Good Bad Of Scrimmage 1

Zero touchdowns in Virginia Tech's first public scrimmage wasn't exactly what fans were hoping for. But it's important to remember- much like Spring Training baseball, the defense is always ahead of the offense.

There was good and bad as both the offense and defense took time to get going, but fans did get a glimpse of a new offense yet saw there's plenty of work to be done.

"The good, the bad, the ugly, almost identical to every first scrimmage I've been around," offensive coordinator

The offense gained a total 265 yards on 85 plays (3.1 yards per play), so it wasn't a total disappointment statistically for the Maroon offense. That number was aided by three plays over 40 yards, but it's worth mentioning the Hokies had just one play over 40 yards in their last three games of 2012. So there are still some positives to take out of the day offensively wise.

Five other observations from the Hokies first scrimmage:

"Once we get the whole deal in, we'll be doing that a lot," Loeffler said. "In the first six days we got an understanding of what [our receivers] can do, and creating matchups is going to be absolutely imperative."

We saw instances of this strategy with the likes of

Expect to see this create a lot of one-on-one matchups, and perhaps some big breakdowns if anyone on the defense miscommunicates. The gridiron is a chess match, and it seems like the 38-year-old has quite the mind for the game.

"He's got a really good sense of body position, his release is quicker, he's getting the ball out of his hands, and he's upright," Loeffler said regarding Thomas. "He's improved in these six days as fast as I've ever been around. If he keeps going and keeps working (of course I'm not going to tell him all these good things), but I like him a lot. He's going to be a heck of a player."

Each of the first three points Loeffler made were clearly evident in the scrimmage, even though Thomas was 7-17 for 164 yards and two interceptions. On a few throws over the middle, I did a double take because I couldn't believe how quickly the ball arrived from point A to point B (especially compared to last season). Whatever was wrong with his mechanics, Loeffler is on a direct path to fixing them. He just looks more fluid throwing the ball.

Another interesting fact is that Thomas graduated, so he isn't attending class right now. He mentioned that he'll spend anywhere from "two to seven hours" on a given day with his new offensive coordinator. So, instead of having to balance school work and sports, Thomas is 100% concentrated on improving his game. It should be interesting to see how much he develops.

Defensive end

"I like our first group, I think they're communicating and playing well with each other," defensive coordinator

It's important to note that perhaps the Hokies' best defender, linebacker

"I like how Riley has really improved," Foster said. "He wants to be considered a Big Orange (what guys call the first-team unit), he's working hard on his technique and being fundamentally sound. He really wants those 10 other guys on the field to trust and have confidence in him, that's the kind of guy he is. I think he wants those guys to feel that way about him. I've really been pleased with how he's performed.

Riley won't have the job without some serious competition, though.

"He's a little body, he can transition out of his breaks," Foster said. "He's a guy that really has a closing ability, you see day in and day out he's making plays. He's got a great future here."

While the Hokies would certainly like Exum to be healthy by Week one, it's good to know there's plenty of capable candidates to seize the opportunity.

"We are trying to create mismatch problems for the defense," Coles said. "Trying to put a running back on a linebacker and get him into space or get me (or another receiver) on a linebacker or a safety. We're just going to take advantage of it and attack the defense."

Coles had 3 catches for 53 yards, and all were in completely different spots. One was a quick out route after he motioned to match up with a linebacker (he was abruptly tackled), another was a screen pass, and yet another was a 46-yard bomb down the middle. He'll be all over the field, and if this offense is going to work, Coles will need to play a vital role.

"I like it a lot because of my versatility. It sets me up with a linebacker that I can outrun or I can use my size and strength against a safety."

The Hokies will have two practices, Wednesday and Friday until their next scrimmage. Virginia Tech will hold its second open scrimmage to fans at 10:45 a.m. Saturday at Lane Stadium.