Talking to a third party can be good therapy. Especially as the long, empty, offseason has continued it’s plodding pace. You can crystallize some thoughts. Realize a few things. And generally get out of the echo chamber.
So, I want to thank Pierson of TheKeyPlay for reaching out to me for a pre-season Q&A exchange. I get to unload a little on their site. Wait, that came out wrong. I get to write some things out that have been percolating, and we get some insight into the hopes and fears of the Hokies in 2015.
1. Who is the starting running back for VT this year, and what game do you expect him to go down with an injury? Before, after or during the game with Pitt? How have the Hokie faithful dealt with the Shai Mckenzie off-the-field stuff?
1. Pfffff, I don’t know…hold on while I flip a coin. The truth is, Running Backs Coach Shane Beamer has given his backs a series of drives to establish a rhythm and then adjusts the carry distribution from there. While JC Coleman currently stands atop the preseason depth chart, Trey Edmunds has the makeup to be more of a “bellcow” type back for the Hokies. He is arguably the most well-rounded (healthy) option in the Hokies backfield heading into fall camp. Though he has been hampered by injuries during his first two years in Blacksburg, Edmunds is a big, tough rusher who is deceptively fast. With that being said, his track record suggests a freak injury could pop up at any time (last season against UNC, he turned the corner into the open field before going down with a broken collarbone, looking like he was shot by a sniper from one of the surrounding pine trees).
While Hokies fans would love for a return to the 1,000-yard-plus performances of guys like Ryan Williams, Darren Evans and David Wilson, Shane Beamer’s stable is full of complimentary players that may find more success as a collective. Coleman, the enigmatic mighty-mite who ran for over 460 yards and four touchdowns in the final four games after essentially being written off, continues to get stronger and prove that he can be more than an outside-the-tackles rusher. Redshirt-freshman Travon McMillian is someone to keep an eye on; he had a breakout spring, showing incredible burst, speed and vision, as well as impressive development in finer areas like pass protection and play action. It wouldn’t surprise me if his role grows as the season rolls on and he is playing a major role when Pitt comes to Blacksburg.
Promising first year backs Marshawn Williams and Shai McKenzie both injured their knees last season amidst standout performances. While Williams’ recovery has proceeded without much fanfare, McKenzie found himself in some legal hot water during the offseason and many wonder whether the staff will redshirt him this season. Fans have been predictably torn on the subject – some chalk it up to immaturity, while others have grown sick and tired of players dragging the Virginia Tech brand through the mud. It will be interesting to see how Coach Beamer’s staff moves forward with Shai and how he rebounds from this experience.
2. How does the O-line look for this year? They weren’t great last year, but still lost three starters from last year. Are there going to be a lot of comments by announcers about the toughness of Michael Brewer just like last year?
2. Despite losing three multi-year starters, Stacy Searels’ line looks to be an improved unit in 2015. They’re big; they’re mean; and they have displayed an ability to effectively run and pass protect as a group, something the line struggled to do consistently last season. There was a concerted effort by the staff to revamp the offensive line two years ago, re-focusing their recruiting efforts on traditional offensive line prospects instead of big, athletic tight ends that they would eventually convert into lineman. While it was hugely successful (over time) with a guy like Duane Brown, history showed that it had far more misses than hits (no kidding!). 2015 marks the first year where we will see how that novel recruiting process materializes.
As for “Vanilla Vick,” I think we will see a steady dose of “toughness” commentary to start the year, mixed with talk of how he has really blossomed after a full offseason working alongside OC Scot Loeffler. Labor Day night will be filled with shallow commentary like, “Brewer really took a beating last year and may not have ever been 100% after the Ohio State game.” Brace yourselves.
3. The defense remains terrifying, starting with Dadi Nicolas (was really hoping he’d go pro) and Corey Marshall up front. Really, it’s hard to come up with questions about the defense, but the whole offense seems to be a big question mark — outside of TE Bucky Hodges. So, let me finish this grouping by simply asking, does this VT team have enough on offense? Where is/how will the scoring come? How much improvement do you see for Brewer?
3. Yes.
I’m going to cautiously buy the hype being spoon-fed to me by the coaching staff and believe Brewer has developed nicely during the offseason. I think the complimentary stable of running backs could really flourish and keep defenses from keying on the talented pass catchers, provided they stay healthy. I think Bucky could become the most dangerous weapon in college football (if he is not, already). Sophomore wideouts Cam Phillips and Isaiah Ford were fantastic as freshman and should continue to thrive this season. Sprinkle in two more dangerous tight end options in Ryan Malleck and Kalvin Cline and you’ve got the makings of a multi-faceted offense that could beat you in a variety of ways from a base formation. We’re not talking Oregon levels of offensive prowess; however, with a defense that should be elite, the anticipated improvement in the offense should translate to better offensive showings than last year’s barn burner in Winston-Salem.
I have two major concerns (aside from the obvious injury-related ones): Who steps up behind Ford and Phillips at the receiver position, and can Scot Loeffler stay out of his own head and not overthink the offense? Lefty has proven that he is one of the more intelligent coordinators in America, but there have been instances in which he has over-complicated his play calling. The hope is that for the first time during his tenure he has the players necessary to consistently execute his gameplans.
4. Love this question. Let me just get this one out of the way, as I live in Rhode Island: BC needs to stay in the ACC so (a) I still fall in the terrestrial ACC Network area, and (b) so I have a nearby Hokies game to attend every 2 years. It is completely self-serving, but I otherwise agree with you that BC is generally useless to the conference.
Aside from Clemson and Florida State, I would have to say that I follow the Atlantic about as much as every other Coastal Division fan. I suppose if I lived in The Triangle I might be more in tune with how Wake and NC State were doing. I live within the Boston media market and the only time BC has been mentioned recently was during the Ice Bucket Challenge. I think that will change dramatically this year, with Louisville and NC State (or just Jacoby Brissett) poised to crash the party.
Full disclosure, the following is completely half-baked. First off, I would get rid of the divisional format. 6-6 teams should never play in a conference title game. Period. The top two records should go to the championship game. Second, I would create the conference schedule anew each spring based on the previous season’s final records. This would allow the conference to create marquee matchups between both “brand name” programs as well as plucky upstarts poised to have a good year. Create enough scheduling balance to ensure the bottom feeders (*ahem* Virginia) don’t backdoor their way into a championship game by not playing talented teams.
Consider this: Between 2015 and 2024 the Hokies will play Louisville and FSU one time each and out-of-conference foe East Carolina 8 times. That’s wrong on so many levels.
In order for the ACC to take the next step and be considered on the same level as the B1G and SEC, it needs to start using its national platforms to showcase its talented programs. That means match-ups like FSU-VT on Thursday night and Clemson-Miami or Louisville-Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon. With the arrival of the College Football Playoff, the ACC needs its best teams playing one another to build title-worthy challengers. Otherwise, the national dialogue will continue to view the ACC as FSU, Clemson and everyone else. All of us within the ACC bubble know that’s not the case, but little can be done to change the perception when your best teams are playing each other once every decade.
5. As I stare into my crystal ball, I’m seeing a little bit of this and a little bit of that. This year’s game is in Blacksburg, which means it’s our turn to ride the victory carousel. Sitting here in mid-July, two unknowns worry me in this match-up: (1) How do the Hokies stop James Conner, after failing miserably last fall; and (2) what does the Pitt defense have in store for the Hokies offense under new Head Coach Pat Narduzzi. I worry that the chess match between Nards and Loeffler will be enough to short circuit Lefty’s melon, and we’ll just see a steady dose of unsuccessful flanker screens.
I think if evil genius Bud Foster finds a way to shut down Conner and his defense executes the gameplan to perfection, the Hokies will be in good shape. Oversimplification? Hardly. In Bud We Trust.*
*Except against Wake Forest, in which case there’s only so much you can do before you’re forced to score all of the points too…
Thanks, again Pierson.
Wondering how long The Donald would
have lasted in the Hanoi Hilton? McCain
is a hero read his biography. Trump
will implode. He should be attaching the
Dems
Regardless, this school must not play the highest in competition which is maybe why he is lowly rated. The staff did offer him after his camp workout, so they saw something in him.
There are gray areas in things other than politics and trying to determine the punishment for a kid who drank too much and drove is one of those. To borrow a phrase, we are not judge, jury, and executioner. We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors (unless we’re talking Penn State).
I will accept whatever Nard dog’s punishment is because I believe he is more informed about it than I am.
Can’t wait for the season to start.
H2P!
Smart, with a high motor, high character and under the radar. If James Harrison went to Kent State, several P5 schools missed on that one. I’m trusting HCPN and his defensive talent evaluations.
Welcome Mr. Hargrove!
I agree! Got to bring back a royal blue and yellow throw back this year! I think they will! I’m saying ND game would be perfect! At least we saw the script at ACC media day, looked so good! Think about how long it’s been to see the script on tv as our logo, not just helmet decals! I hope Stevie choked on something! Lol!
I was thinking along the lines that Paulie (since he’s such a great guy) should have taken Troy Douglas along with him to Madison.
After all he promised him a job to lure him away from Iowa State where I’m sure he would still be at today making his full salary. Not having to take a $200,000 pay cut.
Surely Cheesehead Paulie could have found a place on his staff for Douglas. The guy got screwed royally.
McCain was the worst candidate I’ve seen run for president, personality wise. Even worse than Walter Mondale. McCain’s campaign was a dead as he looked UNTIL Palin came along and breathed some much needed life into the campaign.
Was she the most qualified woman to be on the ticket, well perhaps not, but she did have some personality and some fight, that old warmed over death McCain did not. He would have been beaten even worse without Palin on the ticket.
McCain should have NEVER BEEN THE NOMINEE. Rino that he was and is.
Comment by Pat “Dark Knight” Narduzzi 07.24.15 @ 6:34 pm
You mean like the parents of of Kate Steinle.
Except that illegal was a murderer.
Glad you find it all amusing.
Here’s some other Americans killed by illegals, maybe you can laugh it up some more, while looking at their pics and bio’s.
That man is unfit for office. Should be recalled.
Being a war hero, 50 years ago doesn’t entitle you to being a US Senator. Especially when you don’t do anything to even protect your own state’s citizens. Instead you call them ‘crazies’.
Disgusting creature.
83% of warrants for murder in Phoenix are for illegal aliens.
86% of warrants for murder in Albuquerque are for illegal aliens.
75% of those on the most wanted list in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Albuquerque are illegal aliens.
24.9% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally
Does anyone have a list of Sanctuary cities?- I want to be sure I don’t live near one, vacation there, conduct business there and lastly, I want to be sure to voice my opinion to AD Barnes to never schedule a Pitt athletic event there.
By the way, Trump is bringing up issues that need to be discussed – America is going in the wrong direction – If nothing else, he is stimulating the debate. We need a strong leader as our President – there are several good candidates with strong leadership qualities on the Republican side and none on the Democrat side.
Back to FB – my wife and I made plans to attend the Duke game in November – no Sanctuary cities in NC, right?
1) so your strategy is to put down McCain to justify Trump?
2) why didn’t you attack Reed’s source (liberal ABC News) … isn’t that a common right-wing tactic, attack the source instead of addressing the issue?
3) you bring stats to this site all of the time, yet when Reed or I present stats about Tino, you say that stats lie?
Don’t bother answering — I REALLY DON’T CARE.
Fact is that none of us are going to change the world here … or for that matter, change anyone else’s opinion here. For Christ’s sakes, I thought I had brought more than sufficient data here to convince you and others that Tino wasn’t nearly as bad as you make him out to be —- but once you have your mind set!!
The one common thread here is that we are all Pitt fans … and you know what? … I honestly think we contributed in some small way to change the course of Pitt FB and athletics for the better over the past 6 months by strongly voicing our opinions to people who mattered.
On the other hand, I don’t think politicians, SCOTUS or business leaders read this site.
Baltimore, Philadelphia and DC are all Sanctuary cities – go figure… And Rhode Island is a Sanctuary state along with North Dakota. Pitt FB should not be playing teams from those states anyway, but I’ll pen a letter to AD Barnes anyway to be sure he knows my feelings.
HCPN commented on the James Conner snubbing for ACC player of the year – coach said that if it were him, that would be added motivation and he’d have a chip on his shoulder. I like our coach’s thinking – let’s hope he can transform his thinking into the minds of 22 FB players at Pitt for this season.
Let’s kick butt, take names and look the opposition in the eyes while we step on their throats in the 4th qtr of games as we march to victory.
HTP!
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Date Enacted: Jun-12
Policy: Resolution 12-135
Criteria for Honoring Detainer: Convicted of at least one felony or two non-traffic misdemeanor offenses; Convicted or charged with any domestic violence offense or any violation of a protective order; Convicted or charged with intoxicated use of a vehicle; Is a defendant in a pending criminal case; Has an outstanding criminal warrant; Identified as known gang member; or Is a possible match on the US terrorist watch list
I’m working with a prison ministry right now and am personally trying to find an apartment and job for this guy so he lands on his feet well. We have a small group of men who will meet with him for accountability for his first 90 days of freedom.
Maybe I’ll bring him to a Pitt game and fill one more yellow seat…
Thr Republicans have to put up a decent candidate who isn’t a silver back gorilla who lives in the past. The US is changing and they just don’t get that.
I am OK with Narduzzi’s recruiting so far but feel that it really isn’t
anything to get excited about. I hope that Pitt fans give him a year or two to get his feet under him on the recruiting front.
Am working on a new article about real football issues for Monday morning… then we’ll get back to position reviews leading up to camp.
I think I’ll go up to PGH for the annual Pitt Football Media Day, so comment on Monday’s article with question you want info on.
Why are you so anti-?Peterman?..our starting QB based on his deep passing this season…or if there is an injury to the ‘other’ starting QB. ???
I never mentioned Trump once, in any of my posts….did I ?
I never said stats lie…only that 98% of us knew when the game was on the line….Tiny folded like a cheap suit.
And I don’t know what you’re talking about, when you mention Reed’s source.
This has nothing to do with Reed.
You are spot on ! And regarding Durham, yea they have worse crime than Charlotte (which is high) and Raleigh , even though they have a smaller population base.
Don’t ask me any questions if you don’t want answers.
That’s kinda strange bro.
I won’t let anybody try to paint me, without responding.
I’m just trying to understand the lure of Peterman to a few posters on this site.
If he plays for Pitt, I hope he does well…obviously.
But there’s nothing in his 2 years with Tennessee that should suggest he’s better than Voytik.
Pitt was not 6-6 because of Voytik, we lost at least 2 games we shouldn’t have. Had we been 8-4 would have anybody been suggesting we even consider replacing a kid who was one of the better QB’s in the ACC, as a sophomore ?
But instead, all of this immigration data is brought up. Hey, build the fucking wall for all I care! Ain’t no sweat off my back. But just because you may agree with Trump on one issue doesn’t mean that everything he says is gold!
Instead you and others
Our record shows for several years that we lose an inordinate amount of games by less than 7 points. I am more convinced that it is because our player’s don’t know how to win on this stage. It might have been Fraud that recruited player’s that came from high school state champions, etc., but I can’t remember.
So to close, I don’t think it is the lure of Peterman but the desire to win with our best option at qb. Whoever that is, great. I also think that the fans are tired of the wanny/sunseri situation and don’t want a player to be gifted a position. We want them to earn it. Personally, I don’t care if it’s Bertke, Peterman, Dinucci or Voytik. I want the best option. I am not smart enough to sit here and tell you who that is. Stats lie or we would be putting a statute of Tino up by now. Noone ever remembers who finished second. I want my memories of Pitt Football to think of the champions, not the 6-6 guys that are nice people.
I knew about the illegal crime issue in America long before TRump appeared on the Stage.
We’ve had several Americans here in NC get killed by illegals.
And I don’t agree with anybody on every issue. How could anybody, unless they’re a braindead zombie.
Hey wait….JoePedo statue, Creepy Valley. My bad !
~ dhuff
I would say that’s been a problem since 2010, just not the last 2 years.
I agree Paulie misused Voytik.
And I’m as tired of 6-6 and mediocrity as you are.
I forgot you were one of the ones who wanted DW gone ?
So thank you very much.
As most of these creatures don’t even want to admit that it is going on. (like McCain)
And btw, Trump didn’t say…that McCain ‘let himself get captured’. Wow, you are worse than the Washington Post. And that’s pretty bad. 🙂
My position on Wanny was different than just about everybody’s. I wanted Wanny to hire a “Bench Coach” if you will. Someone who wouldn’t panic at the end of a game, controlled timeout usage and actually had the ability to go for it on 4th downs, etc.
Walt Harris coached scared and to a point, so did Wanny. Just read their facial features when they came out for games. There is nervousness and scared. I put the pair of them in the coaching scared category. Graham was nervous, not scared. We’ll see about Nard.
As predicted in my post yesterday early afternoon, TE Luke Ferrel verballed to OSU last night. Pryts did not make the trip, so he is still available. Hamlin, Wade and Ford were in attendance too. Hamlin may be falling out of favor with OSU. Their problem is that Hamlin, Ford, Wade and any others will not all play at OSU. The best opportunity for all of them is at Pitt. Also, it might be me and I might be a bit crazy, but OSU had a lot of young, predominantly white females all over the sidelines yapping with recruits yesterday. Look in the background of Hamlin’s twitter picture for a reference to that.
Young, Hip, Smart, Ballsy, Caring, Non-Agenda, Hopefully has some Latino in him to get their vote, and who can talk those circles around Hillary. She is a train wreck and so was Obama.
I live in Durham and it’s a wonderful city…I’ve been here for 18 years. Don’t sell drugs or by them and you will be just fine.
I don’t care who you are, I cannot vote for you if you bring in a “Sarah Palin” to be Vice President of the United States of America, what are you THINKING??!!
Joe Biden may be the Limpest-Wristed man in the Entire Country, but You’re going to introduce your choice the Main Diplomat of our entire Country as…..Palin???!
I understand McCain wanted a Woman, there were literally —(how many Women are there in America? That Number) —- better choices available. ay-yay-yayyy