In a 15-minute period, quarterback Sean Glennon went from a respected starting quarterback to the victim of chants begging for his benching.
When Virginia Tech entered the locker room at halftime of the 2006 Chik-Fil-A Bowl, victory was a near certainty. Tech claimed an 18-point lead over an unranked Georgia team and possessed one of the nation's top defenses.
It appeared as though the Hokies would win their 11th game of the season for the second consecutive year. The third quarter closed with Tech still on top, leading the Bulldogs by 11.
On back-to-back-to-back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter, Glennon threw three interceptions and lost one fumble, quite possibly the worst four consecutive drives in Tech football history.
Two games later, in the 2007 season, Glennon faced an LSU team with a defensive line that was quicker and more powerful than anything he had seen in his Tech career.
Tyrod Taylor, then a true freshman, was put behind center to compensate for the high paced play of the opposing defense. Taylor played well, but still could not spark life into the passing game. Taylor did, however, catch the attention of the Hokie Nation.
Truth be told, Tom Brady himself would not have been able to complete a pass with the offensive line Tech had at the beginning of last season. For a team to achieve success, the talents of a quarterback must be complemented on the offensive line and in the receiving core.
Even Michael Vick, the best quarterback in Tech's history, could not win games on his own. All-Big East running back Shyrone Stith rushed for over 1,000 yards in the 1999 national championship runner-up season, supporting Vick from the backfield. Vick also had Andre Davis, a talented receiver who logged nearly 1,000 receiving yards that season.
Sean Glennon is not Taylor, Michael Vick, Marcus Vick or Bryan Randall. He is a pocket passer who looks to throw before trying to make a play on the ground.
He may throw interceptions and have bad games, but is in good company in doing so. Brett Favre, an NFL great, holds the league record for interceptions thrown in a single car
Glennon is a two-time ACC Champion and MVP of the 2007 ACC Championship game. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds, a time unheard of for a quarterback of his stature. Glennon can bench 375 pounds and had a 37-inch vertical leap as a freshman.
Yet, even with his athletic ability and 20 wins in the past two seasons, Glennon has been booed and jeered more than anyone in college football deserves.
Booing is a part of sports. Red Sox fans boo when Yankee players are introduced; Redskin fans shout insults at absolutely anything associated with the Cowboys; Duke fans get belligerent just thinking about their Tobacco Road enemies.
Booing your own team is not a part of sports. Universities spend tremendous amounts of money recruiting their athletes and making sure their school is the most appealing option. Imagine if you went on an official visit, were hosted by Glennon, and told that if you play a bad game you'll be booed for the rest of your career.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not upset because fans might be hurting his feelings. It takes courage to play football on the national stage, and if you cannot handle the pressure, you should not handle the football.
However, Hokies Respect applies to more than just the visiting team. It also means cheering for your team, even if you do not agree with Beamer's decisions. It means to cheer for your starting quarterback, the heart of the team, even when they get sacked with an open man down field.
Worst of all though, not only are Hokie fans being the opposite of true supporters to their team; they're also flat out wrong. Glennon isn't the problem, and as excited as I am for three more years with Taylor, he still isn't the answer.
I pose this question to you, Hokie naysayers: What good is a solution when you can't correctly identify the problem?
The offensive line breaks down on almost every single play. The quarterback, be it Glennon or Taylor, takes the snap, gets a three step drop, and then sees a bloodthirsty lineman within their peripheral vision. Of course they make bad decisions -- if they hold onto the ball for just a moment more, they'll be annihilated.
Putting Taylor in will boost the running game, but so would Kenny Lewis or Josh Oglesby at quarterback. No matter who is at the helm, when protection breaks down, the play is lost.
Furthermore, inexperience at receiver is only making Glennon look worse. While he is thinking about how the weak side protection has sufficiently broken down, Glennon is also noticing his receivers taking shortcuts on their routes, rounding off the ends and generally getting lost.
Taylor would not, and has not done any better. He faces the same breakdown in protection and the same inexperience in receiver. However, instead of trying to get his receivers experience, he takes off running. Everyone will remember the 60 yards he gained on the ground, but what about the 20 he lost while scrambling on third downs?
Don't stop booing, Hokie fans. Instead of booing Glennon though, do it for Greg Boone, in a positive way. Do it like Red Sox fans have for Kevin Youkilis (Yuuuuuuke), and Yankee fans have with Mike Mussina (Moooooose).
Glennon is the starter at Tech for reasons beyond his seniority. He should not be treated like he is trying to make the Hokies crash and burn.
Glennon is a solid quarterback, but most of all, he is our quarterback.
But Stinespring, he needs to go.