Apologies for not posting this yesterday, but after hammering out all my copy from the game, I was famished and decided to get some grub with a few other hacks at Boudreaux’s. (It’s probably at this point in the season when some of you, after reading daily dispatches about food in this space, are wondering how I’m not 400 pounds.)

While we’re on the topic of food (again), it’s hard to say what was most repulsive yesterday at Lane Stadum—the pregame media spread or the performance by Tech’s offensive line.

I figured Tech would break out some good food for all the national media attending yesterday’s game. Nope. Same old rancid barbecue and dry fried chicken. Brutal. Just bruuuuuutal. Or, as former colleague and Noted ACC Bard David Teel said, “In-freaking-edible.“

Clearly, the food was worse than Tech’s line, if only because I didn’t have to eat Tech’s line. But can we all agree that Ed Wang’s broken foot could impact the Hokies more than anything else this season? They are woefully thin at left guard, where Dick Graham (St. Christopher’s School), Brandon Holland and Matt Welsh all played yesterday.

Right tackle Nick Marshman was essentially pantsed on national TV with 6:40 left in the game, when Scott Robinson blew by him to sack Glennon. As Robinson ran past, Marshman turned and stretched his hand toward Robinson’s back—as if, in desperation, he could use his index finger to hook Robinson’s jersey and yank him backwards.

It was a microcosm of the line’s afternoon, though line coach Curt Newsome did say his players blocked better in passing situations than running situations. Ten four. Tech running backs carried 27 times for 52 yards—a pathetic 1.9 yards per carry. Last season, Tech’s running backs gained 4.2 yards per carry. And to think this year’s line was supposed to be better than last year’s.

To be fair, it’s just the first game of the season. To be realistic, the second game is against Louisiana State and defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who has a voracious appetite for all things ball carrier.

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PARIS FALLS

Despite No. 9 Tech’s unimpressive performance yesterday, the Hokies still will move up in the polls this week, because of No. 5 Michigan’s stunning loss to Division I-AA Applachian State.

Three things about the Appy State win ...

1. Is it the biggest upset in college football history? Well, what say you? I posed the question to Teel yesterday. He lowered his eyes over his glasses and dropped his jaw slightly, as if I had asked him which restaurant he likes better, KFC or Taco Bell.

Teel has long joked that my youthful ignorance knows no bounds, and he summarily reminded me of this tasty little lick: In 1998, when Tech went 9-3, it lost at home to Temple 28-24. Tech was a 35-point favorite in that game. Temple finished the season 2-9.

Was Appy State’s win a bigger upset? Vegas slimeballs don’t set lines for games between I-A and I-AA teams. And consider that this Appy State team, the two-time defending national champs, probably could beat that ‘98 Temple team.

2. Blog pal Mark Schlabach—whose dog, Tubby, once famously escaped his home a few blocks from Sandford Stadium in Athens, Ga., and ran around the field during a game, which Schlabach was covering from the press box—zipped down to Boone, N.C., last night after the Tech game to discover some rowdy Mountaineers . Sadly, he did not make the most of his visit by chatting with Appy State’s mascot, who has one of the best names in college sports: Yosef.

3. Whatever you do today—mow the lawn, hang out with the fam—take some time to listen to the final call from Appy State’s upset. It’s located here (look under “related audio” beneath the photo on the right, click on “Michigan Final Call” and when the window pops up, click “Michigan Final Call” again). This gem would make Jim Ross blush.

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TWO RANDOM THINGS

1. Call it a cheap pop and/or shill job if you must, but here’s a link to Joe Giglio’s ACC Now blog on the Raleigh News & Observer’s site. It has some good stuff and is occasionally laced with smarminess. Plus, Joe was kind enough to link my blog in his.

2. The best part of watching college football on a Saturday might be seeing the scores scroll across the bottom of the screen on ESPN. (Yes, I actually wrote something positive about ESPN.) Especially in the first couple weeks of the season—when I-A teams play I-AA teams and I-AA teams play Division II teams, or even NAIA teams—you really get acquainted with some of this nation’s most random colleges.

Some highlights from this weekend: Arkansas State, Henderson State, Quincy, Missouri-Rolla, Mankato State, Albion, Delaware Valley, Western Washington, Tusculum, Delta State, Tarleton State, Bethel (Tenn.), Azusa Pacific. A free Virginia Tech Extra T-shirt to anyone who can locate Arkansas State and Henderson State on a map. Hint: Both schools are located in Arkansas. (Answers at the bottom of this post.)

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QUOTES

Some leftovers from yesterday’s postgame interviews ...

LT DUANE BROWN

On the line—“We’ve got a couple guys in there that are inexperienced, and they [ECU] moved around a lot. It caused us to let one or two guys loose here and there. Just little things we’ve got to patch up. We’ll be all right next week.“

More on the line—“I’m sure people still have doubts about us. I don’t think we had an awful game, but we could have had a lot better game. Just a few things we definitely have to fix before next Saturday.“

QB SEAN GLENNON

“Today could have been better. We need to get better if we expect to go to Louisiana and get a win.“

“I hope we’re mentally tough enough to be able to, once the whistle is blown, put that out of our heads and go out and play football. But we didn’t do that today, because we came out flat, especially on offense.“

“I think the foundation to any offense is its offensive line. When we’re doing well, it’s because of them. When you’re not doing so well, it’s because of them.“

“You can’t put it all on the o-line. But definitely, we need better protection and better holes in the running game if we’re going to improve as an offense. We can’t have this week in, week out.“

More on the line—“We just flat out didn’t get the run game established today. That can’t happen later down the road. If we want to do well in the ACC, if we want to do well next week, we’ve got to be able to protect, we’ve got be able to run the ball. It’s safe to say that they didn’t have a good day and they have to get better.“

On his anticipation of the game—“I don’t know if there was anyone in the country who was looking forward to the first game like myself. I really feel real confident in myself. I thought I was going to come out here and show everyone that on national TV, and the very first pass … ugh, gosh.“

On whether he looked forward to the game too much—“Maybe. I don’t know what I did but I wasn’t playing like myself in that first half. A couple times I missed a guy that was open and one time I didn’t recognize the right coverage and that’s not me. I don’t know if was thinking about this game for too long or my head was just so focused on coming out and playing great and putting on a show for all these fans.“
LB VINCE HALL

“We got real emotional. I say you never can get too hyped. But today, I’ll say we were too hyped in the first half. We came out second half with our mind right.“

FRANK BEAMER

On how concerned he is about the line—“I’d say very.“

On how well the line blocked—“I didn’t think very well.“

On the state of his team—“It’s quite obvious we better be better next week.“

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TRIVIA ANSWER

Arkansas State is in Jonesboro. Henderson State is in Arkadelphia.

Posted by Darryl Slater in • Virginia Tech Extra
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