Centex Hokie

And this shows why I know squat about the Hokies. I did not even know Sergio Render. No disrespect intended. I'm the same way when it comes to UVA, WVU, Tennessee and any other local team. I literally refuse to be drown by the constant talk of those teams around these parts. But in reading up about your team I notice you still lose two interior starters. One a 3 year starter and the other a 2 year starter. Seems Brooks, while he flashed in the Orange Bowl, had not started until that point. Does UVA have a football team? Who knew? Yes they were long term starters, but it was like when Duke has a large contingent returning. Sometimes it is not a good thing. All of the Hokies watched Marshman get beat time and time again because he was not very athletic. Tech has done much better finding kids with an big athletic frame and trying to add the weight in muscle. That is where Brooks comes from. He was a TE.

Just looking over your early spring depth chart, it seems you have 2 soon to be sophomores at the guard positions. Do you have injuries or are these the projected starters going into the year? If they are the starters the common question leading up to VA Tech week for Suh is how much he will enjoy some fresh meat. You know, it's sad. I'm from SWVA and I know jack about VA Tech. One of my good friends is a reserve lineman for the Hokies and I never bother to ask him anything about his team. Some friend I am, eh? One of our starting guards, Sergio Render a senior is considered by some to be the #1 guard prospect in the country. He is a three (3) year starter. So he is not exactly fresh meat for anyone. The other starter at the moment is Jaymes Brooks who is a redshirt Sophmore who was a former tight end. Pretty athletic for a 300 pounder and should be an improvement over last year. The backup for both of them are redshirt sophomores. In the third year of the program if they haven't gotten it they probably won't get it. At one time, Tech's offensive line was the strength of the team. They blocked, the tailbacks followed and we usually were able to grind out wins. Not as well, but not unlike your huskers. We got behind in recruiting and developing offensive linemen and it showed. Tyrod would have been able to redshirt last year if the line would have been serviceable. His redshirt was yanked because we needed a quarterback to be able to escape the rush that wasn't going to get blocked. Lesser defensive linemen than Suh were able to have a field day last year. Three (3) years ago Tech got a new offensive line coach and this year his work is expected to start paying off as we have recruited better lineman and he appears to be developing them better. That is our big question mark heading into the season. It appears to be better. It also helped as the year went on that our receivers were able to make plays and Tyrod was able to make people pay for coming after him with their ears pinned back. Early on it was ugly. Toward the end of the season, he was able to better carry out his fakes, find the open receiver, and freeze the linebackers. Buy your friend a beer and talk some football.

The only fans that I have met from around the country at bowls (leaves out WVU and MD) that weren't fun to be around were the Texas fans in 1995 at the Sugar Bowl. We met one arrogant fan after another who thought Tech didn't belong. Tech fans were there in droves because we hadn't ever been to a big bowl. Once we beat them 28-10 they were not to be found. I think they all either got out of town or changed their clothes to come the New Year's eve party in New Orleans. Best fans have been either Nebraska or Texas A&M. Both very gracious hosts and I hope Tech is just as gracious to the Nebraska fans that find their way to Blacksburg. I know the A&M fans I know thought that we returned to favor pretty well. They just couldn't figure out why the barbeque was pork.

Yeah, Callahan figured that he'd need a break from the stronger SunBelt and scheduled the Almost Competitive Conference for week 3. LOL. Yeah those Owls will wear you out. Didn't exactly work out for Nebraska last year. I'm an old Hokie, so it's hard to hurt my feelings and I grew up in NC so I was very proud when we finally got in the ACC and won it our first year. My first college game was watching Tech lose at home to Tulsa. We got to go to 5 or 6 homecomings every year. If you are a Georgia fan, I enjoyed your fans at the Chick-Fil-A bowl. Outcome not good in Glennon's collapse, but a lot of very nice folks to drink with afterwords. Funniest moment was some drunk UGA fan spouting off after the game and I said "Hey congratulations on the win." He said Oh, good game and stopped spouting. A lot of UGA fans patted me on the back and said, We all have some.

I was looking at your early schedule. Do you guys know that Tech is not in the SunBelt conference? Who scheduled that? I am guessing it was your last coach.

Darren Evans and Ryan Williams will be co-starters for us. We also have Josh Oglesby who was the #2 last year after Kenny Lewis got hurt and David Wilson coming in who was a 4 star recruit and Gatorade player of the year in Virginia. I would bet that David Wilson will redshirt. I believe Tech should be favored if we are still healthy after Alabama to start the season especially in Blacksburg. Like Lincoln is for the Huskers, Lane Stadium is a special place for my Hokies. The stadium is not the largest, but is one of the loudest especially at night. That is why I think the QB's will have to open it up before the RB's will get a chance to shine. Our goal will be to put the game in the hands of your QB until he proves that he can take the crowd noise and make the throws. If he is successful early, it will be quite a game. Lane has a history of QB's not doing well there.

Thanks for the warm welcome. If we can keep Tyrod from getting hurt (backup has no snaps in a college game and was not highly recruited) our weapons this year should impress. We have a redshirt Sophomore RB Darren Evans that got better as the year went on and he is a back that brings a punch. He won't run away from fast DB's, but may make them not want to take him on after a few collisions. The star of the spring scrimmages was a redshirt Freshman RB who was very highly recruited and seems to have both speed and power. He made some of our defenders look silly at times. Tyrod was not expecting to play last year and at times looked like it. Partly him and partly freshmen receivers that may not have run the correct routes. He looks to have taken charge and really improved. Our receivers who were talented, but freshmen last year grew up during the season and is now a strength for the offense with a lot of quality depth. Our TE's are very good and very experienced. Our line finally has some quality depth after years of just trying to be serviceable. They won't be like the Huskers I remember from our game in the Orange Bowl in 1996 who took over the game, but they should be able to control the line on most of our opponents to salt away a game since they have a lot of depth for fresh bodies. On the defensive side most hokies have one thought. Bud Foster our defensive coordinator seems to be able to give us a chance in most games. The secondary is strong, the linebackers are young, the interior line is good and experienced, and the defensive ends are good with a severe lack of depth. Our kicking game looked very shaky in the spring game. Lots of mistakes and no rhythm in the special teams. Hopefully for us that gets worked out or it will cost us at least a game this year. Some people on here said that whoever establishes the run will win. I believe that is true, but I don't think either of us will establish the run without proving that we can successfully pass the ball. How are your running backs?

Hokies appreciate passionate fans and the Huskers certainly have a love for their Big Red. Great fans, a great game, and for us a rare intersectional match up with a team across the Mississippi. What's not to enjoy.

We think we might actually have an offense this year. The big question for the Hokies is whether or not we can get out of the gate quickly with Alabama and Nebraska sandwiched around Marshall. I know your team was improving as the year went along and I expect that it will be a good game in Blacksburg. Both Alabama and Nebraska will provide strong challenges for our offense and our line. Hopefully, the Hokie Nations will show you the same hospitality we enjoyed except for the win.

Good afternoon. I first must say I appreciated the hospitality my wife and I enjoyed in Lincoln last year. A great place to enjoy a football game with excellent fans. What is your perspective this year on the game with Tech in Blacksburg?

Thanks for the info. I know bowl games have started out higher early, then gone down and finally either gone way down or flat. I'm sure I'll buy some prior to my trip to Lincoln. Thanks, Centex Hokie

I guessed the good luck caveat was implied. It looks like internet tickets are ranging from terrible seats at $250 each to good seats for $600 each. Is that close to game day prices? Also where do you stick the visitors and how many tickets are sold through the visiting university. By the way I'm always impressed with Nebraska fans when they come to Waco (Central Texas) to see the Huskers beat up on the lowly Bears.

Greetings, My wife and I are planning to come up to see our Hokies play the Huskers this year. I have heard great things about your stadium and fans from my Big 12 fans here in Texas. Two (2) questions. 1. How difficult is it to get tickets on gameday? 2. We will be flying our plane up from Texas. How crowded is the airport on gameday? Thanks, An Old Hokie in Texas