as a reference. He is a good match for UNC, and Davis should do a good job there.

Wake Forest is very close to being undefeated. They are for real. They are well-coached and they play hard. The Hokies have to go beat the Demon Deacons, because they aren't going to beat themselves.

Monday was Day 716 of Virginia Tech's continuous possession of the Commonwealth Cup.

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