2008-09 BCS Orange Bowl: #12 UC vs. #19 Virginia Tech

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by Reds Freak

Maybe they should fire Kelly..

No, but his play calling is questionable at times.

[CTA513]

Originally Posted by Reds4Life

ANOTHER pick thrown by Pike.

Ridicilous.

Not surprising, he was horrible against Hawaii and probably shouldn't have started the 2nd half of this game.

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by CTA513

Not surprising, he was horrible against Hawaii and probably shouldn't have started the 2nd half of this game.

Yet Kelly kept running him out there, with Grutza on the bench.

[HeatherC1212]

This has been a pretty miserable game but I don't think UC should be embarrassed about anything. VT has been here before (heck, they were just here last year) and they felt like they had something to prove after losing the Orange Bowl last year. UC has never been here before and they had no clue what to expect with this game. Everything seemed to be a little overwhelming and too exciting at times. We have no clue if they could have practiced more either because IMO, there's nothing more dangerous than an underdog team (I think VT was the underdog according to predictions) with something to prove. UC now has to improve in their big game football and I think they will in the future. Pike was definitely the biggest problem tonight though. I've seen him play a lot this season and it's too bad he saved his worst game for the biggest one in school history.

Congrats to UC anyway on a really stellar overall season. Now let's start putting things together for another good year next year.

[dabvu2498]

Too bad it went down like that. Poor ending to a great season. Va. Tech has some superb athletes on d. I don't even feel like gloating about my alma mater and their bowl victory at this point. Maybe later.

[Reds Freak]

Originally Posted by Reds4Life

No, but his play calling is questionable at times.

Oh the play calling was definately questionable. The running game was there really all night and they only used it sparingly. That could have opened up some more passing lanes later.

[Heath]

UC just played a group of guys who will be ranked in the top 5 next year.

Pike's throws were questionable, especially the one in the end zone. For the love of Derek Anderson, dude, you are 6'6, it should have been a laser shot.

I thought UC's defense played pretty well.

Step one has been accomplished. There's no doubt this can and will continue. Congrats to those up on Clifton Hill.

[Matt700wlw]

Still have some work to do....

How craptastic that was.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Heath

UC just played a group of guys who will be ranked in the top 5 next year.

No doubt.

I was very impressed by Tyrod Taylor. And of course, the defense.

I just don't understand why Kelly didn't go with Grutza to start the second half. It couldn't have went any worse.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Reds4Life

No, but his play calling is questionable at times.

I'm always amused when people say a coaches play calling is questionable.

Of course, given the definition of the word, I assume everything's questionable.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't the play calling that threw the interception in the endzone. It wasn't play calling that made an incredible diving interception at the UC 5, and it wasn't play calling that failed to gain 10 yards on 7 plays.

Sometimes you have to give credit to the other side. It's like they say in the SEC, "They're paying the other team too."


Whatever the outcome, that was anything but embarrassing, they played in the freaking Orange Bowl for crying out loud. Playing against a team with superior athletes, UC was pretty much two plays from winning the game.

[icehole3]

VT's safeties played great, both of those guys will be high draft picks. I'd like to have seen the run game worked into the gameplan more, you wouldve thought UC was down by 30 the way they were passing every down, that was my only problem with Kelly. If I was Beamer I wouldve went to that big behemoth TE they had more, UC had no answer for that dude, another guy I would love to see the Bengals grab even though they never would.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by Heath

UC just played a group of guys who will be ranked in the top 5 next year.

Hold on, did you just call Virginia Tech a top 5 team for 2009? I saw a one dimensional team, with a running back playing QB, and without any ability to pass. They are a young team but they fall into the 15-20 kind of preseason ranking in my book.

Depending on early entries for next years draft, and in no particular order, I have USC, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas Tech, Boise State, Louisiana State, Ole Miss, and Georgia as superior teams to Va Tech. Florida State, Miami, and Boston College may be ranked higher in their own conference, those are young teams as well.

[LoganBuck]

I hope Brian Kelly realizes that Tony Pike has found his level. The QB competition at UC should be wide open going into spring and fall camps.

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by LoganBuck

I hope Brian Kelly realizes that Tony Pike has found his level. The QB competition at UC should be wide open going into spring and fall camps.

There is talk that Robert Marve might be transferring in from Miami.

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by LoganBuck

Hold on, did you just call Virginia Tech a top 5 team for 2009? I saw a one dimensional team, with a running back playing QB, and without any ability to pass. They are a young team but they fall into the 15-20 kind of preseason ranking in my book.

Depending on early entries for next years draft, and in no particular order, I have USC, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas Tech, Boise State, Louisiana State, Ole Miss, and Georgia as superior teams to Va Tech. Florida State, Miami, and Boston College may be ranked higher in their own conference, those are young teams as well.

Yep, you stop the run, and VT is horribly average. They aren't top 5 material.