Virginia Tech Hate Week

First, let’s put a pin in Saturday night now that the steam has dissipated a little bit.

That was a bad loss but by no means as catastrophic as it felt at the time.  FSU is a better team right now. They have more depth at more positions. Miami has NFL talent in some places…FSU has it at every level. That is why the first half has been close for 2 years before the second half turned into blowouts. You need top-line talent AND you need to suffer minimal dropoff when you rotate your second teamers in. That is how you win big.

The reasons for FSU’s ascendance and Miami’s struggles on Saturday  are numerous, but let’s take a look at a few.

- Randy Shannon did a horrible job of recruiting the classes of 2010, 2011 and 2012, particularly in South Florida. Lamarcus Joyner, Devonta’a Freeman, Bobby Hart, Rashad Greene, Kelvin Benjamin, Nick O’Leary…those are all kids from the Tri-County Area that never seriously considered Miami. That is unacceptable.

-This isn’t an excuse, but the NCAA leveled a good deal of Miami’s recruiting efforts for the past 2 classes. It is no secret that this benefitted others, and FSU took full advantage. FSU has always been one of the Top 3 or 4 recruiting schools anyway, and seeing their rival down only augmented their position.

-The state of Florida is cyclical. Florida had a 5 year run earlier this decade with Tebow. Now it is FSU’s window with Winston. Miami is next, and I truly believe that. FSU, and UiF before them, got to where they are/were by stacking chips for YEARS and then finding the right quarterback to bring it all together. Stephen Morris is a legitimately good QB in my eyes, but he has clearly regressed this season. I don’t know the reason for it, but one thing is undeniably true: when Miami was forcing Winston to throw interceptions, it was  a great game. When Morris started throwing picks, it was a blowout. That is football. It sounds cliché and boring , but sometimes the most important thing isn’t the long touchdown…it is not making mistakes. If you need any convincing, ask A.J. McCarron.

The season is not over. There are 4 games left. Even if Miami were to go 2-2 (which I HIGHLY doubt), they would finish 9-3 and most likely get their rematch with FSU in the ACC Title Game at a neutral site.

Before the season, what would you have considered a good year? 

Everyone’s baseline expectation was an appearance in the ACC Title Game, and something like 9 or 10 regular season wins and a split with UiF and FSU. Right now, the ‘Canes are in position to not only meet those expectations but exceed them.

What we will find out is whether this team is grown up enough yet to focus on next week and not get beat by last week.  There is a TON left to play for. Not having Duke Johnson will test the resolve of this team. James Coley needs to pull his shit together, because if the offensive game plan stays the same we are Fucked with a capital F. The defense needs to stop giving up 15 yards a pop on 3^rd down and create some God damned pass rush. We will find out this week whether or not this team has the mental toughness they have talked about, or whether it is just that: talk.

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God I hate Virginia Tech.

I hate their stupid maroon and orange uniforms most of all. Seriously? I am colorblind and I know that looks awful.

I hate Frank Beamer and how everytime anyone anywhere does anything on special teams I have to hear about “Beamer Ball” because they used to be good at special teams in 2002. Have you seen them this year? BEAMER BALLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.

I hate Bud Foster and their stupid “lunch pail” defense bullshit. You know how you get sick of hearing “well, ya know this guy is just  gym rat scrapper blah blah blah blah” whenever a white guy makes a play in any non-soccer sporting event? That is literally the entire game every time you play Virginia Tech. Their defense is JUST SO SCRAPPY AND BLUE COLLAR AND LUNCH PAIL, Y’ALL. COME LOOK AT HOW THEY JUST BRING THEIR HARD HAT!! JACK TYLER!!!!! DERRRRRPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!

I actually kind of love Logan Thomas because he is exactly what you think would happen if you tried to make a tight end in to a quarterback. He is super big and fast and has a really strong arm and absolute rocks for brains. We should get about 5 turnovers off of this guy on Saturday night. Will we? Probably not. He will probably throw for 300 yards and run for another 150. But that doesn’t make him any less shitty.

Virginia Tech’s most famous alumni? Michael Vick. You know, the guy who ran a dog fighting ring and was accused of electrocuting, drowning , brutalizing and torturing dogs. Do I even need to tell you how much I hate this fucking guy?

My main man Marcus.

Their second most famous alumni? Marcus Vick. Black sheep younger brother and hype man of Michael Vick. If Mussolini had a dumber, less talented, louder younger brother it would be Marcus Vick.

Their third most famous alumni (for the purposes of this narrative)? Deangelo Hall. Anyone who has ever watched a single NFL game loathes Deangelo Hall. Even Deangelo Hall’s teammates hate Deangelo Hall.

I hate their stupid turkey gobble that they play in their stadium. I hate their West Virginia-lite, meth head fans.

I hope we win this game by 42 points, but I will settle for 1, which is far more likely. They have lost to Duke and Boston College the past two weeks, which has created a fire under their ass and breathing room for Miami in the Coastal Division. Miami has not been good at maintaining breathing room, and therefore this game against an elite defense is very nervous-making. If Miami comes out hungover from FSU they will find themselves in a 14 point hole again, and 14 points is exceedingly difficult to make up against the Hokies.