Fuente Gone and Miami Game Preview

0:45 Welcome back to the boundary Corner podcast, I am Curtis Wilson, I'm Brian siglo buddy. We're on a Wednesday night, something happened a day ago that I guess we're going to talk about a little bit what you think. Yeah. Justin Fuente out as the Virginia Tech. Hokies head coach mutually parted ways we have so much. John LeBron. Yes. It's and just so y'all know we're about 8 or 9 minutes. Late bronze.

1:27 Get everything ready in his computer crashes. So he has to do a full bore restart. So it completely seized up. I couldn't get a mouse to connect. It was it was wild. So I was like, all right let's let's try that again. We got time, we got this, we got this, we got a 10-minute buffer. We're going to get this in but we have so much download, then that happens. And then Brian tries to send me the rundown email that locks up for a few minutes. So we're like crap and all with what took place yesterday and you already said it. Brian. The mutually agreed to part ways.

2:08 We knew it was going to happen. Right? We knew it was coming. We didn't know when it was coming. We thought it might be after BC. And apparently there were already talks of it going down after BC. Apparently, as early as last Wednesday the decision was made, the terms were not agreed on until looks like Monday afternoon and that's when the wheels started turning. In terms of talking about interim, head coach talking about Out, when we're going to talk to the team and let them know and all that fun stuff, so that ended up happening at 7:30, team meeting on Tuesday, broke live to the world at about 7:45. It's kind of a weird weird timing of it, but we will take it will take.

3:00 We're officially out of the the Justin Fuente era. We're waiting to see what the next steps are going to be. It is. And, you know, Brian we heard from with any said last Wednesday, we essentially went into last Wednesday, we were four and five. Now, the question goes, when was with given the approval, right? Wasn't the Monday? Was it a few weeks before, essentially, what was the number? What's the number 84 was the number 9 and 3?

3:41 You know those that number that it Justin Fuente had hit this year, he would have been retained. That's the one I got a feeling that after pit he had had the thumbs-up from everyone. He needed the thumbs up for that. It's your decision, make it when you can Yeah, and then it's like give it a few games, the cues games happened, then GT, then then the Dreadful Friday night, Primetime performance, at BC, and I think, I think that was probably the Capper. I think if you win BC, you may wait to the end of the season. But once the PC game happened, you kind of, you know, it's over.

4:26 And when you've exhausted The avenue to get to a respectable, a twin season. I don't even think that was potentially enough to save his job, just the way, some of this other stuff went down in some of the stuff that we're hearing coming out of various. Whoo, buddy purses at this point, a lot of, a lot of stuff to unpack, but at this point we are, you know, Justin Fuente is done here. Virginia Tech. We said, Curtis is early. Last year was not just I don't want him here but I want him fired. The liberty liberty last year.

5:07 Yep. I made the same call after pit. You made the call exactly one year ago, exactly. One year ago you may actually one year ago Thanksgiving the week and I was at the point it wasn't he can do stuff to save his job. It was at that point, he needs to be fired because he hasn't done. Enough to save his job. He hasn't done anything and he hasn't attempted to do anything to save his job. That's always going to be. I think our bigger issue than just him himself, right? Most people will do things and attempt to save their position. Fire people, make adjustments.

5:49 It was almost like, well, status quo is good. And it's, like, status quo was, we're right at 500. This is an acceptable for our football program. Our football program is a 10-plus win, win, the ACC compete on a national level, not mediocrity. Yeah, it's not it's not and it was consistently. That was the product we were getting it. Really hasn't been since 2016, where we won, like we should and That was with players that Beamer recruited most of that was with a system that the rest of the ACC hadn't looked at yet very true and with an exceptional quarterback.

6:38 Yeah. And with the, let's not discount the the talents of Jerrod Evans. Their Jerrod Evans came in and made made some things happen. Don't discount Evans, don't just count forward, Hodges Phillips, don't discount. The Edmunds. Brothers, on defense, other really good players on defense for those first two years. So that was what it was. And, you know, the terms agreed or Monday and I know some people have complained. Why didn't you just wait and, you know, just save that, you know, the know what's the few million 1.25 million, which was has been reported saved on the buyout Brian Me, and you talked about this in three years, 1.5 million, roughly 400,000 dollars that what's that five? Six, seven positions of a recruiting staff or analyst you're bringing in or that put that pays for your million-dollar least one?

7:39 At least one of your your coordinators. Exactly. It pays for it, that one, your pays extra for coordinator. So to which credit getting in there and And getting that buyout down and into some way. Justin Fuente is Agents credit, who knows? It's over to get your guy back out on the market as quickly as possible. I still a lot of, you know, people are saying food, quit on the team. I'm not going to say that. If you got fired today in your boss asked, you, hey, but I'm going to need you to work. The Friday for me. Is that cool? I'm letting you go on Friday, but can you work the Friday? Would anybody do that? No, nobody would do it.

8:23 If it was mid season you might consider it just to kind of keep things may be intact. Maybe maybe but I mean this isn't an ID or Durant's. Situation like this is this is true. Bridges have been burned to a point where they weren't going to be mended. No you might as well go ahead and cut your losses and you know you say Fuente quit he definitely said. All right, if you don't want me, I'm done. If you if you say that's quitting on the team that that's fine. I don't necessarily disagree but there are a lot of different ways to look at that angle.

9:04 I love it but it's but for him, the guys going to get hired in the next month. Yeah, I mean I've no and it's a business, he's looking out for himself and I mean that that is that is what it is. And we're looking out for ourselves by moving on now versus waiting until after UVA or even later until December 15th, when it dropped down to 7.5. And you know what, it helps us even more get the footing and get the ground. Go get the ball rolling. Yeah, for getting out now we can make an announcement after UVA instead of waiting to know it, rid of the coach until I want my full assumption, depending on, what time that UVA game is whoever our next coaches is likely played that day. If they have played that day or their plane, during that day, it will be dropped.

9:54 That would be ideal. I think it's I think that's what's going to happen. Yeah, I'm hoping, you know, a week from this Saturday we're talking about the way the UVA game shook out and who the next head coach is going to be the next head coach is speculating, the staff, speculating, who staying? But let's do this. What was very clear and I'm going to say this for on and I set it back in. Of last year with Babcock wanted him gone last year. Something stopped with Babcock. Don't know who something? Or someone stopped him because if you compare that press conference to this press conference night and day, it was clear, which was concise with did look confused. He did not have a bunch of goofy statements in there, right? Where the last wait, last December was trying to sell the unsellable.

10:50 That was the problem, and he was not even a sold himself. Elf, he wasn't sold on it himself. I mean, and it looked, I mean he looked away his demeanor. I mean, he looked like a man that was up there almost like with a gun to his head. Pretty much. He did not want to be there. No, and this way it looked like he looked confident. He looked like alright we made this decision. Here's what's happening. Here's what's going to happen next you know disclose to whatever degree he could. What those next steps are going to look like and you know, took a Number of questions answered. Some of them didn't answer some others, which I get. I mean, you're not going to answer everything in this type of situation. So but I mean, he made it clear the two things that he thought were lacking the most in this regime consistency and identity and that absolutely hit the nail on the head. That and he'd and I'll say another thing. He took ownership for that press conference last year. Yes, he did.

11:52 He did take ownership during and, and not and you know, he still stood by the decision he made at the time. But he said, I did not do a good job of communicating that decision. And I there was a bunch of Miss steps and how he, yes, back that up and he took ownership of that. So, you got to respect that but again, consistency and identity and those are the things we've been talking about a lot on here, right? Particularly consistency. Obviously the identity is kind of people see identity as different things and it's hard to really Define it, right? You kind of just know it when you see it. It's easy, right?

12:32 You just get started 2018 through this year. It was a win-loss win. Lost. We lost. We were, we're right at one game over 500 again. And we talked about it last week with the lose a big game and then go out and have a performance that looks as good as anything you've done in that season. It's just, it's so inconsistent there in the thing. You want to know as a head coach. And as a, you want to be as a head coach and you want to have as an athletic director, you want to have a coach that can get the predictable outcomes taken care of. Right. And we talked about it before the start of the Season. We thought six games on our schedule should be more or less predictable outcomes. Yes, yes.

13:16 And one of those has already fallen in Syracuse game. Yep. Yep. One of those is already falling. Eva still on the table. Now UVA definitely is a A better team than we anticipate in. Syracuse is at least better than what they were predicted to be. Yeah but it's the whole identity. The identity crisis also at times where Especially on the offensive side of the ball, the defensive had their ups and downs, but the offensive side of the ball. How many times Brian had? We said, certain times in the game looks night and day night. Yeah.

14:00 Like, you know, first drive of camera with the Notre Dame game, where we were in some hooks, we Ransom under Center stuff, when we got inside the 10 toward touchdown, The next Drive, same situation doing something completely different. Yep. And it's going to go to somewhere on a talk about a little later on, but, you know, I think whoever comes in here regardless who it is and me, and Brian, are digging and believe it or not, y'all wait till Sunday, the back half of the episodes, Sunday, after the recap, all, we going to have some fun with looking at the candidates. Yeah, we've had a full list lists and we're not talking one point.

14:41 Tan. Yep, it's growing by the day so we got a couple more days to review it. That's going to be a fun one, but whoever comes in consistent message, right? Yeah, thank you. Ever comes in here. Also should know. Look at Saturday. well, this Saturday Saturday. That was a four and five team on Senior Day likely no shot to win. The ACC scraping for Bowl, eligibility about 57,000, showed up, Which is the East and West stands look very good. The student section was full, the only things that really weren't full was the Duke section and parts of the South End Zone.

15:27 That's it. So whoever gets this job has to understand, we are engaging fan base, right? And we will reciprocate that if you engage us full-bore, this, you know, we're showing out like this without the level of Engagement that we are accustomed to in the previous 25 years. Well, the level engagement plus the winning. Say what you will say, what you will. Brian. If we were eating to going into this weekend, would we give a shit about the engagement of the coach?

16:09 Much less much less like much. I don't give a shit. I don't care what he does, but when you're not winning, it's those little things but it's those little things to that give you more leeway. And let's flip it Brian to this because the guy right now with him, probably has more leeway than anybody. He's one of the guys that we believe should be retained on the Stafford Barbara to the next head coach is alumni. Hooky Legend, JC price takes over as interim and yeah, absolutely. Perfect choice. There's a lot of reasons for this. Being the perfect choice.

16:54 Number one, the way he carries himself his demeanor, He commands a room. He commands respect obviously, Virginia Tech grad, Virginia Tech former football player, not only, but the player, but Elite level football, legend legend. Yeah. Got drafted or the Sugar Bowl team yet. Hard Biggie's titles. And the other part, the other parts of it here. So we've already got we've got to be line coach as well. He's helping with d-line still got d-line coach, so you take him off that you're not losing a full position, coach respected for his coaching and is recruiting both by players.

17:34 And by the staff it also lets the other coordinators focus on their area. The ball one of which I'm not sure that we really give a shit about but it to that very soon. Soon. And you know, they thought they talked about, we're going to talk we're going to see him tomorrow. He apparently on Tuesday was setting up calls with with the recruiting class trying to get those either done yesterday or today. Yeah. So obviously hopefully that all those have happened at this point. I haven't seen any big Rumblings or anything yet other than like, you know, kind of a question face when I think Pernell thrown There. I think some of the recruits are probably getting getting some calls from other schools at this point, which is to be expected. As soon as soon as a coach is gone, everybody else that was in that top three top five is on the horn, man. So, and you got to probably a couple others that, you know, some, some players in pan out all of a sudden. The guy that was really firm is now, you know, potentially loose.

18:38 Let me try to sneak in there. Last minute. I think Michigan. I think, was it, was it miss? My kids offered. Malachi orlimar law. I think was one of our law was Lamar law. They've already offered it. Yes. Oh okay. That's fine. It's an expectation. Anybody sitting out here who said, are you going to lose the whole class? No, you're not. Could you lose pieces? Yeah, but this is also an important and obviously the top end is going to be the biggest targets because they're going to be the most desirable pieces of the bunch. Lamar's not a topping guy, the Mars actually on the bottom have rain wise now. Not too many, guys, 65 300 pounds. It have his, you know, athleticism Lamar law is definitely undervalued in this class. We talked about it when he committed, that's to be expected.

19:32 But let's go back to j.c. a little bit here. Yeah, talk about the perfect fit because he really is the perfect fit and it gives him an opportunity to really Experience, what it's like to lead the team that he cares so much about. So that's I think it matters more to him too and I think that makes it just as just a special right? It does it does it does matter more than him because regardless what happens the rest of his career he always gets to hold for hopefully three games I'm hoping it's three games, three games. I got to head coach, my alma mater. What? I'm also hoping it does if he can rally The troops like potentially I believe he can.

20:20 And they come out. Good. The next two weeks I think jhc prices, easily retained, I think he's going to get a DL stickle easily the DL coach. I think he's going to be in a HC because that's exactly what happened when fluent it came in, but had never been an associate or assistant head coach in his life. He got that label. Why? Because like you've already mentioned about JC the locker room, respects him, both sides of the ball. He's respected in the coaching Community. He's respected amongst the administrators. He's a respected him on the alumni. If you're a coach Walker. In, whoever it may be. You just shake his hand and say, welcome to the team say nothing else and figure out. Is he my aah Seekers.

21:02 Is he going to be the guy where I've got to learn personalities? I've got to learn. I've got to learn the shape of this locker room. He's going to be the guy. I need to talk to. I need him on my right hand. Yeah, JC knows the lay of the land. He commands, like I said, we commands respect. He's a coaches coach. He's a players player. Yeah, and I think that respect carries over and I think that you're going to see him be at the again at the top of the list. Like you said of guys, that could be retaining the staff. I think you put Ryan Smith right up there with him. Yeah, as the two would I know we've said that on previous episodes but we're going to reiterated. Those are the of the of the coaches currently on this staff in terms of probability of them being retained and in terms of what they've done while they've been here those to have shown up.

21:54 It Shone out, and just based on the positions, they coach, there's a likelihood that there would be a place for them on the staff. The only, the only third one that could potentially Shabbos a because we find out his letter, his letter goes past June of next year with the rest of the coaching staff doesn't him in, and he's one of them will respect to special teams coaches in the country before he hit who, Since he's been here, those. Yeah I mean he's definitely a he's a food guy but he's not a food disciple. Like he's not his wagon is not been hitched to food for his career.

22:36 So I think that that gives him a little bit less of a connection to the staff versus some of the other guys that are on this staff, especially the offensive guys. Definitely, the offensive guys. All right. Well with also openly talked about his coaching Research, which I have a feeling, he's probably already been dipping, his toes in the water, a little bit figuring out, you know, what's going on sales, like some of that was happening today. There's a bit a whole lot of chatter smoke but not he said it, right? Yeah. You said you're going to hear things which was which is kind of a breath of fresh air from an add, right? We're going to do a search. It like, no, no, you're going to hear stuff. Just to put it out there to let us know but we've already hit it once.

23:22 Brian, he already put like the first thing he talked about was engaging. Hokie Nation engaging Blacksburg, engaging essentially, the state gauging the region and that's, that's the big thing that especially out the gate that Fuente did not do a very good job of, I think. So, when winter came in here, there was respect for their Traditions but there was Respect for the operations. How the program was run? How the program was operated? Well, I'm gonna take that back. I think he respected. What was operated on the field and in Blacksburg coca, I don't think he understood how things were operated in Virginia, in the Carolinas, in the Mid-Atlantic region.

24:09 I don't think he has a feel for that. I think he, I think he respected the hell out of what Frank did here in Blacksburg. I don't think he understood the nuances. Well, I don't think, I think he respected what Frank did. I don't think he understood how his actions specifically would fit into that. Yes. Does that make sense? That's a good way to put it? Yeah. So I think he respected. I think he paid homage to what Frank did but I don't think Think he understood that, we expect a lot of those same things from you day in day out. Yeah. And and especially with the engagement piece, frankly, it wasn't Frank. That always been engaging younger or older and it was you know the all Shucks. They had a great relationship with the media. You know, I saw Frank has several hokey events never met him want to hopefully one day.

25:08 That'll happen. You just see him walking around just Shakin hands and talk and just very relaxed, just heat. You can see he on the room you could see was just so relaxed. It if you somebody wouldn't talk to him, he was very open. If he saw somebody, he recognized, he go. It was just, it was just one of those cool things to see. And the next guy has to be that in some way shape or form when hope they're in July of next year. Brian me, and you had to a hokie Club dinner here in Richmond for kickoff. The new head coach, we see that and whether we get a chance to talk to the guy or just hear him talk for a couple minutes. We hope we see that. But let's talk about style, Braun.

25:52 I think we saw Justin Fuente is an X's and O's coach, right? He was, he's also buddy. Coach, what do you coach? He liked me, likey. Likey like his buddies, what? But yeah, he was, he was more of a focus on. The process and the X's and O's and not so much on evaluating everything from a top-down approach which, which is a CEO style, which is specifically, what wit mentioned. And that's a style that we've talked about is, is what most power, five schools need to operate under.

26:33 Yep. It's if you might get away with it at some other schools, but I feel like in the CEO has to do several things, right? So it's not just managing the staff and the roster that that's a big part of it, but it's also managing donors. It's also making sure that you're engaging the community, you're the face of the organization. You're the it all it has to do with closing deals to right. You. Damn right. He's got to be a a CEO has to be able to close with the best Personnel that in the country.

27:13 And we don't have that right now. We're looking for someone that can do that type of role. Absolutely. And the CEO also is going to be a person. It's always looking high level right? Yeah. High-level big picture. I level big picture. So when they're looking at specific Parts, they're not going to be trying to get into the nuts and bolts. It's essentially going to be Example. The Run game is crap. We're getting blown off the ball. Every time offensive line coach. Coach. This is your day to come. Talk to me that. Look at the film. Tell me what's happening. What are you going to do to change it? Hey, go about your way CL.

27:55 Also is something that we mentioned that it goes hand-in-hand, right? The ability to hire a competitive staff, In a CEO type world. You're not hiring buddies, you might have a few confidants like one guy like one person you want on that staff because you trust them, they're your sounding board, right? It one. Why For the longest time you have your coaching beard but she also have. You also have your other guys on there, you know, we're going here with a little Ted lasso reference. You got to have your coach beard there but you're going to have some other coaches on the staff that you know you got to have your other guys that just fit the team.

28:40 Are a good fit for the team you have. Yeah, they aren't your buddies. They aren't just guys that you've always done it with. And you you just can't have that many buddies on a team. I mean again I said it a second ago, Billy Hite was here when Frank got here and Billy Hite became The concierge for Frank from numerous years and Frank had turnover in Franklin. People going people, left and yada yada, and back and forth. And as the later years, we saw all right, when he became not as quick to let people go or move people along, that's when we headed to the wrong direction. With the Wente unfortunately. Like that's why I don't think he's ever get another job. Because like you can't play this like you can have one person. You can't have six or seven.

29:34 Yeah, you never sounding board but you know I think what we're hearing especially with mentioning going from 8th to Fourth and revenues, we reviewed it last week and if we really went up that much Brian. You know, we're probably going to be right at the cusp of a million for each ordinator, we're probably paying 100,000 is going to probably be minimum. Yeah. And like, like we've said before eight fifty plus is kind of the starting point you want for a high-quality coordinator and usually if you're starting price, tag is 850 then. And you're willing to go up to as much as you know, 12 1.2 at the very top end that then you can really get pretty much anybody that you want.

30:23 Yeah, but the billion is kind of the is kind of the the nice butter zone, right? It's the Zone where you more or less can get your choice because anybody make you much more than that, is already been locked down. Pretty much. The one other thing that I think went, hopefully, we'll learn from this, you know, ten year is I think with no needs to know, if you see something, you feel like is not performing. You need to go put the screws to the coach. If there is an element of this team that you feel is underperforming, not looking good. Have a talk and I think you'll see that. I think I think over the next five years If there is a specific unit underperforming for more than two, I think we're going to see turnover.

31:13 I don't think we're going to see. We'll just we'll just try to get there. No it's no longer about trying to get there. It's trying to get back where we were because the way college football is shaping up where we were Is a chance to win national titles again, dip where we were and where I say where we were as which is being a top 15 team. The way everything's looking for Collegiate football. If your top 15 team, you have chances to win national titles again, and that's what we want. Yep. You at least have the chance to play some games to get there. Damn, right. All right, buddy, who so what time was it?

31:53 Did you text me this afternoon? And you were like, holy crap. Crap, did you see the bleep on corn? It was about what 2:30 3:00. Yeah. I think a little after 3:00 because I was I had to run a few errands after I got off work. And I was like, no I didn't but then I read it and you got the article up, right? Let's start with a few coats. Shout out, Mike knows Olek helluva work. First of all, we're not ignoring the other pieces of the article, but a lot of the other pieces people knew about, right? We either knew about or it was Heavily speculated it was more of a you might have a differing opinion of how things went down, but it was common knowledge.

32:34 That this is what it was. The closest thing that was coming to this was dried Evans on Don talking about, there were some plays where it was. I had one read. If it was not open Iran. That was the play. Yep. Okay this goes that was just like scratching the surface. I mean it pretty much took what Gerard said in like blew it up. Big picture and I'll just read it straight from the horse's mouth here. They're getting credit Mike, mrs. Olech Roanoke Times you have you've got, okay, this is a quote from a source here. You've got to let your quarterback, be your quarterback.

33:17 There wasn't autonomy to read the defense on a run option. He would tell the quarterback, whether he should hand it off or run. You can't manage that. We piece of it. It goes on to say core Nelson would also dictate where his quarterbacks needed to throw on passing plays before the snap. And this is the bitch of it. Criticize them for passing elsewhere. Even if the intended target was covered a source ran through multiple instances for the Roanoke Times of when Burmeister was ripped this fall, for making a positive play, only because the ball went to a different receiver than core Nelson, wanted. It's frustrating because there's tremendous football team. Are a source set and this this got me lit. I know got you lit.

34:02 What? This got me lit. How many times the first four weeks of the Season? Brian. Did you say? I don't think there's a reading this. I think it's a, it's a damn hand off when it should be a read that ends crashing. Fractions. Got 40 down the sideline. You were hot about that crap. You know, we talked about it. We said like almost 90, 90 to 100 percent of the time. It was either design. Keep or design give and most of the time in the early season, it was designed give and we also talked about in the passing game Braxton keying on one. Receiver a lot, a whole lot D. See ya, in play the tabi on when Caleb Smith is running that 10-yard in and he's wide open. Yeah, it is, there was a bunch two instances that we talked about and we've talked about it in Pre talked about, at the end of last year, even some with with Hendon. But we saw it a lot more, a lot more this year with in terms of the, the Run game, and yeah.

35:03 Okay. So I'll say this, you're going to have plays where after the check with me, you're going to say we're giving it 100%, but there's reasons for that, right? So if I get a base look, With a, with an icy to high safety. Yeah. I'm probably going to give it to the running back because there's probably going to be space in between the tackles for him to make a big run. Right. Yeah, that makes sense, right? All right, so that that's when something like that makes sense and you're going to have a check for that and you might have a check if you've seen the defensive end crashing down every damn time, you hand the ball off.

35:44 Hey, we're keeping it this time. There's going to be instances like that. What there isn't is taking the entire read element out of those plays 100% Stock and Barrel. Can I say it? It sounds like to me. You got a mini apollyon up in the booth who wants to dictate and have control over, absolutely everything. Micromanaging, the quarterback and I said it, I said it earlier it's it was damned if you do damned if you don't, because we talked about Hendon last year and he talked about Braxton this year and I think the I think the difference is that Hendon was willing to go off script. Yeah.

36:26 And I think that that ultimately got him in the dog house which That damn shame because it's just a kid making a play. But in this situation you're damned if you do damned if you don't. If you're getting ripped by cornelison, if you throw a ball where he wants it and that guys covered and then it ends up in a turnover. If you'd if you throw it to the guy, that's opencore Nelson is rapping. If you throw it and it ends up in a turnover or a bad play 110, Foose rapid your ass. So you getting your ass ripped either way. You might as well go out there and make the right play and that and that's probably what hooker did most of the time. Can I ask this in? Let's go back to 2019.

37:06 How much of it do you think? At that point in time this was going on in white Hendon, didn't get the start to beginning of the Season. Think about everything we heard about keeping running dictating every single term where the reports were well, sometimes he doesn't look good in practice, was it? Because in practice, he was told, well, this guy who you're on a 10 yard out he gets up there and he sees well they're running covered to he's going to be right underneath my fast lane but we're running, we're running. You know, Dalton's coming up and run in a 10-yard hitch, I can squeeze it right between these two, linebackers back to a pic over here, and maybe that's what. Brad didn't like told you throw it over here, go to this guy. What this says to me can in you made a tweet earlier about a high school somewhere in the midwest this sounds exactly what like a high school Offensive Coordinator would do know it. Sounds worse, Middle School, I've coached eyes. School, coaches at high school, give players with a lot, less ability, way more responsibility in these types of offenses. It's sad.

38:19 It is sad. You can't micromanage that much and you, I mean, he'll we, when I was coaching, we ran a damn flexbone and our quarterback had more autonomy in the passing game. Then they're given Braxton Burmeister And now, you branch has been getting ripped left and right. Right. And while you sit here and say shit maybe Braxton is not as, you know, in the past game, maybe he's not as bad as we thought or he's. He's thinking so damn much because he's got someone micromanaging his game. Come look here gets under Center sees.

38:59 They're going to run a zero Blitz. The worst corners on my second best receiver. Well, I'm not going to trade who's getting pressed. They're playing off on teh and he's running a slant. What why do you want to throw the tray? Well, that is. Why does he want to throw to the wrong guy? Yeah, I mean branches arm is going to always be Braxton's arm but everything else. I mean that goes back to Cornell so either directly or indirectly either he's not doing a good job of teaching. Teaching his quarterback or he's making his quarterback place so tight that he's not getting it done. Probably both. Alright Braun well let's move on. We're going to get off the subject tonight maybe in the future next few months here we'll talk a little bit more about the Justin Fuente era and other things, I'm sure things will be coming out will be discussing but might have some things for you all in the future. You definitely want to tune into, but let's talk about a couple good things.

39:56 Bryan Adams Monster Day on Saturday. Rahim Blackshear, he jccc running back of the week. Well deserved. Yep, it finally happened. Ladies and gentlemen, he had a big day. I was happy. I was, I was Big Happy. I've been, I've been on this kids, I've been on his name for two years now. I knew he had this type of game and him. I'm glad to see it coming to fruition. Hopefully, we'll see some more of that these last two weeks where he finishes out, strong here. Yep.

40:37 But hopefully great job. I mean great performance and the running game. Good job in the passing game. He really put all of his abilities together in one game, and I think that's really the thing that he's been missing is he's had a game or two where he hit 80 yards, rushing, but didn't it was all focused on the Run. He didn't get a lot of touches in the passing game. He's had big big games where he caught the ball but didn't really get a lot of look in the running game or wasn't effective. He was effective in both Parts of that game this week and that was big for him. Exactly. So good on him. Regardless what happens? I know he did the senior day ceremony in you know obviously we're seeing a little more and more guys we know are going to be gone.

41:21 Now we start seeing guys that are accepting Senior Bowl invite so many know what something really stinks but you know it is what it is. We'll discuss more on them at later dates as we get Closer, a try to watch those games. Hopefully, those guys have great weeks in Berlin. Did you watch them hope these hoops since like I did? I did impressive win over Navy. Yeah. When will the Annapolis and kind of dominated that game from the opening tip? Yes, start to finish and they really shut down their best shooter and had a pretty good shooting night themselves, a couple flashy plays and then we had the The Radford win, which first half was a, was a slog offensively. They still play very well defensively but was kind of a slog on the, on the offensive end, but picked it up a lot in the second half.

42:20 Finish strong, good wind, they have the storm Murphy to Justin mutts nutmeg alley-oop. The nutmeg aleut SportsCenter. Wasn't that the one play of the top top play-by-play man. Also with that game though because of how the slog was in the first thing. You just said it how they play defense. I think it tells a lot about Mike young in about the team overall that this team believe that if they don't have the best night shooting or best, start shooting play hard defense, keep us in the game, dip the Piston, the shots will fall don't Don't let don't let a loss on the offensive end, beat you on the defense event.

43:04 The Hokies are 3 and 0 and ranked 26th in the country. I'm trying to figure that out especially with quite a few teams losing and you know you know we're at that time of year where it's a lot of out of conference stuff so you know the next game is going to be tomorrow things tomorrow night. Get it up here. Yep. Tomorrow night 8:00, get st. Francis so Of Pennsylvania. And then let's take a look here. Oh, the next one. That's the Memphis. That's the big one. There's three because there's Merrimack Sunday. Everybody going to go up to that game. Four o'clock tip and then Wednesday night as we press record for hate week, part to the Memphis game tip, so that will probably be firmly right here for me to watch.

43:56 And I'm sure it'll be right there for you to watch so and then it's Maryland after that. So really you kind of have to easy ones with a couple back-to-back hard ones in the same week, you know, basically a week apart, so definitely exciting time. Times. Yeah, we'll know a whole lot about this team. I think by, you know, Thursday morning next week because that Memphis game is going to be a big measuring stick in terms of where they are right now, right? Oh absolutely and obviously playing nollie, right? Yep.

44:36 Alrighty. All right, before we get into, hey, tweek part 1 with no the enemy in Miami, we are going to Take a quick pause for a message from our digital partners. Because we take a quick break, we'd like to tell you about getting your free website report from our digital partner, Grassroots, digital marketing Studio. They'll tell you how your website ranks on Google on-site, SEO and social media. No commitment to buy anything. You can get your free report by visiting. Grassroots digital studio.com forward slash free Dash website, Dash report. Now back to the episode before we get to Know The Enemy, by the way, kind of a For the cookie basketball Maryland's. On the first 810, perennial solid team. Dayton on the 12th. 8:10 defending Champion. Steve Bonnie on the 17th and you can Carolina to close out the month of December.

45:38 Both on the road. So we will. When Jen, when the New Year rolls around, we will denote everything. We need to know about the hoagies basketball team. But Brian, let's talk a little more about the Hokies football team. Know The Enemy? Let's talk about the Miami Hurricanes before we get into the players. Brian, let's give just a quick oversight. What kind of Defense are we looking at here? Yeah, this is a four to five pressure defense, the main EDS special. They want to create the the so call Havoc stats with their pressure packages. They want that turnover chain out early and often but they're still very undisciplined, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Yeah, Manny Diaz.

46:23 Definitely the architect of it to various Robinson the coordinator there, and let's start Brian. Let's start on the outside. Let's look at the corners. We're also getting a corner to Corey couch, 510, 170 lb corner so far this year, twenty six tackles no pics, but a good number five pass deflections. He was a composite for star and a Hollywood Florida. When he came out, what is the tape telling us on to Corey? They use three corners but he's probably the most balanced of the three. He's good in zone. Good in man. Good against the run. Good at pretty good at setting the edge when he's asked for that responsibility.

47:06 He's not really a lead in any one of those areas he will give up some catches but he's really the guy that they lean on to match up against some of the better receivers on the other side of the ball. All right. Do you think he'll be entree or do you think it's going to be? Or is it going to be a mishmash of where L we are on the field? They usually go kind of left and right. So depending on where he's where, he's come in at because again, they do rate, rotate three. He'll usually stay on the same side of the ball obviously depending on what the coverage is and then he sort of motion.

47:47 There might be some switches there. But okay, Gandhi. Tell he tends to stay on the same side of the ball. Got it, got it. Alright, let's look on the defensive line now. On Jafari Harvey at a Vero Beach, High School in Fort Pierce. Florida, six foot four 252 pounds, defensive end, he was a four-star when he came out, he was a top-10 defensive, a weekend defensive end so far this season 21, tackles two and a half sacks four-and-a-half. Tackles for loss. So, total seven tackles for loss, he also had a interception return for a touchdown. Looks like that prototypical build. What are we seeing? Take from him.

48:28 And how much, how much, how much emphasis is the offensive line going to have to pay attention to him? The only to give him some notice, he's a guy that kind of flew up the depth chart. With those three, Big D ends that left the program last year for the draft. He's their primary Russian. They're not Elite at that position group this year, like they've been in the last two to three years but he's the best of the bunch, he's good at setting the edge in the Run above average, pursuit in the Run game but he's primarily going to be the pass rush specialist he's not out there. Again, getting a bunch of sacks like Phillips, or Roche were last year or Russo as well.

49:13 You know, the year before, but he is a guy that is very solid in his past Russian steady, and has got a chance to get get in the backfield there and cause some Havoc, I got you now, Brian, are we going to see him on Luke to new decide or parker? Come inside clouds, Dandy stutters. He a mixed bag Kind of a mixed bag but more or less. He's going to stay on the the right hand side of the defense. So he's going to be going against Luke then. So we know someone Luke's issues. Does he have that in his tool bag or is? It is tool bag? It's just not an effective tool.

49:56 Like I said, it's kind of, it's above average. I mean, he's got a good speed rush. He's got a couple moves again. Nothing is Elite. Nothing jumps off the tape. Like you're not you're not looking at a jail on Phillips or like a Quincy rachet or anybody like that. I mean he's probably The a step below where Roche was at this point last year, okay? Good to know. Good to know again. The more, you know, out there. All right, Brian. Well, let's take a look at another guy in the secondary Cameron kitchens out of Northwest High School in Miami, Florida, a 5-11 202 pounds safety. He is a true freshman. Starting a three-star 34, tackles only one for loss for pass deflections and a forced fumble. And obviously, he's got Really big shoes to fill in his position.

50:46 Yeah he's been the primary starter at free safety. Since bubble bold and went down a few weeks back. He's done a pretty good job. He was getting some reps before that. He's not quite as a versatile player. As bubble was, he's not asked to do quite as much because of the way Bubba played. They could really do a lot with their secondary with their coverages and mixing things up. They're not Able to do quite as much as that he is. More of a prototypical, free safety than Bubba. Whereas Bubba more than likely he's going to be playing some sort of strong safety or hybrid in at the NFL level, but he is a very good tackler and he does do a good job of breaking on balls both in deep coverage and then breaking breaking towards the ball when the ball is thrown in front of him. So still very good at that but again not quite as versatile as above us so they can't do as much in the back end. So I'm guessing probably whatever where you saw bold and move up down round occasionally cover a guy. Whatever he is, is going to probably dictate a lot of what coverage they're running for that specific play. They're doing a lot less of man at the line with him. It's either he's going to be deep guy, he's going to be dropping into into the box and some sort of inverted cover to. There's there's a couple things they do with them but they Play him at the line of scrimmage like they would bubble on occasion.

52:15 Okay, makes sense. All right, well, let's look at one other guy for get into a little bit more stats here. Corey flag jr. He's me the 5-11 230-pound linebacker, kind of steady season going so far, forty five, tackles three sacks, two additional tackles for loss of five. Total a pick a Houston Texas - out of North Shore. High School was just A myth 3 story came out and believe it or not is want to Bow Davidson's drops. He did have an offer from VT, yeah, this is there. Mike linebacker and he does a good job, he's a good athlete. He runs pretty well.

52:58 Sideline to sideline, where he excels though and we talked about those pressure packages. Those Manny Diaz pressure packages. He is very good when blitzing, whether it's delay, Blitz. Whether it's just firing the a gap. He comes in there really fast and hard is able to get to the quarterback. Several times puts pressure on the quarterback to get rid of the ball before, he's ready have to scramble early and the down. So he does a lot really well with that but he can get influence into mistakes. He will occasionally get out of his out of his, his Gap. He will occasionally lose leverage when he's got some sort of outside contained responsibility. So there's there's areas there.

53:42 We can take advantage of him there but he does a good job for a young kid called the defense from The Mike linebacker position. All right, real quick question I don't know if you noticed it on tape 7 and Steed. I saw he was a linebacker to is he more their weak side or like their back or type guy? Yeah, he's there backer. He handles that responsibility. So yeah and he's not I'd say not quite as high of a ceiling as as flag has Okay, if he's kind of more of it, more of a steady Eddie. Okay. Sometimes guys, we can't go through every play, we have to pick and choose and we look at I look at the statistical data. Look at where they are coming out. Brian looks to tape sometimes.

54:27 He'll ring me and say, give me more info on this guy because this guy stats are good, but he's the cleaner. Yellow flag is also on the field. Every much, every snap whereas Steve is rotating Heavily. Okay. Okay, well good on me to go flag over Steve. Here are a couple things to testicle e. We got to know about my only defense, this is not a good defense. We should score points on this defense. They literally undisciplined lots of flags. Lots of Bloom coverage, has lots of being out of position in the Run game, there will be opportunities. Now when they are clicking, they've got athlete's so it looks really good but when they are off you can do a lot of things against them and you can't and people have done things all year against them. They are the worst red zone defense in the country. They are 130 of one actually.

55:25 There t 129 because Arizona is just as bad in Arizona is an absolutely shit, show out in out in the Pac-12 right now. But basically if you get inside the 20, You score, ninety-seven percent of the time? 97 percent of time. They're pasty is 115 in the country. They're given up a ton of pass yards. There. Run defense is better but it's still middle of the packets not Elite at all. And lastly, they're giving up almost 30 points, a game, which is again in the bottom half. So this isn't a good defense.

56:09 Nope, if hate to say this, I don't know, buddy. I don't know the autonomy. The JC price has if we don't get to like 30 plus on this team, he should fire cornelison. He should just move. Yeah. If I'm j.c. price, what what degree can I fire? People, I'm fully on pulling pulling the Dwight card assistant to the regional manager. Can I fire people do? I have that Authority? That's all. All right, Brian. Well, let's, um, let's flip and take a look at their offense, you know, retinol, Ashlee Steele, the o.c. right dip. Did you get fired? All right, so what are we seeing from the lashley's offense? Yes, so they primarily come out in 11 personnel, even in to tight end packages.

56:58 One of those tight ends is usually flexed. So they're essentially subbing in a tight end for their slot or one of their other outside receivers. It's kind of that RPO a little bit of are a Concepts. The big, the big player. We're looking at out of the gate that we really need to shut down. If because, while they have three very talented Layers in the passing game. If they are able to run the ball, consistently that passing game opens up significantly. So Jaylen night running back. He's not a home run hitter but he is a guy that consistently gets positive yards in the running game and when they're able to do that and stay ahead of the sticks that that's when that are eight is really able to shine, like I said, more of a grind, it out, type back, and he will be used. The screen game occasionally but it's not his specialty. They'll swing it out to him and out of the backfield as well, but he's more or less kind of between the tackles will get outside but he's a guy that's going to get them some good yardage on first and second down, set them up really good where they can let those skilled receivers make plays when they've got the whole field of work with. Yeah, you know, night and took over for Cameron Harris. As you know, damanhur there's obviously was having a really good season, you know, almost averaging six yards, a carry before he got banged up but 90,

58:31 no slouch. I mean, 510 190. He was a top 154 star when he came out of Deerfield Beach, Florida. You know Brian's already talked about, he's not that home run hitter and it shows in the statistics he's only averaging four point two per carry. So, he's in that four to five range, 493 yards. 55 see me five touchdowns Brian mentioned he does have some past game capabilities, he does and it kind of shows Brian when you talk about more than the screen game, he's only got 15. Receptions 230 yards though. So when he gets those he can turn them into significantly. Profession are significantly product 'full catches three TVs there.

59:16 So definitely a guy we've got to contain Because, you know, the 425 is we always say five. If it's four to five, I think you highlighted run. He's getting seven, he's getting eight, he's getting three. He's not getting 18, he's not getting 17. So, really key there because when you have a Young quarterback, who we talk about next, Tyler Van Dyke, you've got to have some semblance of a running game and in Van Dyke, don't get me wrong talented, kid composite for star was the top player in Connecticut when he came out. Out 64, 220 for good-sized solid step so far for his first year. 61 percent completion.

1:00:07 Nine and a half per tempt. I really like that number 21, 93 yards, 19, touchdown, six interceptions. The one thing I noticed did not have much rushing stats crime is, is he got a little wiggle or see more of a statue back there? Not so much a statue but there. Our offense is designed to get the ball out of his hands quick. He will occasionally try to scramble to get some yards if something isn't there but he is definitely trying to sling the ball down the field. Okay. And I mean he's pretty accurate with the football so that's that's the big thing. We're going to start off with. He's got good accuracy, he doesn't have a super strong arm but he can make all the throws at the offense requires of him. But the biggest thing that I noticed that he's very much a rhythm quarterback.

1:00:59 So when he's hitting he's very hard to stop. If you get him off his game, it can affect the next play. It can affect the easy throws. All of that. So I think that's the thing we need to think about as we're approaching him from a defense perspective is, how can we keep him out of rhythm? What can we do to make him Miss and then that Miss caused him to make a mess? Okay, those unforced errors. So that that's the big thing we need to focus on because if when he gets in Rhythm he's very good but when he's out of rhythm, it's very hit-or-miss and he is prone to some under throws if he can't step in. So getting pressure in his face. Is going to be important to hopefully make him make some mistakes with the football and he will occasionally take some Chances with the football.

1:01:46 He takes some calculated risk with the football. So there will be opportunities to get an interception. He doesn't throw a ton, but he did have a couple big ones against FS you last week. All right. Let's flip over Brawn. Let's talk about the offensive line. Let's do a quick review of them just a couple season just a couple things you know the team itself is 94th in rushing not really a good Russian teen. Even with the numbers hairs just pulling up earlier in the season they're giving up sex. Even when you talk about what you'd probably worried Miami fans more than us and make us kind of know. Open our eyes and dies, get big, you're talking about this, RPO quick.

1:02:36 Throat are a type offense. Usually, that's done to prevent sacks Troy right? Prevent sex. There are 113 in the nation in sacks allowed, they've given up 30, they're averaging 30 game you know close to 200 yards, 183 yards, given up in those sacks. What did you see on tape? Because the the staff say they've got some, got some struggles. Yeah, I mean, I'd say their password was actually a little bit better than average but because they run the RPO and because they were accustomed to Quarterback like dear King that while he much preferred to throw the ball from the pocket. If things weren't there, he had the athletic ability to escape get some first downs, at least avoid the sacks, things like that.

1:03:36 So with Van Dyke back there, that's a different story. So they're giving a more Sykes sex. As a result of you don't have a guy that can kind of put a Band-Aid on some of those blemishes in the passing game. Now, they are below average in run blocking and it shows on the tape. They do an okay job of getting a decent push where they can get some yardage but they don't get to the second level very well. So a lot of these gains you know, we talked about it with The with the average per carry, they're not getting past the linebackers.

1:04:18 When they go up the middle they're not getting past the guys controlling The Spill area when it gets spilled outside. So I'm actually a question. Yep, just looking at the tape that you look at the last few days. Is this, just is this limitation athletically or is this just terrible technique? It's a little bit of both, I'd say more more technique. I think, you know, we're talking about Miami and this, this isn't a knock-on necessarily Manny Diaz but it really goes back several several Cycles. Just Miami overall being an undisciplined team on both sides of the football, and I don't know if it's just attention to detail or whatever it is, but they have ability but they're not always consistent with it. They're not consistent with their Technique and this is part of what's going on with their offensive line is that they'll have those really good snaps and then they have bad snaps but as an offensive line that's a bigger fucking issue because you got to have five guys working.

1:05:17 Together makes sense, right? Yep. All right, bro. One thing they one thing they do when they throw some of those bubble screens, they do full cut like five guys, cutting lineman's knees. So that's one thing to look for. It's going to frustrate the shit out of some defensive linemen, so hopefully we don't get any stupid personal fouls because of that shit. But you know, it is what it is but more than likely they'll return, the favor on the personal foul side. So there's, you know, it might be Offsetting penalties and all these will offset replay the down.

1:05:58 All right, Brian. Let's take a look quick at three targets for Van Dyke here. I want to start with the Oklahoma transfer Carlton. Rambo is a composite forced our top 30 wide receiver. When he came out he was at Oklahoma, for three seasons had decent numbers little over 1,100 yards, 9 touchdowns obviously transferred out of there because they're always Rolling In You wideouts. Really tearing it up this year really showing out 64. Receptions, 950 44 yards, almost averaging, 15 yards, perceptions and five touchdowns 61 185. What did you see on tape from a really cool name? Yeah, he's got a cool name, right? Rambo as I mean, all that, it's kind of hard to kind of kind of hard to beat that.

1:06:45 Yeah, he is their best outside receiver. Yeah, best outside receiver, he's Our primary deep threat, he's our primary big-play weapon. If they need plays down the field, that's who they're targeting. He's got great hands and does a good job of high point of the ball, if it's thrown up in one-on-one situations but he can be taken out of the game with some bracket coverage. We saw FSU employed that a lot, especially in the first half, they figured out how to kind of work around that in the second half last week, but they were able to kind of slow him down for the majority of the first half. F with that bracket coverage, keeping a safety over the top. So that might be something that we look at doing as well, but if we're not able to do that, he will eat, can throw some big plays on the board in the, in the passing game. Alright, you anticipate wall, we're on him. Yeah, as much as possible.

1:07:43 All right, all right. Let's take a look next at Mike, Harley a five foot eleven hundred 82 pounds wide receiver 382 for the year yard watch 41, receptions for touchdowns a four-star out of st. Thomas Aquinas, one of the big high schools down in the State of Florida. I'm just looking based on size. Is he the slot guy or she played some other positions to he is the slot guy. Yes, sir. You are correct. They like him on quick, Slant six, bubbles digs outs, shallow crossers. The Usual Suspects in that air raid. And they'll occasionally send him on a non deep like a seam or something like that, but they really liked his underneath quickness.

1:08:26 It gives them a good Target to get the ball out of Van Dyke's hands quickly. So he's that guy. That is the either the primary right route for Van Dyke or the primary check down in most of those route Concepts. Well, you talked about them being a too tight end set. Is it just the way the formation set up that he regardless of whether they're in a to tight end set or not? He's In some sort of slight variation? Yes, a lot of times when they'll Flex there, they'll bring on an extra tight end, but that sometimes they'll take off Smith who was the other primary outside wide receiver for that second tight end and still keep Harley on the field sometimes, Harley comes off but they're primarily they're primarily in 11 personnel, most the game unless they're going into some sort of short yardage package, that's really the only time.

1:09:18 They actually bring two tight ends in line. Goal line, situations, short short, yardage situations. Got it. Alright Bronn, tell me if you've heard this one 65 to 45 tight end. Yeah, I've heard that one before me every week, I swear to God, we had one of those when the season started we did and looking like, probably probably not coming back, which is let me say it. But will Mallory 65 to 45 tight end solid seasons and so forth. 24. Ian's 206 yards three touchdowns about 11:9 her reception from Jacksonville. Florida composite four-star, his dad has some lineage here, Dad was an NFL player back in the day, what are we seeing from Mallory?

1:10:05 Is he the guy flexing or see the guy staying in live? Most of the time he will flex but he also is the number one in line guys. Well usually when they bring the other guy in he's more of a true. True blocker zelflex him out. To be a little more versatile but he's good with the stick, movers the Slants, the ends, the hitches, the drags, but they will send him on some some more unique routes seems and wheels to stretch the field. He caught a big wheel route up the sideline against Florida, state had some good run after the catch on that as well. So he's got some athleticism, he's not just a run, the route, catch it and go down type guy, he will get you some some yards after the catch. So he's somebody got a Watch for and he does pretty good in the red zone as well.

1:10:55 All right, so there is sort of Know The Enemy, some players and things to look for from these players. As we do every week, we take a look at the version of the Hokies and we've gotten down to the lamba. We just keep redoing it. Redoing it, redoing it, some things, stay the same right, Brian? What's the one thing? Say the same. What stays the same options every week every week for a while now, continue the commitment to the running game Run and it's, it's Port in this week. We can talk a little bit more about that. You want to go into some details here. Why is it important? All right, so if you remember how we attacked this Miami team last year, we didn't run the ball. We took shots, we empty the backfield who didn't keep a lot of help in to help on Roche and Phillips. And we got our asses 8.

1:11:51 We did even though they had lead in the fourth quarter. Yeah, which is what we were getting beat up. We were getting beat up. Any got pop several times that day I can remember. Yep. So that's how you lose to Miami. How you win against. Miami is establish the Run game. Keep them off balance. Don't let them tee off. And we should be able to be in a good position where we can still use the majority of our passing attack because we've been able to establish the Run. Well we got to I mean they're terrible against the pass. So I mean I have a feeling I know what you're going to say. What do we need to do this week? Passing attack needs to be similar to what we saw against do, using all parts of the field but take calculated shots because they will give up those big plays. Well, and they're going to challenge us at the line of scrimmage because of the way they play and like to attack and bring pressure.

1:12:47 So we're going to have to hit some some shots, downfield when those opportunities are presented, but we also have to use the whole feel, especially the intermediate area to kind of, keep them off balance. So they're not expecting everything that every time we drop back that we're, you know, chucking it Chuck, it'll fade down the sideline. All right. If Brad's got anything left, he's got to right? Yeah, yeah. Brad, Carl Nelson. Better be emptying the damn clip. And that's for our sake, and that's for his sake because as I said, if he doesn't do something big, these next two weeks, he's going to be coaching at Nathan Hale High School in Tulsa. There you go.

1:13:37 Empty the clip corn. Anything you got. Do it. If not Jase, he's going to fire you and leave you on the tarmac to other big things Brown. We've been talking about already talked about with the red zone defense, they're bad touchdowns touchdowns overfilled Gold's in the way it looks, you know, they're giving up touchdowns to feel gold. I don't like a two to one ratio, so you get down there. You have a better chance of scoring a touchdown in a Real gold, but we've got to push it in. We've got to put the pressure on them because of a not having an explosive running game. If we do it we did like we did against, you get a couple scores ahead. It's going to force Van Dyke to take the risk. It's going to force him to push the ball down which With not a really good offensive line that has some issues and only really one deep threat.

1:14:31 It's going to get them uncomfortable quick. Right? Yeah. And you know, talk about touchdowns versus field goals, the only reason that the FSU Miami game was closed because in the first half FSU had a couple drives where they did did well and then got off the field and a couple drives where they had to settle for three. You know, that could have easily the way that that first half went that could have easily been a 28-nothing, Thirty One, nothing game at half but it wasn't 31-7. You know, whatever it maybe it could have been a big, big gap for them to clear it.

1:15:12 I mean, ultimately Miami lost the game, but it came down to the damn wire where, you know, they could have stepped on their throats in the first half, they were able to finish a couple Extra drives. There we go. All right, last piece we've talked about Brian and now, it's even after what was revealed today even more important, got to keep racking up, right? We already know this, we don't have really the backups that can compete even less. So against although they have their Miss lapses, but an athletic, man, any defense against a backup quarterback, just spells disaster. Yeah, you want to make sure that if your quarterback is taking hits, it's because he's taking hits in the read option game making choices taking hits because he had wide open. Real Estate to take off and run.

1:16:02 You don't want him taking big shots, standing in the pocket in the back field, that's what you don't want. You don't want him taking this unnecessary sacks, you don't want to give up sex. You want to limit the number of sacks limit, the number of hits on your quarterback. And make sure when he is getting hit, it's because of choices. He's made within the framework of the call. All right, let's flip over to defense front. I know something you love seeing last week was how the Gap Integrity, especially up in the front seven stage much better. He said, looked as good as it looks since you and see. And even though they don't have the best run line, Usage.

1:16:47 Lee just told me like we we can't we can't slip. We can't give a team that doesn't do this. Well in opportunity to actually have some positives from this. Yeah, we want to keep them at or below their their average somewhere below that 4.5 range per carry. We want to make this as hard for them as possible. We want to make sure that they don't get chunk yardage or Good yardage on first downs. Consistently. And that's what FSU was able to do early in that game. And I know FSU has a pretty Elite defensive line but I think we should be able to do something similar with our defensive line and linebacker combination there.

1:17:29 So I'm hoping that we're able to come out there. Maintain our gaps, keep make them earn every yard in the running game and then Force Van Dyke to have to go out there and make plays. Yep. And then you talk, you've kind of said this a couple times already Making plays and limited the big plays right horse them Drive. Yeah, we can't get beat by those. Those big plays to Rambo. You know, I'd much rather see us give up a bad third down. To Chris Harley, not Chris Harley not Crystal my Carly, I'm like barley. Yeah, yeah, I'd much rather give have them give up a first down of my Carly, doing something underneath and then hit a big play, because our defense has shown that if they give a first down, they'll come back and play the next three pretty damn hard. And sometimes that'll get us off the field. So, I'd much rather us you give up the 10 to 15 yards Order and Live to play another series of downs, then give up the big play, and all of a sudden they're in there in scoring range in one play.

1:18:41 Yeah, the next thing we discussed was keeping Van Dyke behind the sticks. Obviously, with a Young quarterback, anything between to me. I what I tell you earlier, Brown, third and five third and six That's where I'll get them at every employee, third and six or more would be ideal every time or bears. Most, every time I was World, think when you get 24, it's just too many potential options. We talked about our run defense Brian's been focusing on Gap, Integrity, but your third and four and you're lining up in your Miami. And even though you don't have the best offensive line, well, they have their own issues. We have our own issues with are rushing defense. We know that third and fourth, listen, just just take a shot. We might we might they might miss the tackle and instead of they called us at to we got the four and a half and we got a first down so keep it on behind the sticks because they are just an average third down conversion team. Only about 40% about 60 63 in the nation. They're literally right smack dab in the middle. So it's something that they don't excel at but they aren't absolutely Dreadful at.

1:19:54 So if we can keep that if we can keep them at their average to below average again more swings in our favor. Absolutely. If we put them in situations, where they also are really buying the six and those third and long situations. You know that takes some of Of Harley and Mallory's routes out of the out of the game, right? All of a sudden you can't run those shallow hitches. You can't run those shallow ins. You can't run the drags or if you do you're throwing it for in front of the sticks and hoping they make play the more we can do that the better the more they have to force the ball to Rambo in bad coverage areas the better. So that's what I think is big and the other the last thing Is going to be make them settle for three points. If they do get into the scoring area, get off the damn field, make them kick the field goal and settle for three points. Yep, and last week, we did that a couple times we got scored, you know, in a couple of times but we also they kicked a field goal and they missed a field goal. Yep.

1:21:13 So some improvements on the red zone defense but we know it's a struggle. But getting down there and again, it's holding, right? Just bend, don't you? You don't break with this team. We're going to have a fight and shot. Exactly. So it's been one hellacious you know roughly what 2436 hours about 36. Yeah. Six hours over 36 hours and we got to sit here and make a prediction on this game, you know, what days gone. But there are still pieces here that we know that could debilitate this team from winning.

1:21:55 So Braun, what do you say to the score of this game? I think JC price gets this team up, has them playing with confidence has been playing with some fire with some juice and probably playing a little bit more loose than they're used to playing. I like them to get the W down there. I thought I've got it 34-31. I think that we do a good job of moving the football somewhat consistently against this defense. I think we get some extra situations there because this team will give you first downs. They will give you free first downs. They will give you free five yards. They were heavily heavily penalized against FSU in. Are heavily heavily, penalized all season. So, I don't expect that to change against us. We just got to be able to capitalize on that on those opportunities.

1:22:54 Yeah. And I'm actually really not that far behind you. Just a few here and there. I'm at 3127 Okies. I think he goes back as I think we score more times in the Red Zone. The native I think we push it in a couple more times where our defense holds because as you get closer and takes the threat of Rambo away and and you talked about penalties brine, I think let me see if I have it up here. Yes, 14 for 105 yards versus FSU. I think that literally there's going to be a drive where they're going to have be on the doorstep of stopping us. They're going to do something stupid and we're going to go down to where touchdown and Going to be the game. So we're both going Hokies this week into your point JC's, going to have this team up and I think JC might be scaring the life out of a few people.

1:23:48 If they start doing dumb things and you know who I'm talking about, all right, Ron, let's flip it over. Now, Saturday, pick them's crime, 5952. And one, I'm 64 44 and one. We're going to start with the ACC Juke Louisville. Louisville land, 20 brine. That 20 is a big number but after seeing do Clive and then even though Louisville just had the game of their life against Syracuse, I can't see the do defense slowing down Syracuse. They didn't slow us down. They haven't Sloan anybody down all year. 42 actually go higher 4920, Louisville wins.

1:24:35 Yeah I'm actually right there with you. I think Louisville's got just got too much offense. This is just a bad matchup for Duke. This is a worst matchup for them, in my, in my opinion, then it was us so you will hear. Alright, next game, Run the real big one. down in Death Valley, the number 10 Wake Forest, Demon Deacons Travel down to Clemson. Clemson is a four and a half Point favorite. What do you say on this game? I'm taking wait because this is coming down to a field goal, either way. So I'm going to go wake here, I'm actually going to take wake out, right?

1:25:20 But I think it's going to come down to our last blast Drive field goal. That's going to win it for one team or the other. Yeah, I think it's comes down to wakes defense and I think wakes defense is going to stop pumps in a few times. The Clemson defense is going to stop. Wake up you times as well but at least you feel with the Wake defense they make adjustments, they try different things. They, you know, they're going to try something. And the Clemson offense is just looked bad, maybe a field goal, but if I like wake outright to. So, if I'm getting points with it, you know, give me that.

1:26:03 All right, Brian, I'm still trying to figure out this line right here, Florida State, BC, somehow. Someway BC is only favored by two points. You made the point earlier FS, you should have had the doors blown off of them last weekend, right? Again smile FSU FSU is was about to blow the doors off Miami and then they okay, yeah, okay, I misunderstood that. I did not watch all that game. I watch the end and saw our pick go down in flames, but that is 0. The first half, the first half Florida, State should have been up. Like I said, 2831 27.

1:26:50 All right, like Miami just kept shooting themselves in the foot the whole first half, got it. Well regardless here and there I think be seized a better Coach team. I think BC with jerk of its slowly getting back. It's going to continue to be better and only lay into points against FSU. I think they win easily by 7 or 10. Give me BC. Not so fast buddy. FSU is going to win this one out, right? I think they are trending in the right direction. I don't Think that they are a good football team yet but they are playing better football. And I think they are able to do just enough to scrape out a win against BC, so I'll take FS you. All right?

1:27:34 So they'll be going into the game versus Florida trying to get Bowl eligibility, which, if Florida wins this weekend in Florida is playing Missouri. Who's pretty much, probably the worst team in the SEC. That wouldn't that be nice or or Florida losses to Missouri. The battle is For Florida, Florida State who can become Bowl eligible. Who saw that coming? Well I'd say Florida fans in. See that coming Florida State probably did but all right Brian next one, Georgia Tech Notre Dame Notre Dame land 17 and a half. Yes, you get to pick this one first. Yeah but I'm taking the Irish I'm taking the Irish all the way.

1:28:23 I still don't trust Georgia Tech. Heck, they fucked me a lot but I still do not trust them. I think the Irish are going to be able to run the ball against them. I think they're going to be able to throw the ball, against them better than they have most of the year. I think they'll see some success there as well. So and I don't think Georgia Tech has any answer for that. Marcus Freeman defense. So maybe the average, yeah, I'm with you on that. I'm taking the Irish too. And it's Georgia Tech's Dreadful offensively Notre Dame. Looks like the last few weeks they finally kind of found exactly what they want to do offensive ly. They they could have probably beat UVA by 14 to 21 more but they just kind of, you know, it's like that it's like the boxing match where the guy knocks the other guy down the first five.

1:29:22 Grounds knocks him down once we got keep and it's just like, I'm just going to jab you. We just met. Yeah, I think they'll turn a little bit more against Georgia Tech. They know. Now, they are clearly in the playoff picture, if since he drops. So I'm with you. On the Irish are a Braun, we discussed taking this one off the board. So I'm going to say this if Brandon Armstrong plays this gets pulled off the board for both of us, pit UVA pit Lane 14 and a half. If Brandon Armstrong doesn't play, pit is going to beat them by 40 points. What news?

1:30:05 He's a jerk. If he plays it might cover this. But it probably would be it would make me I would have to do a lot more research and a lot more digging but no Brandon Armstrong taking pit laying 14 happens. Yeah. If no Brandon Armstrong I'm taking pit as well. If he plays I'll take UVA and if you want to we can throw the Marshal UNCC game on here, just as a buffer game in case that one gets thrown out. Yeah, you don't do it. It up there. What's let me find the line real quick. You put it on the rundown. Marshall why we're doing Marshall UNCC will Healey Charles, huh?

1:30:56 Two guys, we have been looking at significantly. Let me get this up here to my betting site. We're kind of, I want to say it was fourteen and a half. As well. 15 Marshall is a road favorite Lane 15. Brian, give me a sec. One thing. Give me Marshall. Give me Marshall. All right I'm gonna take Marshals well.

1:31:37 Okay Huff's Huff's my dude Huff's my dude. Sorry, I'm not gonna bury the lead but yeah I'm sorry guys I like no reasons. Then let's flip the next Braun. Lets go to Syracuse NC State. NC State is lame, eleven and a half. NC State off a tough loss against Wake Forest. Yeah, we saber on. You know what? I think Sean Tucker is going to be pleased with his performance, but disappointed in the outcome, So I think that that's enough for me to go cues.

1:32:27 They're going to lose, but they'll keep it close. I think they lose, I don't think they keep it close best defense. They've seen all year, they just played one of the worst EU tenses, and they couldn't get anything going. The biggest thing about this game is location, I forgot where it is. It's at NC State. Yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna lay it. I think NC State was just came by 14 points. All right, let's take a look at three very crucial games through the playoffs for on. Let's go a little Pac-12, it will not be packed full of after dark. It's actually going to be a 730. Kick organ is Pac-12 Primetime.

1:33:11 East Coast. Hey Morgan going into Utah Rice Eccles. Utah, ranked 24th Utah, the three-point It, I've got to take organ, as hard as it is to play Down tricycles. Even mean I'm just had an epiphany, Brian. But yeah, you think two years ago? Where were we going? Oregon. Had a road game against Arizona State. So we riding we're heading. We were heading to Blacksburg. Yep, we were heading back that night. In organ.

1:33:57 Remember, they have one loss. They were, they were going to be in the playoffs. I'm changing this pick Utah and zorgons chances, because I've seen this story Road out once before driving down 81 and Justin Herbert, who is significantly better player than Anthony Brown down at Arizona State and easier place to play than rice equals. Could not get it done. Organ chokes. It I'm going to have to go against here. I think Oregon takes care of business. I think they know that they've got a chance here and I think they lock it up. I don't think it's going to be like that moment when we were looking for a Chipotle after a a big a big win against Pitt on bud, Foster's last home game.

1:34:42 So I will take Oregon here. A big win against Pitt tops rails. Sharkey's Wings, hanging out with friends, seeing folks, tailgating Lot 10 good times. Oh, great times. All right. Brian you get to lead this one. Alabama's land 20 against Arkansas. Alabama locks up the West with this wind. What do you think? Alabama's focused. They are locked in. They take care of business. They they ruin the the show there in Arkansas, so give me Bama here. Okay, I'm gonna go slightly against you. On this one. Alabama's defense is still having some problems if not. It will will machine as usually, Nick Saban's defenses are, you know, they are coming off against a game against New Mexico state, which I hope New Mexico. State got a million dollars out of that game. I really do, but Arkansas has given up points. Or excuse me, Alabama's been given up points. I hate going with this one because in my head is either I'm seeing 1721 and that 20 numbers.

1:36:01 So ugly if I had like 23 I love it but I think Arkansas keeps it a little bit closer. Me experts think I still think Bama gets to 40. I think Arkansas. Just gets to like 20 for like a couple teams have gone against Alabama this year. All right Brian couple other names Sonny Dykes and SMU against Luke fickle and Cincinnati big game because SM you probably should be ranked or not but playoff committee going to playoff committee. Cincinnati laying 11 and a half points. I think fickle knows. He needs this one to be big.

1:36:45 I think he knows. It's got to make sense in this one. I'm taking since he I think since he's going to come out focus and I think they're going to steamroll us them. You if you out the over-under, whatever that is take the over because I think SM you still can score some points but I think since he's going to come out and pop them in the face a few times early get up big and cruise to a 20-point victory when they play teams, they need to beat. They are focused and play very well. Well, I think since he takes care of business, I think this is about a 14 to 17 point win. It's not a, not a blowout, but I think it easily covers that eleven and a half, all right.

1:37:30 And next week at East Carolina, be an interesting game to go to. All right, last game really big game is essentially an elimination game in the Big Ten, whoever loses this game will not make the playoffs. No, if ands or buts about it. Michigan State. Ohio State Ohio State Lane 19 points. That's too rich for my blood. Give me Mel Tucker and Michigan State. That if that was like ten and a half, I might be tempted. But 19 is too damn much 19 way too much and I'm with you the million 100 million dollar man, Mel Tucker.

1:38:15 I don't get that contract. I know he's had a good season. That is a lot of money to pay for someone with one just One season, but I'm with you. Is this isn't? That is, I think that's probably what it is. Ohio State is not exactly. They're really good offensively. They're like Alabama, they have holes defensively. And 4228 4230, I think Ohio State wins, but I don't think it's by the 19 that people are sick. People to see a do produce Defense Forces.

1:38:57 A Mel Tucker defense, completely different animals. Yeah, and I think this one's again. I think the lines about a touchdown too heavy for me. Yes, it's all going with the how good they looked against Purdue, right? Yeah. To me should be like between 10 and 12 1919 at all. Brian anything breaking over the last hour and 40 minutes. Nothing's popped up on my and buddy. All right, hour and 40 minutes doesn't shot me. We spend a few extra minutes talking about obvious things again. Justin Fuente fired or mutually agreed to part ways. Hokies are in the search, keep you to the grindstone look for the Annals believe everything.

1:39:45 You read believe nothing. You read. Yep. Because there's gonna be a lot of smoke and some of its going to be smoke signals and some of its going to have some fire attached to it abso-freakin'-lutely. So that is going to wrap up this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast. Ian Curtis Wilson, I'm Brian Sigler visit our website boundary Corner V t.com to listen to all of our episodes and while you're there don't forget to follow us on Twitter Facebook. And subscribe to our YouTube account and your favorite podcast or something Spotify, Amazon and apple music. Jason long, plays this in plays this out every week. Check them out on Spotify and apple music. We thank you for listening.

1:40:26 And as always, let's go Hokies