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"We're going to have it narrowed down as far as who our primary ballcarriers are, but there's other guys that we want to get involved in different ways as well as we go along week to week."
Wouldn't this create tendencies? If I were a DC, I would eat this up knowing guys who were good at running the ball on certain down and distances, and then other guys who were better at other things - backfield routes, pass blocking, etc.
the ACC is behind the times on virtually everything. get used to it.
Technically, as an assistant coach, Porter shouldn't have been on the field, but do to the severity of the hit on AB and the concern for his well-being the refs allowed it, they likely thought it a good idea to have another coach on the field to try to keep the players from starting another fight and he was standing between a group of Steelers and a group of Bengals at the time of the incident. There was chatter between Porter and some of the Cincy players, what was said we'll probably never know (perhaps they were exchanging chili recipes), as there was no public microphones there. But it was Jones that shoved a ref to try to get at Porter, which will draw a flag every. single. time.
But their years of coaching in college do matter
Only if Fuente implements a pay scale that rewards prior experience. But all appearances, he is not. His pay raises appear based on titles/promotions/added duties. It looks like he's attempting a more egalitarian approach to the pay scale than Frank did. Of course, this is year one and we're operating with limited information.
This is why Zohn is making less than every other position coach.
I mentioned something about that elsewhere on this thread and I'm too lazy to find it. I really don't think Fuente is sold on Burden. It took a long time for the announcement that Burden was going to be retained. This and a buck fifty will buy you a cup of coffee, but I really think Burden's reduced salary is more a matter of Fuente giving Burden a shot but saving some payroll in the process. If Burden lights it up in recruiting and coaches up the running backs, I expect him to be given a raise to the base position coach salary in short order.
I kind of look at it this way. Fuente's first priority was retaining Bud. When that was accomplished, Bud vouched for Wiles and Gray. (Whether he vouched for Brown is unknown, and a whole other conversation.) Fuente obviously trusted Bud's judgement and offered Wiles and Gray positions at the full position coach salary, based on Bud's trust in them. Again, what they made before under Frank is irrelevant. This is Fuente's ship now, and they're working the job that Fuente offered them, at the salary Fuente offers his position coaches. But with Burden being an offensive coach, that's Fuente's area. He didn't feel comfortable offering Zohn the full salary he pays position coaches, so he offered him a position at a lower salary. There was no Bud Foster type figure to vouch for Burden; it doesn't matter what the outgoing OC has to say about a position coach.
I don't like that Zohn is making less than his peers for the same job, but I understand the logic. I just hope performance (under Fuente) is rewarded and Zohn is bumped up to full salary.
Leading with the crown of the helmet while making a tackle has been a penalty in the NFL since 2013.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000238662/article/new-nfl-rules-cro...
The CBS crew butchered the discussion of that play. Being "defenseless" or not has nothing to do with that component of the rule.
Pretty clear that Shazier lined him up and put his eyes down to initiate contact with the top of his helmet.
It is that context I am referring to when saying the refs let it get out of hand. If they throw a flag correctly there, and that Bengals drive isn't ended deep in plus territory at a critical moment, is Burfict still as incensed? I'm not saying Burfict is excused for his dirty hit at all.
As does the $EC.
The Big Ten releases their schedule in advance... why can't the ACC?
As soon as I saw it would be Seahawks @ Panthers, I snapped up tickets to the game next weekend. Getting to see the Panthers at home with the year they're having PLUS Kam and company is too good to pass up. All within driving distance.
I'm a Vikings fan.

Haven't looked up the rules, but the commentators said that the Shazier hit was clean because the running back was already established as a "runner" and not a "defenseless receiver" because he had made the catch and a "football move". I agree that in college that would likely be targeting, but IIRC targeting doesn't exist in the NFL. Side note: What they really missed on that play was the fumble that Shazier returned for a TD that would have put the game out of reach.
The Burfect hit on AB was ugly and illegal. He purposely lowered his shoulder, aimed at the receiver's head, and ran through the hit when the receiver had no chance to defend himself. He could have easily avoided contact, but chose to make the hit when he knew the player didn't have the ball. He put another players career and life in jeopardy just to deliver a big hit that could do his team no good, as the ball was long gone before the hit. He is a selfish player who plays out of control. That type of play has no place at any level of football. If I was in charge in Cincinnati, and Lewis didn't get rid of Burfect then Lewis would need to be looking for a new job. Lewis had no control over his team in the most important game of the year, that can't stand.
Refs let that game get out of hand and then couldn't control it
How many more flags should they have thrown? The only thing that they could have done different is eject people, but nothing in the game warranted that until the Burfect hit, which ended up being the last defensive play for the Bengals anyway.
Let's enjoy Ford next year because I expect it will be his last with us. Mr Ford should have a spot waiting for him in the NFL.
not only did he miss the block, but he completely took himself out of the play in the process. First time I watched the clip I was just focused on Ford and thought, man, that's a lot of blue jerseys, I thought there was at least one of our guys over there...
I'm kind of glad that they do this. It's easy to say they're just being greedy, but if they didn't do this then everything would already by booked years in advance anyway.
In my experience, and to my taste, once they get over 24" their food value diminishes quickly. The younger fish are, indeed, delicious, and in the hands of a good chef, outstanding table fare. For their size, they are terrific battlers and that first surge is their biggest asset around docks and pilings. Being able to find them in shallow water without snags and hang up problems is one of the funnest fishing experiences available. Couple of years ago, we got them like that in the summer here in the Middle Bay. Six lb test and unweighted Gulp Jerk Shad (6") on unweighted 4/0 worm hooks was the ticket. The fish were in 6" to a foot and a half of water, and the blow ups were incredible. Hope that pattern returns in my lifetime here.
Stephen A. Smith writes for a website called ESPN.com and appears on ESPN, the television network.
Ford has a chance to be remembered as the best Hokie wide receiver ever.
He's already the best in my book. :)
Ehh, we are playing them in the 2nd game. I doubt it makes much difference to VT, they would probably have been just as good with the history of the previous scheme than with a better scheme in the second game. Down the road, this will make UT more formidable but the effect on the VT game will likely be minimal.
They were a lot of fun to fight on light tackle. We used freshly cut pin fish and circle hooks to catch the reds. I'm definitely not an experienced enough angler at throwing artificals to do it. It seems super cool and exciting but I was happy just to catch reds. Definitely want to try artificals in the future.
Loeffler will be effective at BC if Addazio leads him there, like he did at Temple.
For all of Loeffler's faults, his biggest IMO was his running game. Addazio won't let Loeffler get away with such a poorly schemed running game and the fragmented playcalling sequences. It seems Loeffler can add value to BC in the passing game but he has the potential to screw up BC's bread-and-butter if Addazio doesn't overrule him in the running game.
It doesn't matter how many years any of these coaches have been at VT.
But their years of coaching in college do matter - This is why Zohn is making less than every other position coach. It's not really logical to say worker 1 has 1 year of quality results, we'll pay him less than the norm. Workers 2 and 3 have 6 years of quality results (more than the norm) but we'll pay them the norm.
Fuente pays his position coaches $260K. Take it or leave it. Wiles and Gray took it.
Obviously this is how business works, but I very much agree with some of the posts below:
This doesn't mean that this cannot happen. I know managers that do that, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Unless it was a budget cut that was required for people to keep their jobs, which it wasn't, I don't see why they should be asked to take a cut to pay for others.
All that being said, as mentioned by others Wiles and Grey could have not accepted and gone elsewhere. Ultimately it's their choice. I just don't agree with that style of management with existing staff, but as I said I am not reading anything into beyond that as far as Coach Fuente is concerned.
I think it's important to note that we're also operating with limited information. I haven't seen actual contracts, but there could be other considerations that make this worth everyone's while.
The offensive talent certainly improved under Loeffler, that's the biggest win I will give him.
Fundamentally, I disagree with his philosophy on how to run an offense but he improved the talent level.
Biggest thing Loeffler gave us was a win over anOSU. No one can deny he had great play calling games and did a lot to set guys up for success in the future.
With regards to hotels being booked in Blacksburg, I'm fairly certain, based on prior experience, that they aren't actually booked, but that every weekend that is currently not an established game weekend is unavailable until the schedule comes out. Once it is released, they set their rates (usually 2-2.5x the standard rate) and restrictions (typically a 2 night minimum) and you can then begin booking. Very few times have I been able to slip through before the block them to grab a room at a reduced rate, gambling that it might be a game weekend or not. They'll also up rates for parent's weekend and other big University events.
The main issue with the RB rotation was that 2/3rds of the RB rotation didn't perform. JCC just couldn't get it going and Trey just runs too high and tentative to be effective.
It was still frustrating in the 2nd half of the year when it was just Mac and Rogers how Loeffler would sub out Mac after two good runs to put in the Rogers package. Everyone loves Mac and Rogers, but he still subbed in his packages to the detriment of momentum even when he was down to only two main tailbacks.

I also remember him answering a question about why he never wore sleeves in the cold in Buffalo. He said "It's all mind over matter; if you don't mind, it don't matter."