Does anyone know what is going on here? Even if there is nothing, VT receives a recruiting grade of, at best, a D considering so many have left their system and not been a good fit for one reason or another (that falls on VT too, btw) I am guessing half our DB recruits over the past few years are no longer on the team. Has to be more than a coincidence at this point. From the outside looking in, you gotta to love Torrian Gray, but just curious.
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Is this your opinion or you have a list of those who have left along with incoming rating? Part of the process is figuring out where people fit, and how well. We've all seen teams just plug in a 4 or 5 star kid and think the raw talent will make up for any shortcomings. This staff has taken diamonds in the rough and helped them become NFL ready studs (Kam Chancellor, Deangelo Hall, etc) up to guys like 5* Macho Harris. The ratings only tell you how well they may be as an athlete in a position(s). Nonetheless, that doesn't always translate into the skillsets or a particular scheme at the college level.
The Secondary is and will be fine. Yea, a guy like Manning is transferring, but only because he couldn't crack the depth chart well enough here and may get what he's looking for elsewhere. Also, you know Kendall Fuller was a top CB, let alone athlete in the nation right?
I'd say you're overreacting a bit. For whatever reason, some guys just haven't worked out. It happens at every position on every team. I'd say our recruiting receives a darn good grade, considering how young our secondary is and how well they've been performing so far. I'll wait until November to really pass judgement though.
I might have not been clear.. nothing about the talent level (DeAngelo was top 2 or 3 recruits in the VA if I recall) they sign kids who don't pan out because they either don't cut it or are not good enough.. there is a pattern of recruiting in the most recent few years where players do not work out, have no idea why.. so you have to wonder about what the hiring folks are doing that is not working.. nothing different than a board who hires a CEO... if he does not work out, fingers get pointed at the Board who hired him.
My question is VT needs to improve and do a better job of determining which of these recruits are actually going to stick at VT and be successful both in the classroom and on the field. Not blaming anyone or pointing fingers but just calling a spade a spade. Many kids have left the program and wanted to see if anyone had any color on why the disconnect between player and coach expectations.
Here is the list (some are whips/safeties and some slated for defensive secondary):
Theron Norman
Jerrodd Williams
Nick Dew
Dominique Patterson
Boye Aromire
James Farrow
Donaldven Manning
Davion Tookes
Honestly, it's tough to blame coaches based on what a youn kid decides to do or how he pans out.
Some kids show up, realize they miss home and don't end up playing well. From what I heard, manning wants to be closer to home. So how is that Grays fault?
Other times, the kid peaked in high school, whiles others haven't. That's why you have kids like Kam.
Then, remember these are still kids. When you were in college, you can't tell me you went to every class, made every right decision, etc.
Besides, the weekend never is only 2-days in school
One thing to consider is how bad our recruiting was for the few years before Shane got here. I think a decent number of the players leaving were recruited during that time period and thus are probably not skilled enough to cut it now.
Here's the problem with only getting 4 and 5 star recruits. They expect to play. If they are not starting in 2 years or so some will walk. Others in the meantime just won't work out. homesick, don't like the campus, etc... lots of reasons.
This is why it is so important for VT coaches to find those recruits that are 2 and 3 stars (even walk-ons! here's looking at you tyler, meyer and, of course, grimm and those before you) that have the talent that has been over looked or is just under the surface ready to come out with good, solid coaching. This is what VT football is all about to me. We pull in the big 5 and 4 stars and surround them with hard working, undiscovered talent looking for a chance.
So I wouldn't be so worried about our secondary recruiting. We attract big recruits to play for us (fuller) and find others that have the overlooked gifts (fayscon).
I hear you on all of this and am sure that is reason Manning left but we are awfully thin at Corner and the overall secondary so it is concerning to me. We have had a ton of misses in recruiting the last few years and why we are so poor at RB, OL, WR right now. I know they have righted this ship in this area w Shane so that is all encouraging for the future but we might have to live through another .500 season. I just dont see how we have the horses to be much better this year.
Keep in mind that they really righted the ship with Grimes and Lefty. Gray and Foster have the horses. Facyson, the Fullers, Kyshoen and Bonner will be a pretty darn good secondary. Offensively, there's really nowhere to go but up, considering how bad we were last year. That said, Loeffler will be an upgrade over O'CainSpring, and Grimes is a heck of an upgrade over that other guy who doesn't deserve to be mentioned by name here. So no, this season might not be another 10-win/BCS-bowl type season, but the future of the program is looking much better than it was in December.
I think you'll find that Tech has one of the best young secondaries in the country this year. Fuller, Facysun, Riley, all three of these can play and they are all very young. If you have two freshmen studs like Fuller and Facysun come in and are ready to contribute, you are doing something right with recruiting.
Everything else is just noise.
I just hope Exum returns when the time is right for him and the team.
Has anyone read this Aaron McFarling story on Facyson? Sounds like an awesome kid. Glad we got him.