A Tale of Three Players

[Big Six]

When I started playing BBCF last night, I wasn’t planning to start another dynasty story. However, when I took my first look at the high school recruits, I noticed something interesting.

There were three recruits on the list from Lewisburg Area High School, located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. One was a blue-chip talent, among the top ten players in the nation; one was a solid yellow-chipper who will undoubtedly be courted by many of the top programs in college football; the third was a lower-tier yellow-chip guy, good enough to dream.

I’ll be following the careers of these three players, from high school through their final college seasons. In my universe, players cannot enter the NFL draft early, so I’ll be able to tell the stories of our featured players for four full seasons, plus their senior year of high school.

I hope you'll enjoy the story.

[Big Six]

August 2006

The three young men were exhausted, but there was nevertheless a bounce in their stride as they made their way across the practice field toward their locker room.

"You know what, guys?" one of them asked his teammates. He had the square-jawed, solid look of a linebacker, which was exactly what he was.

"We never have to do two-a-days again!" answered the boy to his right. He was almost the same height as his buddy, but packed a good 50 pounds more onto his frame. Even the most casual football fan would correctly guess he was a lineman.

"We never have to do HIGH SCHOOL two-a-days again," replied the one to his left. The third young man moved with the easy grace of an elite athlete. Every college coach in the United States knew his name.

"I don't want to think about that now," said the first. All three of them laughed.

In fact, it was quite likely that all three of these young men would have more years of football left to enjoy. They were the tri-captains of the Lewisburg Area High School football team, and all three were considered college prospects.

The best of the three was among the top players in the nation. Jake Doty was universally regarded as one of the best quarterbacks ever in central Pennsylvania, a natural leader with quick feet and a strong arm. He might lack the classic size for a quarterback, but at 6'1" and a lean 190 pounds, he was big enough.

Linebacker Pete Haines had been one of Jake's closest friends since the boys were in kindergartern. Pete's mobility and quickness made him a dominant force at the high school level, and it was easy to imagine him developing into a solid collegiate player as well. He packed 237 pounds of muscle onto a compact 6'0" frame.

The third member of the trio moved to Lewisburg with his family before his freshman year of high school. His name was Nate Ward, he was an offensive lineman, and he quickly made friends with Jake and Pete. Nate wasn't as promising a prospect as either of his friends; some coaches worried that, at six feet and 290 pounds, he was too soft and unathletic. That was far from true, however. Nate could cover forty yards in less than five seconds flat, he could easily jump up and touch a basketball rim, and he possessed the strength and technique to excel in run blocking and pass protection. He had played all over the O-line, but he was best suited for guard, and that was where he'd play as a senior.

For as long as they could remember, all three young men had dreamed of playing college football one day. They had endured countless hours of practice, endless repetitions in the weight room, and thousands of conditioning drills in their pursuit of their dreams.

Now, their dreams were close enough to touch. One final high school season awaited them.

[Dublin Sky]

Very interesting I will be following

[Big Six]

Very interesting I will be following

Thanks, Dublin Sky. I hope you enjoy the story.



Week Four, 2006

Nate Ward’s round face lit up with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. He took a deep breath and looked around, taking in as much as he could. It was a beautiful September evening in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Nate was at Scott Stadium watching the Virginia Cavaliers play the Florida State Seminoles. What made it even better was the fact that Nate was the guest of the Cavalier football staff.

Nate was secretly thrilled to be the first of the Lewisburg Area High stars to be invited to a college campus for an official recruiting visit. “Deep down, I know I’m not nearly as good as Jake or Pete,” he admitted with a soft smile. “It won’t be long before they’re being invited all over the country for visits. But it’s still cool to be getting some attention too.”

The night before, Nate and his Green Dragon teammates beat Hughesville, 42-13. Jake Doty threw three TD passes, giving him eight for the season, and Pete Haines racked up eleven tackles and a sack. “It was great to see Pete play a good game,” Nate said. “He’d been bottled up pretty well by teams who put two or three blockers on him every chance they got.” Haines accumulated almost half of his season’s total of 24 tackles in the Hughesville game alone.

Virginia lost that night to Florida State, but Nate Ward didn’t care. “I love it here,” he said. “The campus is beautiful, and I really like Coach Gamble and his staff. The academics are also first-rate, and believe it or not, that’s important to me.”

Nate would be the first to tell you he didn’t do nearly as well in his classes at Lewisburg Area High as he should. “I’m not great in math or science,” he explained. “I don’t like to read fiction, so I’m bored in English class. I like my government class, so I work hard in there and I’m going to make an A.” Despite an SAT score close to 1300, Nate’s transcript showed more C’s than A’s, and even a handful of D’s. “I’m trying to make better grades this year, though.

“I hope I didn’t close some doors because I goofed off too much when I was younger,” he said.

[Big Six]

Week Six, 2006

The three coaches, all wearing maroon and orange polo shirts, sat in front of a large video screen. In front of them, film of yet another high school football game flashed and flickered.

“Back that up, Armand,” said one of the men. He had neatly parted brown hair with a bit of gray at the temples. He looked trim enough to suit up with his players. His name was Tom Cook, and he was the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies.

The team’s offensive coordinator, Armand Black, pressed a button and the film rewound a few seconds. The coaches watched Lewisburg Area linebacker Pete Haines shed two blockers and smack a hard-charging Central Columbia High running back, dropping him at the line of scrimmage.

“That’s a big-time play, Coach,” Cook said, nodding over at Colin Lopez, the Hokies’ defensive coordinator.

“What does it say that boy can run?” Lopez asked.

“Four-six,” said Cook. “He’s quick for his size, that’s for sure. Says here he’s almost 240.”

Lopez, the youngest of the three coaches, grinned broadly. “I’ve seen enough. Let’s get Haines here for a visit.”

Cook liked the idea. “While we’re at it, let’s invite Jake Doty that week, too. I understand Haines and Doty are good friends. If we could get both those guys…”

[Big Six]

Week Fifteen, 2006

Fall came early to central Pennsylvania this year, and on this early November evening, the temperature had already dropped to 44 degrees by seven o’clock. Tonight was Senior Night at Lewisburg Area High School, time for Green Dragon fans to say goodbye to the three best players they’d ever seen in a single graduating class.

The ritual was the same as it had been for years, the same as it was on countless other campuses across the nation. As the public address announcer introduced each senior, he walked from the sidelines onto the field, where he met his parents. He gave his mother a single white carnation, a hug, and a kiss, and he either shook hands with his father or exchanged a hug with him, too.

“Number sixty-eight…captain…Nate Ward!” said the announcer, who taught American history at LAHS.

Nate grinned as he walked onto the field with his dad and step-mom, Bob and Nancy Ward. Bob was a police officer, and Nancy was a dental hygienist. Nate’s eleven-year-old step-brother Eric, wearing a green T-shirt with his brother’s number, looked admiringly up at Nate.

“Number forty-four…captain…Pete Haines!”

Limping slightly from a twisted ankle he’d suffered the week before against Bloomsburg, Pete nevertheless smiled brightly as he and his parents took their places beside the Wards. Pete’s father Jim was an attorney; his mother Pam was a homemaker. Pete was the youngest of four children, and the second boy to play football for LAHS.

“Number eight…captain…Jake Doty!”

The crowd gave the quarterback the biggest ovation they’d produced yet. That was understandable, because Jake Doty was arguably the best football player Lewisburg had ever seen. He had already broken the Green Dragons’ single-season and career records for passing yardage and completions, and if he threw two touchdown passes tonight, his totals of 27 for the season and 57 for his career would be the highest in school history.

Ken Doty had played quarterback for Lewisburg Area High, too, but he admitted he hadn’t been “half as good as Jake.” After finishing college and pharmacy school, he’d married his high school sweetheart, Tracy, and come back home. Tracy Doty taught fifth grade at Kelly Elementary School. The Dotys’ daughter, Corinne, was a LAHS sophomore and a varsity cheerleader.

In the stands, a white-haired man wearing a green windbreaker over a thick wool sweater applauded the Green Dragon seniors. His name was John Kearns, and he had seen almost every Lewisburg home game for almost half a century. “I missed one in 1973, but that was the first one I’d missed since 1957. I’ve been to every one since.”

He didn’t hesitate when he was asked about this year’s senior class. “Best one I’ve seen,” he said. “It’s not just Jake Doty, either, even though he’s the best player we’ve ever had here. Pete Haines is the best linebacker to come through here in 20, 25 years. And that big Ward boy—Nate, that’s his name—he’ll make a fine college player, too.

“It’s not often you see three boys who will play college ball in one high school class, at least not around here.”

[Big Six]

Final high school statistics:

QB Jake Doty: 59% completion percentage, 3713 yards, 28 touchdown passes, 14 interceptions, 390 rushing yards.

ILB Pete Haines: 86 tackles, 11 tackles for losses, 5 sacks, 7 passes defended, 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles.

OG Nate Ward: No statistics given. (I wish BBCF would give blocking stats for O-line recruits.)

[Big Six]

2006-2007 Postseason, Week Eight

It was Thursday night, and Jake Doty, Pete Haines, and Nate Ward sat together in the booth at the Pizza Hut in Lewisburg. This weekly ritual had begun sometime last winter, and as the three friends neared the end of their high school days, they had come to value it even more. “We know there’s not much chance we’ll end up at the same school next year,” said Pete.

Jake would most certainly have the most options. He honestly couldn’t tell you how many offers he’d received. Every big-time football school in the country would love to sign him.

Nate and Pete were trying to get their friend to tell them which schools were tops on his list. “Come on,” Nate urged. “Tell us your top three.”

Jake sighed. “Don’t say anything to anybody,” he said.

“We swear.”

“Right now, it would be Virginia Tech, Boston College, and Maryland,” Jake replied.

“No way,” said Pete. “I figured you’d say Penn State, Ohio State, LSU, schools like that.”

Jake shook his head. “Honestly, I didn’t like Ohio State all that much. LSU seems a long way away, and they’ve got William Gordon,” The Tigers’ QB was only a freshman, and he was one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.

“I’d go to Penn State if they offered me,” said Pete. “Right now I wish I had a firm offer from anybody.”

“You’ll get one.” Nate took a long sip of his drink. “I’ll get one too, but I doubt it will be the one I want.”

“You’d still like to go to Virginia, wouldn’t you?” Jake asked him.

“Yeah. I really liked it there.”

“They’ve looked at all three of us pretty thoroughly,” Pete pointed out. “How cool would it be for us all to end up there?”

[Dublin Sky]

Great read keep it coming :)

[Big Six]

Great read keep it coming :)

Thanks for the compliments. It's good to see that Jake, Pete, and Nate have picked up at least one faithful fan. :)



Postseason Week Thirteen, 2006-2007

Johnny Gamble was the quintessential Southern gentleman. His easy smile and courtly manners charmed the mothers of high school football players across the nation, and his firm handshake and the way he looked a man straight in the eye when he spoke to him impressed their fathers just as much.

Tonight Coach Gamble, clad in a sharp-looking navy-and-orange University of Virginia football jacket, sat on the sofa in the cozy living room of the Ward family. Across the room, Nate Ward sat on the edge of his chair, taking in every word Coach Gamble said. He was nervous, but he sat up straight, and he looked.

Nate’s mother, Nancy, stood behind him, resting her hand lovingly on her son’s massive shoulder. His father, Bob, sat in another chair nearby.

“Nate, I’ve been following you all season long, and our staff and I really like what we’ve seen,” Coach Gamble said. “We brought you down to Charlottesville for a reason. We wanted you to see what our program and our university are all about. We hope you liked what you saw, too.”

Nate swallowed hard. “Yes, sir,” he replied.

Coach Gamble smiled. “I’ll be honest with you, Nate, like always. We want to bring in four offensive linemen this year, but we haven’t offered a scholarship to a guard.” He paused, smiling as charmingly as he could.

“Not until right now.”

Nancy Ward gripped her son’s shoulder tightly. Her husband rose from his chair, looking proudly over at his son.

“You’ll almost certainly have to redshirt a year, but that’s pretty much the rule for offensive linemen in our program,” Coach Gamble continued. Nate couldn’t say a word; he merely nodded his agreement.

“Nate, I’d like to offer you a full football scholarship to the University of Virginia.” Coach Gamble extended his hand. Nate got up from his chair and extended his, and the two men shook hands. Then his mother hugged him, and so did his dad. Coach Gamble presented Nate with a navy-and-orange Virginia cap, which Nate proudly placed on his head.

That night in his room, Nate Ward lay in bed, looking up at his ceiling. He smiled, and a single tear ran down his cheek.

I did it, he thought. I’m going to one of the best schools in the country, and I’m going to play football.

[Big Six]

Postseason Week Fifteen, 2006-2007


Lewisburg Area High School had never seen anything like it. The ESPN truck had been parked in the lot beside the gymnasium for an hour now, and technicians were bustling in and out with their equipment. In just a few moments, the “worldwide leader in sports” would be on the air, live, from the LAHS gym!

A table was set up in front of the bleachers, and upon the table were three baseball caps. One bore the logo of the Virginia Cavaliers. Another carried the maroon-and-gold emblem of Boston College. The third featured the bold “VT” of Virginia Tech in maroon and orange.

In the bleachers, an assortment of Lewisburg Area High students, all wearing green and white, were gathered. The varsity cheerleaders, the pep band, and the Green Dragon mascot were prominently placed within the ESPN camera’s range.

The star of the show sat behind the table. Jake Doty wore a shirt and tie beneath his Lewisburg Area letter jacket. His attire, combined with his close-cropped light brown hair, green eyes, and clean-cut features , made him look exactly like the quintessential All-American Boy he was.

Promptly at noon, ESPN began broadcasting live from Lewisburg. For about a minute, two College GameDay anchors set the stage, while clips of Jake throwing a touchdown pass and scrambling for a long gain rolled in the background.

Then the camera switched to the table, zooming in on Jake Doty's face. Jake took a deep breath, smiled, and began to speak.

"First of all, I want to thank all the coaches who recruited me over the last few months. I had no idea picking a school would be such a tough decision.

"I also want to thank my coaches and teachers here at Lewisburg Area High for always standing by me and supporting me. You've given me lots of great advice. Coach Young, I can't thank you enough."

Ron Young, the head football coach at LAHS, nodded and smiled as the crowd of students behind him cheered loudly.

"And most of all, I want to thank my family for everything they've done. Mom and Dad and Corinne, you're the best."

The camera found the Dotys, standing at their son's right shoulder. Ken and Tracy smiled nervously. They knew which school Jake had picked; very few other people did.

Jake took another deep breath. "Well, now it's time for me to let you know what I've decided." He smiled, looked straight into the camera, and selected the Virginia Tech cap. As he placed it on his head, flashes popped all around him, and another loud cheer rose from the bleachers.

Nate Ward, wearing his Virginia cap, grinned and applauded along with the rest. "Jake told me he was picking Virginia Tech, and we talked about it last night. Yeah, it would have been great to play on the same team with him in college, too, but Jake has a chance to compete for the starting job at Tech right away. We've got a quarterback with the same kinds of skills Jake has in Curtis Littlefield, and he's just a sophomore. Tech will be a better fit for Jake, honestly.

In the bleachers directly behind the Dotys stood Pete Haines, wearing his green #44 game jersey. Surprisingly, Haines had not yet received an offer from a Division I school. "Lots of coaches have talked to me, and I've felt a couple of times like I was about to get an offer. Nothing's happened yet, though," Pete said.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting nervous about it. I'm thinking about a few other options now; maybe Division I-AA, maybe even Division II.

"Maybe I'll get an offer from one of those Virginia schools. They're arch-rivals, you know. Nate and Jake won't ever be on the field at the same time, since they both play offense. That's not the case with me. I'd get to hit them.

"That might be kinda fun," Pete said with a grin.

[Big Six]

Preseason Week Seventeen, 2006-2007

Pete Haines knew this wouldn't be an easy conversation to have, but he knew what he needed to do. Anyone who knew Pete well knew he was the kind of young man who told things like they were, a quality few seventeen-year-olds possessed.

In the week after his buddy Jake Doty committed to Virginia Tech in an ESPN-televised ceremony, Pete received two scholarship offers. One came from the University of Virginia, where his other buddy, Nate Ward, had already decided to play next year. The other came from Pitt, and that's what created Pete's dilemma.

Pete had always liked the Panthers. He had relatives in Pittsburgh, and two of his older cousins were enrolled there now. "I've been to the Pitt campus a bunch of times," he explained. "I've always felt comfortable there."

Had Penn State made Pete an offer, he admitted he would have accepted it without a second thought. "What linebacker wouldn't want to play at Penn State?" he asked, a grin on his face. The Nittany Lions had shown some interest, but they'd signed three linebackers already, two of whom were five-star talents. Realistically, Pete wouldn't have had much of a shot at a starting job for PSU, at least not anytime soon.

Nate was understandably thrilled to learn that UVA had offered Pete a scholarship, too. Pete was just as excited about the possibility of being his friend's teammate for at least four more years, and he came very close to giving the Cavaliers an immediate "yes." Something in the back of his mind held him back, however, so he decided to think about it a little bit longer.

The answer came to Pete late one night as he was finishing up some physics homework. He really didn't want to leave the state of Pennsylvania. He had friends and relatives at Pitt, and his family could easily watch him play. But, before he gave the Panthers his answer, he had one more thing to do.

He wanted to tell Nate about his decision first.

Now the two young men were sitting at a table in a Wendy's restaurant, devouring hamburgers, fries, and Frosties. Pete finally took a deep breath and explained his choice to Nate.

"Sure, I was kinda disappointed," Nate said later. "It would have been cool to be Pete's teammate, but I totally understand why he picked Pitt. He can probably get playing time there his freshman year. Besides, it would have been weird for us to be on the same team, with Jake on another one. This way, all three of us have gone our own way."

Jake, Nate, and Pete had all made their decisions. Now, it was time to see what the consequences of their decisions would be.

[chris caulfield]

Loving this and can't wait to see how the players turn out.

[Big Six]

Loving this and can't wait to see how the players turn out.

I'm glad you're enjoying it, chris. I'm looking forward to seeing how their careers shape up, too.

Gameplay note: I took over the Virginia program before the recruiting season began. I recruited all three of our featured players, and I offered all three of them scholarships. Obviously, Nate was the only one to accept the Cavs' offer. It might have been cool to have them all play for the same college team, but I didn't want to force an outcome, and the way it turned out will be fun, too.


Here's a quick look at the programs each of our stars will be joining for the 2007 season.

The Virginia Cavaliers experienced a significant amount of success in 2006. They completed the season with a 9-3 record, finishing 5-3 in a tough ACC race. and a national #14 ranking. They capped off their season with a 48-13 pasting of Cincinnati in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Coach Johnny Gamble led the Cavs to an above-average prestige rating of 60.

When he reaches Charlottesville, Nate Ward will fall under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Benjamin Gibson. Coach Gibson graduated from Iowa, and at age 50 is beginning his first season on the staff of a Division I school. Coach Gibson prefers a Vertical offense, which would require Nate to sharpen his pass blocking skills. Unfortunately, Coach Gibson might not be much help to Nate. His talent for Developing Offensive Linemen is a mediocre Orange, as is his knack for Motivation. He's a little better at developing an Offensive Gameplan, earning a Yellow rating.

Down in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech Hokies fans were honestly disappointed with the way the 2006 season turned out. A 7-5 record and a 4-4 mark in ACC play isn't considered acceptable by most Tech backers, who are used to seeing their beloved Hokies on top. Coach Tom Cook did, however, quiet some critics by beating Virginia in their annual rivalry game, and by beating Marshall, 30-21, in the Liberty Bowl. The Hokies are still among the most prestigious teams in college football, however, with a prestige score of 70.

The Hokies' offensive coordinator, Armand Black, is one of the best in the business, and Jake Doty is lucky to be under his guidance. A graduate of Florida Atlantic, Coach Black, 49, is a master of Motivation and developing an Offensive Gameplan, earning Blue ratings in both categories. Coach Black prefers a Balanced offense, which should enable Jake to display his skills as a passer and a runner. And, with a Green rating for Developing Quarterbacks, Coach Black should be able to help Jake reach his considerable potential. Coach Black shaped the Hokies' passing game into the fourth most productive in all of Division I in 2006.

The Pittsburgh Panthers finished their regular season with a 6-5 record, barely good enough to squeak into the Insight Bowl. The Panthers lost there to UCLA, 37-17. Still, the Panthers, their fans, and their coach, Jerome Martel, believe they can contend for a Big East title in 2007, after going 5-2 in conference play last year. Pitt fans would love their team's prestige to rise from its current level, a high-average score of 58.

Pete Haines will be working most closely with the Panthers' defensive coordinator, Chase Smith. Coach Smith, age 48, is new to the Pitt program; he spent 2006 as the defensive coordinator for Washington. There, he led the Huskies to a middle-of-the pack ranking in most defensive categories. He prefers to run the 4-2-5 defense (which isn't a good thing for linebackers, like Pete, who would like to get on the field). Coach Smith is rated Green for Motivation and Defensive Gameplan, and he scores Yellow for Developing Linebackers.

Ironically, Coach Smith is a graduate of the University of Virginia. :)

[Big Six]

Here's a quick statistical profile of each of our three featured players as they make the transition from high school to college ball:



PLAYER POS HT WT DESCRIPTION 40 VERT SQ BP GPA SAT
Jake Doty QB 6'1" 196 Mobile 4.48 29.4" 462 224 3.2 1300
Pete Haines ILB 6'0" 241 Run Stopper 4.57 34.5" 560 343 3.8 1230
Nate Ward OG 6'1" 298 Balanced 4.94 33.3" 565 386 2.2 1310


All three players seem to be better-than-average athletes for their positions. Pete, in particular, seems like a potential impact athlete-in-the-making, strong, quick, and agile.

None of them should have any problems adjusting to the speed of the college game. Jake and Pete are the quickest players among the top recruits at their positions, and Nate can move well for a big man.

Pete's a bit of an overachiever in the classroom; his board score is solid, but his high school grades were superlative. Nate, on the other hand, is far more intelligent than his marginal GPA would indicate. Jake is certainly bright enough to master the Hokies' offense, able to win a game with sharp decision-making as well as with his physical tools.

[Big Six]

Training Camp, 2007

All football players, regardless of position, possess certain physical, mental, and emotional characteristics that form the foundation of their ability to perform on the field.

As Jake Doty, Pete Haines, and Nate Ward report for the first pre-season of their college football careers, let's take a look at how they measure up in a number of these characteristics:


PLAYER AD DI DU EN IQ WE AX AG AI IN SP ST
Jake Doty 65 59 69 69 81 84 53 47 36 75 63 37
Pete Haines 74 73 76 44 85 83 31 58 41 73 50 46
Nate Ward 58 95 56 78 49 45 31 42 42 56 35 57

AD=Adaptability; DI=Discipline; DU=Durability; EN=Endurance; IQ=Intelligence;
WE=Work Ethic; AX=Acceleration; AG=Aggression; AI=Agility; IN=Instincts; SP=Speed; ST=Strength.


In most categories, our three featured players earn at least average ratings. Jake and Pete are, as their grades would imply, considerably more Intelligent than Nate is, and despite Nate's phenomenal Discipline, his mediocre Work Ethic is a little bit alarming. Nor is Nate a terribly Instinctive player. Pete's low Endurance makes me wonder if he'll be able to handle the responsibility of being an every-down LB, but Nate, on the other hand, seems to be an iron man. Will Jake be hampered by his lack of top-quality Discipline? I'd think you would want your field general to rate higher in this area than Jake does.

I'm surprised that none of the three are more Agile than they are. Not surprisingly, Nate is very Strong, while Jake has exceptional Speed for a quarterback.

[Big Six]

Week One, 2007

The first weekend of the 2007 college football season is here, and our three featured players have just completed preseason practice. Let's take a look at what Jake, Pete, and Nate might expect during their freshman years.

Nate Ward, as expected, will be among 13 players who are redshirting this season for the Virginia Cavaliers. Nate appears content with his fate, however. He's been given uniform #62.

Six guards are currently on the Cavs' active roster. The best of them is redshirt sophomore Louie Day, a 6'2", 313-pound mauler from Anacostia High School in Washington, D.C. The other projected starter is redshirt junior Gilbert Jackson (6'0", 291), a product of McLean (Virginia) High School.

Day (5/8) is expected to be a fixture on the UVA offensive line for years, while Jackson (4/5) is being pushed by senior Ted Skinner (3/5). Skinner's main problem appears to be a lack of conditioning; he's carrying about 15 pounds more than he should be. Massive redshirt freshman Gerald Buck (6'7", 298, 2/5) is listed as the third-stringer at both guard spots, with walk-on sophomore James Walsh (6'4", 269, 1/2) also available.

Nate's overall rating (2) would indicate that Coach Gamble made the right choice when he handed him a redshirt. His potential rating (6) seems to bode well for his future prospects; he's the second-most promising player at his position in the program.

At Pitt, Pete Haines is listed as the second-string middle linebacker. Unfortunately, he's playing behind another true freshman, Frank Barnes, who came out of high school as the #9 ILB in the nation. Barnes (6'0", 240, 4/9), is a fearsome pass rusher and a sure tackler.

What's more frustrating is the fact that the Panthers run a 4-2-5 defense. As long as they keep the 4-2-5 as their base defensive set, it might be hard for Pete to get on the field. Terry Preston (6'1", 232, 7/7), , a senior who made third team All-Big East last season, will be the other starter at LB, and he's a good one.

I'm not sure why the Panthers staff isn't using Pete on special teams. He's considerably more athletic and aggressive than several of the players who are listed on the Pitt special teams squad.

Pete has been given uniform #57, and his current rating is 3. His potential rating of 6 would indicate he has the potential to play a lot as a sophomore, if not this year. None of the other linebackers on the Panthers roster appear good enough to challenge for a starting position, at least not in the foreseeable future.

Jake Doty, who wears #12 for the Virginia Tech Hokies, is currently fighting for the quarterback position with returning starter Charles Ball. Ball, a 6'1", 200-pound senior from Harrisville, Rhode Island, started all 12 games for the Hokies in 2006. He completed 204 of 368 passes (54.9%), throwing for 2259 yards and 13 touchdowns. Ball (8/8) is a classic dropback passer who lacks mobility; he was sacked 35 times last year. His arm is better than average, and he is regarded as one of the smartest, most reliable quarterbacks in the nation. He threw only six interceptions last year.

Ball will be hard to unseat, but Doty has the potential for true greatness. His overall rating is already an 8, and he has the potential to evolve into a "perfect" 10. I wouldn't be surprised if Tech coach Tom Cook finds a way to get Jake on the field fairly soon and fairly often.

[Big Six]

Week 1, 2007

All players have skill ratings that reflect their ability to perform the tasks that are unique to their position and role. Where do each of our three players stand as they begin their collegiate careers? Here you'll see each player's current and potential ratings in each of their position-relevant skills.

Nate Ward


SKILL CUR POT
Pass Block 59 64
Run Block 61 68
Long Snapping 80 89


Based on these ratings and the current Cavalier roster, it looks like Nate will challenge for a starting position as early as next season. He has the potential to be the best long snapper in the program, too.


Pete Haines


SKILL CUR POT
Pass Rush Moves 60 65
Point of Attack 59 67
Hands 52 61
Tackling 60 74
Coverage 61 65


The Panthers undoubtedly view Pete as a future starter. He's as talented as any of the linebackers on their current roster, with the exception of blue-chip prospect Frank Barnes. Pete and Frank could form a fine duo for the Panthers in the years to come.


Jake Doty


SKILL CUR POT
Arm Strength 71 85
Passing Accuracy 80 98
Passing Touch 71 89
Running 43 48
Hands 24 26


As good as he is now, Jake has the potential to become one of the best quarterbacks in the country. All-American status, a Davey O'Brien Award, or even a Heisman Trophy could come his way before his career as a Hokie comes to a close.

[Big Six]

Week One, 2007

Virginia and Virginia Tech both open their seasons during Week Two, so only Pete Haines' Pitt Panthers were in action during the opening week of the 2007 college football season.

The Panthers traveled down to Florida Atlantic, where they trounced the Owls, 31-7. Pitt's defense swarmed all over their hosts, holding them to 64 yards on the ground and only eight first downs.

Strangely, neither of Pitt's freshman linebackers played a down from scrimmage. Redshirt sophomore Kyle Barber (6'2", 224, 3/6) got lots of playing time and looked good, getting in on seven tackles and recording a sack. Junior Cruz Pearson (5'11", 237, 4/6) also made the most of his opportunities, with six tackles, a sack, and a TFL. And, as expected, senior Terry Preston was all over the field, racking up nine stops, a sack, and a TFL, and hurrying the FAU passer twice. Meanwhile, Frank Barnes played only on special teams, and Pete Haines didn't get in the game at all.

Pete called Nate after the game, expressing his frustration. "I'm doing everything they're asking me to do, and I'm not getting a chance to play," he said. "Now I'm fourth on the (expletive deleted) depth chart. If I'd known this was gonna happen, I'd have begged them to redshirt me."

[Big Six]

Week Two, 2007

This week was one Jake Doty will always remember, and one Pete Haines would just as soon forget.

Before the Hokies' season opener at UCLA, Coach Tom Cook announced that Jake would be his starting quarterback. "Jake has earned the job," Coach Cook told the press. "I'm not taking anything away from Charles Ball, but there are things Jake can do for us that give our offense an extra dimension."

Jake threw his first collegiate pass on his very first play from scrimmage. With the Hokies trailing, 3-0, he attempted to hit junior wideout Terrence Smith, but Bruins cornerback Dennis Rios knocked the ball away.

On the next play, Jake connected with classmate Art Lancaster for a 23-yard gain and a first down--the first completion of his career.

The Hokies ended up throwing the ball a lot, as they fell behind 20-3 during the second quarter. With just over four minutes tp play in the first half, Jake led the Hokies launched a twelve-play drive that culminated in a three-yard TD pass to RB Brent Yates. Jake connected on all six of his passes during the drive. He hooked up with Terrence Smith on an out pattern that Smith turned into a 46-yard gain.

Early in the third quarter, Jake hit Smith with an eight-yard TD pass to bring the Hokies within three. He also displayed his inexperience later that quarter. Tech was inside the red zone again, facing third-and-goal from the Bruins 8. Jake forced a pass into tight coverage and Rios picked it off, costing the Hokies a chance to take the lead.

Jake was intercepted deep in Bruins territory again in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Bruins to run out the clock and secure a 26-20 victory. "I'm mad at myself for throwing those picks," Jake said after the game. "If I'm more careful, we win the game."

Tom Cook was far more pleased with Jake's performance. "Here's a true freshman, making his first start against a tough team on the road. There are almost 100,000 fans in the stands, and the game's on TV. I think Jake did just fine. We could have protected him better, for one thing."

Jake finished the day with 23 completions in 41 attempts, good for 331 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. The 46-yard completion to Smith was his longest of the day. He was sacked six times, rushed three times for three yards, and lost one fumble. One great pass was balanced out by one bad one. Jake's performance earned him a quarterback rating of 130.3.

Meanwhile, Pitt narrowly escaped an upset at the hands of Louisiana-Lafayette, winning 13-10 on a 28-yard field goal by Scott Wheeler. Pete Haines didn't appear in this game, either, while fellow freshman Frank Barnes started and led the team with nine tackles, two TFL, and a sack.

Pete's frustration continued to eat at him all week long. "I'm really happy for Jake, but I confess I wish I was getting a chance to show what I can do, too."

Virginia won its season opener in fine fashion, whomping Connecticut 44-18.

[Big Six]

Week Three, 2007

A large, enthusiastic crowd filled Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium to watch the Hokies take on the #7 Texas Longhorns during Week Three. They were treated to a thrilling game, but unfortunately their Hokies came up just short, losing 34-31.

Tech fell behind early, but three second-quarter scores propelled them to a 24-17 halftime lead. The first Hokie touchdown came on a 34-yard scoring strike from Jake Doty to junior wideout Colin Edwards.

"Colin ran a deep out, and got great separation from the guy covering him. I spotted him and made the throw, and Colin did the rest. He made one tackler miss and took it into the end zone," Jake explained.

With 6:20 remaining, Jake found Colin for a 7-yard TD pass, their second connection of the game, giving the Hokies a 31-24 lead. Unfortunately, the Hokie defense failed to hold the lead, and with 44 seconds remaining, Longhorn quarterback Rob Russell threw a 28-yard, game-winning touchdown strike to Philip King.

Throwing into the teeth of the tenacious Longhorn defense, Jake managed to complete 16 of 30 passes for 246 yards. He threw only one interception, and his O-line did a much better job protecting him; he was sacked only once. Jake's passer rating came out at 137.5.

Pitt moved to 3-0 with a 44-18 victory over North Carolina at home. Once again, Pete Haines didn't receive any playing time, but his mood improved considerably. His morale improved from "Frustrated" to "Unsure."

Nate Ward's Virginia Cavaliers also remained unbeaten, trouncing Hawaii 52-13.

[Big Six]

Week Four, 2007

The Virginia Tech Hokies won their ACC opener against N.C. State, but they had to do it without much contribution from their starting quarterback.

Jake Doty left the game midway through the first quarter with a hyperextended elbow, and did not return to the game. Senior Charles Ball completed 27 of 40 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Hokies to a 34-27 victory over the Wolfpack.

Before Jake's injury, he completed three of five passes for 37 yards, and he was sacked once.

"I hurt my elbow when I was sacked," Jake explained. "Their big defensive end [6'8", 267-pound Sean Inman] hit me, and when I went down, I felt my arm bend back. I tried to stay in, but after I threw a pass, I realized my arm hurt worse than I thought."

Jake is listed as "probable" for the Hokies' next game, and at worst, he'll be out of action for two weeks.

Pete Haines and his Pitt Panthers were idle, preparing for next week's Big East opener against Louisville.

Virginia continued to roll, winning their third straight game with ease. This time their victim was ACC foe Georgia Tech, whom they pounded 44-17. The Cavs feature the fifth-best offense in all of Division One, but they have yet to take their high-scoring show on the road. They face a far tougher test next week when #20 Boston College comes to Charlottesville.

The Cavaliers made their first appearance in the national polls, ending the week ranked #25 by the media and #21 in the initial GDCS survey. According to the computer, however, the Cavs are the best team in the land.

[Big Six]

Week Five, 2007

Jake Doty's elbow hurt before the Virginia Tech Hokies' game against Georgia Tech, but the freshman quarterback wasn't going to let that stand in his way.

He completed 16 of 28 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Hokies to a 58-31 romp over the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. Brent Yates added 136 yards on the ground and rushed for three TDs as the Hokies evened their record at 2-2.

Jake hit his favorite target, Terrence Smith, for a four-yard TD in the second quarter. On the Hokies' first possession of the second half, he combined with WR Pasquale Ragsdale on a 59-yard pass-and-run play. Later in the quarter, Jake connected with Smith for another long scoring strike, this time for 68 yards. Terrence finished the game with five catches for 138 yards.

Undefeated Pitt whomped Louisville 46-3 to open their Big East season. Nearly 60,000 Panther fans watched senior quarterback Jason Terry shred the Cardinals for 400 yards and four touchdowns, and Pitt outgained their opponents 663-236.

Again, Pete Haines failed to figure in the outcome of the game at all. (I find it impossible to believe that, in a game that lopsided, he wouldn't have played. If a defensive player doesn't do anything that produces a statistic--a tackle, a defended pass, a hurry--BBCF doesn't give him credit for a game played.)

Pete found it hard to believe the Panthers weren't getting more love from those who vote in the various polls. "We got 44 points in the last media poll," he said, shaking his head. "I know we're better than that. Hopefully we can keep winning and show everybody what kind of team we really are." Winning seemed to agree with Pete, whose mood was now "Content."

Virginia's hopes for an unbeaten season came to an abrupt halt, as #20 Boston College routed them, 52-3. The Cavaliers dropped out of the media Top 25, but they held onto a #24 ranking in the coaches' poll and a #13 position in the computer rankings.

[Big Six]

Week Five, 2007

I thought it was probably time to see how our players are doing in their studies, since academic suspension lists will be released again next week.

Jake Doty certainly doesn't have to worry about sitting out because of his grades. His 3.97 GPA is just about as good as it gets, and he is the top student in the Virginia Tech football program.

Pete Haines might not be getting onto the football field, but he's certainly making his presence felt in the classroom. His 3.89 GPA is fhe fifth highest on the team, and second best in his class (freshman punter David Cook carries a perfect 4.0).

Nate Ward, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be spending much time in the library. His 2.01 GPA is the eighth worst among Virginia gridders.

[Big Six]

Week Five, 2007

While I'm at it, I'll give you an update on our players' skill development, and I'll post Jake's cumulative stats for the season.

Nate Ward's rating for Run Blocking went up a point to 62/68, while his Long Snapping ability increased two points (82/89). His Pass Blocking ability remained unchanged (59/64). Nate tipped the scales at 298 pounds, well under his ideal weight of 317. His overall and potential ratings have not changed this year (2/6).

Pete Haines bulked up three more pounds; he now weighs 244, and his coaches would like to eventually see him play at 252. His Pass Rush Moves improved one point (61/65), as did his Point of Attack skills (60/67) and his Hands (53/61). His Coverage skills remained the same (61/65), but his Tackling improved two points (62/74). Pete's coaches believe he's both a better and more promising player than they did at the beginning of the season (4/7).

Jake Doty's Arm Strength is unchanged (71/85), but his other skills improved sharply since the season opened. His Passing Accuracy is up three points (83/98), and so is his Passing Touch (74/98). He's a slightly more dangerous Runner, up one to 44/48. His Hands (24/26) are unchanged. Jake weighs 196 pounds, slightly under his ideal weight of 204. Jake's overall rating remains at 8, his potential rating at 10.

In four games, Jake has completed 58 of 104 pass attempts (55.8%). He has thrown for 951 yards, averaging 9.1 yards per attempt. He has thrown seven TD passes and four interceptions.

Jake has been sacked eight times, and he's thrown two great passes and one bad one. His passer rating is 147.1.

[Big Six]

Week Six, 2007

The Virginia Tech Hokies faced a tough task this week, traveling down to South Carolina to face #15 Clemson. The Tigers defended their home turf successfully, beating the Hokies 34-16 and dropping Tech's record to 2-3.

Jake Doty put the Hokies on the board first, finishing off a 12-play drive with a 14 yard scoring strike to Terrence Smith. Virginia Tech trailed by only one point midway through the third quarter, only to see the Tigers reel off 17 unanswered points to seal the victory.

Jake didn't throw as often as he had in previous games; he completed 11 of his 22 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown. He did, however, contribute significantly to the Hokies' ground attack for the first time, scrambling for 90 yards on nine carries.

Pitt remained unbeaten, winning a wild 40-39 shootout over Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. Both teams moved the ball almost at will; the Orange got 200 yards rushing from All-Big East tailback Tom Michael, while the balanced Panther offense gained over 200 yards both in the air and on the ground.

Pete Haines finally got a chance to demonstrate his skills in a game situation. When starting linebacker Terry Preston was suspended for academic reasons, Pete was elevated to the first team in the days before the Syracuse game. He started at middle linebacker, and made his first collegiate tackle on Syracuse's first play from scrimmage. He hit Orange receiver Russell Smith immediately after Smith caught a short pass from quarterback Dylan Adams, holding Smith to a gain of only one yard. "It felt unbelievably good to finally get a chance to hit someone wearing another team's jersey," said an elated Pete after the game. "I hadn't done that since last November."

Pete finished the game with six tackles and five initial hits. In the second quarter, Pete broke through and sacked Adams on third-and-long, forcing the Orange to punt. Bill Spence returned the ensuing kick 77 yards for a touchdown. Pete also broke up an Adams pass, and had only a single missed tackle on the negative side of his ledger.

Pete's mood was much more upbeat than it had been in weeks. "Life's good," he said. "We're unbeaten, and I really feel like I'm part of the team now."

Virginia fell to 3-2 with a 38-17 loss at Miami, as the undefeated Hurricanes moved to #2 in the media poll.

[Big Six]

Week Seven, 2007

As 66,233 fans watched on a beautiful autumn afternoon, Jake Doty calmly fired a touchdown pass to sophomore wideout Rolland Willis, giving the Virginia Tech Hokies a 36-30 victory over North Carolina at Tech's Lane Stadium.

The TD catch was Willis' second of the game, and was the third Jake threw in what was his most eventful game as a collegian. Jake finished with only 14 completions in 30 attempts, was intercepted twice, and was sacked six times, but he threw for 317 yards and the three aforementioned touchdowns.

Jake wasn't named the Player of the Game--that honor went to Tar Heels free safety Jamaal Westbrook, who racked up thirteen tackles and an interception--but he was certainly the hero for the victorious Hokies. Not only did he throw the winning TD pass in overtime, he'd connected with Terrence Smith for a 62-yard scoring play to tie the score with 27 seconds remaining in regulation play. This dramatic play was the seventh Doty-to-Smith scoring play of the season.

The Hokies' overall record was once again even at 3-3, and they moved to 3-1 in the ACC.

Unbeaten but still unranked, the Pittsburgh Panthers ripped Connecticut, 56-19, at Heinz Field. Jason Terry threw four TD passes for the Panthers and scored a rushing touchdown, while Leonard Price, the Big East's leading rusher, added 145 yards and a touchdown.

Pete Haines started for the second consecutive game, but wasn't as productive as he had been against Syracuse. He assisted on one tackle, as he had difficulty getting past UConn blockers and finding the ball.

Virginia fell to 1-3 in the ACC and 3-3 overall, losing to #14 Florida State in Tallahassee.

[Big Six]

Week Eight, 2007

The Pitt Panthers' dreams of an unbeaten season ended at the hands of the West Virginia Mountaineers, who scored 28 second-half points to defeat the Panthers, 31-17.

Redshirt freshman Eduardo Large had to play most of the game at quarterback for Pitt, replacing Jason Terry when Terry left the contest with a rib injury. Large didn't play badly (11-19, 134 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT), but the Panthers seemed to struggle without Terry's steady hand at the controls of their offense.

Pete Haines, once again starting at linebacker, recorded one solo tackle. "I hate for it to seem like I'm taking advantage of another guy's bad fortune," Pete said, referring to the opportunity he was receiving because of Terry Preston's academic problems. "On the other hand, we all know we have to keep our grades up. If we don't do that, we don't play; it's as simple as that."

The Virginia Tech Hokies took a break from their ACC conference schedule, hosting North Texas. They had little trouble with the Eagles, beating them 34-21.

Running back Brent Yates did most of the heavy lifting for the Hokies, rushing for 158 yards on 23 carries and scoring three touchdowns. When Jake Doty did pass, he was productive, going 16-28 for 272 yards and a touchdown. Jake was also intercepted once. Jake's QB rating of 143.4 was just below his season score, 145.8

Jake's touchdown pass broke a 17-17 tie and, as usual, was completed to Terrence Smith, who's been on the receiving end of eight of Jake's 12 touchdown tosses.

(Somehow, I forgot to check Jake's record for great/bad passes the last few weeks. He threw one of each against Clemson; he produced two great tosses and one poor one against UNC; he delivered one outstanding ball this week against North Texas. For the season, Jake's thrown six great passes and three bad ones.)

The Virginia Cavaliers got back on the winning track, defeating N.C. State, 44-38.

[Big Six]

Week Nine, 2007

Jake Doty and Nate Ward had made plans weeks earlier to drive together up to Pittsburgh to watch their friend, Pete Haines, and his Pitt Panthers play Florida International. "I looked at the schedule and saw I had an off week, so I called Nate and asked him if he wanted to take a road trip," Jake said. "I picked him up at UVA on my way up; it was really easy."

"We had a blast. An absolute blast," Jake grinned mischievously, leaving no doubt about the truth of his words.

They watched Pete and his teammates roll to a 52-10 victory over FIU, and they saw Pete play the best game of his young career. While Terry Preston and his 1.94 GPA remained on the sidelines, Pete racked up seven tackles, including six initial hits. He sacked FIU passer Matthew Dawkins once, and hurried him on another occasion.

The Panthers, now 6-1, moved into the national rankings for the first time, landing at #24. Their victory made them bowl-eligible, and they still had four games left to play.

"It was really great to see Nate and Jake," Pete beamed. "I think having them here motivated me that much more."

Virginia won a non-conference contest as well, beating Temple 37-19 in Philadelphia.

[Big Six]

Week Ten, 2007

Jake Doty had never seen the Virginia Tech campus as fired up, and that was saying something.

"Our students are really spirited all the time," Jake said. "That was one of the things I liked most when I came to visit last year. I think the student body outdid itself this week, though, and it really made a difference."

The powerful Miami Hurricanes, undefeated and ranked #4 in the nation, were coming to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies. If Tech could knock off the Hurricanes, they would pull to within a half-game of the Hurricanes in the ACC Coastal Division standings.

Lane Stadium was filled to capacity, and the "Orange Effect" covered the stands in a sea of orange. The fans were treated to a terrific game from start to finish.

Miami placekicker George Washington typically did his namesake proud. A first-team All-American and the winner of the 2006 Lou Groza Award, the "General" was usually at his best with the game on the line. This day, however, was the exception. Washington pushed a 44-yard attempt wide in the third quarter, and he shanked an extra point attempt with just over eight seconds remaining in regulation that would have given the 'Canes a 24-20 lead. Had either of those kicks been true, Hokies kicker Alex Artis would not have been able to send the game into overtime with a 28-yard field goal of his own.

Jake Doty had done his share to put the Hokies in this favorable position, too. Twice, he completed TD passes to--who else?--Terrence Smith; one went for 46 yards, the other for seven.

In overtime, Doty found Smith for their third scoring connection of the afternoon, this time good for 27 yards. Miami scored on their possession, too, so the teams prepared for another overtime round.

The Hurricanes faced fourth-and-twelve from the Hokies' 27, so they sent Washington into the game for a field goal. George missed again as the crowd roared in delight. Now all the Hokies had to do was score.

The Miami defense responded with a tough stand of their own, and when Hokies tight end James Harrington jumped offside, Tech was looking at a third-and-17 from the Miami 32. Jake dropped back to throw, but he couldn't find an open man and decided to run. He dashed for 15 yards, falling just short of a first down, but he put Artis in much better position for a field goal try on fourth-and-two.

Alex knocked down the 35-yarder, and the Hokies and their fans celebrated a 33-30 victory.

Terrence Smith was named Player of the Game, on the strength of his seven catches for 181 yards and three touchdowns.

Jake could have been a worthy choice as well; he went 21-33 for a career-high 381 yards and three scores. He was intercepted once, and added 29 yards on eight rushing attempts. Jake also set a career high with three great passes, and his 184.6 passer rating was just a bit lower than the 186.5 he recorded against Georgia Tech.

Pitt continued its rampage through the Big East, thrashing Rutgers 50-12. Two Panthers--Leonard Price (108) and Jacob Carrillo (104)--rushed for over 100 yards, and Jason Terry threw for 310 yards and four scores. Now 8-1 and 4-1 in the Big East, the Panthers moved up to #22 in the medial poll. Only West Virginia, who remained unbeaten in Big East play, stood in the way of the Panthers' conference championship hopes.

Pete Haines continued to make plays for the Panthers defense. He recorded a career-high eight tackles (six solo) and a TFL, and got his third sack of the season.

Virginia improved its record to 6-3 with a 49-10 victory over hapless Duke.

[Big Six]

Player development was updated after Week Ten. Here's a look at how our three players' skills have changed over the last five weeks:



Jake Doty
CUR POT
Arm Strength 71 85 --
Passing Accuracy 85 98 +2
Passing Touch 76 89 +2
Running 45 48 +1
Hands 24 26 --


Pete Haines
CUR POT
Pass Rush Moves 62 65 +1
Point of Attack 61 67 +1
Hands 54 61 +1
Tackling 64 74 +2
Coverage 62 65 +1


Nate Ward
CUR POT
Pass Blocking 59 64 --
Run Blocking 62 68 --
Long Snapping 83 89 +1


Each of the three players has the same overall ratings, both current and potential.

Jake and Pete are generating statistics, so let's look at their numbers, through Week Ten.



G GS ATT-COMP PCT YDS Y/A TD TD% INT INT% LNG GP BP SCK RAT
Jake Doty 8 8 120-217 55.3 2091 9.6 15 6.9 8 3.7 68 9 3 22 151.7

G GS TCK S A SK TFL HUR DP FF PD MT
Pete Haines 5 5 23 18 5 3 1 1 0 0 1 1

S= solo tackles A= assists DP= deflected passes
PD= passes defended MT= missed tackles


Jake ranks sixth in the ACC in passing yards, third in yards per attempt, sixth in touchdown passes, and sixth in quarterback rating.

[Big Six]

Week Eleven, 2007

Jake Doty wasn't in the best of moods following Virginia Tech's game at Maryland. The Hokies lost the game, 13-10, and Jake spent nearly the entire game on the sidelines.

In the days leading up to the game, coach Tom Cook benched Jake in favor of senior Charles Ball. "I need to be more consistent," Jake said. "I'm making some good plays, and I'm making some bad ones." His completion percentage was ninth among ACC passers, and he'd thrown more interceptions than all but two of the conference's quarterbacks--and one of those was Boston College's Cecil McCoy, who had thrown 29 TD passes.

Jake threw one pass, and he completed it to Terrence Smith for a two-yard touchdown, the only one the Hokies managed. His quarterback rating was a mind-boggling 446.8. Ball struggled, going 11-26 for 162 yards.

Jake was also encountering a little more difficulty in the classroom. His GPA now stood at 3.47, still high, but down half a point from its earlier peak.

The Pitt Panthers enjoyed a late-season trip to sunny Florida, where on a clear, 83-degree day, they beat the hapless South Florida Bulls, 51-13.
Jason Terry fired four more TD passes, and Leonard Price gained 155 yards and scored. The Panthers' victory, their eighth in nine games, lifted them to #19 in the media poll.

Pete Haines didn't record a tackle or generate any statistics, even though he started the game at inside linebacker. His GPA remains high (3.81).

Virginia was idle; their record remains 6-3. Apparently Nate Ward has been hitting the books as hard as he hits the blocking sled. His GPA has risen to 2.14.

[Big Six]

Week Eleven, 2007

Jake Doty's demotion lasted exactly one game. When the Virginia Tech Hokies took on the Duke Blue Devils in Durham, Doty was back in the starting lineup. Jake threw three touchdown passes as the Hokies ripped the hapless Devils, 35-7.

Midway through the first quarter, Jake teamed up with Colin Edwards on a 58-yard scoring play. Edwards ran a deep in route, Jake hit him in stride, and the junior wideout did the rest. "Colin has deceptively good speed," Jake said. "He can beat people deep, like he did today."

The Hokies held a slim 12-7 lead as the first half drew to a close. Duke punter Ian Elizondo knocked the ball out of bounds on the Hokie 1, putting Jake and the Tech offense in a deep hole.

"I think everybody expected us to run the ball in that situation," Jake recalled. "We crossed them up and called a pass play."

As Jake faded back and scanned the field, his eyes grew wide. Rolland Willis was all alone, cutting across the field about fifteen yards away. Jake threw a perfect strike, and Rolland turned on the jets. Duke free safety Efrain Nguyen gave chase, but Rolland Willis was the fastest man on the Virginia Tech squad and a 200-meter sprinter on the track and field team. Rolland cruised into the end zone, completing a 99-yard scoring play--the longest in Virginia Tech history.

Jake's third TD completion was also a big one, a 63-yarder to Terrence Smith. The three scoring plays accounted for 220 of Jake's 294 passing yards. Jake completed only 10 of 21 attempts and was intercepted once, throwing under drizzly conditions that made his job more difficult. The three long scores raised his QB rating to 202.8, the highest score he'd achieved in a game where he truly saw action.

Pitt proved to be very rude hosts when the Cincinnati Bearcats came to town, amassing 670 yards en route to a 55-7 victory. Sophomore reserve quarterback Marvin Foley threw four touchdown passes, while Leonard Price and Jacob Carrillo combined for 320 rushing yards.

The Panthers completed their season with a 10-1 record. Pitt, Syracuse, and West Virginia all finished with 6-1 marks in the Big East, and the Panthers were awarded the conference championship through a tiebreaker process.

Once again, Pete Haines did not record any defensive statistics despite starting the game.

The Panthers moved up to #15 in the polls, and for the first time all season long, two of the Lewisburg Area alumni found themselves on ranked teams. Virginia's 16-14 win over North Carolina propelled the Cavs to #24.

[Big Six]

Week Thirteen, 2007

Virginia Tech, Pitt, and Virginia were all idle during Week Thirteen, so the biggest news on campus was the announcement of the finalists for the national awards.

Pitt QB Jason Terry was named a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award.

Virginia's Donald Butler and Pitt's Leonard Price both made the list of finalists for the Doak Walker Award.

Hokie fans were overjoyed when Terrence Smith's name appeared on the list of Fred Biletnikoff Award finalists.

The Vince Lombardi Award honors the best offensive lineman in the nation, Virginia C Robbie Taylor and Pitt OT Corey Sims are both in the running for the Lombardi.

Pitt's Scott Wheeler and VT's Alex Artis are among the Lou Groza Award finalists. Despite his troubles in his game against Tech, Miami's George Washington will get a chance to defend his 2006 award.

Bill Spence of Pitt is among the dangerous return specialists in the running for the Mosi Tatupu Award.

Panthers coach Jerome Martel was listed among the finalists for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award.

And when the list of finalists for the most coveted prize in college football was released, two players we've come to know well were there. Jason Terry of Pitt was perhaps no surprise, but perhaps only the most die-hard Hokies would have expected Terrence Smith to be one of only two receivers in the country on the final ballot for the Heisman Trophy.

[Big Six]

Week Fourteen, 2007

When the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Virginia Cavaliers met at Lane Stadium for their annual rivalry game, Jake Doty and Nate Ward found themselves as opponents in a football game for the first time in their careers.

"It was strange watching Jake out there, playing for someone else," said Nate. "What's more, he was playing for our arch-rival, the team we most want to beat."

The Hokies used air power to defeat the #24 Cavs, 47-10. Jake Doty set career records with 51 passing attempts, 37 completions, and 408 yards, and threw two touchdown passes. He was intercepted once, and gained 36 yards on three carries.

Three Hokie receivers--Terrence Smith, Colin Edwards, and Rolland Willis--hauled in eight passes. Tight end James Herrington caught six, and running back Brent Yates four. Jake hooked up with Herrington for a 51-yard TD, and connected with Yates for a 15-yard score.

The Hokies and Cavaliers, then, completed their regular seasons with identical 7-4 records. The Hokies' 6-2 ACC record was two games better than that of the Cavaliers, who split their eight conference games evenly. Virginia Tech moved into the national rankings, but despite losing badly, the Cavs (#24) still outranked the Hokies (#25).

[Big Six]

Week Fifteen, 2007

Jake Doty and Terrence Smith smiled broadly and faced the camera. Each of them wore their maroon Virginia Tech game jerseys, and they held a football together, each with one hand on the ball.

The Tech sports information office wanted a shot of the 2007 Hokies' potent passing combination, each of whom received post-season honors. Smith, a junior, made first team All-ACC, and was the only Hokie to win All-American honors. His 60 receptions, 1187 receiving yards, and 13 touchdown receptions earned him a spot on the All-American first team. Although Terrence led the nation in touchdown catches, he was narrowly edged by West Virginia's Corey Whitt for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. Whitt's 1541 receiving yards and 20.3 yards-per-catch average caught the voters' eyes.

Jake was named the ACC Freshman of the Year. Through eleven games, Jake had thrown for 2795 yards and had more than twice as many touchdown passes (21) as interceptions (10).

Pete Haines' Pitt teammate Bill Spence was an easy choice for the Mosi Tatupu Award. Spence, a sophomore wide receiver, averaged 21.2 yards on punt returns. He took five punt returns all the way for touchdowns, most in the nation.

The Heisman Trophy went to Tennessee's senior quarterback, Robbie Adams. Adams threw for nearly 3300 yards and 32 touchdowns, and was only intercepted five times. His Vols were about to play Mississippi for the coveted SEC championship.

Soon Pete, Nate, and Jake would learn where each of their teams would be heading for their bowl games. Pitt, with a 10-1 record and a #12 national ranking, was a virtual lock for a New Year's Day game. The #21 Cavaliers and #23 Hokies, each with seven wins, would certainly earn a spot in a lesser bowl.

[Big Six]

Week Sixteen, 2007

Jake Doty's cell phone rang, and he smiled when he saw Pete Haines' name and number on the screen. "Congratulations on the BCS bowl bid, " he told his friend.

Pete's Pitt Panthers had been selected to play in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. They would be heading to Arizona to face #13 Tennessee and their Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Robbie Adams.

"Thanks, man," Pete said. "And congrats on the Car Care Bowl."

Pete didn't have the name of the Meineke Car Care Bowl quite right, but his heart was in the right place. The Hokies had a Week 19 date to face West Virginia. Neither team would be traveling far; the game was played in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"I really want you to beat the hell out of them," Pete confided to his high school buddy. The Mountaineers had spoiled Pitt's undefeated season when they beat the Panthers, 31-17, during Week Eight.

Jake laughed. "We'll do our best. And think about it...you have a chance to sack a Heisman Trophy winner. Not a lot of guys get to do that."

"Have you talked to Nate yet, or has that Hokies-Cavs rivalry not worn off yet?" Pete asked.

"We're cool," Jake replied. "I was on Facebook with him a little bit ago. He's pretty happy about the MPC Bowl bid. He's never been to Idaho."

Virginia would be favored fairly heavily to beat New Mexico State in the MPC Computers Bowl, played in Boise during Week 19.

All three LAHS grads would, therefore, end their first collegiate seasons with a bowl bid.

[Big Six]

Week Nineteen, 2007

Coach Tom Cook hoisted the Meineke Car Care Bowl trophy over his head and smiled. His #23 Virginia Tech Hokies had just beaten West Virginia, 31-6, putting the finishing touches on an 8-4 season.

Sophomore Brent Yates, who carried 20 times for 139 yards and a touchdown, was named the Player of the Game. Yates finished the season with 1182 yards, nearly 300 fewer than he'd amassed as a freshman, but his 12 touchdowns exceeded his 2006 total by two.

Jake Doty played well in his first bowl appearance, too. He completed 16 of 28 passes for 252 yards and three TDS. Oddly enough, none of the three scoring passes went to his favorite target, All-America wideout Terrence Smith. Instead, Jake connected with Yates (4 yards), Collin Edwards (14 yards) and Rolland Willis (32 yards). Smith did catch five balls for an even 100 yards, however.

Meanwhile, out in Boise, Nate Ward's #21 Virginia Cavaliers pounded New Mexico State 62-0 to win the MPC Computers Bowl. Junior Donald Butler rolled for 211 yards on 30 carries for the Cavaliers, giving him a season total of 1608 rushing yards. Butler's two TDs ran his 2007 total to 13.

[Big Six]

Week Twenty-one, 2007

All Pete Haines could do was smile. "That's why he won the Heisman," he said.

Pete was referring to Robbie Adams, who had just led the Tennessee Vols to a 55-17 pasting of Pete's Pittsburgh Panthers in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Adams displayed a surgeon's touch, completing 32 of 35 attempts for 359 yards and six touchdowns. Adams rushed for 51 yards on six carries, too.

Pete had every reason to feel good about his own performance, however. He tied for the team lead with ten tackles--six solo hits and four assists--the most he'd racked up in any collegiate game.

And, for the rest of his life, Pete could say he tackled a Heisman Trophy winner. "Rudy Ruiz [Pitt's junior DT] put some pressure on Adams, and he decided to run. I got him pretty good, and he told me 'Nice hit.' I'd heard Robbie was a class act, and he seems pretty cool to me."

By now, the frustration Pete had felt about not getting to play was a thing of the past. "I'm really happy here," he said. "I feel like I'm in the right place."

[Big Six]

End of 2007 Season

With their freshman seasons in the books, it's time to look at Jake and Pete's final 2007 stat lines:



G GS ATT-COMP PCT YDS Y/A TD TD% INT INT% LNG GP BP SK RAT
Jake Doty 12 11 184-318 57.9 3047 9.6 24 7.5 10 3.1 99 13 4 28 157.0


Among ACC passers, Jake ranked seventh in attempts and completions, fifth in completion percentage and passing yardage, third in yards per attempt, fifth in touchdown passes, seventh in TD pass percentage, fifth in great passes, and third in quarterback rating.

Not bad for a freshman, was he?



G GS TCK S A SK TFL HUR DP FF PD MT
Pete Haines 8 8 33 22 11 3 1 1 0 0 1 1


Pete's three sacks were good for -9 yards, and his TFL for -2. He placed seventh on his team in tackles, solo tackles, and assists, and sixth in sacks.

His late-season success bodes well for his future at Pitt.

[Dublin Sky]

Good to see the boys played well Robbie Adams is a monster man

[Big Six]

Postseason Week 18, 2007-2008

Hokie Nation could not have been much happier with the way the 2008 recruiting season turned out. The tenth-most talented group of newcomers in the country was on its way to Blacksburg, and among them was the top player in the nation.

Running back Oliver Reed was a junior college sensation from Cecil Community College in Mastic Beach, New York. His 4.40 speed made him a threat to break long runs whenever he touched the ball, and his solid 5'9", 207-pound frame enabled him to run with power as well as finesse. Now, he'd team with returning tailback Brent Yates to give the Hokies a powerful 1-2 backfield punch, and his presence placed one more weapon at the disposal of the Hokies' sophomore quarterback, Jake Doty.

Jake couldn't hide the excitement in his voice as he talked to his friend Pete Haines. The two athletes were in the basement of the Haines home, taking a break from a hard-fought video game session, and were discussing their respective schools' recruiting efforts. "Man, this is going to be fun," Jake said.

Pete nodded. "I saw where you guys signed a quarterback too."

Jay Rodriguez was a mobile QB, a fellow Pennsylvanian from the town of Clearfield. A three-star recruit, Rodriguez was also recruited as an athlete, and might well be moved to another position when he arrived in Blacksburg.

"That's right," Jake replied. "Did Pitt sign any linebackers this year?"

"Three," said Pete. All three of them were rated at three stars, and the highest-ranked of the three, Dave Otero from Bishop McDevitt High in Harrisburg, was more highly rated than Pete had been coming out of high school. The others, Stephen Moore of Derry, PA, and Eddie Scott of East Brunswick, NJ, were projected to be just about as good. If Otero, Moore, and Scott didn't push Pete for playing time this coming year, they might in 2009.

Jake sensed the concern in his friend's voice. "You'll be fine," he reassured him. "You've been in the system for a year, and you've proven yourself on the field."

"I hope you're right," Pete said.

Just then, the massive form of Nate Ward appeared on the stairs. "There you guys are," he said. Nate wore a navy polo shirt with "VIRGINIA FOOTBALL" embroidered in orange on the chest.

"It looks like you guys got yourself a couple of QBs," Jake pointed out.

The Cavaliers had signed a pair of five-star passers, and both came out of New Jersey. Adam Williams was a more traditional quarterback; he liked to stay in the pocket and fire the ball down the field. Steven Gibson was a scrambler who could make plays with his feet as well as his arm.

"We sure did," agreed Nate. "We signed one guy at my position, too."

Rodney Adams from William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia was a 305-pound road grader. Like Nate, he would probably spend his first year on campus as a redshirt.

"Have you noticed how many guys all our schools signed from PA?" Jake pointed out. "I'd expect that from Pitt, but not so much from the schools down our way."

"We showed them how we do it up here," joked Nate.

[Big Six]

Good to see the boys played well Robbie Adams is a monster man

Adams was a man among boys; that's for sure. I didn't play out the Pitt-Tennessee game, and I wished I had, just to watch him do his thing.

If Jake turns out to be anywhere near as good as Adams was, he'll be a Hokie legend.

Thanks for following the story...sophomore year is right around the corner!

[Antonin]

I'm enjoying this story! I'm surprised more people don't have dynasty threads here. BBCF is a fascinating game and a fun way to spend an evening.

[Big Six]

I'm enjoying this story! I'm surprised more people don't have dynasty threads here. BBCF is a fascinating game and a fun way to spend an evening.

Thanks very much, Antonin. I'm surprised the forums here aren't more active, too. I've played BBCF for about four years now, and I've spent a lot of very enjoyable hours with the game. When football season approaches, I always have the urge to play BBCF regularly, and I always have a good time with it.

I have two or three more ideas for BBCF dynasty stories, so when this one's done, I'll be back with another one. :)

[Big Six]

Week 1, 2008

Preseason practices are over, and our featured players are about to begin the 2008 regular season. Here's how their ratings are looking now:



Jake Doty Overall: 9/10

SKILL CUR POT CHG
Arm Strength 71 85 --
Passing Accuracy 93 98 +8
Passing Touch 84 89 +8
Running 47 48 +1
Hands 25 26 +1


Nate Ward Overall: 3/6

SKILL CUR POT CHG
Pass Blocking 61 64 +2
Run Blocking 64 68 +2
Long Snapping 86 89 +3


Pete Haines Overall: 4/6

SKILL CUR POT CHG
Pass Rush Moves 63 65 +1
Point of Attack 64 67 +3
Hands 58 61 +4
Tackling 69 74 +5
Coverage 63 65 +1


Jake made a tremendous amount of progress over the off-season, and seems poised to make a big step forward as a sophomore.

Pete, too, improved in several key areas, and should be a key member of the Pittsburgh defense in 2008.

Offensive linemen like Nate often take more time to develop than players at other positions. That's true in real college football, as well as in BBCF. And, unlike his friends, Nate hasn't had the opportunity to sharpen his skills in game situations.

Next, I'll compare Jake, Pete, and Nate to the other players at their positions on their respective teams, and we'll see where they appear on the depth chart as the 2008 season opens.

[Big Six]

Week 1, 2008

Jake Doty's Virginia Tech Hokies open their 2008 season against Army next week. Jake begins this year just like he ended last year: as the Hokies' starting quarterback.

Fifth-year senior Charles Ball (7/7) is currently listed as his backup. Ball's arm is significantly stronger than Jake's, and he is an exceptionally intelligent player. Jake is a far more accurate passer, however, and he is much more mobile.

Junior Mike Hernandez (8/8) redshirted last year, and he looks ready to challenge Ball for the #2 spot on the depth chart. His physical tools are impressive, but he lacks the intangibles that the finest quarterbacks possess.

Neither redshirt sophomore Tyler Garcia (4/7) nor redshirt junior George Gates (2/4) have appeared in a game during their Virginia Tech careers. They are similar players, both better when they're on the move than they are when they stay in the pocket. In fact, they'd probably be better off tucking the ball away and running with it in almost any situation.

Incoming freshman Jay Rodriguez (2/4) will redshirt this year. His athleticism and adaptability make him a good candidate for a position change at some point.

Pitt's depth chart lists Pete Haines as the #2 inside linebacker as the Panthers prepare for a Week 1 contest with Louisiana-Lafayette.

Fellow sophomore Frank Barnes (6/8) is listed ahead of Pete as the starting MLB; he appeared in 10 games last year, started nine, and recorded 49 tackles.

Seniors Cruz Pearson (4/5) and Art Byrd (4/5) will start at the other linebacker spots. They're nothing special, and the Panthers might do well to shift either Barnes or Haines to the outside.

Junior Kyle Barber (4/6), a particularly ferocious pass rusher, might also see some playing time at inside linebacker this year. Barber played in five games last year, accumulating five tackles and a sack. Sophomore Paul Rowland (3/4) appeared in one game in 2007, recording three tackles. Promising freshman Dave Otero (3/7) will redshirt this year.

Pete looks like the second most talented linebacker on Pitt's current roster, behind Frank Barnes, and he's the best of the Panther linebackers in pass coverage.

Nate Ward faces tough competition in his fight for playing time on the Virginia offensive line. As the season begins, Nate is listed third on the depth chart at both guard positions. He is, however, listed as a starter on the Cavs' special teams as the long snapper.

Junior Louie Day (6/8), who excels at pass protection, returns for his third year as the starter at left guard. Day is the team's second-best offensive lineman, behind All-ACC candidate Stephen Wilkerson, the left tackle.

Fifth-year senior Gilbert Jackson (4/5) is currently the starter at right guard. Jackson's ability to open holes for Cavalier running backs gives him the edge over his competitors.

The coaching staff is very high on Rodney Adams (3/8), who will back up both Day and Jackson. A true freshman, Adams is thickly built (6'2", 313) and powerful, and he's expected to be one of the conference's best linemen one day.

Gerald Buck (3/5), a redshirt sophomore, is the only other guard on the Cavs' depth chart. He appeared in two games last year. Walk-on junior James Walsh (1/2) provides a practice body.

The linemen who are currently ahead of Nate on the depth chart are all more adept at pass protection than he is. Nate's already as good a run blocker as any of them, even Louie Day.

The Cavaliers open their 2007 this week with a visit to Bowling Green.

[Big Six]

Week 1, 2008

The Virginia Cavaliers opened their season with a 58-31 rout of Bowling Green. Senior tailback Donald Butler rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns, while his backup, sophomore Ruben Forrest, added 101 more on 19 carries.

The Cavaliers coaching staff tinkered with their depth chart in the days leading up to the game. They demoted senior Gilbert Jackson to the third team, naming true freshman Rodney Adams the starter at right guard and promoting Nate Ward to second string. Coach Johnny Gamble refused to say whether or not disciplinary issues had anything to do with Jackson's demotion. It's possible Coach Gamble and his staff simply wanted to give their younger, more promising linemen some playing time.

The Cavs attempted six extra points and three field goals and punted four times, so Nate got on the field for at least 13 plays. It doesn't appear that he played on offense, however.

Pitt fans had much less to smile about, as their Panthers were upset by Louisiana-Lafayette, 23-10, at home. Pete Haines was even more frustrated by the fact that Kyle Barber was moved ahead of him on the depth chart. Barber played a lot against the Ragin' Cajuns, getting in on seven tackles, while Pete didn't play at all.

"I'm not even getting a chance to play on special teams," Pete said. "I'm not sure why. I'm faster and more aggressive than several of the guys who cover kicks for us. I wish they'd let me have a chance to help us win."

[Big Six]

Week 2, 2008

All three of the teams that featured Lewisburg Area High graduates picked up big wins during Week 2.

The Virginia Tech Hokies went into their season opener ranked #11, and they rolled to a 36-10 victory over Army that demonstrated that their ranking was probably a good reflection of their talent.

Sophomore quarterback Jake Doty played the best game of his young career. He shredded the Cadets' secondary, completing 30 of his 39 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the Hokies in rushing, with 86 yards on nine carries, and he was named the Player of the Game.

All-American wideout Terrence Smith caught nine of Jake's throws for 128 yards, but both the Hokies' touchdown receptions were hauled in by speedy Rolland Willis.

Highly touted freshman RB Oliver Reed gained 36 yards on eight carries in relief of starter Brent Yates, who scored two touchdowns and rushed for 73 yards. Reed also demonstrated his ability as a receiver, catching six passes for 102 yards.

Jake was thrilled with the capabilities of the players around him. "We have a lot of playmakers on this team," he said after the game. "It's my job to get the ball to them in spots where they can make things happen."

The Virginia Cavaliers ran their record to 2-0 with a 50-18 victory over Temple. Quarterback Curtis Littlefield threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns, and Donald Butler produced 140 more yards on the ground.

Once again, the Cavaliers shuffled their guards around like playing cards. Gerald Buck, who had been running with the fourth team, found himself in the starting lineup. Gerald Jackson moved back up to second string; Rodney Adams, the Week 1 starter, was placed on the third team; and Nate Ward dropped to fourth string.

"It's a good thing I'm a long snapper," Nate sighed, "or I'd never get on the field." Cavaliers kicker Rob Dukes kicked five field goals and five extra points, and Mike Story punted three times, so Nate got to do his thing 15 times against the Owls.

Pitt avenged its Week 1 loss by whipping Utah State, 61-0. Pitt coach Jerome Martel appeared as willing to experiment with his depth chart as his colleagues at Virginia were; he shuffled Kyle Barber to the third team and promoted his other middle linebackers up one notch.

That change gave Pete Haines a chance to show his stuff, and "stuff" is the word that best describes what Pete did to Utah State ballcarriers on two separate occasions. He also knocked down a pass, but he was caught out of position on a pass play that resulted in a Utah State completion. All in all, however, it was a good day's work for the Panther linebacker.

[Dublin Sky]

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.

[Big Six]

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).

[Big Six]

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.

[Big Six]

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.

[Big Six]

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.

[Big Six]

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.

[Big Six]

Week 6, 2008

The Virginia Tech Hokies moved to #7 in the polls with a thrilling 24-20 victory over Georgia Tech in Blacksburg.

Hokies RB Brent Yates blasted into the end zone from three yards out, scoring the game-winning TD with 29 seconds remaining.

Jake Doty enjoyed another very good game, going 18-33 for 289 yards. Jake threw two touchdown passes to Terrence Smith, good for 35 and 15 yards. Smith, whom opposing defenses had kept under control earlier in the season, caught seven passes for 107 yards.

"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."

Jake was intercepted once, and he scrambled for 34 yards on seven carries. His quarterback rating was 142.0.

Coach Johnny Gamble continued to shuffle his O-line rotation, dropping Nate Ward 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.

Virginia improved its record to 5-1 with a 31-21 victory over the Wolfpack. Curtis Littlefield threw four TD passes, and Ruben Forrest rushed for 107 yards. The Cavs were ranked #20 in the polls after their victory.
Pete Haines and the Pitt Panthers enjoyed an off week.

[Big Six]

Week 7, 2008

When the Virginia Tech Hokies recruited running back Oliver Reed, 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.

Reed rushed for 138 yards on 17 carries, and Brent Yates added 102 more as the Hokies rolled for 307 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the VT defense held the 'Pack to 63 yards on the ground.

Quarterback Jake Doty completed 20 of 28 passes for 209 yards. He connected with two receivers who each caught their first TD pass, redshirt freshman RB Mason Stanton and bruising true freshman FB Coy Lee. Jake's passer rating was 157.1.

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.

Nate Ward 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.

The Pitt Panthers evened their record (3-3) with a 19-11 victory over Rutgers at Heinz Field. Pete Haines didn't start, but he contributed two tackles (one solo) and got his first sack of the season.

[Big Six]

Week 7, 2008

With the season roughly halfway over, let's look at our featured players' stats for 2008:



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


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).

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.

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.



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


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.



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


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.

[Dublin Sky]

Pete deserves to play they put him in for a couple downs it seems and he picked up a sack, the kid is hungry

[Big Six]

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? :)

[thatoneguy]

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.