Several of you jumped on me for counting Temple, UAB, and Rutgers as wins before the games are played. We'll talk about UAB and Rutgers when we get there, but first of all, let's talk about this week's opponent, Temple, and why the Hokies will smash them.

Reason #1: Temple will be starting a true freshman quarterback.

Temple's number one and number two quarterbacks are out for the game, which means that the Owls are down to two true freshmen.

Now picture what that's going to be like: a true freshman quarterback starting for a bad team, against a top-10 team, with a top-10 defense, on the road. ‘Nuff said.

Reason #2: the Owls are a running team that can't pass.

Temple is an option team that can't pass worth a lick, and the fact is, you can't beat the Hokies by running the football, unless you run it really, really, really (repeat "really" ten more times) well.

As a running team, the Owls look formidable, on paper. They're fifteenth in the country, at 225 yards per game. But that's because all they do is run. The Owls have 307 rushing attempts in just six games. That's 51 rushing attempts per game. And the Temple opponents thus far have been Toledo, Akron, BC, Maryland, William and Mary, and West Virginia. Not exactly a gauntlet of defensive powerhouses, is it?

The national team rushing offense statistics are topped by teams that use the run as their primary offensive weapon. The top 5 rushing teams include Air Force, Army, Navy, and Rice, all of which, coincidentally, are ranked in or near the bottom ten in pass offense, just like Temple.

As a passing team, the Owls are ranked 106th out of 112 Division 1-A teams. That's really, really, really bad (and, ironically, only nine spots below the Hokies). The Owls have 94 passing attempts and only 38 completions, which means that they're barely completing six passes a game. Six.

Meanwhile, Tech is ranked 6th in the country in rush defense. Sure, that didn't mean much against Boston College, but Temple is not BC.

The Owls will struggle mightily just to move the ball. Count on it.

Reason #3: Temple is a team in transition.

Temple has a new coach this year, and we all know that at the collegiate level, a coaching change creates serious problems. The Owls are an injury-riddled team muddling through a season that is already in the tank at 0-6.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, the Hokies boast a coach in his twelfth season at the helm. His team is focused, they know what they want to do, and they know how to do it. For the Hokies, there's still a lot left to play for.

Reason #4: Temple almost never, ever, wins on the road.

The Owls are 0-23 in Big East road games since the conference was formed. If anyone here thinks that's going to change Saturday, go immediately to the back of the class and sit facing the corner. And don't get up from there until I tell you to.

Reason #5:  the Hokies remember Miami of Ohio.

That's last year's homecoming opponent.  Temple is this year's.

(Miami-OH is a lot better than Temple, anyway.)

Other Thoughts

Last week, Temple lost 37-7 to WVU, and many people are saying, "Hey, that game was tied at 7 after one quarter, and it was only 14-7 midway through the second."

I've got another outlook on that game: the Owls, a rushing team, were only able to put up 7 points, at home, against West Virginia, which has the 102nd-ranked rush defense in the country (I'm not kidding - WVU's run defense really is that bad.  Look it up for yourself).

That does not bode well for Temple, a team that is going on the road to face the #6 ranked rush defense in the country.

I heard the Temple radio announcer on Sportstalk with John Hale two days ago, and he mentioned that in addition to the quarterback situation, Temple is missing about five other starters due to injuries.

I think that just about sums up the evidence that Saturday should be good day for the Hokies.

Notes

• In case you haven't heard, Al Clark will not play against Temple, and Nick Sorensen will once again get the starting nod. Look for Nick to have a much better game than he did against Boston College. The Owls have the #110-ranked pass defense in the country, having surrendered eleven touchdown passes with zero interceptions.  Plus, the weather forecast is good.

• I called the Tech ticket office, and the game is not sold out, contrary to what was posted on the message board yesterday. As usual, when I asked the question, "How many tickets are left?" they answered, "We're not sure." (Note to Mr. Weaver: it might be time to get the ticket office a new computer system.) They did tell me that they "didn't think" the game would sell out, which indicates to me that the crowd will probably be in the 46,000-49,000 range. In other words, close, but no cigar.  If you're on the fence, come on out to see the Hokies at The Rock!

• Since I'm going to be at Penn State this weekend, let's do something different for a game report.  Email me your report on the game, including your breakdown and analysis of what happened, and I'll piece together a conglomeration of what I think are the best reports (and please don't be hurt if yours doesn't make it).  I will then post them as the HokieCentral Temple game report.

Just how awesome is the video system that the Hokies now have in the Merryman Center?   I received the following email the other day from Mark Clark of Avid Sports FSR that describes the system and what it can do:

Will:

I just wanted to pass on some information regarding the Hokies' video network mentioned by Beamer on the radio show.

I worked for Beamer and the staff as the video coordinator from 1993-1996. I put the system in before the '95 season. For about the last two years, I have worked for the company that created the computer system designed to break down opponents.

Some things you might not know about how the staff uses video are:

1.)  Every play from every game of the season is taped from two angles, sideline and the end zone. That includes scoreboard shots, huddles and presnap movement. Tech has a huge coaching video library with every play from every game since 91-92.

2.)  Currently, all practices are taped, and each coach has their own customized tape to view after practice. Usually after practice, coaches take a quick shower, eat dinner and begin grading all players from every drill. Beamer gets his own copy of all special teams and kicking. During the season, coaches tend to come in by 6am and stay as late as 11pm - 12am.

3.)  The Hokies have a state of the art video system from Avid Sports. All video is recorded on computer hard drives and each coach uses a special computer to view anything they want. Coaches just point and click to see any situation, play, or player they need to see. All video is stored digitally and accessed over a fiber optic network.

4.)  Every college national champion since 1993 has used the same video system. Other champions include the Chicago Bulls, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers, Kentucky and Utah basketball, and the Washington Capitals.

5.)  The Hokies have the largest sports digital video system in the world. They have more networked computers used for video analysis and breakdown than any pro or college team, bar none. That is amazing!!!

That is a HUGE testament to how strongly Beamer and his staff prepare for each opponent. It also shows just how far Tech has come in regards upgrading facilities.

Coach J. B. Grimes used to come into work as early as 3:45am Sunday morning just to begin breaking down video. Phil Elmassion would sometimes sleep in his video room.

In 95, Beamer had me dig out one old video tape of a Tech/Syracuse game from several years earlier, just to look at a kickoff return they did against us. Syracuse pulled a reverse and scored on it. During the 95 game they attempted the same thing. This time it failed.

If you're curious about getting any additional info on Avid Sports, check out www.avidsports.com.

Mark Clark
Avid Sports FSR

The Boston College wasn't pretty, but it did inspire at least one person to poetry.  I received the following poem from former Hokie Huddler editor Chris Colston, who says that he got it from former Tech offensive lineman Mike Bianchin (he didn't say Mike wrote it - he said that's who he got it from, so the jury is still out as to whether Bianchin is a poet):

In the wind and rain and the cold Boston chill,
The Hokies were hurting because Al Clark was ill.

A win is a win and that's all that mattered,
Because poor Nick Sorenson, the boy plain got splattered.

While the offense was falling apart at the seams,
In stepped our heroes, the Hokie special teams.

They blocked a punt here, and another one there,
Then recovered a fumble, it just didn't seem fair.

These plays were combined with a fierce defensive attack,
Three interceptions they had with one run all the way back.

The shutout came down to a hard fought goal line stance,
For four plays they held and then began the victory dance.

It sure was not pretty but when all was said and done,
The Hokies moved to 5 and 0 because they had won.

So thanks to special teams and to the guys that play D,
The win was so special, hey it was on national TV.

With ten days off Tech will get back it's spark,
For onto the field should step the vaunted Al Clark.

Ah, yes, only at HokieCentral....

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