A few thoughts...

... on the game tomorrow.

Not this year, bitches.

1) It's odd how much consternation there is about this game.  We're all very, very nervous.  Probably because W&M beat us two years ago and we all know that this team is a fragile little baby bird right now.  But still, this is the kind of game that we never even thought twice about... before Al Groh ruined our program.

2) But ponder this: Two years ago, when the Tribe beat us, we were installing a [stupid] spread offense, we had a shitbag starting QB in Jameel Sewell, and we committed SEVEN turnovers.  One, two, three, four, five, six, SEVEN.  I doubt that happens tomorrow.  Two or three, maybe.  But not seven.

3) I'm expecting us to line up and run right at them.  Try to dominate them up front with our A+ offensive line.  They'll respond by throwing some run blitzes at us and rolling a safety (or two) up into the box.  And that's when we burn them with screens... and maybe a bomb or two over the top.  Those bombs will be our knockout punches.  We connect on one haymaker, W&M goes down for the count.  We fail to connect, and we're looking at fistfighting for a 12th round decision.

In Chase We Trust

4) Our defense will contain them.  We have enough D-1A talent to stop their D-1AA athletes.  I have faith that our D is improved from a year ago.  Vastly improved.

5) I realized this today: Mike London needs to win six games and go to a bowl this year, with so many key players exhausting their eligibility after this season.  The honeymoon ends if we have a sub-.500 record in 2011.  If the talent on the team isn't enough for six wins this year, we won't have a chance in hell next year, with Penn State and TCU on the schedule.  We don't win this year, all recruiting momentum is lost.  The boo birds come out.  Mike London needs to take this team to a bowl game this year, if he wants to be the coach that turns things around for good.  That means this William & Mary game is a MUST WIN.

No pressure, Rock.

6) I also realized this: The quarterback that emerges this season will have the entire fate of Mike London's UVA coaching legacy in his hands.  Let's hope Mike Rocco and/or David Watford are the guy, because I think Greyson Lambert is coming along too late in the process to matter for Coach London.

7) It's going to be a sparsely-attended game.  The fairweathers are still in wait-and-see mode.  The 6:00 kickoff will draw some students, hopefully.  I generally hate our student fans.  They suck.

8) I'm always excited for the season opener, mostly because it's the first chance to see the new players in action.  Freshmen good enough to play.  Redshirts ready to begin their playing careers.  Veterans who have waited their turn and are now getting on the field.  Players with greatly expanded roles.  It's the constant evolution of the college football roster that makes me love the sport so very much.



Studs.

 9) Of those new players, here are the ten I'm most looking forward to seeing, listed in no particular order:

• David Watford
• Tra Nicholson
• Darius Jennings
• Dominique Terrell
• Kevin Parks
• Luke Bowanko
• Jake Snyder
• Rijo Walker
• Mike Rocco
• Tim Smith

10) I think we're going to win tomorrow.  28-17 is my pick, with seven of their points coming late, in garbage time.

GO HOOS!

PJ: 100+ yards and two TDs.