By now everyone has heard the news: Tyrod signed a 6 year/90 MILLION DOLLAR contract extension with the Bills.
Virginia Tech/Justin Fuente can now point to: Michael Vick, Tyrod Taylor, Andy Dalton, and 2016 first round pick Paxton Lynch for the QB position alone. That importance of this cannot be understated. Our beloved program and Coach Fuente have built a pretty impressive portfolio of NFL QB talent.
We already have a 4* QB on the books for the 2017 class and another one has already given his pledge for 2018.
What do you guys think? Personally, I think the combination of Tyrod's extension and Coach Fuente's proven ability to develop talent is going to help our offensive recruiting as a whole immensely.
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I'm don't think Fuente can trade much on Tyrod's credit. Tyrod's new contract doesn't hurt, but Fuente had nothing to do with Tyrod's success.
I honestly don't think Fu will have any issues selling his offense to recruits once it gets rolling. It's going to be flashy and light up the scoreboard. That's the pitch.
I get your angle but I think the combination of Tyrod + Fuente is going to help VT in the battle of negative recruiting. I feel like, until now, it was easy for a coach at, say, FSU to say "well, yeah you could go to VT but they haven't done anything offensively in the NFL since Vick..."
Now we can combat that with: Tyrod just got a fat contract and Coach Fuente has a proven track record of developing talent and lighting up the scoreboard.
I agree with your take on this. Fuente isn't reinventing the wheel at VT, just taking over the helm and trying to regain momentum. Tyrod, or any other well regarded player is a product of VT, and VT is still the product. Yes, we all loved Frank, we still love Bud, et al, but Fuente doesn't have to start all over and should absolutely use every card and card trick to advance our purpose. Fuente isn't at Memphis any more. He is the face of VT and owns all the house money that comes with the house.
From your lips to the football gods' ears.
I agree with the second paragraph 100%, however...
If other coaches can trade on the storied history of their program's (Notre Dame, Michigan, Bama, etc) then we should be able to as well. We might not be the same caliber history wise but recent street cred is always good for the "what have you done lately?" crowds.
The aura of Notre Dame and history of Alabama is a more impressive sell than one alumn's NFL contract.
Tyrod was a big part of Virginia Tech's success in the ACC, so Tech will always implicitly sell that. Or maybe a kid grew up in VA and Tyrod was his favorite player. Fuente could benefit there, but that's the limited mileage he'll get.
Fuente can't sell he's responsible for any of Tyrod's success, and the best part is he doesn't have to. Fuente will have much more impressive "what have you done for me lately" pitches — a flashy highly productive offense and Paxton Lynch for starters.
oh for sure, that's absolutely right about history. It may not be Fuente's history but it's VT's and there's no reason not to use it. Hell, I met a kid (12 year old) in LA last June who's favorite player was/is Vick. He's never been to Virginia. Never seen the guy play in person, but he knew he went to the school on my shirt. Tyrod could do that too.
And agree also the Fuente has a lot of QB cred to use.
But recruiting is about using all the tools you have. In absence of storied history, splashy new history (no matter before Fuente or not) is always a good selling point. It ABC
and some recruits like to hear that someone, anyone from the school they are interested just made serious bank.
It's nice to have a Hokie doing well in the NFL and making a name for himself,
especially a QB. Hope this gives us more momentum.
Speaking of Hokie QB's, what's the word on Michael Vick and Logan Thomas? Has Vick been picked up by anyone? Did Logan play and play well this past weekend?
I think Logan is with the Giants, who are playing...[checks watch]...right now.
Yes, it's on now (7:35 PM Eastern). Thanks for that. He's wearing No. 6 if he gets in.
Also look for Ryan Malleck, I think wearing 88, who was getting lots of love in camp.
http://www.thekeyplay.com/content/2016/april/16/2016-professional-footba...
Follow every NFL,CFL and Arena Hokie.
I think Fuente gets cred for the QBs he previously worked with, but his main sales pitch will relate to VT's success on the field. Recruits who like his style of play will sign on with him, and as he builds success with the current QBs, that will help recruiting. Wins are key.
Doesn't hurt VT that Tyrod and others in the NFL have had success, though. The Merryman Center helps highlight previous VT successes, and the success of previous players in the NFL helps sell the program. When Tyrod names "Virginia Tech" as his college, it's good publicity for the school and the program.
Is Tyron the older or younger brother?
/s
He's the cousin!
Cousin of Tyron Mexico
Minimal to none. How is Russell Wilson doing at ramping up NC State's recruiting and he won a Super Bowl. So did Kam I don't think that is really swaying anyone to VT. Either success on the field, or consistent high draft picks, or a combination of the two is your best selling points
Kam may not be swaying people directly to VT, but you can bet he's a large chunk of whatever sales pitch they're using; along with Fullers, Flowers, D. Hall, Macho, Worilds, etc. Brand.
Well, to be fair, NC State and Russell Wilson like to throw each other under the bus.
The Russell Wilson - NCSU thing didn't end very well, so.........
That doesn't mean the current NC State coaching staff couldn't use his name as a selling point to recruits. Except I'm sure they're trying it just isn't as big a selling point to have 1 guy hit it big as it is to have consistently high draft picks and consistently winning teams. Which they don't and currently neither does VT
It also kinda tough when he leaves your school to finish his eligibility at Wisconsin.
Yeah I think he identifies with Wisconsin even though Tom O'B coached both him and (f@ck) Matt Ryan.
I guess my name's not everybody. Did I read that right, 90 million dollars over six years? "Zen wa isoge" the Japanese say. Strike while the iron is hot/if it's worth doing, do it quickly. Excellent, Tyrod. Seems no one wanted to waste any time. This board this past week had me believing that the Bill's would wait to see how his season turned out. Guess the timing was now. Maybe that portends something good for Virginia Tech football.
Go Tyrod!
Go Hokies!
Well the issue now is the "options" the Bills have built into year 2 or 3, which I don't think we've seen yet. So based on this season, 90 could really be 30 (or perhaps less?)
90 million vs 30 million???????
Either one is lifetime money, kid money and grandkids money if invested correctly.
Looks like it may be 9 mil vs. 90, so kid definitely has it rough...
I think Tyrod hosting camps in the 747 will have a bigger impact on recruiting than him getting a lucrative extension. Of course, both in combination are even better.
San Fernando Valley is prime VT recruiting hotbed!
Boeing has a lot of hot talent these days.
Ha. I was about to comment on this but would not have been this clever.
This can only help. Seeing players like Tyrod and MV7 being starting quarterbacks in the league puts the brand in the spotlight, which I think gets the attention of recruits.
If a QB recruit starts looking at VT and finds out that he head coach and OC are responsible for both Andy Dalton and Paxton Lynch, it makes it easy for Fuente to say (and recruits to believe) that not only will they get some of the best QB coaching in the country but they'll also be playing P5 ball at a school with a little history, a chance at championships, and some NFL success.
Might not get us the #1 recruit in the country but it sure does put us in position to pull a few high caliber guys.
That's well put. Having Hokies not just in the NFL but starting and having their names
in the news seems like it would impress recruits.
Then you have Fuente who's developed Dalton, who's starting, and Lynch, who I believe
will start, that's a good combo.
The best way for Tyrod, Kam or any other Hokie in the NFL to help recruiting is to open up the check book and give to the university. We need deep pocket boosters, that's what helps the university's perennially in the top 10.
There are two other things that I think make a difference, and that's returning to VT occasionally, especially on important recruiting weekends, and tweeting commits in their position groups. The former would need coordination the latter would be a minimal inconvenience.
Disagree. Winning superbowls and becoming a known identity nationally is the best thing they could do. Giving only helps year to year. Being known and known for going to Virginia Tech could pay for a lifetime and beyond.
And the idea that our successful athletes is going to make a big difference in our donation stature is a fallacy. What we need is consistent giving at a large value and a larger population from fans and alumni. The few athletes we have making bank giving back is not enough to consistently perform at higher donation levels.
Bingo, we have loyal fans, loyal alumni, but the giving part has been only somewhat loyal. Sands and Babcock hit the reset button, and sure enough some of the perenial givers got upset. It was much needed. We need to compete. And that starts with us, the alumni, the fans, students and players all competing and succeeding.