I don't know what's sadder, how far away 2022 is in terms of football scheduling or how soon it is, meaning I'm getting old. In my mind, I still feel like we just broke in to the 2000's.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Still crazy how Moss ended up at Marshall of all places. Seems like for a 5-year span, Marshall was producing a Heisman caliber player every year. Moss, Pennington, and Leftwich.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Don't forget Ahmad Bradshaw. Could be seen as a lesson in successfully recruiting your area. Moss of course went to FSU first, but he was a West Virginia native. Leftwich from DC, Pennington from Knoxville TN, and Bradshaw from Bluefield, Virginia. Marshall's recruiters obviously put in some work at home.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
IIRC Bradshaw was originally at UVA and had legal troubles and Moss originally was going to go to ND got in trouble, went to FSU got in more trouble and then ended up at Marshall. I think Marshall does a good job at evaluating trouble talent and since its not a major university in a major conference it can take more chances. Moss definitely turned it around and has been an upstanding guy doing lots of things in his community in WV.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Yep Ahmad Bradshaw was a Wahoo first. He was a top-10 recruit in VA, made it to campus for the Hoos and then got kicked off the team by Groh before practices even started because of an arrest. There was a lot of arrests/dismissals during those offeasons for Groh, it got bad. Remember J'Courtney Williams, 4-star linebacker, who had several arrests and eventually got charged with credit card fraud? That same season there was Mike brown who was charged with a bunch of felonies. All of this was around the same time as the Peter Lalich saga....wow Peter Lalich. Anyway, I don't know what made me think of all that, but I had met J'Courtney because he's from my home town and honestly is a smart guy. He ended up having a lot to say about UVA after he left. He told some stellar Pete Lalich stories, and actually said he honestly believes UVA doesn't have the culture on campus to be as successful in football and he realized it as soon as he got there. Sorry, went way off OT but those were some interesting years...
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Randy and I played against each other in football, basketball and baseball in high school. He was better at basketball back then than he was at football, it helped that he had Jason Williams, as his starting point guard. They were a deadly duo on the floor. We only managed to beat them once in seven games. Also, try picturing Randy Moss as a center fielder on a baseball field. It was something special to see. He also was a track guy at least once that I recall.
Randy lost his scholarship to Notre Dame after beating up a couple rascist guys that were messing with one of his close friends and also had beaten up his little brother at one point. The problem was it happened after Moss turned 18, so he was charged with a Felony assault of a minor which got reduced to a misdemeanor. At FSU, it was marijuana that got him in trouble, it wasnt the pot as much as it violated his probation stemming from the fight. Marshall gave him a chance and it didnt hurt that he had a fellow by the name of Chad Pennington throwing him the football at Marshall.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
It's unfortunate that DuPont doesn't exist anymore. The school that was a result of DuPont's consolidation with East Bank (Riverside) isn't very competitive in any sports now.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Yeah haven't kept up much with changes to WV high school sports since leaving the state after graduation. My parents moved back to NOVA after my dad's retirement from the Army so the reasons for going back were limited after awhile. Surprised to hear that anything could impact the athletic talent level that came out of the Dupont area, even if they combined with another school. Makes me think they must have lost some of the coaching experience. I think when Randy was there, the football coach at Dupont had been there since the Ice Age. I know my old high school coach is still coaching at University High, so he has to be getting close to 30 years as the UHS head coach.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
I live in WV and when their fans aren't bashing on Pittsburgh or VT, they're constantly reminding Marshall fans of how Marshall has never beaten them. WVU didn't play them after 1997 so they missed out on Pennington's best year(s), and didn't pick them up again till 2006, when Leftwich was long gone. Then, they dropped them again in 2013, right before Rakeem Cato and Marshall became a regular 12-win team and WVU went 4-8. Very typical of them.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Pennington was only Heisman considerable because he was throwing to Moss. If he hadn't had him, I think he would have looked like the slightly above average quarterback he really was.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Lets not compare Chad Pennington to the bust that is Johnny Alcohol. I am not Pennington's biggest fan but consider that he had a 10 year career (12 if you count comeback attempts in 2011 and 2012), eight of them as the starter coming into a season and if it wasnt for injuries plaguing him throughout his career, he may have played longer. The man was tough though, still trying to play football after four surgeries to his throwing shoulder, an ACL tear, a dislocated hand/wrist and a litany of other injuries. Surprisingly, his career QBR is 90.1, thats 13th all time among quarterbacks. He even finished second in MVP voting in 2008, behind Peyton Manning for leading the Dolphins to an 11-5 record. The man could play the game, even when he wasnt throwing to Randy, he just couldnt stay healthy.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Both y'all have good points. As much as I don't like Johnny Alcohol, he did do some great things at aTm, but his greatest plays were always 'scramble around and then throw a hail mary to Evans', and Evans truly was dominant at his position in college.
Pennington was above average and did have a nice long career, nothing wrong with that.
My only contention is that he wouldn't have been in the Heisman conversation had it not been for Moss.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
There aren't many quarterbacks that gain Heisman consideration without having at least one go to guy unless they are the running type that scores a lot of TDs on the ground but I understand your point. Just didn't want Pennington compared to Manziel at the pro level. There is no comparison at this point and wont be unless Alcohol can turn it off and convince someone else to give him a chance and he puts that chance to ultimate use. Cant imagine he is going to survive the regime change in Cleveland this offseason.
Log in or register to post comments about the Virginia Tech Hokies
Comments
will we even play him in his entire career there (short of the ACCCG)?
Nope. 2022 is our next meeting. Awesome, huh?
I don't know what's sadder, how far away 2022 is in terms of football scheduling or how soon it is, meaning I'm getting old. In my mind, I still feel like we just broke in to the 2000's.
2020 is closer than 2010, time flies...
And 2030 is closer than 2000. Oi.
Hopefully he will be as good as his dad. ...we'll likely never play him and it'd be fun to see a rising legend.
I wonder if it's too late for coach Fuente to change Moss mind. VT will need TE when Bucky heads to the NFL.
We never even offered him according to 247. Why would he even try at this late date?
How is Randy Moss old enough to have a son committing to college? Feels like he just retired
His oldest daughter is a senior in college and plays basketball for Thomas More College (was at Florida first).
Talk about feeling old. Seems to me like just yesterday he was still at Marshall.
Still crazy how Moss ended up at Marshall of all places. Seems like for a 5-year span, Marshall was producing a Heisman caliber player every year. Moss, Pennington, and Leftwich.
Don't forget Ahmad Bradshaw. Could be seen as a lesson in successfully recruiting your area. Moss of course went to FSU first, but he was a West Virginia native. Leftwich from DC, Pennington from Knoxville TN, and Bradshaw from Bluefield, Virginia. Marshall's recruiters obviously put in some work at home.
IIRC Bradshaw was originally at UVA and had legal troubles and Moss originally was going to go to ND got in trouble, went to FSU got in more trouble and then ended up at Marshall. I think Marshall does a good job at evaluating trouble talent and since its not a major university in a major conference it can take more chances. Moss definitely turned it around and has been an upstanding guy doing lots of things in his community in WV.
Agreed on all points. Moss is a pretty darn good football analyst as well, and entertaining.
Yep Ahmad Bradshaw was a Wahoo first. He was a top-10 recruit in VA, made it to campus for the Hoos and then got kicked off the team by Groh before practices even started because of an arrest. There was a lot of arrests/dismissals during those offeasons for Groh, it got bad. Remember J'Courtney Williams, 4-star linebacker, who had several arrests and eventually got charged with credit card fraud? That same season there was Mike brown who was charged with a bunch of felonies. All of this was around the same time as the Peter Lalich saga....wow Peter Lalich. Anyway, I don't know what made me think of all that, but I had met J'Courtney because he's from my home town and honestly is a smart guy. He ended up having a lot to say about UVA after he left. He told some stellar Pete Lalich stories, and actually said he honestly believes UVA doesn't have the culture on campus to be as successful in football and he realized it as soon as he got there. Sorry, went way off OT but those were some interesting years...
Heh, I've known Pete since elementary school. I'm sure I'd believe most of those stories
Randy and I played against each other in football, basketball and baseball in high school. He was better at basketball back then than he was at football, it helped that he had Jason Williams, as his starting point guard. They were a deadly duo on the floor. We only managed to beat them once in seven games. Also, try picturing Randy Moss as a center fielder on a baseball field. It was something special to see. He also was a track guy at least once that I recall.
Randy lost his scholarship to Notre Dame after beating up a couple rascist guys that were messing with one of his close friends and also had beaten up his little brother at one point. The problem was it happened after Moss turned 18, so he was charged with a Felony assault of a minor which got reduced to a misdemeanor. At FSU, it was marijuana that got him in trouble, it wasnt the pot as much as it violated his probation stemming from the fight. Marshall gave him a chance and it didnt hurt that he had a fellow by the name of Chad Pennington throwing him the football at Marshall.
It's unfortunate that DuPont doesn't exist anymore. The school that was a result of DuPont's consolidation with East Bank (Riverside) isn't very competitive in any sports now.
Yeah haven't kept up much with changes to WV high school sports since leaving the state after graduation. My parents moved back to NOVA after my dad's retirement from the Army so the reasons for going back were limited after awhile. Surprised to hear that anything could impact the athletic talent level that came out of the Dupont area, even if they combined with another school. Makes me think they must have lost some of the coaching experience. I think when Randy was there, the football coach at Dupont had been there since the Ice Age. I know my old high school coach is still coaching at University High, so he has to be getting close to 30 years as the UHS head coach.
I live in WV and when their fans aren't bashing on Pittsburgh or VT, they're constantly reminding Marshall fans of how Marshall has never beaten them. WVU didn't play them after 1997 so they missed out on Pennington's best year(s), and didn't pick them up again till 2006, when Leftwich was long gone. Then, they dropped them again in 2013, right before Rakeem Cato and Marshall became a regular 12-win team and WVU went 4-8. Very typical of them.
Pennington was only Heisman considerable because he was throwing to Moss. If he hadn't had him, I think he would have looked like the slightly above average quarterback he really was.
Sounds a lot like a certain Browns (for now) QB with a drinking problem and a pro-bowl level WR down in Tampa.
Lets not compare Chad Pennington to the bust that is Johnny Alcohol. I am not Pennington's biggest fan but consider that he had a 10 year career (12 if you count comeback attempts in 2011 and 2012), eight of them as the starter coming into a season and if it wasnt for injuries plaguing him throughout his career, he may have played longer. The man was tough though, still trying to play football after four surgeries to his throwing shoulder, an ACL tear, a dislocated hand/wrist and a litany of other injuries. Surprisingly, his career QBR is 90.1, thats 13th all time among quarterbacks. He even finished second in MVP voting in 2008, behind Peyton Manning for leading the Dolphins to an 11-5 record. The man could play the game, even when he wasnt throwing to Randy, he just couldnt stay healthy.
Both y'all have good points. As much as I don't like Johnny Alcohol, he did do some great things at aTm, but his greatest plays were always 'scramble around and then throw a hail mary to Evans', and Evans truly was dominant at his position in college.
Pennington was above average and did have a nice long career, nothing wrong with that.
My only contention is that he wouldn't have been in the Heisman conversation had it not been for Moss.
There aren't many quarterbacks that gain Heisman consideration without having at least one go to guy unless they are the running type that scores a lot of TDs on the ground but I understand your point. Just didn't want Pennington compared to Manziel at the pro level. There is no comparison at this point and wont be unless Alcohol can turn it off and convince someone else to give him a chance and he puts that chance to ultimate use. Cant imagine he is going to survive the regime change in Cleveland this offseason.
He only played one year with Moss and that was as a redshirt sophomore. I do agree that Moss elevated his profile.