Editor's Note: Bumped to the front because it's awesome. Also, great job by Bitter on the video.
Per great work from Andy Bitter: http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybittervirginiatechfootball/2013/04/03/video....
Brent Benedict (6'5" 301) beat Kris Harley (6'1" 286)
Jonathan McLaughlin (6'4" 306) beats DeWayne Alford (6'2" 239)
Trey Edmunds (6'1" 215) beats Deon Clarke (6'2" 215)
Joel Caleb (6'2" 213) beats Desmond Frye (6'2" 184)
Seth Dooley (6'4" 237) beats Ryan Malleck (6'4" 248)
Some comments:
Benedict pushed Harley back 2-steps in the first round. The second round Harley actually won the initial push, but Benedict was able to bend his back and drive forward. They eventually wound up going sideways. Slight edge to Benedict.
McLaughlin kind of absorbed Alford the first round, then twisted Alford to the ground. Second round they both went kind of sideways. Very slight edge to McLaughlin.
TREY.EDMUNDS.IS.A.BAD.MAN. He blew up Deon Clarke. Trey was incredibly explosive out of his stance, and drove Deon back several steps immediately. Can't wait to see this kid on the field.
Caleb drove Frye backwards out of the ring immediately. But, Caleb has 20 lbs on him.
Interestingly, Dooley went pretty HAM on Ryan Malleck. I was suprised to see a younger player, Dooley, beat our most experienced tight end so handily. Dooley, for all of those you remember, was a very late bloomer and only played HS ball for a few years. His scouting report showed that he was athletic and had extremely long arms - - looks like he's figuring out how to use that athleticism and leverage to his advantage. Dooley could be a baller at TE or DE in a few years.
Comments
I like how animated Jeff Grimes and Scot Loeffler get during it. Snot bubbles!
it got me pumped. i love seeing our offensive coaches being as animated as our defensive coaches. this was just awesome
Kinda funny to watch AJ Hughes on the right. He's just like "cool."
Am I the only one that wants to see Hughes v. Journell? You know, just for shits and giggles.
I am pretty sure that is literally what will happen.
Journell would just pepper spray him and walk back out of the circle.
Accidentally, of course.
Maybe I'm just hopeful but I have this feeling that Trey Edmunds is going to rip off a huge run the first time he touches the ball.
I think you are right. Just hope his fumble issues have been resolved cause that dude has pop.
I immediately thought of the Hokies first offensive play in 2011:
Unfortunately that was the last time we ever ran the ball out of the I-Formation. O'Cainspring thought that everyone would start biting on the play-action because of that run.
My favorite thing about that run was Danny Coale blocking 15 yards downfield...
But somehow he was still open!!!!
guh i miss that kid. i really hope jc may be able to show something similar at some point in his career here
Dooley dominating Malleck was the first thing that jumped out at me.
FR Seth Dooley - DE 6' 4" 237
JR Ryan Malleck 2 TE 6' 4" 248
Malleck has 10 pounds and 2 years of conditioning edge, and he got blown off the ball. With that said, a lot of this drill is a quick first step and who can get under who first. A tiny mistake turns out to be extremely costly.
Caleb might have been the most dominant of the video! Great to see a WR block! That kind of intensity from a young ex-QB gives me hope for this group of receivers. Good blockers will see the field in Loeffler's offense, and that kind of intensity will help him beat jams at the line against physical DBs. I'm liking this spring intensity and the accountability the new coaches are demanding.
I don't know how you can be a fan of football and not get pumped up watching this. Look how fired up the guys are! If we go out and practice with the intensity and enthusiasm I saw in this video, there is no doubt in my mind that we will turn it around this season.
Keep in mind, uva players are fired up when they face each other too.
I really like the burst out of Caleb and Edmunds that i saw. Also it wouldn't surprise me to see Benedict become our best O-Lineman behind Miller.
I think he is going to beat out Miller as the nastiest.
I'm expecting huge years from Benedit and Gibson.
Only one word can describe this: YUM
Love the Kris Harley clips.
I just came in my pants!
Anybody else think Grimes vs. Foster would be an epic battle? Maybe then they could do Moorehead vs. Gray too.
How much height/weight does Grimes have on Foster? Would it even be fair...?
Still a fun idea though..
My guess is the only way for Grimes or Foster to win that battle would be for the victor having tore the other's head off, to render the loser's limbs from attempting to continue on in sheer blood-thirst. Lightning would then strike the ground; opening the scorched earth wide and swallowing the fallen gladiator, as a 16-piece Norwegian metal band sings a death ballad from the clouds, with said gladiator to be reborn in to another plateau along the Appalachians...
..and it will be spoken up on by the bards for many many centuries. Amen.
Well that's all fine and dandy, but then we'd suck.
We don't want to break up Team Goatee.
I am so happy you Photoshopping artwork is becoming a thing here. Great stuff.
The biggest problem I had last season were tackles. It seemed guys were going for the blowout hit and just missing bad. Do you think Bud is gonna get on guys about wrapping up with their arms or just letting the big hit tries and misses continue? Instead of trying to get on sportscenter with the big hit I'd rather see the guys wrap up hard and tackle.
I love the intensity from these players. What I noticed from all the "bull-fighters" were the leg drive. I remember French mentioned how the leg drives last season killed the offensive line's ability to finish a play, and from the small sample of the videos above, it looks like the coaches are preaching about that.
Foster, in the interview, seem to make that a point of emphasis with the defensive line as well. I may not know a ton about football, but I can observe things. One of the glaring weakness from the defensive line were the inability to shed blocks quickly to get into the backfield, which put linebackers and secondary in a tough position to stop big gains from happening, and I think that is traced back to leg drives and techniques.
I feel that the coaches are really, really putting a lot of emphasis on a "return to the basics" and play fundamental sound football.
Would I be out of hand if I said I want Virginia Tech to mirror Stanford?