Recent Comments
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12 years 5 months
# | I'm new here and love this site, just wish I had known about it earlier. Great job! ooooooo...that would be a really good question for the online application form you have set up...
I'm not on twitcher, what are you guys talking about
Hell yeah. Ford makes up for Harrison by a margin.
Welcome to Hokietown, Isaiah
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12 years 5 months
# | Read and React: "National Signing Day: Cavs' Mike London looks beyond high school coaches to cultivate Virginia Beach pipeline" I can't disagree. I think the difference now is that college coaches are recruiting more and more through these people that are paid as "professional" private coaches by the kids/parents now versus the traditional HS coach. That change from the traditional way of doing things just leaves a lot of questions.
Ford was offered by FSU and picked Tech not to mention he is from the state of Florida. Take that FSU! You steal ours we still yours! Haha.
If you set the rules for ACCCG entry as specifically as they have set the rules for determining division champions, there won't be any "bias or favoritism", as long as you set the schedules such that no group of 3 teams had the possibility of all going unbeaten.
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12 years 5 months
# | Read and React: "National Signing Day: Cavs' Mike London looks beyond high school coaches to cultivate Virginia Beach pipeline" I think this whole deal is slimy. Having said that, I'd be comfortable staying away from the booster/agent/trainer/coach scenario and stick to dealing with high school coaches. I think families will eventually see through the hype if a bunch of top notch recruits don't get to the NFL and don't get the degree from UVA they're working towards. Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't a few of their previous top-flight recruits been removed from the team and school? If the guys that are there now don't make it through, and the new recruits don't make it through, then the emperor's clothes will be revealed.
Clueless troll is more like it.
GET FULLY DIPPED.
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12 years 5 months
# | I'm new here and love this site, just wish I had known about it earlier. Great job! Welcome! I'm curious, how did you find out about the website?
completely agree, really thought it would be a great class with Nnadi and Harrison but it's still good without them. Filled needs on offense and have a lot of defensive guys from last years class. If QB gets solved then I'm not worried that we won't meet minimum of 9 wins and ACC Championship game each of the next few years
You made my day!
And now we know your secret identity
I am just getting started in my review of the recruiting class but I'm deliriously happy with the guys we pulled down. The CJ Reavis-es of the world make my day. They're the kids I like having the opportunity to root for for the next four years.
Virginia Tech will not meet its lofty expectations without winning the recruiting battle in its own state - period.
I think you have backwards. Until Virginia Tech becomes BCS relevant on a consistent basis, it will not land the top recruits in the state.
Lol you saw that too?
I have no reason not to believe that we will still go out there and kick everyone's ass until it doesn't happen. So, we're still gonna kick everyone's ass. That is all.
Yeah, go ahead and lead that march to Babcock's office and see how fast you get laughed out.
^___ THIS! Especially concerning the strength and conditioning of the team. We seems to get manhandled by almost every team we play for the last 4 - 5 years and I cannot for the life of me understand why this is occurring. Thanks again for the great write-up! Go Hokies!
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12 years 5 months
# | Read and React: "National Signing Day: Cavs' Mike London looks beyond high school coaches to cultivate Virginia Beach pipeline" As potentially shady as this can all be, its not currently against the rules. And if AAU ball is any indication, it will not be against the rules anytime soon.
I like the point that was made a bit earlier though. in that a lot of these Thoroughbred players all grew up together. Its almost an odd coincidence that so many of them have the talent to nab D1 scholarships. It will be interesting to see moving forward if they continue to turn out players at this rate. If they are able to, then like it or not seems to me that VT will have to repair some bridges with these guys. I personally would prefer not to have to go there, but as they say "It is what it is", and right now "It is" necessary if you want to tap into some of this talent.
I'm extremely happy with this year's recruiting class. Every year, we lose one or two guys we wished we had, but that is life. Nnadi would have been a huge asset because I think he's the real deal. Still, we will move on, our program won't be broken without him. I am a little frustrated that we couldn't rope in in some of the hot talent that came out of the VA this year. But then I go through the list of guys we got and think how can I be upset? We got some guys that truly will be play makers earlier, than later. We also filled many holes across the board. Beamer has made the right decision to bring in new faces to the staff that has already paid off. In time, we will bring home the big prize.
It is so frustrating. The worst part of the day hasn't been missing out on Nnadi and Harrison, even though it hurt. The worst part isn't knowing that the coaching staff is fighting a battle against the nation's elite programs with one arm tied behind their back because of perception, a lack of the same money as big programs, and an unwillingness to deal with "handlers." That is hard enough.
The worst part is listening to all the people who:
A) Have absolutely no idea how the college football world works and decide that any time Virginia Tech doesn't beat everybody by 40, win the national title every year, and get every top recruit, that coaches need to be fired and the players are not trying hard enough.
B) Have no idea why a play is successful or fails, how a player fits or doesn't fit a scheme, and have absolutely no idea how those skills compliment the other players in the program or those who are being recruited, and then destroy the coaches because they didn't hotly pursue guys who are not good fits for the system and the other players strength.
It makes it miserable to be a fan. I can't believe that I have to sometimes defend the coaches, including Coach Beamer. Are there ways things they could change to make the program better? Perhaps, but without us having a backdoor window into the money, support staff, and the coaching rooms, there is no way for any of us to full understand where those touch points are. We can point out where the RESULTS have been less than ideal, but we can only hypothesize what the tripping point was.
At the same time, for those who want to run Beamer out of town... why does everyone assume that a change will make things improve? UNC lost Mack Brown, and the program went into the crapper under Carl Torbush and John Bunting. Tennessee pushed out a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING COACH in Phil Fulmer, and the Volunteer fan base got to deal with Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley with a big orange bow on their heads. Michigan runs off Lloyd Carr. HELLO RICHROD. Sometimes the school hits the jackpot (Jimbo Fisher at FSU) but usually the schools that do have huge resources. You can't just expect that a new coach can replicate the culture at VT, and that culture is what made VT different and gave them the ability to compete at a high level despite talent and resource gaps.
My biggest concern with Beamer focuses on off season strength and conditioning. The teams over the past couple of seasons just don't seem as physically strong as past teams. You can't teach talent, but you can make guys stronger, and that was a key to VT's rise. I can still remember John Engleberger going from a 6'4 205 walk on tight end to a 260 pound monster DE. Guys from Southwest Virginia like Benny Wolfe and Nick Leeson, who were smaller guys and not heavily recruited, going to VT, growing significantly, and being quality special teams guys. If I had to ask a question of the staff besides scheme or recruiting, that is my first question. What is different with offseason S&C, if anything?
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12 years 5 months
# | Read and React: "National Signing Day: Cavs' Mike London looks beyond high school coaches to cultivate Virginia Beach pipeline" My concern with all this is the opportunity for "street agent" behaviour where the "coaches" are getting $$ from persons affiliated with certain schools. I'm not even sure it would be a NCAA violation (admittedly a high/Low bar). I'm guessing there may be some of this but short of video tape it would be hard to prove.
Chris Ellis?
Who was the last DL or LB we had drafted?
Jason Worilds, 2010.
Yak Butter nailed it. The style front six play is a hybrid. Like a one gap 4-3, every player has an assigned gap. Unlike an NFL style 4-3, those gaps are RARELY those in front of a players, so a premium is placed on defensive tackles who can shoot gaps laterally and then if they don't get through the hole cleanly, they can get under blockers and hold their gap fit. The advantage is that guys who fit the mold can be effective and open up things for the linebackers if they follow assignments. The bad thing is that elite defensive tackles are so dominant growing up that they learn how to beat blockers straight up and make plays instinctively. In Foster's system, top guys who are just used to running to the football and make plays become robotic because the system mandates that they go places and do things that are not always natural for guys who have been elite players growing up. The ends tend to be tweeners who are very quick because they have to track down running plays from the back side and rarely have bootleg contain. The mike and backer are more like 3-4 middle linebackers, where they have to play north south and fill the interior gaps rather than let the tackles eat up blockers and range sideline to sideline like a Ray Lewis.
The defense lends itself to tweeners and guys who have one skillset that is really good, but may not translate to the NFL. Alonzo Tweedy may never play anything but special teams in the NFL. But his speed and hustle made him valuable WHEN USED BLITZING FROM OUT WIDE AT WHIP. Has to cover? Uh oh. Bruce Taylor and Vince Hall were special guys at reading the play from the mike spot, outquicking or outpowering a backside scoop block, and meeting the guy for a loss. In a 4-3 where they have to play sideline to sideline and pursue? They just were not quick enough. Guys who were special at VT are bit players in the NFL because they had skills that were important at VT but don't always fit a typical NFL D. Jason Worilds may be the exception, but remember, he was a non-factor until he moved from ROLB in a 3-4 to LOLB in a 3-4. LOLB in a 3-4 is a stand up alignment with most of the same responsibilities a stud end would have at VT. His renaissance at that position isn't a surprise.
I fear the latest victim of the NFL mentality will be Derrick Hopkins. This kid was a four year contributor, a three year starter, contributed a photo album full of game saving plays, and set a great example for work ethic. But, he was a quintessential Bud Foster tackle who made plays because he had a set place to go and he went there (similar to an offensive lineman who has an advantage over a defender because the defender is reading while the blocker knows the snap count and where the play is going.) At the Shrine Game, playing in an NFL style system, he seemed to struggle to get off blocks. Kid is all guts and all heart, and will go down as one of my favorite players, but he may not have an NFL future. And you can bet your sweet yak that every time VT is going head to head with a school for a defensive lineman, that track record comes up.
NOW, with all that being said, Seattle used some components of Foster's system to win a Super Bowl. Kam Chancellor is probably one of the highest profile safeties in the game playing the same role that Foster used Kyshoen Jarrett in the last two seasons at VT. The system would work just as well in the NFL as in college IF you get the players that fit it. There in lies the challenge for Foster. How can you get guys who are special talents AND who fit the system (Jonathan Allen, Stephone Anthony, Derrick Nnadi, Andrew Brown) to come to Blacksburg and make them elite. When VT has had star power, that put the system over the top. Cornell Brown and Druck were STARS. Michael Vick, Stith, Moore, Davis... those were stars. Adibi-Hall-Flowers got them close to a national title (my arm for running back depth and a good passing system). Finally, Tyrod-RMFW-Evans-Wilson-Hosley were stars that elevated the DEFENSE during its worst season since 2003. You have to build a foundation, then get lucky finding those elite guys to go with the Vicks and TT5's of the world, and once every few years you are going to have a punchers chance. NOBODY, and I do mean NOBODY with VT's resources, location etc, has had a seat at the BCS table as much as Frank Beamer's Hokies. They now have to correct and get that foundation right. And they have some guys who could end up being those special players that can elevate the team. And they needed it, because besides Trey Edmunds, Kendall Fuller, Brandon Facyson, and Wyatt Teller they didn't have any guys with the talent and upside to be GAMECHANGERS.