2. The Underachieving Hokie O-Line Some preview magazines are actually insane enough to tout Virginia Techās offensive line as a TEAM STRENGTH. Lindyās boasts of VaTechās 70 returning starts at O-Line!!! wut?? If you have paid any attention, VTās struggles up front have terrorized this team for at least 2 years. Is it a benefit to return 70 starts / 3 starters on a terrible offensive line?
The Hokie O-Line gave up 42 sacks in ā08. VaTech attempted only 291 passes. Thatās a sack to pass-attempt ratio of 12.81%, WORST IN THE COUNTRY by 2+ percentage points. It was the same story in ā07.
āReturning startsā is one of the most misleading stats in football, and itās a horrible indicator of a teamās potential. Letās look at the projected starting five:
* LT ā Ed Wang ā SR ā 2 year starterā¦Sounds great! Except for the fact that heās a former tight end and a former right tackle. This will only be his second year ever at LT.
* LG ā Sergio Render ā SR ā 3 year starterā¦Best OLineman on the team, 2<sup>nd</sup> team all-ACC, the real deal. But heās moving from RG to LG for 2009. So 39 career starts, but none at his current position. It shouldnāt matter too much, but there may be an adjustment. And if he gets hurt, holy ****. There goes āhalfā your experience.
C ā Beau Warren ā JR ā¦Started 2 games in ā07 and was a backup in ā08. Almost all of his experience is as a backup, cleaning up in blowouts.
* RT ā Blake DeChristopher ā SO ā¦.Started 11 games last year, but was thrown into the fire too early. Heās allegedly improving, although the VT website says he split Spring reps with another RT (Lanier). Is that a good sign? A lot of previews suggest he will show his āpotentialā this year. Based on what? A big leap of faith.
RG ā Jaymes Brooks ā SOā¦One career start. A complete unknown. But like everyone else in the offseason, he has āpotentialā.
So if you count actual starts at current positions, the number of returning starts drops from 74 to 32. Putting together a patchwork line with only one stud doesnāt give me a lot of expectations for 2009. The line may āimproveā only because itās impossible for them to play any worse. But if the Hokies have designs on an MNC run, the O-Line will have to play out of their minds and stay healthy all year long. That, my friends, is a very long shot.
By the way, some suggest that VT gives up more sacks because of their mobile QB. A failed QB draw resulting in a loss of yards is chalked up as a sack. But by that same rationale, canāt you suggest that Taylor also runs his way OUT OF a number of potential sacks? Regardless, the numbers are ****ing ugly. Finally, Iāve seen the word ādepthā tossed around. Does anyone even read a roster anymore? VTech only has about 7 guys who have ever PLAYED O-Line in a college game. That is not depth, that is simply warm bodies. The Hokies are a key injury or two away from needing duct tape and twine to keep their front 5 in tact.
