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• The materials for the new football uniforms are very different from the old. Nike chose Virginia Tech as the first school to unveil this new uniform, which says a lot about the relationship between Nike and Tech.
• The Chick-fil-A Bowl will still give Tech a lot of consideration even though the Hokies have already played in Atlanta this year.
• Weaver thinks there is a distinct possibility to play Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl, but that's only a guess on his part. He believes that if Tech wins out, they won't fall below the Chick-fil-A Bowl or Gator Bowl.
• The networks exercised their six-day option on the NC State game. They want to wait and see which games mean the most following this weekend's games.

• Tech is sort of like a M*A*S*H unit right now. A lot of guys have been injured or down with the flu.
• Greenberg likes the team. They have a good mix of youth and experience. The upperclassmen are coaching the freshmen, and that's always a positive and a good sign of where your program is.
• Greenberg is very excited about the future of Cadarian Raines. He's a big body on the inside, and it's unfortunate that he's been hurt.
• Tech only had eight players for their first scrimmage, so they were limited. In their second scrimmage they played two 10-minute halves and five 6-minute quarters. They were very controlled scrimmages against other Division I schools, but Greenberg isn't allowed to go into specifics.
• Tech should be able to get the ball inside this year. Victor Davila has really played well. He didn't play in the scrimmage this past weekend because of the flu, but in the first scrimmage he made 10 field goals in 30 minutes.
• Davila seems more empowered. He was very disappointed to be quarantined for four days with the flu. He's very confident right now, and his teammates are confident in him. He does need to defend better and rebound more passionately. But Davila can make shots, and Tech just lost a guy who made a lot of shots in A.D. Vassallo.
• Ben Boggs has really played well throughout the preseason. Terrell Bell seems to have a better feel as well. Dorenzo Hudson gives great leadership and energy.
• Boggs will definitely play. He's Tech's best post feeder. He makes open shots and he's a tough kid. Erick Green will definitely play. Lewis Witcher will contribute by backing up the frontcourt guys.
• Boggs has a metal rod in the leg he broke last season, but he's a very tough kid. He's such a good, fundamentally sound player. He can pass the ball, he makes open shots and he's a very sound defender. He might have lost a little athleticism because of the leg, but he's built his body up and he's very strong.
• Erick Green can shoot the ball, but Greenberg has to get him to be more aggressive offensively. He's got to attack more. He's afraid to make mistakes right now, but Greenberg doesn't care if he makes mistakes right now. He needs to be aggressive.
• Tech wanted to press more this year, but at times they've only been practicing with eight players. They do want to be more aggressive this year, but they can't risk wearing down Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen.
• Greenberg would like to break out a set of black uniforms. UNC is wearing some retro shorts.
• The new basketball facility is great. It's so nice that it's almost embarrassing. It's got every resource you could want as a player to work on your game. But facilities don't win games, they help you get recruits. Players, passion, energy, competitive spirit and toughness get wins.
• Greenberg was recently inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He nominated his brother Brad for next year's induction.

• The ECU win was a good win. The Pirates were really fired up for that game, but the Hokies were able to tough it out physically and mentally.
• Tech had the ball in ECU territory in eight of their 12 possessions, but only scored 16 points. Sometimes the Hokies are their own worst enemy. They've had too many penalties which have either negated good plays or put them behind the chains. They have had turnovers. Tech isn't panicking, but sometimes they are pressing. When you press, you forget to do the little things.
• ECU did some things they had never done before. They brought a weak side corner blitz on Dyrell Roberts' reverse, and they have not done that one time the entire season.
• Tech is getting a lot of different looks defensively. Nebraska didn't even rush the passer, instead instructing their lineman to try to bat down passes. Duke stacked the box. UNC spied Tyrod Taylor with a linebacker.
• Tech couldn't run the ball well early against ECU because their defense was packed in tight. The Hokies started running those screens to the wide receivers to spread out the defense, and it worked.
• The Hokies have allowed too many sacks, considering that they don't throw the ball as much as other teams and they have a mobile quarterback.
• When the Hokies ran the reverse and ECU hit it with a corner blitz, Coach Beamer got on the headset and said "How'd they know that?" Stinespring hopes the Hokies aren't tipping any plays at the line of scrimmage. Of course, ECU could have gotten lucky and called the right play at the right time.
• Tech has improved on the offensive line in the running game. They are getting blocks and sustaining a push. The Hokies have better depth, as Michael Via and Greg Nosal showed on Thursday night.
• Maryland has been in every game they've played this year. They create schematic problems defensively with their multiple fronts. They play zone coverage behind their multiple blitz packages.

• Freeman has a lot of great Tech memories. But coming back to campus makes him realize that he's either getting older or the campus is looking a lot better. The campus is phenomenal.
• Freeman is working for Comcast SportsNet. He is doing the pregame and postgame shows for 10 Redskins games this year. It's been a lot of fun so far. He also does some radio work, and some fantasy football work. He tries to stay involved for the game. It's work, but it's fun work.
• People need to realize that Tech is still a very young team. The receivers are all sophomores and freshmen, and Ryan Williams is a freshman. They are only going to get better. Freeman sees great things coming from this offensive unit.
• Freeman's favorite play at Tech was the 52 X. He and Maurice DeShazo connected for some big plays with that one called.
• The fact that Brett Favre is playing for the Minnesota Vikings doesn't really bother Freeman. Loyalty is a big part of the college game, but not the NFL. It's a business. The general managers don't have loyalty to the players who sign long term deals. Favre just wants to play football.
• It did look really weird to see Favre wearing a purple jersey at Lambeau Field. Freeman is a Packer for life, but he realizes that Favre just wants to play football.
• Maryland is backed against the wall. They have nowhere to go. This week will be their bowl game. This will be a big game for the Terps, and the Hokies will get their best shot.

• It was very exciting to get his first career start against East Carolina. It was a great opportunity.
• Via grew up a Virginia Tech fan in North Carolina. Then he found himself right in the middle of the UNC game when Beau Warren got hurt.
• Warren is doing better, but Via isn't sure of his status for the Maryland game. Via will be ready to go if needed.
• Via has adjusted to the system pretty well, and he doesn't have much trouble with the blocking calls at the line of scrimmage.
• Via was a center through middle school, but moved to tackle in high school. He played guard as a senior because his team ran a triple option offense.
• The Tech players were really getting it from the ECU fans in pregame warm-ups, but Via blocked it out easily. The Hokies are getting everyone's best shot these days.
• Via is a Fisheries Science major at Tech. He's not exactly sure what he's going to do, but it's something he enjoys.

• Tearing his ACL against Nebraska last season was shocking. But he's back now stronger than ever, taking it one game at a time. The knee still doesn't feel perfect, but it does feel good.
• Morgan tells Darren Evans that since the knee has been repaired, it's all mental now. He just has to trust the trainers.
• All of Tech's errors this year on defense can be corrected, whether it's missed tackles or taking the wrong gap.
• Morgan enjoyed the crowd at East Carolina. He takes in all of the trash talking and then tries to put on a show for the opposing crowd.
• Morgan isn't surprised that Ryan Williams is having a big year. He was a great scout team runner last year. He made the Tech defense better last season.
• Morgan is fine with the fact that Maryland will bring their best shot to the Hokies. He likes playing in environments like that.
• Fans will see Tech continue to get better over the next three weeks. The Hokies still have a good football team.

• Beamer is excited to sport these new uniforms by Nike. The Nike people have been great to Tech. Beamer is proud that they chose the Hokies to market the new uniforms.
• Tyrod Taylor's fumble was the toughest play of the game on Thursday. The margin definitely would have been bigger if he had scored.
• Beamer is really proud of his players. That was a tough game against a good team. ECU was fired up, and the Tech players and coaches deserve a lot of credit for winning the game.
• The Hokies were relentless on Thursday. A lot of teams would not have played that tough or that well in a situation like that.
• Lyndell Gibson made a couple of nice plays early in the ECU game. He was the hot hand, so Bud Foster stuck with him the whole game.
• Marcus Davis is getting better all the time. He could play even more this week.
• Tyrod Taylor is throwing very well right now, so Beamer likes to take deep shots down the field.
• Tech is going to keep going after punts. They almost got one against ECU. If the punt block team continues to get better, then the punt return game will open up even more.
• Getting Greg Nosal into the game helps the whole situation. It helps keep everyone fresh. Nosal is a good athlete who can bend his body. The Hokies are going to continue to get better on the offensive line with guys like Nosal and Andrew Lanier.
• Beamer has been friends with Ralph Friedgen for a long time. Friedgen will have Maryland ready to play. They have been very close in a lot of football games, and they will be ready to play the Hokies.
• Tech needs to be more efficient on offense and get more points when they are in the red zone.
• Darren Evans was at practice on Monday. He was doing a little bit of running. He won't be back for a game this year. Making sure his knee is back to normal is Tech's first priority.
• Michael Via played very well in his first career start. He did as well as you could expect him to do.
• Ralph Friedgen is a great coach. He has been around some outstanding coaches.
• Beamer feels like David Wilson is going to be a terrific player. He's doing some good things, but he needs a little more time to get comfortable.

Monday was Day 1,808 of Virginia Tech's continuous possession of the Commonwealth Cup.