Checking In

0:45 And welcome back to the boundary Corner podcast along with my partners Brian siglo Shelton Moss, Jonathan tally. I am Curtis Wilson and this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast is brought to you by dr. Lourdes Jeremy counts at Main Street Pharmacy. If you love this podcast, if you love the Hokies the town of Blacksburg, make sure you are supporting Main Street. Pharmacy, when you make your way to town, What do you need prescriptions a tube of toothpaste or just want to stop in and say hello, let Jeremy, his team take care of you when you spend at Main Street, Pharmacy goes towards the things you support. So next time, you're in Blacksburg head on down to 301.

1:25 South Main Street, buddy. We got a full house tonight. How you feeling, man? Just take a good. Look at the screen right now because server, so few is going to be so much. Havoc on Hokie Nation. Going forward, tally. I full-time. Third co-host. Is Shelton are full-time data analytics, which analytics expert part-time co-host, the four of us. Now right here at the boundary Corner 5K Walkman, Here We Go. Whoo, that's what I want. But we got a boat to unload tonight. It's great. Having all y'all here. Everybody join us watching. Wherever you're joining us.

2:07 Look at this. I love it. I love it. Already some people chiming in, get, in here, tell your brother's your sisters, your mama, your past of everybody. Getting white Vic. Shout out. He in here. This is White's with us tonight and we are going to go through a bunch of stuff. Obviously we got a ton of football stuff that I know we got to find tell Minds interview later on tonight but we're going to start with basketball for a couple reasons. A, the Hokies have one game left. The ACC tournament is next week the with Start play tomorrow in the ACC tournament so Sheldon, welcome back has the road been brother, it's been okay.

2:48 You know, it's been kind of an up-and-down basketball season. I know the men beat Louisville, couple nights ago. They had me worried there for a sec there, a dump up I think three with like 10 minutes left and went to like a 4C, nothing run to to get the dub but yeah, just been, it's been a tough season man. But we'll see what happened mean. It's March. So, anything could happen in the ACC tournament. Anything can happen in Before we get into sort of what kind of going to Deep dive of the Season tonight, Shelton's been pulling data points and we've got some questions. We want to ask him and kind of figure out, why is this team where they are. Because as we said here, just for we, got home. Tally was mentioning how He it's like what the football teams, your daughter, you'll never spank her but the basketball teams like your son and you'll take the behind the Woodshed, be the.

3:36 So we're trying to figure out why but before we get into all of that, I want to talk about actually some really good news in shall not. Let you go a little bit more on this but got a pretty big Prospect commitment. Just the other day. AJ Swinton small 46 585 from Sierra Canyon High School. He's for those who do not know that is where Ronnie James plays. That is a really good basketball, high school, three star by 24/7, a composite four-star, right at the top 100 in the composite Shelton. You had a chance to kind of. Look at this guy. I mean, what does he bring for the Hokies in the future? Yeah, very talented kid.

4:22 Athletic like you said, he is a three-star for started. Ending on, you know, kind of what metric you look at them. And I think once you get outside like the top 80 top 90s cut on you know there's no real difference but he is a very projectable at the college level you know six foot six or thereabouts He's listed as a small forward I think and feel sort of like a Justin mutts type of role you know but he's got some some Daris maximum and that he's you know, long and obviously athletic. I was looking at a quote as far as you know, how we committed. Obviously, he used to play at the Matha which was where Mike Jones was formerly the head coach. Um, so that was kind of the connection there. Now, an assistant Mike Jones is on the team and there's a quote from AJ we said, you know, talking about my kind of softens.

5:04 He said it's a free-flowing offense, they share the ball and you can tell that they're well coached and sets the run in the half court. So I think that kind of gives you a sense of what, you know, this is going to come and it's not just like some freak athlete that's get it done. I like he's going to play Within the offense, you know, very high IQ player. So I'm happy to see that. I think despite his high ranking he is more like a developmental guy, you know. Maybe you your red shirt on for one year and then kind of Get them acclimated after that. So there's going to be some sort of, you know, developmental development there. He's not a guy that's going to come in. I don't think and just, you know, start right away. Not like a Rodney rice type of type of recruit, but he is very, very good. I think the future of Virginia Tech basketball, especially at the guard position is looking very good for the next couple of years. The I love here that I'm as we look at a guy like him, you know, I don't think really has Mike young. Really had a player with this type of length that also has this this level of athleticism since he's been a Virginia Tech. I mean, not well, maybe job an isil but I think that is the difference was, you know, Bama.

6:08 So was not a great shooter. He's more of a slasher and I'll see, you know, he wasn't getting playing time and wanted so he transferred out you had, you know, dearest Maddox who I think. It's when a little bit longer and, you know, obviously there we don't know, you know what, he's going to provide so far yet, but I would imagine he's a little bit more athletic and physical than Maddux. Just what you know, what it seemed like on watching tape and then Ronnie rice to find the best cop. Just, you know, in terms of like is physical, it's physical skill sets. The length particular kind of can kind of clogged up passing lanes and stuff like that. So I mean rice is probably like I said the best comp but it's a very much like a we're not used to getting these types of recruits typically under the Mi kyung era normal go off script a little bit here. Yeah, now Shelton, glad you're here. I'm gonna put you on the spot a little bit. Okay, I'll get on Facebook the other day and I don't even know if this person was a Virginia Tech fan, I see in a big banner brawny.

7:01 James is looking at Virginia. Tech, do you want to talk about that sir? I don't know, man. I don't know. I just I'm hearing some rumors. That his teammate Aegis win. What he wants to play with his teammate. A just went over at Sierra Canyon, okay? I cannot confirm or deny, those rumors. All I can say is, you know, check your sources. Make sure you look at the reputable replica has a, she was ah, damn Source. I'm not sharing that. Yeah, I just say, it's always, you know, look for the blue. Check the blue. Check on Twitter for the, the orange, check our the square. I don't know what it is. Whatever you like, whatever, check your legacy, check marks before you start.

7:45 All right, I'm going right in the article. About to go and put it from my source. I heard Bernie is coming y'all. So obviously tally going to be getting us in trouble real quick. G zp z i like spicy spicy. Well I heard LeBron James has eligibility. He's going to come play with brawny at Tech. I mean you know let's just throw him. He's got four years. Let's go. This way, we got some now questions. Let's get into this season and let's talk about some things about why have we been 17 and 13 in? Especially why has it been, you know, since an 11 and 1 start is the team now, you know, 6 and 12 in the last 18. Brian, I know you got one right out the gate. You want to hit Sheldon with, yeah. This one kind of has been rolling around for a while. I know we got the the double, the road against Louisville but This team has struggled mightily in ACC play in the road contest. When you looked at the data shown and you see any metrics metrics that have any sort of sista sista cool significance, in terms of variation from home games versus away games, I don't think there's a huge variation.

9:10 I was looking at some numbers before the podcast and I found that Virginia Tech was about middle of pack in the ACC in terms of net increase in Agency at home, compared to on the road. Meaning, you know, they're not that much more efficient at home. So I think, you know, some of the road struggles might be a little bit overblown, just in the sense that like they're there in every game. They're just losing the close games are not finishing, finishing it out, it was in college. I went to overtime Clemson. They lost the last S 3 so I think there's been some bad luck involved, honestly. But I guess the thing that sense of the most is probably just a shooting splits, like Tech has been a pretty bad shooting team on the road. We saw that against Clemson which was probably their best. Defensive performance of the season but encodes a coincided with their worst offensive performance of the Year Syracuse. I think that shot three of 19 from three and one of those was in garbage time.

9:58 So you know when you're on the road a shooting team like Tech that's you know, kind of built around three point shooting, sometimes you get into a different environment and just not comfortable as a shooter and different gyms. So that's probably my best guess. But outside of that, I just think it's an inability to close games down the stretch, really is what it boils down to. We're also talked about, I mean, just kind of staying on what you're doing that. Now you've done a lot of research and that's kind of your thing. I guess. The, what about the like the point of entry infants is when we're talking, you know, layups and offensive rebound layups, you know, things like that. I mean, I think if we Deep dive into, that tells a little bit of a story as well. Please, please make me feel like my eyes haven't fooled me all year, Sheldon on that, because I swear every time I see this team, we were missing.

10:44 Literally point-blank shots Whether defend it or not defended. So what's the data say or the data says your eyes. Unfortunately might be following you a little bit. We I was like it's so weird. I think we rank like 60 sec in terms of lab percentage. Like you know it's around like 60% converting layups which you know I mean that's kind of know the road I think we've had a few games. Like I said this year where it's just gone completely off the rails. Like, you know, Georgia Tech you just can't make anything so it probably like kind of exacerbates like your perception of Of how good we are in that. And that category, and I don't have the data for this, but maybe it's looking like conference. But it's different than, you know, the entire season when Tech was obviously playing well during the non-conference portion of the season.

11:27 So, I honestly like my, I mean, we're going to buy this little bit, but my biggest concern is just lack of, you know, getting to the free-throw line. Like Tech is, you know, traditionally under Mike young, one of the worst teams in terms of drawing free throws. And you can see this year, there were like three bottom forty, I think in free-throw roads in the yeah, in the country. Yes. So that's you know that's kind of par for the course of my God. We just don't we just don't really attack the basket a lot. And so you just it's hard to you know, draw fouls and obviously get yourself in, you know, scoring situations like that. Give you a two in foul trouble. That that's my biggest concern. Like I think the layups kind of you know they come and go but the lack of lack of gain to line is a big issue for me.

12:08 Well yeah because that kind of par for the course with the motion offense versus more. Dribble Drive type type offense, basically a so mi kyung doesn't really recruit Slasher. As you know, he wants guys that can shoot that, you know, can can dribble that can handle the ball. He's always emphasize skill over athleticism, traditionally and recruiting not always, but that's usually the case. So obviously with emotion-based offense, you know, you're moving the ball, you're passing around, you want to get three pointers and and post-ops those are typically the two shots that, you know, you cut that this offense kind of revolves around. Its not like where you just give a guy, the ball is going to go clean up the dribble. You haven't little bit, you know what? Iris Radford a guy like that but for the most part you know he wants to he wants to move the ball once the pass the ball. So you're just not going to Lot of draw penetration. Well, in terms of those layup, percentages, we're looking at, probably at liar bias, on those like handful of games where it just looks pretty, pretty awful.

12:58 Yeah, I think so well, I mean, I'm looking here just pulled up the Miami, you know, box score and absolutely right Sheldon. I mean, they shot the free throw shot, 19, free, throws a game where text only shooting 7, they go 15 of 19. Tech goes for 6 from the line as a six-point game. So to your point right there, I mean, I mean that is a massive difference in. We look at the stats and say right there. Well, you lost by six. You shoot more free, throws close your game. Maybe a win. Let me ask this though because something I did a little research on. Yes, I did do research in basketball. Yeah. So good about myself is I decided to go through to find the rebound margins. And basically Tech ranked 194 in the country.

13:39 Basically, zero, basically 50/50 pitiful. It's pitiful but it's not quite For the course, but then I look at a game. Like the Miami game. Another great example, Miami, only outrebounded Us by one, but the significant, it looks like how big was our differential in offensive rebounding for this year. Offensive rebounding. I don't I think we are usually middle of the pack. I can put the numbers up quick so we are yeah, about a little bit below average 19, ACC in terms of offensive rebounding, okay? So, you know, not not great, like you said, yeah. And then 194 slightly under roughly middle of the country.

14:22 But if you're saying nine, that can only imagine where that is in the, you know, aspects of the country. And again, it was some games. Then again, my eyes aren't fooling me. Because you're giving me the data backing it up. There were some games. It looks like they just didn't want to get in after rebounds. It was just like I understand a long rebound is what it is. Everybody here has played some sort of basketball or play Pick-up Games where somebody shoots you shouting. So long rebound, ain't nothing to do about that but it's when you're seeing the ball right there and people not crashing and that's where it's like. Come on guys and I know you know what do you attest that to is it just the coaching style is it? This is just the bodies we have I would say it's probably influence a little bit both when it comes to those Services splits like you know turnovers free-throws rebounds, a lot of it is based on the scheme in the style, you know.

15:13 It's no different than football like, are you a big play offense? You know, if you're if you're a quarterback who plays in a big play offense, you're probably have a low completion percentage, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you're a bad quarterback, it just means that you're going to go for like the All or Nothing types of throws. So, with rebounding, it's probably just, you know, as I don't know what Mike young strategy is in rebounding, but my guess is he probably doesn't want guys. Crashing the boards too hard, you know, just as one example if you guys I don't know if you guys watch MBA but the rates of offensive rebounding, the MBR actually had at historical lows and the reason for that is because a lot of teams just want to get back intron on defense. They don't want to give up transition opportunities because what happens is if you crash the glass and you don't get the rebound that allows the the offense to get out in transition and position scoring the other on the other side.

15:55 So that's kind of where the strategy part plays into it. And, I mean, yeah, it's just kind of, you know, his The way that, you know, a coach likes to play. So yeah. So pretty much like I'm on like a fan. So I guess watching watching the Lakers and watching ad, he's up around the three-point line a lot. You know with him being a 7-footer, he's up around the three-point line, a lot more than I want him to be. And I think that kind of goes the same way with the Hokies somebody like Grandpa silly, you know, because he shoots the ball so well he's up. Around that three-point line a lot either looking for a shot or, you know, setting a pick for somebody else to get a shot.

16:38 So I think similar to what you're saying they're showing is that, you know, when he's there, I mean you got to get back because you're pretty much playing safety to get back if they get that rebound because they're going to get out in transition. So when you have your big men that stretch the floor, like that, you don't have your big man rebound and is that, that kind of, what you, what, you see. Yes, that's a great point and one that I didn't even think Kyle, but yes, if you have a, you know, tech place small anyway, like you got much to six foot seven at the for bacilli. 658 of the fiber is really more like a stretch for facilities at the three-point line. Well he's not getting offensive rebounds so I mean he shoots a lot of Threes. He's one of the best three-point dream. Big one in the country for his for his size. If you look guys for six foot eight there are not a lot of 64, the guys who shoot threes like the silly. So I mean of course in the morning shooting three is the less rebounds is getting and that's again that's just a stylistic preference.

17:32 Very nice. So I think the next thing I love did put this in and I'm hoping you had a chance to look it up. Was give me the best plus-minus guys give me the top three. Give me the bottom three is far as that goes with the team because that's just a tallish. It's tough for me to find. I don't have all the data but I know plus minus is always telling because okay the guy's a plus it's like you can put him on the floor any time any Situation. It's going to come out on that positive. It doesn't, it isn't, you know, - what's wrong? Can we not score, or is he not good defensively? So who's our who's our guys? They're not targeting anybody, but just kind of painting that picture.

18:16 Well, it's a definitely basilius the best just because of his ability to score from multiple levels and you know defensively as well he's going to get, you know, a lot of rebounds and like all those blocks for stats that kind of juice is, you know, Advanced metrics and stuff like that. Much is up there too. Obviously Couture, I think Couture's little bit different because he like, he's efficient but he also does so many things that don't show up in a box score. So, you know, it is his values, not necessary always reflected in the statistical metrics and as I think, Padula, kind of middle of the pack, like he scores a lot, but he's not very efficient, kind of a high-volume. Three-point shooter has not shot the ball. Well, from three this year, I think he's play a little bit too much hero ball. Not shot selection is a little bit hit or miss.

18:58 And then if you look at the bottom You know, I think empty Collins has struggled, you know, freshman freshman gonna hit a wall, sometimes his three-point shot hasn't really been there. You know, offensively he's not a guy that defense is really going to key in on. So you know, he's one guy that I think obviously, you know, even understand like there's going to be some Growing Pains as a freshman you come in and and he was always going to be like, more of a developmental guy, because you expected rise to be there, you know, filling in that the backup point guard spot and and you figure Maddox as well, if he hadn't had A family situation with rice and Max. And there is guards Collins would not be getting minutes that he's getting and same for the for Camden as well. So it's just kind of situation where the lack of guard depth has forced. Younger guys, that are not ready for the minutes like rice, excuse me, Collins of Camden, to step up into the role so they should not be playing in.

19:47 So Yeah, let me ask this so I'm our official luck ranking. What is that right now? It is at I believe three 40th, I'll double check to confirm. Okay. It's so everyone knows there's three hundred and fifty eight teams in the NCAA division. 1 re actually 58 358 this year so our keeps going up 340. So like bottom 20 essentially. All right. Can you talk a little bit more about how that's how they derive that and how that's affected the Hokies? Yeah.

20:28 So it's kind of a tricky subject. I think there's a lot of I guess, maybe you might say you know, frustration between likes the sort of like analytics crowd versus you know the the eye test crowd with a metric like luck. It's basically just you know how many what percent of your close games are you winning? Relative to, you know, all the other games. So if you have a really bad record in close games, your luck metric is going to be bad. If you're very good in close games. Generally speaking, your luck is going to be very good Tech, has been very unfortunate this year. They are 1 in 5 and Conference games decided by five points or less. Whereas you'll get a team like pit. They are second place in the ACC I think and they are six and one in games decided by five points or less.

21:13 So you just look at that differential right there. I mean, that's I mean, that's a difference of the standings. Like that's, that's all there is to it. Um, let me just tell you something Shelton. Virginia Tech has a bad luck ranking in all sports. If you go back and look at some football games, I look rating is at the bottom two, but let's continue. Yeah, yeah, I think we could. Yeah, we could go on, hold tension about that. But I think, you know, typically with it was stats like this, you have to kind of get like a large sample size. Like look over multiple years of data, Tech was pretty unfortunate with luck Lassie. Even until the ACC tournament, we're just, you know, kind of that stretch in late February, early March or kind of turned it all around. This year's team is not seen such a turn around, and I think that could probably be due to Personnel probably due to coaching and obviously some luck involved as well. So, you know, with, with a stat like that, I mean, Kim beom you who created the status said, like, it's not a perfect stat. You know, there's no such thing as a perfect stat. There's not, there's always gonna be some sort of balance of, you know, Personnel, coaching decisions, and all that, you know, who you're playing matchups, all that stuff, so it Plays into it.

22:21 I would hope that it would improve next year. If it does not if we're, if we're 344 next year, then I would have some serious reservations then it's will reservations about the coaching staff is like you can continuously be bad luck without something being on the coaching staff there. And, by the way, Sheldon, it's not 20%. We're in the bottom eight percent of luck, we're literally. Yeah, I did the math on that. I mean, it's just brutal to see, but like you say, you know, where does he come from? Where does, You get to a point where it's not looking. Exactly. You are who you are. You can't close close games out, you struggle in those situations and and that's what we've seen so much this year. And I think it's so much. It's not, it's not so much.

23:03 You know, we lose a close game to Miami Valley, set it on here, 10 days ago, Miami's a good team. You lost 1 by 6, okay? It is what it is. It's the Georgia Tech's. It's the Boston College's. It's struggling with the Notre. Dame, who have the worst? I mean I think Sheldon brought up a good point when he said, It, he talked about last year's team and it kind of takes us to our next Point as well. He talked about, you know, we had some contributors last year is stepped up in crunch time. And pretty much, you know, want to stay ACC Championship. So another point they will ask you showed, what do you, who do you think we, you know, we missed the most off of a team like last year's team, you know, you had a storm Murphy there.

23:45 You had Kevin Loomer Eileen, who do you Think we missed the most. Yeah. So that's actually good. A good setup for the next set of had. So I think one of the most underrated stats from last year's team during the stretch run, where Tech started to win. I think they finished 13 and 3, some of that in the last, you know, 16, whatever it was during that stretch storm, Murphy average, 20 minutes per game. So, if you have a point guard, averaging, 20 minutes per game, you know, that does a huge. That's, that's you shrimp terms of just, you know, his ability to, you know, stay stay fresh. Not be fatigued. You had some Padula come off the bench. I mean, there are multiple games last year where Sean Padula played more minutes and storm Murphy. So that kind of one-two punch a point guard, really helped them a lot and sure there's just, you know, preserving preserving their legs. Whereas you look at this year's team, I mean but those playing literally the entire game and rice, you know, he's only going to give you a few minutes there.

24:35 He's pretty much put those pretty much the only, you know, polish point guard you have. So I think if I were to answer your question, I actually think Nikki Malin was an underrated Miss, and I say that, like, I owe him an apology because I was kind of overlooking how, you know, how much we miss them? I obviously didn't anticipate, you know, losing Rodney rice and there's Max from a majority of the Season. Battalion is a guy that's he's a good Defender. He can shoot the three well not as better than a lot of people give him credit for, you know, he can he can score little bit, he can drive a little bit, he was a guy that just based on injury is like you I mean we we love to have a guy like that. At and now she's doing Murphy. I think it's just his not that he's, you know, as a higher ceiling and Padula but just the fact that you played my consistent for multiple years, the fact that he was experienced a fifth-year senior and kind of just you know, the leadership aspect I think was also was also missing from this year's team. You look at Italy know it feels like this team is missing that kind of 3 and D type player yet on the wing so I can definitely see.

25:35 We're having him on board especially you know, when you look at Maddox being out for an extended period of time, you can see there's a big hole there so I can definitely see where. That would be big. Let's let's pivot a little bit because we got we got one game to go with the regular season. Then we get in the ACC tournament. I don't think anyone's for seeing a big run. Like we saw last year out of this team but you know, what do you think this team can do in the ACC tournament? It's gonna be tough man. It's gonna be tough because you're most likely going to be an 11 seed UD matchup against the 14, which would be Notre Dame right now in the first round matchup, which, you know, I think Tech matched up very well against Notre Dame and the Irish have been pretty bad this season. That's fine.

26:19 The problem is, if you want to make a Deep Run, you got to win five games in five nights and that's just I I cannot see that happening at all. So, I mean, maybe they say, I mean, there's a shocking. A 2011 Yukon did it, but they had Kemba Walker in their team so yeah, I don't know if it's the best comparison there. Yeah, it's just the thing is, I if you're if you're a glass-half-full type of person, there's really no one in this lie. That scares me just from, you know, what, we've seen from Tech, like they can be, anyone, they can lose to anyone. Like I don't look at any team, it's like, oh my God. Like if we if we play them, we're screwed. Like, no, this is not. It's not, it's not a greatly. I think you can beat any team in any given night. So from that perspective, I guess if you're an optimist he'd say yeah Technica deep. I'm good. So good, so good. All the other 14 teams, That's true and right now the the game with Florida State on Saturday afternoon does hold between the 11th and the 12th.

27:09 So, you know, I think the 12 seeds going to play Georgia Tech, who we've already lost two once. But who do we play out of it. If, if tech were to win next Tuesday, and that's one reason we're not recording next Tuesday, folks is because when I looked at the schedule is like, will you bring Sheldon when we talk about this? Wait a second. No, we don't get a by this year because we can't be one of the best 19th in the ACC. But where is it looking like Shelton? Let's say we land the 11. We get. We play Notre Dame in the first. Who are we going to match up against going? You know, for worst? What's the path? Yeah, so you would match up against the six seed, which currently is, let's see. One, two, three other the NC State.

27:51 So, I mean look like said, you know, they lost lost in sea State without a hunter, Couture a back in January, at home by a few points. Yeah. Again like I said, you can be anyone on any given night. You know, this is a topic that topic for another day but I just, I don't think they see he's good at all this year. I really don't. I mean, you got five dollars, five teams, maybe that'll make the tournament unc's not going to make it unless they beat Duke on Saturday. Yeah, it's just, it's not a great conference. So from that perspective, you know, anything can happen, it's, this is a year of turnover in the ACC, after what happened last year, when people felt like a couple teams got, shafted not getting put in the tournament and then you look and there's two in the final four for in the sweet 16.

28:32 And in the bad part was what? Every case, every ACC team won the first round except Tech last year, they would seven and one in the first round or something like that, which was insane. But, you know, I think overall, if we kind of we're putting the bow on it, we're 30 minutes in now about where I thought we'd be but it seems like it's not just one aspect, it's not getting to the free-throw line enough. It's being slightly negative in offensive rebounds, it's missing players. It's you know to my chagrin. It's not layups. I was hoping you'd be like we're dead last and layups and I can be like, well, there's a reason we don't make short shots. Yeah. What? I mean, y'all feel That way fellas that it's not like one thing.

29:15 It's just it's all these little things that basically it wasn't all five or six at every game. It was always three or four and we all thinking run. Yeah. I think some of its shown spoken to him but being stretched a little bit thinner than I think we anticipated, especially in the guard feel there. I think we felt not good about the that area of the team coming into the year in terms of depth, And then obviously that got significantly worse with the rice injury and then, you know, you had Max go down. So there's, there's just been some inconsistency with guys playing outside there. And, you know, we you combine that with a little bit of inconsistency here and there again, not getting to the free-throw line, not being able to rebound as much as you'd like.

30:02 And I think just the combination of those things is really kind of kind of put us behind the eight ball and some games especially as we try to close some close ones out. Callie has you shake your head? I want to remain optimistic about the about the basketball team. But one word, man, effort, like, when I watch some games, I don't, you know, I love Mi kyung. I love what he what, he's brought to the team, but I feel like efforts are coaching thing and I just watch them play. Sometimes when you talk about those long rebounds, and we don't have anybody, Going for more, we don't have anybody you know, getting on the floor just you know, fighting for that extra possession. It's a effort thing.

30:51 You know, you got to have the coaching style has to has to demand that and I feel like that had been there. So again, I like my gun. So I'm going to lay off of him tonight. I'm going to watch him before the ACC last year. He gets it. But what are your one or two points to say? The reason this team isn't 24 and 324 and seven or 23 and you know twenty three and eight, make it into the NCAA tournament with these is because Just because of I think it's a cent to boil down Andrews and defense man. I mean, I'm not, you know, I'm not big on making excuses but you miss rice for a little bit.

31:48 You miss Couture of a little bit, you miss Max for a little bit, you know, those those mrs. Add up and, you know, I don't think it's the sole reason. Certainly, not the tech is in the position. They're in their defense has absolutely falling off a cliff over the past, couple months there 100. And what is it 128 in Camp on defense? I mean, there's only 70. There's only like 70, major Converse. Seems like, that's just not, that's not good enough. So, Part of that could be, you know, shortage of depth. And the guys are getting tired. Mike has never been a great, you know, defensive coach. So, you know, you give them a little bit of a free pass there, but I just think it's a combination of, you know, the events being bad. The three-point shooting wasn't there. I think the duel is still learning to like, how to be a more polished point guard. Like I said, shot selection that question. Sometimes leadership, I question sometimes I look at a guy like the Doula I just don't see that sort of like floor General leadership all the time.

32:39 Kind of what Tally was saying. And you know, Mike is very hands-off as a coach from my perception of him. Like he's not going to micromanage the offense, you have to do stats. He's just gonna go and like guys play and they got it. They got to make plays and I just don't think we've had enough of that to season. So the good news is we're not far off. We've lost a lot of close games. This year, we get healthy next year get some recruits in we can be rolling but this this this is just been sort of like a Murphy's Law type of year where everything kind of goes wrong and the only player not coming back. Next year is Justin A mutt, correct, correct. Assuming that the only player cannot come back. Cannot come back. Yes, cannot awesome. All right, well, let's flip over, let's talk real quick about the women's Hoops team, who will play tomorrow evening down in Greensboro for the ACC women's tournament and over the last couple weeks, you know, some really great moments. And I mean, I got to see the kitley dagger down at UNC, where they had not played a good game and she comes off that for some reason and I'm still Trying to figure this out, watching that defensive set kill.

33:43 He's one of the probably the obviously the best player in the ACC will talk about the most one of the best players in the country. How do you come off of her? In that situation? It's just like because the girl like she's looking at it and she looks left. And Kinley comes around, makes explain. That didn't make any sense. I mean, I wasn't in the Huddle man looking for They look like they miss me a kitten on some sort of switch. I don't know why you wouldn't, you know have all eyes locked on here. It's just yeah, I don't know. I mean they went to the player who's coming to the three top of the three-point line them and kind of left her there open. I just they forgot off the best player in the ACC. Whatever's gonna happen when you have multiple multiple threats on the floor and you got Georgia there, you got kitley, I mean they've got a good solid team you know, they've got G is the best.

34:37 Today, CeeCee of course she wasn't the one no war, but you got other all-acc players on that team as well. So many fucks you up, you know, you can't, you can't Zone in on one person, but it looked like a miscommunication, like Sheldon, say it. I mean, you kind of seen the players. Look at each other, like, what were you doing? What were you doing? So yeah, I think it was just a miscommunication on the switch. That's why. Yes, and Kelly went out there and she took over the all-time points record as well. Well, in that game. So that was a, it was a big game all around and then they turned around and close it out in that trap game against Georgia Tech. And that took them to the best finish for the Hokies women's basketball history.

35:21 That's bunch of big moments kind of happened in the last week. For that women's day. I think this team is really peaking at the right time, you know, they had some I wouldn't say struggles but, Some ups and downs relative to their potential. I think we all knew what the potential of this team was coming to the season but they've really started clicking. You can tell Georgia a Moore's playing a lot better. She's Distributing a lot better. She's, you know, she she had a stretch where she couldn't miss from three kill. He's, you know, obviously done a great job. You've got Bo been support from Asia. Greg, Taylor Guymon who historically has been kind of like a sort of back-end guard is double some entries this year, but she's confident. She's done a pretty nice job in her role. So, I mean, Then click and you got, you got death you got to start down at the top. This team is really linked to their full potential. You have you until you already mentioned Georgia was first team kitley player of the year first team and then take a look at the grad transfer with Taylor's tool. If Shelton you said it a few weeks ago, tally you said it last week and it's clearly there, they got some really good players out of the portal that has really complemented the top two players.

36:26 And, you know, right now I've I looked this up today on In. They are a number two, projected seed. We got away from us, are with you all the other day, the South Carolina bracket and we have been moved to the Indiana bracket. You said it a few weeks ago, Sheldon you thought this is an elite 18. If we stay in the, we stay at the Indiana bracket, dare you say, could they take the step and go? He definitely could. Now that being said India is very, very good. Like they are. If you, I mean, if you look at someone like the, you know, the Metrics like they're absolutely top three team in the country. I think Tech is more like, you know, top top eight top nine somewhere in there. But yeah, it getting out of the South Carolina bracket I will say is huge because they are by far. Like they are they are better than your if you're not a huge one, is about 12 in like they're better than Georgian football. Yes, sir.

37:19 Like there. I mean it's 27 and know, whatever. They like every game they win by 30 points. It's just, it's ridiculous. So you want to you deftly want to avoid them at all costs. As not see them until as late as possible in the tournament. Yep. And for the ladies again it is do you're going to be playing the winner of the Boston College. Miami game. That game I believe is actually might be wrapped up already. So we may know who the winner is to make an effort that while I'm at for Dean efforting efforting. But either way, it's been a great season. Clearly, they will. I don't, I think even a screw up tomorrow night. They're still going to be hosting a regional in Blacksburg. We discussed it.

38:02 God, just don't let some seem shoots out of their minds from three-point range in that time frame, because that's the only thing that stopped at last year. So, has that game ended the Boston College. Miami game, Austin College. Miami. That's still going on about five minutes left. Yep. Miami's up 71-62. Okay, well, we'll get some chalk. Yeah, it looks like Miami should, hold on. But so again, that's going to be tomorrow night on the Acca Network 8:00, I'll definitely try to catch it. Yeah, you know, it's bedtime here. Tyler knows. Tally text me like, hey, can we jump all real quick? Dude it bedtime in this house for the kids.

38:43 I'm in a war right now. So yeah so you know looking for look at y'all chuckling right and you know it Ryan you've been there. Yeah. I just got the one though. You got 13. So what we're going to do now, y'all gelatin. Appreciate all the insides, all the stuff you're not leaving because we want your opinions on some of this football stuff, we're going to be talking about here. We are going to get into the van tell Minds interview after we take a quick pause from our digital Partners as we take a quick break. We'd like to tell you about getting your free website report from our digital partner, Grassroots, digital marketing Studio. They'll tell you how your website ranks on Google on-site, SEO and social media. No commitment to buy anything.

39:28 You can get your free report by visiting. Visiting Grassroots. Digital studio.com forward slash free Dash website, Dash report. Now back to the episode. All right, Sheldon had to step out for just a second. He'll be back in just a moment. But last Tuesday, afternoon myself mr. Siegel and Sally got the shoot-down. Got the sit down about 30 minutes with Virginia Tech wide. Receiver coach fontelle Minds, it was awesome. He Also he celebrated a birthday coach, happy birthday. Again this week Prime, let's press the tape and let's show the boundary Corner listeners what coach mines had a say about.

40:09 Some of the things we asked them, pay attention, boundary Corner podcast listeners. Tonight we have a very special interview here with Jonathan. Talley here with Brian siglo boys, we got in the green room right now. Coach fontelle Minds, let's go ahead. Let's get him in here because we've got some questions to ask this man. An Brothers was happening as everybody doing because I'm wonderful man. Wonderful enjoying myself? We are doing great here. Me and Brian in the RV. 8, a lie down in Alabama today, and man, we got some questions to ask. You, how's everything doing? Y'all been good, busy busy. We spend the weekend in Charlotte for a coaches Clinic. I had the family come up with me, my wife and my son and we enjoy Charlotte for a couple days. Days and we'll be in Richmond.

41:01 This weekend will be a northern Virginia's weekend talking some ball man you know building those relationships been around some High School coaches. So super excited and I love the offseason and shoot you know Spring ball is right around the corner. It is man. Yeah, so you're heading to the stomping grounds as weekend. Ransom for baby. There we go. There we go. All right, let's talk about this first. You've had a bunch of stopped. Since you started your coaching career at your alma mater. Hermitage high school with here in the r-va. You also happen to be a notable football, alumnus of the University of Virginia. Yeah, what did you think? When you got the call that the Hokies wanted you to come on board as wide receivers coach? Man, it was a just the way it all kind of happened. Man was kind of surreal to be honest with you. I had some connections here on this staff will Coach Bowen just from working at Old Dominion and I'm a coach pry on a Sunday at the Coaches convention.

41:59 No, I'm sorry. Madam on a Monday night at the Coaches convention, him and James Franklin were together and we got a chance to exchange conversation and he asked me, would I be interested in interviewing for the job that next day did? Have any my material and have a superfood. You know, it was it was probably about eight nine o'clock that night and you know, so me I just kind of get my stuff together and start preparing myself and it was it was awesome though man. Just really grown up in Richmond. The two Flagship schools. Have always been right? Virginia Virginia Tech it was it was either you went to Virginia. You went to Virginia Tech store for me.

42:39 It hit home because you know, my best friend graduated from, Virginia Tech Duane. Brown and we were recruited together. We grew up together. He was my wedding to one of my closest friends and he was the first one I called and I would really just curious and his reaction. And you talk about somebody excited, man. It was a, it was a great moment and it was, it was a little different, you know, I'll be the first to tell you was a little different but it's one of those things where professionally a no-brainer. Yeah, it's great to hear Duane because you had a lot of, guys, you played with you at hermit is you went to Tech in went to UVA back in the early 2000s, but I'm going to ask this, it's just a little fun. How much grief did you catch from your former UVA teammates? I mean, when they when they saw it on Twitter, like waving the cartels, going to take the coach, you know what, not too bad, it was probably more.

43:30 So some Twitter people kind of kind of came at me so weird, it was on fire in Charlottesville but I have a lot of The teammates and the coaching Circle and they kind of understand the nature of this business and the opportunity to have for professional advancement and you know, an opportunity to take take care of my family and provide for my son and know that was number one thing for me and then really an opportunity to stay in the Commonwealth. I mean, you talk about Virginia and you know what this place means to me with their state means to me and you know, it's the world man. So it was something I couldn't pass up. You have so coach, we know that, you know, over A 13-year career, you've had, you know, some stocks all around a minute Mid-Atlantic.

44:19 What is East Carolina? J, mu Richmond, Old Dominion. We probably go on and on, but what you, what? You been at Tech now, you know, how has that helped you jump? Right? Into your day-to-day job and, you know recruiting, Because we know like Virginia recruiting us. Turn up a little bit. Yeah, it for me. It was a seamless transition. You talk about James? Addison talk about University of Richmond, you talk about East Carolina and old to mean, I was responsible for recruiting the Richmond area. I was responsible for recruiting the Virginia Beach, 757 area. So I've known all those coaches for the past 15 years.

45:02 I've known some of those coaches since I was a player you know you walk into those schools and some of those guys have an opportunity, remember coaching against me or I walk into her. Meat is high school and And I'm having conversations with a guys, my former teammate. So, for me mad, it made all the sense in the world. I was already recruited a lot of those guys. Some, I couldn't get Now. Give me an opportunity to really give them an opportunity to come play for me, you know, to Chi heat comes to mind. I probably have been working this kid for two years Braylon Johnson. I probably been talking this guy for the last two years. Cam Fleming I played AAU basketball with a woman's uncle. You know, just those connections give kids a sense of Peace, the kids, the parents.

45:49 So it was good man it's been awesome for me and I absolutely love hearing that number. I'm going to Pivot a little bit away from that because Callie mentioned the day-to-day work and right now y'all are right. Smack dab in the middle of winter workouts and we've seen you post Tucker. Holloway Benji Gosnell, Jalen Lane stepping up. But what is the primary focus for you? You during this time period for evaluating your guys during those workouts and especially with bringing three new guys, into the fold competition, mental toughness details. Those are the top three for me and then dependability, I mean your eyes and guys, to wake up at 5:00 in the morning to be dressed and ready in the, on the field at 6:00 6:00 ready to work for an hour, and then go to class, you know, not show up on any list, go to weights. So it's giving me Opportunity.

46:43 If I can't count on you outside of football, the guys are being late to class or missing class is no way in the world. I'm going to be able to count on your own third mate, the run the right route. And it's also given the transfers an opportunity to really engulf themselves. And our environment right now, culture, and to really establish themselves or who they are and learn to play books on the Playbook, learn their teammates. So this to me is really the most important time for our team. But competitions, you know, that that's the Then so long at the top without it without a question. Definitely. So, I'm glad you mentioned mentioned transfers that coach because, you know, us as fans, man, we look at things that we see things totally different light than you guys do, but coming off of a 3 and 8 season. What does coach Minds do?

47:33 He goes into the portal? He pulls out three top, 25 transfers to flip that room. Can you talk to us a little bit about How you were able to, you know, identify what you were looking for and how you went into recruiting that room, which such a quick turnaround after the season going into spring. Yeah. The first thing that I wanted while targeting some transfers and even high school kids was, I wanted guys that will come in right away day one and compete the start. I don't want to get anybody to be a deaf guy. I didn't want to recruit anybody to be a special teams guy. I wanted to bring in guys to raise the level of competition in that room because that's when bring the best out of all of us myself, the returning guys and it says no ego in this like that, that comes the business part of this and they are all different, right?

48:29 They all have a different unique, skillset. I've known are leave since I leave was 67 years old. I have a great relationship with him. I remember him coming to camps that we had back in Richmond. I went to school with his brother. They're obviously I was at Old Dominion with them for a year and you talk about a guy that's proven, I mean all three of their proven, they played a lot of football, it had a lot of production right? That's hard to pass up. Two of them are Virginia guys right from for my printout area Richmond and the 757 you talk about Daquan Feldon immediately. He brings a level of attitude mindset and mentality.

49:11 The time, baby. Like, you know, you know what time it is? It like he's different like he doesn't Flinch and he talked about Jaden Lane who's who's my Silent Assassin? He just comes to work every single day. He competes his butt off and he's a punt, returner, he's a kick returner, he plays in a slide, he plays on the outside. So immediately, you know, everyone changes the Dynamics of that room changed, you don't have to depend on the true freshman. A guy that might have to be ready to play, right? Now you can kind of give to give guys time to develop so I'm excited man, we were able to get those and I just me man, just a group effort, code phone, you know, code Rudolph coach Glenn, like all those guys played a big part in that, you know, but the relationship piece and I'm relationship built, man, relationship piece. It meant a lot, man.

50:02 I had an opportunity to see those guys, you know, Quantum on his own turf. I recruited Jalen Lane. When I was at East Carolina, you know. So I've known him. You talk about coachable Michaela. And as a high school coach, I mean the kid comes in right away, picks up the offense, he knows what he's doing. And, you know, he just works every single day so that's kind of what it is for that. Now, that was my thought process, seems like from a skill set point of view. They have a lot of complementary skills in that, they each kind of do different things really well. And I think that's yeah. Going to be great to build on for the season, for sure. But let me ask this, we're talking offseason. You got spring practice starting here in a few weeks in Year One.

50:43 The big Focus for the team was winning every rep, that competition, right? And you've already spoken on that a little bit. Well, that hasn't changed for year to what is one area of focus that you guys have kind of circled for the spring that may not have been there. Last year may have been a lower priority last year. I know it was there and it's an has been a priority but you can never focus enough on the details if the routes for yards running for yards, if it's six steps. Running six steps. If you supposed to convert versus coverage, when needs to convert, we need our receivers to be where they're supposed to be at, right? Make the plays. Make the routine plays, I will sent make the layups right got an access road to the field and the quarterback throws it to you on time.

51:30 Make the layup, right? That's that's where I was on there for us. So, like I'm putting the pressure on those guys for Perfection, right? I'm asking for protection, understanding and Owen right? What I'm going to get is a product of competition and guys that were better than we were this last spring. That's the only goal, right? The put guys on that field. That's going to be better than we were last year and that's no, not to anybody that played last year, but if I'm not, recruiting guys are recruiting Talent that's going to come in and play it, and I'm not doing my job. Then I love hearing that that you talk about the details and like make the layups because there's so many times in this game.

52:12 Where there's a layup. Play you make that? Yeah, it's only five yards now, it's second and five. No doubt, makes everything easier. It makes everything easier, right, but we talk about it every week, right? Curtis. If you making the layups in football, then eventually that teams going to guard the layups harder in the, the harder stuff is going to become easier because they focus on the easy stuff. All right, let me put this pivot to this and not only for you to kind of Staff in general. What? Some of the lessons learned from year. One. And how are y'all approaching that going into year two? When you get the opportunity to learn your personnel, along your players, to be honest with you, like I didn't really get a great feel for who they were until week four to five.

53:00 I mean yes. We're with them all off season in the winter. Yes, we were them in the spring. Reward him in the summer, but you don't really know, truly know him into those bullets. Start flying and Lane stadium in front. The $65 heavy. Like that's when you get a good vibe for, I, this is who this kid is, right? This is our strength. This is our weakness. Let's play this, right? This this formation or this concept has been successful or he runs this route better versus this coverage. So it gave us an opportunity to get a good feel for a guys and, you know, try to gain some momentum down the stretch. And, you know, we were competitive in a lot of games. I think we lost four games by 11 points, man.

53:41 So you just talked about the Since that are you can make it could be tremendous. Yep, definitely coach. When you talk about the loser. Doesn't you know like you said losing a couple of games by a couple of points. You know that as fans it's heartbreaking, you know, we you know we get beat up a little bit but not as much. Yeah, I told off a little bit not as much as you know probably you guys do but learning how to win. Definitely was a theme in that in that year won both you know for the staff and the players Hers. Do you feel like, you know, everything started to come together? All those elements came together? You know, at the end of the season, that that Liberty game, I do feel like that.

54:24 I feel like we hit our stride. I feel like the kids were bought in. They were born into the gameplay, never bought into what we wanted to do and it was never a moment where we showed up on a Sunday and those guys won't ready to work. So I give a lot of credit to them and they didn't fold, there was no issues in the locker room. Talk about culture and you talk about something to build off of like that's what we're going to build off. What we had, we were able to run the ball to win the game and to seal the game and the finish the game guys made plays down the stretch right that's maturity that's world and that's a lot for us to build on and I'm going to roll over some really talented Liberty thing, definitely, we had talked about that a lot when we were looking at it and that kind of that winning time sequence, it felt like offense defense, special teams.

55:10 They kind of made the plays that you need to make the close that thing out where is few games earlier in the year. You know, one element was not there in the closeout, maybe another here and there, and another game, but in that game, it felt like all the pieces kind of came together for you lady complete gangaajal do right, man? It takes all three phases and I'll tell you, for me, on that game. It was the last series where offense or defense, stopped them offense, drove the field, scored. They come back defense. Stops them again. And then you guys on offense, your guys blocking on the outside. Making catches, it's like, They're not getting this ball back. Yeah, ends right here, know that and, you know, knelt it down, it's like over. And as a fan, it made us feel great.

55:51 Because you, like tally said, we saw it. It was like where that first down, we hadn't got that a couple games and it breaks our heart, we know it hurts you all but it's like we got the first down. Yeah we kept pushing it, love it but I know you got some. You want to ask him? Yeah I'm let's talk a little bit about recruiting Focus. We know in year one the big Mantra was repairing those Oops, in the state of Virginia, in the footprint, how did the relationships and Rapport that you had from your previous stops? Help you on that front? Yes, trust man is trust, is guys understand who I am, as a person who I am as a coach believing in. You know, my coaching philosophy and also believe in encode prize philosophy.

56:34 And I think a lot of guys initially when they get hired but see a lot of things but they won't do and Coach Pride, you know, he stood. That he stood on the table with that, we're going to recruit this state. He said it, he meant it and we did and we found ways to foster those relationships. Whether it was, you know, these clinics that we're going to do getting on these guys Turf guard down, spending time with them, talking about eating, good food and just relaxing. And I think that means a lot to those guys and, you know, taking that opportunity to do that and recruit those schools, right? You talk about a spool like Holly Springs, they're going I have prospects every single year. You talk about Herman is you talk about you. Go to guys in Northern Virginia freedom and there's all these talented talented prospects in this state, right? That could be overlooked because it may look great in another state par and Texas and Florida and you can go get. And I'm not saying you can't go get guys from those places, right?

57:35 But if you start, you start in the state right now. I guarantee you you can find guy's talented enough and willing Enough to win you a lot of games when it's all said and done and then you build on those relationships. So when that four and five-star Prospect comes out, right, he's got a teammate already in Blacksburg, right? He's already seen me a couple times in the school. The coach already knows what he's going to get from us. And that's really what it's about, man. It's been, it's being honest is being us as being genuine and giving those guys an opportunity to trust us. And that's all that coach prize Direction, man. What you see is what you get by is no fluff is no recruiting pitch. Each not us out here selling dreams as out here, just being rude.

58:18 And that's, I mean, that's as a fan, that's refreshing, man. I guess we, we definitely are welcoming that, you know, even feeling that I'm always down here in Alabama and I'm feeling it, I'm, I'm hopping up and down. You know what I'm saying? To see you guys out there, but from what I'm hearing now, you can tell me if I'm wrong. They're telling me. When you come to Virginia, you got to check in with Coach minds. They said that he is running. Thanks Dad. Yeah. But you know, kind of the question that I have for you is people know. You are Virginia guy, they know you, you know, you went to UVA, you've been around for a while. How much did the staff lean on you? Lean on your relationships?

59:03 Did you have any guys that kind of came to me? And was like, hey coach, you know, I'm going to I'm going to Hermitage today. What? We'll what do I need to? Is there certain person? I need to see, you know if you have anybody to lean on you, absolutely man in each. Pocket of the state is a little bit different, right? Recruiting Richmond is completely different in recruiting 757, right? You may have to go to three people in the 757 before you actually get to the kid, but that's just kind of how it is. And that's the name of the business man. But like, the, the the relationships they did Lean on Me, you know, we have some guys as off the field as from Virginia, but when you just talked about, hey man I'm going to this school. Here's what you need to talk to or I'm going to this area here. So I need to talk to.

59:48 Here's what you need to stay, right? These are the six holes you need to hit this day. All right, or taking another notch. You're watching the highlight tape. This is the brand of football that these guys play, right? This is how coachable these guys have historically been. You just look at our recruiting class why? I think we had guy that total class it was 19 state championships right? In that one class you talk about recruiting winners guys that have been well. Coach guys, that come here and it's going to piss them off to lose, right? And that's the kind of attitude that we need while of that, right there. That's, that's, that's the mentality, man. You talk about the state championships, the guys you're bringing in their winners and like you said, they don't want to lose. So I'm sure you've got some of them already joining you on campus that have already brought that to the table during The Hunger Games and seeing some of the workouts where it's like, I'm not losing this rep.

1:00:43 No, don't lose these reps. I've won all these reps since I've been a freshman in high school. Let me put just a little bit of fun here. So if the Hokey tailgate comes back to the RV, a this year, comes to Hardy would part just about five minutes from my house here. It's not until Minds can find out my eyes. Make an appearance there, hold on. What's the date? Well, last year was in July, that's possible. Okay. All right, if you want and I'll do my best. We understand, but if we see you, we are coming up and we are going to talk with you a little bit more than a man. Let's do it, man.

1:01:28 You got one more form, right? Yep. So fun tell, you know, we know man, we know you got a birthday coming up. You might try to hide it from everybody else, but I do we know. We know when the birthday is for everybody, who don't know, we got February 26th, I'm not gonna call his age out, I'm gonna let him do that. But, you know, the question I have for you, is as a coach, what would be the best gift? You can get on your birthday? From a coaching perspective for from a coaching perspective, having a follower weekend, There we go. I appreciate you taking the time to join us and talk with us today and yes, if y'all are wondering my head turn to the right.

1:02:36 My six-year-old, son opened the door and said, Daddy can you come do this for me? I'm like, all right now, I appreciate you guys. Absolutely appreciate the support. Anytime anything you need from getting it done. We appreciate you. Thanks. And that was coach fontelle. Mine's a joined us last Tuesday. First of all, Brian tally. It was a blast to talk to that man.

1:03:17 In general, it just felt he was relaxed. It was natural. I feel like Brian if he does make it too hard he would we will probably be 20 30 minutes with him on the patio out there, drinking drinking either and shooting the breeze with him. I mean, you gotta love that about him in general. Yeah, you do. If we see, you know how he has success on the trail very relaxed, somebody definitely want to have a conversation with just kind of sit down and shoot the breeze. So I mean that aspect you can definitely see why he's a he's a successful successful man and just successful coach. Yeah he can't Ally p-town. He Town yeah.

1:03:59 Even right away. Baby already. So let me ask you this guy's and y'all chime in whoever wants to come in first. How do y'all His how, what is his impact? Mental net wide receiver room. I'll take a lead on this one. I mean, I'm looking at it. The thing that we see obviously is, you know, you get a big impact from a recruiting standpoint. Notch it up a little bit on the trail in the state of Virginia, especially in Richmond area. But you're also seeing bringing in three top 20, top of the league transfer portal players from the wide receivers perspective, to kind of bolster that room. But the The thing that kind of impressed me, and this is actually something that came out during the pride of you on text sideline talking about Christian moss and kind of how he's kind of redoubled his efforts in trying to get playing time and really kind of digging in to be a contributor in that wide receiver room.

1:05:09 Because I think a lot of folks saw him is like a potential transfer portal player after The way the season wrapped up and you know, with the guys that we brought in, but now he's, it sounds like he's kind of changed the culture in that room in terms of guys, competing for spots competing for time, competing for rep. So that's I think that's that. That's a big impact as well. Yeah, definitely. I'm you know I listen to him when he was talking about the he would've wanted to bring people in to compete right away. He didn't want to bring depth guys in so people who are already there. If the coach is telling us that, I'm sure he's telling them that. So, sometimes football players, you getting your feelings. I'm bringing people in here to compete with playing town and prior kind of, you know, came out and said, you know, we didn't know what we were going to get out of Out of Christian, he's been kind of pretty much underwhelming but he came in the office and said, hey, this is what I want to do and it's what he's been living up to.

1:06:09 So I think that that mindset, that that fontelle has brought to that room is just been a hard nose, you know, let's grind. So I'm excited to see what happens with that. With that wide receiver room. I think it'll be one of our deepest and most talented room positions this So he put on a clinic in had a flipper room in one offseason. Yeah, we did it. Yeah, he did impressively. Well, that's you shall know. I mean, have you had any? I don't know if you've had any interactions with Coach mine since you've been up there. You didn't get to join us on the interview or anything. No, I mean, you know, I've kind of seen him at PK sometimes. That's my only actions.

1:06:52 But even then, he's like, I mean, he's the life of the party man. He's always lived over there. Run talking everyone. He's just like, sometimes you can you see a guy? You see a cauchy He just tell like he's like he gets it. Like, he's a good, he's a good recruiter, he's a good relationships guy. He relates well to a lot of different players and I think was pretty impressive that he got a lead Jennings to come here on one year of Eligibility. I mean, it's just like you know, it wasn't a great offense. Last year, he got some quarterback questions, but like he I mean the fact he convinced a guy like that to come here. Like that speaks volumes to his recruiting abilities at the about. I love you saying that apks. He's the life of the party first of all he's also like what? 65 yes it is a huge guy so Really. It's just like, I'm assuming it's a magnetic effect with him, like a lot of our guys, and he's known to pull the best out of all his guys Robbie.

1:07:40 Obviously Rob, he's our coach friend who has some connections down at ECU where coach - coach and I love the key point there at the end we were talking about did guys come to you on this staff when they visited schools and he was like yeah and I was making sure this is who you talk to. This is this is who you go to because that is so much important. And especially with the new staff or new people coming on, in which we're going to talk about it in about three or four minutes here. We're going to have new coaches coming on in the near future. And to have somebody like fine tale mines, who especially in the state of Virginia. You walk into a high school, he can tell you who to talk to where to go, what to do. What they do that's huge because sometimes you don't have that and when you don't have that Talent, you're in the car, you're in the salesman business. And you know, about those relationship about knowing, this is how you talk to this guy.

1:08:30 This is where you go here in to have him like that. It's almost heaven. Like and I think he is the recruiting to the recruiting office recruiting coordinator offensive, recruiting coordinator. So then that makes sense from what everything's he's telling us there or so. Now, He said it himself and when we were coming up you know if you were in a state of Virginia you went to want us to schools and you go look back through the history of time you know he was playing at Hermitage and you know 08 or excuse me in the early 2000s with Dwayne and we saw Tweety come through then we said guys go to UVA.

1:09:12 What do y'all feel about him selling Virginia recruits? Our program, even though he's a UVA guy, he's going to take it. Anybody I'll take it, why not? So yeah let's let's talk about that before. So from a Virginia recruiting perspective he's the guy that selling a vision of when not only Virginia Tech was one of the top, ten fifteen programs in the country but from when the UVA Virginia Tech, rivalry was still a rivalry and not a rivalry of mid, but a rivalry of top. Three and four teams in their conference, top one, and two teams in their conference.

1:10:00 He remembers those days. So, he's selling what, what can be, what was and what can be again? So I think that that's big because he can set kind of say, hey yeah, I did I kept my talents in the state, I went to University of Virginia. You know, I did these things that help build me and build my brand and be able to do the things that I wanted to do. So it's Yeah, I'd say he's just as good as having an alumni on the staff and that regard because he is still selling that same type of vision of guys that have been able to do it at Virginia Tech or do it at UVA. They've been able to go to their in-state stool and show out.

1:10:41 Yeah, you know, of course I'm from from Bama. So we'll little bit different here. Like when you see somebody, I don't know, Alabama is just different when we see Julio Jones and League, it's not like Alabama, born and bred like we don't give a fuck. You know what I'm saying? Like what we'd like, but Virginia people are so prideful about their state, you know. It's like I seen so many people that was like, you know, Mac McClung won the dunk contest and it was like everybody was climbing in from Virginia. You know what I'm saying it is, it didn't matter. I don't even know where he's from, but everybody was claiming Gate City.

1:11:22 Yes. City Jersey and last 90 days, I've seen Alabama be like that gung-ho about some, but fucking Ruben Studdard in the that's the only time I ever been like we're proud of Alabama. But Virginia people, when they talk about like music, you talk about clips and Chris Brown and you see go on and so yeah. So on so forth and then you Do you go into Allen Iverson? And Vic like Virginia people are very prideful, so I don't think that it's I don't think that it's such a like crazy thing to be like, man.

1:12:06 I don't care where you going to be successful. I just want you to put on for the state so I think he's got that kind of Mantra when he's moving forward. Like I know you via ain't shit. But I'm trying to make Virginia Tech this shit. So come on over here and let's get it done. And see the point that he's making point there in general, anything you want. I'll let you do this is because the best both programs have ever been is when everybody top 20 in state were all going to those schools. Hmm. And that roughly is from 1993 to 2003. The years UVA, beat FSU years. We went to the national title game Tiki Ronde. You start going through those that 10-year stretch. Those were legitimately Tech was a top 10 team. Virginia was a top 20 team, those years go back and look through the annals of history and it tells you during that tenure stretching to White victim, on this program has said it.

1:13:04 When both schools are good, the state's better. I agree with that. I want to make a real point right here. Not that one but this one, The one thing he said about that conference was, yeah, I'm at the AFC a conference and all of a sudden Brent Pride wants to interview to me to be a next head coach. I'm, I don't know. He was like, I don't have my papers, I don't have my suit. Oh shit, what am I supposed to do? And clearly, again, I think that personality just knocked it out of the ballpark. Um, yeah, I mean, if you got a personality like that it doesn't matter, the scenario that the interview takes place, it's all about. You know, how you can present your vision for a room and what you can do on the trail both individually and to kind of raise the bar across the board for the rest of the staff. And he's shown that that he has the aptitude to do that pretty good.

1:14:00 So it's the culture. Yep, they're selling the culture Shield, again you living down there, you probably hear and see him more about it than ever and this is a three and eight football team that, you know, the worst we've seen in 30 years. And like no tally, no set it straight up. You pull three top 25 guys, out of the portal, What's the culture, you know, what are you hearing from? When our workouts being a little closer down there? And I know we know you have a job and we know you're doing things but when you get to go into PK's and you get to go around the folks what is that culture being like you that he's mentioning in these interviews? I think the guys have done a really good job of sticking together despite adversity like We look like a last year.

1:14:45 Like obviously, it's the worst Tech Team, pretty much ever and we didn't have any sort of, you know, locker room, you know, brouhaha as like, it wasn't like a bunch of infighting wasn't guys pointing fingers. Which was, you know, during the one day or like a literally, a regular occurrence even when we go, turkey bacon articles. Oh yeah. No guys trying to intentionally lose games. It's like it's much better. So, I think. I think fans and general somewhat overstate the impact that was lost has on recruiting. I think recruiting blows down to relationships. And if you're a coach who can sell sell a young 18 year old kid on the prospect of you know playing Freer for your team in the future, you're trying to sell them a vision on what's going to happen in the future and that's what that's what we're putting bows down to these guys. Want to be a part of that wedding program so you can go through and a but if you can sell them on you know? Hey this we're going to get all these good guys and We're going to, you know, we're going to get this thing turned around. Like that's I mean, that's a, that's how you do it, you know. Anybody said about being kind of a part of something that you had a hand in building, and I think a lot historically Virginia players have taken pride in that, so just looking at it from that perspective, you know, they're, they're guys that. Yeah, they still see, they still see the bamas, they still see the George's.

1:16:09 Obviously, those are easy to get eyes on your play, and because they get eyes on your plate, it's a path to the, to the next level, it makes that Easier. But in terms of just being a part of building something or bringing in this case, bringing something back, that's definitely something that I think, you know, can resonate with some kids especially kids in state abso-freakin'-lutely. And I think Robbie might sell it to best here. He sells a game in the idea that takes it be successful War regardless, where he's coaching, and it seems that way because clearly, I mean, he is a guy in his late 30s. He's already ranked up to a division one, you know, P5. G in a short time coaching and he's building a reputation as a good recruiter and a good coach overall and it was a pleasure to have him.

1:16:58 Hopefully Brian's working on some other interviews. I don't know who else we're going to be getting in the near future open more? Yeah, I guess we have some of the turnpike here. We got something, we got something burning. What will we keeping you guys updated? We so. All right, so there's a big elephant in the room. We have not talked about it yet, we are an hour and 20 minutes in, I think we should be Ended because we haven't talked about it yet. It's a miracle. We got we do it. Take the low-hanging fruit, that's what he's gonna get. Well, I mean, you know, some of this we apply in a lot of things in this episode out for, you know, about a week or so. So, the big news, obviously, Joe Rudolph is now the offensive line coach at Notre Dame 70-year offensive line coach, you know, seven-figure offensive line coach, you know. I think that took him from being the fifth highest speed offensive line coach to the One high-speed ovens wind coach. So that says, not only a lot about the pool that we put in, for him to bring him here.

1:17:57 But also how he's kind of viewed by others around the country, especially the Blue Bloods there. So even after a shitty 3 and 8 season. Yeah, I mean the best offensive line play in the country. Yeah, there wasn't a whole lot to kind of point at the resume last year and say, yeah, that's me right? So that definitely speaks to his reputation and speaks to To the relationships and he's built as well. So you know good for him. I mean that's a big move but now we kind of we turn the page right who's next? Well Anybody Everybody? Well no no it can't be anybody it's I'll say that. It can't be anybody but obviously the name start floating right between message boards. You know, Twitter in general and you know, one of the first things that popped up was to Washington and, you know, In for a lot of us, that's a, that's a hard because Todd played here, back in the 1990s, toddlers, a four-year starter guard, Center went on, and then played seven years in the NFL, which is, you know, basically three hundred fifty percent more than what normally happens.

1:19:07 In guy, the NFL and started coaching immediately going to San Diego. He's made a plethora stops between, you know, the Ravens, the Jets, the Jags. And then you kind of look there. And say, well, he's a Virginia Tech guy, he coach with bowling last year and he could be a name out there, um, you know, does he come here, get out of the pro ranks and, you know, in any feelings on Todd Washington outside. This is if he was given the job. I mean, if he was off the job, he taken I think that's been made abundantly clear both by him and by others that know him.

1:19:49 Um, I'm subtweeting Dwight Vic there, if y'all didn't know, it's my boys. So I take what he says, too hard, a lot and I know he knows his stuff but just looking at it as a fan man and knowing about recruiting. The only thing I can say, I don't even want to say - but like Todd hadn't been in that he hadn't been in the recruiting game in a long time, you know, and the thing that's going to get us to the next level is Talent.

1:20:31 You know, we have to get some Talent, we have to be able to recruit and I think fontelle kind of said some stuff that a lot of people don't think about, you know, you recruit in certain places, your you have to talk to three and four people before you get to the kids before you get to a coach. So, That's that's the thing that worries me about him. The name, this more intriguing. I want to say more intriguing but to me it's intriguing to me is Marcus Marcus Johnson. So that name is very intriguing because he's first of all, he's like 66 350 pounds. Like, you want.

1:21:11 I want a big man coaching offensive line and putting them saying, but just that name and looking at his resume and stuff like that, Like that. And what he's done and what he's played like, I like what I see from him, I'm I would like a, like a coach like that. That's just me. I listen Marcus Johnson right now is my one and I'm going to ask all y'all three at the end. I think tally, you might be feeling the same way as me, you know, he's a young guy, he's in his early 40s, he played a bunch of years in the NFL, he played down at Old Miss and then he kind of came up through the ranks, a little different, he started his strength and conditioning coach at Duke. Instead, they're worked his way up to 0 line coach. It shows you, he has a grind mentality as Brian playing online tally playing tight.

1:21:58 In y'all know those guys can grind but the one piece that I look at in, why I like him more than anything, is he can recruit good. Look at his 24/7 profile. He recruited Charles Crossing developed Charles cross into a Charles cross, I hate to say this as a 49ers fan. He's gonna be a pain in the ass at left tackle for the next decade up at the Seahawks. He is, he just freaking is so, but then I see 18 and 19 goes Wikipedia page. Look at his bio. He played at Mississippi State under Joe Moorhead. We know and we saw at the end of last year, we're getting to that RPO mesh, we're getting to that RPO mesh. So He's done it for two years, he's done a drink which system, which is again, a similar mesh type offense. So I think probably for what Tyler bones looking to to coach offensive line wise.

1:22:55 I think that's it. Sheldon, you got somebody else in mind though, right? Yeah. A guy that hasn't really been mentioning through these discussions as a Eugene Chung, I only bring up because I have a, I have a coaching buddy in the Richmond area, whose opinion. I respect greatly. When you just mentioned Eugene Chung, who is a tech graduates? Of 1992, I think Ezra. He was drafted into the NFL. He did a really he was a really big part of building out those egos offensive lines. I think they had a couple starters in the other rule this year that were kind of develop when he was there. He hasn't been there in a while, I think three years since he's been there. But they, the Eagles are typically, you know, one of the better offensive line teams in the NFL year over year and he was a big part of that.

1:23:38 So you know I just I just thought it was a bit was a good kind of a Maybe under the radar name to mention, he's got it, obviously got great credentials. Great credentials, Kyle is son played obviously, take definitely super associated with the school and he coached a long time and he played a long time in the league and then he coached a long time in the league. Yep. So if if tomorrow they announced Eugene Chun I think us for like God loves the school. Guy knows how to coach o-line. Now I'm running kind of kind of similar higher to Todd Washington. Just not quite a little bit. It's Lightly different areas but slightly different are a little older but coach to coach, to a long, long time.

1:24:18 Yeah. Now a couple of other things being thrown out there and these are more of our Penn State connections, is you got her painted, matte line, line Gro lime at Grover. Lime, like, the fruit has currently down at UCF with Gus Malzahn, was up in state, obviously, and in Vanderbilt and then you got lime Grover again, another Penn State guy, three years while I was there he's currently Kent State so he's taking a little step back. He is their cozy and all offensive line. Either these jump out for any of y'all Brian Calley. Herb hand is kind of the guy that I would like to go after.

1:24:59 And there's a couple reasons, obviously, the connections style of play that we're looking for on offense. The other thing, you know, he's had stops at some bigger, programs you seen how that works. But he's also a guy that is at UCF right now making right at three hundred thousand dollars. So the pool Cool, that we have to offer at offensive line. Could be very significant for that caliber of Coach. Whereas, you know, you look at Marcus Johnson, he's making in the five hundred thousand dollar range. Looks like so whether Missouri can kind of jump up to meet meet that that's to be seen But I think we could actually from a bidding standpoint, our pool is pretty big especially because of what Joe Rudolph was making and what our potential is there. So I think Your 500k plus bump in salary for her paying might be very intriguing.

1:25:59 Whereas, you know, a couple hundred thousand may not be worth. Worth it for Marcus Johnson, to kind of take the leap out of the SEC into the act and into kind of a rebuild. So that's kind of where I'm leaning and then you got, you know, another guy that's been mentioned is offensive line coach youth, at SMU Garin justice. So there's a lot of guys that are out there. I would put her pan in my top list of wants just because I think it is practical but also would be a really good replacement for Joe Rudolph. I'll say this about Justice, a ret Lashley system again. It's the RPO is the mesh spread. Look at what my it Brian mentioned it on this program when we played them after the flip, when they caiied Rhett, lastly, under main ideas.

1:26:48 You basically said that offensive line of shit. Is shit. And basically, in one season, you know, Garin Justice went down there. And basically flip them to be a very competent offensive line where Miami That season ranked in the top 30 in offense. And he's really good at coaching pass, bro. Because the thing we've talked about before that season was like, this team is completely ass. That's true ass and they had a really big bump up, and then you brought up another stat from last year where, you know, running He's running Russian, the ball middle of the pack, but you know, really good in terms of not allowing sex. So I mean, it looks like that's traveling.

1:27:30 It's not just a Miami thing. Yeah. And it any feelings towards those three guys tally or Sheldon and I'm kind of hey, I told you, you're being tired. Washington, I'd be all right with that. Like Brian said her hand, that's I think that's a good look for Marcus Johnson. Now, of course, you know, Virginia Tech fashion when get none of them three, we ain't going that route but that's okay. But that's just kind of what I think and what I what I look for and I'd love to see happen but she um, proud talked about it again. I'm if anybody hadn't.

1:28:11 Yes. Yeah, hadn't built winning. Look at the TSL interview. He talked about, you know, we wanted to get we wanted to run the ball more. Then we did last year vova power running to him and it just it's just not us, you know? It just wasn't what we were going to be good at so they want to get to running the quarterback more so he said and I'm paraphrasing so I don't want to put words in his mouth but he said something to the effect that we want to run the quarterback to lead says hey I don't I don't want to run no more, you know what I mean? So we're going to get to that RPO and I think it's going to help us a lot. Because when we're good at That I think our team is good. So I shall let me ask you this just to get you kind of feel again being alumni of tech when that report and when it's been said that Tech damn near got up to a million to offer. Rudolph 975, I think is the number that is floating around. Did that shock you?

1:29:13 Or does that say? Okay, we're back to where we were 15 years ago where we're top 15 top 20 and actually paying people Yeah, I mean the Arts up 28. I've even looked at numbers in a while but we are at least top 25 in the country in terms of coaching salaries, for this particular staff. It's kind of crazy that when you look at it, like Tech was paying 9950 or something like that to Rudolph and he still has her Notre Dame who's giving him? You know, big a big salary increase and there's probably a handful of schools that can offer more than that her name. So kind of shows you like the discrepancy in terms of the you in the very top at the in college football, camp it all the rest, but like I don't think. The coaching salary is, just not an issue anymore.

1:29:53 Like we have the money to hire quality assistance. Even if you look at guy like, you know, practice when he was making a ton, I don't know what the exact number was for Glen, but you know, he's making it, he's making a decent salary, same for all of, you know, all of our other coordinators. So it's, you know, the good thing about all this influx of cash and program. Like the Reach For Excellence campaign. Like we were in a much better position. I think. Infrastructure wise, you know, when you look at facilities, support staff coaching salaries, like Were much more competitive in those areas. So I don't worry too much about this higher because I think, at the very least, you know, we have we have a much more. We have a much better chance of making the right, the right height for us because we can compensate them adequately good. You are good.

1:30:38 That you kind of, you know, brought up the quarterback position to quarterback coaching position as well. So I guess Curtis, you know what you're thinking about that man. What? You thinking about the corporate culture? Well, first of all where 10 days removed, I was hoping somebody would be named by mail, not only because it's easier to talk to his. Now, we got to do a bunch of speculation. I mean me and we need Brawn and tally you know last week Sheldon we talked about Brian Chris, just Brian, Chris get his chance or is it? You know a guy like Jeff Carpenter, you know, younger guy work with LSU has done some other stuff. Does he get his hands?

1:31:20 I think the deeper we get into. I don't think it's gonna be, I don't think we're getting any internal hires. I think we are because of what shelving just said. We have the money to spend go find someone who has a track record or has a good connection and I'm sitting out here and I heard this thing so many times but I feel like the guy would just fumble the ball and to the other team and Lane Stadium, his name's Brandon Streeter, you know, Curtis got jokes, I got jokes go, 99 but I mean Streeter was recently let go back. Clemson and he had been there since 15. He's been coaching, you know, since 06 where he was at Liberty and then Richmond. So obviously he has been in Virginia before I think he's probably a good coat don't obviously, he is working with cream of the crop quarterback prospects in Trevor Lawrence in DeShaun Watson.

1:32:11 So what's he going to do? As far as the system goes, you know, it's not quite what they're doing, but I don't think he would be a I'd hire the question is, you know, a bow just cut you from your alma mater, place, where you played a place, where you won two national championships is he ready to get it back in? The question, I mean, I don't have an answer for it. I've heard his name thrown around a lot from a recruiting, you know, from a recruiting standpoint. So that's kind of where I'm always thinking about what any hires that we're looking at is I feel like we've been so behind and recruit and just, you know, one or two athletes. That would take us to maybe the next level and I'm talking Next Level, just meaning even competing. In the ACC, bringing in somebody with a pedigree like that. I think would be would be awesome. So I don't know that we get him but I would I think it would be a good hire if we did.

1:33:20 Yeah. And I think we're probably not going to see what I'd call Splash hires in both of these positions, I think. Yeah, I think you'll see probably a splash higher and one where we, where we go up to that you know, seven to eight hundred thousand dollar range for one coach. I don't know if we're going to push Yeah, the the limits of what will come off of. Like, we would try to retain Rudolph to hire both of these positions will see? I just don't, I don't necessarily think that's that's what's going to happen, but, I mean, I'd be fine with Streeter, you know, obviously, the main that always gets thrown out there. Every time you do, this is my car. I was just about to tell you speaking of Splash, higher, Vic's, name gets thrown out every time I'm a job.

1:34:03 Comes open a toll on coach. Isn't that mean it's loaded every time I don't think it's ever going to happen. I think Mike you know AA all the work Mike's doing with Charities. All the stuff he's got with TV. I don't think that's going to happen. But, you know, I think what we are all are doing like we all have been doing since last Tuesday, as fans is we've been drawing lines, we've been trying to find, okay, who's got Streeter was thrown out there just readers and known name. He was in the ACC but then you start drawing the line. Okay. So who could it be? Who could it be? And you know, after doing some research, I look at a guy like Billy fessler really fast was over at Akron, so he's under Joe Moorhead.

1:34:52 There's a media, the connection to the type of offense, that's going to be looked at this year. He played at Penn State. He's a significantly younger guy. Now a very, very young guy. So, you know, is it somebody like that? Where you probably if you're going to go, like you said, Brian just several seconds ago. If you go, Big Splash in the offensive line. Room. Yep. Then, can you afford to take a chance with a younger guy? I mean, what are you doing? You know, if we're talking about, you know, younger, guys. Let's, let's talk about somebody that's, you know, pretty much my age, has some connections with Boeing at Fordham and Coach to, in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars, this past year. Let's talk about Andrew breiner.

1:35:41 I mean, I think that's a another option that you can look at, you know, he was OC and quarterbacks coach at Fordham, then took over head coach. The time that Bowen was was coaching it for them there. So there's a connection there, similar type of job or head coaching tree. I'm getting the all Mississippi State staff as well. We're about to put together an 18 19. Yeah, so I mean, that's an option that's out there as well. So I mean, I think there's a lot of, you know, potential options there, you know, one of the things that's been floated kind of circling back to the Offensive line room is that, you know I don't think it's some people talk about Bo and taking over offensive line. That's not what I want to see why. Why he's coached it.

1:36:28 He's played it. Yeah. So I don't like my OCS being offensive line. Coach has I like my OCS that have been offensive linemen but I don't like them being offensive line. Coach has because I'll say like this so Day to day, in practice, offensive line is very much for the first half of practice of very segmented group. They're not floating two different position groups like you would with tight ends especially you're not working with you know two or three position groups like you are quarterback or wide receiver.

1:37:10 You know you are very much. Okay well you're here you know, you might get with the tight ends of running backs were some inside run. But most of the time you're working with your own group, you're getting with defensive tackles and doing some one-on-ones. This is a most of your work with the rest of the group is during that team period. So, allowing Bowen to be in a position where he can kind of look at various elements of the offense for longer periods of time during a practice, not just during that team period, I think, is more important. Offensive line is a very demanding position to coach, so I would like him to focus more on. Me the offense and seeing the whole picture of practice and I would focusing on getting that offensive line, right?

1:37:52 So you've been really quiet while we've been other than laughing at the mic. Big joke is there, is there anybody, you have an eye owners there? Any of the names that we've mentioned that you say, hey, that might be the guy if you're talking about QB coach. Yeah, I think maybe the guy that was briefly mentioned in our, in our Twitter chat, had a Christian Taylor from Women. Marry he worked under you. He was under Mike London. Had a great day. Had a fantastic offense this season, really big turn around a school. That's here, typically not super easy to win at. So that's one guy. But I haven't been paying too much attention as much to the QB coach just because, like, I don't know, like, what you know, are they gonna make like an internal higher or just, you know, switch someone around like so, I don't know as well about that but Christian tellers, one guy to keep my own. All right?

1:38:39 Yeah, yeah I think when you look at coaches, man, it's kind of a Two ends of the spectrum type thing, you need somebody who's either you know very well respected and has a great resume and just knows how to come in and get a job done. Or you got to take a chance on a younger guy that will kind of come in and know how to recruit a little better who can you know connect with the kids a little better? I mean look at fine tale. Yep. And I know we've got a long way to go to think about what he's going to do with his room or Able to see what he's going to be able to do with his room. But I don't think any Tech fan is upset at what he's done so far.

1:39:22 You can even go back to Ryan Smith. I mean, I didn't know much about Ryan Smith before he got the job, but look at this. It is F4 said he did while he was here was a it was a good job. So it's at least a catch-22 you're talking coaching because you want somebody. Who you really are somebody that had, I'm sorry, Natalia I freaking went to college, because I went to college with Ryan Smith sister. Never knew the never correlated until she literally posted a picture of him up. Iy S this run. I'm a messenger. Be like why you got a picture Ryan Smith? Oh, that's my brother.

1:40:06 Wha, you know, that kids going to the NFL. That's pretty cool. It was cool. Yeah, the girl we go we all work together but like so much going on right now you know because I think what's happened is is so late in the process and process it on TSN. We all heard it, right? The pro ranks are looking more and more into the college ranks for coaches. The young because what's happening is I think we're getting to that NFL level where they're guys who are getting in their late 60s that are retiring or guys that just essentially recycling out. And now it's like who is the most technical? Who's a great motivator, who can really put game plans together and they're going to the college ranks because the college ranks have so many more people also, you're running a lot more College style offenses in the NFL. Now, the concepts have changed like that over the last few years.

1:41:07 So hopefully there'll be some news about somebody getting hired over the next few weeks. Because I'm just sitting here with two weeks away from Spring ball like we need to get somebody hired. Now, I don't want a position group to be done. All right, couple last nose before we close it out tonight, and sort of sucks on both ends Mike Hawkins, not on the roster anymore, coach made a brief Statement with that with Buddy, David Cunningham over T SL about, you know, there's some things going on, whatever is going on in Nikes personal life. We hope all gets to go. Well and then unfortunately for night and Johnson who's all probably gonna be depending on to be a to deep guy in the safety room. He tore his Achilles and he's done during workouts, can't workouts.

1:41:59 So, you know, kind of a bit of bummer for both of those, you know, both those situations. Has to close it out here tonight but you know, you got to talk about it because I can't remember the exact time. You know, last week we talked about Jalen Jones moving over, right? He's nailing the safety room, right. And you see, night Hawkins gone night Johnson tears. Achilles, I mentioned what maybe they'll redshirting this year. Probably not going. If he's playing, good is probably going to be that way anymore. Very true man. And you know how it is is like you know, kid. Like you said, Nikes, he's just coming off of an injury and trying to get back and trying to, you know, compete for some time and you get hurt again.

1:42:42 It's just devastating sometimes man to the mindset, but I've seen him put out, a put out, a tweet. I think what he was talking about, you know, just being there for his brothers and being around the team. So hope he just keeps his head in and keep moving forward for himself. There you go. Yep. Yep. That's big. I mean time you get injury like that. It's definitely a mindset that you have to come back from and you know especially when you're coming off an injury, like you said to Ali, you know, it can it can eat at you because you feel like alright I just I just climb my way out this hole a little bit. Now I'm kind of back in it so nothing nothing but your good wishes. His way of Lee speedy recovery and I know Achilles is always, that's a tough one.

1:43:28 So So you know, wishing him the best. Alright guys? Anything additional to add anything breaking while we've been seared in here for an hour and 45 minutes, I just want to know. When are we getting Robbie on the show? I need Robbie on the show. Well, we have been thinking about potentially bringing him over in April for Spring ball preview, just because with it Riley being a coach. Robbie usually gives us a little insight. So So and I think Robbie is discussing coming to Blacksburg for the spring game. That is his birthday weekend, although I'm Turnt Up Dan. Are we gonna take it back to to bring the hot sauce day? Okay, he's about to post.

1:44:17 Nope, I'm a good man. All right. Well y'all, that is going to wrap up this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast brought to you by Main Street, Pharmacy, in Blacksburg Virginia, I'm Curtis Wilson, I'm Brian Sigler. Jonathan tally on Moss. Visit our website, boundary corner be t.com to listen to all of our episodes while you're there. Do not forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, subscribe on our YouTube account and your favorite podcast Source including Spotify, Amazon and apple podcast and now, hold on ways that real quick. Hey, Robbie, unfortunately, we got to talk Into the experimental. We're now selling merchandise.

1:45:11 We have murdered people. We have merchandise now. Thank you to the people who've already bought some and trust me. I think with us this creative bring collection, we're going to come up with an even cooler shirt. So yeah, be on the lookout for that. As always, we let our buddy, Jason long, he plays Us in. He plays us out every week. Check him out on his website. Jason long. Music.com. And I'm trying to see if Jason is going to be anywhere around the New River Valley. Finally hitting the spring weather, man. He gonna be out here. We have side now. Is he got some setup? No, no, not yet, not yet. He's still recovering from wrestling season, is what it is coaching. Those kids all that time to the city Championship. Check his music out on Apple, Spotify and his YouTube and Facebook pages.

1:46:01 We thank you all, for always listening and viewing, as I Always, let's go home Kubo keys.