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Tech has played in some BCS bowl games but has only won one (against Kansas. Not exactly a stop-the-presses accomplishment).
Cincinnati. But otherwise yea, I agree with your post
I think we Hokie fans are viewing these recruiting misses through some maroon tinted glasses. I don't think we should be surprised at all that these elite recruits don't want to end up at our school.
OK, I'm not trying to trash Virginia Tech. I love this school and football program an unhealthy amount, but let's try and look at this rationally.
1. Tech doesn't have a history of prestigious post-season victories.
Tech doesn't have a national championship and has only played for one, and that was almost a decade and a half ago. Since then, Tech has played in some BCS bowl games but has only won one (against Kansas. Not exactly a stop-the-presses accomplishment). Most of the bowl games (and many of the nationally televised games Tech's played in) ended in a loss. Some of those losses were beatdowns. Tech has been better then UVA, for sure. But Tech hasn't been an elite program over the course of the last five years, and certainly not when you factor in the last unwatchable season.
2 Tech has lost it's identity
Beamerball used to be a great marketing tool for recruits. Having a "brand" is a great way to separate yourself from the crowd, and Beamer had a good way to stick in the mind of his targets. Play for him, and you'll be a part of an exciting brand of football. Great special teams and exciting defenses. The past couple seasons has seen Beamerball fall apart though. The Special Teams play hasn't been awe inspiring, and the defensive play (while effective) hasn't been exciting.
3 It took far to long to hire new coaches
If Stinespring hadn't decided to incorporate the pistol into Tech's playbook, I think he'd still be the OC. That move probably cost Tech 2-3 games last year, and if Tech wins 9 games I think Stinespring keeps his job. Let's face it, Beamer had a blind spot when it came to the lack of production from his offensive unit. It took a massive systems failure, which lead to a season so bad it threatened what he had built in the program over 2+ decades for him to make a change. Even then, he didn't fire the architect of the worst-managed offense in the ACC over the past decade. Loeffler and co. will have a positive effect on the offense. I'm confident of that. Loeffler's scheme's are too fundamentally sound and coherent to not be an upgrade over whatever Stinespring was tryin to piece together over the years.
However, let's not pretend that Loeffler and co. don't have a huge branding issue to fix with the offense either. And combined with the step back the defense and special teams experienced the past couple years, Tech isn't a real exciting program right now. Virginia Tech is the best football school in Virginia, no doubt. But simply being the most consistent program isn't enough to get elite recruits in your state. You need to have some sizzle. You need to have an angle, something which your recruits can get excited about... and "They've been quite above-average every year for a decade" isn't good enough.
Tech can't compete with the elite schools for elite recruits because, well, Tech isn't an elite program. UVA has a distinct advantage in the 757 area right now because a very friendly coach or two is pushing kids away from Tech. I don't think that'll last forever, but for now it's a fact of life. In a year or two we won't be seeing these top recruits flocking to UVA, it's just a fad.
Until Tech starts getting some high quality on-the-field results, Beamer isn't going to be able to out recruit the OSU's and Alabama's of the world. He's going to have to get some big time wins, on the big time stages of college football. Long-term recruiting success depends on it.
I've heard a lot of people talk about when London is gone. But I don't really buy it. UVA is a program that sticks with a coach who runs the team the way the university wants it run. UVA isn't going to sell out to win, evidenced by how long they held onto Groh, even though he wasn't winning. I think London has a good four years before his job is going to be in jeopardy. UVA will give him enough time to see through an entire class of recruits, then, when they realize they still aren't competitive in the league, they'll give it two more years and try something new.
I do want to see more blocked kicks. But I would settle for fewer roughing the punters.
Agreed, though, that good football is good.
I just want to see more blocked kicks. I understand that Beamer has had some great returners over the past decade, which has changed the risk/reward ratio for going after punts... But dagnabit I wanna see some blocked kicks!
Actually don't think the Hoos have offered him....
Take the red pill! Cause the blue pill ain't working right now...
I am looking forward to the list. Wondering if UVA is on it since his brother went through the system.
Just think of all the other states that fail to land their best recruits. We pulled andrew ford from PA. We are trying to pull Izzo from NJ. we get a lot of kids from Florida. You can't tell me all of Bamas team is from Alabama? Not saying we shouldn't have an edge. Heard the other day Park always wanted to go to UGa (I know not instate for us, but just shows that sometimes kids have schools in mind).
Was reading an article on Andrew Ford and his HS coach said this:
"We love Frank Beamer," Cantafio said. "He's a great guy, great (head) coach and everything else. But bottom line is, when you go to college, you'd better love your position coach, because that's the guy you're going to live with for four years."
Anyway, such truth, something to think about. I think this is why VJ is so balls out. He loves Gray.
Good point. However, wasn't there question about whether these coaches are quite professional to deal with or not?
High School this, High School that...one thing that we keep leaving out on here (though it's been mentioned in other threads) is the relationships with 7 on 7 coaches. I don't claim to be in the know but scuttlebutt is that the UVA staff started fostering those relationships before we realized how influential they were becoming. Especially in the bread-and-butter 757 area.
All great points. I can add one more angle - relationships. We need to develop good, stable relationships with HS in key areas. In other words, develop strong pipelines, and maintain these even during cycles when that HS does not have a nationally hyped player. I don't know for sure, but it looks like that is how Mike London is getting these players. We have to give him credit for that, even if his on the field success rate is lacking. I think the players that London has recruited in past cycles have also contributed to developing those
One thing I've read in the past is that once a recruit verbals elsewhere it's Tech's policy to stop recruiting them unless they reach out and show interest. That's a classy policy that no doubt comes from the top down. However, I feel like at other programs, when a target of their's commits elsewhere, that's when the real recruiting, or flipping process, begins.
If things go tits up at UVa this year, and the program decides to move in a different direction at coach, kids like Brown and Blanding might be tempted to go elsewhere because of how close they are with London.
HT 94..My daughter is wearing my wife's sweater(HT 93) and she will be HT 22-ish...Congrats on your sweater...It was definitely one of the best milestones I hit at VT!
Pure gold right there.
hes been telling them that for years now and at some point it would seem like the guys would want to hear something else. ill be interested to see what happened when hes fired in a season or 2
I think the program in general needs to get better at recognizing problems quicker. How many times after a certain coach is replaced, or a change is made, we read a quote from a current or former player that reveals how bad the problem really was?
I think the program has taken a turn towards complacency and I am NOT saying I don't understand why. I love our 10 win seasons and ACC titles. I think the feeling is that VT is a better program than UVA, therefore the program speaks for itself and the recruits will come.
What I am getting at is WHAT IF there is a big issue with recruiting at VT. WHAT IF some of the coaches are doing a lackluster job of creating good relationships. I just don't want multiple years of bad recruiting until a change is made, and then we find out how really bad it was.
or he told brown: "I'll let you call all the plays on defense, kinda of like a quarterback! Actually...do you play quarterback at all?! If so I definitely have a spot for you on this roster!"
You are correct sir.
Virginia Tech has not blocked a punt against an FBS foe since the Boise State opener in 2010, nearly three full seasons ago.
I'm pretty sure he said against FBS schools, Appy State and Austin Peay are FCS schools.
Agreed, it will take time. Programs with history and prestige aren't built in a year, much less one or two decades. Michigan has been doing it for over a hundred years.
I think many hate losing recruits to UVA, because we are above average and they are a team content with mediocre. Friends of mine that are wahoos even know that's what the aim is whether they like it or not. So that confuses many Hokies.
This year needs some results. If Scot starts to show some offensive power, and the defense ends up as expected, that will help. Then we would need to carry that.
I think the ACC isNt helping as well. They may be pulling some top recruits and sending a lot of kids to the NFL, but the nations view is ACC is #5 in a five super conference league. That doesn't help in the end.
Anyway, just can't give up on these guys, plenty more football to play, and a lot of questions to be answered. On the field will help though, so need to get back to 10+ and Big game wins.