The first game week press conference of the 2014 season was this afternoon. Frank Beamer, Michael Brewer, Willie Byrn and Luther Maddy all spoke to the media. If there was a consistent theme of every conversation, it was how deep and talented William and Mary is all over the field, and how no one would be overlooking the Tribe even as Ohio State looms on the schedule after it.
While a lot of it was stuff that's already been discussed, there were some interesting tidbits dropped here and there.
Beamer said that Trey Edmunds is still not all the way back from his broken leg, something that has been speculated for over a week.
"Trey, he's got to work his way back into totally full speed," Beamer said. "And he's worked hard, and he's the greatest kid ever, good for the football team.
"And he had a tough, tough injury, and as hard as he's worked I just don't quite see the quickness. He had about four carries [during Friday's scrimmage] and I just wanted him to break a tackle, or make a guy miss. You know, he's just got to work his way back. Until then, and he's going to get some reps, I'm probably going to have him on kickoff coverage just to get him back involved with the ballgame and keep on running and so forth. And I think that's the best way for him to stay active and keep on getting better."
Beamer said that J.C. Coleman will get the start on Saturday, with Shai McKenzie, Joel Caleb and Marshawn Williams all having a role. A name interestingly not on that list? Recently moved freshman Travon McMillian.
Beamer's still not sure whether or not McMillian will see the field, not just on week one but for the entire season.
"The verdict's still out. He's probably going to dress, and maybe not play, and kind of see [...] One injury to J.C. Coleman, you know you'd want him right back in.
"Right now it's a hard thing because you sure don't know how injuries are going to go, but you've got to be able to project a guy five games from now and where he is. [You have to] Make sure you get him enough plays. He's a talent, he's a fast guy and a talent, but we're not sure about his participation yet."
As far as depth on the offensive line, Beamer said that converted walk-on Wade Hansen is the next guy up at the tackle spot and that Wyatt Teller, despite not winning a starting job at guard, will still see the field.
"He's going to get in there," Beamer said of Teller, "he's still learning but he looks the part. We've got several offensive lineman that look exactly what you want an offensive lineman to look like. Now we've just got to get them playing like what you want in an offensive line. [Teller]'s one of them. He's working hard though, and before it's over he's going to be very, very good."
As far as the heated kicker battle goes, it looks like true freshman Michael Santamaria will be the placekicker on Saturday but Beamer emphasized that the battle has been extremely close between Santamaria and fellow true freshman Carson Wise. The third true freshman, Joey Slye, may handle long field goals and potentially kickoffs, according to Beamer.
Brewer learned just before everyone else that he was going to be the starting quarterback. He was informed during a meeting with Beamer and Scot Loeffler early afternoon on Saturday.
Much was made of receiver Isaiah Ford cracking the top of the depth chart this weekend, and Brewer was very complimentary of the freshman.
"He takes coaching well," Brewer said. "A lot of times freshmen get yelled at and they kind of go into a shell, and they're not really able to rebound. Isaiah's done a really good job of taking coaching and going out there and doing what he's been told and producing. He's got very good ball skills, when the ball is in the air he does a really good job of coming down with it and making plays with the ball in his hands."
Last year Loeffler set very specific goals for Logan Thomas, to throw fewer than five interceptions and complete 62 percent of his passes. Does Brewer have similar goals set for him?
"Everybody's got personal goals and team goals. Right now for me individually, the only goal that I have is to help this team win football games on a consistent basis, and not overlook anybody. Going into each week confident in the game plan that we have and knowing that we can compete, and getting wins."
As the season draws ever so close, I think most Tech fans would feel good about Brewer if he achieves those goals.
Comments
Welp I guess this will be a good day to see how the unknowns at RB will perform. I'm almost more interested in watching Shai and Marshawn than Brewer, personally.
Shai and Marshawn having a great opportunity thrown their way to try to become the next Ryan MF Williams. Best wishes for Trey though. Hope he can come back and be the player he was becoming the second half of last season.
Frank looks like someone who is about to spring a huge surprise on people. His grin is CHESHIRE like
I agree. Everything has been really played close to the vest as far as info goes in summer camp. But Ive really gotten the vibe from the limited info that the coaches think they are holding some pretty good cards. It sounds like the defense has probably won the battle but for the first time in awhile the offense is getting their attention.
Edmunds on kickoff coverage? Heck of a way to help get over an injury. Ugh.
Otherwise this made me feel good.
Yeah...that was by far the most surprising thing about Frank's time today. Maybe it means that his straight line speed is fine? I still agree that this is terrifying from an injury perspective though.
I think the philosophy behind that, if it is done, would be to get Edmunds used to running at speed, and in traffic, and absorbing hits without injury. So - gradually desensitizing his concerns about re-injury, which is ALWAYS a factor for those guys. They never admit it at the time, but most finally do afterwards. That was something Ryan Williams was honest about after the fact, that in the back of his mind...
If Williams, McKenzie, and McMillian show enough by the time Edmunds gets his feet 100% back under him, any chance we see him swap to LB in the offseason? He has 2 more years of eligibility and played there before being permanently moved to RB, but it's no trivial matter to swap a talent like Edmunds to LB. Just a though.
I'd say that there's almost no way that happens. Right now he's the incoming starting running back, and not only would he have to learn an entirely new position, but also he'd be a backer. Why would he start over Deon Clark? I think when healthy, Trey's one of (if not the) best RB on the roster.
I'm not saying it's my option #1. He ran well down the stretch, especially against Miami and UVA until he got hurt. What if he doesn't get back to speed before the midpoint of the season and Predator has been beastmoding everyone a la Andre Williams? It would definitely be an "embarrassment of riches" situation, and it's a pie-in-the-sky idea.
The most likely outcome is for Edmunds to get healthy, show he can shake and bake like his old self and return to RB1 status on the team. It has been said that we lack depth on defense, and that's where I was coming from. If Edmunds shows he can still run well during the 2nd half of this season, he comes in next year as RB1 unless Williams or McKenzie are just THAT good. Even then, you're right I doubt he's going to swap positions.
Just throwing an idea out there, not lobbying for it to actually happen.
No way he's the best we have, if shai returns to high school form he is the best we have!
Trey to LB is going to be this years Leal over Logan hot topic, I can feel it.
Exactly what i was thinking. I'm gonna start lobbying for Ryan Malleck for DE.
You heard it here first. Bucky Hodges to DE. 8 foot tall, 400 lbs running a 4.1 40? Can't block that.
On a related note, I did make a cornerback in NCAA 14 that was 7' and like 400+ lbs that could run a 4.4. Just funny.
...edited for spelling...
I kinda feel like Bucky would dominate wherever they put him.
No way. Bucky would be a backer. Also, didn't Drager used to be a DE or something?
Quarterback?
Maybe sarcastica, but I'd take him being an above average TE or even see him take a snap before we get too far ahead of ourselves.
I'm thinking.....Bucky in the middle on punts and field goal defense.
The fanbase has to complain about something. It's either that or start a campaign for moving Leal to TE or some other crazy thing.
Especially if the freshmen or JC come out and are really good.
Except Leal vs Logan was a very tenuous argument at best, and couldn't get around the fact that the talent dropoff was significant, whereas here, the dropoff is most likely negligible, and a few games in, we may be facing the real possibility that even a 100% Trey is the third best active RB.
This is a hypothetical situation, but as fans, we get to play with these scenarios to our heart's content.
In the end, this is asking what is going to be best for Edmunds in the long run, and is predicated on the scenario: What if he is never good enough to be 1st string rb again after the injury?
I asked the question a day or two ago, and everyone ignores the big "if", and generally just says "Na, brah, that's stupid."
I get the arguments for keeping Edmunds at RB, and as things currently stand, I agree 100%.
Try putting yourself in Trey's shoes in the hypothetical situation this whole mind game is predicated on, and ask: What's your best shot at the league if you've lost your step as a RB?
Trey is probably like his younger brother and just wants to hit somebody. KO coverage is good like that.
agreed. sounds like a horrible idea. like kyle fuller on kickoff coverage. i dont like it. but maybe thats just a sign that treys life in the back field is no more with the tallent we have in marshawn and shai....
It's not this at all. Trey will get carries once he gets back into form. All the coverage has been saying that Trey just needs to keep working and running and this is a way they can do that, Plus Trey was a LB prospect so he should be able to tackle.
Agreed. He has proven to be a good athlete and leader...glad they can get him on field one way or another. I think we have really have some players at RB now so if he isnt at his best then he aint good enough to play that position right now.
i mean i get that, but i wouldnt send my #1 running back out on ST. if i really thought thats what he was going to be in the future. i think he would be a boost to ST forsure i just dont want to see him there if he is going to be the running back of the future at VT. There are MUCH better ways to get healthy. Theres a reason the NFL is trying to do away with kickoffs, because more injuries happen on kickoffs than any other part of the game.
What if he's not playing like your #1 RB? What if the two new guys you have now are playing better? That's essentially what Frank said. His answer is to get Edmunds back into game shape and game mentality. His carries can come later, if he improves as expected. It makes sense to me.
Kinda what i said above that about him being on his way out at RB not really out but just not as good as the others and therefor kinda losing the top spot. Him going to ST is a early sign of things to come for trey IMO. i dont want this to be true. i dont think i do anyways. i really like trey and think his upside was treymendous as he was getting better and better every game. But with the tallent behind him or now in front of him that may just be the case.
Come on. I know its the preseason and were all pumped for football but Shai and Marshawn have never played a down in college. Its a little early to anoint them
If they were serious about reducing injuries on kickoffs, they would make the players play without hard helmets & shoulder pads on those plays.
And I am not joking in the least.
ive seen enough flags in the preseason of the NFL to constitute calling it flag football now. Your not allowed to use your pads or helmets anymore so im not sure what the point of wearing them is really anyways.
I don't think they were ever supposed to "use" the helmet, it was intended as a defense against injury, just like a batting helmet in baseball
You know what? I'm not 100% sure Trey does get his carries back when he's back to healthy. There's a chance - a chance - that Marshawn and Shai are both so good you don't want to take either of them off the field. If that happens, and it's a big if, then I could see Trey sliding all the way past Caleb in the pecking order.
If Trey doesn't get back to 100%, and better than the new guys, then of course he'd be the guy. But I don't think that's for certain.
I, for one, like Trey a lot. But he does not look like a natural running back. And if Marshawn, Shai, and JC are all playing really well, then I'd stick with it.
I don't get it at all. Last year we were complaining about not having a workhorse. Towards the end of the year Edmunds was a beast and definitely our workhorse. Then he gets hurt and we all go ape-shit and moan that he should go to LB when he is 100% healthy because a freshman we haven't seen play 1 "real" gametime snap had a decent spring. I understand we are all excited about the RB's we have but don't force them/rush them into a huge role unless they've proven to do the other needed things like blitz pickup and read the game
Not to mention he is also coming off of a torn ACL, and the other seems to be a perfect bruiser for the second punch but not the 1 punch. How about we let Edmunds come back, get healthy and then go from there, all this LB talk is erroneous because when 100% healthy he: understands the blocking scheme, blitz pickup, and overall speed of the game
"all this LB talk" was brought up by me and me alone as an idea. I certainly don't think anyone is lobbying for Edmunds to right this instant be permanently swapped to LB (at least I'm not, and I'm the one that brought up the whole thing...).
My thought was this: what if the freshman come in and play lights-freaking-out for 6 games while Edmunds gets used to his leg again? I know Edmunds was phenomenal down the stretch for us and was a great workhorse back until getting injured. If the freshman come in and light people up at RB, what the harm in considering a move for Edmunds? It really changes nothing right now. No one is calling for it happen right now. I was just throwing out the idea as something that could possibly happen in the offseason based on how Williams and McKenzie and (possibly) McMillian play.
Now it could happen that after another week Trey looks like the guy who was a workhorse last year. If that's the case, then awesome slot him in. But I could feasibly see him not getting more than 3-5 touches a game until week 7 or 8 based on him needing to get the feel for running back and the fear of injury gone.
TL;DR: No one is advocating for it to happen this week, but it's something to think about as we watch the freshman carry the rock and Edmunds play on coverage teams, especially with the lack of depth at the LB position.
Pretty sure Trey broke a bone in his leg, not a torn ACL.
i think that was a refernce to shai not trey
yeah but that was in reference to Shai
Gotcha...my bad.
Carry on.
Thought that would happen. Gonna be interesting. His freshman nerves will be tested.
Eh, Santamaria sounds like the name of a natural kicker.
Or a place with WONDERFUL grilled meats (and that is in fact what she said)!
My stomach just gave you a turkey leg.
And no, that doesn't sound as good on the screen as it did in my head.
I know Whit mentioned something about it in one of his interviews, but some kind of tiered ticket pricing would really help fill up the "lesser" seats on some games like these
knowing Trey , its just a matter of time before the RB we see against Miami shows up and retakes his starting spot.
I'm not lobbying for a change to LB, like the LT-to-TE stuff went down. BUT The kid was a fantastic LB
Just saying.
I'm curious. If you're not advocating for a switch, and everyone knows that he's not going to change positions, than what's the point of saying?
God, the suspense is killing me! 105hrs,45minutes and 40sec, 105hrs,45min and 39sec.