COMM 201: Interpersonal Communication

0:45 Welcome back to the boundary Corner podcast. My name is Curtis Wilson. I'm Brian sigla is is a Thursday night. Good buddy, what you drinking on? Thirsty. Thursday. Having a little Janessa beer watching the snow. Come down outside schools. Closed for the kid in the wife. Tomorrow I'm working them half a day. Good night to record man. Yes it is man. I've got my hands here. We're watching some snow as well. We got about got about an inch so far. It's sticking a little bit. It's kind of you know everything and flowing between big fluffy flakes and flurries but looks like we're going to have a little bit of fun in the Tomorrow, buddy. You are going to have a little fun in the snow tomorrow. I don't plan on going anywhere.

1:33 I've got ten beers in the fridge, a couple fifth. I want a little drink food for the fam. Although if my wife, you know, being you know, with child as she is, if she said, honey, I want this from here, I would trade my butt out and I'd go get it because I am a smart man. You know when they happening, you know what's up? Hey, what's it? What's it? You know you've been there. Once it's happened. It's like you. Unlike you know, you know what to do. You don't overthink it. You just do it. I'm sitting here also watching Golf out at Pebble Beach. It looks like it's about 68 degrees perfect weather. So I'm also longing for a good spring day now. Like after this I'm done with winter. All right, don't need someone more. Let's get warm you like beIN, get out. I'll be done with you.

2:28 Have my permission to die. Alright hokey fans, so what we'll be talking about tonight. I biggest thing is we're gonna be looking at the red cord Nielsen and the Justin Hamilton press conferences from a couple days ago, breaking down some things, they said some things we heard. We like some things we heard, we didn't like, A couple shots here and there, but before we jump to that run, run jump to a non-football related thing in Virginia Tech wrestling and that epic I mean, epic win versus NC State man.

3:08 Holy moly epic win. So I mean that was one of the best. I don't watch wrestling normally. So not that. I'm very We familiar with it. I used to go to a lot of a lot of stuff in high school and things like that, but I it's been a long time since I've watched something like this live. And it was, it was, it was a great watch and the back and forth. And then the Epic finish. I mean, most everybody thought it was over and then it wasn't. And then We pull it out. And then I was just like, I was on the edge of my seat. I know that there was someone else that was calling this, that was really, really on the edge of their seat was, literally and figuratively, Rock Harrison, man.

3:59 First of all, he's a UVA grad, but a billion kudos to that guy a billion. He kept. It engaging, he broke it down, sort of simplistically for folks, like me and you who don't watch a lot of wrestling. And unfortunately, in Kovac times, probably friends that we could have over to watch the wrestling with us. We really can't get together. It's too tough. He made it exciting. And by the way, He joined Twitter this week, I followed him immediately just and then they showed his is it to is it to isn't to play.

4:39 It was so much energy in, you know, I think what we just saw is for us as very casual fans. That was a top-10 matchup. I think, probably my expectations now is I look on acc Network, Big Ten Network ESPN. If I see like to top 10 teams going at it and wrestling weather associated with the Hokies are not. I think I'll probably stop and watch for a little while because I think, you know, the level of competition when it's that high, it's really good. Level competition is awesome. The passion that they bring to the table, both from an individual perspective, and from the team perspective, and how they were really getting each other up for, for the, for the match at me. That was just it was awesome to watch and like you said, I'm definitely gonna I see it in passing out, at least give it, you know, 10, 20 minutes of my time. If I've got some time to kill there because that was fun to watch, those are really good time. And after that, when The Hokies go from number eight to number four in the country.

5:50 And you see a lot of when we watch the Hokies a lot of the Hokies guys had pretty high numbers next to the names. So individually they are very high ranked and my buddy David Fuqua who wrestled it along with his fraternity brother. And I'm big Hokies fan. Ryan, you got to meet him last year in Blacksburg He gave me a little bit of insight and kind of the way the way I'm kind of feeling it is this is the potential National Championship team, not only for individuals like Macau was a few years ago, but all around, it could happen because all of these guys has potential to go far once the NCAA tournament happens in St. Louis.

6:32 So really big and then tomorrow night Pitt Panthers number 6. Number 16. Again, kudos to ACC Network Friday night wrestling. Is it six? Not eight? I'll try to put it on for a little while, definitely do the follow-up. So hey, Brian. Guess what? What's up, man? I was right. Yeah, you were yeah, youyou got this one on me. My Tom Brady. He did not come to fruition. He got it done along with fellow Hokies Bruce.

7:12 Arians Cody, Grimm thicker Pony. I mean, they that really wasn't a game. And all, I mean, it was competitive in the first quarter and then, you know, the couple of adjustments defensively that were made to kind of stop those. Those little short drives that Kansas City was able to have just completely took their offense out of the game and let's start there. You kind of need you tackles to have success against a good pass rush, right? You damn you right. You too? Damn right? It was brutal. I mean they took full advantage of a I end up offensive line, you know? And again it's great having three Hokies. You know, going to have those Super Bowl rings especially you know, it's great for Bruce because, you know, Brian Bruce with your Colts and I think you saw that years ago like this guy's is a damn good head coach.

8:11 He's off in a ring or us of Our Generation Cody. Grooms, one of those Hokies, man, the best whip you ever seen. And Cody played a few years in the league and now Now he is shining as a coach Nick performs, an older Hokie respect to all of them but now you got three rings coming back the Blacksburg which is awesome. Now Ellen before we get into the press conferences here, guys, unfortunately, basketball, Louisville, game Revenge game, postponed due to covid issues. Obviously, if you hadn't read the news, Chris Mack Louisville, head coach, you know, test deposit for Hogue has about four days ago.

8:57 So essentially he was not going to be there and it seems like your contact tracing. I don't think Tracy the ugliest word currently in the sporting. Language pretty much bench them and I mean bronze just looking at his phone. Right before we got on here, oh the Hokies are complete another home game. What? For like two more weeks? Yeah, we're still looks like February 23rd against Georgia. Tech is what we're looking at now. So, yeah, we're still two weeks away from the Hokies playing another home game here in terms of getting boots back. And in terms of getting a little couple of the guys that have been banged up back, probably a good thing. But in terms of the riding, the wave of consistency that this team has had and just haven't playing out there for the fans. I mean, that those aspects definitely, you know, sup with all these cancellations no doubt it does suck but I do think this I think, I can't remember who I heard mentioned. I can't represent the radio today or when I was watching. Watching CBS Sports, maybe but basically regardless what happens with the Hokies between now and they're in they because of having such good winds and the record there in beating going to be more of the importance of told you Brian my opinion.

10:23 I don't want to be a three or a four. I feel like when they play teams of lesser ability It seems like we lose our Focus. I want to be in that 67 ring. I want us to have a team across from us, that we know the name on The Jersey and we have to take extremely serious. Yeah, I'm right there with you. I definitely think having opponent that you've got to get up for we seem to show up and show out when when it counts even more so than when it doesn't. So I would definitely prefer that middle too. You know, back third seating some but getting a higher seeding would be a good Prestige pick for the Hokies. So you know, you kind of way that you know what matters, more do you kind of hedge your bets on what you think will be the best setup or do you kind of just want to go for that Prestige move?

11:19 And have that that lower number next to your name? Yeah, it's a coin flip. You love The Prestige but Maybe it's maroon glasses. I see this team is a team. If it catches fire of all the teams I've seen this year, I have not had my watches watches. I normally watch this, you know, a Playing football season because I normally watch a lot of football. Anyway, but when you're doing a podcast in your up till 2:00 every Saturday night, you kind of got to know what mama got to cut down somewhere. So basketball got to cut. I think that expire I think they can beat any team in the country On Any Given night in any given for that's my opinion. We shall see man.

12:13 We shall see the next next three weeks or so is going to be some some good Conference basketball then we get to the tournament. Yes sir. We do. All right guys, let's jump to it real quick. We're going to start pressors. We're going to start with the Brad cornelison presser first, and I'm going to just jump right into it. No, the first questions they asked him was essentially about the quarterback room primarily about Connor Bloom Erick. First of all, he is essentially everything you heard in that presser Brian. He's essentially the backup quarterback. Yeah, that is seems like, what is going on here?

12:57 Is that corn likes. What he sees on practice tape for Connor and he's really trusting Darrell Dicky's opinion. But there'll Dickies, you know, that probably should be here. I don't think we. Yeah, Darrell Dickie probably should have corn job if the stars would have aligned the way we have hoped when we initially brought in Justin Fuente. But that's neither here. Nor there we. This is not about bashing corn necessarily. It's about what was actually said in the presser. So yeah, so Looks like Connor Bloomer is going to be the de facto backup at this point.

13:43 Looks like Knox is going to potentially compete for that role. Whereas, you know, you got a guy like Taj Bullock that's coming in. It's probably going to need at least one one year seasoning before he starts competing for a too deep at the quarterback position. Yeah, I mean and of course, he's gonna have Spring ball and stuff to help him. He's going through Drew, you know, he's going through workouts right now and they're seeing more and more of him. But Brian, Even though this was a later on in the press conference, not nail its kind of brass talking out of both sides of his mouth because he says, well, we need a quarterback to develop for three years. First of all, Connor blumrich had not been in a quarterback room for three years.

14:23 Kind of the way it looks kind of, he'd been between running back room too, tight end room quarterback room. Special teams are in all the time. So what you de facto saying and it scares the shit out of me is if Braxton Burmeister, who is a Very capable quarterback to win games and run the office. If he goes down, the guy who's been the jack-of-all-trades for Texas A&M is our backup quarterback. Who probably hasn't played a full season in what four years isn't High School? Yeah, I mean at this point you you know, if he's just running, Some QB powers and handing the ball off to Holston or whoever the running back is for us, you know, you feel comfortable with him, doing things like that when it gets into reading coverages and making throws on time and accurately you know you don't feel quite as good because you haven't seen a him do it at a power 5 level consistently and be he's been you know learning in rooms that aren't a quarterback.

15:28 For the last. What, at least season and a half. Correct. Yeah. At least if not longer because he was 17. Right, restore. Yes, Evan. So, 17, 18, 19, the probably get two years then I'll need two years. I'll go to you, he probably spent a couple years in the QB room primarily but obviously we've telling Mom there, you know, tell him I took that job and he never had a chance to sniff it something else. That, you know, Brad said. And kind of again, it's going against what's happening. He prefers to have five quarterbacks on the roster. Well, we have four. Yep, he said he's good with four or five but, you know, at this point, he's, you know, we're at that. We have to underside of that it.

16:17 And in my opinion for isn't bad. If you had a situation like we had last year for is bad, when you have a situation like, we have rolling into 21 where you've got Really truly one experienced quarterback, one quarterback. That's mostly an athlete that hasn't really been engrossed in the position in the last two years one that is still coming along and one that's a true freshman. Exactly. And you know, last year we set not actually not too long after our first episode last year, we talked about how our quarterback room was the deepest quarterback around the country in which it was and it proved during the season it was. Because all three guys at some point, I'm playing at a very high level but now we're probably among the thinnest. You know, we have one guy that started one. Guy that's only played.

17:15 What? What? What knocks play quarter and a half against Clemson. Yeah. And Plum next week and you know, we sit here, you know. It's just not good and the way he made it framed way he framed it is we're not looking for another one which is a massive mistake. I think we could find FCS FBS G5. We could find a better backup quarterback and carnarvon Rick. It's not been in it, not necessarily better but at least one that is had enough reps recently where if Connor isn't what you think he is, you've got to plan B.

17:56 You know I'm saying that. That's kind of what bothers me more. It's not so much that Connor doesn't have the potential to go out there and do good things as a backup for Braxton. It's that we don't know that and not knowing that not in not having a plan B of someone that it can at least go out there and make the throws and and do the things that you need to do. You know, other guys can step up the slack for a guy that can at least do all the little things, but we don't know. Even if Connor can do all those things and I think that's what is more concerning. But the other thing that was concerning or at least was concerning to the the timeline, the Twitter feed with some of the comments about the two of the quarterbacks that transferred out of the program. Curtis Yep.

18:50 It absolutely was a treat out there by Norm would that way it framed it absolutely sounded terrible in the way, Brad said it. But you know in reality in reality the way he made that statement it was not as bad as it seemed. It wasn't we literally today me and Brian set, while we were working our normal jobs, we got in a got in a Call together and say, let's play it. Let's listen to it and we'll talk about it. Don't like when reporters do that, because for us, unfortunately, we don't get the live stream because if we got the live stream and people like me, and you are listening, and no one would do that. Sort of bullshit.

19:37 You don't think any of you would be on that Top Line, saying, hey, Norm bullshit dumbass we could call this out in real time, instead of having to, you know, Fight The Narrative that's already in place. And I'm not saying we're out here. White knighting for Brad core Nelson, because we're definitely Not. But what we're saying here is that the way the comment was framed by norm and the narrative in general, and the sentiment among the fan base in general about Braddock or Nelson, that was only going to go badly. And normal would knew that when he, when he tweeted it in such a way do I think that core Nelson did a great job of saying the words that he needed to say?

20:22 No, you Probably said as few words to describe, what he was trying to get across as possible, but I don't think he was saying, well, we expected to lose two guys. That was always the plan from Jump Street. No, he's essentially saying if you got three quarterbacks that can play football at a pretty high level, they're all within a similar ballpark of each other. In terms of Eligibility, eligibility remaining, especially the two younger guys, and hooker and Quincy. They're going to want to get on the field, and if they don't have an opportunity to do that here, they're going to take that opportunity to do it somewhere else because they're too talented to not be on the field.

21:03 I don't think he said it as good as that and I probably have not saying it as good as I want to say it, but it's in the context of the actual answer, it sounded better than we expected to guys to transfer. And then just kind of Yeah, let it hang out there in space. Again, in overall, brand with the entire, the entire press conference. No. Is he the worst ever? No. Is he the best ever know he's somewhere in the middle? Like most people are they, if they're going to put him out there, when we talked about, putting them out there, go get. Go get somebody to help him out with go get somebody to help him out because he needs it.

21:57 Maybe he's a guy that needs to stand up version sitting down who threw that know. If we say like sitting down, maybe core Nelson's a standard. Who knows? He likes to lead on the podium the leaning on the podium. Makes him comfortable. It's like a security blanket. I don't know. I always like leaning on a Podium. I'm not a sitter. You lean on things, you feel like, you know, you can change your position, you can, you know, move constantly. All right. Well, with all that essentially Braxton is the de facto store. As of today, it's still weird that he had to say that since no other quarterback had started games on the roster before then, but somebody made a point. Ron and I want to ask you from looking at Braxton's, you know, games last year. He talked about, you know, some of his throws, he takes stuff off me and you talking earlier, he is got the Oppo of Michael Vick, where Michael Vick you were in a 4-yard hit, you better be ready because it was going to be a rocket coming. And there are story.

22:59 It not only Michael Vick what other quarterbacks to about breaking guy's fingers because listen, your own a 4-yard hitch, I'm getting it there as quick as possible. Yeah, but practice is a little different in. Can you see that from some of the stuff we saw last year? Yeah. I think some of that goes into thinking too much, you want a quarterback making reads, but you don't want a quarterback thinking about the throw, he's making that that at that point because between reps and everything else, how that throw comes out, should kind of be second nature and it looks like he's overthinking that aspect of his game at this point where and it may be something to do with because he doesn't have the strongest arm when he can Let it Loose. He's trying to Let it Loose as much as he can and then when when it's not that 20-yard throw downfield he's taking a little bit more off of it then he should that's my take on it. But It definitely is something that we saw. We saw it sometimes when he was trying to throw those screens, just putting way too much loft on the ball, some of those little flares and quick outs too much touch to the point where guys can break on it to the point where guys can get in there and get their hands on the ball while it's in flight. So you don't want that on those short passes. And another thing, Brad talked about was getting a little bit more.

24:24 Bulk on Braxton going to the season so he's a little bit more ready to play a 12 game schedule compared to only getting a few games of action and leaving two of those with with some degree of injury. Before we jump to the next actually topic. I have a question. What was he doing there in the whole year? He didn't play, I sit here and I heard him say that and I said, Ron stop it. Ron shouldn't have been putting on weight and putting on muscle when he had nothing to do but lift put on muscle, put on weight again. It's one of those things where it's like, you know, kind of Wonder was Braxton like essentially run a scout team in that situation. Even though he couldn't play to me. Some people say, well, that makes a lot of sense to me. It doesn't because he has, no, he can't get on the field. He's trying to scout.

25:24 Team is really good. Quarterback. That's awesome. But here's the deal. You're giving reps to him. Where Quincy could have been getting reps on the scout team or someone who could have been getting reps on the scout team and been able to go into the play. So I hate that. All right Brian, I'm going to jump to it because I'm hot and this is gonna make me hotter. We talked about the running back room in the absurd amount of running backs. We currently have on the roster and said, well the numbers are skewed and we don't want to recruit that many Brian, stop it. And then ask this question, Then why job recruit a minute? I think there's probably a reason behind it, but again, he's not coached up well enough in a press conference to talk about it but it doesn't make sense. And now you have three guys coming in and one of those guys you know, run Kenji.

26:24 You loved it. Like it, come in again plane. Oh now I'll say this may be at the end of spring, we lose a lot of running backs and we open up a lot scholarship for the poor is. It's very possible man. But you know we're talking about the running back room. I like I like really all three guys will be brought in but I don't other than Kenji. There was no must have With the guys that we already have on the roster. And that's, that's no, not to chance or Malachi here, but at the same time, we already had eight or nine that we were going to be coming coming back with now, we got three more so running back rooms going to be interesting.

27:15 They expect some attrition, they're either after spring or before the season starts, because I don't think we're going to have that many. Come the end of summer or end of spring. So that's going to be interesting to keep an eye on the other thing that we're that Brad talked about next. Was obviously the offensive line which we've had on some of the last couple weeks with how thin it is. And he did admit that that we are light at the offensive tackle position in particular which I think is something that we kind of know. But interesting enough. He did say Daryl, Bailey and Daniel Miller chick is going to have a Shot at tackle.

27:55 There I thought it would take would be more of a guard so that'll be interesting to see. Does that worry? You does that worry? It doesn't say worried me because I like this technique so I think I mean he could he's going to need some work whereas I think guard would be more of a natural. He'd come in he'd fit after a year or so he might he might be pushing for the 2D. Whereas now he's going to be a tackle and have to Essentially be a depth pick their because of all the the depth issues that we're having the position. And he talked about another thing like with false depth and what he means by that is that there's a bunch of guys that can cross Play and play a different position. So you feel like you have as long as you've got six or seven guys as long as three of those guys can play every position or most positions that you've got some built-in. Flexibility there.

28:56 But that's still that's not the way you want to do it because to do the old Parable here. We're robbing Peter to pay Paul. Yeah, because if two new to gets bang for two games, and you got to pull Rock, Hoffman, or lettuce, meant to go play left tackle, we're not deep at guard anymore. So you're talking about bringing someone like Caden more or Jesse Hanson, and who have really no. In-game experience and that's sort of scary the other scary thing, right? At least to me it's scary is he is discussing that Park of commit. Could be pushing for too deep.

29:38 Yeah. And I know you do some things with Parker last year to say his second season on campus. He's pushing too deep. Yeah, I would have been, I would have expected to deep push, maybe next year, but when you lose Nestor and you lose Hudson, you have to start shuffling pieces around and now, you know, tackle was going to be thin come next season anyway. And then it got immediately thin this season because of those transfers. Yep. Any sort of did confirm John? He's going to be the center Brock going to move to guard.

30:21 You know, he wants to get the five best players on the field. I mean yeah sure that's a great philosophy to have. I like that. But we're still looking at the depth issues that tackle even if removing Brock over. So again I'm not so much concerned about the first five. I think we're not quite as good as last year, but I think we're still in the ballpark. It's the next three that scare me. Because last year, the next three were guys that have started a ton of games or guys that were either redshirt freshman or Redshirt sophomore.

31:02 Is it already had significant amount of playing time their first year on campus, or their second year on campus? Abso-freakin'-lutely man. All right, let's jump over to guys on the outside, looking at the wide receiver room. Great news, about Jaden peyote should be able to practice some in the spring and then be a full go in the fall. We mentioned it last year that he was going to probably be a huge piece of what we were going to do offensive ly with his speed. So, you know, knowing that he's going to be coming back as great. Let's hope all heals. Well, Well and he's getting weeds there because the honest truth is, look at how we're built this year offensively. He's gonna you know, mind you mentioned it to me and so I'll say it.

31:50 He's got to be he's got to be a big-time contributor whether it's essentially opening up the game or catching balls. Yeah I mean if he's not either coming in and grabbing the slot position or being the primary one of the primary first guys in the rotation. Ation to come in for tray or Tay where he can help take the top off of a defense. That's going to be a big problem because we don't really have that guy in terms of a guy that's been on campus for multiple cycles of this point. We got a couple guys coming to may have that capability but he's really the guy with that Elite level speed that has that capability to take the top off a defense. So getting him as a key contributor will help a lot. Because one of the things missing from our passing game last year, was any sort of deep threat? Yeah.

32:44 Absolutely. Yeah, I did we didn't test people down the field enough and that hampered what potentially could have been an all-time great running game and just made it a damn good running game day. And right on that. Now, something I was kind of shocked about was his praise of Dwayne often in Jalen Jones. Praise to a point. When I, when I when I heard about that are you kind of called my ear like, okay, we're going to have to try, you know, Ray. Ensure torturing me true freshman getting potentially a lot of snaps you know you had Evan fairs transfer out you know they eventually convinced Chang the hives to hang on another year.

33:25 And we saw Chang in that last game. Catch them so much low intermediate routes to essentially relieve the pressure of that. But when you hear them talk about, those two guys, I know you're, you really like Jalen Jones and then you know, Dwayne kind of grew on and then you saw the Wayne this year and some of this tape and all his accolades and you got to say, okay, we might have got me Real Deals here. Yeah, to Real Deals that I think the wide receiver room is going to be the most interesting one to watch at least on the offensive side of the ball. Going into next year because I feel like from a running back perspective, unless something changes and we bring in another running back.

34:10 If everything stays at it is, I feel like the first first kind of three or kind of set, and then the question marks are after that, with the wide receiver because a, we need more of them because you, with running back, you generally only have one of the feel of the time when I receive you got 2, plus, most in most cases, it's going to be interesting to see who really steps up behind tray and Tay this year is that going to be pay? You, is that going to be Lofton or Jones? Is that going to be Tyree Saunders? Is that going to be changa Hodge? Is that going to be a guy? Raheem Blackshear that moves into more of a slot role, consistently versus being a number two, running back or a spell back in the back field which would also help with some of the Log Jam. We have at that position so there's the wide receiver room is going to be really interesting to watch. That's why I'm glad we actually are getting a spraying because I can at least get an idea of what that is going to look like a little bit better because last year, it was very much of an unknown and it didn't work in our favor and I feel like Having the spring and getting some of these guys in and seeing what a Tyree Saunders can do and seeing what some of these true freshman guys, coming in can do that, that's going to be good for us heading into the season and already having an idea of their capabilities.

35:27 Yep. That this spring this year is going to be big and having James Mitchell back not only for the spring, but next fall is absolutely huge. But the one thing I found weird today. Brian was essentially the offensive coordinator Virginia Tech. It had no conversation with them about this. And I mean he mentioned coach Fuente did and some other people did but he didn't. Yeah you said he said he talked to Coach Fuente and Coach Shah best and did not have a conversation with the offensive coordinator. Which I mean, I mean, not completely off off-kilter there but just something doesn't smell right about that. For a, in my opinion the best all-around player on your offense between what he does blocking what he does, receiving all of that, what he does in the even in the Jet Sweep game. I mean, there's so many aspects that Mitchell plays for this offense, you would think that the offensive coordinator would have some discussion about whether or not he returns to Virginia Tech for another season. Absolutely.

36:39 That's just me. Yeah, and me and Brian discussed about having James Mitchell, that guy should be every single position on the field numerous times again and something that I want to say it. Kind of grinded bronze gears a little bit was talking about you. Come on baby you go look yeah. So we'll get to it more when we get to the sum of the Compressor details. But the beef that I have, and the vibe that I get, and just watching the pressure in the juxtaposition between the two J Hamm, understands editing J Hamm understands re-engineering J, Hamm understands. If something's not working, we need to take a look at it, evaluate it, cut it, if necessary, re-engineered if necessary, and keep it moving, and I feel like with Cornell, In it's very much a you know we do we do type philosophy to the offense, which if he was a high school football coach that's fine but he's not, you definitely need to figure out. In my opinion, a good offensive coordinator of the college football level does a good job of getting the ball in his play makers hands any way possible and letting them make the plays, It's not us, it's not a system thing. It's a guy.

38:08 It's an idea of making letting your Playmakers, do what they do best. Absolutely. And a guy like James Mitchell, you should want him to at least see 10 to 15 targets again and it was not that way. All right so let's turn off the corn. We don't again we don't hate them completely you're just very critical of him. Alright the next guy when he came on the mic it was just different and You know, the first thing he touched on was Jack's promotion and JC Brian and you know, obviously he's got the relationship with JC case. It was a g when he you know, was a player.

38:51 And he essentially mentioned it several times about being part of the Brotherhood in. He talks about, you know, Kappa leaving the great person once in a lifetime person, and You know, when you have to replace somebody like that JC start checking the boxes and JC. Check them all. Yep he checked a lot of the boxes you know he's talking about tap as an individual cannot be replaced but tap in terms of the work he did. JC checks, a lot of those boxes, JC checks, you know, the various things that tap kind of was, you know, you would say it were positive attributes or tap JC kind of kind of fills that role as well.

39:34 So it was good to hear him. Say that talk about that but also talked about, you know, Taps going to be missed here. Great encourager of people, both players and coaches and people did anyone that he was around, so losing that type of energy in that type of Person is going to definitely be a big blow so I was glad to hear him talk about that but also glad to hear that he's got the utmost confidence in what JC brings to the table. Absolutely. And then essentially probably got we feel like you know tap brought in he spoke very highly of Jordan Williams, you know talking about coming from the Clemson program if you know, winning down there. But kind of way I kind of felt that in this is gonna sound funny because it's, he's walking in seems like the way he feels.

40:21 It's, Jordan Williams has walked into that offensive line room and his essentially I don't know, like got everybody together and say, listen, I know what it takes to win. Follow me. And it seems like just the hams, like, the guys are buying quick that he's the anchor down in the middle of that line and he's the guy that they're going to be leaning on. Well, you immediately talk about, you know, a plug and play in terms of probably leadership relative to what we lost with a Jerrod Hewitt. But in terms of both, Eyes and I'd say, at least, you know, upper in capability I think I think you seen an upgrade at that so that's going to be big but what JM talk to you more about is his work ethic and what he's already shown in a short time on on campus and also just the idea of having that veteran presence to be the leadership and leader on that unit and leader in the in the locker room and at least on the defensive side of the ball in particular. absolutely, and again, run, you've mentioned it several times about how Jordan Williams, what we're doing on defense, he is the prototypical defensive tackle and you talked about having that with the work ethic with the veteran leadership you know essentially you're catching Aces on everything awesome. He also did a quick mention of a lie you know mentioned how a guy like him playing in the SEC.

41:52 Getting That many starts in the SEC playing to that level in the SEC. Having those sort of Statistics, big thing, obviously, cap put us on him again. So it's losing Darryl but, you know, it's one of those things where you almost feel like we lost Divine Diablo. I know he's not built like about But you almost feel like there's a little bit of a buffer, right? It will lose them Divine not going way down. We're only going maybe one or two rungs down maybe in the spring taking get up to that level. Yeah.

42:33 If he brings like you know there's a thing to be said of parallel, skill sets where you get the same overall return, even though they're, you know, they're different type of skills, you know what I'm saying? So, There's the potential there. If you take those steps in the spring and in the offseason, you know, that he can get Parallel level production, even if you're not getting the same type of play that you got with with Devon Diablo, Now he did also talked about, there was a question about spring practice. What's the plan? What's the focus? And this is where we were talking about earlier about the we do we do this is where the good stuff took place and this this had me roped in the big thing.

43:23 He said, you don't throw everything out. But you don't carry everything over. Yes, sir. That was he said that at open my eyes like this. Oh guys, like wow. And again, I like I said, I juxtapose that against the, the we do what we do mentality with offense and I know offense is different than defense, but I like seeing folks that are willing to evaluate themselves and and like I said earlier, throw out what's not working re-engineers, some stuff that's kind of working but not to where you want it to be and then keep plugging away at the stuff that looks good.

44:05 And he talked about, you know, some of the things Concepts on defense is going to be addition by subtraction simplifying, the things unifying Concepts and making sure that the language that each coach is speaking to these kids is Unified across. All of them. Were they say this it means the same thing when JC says it, or whether Ryan Smith says that her, whether J Hamm says that no matter who is saying it, it's ringing true in the same way. It doesn't mean something different depending on what You're talking to the other big piece about this Braun and you know, you talked about all that but the last piece he hit on that. And again if you hit me, right? The staff now knows the kids they didn't get spring last year, know the kids.

44:49 And as we mentioned in the back towards the back, end of the schedule, you started seeing that defense come together deck set it. But they know the kids, they know their limitations, you know what they do? Well they don't they don't do good. They know what type of situations to put them in which tells me a Pam knows I've got to learn my players again. It goes back to that. Same thing. Don't try to force a square peg in a round hole. If it doesn't fit, the guy can't do that, don't make him go do that and I love it. Now, speaking of a guy, what you can make him do what you can't make them do is Devon Taylor um you know, he's going to start out where he finished last year at safety, but the 190 called my ear was hand mentioned that he is a defense. Of back.

45:36 I was gonna say yeah I mean he's a defensive back, he's talked about, you know, he's going to start, where he, where he finished at safety, could be moving to Corner. Could be attached to some of the other positions that are more hybrid but they want to get him in the in the spot where they can evaluate him because they didn't get that chance. Last year. He came in. So laid the process. We were so needy at a position that Got thrown out there and in a lot of cases in a very sink or swim type thing and sometimes he swam and sometimes he sunk, I think one thing they're going to need to work with him big time on in the offseason is going to be tackling and especially if they're going to keep them at save you.

46:23 They definitely need to work with them on tackling but you know, you saw flashes and I think if they can get some consistency to that after they get that eval period. And then he could be a big player for us or at least the player we need him to be. Yeah, we talked about there were times last year. A lot of times, he was just in the right spot at the right time, which tells you, he's a heady player, The Tackle and thing, I know, it does worry Brian, but let me ask this how many times or think about Devon Taylor? He hadn't played what since November of 2019 He didn't get a spring.

47:05 He showed up, basically fall Camp was over. So do you, do you think going almost nine months without hitting, anybody could that have affected him and lowered it down? Or is it one of those things where after the first few hits you should have been in there? It could be man because we're talking about all of those factors and making a jump in terms of competition level. So there's there's two factors there, it's not just you did. I have this stuff. It's like you didn't have this stuff and all of a sudden the competition level is jumping up so it's going to be very similar to some of these high school kids that are coming in that potentially could have been impact players is true freshman if they haven't played in a fucking year, so the opportunity is still there, but it's less likely than it was before, because they're not only making that that big jump, but they haven't had the offseason stuff that they're used to absolutely. Now the next I talked about was Dax and whether you love or hate Dax and I feel like with Hokie Nation there is no middle ground with him.

48:11 There are people that love them, they love the enthusiasm and then there are people that hate anything, he does, you know, he could, he could do the game ceiling intercept when and well, he could have taken it upfield, Jesus cries. Okay. But the one thing he said about the accident made sense, that was a super highly rated player. Dax was recruited by. Everybody in the country. So he really talked about how he had the expectation. The day he stepped foot on campus. There was no, you know, you have to earn it while you're there was there was no easing in and because of a lot of the things that he walked into, he got thrown into the fire quick to.

48:52 So, he's always been since he's been on campus, he's been in front of us. And I think it's it's hard to grow when everybody's watching, absolutely. So I think there's some of that attach to that. There's some of the fact that he probably should be playing Mike and not backer attached to some of the sentiments that a lot of us have about his play. And I think one of the things the J Hamm talked about a lot during this and about Dax in particular is you know that he likes to learn it, he likes to pick things up and figure it out. Out and he's not just learning one position. He's learning pretty much every position on the defense, what they're doing, how they're doing it.

49:37 So that means he's got the ability upstairs to get guys where they need to be at the mic position. You know, the big thing for me is going to be, I think he's got all the ability in the world. I think from a athletic perspective while he wasn't athletic as we would like to be at backer, he's probably actually a slight step up at Mike compared to what we were getting with rook in terms. Athleticism. So if he can get some of the other things that he has struggled with, which is tackling, which is shedding blockers, if he can get really good at those things in the offseason, or at least better than he has been. That's going to be a pretty big jump for him in terms of what he does on the field, I think personally. So again, I haven't been very high on Dax, especially if you could go back and listen some of the podcast, especially beginning of the season last year, but he came along as the season went on.

50:28 On. And I think that the move to Mike is going to help him. Absolutely, next thing that coach am hit on, was just defensive line in general, you know, Deshawn Crawford manual. Belmar coming back, big veterans on the team, you know, having that sort of leadership on your line along with the Jordan Williams, you know, that defensive line where last year, Brian me and you were looking like we're kind of thin. We're not this year. No we're going to be. It's going to almost be to a point like it was on the offensive line last year. We're looking, it's like you've got fuga.

51:10 You've got Williams, you've got Crawford, you got Bellmore, you got bar know, you got garbage coming back, you got a leak Kendricks, that's 8 right there and I'm missing defensive ends, I know, You got Wooten in the alley Bryant, you got I mean you got the guys coming in. So I mean there's gonna be a lot of potential for the defensive line, especially this year. I think we're good, depth wise, I think in a year or two, we're going to need a lot more defensive tackles coming in, but for 2021, we're looking pretty good across the whole defensive line. So I mean, I really looking forward to what this unit can do, especially, with the way Barn. Okay?

51:51 Mon You know, I think the thing j Hamm was talking about most is that you had a good year. You progress significantly within a short period of time. Don't stop getting better just because you're at good. Don't stop just because you're good keep going. Keep working hard, keep doing the little things. Yeah, keep going a little things. He also talked about somebody asked about playing wait and he said he's going to let the essentially strength F to determine that it because he's I like the way he said it. I don't need a certain him to play at a certain number. He's like he needs to get to a weight where he can still. It's almost like he can be functional, he can do what he does best but it doesn't stress him. It doesn't hurt him.

52:37 Essentially don't put weight, just put weight on if you play ungodly at 2:40. Play it 240. That's your weight and it's one of those things where I know you can attest to it. Robert Malthus everybody in the National Football League said, Robert Malthus is too strong or too. Small to play defensive end at 235 pounds. No, you are correct incorrect, but I like the wait for me, I'm saying that because I think for his players, you get to a good way, you know, coach. I'm 245 how you feeling feeling good play? Because your 245, and you go out there and ball at tapes going to show you're going. To make it somewhere.

53:21 The last couple pieces. He hit Brian was kind of more about JC and somebody asked about the Deep connections with it. And, you know, essentially back 2012, 2013 and he want to start visiting other coaches and learn. And JC was one of the first class he reached up to it Marshall, you know. And again, I think it's the Hokey Brotherhood that you hear. So many of these guys talk about and Inhaling that he mentioned talking about essentially press this upon his like he's going to press this upon his kids. Make your connections because in a few years and older guy could be asking you for a job or you could be asking a younger guy for a job.

54:09 That's essentially how JC happened because the JC's connections with ham and going up to Marshall visiting with them. JC introduced me to circles and then Marshall coming down. And Virginia Tech coach went ahead invited them and JC, always there always connecting with them. And you feel like that, you know, there's a mesh that he even he even mentioned talking about built are in the cabinet, you know, having the line and everything he found this perfect little piece and it fit right in. He's a hokey. He's one of the all-time guys is a guy that's busted his ass to get where he is and now he gets to come home and, you know, it's a pretty cool story. I hope they can write a hell of a chapter this year. Yeah, it's going to be, it's going to be pretty big seeing what he's able to do in this system and how he can kind of step into that tap role and maybe even in some areas, be kind of a plus in that role.

55:15 Compared to what we were getting with tap there. So I'm looking forward to seeing that I love with Jay Han was talking about about you know understanding the importance of those connections and engaging with others and how that can you know, come into play. Either a year from now or 10 years from now. But he also talks a little bit about the the recruiting role that price is going to step into with coordinating for the defense. And, you know, I like what he what he said, they're, you know, going to be talking about, you know, who the kids talking about. Whoo. Within that kids orbit you need to connect with to make sure that, you know, you're on the right page with the people that are important to that kid, coordinate back to the coaches.

55:57 What's been said to that kid? What needs to be said to that kid, all those type of things that's going to be important for that role. So he highlighted that and I think that was kind of good insight into what, you know, kind of the the progress this team is making on the recruiting front, even if it's not quite happening as fast as we would like it to Yep. Well, we're in a now Society. Everybody wants now now, now, now now, but that orbit thing, you talked about, because he even said it, he's like, you know, uncle's coaches trainers, pastors know everybody, because if you connect with one of them, a potential, you connect me, connect with the, you know his uncle his Uncle Jim and he loves Uncle Jim and you have great conversations off.

56:44 I'm Jenna Uncle. Jim is Is able to translate some of the stuff you're saying to him and it's Uncle Jim saying it not the coach from Virginia Tech that's when it starts coming in and slyke will hold on. If Uncle Jim likes what he's saying and I understand what he's saying and I like it. Okay, maybe this is where I go. All right, Brian. Let's just go ahead and beat up on, everybody's favorite punching bag in the Hokies Community. Currently Pete, Moore's. Eat more. If we're gonna, we're gonna hit him because it's couple things. That happened a we already mentioned it earlier with the norm would tweet. If U stream the presser in real time, you do not have to refute these clickbait headlines or clickbait tweets or all this stuff, it's already there.

57:35 People that were interested of already seen it. And if someone comes out with this bullshit, you can in real time before it becomes a narrative. You're back it up with actual footage that can say hey, that's not what he said. Here's what was said in context. Yeah, it's a no brainer. These are stop missing the layups. I must've stopped missing the layups but it's also a funny point because you talk about, not only they can do it but we Okie Nation can do it. Because if that they have been streamed live and there's probably three, four hundred people listening to it, probably on Twitter, like we are see Norm. Does that they're all over him. The second he tweets it.

58:17 Bullshit Norm, or you need to take this down and you need to put it. Exactly how it is. Contextualized. You're trying to get clicks. You're trying to write a narrative. We don't like it. It. And then the whole piece becomes if people start looking at that and saying why are all these people saying? What he said was wrong, do they listen? Oh, here's the key. Oh, Norms full of shit out of shop. What about the other thing, Brown? We're listening to it. There's 23 minutes of Jay hams and we're sitting here is going to a really good piece. And seriously, J Hamm was talking about his family and some other stuff and all of a sudden the feed ends. I don't think there was any other questions after that, but he cut him off before he The answer he was giving to the last question or the or whatever, you know, context, he was he was speaking on at that time as he was closing things out, probably not anything of importance there but you don't cut somebody off in the middle of a sentence just to do it. So that was kind of weird to me and it looks unprofessional, especially since you're putting that on your website for any and everyone to listen to Yeah, that's just Bethany. Exactly.

59:29 I Braun. So let's just go ahead and just do it, you know, we watched both of them. Give me the what you felt in kind of what we discuss. Is the biggest differences between the daehan presser and the corn. Presser The way J Hamm in gauges with the members of the press Corps is not only significantly better but impressive in its own right. Praise the good questions that we're coming out. Makes observations about people, in the Press Corps that are on the zoom call. Then he called out Mike Barber having some of his children's drawings, in the background on the zoom call. So he understands that those personal Aspects of these type of engaging things matter.

1:00:18 These engagements matter. It, it's good for the fanbase, it's good for the media. It's good for everything. There's no reason to be combative with with these folks because they're, they're trying to do their job most of the time. And you know, when it comes time to something like the norm would tweet, you have a leg to stand on if your You've been engaging with with the media, whether you've been open with the media. If you're not open, they write the narrative themselves, but when you have stuff like this, it helps that relationship and it helps when you do have some sort of beef with something that that is written or tweeted.

1:01:00 You feel like you've got some sort of leg to stand on with your argument. Abso-freakin'-lutely. Brian. Absolutely right. Your narrative, right? Your narrative. Don't let them write it. Brian, checking out here. I don't think anything's broken. I don't think we picked up our second commitment of the day with high. Yeah man. You guys will hear about that on a separate episode coming at you soon here. There's nothing left. Brian, it's late man. The snow keeps falling. It's going to be a fun day tomorrow and that's going to wrap up this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast. I'm Curtis Wilson.

1:01:41 I'm Brian Sigler. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite Source, including Spotify. Amazon in a podcast is always without our buddy. Jason Long play us out, catch him on Spotify and apple music. We thank you for listening. And as always, let's go Hokies