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Second Scrimmage Thoughts and Observations |
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Written by Shamus Williams
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Monday, 20 August 2007 |
Here are a few notes and observations from the Hokies second open scrimmage of the fall:
POSITIVES
• This year’s defense is better than last year’s
defense. They are incredibly fast and this may be the best
defensive line the Hokies have had in years.
• Sean Glennon’s pocket presence was remarkably
better. This was his main weakness last year, but it seems it is
quickly becoming a strength of his.
• The new kickoff rules will greatly benefit the
Hokies as they have great return men. Eddie Royal had a very nice
80+ yard punt return for a touchdown. It appears that Royal will
be one of the best returners this year.
NEGATIVES
• There is no good option at quarterback behind
Glennon at this point. Ike Whitaker does not seem to have a good
grasp of the offense at the position and Cory Holt isn’t talented
enough to lead a team through an ACC schedule. Tyrod Taylor is
going to be one of the best quarterbacks in Tech history, but he will
struggle at first (as most freshman do) and should probably redshirt,
so Tech can get three great years from him.
• The loss of Brandon Pace may prove to be the
biggest loss from last year’s team. Jud Dunleavy struggled
mightily in the scrimmage, missing three kicks and having another
blocked. The Hokies do not score enough points to afford to have
a shaky kicking game, so Dunleavy and company must get better.
• While Sean Glennon has improved his pocket
presence, his deep ball still leaves a lot to be desired. He did
fire a nice pass to Josh Morgan to start the game, but then missed on a
few deep balls, including one where Justin Harper had Brandon Flowers
beat for a touchdown. The coaching staff must pick and choose
when they want Glennon to throw the deep ball as it clearly is his
biggest weakness.
All in all, the scrimmage was what most people
would expect. The defense is ahead of the offense at this time,
but it seems like Glennon has taken the off-season to improve his
decision-making and should be better. Ultimately, the season will
depend on the running game, defense, and special teams; which is
usually a recipe for success for the Hokies. We are less than two
weeks away from the season opener so we may have answers to the
questions very soon.
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Virginia Tech 