Being able to draw conclusions is becoming increasingly difficult based on the film that is coming out. Most of the footage comes from agility and individual drills. There is almost no footage of team work or one on one drills.
At one point, we got a shot of AJ Bush with a group of Jalen Holston, Eric Kumah, Sean Savoy, and Zach Hoyt.
Even the quarterbacks were performing in form tackling drills with Coach Foster.
The defensive line was working in the chutes and boy, does Trevon Hill and Ricky Walker look quick getting off the snap and getting his hands on the bag without losing low pad level.
Number two OL group on the sled was LT: TJ Jackson LG: Braxton Pffaf C: Zach Hoyt RG: Kyle Chung RT: DeAndre Plantin. There isn't a shot of the top group, but if Chung and Pffaf are twos, that leaves Osterloh or a young player as the right guard.
All three quarterbacks are shown doing drills taking snaps at different angles and quick repetitions. I am not familiar with this drill, but Bush looked the quickest in the transition from getting the snap to getting the ball up in a throwing position. Again, this is very little to base any kind of evaluation on.
Zion Debose is wearing 35.
Damon Hazelton looks like a physical specimen. Given the news today about Farley, I hate that Hazelton isn't eligible. He has a big frame and looks very smooth running routes. I wish we could see more of Savory, Pimpleton, Keene, Kumah, and Patterson to get a feel as how they are progressing.
Divine Deablo is very quick in his transitions and has a huge wingspan as he comes in to form tackle. He is wearing Kam Chancellor's old #17, and has the makings of a ranging, sure tackling thumper on the back end. The Hokies will have a dilemma as they have three young, big, rangy safeties that are all probably best suited for rover, as Foster likes to use his free safety as over the top man coverage when he sends his nickel into the box, like he did against Arkansas. I believe Deablo was playing free safety in the spring before his injury, so if he gets on the field, watch his man coverage closely. If he can play well in man to man at his size, that would be huge for VT in 2018.
This is major nitpicking, but there were a couple of reps in drills that looked a bit lackluster. Yosh Nijman was going through a footwork drill where the OL holds their helmets up. Instead of having it out and extended, he was kind of laying it against his stomach. I may be reaching, but those are things that a coach will get a little ancy about with a multi-year starter, if for no other reason that it sends a bad message to younger guys that being perfect in the drill doesn't matter. Big Tim also looked a bit slow off the ball in the chutes drill. Walker and Hill beat him off the ball by a wide margin. Dylan Rivers has really nice feet and a heavy shoulder. But, in a form tackling drill, he didn't get his head on the correct side of the runner (head on the outside hip of the ball carrier.) This is nitpicking, and not shocking for early in camp. But, you want to see those veterans excel in drills even when the newcomers struggle a bit.
Sorry for the lack of insight. They just are not putting much out there. There were some still photos of Oklahoma drills, including of one that looked like Nijman was going to match up with Tim Settle. I would have liked to have seen video of that.
Comments
Has Big Tim put his other hand on the ground this camp. I think as much versatility as possible is going t be needed up front. Ricky plays both techniques. They need to be interchangeable
They don't flip. Strength or call determines is both DTs will play a nose, 1 tech, or 3 tech.
Thought ability to play with both hands on ground was one of reasons Ricky got starting nod to replace Williams as starter although he was listed as nose/baron backkup and settle williams backup on depth chart last year.
Love hearing good things about Hill, I hope he's a big-time end rusher this year
hill going to be very good!!
It's going to be all down-Hill for him from here.
Great review for day 3, French!
I'd like to add that from the IG videos, I saw that the Mission BBQ game was strong today.
French,
As to your Dylan Rivers assessment, I wonder if this form of tackling is what he is accustomed to? Many high school coaches are moving that direction because of the things Pete Carroll is pushing (trying to take the head out of tackling).
With that being said, I'd love to hear your take on form tackling and the correct side of the body the head needs to be on. Specifically related Pete Carroll's philosophy of borrowing from Rugby and attacking the inside hip (keeping the head on that side as opposed to going across the body to the outside hip). His defenses in Seattle certainly haven't been less productive as a result of implementing this.
If the runner is running to your right, you put your left shoulder on his (based on your view) right side. Your head and shoulder should form a V on the runner's left hip pad. Rivers first and third reps in the drill were perfect. He seemed rushed and was late on the second rep and his head was on the inside.
Now if someone is running straight at you, you attack the middle of his chest with your head up. But, in lateral pursuit, you run inside out and get your head across. A cutback requires the runner to slow down and you have help on your inside.
Correct traditional definition of tackling.
Rugby tackling is almost completely the opposite.
Yup. This is how you get your face broken (literally) or a concussion in rugby.
My college rugby team did a 6 week tour of England, IIRC playing 11 matches against universities and clubs. We soon had a fan base that followed us around, primarily because we employed a gridiron approach to tackling. We would try to get our head in front of the guy and drive through him. Didn't hurt that the brits were built more like soccer players than football players. We would make a big open field tackle and the crowds would go nuts.
Developed my adoration of beer on that trip.
I took a couple of semi-pro British football players that were visiting the Country to a Tech game about 15 years ago. Their general response was their semi-pro team would have gotten killed by the Tech team. Their TE was 5'-10", 185 or so.
I know its not much but please keep it up. For those of us without IG or SC these are really nice reviews. Even if i could see the pictures and videos youre refencing i wouldn't "see" what you do, so thanks for sharing!
All you need is the internet, no app or account required
Linky Mclinkface
+1 if only for the link's title.
I was able to find it French
So word has gotten out that Bush was working in the media session with the first group. The single clip of an offensive huddle that made it into the social media, he was working in the twos. There is some gamesmanship afoot, and Bush is the only player that has any film publicly available of him working against D1 talent (two Nebraska spring games) for Dana H. and company to digest. Bush may still be the guy, but I think passing game efficiency is going to be so critical that he better be more accurate and quicker with his decision making than I saw on tape and in the spring.
Found this on Ricky Lablue's twitter feed:
JJ to Cam
JJ to Henri Murphy
Hooker to Grimsley
Just think what a TKP reporter could do. We just have to fund it by joining the The Key Players Club.
That Hooker has some zip...
Definitely more arm strength on that throw than JJ had on his throws.
Literally the first thing I thought the second after watching those clips.
You are going to see that second throw (the quick button hook) a ton this year.
Let's hope they're timed a little better. I think even I could have gotten the I no on that throw as long as the receiver had to wait for it.
I think it's time, if not later tonight then a week or 2 and I will take the next step in my relationship with the key play...I have to talk to my wife first =) so excited for this moment, it just feels right to join the key players club!
She said yes, I'M IN THE KEY PLAYERS CLUB! =D
Best "she said yes" EVER!!!
Thanks Hokie family!