Cole Adams YouTube Video: The Downfall of Virginia Tech

Hi all,

I don't post often and haven't watched this video fully yet, but figured I'd share this in case it hasn't been already.

I do like to watch Cole Adams' videos from time to time, especially when it's other schools -- never thought I'd see one for Virginia Tech.

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Comments

#MakeTheMove

"Vick, dashing back . . . here he comes again . . . Electrifying . . . and have you ever seen anything like this?"

Cole gave Tech some serious props and respect. It's ironic that a "Downfall" video game me more hope than anything I've seen thus far this season.

It really was quite positive.

Glad I wasn't asked to narrate. It would have been rather profane and I probably would cried when I talked about some of our vintage teams/players.

I thought this was one of his weaker video's tbh. Not much insight into the actual "downfall" of Tech, more about the highs and saying Tech isn't as good as the early 2000's.

I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

I agree, HokieSlice. It was most definitely a weak video if you grade it on its premise. Outside of that premise, however, it was fantastic and served as a sort of Cliff's Notes on why VT football turned into such a great program with some great traditions.

Some downfall points I think this video should have addressed:

  1. VT grew to live and die as the tough, gritty, blue-collar, smack-you-in-your-mouth football team nobody expected. Then, around 2018 VT let their rivals to the northeast steal that identity, culminating in the first loss to them in 16 years. To me this was an important downfall moment as VT, even though they were arguably the more talented, capable football team, were out-played and out-coached by an extremely hated rival team that wanted it way more than VT did.
  2. Inconsistency: even if I had someone else's money, I would feel bad making a bet on a VT game (with the exception of Clemson @ VT), dating back to at least the beginning of the 2019 season. You would have expected, after the outright embarrassment by Duke in Lane Stadium, that VT would wouldn't have much of a chance at Miami. But nope, they jump out to an early lead to hold on to a W. Then after almost upsetting Notre Dame and 3 straight, convincing ACC wins (including two shutouts), they lose their rudder and look listless losing to Virginia and then Kentucky.
  3. Building on both prior points, Lack of Identity: most people that are VT fans that I have talked to in these last few years would probably all say something along the lines of "I don't know" if you asked them how they would define VT football in the late Beamer/Fuente years. They don't exhibit stingy defense...they don't exhibit much that is spectacular on ST...they were promised to become a QB development engine at the hands of Fuente and Cornelsen, but that has sputtered as much as it has produced over the years. A lot of sportscaster personalities used to say things like "Today we can be sure to see their opponent struggle against VT's defense" or "Will the opponent be able to escape Beamerball and get out without any turnovers", but now they often ask things like "What will we see from VT today?"

Hearing Kirby Smart and Matt Rhule mentioned as guys we could have had instead of Fuente hurts.

I don't think we could have had Kirby. He just seems like an SEC guy and there are like 11 openings a year in the SEC.

In the time that Fuente has destroyed VT football, Matt Rhule rebuilt Baylor and is now coaching in the NFL.

Sadz.

I just sit on my couch and b*tch. - HokieChemE2016

Baylor is 1-5 and he would have jumped to the NFL even if he came here.

They're 1-5 because their coach left. He built that program up from shit in 3 years.

I just sit on my couch and b*tch. - HokieChemE2016

Kirby wasn't going anywhere other than his alma mater. Also, VT was craving an offensive minded head coach. Fuente was the right choice at the time. Sometimes you do all of your homework, make the correct decision, but it doesn't work out. That's what happened with Fuente.

No bigger "hokies" than Kesheon Artis and Tyree Saunders.... one just quit the program and the other hasn't gotten any snaps in a free eligibility year. You can only find a handful- like 4- guys that played at VT to say a positive word about Fuente. The issues are much larger than losing to Miami, and they are irredeemable at this point.

You can only find a handful- like 4- guys that played at VT to say a positive word about Fuente

Jesus why do people have to just make up shit? Plenty of real reasons to be done with his time here. He has more than 4 former players on staff now. Then add in former players in NFL who come back to workout with him that don't need to, former Beamer recruit and Tech walk on Legend Sam Rogers who still does coaching clinics with him. Hell guys who transferred out like Sam Denmark still talk about their relationship to Fuente. Stop making up shit that just isn't true.

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

Join us in the Key Players Club

I stand by what I said. Get out of your bubble. Dwight Vick has killed Fuente, and scores of players have agreed. Ask Quillen or Savoy or Grimsley etc.

What you said is not only patently false it's easily disproven. Try harder.

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

Join us in the Key Players Club

Sam Denmark also said Fuente sucked the fun out of football for him, and he's having fun again at Coastal. That was week 1 this year, with the ESPN crew calling their first game.

Whatever gets said publicly can be construed in all kinds of ways. If you want to use Twitter as a measuring tape, former players don't like the coaching staff. They also aren't on this team anymore to say otherwise.

TKPhi Damn Proud
BSME 2009

No bigger "hokies" than Kesheon Artis and Tyree Saunders.... one just quit the program and the other hasn't gotten any snaps in a free eligibility year.

Citation needed on "quitting" versus "opting out."

No, I *don't* want to go to the SEC. Why do you ask?

We don't love dem Hoos.

Whichever interpretation is more inflammatory at the moment. This is DC we're talking about here.

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

Christmas is approaching and I'm trying to give people a chance these days.

No, I *don't* want to go to the SEC. Why do you ask?

We don't love dem Hoos.

What would you call "leaving the team"? Please tell

The phrase "opting out" has a very easily recognizable contextual meaning. As do "entering the transfer portal" and "no longer with team."

No, I *don't* want to go to the SEC. Why do you ask?

We don't love dem Hoos.

I saw this yesterday and I thought it was more of a celebration of the previous era than a takedown of the current era. Not to say the point doesn't stand.

I saw the video, its more of a history since Beamer Came on-board and not much insight into current downfall.

And what the hell is wrong is Vegas we are picked to beat Pitt?

Hokies, Local Soccer, AFC Ajax, Ravens

Two of our loses are to top 25 teams by 4 points total, Wake was a one score game and have a winning record. UNC was a loss to a top 10 team (yes they aren't now but stupidly that's not how the NCAA tracks things) in which we put up 40+ points. We have a top 25 offense and top 50 defensive rating. We are 24th in S&P overall.

The stats don't follow the results right now and thats why we are favored.

Yep. The stats show the team is performing better on a play to play basis than a 4-4 team. Which is also exactly the reason everyone is so frustrated I think. This team should be closer to 6-2, not 4-4.

"That move was slicker than a peeled onion in a bowl of snot." -Mike Burnop

A TD, a FG, and 1 less TO and we're 7-1

If only the head whistle was bolder on 3rd and 5 from the opponent's 35 yard line...

"That move was slicker than a peeled onion in a bowl of snot." -Mike Burnop

It's this rationale that has me worried that Fuente doesn't get canned on Dec 16. What you just described is a team on the verge of a major breakthrough. In a one year sample set I would be inclined to keep him on, but given 5 years of runtime we should be at least a season beyond this type of inconsistent performance.

I've said it a couple times in other threads - if this is what Fuente had predicted and planned it would be real nice to have shared that vision with everyone. Instead we think we think we are witnessing the program circle the drain (justifiably).

Is it that the team is close to a major breakthrough or is the coaching staff holding the team back by making poor in game decisions? I'd argue the players in place are good enough to be 6-2 or even 7-1 but the coaching staff has held them back by being too conservative or ill timed play calls. That's why I think it's time to move on. This team was in position to win the last two weeks and it was the coaching staff that lost the game. The coaching staff also completely botched the WF game. This team plays well and then in critical situations the coaches don't trust the players to go win the game.

"That move was slicker than a peeled onion in a bowl of snot." -Mike Burnop

I think you guys might be doing a GIF thing.

@hokie_rd

Yea, I wouldn't characterize my reading comprehension as "good."

"That move was slicker than a peeled onion in a bowl of snot." -Mike Burnop

I just thought it was funny how much you agreed with each other, but thought you didn't.

@hokie_rd

You're absolutely right. You got me to re-read their comment and I got a good chuckle from your gif. Cheers!

"That move was slicker than a peeled onion in a bowl of snot." -Mike Burnop

And Pitt is 2 points away (1 in OT), both ACC Atlantic opponents, from a 6-2 record themselves.

gtofever

So... who's Cole Adams? Seems like other people have heard of him?

I only watch his downfall videos. He did a pretty good one about Nebraska too.

Marshall University graduate.
Virginia Tech fanatic.
Formerly known as JWillHokieAlum.

This wasn't a particularly informative or insightful video. Nice memories, but thats about it...