They're hot of the press, but were released as jumbo images so here is the maroon roster, and the white.
In past years the teams have been divided somewhat fair, but not this year. It's straight ones versus twos. I'm extremely happy the starting o-line is on the same team. I've griped before when they've been split up. Now we'll get a truer sense of how they look headed into August. However, it's not the truest sense. While our second team d-line is probably better than some starting units in the ACC, there's no denying that they're a step, albeit a tiny one, behind the starters, particularly at the 4th end and tackle positions. Also, I've heard all spring about quality battles between Painter and Gayle, and I'm disappointed I won't be able to see them go at it firsthand. Personally I prefer starters against starters, backups against backups, because I think it's the highest level of competition.
Although, this arrangement will still provide interesting matchups. The Million Dollar Man Corey Marshall, who started against Miami last year, will get to show his stuff against top line. Ronny Vandyke could cap off a fantastic spring and make a statement for playing time by holding it down at Whip. Also it's a great opportunity to see where our depth is at at in the secondary and at receiver. We'll get to see Michael Cole, Donaldven Manning, Theron Norman, and Boye Aromire work in coverage and defend the starting receivers, and conversely see Corey Fuller and Kevin Adante go against the starting DBs.
J.C. Coleman is listed on both rosters. He's going to get a ton of reps to show what he can do. He's had an up-and-down spring, which isn't very surprising considering he enrolled early. There's still a possibility he gets redshirted depending on how he and the backs coming in this summer perform in August camp. The more film of him, the more thorough the decision.
Marcus Davis is listed on maroon, but he tweeted Tuesday his spring was over.
Programming notes: Eric, French, Joe (I believe), Kevin, Brian, and myself will all be at the spring game. Box will be here and there will be a live blog since it's on ESPN3. For those of you headed to the 'Burg there will be a TKP tailgate most likely behind the south stands. If you're coming bring food (read meat and cheese), beer, or bourbon and leave a note on this post, or better yet here. Right now the forecast is for 50% rain, if it gets any worse than that, or we wake up and it's miserable outside, then we'll have to audible.
Comments
Sadly I won't be going
I won't be going to the game anymore but def down to liveblog the devastation that Gayle will deliver on Goins/Acree and help think of nicknames for the D-Line
I am up for that. I can live blog it since I will be stuck in a class that was rescheduled to today. Ruined my plans on being in Blacksburg.
Rosters Def Help Prove More than usual at spring game
With the first team vs. second team breakdown should be able to see more of how the o-line will be in the fall. The 2nd team D-line is plenty good enough to give a challenge. Seems like they definitely want to get the 1s a lot of reps as the maroon team seems to have less players. Think that even though the game is on ESPN3 that the team might show more of what they plan on doing with the O than going strictly vanilla and hopefully that encourages a few recruits cough*Bucky Hodges*cough to commit.
On the white team I'm really looking forward to seeing how Dadi Nicholas, Ronny VanDyke, and Manning do. Also interesting to see that Tweedy is the only whip on the Maroon team.
Different kind of spread
Maroon has to be a 13.5 point favorite.
Playing catchup
On the Sean Bielawski show, Bud Foster said they're going to spot the White team 21 points. I'll still take the Maroon Team.
I like 1s vs 2s
For the most part, you kind of already know what you're going to get from your #1s, although I think the VT offensive line is the exception this year. But, you really get to evaluate who from the #2s will be able to help in the fall.
Is VanDyke really ready for primetime? How does Gibson, Shuman and Acree look? What about the second unit secondary? All these questions will have partial answers after the Maroon-White game.
Demler is on the first team
#facepalm
Acree is on the third team, by all accounts we can go ahead and affix the bust label to him.
Shuman-Arkema-Gibson are the guys I am focusing on in that 2 group. I have no clue what they see in Farris, who has looked brutal every time I have seen him take a snap, either last year or on the spring film. Goins will be good, but he is a year away and for him to see time, Painter and Via would have to be hurt (and I think they would move Gibson outside first.
plus, if Ronnie Van Dyke puts on a show against the ones, what do you do with him next year if the plan is to rotate JWG-Tweedy? Do you play the best player, or play the upperclassman? Beamer has almost always played the upper classmen (see Cam Martin starting over Cody Grimm, Lamont Pegues starting over Shyrone Stith, Keith Burnell starting over Kevin Jones, and Al Clark starting over Mike Vick as prime examples.) With his background as a safety, you have to assume that Van Dyke is the best in pass coverage (where Tweedy struggles) and by all accounts he has been sturdy in run support (an area where JWG struggled in the past.
and, it is set up for Van Dyke to stand out, because Laiti and DiNardo are not going to be in the two deep next year unless some very very bad things happen.
wasn't he recruited as a rover anyhow? if his pass coverage is good enough, can he play some rover? seems athletic enough. whatever the case, it's definitely nice to see him step up. with the injuries from last year in the backer corps, i'm sure we could bring rvd in and move tweedy somewhere else if need be. rvd .. by all accounts .. appears to be the best all-around .. won't be at the game ... but curious to see if he's THAT damned good. if he is, they've got to find a way to get him on the field this season, even if we're talking about early-down rover.
DVD is the Whip of the future
With Tweedy and JG-W both graduating after this year they need someone who can be a legit Whip in 2013 getting reps this fall.
Yup
Reading the tea leaves, not sure what's going to happen with Nick Dew. When G-W and Tweedy were both injured he got a limited number of snaps last fall, Bud opted to play Nickel/push Fuller to Whip. Now he's 4th string Whip. I bet the coaches like everyone else were a bit surprised with how well RVD had played this spring, he's a bigger boy now, that initiated the move, but they have to be thrilled with the result.
Every time I read RVD
My brain thinks Rob Van Dam and can't understand how he factors in to the defense.
Anyone else notice...
That Jarrett is listed at Rover and Bonner is listed at FS?
Interesting twist there.