Editor's note: Hokie Wartooth was all over this as my head was buried underneath a remote desktop connection configuring the new server (8 cores, 16 GBs of ram!). HokieHaven.com spoke with Pettit—he lauds Tech, and says he's firm on his commitment. Pettit's versatility on the field is impressive, and so are offers from Harvard and Yale. Brains and physical tools are the ultimate combination in football. Finally, how about the job Jeff Grimes is doing on the recruiting trail? He knew he needed to go out of state to bring in talent, and he is. --Joe
It's official, I'm a Hokie! Just committed to play football for Virginia Tech!— Colt Pettit (@ctpettit72) July 10, 2013
Pettit is a 6'4", 251 lb OL out of Deshler, Ohio recruited by Coach Grimes. He's rated a 3-star recruit by Rivals and 247 Sports.
Considered by some to be an Indiana lean, Pettit chose the Hokies over the Hoosiers and had offers from Western Michigan, Marshall, Illinois, Purdue, Kent St, Ohio, Miami (Ohio), Ball St, Akron, Toledo, and Bowling Green.
Oh, and Air Force, Harvard, and Yale.
He is Grimes' fourth OL commit this season, joining Eric Gallo (6'2", 274), Billy Ray Mitchell (6'3", 288), and Tyrell Smith (6'3", 259)
EDIT: "Yeah, yeah," you say. "That's cool and all, but is this guy any GOOD?" For that, I refer you to French. (SPOILER: Yep.)
Sophomore and Junior Year Highlights are below.
Comments
And he got our name right!!!
I <3 linemen.
I can't wait to see Bucky, Colt and Billy Ray layin' down the hammer. Welcome to Hokie Nation Colt!
Kids love Beams
It's so strange - he's so big and broad, but his face looks so young, and his proportions aren't lanky at all. It makes Beamer look like a Hobbit or Saban or something...
I believe correct grammar is, "Beams and me"
Welcome to the Hokies, Colt! Grimes is doing work!
"I'm done with the visits now," Pettit said. "Yep, I'm one hundred percent Hokie."
Quick observations on Colt:
One, the kid can play both left and right tackle. His high school team flips tackles, so he is always away from the tight end. He is was a first team all state selection. He is 6'4 and growing, and looks like a rock solid 260.
For reasons other than how he fits in the scheme, I absolutely love this recruit. He is utilized on interior trap plays, pulling outside-in. He makes terrific contact and most inportantly HIS FEET KEEP CHOPPING at contact. He gets downhill and dominates opponents and has a ton of pancakes. He also looked outstanding on straight drive blocks. Despite being taller than most of his defenders, he gets underneath their pads and drives them north south. Again, terrific leg drive and great pad level. For good measure, he also throws some nasty chop blocks, which is always a good ace in the hole when scoop blocking on the back side of an inside zone or a stretch play.
Concerns are few, and none stem from what I can see on film. He is a pad blocker, which means he leads with his shoulder pads low and then rolls his hips through and up. That is how I would teach kids to block, but today blocking is taught through arm extension and lateral movement.
He pulls so much that it is hard to determine how he would handle scooping a big three technique going away from the play, which isn't a big concern. We just don't see it on film.
The same issue exists with pass blocking. I am sure he has the physical tools, but there really isn't any footage of him in drop back pass blocking situations. Given how tight he keeps his arms to his body and how well he blocks with his weight over his toes, he could have some challenges getting used to a normal pass blocking technique. Sergio Render had some similar challenges, especially with blitz pick up.
This isn't a "system" recruit, but is a kid who has a ton of potential. If you exclude Wyatt Teller, he is the best Hokie OL recruit in the last two classes based on his high school film. I am really excited about this pick up.
So Wyatt Teller moved to OL? I thought he was a DE?
That's French being optimistic they will move Wyatt to LT (not happening) as he was screaming "Teller to LT" at the recruit night earlier this year in Arlington to Coach Cav.
And that is how you earn a turkey leg! TELLER FOR LT
I actually met Wyatt Teller a couple of days ago by accident. Good guy.
I asked him if he was playing DL or OL. He said Dline, unequivocally. So there's that.
Yep, and that will last until they say "start at left tackle or ride the pine at DL." He is at least two years from getting any action at DE, so we will see. Kid can be a good DL, but he can be an elite OT.
Oh I'm with you on that, dude should be learning blocking schemes and techniques yesterday. It just looks right now like he'll be spending a year at a less then optimal position.
Hopefully his desire to succeed at DE will propel him to put in the necessary work to be a high-motor game changer at that position.
You have piqued my interest now. What makes you think he will be good at LT? Mind sharing (if you haven't already)?
Outstanding feet. Unbelievable reach (his high school coach said he can touch his knees without bending over.) Terrific leading sweeps and screens out in space, and a nasty attitude. Some linemen get pancakes when they block. Teller runs through them and tries to put them through the turf. If his body could carry 280 pounds without diminishing his footwork, he would be every bit as good as Duane Brown, if not better.
That being said, he wants to be a defensive lineman. I think he can be an excellent defensive lineman (he is a bull in a china shop and is very disruptive) but his upside is higher at left tackle.
Thanks! So what do we need to do to convince him to move?
Hookers and blow?
French has three dreams:
1. Teller plays left tackle.
2. Edmunds plays backer.
3. People respect his asinine dessert power rankings.
None are happening.
1) Brown Sugar Pie
2) Reese Cups
3) Cherry Pie
4) Rhubarb Pie
5) Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy
Honorable Mention: 1) NuttyBars (Little Debbie) 2) Girl Scout Tag Along Cookies 3) Blackberry Pie 4) Apple Pie with Granny Smith Apples 5) Flakey Biscuits drizzled in melted cinnamon and creme cheese icing 6) Cherry Cheesecake 7) SusieCues Apple Dumplings 8) Bread Pudding
Tagalongs aren't even the best Girl Scout cookies. Also, way too many pies here.
Woah, woah, woah.... WOAH. You can NEVER have too many pies.
This is the best analysis I have seen here.
I think I may need to test this one out myself. You know, just to make sure.
Joe, watch your mouth on both counts there. Tagalongs are the ONLY girl scout cookie and one can never, ever, ever have too many pies.
Frozen Thin Mints > Samoas & unfrozen Thin Mints > Tagalongs > Whatever they call the lemon ones > Trefoils > Do-Si-Dos
Fact
peanut butter tops them all. everyday all day.
Cake > Pie. The only acceptable dessert pie is chocolate cream.
False
Pie > cake x (cake x cake) x (infinity x infinity) +2
PREACH IT!
If you lump cheesecake into the "cake" category, cake wins hands down.
hmm..., I'm going to have to say any dessert with cheese get's my top vote:
Cheesecake, Cannoli, Carrot Cake (Cream Cheese Icing), anything with marscapone. Not sure if it's a category, or parts of others, but definitely anything with cheese.
i'm gonna go way off the reservation here but salty snacks > sweet snacks any day of the week for my money. y'all keep your diabetes, i'll go with the high blood pressure.
classic nacho cheese doritos at the top of the list btw
Agreed, savory over sweet all day and all night. I'll choose a steak over sweet any day of the week.
All my sweetness come from beer. Malt is my favorite sugar source...
Cobbler > pie > cake.
Obviously, none of the cake people on here have had one of my wife's pies.....and cheesecake is a different category unto itself.
I'd suggest a slight change. Cobbler w ice cream > cake > pie.
Cosign on the cobbler with ice cream. Can't agree with cake over pie though. In my opinion, the only reason cake can even be considered in the dessert debate is because some of them are pound cakes.
Ever had peanut butter melt away cake? Moist chocolate cake with a PB layering and topped with chocolate glaze.... To be had with a glass of milk. I think that is reason enough for the entire cake family to be rated 5*. :-)
Living WAY south of the border here where almost none of French's power desserts are available, I have just one thing to say: You are making me VERY HUNGRY mi gringo amigo.
I'll take one of those Granny Smith apple pies, with a large serving of Pet brand vanilla ice cream. A box of Little Debbies as a chaser would be much appreciated as well.
Oh and btw, you are right French, Teller has more upside on the O-line IMO. The best DE's have great speed and strength, and Teller is probably speed limited. We'll see what happens, maybe DT is where he ends up, but LT would be ideal.
Yep, I downvoted the piss out of that. If those three things happen, we will achieve world peace, economic prosperity, and a national championship.
Is anyone else fucking psyched that we're actively picking up OL men that are starting to fit the mold of an...SEC team?
This is why the Hokies are going to something special again. And quick.
We're a family again.
The offense line shall be known as the Horsemen of the ACCalpyse.
Yes. Yes they will. It will be made so.
His video has more pancakes than IHOP. VT getting their Grimey Hands in the Midwest now. Loving it
who else have we gotten from the midwest?
Darren Evans is the first one that jumps into my head!
Kris Harley
four OL commits - all out of state
And it looks like, according to the VA Top 35 on Rivals, that 3/5 of the OL listed are going out of state, with the remaining going to UVA and being uncommitted, but without a VT offer.
Is that a commentary on the OL in the commonwealth this year? I think that Grimes is looking outside for his type of guys because there aren't any in VA this year!
The Midwest and up north are good breeding grounds for O linemen.
Got to get our Grimey hands up in there
Yeah, but I would have figured the farmlands of VA would be productive, too. Isn't that where we found Jake Grove wrestling steer? Maybe this year is just a lean crop for country strength in VA.
Still not the same. Maybe we don't grow enough GMO corn here in VA.
Can't comment on his style or tape b/c I was never a lineman, but he seems like a good dude on twitter and trying to thank everyone congratulating him. Speaks volumes about the quality of the kid!
don't think it speaks about his character as about how excited he is to be committed to college. looks like a solid prospect though! welcome to hokie nation Cole!
Offensive lineman aren't really the guys you have to be concerned about when it comes to character. Big white guys tend not to be swagger hounds.
Grimes has even stated he wants smart guys with him. I usually hear about OL being extremely protective but not dumb in situations.
After following recruiting for ....errgggghhhh (sadness) close to 15 years now....it takes a while to get used to seeing that list of measureables and getting excited about this OL class. Short and skinny isn't usually what you are looking for.
Then, I remember that Grimes actually knows what he's doing and may be recruiting guys who can actually block. So, i'm going to do a little meditating and chant "Grimes knows...Grimes knows...Grimes knows...." Namaste.
Well dcs7c it certainly beats our old way of recruiting TEs for the OL. After all the TE IS the swiss army knife of football.
I'm excited that we are going out of start and actually recruiting linemen. Plus once Gentry gets ahold of them, they will be hogmollies is no time.
Can you define "hogmollies"? Sounds big, dirty, mean and nasty, but Webster's lacks a reference.
Can't we just leave it unsaid? Let's not spoil it.
Hogmolly: A large individual with a nasty streak whose sole focus is to maul the opposition. Generally found in the American game of football and coached by a Grimes, Jeff.
Those hogmollies will be the tip of the spear for the best offensive line in the ACC.
I may have made that last part (or the whole thing) up, but the linked definition from Horse....on a Treadmill was inaccurate for my taste.
The Hogmollies would be an excellent name for a rock band (nod to Dave Barry).
We need to get bigger and stronger upfront, because we struggle against large NFL type dlineman. I hope Grimes gets us in that direction. Getting us a great offensive line will help us get over the hump.
I'm seriously loving this hire.
#mancrush
#bestolineintheacc
I'm getting all teary eyed.... An emphasis on the O-line, what a beautiful concept!
Brady Taylor is still out there....go get him Grimey!
This was what I was talking about. The one thing I wanted to see in terms of VT recruiting was that moxie to go out and get the recruit you want. Veni, Vidi, Vici. Now, we just need to translate this attitude to the rest of the staff and go get those top-shelf recruits.
5 OL this class? when was the last time we took 5 OL? If nothing else Grimes has made it clear to Coach Beamer that we need more roster spots devoted to OL.
Not sure if we'd had five in one class, at least as far back as the recruiting sites go. I was doing some research after Pettit committed and we've only had one class with four in the past 7 years (I'm pretty sure that's what I found, don't feel like re-looking it up) but we haven't had a class where all OL commits were from out of state.