Last night I made an appearance on the Two Deep Podcast and I was very vocal about the lack of improvement at safety, linebacker, and offensive line. The results were not acceptable, and the offensive line play this season coupled with Kyron Drones completely limited the ability for the ball to get into the hands of playmakers where they could be successful, despite good scheming. I rant for more than an hour, and Pete does a good job of keeping me on topic (no easy task.)
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I started on my way to work and haven't finished listening. Looks like I have something to look forward to on the way home 🤣.
I appreciate your insight on the OL and safety play. I have to think that Prioleau will be one of the positions "shuffled", but we will see. I totally agree with your take that these lower bowls need to be looked at as a Spring game and we should be excited(or anxious depending on what kind of fan you are) about getting to see the younger players at game speed.
Always like listening to Pete great episode here.
i disagree. pete and i are the same age and his analysis is consistently november 2003.
better than joe rogers though, if he wasnt the wrestling go-to, id expel him from hokie fandom altogether
God forbid someone act like this is a major college football program. Our fandom has enough personalities that like to shit on the team they supposedly root for every chance they get so they can get some more almighty clicks.
I'm not part of the Twitter-X-sphere, so IDK what gets said there, but TwoDeep is rather measured IMO and does criticize coaching and admin when deserved, but doesn't rehash all the negativity/hysteria on the boards.
what does "november 2003" analysis entail? help me understand whatcha mean by that
Hazarding a guess, but I vaguely (I was 11) remember that roster being kinda stacked, but our record was underwhelming. Weirdly specific reference if so.
Lots of guys quit on that team after the first loss. It was going for a championship or bust and we busted.
correct. i hear him constantly speak like we are the uncrowned champion but some chokie event prevented us from winning it all. lazy clueless commentary, hasnt had relevance for a decade now.
i was junior in 03, like pete, so i understand EXACTLY what he is saying. its just not relevant now.
I kinda want him to reply directly to this like when tjbhokie commented "andy bitter sucks" and bitter himself replied "counterpoint: no i dont"
There was an expectation for the 2024 team to reach 8 wins minimum and had a real outside shot for the CFP. That was based on talent on the team. And that wasn't Pete, that was outside media. In fact, he's way more negative of the team than outside media. If I remember his preseason preview, think he predicted 8 wins but not more.
You would have to point to a quote that he suggests VT is the uncrowned champion, because I don't see it.
He does push that VT is not this aww-shucks small-town program. He does push that VTshould be a top ACC program year-in and year-out. He does push that VT should be able to hire/fire coaches, make NIL deals, and economically run like a big-time program. But, that's probably not what you're referencing because VT was run like a small-time program in 2003 (but still manages to have national and ACC-championship-level success).
I listen to Two deep a lot and just couldn't disagree more with this. Definitely orange and maroon colored glasses some times but far from "uncrowned champion" and "lazy clueless commentary." Very confused by this take.
Pete here. I think your posts are "lazy clueless commentary". If you ever listened to our show you'd recognize the amount of research we do and knowledge we share on VT and college football in general. Most people do recognize it, that's why our show has increased listenership over 45% in 2024 (wild but true).
The 2003 thing is bizarre - like everyone else I'm not sure what you mean, but I imagine it's something like I'm "stuck in the past". If being stuck in the past means I don't think VT should be .500 every year, then yeah, I am, sue me. I think most on TKP agree that VT shouldn't be some mom and pop program. You're a hater, and that's fine. Won't be my first or last.
I see you're in Philly.....you should come to the men's BB game at the Palestra with Nerf, Frosty, and Me! We were looking for another hokie!
Not going to type out some big long forum warrior post. I'm not a hater; theres only one online VTwittard that I cannot stand (and am glad that a player's parent told to fuck off on a space).
I have standards too, and want more. To me, I swear you sound like me in 2003, coming from a place where one Chokie moment spirals and that is the problem and we just fix that one thing and next year is the year.
Leg for French referring to himself in the third person. Known by a single name to all Hokie fans like Madonna, Prince, Eisenhower. Baller move.
Thanks for posting this. French was an awesome guest as always. The thoughts on the OL opened my eyes a bit. I knew it was bad, but perhaps it was so bad that Bowen is actually good? Something to ponder.
Thanks for listening, y'all!
Not good, yet, but worthy of being retained given that he showed growth and I think he got more out of the offense given how bad the offensive line was than a lot of coaches would have. He made chicken salad, but until that fundamental pillar on OL is improved, no amount of skill guys or x's and o's can overcome it.
I don't think the portal or taking two HS OL a year is the solution. You have to find an archetype, take volume, and if someone doesn't have the stuff, process them out and bring more volume. I am certainly not qualified to teach the complexities of the game at a P5 level, but evaluating talent, I start with two things. Watch film of the target. If:
a) Slow the film down, and if on 20 percent of the snaps the target plants his feet at contact instead of running through it, he is off my list. I don't care what he is ranked on Rivals/247 etc. I want work with inexperience, I can work with being skinny, short arms, whatever. But, if he instinctually plants his feet at contact, it is going to be much more difficult to "coach that" out of him than improve other areas of a player who naturally keeps his feet moving.
b) I go back and watch again, and I note every time he isn't engaged on some defender actively blocking when the whistle is blown. If I can count 20% of the snaps where he is a specator at the end of the play, he is off my list.
Now there are other criteria (size, core strength, bend, football intelligence, work ethic) that have to be assessed, but if the player doesn't have those two building blocks, I don't want to use time and resources to get them. That is why Christian Darrisaw was a major success even though nobody wanted him, and Doug Nestor's upside was always limited even though he was a big time recruit. Feet first.
Interesting. And I get it- relate it to golf- most instructors would tell you they would rather work with a below plane guy- fade bias than an across the plane guy- hook/over the top bias- because those guys are harder to break habits because they equate power with a long swing.
And I say this about feet because I planted and I had slow heavy feet. As result, it didn't matter how hard I worked, how smart I was, there was always going to be a ceiling that I wasn't going to break through because of that subconcious issue to brace at contact, and that limits effectiveness. Not every player is going to be a Christina Darrisaw or Wyatt Teller. But, if you move through contact and you are big/strong/fast enough to get there and not lose the battle, everything else can be taught through repetition and work.
Still say you're the most qualified for the job
what are your thoughts on hard targeting any OL who has a wrestling background?
A wrestler with good feet would be a good thing. Gotta have the feet though
{Andrew Miller, grappler1/C1} "I agry." {/on a good ankle and shoulder}
Merry Christmas Sir.
b.street
work with coach robie. go for HW killers
Have you checked in on Cam Underwood? All I could think about during the second half of the annual sacrificing of the Pop-Tart was his commentary on your pod about this season being a failure with anything less than a playoff berth.
great interview!
This feels like an early Christmas present. Looking forward to listening to French's insights. Always so very insightful. And the teaser of
just adds to it all.
The opening of that episode was so cool as a member of this community. It was awesome hearing you speak, French.
I'm only a third through the episode but my skull is about to fall off my shoulders with all the head shaking I'm doing. Skinny legs. 10 on 11 defense. Etc etc. Geeze we've fallen so far.
Just saw the video and can't wait to watch in full. Really value your opinion and insights, French.
Where do you think we end up with the DC search? I hear people wanting an experienced DC/defensive play caller. But names like Shoop and Collin's just scream retread to me. Shoop would have been exciting 10 years ago but he's been on a decline in his career. I just feel like with both of them we're hiring cars with 200+ thousand miles on them. Plus Collins stunk at UNC this year.
Dex seems like such a high ceiling candidate to me. He's not a super experienced dc, but he has far more experience than Marve had. He knows the system, he knows the area and the program, he's an elite recruiter. He's a Hoo but I think he would be fantastic, much in the same mold of Mines. Getting the best people from VA and influential in VA, regardless of UVA or VT, would be helpful to bring in the talent.
I dunno, seems like with Bud maybe helping as an analyst and Pry and Dex's familiarity, this is the absolute best way to go.
I don't have inside info, but getting someone who will run Pry's scheme but who will be better and recruit better than Marve is a must. I would like Poindexter. He has been a DC, runs Pry's defense, and is an awesome recruiter in VA. And, he has been passed over twice at PSU, albeit for two of the top defensive minds in college football. No inside info, but to me it makes too much sense.
Shoop's defense at Tennessee was very similar to what VT has done recently, but I like that Dex has those Virginia ties, and has also coached under Diaz and Allen so he can mix in other ideas without scratching the fundamentals of the defense.
And if you get someone who runs a different scheme, you have to recruit to that scheme, and it will take a couple of years to turn the roster over again. I don't think Pry has that much time.
You've mentioned this a few times. I don't know if I necessarily agree. With the portal the way it is now, a good coach who can recruit should be able to turn the roster over in an off-season.
The defense doesn't have to be world beaters in the first year. They just have to show some kind of presence. But I like the idea of rebuilding with whatever you need from the portal.
This is exactly what Indiana did, a new HC and 30 transfers in last year.
NIIIIIce. I was wondering what to listen to at work tonight.
Now I ain't.
This was a really enjoyable watch and listen, thanks!
I listened this morning. I thought your 'scorch earth' 'rants' were quite rational, calm, and collected.
Thanks for sharing! Enjoyed the listen.
Yeah I thought it was good. Not scorched earth in the slightest though. 75 and sunny.