I hope this will become a semi-regular feature summarizing relevant Virginia Tech, ACC and college football news as it piles up. It will most certainly be a day late, and dollar short, but hopefully it will serve as discussion starter. If I missed anything feel free to email them to me or post links in the comments.
EDSBS dug up a handout of Bud Foster's Attack Defense from the 76th AFCA Convention in 1999. We no longer exclusively use true eight man fronts, and haven't for a long time, but it's still a very worthwhile read because many of the philosophies and theories such as the Whip / Rover positions, attacking style of play, and multiple coverages remain the same. Oh, and there are diagrams, so many pretty diagrams.
In 2010 we saw what is likely becoming the third iteration of Foster's defense. The first being what was documented at the AFCA in '99. The second version, the defense we've been running for around the last 8 years, where the speed and, well, spread of spread offenses pushed the Rover from outside linebacker back into the secondary as a full time, albeit with a nose in the backfield, safety. Last season because our Whips had trouble being a true hybrid player, excelling against the run and pass, we had to use Nickel and 3-3-5 looks with different personal packages. In 2011, look for us to use those same packages, but without changing personal. That's where we're headed; utilizing hybrid players in the same base personal to run multiple packages.
If you've been watching Tyrod's journey to play in the NFL on ESPN's "Three for the Show" then you probably got a little irritated and feisty when he learned that Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin wouldn't be able to participate as his receivers for his pro day. At least I did. When he found out that Coale and Boykin had remaining eligibility they intended to keep Andre's Tyrod's coach Roger Theder doubted they'd be able to participate, but was assured they could. So Theder developed a specific script of routes and plays for Tyrod and his two favorite receivers. I bet you know where this is going. The morning of pro day Tyrod was told Coale and Boykin couldn't participate. Rock Carmichael and other graduated defensive backs had to fill in. David Teel of the Daily Press got the explanation from Tech's associate athletic director for football operations John Ballein.
"I did not see the ESPN piece on Tyrod. However, we did have approval through our compliance office for Tyrod to throw to our underclassmen. I received written approval on January 31. I did not know there was an issue until an hour before the workout was to begin.
"I was told by a rep from a NFL team, that due to the lockout, the current members on our team could not participate. He said that it was not that big of an issue from their evaluation standpoint since Tyrod had been to the Shrine Game and the combine.
"I was also told, that if any of our former players who were currently on NFL rosters showed up (which they normally do), the NFL teams would not be permitted to speak with them, even if they were on their team."
But what the NFL team rep told Ballein isn't 100 percent accurate. NCAA and NFL rules have long barred players with eligibility remaining from pro days. The lockout is not germane.
"Since a pro day is essentially a tryout, players with remaining eligibility that wish to retain that eligibility without issue should not participate," said Michael Kelly, the ACC's associate commissioner for football.
NFL spokesman Joel Bussert concurred."I am not familiar with any of the circumstances of Tyrod Taylor's workout or of the ESPN telecast," he said. "But our general rule is that (players) not eligible for the draft cannot be used when NFL clubs are timing and testing a draft-eligible player."
Darryl Slater on Darren Evan's disappointing draft outcome.
"It seemed like there were about at least 20 different teams that were telling me the same thing. I was telling people that [he would get picked], because I actually believed it. And then it didn’t ever happen. That was kind of embarrassing. It almost seemed like I was making it up. I wasn’t, but that’s what it did seem like."
Comments
I like this feature a lot, look forward to more in the future.
Something must be done with the Professor Foster photo from the first link.
It really sucks that Tyrod got (unintentionally) screwed by football management. I wonder what having Coale and Boykin would have meant in terms of draft status for Tyrod. Also sad to see DE back there. Feel for the guy, can't wait for this NFL nonsense to subside so he can become the next Arian Foster.
Good point on DE possibly being next Arian
I hope the best for Darren Evans and was really surprised at some of the running backs ahead of him. I was extremely disappointed when the Ravens took Anthony Allen instead of Evans in the 7th round as it would've re-united the 2 alums and you would think Maryland brass would see a lot of Evans while evaluating Tyrod.
That pic of old school Foster definitely needs the key play photo treatment. The alignment and way the PDF looks kind of looks like something from the 80s but that document I guess was produced in while I was a freshman in highschool. A version of the old 4-4 Bud Foster defense was used at Westfield HS (where I went) and it was also used at Oakton (Cody Grimm) and also I think currently at South County (Ronny VanDyke).
The first thing I did after reading through the PDF was extract that picture. I need to think of something good to do with it. Any thoughts?
That's some pretty good insight on his 4-4 being used around high schools in Virginia. It has to be a tremendous advantage for an undersized or less athletic recruit who's played in a variation of his system in high school competing against a more highly regarded player new to the scheme. Hopefully it leads to Vandyke getting on the field quicker.