This looks to be a busy week for Pitt sports. The Backyard Brawl with the Hoopies on Saturday night (7pm ESPN2) down in Morgantown. Before that, though, Pitt basketball kicks off the regular season with a game against Alabama in Madison Square Garden in the “Coaches Versus Cancer Classic” on Friday night (7pm ESPN2). Still, one quick look back at the big win over VT.
I didn’t even mention how cool the lunar eclipse was that night. That was just an extra bonus.
Late in the 4th quarter, with VT still leading, and just before the Panthers big drive, some dumb-ass Hokie fan in a luxury box behind the student section (and near us) started shouting and running smack at the students. The entire student section turned and started giving it back. The nearby sections started getting into it, and it helped further fire up one of the most raucous Pitt crowds I’ve seen in 15 years. As soon as Pitt started driving and scored, the guy disappeared from the front of the box, and was not seen again. Here’s a couple free tips: (1) if you are in a luxury box, shut the hell up and don’t shout at the regular fans — you are already disliked even if you are for Pitt; (2) don’t start the smack, if you aren’t prepared to stand there and take it being thrown back at you — pure wussiness to hide in the back of the box after taunting those on the outside.
Anyways, the news from Hokie-land is mixed. Some are trying to spin blowing a chance to get back in the BCS as at least meaning VT will probably get a bid from the Gator Bowl as a consolation.
Mostly, though, there was annoyance at blowing their big chance.
In the press box, reporters were asking about the upcoming opponents for Southern Cal and Ohio State. The Buckeyes could lose to Purdue and Michigan, and Southern Cal might have problems with Oregon State.
Less than three weeks after Tech had been dismissed as a national championship contender, could it be that the the Hokies were back in the picture?
Not now.
Most teams don’t get one chance to win a national championship. This year, Tech had two and let both of them get away.
The big surprise, and what gave me my only feeling of dread as the game went on, was that the Hokies’ special teams hadn’t done anything big. Beamer Ball always shows up against Pitt, win or lose. Every punt, every kick, I worried — by the way, DeAngelo Hall is a hell of a punt returner, and has great hands; the way he could field punts cleanly on a bounce at full stride was impressive and terrifying as the opposing team’s fan — yet they never blocked a punt or took one back to the house.
There is still talk about VT going for it on 4th down and Pitt’s subsequent drive to win the game.
Facing a fourth-and-four with 4:16 left, Tech called a timeout and decided to go for a first down rather than try a 47-yard field-goal attempt or punt.
“We talked about it … if you punt, and Vinnie [Burns, Tech punter] had been a little shaky, you’d hope to get it inside the 20, and if you punt it to the end zone you gain 10 yards,” Beamer said. “We thought the risk of picking up a first down was better, and if we’re going to win the game that’s what we needed to do.”
The call was for quarterback Marcus Vick to pass the ball to fullback Doug Easlick in the flat. When seeing a defender close to Easlick, Vick lofted a high floating pass that was inches long for diving wideout Justin Hamilton at the 5-yard line.
…
It appeared that Pittsburgh defensive back William “Tutu” Ferguson may have gotten a piece of Hamilton’s left arm as the Tech receiver stretched out for the ball.“Yeah, I saw it but the refs didn’t call it,” Vick said when asked if he thought Ferguson may have interfered on the play. “We don’t have instant replay in college football, so there’s nothing we could do about it.”
To be fair, most VT players and Coach Beamer didn’t seem to blame the refs for the non-call. As I said earlier, the refs hadn’t called anything all game, so it was consistent. My personal take, I think he may have grabbed at the arm, but the ball would have been just out of the VT receiver’s reach anyways.
Here’s another view on the final 4:16
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster would probably love to burn the last 4 minutes, 16 seconds of game film from Saturday’s 31-28 loss to Pittsburgh. That part of the reel won’t make it into the annals of great decisions in Hokie coaching history.
There was Beamer’s failed resolution to have quarterback Marcus Vick pass on fourth-and-4 from Pittsburgh’s 30-yard line. Then, there was Foster’s defense providing huge cushions and open spaces for Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald and quarterback Rod Rutherford to work. Finally, there was Beamer’s decision to hold on to two timeouts during Pittsburgh’s decisive drive.
It’s all there in that final 4:16, not to mention Vick’s interception at the start of Virginia Tech’s final drive. After watching it one more time in team meetings today, the Hokies will move on. Beamer and his staff can’t afford to misfire on the decisions and methods they used last week to help their team move on. If they do, losing could become habit-forming like it did last season.
Meanwhile on the Pitt side of the ball, the defense did give up 455 yards total, and 241 yards to Kevin Jones. This is worrisome going into the game against WVU. I’m not sure I feel as good as Pitt Defensive Coordinator Paul Rhoads appears. He seems to think they are simple things that will be fixed.
Rhoads said the problems Saturday were a combination of blown assignments, poor tackling and, at certain points, the fact that Pitt’s defensive line was manhandled by the Hokies offensive line.
But he said, unlike earlier in the season, he had “complete confidence” that the Panthers would respond to the adversity because they have a better understanding of what it takes to be successful. He said they are playing more as a team and are practicing better.
WHAT?! Those are the same problems that have been plaguing the defense all season. There is not much to see as encouraging from seeing them repeated once again, in the actual game.
Okay, I think that’s enough basking in the win. Time to get ready for the Hoopies and beat them, or this win is meaningless.
