Recent Comments
Yea, but Garland had no potential under Greenberg. He never showed signs of improving. It was all because of who our coach was, I'm not going to argue that. If you watch his shot, it has an awkward side spin to it. Maybe if a coach would work on him with that he would get better, but the worst part about watching him was that he never saw a shot he didn't like.
Just how good is the incoming recruiting class? The 30 seconds i took to look at ESPN rankings makes me think the new guys are average, and below average for ACC. I know rankings are a wash so does anyone have good insight?
Also Trevor please don't take this personal i enjoy a good debate. But we can't compare ourselves to UNC there's huge talent gap and even though they exited this year early they are always in the talks of Natonal championship and they will be back next year better they just reload talent, because they have the ability to go out and get the best in the country. When UNC offers players in our own state we can't keep them here for basketball.
Greenberg had how many years until he beat Duke or UNC? And if Greenberg was as good as advertised why didn't he rise to the occasion like a Shaka Smart for an example????? Yes, JJ wants to run a more uptempo game of basketball to utilize the athleticism on the team, we don't have a true big man or consistent scorers for that matter I can't blame him for that my argument was for the fans giving him a chance. Its funny to me when VT was going undefeated at the beginning of the season everyone was on the JJ bandwagon. Greenberg had his chance and nothing came from it. I don't care about how many times we got overlooked for the tourney selection it never happened teams get in that don't deserve to get in and teams get the raw deal as well every year so that to me isn't a good explanation. I'm a fan of the game not just a Hokie fan that's being bias. When I look at coaches how many players has Greenberg sent to the NBA as long as he's been here???? So he's not developing his top players. And if were going to talk about recruiting a well let's talk about Greenberg's misses on Stephon Curry and his brother......???? Almost mind boggling that we didn't even offer a legacy recruit of one of the all-time scorers in VT basketball history???? My point is if Beamer got a chance to turn his program around why can't JJ? If all we have is wins against Duke and UNC than let's live in the past forever!
I disagree with you about Greenberg. He is a X and O coach, have to remember that Greenberg is a tactical coach, not a coach with a strategy like Coach K of Duke. One of Greenberg glaring weaknesses was end-of-game strategy, and that is the same problem with coach Johnson. Johnson had a chance to call a timeout and draw up a play for the Hokies to execute against UNC, and he never did so as he was content to let Erick Green play the hero and dribble out the clock. The result were predictable.
How many time did Greenberg coach the Hokies to beat Duke and UNC when nobody gave them the chance? Greenberg legitimately missed out on two NCAA invite because of how stupid the selection committee were.
I like JJ, but I'll be honest with you. JJ is in over his head. He has ZERO head coaching experience and was job hopping for a while. He left for Clemson to be an assistant with a slightly better pay, and that was it. Weaver claim that Johnson told him Greenberg was the cause for his firing, and to this day, I will call bullshit on that. Weaver never truly committed to Greenberg the way Weaver commits to Beamer. Think about it, when Weaver had the press conference where he publicly fired Greenberg without telling Greenberg first, what was one of the questions Weaver was asked? I'll save you the time of Googling it. He was asked if he wanted a Beamer in sneakers, and he said, "Yes."
I'm sorry, but that is as filmsy as Wang blocking on a run play. Greenberg may be an a-hole, but the man know how to coach, and how to get his players to play defense, something that JJ seem to fail to grasp or to get his players to understand that concept.
It sucks that Brown left because of the notion that he was homesick, but that doesn't pass my smell test. There's plenty of young men his age who are away from home and doing just dandy. No, Brown's biggest problem was his technique and he finally figured that out near the end of the season.
Unfortunately, with Weaver's boneheaded HR handling and shortsightedness, the basketball program have been set back a decade and it will be a while before the damage is undone. I just hope that JJ can surround himself with quality assistants to execute what JJ wants from his players.
If JJ wants to play up-tempo basketball the same way UNC does, he is going to have to face the fact that it mean defense won't always be desirable (take a look at how quickly UNC exited the tournament, proving me right) because the up-tempo masks that weakness.
I think Brown will be missed, just like any program no one likes to see a player leave or transfer regardless of his down season he still had untapped potential that he never got to tap into here and become successful. I'm still uncertain as to why JJ gets the bad comments for players leaving technically these aren't JJ's players these are still Greenberg's recruitment class when he was here. I think and still think JJ its going to be a great coach for us. He didn't have a great season this year, but what coach do you know who have a great season the first year they're a head coach.......Can't name one. I can't figure out why sometimes I feel like we are the only fan base that has wish-washy fans that complains when we aren't doing well instead of standing by our school no matter what. I know as fans we have that right, but what was so great about Greenberg? I won't even waste time putting up his stats as a coach. When I was in high school I wasn't impressed with him. He wasn't a X's or O's kind of coach and he want a players coach. This is just my opinion. Greenberg had his time to be successful and he still didn't get it done so let's give JJ a chance to prove himself.
People said the same about Garland and now he's taking his Southwest Philly Floater to the Sweet 16.
Rankin is much better than Brown. He's a better dribbler, a great defender, and it doesn't matter how his jumper looks because it's impossible to have a worse jumper than Brown.
I apologize for not being on top of that guys. I really had no idea. Damnit, I don't like seeing talented in state OL guys going somewhere else.
It's the Blacksburg weather. He missed the warm.
After attending an open practice with around 20 people no less: http://www.streakingthelawn.com/2013/3/23/4138954/4-star-offensive-linem....
For as terrible of a game day coach London is, he's a stellar recruiter.
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13 years 3 months
# | GAME ON: Grimes on Interior OL Competition This Spring (credit to Andy Bitter) Ryan Pugh should help Andrew Miller immediately.
Yeah. But I took your comment as more of an 'it's not signing day yet...'' kind of thing. Moss still has time to come to his senses.
Stephen Moss committed to UVA? I need to listen to the news.
I do not buy Brown's being homesick as an excuse to make up for his performance. His biggest problem was his technique more than anything. He does not have a soft touch that is normally seen in shooter (think J.J. Redick) and as Joe alluded to above, he is not a terrific ball handler. What I liked about Brown was his ability to do the extra pass and he isn't afraid of contact. Brown isn't afraid to drive, but when it's against ACC competition, he was more content to throw up prayers than trying to draw contact.
Edit: I have to also agree that it doesn't make the basketball program look good when there's an annul pilgrimage of talent from Blacksburg.
It's a combination of having a good shooting coach and having the work ethnic to work on his jumper. Didn't he say that he learned work ethnic from Erick Green? I honestly thought he finally turned things around when the season was closing.
I am very disappointed because I thought with Johnson's hiring, it may finally put an end to the annual loss of available bodies, and because I thought Brown would be one of the players to watch next fall/winter.
Too bad Moss already committed to the Hoos :(
In before Brown leads USF/UCF/FGC to an improbable elite 8 run in two years.
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13 years 3 months
# | GAME ON: Grimes on Interior OL Competition This Spring (credit to Andy Bitter) I don't think it is a coincidence that Ryan Pugh is now a GA. I mean, think about it, why would an Auburn national championship letter winner be on the Hokies' staff as a GA? My thinking is along the line that he could help teach Miller and Farris to be outstanding center as far as technique and Grimesese (terminology).
I believe he addressed that.... 'I take some of the blame for that'.
Let's hope it's live and learn, and the same void doesn't exist this year.
Hey now, we need Teller at DE... We only have like 11 on the current roster
(*Sarcasm*)
Osterloh has played tight end his entire career. It will take some time before he is ready to make an impact inside, and that is fine given that the staff seems to be so high on Taraschke and Conte. Long term, tackle looks to be in good shape. Pfaff and McLaughlin are the only developmental projects at guard (and McLaughlin could easily play right tackle) so getting a big nasty OL like Stephen Moss or Damien Prince who gets recruited at tackle but can move inside to guard is critical.
Or, they could just move Teller to tackle...
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13 years 3 months
# | GAME ON: Grimes on Interior OL Competition This Spring (credit to Andy Bitter) Thanks. I know we have limited if anything film wise on Conte but say Shuman & Conte are both in your group of 5 best lineman which we need on the field at all times who fits better at guard, and is that a move you could see happening..
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13 years 3 months
# | GAME ON: Grimes on Interior OL Competition This Spring (credit to Andy Bitter) 1) I think he knows that Gibson could be really really good. Watching film of Auburn's OL and then watching film of Gibson in limited snaps, he fits exactly what Grimes looks for (tall, mobile, quick feet.) Shuman, as I noted in my French on the Bench, has the same length (and good feet from what little I have observed) but he isn't quite as strong in the upper body which makes it more difficult to scoop block the backside or hook a defensive end on a zone outside seal. But, his comment may imply that Conte, and not Shuman, has the major upside at tackle. I think Shuman can be good, but no lineman has been more complimented publically by the staff more than Augie Conte.
Also, as I noted in today's French on The Bench, the interior linemen do not fit the Jeff Grimes mold. Again, Auburn's guards are 6'5 300 and look long and lean on film. The zone blocking scheme requires guards that can scoop 1 techniques and true nose tackles and hook 3 techniques and back side middle linebackers. That means a fundamentally sound quick first step to the play side, getting your head on THE PLAYSIDE SHOULDER/HIP of the defender (not in the middle of his chest) and then getting turned upfield. I am a big proponent of Brent Benedict, but laterally movement was consistantly the weakest part of his game. Wang and Arkema are both stout guards and don't have the footwork to overcome the lack of reach. Farris is a center, and should stay at center. At guard, he has the same weaknesses as Wang and Arkema and is less mobile.
Miller is the most interesting case study. Based on all I have read, he is a nasty cuss and plays the game with the right attitude and aggression. His injury is lauded as the reason for why the offense struggled so much down the stretch. But, remember, he has struggled against large nose tackles and he seemed to struggle with setting the correct protections. Perhaps Grimes has seen that on film, and is challenging Miller to improve that part of his game.
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13 years 3 months
# | GAME ON: Grimes on Interior OL Competition This Spring (credit to Andy Bitter) Its a good thing that Grimes is used to defending SEC defensive lines. That will come in handy August 31.
From what I can tell, they are all guys who didn't get offered by big schools which leads me to believe that they are all guys JJ knew he could sign and fit his system. Not very many top 100 recruits will come here until we start winning or JJ establishes himself as a recruiter. However, it is nice to finally see us recruiting a center who is over 6' 9" though as well as some quick guards. Donte Clark will probably start at some point next year or at least be a major contributor. My predicted starting five is (and this is completely speculation): Adam Smith, Marquis Rankin, CJ Barksdale, Cadarian Raines and Marshall Wood, but that's just me. Thoughts?