Dave Malinsky

4* VIRGINIA TECH/EAST CAROLINA UNDER

We cant win a track meet. Were going to have to win a baseball-score type game. That is the way that East Carolina coach Skip Holtz previews this game. And that is how Frank Beamer looks at just about every Virginia tech matchup. So with these two teams playing to an average of 36.5 the past two years, which includes TDs on a fumble return, an interception return, and also a blocked punt, why are we seeing a number in the low-50s Some false perceptions are in play. East Carolina enters this game having scored 49 and 38 in the last two outings, but those were against the awful defenses of Rice and Memphis, and we would attach little merit to those results. The reality is that the Pirates are bereft of a game-breaker on offense, having had 555 snaps this year without a single play of 50 yards. QB Patrick Pinkney has more INTs than TD passes; two of the top three receivers are averaging 9.5 or less per catch; and leading rusher Dominique Lindsay is producing just 71.3 yards per game. As such the national charts show them at #80 in Total Offense, and that is against a less-than-inspiring schedule. This will be by far their biggest challenge, and in their two toughest games outside of Conference USA they managed just 13 first downs and 238 yards vs. West Virginia, and 13 and 247 vs. North Carolina. Now they face the best defense they will see the season, and the comments by Holtz above show us his awareness of the issues. The focus will be on trying to make first downs instead of big plays, and also trying to avoid long-distance situations that can be disastrous, with his offense #84 in the nation in sacks allowed. Virginia Tech will bring plenty of defensive fire, with the Hokies remembering well LYs upset loss on a neutral field in Charlotte. But while the defense can be counted on to shackle a limited attack, the offense has struggled for consistency all season, and will find the going difficult vs. a Pirate defense that brings plenty of speed (over the last five games they have not allowed a run of more than 22 yards). The Hokies rate just 73rd in the nation in Total Offense, and only twice in eight games have they generated more than 17 first downs (and doing that vs. Marshall and Duke means little). Like East Carolina, sacks have been an issue, with an ugly #97 on that table. That means that Beamer is also looking for ball control to avoid tough down-and-distance situations, and it has both coaches looking for the tempo that we would like to see. It also tells us that this Total has been set far too high.