This discussion started on another topic and I think it's one worth discussing on TKP. We have a lot of different people with different priorities and views on the VT Athletic Department and where things could be done to improve it. So where do you think VT needs to spend money to improve or if you think they don't say why? For me I think the priority needs to be on Football and Basketabll followed closely behind by other P5 sports. Id like to see the Merryman upgrades fully funded and put into action, I'd like to see improvements Lane Stadium and Cassell, better bathrooms, better concessions, better branding with Hokie Stone especially the North Bleachers, make them an actual part of the stadium. I'd like to see more staff hired for Hokie visions productions and more money out into media rooms etc to give Tech a quality look in the publics eye when they see it on TV or in print. I'd like to see a few more staffers involved in social media and branding efforts. I'd like to see implements to baseball and softball fields and practice facilities. These items I think could be done if people joins the Hokie Club and got their fellow Hokies to join.
OT: Where would you like to see money spent on VT sports programs?
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I like the question, but there's soooooo many variables/unknowns to consider here.
Personally, upgrades to Lane are low on my list. I'd like minor upgrades to Cassel, especially the lighting, but I like the old school feel & wooden seats.
Things that are important to me include quality staff, budget for recruiting (all sports) and athlete facilities (weight rooms, locker rooms, etc) for all sports. My goals would be to make the following a reality:
Interesting comment. My roommate used to work for Video Department, and now his career is video, photography, directing, editing, etc. He told me that there's a lot of basic production/filming techniques that he's learned since leaving that would make the HokieSports stuff look way more professional. He said 'our videos look like shit' compared to many major athletic departments.
I agree with improved branding - but that's really a school wide effort, not just the athletic department.
Good stuff, I like your three bulleted priorities.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think they just updated the lighting in Cassell in the last couple years. Lighting on the court is pretty good, but not so good in the stands.
If they just updated it, they should ask for the money back. Watching the game tonight in JPJ, you could much more clearly see the court, benches and the crowd. It always looks terrible on TV when we play in Cassell and the camera can't pick up both the crowd and court at the same time.
They updated some of the effects lighting as well as the sound. The upgrade meant that national TV would be more likely to attend and televise programs. Out old lights took up to 15 minutes to boot up IIRC should there be a power blip. New ones are just like the lights in your bathroom.
My roommates's graduation was held in cassel a few years ago. They had a power outage earlier that day, and had to delay walking because it takes over 30 minutes to boot up the lights.
I know the UK entrance in the link below is over kill, but I'd love to leverage the lights to give the basketball team their own unique entrance:
Wrestling and Women's Soccer. National Championship in the next decade from one of the 2 if properly funded.
Hey whatever gets us over the hump, right!?
It's tough to hang your reputation on a single national championship, in bass fishing. Not to disrespect that team, heard they were all real anglers!
Baseball is the next major spending item
The baseball stadium needs to be reworked and there needs to be an actual clubhouse for the players under the stadium. It is a joke that the lockeroom for baseball is the old football lockerooms.
Believe there are plans for this already in the works.
New chairs in Cassell PLEASE. Those wooden seats destroy my back and I'm not even an old fart yet haha. But I realize more people need to show up for games in order for this to happen tho.
When we "striped the Cassell" a couple weeks ago, there was a photo posted with all of the shirts laid out before the game. The stadium looked 100% better with the "colored" chairs, rather than the wood.
I was slightly disappointed with the way that turned out on television. The lighting in Cassell, while improved over the past, was still so dark that it was pretty difficult to make out the striped pattern over the broadcast. I'm sure it looked a lot better in person.
That is in the works and was originally scheduled for this summer, but looks like they are waiting until the reseating the following season to avoid pissing off too many people multiple times.
Our recruiting staff right now pales in comparison to many other programs, especially those who we consider to be our peers. That needs to change. After we finish the renovation of Merryman, we need to pour money into our recruiting staff in football to be on a level playing field with everyone else. If we do that, and start attracting the best players to come to Blacksburg, everything else will take care of itself.
The future of VT begins and ends with how well we do on the recruiting front. Everything we do from here on out needs to be primarily focused on how it impacts our ability to recruit.
What specific staff positions would you like to see?
Look to see what schools like Clemson are doing to fill those roles and copy it.
If I'm not mistaken, someone posted a list in recent weeks of all the recruiting positions Clemson has, and its around 30 positions long.
No, it was 6 long. And ours was 3. And we just added 3 more.
List of Clemson directory just listed directly under football:
Head Coach of Football
Assistant to the Head Football Coach
Administrative Assistant for Football Offense
Administrative Assistant for Football Defense
Administrative Assistant for Football Administration
Recruiting Operations Coordinator
Director of Football Video
Assistant Director of Football Video
Associate Athletic Director of Football Administration
Assistant Athletic Director of Football Player Relations
Assistant Athletic Director of Football Player Development
Director of Football Programs
Director of High School Relations & Player Personnel
Director of Football Recruiting & External Affairs
Coordinator of Football Recruiting Communications
Associate Head Coach of Football/Defensive Tackles Coach
Offensive Line Coach
Co-Offensive Coordinator
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Ends Coach
Assistant Head Coach of Football/Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach
Defensive Backs Coach
Co-Offensive Coordinator
Quarterbacks Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
Assistant for Offensive Player Development
Assistant for Offensive Analysis & Research Development
Assistant for Defensive Analysis and Research Development
Assistant for Special Teams Analysis & Research Development
Assistant for Defensive Player Development
For comparison, Virginia Tech's:
Head Coach
Associate Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers Coach
Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Tackles Coach
Running Backs Coach
Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach
Secondary Coach
Special Teams Coordinator & Tight Ends Coach
Offensive Line Coach
Wide Receivers Coach
Defensive Ends Coach
Senior Director of Football Operations
Director, Football Coaching Video
Director, Football Video and Technology
Director, Player Personnel for Football
Director, High School Relations for Football
Assistant to the Head Coach
Administrative Assistant
Recruiting Assistant
Player Personnel/Recruiting
Edit: When making this list, I noticed that Max Warner (Offensive QC) is not listed on the football directory. Any insight?
These are the lists I was talking about. Thanks!
We just added 2 new recruiting support staff personal, and VT has dramatically increased their support staff since Whit took over
SCHOOL / CONF. / FB RECRUITING $ / %CHANGE '09-'13 / $ PER WIN
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clemson / ACC /$617,524 / 35.9% / $52,702
Florida State / ACC /$425,796 / 50.6% / $34,219
Georgia Tech / ACC /$746,590 / -8.2% / $95,925
Louisville / ACC /$208,778 / -23.8% / $25,176
North Carolina / ACC /$539,392 / 3.2% / $76,074
North Carolina State /ACC /$514,380 / 44.9% / $53,291
Virginia / ACC /$299,730 / -4.2% / $59,604
Virginia Tech /ACC /$353,983 / 98.7% / $30,800
Source: NCAA revenue and expense reports obtained by USA TODAY and Indiana University's National Sports Journalism Center.
By Christopher Schnaars, Jodi Upton, John Kelly and Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY
We're polytech, right? Here are some things, maybe not realistic, maybe not well-targeted, but things:
1) Since we polytech so hard, I think we should have the most advanced in-stadium video capabilities in the country. By that I mean large numbers of high-speed, hi-def cameras so that no replay is ever subject to question. The technology exists, and I think we should pioneer its use in the college game. I'm talking about cameras pointed towards every significant yard line, boundary line, line of scrimmage, on every player from multiple angles all the time (like I said, LOTS of cameras). Never miss anything that happens on the field, ever, and cover it from many angles all the time. Watching or covering a game at Lane Stadium should be the best viewing/replay experience the world of sport has to offer.
2) Which leads into 2. I think we should pioneer the use of these cameras to implement advances in a few areas:
a. Yardage markers. Can we do away with the refs having to walk the chains across the field already?
b. Boundary and goal-line calls. Back in the World Cup, they started using a technology to monitor whether the ball had gone across the goal line or not, and it was awesome. We should do as much as we can to implement this in football.
c. Using many cameras, we'd be able to render 3-D views of the field and every player on it. Transmit this data to another field and project, in holographic form, the entire game on another field. Record it at Lane, project it onto Lane North, or any other field.
#InventTheFuture #Polyteching
That's... ambitious.
I have been wondering when somebody was going to stick a couple of RFID chips in each end of the football and a sensor across the goal line.
I'd like us to retake Duke in the recruiting class standings, for good. These new recruiting assistant positions/logistics coordinators are a start.
I'd like to never be ranked lower than Duke in anything but basketball and academic ratings from now on.
A coaching change, not getting past the 8 win mark since 2011(?), all contributing factors in a down recruiting year for us.
But Duke? Aside from a great coach and a good education, it has to be among the worst p5 programs. That is the most pathetic football stadium i've ever been to, outside of Umass. Those are the most pathetic football fans I've ever sat near, outside of Umass. And duke has to have among the lowest attendance rates, again outside of Umass, even when their team was ranked!
All in all, I hate Duke, especially when we lose in sports that matter. I'd like the money everybody else is donating to fix this.
would have to agree. it looked like one big toilet bowl from where i sat.
Times are changing for Duke, their renovated stadium will bring them into the modern age.
Now they just need to get fans
Incoming frivolous lawsuit from Ohio State?
But is the visitor locker room going to be less than a three minute walk away? I can remember halftime and watching the team walk and walk and walk to the locker room. Then they had to break from locker room three minutes earlier than they normally do to get back for the second half.
I think they finished before the start of last season. We may not have seen it since Duke came to the Burg.
I almost brought up Charlottesville, but I noticed you specified football fans/stadium. Very wise to exclude the 'hoos from the discussion.
I was going to suggest referees/umpires. Also, Fuller-cloning.
I would love to see our in house production capabilities get to the point where we can have ESPN3 level or better production and ability to watch the vast majority of VT sports on an in-house internet feed. Not sure how the licensing stuff vs an ACC network would work out, but when there is crap on TV I would like to be able to watch VT wrestling, baseball, track and field, tennis, and maybe even some golf or softball, on my TV though the screen mirror function on the apple laptop. Sell the freak out of adds for revenue to pay for it, but promote these programs and let me watch it.
They have that capability now for wrestling, volleyball, baseball/softball and basketball. What doesn't get aired on ESPN3 is usually on the hokiesxtra app. Golf would probably be the hardest sport to add since not many matches are played at Pete Dye and other various factors.
Football is the one sport that I truly care about, although basketball is also on my radar. From a purely "what I care about" standpoint, as much funding to football and basketball as possible once the other teams have the funding that they need. This includes anything to improve the experience and Lane and Cassell.
I think football is really important to the virginia tech community so they should spend some money on the football program.
Since baseball is being taken care of, I want to see the soccer complex redone. Bleachers are only acceptable for high school teams. Move the soccer field to the old band practice field and give it professional stands. This will clear room for more football practice fields. Also, those fields are surrounded by chain-link fence. Get some Hokie stone fencing. It wouldn't cost a ton and would greatly improve the appearance outside Lane
I absolutely agree, especially since our women's team is becoming a powerhouse. Thompson Field looks like a DII field in comparison to some other soccer/lacrosse facilities across the ACC.
Is there really a huge need for more football practice fields? I would think that the full outdoor practice field and indoor facility can be used simultaneously and not have a huge need for more space. Plus, I would think that the coaching staff would prefer to be in one condensed space and having another field across Beamer Way probably isn't the best solution.
I do agree that the soccer facilities could use an upgrade, though I think the location is perfect. I believe that moving any of the athletic fields further away from the residential core of campus would be a mistake. For club teams and rec fields though, the location on Research Center Drive works well.
In a perfect (yet expensive!) world, I would tie improvements to Thompson Field, Rector Field House and the Johnson-Miller Track Complex together so that each facility functions to its max potential. I envision it like this:
1. Push the soccer field south slightly in order to add seating at both ends of the field (with the current east stands being revamped to be continuous with north/south stands). With McComas on the west, the field would feel hemmed in on all 4 sides. That would be a fairly unique atmosphere within college soccer stadiums. Also, by keeping Thompson Field in roughly the same spot, the soccer and lacrosse teams can keep their practice fields.
2. While the track in Rector Field House is top notch, spectator seating is lacking. While it doesn't need a huge amount of seating, adding it would make Blacksburg a great location in the Mid Atlantic region for larger indoor track meets (or even reach into Tennessee). Ideally, an expansion of the Field House could also connect to the south end of a renovated Thompson Field and provide locker room space for the soccer teams.
3. The Johnson-Miller Track Complex has one of the finest track surfaces in the country. Like Rector Field House though, permanent spectator seating could be improved to make it a premier track & field destination in the region. Right now, spectators can sit on the grassy hill adjacent to the track behind the field house. Since an expansion of the field house or entirely new construction would likely require a greater footprint, a decent portion of the hill may be wiped out. Permanent seating tied into retaining walls would be a good way to maximize the venue and make it a more attractive location for larger meets.
I like your idea for Thompson Field. Having been born and raised in Charlottesville, Klockner Stadium is my only frame of reference for collegiate soccer/lacrosse fields apart from Thompson. They have a huge bleacher section on one side and the south endzone and west side people sit on the hills. I think more bleachers would make Thompson Field more attractive for our women's soccer team, hopefully improve the men's team, and help the lacrosse team.
At this very moment, hiring a world-class DB coach.
KEEPING TORRIAN GRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was about to post the same thing: assistant coaching salaries apparently!
Something, something, something, Defensive Backs.
A hockey rink would look pretty nice on campus.
Agreed, but let's be original and unique by making it a modern day outdoor hockey rink!
Im going to go the reverse route and suggest a sport it would be unwise to invest overly in, that being Women's Basketball.
While a marginal increase can probably get us into the middle 50% of the ACC, anything more than that would be a waste.
There are about a dozen schools to be taken seriously in the sport and anyone else winning a title would be decades and millions spent in frustration as of now, and then there is UCONN towering over them all on a 58 game win streak.
I think that is why Dennis has had such a long leash, but I think Whit is starting to look into with the way ACC play is going. With the shenanigans currently going on in the ACC, there is no reason we couldn't have a team in the top half of the ACC. Obviously national title is a pipe dream, but competing in the ACC and making the NCAAs and WNIT should be the goal like when Bonnie was here.
I think we should spend some money attracting a great swim coach who can attract and retain the top swimmers. While Coach Skinner has had success with some of his swimmers, I have also heard some negative feedback about him in terms of handling scholarships and personnel. We've been good at swimming but not great. If we want to be a top team, we need a coach who can retain the top swimmers he attracts. In the past few years, we have lost both Joe Bonk (our top sprinter) and Jan Switkowski (ACC champion when he swam for us and a key component of some of our NCAA relays) to NC State and Florida, respectively. Bonk most likely moved because our former sprint coach is now NC State's head coach (Braden Holloway). Holloway has transformed NC State's program into a national power, and I only hope we can find someone who can do the same for us. Of course, this is probably last on Whit's list because our men have managed to do relatively well on the ACC level the past couple years with top 3 finishes. I'm just not sure how long the success will last and if we will ever be able to compete with NC State with the current coaching situation.
(Note: The negative feedback is from only a few people, so it could be that only those people felt mistreated. However, the attrition of some of best swimmers is not a good sign regardless)
I must agree, it is concerning that two talented swimmers transferred from our program. Both seem to be having success, which can say whatever you want about their development at Virginia Tech. And what Braden Holloway has done at NC State is noting short of amazing, more so if you know about the sport of college swimming. Their rapid rise is unprecedented. (BTW, he coached the distance group at VT and does not coach sprinters at NC State, Todd Desorbo coaches sprinters there.)
Without a doubt, if you invest more money, you may see better results in the pool. Perusing through Hokiesports, I made these observations.
1. Both men and women finished top-3 at ACCs last season, the only team to place both squads top 3.
2. Two men won individual ACC titles last season, among multiple All-American performances for both men and women.
3. Both teams hold a GPA above 3.0
4. A current swimmer, Brandon Fiala, was selected as one of 15 representatives for all NCAA student-athletes (an amazing accomplishment that all Hokie fans should know about) (http://www.hokiesports.com/swimming/recaps/20160129aaa.html)
Just a few notes, but may be some of the reasons that Whit isn't making changes. Success in competition and in other facets seem to matter to Whit, and the program seems to have a healthy balance. In the world of Olympic sports, you'd be hard-pressed to find an AD who will fire a coach that has been there for over 15 years, has brought them from the basement to consistent national rankings, and whose team gets in done in the classroom and many other areas.
I definitely agree with you along those lines. There is no way Whit would make a change at this point. The attrition and the negative comments I have heard could very well be anecdotal and exceptions to the norm. But, it will be interesting to see if we can maintain that success in the next couple years. I really hope we are able to recruit and develop great swimmers who can keep us as ACC championship contenders!
I agree, I hope we maintain. Sports are cyclical if you aren't a historical powerhouse. Possibly our best coach, Dresser, probably has more ex-athletes who hate him than love him. But he puts out a good product and runs a great program. The man knows he can't please all, but he builds good people who know how to beat the hell out of their opponents.
Something I found out at the baseball night if anyone is interested is that the plans for a new basbeall stadium have already been made and Babcock has unofficially approved them. The renovation will leave the field but change the seating to be like an actual stadium with covered seating. A much needed clubhouse for the team will go under the practice facility which is down the left field side of English field. The estimated cost is $20 million.
Weekly reminder to join the the Hokie Club.
Do you know if they have released the designs of the renovations? I'd love to see what it would look like.
I don't think they will be released until the project becomes official and the fundraising efforts begin.
I'm never going to miss a good opportunity to beat this drum.
...to join the Ohio State fencing team?
Suppose I could have found a picture of a non-NCAA affiliated fencing salle...
Could have men's and women's right? To keep Title 9 balance.
Fun fact:
I was told by VTFC's current faculty adviser that several years prior to my freshman year the fencing club was approached by the athletic department about the possibility and feasibility of starting a varsity women's fencing program at Tech. The club voted no on it, citing the preservation of "club culture". "Club culture" at that time was essentially being a drinking club with a fencing problem. I doubt that was the only reason it didn't go through, but I hold that era of club alumni in strong contempt to this day.
Starting a women's program first is how it's done in fencing nowadays. It's hard to justify the addition of two new sports, so adding women's first is the go-to for new NCAA programs. I'd really like to have an opportunity to get in Whit's ear about this a few years down the road because fencers (generally) make fantastic students, and we would be able to recruit VA uncontested. Bringing a new fencing program into the ACC is also a little more appealing now with the addition of the ACC fencing championships, which will be broadcast on ESPN3 this year.
If I understand it correctly, that's not how Title IX works. Title IX seeks to balance all opportunities, meaning scholarships. And football takes up 85 men's scholarships. To make up for football, there is significant imbalance between scholarships for similar sports. Women's golf probably has 10 girls on full rides whereas Men's golf probably has 3 boys on full rides and 8 boys on half rides.
To start a fencing team, they would want to give a full team of full ride to the women with some partials to the men.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's my understanding of how Title IX impacts college scholarships.
this, but its a little more involved. The D1 limits for scholarships are listed here, both mens and womens:
http://www.scholarshipstats.com/ncaalimits.html
Youll see that it is typically skewed towards more women's scholarships than mens, but there is football to make up for. Also not the Head-count vs partial scholarship sports.
Also, the NCAA evaluates "emerging sport status". Though not directly linked to title IX, emerging sport status is closely related to scholarship opportunity. Since women's wrestling is not big enough, there are no scholarships for females wrestlers counting towards title IX limits.