Virginia Tech 45, Central Michigan 21: What They're Saying

Sorry this is late. This is what happens when you get behind.

Face the Nation

The Morning After: ACC Week 6 (D1scourse)
"People will declare Virginia Tech is "back" soon enough. The truth is, aside from the second half against James Madison, the Hokies never really left. That's not a compelling story, of course, but it is reality."

ACC Blogger Power Poll – Week 6 (ACC Blogger)
"(No. 4 Virginia Tech) The Hokies finished off their tumultuous OOC schedule with an easy win over Central Michigan. Wake Forest is up next this week."

ACC Football Power Rankings, Oct. 11 (ACC Sports Journal)
"(No. 2 Virginia Tech) September seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?"

ACC Power Rankings: Week 7 (Annette)
"(No. 2 Virginia Tech) The Hokies have now won four straight heading into Saturday’s home game against Wake Forest. Their inability to convert a single third down against Central Michigan was nullified by 38 unanswered points after the Chippewas’ opening scoring drive, but it’s an issue Virginia Tech will need to fix against its Coastal counterparts."

Virginia Tech Bloggers

About Those Third Down Conversions (The Key Play)
"After watching, and re-watching these plays I believe sloppy execution was the overwhelming reason why we didn't convert on third down. More often than not, there was at least one missed block and balls that hit hands need to be catches. The ancillary reasons were unmanageable distance and bad play calls."

Hokies 45, Chippewas 21 - Final Analysis (VT Campus Blog)
"It’s become evident right now that the Hokies’ production relies heavily on breaking a big play or two on any given possession. So far this season, the Hokies have struggled mightily to sustain drives. Much of that can be chalked up to the lack of consistency on the offensive line. Despite the marked improvement Curt Newsome’s unit has made in recent weeks, they still struggle to control the line of scrimmage play-in, play-out."

Taylor, Hokies Run by Central Michigan 45-21 (Tech Sideline)
"The Tech defense played well for the most part, but yielded too many big plays yet again. Central Michigan quarterback Ryan Radcliff was just 21-of-48, but he threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw an interception to Davon Morgan when his arm was hit by Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, who was coming on a blitz from his whip position."

Virginia Tech Beat Writers

Hokies defense bends, but doesn't break (Mark Giannotto)
"Virginia Tech has been taking a bend don't break philosophy as it tries to overcome some of the deficiencies involved with having seven new starters on defense. The past four weeks the Hokies have given up an average of almost 380 yards per game, and yet have come away with four victories."

Hokies' Smith making catches on, off the field (Mark Berman)
"Lately, Virginia Tech tight end Andre Smith has hauled in a number of largemouth bass out of a pond in back of offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring's house. He's also been hauling in some touchdown catches lately. Smith had his third touchdown catch in eight days Saturday to help the Hokies cruise past Central Michigan 45-21 at Lane Stadium."

Analysis and reaction from VT's 45-21 win (Kyle Tucker)
"So what to make of all this? Well, Tech’s still a tad shaky at times on defense – but great at in-game adjustments – and the offense remains capable of quick-strike scoring but not so much long, methodical drives. Or consistency."

Thoughts on Virginia Tech 45, Central Michigan 21 (Darryl Slater)
"By the time this final drive ended, with 8:27 left in the third quarter, the Hokies were up 24-7, and it seemed extremely unlikely that Central Michigan would come back to win. Still, the fact remains: After the Hokies scored a touchdown on their first drive of the game, seven of their next nine drives failed to result in more than five plays and more than seven yards."