Tyrod's Ghost -- Did anyone else see it?

I guess that since we are already 5 games into the season, it's probably a little late to bring this up, but it's like an elephant in the room that demands to be noticed: I miss Tyrod Taylor.  I'm also sure that I am not alone in this. 

My twisted mind has struggled to find ways to deal with it, but I don't think that I am succeeding.  I say this because now the visage of his ghost has emerged as an unsettling, but satisfaction-providing, presence that I just can't get away from.  I look on the sidelines, and I see his ghost warming up, joking with his teammates, getting them ready for the game.  I see it talking with the receivers, talking about a unique formation that is loaded into the game plan for the day's opponent.  I see it talking to the defensemen.  It is their leader too; its will, commitment, and determination to win are attributes that command their respect.  I see Frank Beamer stroll over to ask it if it is "ready", and it always tells the coach that it is ready -- because it is.  Then I see Tyrod's apparition walk out for the coin toss, and I note that it respectfully acknowledges and shakes hands with the representatives from the opponent.  It does everything with class, because that's the kind of ghost it is.

During this past Saturday's game, it was literally all over the field!  I saw passes completed, interceptions and sacks avoided, plays extended, and drives concluded with touchdowns.  The defense throttled the Clemson offense, and even snagged an interception, and Taylor's ghost rewarded them for their efforts by converting their contributions into points.   Well, it least that's what my mind's eye saw.

The further that I am removed from Tyrod Taylor when he was at Virginia Tech, the more I appreciate him.  After four years, I became accustomed to seeing the consistently-high level of his play, and I almost took it for granted.  Shame on me.  This year's team is a new team.  It is not yet Logan Thomas's team, but it most certainly is no longer Tyrod's team.

Has the team's performance and offensive play-calling gotten worse, or can we dare to suggest that Tyrod Taylor's performances in previous years masked pass-protection breakdowns in the offensive line?  Did he make "capable" receivers look like future all-pro's with his well-placed and well-timed passes?  Did he make our coaches look better by turning badly-designed and inopportunely-called plays into series-extending drives leading to touchdowns?

Practically-speaking, we can never know the answers to these questions.  It is a new season, and everything has changed.  It's not fair to compare this team to last year's team.  The chemistry is not yet there between the green quarterback and his receivers; and injuries at the receiver position have no doubt added to the difficulties.  Two classy running backs have left and new guys have taken their place.

Logan Thomas may ultimately become the unquestioned leader on the team.  I hope for everyone's sake that it happens sooner versus later.  Is it fair to demand this of him?  Probably not, but few of us will ever forget Tyrod Taylor's introduction to VT fans and the rest of college football that night in Baton Rouge, against an LSU team that would ultimately win the national championship.  He came into the game as a true freshman and led the Hokies to its lone touchdown of the night.  We knew at that moment and without any doubt that we were witnessing the beginning of something, and someone, special.  In his career at Tech, he provided every member of Hokie Nation a cornucopia of indelible memories, too numerous to recount here.  Consequently, I am sure that this will not be the last post of mine that focuses on this unique individual.

This football season still hangs in the balance for the Virginia Tech Hokies, but as long as Tyrod's ghost graces me with its presence at opportune (or inopportune) moments, I am going to enjoy this season -- win, lose, or draw.

Go Hokies!