Virginia Tech Football 2011: 10 Keys To Getting To a BCS Bowl Game

Around Blacksburg, Virginia, it has become a bit of a tradition to win 10+ football games, win an ACC championship, and advance to the Orange Bowl.

However, with Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Williams, and a solid group of players now gone from the Virginia Tech football team, the Hokies could face a much taller task in the 2011-2012 season.

These are ten keys to the Hokies getting back to another BCS bowl game.

Stronger Play from Defensive Line Than a Year Ago

Last year's defense for the Hokies was one of the weakest in recent memory statistically. One of the most noticeable areas of weakness was the defensive line.

The defensive line returns only one starter this season so there is plenty of fresh blood up front. However, it is believed by many that that is exactly what Virginia Tech needed after the season they had last year.

The starters up front at defensive tackle are the brothers, Antoine and Derrick Hopkins. Both of these players are extremely talented and look to be a force inside. Antoine is the lone returning starter and looks to help teach his brother by using his experience from the past.

Behind the Hopkins brothers at defensive tackle are true freshman Luther Maddy and Corey Marshall, as well as redshirt junior Isaiah Hamlette. While all of these players have many improvements still to be made in order for ideal depth, defensive line coach Charley Wiles has had a lot of high remarks about these players during the off season. The development of these players will be a key factor as the season progresses.

At the defensive end positions are James Gayle and J.R Collins. Both of these players are newcomers but they have both been extremely impressive all offseason, especially Gayle as he was named the team’s defensive MVP of spring practices. While fans may worry about the lack of experience for these two young players, defensive coordinator Bud Foster has reiterated many times that he is completely comfortable with the performance of these two.

Serving as the reserves at the defensive end position are Zack McCray, Duan Perez-Means, and Tyrel Wilson. All of these players are young and still raw in terms of game time experience but have all had moments throughout the offseason that have had coaches impressed. Again, the progress of these players' development throughout this season will be the key in order to add depth up front.

A solid pass rush and consistent pressure on the ball can set the tempo for the entire game defensively. It was apparent in the Hokies' dominating win over Appalachian State and if this team hopes to have another successful season, the rush will have to be much improved over last year’s performance.

Bring Back "Beamer Ball"

Frank Beamer’s tenure as head coach at Virginia Tech has been filled with much success both on and off the field.

His teams have had extremely high profile players such as Michael Vick come through on offense and Brandon Flowers on defense. However, one thing that has been the key feature of almost all of his teams is the success of “Beamer Ball.”

“Beamer Ball” developed from Frank Beamer’s teams’ success at blocking kicks and often returning them for touchdowns. The Hokies have developed a reputation around the nation for scoring a lot of points in more ways than just the offense.

For the past several seasons, the blocked kicks simply have not been there. The teams have lacked the ability to get to the ball as quickly and it has taken a key piece away from what was important to their success as a program.

In 2011, the team looks to bring back “Beamer Ball” and utilize in a way that some of the past great Virginia Tech teams have. The ability to score points in more ways than just the offense opens up the doors to so many more opportunities and can give the Hokies a big advantage when facing other teams.

In the opener against Appalachian State, Tony Gregory did his part in bring the trademark slogan back by blocking a punt that led to Kyle Fuller recovering in the end zone for a touchdown.

If “Beamer Ball” is back in 2011, the Hokies will be a scary team to face for anyone around the country.

Improved Play at the WHIP Linebacker Spot

One year ago, Hokie fans all over were in disbelief over the Virginia Tech football team’s 0-2 start after losses to Boise State and FCS school James Madison.

While a number of factors contributed to both losses, a shoulder of the blame was put on the whip linebackers and especially Jeron Gouveia-Winslow.

Gouveia-Winslow missed an assignment in the Boise State game that led to the winning touchdown reception for the Broncos and then just a few days later, missed another assignment that led to JMU scoring on a long rushing touchdown in their huge upset victory at Lane Stadium.

Now, however, Gouveia-Winslow claims to have matured over the past year and has said that he is a much better player than he was at that time. He has even said he watches film of last year in disbelief at some of the mistakes he was making at the time.

The combination of himself and Alonzo Tweedy, who also is experienced at the position, should be a strong point for the Hokies defense. The execution of their assignments and ability to read the opposing offenses will be key for the team to be successful.

The duo provides a contrasting pair, with strong fundamentals being Gouveia-Winslow’s strong point and athleticism being Tweedy’s. If the duo can have a big season for the Hokies defense, it will only set the tone for the rest of the unit.

Solid Production out of Josh Oglesby as the #2 Running Back

Josh Oglesby has been patiently waiting for his time to come as the Hokies running back. While he still is not going to be the starting tailback due to David Wilson, he will now be the second running back and be getting the most carries throughout this season that he has during his entire career.

Oglesby brings a much different approach to the field than Wilson and it could make the backfield very dynamic. His physical style of running with his bigger frame of body could pay big dividends as a third down-type running back.

He has often been criticized for running parallel to the offensive line rather than straight through the holes. If he is able to become more of a north-south runner with the ball, he could be extremely successful.

Without Oglesby being successful, the offense will become too reliant on Wilson and result in much more predictability for opposing defenses. With his success, brings opportunities for different looks in the backfield and a much more diverse offensive playbook.

While Oglesby certainly won’t leave Virginia Tech titled as one of the best running backs to come through the program or with any rushing records, he can leave by going out the right way. He can be a contributor to the team this season and a key one at that.

If Oglesby can live up to his potential and use his physical style of running to his advantage, he could be the key second option at running back that opens up all types of doors for the Hokies offense.

Consistency Along Offensive Line

The offensive line was a point of weakness for the Virginia Tech football team in 2010 but the group is now a year older and much more prepared to fulfill the potential given to them by their coaching staff.

Last season, the Hokies' trio of Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, and David Wilson were unable to find holes due to the struggle up front and quarterback Tyrod Taylor was often forced to scramble out of the pocket. If the team wants first year quarterback Logan Thomas to feel comfortable, they will need solid protection so that Thomas can have time to sit in the pocket and make his throws.

Consistency will be the main key as there were times last year when the offensive line played well and allowed for big rushing games from any of the three running backs. However, there were also times when the unit struggled and caused for chaos in the backfield for the Hokies offense.

This year’s unit received high praise from the coaching staff all off-season and lived up to that hype in the opening game vs. Appalachian State. After reviewing film, coach Frank Beamer revealed that the players all received a grade of 80 or higher which is considered “winning” in the program. It was one of the best performances by an offensive line in recent years for the Hokies.

One issue they still face is the lack of depth. After battling many injuries throughout the preseason, the unit isn’t ideal on the depth chart but if the starters can remain healthy, the offensive line should give both the running backs and Logan Thomas plenty of time to make plays for the Virginia Tech offense.

Avoid Early Game Struggles

The Virginia Tech football team has become known for the past several years for losing games early in the season that put an end immediately to any hopes of a national championship. However, in most of those games, as well as many others, a lot of the blame can be put on the Hokies inability to come out strong from the opening kickoff.

The team has traditionally come out slow in games and taken a quarter or sometimes even a half to really get clicking on all cylinders. In 2010, this occurred with Boise State where they jumped out to a quick first quarter lead before the Hokies battled back to make it a closer game.

It also happened with ECU last season, where the team trailed by 10 at halftime, before coming back to get the first win of the season 49-27. It has been a consistent problem for many years.

With the team that they have this year, Virginia Tech cannot afford to let teams jump out to early leads on them. Logan Thomas is a first year quarterback and while he certainly has showed a lot of potential, he is still inexperienced and may not be able to lead the team back from an early deficit.

In order to be an elite team, the Hokies have to grab momentum early and jump out to a fast start in each and every game. The team did a great job of that in the Appalachian State game, which they proceeded to win 66-13.

With a young quarterback in charge, it will be key for the team to come out and make a statement early in each game. The schedule is there for them to make noise this season and if they are able to do so, the Hokies will also make a statement to the national media.

Manage Logan Thomas Properly

Logan Thomas has one of the hardest jobs in college football.

He is replacing possibly the best quarterback in Virginia Tech history in Tyrod Taylor and has faced unbelievable hype from the national media all offseason. His body frame and style of play had many comparing him to 2010 Heisman winner Cam Newton out of Auburn.

With that being said, Thomas is not going to be Newton on the field. In fact, he is a completely different player with a completely different role. The Hokies offense will not ask of him what Auburn asked of Newton in 2010.

Virginia Tech has the star of their offense at the running back position in David Wilson. Wilson is arguably one of the best running backs in the country. The team will want to get him the ball as much as they possibly can.

With a first year quarterback, they will not be aiming to throw the ball all over the field while racking up huge numbers for Thomas. He will simply be asked to manage the game and stay away from turnovers. Quarterback coach and current play-caller, Mike O’Cain, will need to be careful of trying to be too aggressive with the play calls for Thomas.

It will take him time to learn how to play the quarterback position, and as he learns, the coaching staff will need to manage him properly. It is a transition just as it has been for every other great quarterback at Virginia Tech.

While Thomas certainly has the ability to be a very special player, it will not come immediately. He is going to face some tough times as well as some great ones but if the Hokies coaching staff manages him correctly, he could be a pivotal part to the team’s success this season.

Utilize David Wilson in All Aspects of the Game

David Wilson is absolutely electric. His speed has marveled fans for the past two seasons but in 2011, he has proved he has more to offer. Wilson’s display of quickness and strength in the first game had fans and media all over the nation excited to see what 2011 holds for the junior running back.

In the past two seasons, he has served primarily as the kickoff return man and a third running back who got carries sparingly. Now, he is the starter and looks to be the focus point of the Hokies offense.

With Logan Thomas still adjusting to the college game in his first season as quarterback, Wilson will be given a lot of carries and relied upon to go for high yardage each week. His abilities, though, should not be limited to just that.

If the Hokies want to utilize Wilson to the maximum of his abilities, they will need to get him involved in the passing game as well. It will pay dividends for both the team as well as Thomas. Allowing Thomas to hit Wilson on short halfback screens will open up the field for the dynamic player and give Thomas more confidence as he continues to rack up completions and yardage on opposing defenses.

Also, as the team did in the first game, they should allow Wilson to return kicks full-time. While the risk of injury is there, he is just too dangerous to not have back there. He proved that twice last year, including once in prime time on a Thursday night against Georgia Tech.

Wilson has the ability to be one of the best Virginia Tech has ever seen. He is already considered one of the most athletic running backs the programs has had come through and if that is the case, the Hokies need to use him to the max of his abilities.

Limiting the Big Plays

In 2010, despite the success of the team, the defense was one of the weakest it has been in recent years. The unit consistently gave up big plays that allowed for teams to stay in games despite the Hokies outplaying them in every aspect. If the team hopes to be elite in 2011, they will aim to cut down on the big plays and have a better statistical season than last year.

The big plays were given up against high-profile opponents such as Boise State which led to the Broncos jumping out to an early lead on the Hokies as well as opponents like Wake Forest. No matter whom the opponent was, the teams seemed to get big plays that never allowed for the Virginia Tech defense to feel comfortable.

It forced the offense to always be on their heels and looking to score more points. Even in games in which the Hokies should have felt comfortable with the lead they were given, they were not able to due to the number of big plays the defense was giving up that could change the momentum at any time.

If the team hopes to improve upon last season and go back to another BCS game this upcoming season, they will need to decrease the number of big time plays allowed to the opposing offenses. If they are able to do so, it will increase the success of all units of the team.

Avoid Overlooking an Opponent

The Hokies' 2010 upset by FCS school James Madison was the toughest loss in school history. It was only the second time any FCS school has defeated a Top 25 team in the FBS division.

While it was a hard time for both players and fans in Blacksburg, it will not be forgotten and has served as a great lesson to all. Never overlook the abilities of any opponent no matter who you are playing.

The team has said that they often watch film of that game and it serves as motivation as they become determined not to ever feel that way again. The Hokies simply came into that game unprepared and did not think it was possible for JMU to challenge them and proceed to win the game as they did.

In 2011, this team has said they are taking each game week by week and not looking ahead to anyone. The schedule they are given could certainly allow the Hokies to look ahead at a possible undefeated season and have high aspirations for a national championship.

However, if they want to be successful and reach goals such as that, they will need to focus on each opponent and fulfill the task at hand each week. If they are able to do so and take care of teams as they are capable of doing, Virginia Tech could have a magical season in 2011.