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Wilson, Thomas Help Tech Offense Put up Big Numbers

by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, TSLMail #511, November 18, 2011

There are just two weeks remaining in college football season. Conference championships are still up for grabs, and Virginia Tech is in the thick of a battle for the ACC's Coastal Division. When you look at the numbers, it's easy to see why Tech is competing for another championship.

Today we'll do things a little differently and compare ACC teams statistically in conference games only. Virginia Tech stacks up very well in most categories, which explains why they are one of the best teams in the league.

Virginia Tech vs the ACC
Category Stat Rank
Scoring 26.3 ppg 7
Scoring Def. 20.9 ppg 2
Total Off. 420.6 ypg 2
Total Def. 351.1 ypg 3
Pass Eff. 147.5 3
Pass Eff. Def. 121.1 3
Sacks 19 2
Sacks Allowed 9 2
Third Down % 46.1% 3
Third Down % Def. 34.7% 2
TOP 33:06 1


The Hokies rank first in the ACC in only one category: time of possession. Tech, behind Logan Thomas and David Wilson, has done a great job of controlling the football and the clock this season.

Tech does rank second or third in the ACC in every other category with the exception of scoring offense, where they rank just seventh. The Hokies have scored a touchdown in only 17 of their 33 trips to the redzone in ACC play, and that includes three turnovers.

The rest of the numbers might be a little bit surprising. Despite last night's performance of just 340 yards of total offense, the Hokies are averaging 420.6 yards per game against ACC opponents. That ranks second in the league, behind only Clemson's high-powered offense. The Hokies are one of just three teams (Virginia being the third) to average over 400 yards per game against ACC competition.

Logan Thomas and David Wilson are big reasons why the Virginia Tech offense has been so successful. Wilson is averaging 132.3 yards per game on the ground against ACC opponents, which leads the league. The junior will be a First Team All-ACC player at the end of the season.

Logan Thomas is #4 in the ACC in passing efficiency against conference opponents with a mark of 148.2. Thomas is actually ahead of Tajh Boyd in that category, but trails E.J. Manuel, Jacory Harris and Bryn Renner (narrowly).

Thomas is also second in the league in total offense, averaging 263.1 yards per game. Consider that Tyrod Taylor only averaged 235.4 yards per game against ACC competition last year, and that really makes you appreciate what type of season Logan Thomas is having.

Tajh Boyd is the clear choice for First Team All-ACC at the quarterback position, but with the way Logan Thomas has played over the last two weeks on national television, he could easily be Second Team All-ACC in his first season as Virginia Tech's starter.

 

 
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