After Fu's amazing tweet today, what do you think about the recruiting efforts?
#TBT #Statement17 pic.twitter.com/shCh8QZWWu— Justin Fuente (@CoachFuente) January 19, 2017
Seems like coaches are traveling more, we're involved with more talent late in the game, and maybe the most fun for fans, we're all over twitter with posts from the staff and players who are getting the visits from the staff.
[Mod edit: Embed the Tweet]
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Ask us again in two weeks
The efforts are there. We may not be 100% up to speed but you can see an incredible improvement in terms of visits, social media etc.
It may not be 100% fair to simply wait a few weeks and base all of our judgement on the results (even if those are truly what matter) as Fuente's staff is seemingly doing all the right things. It takes time.
Ultimately, until we've won national championships, Blacksburg suddenly moves to a warm coastline, or we get sudden massive influx of money I think we'll always be a bit hamstrung.
Effort != results.
Effort is amazing this year fo shooooooooo
I'm not a programmer, does that mean effort doesn't equal results?
yourAnswer === true;
if (yourStatement === true)
print "Big"
**I really hope everyone here abides by the "it's the effort that counts" philosophy
Code review comments:
Should be:
/nerd
VT is the only staff I follow, so I don't know if this is exceptional or the same as everyone else these days. Is it an improvement over the previous staff? Most assuredly.
Do you really think the current staff is working any harder than, say, Scott Loefler?
As a staff, it is much better. And clearly Fuente is more present than latter-years-Frank. But the previous staff had some good recruiters (I think Searles is in the Top 10 nationally as a recruiter on 247). I don't remember Loeffler working any harder than Wiles, Shane, Stiney or Searles. Loeffler was a good evaluator, a skill that has been a slight advantage for VT over the years and seems to be an important part of Fuente's staff as well (they have had to had good eye to find players for Memphis).
The previous staff had its limitations, notably Frank at the end of his run, declining win totals and a few guys who weren't good recruiters (I was always surprised that Cornell couldn't do more).
Cornell was extremely disappointing as a recruiter.
And a coach
I think he is good on twitter
That SB ring alone should have pulled in a fair number of recruits.
That's quite the gravitational pull. Must be a huge ring.
From the coaches, it's great. I love what I see. Too much tweeting from the fans though lol. #nevertweetatrecruits
Let me just steal this and say it again for those that maybe still think it's a good idea
Ugh I hate that. The Fuente Football twitter acct is disgusting.
I got into a spat with that account a couple weeks ago. I think you may have favorited one of my tweets to him haha. People that are convinced a tweet will sway a croot are delirious.
There is certainly more face to face engagement. It is difficult to draw conclusions until we see the final results on February 1st.
I will say that the staff has done an excellent job of identifying priorities and using a national rather than state-focused approach to address those priorities. It is a welcome change that started to pay dividends when they landed Phillips and Ford from schools that VT has not traditionally recruited well.
As a wiser man than me once said, "never mistake activity for progress." Jury is out until February 1st.
Phillips is from DeMatha high school, which has a connection to Billy Hite. We've gotten players from there before.
When you say "the staff" do you mean the current staff or the past & present staffs collectively in the last 4 or 5 years? Because your examples of Phillips and Ford are from the class of '14.
IMO, VT's recruiting efforts and approach really changed about 4 or 5 years ago - not coincidentally with the arrivals of Jeff Grimes, Aaron Morehead and everyone's favorite punching bags, Scott Loeffler & Shane Beamer. There was a move toward recognizing a cultural shift in recruits' attitudes about the process, being more aggressive and more regionally focused (and less Virginia focused), and a greater embrace of emerging technologies and support staff possibilities. Yes, the new staff has expanded upon this, but a lot of that is just natural evolution - everybody is doing more of it compared to just five years ago.
One could argue that the old staff may have recognized and accepted the changes a little late, but I don't think the new staff started off behind the curve much and I don't think they're doing anything particularly extraordinary. They're just keeping up with the Joneses.
It's like being impressed with someone because they didn't have an iPhone 3 in 2009 and only had an iPhone 5 in 2012, but now - woo hoo! - they have an iPhone 7 in 2017.
That was around the time when the philosophy got less Virginia/Del Ray Beach with some NC/SC/PA targets mixed in.
Interestingly, when you go back and look at Beamer's first good teams, they had a bunch of contributors from Maryland (George Del Ricco pops to mind), Jersey, Pennsylvania, and even Tennessee (Jim Baron, Corey Moore.) They got away from that a bit in the early 2000s, and it looks like Fuente is getting back to an approach where you identify needs and "fits" and get players that fit the profile. Guys like Kearny, Keene, Debose, even Hooker, are guys who fit an archetype at a need position. They aren't just trying to get "the best athlete" because the best athlete doesn't always fit your system.
Can you explain the prototype that Keane fulfills?
The really tall WR listed as a TE whose height gets mentioned 20 times a game prototype?
I was of the firm belief that when Fuente came in and said he was going to focus on Virginia, it was largely lip service. I believed from the get-go he was going to continue to and expand the focus regionally (and by that, I mean from NJ to Florida with some Midwest and TX thrown in for good measure). With the direction college football recruiting was heading, there was no other option. And that's exactly what he's done.
That's not to say he would or will ignore Virginia. Nor is it to say Virginia wouldn't still result in more recruits than any other single state. There are good players in Virginia. But the need or desire to get 5 or 6 of the top 10 or 12 of the top 25 for the sake of nailing down the Commonwealth would be pointless. There aren't close to enough good players at enough positions in Virginia to achieve and sustain the aspirational goals of the program.
Did I miss the press conference where Fuente said he would only accept LOIs from the state of VA?
Did anyone ever think "focus on Va" ever meant "a roster full of Virginians?" That may have been Franks dream at one point, but nothing more.
The state produces 10-15 high caliber players every year that would fit our system. Those players in theory cost us less in resources and are connected to programs where we have both more background intel and future brand loyalty benefits.
What we are seeing this year and next seems both logical and representative of Fuentes initial recruiting vision.
Also from Maryland - Don't forget about the Fullers, A. Freeman, V. Hebron, all guys who made an impact at the next level
Don't you ever forget about those Fullers!! It does make me sad though, that after CJF wins his 6th or 7th national championship that people may forget about the Fullers.
Seems more involved now then years past .
I am thrilled with the changes. I think the 2018 class will more fully show what this staff is capable of.
I think there is a noticeable difference, but performance is measured by results, and over time.
Our TKP'ers with inside #sauces seem to be in consensus that 2018 will be a really special recruiting year, while being excited about our 2017 finish.
When recruits tweet pics with coaches, I wonder if its the coach's idea or the recruit.
Yes.
I'm sure both. These kids have earned their time in the spotlight, and a lot of them love the attention. So, I'm sure showing pics of how much coaches love and want you is important to them. I also feel the coaches probably also suggest or at least encourage it.
Lets ask Devon Hunter tomorrow.
Why wait? Let's all just tweet him right now. And constantly until he makes his choice. And if he doesn't pick us, let's really let him know how we feel. What could go wrong? /s
What do you think about the recruiting efforts?
I feel like a golden opportunity was missed with this meme
let me correct it for you
what is Skrong, precious?
This is Skrong!
Free Seafood University has always been skrong!
See Urban Dictionary
Devon Hunter is a HOKIE sooo...
Clearly, I'm outta the loop here. I don't follow recruiting all that closely and don't use the Twitter. What exactly is amazing about this tweet? Is this a secret code that Devon Hunter is committed?
Hunter debuted these jerseys with that number last summer before the B@B. It's a direct callback.
Edit with tweet. Notice all the gear stacked in front of the locker in Fuente's tweet was worn in this picture. The gloves, wristbands, bicep sleeves, and calf bands.
Also, the locker number is 120, which is tomorrow's date, which is his commitment day.
Can it be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
I think the best recruiting job ended up in a 10-4 season an appearance in the ACC championship game that we nearly won and in a bowl victory of epic fashion. i'm still one of those people who thinks that the best recruiting tool is winning, and putting guys in the NFL.
Same here.
Keeping last years class intact and then the potential of this class has me really excited. I wish we had more DT's but every offensive position, and every defensive position except DT seem to be looking solid but by signing day maybe even DT will be good. I could care less about stars anymore, on top of our coaches evaluations I look at other schools recruiting 2 star kids like South Florida and Western Kentucky and both of them teams seem to have an eye for talent so if we offer a 2 star kid and those schools have offered chances are he is truly solid.
I really love what Fuente/Foster are doing and Whit is the man for making this happen! Thank God football seasons of 10 or more wins are back in Blacksburg.
One thing that has really stood out to me is the social media presence. It may seem like nothing, but all the new graphics and hashtags are developing a brand. I go on twitter now and I'm constantly seeing recruits tweeting out customized graphics about #Statement17. This is huge. Companies pay insane amounts of money to develop their brand because they know how important it is. Even if the players don't choose us, they sure as hell would have tweeted out dozens of graphics during their recruitment and that will only increase our visibility.
Between this new approach to social media and the youthfulness of our staff, it is clear that VT is finely stepping into the modern world of recruiting.
If I were a coach I would find the whole thing exhausting. Glad the new staff seems to know how to do it.
#ExitLight18 is brilliant. So uniquely VT.
Agreed. Guerry does a hell of a job. But it ends there. One of these days Pete will get his shit together.
I like to look at trajectory.
when Lefty came in he was able to fill some holes. I both appreciate that and was duped by it. he got some kids in that were needed that in turn made me excited for what may come but the trajectory essentially flatlined immediately.
Fuente on the other hand seems to be a master at the long game. I was pleasantly surprised with last year's class, I am eagerly awaiting this year's and I am absolutely on the edge of my seat for upcoming years. You can see 2018 shaping up now, a full cycle before which is amazing. Something I don't remember seeing for a LONG time.
the trajectory is up, clear as day. I think that is the most exciting aspect of it all.
Good point. Not sure if it's because of how pervasive social media is to our every day lives, but in the past you never saw news about upcoming recruiting classes before the cycle was in full swing.
You also didn't see much from the coaches specifically because it was against ncaa regs.
Ok. I knew someone here would point me in the right direction. That makes sense.
Feel like we finally have a staff that is being held accountable for doing their jobs. Recruiting was neglected under the prior regime. Like the effort, but have to close.
/s
Signs point to "improvement".
IT'S LIT, FAM
These efforts, I like them.
And the results!
I like the fact that some former Hokie players are more involved in the process and can only help in recruitment.
It's great to see former players involved. It felt like you rarely saw that before. I even seem to remember a big ordeal a few months back about the administration not reaching out to former players. It looks like that oversight has been cleaned up.
Kam showing up for Devon's announcement was #2 diesel. Expect the Michigan fans are jealous.
I think the renewed energy is/will pay off in more high profile recruits. I think having an exciting offensive system is/will be a significant factor in getting better recruits based on happen for other teams that run one successfully. For me where the jury is really still out is on the other components of recruiting. Are we putting great athletecism above character? I know telling good from bad apples can be hard in recruiting,but I am proud of the effort and usually the results CFB had in recruiting team first, non-work adverse, generally respectful kids to represent VT. We are not UNC, Miami, Lvlle, or half the SEC, and I do not want us to put winning over the key principles that make me proud to be a Hokie. One of the first things I really likes about CJF was his appeared commitment to continuing these principles, and doing it the Right way. I need to see this continue in recruiting before I can give an opinion on he's doing, not just see more stars.
Liking it better by the minute
They're shredding it this year. Have to admit, I did not see this kind of uptick in recruiting quality this quickly.
Stellar. Amazing. On point. Fucking unbelievable!
I think the staff is taking care of business on the recruiting trail like the Old Spice guys takes care of oddor...
Personally, I think our recruiting efforts are horrible.
And I hope they stay this horrible for quite some time. :)
Unparalleled! and it just keeps getting better?
Any news on Dazz? 247 has him at 100% to the good guys?
We are seeing the fruits of a lot of perseverance this weekend. We were dead in the water with Rivers, Becton and Watts this summer. Hunter obviously took an extreme amount of energy. Good stuff.
I think it's alright. Now, if we could do something really cool, like horse riding or let players pick their own numbers, or turn on the lights to Lane Stadium at night... /s
Top notch. Keep it up. I would love to break into a top 10 recruiting class. Would that be the first ever for Tech?
Yeah.
If only they had something really cool, like a horse on a treadmill.