The 2017 football season is right around the corner, and camp is slated to kickoff this week in Blacksburg. I'm sure there will be plenty of news coming out over the next several weeks, but I wanted to get some discussion going as we head into the start of camp.
The QB battle is the question everyone wants answered, and we have little if any indication on how this thing may play out. General thought is this will come down to Jackson vs Hooker, but I would keep an eye on AJ Bush. He's listed at 6'4" 225 and there is a lot of chatter on other sites that he is a dangerous threat in the running game. If Jackson wins, I still wouldn't be surprised to see some packages for Bush due to his athleticism. The frequency at which we see him may depend on how much the OL improves and the production we can get from our running backs. Or, could Hooker win this thing outright in camp? Looking forward to seeing how this unfolds.
Hokiesports.com will be updating the roster this week, and our Ohio State grad transfer James Clark now has a number (14). I am looking forward to seeing if he can make an immediate impact at receiver. From what I can gather, although the production wasn't there, he was on the field a lot for the Buckeyes the past few seasons. Injuries seemed to have slowed his progress, and honestly that offense wasn't the same after Tom Herman left. It will be interesting to see if he can adjust to our system and finally flash the talent he had coming out of high school. By all indications, he has elite speed.
Let us know what position battles you're looking forward to, give us any #sauces you may have, and any other general discussion on the upcoming season. It's almost here, finally.
Comments
#NoSleepTillAtlanta
What day does fall camp start?
Tomorrow
Anyone going to fan appreciation day?
I'm trying to combine my meet and greet with Fuente and fan appreciation day for that day. How busy was it last yearn terms of parking or hotels?
No idea on hotels, because I stayed with friends.
Parking? We showed up 2 hr early and were the first ones in the lot and first ones in the general public line (though there were hundreds on the field before us because Hokie Kids Club members got in first, along with any and all family happening to accompany one kid...). A few thousand people ended up attending, I'd say. But there will be ample (free) parking all over campus; I wouldn't worry. It's not anywhere close to a gameday environment. I also suspect turnout will be down this year - last year there was all the excitement of Fuente's first year.
So your saying I need to find someone who lives in Blacksburg to stay with?
Every hotel I just looked at online had availability for that weekend. I don't think it's going to be hard to find something in Blacksburg or Christiansburg. If you know for sure you're coming, just book one now; you won't have a problem.
I think the joke was that he was asking for an invitation to stay with you
If Pete Morris gets back to me about Fuente's schedule then I'm there, booked a place with wife's points.
Pete got back to me. I am supposed to meet with Fuente MAYBE Foster if he is around the office and see Merryman baring any emergencies or "other issues" prior to the meet and greet. I have been waiting for this meeting for a long time.
How many can you take with you?
If my kids were older I could bring them but no friends or extended family.
So you're willing to adopt us
Sure, my kids are expected to pay the mortgage, grocery bills, and car payments. You still up for adoption?
what about significant others?
It's extra funny because they were firemen...
Sure but I'm looking for a sugar mommy/daddy, I'll start the bidding at 100,000.
I'm sure VTGM has a couch...
Well, I do, but it's surrounded/covered by boxes...
So it's a fort?
...no...
My dad and me will be there. His third one, my second, we will be bringing full size helmets again this year.
Crowd size may be a little different than last year, your kid has to be a Hokie kids club member to get in early this year. I'm sure that will increase the size of the no kid line.
What did y'all buy to have signed? One big item or several smaller items?
I'm super excited to see how Henri Murphy progresses this season. He showed some flashes last year but, hopefully, he can turn the corner and be that second or third receiver we so desperately need. He seems tailor-made for a Fuente offense.
If he hasn't lost much on speed he will be a tough guy to bring down once the ball is in his hands. That is a big change in one year. Looks like Hilgart is filling in fine for Gentry.
No hate on Gentry but I think we have leveled up with Hilgart
I'm interested to see what the buzz is on some of the guys who redshirted last year and the early enrollees. Feel like now is the time a lot of those guys make their first big jump
I keep wondering about our wide receiver position, and who will fill in behind Cam and C.J.
And then I always remember we have a 4* WR playing for us this year. I think Clark is going to make a huge impact and he's flying wayyyy under the radar.
Patterson is getting a lot of buzz. I'm really, really, really, really excited to see Pimpleton. Think he can have an All-ACC freshman type year. He is THAT dynamic. Murphy showed some good flashes last season. Not to mention Farley. I think we're fine.
Agree. He is a veteran presence (even though a transfer) and should at the very least be a very reliable go-to possession target. With his experience, he isn't a guy who will get butterflies or get blinded by the big stage lights like some Fr can be. Honestly, I expect him to firmly supplant himself as the #2 behind Cam with CJ in the slot.
IMO, our WR options, while young, are pretty darn solid. The playmakers are there, it's just a matter of who is the best and most consistent (and not turnover prone) guy that is going to deliver it being the main concern.
By all accounts from OSU fans he is a track star playing football. He may be a valuable big play guy, but I don't think hes going to be a reliable number 2, especially for possession. Patterson and Kumah are just as likely to get that 2 spot if not more.
I agree, but I think he'll be a big play guy on offense and our coaching staff will utilize him well. OSU's offense wasn't the same after Herman left. I could see a lot of screens and jet sweeps with his speed.
My hesitation for him being a 'big play' guy is injuries. The OSU articles indicate 'that he never really bounced back' from his injury as a Fr. Obv. Cam is the big play guy, and Clark may very well have a few, but I am hard pressed to see him coming in and all of a sudden being an immediate downfield threat that forces to keep a defense honest. His longest reception at OSU went for 12 yds (career stats, 6 for 47yds)...It seems as if both our opinions are just hopeful outcomes since he is such an unknown commodity. Honestly, anything he does that doesn't result in a turnover or negative yardage is fine by me. I wouldn't mind one bit to be proven wrong and have the young guys overtake him. That just means the future is that much brighter.
My idea of a big play from him is more that he can turn a simple screen into 20+ yards. I don't think he will be the Ted Ginn type to beat defenses over the top, buy take an underneath screen deep.
Totally different types of players, but I am much more excited about Hazelton next year than Clark this year. Ohio State didn't have great receivers beside Michael Thomas and he couldn't get on the field. Carroll is a safe bet, and Farley, Savoy, and Pimpleton have more wiggle as slot guys than Clark (straight line speed, not much wiggle.)
Love ya French, but the 2015 OSU team had 3 current NFL WRs on it. Not to mention Zeke in the backfield.
In 2016, their leading receiver was a second round draft pick. Their second leading receiver was drafted in the 7th round. So to say they didn't have great receivers is misleading.
I think if he stays healthy, he can get 15-20 catches for us this season. I'm not expecting him to be some sort of revelation, but if he can come in and move the chains once a game and break off a big play with his speed every now and then, he'll be a valuable asset.
"I'm not expecting him to be some sort of revelation, but if he can come in and move the chains once a game and break off a big play with his speed every now and then, he'll be a valuable asset."
This is essentially what I was implying in my original comment as him being a reliable go-to possession guy. He's a veteran presence who hopefully can be a steady target when teams overload on Cam.
Samuel isn't an NFL WR (great measurables, can't get open or catch) and the other is Miller, who had 15 catches for 99 yards last year. I stand by my statement. Thomas was the only legitimate NFL receiving threat on that team, and coincidentally he was the only one that had any kind of impact besides the Miller juke deal in two games.
I didn't see anything from Bush that tells me he will be more than Motley was last year in terms of role. That being said, what was displayed at spring practice was not scheme that he is going to be more successful in. In order to get the feel for Bush, we have to see him running read option oriented plays.
If Bush = Motley, ??? = Evans? Jackson?
Disagree...in order to get a better feel for Bush we have to buy them flowers and take them to dinner...oh wait....never mind..
Right guard- unique because there are three guys with 4+ years in the program competing and one have seen any real chances besides Kyle Chung, who could not hold off Gallo at center when he got the chance. I like Pfaff, but I am not sure if he is the best fit for scheme. Osterloh was pushing Teller at guard and if healthy, may have been an upgrade over Conte last year (better feet.) Teller, Nijman, and Smith are locks, and while Gallo struggled last year it isn't often that a redshirt freshman (Hoyt or Cannon) beats out a two year starter. Right guard will be the intrigue, although I think some bodies will get moved around to crest chemistry and depth.
Gotta Recruit the OL better. Hopefully these guys are hungry and ready to work!
Or we could double down on D-line recruitment and poach players for an O-line of Tellers.
Roster has been updated on Hokiesports.com. Some things that stand out:
DE: Debose at 244 and Porcher at a massive 262. Have to think they see the field this year. Feeling good about DE right now.
DT: Still concerned about depth, but Fullwood at 282, Burke at 282, and Hewitt at 285 is huge. Plus Glaze checking in at 270. A lot of inexperience, but some decent size behind Tim and Ricky.
OL: Everyone expected to be in the starting lineup or in the mix at or over 300lbs.
RB: Jalen Holston coming in at 5'11 219; he could be in the mix for playing time. DJ Reid at 6'1 239 could be our bruiser/short yardage guy if he can finally turn the corner. Showed some promise in the spring game.
Not overly thrilled to see both measured in at 6'1". Debose was listed at 6'2-3/4" and Porcher was listed at 6'3" on 247. We know those numbers are usually embellished, but it still is not good news.
With Porcher being slotted at DT, I wouldn't worry about height. Bud's always seemed to have a 5-11 to 6-1 tackle, usually referred to as a fire hydrant shaped individual.
As far as DeBose is concerned, I remember Coles Colas and Lamar Cobb playing effectively at that height.
Is Kurt Benkert on campus yet?
He's definitely going to be our key to victory against the Hoos. I'm banking on him contributing at least 3 Hokie TDs.
He has to clear waivers!
All the speed, everywhere. This has the potential to be the fastest team we have had in a while.
Besides who wins the QB job, I want to see what they do with Devon Hunter. I don't expect him to redshirt because of how talented he is, but where does he fit in on an already pretty damn good secondary.
Special teams, 2nd string, special packages.
Rover is a wide open spot right now. Terrell Edmunds played rover last year while Chuck Clark played free. Edmunds moved to free this year, so someone will need to step up at rover. Assuming Hunter can pick things up quickly in camp, he's an elite talent and could start immediately.
Am I crazy in thinking I remember Adonis playing some time at safety? Or is he locked in at corner nowadays?
No, you're not crazy. He played Rover in 2015-16 as a freshman before switching to CB last season.
IIRC, he played rover his freshman year before moving to corner.
EDIT: Missed it by 74 seconds!
Perhaps you're remembering:
... or this classic:
... or maybe the one I think of when I think of his future in the NFL:
I just love the stupid Hoo fan in the dress jumping for excitement with her hands up in the second GIF, only to see the pass broken up.
Yeah, that's a classic. She calls a touchdown and is ecstatic when it happens, only it doesn't.
#2 probably saves the bowl streak and extends CFB's career one more game. yuge play from a freshman (right?). Very underrated highlight.
I think he played mostly at nickle and was a backup safety as a Freshman, similar to the path Antone Exum took.
http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/alexander_adonis.html
Could have sworn I remembered him playing in the nickle some, but I'm obviously mistaken on that. By back up I just meant that he was second on the depth chart, though that obviously changed depending on the game and injuries. Going into the OSU game though he was behind Frye at Rover and it's mentioned in Frye's bio that he started against AnOSU, Furman, BC, & You!VA. I don't remember if any of the these instances were related to injuries, but Alexander didn't play against BC and Frye didn't play agaisnt NC State, Miami, and Tulsa. Also neither one started agaisnt UNCheat and Gah Tech. Chuck Clark, Frye, and Alexander are all listed as starter against You!VA, so I'm assuming that either Clark or Alexander played at CB/Nickle at least part of that game.
Hunter will be starting at Rover day 1.
I am excited to see Deablo and Floyd at safety as well. Depth looks pretty good there.
I wouldn't count out Reggie Floyd yet. He's going to have a good career at VT. I wouldn't be surprised to see Floyd start at Rover this year with Edmunds moving into Clark's spot at Free. I expect Hunter to get a lot of snaps none the less.
Qb poll on 247 has all three pretty close at around 33%
Deep philosophical question:
If someone takes a poll and all participants are equally uninformed, does the result matter?
I always am intrigued to see what the fan base "wants", last year at the spring game Evans got a roar compared to Motley, this year the fans seem to all kinda have differing views
I want whoever Fuente and Cornelsen want.
Wasn't last year the Spring Game where Jackson and Click had the best performances (limited playbook and all considered, of course).
That does it, I'm writing in Boaty McBoatface.
Hmmmm, not sure. Maybe you could post a poll to find out?
What I found curious was when I took it this morning was that AJ Bush had the highest number of votes, 1128, compared to Hooker at 1077 and Jackson at 995. This seems to go against most of what I've seen that Jackson and Hooker are the favored frontrunners. Interesting to say the least I guess. Can't wait to see how it plays out.
Those numbers make it look like nobody knows.
Which is what Fuente wants.
Must be Bush's camp stuffing the ballot box. Everybody knows that the fan superlative gets the highest priority weighting in the decision making matrix Fuente is using to determine the week 1 starter.
Russian hacking!
Time to institute a run-off. We'll see how many of Jackson's go to Hooker's, and one of them will beat Bush.
#FAKENEWS
So ready for this, need real sports to be bak
Based off of the recent HokieSports roster update our defensive starters are HUGE. Tons of size, particularly in the defensive backfield.
Coach Hilgart is no joke.
I saw Big Tim is a nice slim 325 too.
I can't wait to see what Settle does on the field after a full year under a real training staff. Guy was a force with a diet of Hostess.
It's gonna get real in there...
I. Absolutely. Love. This. Picture.
Me too, every time the awesome that is Tim Settle is discussed this picture just pops into my mind. He is gonna destroy some OLs, QBs, and RBs this year.
335 forBig Tim. Probably play about 330
My question is who emerges as the emotional leader of the offense? Last year was loaded with guys like Sam, Jerod, Bucky, and even Isaiah to keep the team on the path. Is our favorite Dragon going to take the reigns, or is it Cam, maybe even The Master of Mullets Wyatt Teller?
Huge sunny fan and this is perfect. You deserve a 23% pay raise at work.
Thanks man! If I got paid more at work I'd put more energy into finding high quality sunny pics.
I was going to start my own thread, but figured my season thoughts should probably go here....
Last year I thought we were going to be pretty good and that Evans would come in and be a very good player. We had a great year last year.
Unfortunately, we lost 3-4 of our top guys on offense and there are some big shoes to fill. Can you imagine if Evans, Ford, and Hodges stayed. We'd be getting picks to win the ACC and possibly be a dark horse playoff pick. I think we are going to be very solid this year even with the losses on offense. Here is my breakdown leading into camp.
OFFENSE
As stated above, we lose some big contributors but I think we have some talent to help at WR.
QB: I think it is Jackson's job to lose and I expect him to be the starter this year. He has been around for a while and should know the offense. The kid also has talent. People were very excited about him when he played well in his first spring game. From his Hokiesports bio: "Rated as a 4-star recruit by ESPN Football Recruiting and the 184th player in the 2016 ESPN Top 300 ... Also, ranked as the No. 9 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 4 player in the state by ESPN ... Rivals lists him No. 22 by position and No. 12 overall in the state ... Scout ranks him the best dual-threat quarterback in the state and No. 37 in the country, while 247Sports lists him at No. 20 overall by position and the 20th-best player in the state". The kid isn't a scrub and he should be solid.
WR: A lot of people are concerned about WR with the losses of Ford and Hodges. I think there will be more depth at WR this year than in the previous three years. We know what we're getting with Phillips so I won't spend too much time with him. I have read that the coaches are high on Patterson and he's been through two springs in this offense. The same can be said for Kumah. I expect the two of them to be big contributors this year. Add Carroll and I don't think it looks too bad. Now I think there are 3 wild cards at WR. James Clark. He has world class speed and I could see him doing really well in this offense. Ohio State's offense had not been the same since Herman left. I could see a lot of screens, slants, and jet sweeps with him. 2nd wild card is Farley. The dude is a freak of an athlete, has size, and can stretch the field. He did well against our most seasoned CB (Facyson) in the spring game. Final wild card is Pimpleton. He arrived early and could be really dangerous with the ball in his hands. Oh, there is Murphy also. It sounded like he was having a good spring before getting injured.
RB: It is time for McMillian to get it going. People can say that he didn't get enough touches last year, but there is a reason for it. He wasn't grasping the offense or wasn't blocking well enough. I think he could have a very solid year for us. Personally, I liked the way Peoples ran the ball last year. He isn't a gam breaker, but he seemed very efficient. Wild card: McClease. I don't know what his weight was last year, but he is 5'9" 190 now. That's pretty solid. I think he'll be a great third down back.
TE/HB/FB: Losing Rogers hurts, but I think Dalton Keene will bring more size and athleticism to the position. If anyone saw the post of his before and after after going through S&C, you'd agree. He's 6'4" 240. I'm really excited about what this kid could do this fall. Cunningham was very effective in the red zone last year. I really hope he takes the next step and becomes a "full time" TE.
OL: Everyone would probably agree that the OL needs to get it going and make room for the RBs. The left side of the OL will be fine and I'm thinking that Gallo will have a better year. The right side of the OL will be something to watch. (I don't know a lot about OL, so I'm not going to pretend. I'm stopping here).
DEFENSE
If it stays healthy, this defense could be special.
DL: Walker and Settle are beasts at DT. Hill showed that he can contribute last year, and he'll have to do it consistently this season. Mihota was very solid last season and I expect the same this fall. I'd be curious to know their injury status going into camp. I hope they're full go. Depth is going to be an issue. Who are the backups at DT? Settle has never been a full time starter before and he's going to need to be rotated out. There are FIVE DTs on the roster. Fullwood, Hewitt, and Taylor are the backups. Fullwood and Hewitt are the two closest to 300 lbs. There are a lot of DEs, but the experience level drops quickly. Garrett and Proctor are in the 220 lb region and probably need a year to S&C to gain a good 20 lbs. Gaines will probably be a #2 and I'm thinking that Debose or Porcher could be the other. What are the thoughts on Belmar and Minor at DE?
LB: SOLID. Motu took a big step last year. The dude just has a nose for the football. Edmunds is a freak (6'5" 250) that can move. Add Shegog or Mook and I like it.
Secondary: Alexander, Stroman, Facyson. No need to go any further. Edmunds added some muscle and will be the leader of the defense. Will Devon Hunter start or will Floyd get the spot? I think that is going to be the most interesting story on defense along with DL depth.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Slye. He can be a real weapon. I'd just like to see him be more accurate from outside of 40 yards. We're going to need him to be.
P: Bradburn. Aussies are very relaxed ("No worries") and I think he could be solid for us. Australia is rolling out punters and I'm excited to see what he does. Depth is an issue because he is the only P listed on the roster.
PR: Stroman. He's dangerous on PR and should be this year. Backups for him? Hunter? Murphy? Clark?
KR: Murphy gave the KR a shot in the arm last year and I'm excited about him returning in the fall. I'd like to see Clark back there with him. Two guys with elite speed returning kickoffs would be great to see.
FINAL THOUGHTS: There is a lot of talent on this team with some depth concerns in a couple of areas. The right side of the OL is going to be key for the offense. I'm really not that worried about the skill positions. I see us going 9-3 (Clemson will be tough and the stretch of Duke, @ Miami, @ GT, and Pitt will be difficult to go 4-0).
You have to think Burke is going to contribute to depth at DT considering he's up to 282. I don't know what to think of Taylor. He's way light for DT at 256, but does he have the speed/twitch needed for DE?
If we can stay relatively healthy, this could be a great defense. One of the biggest things I noted rewatching the Clemson game was that we needed more mass and speed overall on D. It looks like everyone has made leaps and bounds in the strength and conditioning program, so this is very encouraging. Even most of the freshmen are coming into camp at great weights.
I also think we are going to be just fine on offense. Although we lose great production and experience with Ford/Hodges, I think the WR corps overall will be much better with great depth this year. A lot more speed and potential homerun hitters there as well.
I think Mook is going to be worth a lot more than a shared sentence when this season gets started. Towards the end of last season that guy was making plays all over the place.
And I could always go for more MOOOOOOK chants.
Are they still doing the Snapchat thing and what is it again
Nothing's been posted in a while, but it was HokiesFB in the spring
Don't know if they're doing it again or not, but the Snapchat handle is HokiesFB
Edit: got me by 17 seconds. Well played Beta.
They've been using Instagram stories a lot as well, which should be the same handle: "HokiesFB".
[deleted - same as above]
thanks fam
Worries- DL depth I think Debose has to play, which means he has to come in ready to play. Wiles needs 4-5 dependable DTs and DEs each. I think right now he has 3 DTs (Walker, Settle, and Mihota if needed) and 3 DEs (Hill, Mihota, Gaines-who I still think is going to be very good) that he trusts. Hewitt, Fullwood, and Burke (who I think will move inside) have to at least get to a level where Wiles can trust one of them to steal 25 percent of the snaps. At defensive end, Belmar and Minor being able to play at a Seth Dooley/Tyrell Wilson level would be enough as long as the starters stay health. Otherwise, Debose better be the monster that I think he can be. That would also allow Garbutt and Proctor a redshirt year.
Right Guard and Center- the Hokies flat out need to be better at the point of attack. Those spots don't have to be monsters. But, they have to stay engaged on blocks and be better getting out in space in front of screens.
Quarterback- Fuente's track record is immaculate, and I liked what I saw from all 3 QBs in the spring in small doses. But, the Hokies desperately need the quarterback position to be more efficient without the unique ability of Ford and Hodges to patch a ton of shortcomings.
Secondary- Lots of folks are talking about the corners being awesome, and healthy they are. But, Stroman and Facyson are coming off injuries. I like Rodgers, but there really isn't other depth around to help and Edmunds is probably too big to play that Chuck Clark emergency corner role. Ladler didn't look like a guy who could go back to corner. I don't know if Hunter could do it, but between he, Floyd, and Deablo, you have three really good athletes who have similar body types and lack experience. One may get some work at corner to help build more depth.
in the case of emergency could you see mook split out wide with shegog taking over whip duties?
Porcher is 20 lbs heavier than DeBose right now. Does Porcher redshirt or does he have the skills and technique like DeBose to contribute this year?
I'm not sure Henry Murphy is getting enough attention. He is obviously fast, and now quite large.
Looking at the size of the DL this year, I almost feel bad for Grier in the first game
Almost
Our DL to Will Grier:
Did you happen to catch that this was on last night?
The left side of the OL is looking solid. Nijman checking in at 6'7" 320 and Teller at 6'5" 315.
How far into camp do y'all guess the true 3-way QB battle will last?
For the fans or coaches?
In all honesty, I think Fuente will take it all of the way to the start of WVU game week. He really doesn't have a reason to end it before then. It will probably be worked down to a 2 horse race about 2 weeks in or so but I don't think Fuente would reveal that detail.
Kinda hoping he decides a bit earlier than that, even though I don't expect him to divulge it to anyone outside of the team. You can bet that Grier is taking the lion's share of practice reps in Morgantown, and I'm hoping whoever turns out to be our #1 is in the same situation sooner rather than later.
Does the one and only Will Grier even need reps?
They're for the other guys to get used to his awesomeness.
Fuente gives the #2 basically the same amount of reps as the #1. If he narrows it down to a two horse race in a reasonable amount of time, then it really doesn't matter when he chooses the starter
Probably true. Then it would at least be good to get to that point fairly quickly.
Granted, I think we're going to be okay in the passing game with whatever transpires.
Does this mean Lawson has a chance now?
So we are downvoting Lawson jokes now uh? Cool cool.
I haven't, but that doesn't mean I haven't wanted to
Silly rabbit, trix are for kids!
Longtime lurker, wanted to share some thoughts. 1) From what I am hearing around the program, the offense is much farther along in "rebuilding" than many on this board and others believe them to be. 2) As far as likelihood at QB1 : Josh Jackson - 40%, AJ Bush - 40%, Hendon Hooker - 20%. 3) This will be the most athletic team we have fielded since the early/mid 2000's
1.) How does that relate to last year's offense though? Last year was a drastic improvement over the last 5 or so years already.
Considering production from last year to this year. Obviously you can't replace talent of Ford and athletic ability of Bucky, but our skill guys (as a committee) will be more versatile and have more "big play" potential than what we had.
Why be negative? It is my hope that the coaches did find the talent to replace Ford and Hodges.
#sauces or just personal thoughts and insight gleaned from research? Welcome to TKP!
#saucy
More importantly, where in Lot 8? When I can make it to a game I tailgate with some friends parked on the first row near the L-R HVAC units
This. Guy. Lurks.
Does Seth Dooley lurk? This guy lurks, amirite?
I think point 3 is the big one. We have a lot of talent. We lost a lot of talent and brought in a new crop but it needs polish. Expect growing pains but I think Fuente is still ahead of schedule.
Welcome! Your assessment of the QB race sort of matches the general perception I've been feeling lately. Bush has played his way back into this race, and I think the coaches are probably very enamored with his athleticism. I think Hooker is a great QB and could be a capable starter if needed this year, but his spring game performance was only one small piece of the larger picture the coaches had been seeing all spring. He is still a true freshman, and that's always an uphill battle.
Even if Jackson wins the job, I still think we may end up seeing Bush in certain packages because of his abilities in the run game.
Bud said on signing day that we wouldn't be as experienced this year, but we'd be more talented. This year and the next couple are gonna be all kinds of exciting.
Looks like our D-line depth took a hit.
More of a love tap than a hit, but still not ideal.
Fuente just finished the first press conference of the new season. Bud up next. Nothing earth shattering.
Here's the best news of the day:
https://twitter.com/BilldozerVT/status/892058348274819072
MUST. FIND. WIFI. WHILE. MOVING. IN.
You can have mine.
Definitely the best Billy Berlin video on the internet...
Saw Facyson in a forearm cast today... hopefully just a sprain??
Surgery. He's not a full-go for camp.
http://www.thekeyplay.com/content/2017/july/31/opening-press-conference-...
Well, according to ESPN, the QB battle has been resolved. In their welcome to FB season article, they mention us in one sentence. Here it is (so you don't have to go there).
Obviously, the lack of staff at the worldwide leader has hurt their research capability.
But what happened to Benkert?
It hasn't hurt their round-the-clock coverage of LaVar Ball
via GIPHY
Caught a brief glimpse this morning of Mike and Mike who somehow are never hosting the show anymore these days, and their 45 second segment on the upcoming college football season was showing a montage of FSU/Alabama footage while proceeding to only talk about how Miami was going to win 11 games this year. Horrible production.
Did they say if they're taking bets?
Didn't one of the Mikes leave?
Not yet, but the final episode is set for 11/17
via GIPHY
My favorite part of that article is where we are conspicuously absent:
SO...fuckUVA is not longer a rivalry? good to know they finally called that thing off on account of loluva sucking.
I took this comment to mean that these streaks are in jeopardy of ending. That's not case with loluva.
Also a valid interpretation that I had not previously considered.
Bringing in a student's perspective here. I know that often times a coach's first year is when everyone gets excited because of the unknown, but let me tell you, I feel a much more palpable excitement surrounding this season than last year. I don't know if it's because of the Clemson home game or our tremendous first year success under Fuente, but friends who haven't been to a single game in college before this year are buying season tickets now in anticipation of what 2017 holds in store. I'm so ready.
This is what happens when you win 10 games and take the eventual national champs to the wire on national television, without having nearly the amount of talent that you'd expect from such a team. Beating an SEC team in an epic comeback doesn't hurt, either.
.,.. plus remember that our big "one of the best in the country" QB doesn't enroll until next year.
THIS!!^^^ The pictures of Clemson fans during the ACCCG in utter disbelief just before the game ended was AWESOME!
My gut tells me VT will win this game on Sept 30. I analyze it from other perspectives to temper my gut thoughts and I keep coming back to our defense just making their new QB miserable.
Clemson will also have an amazing defense playing against a new QB in that game.
Won't that be true of both Clemson and VT in that game?
This. If Clemson still had Watson I would give us a very limited shot, but with their QB situation just as shaky as ours, and I truly belief both defenses are about equal, it should lend for a very close and entertaining game.
Keep an eye out for some news regarding a freshman that we were going to count on a lot this year
And not the good kind of news.
Hunter, Farley.... Bradburn or Pimp?
I found a tweet implying something happened to Farley. I don't want to embed since I don't know who it is and they aren't verified
Son of a...this would be a massive blow. We just can't catch a break sometimes.
While this isn't good if true, my first reaction is that I'd rather Farley than Keene. I know Farley showed huge potential on the outside, but I feel like we have plenty of young (inexperienced) wide receivers that can perhaps step into that role. I don't know that we have many players who can fill the H-back role that plays such an important part of the cornfu offense without a major drop off in athleticism.
I'd rather if someone knows something they just share who it's about rather than vaguely tell us to keep an eye out for some news about a freshman we were going to count on and then let us all sit here and panic
Agreed. Right now it looks like we are just doing unsubstantiated Twitter rumors and I don't want this site to go down that road.
some people just like to watch the world burn, i guess.
Gotcha. Hope they're wrong! If not, hope Patterson/Kumah/Pimpleton/Clark are coming along nicely.
Well, this cryptic tweet was posted by Farley this evening
In Fuente I Trust
We have enough talent here that, while this sucks, I fully trust our staff to be able to adjust and compete this year. And if he's out for the year, just means that medical redshirt gets used and we have bought a little more time to completely bolster up the receiving corps.
I heard Farley suffered a non contact knee injury
yeah, doesn't sound good for his availability this season
Farley sounds to be out, in Chris Clarke against UVA fashion.
The optimist in me is saying, you mean we will have Farley, Turner, and Simmons for 4 years together?
Guys....Fuente has a boxing glove on a stick
Dammit, Shane
CJF and Bud in the office drinking beers last night:
Bud: Everyone on TKP is lamenting the lack of footage coming out of camp this year. I wonder what we could do to really send them over the edge?
CJF: Hold my beer...
If it means we never see another Battle at Bristol performance, I'm all for it.
So guess what coach Fuente was using today?
A BOXING GLOVE ON A STICK!!!
https://twitter.com/VT_Football/status/892863534085939201
smh a minute late and not even embedded who is this guy
HokiesFB Snapchat is back up and posted a few videos this morning.
If you're new to Snapchat, here's how to watch the vids:
1. When you see the initial camera page, click the ghost symbol in the upper left corner
2. Click add friend and enter HokiesFB
3. Go back the initial camera page and click the triangle of dots in the bottom right corner.
4. Click the HokiesFB name and enjoy.
I have Snapchat solely for the camp footage. It's worth getting