Drew Budwin's Blog » Virginia Tech

Appalachian State vs. Virginia Tech

dbudwin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:37:59 +0000

I was planning on writing something more elaborate; discussing the poise and confidence I have in QB Logan Thomas, or more eloquent; comparing the running abilities of a gazelle on the African plains to RB David Wilson, or more verbose; highlighting how wide open WR Danny Coale is. But, I really found a great way to sum it all together into a neat little package containing two videos.

Just remember come Saturday, it’s these guys…

…versus these guys…

Start jumping! Only a few more days!

Highs, Lows, Midlands – Boise State

dbudwin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:07:39 +0000

Highs – Without a doubt the Boise State game was one of the most emotional and crazy games ever. No one in that stadium was ever bored and I don’t think Boise fans ever had enough time to become complacent in their 17-0 lead. Tyrod was hot, you can’t deny that. He oozed leadership and poise throughout the game, he’s a real winner and he gets my MVP award for the game. I also liked how 2 small TV markets (Blacksburg and Boise) enabled ESPN to have such a highly watched and rated game.

Lows – Besides the obvious loss, it was the bitter taste left in my mouth that hinted at victory and what would have been one of the most amazing (comeback) wins in Hokie history. Also, FedEx field is a frustrating venue. Crowd and traffic management skills were non-existent and I have hesitations about attending a game there again. There is no good reason it should take an hour and fifteen minutes just to pull out of your parking spot after the game when all you want to do is sleep. FedEx field management, specifically Dan Snyder, gets the LVP award for the game.

Midlands – Potential. But potential doesn’t win you games.

Thoughts, comments? Who gets your MVP and LVP of the game and what are your highs, lows, and midlands for the game?

Top Moments in Recent Hokie Football

dbudwin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:05:49 +0000

The past three seasons have been nothing short of interesting for the Hokies with highs like being ranked #3 to lows such as the Hokies unranked status for much of the 2008 season. We’ve seen records as well as dreams broken, like Darren Evan’s 253 yard performance against Maryland in 2008 and conversely when Georgia Tech ousted the Hokies in 2009. However, Hokie fans wouldn’t be displeased with an average ranking of #10 over the past 41 games. I will recap some of the most interesting and exciting moments of these past 41 games in Hokie football history!

#5. Missing Jerseys against Georgia Tech (2007)

Four players’ jerseys went missing before this Thursday night game. It’s still a mystery as to what happened to Tyrod Taylor’s, Sean Glennon’s, Kam Chancellor’s and Brandon Flower’s jersey at the start of the game. So what did they do? They wore Georgia Tech’s old practice jerseys and took a Sharpie to them to write in their names and add a backwards Nike swoosh on the front. You can see one of these jerseys on display at the Merryman Athletic Center.

#4. Tyrod Taylor’s Hit Against Ras-I Dowling (2008)

Remember the wild turkey? Tech was big into it during the 2008 ACC Championship season. On this play Tyrod Taylor lined up as a wide receiver with Greg Boone behind center. Boone attempted a 30+ yard pass to Taylor. Ras-I Dowling should have intercepted Boone’s pass if it weren’t for Taylor’s upending hit on Dowling.

#3. The Comeback Against Nebraska (2009)

The Hokies were quaking in their boots when our offense struggled to outdo Nebraska’s five field goals. With just 1:23 left in the 4th, Tech had 84 yards to go to gain a one point lead. That’s not an easy task against any team, especially one with Ndamukong Suh starring down the offense at every snap. But a cool Tyrod Taylor and a wide open Danny Coale make anything possible. In one play, Danny Coale made up for 81 of those 84 yards. And after a few more nail biting moments Tyrod completed a slick 11 yard pass to #11 Dyrell Roberts to give the Hokies a one point advantage and the win. Lane Stadium erupted and was louder than ever.

#2. Boston College’s Last Minute Undoing of the Hokies (2007)

This is an article of exciting and interesting moments, not the best moments in recent Hokie history. It was pouring rain and the Hokies were shutting out Matt Ryan and the rest of the #2 ranked Boston College Eagles with a 10-0 lead with under three minutes left to play. Tech had it in the bag and many had started celebrating already. These emotions quickly turned as Boston College upset the Hokies in what may be the most disheartening loss in all of Hokie history. Matt Ryan snuck in two touchdowns causing the Eagles to win 14-10.

#1. Pregame of ECU at Virginia Tech (2007)

Chris Fowler of ESPN Gameday spoke directly to the Hokie Nation telling us it was our time to “cut loose.” It was the first football game following the shootings at Virginia Tech and it was a time to start celebrating and getting Virginia Tech back on track. Anyone who was human understood the significance of this day to the Hokie Nation. This was the first Virginia Tech game I had ever attended. I had just moved into my dorm and scalped a ticket and sat with fellow ECU fans that were nothing less than respectful and compassionate. I had always had an affinity for ECU given my legacy status.