The Hokies aired tonight's practice on Periscope. I hoped for a re-air (I was coming home from fishing when the live steam aired) but instead they showed some full contact short yardage work. I saw a handful of plays- very little to analyze. I am not sure if they will leave either up for a more detailed review.
Observations
1) Michael Brewer was the QB with the 1's, who were going against the 1 defense. I only caught three plays. Trey Edmunds was the back, and interestingly Steven Peoples was working as the fullback/lead blocker. It was chaos, but the top D got a 4th down stop. I had a side view play side and pressure came from the back side.
2) The second grouping then went head to head. Nijman was at left tackle. He came off the ball with good pad level and good bend. I'd like to see his feet a bit more active when he is driving the opponent. Right now, he is super-slow off the snap count, which isn't surprising since he has only had a day and a half with the play book. It will be a work in progress.
3) Vinny Mihota made a huge play where he almost took the hand off away from the quarterback. The coaches were still buzzing about it (you could hear them chirping in the background.)
4) I think they were rotating in some of the 2's from Saturday's scrimmage with the 1 D and I know some guys are dinged up, but it caught my eye that walk-on Gahrul Reed was working as the field corner with the 2 D. He made some nice plays in drills and tackled Peoples for a loss during Saturday's scrimmage.
If the stream comes back live, I will provide a more detailed report.
Comments
Video is up- tons of focus on Nijman doing position drills.
It is interesting that it appears there are some changes up front. Osterloh is working at left guard. Redman is at right tackle. Pfaff is also working in a full contact jersey at right guard with Tyrell Smith at center.
On the drill where they are moving to the second level, you can compare Teller to Nijman. Note how slow Nijman's bucket step to open up and get going is compared to Teller. This is all new to him. I think he can be very good, but the fan base has to be patient with him. He is just starting to learn. When you see his pop in the pass rush drill vs walk on Laird Gardner, you see the potential and his feet when he is comfortable. Gardner got off the ball well, and Nijman deprived him of his will with one pop. Nijman comes back against Dooley and gets overextended to the outside, and Dooley pancakes him. Again, he will have to compact his movement, be quicker, and become more balanced. That comes with repetition at the position. He calls for Dooley again. He still gets overextended, but doesn't lose his balance and gets a draw. He will learn.
For DL, Melvin Keihn is getting off the football. Dadi and Keihn have some quick hands. Yowsers.
Hansen got beat badly inside by Dadi, but he recovered at the end to at least give the invisible QB a chance to roll right. Good fight. Teller stonewalled Mihota. Jeremy Haynes beat Osterloh with a nasty spin move (Haynes may be a walk on, but he is a good player, and this is Osterloh's first day at guard that I have seen.) Keihn and Redman close out the drill. Redman does a terrific job dropping, but is too high. Keihn adjusts and bull rushes underneath Redman's pads and he can't get leverage. Good battle.
I love seeing that 1 on 1 drill at the end with the DEs vs OTs
If I had the bandwidth, I could write books on the techniques for both sides. This is the nuance of the game that is lost on most folks. I love this kind of tape.
and Teller is a...
French's Publishing Company
It's a great video of practice today.
I really loved Wade Henson getting into it against Dadi Nicolas on the pass pro drill. Looked really good right at the 2:37 mark, makes me pretty excited for him.
At the end I was really encouraged that after Nijman got put on his butt by Seth Dooley that he called out saying he wanted another rep against Dooley then did well on the second time around.
Yep. Hansen was beaten badly off the snap, but recovered. You can't teach fight. And say what you want about Brewer and Motley- both guys can escape single rushers if the blockers stay engaged.
It would be my dream come true if this o-line didn't let any rushers come through scot-free next season. I know defenses sometimes send more than they can block and hopefully the RB can pick it up. It seemed to happen way too much with our guys last year.
Especially after seeing Hansen do as well as he did in the clip above - I remember too many times where a simple twist completely stumped him and remember seeing a Wake DL'man driving our QB into the ground.
To be fair, on a bunch of those sacks, Hansen was in a roll-left protection. Wake called the correct blitz against the perfect blocking call. I did a review of it back during the season.
http://www.thekeyplay.com/virginia-tech-football/2014/11/8081/demon-deac...
Where Hansen really struggled was against Virginia. Max Valles played as a defensive end and brutalized Hansen time and again. When the Hokies switched Hansen for Conte, Loeffler also made an adjustment where he used a formation that UVA reacted to by moving Valles (a "linebacker in their lexicon) out into the flat.
http://www.thekeyplay.com/virginia-tech-football/2014/12/8165/virginia-t...
Tenuta is an idiot, because he moved his best pass rusher out into space where he was ineffective. Hence, Conte was protected (they also kept Malleck in to block) and Bucky Hodges went ham on Wildcat Wahee!
Ah yes. Thanks for the reminder. I do remember the good adjustment vs UVA that you covered, but forgot whom Hansen was brutalized against. Could've sworn he struggled against other teams too, but in any case, glad he's on the upswing.
Still no sign of Alston Smith?
He was there taking on blocks (#75.) I am not sure why he isn't getting work.
Nijman you can definitely see the raw set has that excites you. In time, he can be a nasty LT. He has heart, will, and desire to get better. I'm liking Searels the more and more I see him in action with those guys. Got to get that nasty back!!!!
He does a good job here. In the five on five zone blocking drill, he gets on Tyrell Smith. When you watch the replay, Smith has his head on the INSIDE leg of Augie Conte, and even though Conte isn't trying to get into the back field Smith can't move him. Searels reminds Smith that he has to get his head play side and then he cuts off penetration and then can drive him.
The simple "Never block him that way" had me rolling.
He is right. Unfortunately under Curt Newsome, the OL back then played like nobody ever said it.
a few plays are up on snapchat
what's the snapchat username?
vtfootball
I think there is a 130 pound mismatch on Haynes and Osterloh... Dirty spin from the kid.
Wyatt Teller is a grown ass man.
If only we could get that kind of film when Kenny, Lu, and Corey are healthy...
Yosh showing progress, but that is also Gardner. I would hope for that result.
It sounds like Adonis Alexander is getting work at corner. That is a big corner.
Edmunds2 is getting a lot of love as well. He may be the surprise of the camp so far.
I would like to hear how Frye v. Reavis is going. And Carson Lydon's progress.
Edmunds is getting work at safety.
Honestly, I think pigeonholing guys into "positions" in the defensive backfield is becoming pass for Foster. He wants every guy to:
1) run with receivers and play the correct leverage in man coverage
2) execute zones with the correct leverage and depth
3) play the alley, set the edge, or blitz as appropriate.
It doesn't matter if you are a safety or a corner; if you can't do all three, you will be earmarked for the whip spot. That Cincy game was fascinating in that corners were playing traditional safety responsibility while safeties were playing like corners one play and linebackers the next. Everyone was moving around, and that mitigated any man coverage liabilities one on one. It was fascinating. Now, Edmunds (who looked pretty good to me at corner Saturday) is getting some free safety work. Alexander, who looks gigantic live, is getting corner work. Mook is playing all over. They are building guys who can play multiple roles without tipping off the offense on coverages. It is beautiful work by Bud and Torrian.
Torrian's dream: 2 DTs 9 DBs.
False, 11 DBs
Nah, he wants 2 DE's, 2 DT's, and 7 DB's.
But then where are the TEs?
At QB.
Or Offensive Tackle....
That's the thing, if you get big enough corners they can sub for DE. Keihn's only 211 and I'm pretty sure Riley is 220.
With the cupboards stocked this full with talent, Bud and Torrian are dreaming big and cross-teaching everyone. This year's secondary will disguise coverages more than the past, especially against spread teams. What they did in last year's bowl game will be standard operating procedure against the ECU's and basketball-on-turf offenses.
Reminds me of that detective series where all the QB's are scared into hiding.
where is the next installment of that anyway...?
Where does stopping the power run game come into this. Solely the front 4 and Mike LB responsibility. I know tackling form makes a difference, but we will need to play with size at times.
Front 4 and the back side linebacker (usually the mike) have the responsibility for the interior gap fits in a base defense. The play side backer and the whip are the edge players, although they can sometimes stunt where they shoot inside and the DE's play contain. The rover is the alley player to the boundary and the free safety is the alley player to the field, again, in basic situations. Bud changes things up a bunch (that is the beauty of his system and why in confuses most offenses) but that is the basic plan for holding the fort against power running teams.
Nijman is gonna make for one very athletic offensive lineman...
If Nijman stays I do believe he will be my favorite player going forward. I love the fight. the one good thing about move to tackle is that he will have a chip on his shoulder to beat every DE that stands across him.
thanks French
Gotta understand how frustrated Nijman is. Love how he went again and improved against Dooley though
Tough spot. Nijman is strong, but balance (which was an issue as a DL at FUMA) will take time. It is abundantly clear that he is new to football, not just OL. He is terrific clay. If he can handle the fire, he will be molded into a good player.
Now, Wyatt Teller- oh chi mama. Feet, positioning, power, and speed. $$$$$$ in his future.
Teller is getting hyped by a lot of sports writers as one of the better players to look out for this year.
So you thinking teller going to be a big commodity when the nfl comes calling?
Guards generally are less of a commodity, but I expect him to be highly coveted, yes.
Trying to find some other articles, I did come across his offer sheet. He had a load of offers from schools... He might prove to be our most valuable recruit in the last 3-5 years.
I agree...even though I have no idea who you are referring to... ;-)
Loved the scene right after Nijman got knocked down by Dooley...Searles "You want him again?" - shows some real fight and want to.
That alone made me feel better about the situation. Love the avi by the way.
Anyone else get excited by the Teller v. Mihota? That was a nice battle.
Dooley's looking good and I and love Yosh picking himself up and wanting Dooley again.
Folks - any idea why Yoshua is already on 2nd team? No knock on him if he's good, but if he's struggling, shouldn't be be on on the 3rd team / whatever instead? I have high hopes for him, but being on the 2nd team right after being transferred into the position is tough.
We got nobody else.
and to get him as much work as possible as quickly as possible. need him to buy in right now
Now that Osterloh has moved inside, there are no third team offensive tackles besides Austin Clark, who is going to be a right-side guy.