Recent Comments

My $0.02:

While I agree that more information is good, I disagree with the question posed "when should children be allowed to play tackle football." IMHO this is inherently biased.
What about a more scientific study, like this: Helmetless tackling drills reduce head injuries
Also, I disagree with the CDC spending taxpayer dollars on this. (Trying NOT to inject politics...Nuff said.)

IMHO, the biggest issue at the youth football level is poor coaching. Many kids receive minimal/no instruction on proper technique. I would start first with a mandatory training session with coaches/assistants and officials pre-season to educate proper form. Then, I would pass/enforce stiff penalties for dangerous hits from the early ages up.

But, I would not keep kids from playing.
To me, it is analogous to saying 'kids aren't allowed to swim until they are teenagers due to drowning risk.'
If that were the case, one could argue there would be more drownings due to less skillfull older swimmers. But we don't do that; rather we have developed safeguards such as swimming classes and lifeguards, etc to reduce the risk.
Football safety is evolving, and necessarily so, but what about teaching the game correctly to youngsters instead of just stopping them from playing?
One could argue that we should also disallow young girls from playing soccer, basketball and bicycling due to concussion risk. (Youth concussions facts)

I agree that better safety is important, but it starts IMHO with better educated/trained coaches, officials and parents.

I'm fourth year

Hold up...which school are we at?

These are nice and all...but I want to see the new jersey's

That watch

This isn't a comment on concussions. But my father was/is a radiologist - so he'd seen plenty of X-rays of developing bones and knew how tackle football and baseball pitching impacted pre-teen bone, ligament, and tendon development.

Needless to say, neither my brother nor I was allowed to play tackle football or pitch until the age of 12.

Went with HokiePilot93 so I'll add some of my thoughts here:

1. Tempo, Tempo, Tempo. Probably tired of the word by now, but defenses will be tired come Fall.

2. Misdirection - Play designs are focused on a lot of misdirection and fakes. Knowing that Fuente and Co. are keeping offense simple this Spring, I can see the many different looks that plays can go out of similar formations.

3. Thought it was very cool to see Isaiah Ford in blue, hearing the play call and then running to line up as if he was actually taking the rep 10 yards behind the actual rep. Although he isn't getting physical reps, he's taking initiative (or being instructed to) get quality mental reps.

4. Adonis (CB), Terrell (Rover), Mook (Nickel) , and Chuck Clark (Free) are all exactly where they should be in the defensive backfield and I'm really excited about it. In the play mentioned by OP, Adonis was matched with Bucky (who took every rep lined up outside as a receiver). Adonis definitely held Bucky (refs didn't call it) but the ball was pretty well placed by Evans for a fade route down in the endzone. Thrown to a spot in the corner at a point where only Bucky could catch it, if given the opportunity.

5. Defensive Line will be just fine. Trevon Hill and Houshon Gaines will be getting a lot of reps come fall, and they deserve it. Looked good in drills. Settle is huge. Made Ricky Walker look tiny standing next to him during reps. Settle was able to get serious push into the backfield and was able to extend his arms on the OL meaning he could move him where needed quickly to shed the block once he dissected the play.

6. No idea who will be getting reps at WR. CJ Carroll and Devin Wilson were together a lot, but Bucky was also with them. When Peoples was in the H back role, Sam Rogers would be in the slot. Sean Daniel got reps, along with Jaylen Bradshaw and Divine Deablo.

7. QB - I'm leaning Evans. Seemed to get most work with "1s." Looked pretty good on his throws and has a pretty good pocket presence, and the ability to make things happen when things break down. Motley looks pretty good too, but Evans seems maybe a half step ahead. Lawson seems to be slightly behind, but the upside is definitely there. Needs to improve on little things like footwork and squaring up to LOS when making throws on the run (Missed one low and behind due to this).

If there is anything I didn't comment on, feel free to ask. I might have an answer/thoughts. Like HokiePilot said, they didn't do a good job of letting us know we didn't have to wait behind people getting tshirts so we missed the first 20 minutes or so of what we could have seen, so small sample size.

I delayed reading through this thread because I knew it would make me want to attend more than ever. I was right :( Instead I'll be running in the Colonial 200 relay which starts near hooville and ends in Jamestown. The starting location is setting up for a fast time with the good incentive to run far away from that town :) Enjoy the game everyone. I can't wait to see the post game analysis.

I saw Tim Settle put a ridiculously effective swim move on someone in the 1v1s. Really excited about our D-line this year.

Probably the best set of shirts that have been put out in a long while.

But given the orange effect slogan, does that mean winning homecoming gets us a revival of these:

OMG spending my 4 years in Geoscience and studying earthquakes I'm ordering like 5 of the maroon effect shirts!!!

Should have contacted Ms. Betty White, I believe she attended the Marine Ball a couple years ago with a fortunate young man. She may be 80+ but try to tell me she wouldn't be the most hilarious date.