The Virigina Tech Hokies — who have been struggling with penalties in recent games — are looking to rebound after two consecutive losses which brought their record down to 2-2. They will face the Western Michigan Broncos at home on Sept. 27.
Virigina Tech Football Struggling with Penalties
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Look no further than a slew of penalties as the culprit behind the Virginia Tech Hokies’ recent slide.
This was what Hokies head football coach Frank Beamer said during Monday’s press conference, per The Washington Post’s Mark Giannotto:
“Nothing, though, seems to have rankled Beamer mroe than the Hokies’ ongoing penalty problem. They committed a season-high 12 in Saturday’s 27-24 loss to (the) Georgia (Yellow Jackets). They lead the ACC in penalties by a wide margin, with more than 10 infractions in three of their four games. Only three other Football Bowl Division teams (BYU, Tulane and Marshall) have been penalized more.
“During Beamer’s 28 years at Virginia Tech, his teams have never committed more than 100 penalties in a season. These Hokies would shatter that mark by November at their current rate.
“‘It’s just awful,’ he said after Saturday’s game.
“The offense’s four illegal substitution penalties against the Yellow Jackets were particularly troubling, a direct result of the team’s infusion of young playmakers and the increased number of no-huddle snaps being used with offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler’s multiple-formation scheme.
“On Monday’s ‘Tech Talk Live,’ the athletic department’s weekly radio show, associate head coach Shane Beamer said three of those penalties came from wide receivers mixing up sideline signals and not getting off the field in time. The fourth infraction was a slow substitution by the running backs. It’s no coincidence freshmen have figured prominently at both positions.
“‘There’s no excuse,’ Frank Beamer said Monday. ‘Things like that, there’s just no excuse whatsoever. And we’re going to get it corrected.’
“…As a unit, the offense has accounted for 20 of the team’s 40 accepted penalties through four games, including eight false starts and six illegal blocks or holding infractions. But the problems are widespread, with every phase culpable at key moments during the team’s recent losses.
“The defense has been flagged five times for pass interference or holding, committed three 15-yard personal fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct and had three illegal-substitution penalties of its own against (the) East Carolina (Pirates) on Sep. 13. Beamer’s special teams units, meanwhile, have been guilty of four illegal blocks the past two weeks.”
“The emphasis is right now, regardless of who we’re playing this week, Virginia Tech has got to get better.” – Coach Beamer
— VT Football (@VT_Football) September 22, 2014
On the other hand, the Hokies’ miscues on both offense and defense plus untimely mental errors have done them in, per SB Nation’s (via Yahoo Sports) Greg Quintero:
“Troubles on both sides of the ball coupled with mental errors have the Hokies back to .500 on the season.
“A season that was brimming with optimism just two weeks ago is now unraveling like a cheap suit for the Hokies. Virginia Tech dropped its second consecutive game Saturday after starting the season 2-0, including a signature win on the road over (the) Ohio State (Buckeyes). This weekend’s loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets started the Hokies’ ACC play on a sour note, and dropped the team back to .500 on the season. More alarming is the way the Hokies dropped the last two games: poor decision-making at quarterback, defensive breakdowns, and inexplicable mistakes have doomed the team.
“Junior quarterback Michael Brewer started the season effectively, completing a combined 47-of-67 passes with four touchdowns in the Hokies’ victories against William & Mary and Ohio State. In the teams’ last two games, Brewer has added three passing touchdowns, but has also thrown five interceptions, for a total of eight picks on the season. Three of those interceptions came against the Yellow Jackets Saturday, a result of poor decision-making by Brewer, who repeatedly tried forcing passes into tight coverage.
“The picks proved costly for the Hokies as one was returned for a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter, and another sparked the game-winning Yellow Jackets drive, punctuated by the game-winning field goal as time expired. Brewer is likely to remain the team’s signal caller going forward, but a vocal minority in support of senior Mark Leal can be expected should Brewer continue to ineffectively guide the team.
“…The 2014 Virginia Tech season is taking the path of a team playing to the level of their competition. The Hokies’ upset win over Ohio State in Columbus was (a) complete team effort, whereas the following two weeks have come in stark contrast.
“Leaks are springing up in different areas, and mistakes have been plentiful in the team’s fall from the ranks of the undefeated. After the loss to Georgia Tech, Coach Beamer said, ‘We need to get back to playing Virginia Tech football.’ Truer words were never spoken if the Hokies have intentions of staying in the race for Charlotte this season.”
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Poch de la Rosa
Poch de la Rosa follows all major U.S. sports: NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and the NCAA. His favorite teams are the Colts, Braves, Pacers, Sharks and Irish, respectively.
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