Camp is officially in full swing and the team seems hungry. My takeaways are below.
I will be attending the Vandy and Marshall games and my 2nd is due in October, so I will probably be MIA for most of Sept-Oct. Any of y'all are welcome to take up the Pry-srr mantle this season.
- Burgos "threw a bomb" and got thrown out of practice. 2nd year running the media got to see someone get tossed.
- 5min period because you know it's going to get intense the first day the O and the D meet.
- Defense has set the tone so far in practice, but everything has been competitive. No one-sided periods.
- First mini camp is about getting the install in so we can execute once the pads come on. Film and meeting time tomorrow.
- Using the 3 day on, one off mini camp model with a "bonus" mock game week again this camp. Allows coaches and players to focus and "pour it in" each 3 day period and evaluate /tweak on the off day.
- Nelson has been an outstanding leader all summer and has had the lunch pail. He has stepped up and become a leader of the defense.
- Both Gosnells playing, Stephen still non-contact. Gallo is nursing something. McCray back, but being monitored closely. Stroman looked 100% today.
- Stevens will be 260-265 before we blink. Made sense to move to DL.
- Spencer is a good worker, but not sure how he will be contributing yet. Hasn't been in the program long enough. Probably going to get work on special teams and work his way onto the defense.
- Phillips is pushing into the lineup, had a great off season and knows the packages much better. Jalen makes it a 3 man rotation and Reddish + will get reps.
- Reddish, Law, Josh Clarke, Williams, all making plays.
- Day 6 of camp will be full pads.
- Pry not a Chris Stapleton guy ands needs the bball team to play something else for poor Coach Young.
- Perry more comfortable at end right now. Got a lot of depth at DL, so not rushing him.
No mention of football 101 y'all. I'm getting excited.
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Comments
What's the context around this?
Sounds like he just got too physical with the guys only wearing helmets. Maybe a defenseless receiver type infraction.
So, Burgos set the tone and the defense is responding. Sounds good to me, though, I guess his methods are a bit over the top.
Excuse my ignorance, but he's not off the team is he? This kind of energy seems a good thing, just need to refocus it.
It's good until it gets a bad penalty at the wrong time and him kicked out of a game. So yes need to get him to focus correctly so we don't shoot ourselves in the foot, which is why kicking him out was a good thing, there is a consequence to his action, so next time stop a split second before.
Completely agree, just wondering if he's off team, or just getting punishment. From ur answer, it seems the latter.
Pry just said it was practice, he said something about ACC officials and if it was a game he would get booted so same thing happened in practice.
Pry says "I threw him out of practice. Brought him back out at the end. It was a lesson for everyone."
I think this happens basically every camp, the media just doesn't always get to see it first hand.
Man, I forgot this was this week. Thank you so much.
I really did not want to feel the excitement so early this year but, it's there. I can hear the whistle on the hype train and can feel the anticipation no matter how much I am trying to tamp it down.
I like his hat.
He also liked the offense red zone work today.
biggest strike against him so far, honestly
I don't think that's the context here. I think the question was something like "MY has the guys listening to Chris Stapleton - who's in charge of the music for you guys" and Prys response was "I'll have to talk to that guy (who controls the FB practice music), the music at football practice might be inspiring the players but it's not inspiring the head coach"
Oh that makes sense, I heard it as he was going to have to talk to the bball team to give CMY a break from Stapleton lol.
I had to read this about 6 or 7 times throughout the day to get it, but I think I got it now.
Yeah it was not well written... added some punctuation and clarity
The real question is Steeldrivers Stapleton or solo Stapleton. Because there is definitely a difference and one is better than the other in my mind.
He's definitely got good taste being a huge ABB fan, though.
To be fair, Chris Stapleton did go to Vandy. For that reason alone I'm cool with them skipping his music until after week one.
Thanks for doing this and Congrats on your upcoming second!
I didn't get a chance to listen to all of this at lunch, so no notes yet, but I figured I'd post the embed so we can discuss amongst ourselves.
Man, lots of good nuggets in this Prysser. I've reorganized/reformatted my bulleted list so that similar things are grouped together - the order is not chronological, but hopefully it's easier to consume. Most of my bullets have been paraphrased. Anything with quotes is a direct quote.
Announcement: There are title changes to our support staff to align with new NCAA rules (note: there is no longer a limit to the number of on field coaches allowed:
Misc. comments related to Personnel:
Misc. comments on culture:
Questions on the state of the program
Questions on the new era of college football:
Other notes:
I don't get paid the big bucks to do what Pry is doing, but... it seems to me that continuing to "move those guys around" could be part of the reason they aren't picking up the requirements of the job.
I am more worried it is coach speak for "we are trying to find at least one to play each position correctly".
Bingo. Worried they still haven't found the answers they're looking for at each spot. We have to be better at LB this year if we are going to improve on last year's record
The flip side could be that you also don't want players so pigeonholed that you can't have your best guys on the field if there's an injury. like could your third-best linebacker be your second string Mike and also play Will if needed (or whatever the terminology is in this system)
Thank you for doing this. Very nice write up.
I think my favorite thing is that Pry isn't making excuses, or longing for the days of old. He acknowledges that things are changing, and he's adapting, and worrying about what he can control.
We are at a point where this is Pry's program fully. He has had enough time to get his people and players into this program and set his foundation. He seems like he is more comfortable now with the level of pace they can work at now. They still work on fundamentals but can start to hone in on the perfection of what they are trying to do.
We didn't even have a QB battle this offseason, that is good progress for us over the past decade.
not just "days of old" for our program specifically, but also the general landscape of college football. i would have been worried if Pry came out and said the 105 scholly change was an assault on parity in college football and woe is us as opposed to saying that it's an opportunity for VT and that he knows there will be more transfers around the sport as a result
I would have been personally offended.
2 questions.
What's being tampered with? Other coaches recruiting guys already on our team to get them to transfer?
Why does the walk on program have to go away? Can't those kids still play on the scout team in hopes of earning a scholarship?
i think rosters are hard-capped at 105
VT's director of personnel calls Drones's high school coach and tells him that VT needs a QB and the can pay nicely in NIL. Drones' high school coach calls Drones and says "I heard there's a lot of interest if you enter the portal, you could make money. VT needs a qb." Then Drones enters the portal, and winds up signing with VT.
This is 'tampering' - when a player is convinced to leave a team after a different team presents him with a new opportunity.
EDIT: GGC is correct - hard cap of 105 roster spots, even if we choose not to give one of those players a scholly. Random source on how this impacts Utah.
That all makes sense now. Thanks.
The NCAA is turning in to the no fun allowed league real fast.
A. After reading that article, I don't completely disagree with it if you normally have 120 guys and 85 of those are your full scholarship guys that's 35 walks ons so that you don't have to have scholarship guys on your scout teams.
B. Who doesn't love the videos of seeing teammates go crazy after a walk on worked his ass off to earn a scholarship!
I'm all for giving out more scholarships. Not sure I understand the rational for roster cap. Not saying it's good or bad; just saying I don't know the purpose.
It hadn't occurred to me until just now, but it puts specialists on scholarship now. Kickers, punters, and long snappers all just got a big gift.
because then you'd have the same problem as before with using NIL to end-around the scholly limit, you just have bigger rosters
I caught this during my watch of it. I laughed pretty hard at this, not gonna lie.
But also cried a bit.....
Yea... Pry has been pretty careful not to disparage the Fuente regime, but this might be the most blatant yet lol
A couple of thoughts:
1) I know the narrative is all around Cunningham challenging Schick at guard, which makes sense given how much Schick struggled outside of the last two games last season. But, now with the comment that he is also working at tackle, I think he may show he is the best option at that spot.
2) I am very pleased to hear Kaleb Spencer is impressing at STAR. Gabe Williams didn't look ready to contribute in the spring game, and given his need to add size and the scary health issue he had as a high school senior, I think getting a year to get his body stronger can only be a huge plus.
3) Josh Clarke, Thomas Williams, and Quentin Reddish all looking like they may earn PT with impressive camps? Who would have seen that coming? (TOOT TOOT.)
Saw your sigline. I watched the highlight of that game today. I had forgotten about the 94 yd kickoff return and that wonderful cut that got him past the defensive pursuit line.
Don't know if anyone listened to the press conferences from last Friday, but seems like the LB is taking form as follows:
Star - Keonta Jenkins/Keli Lawson, Gabe Williams, and Kaleb Spencer
Will - Caleb Woodson/Keli Lawson/Jayden McDonald and Jaden Keller
Mike - Sam Brumfeld and Jayden McDonald
Woodson "graduated" from Star and now is focusing primarily on Will, but can flex back to Star as needed; apparently coaches really like his play at Will. He may end up being the starter at Will.
Jenkins primarily focuses at Star but can play Will.
Newcomers Williams and Spencer will be learning Star. Pry has a philosophy to start young LBs at Star, and then graduate to a middle LB position in their second year.
Lawson seems like he'll be a flex between Will and Star, and could get snaps at either. I imagine they'll want to focus him in on one position, and maybe that's Will due to lack of depth at the position.
Brumfield and McDonald seems to have solidified themselves as 1 and 2 at the Mike. McDonald could also play Will.
Ultimately, I think the major issue is which two to play at Will and who plays along Brumfield at Mike. And because McDonald seems like the only other to play Mike this season, it will probably be Woodson with Lawson or Keller at Will and Jenkins with Lawson or Williams at Star.
Curious how much of the LB rotation is due to personnel deficiencies vs this is Pry's/Marve's/Quinn's MO
I guess it makes some sense as far as easing them into the LB group. Star requires a great athlete due to pass coverage responsibilities, but there is much less demand on that position for run support than the ILBs. I guess Pry figures he can handle a rookie getting burned in coverage more than not fitting their gap and giving up a back breaking run.
Moved practice fields to try to simulate how Nashville will feel. Lots of personnel talk with multiple position groups.
The guy just gets it.
Interviews with Xavier Adini and Keli Lawson were also solid
I really like the shirt also.
Moving practice for 10 degrees warmer, etc is the epitome of attention to detail. Love it. Those are the things that prepare you for close games, etc.
Honestly its a great idea been awhile since I've done anything athletic on turf but I remember my first time playing on turf in the sun, your feet feel like they're on fire the entire time and its wildly uncomfortable getting introduced to that on the first game of the season would not be great.
My kid plays travel soccer. It's at least 10 degrees warmer on the turf.
As an aside, turf soccer fields are either unbearably hot or unbearably cold. They somehow break the laws of thermodynamics.
I had the rubber soles of my shoes start to melt on a youth soccer field where they have the black pellets under the turf, when it was under 90 degrees out.
Andy Bitter on 365 about the climate at VT Football and Drones' character.
YT ads kicked my ass trying to get through this video.
Another cool comment - Davi working scout team for dual threat qbs and the defense took some notice. That was interesting to hear.
Just talked to an NFL scout who watched us in camp. Obviously I had to grill him for info. Bet y'all won't be able to guess who he had as the best NFL prospect on this team
Kemari copeland
Didn't talk about Kemari, I think he's flying low under the radar as a newbie from juco and not working much with the first team
Bob Schick
LOL! Not even on the radar, as expected. Didn't like Clements either. Says K Moore will get some run as a center but his arms aren't long enough to play guard
It's obviously Tuten. That dude is a Sunday RB
LT - Xavier Chaplin. Without question
He was focused only on juniors and seniors, mainly the seniors. Mentioned Chaplin to him but he didn't watch him closely, doesn't expect him to leave
In that case, Stroman?
Close!
His #1 shocked me. First off he said the receiver room was by far the best of any in his area (east coast NC and above), so my mind went immediately to Felton as a prospect. He said he liked Felton, but his favorite receiver and #1 overall prospect was...
Jaylin Lane
He had Lane 1, Stroman 2 and Strong 3. Said Lane's speed and ability to switch direction will make him a good NFL player. Stroman he really liked too. Strong he liked but said was skinny, I brought up how his dad is a bodybuilder and he said the staff said the same thing 🤣.
Keep in mind this is just one guy's opinion from a small sample size of a couple practices, but it was really cool to talk ball with someone who does it for a living and had some really good intel. He said our last two pro days were really weak but this year we're going to have a ton of prospects getting looks.
I was watching the ACC Road Trip episode and they showed a few plays by Lane I'd forgotten about that would back this up. He also had the long TD vs UVA called back.
Incidentally, as this may be as good a place as any, but the ACC football road trip had a few more clips from practice i found interesting. Drones lined up under center, fake toss sweep, hand off up the middle. We used to KILL people with that in the late 90s/2000s. Some elements of that coming back these days will be good offset to all the east/west running we did last year. Tuten and Thomas are capable runners between the tackles and if the line can actually block it: look out.
I loved that fake toss FB dive play. I feel like it was an easy 5 yards+ every time we ran it.
Strong, APR, Lawson, and Felton could all make noise at the next level along with several others.
The scout said next year Lawson and Keller will both be good prospects because of their size and length.
Oh and by the way, he also said UVA will be absolute trash
This is always satisfying.
Well now I can respect his other opinions
🤣🤣