I know in my film reviews sometimes covering all the things that our community members are interested in just isn't possible. If you have a specific question about anything related to the Duke game that isn't covered in today's film review, I will answer it here.
Possible topics
1) Depth chart
2) Defensive scheme
3) Offensive scheme
4) Line play
5) Technique
6) Deserts
7) Fishing
Forums:
DISCLAIMER: Forum topics may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.
Comments
Which is a better place to catch fish this time of year, Food Lion or Kroger?
I prefer Wegmans. They have had some nice fresh pompano this year.
That wasn't his question (though I myself prefer Martin's). The answer is Kroger. Think about it. Food LYIN. Plus they have that problem with their beef and meat.
4) Line play (probably techique as well) - what is our best blocking scheme/play for the OL talent we have? It looks like we call the majority of our running plays as slow-developing, long-reaching blocking. Would it make more sense to do more quick-hitting plays so the linemen don't have as far to go and have to hold their blocks as long?
6/7) What's the best desert to fish for?
I have thought all along, if Loeffler develops trust in Cline and the receivers to block on the edge, they should be in three wide, one TE or two wide, one tight, one Hback (Rogers) and run zone stretches with play action. I think it spoke to Loeffler's trust level when he was running away from Cline when the Hokies had early success running the stretch play against Duke.Also, Benedict played really well Saturday, but Gibson gives them the ability to seal the end and get that stretch play out wide to the right. McLaughlin did a great job when they went left on Saturday, and Benedict had a real nice effort on one play. We will do a detailed review on the film tomorrow.
7) Best desert to fish for? Well, I love the taste of fresh grilled wahoo with some mango salsa and cuban black beans.
Any idea what Gibson has done to end up on the poo-list with Grimes? I'm still stunned at the thought that we could block Alabama's line effectively but we haven't been able to really run since and I keep coming back to Gibson being out of the primary mix as a reason.
And as a follow-up to the question about run blocking since Alabama, do you think that the element of the unknown played into the run success in that game?
Somewhat, but if you watch the film, the Hokie OL was very aggressive and was moving the Alabama front off the ball. Alabama shut down the veer as the game progressed because they could load the box as result of the ineffective passing game.
the rumor I've seen on various forums is that Gibson doesn't practice well and/or doesn't give acceptable effort in practice.
I am not sure. When comparing Gibson and Benedict head to head against Pitt, I think Gibson was clearly more effective. I can only assess what I see on film.
Benedict had an outstanding game versus Duke, as did the entire offensive line. They looked significantly quicker and more aggressive run blocking, and pass blocking was almost perfect.
An honest/objective ceiling for this team?
I said before the season, with this scheduled they could go anywhere from 11-2 to 8-4. The defense at full strength is national championship caliber, and the team would go as far as the offense takes them. Right now, they just don't have the big plays guys on offense, and no college team can sustain 10-12 play drives without somebody making a mistake. They are college kids. Mistakes will happen. Big plays lower the impact of those mistakes. Fundamentally, they are a much better offensive team than the 2011 team. But, the 2011 team had guys who could go outside of the framework of the offense and make huge plays by "out athlete-ing" our opponents.
Everyone needs to understand. On offense, this is a rebuilding year, and next year will be as well. We won't get a complete look at what a Scot Loeffler offense is until his guys are in place and have experience, which starts in the 2015 season.
On defense, the front seven will get a major overhaul after this year. The strength of the defense will be Facyson and Kendall Fuller. If the Hokies can stop the run, they should be a contender in the Coastal while the offense develops.
Lemon meringue or key lime?
In your opinion, how much of the playcalling would you say is Loeffler trying to be "cute?"
Key lime.
What did you think of the 3rd and 11 playcall/execution early in the game? I haven't watched any replay of it, but at the time I wondered why we went for the endzone instead of yards. If Beamer didn't trust Journell from that distance, why not make it a shorter kick? Or if he viewed it as 4 down territory regardless, why not make it 4th and manageable? I'm mainly curious about the play design: did Logan force a long throw, or were there no shorter routes?
Thanks for doing this French
I need to review the film on that play, but I was surprised that Beamer went for it on fourth down. I am not sure if wind was a factor at that point, but Duke didn't blitz much so it was a long shot that anything would have opened up unless there was a bust by the secondary.
Watched both plays just now (55 seconds in, thanks VTphreak4evr), the 3&11 call wasn't as deep as I remembered, but it was well covered and only had receivers on one side of the field. The 4th&11 play had a wide open Cline on the left (the linebacker barely notices him), but Logan never looked his way. Don't know if this is a good interpretation, but it didn't seem like he was expecting the ball at all so it could just be a decoy route. As a side note, LT had a crazy pocket on both these plays and probably could have held the ball longer, but I don't know what the timing on these routes is supposed to be.
Byrn was open a bit shallower on 3rd and 11, but that is still a long throw. That was one of those plays where you like to see a deeper route in case the defense is in an umbrella zone.
Ugh. Watching those plays is painful. Logan could have taken off for 5-10 yards to the right side on the 3rd and 11 play. At that point we would have a much more manageable 4th down, for either a FG or going for it. On the 4th down play, it looks to me like he locked onto his 1st read (his head doesn't seem to move or look elsewhere) and he tries to force the ball quickly and catch the DBs off guard despite the coverage/positioning of the defenders being excellent for that route. Byrn has 1 on 1 man coverage on a drag route and with only the CB to stop him from getting yards after the catch for a 1st down. Also as you pointed out, if he has even more patience, Kline was going to be wide open as the DB vacated that area to run with Byrn, the S had moved over to help with Knowles, and the LB responsible for Kline was still staring into the backfield as Kline runs by him. There was no pressure either, so no reason to force that throw into double coverage. Missed opportunities for the Hokie offense was the story of the game.
On a scale to 1-10, how much better/worse is the offense from last year? Is there a noticeable difference between Lefty and O'Cainspring?
It is a 8 (better) than last year. Everything is designed much more effectively, even the read option stuff that frustrates me so much. The big weaknesses are:
1) Logan doesn't read the option as well as you need to rely on the read so much
2) Sometimes Loeffler calls plays where all the receivers are in the same area of the field, making them easier to defend.
3) Execution (out of Loeffler's hands)
The reality is, there are a bunch of square pegs in round holes right now. If a team can cover man to man, the Hokies offense is going to struggle. Period.
"in the same area of the field"
are you talking about the triangles? I thought that was supposed to make it harder to defend. If so, is it a coverage mismatch?
Based on glimpses in what we have seen this season, in your opinion, is Lefty's offensive scheme capable of giving as much confidence to Hokie fan's as Bud Foster's Defense does? What is going to need to change in personnel type for Hokie fans to feel good about the new coaching staff and having an offense clicking and giving defenses fits?
Edit: Okay, I'll re state my question since no one will ever be as good as Bud Foster, anywhere. But, what is missing that will really get this offense going? How good will it be, and what will it look like, when/if it is clicking?
It's not fair to compare any coordinator to Bud Foster.
I'll restate my comment. What pieces are missing (or need to improve) to get this offense going?
edit:Now my edit to my previous comment shows up?
1) They need a big play threat who isn't just fast, but who can go up and bail the QB out in the passing game. See Javon Harrison if they can seal the deal there. 2) they need to utilize Trey Edmunds correctly, which means more heavily featured from the ace formation on zone plays 3) This week, I would have Logan looking to throw to Cline on corner routes time and again. Cline could be making a bigger impact, but far to often he appears to be used as a decoy route and he ends up finding himself in very favorable match ups.
you're going to get blown up.
My question is about Dadi. I know we have seen some great plays the past two games but...I am more interested in what he is doing on all the snaps in between. Does he look like a great defensive end or just a physically talented specimen who has managed to be in the right place a few times.
Dadi makes a ton of plays, but he does have a habit of being undisciplined. For example, on the Duke touchdown drive, Anthony Boone got outside of Dadi's contain on a couple of read options. That, with the two penalites, made the drive. Wiles got frustrated and pulled the starting group, and in comes Ken Ekanem, who on que bit on the dive fake, was sealed inside, and Boone walked in for a touchdown.
Dadi is going to be the best player on the defensive front next season, but he has that Lavar Arrington streak in him where he will make great plays, but sometimes get caught out of position. For him to be effective, he will need a really good defensive tackle inside of him next year who can absorb double teams and free Dadi up to create chaos. Between Maddy, Williams, Baron, Harley, and the freshmen, somebody will need to step up who can tie up the middle of the line and prevent teams from baiting Dadi up field and then sneaking plays inside of him.
I've noticed that as well, although I chalked it up to him playing with a lot of emotion. I get nervous when Wiles rotates him in because he always seems to play so aggressively that he loses contain. I realize it's easier said than done, but he needs to learn to channel his intensity without losing sight of his responsibilities. It's almost like he thinks he can make a play every play but doesn't see that his aggressiveness can be exploited. I'd hope that even with a good DT next year he learns to rein it in a little and play within the defense. I also think he borders on unsportsmanlike with some of his actions after the play and hopefully playing more under control will help him clean that up.
I noticed the undisciplined thing more in the Pitt game....he was in the backfield more than the Pitt RB's, but he would charge upfield past the QB, or try to run through the QB instead of breaking down to make the tackle properly on him. He left several sacks on the field because of this.
Considering the remedial lessons he's had to focus on with LT (mechanics, read progression), is it fair to discount this season as an indicator of Loeffler's future success as a VT QB coach? Is there reason for concern moving forward with SL's recruits under center?
I realize that's a leading question. Y'all can deal.
Under center is an interesting term, because for me a big question will be, will the quarterback be under center. I think Loeffler has used Thomas from the gun much more often than under center because Thomas is more comfortable seeing the field from the shotgun. I think Loeffler ultimately would like to run more of the stretch plays and bootlegs, but that requires a quarterback who is quick enough to get to the handoff exchange point and who can threaten the edge on the bootleg while being able to throw accurately on the run.
Logan has almost become too mechanical, as often he seems to be holding off on making throws until he is set properly, which causes him to miss open receivers. Our site owner pointed that out to me and it is a great observation.
Turning the page......Leal vs. Bucky vs. Motley vs. Ford in '14?
Leal will be the starter, with Ford and Motley competing for the backup job in the spring. If Leal doesn't play well, I expect that Ford has more upside than Motley, but Motley was far better than any of the other young QB's in scrimmage work.
Bucky to TE?
Call me out of the loop here, but why do we all thing Ford has the edge over a guy like Bucky Hodges in terms of either beating Leal for the starting job or being the primary backup? I'll admit I don't follow recruiting as closely as I should, but I seem to remember Hodges being a higher rated recruit and has also been around longer?
I'm purely going off the idea that Loeffler didn't recruit Hodges (that's my belief anyway...that could be wrong and I'll welcome anybody to correct me here)
If I'm right and Ford truly is SL's first recruit I think that gives him an edge just because he's the type of QB Loeffler wants in his system. If Hodges wins the job outright, more power to him. I'm trusting the coaches to put the best option out on the field because they all know way more about football than I'll ever know
A couple things. First, Ford is better at throwing a football from point A to point B. The ball just looks better coming out of his hand and he's very accurate. Hodges, on the other hand, has some mechanical issues that were fully on display during the fall. Not saying Bucky doesn't have potential, but Ford is a more polished passer right now.
And to add to this point, Hodges is rated by some recruiting services as "athlete." When Foster made it known he thought Hodges looked good at tight ends during scout team work, that's enough to raise some eyebrows and get tongue wagging, but I think Loeffler will give Hodges a shot to see if he has his mechanics ironed out.
From the film I have seen of Hodges, his wheels are incredibly impressive, and if he continue to hit the weight and add on his frame, he would be an incredible athletic tight end, if he is willing to make the move in lieu of being the quarterback.
And TE will be an area of need.
How many times have you heard our coaches say 'he's just too good of an athlete to not get him on the field?'
I want to get it down on paper, I think Ford will be the guy next season.
This isn't paper....but I know what you mean. I think Leal starts the season and Ford takes over. The problem is for that happen, we'll have to feel some pain to make that transition. Like losing to Duke.
I'm excited for a guy like Ford to have bigtime accuracy. I'm so hungry for accuracy!
I think Leal is the starter, and we will clamor for Ford all season.
Is Ford a redshirt in that scenario?
Well, this is a major assumption, but Leal starts. Motley will be the #2, but if Leal is really bad or gets hurt, Ford dresses every game and comes in. They did the same thing with Glennon and Logan, and tried to with Tyrod.
My logic is the following:
Your last bullet point should be repeated for all time.
Also, as tweeted by someone on the internet, this past weekend, Ford had 400+ yards and 6TDs against the #1 ranked team in PA. That gets me all kinds of excited (yes, yes, high school competition, pass-heavy offense or whatever, yada, yada, yada, whatever. Still impressive).
Agreed. We'll Christian Hackenberg the hell outta this thing and see where it takes us.
He's Loefflers guy, tie goes to the guy he chose for this offense. No more personnel excuses.
Who's making excuses? The offense is what it is.
It's very difficult for anyone to turn a load of mismatched concrete blocks into gold.
Couple more reasons:
1. Loeffler's name will be on the line - he will need to put out an offense that he can put his signature on. Ford is his guy.
2. If Ford is truly great, you may not get 5 years out of Ford, so why redshirt.
3. Manziel, Winston, Hackenburg. True Manziel and Winston redshirted, but they probably would've started as true Freshman in a scenario where there wasn't an established starter already there.
Ford will never have the measurables for the NFL to be clamouring for his services. He'll be here all four years, but he has the makeup of a potentially impactful college QB. When I think of Ford's ceiling, I think of Kellen Moore.
Fords measurables are 6'3" 190 lbs in HS . Arm strength is the only limiting factor currently, but suggesting his arm strength has hit the ceiling is a little premature.
Manziel was 6'1" 193 in HS and many expect him to go pro after 3 years of college. Manziel's HS film looks very similar to Ford - great movement, throwing on the run, short accurate passes, no signs of NFL size arm.
I'm not saying Ford will be Manziel and I'm not saying Manziel will be anything better than a mediocre NFL QB. But, declaring a ceiling of Ford before stepping onto VT's campus, in my opinion, is premature.
How fast is Ford compared to Manziel?
At the Nike opening, Ford ran a 4.93. According to rivals, Johnny ran a 4.53, but I don't know where that was recorded. I doubt you would see Ford ever run as well as Johnny in the open field. But Ford has a shiftiness in the pocket.
Results Here:
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/combine/_/i...
http://rivals.yahoo.com/tamu/football/recruiting/player-Johnny-Manziel-8...
he doesn't look as fast in his junior highlights but he seems to really feel pressure and looks like he has pretty good pocket presence. He knows when he needs to either get rid of the ball or scramble and he seems to do both effectively. Granted, I was watching his highlights so they won't show you the plays he doesn't do well on
Read this article about QB measurables -
http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/tall-task-does-height-matte...
Russel Wilson would disagree with you.
great not another season like 07 with 2 threats at qb that ends up a flustercluck
I've always wondered, can Foster's D work in the pros? Why or why not?
Also they honored Jarrett Ferguson during the game do you think Rogers can be as good as, or better than, he was?
Fosters defense could work on occasion in the Pros if you found the defensive line talent willing to sacrifice their own earning potential to free up linebackers and safeties to make plays. But, it would be much more prone to give up big plays, as elite quarterbacks who can make good throws under pressure can take advantage of man coverage. See Aaron Rodgers vs VT in a bowl game around a decade ago.
I guess that's what I've always wondered. If Foster got pro level talent to run his scheme wouldn't it be able to work better?
...a smiling Aaron Rodgers...ugh...
French, what do you think the ceiling for the running game is this year? Looking ahead, what sort of improvement can we realistically expect there next season considering the Grimes recruits will likely need time in the weightroom before seeing the field?
Well, that depends on Loeffler. Based on how effective the zone stretch was early, Edmunds should have been well on his way to a 20 carry 115 yard day. He was averaging around 6 yards a touch, and should have had more with one play negated by the Benedict penalty and his trip where there was nothing but daylight later. The offensive line played about as well as you could ask them to play Saturday. If anyone complains about how they played, said person doesn't know their ass from the Grand Ole Opry.
Do you mean you're NOT supposed to hear old time country music coming out of your butt?
Oh, boy.
To be certain, you're saying that the oline played as well as we could ask for THIS PAST saturday. Hey, I don't know enough about film to argue, but I could argue the results.........7 sacks, yeah?
he wrote this post 3 weeks ago..I think that would have been after the Duke loss
We were all psyched about Trey Edmunds after the Bama game, but in reality, he's averaged well under 4 yards per carry even with the 77 yard run. Outside of that one run, the ground game has looked only slightly better than last season. Is Trey still the guy for the job? If so, is it him or the o-line that has been the main reason the run game has been struggin so bad?
Trey is still the guy for the job, and it was a mistake for him to get as few touches as he did on Saturday. Loeffler had success with Trey's bread and butter early, and also had some solid runs when they went no huddle and ran power leads from the pistol.
But, he isn't a veer tailback, and he doesn't always look comfortable on some of these read plays. Also, I think Coleman got far too many touches. Being in on the goal line on the 2nd and 1 where Hopkins was in was pure silliness. Coleman is a good kid and works hard, but for a small guy, he isn't as fast or as elusive as he needs to be to compensate for his inability to move the pile. I have seen him make one guy miss on a running play in two seasons (versus Duke in the 4th quarter Saturday on a jet sweep.) For him to be in on the goal line, I just shook my head.
Right now, Edmunds would be my tailback, and he would be getting 20 touches a game in ways where he can be effective, not just pounding veer dives. Mangus would be the guy who gets those jet sweep touches, as he is a better receiving threat and threatens the edge a bit more. For as well as Mangus has played when he got regular snaps, I have not seen anything from Coleman that suggests that Mangus should have ever lost that playing time.
^^This...1000 percent. Pound it with Edmunds, and Mangus on the edge and in space. Football is not rocket science.
On the play with Hopkins in and Coleman RB, I was wondering if they were getting a bit too cute, trying to make it look like the swift guy was going to go around the end but use Hopkins to make up for the lack of push.
Hopkins did fine on that play. Cline got pushed back after a solid initial block, but a big power back pushes that pile in. An elite back finds a way to get in the endzone. See RMFW.
Yeah, Hopkins took his guy and moved him away from the action that's for sure.
Better play: Give the ball to Hopkins.
don't know if you saw this in the other thread, but it seemed like we were having success running a hurry up offense (can't remember the exact point in the game), and then we just stopped doing it. any idea why?
What is the best bait to use at Food Lion?
Pay with $100's my man. Pay with $100's.
So, I'm a weirdo that has actually been looking forward to the BC for a few weeks now...ever since I watched the Eggos play Clemson. That is one physical squad.
Combine that with the fact that the Hokies have gotten their ears pinned back by the Dookies, and Saturday could turn out to be a real snot knocker.
Agree?
As many others had done, I pegged the BC game as our trap game. After this Duke game, I have high hopes for some signs of life on offense again BC. I too am getting excited. A win against BC and we can start to forget what happened this passed weekend.
Thoughts on Shane as a running backs coach? I realize that DE, RW, and DW were all very special backs; it's unfair to expect inexperienced players to play at that level, but JC and Trey aren't as successful as those guys were early. Are JC and Trey not as talented, not as well coached, in a worse situation, or some combination of the three?
I think Trey can be a top level back at VT. I don't know if the running back rotation is the result of the play calling, and if so, is Shane or Loeffler responsible for it, but I didn't like the rotation last season and Shane is the common thread. Trey had been excellent in pass protection, and he has run hard and made some plays, but the one thing he has not improved upon is his over-eagerness to cut back inside when the edge is sealed. Sometimes, that hole develops on the edge and you have to go where the hole is. Is that Shane's teaching? I don't know.
As for Coleman, I just don't see that special talent on film. He is a pedestrian back, small, quick, but not elusive and certainly not a guy who can push the pile. He can contribute, but I don't forsee him as a star "little back" like he was originally hyped to be, ala a Ray Rice or a Jaquizz Rogers.
Look back at past Hokie backs. Darren Evans was a big power guy, but he was at his best when he got the edge and turned up field. Same with Branden Ore. Meanwhile, Williams was smaller, but he was more effective cutting back into those inside holes. Even with Humes and Imoh... and KEITH BURNELL (who I don't feel were anywhere near as talented as Edmunds) the Hokies found a way to effectively run the football at least some of the time.
What is your technique while fishing for deserts?
I hear Krogers has a terrific desert section.
A/S/L?
Too damn old/ Only if I don't have to poop/ Food Lion
Would you rather:
The Hokies win a national championship OR catch a world record cobia or red drum.
I take great satisfaction in the accomplishments of those I root for, but I am an egocentric son of a bitch. I wouldn't get the drum record because they are a protected species and big fish must be released. But, an 100 plus pound cobia? Especially on a bucktail off a pier? It isn't even a discussion.
Based on what you have seen on film and knowing VT - if you were running the ship what offensive style would you install and recruit for to achieve the highest level of success?
depth chart.
how many of our O linemen on the 2-deep were originally recruited to the position they currently hold? Of those who have been converted, what position were they originally recruited for?
Thanks for all of your hard work and insightful input. I've learned a ton in the couple of months that I've been a member and I really appreciate more of what I see now than I ever have before. I always look forward to game reviews by you and mason.
Go Hokies!
Gibson was recruited as a left tackle, now is playing right.
Wang was recruited as a defensive tackle, now is a center
Miller was recruited to be a wrestler and then a center/guard.
Farris was a guard and has bounced around.
McLaughlin seemed destined to be a right tackle. Now is the left tackle.
Benedict was a right guard pretty much when he set foot on campus. Now a tackle.
Conte has been a guard and a tackle.
Arkema has played guard and center.
Shuman has played every position on the line except right guard and center.
Teller was a defensive tackle.
Still, despite all this, if you watch the film closely, our offensive line had a terrific game Saturday. There were no ole blocks. On occasion a Duke defender won a physical battle, but it was rare. I didn't note any missed assignments. They were excellent in pass protection.
There were only two tackles for loss and one sack the entire game. Plus, only one penalty (the chop block on Benedict.) You can't fault them.
Thanks for the input. I realize our O-line is playing well. I think they're probably well coached but I get the sense they're under-sized. I wonder if larger players would make a difference? Maybe hold their blocks longer? Perhaps make bigger holes faster that the backs can't miss?
2 questions:
1) Would a spread offense philosophy suit the current talent on the roster?
and
2) How would the offensive line look once we have 5 freshmen plus Teller and Alston Smith playing next season?
Thanks for all of your hard work, French, and hope to see you again in the spring.
I am guessing that center and right guard will be the big up in the air position next season. I think Farris is much more effective at left guard, so a move to center wouldn't be ideal. McLaughlin is back at left tackle. Gibson and Benedict are both back at right tackle. Teller, Smith, Shuman, and Conte return.
Teller and Smith both can add some athleticism to the offensive line, and Gibson and Farris can move to guard and center respectively.
Wang is coming back for a 6th year as well, I believe.
Why did we stop running the football after success in the first quarter before Logan starting throwing INT's, missing reads, and missing open WR's? Also, why were we running the read play on first down so much in the second half instead of mixing it up? Finally, what was Duke doing to take away the underneath routes? Sorry if these questions have been addressed..I'm still reading through the comments.
How much has the offense lost without Malleck this season? Looked like he was going to be a big piece of the puzzle. With that being said and this year a wash and a redshirt, I am extremely excited to have him back for another two years. Thanks again French.
I think Cline gives them a better down the field threat than Malleck. Malleck is a better blocker and Loeffler was planning to highlight him on stick routes. In the spring and fall scrimmages, Malleck was targeted numerous times on those routes (and several drops were highlighted by the beat writers.) We have not seen Cline targeted on those routes.
With them being of different skill sets, do you see us working out of many 2 TE sets next year since both are fairly solid receivers and blockers? It could definitely up possibilities with a 2 TE Ace formation or even empty back sets. Having those weapons will make our new QB, whoever he may be, more successful if he can exploit matchups.
I would like to see that alignment used more. We know that Loeffler is very high on Malleck. I could see Malleck as the true Y, with Cline used more as an HBack. Although, if Cline can improve his blocking, I think he could be more of a down the field threat than Malleck and may end up winning the job.
a lot of people who are starting to give up on Loeffler are saying that Chad Morris and Gus Malzhan(sp?) were able to get much better results much more quickly. I've been saying that if Chad Morris or Gus came in to the mess that has been left behind they would also be struggling to get favorable results (and I know virtually nothing about football so I'm probably way off base...that doesn't stop me from saying stupid stuff though).
Does that argument have any merit?
There are things I like, and things I don't like. With these players, I am not sure Gus or Chad are doing much better. For those comparing Loeffler to the success of Auburn this year, remember Loeffler's backs were running for 5-6 yards a pop last season, mostly running the inside zone and stretch. I can't fathom why he has abandoned it.
I would love for you to get a chance to sit down and talk to Loeffler one on one at some point. It would be really interesting to know what comes out of a conversation like that. Is that something we can make happen? Maybe in the off season?
I would enjoy sitting down and talking football with any of the coaches, but I will have to defer to Joe on what would be needed to make that happen.
At the very least we'd need a media pass, and right now the way the prerequisites are structured, Thekeyplay wouldn't qualify.
As cool as it would be, Loeffler was the coach that had practice highlights yanked off YouTube, he's not going to divulge anything too worthwhile, especially to French or Mason, two people he couldn't talk over with technical jargon.
As for having press credentials, they would benefit the site, but not too much. Bitter does such a good job transcribing interviews and covering open practice. He's an invaluable resource. Also, TSL records all the players and coaches during media availability and uploads to YouTube. It's easier than ever to virtually cover the team.
Also, French, Mason, Brian, and I all have other full-time jobs. Even though Brian and Mason are in Blacksburg, they would have to flip their schedules to get to the media events. At the end of the day you can go to several sites to get routine media coverage, what differentiates Thekeyplay is the in-depth analysis and commentary by the community.
Also, building a business around a press pass is dicey because they can be yanked at anytime. We can say and post what we want only having to answer to our own editorial standards (which I think are high). I say building a business, because that's the approach I've taken since last March when I filed for the LLC. The money from ads and shirts pay the server costs (which came out of pocket the first 3 seasons, which weren't cheap), and the guys who crank out quality content (not to be confused with me, who pretty much edits things and posts once-in-a-while).
The more money the site brings in, the more coverage it can provide. My goal in the future is to bring on additional staff to cover areas we don't have the bandwidth for.
Is there any way to get Andy involved? I'm thinking along the lines of a TKP chat with him where we can brainstorm questions that the fanbase would be interested in asking. Then he could use his own professional discretion as to what to ask the coaches when the opportunity comes. I realize his time is largely controlled by his employers, but if he posts the content on the Roanoke and Hampton sites, it could be a win-win.
Just thinking out loud. This has been one of my favorite threads in a long time. Thanks to French for offering to answer so many questions. I don't know that I have any of my own right now, but I'm thoroughly enjoying reading through all of it.
get Andy to wear an earpiece while chatting with the coaches with French outside in a windowless van?
As a former federal agent, I like this idea. Turkey leg for you sir!
FWIW, Malzahn went 8-5 in his first season as an OC at Auburn. That includes losses to unranked UK, UGA and U of Ark. Only one of those wins was over a top 25 team: #25 ole miss.
6) Deserts -
Gobi, Death Valley, or Sahara?
Also, in joe's spirit above, I want to get this down on paper as well:
TreyEdumundsForLB, BuckyForTE, FordForQB2014, Mangus>Edmunds>Coleman, DadiForOLB, ClarkForRover
there were too many 'deserts' to correct so I was letting it slide...thanks for this!
leg
The Gobi is a strong sleeper pick.
Although left off your list, I definitely would go with Mojave. A beautiful place to build a city full of luxurious casinos, unlimited alcohol, and all the women you can desire.
Sounds like a magical, magical place.
French: Tell me why I should NOT be worried about next years LB starters/depth.
BECAUSE BUD FOSTER
I think Chase Williams will be a solid replacement for Jack Tyler. Clarke could be really good at backer (and I guess DVD could as well if needed to move), but I am worried about depth as well. I really liked Andrew Motuapuka on film as a textbook Bud Foster mike linebacker. Hopefully he can get some of these recruits to sign on to give them some depth at backer.
What's your favorite fish? I used to be a tilapia all day guy, but I became a mahi-mahi fan when I had the fish tacos at Cabo Fish Taco.
Once you've had mahi-mahi, everything else is just fighting for second.
There is nothing, NOTHING, that tops freshly grilled wahoo with some lemon juice. Either served with coconut rice and cuban black beans with mango salsa, or on a fresh bun with tarter sauce. Mmm mmm.
Second would be fresh mahi. Third would be fresh cobia.
Jarrett's undersized for safety in the NFL and doesn't have the cover skills to play corner (I don't think). You think he'll get drafted and what position would he play in the league?
Still nothing? Damn. Guess I'll just try next time.
Sorry, I missed this one. I think Jarrett would play strong safety in the NFL. Likely, he would need to make his bones as a special teams player because there is so much emphasis on strong safeties covering tight ends and Jarrett has struggled from time to time in coverage. Unlike last year, he has shown improvement. I think he struggled a little in coverage because he had to put on weight to play safety and struggled to adjust initially.
Do you think F.Beamer is 100% hands off when it comes to offensive play calling or do you think he has some influence in certain situations? Could that possibly explain some of the questionable calls? (I'm kind of grasping at straws here)
My opinion is that the only say Beamer has in offensive play-calling is if they go for it on fourth down.
How would you improve our ability to make big plays (i.e. score touchdowns) on special teams returns and the defense forcing turnovers?
Well, the defense is doing the job of forcing the turnovers. As for the kickoff and punt returns, one of the problems we have with using a TV feed for film, it is difficult to identify where the blocking weaknesses are. However, the players aligned on the gunners on punt returns have done a terrible job of holding those guys up, and on kick returns the deep returner who does not catch the kick has been pretty feeble lead blocking for his partner.
Yeah, the blocking leaves much to be desired.
Why won't Kendall Fuller return punts, he has to be better than Jarrett, right?
If you could have any current player from any NCAA team on the VT roster right now, who would you want and why?
Healthy? Trey Gurley.
Oooooh, I like it. But I'm gonna play Devil's advocate here and say it's gotta be a currently healthy player.
famous jameis?
Obviously a star running back would be nice, but I'd like a WR who could go up and get jump balls. Someone with the body of Marcus Davis who gives the effort of Cody Grimm. Loeffler would have a field day with a receiver who demands double coverage. Think about all the match ups he could come up with.
I don't know. I really like Trey Gurley. You have to be impressed with Winston. And I was very impressed with Aaron Donald.
Donald was a beast...but we really need offense. I think that he's ruled out purely because our D is sooo good without Donald.
Todd Gurley* Not Trey.
Although I'm not french, I had to jump into this one. I view this question entirely about where we get the biggest upgrade. One could say Jadeveon Clowney is the guy everyone would want, but we're ok at DE.
I love the Gurley pick, but I'd add Duke Johnson to the answer because he would be the answer at RB and KR, and he's a MASSIVE upgrade over our current RBs. Honorable mention: Henry Josie, RB, Mizzou.
However, I could also dig:
Mike Evans, ATM WR. Huge, strong WR who bails Manziel out all the time. Just imagine if we had a guy like that on the other end of a jump ball. Honorable mention, Marquise Lee.
Jake Matthews, OL ATM. I think the O would improve all around with the best OL in NCAAFB.
I guess I'd pick Gus Malzhan if I could, though.
French, How well do you think the Offensive and Defensive coaches have done about making second half adjustments all season long?
Defensively they have been outstanding. Offensively, there have been several games where the passing game lulled in the 2nd quarter and then they moved the ball through the air when they had to down the stretch. Against Duke, Loeffler made those adjustments and guys were open. Logan didn't make the throws outside of the touchdown drive.
I'm an eternal optimist, and generally trust in coach Beamer to put our best chance to win out on the field: players, scheme, flow of the game. There's been few times I've disagreed (Danny Coale fake punt), but I'm definitely in the minority when it comes to not constantly talking down our offensive scheme.
The NFL and CFB have been trending towards more passing and spread schemes, which goes against my Nebraska-raised core and grates tons of VT fans who want our team to do the same (Oregon, Baylor, etc). That said, I don't know quite enough football to make them think Frank and co. actually do know how football works.
1. What are the keys to beating a spread offense? I don't have a field's view instant replay to distinguish open receivers due to scheme or teleportation, or why it might fail.
2. What kind of long term changes (not player scheme fit) would adopting a spread offense cause? I've always figured we'd have to take more offensive and less defensive recruits, and I wouldn't accept sacrificing our defense for offense, but would it be that bad either? I also figure it puts a higher strain on needing dynamite QB recruits and avoiding QB injuries at all costs, but maybe I'm over thinking it.
3. Why should I drink the kool-aid that the spread is inevitable and all other attempts at offense are simply wasted efficiency?
1) Tackle in space, stop the run. Get pressure and man coverage. Bud Foster does better against it than most teams.
2) I honestly think that the spread is going to be bad for late adopters. Everybody is getting smaller and faster defensively, and with the exception of Oregon and Baylor, it appears that teams are getting better defending it. I have said many times that if a team in the Southeast can perfect Stanford's attention to detail and power system and recruit to it, they will be dominant because they will present such a matchup problem for all these teams that have gone small. As for quarterback play, the spread actually simplifies things for quarterbacks. The offense is much easier for passing reads versus a timing West Coast style offense that all college teams tried to adopt back in the 90's.
3. Don't. I don't like the spread. MASH.
I believe a team in the southeast has mastered the Stanford system and is dominating there conference and the nation. Alabama
Actually, Alabama uses a zone blocking system similar to VT. They are not as "smash-mouth" as we like to think, especially this season.
No worries just being a smart ass
Considering your last name, do you ever fear people will think you are a UVa fan?
Oddly, I am Welsh, Scotch-Irish, German, and Colombian. The French surname is still one of pride. Plus, I think anyone who has met me would never mistake me for a UVA fan.
Good point. And hey, at least your college nickname wasn't Poop.
Yep. They only used the word "poop" to describe my ability to play football.
turkey leg!
French, this question is more a philosophy question than pertaining to Duke exactly. It seems to me that we have pretty good personal to run a spread - run/option offense. That can be a yard eating, hard pounding, running offense in the mold of Urban Meyer's Tim Tebow offense, which if you think about it is exactly the type of quarterback LT is. So, my question is, why is Frank so against this? We seem to get athletes instead of quarterbacks, so what gives?
Andrew Ford is a bunch of things, but "Tim Tebow" isn't one of them. He is mobile, but has tremendous command of his offense, has an excellent arm, and tremendous accuracy. Expect to see more of a pro-style offense regardless of who the QB is next season.
How awful of an idea would it be to bench LT for Mark Leal?
I think they would have every problem they have now, and you would lose the ability to pound Logan inside.
Who would be on your "all-time" VT defense?
Brown-Price-Hopkins-Engleberger
Anderson-Hall-Adibi
Flowers-Williams
Willie Pile-Kieon Carpenter
no bruce smith?
I didn't see Bruce play at Virginia Tech. So I can't include him.
fair enough
I got to watch 3 seasons of Bruce from the front 20 rows at about the 30 yard line, he was a man among boys. He never seemed to take a game off, always had to be accounted for on pass plays, often with double teams. Not sure how much of a run stuffer he was, but he sure was big and fast. My wife took a CPR/First Aid class with him during Bruce's senior year and she had to try and do the Heimlich Maneuver on him. She's not petite, but she couldn't get her arms around Bruce anywhere above the waist to attempt the maneuver. Glad we are giving Alston a shot where he can help out on the O-line.
Bruce was truly the first elite VT football player. During the draft, the big debate was who was better, Bruce or William "The Fridge" Perry. Bruce got drafted #1, and the rest is history. Perry got his Superbowl ring with the Bears, but Bruce has his bust in Canton.
I was there with you, bro....Bruce Smith was the best defensive lineman I've ever seen....anywhere, anytime.
Bruce in the NFL was spectacular. I started to become aware of NFL and college football around 86. Although as great as Bruce was, Reggie White was the best I ever saw.
Saw Reggie, but would put him third on the list of the greats I've seen....1. Bruce 2. Deacon Jones 3. Reggie
Best defensive lines as a unit, anyone? Purple People Eaters of the late 70's are up there (they'd be my choice)..the Rams of the early 70's...Cowboys of the Jimmy Jones era?
I love you man, but there's no way you can't include Corey Moore. He was so much better than Engelberger and Cornell - although they were both tremendous. James Anderson was really only great for one year - I'll take Cody Grimm there. Flowers and Williams are strong, although I'd rather have Ike Charlton and Macho, or even Midget. Give me Pierson Prioleau at Rover over Willie Pile and maybe even our current DB coach at FS over Keion - although that's real close.
My problem with Moore is that Foster changed his defense and angled him out wide, which forced him to move one of his outside linebackers inside, like an extra lineman. It caused some coverage problems (see Florida State.)
No defensive player in my time was more exciting than Corey Moore, but if I want to win football games, I take Cornell Brown at that right end spot every time.
Pierson Prioleau was outstanding. I'd have to rethink him over Pile, but Willie was so strong all around. I loved Ike as well. For some reason, I never warmed up to Macho Harris. I always felt like he could have been better than he was, even though he was really good. Gray also merits some consideration over Carpenter.
Grimm was a heck of a player, but he was very limited in coverage. I thought Anderson was a better all around player, and Bud should have started him much sooner.
that alignment wasn't a modification of the defense.. it was a standard alignment for us in the 90's
Let me start by saying...French, your stuff is excellent...anyone can write a game recap but I love the insight and breakdowns you bring to the table.
A few questions mainly around offense/SL...
1 - Is this offense less talented than 2012? I want to believe in SL, but given what everyone's pointed out about AU's success this year without him and the obvious offensive struggles we have, it's tough. Last year we def lacked talent compared to 2011 and earlier years, but I think any of the WRs from 2012 would probably be an upgrade over this year's guys?
2 - Along the same lines...is your view that if SL were around in 2009, 10, and 11 when we had more talent...that this offense would have produced significantly more? I realize we still don't know much about SL but you know a lot more than I do so thought I'd ask.
3 - What do you think is in store for this offense next season? I believe the only guys we lose are Logan and Miller...but is that a good thing? Does it help us to have 9 starters coming back, or would we be better off with more of a fresh start on that side of the ball?
Not French, but I'll take a crack at question #1. Looking just at the QB situation Loefler had last year:
The QB who started the first 5 games of the year is now at either safety or receiver (listed as a WR on roster, but description says he moved to safety) and performed poorly. To quote one of Mason's articles from earlier this year, " If Loeffler's offensive system is going to work, the QB HAS to hit wide open receivers. Sadly, it [became] obvious that Kiehl Frazier couldn't." Loeffler eventually turned to a Junior who is no longer with the Football Team and eventually to a True Freshman QB who had more success, but I suspect wasn't ready to play early in the season.
Of the 5 players currently listed as QBs on their roster, the current starter is a Junior College transfer who wasn't available when Loefler was there, The next most experienced QB is a Sophomore who started the final 4 games for Auburn last year and "set AU freshman record for QB efficiency at 139.60" under Loeffler's Tutelage.
Turning our attention to the rushing numbers, during his tenure as Auburn's OC, they actually put up respectable numbers. The team as a whole averaged 4.1 yards per attempt and had 16 rushing Touchdowns. If you look solely at the two players with more than 50 attempts, Tre Mason who had 171 carries averaged 5.9 yards per attempt and Onterio McCaleb who had 94 carries averaged 6.1. I think the biggest reason for the difference in rushing yardage compared to this year's Hokies is that Grimes had been there 4 years so the linemen who were there knew his blocking schemes and had more experience running them and/or many of them were his recruits.
1) The offense is less talented than in 2012. Despite their considerable faults, Marcus Davis and Dyrell Roberts presented a down field threat that they lack this season.
2) If Loeffler is around 2009-2011, I do think they would have more success, if for no other reason, the offensive line would be much better coached with Jeff Grimes. The offensive line has been so much better fundamentally. As they start to get guys who fit the system and get four years with his teaching, they should be even better in the future.
3) I am not sure what to expect next season. Quarterback play will be a huge question mark, and we have to see if Cam Phillips, Javon Harrison, Jaylen Bradshaw, or Kendrick Holland can win a spot and step in to provide a down field threat that they currently lack. Anyone who has seen Leal play (and based on the comments I have seen here, that isn't many folks) knows that he is most comfortable running either bootlegs or deep balls. Right now, there isn't a player on the roster at receiver that can go up on a 50-50 jump ball and beat a DB. No matter who the QB is, you need that guy to force the defense to account for a deep threat, which opens up in intermediate space.
Freshwater or Saltwater fishing?
#TEAMFRESHWATER
Always salt, although with shad season providing huge numbers, I caught more freshwater fish this year.
What do you think Virginia Tech's biggest recruiting points are? Does Beamer being the active winningest football coach mean anything? Is there anything Virginia Tech could do better (legally) that would make them more of a target for high profile recruits?
1) Winning
2) Atmosphere and academic success.
3) Being a success in your home state
4) NFL production (although that is used against them with DL and LBs)
They recruit to a system, so they don't always look at the highest profile guys if they do not fit. That is why I think they wanted Teller to move to offense all along, because he does not fit their defensive scheme. Also, that is why I was so frustrated when they missed on guys like Jonathan Allen and Stephone Anthony, who were perfect defensive fits.
Now, they have a system approach on offense, and we are starting to see them recruit to an archetype instead of pure talent there as well with their offensive line haul (all long, lean, and adept at zone blocking.)
If Thomas Edison was so smart, how come he's dead?
Because Tesla.
They do a really good cover of "Signs."
Out of these two RB's that we have coming in next year, Reid and Williams, which one do you think could crack the rotation or even take over one of the 2 top spots?
Williams. Reid wasn't an every down back in high school. He was used in a similar fashion to how Mangus and Coleman have been used this year. Williams is a pure power back.
Do you think Derrick Hopkins has a shot in the NFL? He can make plays for sure, but isn't he a little short for the NFL?
I think his best position would be a 3-4 defensive end. He has a chance, but he is much smaller than he is listed, and it will be hard to overcome with scouts. He is a guy who will need to go to the All-Star games like the Senior Bowl and really win one on one matchups so he doesn't get labeled a tweener like other Bud Foster DL.
I'm not disagreeing with you when you say he is much smaller than listed, but what I'll tell you from bumping into him on the sideline at the end of the game this weekend (had to be on the field to perform for band parents), I can tell you he is a mammoth of a man. It's honestly scary to think that the average NFL d lineman is significantly bigger, if I were an NFL QB, I'd throw the ball away every play.
What's your favorite lure for smallies?
Black and gold Hot N Tot. You will never use another lure again. Assuming you're casting/trolling
Well, I am the first to admit that I don't have much of a track record of success with smallmouth bass, but my two favorite lures have always been a Tiny Torpedo topwater lure and a white grub on a light jig head. My favorite spot was on Route 80, just north of where the road crosses the North Fork of the Holston before you get to Hayters Gap.
At what point do we start wishing that Beamer stops standing by Cody Journell and gives the next guy a shot?
I don't know what to wish for. The next guy in line is Keyserling, who was 0-3 on FG attempts in the Marshall game.
EDIT: blindly responded; didn't realize this was French's thread. My bad!
Well, I am certainly not wishing for Journell to fail, because he will be the guy and there is a bunch of football still to play.
BUT, I am rooting for Mitchell Ludwig. He is from my hometown, and I know he has worked with legendary kicking guru Doug Blevins (who was an NFL Hall of Fame nominee last year.) Coach Blevins was working as a consultant with the NFL while I was in high school. He lived in Europe working for the World League in the spring, and then came home to be our kicking coach at Abingdon in the fall. He would also bring in prospective guys to train, and those guys would also act as volunteer coaches. My favorite? A stocky guy from a school in the Dakotas came and lived in Coach Blevins basement, bartended at the Martha Washington, and served as our "get back" coach (ie the guy who tells everyone to stay back so you don't get a sideline penalty. Now, 18 years later, Adam Vinatieri has a handful of Super Bowl rings and if a kicker or punter ever gets into the NFL Hall of Fame, it will be him or Ray Guy.
You forgot three place-kickers in the Hall of Fame -
George Blanda (Also QB) 1949-1958, 1960-1975
Lou Groza (Also T) 1946-1959, 1961-1967
Jan Stenerud 1967-1985
Oh geez....I feel old now...I remember watching all of these guys! (Just a little of Groza, though at the end of his career).
Since all but two of the starting front 7 are graduating (I'm counting RV as starter at Whip), What does the 2 deep for our front 7 on defense look like to you next year?
Dadi-Maddy-Williams-Ekanem
Alford-Baron-Harley-Roth
Mike: Williams, Devin Van Dyke, Motuapaka
Backer: Clarke (very up in the air), McKinnon, Moss
Whip: RVD, Clark
Corey Marshall drops out of the 2 deep?
Until he captures his spot. He has been at end. Hopefully they will move him over to the stud end and he can adjust to the position.
I think we may see a lot of Seth Dooley at DE next year. Another site keeps reporting that he is looking the best on the scout team.
Dooley has better than advertised speed off the edge. I would need to focus on him more to get a good read, but he made some plays in fall camp.
Ekanem was heavily featured during the Spring Game, and I think he can be a very solid stud end. I just have not seen the playmaking ability that Gayle has demonstrated... yet. He reminds me of Noland Burchette.
Who is the your top 3 must get recruits that have not verbaled? Why?
Nnadi: They need a masher at defensive tackle to compliment the smaller defensive ends that will play next year.
Any linebacker: To me, the backer position is my biggest worry next season. Clarke just got into trouble, and his weight has bounced around. McKinnon is so skinny that I am concerned about his ability to take on blocks in space. It takes a unique player to play that backer spot, who can cover tight ends, tackle in space, yet take on blocks at the point of attack (most teams run at the backer, who jams the play up, and the mike comes in through the back side to make the tackle.)
Who amongst our current verbals do you not see taking a red shirt?
Holland Fisher and CeQuan Jefferson will both have an opportunity to play in the secondary if they qualify. On offense, I think Cam Phillips and Javon Harrison will be in the starting rotation right away at wide receiver. They may not start, but in 3 wide sets, both will play frequently.
Trey Edmunds to LB being discussed? With JC Coleman,Joel Caleb,and incoming RB's Marshawn Williams and DJ Reid shouldn't Trey move over to a spot where he's needed? That is LB. No Jack Tyler and Tariq Edwards next year. That scares me. We need Trey at LB.
I have said frequently that Trey Edmunds will be a very good running back, but that he would have made for an all-world backer. I think if you asked that Duke defensive back that made the final interception Saturday if Trey Edmunds would make a great linebacker, I bet he would say yes.
That being said, the linebacker ship has sailed. The Hokies have devoted two years to making Trey Edmunds their top running back. He is outstanding picking up blitzes. You can see his quickness and strength as a running back. He seems to have regressed in his natural running back instincts (which was the aspect of his game that impressed me so much in the 2012 scrimmages. In the Duke game, he was very fluid and aggressive, but their were a couple of runs where he had holes but wasn't patient enough and ended up cutting inside a bit too early.
Still, of the backs currently on the roster, Trey is the best right now.
We need to stop making players play positions that aren't their natural position just because we can't recruit on offense. Maybe we could afford to do that with players like Donaldvon Manning, who left the program when he realized that he couldn't crack the depth chart. But Edmunds would've been a defensive starter.
Edmunds is playing Running back because he wants to play running back, not because the coaches are making him play there. If I remember correctly the coaches promised him a shot at Running Back during recruiting.
Big question right now (since I'm a massive recruiting nut):
Since Bud Foster "recruits to a system" (and I guess Lefty does as well), how big of a deal is the rivals/247/scout star system when evaluating new recruits? Do you think we (college football fans in general) put too much stock into it? Would you rather have a 3-star who fits Bud/Lefty's system perfectly or a 5-star who doesn't?
Here were the VA recruits we missed out on this year that are 4/5 stars: Andrew Brown, Quin Blanding, De'Shawn Hand, Jalyn Holmes, Jamil Kamara, Steven Moss, Caleb Henderson, MJ Stewart, Greer Martini.
How big of a deal is it really that we missed on all those guys?
I would rather have a bigger, stronger, and faster guy who is comfortable in Bud's system. Classic example was Jonathan Allen. He was the perfect Bud Foster defensive end, but he chose to go to Alabama where he is an odd fit for their 3-4 defense.
As far as Virginia recruits, Hand was the biggest loss because other than Ekanem the Hokies really don't have that James Gayle big body stud end to stop the run. Brown is so good, he could be great, but if he didn't buy into the gap fit concept, he would open as many holes as he created.
Holmes would have been a tight end at VT. Moss would have been perfect in the old Ricky Bustle OL group, but I don't know if he had the feet to be great in this system. I have not seen enough of Henderson, Kamara, and Martini to have an opinion. Stewart intrigued me. He is very quick and smooth and I think he would have been a good fit in the Loeffler offense, but I don't know if the Hokies were ever a contender for him.
Why are we struggling so much in the Redzone? Personnel issue, play calling, execution or something else?
Well, the Hokies seemed to get to the 30 numerous times, but I only recall them penetrating the 20 twice, scoring once. On first and goal, Edmunds came out and Coleman came in. He had a terrific gain on a counter to the inverted veer on first down. On second down, the Hokies brought in Hopkins at fullback, and went unbalanced right with McLaughlin lining up on the right side. McLaughlin and and Cline had terrific initial steps, but Cline gave a little ground and McLaughlin's leg was in the hole. Caleb Farris pulled to lead through the hole, and seemed to get tangled up in McLaughlin and Cline, and got pushed back, while Hopkins effectively kicked out the end.
Enter Coleman. He ran into the hole, but instead of either looking to bounce or changing pace, he steam rolled right into the pile. Physics took cover, and things didn't move forward. Coles jumps offsides, Thomas throws a pick, and the rest is history. On those three plays, you had two execution breakdowns (Coles and Thomas) and then personnel utilization issues, as the Hokies depended on two freshmen to execute the most critical blocks on the play (again, initially both looked terrific, but they were outmuscled after initial push), and you have your smallest running back in on a power play.
thanks for all your work French. Who makes the decision on rb in that goal line situation? would shane say, alright JC, go on in there for the goal line behind our big DL. Or do you think that play was specifically put together with that personell? ie. Loeffler made the call.
Thanks!
I wish I knew. Both Coleman and Edmunds seemed to be frustrated when asked about the running back rotation and being pulled in and out during the post-practice interviews that 24-7 posted on Tuesday, but they also noted that each is put in the game based on situation, versus last year where guys stayed in for their series even if they were not the best fit for the plays being called.
That is why I prefer the workhorse back who can do everything in your offense. When you have 3 running backs that play, it means you don't have a running back. Trey, JC, or Chris have to do something when they get touches that forces the coaches to keep them in the game. Trey started to get untracked, but you can't trip when you have a huge hole like he did on the last stretch play.
This is what Andy Bitter Reported Scott Loeffler saying, regarding the redzone struggles, in an article titled "Foster says Hopkins deserves more pub; Loeffler thinks run game struggles showing up in red zone"
For those who would like to know what the coaches are thinking.
I posted this on the Duke game thread, but no responses. Very early in the game, Logan ran it up the sideline and was tackled....his head hit the field HARD (IIRC on the side of his helmet), so much so that I yelled "oh crap" and thought he'd have to come out for a while or worse. The slow motion replay looked even worse. He seemed rattled and took a minute to get up. One of his teammates bent over toward him like he was concerned, them offered a hand up. I think he was playing well before that, and off afterwards. Did you see that?
You can bring in any current college offensive coordinator to take over the offense next season. Who do you pick?
Mike Bloomgren from Stanford
Scot Loeffler
I'm only saying this because this topic is getting old and worn out. Give SL some time. He's competent and the previous staff left him with a massive mess to clean up. We don't need to be talking about new offensive coordinators yet. Nobody was calling for Bud's head when our defense started slowly last year...lets calm down and give SL some time to work
SL gets at least 2 more years in my book. There is a lot to like about him. Just curious who French thinks the best in the biz is.
O jeez I completely missed the fact that this was the "ask french" thread...I didn't mean to answer a question directed at him
my b
No problem
Since Andrew Ford is left handed and likely to start at some point in the Future, does this affect which linemen are best suited for which position. For example would you still think Teller should eventually be our Left Tackle or does Ford being left handed make it more likely he plays at Right Tackle with McLaughlin staying at Left Tackle since the Right would be Ford's Blind Side?
To me, Teller has to be on the field. If right tackle is where he gets his opportunity, so be it. The nice part about a zone blocking offense is that tackles can flip-flop pretty easily without re-learning the play book. Pass protection then becomes about comfort. Even though I was slower, I preferred pass blocking as a left tackle because I had an easier time posting a defender with my right arm (at left tackle this keeps the defender outside.) From the right side, I had a much more difficult time.
Is there a "How VT recruits" thread in the mix at all? I remember there being talk of it last season to come in the following offseason. If this did actually happen and I missed it can someone get me a link? thanks
Great offensive recruits were quite scarce from Va in the last few years. Derrick Green was one, but we all know what happened there. VT didn't compensate well by going out-of-state to pickup the slack.
I am looking for how they sell VT.
i've been thinking about next year's qb situation. knowing how beamerco does things, unless ford comes in and just lights the world on fire i feel like leal's gonna be the guy. you always hear that if you have a freshman and an underclassman who are equal, you play the freshman. but what if the freshman isnt that far behind? i guess my question is would a coach possibly sacrifice a few wins now if it meant getting the young guy more reps going forward? ford would obviously be better as a senior if he was a four year starter, but there's gonna be some growing pains. leal would be the safer choice but would it be more advantageous in the long run to let andrew take his lumps and learn from them? or is the win now mentality that engrained?
i know motley or hodges could surprise everybody and be the starter going into 2014, but the presumption among hokienation seems to be it's either gonna be ford or leal.
A lot was made over the spring/summer of the installation of the zone blocking techniques. I was under the impression that this was a "new world order"-type thing and zone blocking would be what we use from here on out. However, it seems to me that you and Mason have implied that some plays are run with zone blocking and some aren't. My questions are:
Well, I would say a vast majority have been man blocking (down blocks and pulling a guard) over the past couple of games. It has been blocked effectively for the most part by the line. Skill position players are continuing to struggle. With the zone blocking, they were very effective against Duke, so I am not entirely sure why they shy away from it. The stretch play, inside zone, and weak zone were Loeffler's three best plays at Auburn.
Out of the 2014 recruits, which are the most likely to play significant snaps next year? Who has the best chance to make a major impact as a true freshman (to put it another way, who's going to be the next Kendall Fuller)?
Big reason I'm asking is I want to know if Javon Harrsion/Cameron Phillips/Willie Byrn/Josh Stanford WR core will be significantly better than our current WRs corps.
Not French, but I'll take a stab.
Javon Harrison and Cam Phillips have a great chance to contibute at WR quickly.
Maybe Williams, but more likely a RB recruit to be determined.
It's possible some linemen break into the 2-deep.
I would think if Holland Fisher qualifies then he'll be in the mix, especially if he can enroll in January. I could see him seizing the back up job at Rover if he qualifies and starting if KJ34 goes pro early. He could also be in the conversation for the back up spot at Whip.
Also Nnadi and Walker on the D-Line with Skip graduating this year.
Phillips starts right away. Harrison is a bit more raw, but gives you that deep threat. He will immediately be the kickoff return guy if he wants to.
Walker and if Nnadi signs, Nnadi will both have an opportunity to get into the two deep at defensive tackle. Williams will likely take Derrick Hopkins place. Marshall will be at end. And it appears that Harley has a ways to go to get back into the good graces of the staff. Baron is awful lonely there right now.
French, question for you regarding the BC game. Do you think Tariq is hurt at linebacker? Usually he's very dependable and think we missed him a lot last year, but on Saturday thought he was struggling to make tackles and take on blockers and that isn't normal from him.
Love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
How significant of loss do you think Duke Johnson is for Miami impacting our game?
Duke is one hell of a player, but Dallas Crawford is a small, fast tailback in a similar mold, but he plays big. He was the workhorse against UNC and essentially won the game for the U. Expect the Hurricanes to line up in big boy football formations and pound the rock unless they get behind. Unless he gets hurt, Crawford will get over 25 carries.
French - sorry this is way late and this thread has been dead for a while now, but didn't know where else to post this...
I've heard you and others say many times how depleted our offensive talent was in 2012 & 2013 as a result of poor recruiting (presumably from 2009 - 2011?). As someone who's followed VT very closely on the field but admittedly didn't pay much attention to recruiting until this year, I'm very curious to know what exactly happened...
If you look at 24/7 or Rivals, our recruiting rankings seem pretty consistent (high 20s - low 30s) ever since we joined the ACC. Of course, I know sometimes those rankings mean nothing. And, those are overall rankings and not offense only, so it's possible that exceptionally good defensive recruiting classes during 2009 - 2011 pulled up our offense and got us back to our historical average.
I'd just like to know, in a little more detail, what went wrong. Did we not pursue certain recruits we should have? Did we not get a recruit that would typically choose us? Did things go wrong with injury / academics (ie Drew Harris)?
Lastly - there seems to be a lop of optimism about our 2014 and 2015 classes, but again, the recruiting sites have us ranked right where we typically are. So is there anything specific fueling such optimism about the upcoming classes?
Maybe there's already been an article breaking this down, if so a link to that would be fantastic. Otherwise...I thought this might be an interesting topic to cover during the bye week, as I'm sure others have the same question. Of course, I'm sure you're busy with plenty of other stuff during the bye so no worries if you can't get to it.
Thanks for the consideration.
You should check TSL. Chris, Chris and Will did an outstanding series on the lack of offensive recruits in the state of Va during that period (relevant as to how much we recruit the state). Also, a lot of the recruits we got (especially OL) were busts.
Here are some of the things I've seen people (Possibly French and Mason, but not necessarily) post before that are related:
1. The offense wasn't recruiting to a specific system like the defense does. So even when we got good recruits on that side of the ball, they didn't thrive.
2. Many of our OL were converted TEs. In my very uninformed opinion, we focused too much on recruiting skill position players. Moble QBs like TT5 could mask OL deficiencies by going into scramble drill and finding an open receiver or picking up yards on the ground, but LT3 is a different kind of mobile and isn't as likely to create his own opportunities like TT5 could. (TT5 was a sports car while LT3 is a 4WD truck)
3. Past offensive coaches didn't develop talent well (see every post French has ever had about differences in Line play between 2012 and 2013)