CATEGORY 6

It's all about . . . The U!!!

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Category 6 looks ahead to Virginia Tech and Notre Dame.

In looking ahead to the ‘Canes 2012 Football Schedule, 2 games stand out. On October 6th, UM heads up to Chicago to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, in a game that renews one of college football’s best and bitterest rivalries of the 80′s. Less than one month later (November 1st) Miami hosts the Virginia Tech Hokies, in a game that could decide Coastal Division’s portion of the ACC Championship. Both games are in prime time, and while no one will dispute that the FSU game drums up more emotion than any other, these 2 games could define the 2012 season.

The 'Canes will play both Notre Dame & Va Tech in Prime Time.

While the full previews of these contests will have to wait for the fall, today we give a sneak preview. We caught up with bloggers for both teams and asked them the following questions:

1) First,  please list your team, the link to your site, and twitter handle (if possible).

Virginia Tech, http://www.gobblercountry.com/ and the twitter handles are @LunchpailD and @GobblerCountry

Notre Dame — www.onefootdown.com.  Twitter: @OneFootDown

2) What would you say are your teams strengths and weaknesses coming out of the spring? Have there been any major developments from spring practice?

Gobler Country (Va Tech):

Our team strength has to be our defense, but in particular our defensive line. The Hokies return all four starters along the line and a quality backup at each position. Tech will be able to go two-deep across the entire line without any concerns. That is due in part to injuries last year which allowed players who wouldn’t have seen playing time that early to really get the bulk of the snaps. The result: Now we’re as talented and deep as anyone in the country on the defensive line. Linebacker is a work in progress only because of our injuries there. If all three starters are healthy in August I’ll feel good with that position. In the defensive backfield we are breaking in three players at three new positions. I have no concerns about talent in that department, but their familiarity with their positions is cause for concern at least early on. As for weaknesses there are several. The number one weakness is along the offensive line where the Hokies only return one starter. This is particularly unnerving considering how much of a problem area the offensive line has been for the Hokies over the last decade. Last year however the Hokies had their best offensive line since probably 1999 or 2000, so it’s upsetting to see them go just as they finally bucked the trend. Though I said the Hokies lose four starters, some of the guys coming back platoon with the starters over the last two seasons and all of the new projected starters save one have seen significant time on the field. The other concern area is running back. There is a ton of talent at that position and the coaches may try to spread carries around to take advantage of that, but I have a feeling we’re going to take a step back in that department. There are too many guys just a year or two away from being impact players at that position, especially considering the offensive line woes.

Frank Beamer and the Hokies are always a tough opponent.

One Foot Down (Notre Dame):

The team’s strengths lie mainly with the depth and experience at offensive line and running back along with last year’s Mackey Award finalist Tyler Eifert at TE (on offense).  On the defensive side of the ball, the team strengths lie up front with the defensive line and with Senior LB Manti Te’o and 5th year Senior S Jamoris Slaughter. The main weaknesses for this team coming out of the spring are depth at WR and CB.  The perimeter of the defense will be tested time and time again in the fall and the Irish need a couple of players to step up to the challenge. The one major development coming out of spring practice has to do with off-field issues.  There was the much-publicized arrest of QB Tommy Rees and LB Carlo Calabrese in early May.  Freshman WR Davaris Daniels was cited for underage drinking a few weeks after that.

Will Tommy Rees be the starter for ND this year?

3) What would you say is the best possible outcome for your team this upcoming season and the worst?

Gobler Country (Va Tech):

I’m not like a lot of prognosticators, pundits and fans who project in the pre-season that the Hokies will win the national title almost yearly now. History would seem to suggest otherwise. A national championship though unlikely is something that I won’t absolutely rule it out. This team is just too good to remove from contention like that. Realistically I’d say the best possible outcome for the Hokies is to go win the ACC title game and go back to a BCS bowl game, just to make sure and WIN this time. The worst possible outcome would be that Logan Thomas got hurt. In that event, I don’t see any scenario in which we go to a BCS bowl and depending on the timing of the injury, could even keep us from going to the ACC title game.

One Foot Down (Notre Dame):

At this point, the best possible outcome for the team would be a 10 win season and a BCS bowl game berth.  That is a lot to ask with the fall schedule, which features USC, Oklahoma, Stanford, Michigan and Michigan State in addition to the match-up with Miami in Chicago.  The worst possible outcome would be a five or six win season, likely leaving the team at home during bowl season and adding serious question marks about the future.

4) Who would you say is your team’s best player? Who might be a break out performer?

Gobler Country:

I should just say see above. It’s Logan Thomas. No doubt. As for a breakout performer, there really aren’t too many candidates for this as the defense returns nine starters. Despite the fact that he had 510 yards and 5 TD’s a year ago (which may not constitute him as a breakout player) I’d have to go with Marcus Davis. I use the term breakout for him because despite those numbers, he may come close to doubling them this year. He is a physical freak, but he is also an enigma. He’s the kind of player who chooses when he shows up, so he can make some pretty boneheaded plays when he plays so lackadaisical.

One Foot Down (Notre Dame):

Offensively, the toughest match-up for opposing defenses would be Tyler Eifert at TE.  The staff will look to move him all around the field (in a similar fashion to the way Michael Floyd was in 2011) in order to get and exploit mis-matches.  On defense, the conversation begins and ends with MLB Manti Te’o.  Both players should be in consideration for All-America teams by the season’s end.  The staff is currently having a debate on who the top break out candidates for 2012 will be.  While there are several names to keep an eye on, I will give you two.  On offense, watch for OL Christian Lombard on the right side of the line.  Whether he starts at RG or RT remains to be seen, but he will play a key role in filling the holes left by two graduated players.  On defense, keep an eye on OLB Ishaq Williams.  The former 5 star recruit enters his second season in the program and should see plenty of reps in the fall.

 

5) How do you see your team doing against UM this season?

Gobler Country (Va Tech):

I’d say another close game with the Hokies coming out on top. I like some of the additions the ‘Canes have made (even if they came at our expense Robert Lockhart and Jawand Blue! Haha) and I feel like Golden is doing a good job to date.

One Foot Down (Notre Dame):

All Irish fans are hoping for a replay of the 2010 Sun Bowl for the October match-up in Chicago.  The game is a de facto home game for the Irish, and they should ultimately prevail–but not without a fight from the ‘Canes.  Al Golden was a great hire for Miami, and we expect them to continue to improve under his watch.

Mike James and Miami hope for a big season.

We certainly hope the above predictions are wrong. But we are looking forward to these 2 games as well as the season. Special Thanks to the bloggers at onefootdown.com as well as gobblercountry.com for working with us.
Here’s a video courtesy of allcanes.com circa 1989 to wet your appetite for the ND game. 3rd and 43 anyone?!?!

Category 6 Preview: Virginia Tech (13-10) at Miami (14-7)

(Editor’s note: Special thanks to Chicagomaroon of www.gobblercountry.com/ for working on this preview with us and providing advanced scouting on Virginia Tech)

Coming off of one of the most exhilarating victories in school history at Duke, The Miami Hurricanes return to action Thursday (9pm EST TBA/ESPN3) against struggling Virginia Tech at the BUC. Reggie Johnson out muscled the Blue Devils all day long on his way to a career high 27 points and 12 boards on Sunday. Fellow big man Kenny Kadji chipped in with 15 and 8, as Duke had no answers for the ‘Canes inside players. In the Hokies, UM will face a perimeter oriented team that is better than its 2-6 conference mark. Virginia Tech has lost 5 of its 6 ACC battles by 4 points or less. Much like last year’s UM team they have struggled to close out close games, but have been ultra competitive. If Miami hopes to avoid a letdown they will need to keep guards Erick Green (15.7 ppg) and Dorenzo Hudson (11.4 ppg) under control.

Reggie Johnson played with passion on Sunday against Duke.

 

Projected Starting Lineups:

Miami

C Reggie Johnson                   6’10 300 JR

F Kenny Kadji                          6’11 260 SO

G Shane Larkin                       5’11 160 FR

G Malcolm Grant                     6’1 188  SR

G Durand Scott                       6’4 198  JR

 

Virginia Tech

F Victor Davila                       6’8 245   SR

F Dorian Finney-Smith           6’8 192  FR

F Jarell Eddie                         6’7 209   SO

G Marquis Rankin                   6’1 165   FR

G Erick Green                         6’4 185   JR

 

Keys to the Game: Do not bask in the glory of conquering Duke. Nothing will get you beaten quicker in this league then not showing up to play. Virginia Tech may be struggling but if Hudson and Green go off, it can be a long night for Miami. Additionally Finney-Smith is a big time talent who has had a rough freshman year. It would not be inconceivable for him to have a big game. Ever since the loss to NC State, Jim Larranaga has had the full attention of the team, so we do not expect a letdown, but anything is possible on any given night in the ACC.

Keep getting the ball inside. The Hokies would like nothing more then to watch UM launch a series of ill-advised threes. And while the ‘Canes are capable of shooting the ball well, the most efficient way for them to win is via Kadji and Johnson. Like most of the conference, the Hokies do not have the size or skill upfront to match-up with the ‘Canes big men.

Trying to guard Big Reg can be a hazardous chore.

 

Best Match-up: Victor Davila VS Reggie Johnson. Big Reg has a definite size advantage here, but the 6’8 245 Davila too likes to bang inside. With Va Tech loaded with small forward types, it would appear as if he will draw the unenviable assignment of checking big # 42. We wish him luck.

Va Tech's Victor Davila finishes with power.

 

Prediction: When the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” US Olympic Hockey team defeated the Russians they had one game left for the gold. In that game they fell behind early 2-0 to Finland before fiery Coach Herb Brooks fired them up by saying “ if you [mess] up here, it will be with you for the rest of your life.”

Well for the sake of Miami Men’s basketball Virginia Tech is Finland. Like the Americans in Lake Placid, Miami will follow-up their biggest win ever with another win. The prize may not be a gold medal, but it will take them one step closer to the NCAA Tournament.  The ‘Canes roll 74-68.

 

Here is our full Q&A with Chicagomaroon of Gobbler Country:

C6: Virginia Tech is similar to the Miami team of last year in that they’ve lost a lot of close games. What are the reasons that VT hasn’t been able to close out some of those games? Do you think VT is improving?

GC: Looking back at the 2010-11 Miami team, I realized there were a LOT of similarities. In fact at this point of the season their records are almost identical. Both teams were shown some love in the pre-season (I know Miami was picked 8th, but analysts from around the country mentioned them as a sleeper team), especially considering the ‘Canes finished 12th in 2009-10 and the Hokies lost their top-3 players from 2010-11. I equate that to getting love a year too early. The ‘Canes played their way into that recognition with their performance at the 2010 ACC Tournament and the Hokies got it because of their 2011 recruiting class. Now look at the ‘Canes THIS year. That’s where the Hokies want to be next year.

However, back to this year: There are several reasons they are losing the close games. They don’t take care of the ball throughout the game. They don’t box out on the defensive end. They are too reliant on the 3-point shot (often bad ones). They don’t have any flow on offense and they seem to be running isolation instead of sets. These are all things that can be attributed to why Tech has struggled to win close games. But the thing I think is reason numero uno is the holes they put themselves into early in games. We’ve only held leads at half in three games in 2012. We have started the game off slow in almost every game in recent memory except against Clemson. For instance we started 0-17 against BYU at home (not kidding). When you have that big of a hole to climb out of it’s hard to win against anyone. While I think the Hokies are improving, it’s hard to tell. Every time you think they turn the corner they revert to their old habits and do something that calls that into doubt. So I really don’t have a definite answer on that one yet. Get back to me in a few games.

C6:We know that Dorenzo Hudson and Erick Green can score in bunches, what other players should ‘Canes fans worry about and who has been disappointing this year?

GC: Two players the ‘Canes should be worried about are Jarell Eddie and Victor Davila. Eddie is among the leaders in the ACC in 3-point percentage. He can be invisible at times, but when he is getting shots he can get all kinds of en fuego. That said, his shot selection is an issue and he can also be the guy who goes 0-5 from deep (I think he had that line against Duke). As for Davila, I’m going to go ahead and tell you he’s the answer to both parts of this question. He has been a bit of a disappointment this year because as our most senior post player, we thought he would be a HUGE impact player on this team. However, he has once again been just a role player. His average isn’t really up and his rebounding is down despite being the only true post player on the floor when he’s out there. BUT, to his defense, he NEVER gets fed in the post. He’s only a back-to-the-basket type of player. He has no mid-range game. So if you don’t give him touches, he’s not going to get any points. The games in which he’s done well (BC, Maryland, Duke) he’s gotten touches. But in the games this year where he does not have 5 shot attempts, he hasn’t scored in double figures. He’s incredibly efficient down low with his hook shot, so if he’s on Tech should feed him.

C6: You mentioned that VT is weak inside. With Miami’s strength being inside play in mammoth-center Reggie Johnson and do-it-all PF Kenny Kadji, how do you see VT’s front court matching-up?

GC: This may come back to bite me but I think Tech may have the most success defending Kadji of any of the ACC schools. Tech employs two tweeners (oh who am I kidding? They’re 3′s not 4′s) at the PF position in Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarell Eddie. While they will bring Cadarian Raines and Barksdale off the bench, Raines is almost exclusively a center and Barksdale doesn’t average much more than 10 mins a game. So unless Kadji decides to go to the low block all game then he won’t be taking advantage of his biggest asset against Tech: his size. If I were Larranaga I would demand both players to post on every possession. If Kadji goes to the perimeter, he may find getting good shots a bit more difficult. As for Johnson, he’s going to get his against the Hokies and I’m really worried. I love his game.

C6:What do you think Miami has to do to make the NCAA tournament? Also, what are your expectations going forward for the Hokies? Many fans, including ‘Canes fans think that VT got jobbed by the NCAA selection committee over the last 3-4 years. One year when VT was 11-5 in the ACC and didn’t make it was particularly horrific. As a VT fan, how do you deal with such disappointment based on factors outside of actual basketball? Do you think Miami is headed for a similar Titanic-like disaster come Selection Sunday?

GC: I think the ‘Canes are looking good right now, but as you mentioned cracking the Selection Committee’s formula for the last few years has been difficult. I DO think the ‘Canes need 10 wins in conference. I could see them getting in with 9 if one of those wins was over UNC, but that would also probably require getting to the ACC semi’s. The RPI is good, but a lot of things can happen still. If the ‘Canes win 11 they should be feeling pretty good, but as you mentioned, Tech was 23-7 (10-6) in 2009-10 entering the ACC tournament and got left at the altar, so that tells you how they feel about the ACC. As for the continual letdowns of the NCAA Selection Committee I try not to worry about it too much. I actually laughed with my friends a year ago as we watched the show because we knew it was going to happen. What else can you do? We were a sure-fire tournament team in 2007-08 and 2009-10 and a fringe team in 08-09 and last year. I can accept that we weren’t tournament worthy a year ago, but I can’t stomach an argument for UAB or VCU’s inclusion a year ago (even with VCU’s run, the selection process is supposed to be what qualifies you to be there, not what you CAN do if you’re admitted and everyone doubts you) OVER the Hokies. As long as the majority of people know what the truth is and the media clamors for Selection Committee reform and rips them for not including teams that deserve to go I can’t ask for much more. In one way, experiencing those letdowns on multiple occasions makes it a little easier to cope with, but that pill is bitter no matter how many times you have to swallow it. I’m hoping you guys never have to go through that.

Prediction: 75-66 Miami

Thanks again to Chicagomaroon with Gobbler Country,  Please check out our answers to his questions here:

http://www.gobblercountry.com/2012/2/6/2775811/virginia-tech-hokies-miami-hurricanes-basketball#storyjump

Go ‘Canes!