Virginia Tech Football Preseason Examination: A 2011 Game by Game Analysis

Is everyone excited?

Football season is almost upon us. The USA Today coaches’ poll has been released. Most preseason polls are garbage and should be treated as such. But, alas the BCS still stands which means that these rankings count (sorry Boise and TCU). I think that most people can agree with the top five ranked teams (led by Oklahoma), but there is always room for debate.

Virginia Tech is ranked 13^th in the nation to start out the season. The Hokies face some questions on both defense and offense. They must replace one of the greatest quarterbacks in the school’s history and remedy a defense that ranked 52^nd in the country last season.

So how will the Hokies fare in the 2011 campaign?

The answer should be the usual. It should be another 10-win season as Virginia Tech attempts to defend it’s ACC title. As always the Hokies will play some easy games and some difficult ones. Whoever made the Hokies’ schedule this year deserves a raise.

The out-of-conference schedule is a joke. They play Appalachian State, ECU, Arkansas State and Marshall to start the season. This should be an easy four wins for Virginia Tech (but always beware the I-AA school). These four games should serve one purpose; they should allow Logan Thomas to sharpen his teeth before the real test begins.

Once Thomas and the Hokies get through the non-conference schedule, we will quickly find out what this team is made of. The first two conference games are at home against the always underachieving Clemson Tigers and the Miami Hurricanes.

Despite the fact that Clemson has a lot of talent, the Hokies should be able to handle them with little trouble. The Miami game is a bit of a question mark as of now. This will be Logan Thomas’s first real test as a starter. If Thomas can manage the game then Tech should win, but if he stumbles the Hokies are sure to follow (stay positive).

Tech then goes on the road to play Wake Forest which should be an easy win, followed by a home game against Boston College. BC always plays the Hokies tough. Virginia Tech should win this game but it will be a squeaker.

Duke is Tech’s next opponent and despite the Blue Devils' strides to become mediocre, this should be a laugher. Once Tech gets past Duke we come to Blacksburg lore; the Thursday night game. Like most years, the Hokies are playing two Thursday night games. The first is on the road against Georgia Tech.

As of this game I have the Hokies chasing perfection, but this is the stumbling block. Bud Foster’s defense is built to stop spread offenses rather than the triple option. The defensive unit always has difficulty stopping Georgia Tech. If this game was in Blacksburg I would favor the Hokies but because it is in Atlanta I think that this will be their first loss on the season.

The second Thursday is what Virginia Tech waits for every year; a cool autumn night with the Orange Effect taking place in Lane Stadium. The Hokies will be playing UNC on this particular night. The NCAA investigations and the departure of Butch Davis will mean big drop-offs for the Tar Heels. I expect that this will be a win.

Virginia Tech’s final regular season game will be against the archrival Cavaliers of Virginia. UVa is slowly becoming relevant again. If this wasn’t Virginia Tech’s big rivalry game it would be a trap game.

UVa has the potential to win, but they have to prove it to the entire world first. The Hokies should win the Commonwealth Cup again despite the fact that the game is being played in Charlottesville.

At this point I have Frank Beamer’s squad at 11-1, winning the Coastal Division and heading to the ACC title game. Like most people I expect Florida State to win the Atlantic Division, which means a rematch of last year’s title game.

If Jimbo Fisher was Bobby Bowden I would pick FSU to pull this game out. But, as of yet, Fisher hasn’t owned Frank Beamer like Bowden did. I think that VT can win this game and head to the Orange Bowl again. This is the toughest game to predict an outcome to because the teams are even in most aspects.

The monkey wrench in this whole season will be the play of Logan Thomas. If he is great then Virginia Tech will be the same. If he isn’t then my predictions could be way off. His health also has to be taken into account with these predictions. Thomas has to be on the field for the Hokies to win. Quarterback is the only position for Tech that doesn’t have a lot of depth.

Look for a top ten ranking by season’s end. This easy schedule is exactly what the Hokies’ young quarterback needed for success in his first season as a starter.