Roster for Spring Practice has been Updated: http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/
Ekanem is 255. Mook Reynolds and Terrell Edmunds are both listed as safeties. Mihota is again listed as a defensive tackle (not real excited to see that.)
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Settle at 344. I have no problem with that at all
You bastard. I tried to click that so many times.
also, something, something, UVA = priuses.
I actually tried to find the vid but couldn't find anything but this same pic, with the play button embedded... talk about "click bait!"
Such a missed opportunity for Rick rolling...
Adonis listed at Rover. Seems really rhin experience if these postions are a go. I feel good and Clark and Facyson but depth seems inexperienced.
What happened to all the talk of Adonis moving to corner and how firm are all these listings?
I liked Chuck as a safety and Mook as a corner. But the last time I got upset about this, Exum and Bonner switched, and it worked out pretty well.
My preference for spring
Edmunds-Alexander-Reynolds at corner
Clark at rover (much more comfortable around the LOS)
Alleyne at free safety. It is spring. Let safeties be safeties, and let corners be corners. Having two guys with shutdown capability at the corner will cover up a bunch of flaws at safety. And I don't create any plan that counts on Facyson being healthy. I am a huge Brandon Facyson guy. But, he has been hurt almost constantly since the end of his freshman season and was not right down the stretch.
Really need to see D Johnson and Ladler compete at corner for depth. Does Payne get in the mix at safety depth? I get the feeling that with Faycson being out of action Bud is going to be working a patchwork secondary in the fall.
If there's one thing I've learned... Don't ever doubt a Foster defense
Obvious error is TJ Jackson listed at 6'3. Dude is 6'8.
They must think it's the guy from the recruiting class of 1998 (if I recall correctly).
Stroman listed back at wr
No punt return... Never again.
Call me crazy, but I will take him back there %100 of the time. Natural, fluid, fast/quick runner. I think having less than stellar wedge/ blocking may have made him a bit uncertain, if not rattled at times, last year. The kids tough though and that may not be so apparent. Imagine him running like the KR ( I won't state the obvious name) whose been back there since 2012. G Stro might have tried to make too much out of nothing last year. There was just a lot of nothing, unfortunately. Lets see if Shibest is Shi best at what he does next year. Between some fresh protections and a new year, I'm high on G-Stro at PR.... Or whatever position he is at for that matter. MARK IT
You're crazy!!!
Guess I had that one coming! Lol
Hey, you asked for it.
I disagree. If he makes a small adjustment to his game it will improve his yards per return automatically and he consistently fields the ball (doesn't muff or fumble the punt often).
Small adjustment as in running straight in stead of left, right and backwards, correct?
Anywhere but backwards will help him out.
We are paying a ST coordinator $425k. He should be able to make Tim Settle into a PR for that rate.
Well how much were we paying our last ST coordinator? /s
2.6 Million.
I wouldn't put too much stock into the secondary chart at this point. If I recall correctly, we had this same situation/discussion last year and probably the year before. Bud seems to like to get his DBs experience at every secondary position especially with all of the injuries they have been plagued with in recent years. I'm sure things will settle out in a way more like what French proposed by season's start. Stroman's problem, in my opinion, is that he looks too much and thinks too much. If Shibest can get him to find an opening quickly and hit it, Stroman could be special.
Yea the more I looked at it I was thinking the same thing. After all the talk about having our best athletes in the secondary at corner (ie. guys like Adonis) we see not only Adonis still at rover, but also Edmonds 2.0 and Mook moving away from corner. There is no way that none of those guys are at corner come Liberty. It will be interesting to see how this fleshes out.
It also makes me wonder if Ladler could see any playing time at Nickel this year. Given the amount of talent in the secondary it makes we lean towards not so much but we all know that that position has been used as an introductory position for young/inexperienced but highly touted corners quite often in the past.
French any thoughts? I mean I know it's too early to speculate on Ladler but I need to fill the void that is the off season. Also was that style of usage of the Nickel more of a Torrian decision or a Bud decision?
I may be wrong, but I was under the impression that Ladler, coming off the ACL, wouldn't be full tilt this spring.
To me, given what I saw on tape at the end of the year, Alexander and Edmunds are my corners. Mook is my nickel, especially if Stroman's appeal on offense pulls Fuente into flipping him back to O. Facyson... if healthy, I would look at him at free since Bud uses his free in man coverage a bunch anyway.
Chuck Clark should be the rover and should be playing around the LOS. My opinion- will share more about it next week.
Having the DBs playing multiple positions might have been more of a Torrian Gray than Bud Foster thing. The following is from a conversation Foster had with Andrea Adelson in February.
A lot of the players' heights/weights/positions have been updated but a lot of them, haven't. I wouldn't look too closely into this roster update.
Even with that said, my preferred defensive back lineup looks like,
CB- Adonis Alexander
CB- Facyson (if healthy)
Nickel- Mook
FS- Terrell Edmunds
SS- Chuck Clark
Was surprised that Chuck Clark was listed as corner back in latest roster. Andy Bitter's latest articles seemed to indicate he was going to be back at safety again. With more coaches in the backfield it will be interesting to see what determines how the most talented players are divided up. Guess it's a good thing that so many of our players seem flexible. Both Edmunds and Adonis Alexander at rover seems like a waste ... would think they'd both be first string at
some position.
Dont think positions are current. I dont think Mihota move back to DT unless some freshman DE have huge spring. He is a starter going into spring at DE and with Dooley out I just dont see it.
I don't know...I have a feeling the time of releasing of the hound known as Trevon Hill, is finally upon us.
Nobody here is higher on Trevon Hill than me.... but they need a good rotation. Mihota was EXCELLENT versus UVA and Tulsa. There is already depth at defensive tackle. You don't move Mihota inside to be a 2nd string DT when he gives them the excellent big two gap presence on the edge against spread teams. Tulsa ran wild with Nicolas in the game. When Mihota played, Tulsa's run game was non-existant. That wasn't an accident. He and Nigel Williams were better that Dadi and Luther against the run the last two games.
Oh, I'm pumped about Mihota, too, and have been following along with what you have been writing. It's just that Hill is almost like that big present you have let sit there, waiting to open. I love the guy's attitude and confidence - just love it - and I can't wait to see him tear it up.
Put all of this in the "good problem to have" category.
Aaaah...basketball was nice, but here...we...go!
I'm higher on Trevon Hill than you.
Kidding.
(Not kidding I show his tape to people who aren't even football fans)
Stunned me. I thought Mihota was better than Nicolas the last two games.
Maybe they're just getting Mihota some reps at DT. That way they could pull a DT and slide him down, move Edmonds to DE or something like that (when in nickle). Or just getting youngins some reps to develop depth/rotation.
Or...as said below...it's an error.
Mihota is not at DT. Definitely NOT during spring unless there is attrition somehow at DT. IMO
Yea I just read AB's article of the roster updates and he mentions this...
AB's Article Here
I certainly hope that the current weights and positions aren't correct. According to that depth chart, with the exception of Ekanem and Fullwood (262!) our DEs are the same size as our QBs.
That might say more about the size of our QB's more than anything else.
This goes with the point I was making because I doubt that we are alone in up-sizing our QBs. It seems like a trend that bigger, more athletic QBs are becoming the norm. We need to up-size our DEs to keep up.
Did anyone else see that Alston Smith is no longer on the roster? I can't image that is going to sit well with big daddy Bruce...
He graduated and participated in senior day, just like Desmond Frye.
In addition to Alston Smith, a bunch of other would be rising seniors with remaining eligibility are no longer listed on the roster: Drew Burns, Joel Caleb, Josh Eberly, Desmond Frye, Jeremy Haynes, Greg Jones, Charley Meyer, and Jack Willenbrock.
All of these kids were recognized on senior day last November.
Please keep in mind, Bitter relayed a conversation with Foster indicating that Alexander would be at corner, Edmunds at rover, and Reynolds at nickel. Keep in mind, whoever published this roster included all the freshmen (most of which whom won't be enrolling until May or July.) Some of these rosters have had some errors in the past. Let's see what Bud rolls out next week.
French, I'm curious...
I keep hearing talk at the DT position about every guy on the roster not named Sobczak. When I saw him in the spring and in limited action this past season, he is a guy that jumped out at me. He has a very quick first step. Why aren't we hearing about him?
i did hear folks talking up SS during spring but he was available during the season and even with Nigel having a down season he didnt see much time. Dont know whats up but I do know coaches tend to do a little coach speak. Dooley was reported to have made great strides also that didnt translate to the field. The scheme that VT runs also requires consistency and flash plays wont do, too much opportunity for big plays if guys cant consistently do the job. I also think Lewis has a good skill set. DT should be very interesting guys will need to seperate. it is also the nature of the beast fans to be enamored with the shiny car. Folks overwhelmingly want to see what Settle brings.
We will. They are incredibly deep at defensive tackle. They have a returning starter in Baron, a guy who has been named All-ACC before in Williams, an elite talent in Settle, a guy who was very solid as a true freshman in Walker, and a guy who was effective in spot duty with Sobcak. That is depth. Spring will be the competition. I wouldn't be shocked if any of those guys ended up being the opening day starter. For now though, Baron and Williams are the most proven guys, so they will be at the top of the depth chart.
Dzansi is listed and it has been stated he's prepping this Fall so no way this is accurate.
Somehow I didn't know Eddie D'Antuono was as tall as Bucky. Can he catch?
Also, my preferred starting defensive backfield...
Edmunds CB
Facyson or Reynolds CB
Clark SS
Alexander FS
... but what do I know?
Settle & Nigel at starting DT would be unstoppable.
Dont forget Ricky Walker.
and Baron who is no1 DT going into camp
I see Ricky Walker & Steve as back-up next year and Ricky the starter when Nygel graduates.
Believe Nigel and Settle both play same Tackle position
How about the size and length of Fullwood and Houshon Gaines. They are some BIG DEs, and I love it. Also, Xavier Burke TE at 270, that's another BIG boy.
Seems like strength and conditioning is paying off!
Wish Burke was 2 in taller
Tremaine edmunds is one of the biggest linebackers we have ever had! Vince hall played at like 250 something, but can anyone remember having someone playing backer at 6'5" 237??? God I hope he makes a huge jump this year football wise! Hopefully a lot of tipped balls and snuffed out stretch plays. Bigger LBs is kinda cool, I thought bud and torian were just going downsize; run and recruit 8 defensive backs the past few years hahah ( but seriously)
Prefer Mook on CB.
Shegog at LB?
He made that move late last season
Ok so the guy that nobody has talking about so far this off season is Yosh. Last year he was one of the major talking points on TKP during prior to the season due to his freakish athleticism. However as soon as the season gets started he was barely mentioned even after he started getting playing time. Now with the season over I have barely heard his name. I mean I could be crazy but I feel like what he did last year was incredibly impressive. Hear me out.
The guy came in in the Fall as a DE. After getting a try he gets moved to the OL. Now at this point you would imagine that a guy who is roughly 30 lbs underweight and has never played his new position before would need at least a year to begin to get a grasp of the fundamentals enough to even be considered to possibly touch the field. However after working with the OL's for no more than a few months he was finding himself getting serious playing time on what was thought to be a set in stone OL group. Again I may be completely ignorant here but I thought was incredibly impressive.
So with all that said I'm wondering why nobody is talking about him now? I mean if he did that last year I'm just imagining where he could be at this Fall with an entire year of experience and after finally getting up to an appropriate weight.
So am I crazy, or could he really push for even more substantial playing time this year? Even further does he have the potential to be one of the better OL's that we have see at VT in the next year or two? I for one am voting yes. I think he might just be that next breakout guy that nobody is talking about.
If nobody mentions your name as a freshman offensive tackle, you are doing your job well.
This. OLinemen are like officials. No news is good news.
I expect him to be the starting left tackle. I don't know if I can endorse him more than that.
So just from reading comments and not actually clicking on the link I believe we will have a good 2-deep on the DL this year, which is nice. Again it seems like we don't have depth in the secondary which has seemed to be a problem the last 2 years. Maybe an issue of injury and Fuller leaving early but I don't know. We have seemed to have this discussion a lot the past couple of years. Anyhow, ready to see things start shaking out now that practice is starting up.
The big question I believe is will we have a No. 1 at QB coming out of the spring or will it take the fall the finalize that? If it does last into the fall, how many people call for Fuente to be fired (joking....kind of) before his first game because of QB controversy?
Anyhow, more football talk is about to start up.
A few things I noticed on the updated roster:
Both Williams and McKenzie have dropped weight...which DJ Reid found
On the OL, McLaughlin and Plantin dropped some weight among the tackles, but Nijman beefed up to near 3 bills.
Conte is up over 300 and Pettit is closing in, as well. Mitchell is finally up over 280 and at a size where I think he can contribute.
Osterloh gaining 13 pounds is beginning to worry me as I don't know how athletic he can be with his frame at that weight.
Chung and Smith have added some weight amongst the Centers and are now both above 290.
We got some tall D linemen, with 9 topping 6-3, including all 6 Ends. However, the lack of weight is troubling when we have to go up against power teams, although Settle could assuage those fears.
LBs, only 4 greater than 230. I'd be happier if they were in the 240-250 range, but that's just me.
DBU: Tall, big dudes
I don't know if we will have many LBs in the 240-250 range other than a Mike here and there. Foster needs his LBs to run and get sideline to sideline.
Motu agrees
Another indication that this is just a draft and not the finished roster, Footnote #4 applies only to Wade Hansen and Footnote #5 applies only to our favorite, tough-as-nails gunslinger. Both have graduated and exhausted their eligibilities.
4 - Also attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
5 - Also attended Texas Tech University
so you're saying we're bordering on #goACC levels of proofreading? #FTS
Maybe they read Bitter's one year old article in the Cville Daily Regress.