The absence of most students means Virginia Tech is pretty quiet this time of year, but the athletic side of campus was buzzing this weekend.
Not only did many current players start to trickle back to Blacksburg, but the Hokies' staff also welcomed a number of prospects making their first trips to Tech.
None were more hotly anticipated than a pair of rising seniors in QB Joshua Jackson of Michigan's Saline HS and DE Quayshon Alexander of Wayne, New Jersey's DePaul Catholic HS, and both came away from the visit enamored with the program.
"I thought it was a great place to be," Alexander said after his visit Friday. "Their presentations gave me a real feel for what gameday would be like there."
In particular, the team has been showing off its new indoor practice facility. The building isn't slated to open until the start of July, but the coaches were keen to give each group of visitors a tour of what they're calling the biggest such facility in the country.
"It was massive, just amazing being in there," Alexander said. "And they showed us where they'd be adding outdoor fields as well all around there."
It would seem the staff put a focus on other planned future changes as well, with a particular emphasis on the pending renovation of the team's office space in the Merryman and Jamerson buildings.
"I saw everything that was going to get re-done by the time I would get there," Jackson said after his Saturday trip. "It was great, I felt like I got to see everything."
After spending plenty of time on Michigan's campus with his father, the longtime running backs coach for the Wolverines, Jackson says the rest of Blacksburg truly made him feel at home.
"It was so beautiful, just really similar to Ann Arbor," Jackson said. "It was really nice how each building had some of that Hokie Stone on it too."
But Jackson was more impressed by the people he got to spend time with in Blacksburg than he was the facilities. After spending years getting to know offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler when the two were both at UM, Jackson says the visit helped seal their bond.
"I got to spend lots of time with Coach Loeffler," Jackson said. "We just fit well together, I feel like he knows me well after all these years. We have a good connection. He knows what he's getting with me and I know what I'm getting with him."
Jackson also spent some time with the head Hokie, taking a meeting with Frank Beamer in his office, before spending time with some players.
"I spent time with the starting receivers, that number one (Isaiah Ford) and Cam (Phillips)," Jackson said. "I also saw that 2015 quarterback they're bringing in (Dwayne Lawson). We all got to hang out."
Now, right on the heels of the visit, Jackson says he's officially made up his mind on his college choice. He plans to announce his decision at 11:30 on Thursday during a youth camp at his high school, but he's keeping it close to the vest for the moment.
"I've made my decision, but I haven't told many people, any media or anything like that," Jackson said. "Just my coaches, my parents. Basically I let everyone close to me know, but that's it."
Alexander is less certain about his future, even though his visit mirrored Jackson's in many ways. He started things off with a meeting with Beamer, then was escorted by OLBs coach Cornell Brown and DEs coach Charley Wiles around campus.
"We all got to tour campus and then they broke down the defense for me," Alexander said. "They told me I'd stay at defensive end, but I'd mainly be a pass rusher. I'd still be a three down player, but I'd be a little bit of a hybrid."
Unlike Jackson, Alexander was joined by several of his teammates at Wayne for the trip. Rising seniors Hasise Dubois, Kwadir Brown and Terrell Vassel — all three play both CB/WR and have yet to be offered by Tech — accompanied Alexander, and he says they came away from the trip similarly impressed.
"They all really liked it, Kwadir even said it was his dream school," Alexander said.
Arrived in Blacksburg with the bros @Kwadir_Brown @TerrellVassel @KinG_QuaY_23 #VT #Hokies— HassyBee (@DuBois_5k) June 5, 2015
Alexander is less certain. The group visited North Carolina the very next day, and he called Chapel Hill "gorgeous" with a football staff that's "great to interact with."
He also has a demanding slate of visits set for the coming weeks, with trips to Nebraska, Michigan and Notre Dame all on his calendar for June, and he says he'll start to narrow things down once those are over.
"As of right now, I'm just trying to finish my unofficials and then decide if I want to take officials," Alexander said.
But whether or not he extends his recruitment into football season, Alexander says this visit solidified his position that Tech is one of his favorites.
"Tech is one of my top schools, they're a priority for me," Alexander said. "I hope to get back there soon."
Comments
This. I like this.
I was hoping that the new facilities would help tilt the scales in our favor for recruits, but wasn't expecting it to start happening before the building is even finished!
Kid, you're really considering Chapel Hill right now?
Come on!
I dunno man. Fedora makes a great recruiting pitch
In these days of short attention spans, kids wanting to upgrade stuff like a new phone every few months, and the emphasis on bigger and better, it is good to see that we're at least maintaining a trend toward the best facilities we can muster. It's a different world out there in recruiting, but it has always been a big help for Tech to get those kids on campus to see that we've got a truly outstanding University. The beauty of the locale, despite it's often overemphasized rural location, coupled with the "feel" of Blacksburg and the striking architectural contiguity is only experienced properly with a first hand presence. Add to that the quality of our staff and the home-style tone of our program and you have a real selling point to interested recruits. Kids with their minds made up already against us aren't likely to be swayed, but to the truly open minded, VT shouldn't be a hard sell.
Didn't we have "America's biggest / baddest locker room" for all of 3 months before Texas or some other school upended us? How long can we maintain this arms race? I feel like Gorbachov in the 90's.
Actually, I agree with you. There does come a point beyond which it seems pointless to keep the "arms race" up, but at least keeping things current also seems to be necessary for recruiting. I don't think we need to have the biggest or the baddest of anything, just need to keep within striking distance of the institutions we need/desire/decide to compete with for the recruits we need/desire/decide to go after. Don't know the answer here, it is a tough situation to be in for a program seeking to regain national relevance but with a smaller budget than the big boys.
Kinda feel like the moneyball approach - can't keep up with the "yankees" of NCAA FB, so let's try something different! I don't know what though, but maybe that's what CPJ is doing down at GIT.
That's beamerball. And just like in moneyball everyone else caught on and nullified the advantage. Luckily we adjusted, but sustaining a competitive advantage is hard.
We'd hve a bigger budget if the Hokie Club wasn't comprised of a measley 10,000 members. If everyone who's a member of these different Hokie websites would pay the $100.00 min. to join the Hokie Club we would have a lot more money to work with. Just my 2 cents.
I agree wholeheartedly. And that's why I started donating to the Hokie Club just over a year ago. I have also donated to this awesome site (thanks again Joe and staff for making this the best damn place on the interwebs).
Raising the level of participation in the Hokie Club is one of Whit's points of emphasis for sure, judging from the mail and emails I have received since he came aboard. I'll admit that relocation coupled with a forced early retirement and unexpectedly modest income has caused me to pause in my giving, but I've given them plenty over the years by participation in a season ticket cabal. With the growing VT student grad rate should come a growth in the Hokie Club membership, and if we can get more of the pro athletes and high rollers involved, we can definitely keep VT in the race.
The point is, actually being able to claim the "biggest" at any point keeps you relevant. You'll never stay on top in this ascension to the Power Five era, not for long. It's like buying the most badass computer you can get your hands on. Six months later, someone is going to buy a better one. But yours is still a monster. We shouldn't have a mindset that we have to maintain the biggest/best/sexiest/swankiest facilities, just that when we do decide to add/upgrade something, we should make it the best in the country. There's nothing to worry about when someone comes along and builds a bigger IPF. That's guaranteed to happen. But we'll still be the reason they did it.
I'm not arguing the goal they are trying to achieve - i'm arguing whether or not it is sustainable and/or morally....suitable?
That latter discussion would dive into its own thread, but I'm suggesting NOT trying to keep up with the NCAA FB jones's (or Kardashians - whatever one prefers), but trying to break the mold and doing something different to keep us relevant without breaking the bank.
I'm curious as to what folks think that could be? Veering OT a bit, but there are a lot of creative minds around here. Any brilliant ideas?
I think what we do now could be sustainable. The way I see it, we use our facilities to the point where they need replacing and then we make sure we replace them with the latest and greatest. Then we can maintain that while saving towards the next upgrade years down the road.
Sort of like buying a car. You can keep up a string of $500 craigslist specials that you have to constantly replace and look like crap the whole way through. Or you can shell out for a quality, new car and then drive it until it needs replacing. Sure it will look dated near the end of that run, but if it's kept up, most people won't complain. In the meantime, you've saved enough to repeat the process with another new car 15 years later.
Yep. Also, a well kept 15 year old Mercedes or Jaguar is still a Mercedes or Jaguar (or whatever your idea of a classy car is).
Exactly. No need to join the constant one-upmanship, but when you do get around to getting something new, make sure its the best.
I've got no problem with the trumpeting of the "largest practice facility in the country" right now since we all know it won't stay that way for long. Might as well make hay while the sun shines and squeeze every ounce of selling point we can out of it.
I'm all for squeezing every drop out if it as you can (i'm going to drive my 08 accord into the ground, btw, since we're going with the car metaphor) especially since the money's already been spent.
To continue to play devil's advocate - If you look at some other schools that have started doing really well, they don't have the most awesome facilities in the world. What they do is win (Baylor? Stanford?). Granted they may have other things going for them, but it doesn't seem they have to participate in this arms race to do so.
Thinking outside the box - i think CPJ has a great equalizer in his offense that isn't traditional that allows him to win and do well. Perhaps a certain niche/system will help Tech win more thereby increase prestige and attract recruits? Thoughts?
I think you just described our defense
Craigslist specials you say, do you know my brother in law? Kid bought a "great deal" car then finds out it doesn't have power locks, power windows or a working heater!!
No, it's not sustainable, but understand we're in a period of transition. The Power Five conferences are essentially emerging as a new top tier of college football, the culmination of the BCS era, and now more than ever you DO NOT want to be left behind. That means during this era, you do always strive to make every upgrade you make the absolute best in the entire country. It won't last forever. It can't. But while it does, those who do not remain competitive with other P5 programs risk being left behind.
As for not breaking the bank, is it broken? We're operating in the black, and have for years.
Re: breaking the bank - I wonder for how much longer though we'll be there (in the black). In the Weaver era, we were there because he was so conservative with his hires, spending, etc. He worked the athletic department so that we only stayed in the black. I don't have the link readily on me, but I vaguely remember a lot of the big schools that were red athletically that were shown (I could be wrong - my memory fails me).
Hiring Buzz was great, but the money for that has to come from somewhere. So will the money to hire the next coach. And to maintain said expensive facilities and upgrade other ones too (Baseball field?).
Did the BOV slides have a financial breakdown of such regarding planned spending atheltically and where the money is coming from? Perhaps that'll assuage my concerns.
Weaver kept us in the black at all costs, and it nearly choked the life out of the football and basketball programs. Whit might take us into the red, but I'm okay with deficit spending so long as it is approached as part of a multi-year investment strategy.
Where will the money come from? Two places: ESPN, and putting asses in seats. The ESPN thing is a done deal, a countable cash flow. The other part only happens by reenergizing an apathetic fanbase. The way to do that is to improve the product on the field and on the court, and the way in turn to do that is to bring in recruits. It's an investment.
Wow, if you don't realize that's Christina Aguilera with her head tilted down, it looks like some evil chewing gum faced man is reaching out to grab you.
Yes, chewing gum. That's what I was thinking too. Yeah that's it
adding outdoor fields?
They have to reconfigure the outdoor fields to the new size due to building the indoor facility.
I thought those fields (50 yards and perpendicular to the indoor practice facility) were already in place? Didn't they use them in the spring?
New grass, new irrigation systems and some other cosmetic changes.
Cool.
Ahh, I see he had a good tour around campus... .Nice...
"We just fit well together, I feel like he knows me well after all these years. We have a good connection. He knows what he's getting with me and I know what I'm getting with him." Jackson said of Loeffler.
It sounds like a QB-OC relationship that was meant to be. Hopefully Jackson lets nature takes its course and join the good guys in Blacksburg.
"That's a BINGO!"
I will always give legs for Inglourious Basterds references
Glad to hear he is on campus, hopefully he is bulking up and has his nose buried in a playbook...
I didn't know he was in campus already, not that it bothers me. ... And just rewatched his senior highlights. Please let him be this good.
I am all for early commitments to Tech but I have to be honest if I was a highly recruited 17/18 year old kid I would take all the recruiticorn visits I could, especially to those SEC and PAC-12 schools where they throw...er, introduce co-eds to you...
I believe the preferred term is "escort".
Blue Mountain State!
I cant wait until this movie comes out
Any word on the timeline for this epic masterpiece?
September this year..... BMS: The Rise of Thadland..... lol
You are right. The P5 are on the first lap of a post BCS 1 mile race. The need is there to get out and lead the early race. Been seen and let the rest follow for the first 2 laps. Others will make moves but initially being the leader will give us notice. Some may pass but you will still be in the lead group and news worthy. Now that being said, if we don't start winning all this is not worth doodlie shit.
Good point. The Ohio State win helped get Virginia Tech in the conversation last year, and it's just too bad a couple of the later games (all of them, actually) didn't keep pace. A good showing against OSU this year, and a good season, along with the upgrade in facilities, would make a great statement this year. I'd really like to see the Lefty strategy pay off in some better wins this year.
I think I'll start calling Ford "That Number 1" too. He certainly earned it last year.