Virginia Tech is expected to retain wide receivers coach Fontel Mines as part of James Franklin's staff, sources tell @CBSSports.Was on the staff under Brent Pry and coached players like 2025 fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane. Now expected to continue on at Va Tech under Franklin. pic.twitter.com/KLWeAzFCSm— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 14, 2025
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Mixed feelings here. He's been a solid recruiter, but the WRs have not developed in his time here. The QB play hasn't been anything to write home about, but the WRs haven't been out there making plays on bad throws and the drops have been eye rollingly bad.
Meh.
Prefer him over Hagans. Would have preferred Zohn Burden, Dyrell Roberts, or someone else though.
Aaron Moorehead, why else have a large budget for assistants.
I mean, yeah get maybe the best WR coach in the world to come back home. Would be worth it even if you have to scrimp on other positions.
Can't believe that Devonta Smith was developed by two former VT WR coaches. That's pretty incredible. Those were great hires by Lefty and then Fuente.
I mean, he was the #1 recruit from Louisiana, and the #3 WR in the country.
How many top 5 receivers win the Heisman? He's one of the most productive WRs in football, plenty of top WRs especially small dudes don't become top players in the game let alone historic players.
I don't wanna say that Wiggins didn't have anything to do with his development, but from everything I've heard Devonta Smith is that guy who is both extremely genetically talented, but also an absolute gym rat/first guy in last guy out/name-your-stereotype that is typically applied to an undersized walk on.
All I'm saying is that I think it was significantly easier to elevate Devante Smith to Heisman winner then it was to elevate Willie-paperboy-byrn to a mediocre ACC receiver.
yep. Smitty got that dawg in him, and that can't be taught
Fair enough
He didn't stick around long enough last time to have any kind of lasting impact.
He recruited Ford and Phillips. That alone makes him one of the most impactful WRs coaches in our history. He was also the WR coach the year we beat Ohio St.
My comment was on the brevity of his stay at VT, but you make a good point.
Would love to see Zohn back. He was a tremendous coach and good recruiter.
Haven't paid attention enough to Mines though.
Agreed. Felt like he got the most out of his guys. His recruiting may not be on Mines level, but with the Franklin bump will probably be the same or better than Mines+Pry. Overall IMO Zohn+Franklin would yield better results than Mines+Franklin.
Plz use some of that budget for a few of these:
Let's hire LT3 as a WR consultant. If they can't catch it from his arm-cannon, they'll learn after they regain consciousness.
The wild thing is we just upgraded to like state of the art jugs machines under Pry...doesn't seem to have worked that well.
I like him as a recruiter. I think his WR development has yet to be seen, largely due to our focus on portal WR's and a less than stellar, to be frank, passing offense, the last few years.
Hard to determine how well our WRs have developed when QB play was so, so bad under Pry.
The receivers did drop quite a few catchable passes. Maybe they were just surprised the ball actually came to them as a catchable pass?
Drones may also not throw a very catchable ball.
But considering how good the WR recruiting has been, it doesn't seem like Drones is missing a lot of open receivers which to me shows lack of separation and poor development from the coach.
One of the most exciting things I read about incoming Troy Huhn is that he has excellent touch on his throws.
Looks like it on his videos.
This is such an underrated and underappreciated comment. Even when Drones got close the ball he throws isn't terribly catchable. He does not make it easy on his WRs. Conversely, if you're playing D1 football catching an "uncatchable ball" is something you need to do if its close.
If you are a D1 WR and your coach isn't telling you Rule #1 then you dont have a D1 WR coach. If you can touch it, you can catch it.
QBs throwing mechanics can make it difficult but if your role is to receive the ball then it doesn't matter how it gets there, you catch it.
In theory, I agree 100%.
In practice, it's much more difficult than it sounds. Consistently getting passes that are just off target, or have a weird spin, or are moving in a slightly different direction than you are... all while you're being thrown directly into coverage is incredibly difficult to do on a consistent basis. Guys have a tendency to lose focus (the responsibility of the coach IMO) a little when things are consistently bad. I have a feeling our WRs have been dealing with their mental game just as much as the physical one. I also suspect we will see a significant change in the coming seasons.
Not saying D1 guys shouldn't be able to do it, but I think people underestimate the challenge it is.
All great WRs believe this.
Watch someone like Calvin Johnson. They aren't getting thrown pretty balls or even decent looking balls all the time. they are catching what gets thrown at their general vicinity any way they can.
I'm not saying it's not difficult but it is the reality of the position and mentality that you have to have.
These are two different conversations. One is what the coach and receivers mindset should be. The other is how we as fans evaluate the coach/receivers in context of their situation and in context of the national landscape.
I'll say this and then move along. I do think two things can be true at the same time. I do agree with you, generally speaking.
But let's be honest. You just mentioned one of the top 5 or so WRs of all time. We are talking about VT WRs. We are talking about the vast majority of D1 WRs. Who are very good athletes, but most are not in the same universe as Calvin Johnson.
Catching a ball that is in, or near, your catch radius should be expected. I've watch high school kids do this for a long time. But the other things I mentioned in my comment above absolutely play a role in WR development.
totally agree with you. both can and are true at the same time. and I'm certainly not suggesting any WR currently on roster is Johnsons level. Everything a QB does to the ball makes it difficult to catch. speed, arc, height, motion, etc. and the defense makes it even more difficult.
None of that changes the fact that a WR mentality should always be: if you can touch it, you can catch it. And if our coach isn't teaching that then they are not a good WR coach IMO
watch some of Zohn's videos. That man knows what's up.
I agree...
This should absolutely be the mentality. As a former coach (It was high school, so not nearly the same level) you teach, coach, practice - over and over and over again - but there's only so much development you can do with a particular position if the overall ethos of the team/program is not good and if the one thing that helps that group be a success is an epic failure at every level (the QB to WR relationship).
You know, my thought process about Mines is largely the same as everyone else. Great recruiter, but can he develop his guys? That seems to be in question atm. I'm willing to bet that James Franklin has seen the same and has pushed his "lets recruit the hell out of the WR position" chips to the center of the table in anticipation that an elite WR corps can overcome any development shortcomings. Either that or Mines really is a great coach and simply hasn't been able to help his guys overcome the things I've mentioned.
Not sure if you watched the OU v Bama game but that was the perfect demonstration of what I am saying. Both QBs were under pressure all night and both side had some drops from good passes and not good passes. The difference was that Bama WRs were also catching the passes that were not good, making up for drops. Behind them, over them, diving, jumping blind catch behind the helmet of the defender. There were so many bad passes but they were catching them. That's what a WR should practice and what a D1 coach should be coaching.
Then it's execution.
I'm not sure that killing them if they drop a ball is the solution.
we'll never win championships with this kind of attitude
(you're post made me LOL)
I did, and as I stated above, I generally agree.
I think people are underestimating just how bad of a situation our WR group was in. Not making excuses (Heath being a prime example of awful drops).
I guess we are all going to find out how good Mines is really soon.
Yeah totally. I'm not harping on the point. Just thought that game was a great example. WRs catching shitty balls turned that game around. No worries. We are in agreement 🤝
I've always heard (and believed) that for college receivers, if you get two hands on the ball, you should be able to catch it; for pros, if you get one hand on the ball, you should be able to catch it. No...matter...what. It's literally your most important job. Your other jobs are blocking and selling your route when the throw goes to another receiver and sharp crisp routes with separation. But absolutely #1 -catch the ball!
I've never heard the college/pro thing about hands. But I do agree with the rest!
My coaches always said "if you can touch it, then you can catch it"
As I recall, Michael Vick posed a bit of trouble for the wide receivers until they got used to his speed and left handed spin on delivery.
That's right. I remember this.
My son dealt with a similar thing in high school. His QB played D1 football (I thought the kid had an NFL arm, but he simply couldn't make good decisions at the QB position, so he played TE in college). The kid was left handed and could absolutely spin it. Very similar to Vick with a little flick of the wrist the ball was zipping 40 yards down and across the field.
It took a lot of summer reps for the WR group to stay in a place where they could consistently make catches from their QB.
True, he threw it hard, but it was consistently on the money.
So, not at all like Drones.
Nor did I mean to compare, just remembering the times.
Yeah I remember at least one 3 and out this year entirely comprised of dropped catchable passes.
So. You know. Less of that please moving forward Fontel
Anyone associated with the routes and catching ability I have been watching the last few years is horrifying to keep around
I would like to point out that mines is staying, but the tweet didn't confirm he is coaching WRs only that he will be on Franklin's staff. He was TE caoch before and honestly our receivers did block well, so maybe move him back?
seems like micah matthews, chanz wiggins, and keylen adams were all pretty good recruits, all true freshman this year, but none of them played. i feel like all 3 were injured all year. anyone know if that is true?
Wiggins and Adams were injured or recovering all season. Not sure on Matthews. Guess we will see shortly as baseball season is a couple months away.
Micah will be playing baseball
What's Mines is Mines...and now it's Franklin's...
I haven't liked how our receivers have (not) developed over the last few years. I think Mines is a good recruiter. Maybe having a QB who can throw the ball will help but color me skeptical of any big improvements from our wr corps any time soon
Not retaining Brooks and keeping
Mines is a mistake IMO.
I agree. I don't like this at all. James, buddy....what are you doing?
Let the man cook