COMM 220: 21st Century Hype

0:45 Welcome back to the boundary Corner podcast. My name is Curtis Wilson. I'm Brian Sigler. How are you doing tonight buddy? Me and you are Co watching some big 12 Hoops here. Who tournament teams battling down in the state of Texas. We're both very tired. Guys are if our energy level isn't normal. Brian has had a hell of a week. There there's been doctor's appointments in pretty much every member of my family this week, on top of not the greatest sleep due to some of those things. So if I'm a little low energy or lethargic compared to my normal Persona, don't take it out on me. I'm trying to try to grind through and we'll get a nice episode out for you guys.

1:38 Anyway, getting a good episode out, regardless, just the energy levels, aren't there again Brian. Like you said everybody in his eye, Cows have been to the hospital or to the doctor this week. Also over here. We're changing schedules again with one of the kiddos back in school in person, though, my routines completely change and obviously, you know, pregnant wife and we're getting close. Close to time. Things are happening. Final Countdown. The Final Countdown, every little thing, where it's like, okay, eat meat texting and telling people Might not be able to work tomorrow and then I'm working tomorrow.

2:19 So on alert. Nope not only I don't know exactly but you know guys it's been a couple weeks since we dropped anything and that was the white Vixen of you, we really appreciate all the listens we got to that we had an unbelievable time with the white. You know if you don't follow him and Victory Life on Twitter. Do so he's a heck of a follow and we're definitely probably going to have Him back soon but since that point I'm a lot of things going on Hokie Nation. We're going to hit a variety of topics tonight. But what's going to lead off the show is something the guys over at some of the Saturday primarily Evan Norse. Did he had an interview with former hokey quarterback Hendon hooker and you know, overall the interview Brian, you know it seems like, you know, he left on foot. Cordial terms.

3:16 He did not bus anybody he did, raise some things here and there what was what was some of the things that kind of caught you Brian. Yeah, definitely wasn't like a clap back season type interview so we didn't see any of the sparks flying or anything like that. Whether you were expecting that or not expecting that, you know you'll be disappointed there. It's very much a Straightforward interview, some concerns in there but nothing that you know was you know get your popcorn ready, worthy of our checking out there. It was it was a very good interview. I think Kevin did a good job with it. Particularly things that stood out for me and you know this is one thing that we talked about before is some of the comments that have been made about the offensive scheme. Nothing was necessary.

4:15 He blatantly lately - but there were some concerns about, you know, sometimes plays not there. Sometimes you don't have the right call at the right time, you know, things like that, where you can kind of read between the lines a little bit. And say, yeah, I wasn't always put in the best position and when even when I was sometimes the play call wasn't right? So that's obviously Something that we need to work for. We talked about this before and I know it's low-hanging. Fruit to bash the offensive coordinator in general at Virginia Tech. I mean, it's a tale as old as time or at least as old as the be Moreira 2001.

5:01 Yeah, exactly. So, don't mean, we've been doing this a while at the same time, that doesn't make the concerns that are raised both by the fans. And in this case by the former quarterback in and Hooker invalid. Yeah, you know he said it in the piece was he said the system is great, which Ron me and you have said numerous times, like the system is the, the style that we have is a really unbelievable system. But to your point, Yes, when he said, right? Place at the right time Brian. I think did you text me?

5:42 Or I texted you I sent that quote in like what rhymes? Like we said that. That's what we're saying validation. Yeah. I mean I'll take a Victory lap on this. I mean we've been talking about this for a long time, it's not the scheme. It's the number one sometimes week-to-week preparation. Number two situational play calling And and it's not that the offense has been bad. Especially in terms of just the raw numbers is that there's so many points that are left on the field week to week. And there's so many opportunities to extend a drive that can put you in a better position to win the game that, you know, there's just it just isn't there.

6:23 So, you know, we're not saying we're not critical of the offense across the board. I think there are pluses and minuses to take from it, but when you see a very key thing that there's nothing being I'm done to address that key thing, you know, that's when you start having some, some questions come out and some like, hey, why aren't we doing anything to address this obvious shortcoming. Exactly. So, yeah, so definitely those concern that kind of thought my the other one that called pain, both eyes, Brian was talking about, who had the closest relationship with and you expected to, you know, Here, one of the position coaches or something like that.

7:06 And he said, nice like, you know, really the gaas and he really, he mentioned Caleb jealous. Amino as something that body, talk to regular day-to-day in person. And at first, when you read that, if you take just that line out, it's like, oh my God, our coaches are out of touch. He kind of followed it up and he said, you know, that, that's usually how it is. He's like, you know, you come in, you can talk to coaches sometimes. But in college football, they have so much on their plates during the day. Yeah, be recruiting this 24/7 now. I mean, I'm playing it. Like, there's if it's not be scheduled time to be with the coaches. Yeah, I get that being close with the ga like if that's whose ear you're going to Ping, First with any sort of concern and he's sort of like, low-level question that you have about whether it's skiing whether it's game, plan, you know, whatever it may be. That's where you're going to touch first. And if they can't get you the answers, then you kind of move up the chain of command there.

8:08 But yeah, I mean it made more sense as he went in there and the gaas are obviously going to be more accessible day-to-day and minute-to-minute than than the even position coaches. Especially. You're probably in the, in the offseason there. So yeah, I definitely understand the answer, even though like the first line kind of like, whoa, whoa, that's that's interesting. But, you know, the explanation makes sense, the explanation makes tons of sense and you know the other pieces it goes back to that. How much support staff do you have? How many gaas do you have? How many analysts do you have? Because the more guys you have like that obviously.

8:49 You know, four players come in at once and there's one GA and they're all going to talk to him and talk ball and talk shop and things that are going on in their heads. Well, he has for people to think about in four different potential different coaches to go back to the relay. What's going on with those guys again the building of the operation staff is going to help with that because if you have enough staff there, More people to listen, to The Players, to communicate it back to the coaches, when the coaches are in, you know, deep film study or deep recruiting type stuff are on the road for recruiting potentially. So, again, always talking about it again. There's been those reports that the staffs going to get bigger, which is what we need. So it makes sense completely again. It's like one of those things you're in a big company, not many times, can you walk into the vp's office and sit down have a conversation?

9:42 Can you usually talk into, you know, the operations manager or Financial Manager before you get to go to the big box chair? But that last one, Brian, me and we need to just talk on it. Did that make your eyebrows raised a few minutes ago? It did man talking about what happened with the bowl and Senior from the from the sounds that they've hidden stalking their. It's it's very it seems very much like a situation where the players wanted to play. Yeah. Some power that that is behind the scenes or whether it's coaching staff, whether it's athletic department, whether it's, you know, somewhere else said, you know, we're probably not going to be in this bowl.

10:32 That's interesting. I know we've, I think heard Whispers as you know, will players voted not to do it or coaches said they weren't going to do it. Like we've heard the gamut of potential reasons why a bowl game wasn't played. You know we I think They've been kind of of the mind that we don't feel like the team earned it. So we were kind of fine with not playing it but it would have been nice to keep the streak going even if it didn't mean as much, but it's interesting getting that perspective. Just because we hadn't heard any player, talk about it directly before. So it was it was interesting to see that that's the case and you know I'm not I don't see any other hard data out there too.

11:19 To contradict what hidden and saying here. So nah, not at all. There's nothing out there saying and whether it came from coaches coaching staff or leaders of the team. Well, it was going to be what the Military Bowl it was going to be, you know, it was not going to be a bowl of prestige. It was probably going to be a bowl where the guys were going to have to stay on campus for Christmas and after the hell that they've been through with this with this, with covid shit. I'm fine with what they did man. So, yeah, you know, I mean, he talked about he's like, you know, I think most, The players were fine with it because they wanted to get the extra tape. Like, if they play the game, they got an extra game to get tape on it at least against the quality opponent. Even if it's not necessarily A high-level, ranked opponent that you would have liked to seen in a bowl game, but like I said, I would have kind of been good with either way, it's nice to kind of In a way in a season like we had just to go ahead and kind of rip the Band-Aid off on this whole Bowl streak thing and kind of move forward with that.

12:28 Not the expectations for this past season were We did not close to meeting them. They were high, we didn't come close to meeting them. So if we're, if we're going to rip the Band-Aid off, we might as well do it in a season like this or we've already live the disappointment. Abso-freakin'-lutely. All right. Something else that came out in. This was back on the 16th. So, really just a couple days after we last recorded. The coaching salaries. Now obviously the reduce compensation this year because of covid. They all agreed to take hits. But Brian, let me let's do this. I think this will be a little fun activity.

13:10 I'm going to give you a coach give you their almost salary, not the adjusted salary. Too much, too little just right, you ready? Yep. Let's roll Jafar Williams, 280 thousand dollars a year. Based on recent history, probably too much much, okay, Vance, Vice 300,000, that's just right, just right, just right Jack, Tyler brand-new 250k. That's just right. I like that disagree with you, on that one. I think Jack needs 25,000 more because we know he can call the game if needed. We'll discuss that later, folks.

13:51 I'll build Karen Lee 400,000. It's probably a little higher than I'd like but I get, why we're paying him that? Well, I think I see the defensive line in the improvements. We had in that one year. I think he's just right. And if the defensive line continues to improve, I think he deserves a bump. Right here we go. Brian Smith 275. I like it. I like that. He got a bump from where he was. He definitely earned it last year between getting Dorian strong where he was dealing with not having his two best corners the whole year and doing a good job on the recruiting Trail. So I think hearing pump probably could be a little bit higher if you really, you know, if we're being honest, but I get that you can't do, you can't go, but so much on on one year's worth of data.

14:48 So I'm gonna 75. This is gonna be an interesting one. The next one I'm going to 75 maybe giving 20K more P95 but it's not, he's it's not atrocious next year. You know, the Seabees continue to play like they played, especially once he has Pull all season, you better get ready to write an extra 50 to 60 thousand and eight, guys check. All right, you ready? Yep. James shall best four hundred, seventy five thousand dollars. It's high. It's it if you told me he was like 425, I'd probably say maybe just right. You know, we're talking about, he's pretty much up there with. I know we're going to get to the offensive coordinator here in a little bit.

15:41 He's right there at the offensive coordinator as you know, doing position special teams in a position there. So that seems a little high to me. Seems I put him at 425 and I'd be happy with for 25. It seems extremely high to me now. They are your life. 375 then. Oh yeah. Yes 75 To a hundred thousand dollars. Less. The only way I would say I would approve. This is if he's essentially the associate head coach, have one in title. Right now, Shabbos is probably the most experienced coach on the staff probably and I'm assuming maybe that's why he's getting it, he's not entitled. But technically since he runs special teams, that maybe he's really doing some of the stuff with Justin just not entitle is just in his, it's just in his job description. So but put the title if he's doing that so I can justify 475 if he's not doing that giving 375 and spread the 100,000 elsewhere.

16:47 Alrighty here. All right. Adam lectin Berg. 275,000. I mean with the new role he's taking on, I think that's just right, I can see somewhere between 250 and 275. So Let it ride it 275, I'm good with you know, where he's at right now now. And you kind of say, if he has someone have, let's say he has another fifteen hundred yard rusher next year. Do we need to pay that man? Some more money. I mean, he'll If he if he gets 1,000 yard rusher with the probably more than likely a committee backfield then I mean you definitely got to give him at least a little bump.

17:33 Up to maybe three, okay. That because that I think that's not only the evaluation that he had to bring in a guy like Herbert and then to have a season like he had within to back that up with Back feel that doesn't have a true lead back as of this moment, you know, if a guy like Holston goes out and gets a thousand yards and you get a, you know, about 750 all-purpose from a guy like Blackshear and, you know, a few hundred from from the other guys collectively. I mean, that's a pretty solid fucking coaching job there with talent. That is good. But not necessarily a deleted, any level.

18:15 Very true JC price walking in brand new 275 and he issues with that. Absolutely not good across the board. I think with having the role that he's going to have in really spearheading the recruiting in the state, probably some of the alumni relations on top of the job. He's gonna be doing working with Bill to your link. I think that's that's definitely justifiable. I'd have been happy with 250 but 275 I can't argue with that either. I'm due at 275 to, but again, like a few other guys on this list. You see some let's just say we see three to four top 20 players in Virginia break the Hokies way. He might be asking for some more money next year. Yeah.

19:11 I think on his front it's going to be the what changes do we see on the recruiting side? Just because with him being co position coach, I don't think even a good output from the defensive line when necessarily warrant a bump. But if you see, you know, the continued output that we saw last year, the offensive line on top of some recruiting. Bumps, that we weren't expecting that. I think you can definitely say okay well this is JC working his magic, you know. Maybe maybe you know you know you're not talking a big boy. Yeah I don't think you put it much above 3 but You know, we'll see where I'd be at.

19:55 All right, so the next one, before we get into the two coordinators. Let's discuss Ben Hill. Barks. The banking conditioning head, man, So he's a 280, okay. What if I told you that? The top guy in the country is making double what he makes. That's the Bama strength and conditioning coach, and I'm not bad. I'm going to say, I guess that's really two fronts. I think he is relative to that. I think he's learning what he's making that also. Begs the question are we under paying for that role?

20:39 So, essentially, our we are, we attract not attracting a high level selection in that role because of where our salary is for it. That's I'm not knocking, he'll guard here, but by any stretch I think that he'll guard does a pretty decent job. I think there are shortcomings in some of the things that we do because there are certain position groups that consistently or not. I don't think putting on the good way. Wait, that we'd like to see or at least the consistent good way. That we'd like to see, I think there is very much a not Beachbody mentality, but I think a lot of times we sacrifice, Core strength for, I guess, functional weight, which I think is good, but at some point you got to be bigger faster stronger than the next guy.

21:39 And Brian, I was incorrect on the top page, strength and conditioning coach is Mickey, Mariota at Ohio State, who is making eight hundred thousand dollars a year. Okay. So yeah, we're pretty much getting what we're paying for them. Yep. Taking a look here. Ben Hill. Guard is Is. Yeah. Where's the ranking in terms of actual position? Because I know there's going to be a big, a big depth of difference between kind of those top-tier Blue Bloods versus your average power. Five straight, you won't see him believe it or not, we're about 40th teams, like Virginia, NC State Lewisville, all paying more, So we're honestly right where we are in terms of assisting compensation, we're right, we're right on track with that, with that position as well.

22:35 So that yeah, yeah. So we're paying, you know, we've got top top 25 expectations with with top 40 investment, ding ding. All right, let's get the last to roll in here. Justin Hamilton six hundred thousand dollars a year. I mean, I'm fine with it. Yeah, I think what happens is season is going to determine whether a lot more about what I think about that. I don't think that we got a really good barometer of how good of a higher, you know, just mammals. It's going to be long term and I think we know that we know the good things and we know that at least in the short term Season 1 wasn't the best. But season 1 also wasn't.

23:28 There wasn't a lot of Installation time for that defense. And there was a lot of time to practice that installation. So I'm trying not to hold that against this season's output on top of all the other issues that the defense in particular dealt with, with covid more so than the offense. So let's look that's a wait-and-see for me. Like I said, I'm fine with it now but it's definitely a wait and see. Once I see what this offseason looks like once next season looks like how the defense adjust what type of, you know, when we talked about the, the presser that he had, some of the okay we'll little bit of addition by subtraction, little bit of streamlining the concepts, keeping some of the concepts that were working with the with with buds defense into the system and just in general making the system that he is implementing. More consistent across the board in terms of the type of communication that's coming from the coaches. So we'll see if that pays dividends on top of actually having a spring practice, on top of having a normal fault, fall Camp.

24:43 So time until they're absolutely. And last but not least, The Whipping Boy of the podcast, right cornelison for ninety thousand dollars. Honestly in terms of what boats offensive coordinators get paid. I mean he's earning his money we're just not paying enough for that position in my opinion. Uh-huh. And we're getting what we're paying for Let's hope, you know, that discussion of there's more money coming into the program for spending those types of money in that and not only.

25:29 It helps the guys who were, you know, really performing here where we can get them to adequate level, so they don't leave, but those who are not performing, let's hope that's able to get them out the door and get an upgrade with significantly more money to be paid. Yeah. And you know that philosophy if we're if we were hiring some new guys just you know, starting from scratch, we already have 20 in place but starting from scratch, everything else I'd have like 750,000 being the minimum starting price for my coordinators. Minimum and obviously. Now we kind of think we'll strength and conditioning for probably be closer to 400,000 if we just, yeah, if we bump that up to 400 and we bumped both of the coordinators up to 750 and then, yeah, there would be trickle-down. I mean, you're not going to, you're not going to pay, what is it close to?

26:24 700,000 for defensive line coach has in that situation. Knowledge, might have one guy that you pay 350 or 400 thousand. It's true. But, you know, you kind of take a look at it. It's what it's a little over. It's like a half million dollars investment and upgrading those positions, it's not like a million dollars, you're not if you're not asking for a million dollars to those positions levels. Right now, you're asking for about a half million and if you're looking at that and you're saying, we're going to give a put a million Into the coaching pool. Well, that feeds a half million dollars down again, the good coaches, you pay them and you get probably what Thirty to fifty thousand dollar upgrades in the Pacific.

27:06 Maybe the coaches like hey we gotta let him go but now we can bring in a three hundred thousand dollar guy and so on and so forth. All right, Brian? So last few weeks we have got a couple kreutz couple Unrated, at the time, they committed since they have gotten Stars. Let's start in Virginia. Harrison Saint-Germain out of Westfield, High School opened Chantilly rated as a three star tight end, you looked at the tape on him just a little while ago. Brine my getting Dalton or am I getting a gap? You're good to look. Somewhat somebody that's a little bit closer to James Mitchell in terms of skill set. Um, not quite as obviously at the top end of any category necessarily like that, but I will say he's blocking at least out.

27:57 The gate is probably a little bit closer to what you would get with dolls and but he's definitely more of a Joker Style tight end that has the ability to block in line as well. Pretty good with his hands runs, pretty clean routes and like I said, blocks pretty well in line and in space, Not a bad player. I think, you know, it's kind of one of those things where we keep finding these. I'm not going to say diamond in the rough but guys that are under recruited and we're going to see a lot of this this year just because there hasn't been any any Junior table any of these guys.

28:40 So there's going to be a lot of evaluations that look funky at first, but the more we get From whether they have a fall season like some of these guys from Virginia and some other states, or we start actually getting camps this summer, these guys are going to do. We're going to see weird jumps and ratings. We're going to see guys that are completely unrelated. All of a sudden jump to, like a high three-star, like right out the gate. So we're going to see a lot of funky stuff guys. So, I mean don't don't necessarily freaked out because a commit doesn't have, you know, three or four star next to their name. When we're starting to either see flirtations or when we see their verbal commitment, come through. Because, right now, a lot of these kids, just they have so little evaluation that.

29:29 If the guys that we if our evaluations are correct, it's going to be a really good thing for us, so that's going to be the question though, is, are we getting the good evaluations here? Guys? Like Adam Lichtenberg have done a good job of evaluating talent and getting guys that fit well in the system, whether ER, it's guys with a four star next to their name or guys with a three star or even a fringe Fringe to Star coming in and guys in the transfer portal. So there's going to be a lot of opportunities to make some moves here on guys that have been under evaluated and under recruited through this point in the cycle. And we've got like, Saint-Germain, obviously, Westfield, not only Westfield, State of Virginia, in general are playing right now.

30:19 So, you know, stuff you've seen on tape, if they one of those guys, he's like an 80 me get back there at him up. Sorry, all for doing it for us. Everything everything. You know, he's rated as an 84 composite and then in 83 by 24/7. But again, he's about to get Junior tape as a really good Junior season and probably five six games, but it'd be a two-point bump to the mid 80s. And then if he has a, if their camps and he has a good camp, You know, you seen things on, take that already say he's already blocking it which is great for a Titan him.

31:05 He has a potential to be a joker phone. You tell me a joker but he blocks good. You know, he be getting closer to that 88-89 you know. But in those glasses going to have the opportunity and you know obviously for him he'll have this then it'll have next fall as well to get re-evaluated. Yeah but let's come to one more brine brother already on the team and Brian Raylan more. There's a gene that runs in their family, huh? Huh. Yes, they got the nasty Jean. This guy really likes to get after it in the trenches finish blocks.

31:45 Take guys to the dirt, get the pancakes. So I like that element of his game, kind of, I'd say, raw, especially in past Pro, so hopefully that we can clean that up moving from tackle, which is what he's been primarily playing in high school down into guard more than likely with us. Us is going to help that. So you know, we'll look to see how that goes. He also played defensive end in a three-man front system in his high school so he's got DN capability. Probably three technique d-tackle for us, if in our system, but more than likely, he's going to be playing on the offensive side of the ball at the guard position solid. Pick up.

32:31 I mean nothing to necessarily Get excited about but I mean very solid pick up and I like I said I think from a run game perspective and just to having that nasty Gene you like having guys like that on your roster. Absolutely, and he's three star rated 84 and I'm not sure if Pennsylvania, obviously, it's one of those things. Not sure if they're playing a. Spring season or not. You know because so many states it's up and down and it's really made say this I'm going to keep more of an eye on Virginia than I am anybody and you know, because if they played great the tapes out there, he'll have a senior season again we need your brother's continues at Virginia Tech. You know, his biggest offer essentially at this point in time long, Virginia Tech's Not a great offer list. Well, I'm not going to say, no, I don't like that. Lot of some Matt schools, you know, some AAC schools and stuff like that but again, it's awkward. With just the way everything's going. The one thing about st.

33:47 Germain. Run that will catch your eye. Not a huge offer list. The most catching one. Wake Forest. Yep. We know that at that is diamond in the rough. You? Yes, I Brian. Let's move on man. You know over the last few weeks. Our coaches have been talking to the Press. Now, this shit you say, But there's no point in that there was some disappointment in there. No one has known about them talking until we're sitting here. I'm working in his home office, me working in my home office, stop check the Twitter sphere, Andy bitter might nozzoli or you know, one of the other beat writers puts on there.

34:36 And this coach said this, we're, we're having they haven't processors today. We're gonna discuss this in a few months. us with a individual that is much more into this stuff than we are and our depth of it discussing this in a way that Comes from an area of expertise than we are. We're novices but we kind of see, we see what's not happening. She can explain. What should be happening? A lot better than weekend. What our assessment is though is that when we look at something like this so you've got you know, set handful of coaches that are talking to the media. You've got a couple players here. They're talking to the media, but I don't know about. I mean, I follow Virginia Tech at WebEx as close as probably I'd say.

35:30 I'm at least in the, you know what a percentile I'm in. The 90th percentile of people that that follow Virginia Tech football in particular, in Virginia Tech Athletics in general. I should know before I see tweets from. You know, might be Daniel and Andy bitter and Mike Barber. At least I should know that this interview is going to be taking place. I should know, because the official Virginia Tech Twitter account should let me know. Hey, these guys are speaking to Media today that way, even if you're not live streaming, it even if you're not making it immediately available to fans, should they can say okay, well this is happening.

36:16 I'm going to follow might be Daniels Twitter today, or I'm gonna follow ND bitters Twitter today to see what's happening at this press conference. Not just Oh, I happen to find on the timeline and then like two days later, you end up sharing the video where it's on demand on Okie sports. Like, these are layups to Bill Hite for your program. These are layups free-throws. Whatever fucking analogy you want to have 44 easy. This is the easy stuff. If you want us to be engaged in hokey football and be excited about the upcoming season, hype up the opportunities that you are presenting Going to get closer to these new coaches in some cases or coaches that we, that have been around.

37:00 But we haven't really heard from very much or players that we haven't heard from very much. I mean, Luke's a new to spoke with the media. I don't think he's spoken with the media is entire time and Virginia Tech and no, I didn't know about it until it was on hokey sports. Like it was a day later, like, what's the You know, I'm not saying that everything has to be immediately accessible. I get that there is a give and take with that because my perspective is that it's better to be be live because if someone does take it out of context, you can present the entire video in context in order to justify it. I get that mistakes happen with live video. You want to have as much control of the content as possible. So I get that aspect of it and that's why I'm okay with the tape too.

37:50 They even if I personally disagree with what I'm not. Okay, with is not hyping it up at all. That's what I'm not. Okay. All I'm going to say is this when we get that interview that that is going to be a fire interview, that's all I'm going to say. And let's move on. Let's move on. We're going to store Brian Smith first run. Think the most interesting thing that you that came to Bryant rot from one of the most interesting things that came from Ron Smith right off. The bat was basically him sort of laying out that DJ Harvey lies, you Howard night Johnson. Are going to basically be starting at corner. He also mentioned a dears Thompson, has stayed with the corners, and Mike Hawkins is officially a safety, any shot their Brawn, and he, you know, isn't what in this Norm defensive?

38:40 Yeah, that's going to be the norm mean. This is kind of like a stress test. Let's think about it, that way. Any guy that you think has the ability to play corner, you want to put them in that group, first, as kind of a stress, test to see, can they handle it? There can can that work? Unless there's an absolute need at a given position in the secondary. So, with that being said, it doesn't surprise me that that some of these guys are starting out at cornerback even if that's not going to be their final position. You know talking about nadir made a note that you spit that I know that you know when he was called upon especially in the Duke game you played a pretty good game that we had some other spot duties at cornerback On top of playing special teams pretty heavily last year. So I think he's going to be a guy that's going to be in that in that rotation in that discussion for kind of a too deep or rotational type duties for us coming in 2021. Love seeing, you know, it's not a shocker that DJ Harvey's going to be cornerback for us.

39:47 That's what recruited him as that's. That's where he plays. Yeah, I really like what DJ is bringing to the table, in terms of talent. So I'm looking forward to And what he can do with, with Ryan Smith with the with the, the coming fall camp and I like the Nike Johnson's already working with them in the spring, so that's going to be good for him. Oh, absolutely. But you know something that he mentioned, you know, essentially he was going into last year expecting to have, you know, two of the top five corners in the ACC, to essentially D top Corner in the country and then Jermaine have been rated with like top 12 year before. And Obviously, what happened with Caleb opting out, and then Jermaine getting banged and essentially being banged and unable to play to his potential, the rest of the year turn, guys. Like Dorian strong, the nadir Thompson's Brian Murray's. So what we could have been looking at this year, as a super green room is actually a I mean a pretty experienced room sort of top to bottom along with adding those kind of young guys into the mix really like that.

40:55 Really like that because he was making the point of like You know, I don't have to do a trial by fire with these guys. Yeah, I mean, you had a trial by fire in the season that everything was a trial by fire. So, exactly, it's kind of nice having having a little bit of experience at that position that you know, you thought you were going to have last year that didn't come to fruition. And like I said, he would even if a perfect scenario last year would have occurred, you still would have been dealing with guys, like, Dorian strong, probably getting way more reps than you would have been. Comfortable with at the start of the Season, despite how, well he jumped in there and held up. So, I like, I like, what we're, I like knowing how what happened in 2020, I feel better going into this season, knowing what we have behind Jermaine Waller, versus how I felt last year, not really knowing what we had behind, Caleb and Jermaine. Nope, so feel better that that's just me. But, you know, he did, he mention quick with Jermaine that.

42:04 Basically, you know, he couldn't speak to the injuries itself and we get that. That's a lot of stuff. But, you know, he mentioned how, you know, he's been crushing the all-season very self-motivated and he's becoming a leader in that room. Again, we go back to last year Jermaine was there, sort of taking over that role and maybe having a season of not being able to play being in those guys ears. Have now made him the alpha, Of that room. Yeah, and I mean, let's think about it this way. Caleb didn't opt out until late. So Jermaine, whether whether by choice or not was kind of all of a sudden, the de facto Elder Statesman in that room, and now he gets an offseason to grow into that role versus it being thrust upon Him due to the situation with covid and Caleb opting out. So I think that's going to be good for him. It sounds like he's taking over that leadership role. And it's going to be good to get him back on the field in the leadership role versus more or less what he was doing last season as having kind of a off the field or he's, you know, semi present leadership role because he was so often. I do either not available or when he was available he was limited having him be on the field and hopefully be you know up to full strength is going to be good for us. Going to be absolutely great for swear on. Now we already mentioned And that Smith got the pay bump and kind of one reason he got the pay bump mother, you say or not, they gave him the title passing

43:35 game coordinator and brown. I know what kind of caught your ear was about and he got that role but it was kind of how he's built the where he's gotten to here, you know, his kind of talked about his journey which was really a good poignant thing. Yes, he talked about being having GA roles that kind of helped him move in to where he is now between GA rolls with William and Mary and Penn State working at JMU with a Powerhouse program at that level. I mean, he's kind of kind of seen a lot of things from for a guy that's relatively young and still up and coming at the cornerback coaching position of secondary coaching position.

44:23 Um, and I think that that's why you saw, you know, essentially what happened going into NC State with him, being tapped as the the play caller, emergency play caller. If J Hamm is out there. So I think that that was a pretty big, big thing, because he was the backup signal caller before J, Hamm knew that he had covid. So this was something that was planned. Well, in advance of the emergency situation that that resulted in that being what they went with. So that speaks a lot to the trust that they have in Smith as a young coach it, absolutely, especially being the second in command on that, you know, the play calling thing, but then you start, you know, I think you mentioned it but Get letting him try different things in his room as a young coach.

45:20 I'm sure there are a lot of young coaches that it's basically, you need to follow the script. This is what you do where you already said it. They trust him they're giving it open. Okay. Something else, they trust them with Brian. They trust him with Virginia recruiting to the line of stuck out. We want to keep the Virginia boys home, the man at resonated as I was as we were listening to it discuss JC about JC's, experience up and down the 95 Corridor and Richmond and Nova 64 eastbound I-64 Corridor down the 75. Like if you listen to that, he's speaking the language to Virginia. Those are the corridors.

46:03 Those are the areas we need to recruit big and it seems like they're locked in on it for this year. They're locked in on VA. I'll yeah. I mean, I think him and JC, you're going to do some, some pretty big things. Because Smith seems like a really good communicator. JC is a good communicator. He's got a ton of contacts especially with the High School coaches you know, good Avenues to pursue and you know, relationships to cultivate and I think that's going to be a big thing and you know, we haven't seen the success. Is that we'd like to see recruiting Virginia in the last few years and you know, whether we see it come to fruition or not. You at least know, they're doubling down on it. The emphasis has there and that's a start. That's, that's something to build off of. Absolutely definitely something big to build off of. And again, you've got to Homegrown guys with Smith and ham, obviously, JC with all the connections between playing it Tech being a ga attack.

47:12 Coaching at JM using coach of it Marshall. He's basically been part of this state for 25 plus years. So yeah, we're getting more on him a little bit. Oh yes. But let's next let's go to Adam like them Berg. Hey Brian. How many are you running backs? We got, we got a fuck ton of running backs, man. I don't know if that's like a unit of measurement that we can count here, but I'm going to call it a fuck ton and it is and I love Of what he said, man. He was very kind of upfront. Like, oh, wait Smith on the mic, I'm real like tandberg. I think shocked me and Brian, you know, no notes in front of them, but very, very articulate, very to-the-point knowledge base, very knowledge, straight straight forward to like straight shooter didn't like didn't didn't get down rabbit holes or anything like that.

48:05 Very to-the-point but but explained himself very well. I love what you talked about the crowded back there to get asked about it. And basically said he wants to have a full evaluation of all the running backs in the spring, you know, and basically an organization of the running back, every rep is important. Every mistake is important to his guys, but he, he made something when he after he said, that sort of stuff. Because, you know, somebody asked about the portal and he was just like, you know what? After this spring You don't hear this often. We're going to have open and honest conversation with every running back in the room. Which I to me, you don't hear coaches, say that at all because I he's telling them he's going to tell guys. Yep, hey, you're stepping up.

48:54 You might not be on the too deep this year or getting a lot of reps. But you're working there or listen, you might need to you might need to get in the Portland. Yeah I mean and I think that's a big thing. He talked about a couple guys that have the potential ability to make position change choices at the end of the spring and then some guys that he's just going to have opened. A conversation like amen. You know, you're not touching the four or five deep at running back here so you're probably not going to be getting any reps come this fall. You're here are some choices you can do, you can stick it out, you know, whatever. Maybe you know, you can see what the transfer portal holes or you can look at change of positions and get an opportunity, either on the other side of the ball or at another position on offense, whether it's wide receiver, or something else.

49:41 But just having this, I mean, that's that's a good. That's refreshing to hear from me because it sounds like we're going to really try to get this running back room where it needs to be and it's going to start with the spring and really seeing what all these guys can bring to the table. Because I know I've said it on here before it's hard to get those type of evaluations in the fall. You're you're focusing so much on who were my best three to four guys at the position and not looking at, you know, the down Channel situation and we were already thick at running back going into fall, but there wasn't a whole lot of evaluation. And so, many of the guys that we were bringing on where either transfers or freshman, or green guys that are coming from giucose and things like that.

50:32 So, If there wasn't a lot of that evaluation that could take place last year and getting a chance to do that. With such a crowded back. Feel is going to be nice because will at least be able to know we have Beyond you know the first two to three guys and see if there's some guys that may fit somewhere else and guys that can open up roster spots that we can fill with, with other need positions, because we can't keep doing this thing where we load up on, you know, Exposition one year and we opposition the next year and then N. You know, put ourselves in a situation where we're thin at certain positions every year going into the new season, true well, Brian. He also said something that absolutely got you a static as we were listening to it.

51:21 Yes, he did. Apparently we're to be working with with, to back looks in the spring two of them. Is as I sent Brian. Go on, let's go. Tell me more, tell me more. Yeah, so I'll be we had talked about. I will take a Victory lap on this. I know I've already taken a small one earlier on the court, Nelson situation within and hooker, but I will take another Victory lap on, you know, someone that said before Blackshear even got his waiver, that we need to be looking at 21 Personnel, a lot and using the Back as kind of a hybrid Wing slot.

52:10 Receiver that can also do some things out of the backfield. We've got Blackshear on the roster. Now we're bringing in a guy, like, chance, black going forward. We've got a couple other guys that are versatile, that can do stuff in that type of situation. Let's take advantage of that, let's not. Let's not pigeonhole guys into. Okay, well, you're a running back. So you have to carry the ball out of the backfield in inside and outside Zone, like it was so and I'll be I was glad that we finally, the last, what? Two or three games got Blackshear more involved in the passing game from the slot position in from the wing and doing things that weren't just, you know, you line up next to the quarterback and take the hand off.

52:58 So, I mean that was nice but you know, I like that he's still gonna be working out of the running back room, but the fact that we're going to be doing different things with black sharing with other guys of the similar type of skill set. Whether that's Keshawn king or chance, black, or anybody else? Yeah, that's only going to pay dividends for us. I mean, there's no downside to that. And one thing, you all the black sheer thing that always got you, I wish it coach, I don't care if it was one thick or Nielsen like them Burg someone would have came out. And just kind of said, the blacks here thing and basically said, you know, He was, he was essentially Goering, it's so late. It was just too late for us, but Brian, we had this discussion, is this, we were talking about that. Well, here's the thing, you have some guys who are maybe not a carbon copy Of Raheem Blackshear, but they could do some of the things he did and it's sort of me. And you started discussing, it's like, why wouldn't you start essentially showing looks giving those guys out of interchanging with, Rahim, to me, it says something about certain people of the coaching staff.

54:14 Not being, you know up here, not thinking like that. But neither here nor there, somebody should have just said that it would have a made Brian less pissed off during certain games. Next year and you know things like that. Brian he he mentioned a couple things, you know, Jalen Holtzman. Obviously we feel generous probably, you know, that name is gonna be penciled in at the top of the list away here and especially the back half of the season but he hit Omar Ali and he hit on Keshawn King. What were your thoughts about? You know, how he discussed those two guys. Yeah, I mean the big thing that stood out for me with Marco Lee and this kind of explains why maybe he didn't get as many looks until late in the season last year is that he was still learning the system, especially what the running back does.

55:05 When they don't have their, have the football in their hands. And that makes a lot of sense in terms of a guy, like Marco coming into the system, you know? I'll compare him a little bit with rain Blackshear who while he didn't learn the system. He had been in a system that he had to do all those things already. He had to work without the football weather from the slot position or from the running back position. So he was little bit more seasoned and ready to contribute even though he wasn't necessarily a master of this current system, whereas a guy like Marco Lee is for the most part, Learning a lot of. The things that he does without the football in his hands, for the first time, he's never done it in a college football game at this level.

55:56 So, that's something that's going to take some time to come along and especially not having spring having a very different fall camp. And let's talk about fall Camp because you talked about it with the black sheer thing. Fall Camp, reps are finite and you're trying to find. Kind of the best two or three guys, you can put on the field. So at the running back position in this is where the black sure thing. Your talk about makes more sense. The waiver didn't come in till late. You didn't until you got the waiver. You couldn't justify taking reps from other guys. Just to put blacks you're out there for X number of reps or whatever.

56:41 The second team reps are and all that stuff. You know, you had Keshawn King that probably came in at a weight that you weren't comfortable with is him being the primary spell back. He had some other injuries, he was dealing with. There was a several several things that were going on for Keyshawn King. You had everybody else other than Jalen Holston that was very, very green. In this system. So I mean if you say there's a misstep in all of this, in terms of who got carries who got touches etc etc. In 2020 Holston, not getting as many touches early as probably the the most egregious error here, everything else is explainable. So that's kind of what I based on the conversation that Lichtenberg had with the media.

57:33 That's kind of where I came out. Yeah. In, you know, but that is what it was last year. You know, you you was on the Fly and we went five and six, it was not the expectations we wanted. We did have a bunch of new guys there. Maybe, maybe that truly satisfying. The eight ball. Maybe I'm trying to be an optimist right now, but something, you know, I was critical of the Luxembourg higher didn't like it, but as you start reading more and more and you start listening to him, I mean, he grinded his ass off. Yep. Big time I mean he's been in admin roles, he's been in GA roles, he's been in.

58:16 I mean 12 years until you get your first position coach role and doing a bunch of different things. Yes, off the field and behind the scenes. So, I mean there's been a lot of things that he's seen and I think, Of anybody. He's kind of got a better CEO type vision of at least, from the offensive side of things. Than even, you know, your coordinator has probably probably better than anybody other than 20 on the staff. True. And he loves football. There's are you don't if you guys look at his journey started in 2007, but he's probably in his mid-20s.

58:57 Two. Now that guy loves football, there is not a doubt about that and you know, Brian wrote down this quote, and basically, he's been grinding his whole life, you know? And to have somebody like that with that mentality He Walked on it. Nebraska again, his personality on the microphone, it's kind of impressive. He mentioned his parents were teachers, so obviously paying for all these important people, you know, talks about the recruiting game being 24/7 non-stop. You can't stop. You know, I'm if he puts out another 1,000 yard, rusher in a bind said earlier, maybe I have to store born the like den Berg trains. All right, let's move on the lowest man on the totem pole. Currently Jack, Tyler, you know, first of all those Tracy plays doing last year that Jack Tyler was the emergency emergency play caller.

59:59 You know, all Smith was the emergency play caller as Discussed earlier. You know that's still a head scratcher for me but I mean that that's a different discussion or but yeah, we're was Clays. And why was Clay's not giving this responsibility. So like I'm not sure if Clay's showed up and just didn't give a shit or he wasn't there or what like Tracy. Claeys you obviously a good coach like you don't have the length career and success that Clays has without being a pretty. Decent, and respectable coach. I know he was coaching number one out of position in terms of what he's traditionally.

1:00:40 Coached number two, In a situation where he's more of a mentor versus a leader which may be just a different Dynamic from him, whatever it was, it didn't work. And you know this is definitely an addition by subtraction situation in my mind getting Jack as the primary linebacker coach. Absolutely and again jack that guy walked on then became a starred in Mike linebacker has essentially again. You know, he worked his way, went to JMU came back here in the way it's down in the interview. He had a potential chance last year at maybe taking a lower jaw, but he decided to stay again. The Lure of Virginia Tech, we talked about a talked about 420 in a very high regard.

1:01:33 Talked about him as a Amir coaches. Anyone in the program is on the right track and I know these guys are, we may judge about that. I better see Improvement that be terrible. But talked about himself. As a coach you want to try to stay even Keel. Never too high, never to do. Get caught up in the moment mature room. You know, you know, he's essentially trying to take his plane self, bringing it to a coaching self.

1:02:15 What I hope he can do with the guys. We have, because we've got a good core right now. Who are so much physically more gifted than Jack ever was, but if they can get the mind of Jack, Tyler, and Dax and Tisdale's, and Dean's and key, Sean's bodies, that's gonna be a nasty room and I know that is a key to Springs. Getting the depth back in that room. For this year. Yeah, yeah, that definitely that. And, I mean, he talked about, you know, talked about Dax talked about Tisdale, he said for Tisdale, you know, sky's the limit for him as a player.

1:02:56 He's put on some good weight, this spring for the 2019, yeah, yeah. In a month. Yeah. But apparently, you know, maturing in terms of how he's approaching the game. How is approaching preparation for practice and for, Four games. So I think that's going to be important in terms of his growth because I mean, we talked about it on the podcast a lot of times in 2020. It wasn't so much that Tisdale looked even with his weight overmatched is that he wasn't where he needed to be. It looked like he didn't really, he wasn't comfortable in the scheme at all. There were moments where he was there. He was disruptive but when he wasn't, it, totally created a big chunk play for the other offense. So, you know, getting more preparation in there. And I think he said the maturity, I know he had a son, what?

1:03:55 Right at the end of the season or so that definitely, we can speak to that. That definitely matures you pretty quick. So you can even if you have one at 29 like me and you're still just a man show. Child but it'll mature you up real quick. Yeah so so for sure they're talked about Dax and sliding into Mike and that's going to be a big move for him. I know we've talked about that a little bit earlier in some of the other things we were talking about. For the, for the offseason grades and stuff like that. But Dax moving to Mike is going to be big for his improved and I think you're going to see a pretty big jump in the quality of his play. I don't think you're going to see quite as many decks haters out there and I get the decks hate. I gotta understand it.

1:04:48 It's definitely, I mean there's there's elements of like, the whole the fanbase doesn't help it because the fanbase embraced him right away and sometimes when you put a guy on a pedestal that hasn't put the product on the field to earn necessarily that recognition, there's there's blowback, right? You see it all the time you saw with Tim Tebow, for example in the NFL. I mean there's so many classic examples of guys that They get put on a pedestal based on whether it's character, whether it's their recruiting rankings, whether it's, you know, how they play out the gate, whatever it is, they get elevated to an expectation level out the gate.

1:05:32 And then when they don't want some of those expectations going forward, Yeah, you get you get some blowback from certain parts of the fan base and there's a me some people that's that, you know, keep him on there and that's where that friction is created. Right? So we've got guys, it's that's still keep Dax at this pedestal level that we expected him to play at and then there's everybody else and saying, well he's not playing at that level. Stop putting him up there. You know. Yeah you get that element. But the Jacks point and we've said it in the past, that's wasn't a backer. The reason that you play backers because he understood his liabilities and he tried to minimize them but he said it straight up. His size is physical.

1:06:14 Makeup is more suited for Mike as the borderline athleticism played backer, but not the full blown that you need to. And then he kind of complimented that Dax is more of a quarterback on the defense well that couldn't be the quarterback because Brooke was a hell of a quarterback on defense. So, back again, didn't get to show that sort of leadership role in the mic. Yes, he's The rah-rah guy. Yes. He claps his hands. Yes. He swings the towel, which you need that sort of energy. I think you're going to see a little bit different, you talked about and being the quarterback, him being the coach on the field in Brian, you've mentioned a couple times to me, you know, So many times it's like deck was in the right spot but he couldn't finish or you know Dak just was once a quarter step behind where he needed to be at the back or spot. Yep.

1:07:08 Dax was rarely out of position. Dax's problem was that Dax couldn't athletically. Hang with some of the responsibilities he was given and sometimes when he was there to make a play sometimes you miss a tackle or he'd get absorbed. by block, but Again, I say it all the time like you know 60% of a good defensive play is being where the fuck you need to be. And he pretty much every play he was wearing needed to be. So now he that's a start that's a start in now he's the quarterback of the defense. He's playing in a position where he won't be as much of a liability athletically. Yep.

1:07:52 So I think you're going to see some good things from him. I want to see him work on. Tackling I want to see him work on shedding blocks. That's still going to be two areas that he has to get better in regardless of backer or Mike and he's going to have to get better. Especially at shedding the blocks from the mic perspective. But I think overall, I think he's going to do a good job. I think you're probably going to see. I think he in this system, he's going to be better than Rook because we saw get kind of exposed a little bit because of his at lack of athleticism last year. And his probably not quite being at his peak level of conditioning coming into Camp because so this system having more athletic linebackers is better.

1:08:41 So you're talking about a guy that's already was playing in a any area that requires more athleticism last year and moving him into an area that requires less. But like I said, I think out the gate, he's a better athlete than Rook, but he's going to have to work on some of those other things. A truck was really good at like not getting blocked because at that shit Excel. Yeah, yes and shedding. Good Lord could look for we jump over JC price one last little quote from Jack in thing about this brand he says man coach Fuente is a very loyal human being very little coach, reminds me of somebody else.

1:09:27 It was in Blacksburg. And many times, we screamed as fans, we want people fired and people didn't get fired. And Bud said it, you keep hearing it even from these young guys coming in about how they remind, Current coach with former coach. Yep. But let's jump up. JC, who played for that former coach. And when the first line comes out of his mouth is, it's my dream to return to Blacksburg man. That's it man. You know they hired the right person? Yep. Nothing else needed to be said about that higher when he said that, I mean the Jaycees a legend, you know, it was part of that 95 team and everything but he's coming in, he's a veteran, he's a grinder and, you know, He already has somewhat of a relationship with people on the staff. You know, he had been invited by for one day to the summer camps coming down from Huntington, you know, essentially Scout players and some people say, well, why would you do that? It's done all over the place that, you know, don't say it's not and you know, you wrote this down. Brian.

1:10:47 I want to credit with it, but you feel like JC is a guy that is going to provide that will provide an input. Understand, he's part of a whole. Yeah. And where would I put that in? Was when he was asked and he actually asked for a clarification about the question kind of asked about what things from his experience at Virginia Tech can he used to mold and change what's happening on the current staff? And he's more. He seems like a guy that will speak up when there's something to be said, but realizing that His perspective is not the one. I'm not the only one that matters and he wants to kind of work within the framework of what the program is working towards and understands his role but also understands that he is going to be leaned on for some of this thing because he does have ties to the Glory Days.

1:11:45 If you will, he does have ties to the former staff. He does understand what it takes to win at this University. So there are elements that he's going to bring that, he's going to be the guy that sleeps. Leaned on. But he also understands that, you know, his voice isn't the one that needs to be the loudest all the time. Yeah. And you see that that's, that's kind of a type of person. You mean, because I have a feeling when his voice does Get Loud, people will listen. He also discussed his relationship with J Hamm in actually similar to Jack. We just discussed. Jack had some offers They offered J hammock position when he was in that director of player Personnel position.

1:12:30 They offered him an on-field position and obviously he declined it and that got J Hamm where he is obviously it goes back when you know JC was a ga that's one hand was playing here man. Yep. So those guys go back, you know close to 20 years and you know again You know, it's just cool to see that and then the other piece, which I think I'm sure you would have loved to been sitting in this room. Brian is, you know, really didn't know, you know really, you know really know Bill. Yeah. And then comes in they immediately get together and what are they gonna do?

1:13:13 They chop it up talking football for four hours and you know, I think there's a there's a good relationship there because I think you know he kind of talked about it. They don't necessarily have what you would call mirror images of philosophy on defensive line play, but I think that's a good thing because that kind of pushes Each other to kind of, listen to the other, you know, see what else is out there. You know, you don't want to just get in that mindset of my ways. The right way, you're always wanted to grow. You want to learn having a guy with somewhat different philosophies at the same position. I think it's going to be a good thing because I think each of them will push each other and and grow from from the experience that the other brains I mean, bills God.

1:14:00 You know, a lot of that NFL type X's and O's things like that. And I think JC may have he's got a lot of that as well, but I think he's got some of the soft skills. And some of the understanding on the recruiting Trail and in the how the college systems work that I think Bill can learn a lot from. So I think there's going to be that give and take from that perspective not just the X's and O's and scheme and philosophy of defensive line play that you know, is a little bit similar to a little bit different but it sounds like Like they have good chemistry. Oh yeah, I think that's you know, that healthy dialogue is going to be a good thing for the defense of wine. Oh absolutely. And again I think again it's having that extra voice in there and you know to where Daryl had played in a lot of built here like systems so he sort of understood what Bill wanted to do and it was very much Polly Y Bar no King long so bad or so fast was annual Bill wanted to do, he taught him and if this cake They have, you know, they're not perfect on philosophy, but they probably have enough of over line where, you know, example this year, bills working with the ends. Hey I need you to go work with George. Let's work with, you know, the X's and O's piece. They see God.

1:15:22 Let me go to your point too. I think JC with his voice is going to say sometimes. Hey, let's, let's look at it this way and I think for bills, probably going to help him grow a little bit too. But again overall that that's a good thing. It's a really good. Let's talk about this. Okay, so I'll be we're both married to teachers yes. Okay so let's say A defensive scheme is like a curriculum. There are several different ways to get to that end game. There's different philosophies or different things right there. Teachers are constantly learning different ways to get to the same end point.

1:16:04 This is the same type of thing in their endpoint, is more or less in the same ballpark. They might have a little bit of different way of getting there and learning different ways to get. There is going to help them translate that because honestly much like students not every Player is going to pick up and learn in the same way or in the same fashion and respond to the same type of criticism or same type of critique. So that's going to be a good thing. Long-term I did like and this was kind of a part of levity of the the interview the question about where was the first place? He ate when he got to Blacksburg or any places that were still still popular from his Heyday.

1:16:49 He says a coin flip he cases McAdoo's America dues one when it got the when he got the I guess the probably a Hindenburg where you think, you think you think he crushes the Hindenburg think he could crush Hindenburg. Maybe someday. I think I've heard tell that McAdoo's is a hell of a place for for recruits. Oh yes. It's, you know, be there with recruits. It's awesome. You meet their courage, their you have a sandwich. You talk about football, you know? Well, you know, that's part of it is, the menu is so big that you literally get your recruiting pitch done, but now the request of screw them in you. And then once the pitch is done, you point them to the best piece of the menu for that particular player and then you essentially get the commit on spot.

1:17:40 Yeah. I've heard defunct podcast like to ask for interviews there too. Not this part. Let's do talk about him. He's obviously got the recruiting title role and he kind of was talking about it. It's more or less. He's the guy that's going to be, we need to look at films on recruits. Have you made the call here? It sounds like it's more of a, he's more of a logistical guy. And again, JC biggest person in that room, my assumption is, if Jesse speaks about have you, you know, have you looked at tape of Tom? I don't know. Sean Asbury and I know he's like a top tent here. Hey Jackie looked at as berries tape you talk to his trainer, you talk to anybody on him this week. I mean it seems like it's almost that's going to be a checklist type thing for him like and you know some code says yeah I can't get in touch with anybody will hold on. DM the number over to him?

1:18:41 Call this guy. Yep, this is it, that type of thing, make it making sure that, you know, all right, we got this guy coming to campus. Make sure you're watching his fucking tape this week, so you're prepared to discuss this that and the third victims. Make sure that you're reviewing, you know, family members this. So that, you know, names you understand the relationships, you understand who plays a key role in this player's life so that you can relate to them as best as you can. Because I think that's another part of it, that You know, the coaches, obviously, they recruit. They're trying to get the best players, but it's about building relationships.

1:19:22 So if you're not doing the homework on that, that's going to show up when it's time to kind of close the deal. Absolutely. And going back, he had that personal story. JC essentially grew up kind of out in the rural areas of Maryland. Pretty highly recruited player to a point where Powerhouse DeMatha, you know Brian. You know we heard They wanted to come, get him his senior year but the coach that they brought into his high school was kind of a well-known coach winner and he convinced him to stay at his high school, not make the hour, commute both ways every day to go down to a Powerhouse and you know talk about staying home and everything but that starts one of these three things that I think he's going to bring it ate at selling point, right? There.

1:20:17 Whatever that coach said to him, I have a feeling instilled and then him about staying home, doing it at home. That's one story but brine the next one that he revealed me and you I think we talked about it, 20 minutes, he revealed. His is degrees. Yep. You got the the liberal arts and science degree which at the time he said, was essentially three minors that add up to a major because he wanted. And he talked about, he because he wanted to be a coach. So this is, this was his ideas like very well. So I want to be a coach. So, three minors that can they can build to a major for me.

1:20:57 Scioscia sociology, physical education. In African-American studies. And that tells me right there that this God understands, what it's going to take to be a coach and what it's going to take to fill in any blind spots that he may have and working with people, that may have different life stories or understanding understanding how they tick, and also just the physical education part of it or just understanding how to get guys in their Peak Performance to go out there. On the field and do what they need to do. Absolutely. And when he when he mentioned that about those degrees, it was just like again, he is from and I'm not sure if it's world. But it's not your it's not your Baltimore propers or, you know, down into areas like that, he had his background and he said, if I'm going to be a coach, I've got to understand, I understand my background.

1:21:57 I'm going to have people that I run to their similar to me. We're going to connect. Boom, great. I want to understand everyone. I touch. Ouch. And, you know, obviously he knew that, you know, the African American studies, you know, I've got African-American teammates. I want to understand what goes on. I want to know more about them. I want to be able to connect with them man. That just tells a lot about him as a human being Brian. You know what else tells you a lot about the human being is when he discussed the 95 store? Man? Yep. For you. Younger people. Go back. Look nice. E5 is a great season. 95 started off shitty jib really really shitty, you know, back-to-back losses. The second being who, you know, Cincinnati at Lane stadium. And you I think I've heard stories it was like the pouring down rain the opening loss was to Boston College. And you know, you kind of hear JC talking about it said in the locker room after the game.

1:23:07 Gang with just as miserable feeling and then having to watch the tape the next day. And he didn't say it, but I think he didn't say it in the way. Brian. I think you assume this is what he said it, right. Yeah, I said he said we're not losing the end. I said we fucking losing again. Because I mean again JC kind of reminds me a lot of he kind of reminds me a combination of my offensive line coach and I wasn't him and Sydney Keith conlon and our good buddy hambone. Robbie come tonight if you put those two guys together, that that's who Jason kind of reminds me of and that's something I could see them them saying in that scenario, like we fucking losing again.

1:24:00 Really. And then not just saying it, not just saying it, but putting that shit into action doubling down on studies doubling, down, on practice doubling down on film. All of the things you need to do to have success on the field. Yeah. And obviously, everybody knows what happens the next week they go out, beat Miami. As the white said last week back 98 when he finished it up. 95 was the first of four straight 99 made it five straight in. Basically, they didn't lose another game. It didn't lose another game to come back at UVA. The Sugar Bowl, win over Texas. It tells you about his mentality to and, you know, there's been times.

1:24:49 Under this current coaching regime. You know, a lot of times we see a lot of fight but sometimes You just feel like sometimes the players aren't. I don't want to say it because you see them play their asses off, but you feel like sometimes they just turn it off. I don't think they see prices going to let people in that locker room turn and yeah I don't I don't think it's lack of effort. I think sometimes it's lack of focus, like I think they give effort, I think the focus is where we see a lack on some of those things. I think that having a guy that understands setting a goal setting the things up to achieve that goal and holding everyone accountable at all. X towards that, that go responsibility, I think is going to be important for this team going forward because I mean, this is a guy that You know, we talked about Virginia Tech but I mean this this is one of the guys that built what Virginia Tech is and what Virginia Tech became and he understands he saw both sides of it.

1:26:04 I mean, he saw the downs and he saw the ups and he saw, you know, what we were and what we became Just In His short time in Blacksburg. And I think that that matters and I think going back to the point earlier, I think that's what that question was trying to be trying to ask is that, you know, are there lessons from your time as a player here that you can bring to the table and help this team? Take the next step. Yeah. And it is he has them. Braun.

1:26:44 I'm going to we're going to stop the Virginia Tech talk there. Before we wrap the episode up, I need your 90 second analysis of the Carson Wentz trade, I think, in terms of It being a relatively safe, relatively cap friendly, All Things Considered, I think, in terms of being able to move off of it, if it doesn't work out, I think it was a good trade. I would have preferred Stafford. I probably would have also preferred Donald if we could have got him for a similar.

1:27:29 Similar trade package and obviously his the cost would have been lower in terms of the immediate contract. So I think if we were to pull that off, I think I would have been fine with it. I'm still waiting to see on whence. I think if he can stay on the field and working with Frank Reich again. I think that's going to be a good thing for him. The problem I have is that I need to see this guy play more than 12 games in the season. Proof. But the Alamos truth is you said Frank right if there's anyone that can fix him. It's Frank Wright. If Frank Wright fixes him? I hate y'all because if you like I said, we did a ton and contract.

1:28:16 He's bringing on board is that if it doesn't work this year and next year, we're pretty much off the hook with no more dead money and space handicapped space too. Because of the luck retirement Hill Rivers will have one year. He gets fixed. I mean, y'all are essentially have a 10-year order back. Yeah. And y'all have a front office that knows how to draft. So think we're going to take Christian darussalam. First round if everything works out. The way I'm hoping and aerosol, dude, I had that's also mocks. He's flying up in the top 10 now. Yeah, he's anywhere between like nine and Twenty Eight, depending on.

1:28:57 So mocks depends on how that thing breaks. We've got it. We could potentially move up though. So we've actually got got some action where we can move up. Up. So if he's, who we're targeting or something, if we're comfortable with, if we're comfortable with the first four or five tackles, then I think we're fine to sit where we're at. Yeah, but if we've got a certain, you know, one, two, three in that top five that we, absolutely, if we feel like we can get him, we're going to try to get him then. I think I can see us moving up and making that play, and if all of them are gone, by the time we get around, I could see us trading back and, you know, make getting an To pick in the second round.

1:29:38 So absolutely do. All right. Well folks, that is going to wrap up this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast. I'm Curtis Wilson, I'm Brian Sigler. Also on Twitter, Facebook, subscribe to the podcast on your favorite Source, including Spotify, Amazon, and apple podcast. Also, folks, if you have not checked it out already, we do now have a website Boundary Corner V t-dot-com Jack it out. All the podcast episodes are on there. We even got a special section with our interviews. You know, set out a little background on both of us, my buddy. Jason long, who always plays this out every week. Got some information on him, some of his music on their check him out on Spotify and apple music. We thank you for listening.

1:30:29 And as always let's go okey