Big Six Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 Year two is looking promising for Doty he had an incredible first game anmd I predict nothing but big things for him. I'm not so sure about Ward and Haines however. The way things are looking Nate may never get a shot and Pete has the talent they just aren't using him. I confess I'm worried about what might happen to Nate and Pete, too. Nate was, admittedly, a long shot to start for a program like Virginia's. I envisioned him signing with a less prestigious school where he'd have a much better chance of getting on the field. Pete had the misfortune of arriving in the same recruiting class as a stud who plays the same position he does. Given a choice between Pete and Frank Barnes, I'd play Barnes, too. Actually, if I were coaching Pitt, I'd shift Pete to outside linebacker. He's too talented to keep off the field, especially on passing downs. I expected Jake to be a star, and he's certainly looking like one. The Virginia Tech offense could be one of the best in the country. You've read about their skill position guys already, and their O-line is just about as good. Both tackles, sophomore Nick Barton (6/9) and junior Howard Guerrero (7/10), are solid green-chip guys right now, with the potential to get much better. Center Kenny Berry (6/10) is just as exciting. The guards are junior Maurice Gonzales (5/8) and true freshman Jamie Hodges (5/8). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 Week 3, 2008 The Virginia Tech Hokies remained at #10 in the polls after an impressive 48-0 victory against Baylor on the road. The Hokies combined suffocating defense with a powerful, diversified offense to throttle the Bears, who could neither move the ball themselves nor stop the Hokies from doing so. With Brent Yates (24 carries, 245 yards, 3 TD) and Oliver Reed (22 carries, 163 yards, 1 TD) eating up yardage in sizeable chunks, quarterback Jake Doty didn't throw the ball very much. When he did, he was very effective, completing 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Jake connected with Rolland Willis for a 26-yard score in the first quarter, and found Reed for a 31-yarder in the third. In between, Jake scored the first rushing touchdown of his collegiate career, finding paydirt at the end of an 11-yard bootleg scamper. Add in Jake's 56 rushing yards on six carries, and you have the makings of another great game for the Hokie sophomore. An interception was the only blemish on a performance that earned him a 214.8 passer rating. Pete Haines' Pitt Panthers faced a tough test during Week 3, traveling to Ole Miss to take on the #23 Rebels. The Panthers fell behind 24-3 during the first half, but they rallied to make the game close, and the 27-20 final score reflected just how good a football game this was. The flight back to Pittsburgh was even longer for Pete, who did not appear in the game. He's still listed as the #2 middle linebacker on Pitt's defensive depth chart. As long as Nate Ward is listed as a fourth-string guard, he'll only see game action as a long snapper. This was indeed the case in the Cavs' 44-8 victory over Ohio on a beautiful day in Charlottesville. Since the Cavaliers kicked three field goals and five extra points, and punted the ball away four times, Nate was called on to snap the ball twelve times. He apparently did so perfectly on every occasion. I'm guessing that unless I see a play in the box score that involves a punter falling on the ball in the end zone for a safety or a holder recovering a fumble, there wasn't any problem with the snap. Unless I see that happen, we'll just assume Nate is putting the ball right on the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 Week 4, 2008 Sometimes I don't understand how computer coaches manage their depth charts... Fourth string one day, first string the next. Such was the experience of Nate Ward in the days leading up to Virginia's ACC opener against Clemson. Nate found himself in the starting lineup at right guard against the Tigers, and he helped the Cavaliers earn a 30-17 victory. Nate earned mixed reviews for his first collegiate start. On one play, he pancaked a Clemson defensive lineman, paving the way for a nice gain by RB Joshua Frank. He also allowed two sacks, however, and was whistled for a holding penalty. Nate delivered the ball 14 times without incident when he was called upon to snap it. Having the chance to demonstrate his skills made all the difference in the world to Nate. "I'm very happy here," he said after the game. "I think Virginia is a great fit for me. I could be doing better academically (his GPA was a 2.14), but I'm learning a lot." The #10 Virginia Tech Hokies won their ACC opener too, knocking off North Carolina 31-20 in Chapel Hill. Once again, the Hokie offense was both productive and balanced, and once again, Jake Doty was the star. Jake was in the zone all day, completing 17 of 20 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns. His 227.0 passer rating raised his season mark to 210.5, best in the nation among quarterbacks who had thrown more than 30 passes. Two of Jake's TD tosses went to Rolland Willis, who took advantage of the attention paid to All-American Terrence Smith. Smith did catch three passes for 157 yards, including a 64-yard TD. "I worked hard on my accuracy during the offseason, and it's paying off," said Jake, whose 79.7% completion percentage was the best among regular QBs. Jake was ranked second on the Davey O'Brien Award watch list, behind only Eddy Bradley of Texas Tech. Pete Haines endured another unsatisfying afternoon, as his Pitt Panthers were whomped by Big East rival Syracuse, 34-7. Pete remained content, even as he watched another game from the sidelines. And, with Frank Barnes racking up tackles at a pace few players in the nation could match (42 in 4 games), it didn't look like things were going to change for Pete anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 Week 5, 2008 When the powerful #2 Miami Hurricanes traveled up to Virginia's Scott Stadium to face the #24 Cavaliers, both teams put their 4-0 records on the line. Only one team could emerge still unbeaten, and it turned out to be "the U." The Hurricanes lived up to their name, demolishing Virginia, 50-11. Nate Ward found himself back on the sidelines, although being listed as a member of the second team offense was far more promising than being considered fourth string material. Freshman Rodney Adams was only a little better against the 'Canes than Nate had been against UNC, but Miami's defense was considerably stouter than anything the Tar Heels could throw at you. Nate saw action on seven plays as a long snapper, once for a field goal attempt and six times for punts. The Virginia Tech Hokies moved into the top ten, taking the #8 spot in the polls after a 37-20 defeat of Clemson. The Tiger defense did a better job containing Jake Doty than any team had all season, sacking him five times and hurrying him on five more occasions. Jake attempted 21 passes, completing only 10 for 197 yards and a touchdown, and he was intercepted once. Jake hooked up with Terrence Smith on a scoring play for the first time in 2008, hitting Terrence in stride for a 39-yard TD. Pitt pulled off one of the more intriguing upsets of the young season, coming from behind to defeat #14 Ohio State. Freshman QB Kerry Paul threw two TD passes for Pitt, but the real hero of the game was Buckeye cornerback Larry Nguyen, who ran back two kickoffs for touchdowns of 90 and 97 yards. Pete Haines didn't start, but he saw his first game action since Week Two, and he played well. Pete was in on five tackles, recording four initial hits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 Week 5, 2008 The first development stage of the 2008 season has come, and here's how our Green Dragon alumni fared: Pete Haines saw some improvement in his Tackling ability. His score went up one point to 70/74. Jake Doty's Passing Accuracy improved a little bit, going up one point to 95/98. His Passing Touch became more deft, too; he gained a point in this skill, moving to 85/89. I'm wondering why Jake's Arm Strength isn't improving at all. He rated 71/85 at the end of his freshman preseason drills, and he's no better now. Nate Ward's ratings were unchanged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 <p><strong>Week 6, 2008</strong></p><p> </p><p> The Virginia Tech Hokies moved to #7 in the polls with a thrilling 24-20 victory over Georgia Tech in Blacksburg.</p><p> </p><p> Hokies RB <strong>Brent Yates </strong>blasted into the end zone from three yards out, scoring the game-winning TD with 29 seconds remaining. </p><p> </p><p> <strong>Jake Doty </strong>enjoyed another very good game, going 18-33 for 289 yards. Jake threw two touchdown passes to <strong>Terrence Smith</strong>, good for 35 and 15 yards. Smith, whom opposing defenses had kept under control earlier in the season, caught seven passes for 107 yards.</p><p> </p><p> "I'm comfortable throwing to any of our receivers, but Terrence and I have a particularly good rhythm," said Jake. "He runs great routes, and if he gets his hands on the ball, he catches it."</p><p> </p><p> Jake was intercepted once, and he scrambled for 34 yards on seven carries. His quarterback rating was 142.0.</p><p> </p><p> Coach <strong>Johnny Gamble </strong>continued to shuffle his O-line rotation, dropping <strong>Nate Ward </strong>back to the fourth team for Virginia's game against N.C. State. Nate only saw action as a long snapper, delivering the ball for two field goals, an extra point, and five punts. </p><p> </p><p> Virginia improved its record to 5-1 with a 31-21 victory over the Wolfpack. <strong>Curtis Littlefield </strong>threw four TD passes, and <strong>Ruben Forrest </strong>rushed for 107 yards. The Cavs were ranked #20 in the polls after their victory.</p><p> <strong>Pete Haines </strong>and the Pitt Panthers enjoyed an off week.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 <p><strong>Week 7, 2008</strong></p><p> </p><p> When the <strong>Virginia Tech </strong>Hokies recruited running back <strong>Oliver Reed</strong>, they knew they were getting a game-changing talent. Reed, the most coveted recruit in the nation, demonstrated his skills against the N.C. State Wolfpack, scoring on runs of four and 61 yards to spark a 34-6 Hokies victory.</p><p> </p><p> Reed rushed for 138 yards on 17 carries, and <strong>Brent Yates </strong>added 102 more as the Hokies rolled for 307 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the VT defense held the 'Pack to 63 yards on the ground.</p><p> </p><p> Quarterback<strong> Jake Doty </strong>completed 20 of 28 passes for 209 yards. He connected with two receivers who each caught their first TD pass, redshirt freshman RB <strong>Mason Stanton </strong>and bruising true freshman FB <strong>Coy Lee</strong>. Jake's passer rating was 157.1.</p><p> </p><p> The Hokies were one of five teams with undefeated records, joining Purdue, Miami, Texas, and Iowa. Those five teams topped the rankings, with the Hokies coming in at #5.</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Nate Ward </strong>moved up to #3 on the depth chart at both guard spots, but he still didn't play a down from scrimmage as the Virginia Cavaliers were upset at home by Maryland, 27-23. Nate delivered 11 good snaps to the Cavs' holder and punter.</p><p> </p><p> The<strong> Pitt Panthers </strong>evened their record (3-3) with a 19-11 victory over Rutgers at Heinz Field. <strong>Pete Haines </strong>didn't start, but he contributed two tackles (one solo) and got his first sack of the season.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 <p><strong>Week 7, 2008</strong></p><p> </p><p> With the season roughly halfway over, let's look at our featured players' stats for 2008:</p><p> </p><p> </p><pre class="ipsCode"> G GS ATT-COMP PCT YDS Y/A TD TD% INT INT% LNG GP BP SK RAT Jake Doty 6 6 107-156 68.6 1596 10.2 12 7.7 3 1.9 64 11 2 19 176.1 </pre><div></div><p></p><p> </p><p> By any measure, Jake is enjoying a terrific season. He ranks fifth among NCAA Division I quarterbacks in passer rating, and he's among the ACC's top three quarterbacks in many categories (completion percentage, yards, TDs, and yards/attempt).</p><p> </p><p> Jake is particularly pleased with his improved accuracy. His completion percentage is over 10% higher than it was during his freshman year, and his 11 great throws rank him ninth in the nation.</p><p> </p><p> Jake has also carried the ball 43 times for 222 yards (5.2 yards/carry) and has scored a touchdown. He's only fumbled the ball once.</p><p> </p><p> </p><pre class="ipsCode"> G GS TCK S A SK TFL HUR DP FF PD MT Pete Haines 3 0 9 7 2 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 </pre><div></div><p></p><p> </p><p> Pete's finding it harder to get on the field as a sophomore than it was for him as a freshman. He's frustrated by his lack of playing time, and by the Panthers' inability to win consistently.</p><p> </p><p> </p><pre class="ipsCode"> G GS RB PAN SA HLD FS MIS Nate Ward 7 1 0 1 2 1 0 5 RB= run blocks PAN= pancakes SA=sacks allowed FS= false starts MIS=missed blocks </pre><div></div><p></p><p> </p><p> Nate, who is a redshirt freshman, struggled in his one appearance with the Cavaliers' offensive unit. Missing five blocks and allowing two sacks are not going to endear you to your coaches. He's excelled as a long snapper, however, hitting his target on each of his 80 opportunities.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dublin Sky Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Pete deserves to play they put him in for a couple downs it seems and he picked up a sack, the kid is hungry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Six Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 Pete deserves to play they put him in for a couple downs it seems and he picked up a sack, the kid is hungry I'm partial, but I agree with you. I wish the Pitt coaches would shift either Pete or Frank Barnes to the outside. Pete isn't any better than either Cruz Pearson or Art Byrd right now, but his upside is considerably higher. Dave Otero is going to be very good one day, but he's redshirting this year, so he's not available. Frank, Pete, and Kyle Barber are clearly the three most talented linebackers in Pitt's program right now. How bad would it be to force two of them to play OLB by changing their position in the player editor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatoneguy Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Absolutely solid dynasty here. While originally I thought the opening stuff(like having Nate, Jake and Pete hanging out) was unnecessary, it added a little more depth to this story while remaining brief enough that you can get to the action quickly. Very nicely done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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