Attention Mike Vernon:
His name is V-E-R-N-O-N. learn it.
Great game, on to the Hokies!
In honor of Duke-VT being a big game we think can be winnable, I present to you....a live blog of the Asack game:
http://sports.chronicleblogs.com/200...virginia-tech/
This year however, we throw the ball.
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
I would imagine encouraging. If we were that close with Asack as the QB and VT was really good that year, this game should be better for Duke, and the only way it could be better would be with a win. We played them really well last year too. We'll see, I would have preferred to see VT not coming off a loss but it works both ways I guess. They could be demoralized or they could be super jacked up. Beamer is a great coach, so I would assume the latter.
A few reasons:
1. If you couldn't tell from my sig, which is from snrubchat from that game, I have affectionate memories of how silly that was.
2. It was a game where we could have won - we could've beaten VT the way they played, had we been able to throw the ball. But Thad Lewis was hurt and Asack started, and Roof didn't let him pass at all - Asack had like 6 passes until the final drive (where he threw 4 times and got picked. And yet, we were down 7-3 till a late interception return.
And that's the difference - not only is this a better Duke team (and worse VT team), but our backup QB is actually capable of airing out the ball if we need it. This year won't be like that year.
(Also, reason #1 is still in effect - in retrospect, that game was hilarious.)
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
Good to see Connette in for a play yesterday, guess he should be able to go. Sean should be ready, and the Boone Package should be much more confident.
Beamer has a lot of film to watch.
This would be a big upset, but not impossible. We held UVa to 2 yards rushing in the second half. Two. And hung 28 unanswered. We may or may not be world beaters yet, but we have a very real squad this year. Anything is possible.
From the fans who were in attendance yesterday there was a lot of energy and enthusiasm, especially in the second half. And even though it wasn't even close to being full, Wally Wade was making a little bit of noise and chants of Let's Go Duke actually gave me chill bumps. So it shows you there can be a good atmosphere. Think how great it would be if it was full. I think people are starting to slowly believe and there is even a slight lunatic fringe starting to form, and every good football program has the lunatic fringe. One of them was sitting right behind me. Cutcliffe has built it now it is time for everyone else to join us diehards and come to the games and make them expedite that expansion to 44,000 seats.
For those who are curious, the new Jeff Sagarin Rankings have the ACC as follows:
PRE = the Predictor, which is Sagarin's more accurate at predicting game results rankings - ELO is the standard rankings used by the BCS which do not take into account score discrepancies.Code:TEAM PRE ELO FSU 12 23 UNC 15 53 Clem 25 24 VT 40 55 NCSt 45 42 GT 59 96 MIA 67 30 BC 73 103 MD 75 63 DUKE 77 47 UVA 94 79 WF 106 76
If we trust the predictor, VT should be a solid favorite over us (especially at home) but is actually an easier game than UNC at home (UNC's blowouts over its crappy teams look real good here. By contrast, Duke should've killed Memphis by a larger score.)
While none of MD or BC (fairly clear win possibilities) are on the schedule, our most likely 6th victory could in fact be MIAMI at home on the last game of the season.
(Of course, by ELO we're better than VT. So who knows)
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
After Va Tech's debacle at UNC, we're going to get VT's best. They'll see a home game against us as a must win. Every media comment about how Duke may be the better team right now will be on the bulletin board for motivation. VT will want to bet us and do it convincingly to get their season back on track.
But this year, I firmly believe we can get VT's best and STILL win the game, a long as they get our best too.
The Predictor system works like the Pomeroy Computer Rankings in BBall - it basically doesn't even care about "wins" or "losses" but all about points and who they came against. Boston College's schedule rank is in the 60s - Duke's is in the 130s. That gives BC a lot more credit for keeping it close. And they blew out their one bad opponent. Duke's wins come against FIU and Memphis, both in the 140s or worse in ranking (BAD teams), Virginia - a bad team though not epicly bad, Central (Ranked in the 200s as a bad 1-AA team should be), and Wake (again, not ranked very well). 3 of BC's losses came to far better teams than those 4 (Miami, Northwestern, Clemson), and their only bad loss was to Army AT Army, and at least it was close.
Hence why BC looks better than their record.
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
Others receiving votes: ... Duke 3
Tied for 36th.
In related news, Virginia Tech just opened as an eleven-point favorite for next weekend. Interesting. Time to make a statement.