VT vs. BAMA (Extensive Write-up)

VT will be breaking in 2 new interior linemen. 275 pound Beau Warren will be making his 1st collegiate start at center where his counterpart Cody will outweigh him by 80lbs. I think we can safely predict how that matchup will turn out.. Sure they will chip him with their best offensive linemen Render, but it's not just Cody, it's the entire Bama front 7. VT's line blocks small guys in practice. They will be completely unprepared for what they'll face against Bama. As I said in my original write up, and it's absolutely true whether you want to believe it or not, this a significant size and talent mismatch across the board.  VT WILL NOT run the ball. And if they can't run it, they're dead and stinkin'.

For the record Saban has never said that his line wasn't ready for college ball. If they weren't they wouldn't be on the team. Saban knows, I know, you know and everybody else knows that the greatest unknown for Bama on either side of the ball is their offensive line. And that that is VT's best matchup in the game, and the one they have the best chance of exploiting. But that doesn't necessarily mean VT will be successful in doing so. Personally, based on what I've seen, I think VT's D-line will win some and lose some. But I hardly think it will dramatically alter the outcome of the game.

And for the record, it appears everyone will be playing for Bma except Daederick (the guy that got shot last night), so most of this discussion will be moot.

 Best of luck to you this weekend!!!

Now, McElroy is no rookie. He’s a fourth-year junior, and that’s far different than some of the freshmen and sophomores on this list below. But there are plenty of QBs on the list with comparable overall experience. Guys to look at who didn’t have a lot of starts but had several years in their program prior to playing against Tech include BC’s Chris Crane, Cincy’s Tony Pike, LSU’s Matt Flynn, Clemson’s Will Proctor, Maryland’s Sam Hollenbach, Louisville’s Hunter Cantwell and N.C. State’s Jay Davis.

So take a look (note that this is only Divsion I-A opponents), draw your own conclusions, and I’ll see you back here on GAME WEEK! I’m so ready to watch some real football ...

*** TOTALS FOR 26 GAMES SINCE 2004 AGAINST QBS WITH FEWER THAN 10 CAREER STARTS BEFORE PLAYING VIRGINIA TECH ***

* Those 26 quarterbacks combined for 307 of 603 passing (50.9 percent) for 3,572 yards, 14 TD, 33 INT, 63 sacks; 257 rushes for 435 yards (1.7 ypc), 4 TD, 21 fumbles.

* The average for a quarterback in those 26 games was 137.4 yards passing, 16.7 yards rushing, 0.69 total TD, 0.81 fumbles, 1.27 interceptions and 2.42 sacks.

*** TOTALS FOR 18 GAMES SINCE 2004 AGAINST QBS WITH SIX CAREER STARTS OR FEWER BEFORE PLAYING VIRGINIA TECH ***

* Those 18 quarterbacks combined for 216 of 415 passing (52 percent) for 2,520 yards, 11 TD, 22 INT, 54 sacks; 212 rushes for 360 yards (1.7 ypc), 4 TD, 17 fumbles.

* The average for a quarterback in those 18 games was 140.0 yards passing, 20.0 yards rushing, 0.83 total TD, 0.94 fumbles, 1.22 interceptions and 3.0 sacks.

*** TOTALS FOR 9 GAMES SINCE 2004 AGAINST QBS WITH TWO CAREER STARTS OR FEWER BEFORE PLAYING VIRGINIA TECH ***

* Those nine quarterbacks combined for 88 of 185 passing (47.6 percent) for 1,111 yards, 6 TD, 8 INT, 20 sacks; 101 rushes for 298 yards (2.95 ypc), 4 TD, 7 fumbles.

* The average for a quarterback in those nine games was 123.4 yards passing, 33.1 yards rushing, 1.1 total TD, 0.78 fumbles, 0.89 interceptions and 2.2 sacks.

2008

Week 3: Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (two prior starts) – 5 of 8 passing, 109 yards, 1 TD; 28 rushes, 151 yards, 1 TD; 1 sack, 1 fumble, 1 interception

Week 7: Chris Crane, Boston College (six prior starts) – 16 of 23 passing, 218 yards, 1 TD; 11 rushes, minus-19 yards; 3 sacks, 2 fumbles, 3 interceptions

Week 8: Christian Ponder, Florida State (six prior starts) – 11 of 19 passing, 159 yards, 1 TD; 12 rushes, minus-13 yards; 4 sacks, 0 fumbles, 0 interceptions

Week 10: Robert Marve, Miami (eight prior starts) – 7 of 16 passing, 121 yards; 14 rushes, 44 yards; 3 sacks, 1 fumble, 0 interceptions

Week 11: Zack Asack, Duke (six prior starts) – 2 of 9 passing, 20 yards; 24 rushes, 87 yards; 2 sacks, 1 fumble, 4 interceptions

Week 12: Vic Hall, Virginia (zero prior starts) – 0 of 1 passing; 16 rushes, 109 yards, 2 TD; 1 sack, 1 fumble, 0 interceptions

ACC Championship Game: Dominique Davis, Boston College (two prior starts)– 17 of 43 passing, 263 yards, TD; 14 rushes, 12 yards; 5 sacks, 2 fumbles, 2 interceptions

Orange Bowl: Tony Pike, Cincinnati (nine prior starts) – 16 of 33 passing, 239 yards, 1 TD; 5 rushes, 4 yards; 1 sack, 0 fumbles, 4 interceptions

2007

Week 1: Patrick Pinkney, East Carolina (zero prior starts) – 14 of 25 passing, 115 yards; 9 rushes, 48 yards; 0 sacks, 0 fumbles, 0 interceptions

Week 2: Matt Flynn, LSU (two prior starts) – 17 of 27 passing, 217 yards; 7 rushes, 12 yards, 1 TD; 2 sacks, 0 fumbles, 0 interceptions

Week 3: Brad Bower, Ohio (three prior starts) – 9 of 16 passing, 70 yards; 9 rushes, minus-17 yards; 2 sacks, 0 fumbles, 0 interceptions

Week 5: T.J. Yates, North Carolina (four prior starts) – 16 of 25 passing, 182 yards; 11 rushes, minus-21 yards; 6 sacks, 1 fumble, 1 interception

Week 6: Cullen Harper, Clemson (five prior starts) – 38 of 66 passing, 372 yards, 2 TD; 11 rushes, minus-4 yards; 4 sacks, 2 fumbles, 2 interceptions

2006

Week 3: Thaddeus Lewis, Duke (1 prior start) – 2 of 6 passing, 10 yards; 8 rushes, minus-20 yards; 4 sacks, 0 fumbles, 0 interceptions

Week 7: Jeremy Young, Southern Mississippi (6 prior starts) –13 of 24 passing, 134 yards; 15 rushes, 13 yards; 6 sacks, 3 fumbles, 0 interceptions

Week 8: Will Proctor, Clemson (8 prior starts) –11 of 28 passing, 86 yards; 5 rushes, 7 yards; 0 sacks, 1 fumble, 1 interception

Week 11: Riley Skinner, Wake Forest (9 prior starts) – 17 of 30 passing, 195 yards; 4 rushes, minus-1 yard; 1 sack, 0 fumbles, 0 interceptions

Week 12: Jameel Sewell, Virginia (8 prior starts) – 10 of 21 passing, 66 yards; 8 rushes, 20 yards; 1 sack, 1 fumble, 1 interception

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Matthew Stafford, Georgia (7 prior starts) – 9 of 21 passing, 129 yards, 1 TD; 7 rushes, 3 yards; 2 sacks, 1 fumble, 1 interception

2005

Week 3: Austen Everson, Ohio (4 prior starts) – 9 of 18 passing, 96 yards; 10 rushes, 31 yards; 3 sacks, 1 fumble, 2 interceptions

Week 6: Bernie Morris, Marshall (2 prior starts) – 14 of 28 passing, 117 yards, 1 TD; 7 rushes, 8 yards; 3 sacks, 2 fumbles, 1 interception

Week 7: Sam Hollenbach, Maryland (6 prior starts) – 14 of 30 passing, 158 yards, 1 TD; 8 rushes, 5 yards; 4 sacks, 0 fumbles, 2 interceptions

Week 9: Kyle Wright, Miami (7 prior starts) – 13 of 22 passing, 146 yards, 1 TD; 1 rush, minus-2 yards; 1 sack, 0 fumbles, 1 interception

Gator Bowl: Hunter Cantwell, Louisville (1 prior start) – 15 of 37 passing, 216 yards, 3 TD; 5 rushes, minus-34 yards; 4 sacks, 1 fumble, 3 interceptions

2004

Week 4: Jay Davis, N.C. State (2 prior starts) – 4 of 10 passing, 64 yards; 2 rushes, 6 yards; 0 sacks, 0 fumbles, 1 interception

Week 10: Joel Statham, Maryland (9 prior starts) – 8 of 17 passing, 70 yards; 1 rush, 6 yards; 0 sacks, 0 fumbles, 3 interceptions