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I have to think it's more the latter. There are always more players in the portal than viable landing spots, and have to assume a lot of these kids aren't just looking for playing time at a lower level as opposed to testing the waters and seeing who will pay.

PJ Fleck prefers sugar cones to waffle cones for his mid-winter treat

That's four of the five line gone for next season.

Braelin Moore and Xavier Chaplin in the portal. Parker Clements and Kaden Moore graduate

Braelin Moore in the portal now. Are we going to have any warm bodies at OL?

Virginia Tech standout center Braelin Moore is entering the transfer portal, his agency @3strandsports tells @CBSSports/@247Sports.Moore, who is repped by @EugeneTLeeand @monnier_oscar, was the Hokies' starting center the last two years.https://t.co/CPiEIR6P96 pic.twitter.com/evabYVVbF8— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 9, 2024

Really appreciate your time. Look forward to sorted by position. Thanks

My sister spent two winters up in Ely.

That was six years ago.

I think she may just be thawing out.

Pretty good takes here.

Sucks to lose some guys, but it's possible we can find someone better in the portal or develop over the offseason.

He did a really good job at WVU.

Some thoughts on portal movement so far today:

1) Xavier Chaplin- I think a case study with what is wrong with the composition of the program. There is so much hand wringing about his departure, but his performance, while at times was serviceable, wasn't top tier. His footwork and effort took steps backwards as the season progressed, was constantly missing snaps because of a shoulder issue, and never was good in pass protection. The problem? The Hokies didn't have someone with higher upside in development. The OL were mostly Fuente era holdovers, and we have yet to see anyone where the relationship was established with this staff take a big leap forward. Meadows got a last second offer. Braelin had the family tie in with his brother. Then to look and only see two scholarhship takes at a position where there are rarely difference makers in the portal is very frustrating.

2) Mose Phillips- this one is a mixed bag. It is troubling because Pry made him a priority and identified him early as a part of the solution. Either it was a missed evaluation or awful coaching, because there isn't anything in his performance that would indicate he would be a huge loss. Sometimes those upside guys just never get their feet to catch up with their heads (see Hunter, Devon), but the optics aren't good.

3) Malachai Thomas- clearly lost his explosiveness and probably was a "tough conversation because of how effective Coney was in limited touches. I liked his toughness (minus the Marlowe Wax play in the Dome), but for a guy whose next season is likely his last and wants to play, a reduced role probably isn't appealing.

4) Gunner Givens- he was never going to play at VT. Physical tools, but mental toughness and williningess to take coaching were always going to be issues. I am still shocked he stayed in the program this long. Dead wood.

None of the power player schools will agree to this.

the current VT OL coach (who we hired from South Dakota) lacks a competent resume

• He coached OL for the Cincy team that made it to the CFP
• He coached on the OL for the 2011 Stanford team that went 12-1 and ran circles around us in the orange bowl.
• He coached OL for a WVU that improved by 2 wins every year he was there

You can say he hasn't done a good job here or that he was a bad hire, but he basically has the best resume of any OL coach VT has had in 3 decades.

More of my favorite players are out of eligibility than I realized.

I sort of knew it, but I had sort of voluntarily forgotten, I think.

Gulp.