Virginia Tech: A Time for Panic or a Time for Anticipation?

My, how things can change in college football. Virginia Tech was going in a nosedive during the third quarter of its matchup against UNC. However, Beamerball was used to perfection in producing turnovers and allowing the offense to do just enough to come back from a 14-point deficit on the road.

Does Virginia Tech use this as a springboard to another ACC championship, or is it giving the Hokie Nation a false hope?

On the offensive side of the ball, there is still work to do. Tyrod Taylor gives Hokie fans memories of Michael Vick. However, Taylor has not found his Andre Davis. He may not find him till next year, when redshirt junior Brandon Dillard comes back from injury. 

Dillard was the fastest player on the team with his 4.28-second 40 time. Tech has used the help of Victor "Macho" Harris on a few series. This may not help in the psyche of the current receivers.

They already have seen a change in quarterback due to their inexperience. There is also the lack of opening up the playbook to include a lot more pass options.

Virginia Tech has the complete opposite problem at running back. There are too many backs, too few carries. Kenny Lewis Jr. and Darren Evans currently split most of the carries, with Josh Oglesby and Dustin Pickle used sparingly. Darren Evans looks like the fan favorite with his tough, second-effort rushes.

The offense will only go as far as the offensive line goes. The line has more experience than last year and has improved in its run blocking. The pass blocking is too inconsistent, which is sometimes a positive once Taylor uses his legs.

The defense is young, but they seem to adapt very quickly with the help of defensive coordinator Bud Foster. They have experienced a couple of different-style offensives and have held their own.

This group still allows the occasional big play and still has some tackling problems, but these seem to have improved since the tackling debacle against East Carolina. A star in the making is defensive tackle John Graves. He has made a big impact on the defensive line and tied an NCAA record with blocking a kick in three consecutive games.

The strength of this team is that, although they are young, they have not made many mental mistakes. Through four games, they have only committed 17 penalties for 96 yards and five turnovers.

A positive in the ECU loss was that VT played without its best offensive (Taylor) and defensive (Harris) players and still almost won. With victories over Georgia Tech and North Carolina, Miami appears to be the last hurdle for VT to visit Tampa this season. 

Wake Forest and Clemson will battle to meet Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech has recently had both Clemson and Wake's numbers. Virginia Tech should be the favorite to win the ACC and play in the Orange Bowl, but only if this team continues to improve and gain confidence in each other.