Heartbreak in Hokie-town
Great games forge great players. Matt Ryan showed tonight why he is among the elite in college football this year—and in doing so: stunned 65,000 fans in Blacksburg. The Hokies, 0-6 against Top 5 ranked teams, were so close. It was vintage Blacksburg weather, classic Bud Foster defense and it would only make the loss more acute.
Prevent the Loss, Prevent the Victory
For a team that plays conservative at tough points in the big game, there’s irony when the tide of the game turns on an aggressive play. Many will criticize Josh Hyman for being too aggressive on the onside recovery. However, Hyman did exactly what he was coached to do: go and get the ball—make a play. He should have made the play and more often, he’ll succeed. But Josh Hyman did not lose this game for the Hokies—prevent defense nailed the coffin shut.
Look no further than the NFL for a multitude of examples: Prevent defense prevents the win. The Virginia Tech defense won the game for the first three quarters through aggressive play and attacking on defense. Give a quarterback like Matt Ryan an inch and he’ll drive 92 yards to score a touchdown. Mr. Foster, with all due respect, rip the prevent formation out of your playbook!
Paying our Dues
After the loss to LSU, I had an erie feeling about the state of Hokie Football. Not one of despair, but a content feeling that our football program had established itself as one of the elites. For roughly a decade, the VT program has kicked and scraped itself into the premier establishment. After losing to LSU, it bolstered the LSU reputation because they won big against a reputable defense. An elite defense.
To some it could be hard to stomach, but part of being a great program is elevating the status of other teams when they beat you. To me, that’s the mark of a truly great organization. This was Matt Ryan’s shining moment because he did it in a tough stadium, against a defense with a tradition of excellence. Even though we lost, our reputation will propel us in future seasons. With every great team there are great wins and there are gut wrenching losses. Tonight was the latter and one that many will not forget for a long time. (including Matt Ryan)
Not so fast
It’s not over yet my friends. You could already hear the ESPN announcers hyping the potential ACC championship rematch to end the season. For the Hokies it would be a third trip in the four years the championship games has been played. How sweet would a win be for a trip to a BCS bowl and the gratifying taste of revenge?
Very sweet indeed.
