The Hokies are hot on the recruiting trail during their bye week. Offensive line coach Stacy Searels landed another verbal commitment from an offensive tackle tonight. D'Andre Plantin, a 6-5, 270 pound product of Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia, announced his decision on Twitter.
I am officially committed to play football at Virginia Tech. I would like to thank all my supporters and give all praise to God #ACC #Hokies— Dandre Plantin (@ERA_of_MOAM56) November 6, 2014
Earlier this week, Austin Clark flipped his commitment from South Carolina to Virginia Tech.
For the second straight recruiting cycle, Virginia Tech is hauling in the beef. Plantin joins the aforementioned Clark, Fredrick Johnson and Mike Arnold as tackles verbally committed to the Hokies for its 2015 class.
The Key Play is scheduled to speak with Plantin tomorrow about his decision.
Comments
Stacy Searels is on a roll. he's going hard after the guys he wants for his system. Plantin is a good prospect. Glad he commits to VT. Welcome to Hokienation D'Andre. lets keep the momentum going. Go Hokies.
D'Andre Plantin' defenders on their asses, amiright?
With getting all of these lineman on board how long will it be until we start moving them to tight end? I LOVE IT!
good lord his 2nd to last block was a thing of beauty. I think he got 3 pancakes there
So his TKP nickname is "Full Stack", right?
If his last name is Plantin, does he really need a nickname? Surname about sums it up, really.
Welcome aboard, D'Andre! Glad to see we're loading up on O-line talent.
Awesome news. As we have all discussed (for years, really), we need help on the O line. This is how we get it going
Really strong technique. Great first step and head placement. He understands leverage based on the emphasis he has on getting to specific spots on the defender to execute the blocks.
So why is he under the radar? Simple- size. Great height and reach... the big question will be can he retain that quickness when he bulks up to D1 size.
I like that depth is being addressed.... offensive line is always going to be a position of attrition. Four guys, all of whom will start out at tackle and then if they don't have the feet they will be moved inside.
I was personally impressed with how he exploded off the ball and stayed low. And like you said had great head placement on his blocks. If you position yourself correctly, the blocking comes easy. Something the WRs need to figure out.
A lot of these players down here in Georgia stay off the radar simply due to the competition on their own team. I believe Plantin is a two year starter on defense, but this is his first season starting on offense due to their two tackles last year (6'5" 320 & 6'4" 320), who were both D-1 prospects themselves. Heck, I think Norcross in general had over a dozen players take D-1 schollies in last year's senior class.
Yep, he's coming from a talented team that plays a lot of good competition.
Do you think he sticks at OT for us? Seems to have played very well at DT in H.S. in addition to his work on the OL.
He looks better suited to OL than DL in his film to me.
He won a couple of state championships. He picked Tech over LOLUVA. In Hokienation Plantin is already a winner.
The DE in the last clip looks like he weighed about 170 lbs. Either way I like that he finishes blocks with a bit of a mean streak.
That was a clip of Norcross vs. Meadowcreek. Meadowcreek had lost 50+ games in a row until they won one of their games last year. This season they've managed to win another one.
You need more legs. Allow me to assist with that.
French -- First couple of clips I expected him to truly drive the DL off the LOS. He doesn't seem to do that -- any concern?
I am not French but I noticed what French alluded to in his above post. He fires off the ball and gets to his man quickly with good form and leverage. A lot of those plays he turns the defender or sets up his block so seal the defender out. He doesn't just simply overpower them, he plays with technique which means he stays in control the whole time (which will aid him in getting off double teams in the future). He blocks well in space and with the extra strength he will add at VT, he should be able move some people.
The only thing I would like to mention is that on some pass protection plays, he plays pretty high at times.
Personally I don't think it's a bad sign when high school OL prospects use technique to make blocks rather than overpowering the opponent with sheer size/strength. The strength doesn't translate to the next level nearly as well since most opposing lineman are similarly sized. In fact, we've had a plenty of guys who were beasts in the weight room but were never able to get the technique down to translate that to the field. A guy who has good fundamentals can get in the weight room and add strength to improve his game, but it is really difficult to break the bad habits of a strong guy who is used to getting results while doing things the wrong way.
Good work! Keep picking up real o-linemen, no more converted o-line please.
Welcome, D'Andre!
This does not suck.
So many big uglies, love it!
Just what we need, more big men!
I don't know how we're getting so many good commits lately with the way the on-field product has looked, but it must not matter that much to these recruits. I love it
Think of it like this:
I'm 5'9" 150 lbs and I'm pretty sure I could start at O-line for us the way we're playing....
(obviously this is hyperbole, but you get the point)
Well, it feels good to be needed, and we desperately need good recruits. Plus they have a better shot at playing right away.
One of the recruits visiting during one of our disappointing losses said something about wanting to run out on the field and help out.
Because one of the most important elements in the decision making process for the recruits seems to be immediate playing time. Look at the SEC teams loaded with blue chippers across the board in their depth chart. Eventually over saturation will occur and the more ambitious will look to play elsewhere.
I've heard this same logic applied to UVa. Mike London sells the idea that instead of going to VT, they should commit to UVa and help turn the team around. "Come to UVa and help turn this team around. You will play immediately!"
Its an effective strategy and it is part of the thousand cuts that has been hitting VT recruiting with respect to highly rated in-state talent last year and the year before.
I think that football players understand better than fans that losses happen.
If current on the field production mattered a whole lot, UVA would never recruit anyone.
We also may have coaches who are better recruiters than they are coaches. See: Kiffen, Lane.
Yes another O-line recruit!
I love the fact that we're getting big in the trenches again. I was watching the '02 game against BC and noticed Nathaniel Adibi's weight at DE and I was shocked and wondered why he wasnt playing DT. We need to get back to that.
He will be Plantin wahoos on the ground in no time!
For all the concern over Searels as the coach, he is doing a great job recruiting players for his system. Lets give him at least another year before any more calls for his head. Remember he is still dealing with Newsome's non-recruits.
It's also worth noting that he is our 3rd O-line coach in 3 years. That has got to be contributing to the dysfunction of the O-line.
As for Coach Searels, he has played and coached in the SEC. From what I understand, except for the stint at UT and being let go with the rest of Mack Brown's staff, he's had good coaching stints prior to UT. I'm hoping that if he stays on with VT, he will continue going to SEC states and finding O-lineman to play for VT.
As one who has been critical of Coach Searels, I agree with your point. I/we need to let him do his job and not measure his effectiveness until he has had a fair chance.
It's worth noting that these guys may have lower rankings currently, but many of them have picked up bigtime offers late in the process:
Commitments:
Tyrel Smith (6'4" 284) Fla Atlantic and UMass (currently prepping)
Mike Arnold (6'5" 280) Nebraska, UGA, Miami, NCSU, Notre Dame
Fred Johnson (6'8" 285) UF, Nebraska (Soft Commit)
Austin Clark (6'5" 297) Clemson, Miami, PSU, USC, UT
DAndre Plantin (6'5" 270) Cinncy, Illinois, UVA
Additional Targets:
Kenny Thomas (6'6" 315) Louisville, Miss St, (Minnesota also offered)
Emanuel McGirt (6'5" 271) NCSU, UGA (LSU, PSU, UNC, UT, Miami, WVU also offered)
Joshua Nijman (6'5" 265) Miami, Temple
Malik Cuellar (6'5" 295) JUCO -- Ariz St, Utah, Mizzou, Okie St
Edit: Added Nijman
Add Joshua Nijman to the targets list.
But will he play "D" or "O". The 247sports page lists him for both.
He will be an OL here, at least starting out
BRING EM ALLLLLLLL!!!!!