va tech fans really hate uva huh? i was with my fellow SC buddies at the FedEx Field parking lot after the game saturday night and some UVA guy had his stickers scraped off his car and his bbq stolen (probably his fault for sporting his gear at a Tech game hehehe)...

btw- it gets freaking loud at FedEx- I haven't been to FedEx before (only to RFK) and I couldn't believe the thunder rocking the seats.

[QUOTE=Big C]screw UVA...Jim Davis is the man![/QUOTE]

jim davis is a pretty good dlineman as well(has a very good burst towards the qb some of the time), but lets not kid ourselves here with uva and tech's teams this year. I like both Va Tech and UVA, but tech is going to be hard to watch this year while UVA could be a dark horse in contention for the ACC title.
chris canty has a nose for the ball and that shows in his stats since he's been a starter the past 2 years: 104 tackles in 2003 and 86 tackles while missing 3 and a half games in 2002(broke his leg in the spring and missed the first 2 games, then hurt his arm early in the second half of the finale vs VA Tech[in which he already had 10 tackles when the injury occured], and subsequently he missed their bowl game that year because of his arm.)

wait wait wait...i am confident that we would have pulled through that game against the #1 ranked USC trojans if it wasnt for that bs call...would have led to at least a field goal with the way bryan randall played. we went neck and neck with the best team in the country, dont count us out of anyhting

Spears is a very good call to try and catch next season, but he's gonna go high if he has a good season and if we have a good season he'll be gone before we come up. We need to fill a hole with a good blocking and recieving fullback that we can possibly convert to an H-Back and I say we pick up Kieth Josephfrom Texas A&M.


With this season everything left is going to be a gamble. Guys like Tony Brackens and Hugh Douglas (nabbed by the Eagles) get cut in the 1st go-around, and you have to figure if they were a "great pick up" then they wouldn't be cut from their teams. No one buys the "going a different direction" crap and saying they're too old. If they can play, you keep them around to help you win. I would have to say they are both pretty inconsistant at this point in their carreers. Zach Bronson was released by the 49ers earlier this year, he may still be available but isn't wowing anyone, don't know if he's any better than Bowen right now.

[QUOTE=Big C]wait wait wait...i am confident that we would have pulled through that game against the #1 ranked USC trojans if it wasnt for that bs call...would have led to at least a field goal with the way bryan randall played. we went neck and neck with the best team in the country, dont count us out of anyhting[/QUOTE]

I agree Big C. I was really impressed with Techs defense. The only thing that bothers me is that Adibi is out for the year, but still that defense played pretty good against the no.1 ranked team. Randall needs a supporting cast. He can't do it himself. Hopefully the receivers will step up. They already have two good TE's, and don't forget about Imoh once he comes back.

[QUOTE=Big C]wait wait wait...i am confident that we would have pulled through that game against the #1 ranked USC trojans if it wasnt for that bs call...would have led to at least a field goal with the way bryan randall played. we went neck and neck with the best team in the country, dont count us out of anyhting[/QUOTE]

As a UVA fan and a Tech-Hater, I am objective enough to see that the offensive pass interference penalty was BS. However, a good team will overcome bad calls and win the game despite the officials. That play happened in the third quarter, and USC still scored three more touchdowns. Tech's D got scorched, and blaming the game's outcome on one interference penalty is disengenious.

[QUOTE=kingerock]We need to fill a hole with a good blocking and recieving fullback that we can possibly convert to an H-Back and I say we pick up Kieth Josephfrom Texas A&M.
[/QUOTE]

For God's sake, we don't need to spend a high draft pick on another offensive player when we already have plenty of TEs and H-backs that come in every year via free agency and undrafted rookies.

No matter how well we do, we've got to suck it up and take a defensive lineman no matter where we are in the draft. Depending on how well Smoot and Springs are this season, and judging by their performance against the Rams that's not a sure thing, we may have to look to the secondary next year as well.

[QUOTE=Big C]wait wait wait...i am confident that we would have pulled through that game against the #1 ranked USC trojans if it wasnt for that bs call...would have led to at least a field goal with the way bryan randall played. we went neck and neck with the best team in the country, dont count us out of anyhting[/QUOTE]

I didn't see the 3rd quarter so I don't know about the pass int. call, but Tech did do a nice job aside from anytime Reggie Bush, i think that was his name, got his hands on the ball. Why is Humes starting over this Hamilton guy cuz humes didn't seem to do squat when he was in there other than that one draw play. Randall looked good on the ground but a little shaky through the air, but of course it didn't help that some of his wrs dropped a couple easy ones and that lb from usc made a hell of an int.

as far as this season for tech, with their lack of depth at rb and lack of expirience/talent at wr, I just can't see Randall being able to save the offense for an entire year. It will be nice to see what he can do without the coaches putting marcus in there every other drive and killing Randall's flow and confidence. But until the defense plays a full year again, which they haven't done since Tech went to the National Title game, I'll keep my hopes for the team to a realistic level. There's a big difference between starting strong and finishing strong.

[quote]No matter how well we do, we've got to suck it up and take a defensive lineman no matter where we are in the draft.[/quote]
you should always try to draft someone who you think can start on the final roster (or at least make the roster), no matter where you draft... plenty of D-linemen moved around in free agency too... but if you got the 25th pick and all the dominant D-linemen are gone, it might not hurt to look at other trouble spots you may have.

[QUOTE=That Guy]you should always try to draft someone who you think can start on the final roster (or at least make the roster), no matter where you draft... plenty of D-linemen moved around in free agency too... but if you got the 25th pick and all the dominant D-linemen are gone, it might not hurt to look at other trouble spots you may have.[/QUOTE]

By the 25th pick, the odds are about even anyway. Only in the top 10 or 12 do you see most of the sure-fire playmakers already taken. After that, there's usually a big drop-off.

Let's say that linebacker or wide receiver is our second or third biggest need next year. By the 25th pick, you can still 'suck it up' and take your first need -- defensive line -- and chances are, you're going to get about what you wanted either way. For instance, this year, there was no defensive lineman worth taking at #5. Sean Taylor was a playmaker, and still filled a position that many considered to be in relative need of attention. I agree it would have been stupid to choose otherwise.

But near the end of the round, at say, pick #25, what is generally regarded as the "best player available" at that particular spot, wouldn't be that much better than taking a player in a need position, that maybe other teams have ranked a little lower.

There are always exceptions, but I'm just sick and tired of sifting through the garbage piles of other teams looking for washed up, waiver wire, has-been defensive ends or tackles hoping to save our D-line.

[quote]There are always exceptions, but I'm just sick and tired of sifting through the garbage piles of other teams looking for washed up, waiver wire, has-been defensive ends or tackles hoping to save our D-line.[/quote]

well, i agree with that ;) D-linemen are a bit of a riskier draft than other positions (more busts/backups), but the skins' FO has done a pretty good job of scouting recently...

[QUOTE=That Guy]well, i agree with that ;) D-linemen are a bit of a riskier draft than other positions (more busts/backups), but the skins' FO has done a pretty good job of scouting recently...[/QUOTE]

Remember Rich Owens? He was by no means a high draft pick, but in '96, he totalled 11 sacks at DE. That was his best year, and is probably long gone from the league by now, but that was a great example of good scouting -- he was taken on Casserly's watch by the way.

Other possible diamonds in the rough -- Ron Warner maybe?