Virginia Tech’s top-10 rating is on the line

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, September 06, 2007  |  Comments( 2 )

Virginia Tech Hokies
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It's a bit ironic, because Virginia Tech has long been criticized -- even by its fans -- for its soft early season schedules.

If you took a poll of Hokie Nation this week, though, most would be happy to see a James Madison or William & Mary or Ohio University on the menu for Saturday. Anybody but No. 2 LSU.

The No. 9 Hokies will test the Tigers on defense, without question -- linebackers Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi are both All-America candidates, while safety Victor "Macho" Harris is one of the best in the ACC. Moreover, Frank Beamer's team returns quarterback Sean Glennon, all-conference running back Branden Ore and a trio of experienced and fast wide receivers.

The problem, in a sluggish 17-7 opening victory against East Carolina, was a thin and rearranged offensive line that made room for just 33 rushing yards in 31 attempts. Factored into that, of course, was the yardage that Glennon lost on four sacks.

Size certainly isn't a problem, not with tackles Nick Marshman (6-foot-5, 357 pounds) and Duane Brown (6-5, 308), guards Richard Graham (6-6,,278) and Sergio Render (6-4, 310) and center Ryan Shuman (6-3, 314). But that array of beef was largely ineffective against the smaller but quicker ECU defenders. And with no experienced backups, fatigue set in late on a warm day in Blacksburg.

This week, down in Baton Rouge, will be even hotter -- and scarier. The Tigers have an All-America candidate, Glen Dorsey, at defensive tackle and a ferocious pass rusher, Tyson Jackson, at one end. Moreover, the LSU secondary picked off Mississippi State quarterback Michael Henig six times (three by Craig Steltz) in a 45-0 victory.

Tech's offensive line, which starts two redshirt sophomores and a redshirt junior, simply has to get better. Fast.

According to Beamer, the difficulty last week was not so much a collective collapse as a series of individual breakdowns.

"Five guys on the line would be doing well and one guy breaks down and it's a lousy play that looks awful," Beamer said.

In all fairness, the emotional impact of a pre-game ceremony memorializing the victims of last April's school shooting may have been a factor in Tech's torpor. But LSU's defensive game plan seems quite obvious, based on that performance -- stack the line, shut down Ore, and force Glennon to throw on obvious passing downs.

"We'll be challenged," said Beamer, because they're all over the place (on defense)."

"They use seven guys upfront and rotate them in and out," added Render.

On the other hand, Beamer might consider dropping two words on the Hokies in his pre-game pep talk: Appalachian State.

Get original Virginia Tech Hokies insight at RealFootball365.com
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