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And welcome back to the

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Boundary Corner podcast,

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along with my partners,

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Brian Seigla and Jonathan Talley.

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And tonight, our very special guest,

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managing editor of Tech Sideline,

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David Cunningham.

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And, well, what doesn't he do?

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BC Pod Pass ACC.

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Sons of Saturday.

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Hokie Hangover.

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Still writing for SI now.

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The man who is in every

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potential position.

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Podcast in Hokieland, Mike McDaniel.

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My name is Curtis Wilson,

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and this episode is brought

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to you by Dr. Jeremy Counts

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at Main Street Pharmacy,

00:02:21.575 --> 00:02:22.956
your friendly neighborhood pharmacy,

00:02:22.956 --> 00:02:25.217
301 South Main Street, Blacksburg,

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Virginia.

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And gentlemen,

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before we get into all the

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fun stuff tonight,

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just a quick minute here to just mention,

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because, you know,

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one of the events that definitely shaped.

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Our lives, me and Brian especially,

00:02:38.981 --> 00:02:39.962
we were a little bit older

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than you and Mike David

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happened 17 years ago with

00:02:43.406 --> 00:02:44.447
the tragedy at Tech.

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It's been a lot of stuff

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going around today.

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You know,

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hearts still go out to those

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families and everyone who

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was involved that year in

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that time frame because, Brian,

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me and you talk about it.

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Every year it kind of happened.

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Me and Brian were both at

00:02:59.104 --> 00:03:00.705
Longwood University at that point in time,

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and we had friends at Tech.

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And I'm going to tell you, sitting in,

00:03:03.745 --> 00:03:05.044
trying to take phone calls,

00:03:05.284 --> 00:03:07.165
sending IMs that day,

00:03:07.186 --> 00:03:08.806
I still remember that.

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I lived on Church Street in Farmville.

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I still remember the exact

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house and just sitting

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there when I got back from

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class that day.

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But definitely, you know,

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prayers out to all those

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families on this anniversary.

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Yeah, I was sitting there with my wife,

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and she was, you know, one –

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like two semesters removed from, uh,

00:03:27.555 --> 00:03:28.816
from being in Blacksburg herself.

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So it was, uh,

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it was a trying time for everybody and,

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you know, just checking in on everyone,

00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:34.819
making sure everyone's okay.

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And obviously, um, you know,

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prayers still with, with the families of,

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of those 32.

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So, um, just still, still always gotta,

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gotta, gotta, gotta remember, man.

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Cause such, such a, such a tough time.

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Absolutely.

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Absolutely.

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So, you know, again,

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we'll say prayers out to

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all those folks in remembrance of that.

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And as we go on to tonight to talk about,

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you know,

00:04:02.670 --> 00:04:04.192
what Nika Giovanni said in that thing,

00:04:04.231 --> 00:04:05.331
the Hokies will prevail.

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And right now, sports-wise,

00:04:07.633 --> 00:04:09.433
Hokies are prevailing all over the place.

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And so let's talk about it.

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And guys, Mike,

00:04:13.335 --> 00:04:14.216
we'll start with you first.

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How you been?

00:04:14.855 --> 00:04:16.317
I see the baby's pictures in

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the background.

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Me and Mike talked a couple months ago,

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and I'm like,

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did your baby finally start sleeping?

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And he was like, yeah, it finally did.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I finally started sleeping.

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Um, got him down around, uh,

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eight 45 tonight.

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Finally fell asleep.

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So it took a while, but he, yeah, he's,

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he's sleeping.

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So hopefully he remains

00:04:35.326 --> 00:04:36.547
asleep during the duration

00:04:36.586 --> 00:04:37.288
of this podcast.

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Make it a little easier on my wife.

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David, what about you, man?

00:04:42.230 --> 00:04:42.449
I mean,

00:04:42.490 --> 00:04:44.189
you've been absolutely the most

00:04:44.290 --> 00:04:46.630
busiest man potentially in all the Hokie,

00:04:46.831 --> 00:04:49.872
uh, independent Hokie sports since March.

00:04:50.132 --> 00:04:50.213
Um,

00:04:51.379 --> 00:04:52.983
or is it finally settled down time?

00:04:53.043 --> 00:04:53.442
Are you,

00:04:53.603 --> 00:04:55.125
are you now back to softball and

00:04:55.146 --> 00:04:56.327
baseball the rest of the spring?

00:04:56.348 --> 00:04:57.709
Uh,

00:04:58.391 --> 00:05:00.273
I might pinch it a little bit here and

00:05:00.312 --> 00:05:01.454
there, but, uh,

00:05:01.615 --> 00:05:03.278
but it's been pretty good.

00:05:03.298 --> 00:05:03.338
Um,

00:05:04.485 --> 00:05:04.865
You know,

00:05:05.665 --> 00:05:07.086
the spring game is kind of the

00:05:07.185 --> 00:05:09.107
end of the year because

00:05:09.708 --> 00:05:10.447
obviously baseball and

00:05:10.468 --> 00:05:11.488
softball is still going,

00:05:11.848 --> 00:05:12.848
but we have fantastic

00:05:12.869 --> 00:05:14.189
student interns that cover

00:05:14.209 --> 00:05:15.591
that for us at Tech Sideline.

00:05:17.072 --> 00:05:19.533
I've basically been on the go since July,

00:05:19.632 --> 00:05:20.773
since football media days.

00:05:20.793 --> 00:05:22.593
I go from football media

00:05:22.613 --> 00:05:23.774
days to football practice

00:05:23.795 --> 00:05:24.694
to football season,

00:05:25.115 --> 00:05:26.175
and then in the middle of that,

00:05:26.255 --> 00:05:28.276
you have basketball media days,

00:05:28.336 --> 00:05:30.158
and then you get into crossover season,

00:05:30.317 --> 00:05:31.858
and then –

00:05:31.858 --> 00:05:34.160
uh you get to january where

00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:35.821
it's only basketball season

00:05:36.581 --> 00:05:37.600
um and then you end

00:05:37.620 --> 00:05:39.201
basketball season march is

00:05:39.341 --> 00:05:40.543
always crazy with spring

00:05:40.583 --> 00:05:41.822
football you have the

00:05:41.862 --> 00:05:42.983
spring game and now we're

00:05:43.024 --> 00:05:44.004
done with that so this is

00:05:44.043 --> 00:05:45.725
kind of like first week

00:05:45.764 --> 00:05:46.464
I've actually gotten a

00:05:46.504 --> 00:05:47.906
little bit a little bit of

00:05:47.925 --> 00:05:49.185
a chance to breathe so it's

00:05:49.206 --> 00:05:50.466
pretty nice is that

00:05:50.607 --> 00:05:51.966
crossover section more

00:05:51.987 --> 00:05:53.588
hectic or is march with

00:05:54.208 --> 00:05:55.649
spring ball gearing up and

00:05:55.769 --> 00:05:57.309
like the the beat of the

00:05:57.369 --> 00:05:58.410
the basketball schedule

00:05:59.810 --> 00:06:00.331
Honestly,

00:06:00.351 --> 00:06:02.254
the most stressful month for me

00:06:02.355 --> 00:06:04.598
is December because you

00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:07.182
have signing day on top of football,

00:06:07.302 --> 00:06:08.485
on top of basketball,

00:06:08.584 --> 00:06:09.706
on top of a bowl game.

00:06:09.726 --> 00:06:10.668
Alright.

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And...

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I like March.

00:06:13.240 --> 00:06:14.360
I think March is fun.

00:06:14.420 --> 00:06:14.759
You've got,

00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:16.761
you've got basketball that really,

00:06:16.781 --> 00:06:17.461
really matters.

00:06:17.521 --> 00:06:19.081
It's win or go home basketball.

00:06:19.562 --> 00:06:21.702
But at the same time, like, yes,

00:06:21.723 --> 00:06:22.764
you've got football practice,

00:06:22.843 --> 00:06:25.105
but those early, early, early week,

00:06:25.144 --> 00:06:27.206
you know, virtually a couple practices.

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Yes, they mean something, but like.

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You know,

00:06:31.406 --> 00:06:33.447
luckily I have Andy Bitter and

00:06:33.908 --> 00:06:35.310
Andy is able to go to

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football practice and I've

00:06:36.911 --> 00:06:38.112
been able to focus on basketball.

00:06:38.132 --> 00:06:40.052
So that's been nice this year.

00:06:41.213 --> 00:06:41.814
But man,

00:06:42.235 --> 00:06:43.675
November is usually kind of

00:06:43.696 --> 00:06:44.615
chaotic just because

00:06:44.656 --> 00:06:45.916
football season's wrapping up.

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But December is a mess

00:06:47.579 --> 00:06:48.860
because it's portal season.

00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:51.761
It's coaching search season.

00:06:52.500 --> 00:06:53.781
And on top of that, it's a bowl game.

00:06:54.100 --> 00:06:55.562
And like, like this year,

00:06:55.622 --> 00:06:56.341
Virginia Tech's playing in

00:06:56.362 --> 00:06:57.661
a bowl game two days after Christmas.

00:06:57.882 --> 00:06:59.302
When do I have time to see my family?

00:06:59.382 --> 00:07:01.444
So December is always,

00:07:01.663 --> 00:07:02.624
December is always a mess,

00:07:02.644 --> 00:07:04.665
but thankfully the Hokies

00:07:04.685 --> 00:07:05.925
were up in DC this year and

00:07:05.944 --> 00:07:06.884
I've got family up there.

00:07:06.964 --> 00:07:08.906
So I got to, got to go see them.

00:07:09.365 --> 00:07:10.565
And you still found time in

00:07:10.605 --> 00:07:11.687
that month to jump on with

00:07:11.786 --> 00:07:12.887
us for State of the Program.

00:07:13.107 --> 00:07:13.367
You did.

00:07:13.387 --> 00:07:14.266
I did.

00:07:14.726 --> 00:07:15.168
You did.

00:07:15.247 --> 00:07:15.627
You did.

00:07:15.827 --> 00:07:16.528
Excellent, excellent.

00:07:16.767 --> 00:07:16.947
All right,

00:07:17.108 --> 00:07:18.468
before we get into football and

00:07:18.528 --> 00:07:20.168
everything, Tally, hold your tongue.

00:07:20.389 --> 00:07:21.428
I know what you need to say to them,

00:07:21.449 --> 00:07:22.028
but we're going to do that

00:07:22.048 --> 00:07:22.588
a little bit later.

00:07:23.170 --> 00:07:24.790
Yes, you did, because you got to do it.

00:07:25.889 --> 00:07:27.331
We want to talk a little bit about hoops.

00:07:27.651 --> 00:07:28.670
Having both of y'all on here,

00:07:28.730 --> 00:07:29.610
obviously following both

00:07:29.651 --> 00:07:30.812
programs pretty closely.

00:07:31.331 --> 00:07:32.432
And I want to talk about the

00:07:32.471 --> 00:07:33.271
women's hoops.

00:07:33.331 --> 00:07:34.052
And I'm going to pitch this

00:07:34.072 --> 00:07:35.892
to David first and then get your thoughts,

00:07:35.973 --> 00:07:36.192
Mike.

00:07:37.238 --> 00:07:38.639
David, you were there.

00:07:38.660 --> 00:07:40.339
You saw the whole transition.

00:07:40.721 --> 00:07:42.480
Thoughts on how things went down?

00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:49.283
Yeah, you're really leaving an open end.

00:07:49.463 --> 00:07:50.245
I'm leaving it.

00:07:50.285 --> 00:07:50.884
It's yours, buddy.

00:07:50.904 --> 00:07:51.264
Yeah, yeah.

00:07:51.324 --> 00:07:51.845
No, that's fine.

00:07:51.865 --> 00:07:52.305
That's fine.

00:07:55.827 --> 00:07:57.651
It's a tough situation.

00:07:57.670 --> 00:07:57.971
You know,

00:07:57.992 --> 00:07:58.892
we were talking about it a little

00:07:58.932 --> 00:08:00.495
bit before we started recording.

00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:05.062
This is a program that over

00:08:05.083 --> 00:08:07.005
the last two years has seen

00:08:07.266 --> 00:08:09.110
more fan support than ever before.

00:08:09.310 --> 00:08:09.810
And I think...

00:08:10.985 --> 00:08:11.925
The fan base is really

00:08:11.985 --> 00:08:13.927
hurting for a while there,

00:08:14.548 --> 00:08:16.629
for about a week after it happened.

00:08:17.411 --> 00:08:18.771
Just kind of,

00:08:19.411 --> 00:08:20.834
I can't believe this is happening,

00:08:20.874 --> 00:08:22.675
the five stages of grief.

00:08:24.836 --> 00:08:26.658
I think Coach Duffy is,

00:08:27.338 --> 00:08:29.201
I think she is a really good fit.

00:08:29.901 --> 00:08:31.543
I'm very curious to see what

00:08:31.603 --> 00:08:32.943
happens going forward.

00:08:33.745 --> 00:08:34.966
But as far as the Kenny

00:08:34.985 --> 00:08:36.246
Brooks era and how it ended,

00:08:36.386 --> 00:08:37.927
it was a little bit of an Irish goodbye.

00:08:39.808 --> 00:08:41.470
That's kind of the way I

00:08:42.870 --> 00:08:45.030
think a lot of people saw it playing out,

00:08:45.150 --> 00:08:45.951
unfortunately.

00:08:45.971 --> 00:08:48.451
He never said goodbye to the fan base.

00:08:48.510 --> 00:08:51.011
I think that will still for a really,

00:08:51.032 --> 00:08:53.732
really long time burn some

00:08:53.773 --> 00:08:55.673
people and really frustrate them.

00:08:55.773 --> 00:08:56.732
And I think that's all right.

00:08:57.894 --> 00:08:58.874
You feel how you feel.

00:08:59.333 --> 00:09:02.254
And there's a reason why

00:09:03.143 --> 00:09:04.823
You know, we call them fans, right?

00:09:04.903 --> 00:09:07.105
Fanatics.

00:09:07.966 --> 00:09:09.148
Everybody has their own opinion.

00:09:09.168 --> 00:09:12.990
I do hate to see some of the super,

00:09:13.030 --> 00:09:14.091
super negative things.

00:09:14.110 --> 00:09:14.991
I've seen some really bad

00:09:15.072 --> 00:09:17.433
things thrown at Kenny and his family.

00:09:18.280 --> 00:09:19.341
And obviously I got a chance

00:09:19.381 --> 00:09:20.842
to know him really, really well.

00:09:20.863 --> 00:09:22.063
He was very impactful in my

00:09:22.104 --> 00:09:23.885
career over my seven years.

00:09:25.027 --> 00:09:26.707
Just really weird, really weird timing.

00:09:26.827 --> 00:09:27.668
This is a Virginia Tech

00:09:27.708 --> 00:09:28.509
program that was kind of at

00:09:28.528 --> 00:09:29.169
the mountaintop.

00:09:30.510 --> 00:09:32.091
Two ACC championships, a final four,

00:09:32.131 --> 00:09:33.072
hosted college game day in

00:09:33.092 --> 00:09:35.075
the span of two years, and poof,

00:09:35.215 --> 00:09:35.715
it's gone.

00:09:37.255 --> 00:09:38.197
But the only thing you can

00:09:38.216 --> 00:09:39.597
really do now is turn the page.

00:09:39.697 --> 00:09:40.438
That era is over.

00:09:40.578 --> 00:09:41.519
You have to turn the page,

00:09:41.940 --> 00:09:43.321
support the players you currently have.

00:09:43.961 --> 00:09:44.861
And I think there's a –

00:09:46.899 --> 00:09:49.000
it's not a complete roster by any means,

00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:50.120
but there's some talent on

00:09:50.140 --> 00:09:51.101
this roster that's still

00:09:51.162 --> 00:09:53.644
here that chose to stay and

00:09:53.663 --> 00:09:54.664
play for Megan Duffy.

00:09:54.705 --> 00:09:56.606
She's slowly putting together a staff,

00:09:57.006 --> 00:09:58.207
and I think she's a really good fit.

00:09:58.227 --> 00:10:00.730
I think Virginia Tech women's basketball,

00:10:00.789 --> 00:10:01.530
I'm not saying the Okies

00:10:01.551 --> 00:10:02.390
are going to be competing

00:10:02.431 --> 00:10:04.653
at the top of the ACC for

00:10:04.673 --> 00:10:06.315
an ACC regular season title next year,

00:10:06.434 --> 00:10:08.576
but I do think that with

00:10:08.596 --> 00:10:09.517
Babcock kind of hit it out

00:10:09.557 --> 00:10:10.918
of the park with this hire,

00:10:10.937 --> 00:10:12.078
and I'm very curious to see

00:10:12.460 --> 00:10:13.500
what she can do with

00:10:14.283 --> 00:10:14.604
some really,

00:10:14.624 --> 00:10:16.284
really good resources and

00:10:17.326 --> 00:10:19.386
capitalize on a fan base that really,

00:10:19.447 --> 00:10:20.648
really wants to win right now.

00:10:21.488 --> 00:10:22.328
Mike, what about you, man?

00:10:22.889 --> 00:10:23.370
What about you,

00:10:23.409 --> 00:10:25.211
just how things went down from, like,

00:10:25.250 --> 00:10:25.490
you know,

00:10:25.510 --> 00:10:26.971
you have sources inside there

00:10:26.991 --> 00:10:27.831
and things you heard?

00:10:27.851 --> 00:10:31.774
I, first of all,

00:10:31.794 --> 00:10:33.316
want to echo everything David just said,

00:10:33.615 --> 00:10:36.297
right, in terms of fan base reaction,

00:10:37.837 --> 00:10:38.899
maybe, you know,

00:10:39.259 --> 00:10:41.419
Kenny not putting out a statement,

00:10:41.961 --> 00:10:43.160
reacting the way he did to

00:10:43.221 --> 00:10:43.881
maybe some of that.

00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:46.802
negativity that stemmed from

00:10:46.844 --> 00:10:47.764
him leaving the program.

00:10:48.404 --> 00:10:50.147
I get all of that.

00:10:50.167 --> 00:10:51.889
I get how everybody reacted.

00:10:51.908 --> 00:10:53.331
I think everybody's entitled

00:10:53.350 --> 00:10:54.471
to feel how they feel, right?

00:10:54.993 --> 00:10:56.033
With all that being said,

00:10:56.053 --> 00:10:59.038
if I'm Kenny Brooks...

00:11:00.981 --> 00:11:02.682
And the fan base is real upset.

00:11:03.043 --> 00:11:04.063
The Virginia Tech fan base

00:11:04.104 --> 00:11:05.004
is real upset that they

00:11:05.024 --> 00:11:06.104
didn't get any sort of

00:11:06.205 --> 00:11:07.205
statement from him.

00:11:07.544 --> 00:11:11.807
If I'm Kenny Brooks, this is a layup.

00:11:12.067 --> 00:11:13.548
He's aced everything, right?

00:11:13.567 --> 00:11:14.628
In his time in Blacksburg,

00:11:14.687 --> 00:11:15.389
aced everything.

00:11:16.389 --> 00:11:17.529
Headed up the rebuild.

00:11:18.590 --> 00:11:20.591
Brought in Liz Kitley and Georgia Amor,

00:11:20.650 --> 00:11:21.652
two All-Americans.

00:11:21.772 --> 00:11:23.613
Kitley's numbers going up in the rap.

00:11:23.812 --> 00:11:25.573
She's the best player in school history.

00:11:25.594 --> 00:11:27.153
You take the school to a Final Four.

00:11:27.193 --> 00:11:28.294
You nail everything, right?

00:11:29.684 --> 00:11:32.249
so why not just go ahead and

00:11:33.289 --> 00:11:35.312
put out a statement have

00:11:35.413 --> 00:11:37.275
you know somebody write a

00:11:37.316 --> 00:11:38.096
couple paragraphs if you

00:11:38.116 --> 00:11:38.778
don't want to do it that's

00:11:38.817 --> 00:11:40.660
fine write a couple

00:11:40.701 --> 00:11:41.923
paragraph statement just

00:11:41.982 --> 00:11:43.325
slap your electronic

00:11:43.365 --> 00:11:44.366
signature on the end of it

00:11:44.486 --> 00:11:45.668
like buzz williams did at the end

00:11:46.208 --> 00:11:46.428
Right?

00:11:47.190 --> 00:11:49.591
And everybody... It's real funny, right?

00:11:49.631 --> 00:11:51.232
Because the Buzz Williams stuff,

00:11:51.352 --> 00:11:52.913
everybody got so frustrated

00:11:52.953 --> 00:11:54.956
with Buzz Williams at the end,

00:11:55.235 --> 00:11:58.058
and the reaction now is real funny,

00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:01.100
how people see Buzz

00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:02.081
Williams and the light they

00:12:02.121 --> 00:12:03.143
view him in now,

00:12:03.283 --> 00:12:04.302
six years after the fact.

00:12:05.644 --> 00:12:07.505
But he put out a statement,

00:12:08.447 --> 00:12:10.207
and the fanbase didn't love

00:12:10.828 --> 00:12:12.809
how he went about that, so it's like...

00:12:14.110 --> 00:12:15.532
I feel like there's portions

00:12:15.552 --> 00:12:16.273
of the fan base that are

00:12:16.293 --> 00:12:17.273
just going to react the way

00:12:17.312 --> 00:12:18.134
they want to react.

00:12:18.153 --> 00:12:19.455
They're upset that he left.

00:12:19.475 --> 00:12:21.035
They're frustrated that they

00:12:21.176 --> 00:12:22.376
wanted him to continue

00:12:22.397 --> 00:12:23.837
being the coach for obvious reasons.

00:12:23.898 --> 00:12:25.458
So there's natural frustration there.

00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:27.399
And I'm not sure, like,

00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:29.261
even if you put out a statement, like,

00:12:29.282 --> 00:12:30.422
there's a portion of the fan base, like,

00:12:30.442 --> 00:12:31.822
you're not getting back when you leave,

00:12:31.842 --> 00:12:31.942
right?

00:12:31.962 --> 00:12:32.144
Right.

00:12:33.475 --> 00:12:35.035
The Megan Duffy hire, I think, is really,

00:12:35.076 --> 00:12:35.596
really good.

00:12:36.956 --> 00:12:38.057
David did a great interview

00:12:38.096 --> 00:12:40.136
with her on the TSL podcast

00:12:40.177 --> 00:12:41.097
I listened to last week.

00:12:41.158 --> 00:12:42.217
Really, really good stuff there.

00:12:42.238 --> 00:12:46.418
I think she's a great hire.

00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:49.158
What she was able to do at Marquette,

00:12:50.038 --> 00:12:50.980
the coaching tree,

00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:53.019
she's played all over the world.

00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:55.061
She's played for Muffet

00:12:55.081 --> 00:12:56.520
McGraw at Notre Dame,

00:12:57.221 --> 00:12:58.721
who obviously is a Hall of Fame coach,

00:12:58.740 --> 00:13:00.282
has won multiple national championships.

00:13:00.361 --> 00:13:00.381
I

00:13:02.302 --> 00:13:04.124
I think there's very little

00:13:04.144 --> 00:13:06.345
not to like about the Megan Duffy hire.

00:13:06.586 --> 00:13:08.067
And I think if you're going

00:13:08.106 --> 00:13:09.288
in a new direction and

00:13:09.327 --> 00:13:10.688
you're moving on from Kenny Brooks,

00:13:13.299 --> 00:13:15.160
This is kind of the best

00:13:15.301 --> 00:13:16.780
possible hire that you

00:13:16.801 --> 00:13:18.461
could have made in my mind.

00:13:18.601 --> 00:13:19.221
I think she's going to

00:13:19.261 --> 00:13:20.462
reinvigorate the fan base.

00:13:20.503 --> 00:13:21.403
I think the fan base is

00:13:21.423 --> 00:13:22.222
going to latch on to her.

00:13:22.303 --> 00:13:22.984
I think she's a very

00:13:23.043 --> 00:13:24.303
different coach than Kenny Brooks.

00:13:25.205 --> 00:13:26.264
It's pretty apparent just by

00:13:26.325 --> 00:13:26.985
listening to her.

00:13:28.285 --> 00:13:29.885
But I think that she's going

00:13:29.946 --> 00:13:31.547
to be somebody who will be

00:13:31.626 --> 00:13:32.748
able to kind of take what

00:13:32.788 --> 00:13:33.567
Kenny Brooks built.

00:13:33.587 --> 00:13:33.947
Sure.

00:13:34.764 --> 00:13:36.885
and kind of continue that trajectory of,

00:13:36.946 --> 00:13:37.145
okay,

00:13:37.166 --> 00:13:38.067
this is going to be a really good

00:13:38.086 --> 00:13:39.727
program in the ACC for a long time.

00:13:39.947 --> 00:13:42.009
So it's unfortunate with the

00:13:42.049 --> 00:13:42.950
way it went down with Kenny.

00:13:43.250 --> 00:13:44.171
I understand why the fans

00:13:44.191 --> 00:13:45.152
reacted the way that they did.

00:13:46.692 --> 00:13:48.293
But, but I think overall, you know,

00:13:48.333 --> 00:13:48.995
the women's basketball

00:13:49.034 --> 00:13:50.235
program is still in a pretty good spot.

00:13:53.977 --> 00:13:55.539
Yeah, I think, you know,

00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:57.660
we look at the way the

00:13:57.681 --> 00:13:59.743
Kenny Brooks thing went down, you know,

00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:01.860
I think David nailed it on the head.

00:14:02.181 --> 00:14:03.120
The Irish goodbye, I think,

00:14:03.182 --> 00:14:03.981
is what rubbed a lot of the

00:14:04.022 --> 00:14:04.962
fan base the wrong way.

00:14:05.003 --> 00:14:06.283
I think if you get that out there,

00:14:06.302 --> 00:14:07.443
you get that statement out there,

00:14:08.063 --> 00:14:09.284
most of the so-called

00:14:09.365 --> 00:14:11.625
rational part of the fan

00:14:11.645 --> 00:14:13.447
base is going to be more or

00:14:13.486 --> 00:14:14.248
less placated.

00:14:14.307 --> 00:14:17.230
I think we get that he's

00:14:17.269 --> 00:14:18.669
moving on to a situation

00:14:18.690 --> 00:14:20.812
that is significantly more

00:14:21.552 --> 00:14:23.533
beneficial for him as a coach,

00:14:23.793 --> 00:14:25.413
and not just from the financial piece.

00:14:26.615 --> 00:14:28.655
So I think most people understand that.

00:14:28.696 --> 00:14:29.636
I think it was just...

00:14:30.784 --> 00:14:32.147
We gave you, you know,

00:14:32.187 --> 00:14:33.208
from a fan base perspective,

00:14:33.249 --> 00:14:34.812
we gave you everything we had.

00:14:34.831 --> 00:14:36.815
And, you know,

00:14:37.056 --> 00:14:38.557
that didn't feel like it was

00:14:38.597 --> 00:14:39.820
reciprocated at the end,

00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:41.062
if that makes sense.

00:14:43.940 --> 00:14:44.640
Yeah, I agree.

00:14:44.801 --> 00:14:47.042
I kind of agree with what you're saying.

00:14:47.621 --> 00:14:49.102
Well, what everybody's been saying, Brian,

00:14:49.163 --> 00:14:50.283
especially what you just said.

00:14:50.344 --> 00:14:52.705
But it's like I know I could

00:14:52.745 --> 00:14:54.806
never make it in, I guess,

00:14:54.885 --> 00:14:55.807
traditional corporate

00:14:55.826 --> 00:14:58.107
America now because like my

00:14:58.148 --> 00:14:59.148
mouth is too slick.

00:14:59.227 --> 00:15:01.289
And I like it was a couple

00:15:01.309 --> 00:15:02.350
of years ago when y'all was

00:15:02.370 --> 00:15:03.029
calling the people,

00:15:03.049 --> 00:15:05.631
you called the man conference Kenny.

00:15:06.272 --> 00:15:07.072
You know what I'm saying?

00:15:07.113 --> 00:15:08.253
Like saying he couldn't win

00:15:08.273 --> 00:15:10.595
conference games and all type of shit.

00:15:11.235 --> 00:15:13.176
And then when somebody leaves,

00:15:13.611 --> 00:15:15.491
you want to fucking get mad

00:15:15.611 --> 00:15:17.472
and start bitching and

00:15:17.493 --> 00:15:18.793
moaning and all of that stuff.

00:15:19.633 --> 00:15:20.573
I'm just the kind of person

00:15:20.614 --> 00:15:21.953
where I would have been like, hey,

00:15:22.053 --> 00:15:22.754
thank you for the people

00:15:22.774 --> 00:15:23.514
that supported us.

00:15:23.974 --> 00:15:25.154
Whit Babcock, fuck you.

00:15:25.394 --> 00:15:26.235
If I didn't like him,

00:15:26.434 --> 00:15:27.894
I don't know their situation.

00:15:28.275 --> 00:15:29.975
I'm just saying, that's what it is.

00:15:29.995 --> 00:15:33.437
You're cool, you're cool, you're cool,

00:15:33.537 --> 00:15:34.937
fuck you, you're cool.

00:15:35.136 --> 00:15:36.557
And then that's it.

00:15:36.618 --> 00:15:39.597
I think the people who,

00:15:39.618 --> 00:15:42.639
because I'm not a diehard

00:15:43.182 --> 00:15:45.844
women's basketball fan.

00:15:46.004 --> 00:15:46.663
You know what I'm saying?

00:15:46.703 --> 00:15:48.105
Like I turn on the games

00:15:48.445 --> 00:15:49.205
when they were winning.

00:15:49.466 --> 00:15:51.245
It was good to have, you know,

00:15:51.385 --> 00:15:52.486
to keep up with now.

00:15:52.547 --> 00:15:53.647
I'm always going to, you know,

00:15:53.667 --> 00:15:54.868
keep up with some stats and things,

00:15:54.908 --> 00:15:56.048
but really getting into it

00:15:56.427 --> 00:15:57.288
last couple of years.

00:15:57.369 --> 00:15:57.908
It's been great,

00:15:58.928 --> 00:16:00.629
but it's some people out there that,

00:16:00.789 --> 00:16:01.029
you know,

00:16:01.049 --> 00:16:02.910
they probably are pretty diehard

00:16:03.490 --> 00:16:04.772
women's basketball fans.

00:16:05.192 --> 00:16:08.072
And I feel like those fans may, you know,

00:16:09.692 --> 00:16:10.474
I don't want to say they

00:16:10.514 --> 00:16:12.395
deserve something because it's like, eh.

00:16:13.255 --> 00:16:14.157
But if I was the coach,

00:16:14.216 --> 00:16:15.138
I'm just saying the way I

00:16:15.197 --> 00:16:16.740
would do it would be like, hey,

00:16:16.779 --> 00:16:17.460
thank you for the people

00:16:17.480 --> 00:16:18.160
that supported us.

00:16:18.621 --> 00:16:19.261
Me and my family,

00:16:19.282 --> 00:16:20.023
we're going through a lot

00:16:20.062 --> 00:16:20.864
of stuff right now,

00:16:20.923 --> 00:16:21.583
but thank you for the

00:16:21.624 --> 00:16:25.327
people that supported us and let it go.

00:16:25.388 --> 00:16:27.250
When you got the daughter coming out,

00:16:27.669 --> 00:16:29.432
and I know she probably did it on her own,

00:16:29.491 --> 00:16:29.751
but I'm 38.

00:16:29.751 --> 00:16:30.533
She's a child of me.

00:16:33.054 --> 00:16:34.216
you know she's a young lady

00:16:34.255 --> 00:16:34.956
I don't want to call her a

00:16:34.975 --> 00:16:36.537
child but it's like she's

00:16:36.557 --> 00:16:37.456
coming out to defend her

00:16:37.496 --> 00:16:39.457
dad but like you can do

00:16:39.498 --> 00:16:41.019
that you know if your wife

00:16:41.278 --> 00:16:42.919
is you know going through

00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:43.679
what she's going through of

00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:44.659
course praying for their

00:16:44.700 --> 00:16:46.260
family like I ain't saying

00:16:46.280 --> 00:16:46.961
you gotta tell people your

00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:48.142
business but she just told

00:16:48.182 --> 00:16:49.042
it you know what I'm saying

00:16:49.062 --> 00:16:49.802
the daughter come out and

00:16:50.283 --> 00:16:52.183
tell the business so if you

00:16:52.403 --> 00:16:53.323
if that was gonna come out

00:16:53.344 --> 00:16:54.445
just be like hey man we got

00:16:54.465 --> 00:16:55.605
stuff going on and I'm

00:16:55.644 --> 00:16:57.025
sorry that I didn't get

00:16:57.046 --> 00:16:59.206
y'all a timely goodbye like

00:16:59.246 --> 00:17:01.307
you wanted but this it is what it is like

00:17:02.044 --> 00:17:03.446
They gave me more money over here.

00:17:03.466 --> 00:17:04.606
This is what we want to be.

00:17:05.146 --> 00:17:07.269
I'm at their spring football game.

00:17:07.348 --> 00:17:08.170
Fuck what y'all talking

00:17:08.190 --> 00:17:09.191
about up there in Blacksburg.

00:17:09.270 --> 00:17:09.871
It kept it moving.

00:17:10.751 --> 00:17:11.932
That's just kind of how I feel.

00:17:12.053 --> 00:17:12.292
You know,

00:17:12.373 --> 00:17:13.894
all of the whole smoke and

00:17:13.913 --> 00:17:14.875
mirrors where the coaches

00:17:14.894 --> 00:17:16.715
have to go out and it's

00:17:16.756 --> 00:17:17.817
going to be some stuff come

00:17:17.896 --> 00:17:19.739
out behind closed doors and stuff like,

00:17:19.798 --> 00:17:20.819
man, fuck all that.

00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:22.601
Just tell us what it is if

00:17:22.641 --> 00:17:24.541
you want to tell it and keep it moving.

00:17:24.602 --> 00:17:25.643
If you don't want to tell it,

00:17:25.702 --> 00:17:26.403
keep it quiet.

00:17:26.846 --> 00:17:27.846
and go on about your life.

00:17:27.967 --> 00:17:30.528
That's all I think.

00:17:31.327 --> 00:17:32.449
Good points by all of y'all,

00:17:32.469 --> 00:17:33.568
and I'm going to leave it right there.

00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:35.369
I do have a real quick question,

00:17:35.410 --> 00:17:36.109
David or Mike,

00:17:36.369 --> 00:17:37.590
because I don't know where

00:17:37.611 --> 00:17:38.290
to go for this.

00:17:38.550 --> 00:17:39.811
I've searched it.

00:17:39.912 --> 00:17:41.132
I can't find anything.

00:17:42.512 --> 00:17:43.333
What about Duffy?

00:17:43.353 --> 00:17:44.773
What about portal ads, especially?

00:17:44.834 --> 00:17:46.375
She had a few of her former players.

00:17:47.015 --> 00:17:48.115
One very good player,

00:17:48.135 --> 00:17:48.915
I think the young lady

00:17:49.016 --> 00:17:49.756
averaged 17-9 last year.

00:17:51.923 --> 00:17:53.324
any portal movement yet,

00:17:53.523 --> 00:17:55.644
or is it different for basketball?

00:17:55.664 --> 00:17:56.965
Cause I don't know all the rules there.

00:17:58.126 --> 00:17:58.287
Yeah.

00:17:58.326 --> 00:17:59.708
I mean, this is, uh,

00:17:59.728 --> 00:18:02.429
this is an interesting recruiting time.

00:18:02.769 --> 00:18:02.929
Um,

00:18:03.130 --> 00:18:05.290
and the recruiting periods for

00:18:05.330 --> 00:18:06.191
basketball are really,

00:18:06.211 --> 00:18:07.231
really hard to keep up with.

00:18:07.912 --> 00:18:10.493
Um, it kind of like changes by the week.

00:18:11.253 --> 00:18:11.433
Um,

00:18:12.194 --> 00:18:13.596
there was a dead period around the

00:18:13.675 --> 00:18:14.516
final four.

00:18:14.816 --> 00:18:16.636
So that was two weekends ago.

00:18:16.916 --> 00:18:19.098
Now, as we record this, um,

00:18:20.718 --> 00:18:21.178
It's funny,

00:18:21.198 --> 00:18:22.818
I posted this on our TSO

00:18:22.919 --> 00:18:24.179
message boards the other day.

00:18:24.199 --> 00:18:25.598
I was actually out of

00:18:25.638 --> 00:18:27.160
breakfast with my family on

00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:28.200
Sunday after the spring

00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:29.840
game and saw Megan Duffy

00:18:29.901 --> 00:18:30.641
out with the recruit.

00:18:30.780 --> 00:18:33.122
She is recruiting, she is out there,

00:18:33.241 --> 00:18:34.122
she is busy.

00:18:34.221 --> 00:18:35.122
She's in the streets.

00:18:35.682 --> 00:18:37.063
Just because you don't see

00:18:37.083 --> 00:18:38.563
her does not mean she's not

00:18:38.643 --> 00:18:39.982
out there recruiting.

00:18:40.703 --> 00:18:41.864
It's just kind of a matter of time.

00:18:42.324 --> 00:18:44.424
This stuff happens fast or slow.

00:18:44.964 --> 00:18:45.744
She's still trying to get in

00:18:45.944 --> 00:18:46.744
her coaching staff.

00:18:46.785 --> 00:18:49.046
She hired one on Thursday, one on Friday.

00:18:49.445 --> 00:18:50.126
They're two really,

00:18:50.146 --> 00:18:51.147
really good recruiters.

00:18:51.188 --> 00:18:51.969
They were both recruiting

00:18:51.989 --> 00:18:53.951
coordinators at their previous schools.

00:18:55.413 --> 00:18:58.076
That stuff will come with time.

00:18:58.116 --> 00:18:59.117
It just kind of takes them a

00:18:59.178 --> 00:19:00.740
minute to get their footing down.

00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:02.362
And this was kind of the

00:19:02.422 --> 00:19:03.703
first big weekend they

00:19:03.723 --> 00:19:04.664
really had an opportunity

00:19:04.684 --> 00:19:05.766
to get some visitors in.

00:19:05.807 --> 00:19:06.287
And of course,

00:19:07.188 --> 00:19:08.368
in the portal not everybody

00:19:08.409 --> 00:19:09.710
wants to wants to take a

00:19:09.769 --> 00:19:12.211
visit um you know you look

00:19:12.231 --> 00:19:13.452
at the men's side jordan

00:19:13.492 --> 00:19:15.054
ivy curry the the first

00:19:15.074 --> 00:19:16.174
men's basketball commit he

00:19:16.214 --> 00:19:16.954
did not take a visit the

00:19:16.974 --> 00:19:17.655
virginia day before he

00:19:17.695 --> 00:19:18.696
committed but some kids

00:19:18.757 --> 00:19:19.877
want to visit some kids

00:19:19.917 --> 00:19:21.118
want to to get that

00:19:21.179 --> 00:19:22.199
experience before they

00:19:22.239 --> 00:19:24.300
commit so it's a process

00:19:25.221 --> 00:19:26.221
it'll be an ongoing thing

00:19:26.281 --> 00:19:27.824
over the summer she's going

00:19:27.844 --> 00:19:28.943
to fill out her roster

00:19:29.224 --> 00:19:30.506
that's a fact it's going to

00:19:30.546 --> 00:19:31.806
happen this is kind of a

00:19:31.846 --> 00:19:33.708
matter of how it happens um

00:19:34.451 --> 00:19:37.113
It's again, it will happen over time.

00:19:38.133 --> 00:19:40.574
But I think she set up her staff pretty,

00:19:40.614 --> 00:19:41.535
pretty well so far.

00:19:42.035 --> 00:19:43.234
And the player she has coming back,

00:19:43.255 --> 00:19:44.675
you know, they're pretty talented kids.

00:19:46.737 --> 00:19:47.896
Mike, anything on top of that?

00:19:48.832 --> 00:19:50.093
No, I think you about covered it.

00:19:50.393 --> 00:19:55.354
I think the same faction of

00:19:55.394 --> 00:19:56.154
the fan base that was

00:19:56.174 --> 00:19:57.234
getting real upset about

00:19:57.454 --> 00:19:59.076
the Kenny Brooks lack of a

00:19:59.096 --> 00:20:00.276
statement is the same group

00:20:00.336 --> 00:20:01.457
that's thinking that Megan

00:20:01.497 --> 00:20:02.717
Duffy's not out there recruiting.

00:20:02.957 --> 00:20:05.458
So I just wanted to say I

00:20:05.498 --> 00:20:06.298
appreciate David's

00:20:06.318 --> 00:20:07.598
statement there off the top.

00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:11.240
Hey, some of y'all fans be doing too much.

00:20:11.661 --> 00:20:13.661
I know I do a lot of crazy shit.

00:20:14.122 --> 00:20:15.842
Y'all creating fake pages,

00:20:16.122 --> 00:20:17.583
talking crazy to these people.

00:20:19.368 --> 00:20:22.191
stop doing that please just

00:20:23.070 --> 00:20:24.672
be normal crazy don't be

00:20:25.172 --> 00:20:26.972
crazy crazy you know what

00:20:27.693 --> 00:20:29.335
I'm saying like be us crazy

00:20:29.454 --> 00:20:31.596
don't be waiting I don't

00:20:31.615 --> 00:20:33.696
know maybe doing too much

00:20:36.746 --> 00:20:37.266
Some people do.

00:20:37.465 --> 00:20:38.346
It's not even a joke.

00:20:38.386 --> 00:20:39.788
Some people be creating fake

00:20:39.827 --> 00:20:41.230
accounts to do stuff.

00:20:42.190 --> 00:20:45.353
I think the same one that's

00:20:45.373 --> 00:20:46.394
Kenny Brooks right now was

00:20:46.413 --> 00:20:48.075
Tech Sideline not too long ago.

00:20:49.155 --> 00:20:49.997
Lord have mercy.

00:20:50.156 --> 00:20:50.897
I don't even know.

00:20:50.917 --> 00:20:51.657
I don't even know.

00:20:51.778 --> 00:20:53.160
I don't even know what it's about,

00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:53.579
but whatever.

00:20:54.080 --> 00:20:54.361
All right.

00:20:56.182 --> 00:20:57.383
I'm going to flip real quick.

00:20:57.584 --> 00:20:58.163
Men's hoops.

00:20:58.544 --> 00:20:59.505
We've already talked about

00:20:59.565 --> 00:21:00.385
Jamie Ivey Curry.

00:21:00.950 --> 00:21:01.309
First of all,

00:21:01.329 --> 00:21:03.510
what a land if he comes here.

00:21:03.571 --> 00:21:03.852
I mean,

00:21:03.932 --> 00:21:06.232
he is a top-ten shooting guard in

00:21:06.252 --> 00:21:07.913
the portal, top 75 total.

00:21:07.973 --> 00:21:09.734
That's a stud to land.

00:21:10.194 --> 00:21:11.155
Burnham looks like a good

00:21:11.215 --> 00:21:12.957
bench player out of COC.

00:21:13.836 --> 00:21:15.077
Let's talk about the new one.

00:21:15.719 --> 00:21:18.420
David, if you've had a chance, or Mike,

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.661
if y'all have had a chance,

00:21:20.080 --> 00:21:21.061
Rodney Brown Jr.

00:21:21.102 --> 00:21:24.983
coming all the way from Cal, you know,

00:21:25.003 --> 00:21:26.484
6'7 or so, 180 pounds.

00:21:26.505 --> 00:21:27.384
Yeah.

00:21:30.972 --> 00:21:31.913
What do we know about him?

00:21:31.933 --> 00:21:32.054
I mean,

00:21:32.074 --> 00:21:32.894
you look like he played a little

00:21:32.914 --> 00:21:34.096
bit his true freshman year,

00:21:34.176 --> 00:21:37.421
but what else is there to know on him?

00:21:38.561 --> 00:21:40.403
Yeah, I mean, he's a score.

00:21:40.964 --> 00:21:42.326
And Mike Young,

00:21:42.446 --> 00:21:44.548
everybody knows Mike Young loves scores.

00:21:45.190 --> 00:21:46.131
He's from California.

00:21:47.884 --> 00:21:48.805
I would imagine it's going

00:21:48.825 --> 00:21:49.865
to be an interesting

00:21:49.905 --> 00:21:51.207
transition for him to come

00:21:51.426 --> 00:21:52.528
all the way to the East Coast.

00:21:52.607 --> 00:21:55.871
But he's been pretty successful.

00:21:58.032 --> 00:21:59.134
He was successful, I should say,

00:21:59.153 --> 00:22:01.076
in big games this year for Cal.

00:22:01.757 --> 00:22:03.218
He didn't average a whole lot,

00:22:03.238 --> 00:22:05.380
I think just three and a half points,

00:22:05.460 --> 00:22:06.480
one rebound per game.

00:22:07.662 --> 00:22:09.104
But he played pretty well in

00:22:09.124 --> 00:22:09.844
some big games.

00:22:09.864 --> 00:22:12.666
He had three double-digit games.

00:22:13.173 --> 00:22:14.694
All of them were in Pac-12 play.

00:22:14.775 --> 00:22:16.434
I believe all of them were on the road.

00:22:16.474 --> 00:22:17.516
And we're talking against

00:22:17.996 --> 00:22:20.336
Washington State and USC and UCLA.

00:22:20.436 --> 00:22:22.057
So it's not like he can't play.

00:22:22.076 --> 00:22:24.218
I think he's a guy that the

00:22:24.258 --> 00:22:26.338
Hokies hope has a really bright future.

00:22:26.419 --> 00:22:28.119
He's got three years of eligibility left.

00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:29.500
He was only a freshman this year.

00:22:29.900 --> 00:22:31.361
The hope is that he can get

00:22:31.401 --> 00:22:32.580
a little bit of his feet wet, I think,

00:22:32.621 --> 00:22:32.942
this year,

00:22:32.981 --> 00:22:34.882
maybe help you if he develops

00:22:35.041 --> 00:22:35.541
immediately.

00:22:36.002 --> 00:22:36.403
If not...

00:22:37.042 --> 00:22:39.464
you kind of stash him let

00:22:39.525 --> 00:22:40.625
him get his footing a

00:22:40.664 --> 00:22:42.646
little bit and he's a guy

00:22:42.666 --> 00:22:43.686
you can rely on a couple

00:22:43.727 --> 00:22:45.949
years down the line he's

00:22:46.048 --> 00:22:48.049
rangy man like he's rangy

00:22:48.089 --> 00:22:49.550
and he's athletic I didn't

00:22:49.590 --> 00:22:50.971
know anything about him and

00:22:50.991 --> 00:22:51.971
then I started like

00:22:52.452 --> 00:22:53.693
obviously as soon as tech

00:22:53.733 --> 00:22:54.574
landed him I was like all

00:22:54.594 --> 00:22:55.934
right let's see what he did at cal

00:22:56.596 --> 00:22:57.996
Because like David mentioned,

00:22:58.016 --> 00:22:59.957
he only averaged less than

00:22:59.977 --> 00:23:00.817
four points per game.

00:23:01.376 --> 00:23:02.377
He was only playing about 15

00:23:02.377 --> 00:23:02.978
minutes a night.

00:23:03.337 --> 00:23:04.678
It's not like he was a guy

00:23:04.718 --> 00:23:06.419
who was regularly in the rotation.

00:23:06.898 --> 00:23:07.618
Yes, he was playing,

00:23:07.638 --> 00:23:09.579
but he was like their 7th or 8th guy,

00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:10.200
right?

00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:11.500
He wasn't getting a ton of minutes.

00:23:12.820 --> 00:23:15.862
Rangey, athletic, can really shoot it.

00:23:16.422 --> 00:23:17.402
Shoots like 40% from the floor average.

00:23:19.742 --> 00:23:20.864
I think this is a guy who

00:23:20.903 --> 00:23:22.025
could be pretty impactful.

00:23:22.625 --> 00:23:25.426
Four-star, coming out of high school.

00:23:26.107 --> 00:23:27.709
He was only a freshman last year,

00:23:27.729 --> 00:23:29.810
so I think that has to be

00:23:30.770 --> 00:23:31.872
taken to with a grain of salt.

00:23:31.892 --> 00:23:32.633
If you're just looking at

00:23:32.653 --> 00:23:33.773
statistics and you're like, alright,

00:23:33.794 --> 00:23:34.733
this kid can't play,

00:23:34.773 --> 00:23:35.615
why is Mike Young

00:23:35.654 --> 00:23:36.736
recruiting him from across the country?

00:23:37.276 --> 00:23:37.797
He's recruiting him from

00:23:37.836 --> 00:23:38.656
across the country because

00:23:38.957 --> 00:23:40.558
he's extremely athletic and

00:23:40.578 --> 00:23:41.799
he can shoot the cover off the ball.

00:23:42.180 --> 00:23:43.141
That's why he's recruiting him.

00:23:43.421 --> 00:23:43.721
All right.

00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:45.422
Like this is not like two

00:23:45.442 --> 00:23:46.643
plus two equals four here, guys.

00:23:46.803 --> 00:23:47.923
If you shoot 40 percent from

00:23:48.003 --> 00:23:49.005
three in Virginia Tech and

00:23:49.025 --> 00:23:50.165
throw it in the ocean last year,

00:23:50.205 --> 00:23:51.185
that's why he's recruiting him.

00:23:51.446 --> 00:23:54.509
So this is a we're starting

00:23:54.528 --> 00:23:55.890
the California to VT

00:23:55.930 --> 00:23:56.990
movement is what we're doing.

00:23:57.330 --> 00:23:58.412
And we'll see how it works out.

00:23:59.568 --> 00:23:59.929
Tally,

00:24:00.470 --> 00:24:01.930
did you get a chance to watch the –

00:24:01.930 --> 00:24:03.691
Tally is the – Tally is

00:24:03.750 --> 00:24:05.271
very harsh on Mike Young

00:24:05.291 --> 00:24:06.392
right now because he said

00:24:06.412 --> 00:24:07.452
he's not been recruiting

00:24:07.532 --> 00:24:08.373
athletic players.

00:24:08.913 --> 00:24:10.173
No, he ain't.

00:24:10.193 --> 00:24:10.433
He ain't.

00:24:10.473 --> 00:24:11.233
You know what?

00:24:11.453 --> 00:24:13.214
It looks like it's changing

00:24:13.234 --> 00:24:16.457
a little bit this portal cycle, though.

00:24:16.656 --> 00:24:17.596
And I want to watch what I

00:24:17.636 --> 00:24:19.077
say because I don't like –

00:24:19.077 --> 00:24:20.117
every kid that's played for

00:24:20.137 --> 00:24:21.638
Virginia Tech is more athletic than me.

00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:24.940
But at the same time,

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:26.161
what I'm saying is that

00:24:27.026 --> 00:24:29.646
In the ACC, when you play basketball,

00:24:30.067 --> 00:24:31.067
you're going to go against

00:24:31.106 --> 00:24:32.906
certain guards that Mike

00:24:32.946 --> 00:24:34.167
Young is recruiting guards

00:24:34.208 --> 00:24:35.048
that aren't going to match

00:24:35.087 --> 00:24:36.948
up with them day in and day out.

00:24:37.708 --> 00:24:38.548
Night in and night out,

00:24:38.588 --> 00:24:40.189
like our guards haven't

00:24:40.229 --> 00:24:41.189
been matching up with

00:24:41.348 --> 00:24:42.430
everybody else's guards.

00:24:42.829 --> 00:24:44.109
You got to have some big guards.

00:24:44.150 --> 00:24:45.650
You got to have some athletic guards.

00:24:46.170 --> 00:24:46.951
Just like Mike said,

00:24:46.971 --> 00:24:48.550
you got to have some rangy players.

00:24:49.070 --> 00:24:51.313
He just hasn't been going after them.

00:24:51.752 --> 00:24:53.854
He's been this diamond in the rough,

00:24:53.914 --> 00:24:55.816
punch above your weight class type person,

00:24:56.435 --> 00:24:58.057
and that'll get you one

00:24:58.096 --> 00:24:59.317
good year in five years,

00:24:59.377 --> 00:25:00.038
but if you're trying to

00:25:00.078 --> 00:25:01.599
build something and have a

00:25:01.660 --> 00:25:02.861
consistent program,

00:25:02.941 --> 00:25:04.422
it's hard to do that with

00:25:04.461 --> 00:25:06.782
those kind of players in the ACC.

00:25:07.703 --> 00:25:08.865
Again,

00:25:08.884 --> 00:25:10.185
there's a lot of people just talking

00:25:10.226 --> 00:25:12.307
about you'll say money and

00:25:12.326 --> 00:25:15.730
you'll say NIL and stuff like that,

00:25:15.910 --> 00:25:17.050
but you have to look at the

00:25:18.023 --> 00:25:19.144
Type of players that we're

00:25:19.204 --> 00:25:20.625
recruiting as well and the

00:25:20.645 --> 00:25:21.967
type of players that we're keeping,

00:25:22.406 --> 00:25:22.686
you know,

00:25:22.747 --> 00:25:23.928
because I think he's got some of

00:25:23.968 --> 00:25:24.488
those players.

00:25:24.528 --> 00:25:25.509
But for whatever reason,

00:25:25.929 --> 00:25:26.690
we're not keeping them.

00:25:27.009 --> 00:25:28.730
You know, I don't know if it's the system.

00:25:29.311 --> 00:25:29.731
I don't know.

00:25:29.932 --> 00:25:30.792
I don't want to go into all

00:25:30.813 --> 00:25:31.593
of it because everybody

00:25:31.633 --> 00:25:33.233
thinks I like want to jump

00:25:33.273 --> 00:25:34.615
on Mike Young and I really don't.

00:25:34.674 --> 00:25:36.616
But I just feel like.

00:25:37.765 --> 00:25:39.506
With the two transfers, well,

00:25:39.526 --> 00:25:40.946
I don't want to say two.

00:25:41.086 --> 00:25:43.728
I say the transfers that he's bringing in,

00:25:44.208 --> 00:25:46.148
I see him making an effort

00:25:46.249 --> 00:25:48.549
to try to do some different

00:25:48.589 --> 00:25:49.631
type of recruiting.

00:25:49.691 --> 00:25:52.311
So because it's only one or

00:25:52.352 --> 00:25:53.613
two Storm Murphys out there.

00:25:53.833 --> 00:25:55.673
You know, like when I seen Storm Murphy,

00:25:56.193 --> 00:25:58.714
I was like, what the fuck he going to do?

00:25:59.236 --> 00:25:59.935
You know what I'm saying?

00:26:00.016 --> 00:26:00.135
Like.

00:26:00.491 --> 00:26:01.172
What is he going to do?

00:26:01.491 --> 00:26:04.472
But he actually was a really good player.

00:26:04.614 --> 00:26:05.253
You know what I'm saying?

00:26:05.273 --> 00:26:06.493
Because I'm just thinking

00:26:06.513 --> 00:26:07.355
about the people that he's

00:26:07.394 --> 00:26:09.015
playing against.

00:26:09.154 --> 00:26:10.296
But at the same time,

00:26:10.395 --> 00:26:11.556
it's like there's only one

00:26:11.596 --> 00:26:12.596
of him in the world.

00:26:13.257 --> 00:26:14.257
You can't just keep getting

00:26:14.297 --> 00:26:14.817
people like that.

00:26:14.876 --> 00:26:15.798
You can't keep getting

00:26:16.458 --> 00:26:17.637
people like Justin Mutz

00:26:17.678 --> 00:26:19.058
that punch above that

00:26:19.118 --> 00:26:20.779
weight class every single year.

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:21.859
You know what I'm saying?

00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:22.660
You're 6'7",

00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:24.240
but you're playing like you're 6'10".

00:26:24.961 --> 00:26:26.961
So sometimes you just got to

00:26:27.021 --> 00:26:28.122
go get some 6'10 people.

00:26:29.083 --> 00:26:29.903
That's all I'm going to say.

00:26:30.749 --> 00:26:32.351
Let me ask this, Mike, real quick.

00:26:32.411 --> 00:26:34.132
Were you shocked when as

00:26:34.192 --> 00:26:36.273
many portal like it shocked

00:26:36.334 --> 00:26:37.394
me because it was just like

00:26:37.414 --> 00:26:41.137
a portal portal portal.

00:26:41.478 --> 00:26:42.398
And the next thing you know, like,

00:26:42.439 --> 00:26:43.619
are we going to have enough people?

00:26:43.640 --> 00:26:46.162
Did that shock you following

00:26:46.182 --> 00:26:47.763
the program or is it do you

00:26:47.804 --> 00:26:49.884
think it was like Mike finally said, OK,

00:26:49.965 --> 00:26:50.365
it's time?

00:26:52.122 --> 00:26:52.422
Well,

00:26:53.943 --> 00:26:55.305
the roster was going to turn over

00:26:55.365 --> 00:26:56.747
quite a bit anyway.

00:26:57.027 --> 00:27:00.631
The team was... Look,

00:27:01.010 --> 00:27:03.314
Rodney Rice leaves a couple

00:27:03.334 --> 00:27:04.375
weeks before the season,

00:27:04.494 --> 00:27:05.615
and that puts Mike Young

00:27:05.635 --> 00:27:06.477
and his staff in a really

00:27:06.517 --> 00:27:07.637
precarious situation

00:27:07.698 --> 00:27:08.919
because they didn't recruit

00:27:08.959 --> 00:27:09.900
enough guard depth,

00:27:10.320 --> 00:27:11.261
and they didn't keep enough

00:27:11.301 --> 00:27:12.222
guard depth around,

00:27:12.242 --> 00:27:12.942
I think would be the more

00:27:13.022 --> 00:27:14.085
accurate statement, right?

00:27:14.144 --> 00:27:15.385
So when Rodney Rice leaves...

00:27:15.980 --> 00:27:16.701
You're in the same position

00:27:16.741 --> 00:27:17.442
you were a year ago.

00:27:17.521 --> 00:27:18.423
Like Sean Padula is going to

00:27:18.462 --> 00:27:20.144
have to play 37 minutes a night.

00:27:20.503 --> 00:27:22.566
And we saw that that wore on

00:27:22.645 --> 00:27:24.688
him a ton a year ago.

00:27:24.708 --> 00:27:27.210
Now he came back and I thought,

00:27:27.329 --> 00:27:27.890
in my opinion,

00:27:27.930 --> 00:27:28.730
like everybody's going to

00:27:28.750 --> 00:27:29.892
complain about the turnover issues.

00:27:31.012 --> 00:27:32.614
His usage rate was absurd this year.

00:27:32.634 --> 00:27:33.233
And I thought he played

00:27:33.253 --> 00:27:34.275
better than he did a year ago.

00:27:34.295 --> 00:27:36.237
He came back, I thought, in better shape.

00:27:36.376 --> 00:27:37.376
I thought he was stronger.

00:27:37.396 --> 00:27:39.398
I thought in a lot of games

00:27:39.439 --> 00:27:40.579
he shot the ball a lot better.

00:27:41.681 --> 00:27:43.342
He did a better job getting to his spots.

00:27:43.731 --> 00:27:45.173
And he actually improved defensively,

00:27:45.232 --> 00:27:45.553
I thought.

00:27:45.653 --> 00:27:47.733
So I thought he came back a better player,

00:27:48.055 --> 00:27:48.734
but he was in the same

00:27:48.775 --> 00:27:50.836
terrible situation where he

00:27:50.875 --> 00:27:52.497
didn't really have anybody to spell him,

00:27:52.797 --> 00:27:53.897
and the offense ran almost

00:27:53.958 --> 00:27:54.878
entirely through him.

00:27:54.919 --> 00:27:55.898
The only other guy who could

00:27:55.939 --> 00:27:57.700
reliably go out and get his

00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:59.441
own shot was Tyler Nichol.

00:27:59.721 --> 00:28:00.682
But Tyler Nichol, I mean,

00:28:00.721 --> 00:28:01.962
he was basically a freshman.

00:28:02.202 --> 00:28:03.723
He didn't play a ton at Carolina.

00:28:04.364 --> 00:28:05.565
Then he comes into Virginia

00:28:05.605 --> 00:28:06.506
Tech and you're expecting

00:28:06.546 --> 00:28:08.027
him to be like your second

00:28:08.086 --> 00:28:09.228
or third scorer,

00:28:09.647 --> 00:28:10.608
which is a lot of pressure

00:28:10.628 --> 00:28:11.609
because every team in the

00:28:11.650 --> 00:28:13.510
conference is blanketing Hunter Couture.

00:28:13.951 --> 00:28:14.811
And then everybody else

00:28:14.892 --> 00:28:15.673
knows that you're only

00:28:15.732 --> 00:28:17.193
other scorer who can go out

00:28:17.253 --> 00:28:18.535
and get his a Sean Padula.

00:28:18.575 --> 00:28:19.596
That's a tough way to play

00:28:19.695 --> 00:28:20.395
offense every night,

00:28:20.415 --> 00:28:22.038
especially when you get an ACC play.

00:28:22.657 --> 00:28:23.979
So was I surprised that a

00:28:24.038 --> 00:28:24.940
lot of guys portaled?

00:28:25.452 --> 00:28:26.513
No, I was not surprised.

00:28:26.594 --> 00:28:27.614
I was really not surprised

00:28:27.653 --> 00:28:28.934
about Sean Padula.

00:28:29.894 --> 00:28:31.056
He's been away from home.

00:28:31.375 --> 00:28:32.516
He's got a huge family.

00:28:32.675 --> 00:28:33.477
They haven't been able to

00:28:33.517 --> 00:28:35.037
see him play a lot during

00:28:35.077 --> 00:28:35.817
his college career.

00:28:35.837 --> 00:28:37.077
He's halfway across the country.

00:28:37.659 --> 00:28:38.798
It did not shock me that he

00:28:38.838 --> 00:28:39.740
went into the portal,

00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:42.181
considering how he's been

00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:43.461
treated from a basketball

00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:44.682
standpoint the last two years.

00:28:44.882 --> 00:28:45.801
On one hand, yeah,

00:28:45.883 --> 00:28:47.423
he's gotten a lot of recognition.

00:28:47.522 --> 00:28:48.683
He's played pretty well.

00:28:49.443 --> 00:28:50.845
But he's also been in a

00:28:50.884 --> 00:28:51.904
situation where he hasn't

00:28:51.924 --> 00:28:53.445
been able to showcase

00:28:53.546 --> 00:28:54.625
everything that he's able

00:28:54.685 --> 00:28:55.846
to do from an efficiency

00:28:55.866 --> 00:28:56.846
standpoint because his

00:28:56.946 --> 00:28:58.488
usage rate is absurd,

00:28:58.587 --> 00:28:59.347
like through the roof.

00:28:59.988 --> 00:29:00.847
And it's been a really tough

00:29:00.867 --> 00:29:03.148
situation for him as a player,

00:29:03.209 --> 00:29:04.450
even though he's been playing a lot.

00:29:05.029 --> 00:29:06.210
So I wasn't surprised he

00:29:06.230 --> 00:29:06.871
went into the portal.

00:29:06.911 --> 00:29:08.010
The one that surprised me a

00:29:08.931 --> 00:29:09.971
little bit was Tyler Nichol.

00:29:10.971 --> 00:29:13.893
Um, I think if, you know,

00:29:13.913 --> 00:29:14.553
you're seeing all these

00:29:14.593 --> 00:29:15.894
guys transfer out and then

00:29:15.933 --> 00:29:17.554
a few guys graduating, obviously,

00:29:17.614 --> 00:29:20.214
and you're hoping to keep, you know,

00:29:20.474 --> 00:29:21.776
some of the guys around

00:29:21.855 --> 00:29:25.196
still and you see Collins go portaling,

00:29:25.676 --> 00:29:27.217
you see Padula go portaling,

00:29:27.758 --> 00:29:28.857
the Tyler Nichol one hurt.

00:29:29.337 --> 00:29:30.798
Because you saw the

00:29:30.838 --> 00:29:33.662
potential offensively when

00:29:34.221 --> 00:29:35.363
Nickel was playing with

00:29:35.403 --> 00:29:36.903
confidence on that end of the floor.

00:29:37.164 --> 00:29:37.904
And that's something that

00:29:37.944 --> 00:29:39.326
comes with more experience,

00:29:39.365 --> 00:29:40.727
better development in the offseason.

00:29:41.667 --> 00:29:42.689
So that one, I think,

00:29:42.769 --> 00:29:44.851
hurts more than almost any other.

00:29:45.451 --> 00:29:47.512
And yeah, you'd love to have Padula back.

00:29:48.193 --> 00:29:49.394
But the Tyler Nickel one

00:29:49.434 --> 00:29:50.796
hurt a lot considering he

00:29:50.836 --> 00:29:52.797
had a few years of eligibility left.

00:29:52.896 --> 00:29:54.479
And you started to see his

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:57.060
potential as the year went on last year.

00:29:57.401 --> 00:29:58.561
So that one hurt.

00:29:58.662 --> 00:29:59.883
But, you know,

00:30:00.123 --> 00:30:02.844
this roster needed some turnover.

00:30:03.825 --> 00:30:05.865
And the fan base complaining

00:30:06.026 --> 00:30:08.508
about how the team's not athletic.

00:30:08.528 --> 00:30:09.669
This isn't a shot at you, Tally.

00:30:09.709 --> 00:30:10.328
This is everybody else.

00:30:11.369 --> 00:30:12.369
Complaining about how the

00:30:12.490 --> 00:30:13.471
team's not athletic.

00:30:15.132 --> 00:30:16.392
No, no, no.

00:30:17.053 --> 00:30:17.313
I know.

00:30:17.353 --> 00:30:17.972
But I know you're going to

00:30:17.992 --> 00:30:18.593
agree with me on this.

00:30:19.032 --> 00:30:19.972
The fan base, you know,

00:30:19.992 --> 00:30:21.394
the same people complaining

00:30:21.433 --> 00:30:22.314
about everybody hitting the

00:30:22.354 --> 00:30:23.673
portal are the same people

00:30:23.713 --> 00:30:24.713
that were complaining for

00:30:24.773 --> 00:30:26.255
three and four months about

00:30:26.295 --> 00:30:27.355
how the team wasn't good enough.

00:30:27.714 --> 00:30:28.174
So, I mean,

00:30:28.194 --> 00:30:29.556
you can't have your cake and eat it too,

00:30:29.635 --> 00:30:29.836
right?

00:30:29.895 --> 00:30:32.115
Like, if the team's not good enough,

00:30:32.155 --> 00:30:33.016
that's one thing, right?

00:30:33.076 --> 00:30:34.076
But then when everybody leaves,

00:30:34.096 --> 00:30:34.916
you can't complain about

00:30:34.936 --> 00:30:35.676
the coaching staff not

00:30:35.696 --> 00:30:36.477
being able to keep those

00:30:36.517 --> 00:30:37.237
guys who you were shitting

00:30:37.257 --> 00:30:37.897
on for four months.

00:30:38.357 --> 00:30:38.597
Okay?

00:30:38.877 --> 00:30:39.278
So, like,

00:30:39.798 --> 00:30:41.057
you get to a point where it's like,

00:30:42.138 --> 00:30:43.199
this is what's going to happen.

00:30:43.239 --> 00:30:43.719
One or the other.

00:30:44.278 --> 00:30:45.660
If you're going to keep the

00:30:45.700 --> 00:30:47.141
guys that were mediocre for you,

00:30:47.161 --> 00:30:48.882
they will still be mediocre or, you know,

00:30:48.902 --> 00:30:49.721
they're going to go

00:30:49.761 --> 00:30:50.363
somewhere else and you're

00:30:50.383 --> 00:30:51.903
going to hopefully replace

00:30:51.943 --> 00:30:53.084
them with guys that can get

00:30:53.124 --> 00:30:53.865
it done a little bit better.

00:30:54.266 --> 00:30:54.726
And ideally,

00:30:54.746 --> 00:30:55.846
the answer is somewhere in the middle,

00:30:55.886 --> 00:30:56.086
right?

00:30:56.126 --> 00:30:57.127
Like, you develop the guys,

00:30:57.147 --> 00:30:58.489
they start playing better basketball,

00:30:58.669 --> 00:31:00.230
you bring in more depth behind them.

00:31:00.329 --> 00:31:01.590
But that's not the era we live in,

00:31:01.631 --> 00:31:02.790
especially in college basketball.

00:31:02.830 --> 00:31:03.352
The portal,

00:31:03.451 --> 00:31:04.271
we talk about the portal for

00:31:04.412 --> 00:31:05.032
college football.

00:31:05.393 --> 00:31:06.133
The portal for college

00:31:06.173 --> 00:31:07.314
basketball is insane.

00:31:07.814 --> 00:31:08.255
Insane.

00:31:08.474 --> 00:31:10.355
It's just, what are you going to pay me?

00:31:10.875 --> 00:31:12.777
And it's like that with everybody.

00:31:12.978 --> 00:31:13.577
It's not just, like,

00:31:13.637 --> 00:31:14.739
the top prospects in the

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:15.999
sport like it is with college football,

00:31:16.019 --> 00:31:16.500
where it's, like,

00:31:17.099 --> 00:31:19.101
NILs driving everything when, you know,

00:31:19.121 --> 00:31:21.222
the blue chip guys have their pick of...

00:31:21.863 --> 00:31:23.945
the Alabamas, the Georgias, et cetera,

00:31:24.125 --> 00:31:24.846
Ohio States.

00:31:25.848 --> 00:31:26.849
In college basketball,

00:31:27.171 --> 00:31:27.791
you could be a guy

00:31:27.852 --> 00:31:29.153
averaging 10 and 6 getting

00:31:29.193 --> 00:31:30.275
like half a million dollars

00:31:30.335 --> 00:31:30.875
out of the portal.

00:31:31.115 --> 00:31:32.778
It's insane right now what's

00:31:32.798 --> 00:31:33.460
happening in college

00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:34.560
basketball on the transfer portal.

00:31:34.580 --> 00:31:34.942
It's crazy.

00:31:37.690 --> 00:31:42.634
I just wanted to hit on

00:31:42.693 --> 00:31:43.875
something that Mike was

00:31:43.895 --> 00:31:44.615
talking about because he

00:31:44.635 --> 00:31:46.137
mentioned a couple of names.

00:31:46.198 --> 00:31:47.278
I'm not going to mention those names.

00:31:47.298 --> 00:31:48.799
I'm just going to say a scenario.

00:31:49.280 --> 00:31:50.862
So earlier in the season,

00:31:51.383 --> 00:31:52.703
I will mention Rodney Rice.

00:31:53.384 --> 00:31:54.746
He left, you know,

00:31:56.051 --> 00:31:58.732
David, Mike, they cover sports pretty well,

00:31:58.752 --> 00:32:00.192
so they understand how that

00:32:00.212 --> 00:32:01.212
changes the dynamic.

00:32:01.272 --> 00:32:03.814
They understand what kind of

00:32:03.834 --> 00:32:04.993
situation that puts your

00:32:05.034 --> 00:32:06.034
coaching staff in when you

00:32:06.074 --> 00:32:06.835
got somebody that

00:32:07.214 --> 00:32:08.394
essentially you're counting

00:32:08.454 --> 00:32:10.214
on to play for you,

00:32:10.315 --> 00:32:11.336
and then all of a sudden,

00:32:12.016 --> 00:32:13.215
before the season, they're gone.

00:32:14.215 --> 00:32:15.195
This is what gets me.

00:32:16.116 --> 00:32:18.557
Dumbass fans can be dumbass family members,

00:32:18.576 --> 00:32:20.337
too, so I won't call the name,

00:32:20.657 --> 00:32:23.518
but somebody went on Twitter and said,

00:32:24.278 --> 00:32:25.618
addition by subtraction.

00:32:26.843 --> 00:32:28.262
And then we got the other

00:32:28.363 --> 00:32:30.183
group of dumbass fans that say, see,

00:32:30.644 --> 00:32:31.683
I knew he wasn't no good.

00:32:31.784 --> 00:32:32.203
I said,

00:32:33.124 --> 00:32:35.505
so y'all telling me this kid is

00:32:35.684 --> 00:32:36.904
ranked as high as he was.

00:32:37.545 --> 00:32:38.384
They came in.

00:32:38.724 --> 00:32:39.766
We didn't get to see him play.

00:32:39.806 --> 00:32:40.385
He gets hurt.

00:32:40.846 --> 00:32:41.746
Y'all are going to go off

00:32:41.925 --> 00:32:43.526
whoever statement and say

00:32:43.546 --> 00:32:45.047
that he wasn't no fucking

00:32:45.086 --> 00:32:46.686
good just because this person said it.

00:32:47.426 --> 00:32:49.667
Sometimes just shut the fuck up.

00:32:50.208 --> 00:32:51.907
You don't know unless you're

00:32:51.968 --> 00:32:53.729
David Cunningham and you're

00:32:53.769 --> 00:32:55.689
not talking about the season preview.

00:32:56.525 --> 00:32:56.964
Shut up.

00:32:57.705 --> 00:32:58.727
Because you ain't seeing

00:32:58.747 --> 00:32:59.527
what they're doing.

00:33:00.087 --> 00:33:01.009
You're not seeing what

00:33:01.028 --> 00:33:02.930
they're doing behind closed doors.

00:33:02.950 --> 00:33:06.153
Stop itching your wagon to

00:33:06.173 --> 00:33:07.693
these Twitter users that

00:33:07.733 --> 00:33:08.775
don't know shit just like

00:33:08.815 --> 00:33:09.575
you don't know shit.

00:33:10.316 --> 00:33:10.816
I'm going to tell you.

00:33:10.836 --> 00:33:11.416
That's all I have to say.

00:33:12.623 --> 00:33:14.324
You know what really grinds Tally's gears?

00:33:14.344 --> 00:33:14.723
That.

00:33:15.223 --> 00:33:17.105
David, let me ask you this real quick.

00:33:17.984 --> 00:33:18.865
What else do we need from

00:33:18.884 --> 00:33:19.826
the portal the next few

00:33:19.865 --> 00:33:21.727
weeks here – or next few months?

00:33:21.866 --> 00:33:22.507
I don't know.

00:33:22.527 --> 00:33:23.326
I feel like there's been

00:33:23.426 --> 00:33:24.807
kids committing in June.

00:33:25.407 --> 00:33:26.627
But what do you think they need?

00:33:26.647 --> 00:33:28.368
Because obviously you got a

00:33:28.429 --> 00:33:29.809
couple really good guards.

00:33:30.410 --> 00:33:33.911
You got effectively a pretty

00:33:34.010 --> 00:33:35.551
effective small forward there.

00:33:35.632 --> 00:33:37.051
And maybe in a way,

00:33:37.752 --> 00:33:39.353
Rodney Brown being 6'6",

00:33:39.472 --> 00:33:40.493
maybe he can play some forward.

00:33:40.513 --> 00:33:40.733
But –

00:33:41.950 --> 00:33:42.810
What else do we need?

00:33:44.551 --> 00:33:45.012
A lot.

00:33:46.013 --> 00:33:46.773
I mean, you got, look,

00:33:46.974 --> 00:33:49.696
you got four scholarships.

00:33:50.877 --> 00:33:51.498
If you're my kid,

00:33:51.518 --> 00:33:52.618
you have to use all of them.

00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:55.842
And that's not, you know,

00:33:55.862 --> 00:33:56.702
that's something where.

00:33:57.461 --> 00:33:59.021
He was planning on using all

00:33:59.041 --> 00:33:59.801
of them last year,

00:33:59.842 --> 00:34:01.061
and then Rodney Rice leaves

00:34:01.102 --> 00:34:02.103
at the beginning of the year.

00:34:02.182 --> 00:34:04.242
And technically,

00:34:04.262 --> 00:34:05.584
that's a scholarship you're using,

00:34:05.763 --> 00:34:08.585
but he's not on the team.

00:34:08.664 --> 00:34:10.646
And I think the biggest part

00:34:11.085 --> 00:34:13.226
is Mike and his staff have

00:34:13.266 --> 00:34:15.007
to be spot on about their evals.

00:34:16.867 --> 00:34:19.449
Makai Long, I think, was an okay eval,

00:34:19.469 --> 00:34:20.829
but then he gets hurt and

00:34:20.949 --> 00:34:22.090
misses half the year.

00:34:22.829 --> 00:34:23.989
And so technically,

00:34:24.030 --> 00:34:25.050
you're down to 11 guys.

00:34:26.623 --> 00:34:28.425
And when you look at who you brought in,

00:34:28.445 --> 00:34:29.485
two of the kids are

00:34:29.525 --> 00:34:30.485
freshmen and two of the

00:34:30.525 --> 00:34:33.128
kids are reserves who are developing.

00:34:33.907 --> 00:34:35.369
So that gives you seven

00:34:35.449 --> 00:34:36.730
players that you will feel

00:34:37.030 --> 00:34:38.951
capable of playing,

00:34:39.311 --> 00:34:40.391
not counting the freshmen

00:34:40.411 --> 00:34:41.552
if you want to throw them into the fire.

00:34:42.833 --> 00:34:44.534
I think the one good thing

00:34:46.594 --> 00:34:47.896
Mike kind of hit on it

00:34:48.076 --> 00:34:52.557
earlier is that Mike Young

00:34:52.637 --> 00:34:53.898
needed an opportunity.

00:34:53.918 --> 00:34:54.960
He was already going to have

00:34:54.980 --> 00:34:55.599
to do it a little bit.

00:34:55.983 --> 00:34:57.204
but he needed an opportunity

00:34:57.224 --> 00:34:59.824
to kind of reshape his roster.

00:34:59.844 --> 00:35:01.105
And one of the things I

00:35:01.144 --> 00:35:04.826
think about is when he was hired in 2019,

00:35:04.826 --> 00:35:06.425
the transfer portal did not exist yet.

00:35:06.827 --> 00:35:08.086
NIL did not exist yet.

00:35:09.186 --> 00:35:10.467
He has had to adapt.

00:35:11.367 --> 00:35:12.907
This is an opportunity.

00:35:12.927 --> 00:35:14.467
A couple of weeks ago,

00:35:14.527 --> 00:35:16.148
he only had three or four

00:35:16.188 --> 00:35:17.228
scholarship kids.

00:35:18.148 --> 00:35:19.489
Elijah Poteet obviously

00:35:19.530 --> 00:35:20.809
announced he was coming back.

00:35:21.784 --> 00:35:22.684
Then they've gotten three

00:35:22.724 --> 00:35:23.646
commitments since.

00:35:24.387 --> 00:35:25.427
So the Hokies are in a much

00:35:25.507 --> 00:35:26.648
better position now.

00:35:26.789 --> 00:35:27.690
They're at nine.

00:35:28.050 --> 00:35:30.331
They have four before they

00:35:30.371 --> 00:35:31.574
hit that 13 mark.

00:35:32.054 --> 00:35:33.034
But this has given him an

00:35:33.114 --> 00:35:34.376
opportunity to reshape the

00:35:34.436 --> 00:35:35.476
roster how he wants.

00:35:36.277 --> 00:35:37.498
They need another point guard.

00:35:37.518 --> 00:35:41.043
I would think they need another wing.

00:35:41.960 --> 00:35:44.023
And I think you you probably

00:35:44.043 --> 00:35:45.985
got to get another four.

00:35:46.144 --> 00:35:46.266
Now,

00:35:46.306 --> 00:35:48.288
whether it's a guy who is mainly a

00:35:48.347 --> 00:35:50.148
three can play the four or mainly a four,

00:35:50.168 --> 00:35:51.150
they can play the five or

00:35:51.471 --> 00:35:52.952
like you've got to get some

00:35:53.152 --> 00:35:54.052
some combination.

00:35:54.233 --> 00:35:55.474
And then I would kind of go

00:35:55.534 --> 00:35:59.358
for somebody who who has a specific role,

00:35:59.498 --> 00:36:01.300
whether it's a three point specialist,

00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:02.581
a defensive specialist,

00:36:03.842 --> 00:36:04.603
whether it's an on ball

00:36:04.623 --> 00:36:05.744
defender or something like that.

00:36:06.614 --> 00:36:07.835
But Mike Young has options.

00:36:08.217 --> 00:36:09.199
And, you know,

00:36:09.518 --> 00:36:11.001
for everybody who said kind

00:36:11.481 --> 00:36:12.362
of echoing what Mike

00:36:12.664 --> 00:36:14.326
McDaniel said for everybody

00:36:14.346 --> 00:36:16.409
who said that Mike Young, you know,

00:36:17.150 --> 00:36:18.710
didn't have enough talent on his roster,

00:36:18.731 --> 00:36:19.492
and then the same people

00:36:19.532 --> 00:36:20.992
who are complaining, oh, well,

00:36:21.293 --> 00:36:23.114
Mike Young lost his entire team.

00:36:23.135 --> 00:36:24.074
It's like, yeah,

00:36:24.635 --> 00:36:25.856
to be able to get more

00:36:25.916 --> 00:36:26.918
talent on his roster,

00:36:27.157 --> 00:36:28.759
he has to turn the roster over.

00:36:29.219 --> 00:36:30.079
And that's what he's doing.

00:36:30.139 --> 00:36:32.981
And I think I like the

00:36:33.041 --> 00:36:34.342
additions he's made so far.

00:36:34.443 --> 00:36:37.326
I think Jordan Ivey-Curry is a really,

00:36:37.606 --> 00:36:38.686
a really good get.

00:36:40.068 --> 00:36:40.387
You know,

00:36:40.447 --> 00:36:42.969
he's going to have to have guys

00:36:43.030 --> 00:36:43.751
around him, though.

00:36:44.411 --> 00:36:46.253
And the biggest thing to me is,

00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:48.981
going back to the Rodney Rice thing,

00:36:50.123 --> 00:36:52.644
that situation just kind of encapsulates,

00:36:52.704 --> 00:36:53.746
I think the last two or

00:36:53.786 --> 00:36:55.628
three years for Virginia Tech,

00:36:55.668 --> 00:36:56.648
where you did not have

00:36:56.708 --> 00:36:57.548
enough guard depth.

00:36:57.949 --> 00:36:58.769
If something happened,

00:36:58.809 --> 00:36:59.831
I think back two years ago

00:36:59.851 --> 00:37:00.711
to Darius Maddox,

00:37:01.811 --> 00:37:03.954
he left to go be with his

00:37:04.014 --> 00:37:05.215
family and the Hokies are,

00:37:05.876 --> 00:37:06.496
and then Hunter Couture

00:37:06.516 --> 00:37:07.556
gets hurt and the Hokies are,

00:37:07.817 --> 00:37:10.278
are down guards big in the backcourt.

00:37:10.318 --> 00:37:10.518
Right.

00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:11.260
Um,

00:37:11.893 --> 00:37:12.914
MJ Collins was supposed to

00:37:12.954 --> 00:37:13.735
come off the bench this

00:37:13.775 --> 00:37:14.456
year for the Hokies,

00:37:14.876 --> 00:37:15.797
behind Rodney Rice and

00:37:15.836 --> 00:37:16.717
behind Hunter Couture.

00:37:17.137 --> 00:37:19.699
He ends up starting again the entire year.

00:37:21.981 --> 00:37:25.184
You need to have more of a

00:37:25.505 --> 00:37:26.487
security blanket,

00:37:26.586 --> 00:37:27.628
if that's what you want to call it,

00:37:27.847 --> 00:37:29.568
in mind if something happens.

00:37:29.688 --> 00:37:31.670
More of a kind of a...

00:37:32.670 --> 00:37:32.951
you know,

00:37:33.150 --> 00:37:34.853
in case of emergency break glass

00:37:34.952 --> 00:37:37.416
type of plan, like you need to have some,

00:37:37.615 --> 00:37:39.597
some more depth in mind there.

00:37:39.637 --> 00:37:41.059
And I think, um,

00:37:41.460 --> 00:37:43.240
I'm very excited to see Ryan Jones.

00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:45.563
He's the top 100 freshmen coming in.

00:37:45.583 --> 00:37:46.523
I think he's going to be a

00:37:46.565 --> 00:37:47.485
big help immediately.

00:37:47.505 --> 00:37:49.768
I think you, you pair him with, um,

00:37:49.967 --> 00:37:51.789
with Malaysia Poteet, um,

00:37:52.610 --> 00:37:53.630
And Patrick Wessler,

00:37:53.670 --> 00:37:56.293
who I think is continuing to come along,

00:37:56.873 --> 00:37:57.693
I think you've got an all

00:37:57.713 --> 00:37:59.295
right trio there, a pretty good trio.

00:37:59.635 --> 00:38:00.617
You could maybe get a guy

00:38:00.657 --> 00:38:02.338
who can play some four and five.

00:38:03.699 --> 00:38:04.440
There are a lot of different

00:38:04.460 --> 00:38:05.579
ways Mike Young can go about it.

00:38:05.659 --> 00:38:06.701
And the beauty of it is,

00:38:08.822 --> 00:38:10.324
if he had kept everybody,

00:38:10.503 --> 00:38:12.485
he wouldn't have had that opportunity.

00:38:13.166 --> 00:38:14.106
And now he's basically

00:38:14.146 --> 00:38:15.148
building from scratch.

00:38:15.208 --> 00:38:17.849
And just one note on the

00:38:17.869 --> 00:38:20.331
question you asked Curtis Mike earlier,

00:38:21.164 --> 00:38:21.784
The only player that

00:38:21.804 --> 00:38:22.505
surprised me there in the

00:38:22.525 --> 00:38:23.224
portal was nickel.

00:38:24.806 --> 00:38:25.606
It's a money thing.

00:38:25.885 --> 00:38:27.347
Virginia Tech does not have

00:38:27.367 --> 00:38:29.047
a lot of basketball NIL,

00:38:29.168 --> 00:38:30.047
and that's just a fact.

00:38:30.369 --> 00:38:31.969
The NIL is going to football

00:38:32.429 --> 00:38:33.710
with some stuff going to

00:38:33.750 --> 00:38:34.451
women's basketball,

00:38:34.471 --> 00:38:37.391
but that's more individual

00:38:37.411 --> 00:38:38.351
donor specific.

00:38:39.873 --> 00:38:40.914
Virginia Tech is being

00:38:40.954 --> 00:38:42.414
competitive in football NIL,

00:38:42.514 --> 00:38:43.295
and that's important.

00:38:45.096 --> 00:38:45.996
But at the same time,

00:38:46.356 --> 00:38:47.217
you guys talked about how

00:38:47.277 --> 00:38:49.518
crazy the men's basketball NIL space is.

00:38:50.652 --> 00:38:51.873
And a lot of these guys can

00:38:51.992 --> 00:38:53.612
enter the portal and they

00:38:53.632 --> 00:38:54.813
can get outrageous deals

00:38:55.253 --> 00:39:00.135
and they can go make two to

00:39:00.175 --> 00:39:01.757
three times what they

00:39:01.797 --> 00:39:02.777
probably should be making

00:39:04.398 --> 00:39:06.898
based on what they provide, I should say.

00:39:06.918 --> 00:39:09.400
That's just kind of the way it is.

00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:11.740
So I think...

00:39:12.702 --> 00:39:14.103
virginia tech is in an okay

00:39:14.262 --> 00:39:15.724
situation mike young's

00:39:15.764 --> 00:39:16.403
playing a little bit of

00:39:16.463 --> 00:39:17.744
money ball if that's how

00:39:17.925 --> 00:39:19.686
you want to describe it um

00:39:20.246 --> 00:39:21.967
but this is an opportunity

00:39:22.166 --> 00:39:23.628
you know I'm not sure you

00:39:23.648 --> 00:39:24.668
could you could label mike

00:39:24.748 --> 00:39:26.068
as he's sort of on the hot

00:39:26.108 --> 00:39:27.110
seat I think his seat's a

00:39:27.150 --> 00:39:29.170
little warm I think I think

00:39:29.210 --> 00:39:31.592
he needs to win but also he

00:39:32.132 --> 00:39:33.753
finished eighth in the acc this year so

00:39:36.550 --> 00:39:39.152
I think he's heading in the

00:39:39.192 --> 00:39:39.891
right direction,

00:39:40.132 --> 00:39:41.432
but it's not going to

00:39:41.472 --> 00:39:42.313
matter unless he goes and

00:39:42.333 --> 00:39:43.393
wins basketball games.

00:39:43.634 --> 00:39:45.934
And I think if he can do that,

00:39:47.034 --> 00:39:48.695
he'll gain back a lot of the fan base.

00:39:48.735 --> 00:39:50.235
But it does feel really weird that,

00:39:51.056 --> 00:39:53.277
you know, basically the top six,

00:39:53.297 --> 00:39:55.478
seven options on the Virginia Tech team,

00:39:55.498 --> 00:39:58.599
you know, all but one, Moishe Poteet,

00:39:58.778 --> 00:39:59.219
are gone.

00:39:59.579 --> 00:40:00.978
That's very weird.

00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:02.320
But this is kind of the age

00:40:02.360 --> 00:40:03.139
that we live in now.

00:40:04.161 --> 00:40:04.340
Yeah.

00:40:04.661 --> 00:40:04.860
Yeah.

00:40:05.815 --> 00:40:06.635
100% on that.

00:40:07.056 --> 00:40:08.777
I mean, it's been pretty wild.

00:40:09.016 --> 00:40:11.739
And I think we said it on here.

00:40:12.860 --> 00:40:14.601
At least he's doing something.

00:40:15.467 --> 00:40:17.927
At least he's not standing pat saying,

00:40:18.768 --> 00:40:19.469
I'm just going to ride with

00:40:19.489 --> 00:40:20.068
who got me here.

00:40:20.108 --> 00:40:22.309
Hunter graduates and a couple guys leave,

00:40:22.369 --> 00:40:22.769
whatever.

00:40:23.190 --> 00:40:25.690
He's at least doing something, in essence,

00:40:25.751 --> 00:40:28.293
to try to improve the team

00:40:28.313 --> 00:40:29.233
versus standing pat.

00:40:29.552 --> 00:40:30.934
Because I think as a fan,

00:40:30.974 --> 00:40:32.873
you get more frustrated if it's just, oh,

00:40:32.893 --> 00:40:33.514
we're just going to ride

00:40:33.534 --> 00:40:34.735
with this again and not all

00:40:34.775 --> 00:40:36.695
of us would be sitting here like –

00:40:36.695 --> 00:40:38.217
that's not going to get us

00:40:38.836 --> 00:40:39.577
to the tournament.

00:40:39.597 --> 00:40:41.039
That's not going to get us competing.

00:40:41.599 --> 00:40:42.480
You need to do something.

00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:44.420
And to his credit, like you said,

00:40:44.460 --> 00:40:45.181
like Tally said,

00:40:45.460 --> 00:40:47.663
people complained about the players,

00:40:47.682 --> 00:40:48.523
and then when he got rid of them,

00:40:48.543 --> 00:40:49.264
people complained again.

00:40:49.304 --> 00:40:50.083
Can't make everybody happy.

00:40:50.103 --> 00:40:53.646
All right, before we get into spring game,

00:40:53.686 --> 00:40:55.447
spring game weekend, all the fun stuff,

00:40:55.728 --> 00:40:56.708
we are going to take a

00:40:56.748 --> 00:40:57.809
quick break from Main

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00:41:42.490 --> 00:41:43.592
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Now back to the episode.

00:42:21.670 --> 00:42:22.990
All right, and we are back,

00:42:23.152 --> 00:42:25.273
and let's start talking spring weekend.

00:42:25.673 --> 00:42:26.795
Let's talk about the fun.

00:42:27.175 --> 00:42:29.217
Obviously, myself did not make it.

00:42:29.277 --> 00:42:30.219
Tally could not make it.

00:42:30.259 --> 00:42:31.018
Mike did not make it.

00:42:31.079 --> 00:42:32.000
But Cunningham,

00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:33.282
you and Siegel were all

00:42:33.342 --> 00:42:35.123
over the place during spring weekend.

00:42:35.623 --> 00:42:37.425
I know Brian went.

00:42:37.485 --> 00:42:37.786
David,

00:42:37.806 --> 00:42:40.949
did you go to Spring Jam on Friday night?

00:42:41.809 --> 00:42:43.371
I did not go to Spring Jam

00:42:43.472 --> 00:42:44.032
on Friday night.

00:42:44.052 --> 00:42:45.534
I was actually hanging out with my family.

00:42:46.592 --> 00:42:47.873
Oh, what a good, what a good,

00:42:47.914 --> 00:42:48.815
what a good night.

00:42:48.914 --> 00:42:50.255
My parents came into town,

00:42:50.275 --> 00:42:51.637
so I was spending some time with them.

00:42:51.657 --> 00:42:52.297
All right.

00:42:52.318 --> 00:42:52.898
Well, Brian,

00:42:52.938 --> 00:42:54.340
give us some festivities who

00:42:54.360 --> 00:42:55.260
you ran into.

00:42:55.360 --> 00:42:55.800
Who'd you,

00:42:56.121 --> 00:42:57.943
who'd you yuck it up with at spring game?

00:42:58.443 --> 00:42:58.523
Uh,

00:42:58.623 --> 00:43:00.425
probably the person I yucked it up with

00:43:00.465 --> 00:43:02.268
the longest was Kevin drones.

00:43:02.807 --> 00:43:02.847
Um,

00:43:03.786 --> 00:43:04.586
We were walking around,

00:43:04.626 --> 00:43:05.467
we were kind of mingling.

00:43:05.487 --> 00:43:07.510
I saw him across the bar, I was like,

00:43:07.590 --> 00:43:09.351
all right, I'm going over there, beeline.

00:43:10.231 --> 00:43:11.773
So we talked for about a half hour,

00:43:13.114 --> 00:43:16.679
ran into Tyrod, Kevin Jones were there,

00:43:17.840 --> 00:43:18.539
Evans Brothers.

00:43:19.380 --> 00:43:20.440
So it was a good time.

00:43:21.121 --> 00:43:21.561
Obviously,

00:43:21.581 --> 00:43:23.001
a bunch of folks from the

00:43:23.021 --> 00:43:24.563
podcast community was out there.

00:43:25.623 --> 00:43:28.664
Bloggers, you know, Treadmill Horse, Dan,

00:43:30.184 --> 00:43:31.985
Dan Pulse from Tales of Terror Dome.

00:43:33.005 --> 00:43:34.545
So there were a bunch of folks out there.

00:43:34.585 --> 00:43:35.726
We had a really good time.

00:43:35.826 --> 00:43:38.067
Obviously, all the sons were there,

00:43:38.146 --> 00:43:40.748
got to hang out with Billy and Pat.

00:43:41.487 --> 00:43:43.349
Got to talk to Sam and Pete,

00:43:43.389 --> 00:43:45.909
so it was a good night all around.

00:43:46.791 --> 00:43:49.072
Got to kind of show my wife

00:43:49.132 --> 00:43:51.552
around the Hokie Twitter

00:43:51.592 --> 00:43:52.472
community a little bit,

00:43:52.492 --> 00:43:53.373
so she enjoyed that.

00:43:54.094 --> 00:43:55.635
He also rolled up on JC,

00:43:55.675 --> 00:43:57.076
and JC remembered who he was.

00:43:57.916 --> 00:44:00.416
Yeah, I mean, you know, that's... JC,

00:44:00.456 --> 00:44:00.677
baby.

00:44:01.056 --> 00:44:01.557
It's JC right here.

00:44:02.844 --> 00:44:03.543
Well, I don't know.

00:44:03.583 --> 00:44:04.244
JC, like I said,

00:44:04.284 --> 00:44:04.925
we were sitting here that

00:44:04.945 --> 00:44:05.704
day talking with him.

00:44:05.744 --> 00:44:06.905
I felt like we should have

00:44:06.965 --> 00:44:07.646
went and grabbed three

00:44:07.666 --> 00:44:09.286
beers and probably had a blast with JC.

00:44:10.947 --> 00:44:11.367
I don't know.

00:44:11.708 --> 00:44:12.449
Mike, David,

00:44:12.489 --> 00:44:13.548
have you all seen the video

00:44:13.588 --> 00:44:15.269
from Tots yet?

00:44:16.811 --> 00:44:18.532
Is it the one of Brian chugging a rail?

00:44:18.931 --> 00:44:19.452
Yes.

00:44:20.472 --> 00:44:21.032
I have.

00:44:21.072 --> 00:44:22.293
You know, I'm disappointed.

00:44:22.974 --> 00:44:25.735
So I went out to Tots with

00:44:25.755 --> 00:44:26.835
some friends that were in town.

00:44:26.916 --> 00:44:29.257
Actually, I was out with Grayson Wimbish.

00:44:29.777 --> 00:44:30.257
Oh, wow.

00:44:31.998 --> 00:44:32.739
I'm disappointed.

00:44:32.798 --> 00:44:34.981
Unfortunately, I was probably,

00:44:35.041 --> 00:44:35.701
I believe I was in the

00:44:35.740 --> 00:44:38.043
press box or on my way to

00:44:38.063 --> 00:44:39.143
the press box when you guys

00:44:39.242 --> 00:44:40.523
were doing your live podcast.

00:44:40.563 --> 00:44:41.925
So I'm disappointed I missed it.

00:44:43.365 --> 00:44:45.688
But I geeked out when I saw that video.

00:44:45.728 --> 00:44:46.728
That was very impressive.

00:44:48.710 --> 00:44:48.909
You know,

00:44:48.929 --> 00:44:50.311
when somebody tells you to chug a rail,

00:44:50.331 --> 00:44:50.971
you chug a rail.

00:44:50.990 --> 00:44:51.632
You just have to.

00:44:51.652 --> 00:44:52.532
I think that's a rule.

00:44:52.572 --> 00:44:52.692
Yeah,

00:44:52.711 --> 00:44:54.413
I need to talk to Mitch Siegel and

00:44:54.452 --> 00:44:55.994
see how you was acting afterwards.

00:44:56.235 --> 00:44:56.554
Yeah.

00:44:57.094 --> 00:44:57.856
You know what?

00:44:58.016 --> 00:44:58.396
You know what?

00:44:58.456 --> 00:44:59.155
I did all right.

00:44:59.237 --> 00:44:59.777
I did all right.

00:45:00.273 --> 00:45:01.833
Yeah, it's all cool to chug a real,

00:45:01.873 --> 00:45:02.634
but I want to know what

00:45:02.673 --> 00:45:03.873
happened after that.

00:45:03.914 --> 00:45:04.134
Yeah,

00:45:04.253 --> 00:45:05.655
it's usually the aftermath that gets

00:45:05.755 --> 00:45:06.094
after you.

00:45:06.574 --> 00:45:06.735
Yeah,

00:45:06.775 --> 00:45:07.835
I've seen what happened when you

00:45:07.875 --> 00:45:08.976
chugged Evan Williams.

00:45:09.496 --> 00:45:10.016
It's true.

00:45:11.195 --> 00:45:11.856
I'm just saying.

00:45:12.577 --> 00:45:13.797
Go ahead, Mike.

00:45:14.097 --> 00:45:14.898
You guys would be putting me

00:45:14.938 --> 00:45:16.097
in a body bag if I was

00:45:16.137 --> 00:45:18.018
chugging a real toss.

00:45:18.038 --> 00:45:21.239
Hey, Brian, I love the hockey.

00:45:21.940 --> 00:45:22.840
Oh, yeah, that was crazy.

00:45:22.880 --> 00:45:23.079
Yeah,

00:45:23.119 --> 00:45:25.440
you got to give my wife props on that.

00:45:25.501 --> 00:45:27.320
She actually found that at Cracker Barrel.

00:45:27.701 --> 00:45:29.041
Believe it or not.

00:45:29.302 --> 00:45:29.461
Yeah.

00:45:30.567 --> 00:45:32.128
Oh, you got that from Cracker Barrel.

00:45:32.447 --> 00:45:34.548
You paid $300 for that motherfucker.

00:45:35.469 --> 00:45:36.349
Cracker Barrel is the

00:45:36.409 --> 00:45:38.050
highest store around.

00:45:38.090 --> 00:45:39.650
You can go in there and get

00:45:39.690 --> 00:45:40.431
a piece of candy.

00:45:40.791 --> 00:45:41.391
You can go in there and get

00:45:41.411 --> 00:45:42.211
a piece of candy for $20.

00:45:42.211 --> 00:45:42.833
I'm telling you.

00:45:44.329 --> 00:45:45.750
She said she got a good deal on it,

00:45:45.769 --> 00:45:46.429
but I don't know what that

00:45:46.489 --> 00:45:48.130
means in terms of

00:45:48.530 --> 00:45:50.112
comparative analysis here

00:45:50.811 --> 00:45:51.911
of what it costs somewhere else.

00:45:51.992 --> 00:45:53.873
But anyway, I got to wear it,

00:45:53.952 --> 00:45:54.474
and it was cool.

00:45:55.253 --> 00:45:56.034
If you really need to know

00:45:56.054 --> 00:45:57.594
the price next time we hang out, Brian,

00:45:57.635 --> 00:45:59.016
I'll have my wifey going to

00:45:59.056 --> 00:46:00.815
figure out the exact amount

00:46:00.835 --> 00:46:02.177
that came out of that.

00:46:02.817 --> 00:46:04.418
They'll share shit like that.

00:46:04.918 --> 00:46:07.039
But I know you went to

00:46:07.079 --> 00:46:08.340
Chicken Hill for tailgate.

00:46:09.320 --> 00:46:10.800
Brian, you had a great weekend, dude.

00:46:11.364 --> 00:46:12.166
David, you did too.

00:46:12.246 --> 00:46:13.586
Even with family in town,

00:46:13.646 --> 00:46:16.628
it sounds like... Did you

00:46:16.668 --> 00:46:17.610
hear what David said?

00:46:17.630 --> 00:46:19.512
He said, yeah, unfortunately,

00:46:19.652 --> 00:46:21.152
I was going to the press box.

00:46:22.054 --> 00:46:24.034
We're talking royalty right here, man.

00:46:24.635 --> 00:46:24.735
The...

00:46:32.416 --> 00:46:33.195
As I said earlier,

00:46:33.577 --> 00:46:34.418
this is kind of like the

00:46:34.498 --> 00:46:40.824
last big weekend of my grind since July,

00:46:41.063 --> 00:46:41.364
right?

00:46:42.085 --> 00:46:43.927
I am as kind of as ready to

00:46:43.967 --> 00:46:45.608
get it over with as possible.

00:46:45.789 --> 00:46:46.989
It is great to see people.

00:46:48.510 --> 00:46:48.931
But like...

00:46:49.452 --> 00:46:49.751
Man,

00:46:50.452 --> 00:46:52.313
I'm going to really enjoy when we get

00:46:52.353 --> 00:46:53.054
into the nitty gritty

00:46:53.094 --> 00:46:54.215
details about all this.

00:46:54.815 --> 00:46:55.675
But at the end of the day,

00:46:55.976 --> 00:46:56.876
it's a spring game.

00:46:57.056 --> 00:46:58.177
There's only so much you can

00:46:58.217 --> 00:46:59.097
take away from it.

00:46:59.438 --> 00:47:01.679
So it's like there are a lot

00:47:01.719 --> 00:47:03.380
of things I would rather be

00:47:03.420 --> 00:47:05.382
doing on a Saturday than

00:47:05.541 --> 00:47:06.702
covering a spring game.

00:47:07.838 --> 00:47:08.418
enjoyed it.

00:47:09.219 --> 00:47:10.219
And when I say that,

00:47:10.460 --> 00:47:11.139
it's mostly because like,

00:47:11.360 --> 00:47:12.021
there are so many people

00:47:12.061 --> 00:47:12.780
that come into town,

00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:13.641
like I would have loved to

00:47:13.661 --> 00:47:14.902
go spend time with my parents,

00:47:15.521 --> 00:47:16.802
I would have loved to see Brian,

00:47:16.822 --> 00:47:17.503
there were there were a lot

00:47:17.523 --> 00:47:18.184
of other people from the

00:47:18.224 --> 00:47:19.204
Virginia Tech community

00:47:19.264 --> 00:47:20.063
that were in town.

00:47:20.684 --> 00:47:22.224
And unfortunately, it's like, Sorry, guys,

00:47:22.264 --> 00:47:23.106
I got to go work.

00:47:24.226 --> 00:47:25.746
But it was nice for those

00:47:25.766 --> 00:47:26.706
who I did catch up with,

00:47:26.766 --> 00:47:27.708
it was nice to see them.

00:47:27.768 --> 00:47:27.887
So

00:47:29.701 --> 00:47:30.442
Well, very nice.

00:47:30.481 --> 00:47:32.483
Well, let's get to the game.

00:47:32.742 --> 00:47:34.204
Let's get to, you know,

00:47:34.224 --> 00:47:36.465
I literally just finished

00:47:36.505 --> 00:47:37.465
watching it last night.

00:47:37.485 --> 00:47:39.307
It only took me all weekend to watch it.

00:47:39.387 --> 00:47:40.849
So let's go to the game.

00:47:40.869 --> 00:47:42.289
Let's let's ask some, you know,

00:47:42.789 --> 00:47:43.530
some questions.

00:47:43.550 --> 00:47:45.032
Let's discuss a few things.

00:47:45.532 --> 00:47:46.791
We're going to start on defense,

00:47:46.891 --> 00:47:47.452
because that's where we

00:47:47.472 --> 00:47:48.333
started last week when we

00:47:48.373 --> 00:47:49.032
were previewing it.

00:47:49.652 --> 00:47:50.552
And, David,

00:47:50.572 --> 00:47:51.954
I'm going to start with you on this one,

00:47:52.474 --> 00:47:53.434
and then we'll go – Mike,

00:47:53.454 --> 00:47:54.273
you'll take it second.

00:47:54.994 --> 00:47:56.014
Defensive line,

00:47:56.454 --> 00:47:57.655
give me one player that

00:47:57.695 --> 00:48:00.135
impressed you the most, not named APR,

00:48:00.195 --> 00:48:02.396
because APR is a monster

00:48:02.496 --> 00:48:03.456
just whenever it happens.

00:48:04.356 --> 00:48:06.077
It has to be Keyshawn Burgos, man.

00:48:06.097 --> 00:48:08.478
I mean,

00:48:09.338 --> 00:48:11.338
my colleague Andy Bitter wrote it

00:48:11.458 --> 00:48:13.838
in his five thoughts on Sunday.

00:48:14.416 --> 00:48:15.657
That's like a Hall of Fame

00:48:15.717 --> 00:48:16.918
spring game performance.

00:48:17.880 --> 00:48:20.722
You have a tip pass.

00:48:20.762 --> 00:48:21.442
I don't know if they give

00:48:21.481 --> 00:48:23.503
Hall of Fame – they induct

00:48:23.543 --> 00:48:24.143
people into the Hall of

00:48:24.164 --> 00:48:25.664
Fame for spring game performances.

00:48:25.706 --> 00:48:27.387
But he had a tip pass that

00:48:27.407 --> 00:48:28.427
led to an interception.

00:48:28.447 --> 00:48:31.110
Then he had three sacks back

00:48:31.150 --> 00:48:32.250
to back to back.

00:48:33.050 --> 00:48:35.373
And then he recovers a fumble.

00:48:36.514 --> 00:48:38.715
This man was all over the place.

00:48:38.996 --> 00:48:40.737
And I really liked – I asked

00:48:40.757 --> 00:48:43.324
Brent Prye after –

00:48:43.324 --> 00:48:45.865
after the game about Burgos.

00:48:46.686 --> 00:48:48.086
And he just talked about his

00:48:48.246 --> 00:48:51.289
motor and how he's a hardworking guy.

00:48:51.329 --> 00:48:53.110
He's always going, always going,

00:48:53.170 --> 00:48:54.371
always going, always going.

00:48:54.431 --> 00:48:56.952
And I think Burgos is somebody that,

00:48:57.632 --> 00:49:00.034
you know, he's maybe not going to be,

00:49:00.054 --> 00:49:02.036
he's not going to be

00:49:02.668 --> 00:49:03.688
Antoine Powell Ryland,

00:49:03.849 --> 00:49:04.809
he's not going to be Cole

00:49:04.849 --> 00:49:06.090
Nelson necessarily.

00:49:06.751 --> 00:49:08.172
But I think if he's playing

00:49:08.192 --> 00:49:09.052
at a high level,

00:49:09.612 --> 00:49:10.552
that just provides Virginia

00:49:10.572 --> 00:49:11.574
Tech even more depth.

00:49:11.653 --> 00:49:12.994
It's only a bonus.

00:49:13.536 --> 00:49:13.936
There you go.

00:49:14.315 --> 00:49:14.615
Mikey?

00:49:15.297 --> 00:49:16.697
Yeah, I mean, it's Burgos.

00:49:17.157 --> 00:49:19.059
I hate to not add more color to this,

00:49:19.159 --> 00:49:19.340
right?

00:49:19.360 --> 00:49:20.519
But it's Burgos.

00:49:20.780 --> 00:49:21.681
He was phenomenal.

00:49:21.820 --> 00:49:22.981
Like, what more do you want?

00:49:23.501 --> 00:49:25.483
And he's going to be a key

00:49:25.563 --> 00:49:27.625
part of the rotation at defensive end,

00:49:27.644 --> 00:49:27.844
right?

00:49:27.885 --> 00:49:29.085
APR is holding down one side

00:49:29.106 --> 00:49:29.987
of the defensive line.

00:49:30.467 --> 00:49:31.746
probably going to be either

00:49:31.786 --> 00:49:33.648
Cole Nelson or Burgos on the other side.

00:49:33.728 --> 00:49:34.407
And it doesn't really matter

00:49:34.427 --> 00:49:35.128
who's going to start.

00:49:35.168 --> 00:49:36.708
Burgos is going to get a lot of snaps.

00:49:36.849 --> 00:49:37.869
So it was really encouraging

00:49:37.909 --> 00:49:39.230
to see him perform the way they did.

00:49:40.429 --> 00:49:41.369
Tally, what about you, man?

00:49:41.429 --> 00:49:42.751
Who impressed you on the D-line?

00:49:45.411 --> 00:49:49.773
I mean, of course I want to say Burgos,

00:49:49.813 --> 00:49:50.592
but we've got two people

00:49:50.612 --> 00:49:51.474
that's already said it.

00:49:51.514 --> 00:49:53.333
So I've got to go with something different,

00:49:53.373 --> 00:49:53.853
man.

00:49:54.474 --> 00:49:55.454
I've got to go – I mean,

00:49:55.554 --> 00:49:57.034
it was good to see Copeland

00:49:57.074 --> 00:49:58.356
in action because I know a

00:49:58.396 --> 00:50:00.233
lot of people have –

00:50:00.233 --> 00:50:01.014
have, you know,

00:50:01.054 --> 00:50:02.755
seen his workouts and seen

00:50:02.795 --> 00:50:03.956
different things that he's done.

00:50:04.036 --> 00:50:05.657
But to see, you know,

00:50:05.858 --> 00:50:07.139
anytime a defensive lineman

00:50:07.179 --> 00:50:08.000
gets an interception,

00:50:08.059 --> 00:50:09.621
no matter how he gets it,

00:50:10.161 --> 00:50:10.682
you know what I'm saying?

00:50:10.702 --> 00:50:11.804
Like, that's just good to see.

00:50:11.844 --> 00:50:13.465
So to see his athleticism,

00:50:13.985 --> 00:50:16.188
to be able to get it and how he moves,

00:50:16.268 --> 00:50:17.349
even though he may not have, like,

00:50:18.434 --> 00:50:20.936
tremendous stats like Keyshawn Burgos did.

00:50:21.996 --> 00:50:23.217
For us to be getting bigger

00:50:23.257 --> 00:50:24.257
in the trenches and to be

00:50:24.277 --> 00:50:25.338
getting more athletic in

00:50:25.358 --> 00:50:28.699
the trenches is definitely good to see.

00:50:29.619 --> 00:50:31.500
I'll give it to Copeland.

00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:32.659
He looked like a big running

00:50:32.740 --> 00:50:34.081
back after that pick, man.

00:50:34.141 --> 00:50:35.300
He was moving pretty good.

00:50:37.282 --> 00:50:39.003
You know what I noticed on

00:50:39.023 --> 00:50:40.523
the pick more than anything, though?

00:50:41.503 --> 00:50:43.003
It wasn't that Burgos tipped it.

00:50:43.023 --> 00:50:43.684
It wasn't then that

00:50:47.795 --> 00:50:48.577
Copeland caught it,

00:50:48.657 --> 00:50:51.541
it was that Ali Jennings,

00:50:51.601 --> 00:50:53.885
which is your number one receiver,

00:50:54.967 --> 00:50:56.369
hustles back down the field

00:50:56.509 --> 00:50:57.451
and knocks the ball out.

00:50:58.641 --> 00:51:00.061
He's coming off of an injury

00:51:00.181 --> 00:51:01.402
and it's a fucking spring

00:51:01.443 --> 00:51:03.844
game that he really don't

00:51:03.884 --> 00:51:04.704
have to play in.

00:51:04.744 --> 00:51:05.405
You know what I'm saying?

00:51:05.744 --> 00:51:07.706
But he's so jacked to be on

00:51:07.726 --> 00:51:11.708
the field that after a pick,

00:51:12.047 --> 00:51:14.048
he's hustling back to knock the ball out.

00:51:14.088 --> 00:51:15.829
Like, that made me get pretty hyped.

00:51:16.250 --> 00:51:18.731
You know, as hyped you can get on a pick.

00:51:18.771 --> 00:51:19.672
You know what I'm saying?

00:51:20.052 --> 00:51:21.733
But it's both tech teams.

00:51:22.032 --> 00:51:22.994
You're winning either way.

00:51:23.293 --> 00:51:24.014
But I was like, damn,

00:51:24.054 --> 00:51:25.414
look at Jennings running

00:51:25.434 --> 00:51:26.835
down the field and punching the ball out.

00:51:26.856 --> 00:51:26.956
So,

00:51:27.659 --> 00:51:28.641
That was pretty cool to see.

00:51:29.782 --> 00:51:30.681
Segal, about you, man.

00:51:31.663 --> 00:51:33.043
I'm going to switch over to

00:51:33.063 --> 00:51:34.585
the other defensive tackle here.

00:51:35.505 --> 00:51:36.126
It was Peebles.

00:51:37.387 --> 00:51:41.210
He looked really fast off the ball.

00:51:41.230 --> 00:51:42.010
There were a couple times

00:51:42.030 --> 00:51:42.550
where he was in the

00:51:42.590 --> 00:51:43.771
backfield before the ball

00:51:43.811 --> 00:51:44.751
even got to the quarterback.

00:51:46.773 --> 00:51:47.474
disruptive.

00:51:47.494 --> 00:51:48.514
You know,

00:51:48.614 --> 00:51:49.936
it didn't necessarily show up on

00:51:49.976 --> 00:51:50.735
the stat sheet,

00:51:50.876 --> 00:51:52.217
but like everything I saw

00:51:52.297 --> 00:51:52.978
from him when I was

00:51:53.038 --> 00:51:55.440
watching the tape back, just, I mean,

00:51:55.480 --> 00:51:56.840
he's going to be an animal.

00:51:57.442 --> 00:51:58.422
So I'm looking forward to that.

00:51:59.123 --> 00:51:59.463
All right.

00:51:59.744 --> 00:52:00.664
I'm going to close out real

00:52:00.684 --> 00:52:01.786
quick here with two names

00:52:01.806 --> 00:52:02.726
y'all haven't mentioned

00:52:02.766 --> 00:52:04.387
because it was good to hear their names.

00:52:04.807 --> 00:52:06.809
And that was Jason Abbey,

00:52:07.369 --> 00:52:09.012
Richmond product from just

00:52:09.052 --> 00:52:10.052
down the road here from my

00:52:10.092 --> 00:52:12.014
house at Freeman and James Jeanette,

00:52:12.474 --> 00:52:13.815
because I think they have

00:52:13.856 --> 00:52:15.157
to find a fourth defensive end.

00:52:16.177 --> 00:52:17.918
we know it's being looked

00:52:17.938 --> 00:52:19.000
like CJ McCray got hurt.

00:52:19.960 --> 00:52:23.143
You know, there are things being said that,

00:52:23.664 --> 00:52:25.766
you know, it might be something broken.

00:52:25.786 --> 00:52:27.367
I have not seen official yet,

00:52:28.047 --> 00:52:28.889
but it was not good.

00:52:28.929 --> 00:52:30.469
He did not come back in the game.

00:52:30.610 --> 00:52:31.690
He was hobbling off.

00:52:32.431 --> 00:52:34.052
But they need that fourth defensive end.

00:52:34.693 --> 00:52:38.134
And to see a young guy like Abby,

00:52:38.353 --> 00:52:39.094
who was sort of under the

00:52:39.134 --> 00:52:41.014
radar being recruited, and Jeanette,

00:52:41.034 --> 00:52:42.875
who came in out of a JUCO.

00:52:43.054 --> 00:52:43.454
First of all,

00:52:43.715 --> 00:52:45.295
James Jeanette did not look 210 pounds.

00:52:45.315 --> 00:52:47.556
I think they are straight up

00:52:47.797 --> 00:52:50.438
lying about his weight.

00:52:50.458 --> 00:52:51.018
225, 230 maybe.

00:52:51.038 --> 00:52:51.717
He did not look 210.

00:52:52.197 --> 00:52:54.079
But it was great seeing that

00:52:54.778 --> 00:52:57.840
from those two guys making contributions.

00:52:58.800 --> 00:53:00.340
I want to go to linebacker room next,

00:53:00.400 --> 00:53:00.661
and Mike,

00:53:00.701 --> 00:53:01.942
I'm going to start with you on this.

00:53:02.282 --> 00:53:05.085
And in your opinion, so yes or no,

00:53:05.465 --> 00:53:06.445
is this still the most

00:53:06.505 --> 00:53:07.545
concerning group on the

00:53:07.585 --> 00:53:08.387
defense right now?

00:53:10.347 --> 00:53:11.628
I'm personally more

00:53:11.688 --> 00:53:13.050
concerned about safety than

00:53:13.110 --> 00:53:14.251
I am about linebacker.

00:53:14.271 --> 00:53:16.253
All right.

00:53:16.713 --> 00:53:17.193
There were some,

00:53:17.273 --> 00:53:18.393
and I don't want to jump ahead.

00:53:18.454 --> 00:53:19.355
I know we've got this outline.

00:53:19.375 --> 00:53:20.074
I don't want to jump ahead.

00:53:20.596 --> 00:53:22.737
But there were some guys

00:53:22.777 --> 00:53:25.179
that stood out to me at linebacker.

00:53:25.771 --> 00:53:26.652
like Caleb,

00:53:26.831 --> 00:53:28.193
Caleb Woodson is going to be a

00:53:28.472 --> 00:53:29.373
phenomenal player.

00:53:29.634 --> 00:53:30.353
Like he was,

00:53:30.894 --> 00:53:32.856
he was good in a pinch last year.

00:53:32.876 --> 00:53:35.478
He was, he was good on Saturday.

00:53:36.038 --> 00:53:37.278
He's going to be a really,

00:53:37.338 --> 00:53:38.360
really important part of

00:53:38.380 --> 00:53:39.440
Brent prize defense here

00:53:39.460 --> 00:53:40.260
for the next few years.

00:53:40.782 --> 00:53:42.963
And so when I see those

00:53:43.023 --> 00:53:44.523
types of guys on the field,

00:53:44.643 --> 00:53:46.565
I see the way that Brumfield played, like

00:53:47.938 --> 00:53:49.918
I feel pretty good about linebacker.

00:53:51.179 --> 00:53:51.480
Again,

00:53:51.739 --> 00:53:52.920
you don't really get the full

00:53:52.940 --> 00:53:54.161
appreciation of everything

00:53:54.202 --> 00:53:55.402
that Brumfield's able to do

00:53:55.501 --> 00:53:57.804
only because it is a spring game.

00:53:58.724 --> 00:54:00.304
You are splitting the defense up.

00:54:01.545 --> 00:54:03.387
You don't see him have full

00:54:03.427 --> 00:54:06.889
command of the entire starting 11.

00:54:06.889 --> 00:54:09.869
But in what we saw, I was impressed.

00:54:09.989 --> 00:54:11.590
He looked like it was as advertised,

00:54:11.670 --> 00:54:11.871
right?

00:54:11.931 --> 00:54:12.172
Yeah.

00:54:13.192 --> 00:54:15.612
I am not personally overly

00:54:15.672 --> 00:54:17.052
concerned about linebacker.

00:54:17.273 --> 00:54:18.452
I think Virginia Tech just

00:54:18.672 --> 00:54:20.373
on paper looks a lot better

00:54:20.434 --> 00:54:21.474
there than they did a year

00:54:21.534 --> 00:54:23.355
ago just from a starting standpoint,

00:54:23.394 --> 00:54:24.414
from a depth perspective.

00:54:25.235 --> 00:54:28.036
So I'm more concerned about safeties,

00:54:28.056 --> 00:54:28.876
and we'll get to that in a bit.

00:54:29.476 --> 00:54:29.916
All righty.

00:54:30.016 --> 00:54:30.856
David, what about you?

00:54:32.376 --> 00:54:33.536
Yeah, no, I saw it.

00:54:35.740 --> 00:54:37.501
I'm like, Mike, I do not,

00:54:38.063 --> 00:54:38.882
I worry a little bit about

00:54:38.902 --> 00:54:39.664
the safety depth.

00:54:41.025 --> 00:54:41.806
Specifically,

00:54:41.826 --> 00:54:43.686
and only because Jalen

00:54:43.726 --> 00:54:45.289
Stroman was not able to

00:54:45.329 --> 00:54:46.590
stay on the field this past year.

00:54:48.130 --> 00:54:49.813
Like, and I don't mean, like,

00:54:49.833 --> 00:54:51.793
he's dinged up right now.

00:54:51.813 --> 00:54:52.614
Yeah.

00:54:53.556 --> 00:54:53.715
And

00:54:54.530 --> 00:54:56.672
he was out for targeting a couple times.

00:54:56.913 --> 00:54:57.693
So it's like,

00:54:58.974 --> 00:55:00.376
you have to stay on the field.

00:55:00.757 --> 00:55:03.119
And he's, he might,

00:55:03.219 --> 00:55:04.000
I think he's the most

00:55:04.079 --> 00:55:05.641
valuable player on this

00:55:05.681 --> 00:55:06.702
Virginia Tech defense,

00:55:07.262 --> 00:55:08.304
simply because there's not

00:55:08.324 --> 00:55:09.244
a lot of safety depth.

00:55:10.025 --> 00:55:10.686
And again,

00:55:10.706 --> 00:55:12.266
I don't want to get too far down.

00:55:12.708 --> 00:55:14.730
But like, if there was one position,

00:55:14.750 --> 00:55:16.291
I think Virginia Tech needs

00:55:16.331 --> 00:55:17.371
to target somebody in the

00:55:17.391 --> 00:55:18.273
transporter if it was going

00:55:18.293 --> 00:55:19.054
to get somebody to spring.

00:55:20.137 --> 00:55:20.737
It's safety.

00:55:21.277 --> 00:55:21.878
Okay.

00:55:23.699 --> 00:55:24.860
On the defensive side of the ball it is.

00:55:25.440 --> 00:55:26.360
As far as linebacker,

00:55:26.661 --> 00:55:27.420
I feel all right about

00:55:27.460 --> 00:55:28.521
Virginia Tech a linebacker.

00:55:29.623 --> 00:55:30.222
We haven't gotten to see

00:55:30.242 --> 00:55:32.403
Kelly Lawson this spring,

00:55:32.905 --> 00:55:34.405
but I think Sam Brumfield

00:55:34.425 --> 00:55:35.505
kind of comes in and fills

00:55:35.525 --> 00:55:36.586
that position of need.

00:55:37.827 --> 00:55:40.369
And everybody else has a

00:55:40.449 --> 00:55:41.510
year under their belt.

00:55:41.972 --> 00:55:43.253
I agree with Mike.

00:55:43.474 --> 00:55:44.554
I think Caleb Woodson is

00:55:44.574 --> 00:55:45.735
going to be the real deal.

00:55:46.155 --> 00:55:48.157
I am super excited to watch him play.

00:55:48.518 --> 00:55:50.579
I think he got valuable reps last year.

00:55:50.599 --> 00:55:55.905
And Keonta Jenkins is back too.

00:55:57.086 --> 00:55:59.449
You add Brumfield and Jenkins together,

00:55:59.909 --> 00:56:01.010
Virginia Tech can kind of

00:56:01.050 --> 00:56:01.590
get some things

00:56:01.630 --> 00:56:02.891
straightened out there at will.

00:56:02.911 --> 00:56:04.653
I think the Hokies will be

00:56:04.673 --> 00:56:05.755
in good shape there.

00:56:06.809 --> 00:56:08.391
You got Gabe Williams coming in.

00:56:08.851 --> 00:56:10.414
I think the depth is

00:56:10.514 --> 00:56:12.036
starting to develop there,

00:56:12.436 --> 00:56:13.858
assuming they can stay healthy.

00:56:14.760 --> 00:56:14.960
Yeah.

00:56:16.581 --> 00:56:17.083
Go ahead, Tyler.

00:56:17.943 --> 00:56:19.166
No, I was just saying, I mean,

00:56:19.425 --> 00:56:20.246
David kind of hit the nail

00:56:20.286 --> 00:56:20.907
on the head when he's

00:56:21.429 --> 00:56:23.050
talking about the depth piece of it.

00:56:23.130 --> 00:56:23.771
You know what I'm saying?

00:56:25.548 --> 00:56:26.829
a lot of years we may have

00:56:26.869 --> 00:56:27.668
man it's gonna be a good

00:56:27.688 --> 00:56:29.130
year then it's football

00:56:29.150 --> 00:56:30.730
this guy gets hurt and then

00:56:30.789 --> 00:56:32.329
you get somebody put in

00:56:32.389 --> 00:56:34.070
behind him that's just a

00:56:34.170 --> 00:56:36.650
total drop off from who

00:56:36.670 --> 00:56:39.331
that first uh the first

00:56:39.672 --> 00:56:41.291
line of defense is um I

00:56:41.331 --> 00:56:42.652
think greg mcelroy was

00:56:42.693 --> 00:56:43.612
talking about and somebody

00:56:43.652 --> 00:56:45.172
posted when he was talking

00:56:45.213 --> 00:56:46.172
about the spring at the

00:56:46.313 --> 00:56:48.054
hokey spring game and he's

00:56:48.074 --> 00:56:48.813
talking about just

00:56:49.659 --> 00:56:51.960
I mean, everybody's raving about, like,

00:56:52.059 --> 00:56:53.141
they actually have depth.

00:56:53.601 --> 00:56:54.202
You know what I'm saying?

00:56:54.222 --> 00:56:56.822
You see, you know, Jaden Keller,

00:56:56.842 --> 00:56:58.483
and you see Brumfield come in,

00:56:58.503 --> 00:56:59.505
and then Kelly Lawson,

00:56:59.565 --> 00:57:01.206
and the McDonald twins.

00:57:01.306 --> 00:57:01.606
And, like,

00:57:01.646 --> 00:57:03.086
you've got some names that can

00:57:03.126 --> 00:57:05.568
get in and give you a couple of plays.

00:57:06.108 --> 00:57:08.070
Just to flip-flop back kind of to, like,

00:57:09.250 --> 00:57:10.291
the defensive line,

00:57:10.891 --> 00:57:13.132
Fulgham might have played, you know,

00:57:13.132 --> 00:57:14.773
10 plays in the spring game.

00:57:14.873 --> 00:57:15.914
Again, it's a spring game.

00:57:16.474 --> 00:57:16.755
But –

00:57:18.106 --> 00:57:19.268
he doesn't need to play a

00:57:19.309 --> 00:57:20.088
whole bunch of plays.

00:57:20.110 --> 00:57:21.952
That's not where he's going to be good at,

00:57:22.672 --> 00:57:23.012
you know,

00:57:23.253 --> 00:57:24.855
you need to be able to plug him

00:57:24.994 --> 00:57:25.695
in and play him.

00:57:26.056 --> 00:57:26.896
Then you think about like,

00:57:27.036 --> 00:57:28.559
you still got Emmett laws coming in,

00:57:28.679 --> 00:57:30.079
who a lot of people's high on,

00:57:30.521 --> 00:57:31.702
on that defensive line.

00:57:31.762 --> 00:57:36.266
So, um, when you talk about the linebacker,

00:57:36.987 --> 00:57:37.027
uh,

00:57:37.458 --> 00:57:38.538
The linebacker is going to

00:57:38.597 --> 00:57:41.179
depend on what the defensive line can do.

00:57:41.780 --> 00:57:42.920
If the defensive line can do

00:57:42.940 --> 00:57:43.760
what they're supposed to do

00:57:43.820 --> 00:57:44.800
and keep the offensive

00:57:44.840 --> 00:57:46.822
lineman from getting to the second level,

00:57:47.202 --> 00:57:48.302
I like our chances with

00:57:48.322 --> 00:57:49.443
people like Caleb Woodson

00:57:49.563 --> 00:57:53.304
and Brumfield and so on and so forth.

00:57:55.005 --> 00:57:56.364
I hate to keep going back to that,

00:57:56.425 --> 00:58:00.447
but that is going to be the key.

00:58:00.547 --> 00:58:01.327
What we've got in the

00:58:01.367 --> 00:58:03.927
trenches right now is working.

00:58:04.427 --> 00:58:05.969
Everybody can stay healthy there.

00:58:06.516 --> 00:58:10.481
that linebacker core is going to be fine.

00:58:10.541 --> 00:58:12.322
We'll get to what everybody's worry is,

00:58:12.382 --> 00:58:13.724
like these guys have been

00:58:13.744 --> 00:58:14.726
saying here a little bit.

00:58:16.106 --> 00:58:17.608
I'm going to say this before

00:58:17.887 --> 00:58:18.668
we – I'm going to pitch it

00:58:18.688 --> 00:58:19.588
over to Brian to get his

00:58:19.608 --> 00:58:20.748
thoughts on the linebacker room.

00:58:21.829 --> 00:58:23.088
I think what's going to be

00:58:23.148 --> 00:58:24.909
impressive is to see how

00:58:25.469 --> 00:58:27.030
Lawson is with Brumfield

00:58:27.630 --> 00:58:29.152
because you have someone

00:58:29.172 --> 00:58:30.231
who – you all have mentioned it.

00:58:30.532 --> 00:58:31.552
Mike, you said it,

00:58:31.652 --> 00:58:33.873
commanding the 11 people, where Lawson,

00:58:33.893 --> 00:58:35.054
who is just an athletic freak,

00:58:35.074 --> 00:58:37.153
where at will he can be like, Rome,

00:58:37.715 --> 00:58:40.295
attack, attack the ball carrier,

00:58:40.835 --> 00:58:41.715
attack the flats.

00:58:42.784 --> 00:58:43.985
attack on the blitz where

00:58:44.025 --> 00:58:45.306
last year not having that

00:58:45.367 --> 00:58:46.706
mike who can stabilize

00:58:47.208 --> 00:58:48.648
because we we saw brumfield

00:58:48.668 --> 00:58:49.628
and it's and it's tough to

00:58:49.949 --> 00:58:50.869
you know analyze a

00:58:50.909 --> 00:58:52.530
linebacker play just from

00:58:52.550 --> 00:58:53.992
that side view you need all

00:58:54.012 --> 00:58:55.572
the views you need okay did

00:58:55.592 --> 00:58:57.092
he hit the right gap it

00:58:57.134 --> 00:58:58.134
seemed like he was hitting

00:58:58.353 --> 00:58:59.315
most of the right gaps

00:58:59.355 --> 00:59:00.275
going to the right spot

00:59:00.715 --> 00:59:02.717
doing that is going to just

00:59:02.757 --> 00:59:04.197
improve the the young guys

00:59:04.358 --> 00:59:06.219
we have a low bar we have a

00:59:06.298 --> 00:59:07.980
low bar after what we

00:59:08.039 --> 00:59:09.501
watched for half the year last year

00:59:10.181 --> 00:59:12.543
But, Brian,

00:59:12.704 --> 00:59:13.905
linebackers are not concerning

00:59:13.945 --> 00:59:14.507
them anymore.

00:59:14.547 --> 00:59:16.849
Even Tally and Cunningham

00:59:16.869 --> 00:59:18.210
thinking we've got depth now there.

00:59:18.931 --> 00:59:19.371
What about you?

00:59:20.273 --> 00:59:22.255
I'm at a point where I feel comfortable.

00:59:22.295 --> 00:59:23.336
I don't necessarily feel

00:59:23.376 --> 00:59:24.798
like we have great depth,

00:59:24.858 --> 00:59:27.233
but I feel like we have –

00:59:27.233 --> 00:59:28.835
Two or three guys that can

00:59:28.855 --> 00:59:29.655
get the job done,

00:59:29.675 --> 00:59:30.416
and then another two or

00:59:30.456 --> 00:59:31.657
three guys that you feel

00:59:32.137 --> 00:59:33.378
pretty good about if you

00:59:33.418 --> 00:59:34.800
have to rely on them for

00:59:34.820 --> 00:59:36.202
extended periods of a game, right?

00:59:36.262 --> 00:59:38.244
So I think that's a step up

00:59:38.284 --> 00:59:39.445
from where we were last year.

00:59:40.485 --> 00:59:42.086
We've got better leadership

00:59:42.327 --> 00:59:44.670
in that room with Brumfield in there,

00:59:44.690 --> 00:59:45.510
and I think that's going to

00:59:45.550 --> 00:59:46.911
be the biggest –

00:59:46.911 --> 00:59:48.132
piece of the puzzle this year.

00:59:48.152 --> 00:59:51.594
I think that that team was missing a,

00:59:52.115 --> 00:59:53.297
that group was missing a

00:59:53.416 --> 00:59:54.336
leader last year.

00:59:54.496 --> 00:59:56.559
Somebody that not only knew

00:59:56.579 --> 00:59:57.358
what they were doing,

00:59:57.438 --> 00:59:59.420
but knew how to lead from the front,

00:59:59.541 --> 01:00:00.722
from the linebacker position.

01:00:01.242 --> 01:00:02.222
And I think we didn't really

01:00:02.302 --> 01:00:03.224
see that last year.

01:00:03.244 --> 01:00:03.884
And I think we're going to

01:00:03.923 --> 01:00:05.264
get that in Brumfield this year.

01:00:05.304 --> 01:00:06.146
So that's what I'm most

01:00:06.206 --> 01:00:07.226
excited about because

01:00:07.266 --> 01:00:08.067
that's going to trickle

01:00:08.106 --> 01:00:10.068
down to those younger guys,

01:00:10.409 --> 01:00:12.210
to those guys that have some experience,

01:00:12.269 --> 01:00:13.610
but may not have always

01:00:13.630 --> 01:00:14.811
been able to put the pieces together.

01:00:14.831 --> 01:00:16.012
All right.

01:00:16.795 --> 01:00:18.456
We'll flip over now to the

01:00:18.496 --> 01:00:19.317
defensive backroom.

01:00:19.516 --> 01:00:20.657
And I'm going to phrase the

01:00:20.677 --> 01:00:21.559
question this way, David,

01:00:21.579 --> 01:00:22.780
because you and Mike

01:00:22.840 --> 01:00:24.521
mentioned your concern is safety.

01:00:25.702 --> 01:00:27.923
If the defensive backroom,

01:00:27.983 --> 01:00:29.985
both corners and safety, is fully healthy,

01:00:31.385 --> 01:00:34.009
is this going to be as advertised?

01:00:34.088 --> 01:00:34.789
Is it going to be a

01:00:34.829 --> 01:00:37.590
throwback to what we all grew up with?

01:00:38.132 --> 01:00:39.072
If everybody's healthy.

01:00:40.353 --> 01:00:42.155
If everybody's healthy, healthy, healthy.

01:00:44.137 --> 01:00:46.239
I think you're forgetting

01:00:46.278 --> 01:00:48.081
how good some of those old

01:00:48.141 --> 01:00:50.081
Virginia Tech DB units were, man.

01:00:50.202 --> 01:00:51.021
Oh, no, I'm not.

01:00:51.041 --> 01:00:52.023
Oh, I sat there.

01:00:52.043 --> 01:00:53.884
I watched them.

01:00:54.824 --> 01:00:56.025
So let me put it this way.

01:00:57.626 --> 01:00:58.547
If Virginia Tech is

01:00:58.567 --> 01:01:00.268
completely healthy at DB,

01:01:00.688 --> 01:01:02.210
I feel very good.

01:01:03.202 --> 01:01:04.603
Dorian Strong and Mansoor

01:01:04.623 --> 01:01:06.403
Delane might be the best

01:01:06.463 --> 01:01:08.385
cornerback pairing in the ACC.

01:01:08.985 --> 01:01:09.865
And I think some of those

01:01:09.905 --> 01:01:10.985
young guys like Dante

01:01:11.045 --> 01:01:12.726
Lovett and Braylon Johnson

01:01:12.766 --> 01:01:13.806
are coming along well.

01:01:15.447 --> 01:01:16.568
The one thing is we have not

01:01:16.608 --> 01:01:18.309
really seen them in big

01:01:18.389 --> 01:01:19.648
time game action yet.

01:01:19.909 --> 01:01:22.130
And that's what I'm curious to see, right?

01:01:23.150 --> 01:01:25.451
They're developing, Chris Marr,

01:01:25.471 --> 01:01:26.331
we talked to Chris Marr,

01:01:26.351 --> 01:01:28.112
we talked to Mansoor

01:01:28.251 --> 01:01:29.532
actually after the spring game,

01:01:30.532 --> 01:01:32.273
and they spoke highly of those guys.

01:01:33.257 --> 01:01:35.518
But you can't teach experience,

01:01:35.637 --> 01:01:37.137
and that's the next step.

01:01:37.918 --> 01:01:39.898
At safety, if Jalen Stroman's healthy,

01:01:40.099 --> 01:01:41.278
I feel pretty good.

01:01:42.239 --> 01:01:43.420
But Jalen Jones and most

01:01:43.460 --> 01:01:44.420
Phillips have to take that

01:01:44.480 --> 01:01:45.420
next step forward.

01:01:46.221 --> 01:01:47.481
I think they can be good.

01:01:48.541 --> 01:01:51.322
But we saw a lot last year

01:01:51.362 --> 01:01:53.842
where they weren't necessarily good.

01:01:53.882 --> 01:01:55.744
That's not saying that they can't be good.

01:01:56.572 --> 01:01:58.333
But they've still got room to grow.

01:01:58.675 --> 01:02:00.076
I'm curious to see if a guy

01:02:00.096 --> 01:02:01.697
like Quentin Reddish factors in.

01:02:02.177 --> 01:02:03.217
He's a true freshman.

01:02:03.777 --> 01:02:05.539
Derek Jones raved about him

01:02:05.559 --> 01:02:07.161
when the Hokies signed him

01:02:07.320 --> 01:02:08.141
in the offseason.

01:02:09.021 --> 01:02:10.822
Curious to see where he fits in.

01:02:11.304 --> 01:02:13.625
But I think you feel pretty

01:02:13.744 --> 01:02:15.126
good about most Phillips

01:02:15.186 --> 01:02:17.748
and Jalen Jones if you have

01:02:17.768 --> 01:02:18.528
Jalen Stroman.

01:02:18.929 --> 01:02:20.329
If you can kind of spread

01:02:20.409 --> 01:02:24.688
those snaps around –

01:02:24.688 --> 01:02:26.248
I still think if I'm

01:02:26.288 --> 01:02:27.429
Virginia Tech and there's a

01:02:27.528 --> 01:02:29.148
safety on the board I feel really,

01:02:29.188 --> 01:02:30.268
really good about in the

01:02:30.309 --> 01:02:31.889
transfer portal and I feel

01:02:31.929 --> 01:02:34.150
like I can go get him, I would do it.

01:02:34.170 --> 01:02:36.510
If it means it's somebody that can come in,

01:02:36.530 --> 01:02:38.090
a veteran maybe who can

01:02:38.150 --> 01:02:41.251
come in and play some meaningful snaps.

01:02:41.751 --> 01:02:44.751
I think back to a couple of years ago,

01:02:44.811 --> 01:02:46.492
Virginia Tech had Tay Daly.

01:02:47.112 --> 01:02:48.692
That's a guy who played at

01:02:48.711 --> 01:02:50.472
Virginia Tech essentially for a year,

01:02:50.572 --> 01:02:51.012
I believe.

01:02:53.222 --> 01:02:56.228
He wasn't, I mean, he had, I think,

01:02:56.268 --> 01:02:57.188
an average,

01:02:57.289 --> 01:02:58.250
maybe a little bit of an above

01:02:58.391 --> 01:02:59.311
average impact.

01:02:59.371 --> 01:03:00.534
But I think if you can get a

01:03:00.574 --> 01:03:01.635
veteran in that room,

01:03:02.195 --> 01:03:03.177
just to provide a little

01:03:03.217 --> 01:03:04.860
bit of layer of added depth,

01:03:05.501 --> 01:03:07.282
that goes a long way.

01:03:08.193 --> 01:03:09.135
especially at a position

01:03:09.175 --> 01:03:10.576
where you're hitting a lot

01:03:10.596 --> 01:03:11.836
of guys at full speed.

01:03:12.637 --> 01:03:13.858
Remember most Phillips,

01:03:14.418 --> 01:03:15.199
you guys remember most

01:03:15.219 --> 01:03:16.539
Phillips targeting call last year?

01:03:16.780 --> 01:03:18.001
Like it wasn't close.

01:03:18.382 --> 01:03:19.742
He, he knew it, man.

01:03:20.043 --> 01:03:21.864
Like if those guys,

01:03:22.204 --> 01:03:23.146
like those guys have to be

01:03:23.186 --> 01:03:24.387
able to stay on the field,

01:03:24.507 --> 01:03:25.427
even if they are healthy,

01:03:25.748 --> 01:03:28.028
but I feel better about

01:03:28.068 --> 01:03:30.891
that room than I did, you know, at the,

01:03:31.112 --> 01:03:32.373
at the start of the spring, I think.

01:03:32.472 --> 01:03:32.672
Okay.

01:03:33.547 --> 01:03:35.791
the the yeah the corners

01:03:36.472 --> 01:03:37.195
well yeah I mean the

01:03:37.235 --> 01:03:38.438
corners are a known commodity

01:03:39.050 --> 01:03:39.971
You know what you're going to get.

01:03:41.090 --> 01:03:42.811
Safety's interesting because,

01:03:43.911 --> 01:03:44.871
like David mentioned,

01:03:44.992 --> 01:03:46.452
if Stroman's not on the field,

01:03:46.512 --> 01:03:47.532
you may end up in a

01:03:47.572 --> 01:03:48.773
situation where you need to

01:03:48.813 --> 01:03:50.032
contemplate putting Keontae

01:03:50.092 --> 01:03:51.132
Jenkins back there again.

01:03:51.733 --> 01:03:52.914
Which, look,

01:03:53.054 --> 01:03:54.253
if that's the position you're

01:03:54.293 --> 01:03:55.673
going to be in,

01:03:55.773 --> 01:03:57.333
where you have Jalen Jones,

01:03:57.414 --> 01:03:58.855
who had switched positions

01:03:58.934 --> 01:03:59.974
and basically felt like a

01:04:00.034 --> 01:04:01.054
freshman year for him last

01:04:01.074 --> 01:04:01.775
year because he was playing

01:04:01.795 --> 01:04:03.034
a totally different side of the ball,

01:04:03.074 --> 01:04:03.755
and now all of a sudden

01:04:03.775 --> 01:04:04.675
you're thrust into a role

01:04:04.695 --> 01:04:05.396
where you have to play

01:04:05.876 --> 01:04:07.338
meaningful snaps to a new position.

01:04:07.358 --> 01:04:08.518
And they have Moe Phillips,

01:04:08.559 --> 01:04:10.121
who was actually a freshman last year,

01:04:10.141 --> 01:04:11.842
and you have him playing meaningful snaps,

01:04:11.882 --> 01:04:13.344
which will benefit him, obviously,

01:04:13.403 --> 01:04:14.264
this year and beyond.

01:04:15.146 --> 01:04:17.509
But if Stroman can't stay on the field,

01:04:18.489 --> 01:04:19.510
Virginia Tech needs to go

01:04:19.550 --> 01:04:20.271
into the portal.

01:04:20.572 --> 01:04:20.871
Like, I...

01:04:21.773 --> 01:04:22.914
I had the same concerns.

01:04:23.914 --> 01:04:25.416
I think the Quentin Reddish

01:04:25.496 --> 01:04:26.878
point by David's a good one

01:04:27.539 --> 01:04:29.780
because of the way Derek

01:04:29.820 --> 01:04:31.922
Jones did speak about him

01:04:32.342 --> 01:04:33.403
when he committed to

01:04:33.463 --> 01:04:35.746
Virginia Tech and how

01:04:36.646 --> 01:04:37.728
difficult Derek Jones

01:04:37.768 --> 01:04:38.688
talked about how difficult

01:04:38.728 --> 01:04:40.311
it was to keep his commitment.

01:04:40.371 --> 01:04:41.152
The fact that Virginia Tech

01:04:41.192 --> 01:04:43.853
was able to was a huge win.

01:04:44.153 --> 01:04:45.635
Brent Prye was raving about it.

01:04:46.929 --> 01:04:48.028
when you have the coaching

01:04:48.068 --> 01:04:50.110
staff speaking that highly about a guy,

01:04:50.289 --> 01:04:51.670
maybe he factors in sooner

01:04:51.710 --> 01:04:52.411
rather than later.

01:04:52.431 --> 01:04:53.951
And I think that's a really good point.

01:04:54.070 --> 01:04:55.010
I think it's going to be

01:04:55.170 --> 01:04:56.092
overlooked because I think

01:04:56.152 --> 01:04:57.731
everybody's obviously concerned about,

01:04:58.251 --> 01:04:58.472
you know,

01:04:58.512 --> 01:05:00.012
how Jalen Jones and most

01:05:00.052 --> 01:05:00.773
Phillips are going to

01:05:00.793 --> 01:05:02.914
factor in if Stroman can stay healthy.

01:05:03.514 --> 01:05:04.474
But if you throw another

01:05:04.534 --> 01:05:05.773
young guy into the mix,

01:05:05.974 --> 01:05:07.155
and this happens to be the

01:05:07.195 --> 01:05:08.594
guy that Derek Jones and

01:05:08.655 --> 01:05:10.436
Brent Prye think that he can be,

01:05:10.655 --> 01:05:12.516
and he can play meaningful snaps early,

01:05:12.976 --> 01:05:13.876
I think he could get into

01:05:13.916 --> 01:05:14.896
that safety rotation.

01:05:15.996 --> 01:05:17.396
I am concerned about the

01:05:17.436 --> 01:05:18.538
back end of the defense.

01:05:18.818 --> 01:05:19.159
I am.

01:05:19.179 --> 01:05:20.219
I'm not concerned about corner.

01:05:20.239 --> 01:05:21.260
I'm concerned about safety

01:05:21.280 --> 01:05:22.081
because I think there are

01:05:22.141 --> 01:05:23.121
issues here where you could

01:05:23.161 --> 01:05:25.163
run into maybe your

01:05:25.182 --> 01:05:26.063
starters not being as

01:05:26.123 --> 01:05:27.043
effective as you want,

01:05:27.623 --> 01:05:29.766
but even more importantly, perhaps,

01:05:30.425 --> 01:05:31.507
maybe you don't have the

01:05:31.606 --> 01:05:33.108
depth there or at least the

01:05:33.168 --> 01:05:34.188
established depth,

01:05:34.208 --> 01:05:35.869
the developed depth that you want.

01:05:36.485 --> 01:05:37.605
At this stage of the game

01:05:37.664 --> 01:05:39.925
where you're going to have a good offense,

01:05:40.226 --> 01:05:42.027
you're going to have what

01:05:42.067 --> 01:05:43.027
we think is going to be a

01:05:43.067 --> 01:05:43.887
good front seven.

01:05:44.726 --> 01:05:45.387
And if you have an

01:05:45.547 --> 01:05:48.068
unreliable back end of the defense,

01:05:48.128 --> 01:05:50.768
that's what turns this team into like,

01:05:51.389 --> 01:05:53.530
okay, you have a 10 or 11 win ceiling,

01:05:53.550 --> 01:05:54.369
you think, right?

01:05:54.489 --> 01:05:55.769
And now maybe you're back

01:05:55.789 --> 01:05:58.090
down talking about an eight win ceiling.

01:05:58.675 --> 01:05:59.614
season, right?

01:05:59.755 --> 01:06:00.996
Because now you can't stop

01:06:01.056 --> 01:06:01.775
anybody in the middle of

01:06:01.795 --> 01:06:02.737
the defense who run to the

01:06:02.757 --> 01:06:04.336
same issues you run into last year.

01:06:04.496 --> 01:06:05.797
So it's a really important

01:06:06.617 --> 01:06:08.039
part of this question with

01:06:08.059 --> 01:06:09.338
this overall team that I

01:06:09.398 --> 01:06:10.360
think Brent Prye and his

01:06:10.400 --> 01:06:12.960
staff have to figure out a way to solve.

01:06:13.621 --> 01:06:14.420
I know they're saying all

01:06:14.460 --> 01:06:15.521
the right things in the media.

01:06:15.561 --> 01:06:16.722
They feel good about most

01:06:16.742 --> 01:06:17.882
Phillips and Jalen Jones.

01:06:18.443 --> 01:06:19.443
We know Stroman's a good

01:06:19.483 --> 01:06:20.784
player if he can stay on the field.

01:06:21.806 --> 01:06:23.626
I think the staff feels good about things,

01:06:23.746 --> 01:06:25.068
but I'm with David.

01:06:25.188 --> 01:06:26.128
If you can go into the

01:06:26.188 --> 01:06:27.369
portal and you think you

01:06:27.389 --> 01:06:28.771
can get a guy that can come

01:06:28.931 --> 01:06:31.211
in and challenge for a starting role,

01:06:31.932 --> 01:06:33.032
I think this is the year to

01:06:33.092 --> 01:06:34.333
do it because I think this

01:06:34.414 --> 01:06:36.514
is the year where you're kind of working,

01:06:36.596 --> 01:06:37.335
in my opinion,

01:06:37.715 --> 01:06:39.036
in a one-year window with

01:06:39.056 --> 01:06:40.958
Kyron Drones and several

01:06:40.998 --> 01:06:42.219
playmakers on the offense.

01:06:42.278 --> 01:06:43.920
We know they're running out of eligibility,

01:06:44.099 --> 01:06:44.960
and they're all going to be

01:06:45.001 --> 01:06:46.461
really impactful in several spots.

01:06:46.481 --> 01:06:47.141
25 looks like a rebuild.

01:06:48.856 --> 01:06:50.057
I think you have to kind of

01:06:50.117 --> 01:06:51.898
go all in with this team this year.

01:06:52.139 --> 01:06:52.858
If you think there's a

01:06:52.918 --> 01:06:54.420
perceived weakness on paper

01:06:54.480 --> 01:06:55.380
going into the summer,

01:06:55.400 --> 01:06:56.481
I think you absolutely have

01:06:56.501 --> 01:06:57.061
to address it.

01:06:57.101 --> 01:06:58.282
And safety is the one spot

01:06:58.322 --> 01:06:59.023
on the team where I could

01:06:59.063 --> 01:07:00.003
see them absolutely going

01:07:00.043 --> 01:07:00.923
after somebody in the portal.

01:07:03.378 --> 01:07:06.842
Yeah, I'm kind of with the portal ad,

01:07:06.862 --> 01:07:08.204
and I'll kind of approach

01:07:08.224 --> 01:07:09.164
this from two perspectives.

01:07:09.644 --> 01:07:10.706
We don't really know what we

01:07:10.726 --> 01:07:11.306
have with Reddish,

01:07:11.347 --> 01:07:12.827
and I feel like Reddish is somebody that,

01:07:13.268 --> 01:07:13.449
you know,

01:07:13.469 --> 01:07:14.429
we've talked about it on here

01:07:14.469 --> 01:07:16.512
that I can see playing a

01:07:16.552 --> 01:07:18.032
lot of meaningful snaps pretty early,

01:07:18.092 --> 01:07:20.014
just like most Phillips did last year.

01:07:20.916 --> 01:07:22.356
I think you're going to see

01:07:22.998 --> 01:07:25.079
that type of level of snap

01:07:25.119 --> 01:07:25.721
count from him.

01:07:26.521 --> 01:07:29.364
in 2024 um but but to that

01:07:29.445 --> 01:07:30.586
point like if you can find

01:07:30.626 --> 01:07:32.068
a tay daily-esque player

01:07:32.108 --> 01:07:33.530
especially a guy if he can

01:07:33.570 --> 01:07:36.434
play you know some safety

01:07:36.454 --> 01:07:37.755
and maybe even some nickel

01:07:37.797 --> 01:07:38.998
for you somebody with that

01:07:39.038 --> 01:07:40.219
type of versatility because

01:07:40.239 --> 01:07:41.380
you know I don't think we

01:07:41.400 --> 01:07:42.943
necessarily have a true nickel um

01:07:43.483 --> 01:07:45.284
like we had with Canteen last year.

01:07:47.204 --> 01:07:48.304
Somebody like that might be

01:07:48.324 --> 01:07:49.625
a really good add if you

01:07:49.664 --> 01:07:50.485
can find that type of

01:07:50.525 --> 01:07:51.445
player in the portal.

01:07:52.206 --> 01:07:52.985
That's probably the type of

01:07:53.005 --> 01:07:53.885
player you'd want to bring

01:07:53.945 --> 01:07:55.907
in in this scenario to kind

01:07:55.947 --> 01:07:58.266
of fill a couple of the

01:07:58.867 --> 01:08:00.007
small holes that you have

01:08:00.047 --> 01:08:00.827
in that back end.

01:08:01.527 --> 01:08:02.387
I think we're at a point

01:08:02.427 --> 01:08:04.128
where we've got some

01:08:04.168 --> 01:08:04.989
safeties that have some

01:08:05.048 --> 01:08:06.989
experience and we know as

01:08:07.028 --> 01:08:08.168
long as he's on the field

01:08:08.228 --> 01:08:11.230
that Stroman is a very good

01:08:11.269 --> 01:08:11.829
piece of that.

01:08:13.137 --> 01:08:15.097
But safeties in general,

01:08:15.536 --> 01:08:16.438
you need to have more of

01:08:16.497 --> 01:08:17.597
them because they're the

01:08:17.778 --> 01:08:18.618
player that's going to most

01:08:18.677 --> 01:08:20.297
likely get that targeting call, right?

01:08:21.078 --> 01:08:22.738
So you're at a risk of

01:08:22.798 --> 01:08:24.038
losing at least one of your

01:08:24.139 --> 01:08:25.639
safeties in every single game.

01:08:27.760 --> 01:08:28.819
Hey, think about this.

01:08:28.920 --> 01:08:30.319
Think about how many games

01:08:30.420 --> 01:08:31.600
Virginia Tech starting

01:08:31.640 --> 01:08:32.461
safeties and the Sear

01:08:32.480 --> 01:08:34.480
Peoples and Jalen Stroman

01:08:34.520 --> 01:08:35.720
played together this year.

01:08:36.661 --> 01:08:39.181
They didn't play an entire game together.

01:08:40.355 --> 01:08:41.055
That's crazy.

01:08:41.095 --> 01:08:42.537
That is crazy.

01:08:42.737 --> 01:08:45.097
Unless the UVA game at the

01:08:45.137 --> 01:08:45.898
very end of the year.

01:08:46.257 --> 01:08:48.238
That would have been the only one.

01:08:48.578 --> 01:08:52.439
But, like, it was – they started a game,

01:08:52.560 --> 01:08:54.159
and then one of them got ejected,

01:08:54.359 --> 01:08:55.680
and then Peoples was hurt

01:08:55.740 --> 01:08:58.082
for a little bit, and then they come back,

01:08:58.521 --> 01:09:00.141
and Stroman gets ejected again.

01:09:00.162 --> 01:09:02.863
And it's like – and then

01:09:03.063 --> 01:09:04.323
they're both injured again.

01:09:04.463 --> 01:09:06.663
It's like you need consistency back there.

01:09:07.163 --> 01:09:08.204
You have to have it.

01:09:08.305 --> 01:09:08.585
I think –

01:09:10.140 --> 01:09:11.122
Virginia Tech's linebackers

01:09:11.141 --> 01:09:15.485
were not good last year as a whole.

01:09:15.746 --> 01:09:17.046
And I think Sam Brumfield

01:09:17.346 --> 01:09:18.408
fills a lot of problems.

01:09:18.748 --> 01:09:21.511
Can you go get a Sam Brumfield-esque ad?

01:09:22.391 --> 01:09:23.252
I don't know if you can.

01:09:23.313 --> 01:09:24.594
I don't know if that guy's available.

01:09:25.747 --> 01:09:28.069
But that's the biggest

01:09:28.149 --> 01:09:29.309
question I have for this

01:09:29.349 --> 01:09:31.349
team heading into the summer is,

01:09:31.948 --> 01:09:35.090
can you shore up that depth at safety?

01:09:35.149 --> 01:09:37.711
Because you're going to face adversity,

01:09:38.150 --> 01:09:39.451
and you don't want to have

01:09:39.490 --> 01:09:41.091
to be on the road at Miami

01:09:41.152 --> 01:09:42.551
or on the road at Stanford,

01:09:43.811 --> 01:09:45.733
at the beginning of ACC play,

01:09:45.792 --> 01:09:46.552
relying about,

01:09:47.493 --> 01:09:48.853
do we have enough safety depth?

01:09:49.233 --> 01:09:50.154
That's something you try to

01:09:50.173 --> 01:09:50.993
figure out right now.

01:09:52.061 --> 01:09:52.381
Tally,

01:09:52.662 --> 01:09:54.221
anything else you need to add or put

01:09:54.242 --> 01:09:54.823
your two cents?

01:09:54.842 --> 01:09:55.262
Yeah, no,

01:09:55.802 --> 01:09:57.943
I agree with about 90% of what

01:09:57.962 --> 01:09:58.722
David's saying.

01:09:58.842 --> 01:10:00.064
The only thing I don't agree

01:10:00.083 --> 01:10:02.604
with is when he said it's

01:10:02.644 --> 01:10:04.604
the biggest hole to fill

01:10:04.623 --> 01:10:05.145
because it's not.

01:10:05.164 --> 01:10:05.784
We're going to talk about

01:10:05.805 --> 01:10:06.925
the biggest hole later on.

01:10:07.324 --> 01:10:10.386
But on the defense, yes.

01:10:10.765 --> 01:10:11.666
On the team, no.

01:10:12.246 --> 01:10:14.845
But again, I mean,

01:10:15.145 --> 01:10:16.546
I hate to sound like a broken record,

01:10:16.587 --> 01:10:17.667
but a lot of times,

01:10:19.144 --> 01:10:20.064
What they went and did,

01:10:20.485 --> 01:10:21.287
and I got to give the

01:10:21.327 --> 01:10:23.750
coaching staff credit, for the most part,

01:10:24.610 --> 01:10:26.472
they've hit on just about

01:10:26.653 --> 01:10:28.335
every evaluation that

01:10:28.375 --> 01:10:29.336
they've had in the portal.

01:10:30.497 --> 01:10:31.698
They've done a good job to

01:10:31.738 --> 01:10:32.899
go into the portal and pull

01:10:32.920 --> 01:10:34.601
players out to be at least

01:10:34.662 --> 01:10:35.484
productive for us.

01:10:36.064 --> 01:10:37.865
So if they can...

01:10:38.737 --> 01:10:40.118
keep that same mantra and go

01:10:40.198 --> 01:10:41.899
and get a safety would

01:10:41.960 --> 01:10:43.001
definitely help right here

01:10:43.041 --> 01:10:44.981
because you don't, like David said,

01:10:45.021 --> 01:10:46.042
you don't want to go into

01:10:46.063 --> 01:10:48.005
ACC play or get down there

01:10:48.024 --> 01:10:50.426
and start playing Miami and go, all right,

01:10:50.487 --> 01:10:50.846
freshman,

01:10:50.867 --> 01:10:51.667
you got to go in there and show

01:10:51.728 --> 01:10:52.729
us something because we

01:10:52.769 --> 01:10:53.550
don't got nobody else.

01:10:53.569 --> 01:10:54.951
You know what I'm saying?

01:10:55.511 --> 01:10:56.533
It's great when you can find

01:10:56.573 --> 01:10:57.573
that kind of like diamond

01:10:57.592 --> 01:10:58.453
in the rough and somebody

01:10:58.493 --> 01:11:00.954
comes on and plays great

01:11:01.395 --> 01:11:02.636
before they have to,

01:11:02.655 --> 01:11:03.277
but you don't want to have

01:11:03.296 --> 01:11:04.136
to rely on that.

01:11:04.597 --> 01:11:05.417
And that's what has been our

01:11:05.457 --> 01:11:06.439
problem in the past.

01:11:07.298 --> 01:11:08.779
I do think that up front

01:11:08.859 --> 01:11:09.560
it's going to help us

01:11:09.621 --> 01:11:10.341
because we're going to be

01:11:10.381 --> 01:11:11.801
able to rotate so many people out,

01:11:12.502 --> 01:11:12.983
in and out,

01:11:14.143 --> 01:11:15.564
to keep some of those linemen

01:11:15.663 --> 01:11:17.125
off of our second and third levels.

01:11:18.405 --> 01:11:19.506
But at the same time,

01:11:19.567 --> 01:11:23.408
it's like our problem last year was

01:11:23.918 --> 01:11:25.319
people breaking big runs for

01:11:25.338 --> 01:11:25.899
the most part.

01:11:26.539 --> 01:11:26.800
You know,

01:11:26.840 --> 01:11:29.279
like I wasn't so scared of the

01:11:29.319 --> 01:11:29.961
passing game.

01:11:30.020 --> 01:11:31.041
Rutgers beat us with like

01:11:31.520 --> 01:11:32.720
fucking 35 passes.

01:11:33.020 --> 01:11:33.600
Yeah, 31 yards.

01:11:33.640 --> 01:11:34.641
You know what I'm saying?

01:11:34.681 --> 01:11:37.381
So we're having problems of

01:11:37.842 --> 01:11:39.643
people busting runs right up the middle.

01:11:40.603 --> 01:11:41.203
It's going to be a little

01:11:41.222 --> 01:11:42.243
bit different this year.

01:11:42.923 --> 01:11:43.344
Hopefully.

01:11:44.363 --> 01:11:45.984
Prayerfully, that's what I'm saying.

01:11:46.484 --> 01:11:47.646
So you're going to need some

01:11:47.707 --> 01:11:48.347
guys that's going to be

01:11:48.387 --> 01:11:49.989
able to hold their own in

01:11:50.050 --> 01:11:51.712
coverage and just come up

01:11:52.032 --> 01:11:53.313
and make a tackle when you have to.

01:11:53.353 --> 01:11:54.994
Instead of making 10 tackles,

01:11:55.015 --> 01:11:56.117
you might have to make five.

01:11:57.815 --> 01:11:59.537
Maybe that'll help Sherman a little bit,

01:11:59.618 --> 01:12:02.100
but you still got to, it's football.

01:12:02.801 --> 01:12:03.761
You still got to have some,

01:12:03.921 --> 01:12:05.203
you got to have some depth there.

01:12:05.662 --> 01:12:06.864
Somebody's going to get rolled up on.

01:12:07.005 --> 01:12:08.386
Somebody's going to twist their ankle.

01:12:08.445 --> 01:12:09.787
You got to go and get

01:12:09.827 --> 01:12:10.847
somebody out of the portal

01:12:11.628 --> 01:12:12.670
in that safety position.

01:12:13.511 --> 01:12:14.351
And safety,

01:12:14.532 --> 01:12:15.552
safety fits are still going to

01:12:15.573 --> 01:12:16.052
be important.

01:12:16.073 --> 01:12:16.594
Yeah.

01:12:17.054 --> 01:12:17.213
Yeah.

01:12:18.074 --> 01:12:19.636
And that's the biggest piece to that.

01:12:19.716 --> 01:12:20.777
Even if you're fitting up

01:12:20.837 --> 01:12:21.978
good in the front,

01:12:22.378 --> 01:12:23.078
there's going to be times

01:12:23.099 --> 01:12:23.779
when your safety is going

01:12:23.800 --> 01:12:24.500
to have to come up in the

01:12:24.539 --> 01:12:25.761
spill area and make a play

01:12:26.362 --> 01:12:28.963
or fill somewhere if there was a blitz.

01:12:29.024 --> 01:12:30.125
So there's going to be times

01:12:30.145 --> 01:12:30.824
where they're going to have

01:12:30.845 --> 01:12:31.445
to make a play.

01:12:33.030 --> 01:12:34.051
at the line of scrimmage or

01:12:34.091 --> 01:12:34.891
about you know eight or

01:12:34.931 --> 01:12:36.391
nine yards in that range

01:12:36.653 --> 01:12:37.393
you know from the line of

01:12:37.432 --> 01:12:39.092
scrimmage um and and we've

01:12:39.113 --> 01:12:39.833
got to make sure that they

01:12:39.854 --> 01:12:40.974
can do that consistently

01:12:41.014 --> 01:12:41.753
and I think that was the

01:12:41.774 --> 01:12:42.694
biggest thing we didn't see

01:12:42.734 --> 01:12:43.515
last year was the

01:12:43.574 --> 01:12:44.716
consistent part of that

01:12:44.796 --> 01:12:46.076
like there would be times

01:12:46.115 --> 01:12:47.176
where they they'd make that

01:12:47.237 --> 01:12:48.976
play but you know it only

01:12:49.016 --> 01:12:50.778
takes one or two a game to

01:12:50.818 --> 01:12:51.778
create a problem for you

01:12:52.238 --> 01:12:54.198
and yeah they was having to

01:12:54.238 --> 01:12:55.439
come up and feel fucking 20 times

01:12:56.676 --> 01:12:58.077
because there wasn't nobody

01:12:58.096 --> 01:12:59.216
in the front stopping nobody.

01:12:59.256 --> 01:13:00.597
We was getting sacks,

01:13:00.757 --> 01:13:01.938
or they was going for

01:13:02.097 --> 01:13:03.439
fucking 90-yard touchdowns.

01:13:04.298 --> 01:13:04.639
You know?

01:13:04.738 --> 01:13:06.859
I'm going to go with this on David.

01:13:07.000 --> 01:13:09.041
David, I'm 95 – you and Mike,

01:13:09.180 --> 01:13:10.822
I'm 95% with y'all.

01:13:11.162 --> 01:13:11.962
You said one thing, though.

01:13:12.002 --> 01:13:13.023
They need a Brumfield-esque.

01:13:13.122 --> 01:13:14.443
I don't think they need a Brumfield-esque.

01:13:14.563 --> 01:13:15.384
I don't think they need

01:13:15.423 --> 01:13:16.024
someone who is an

01:13:16.203 --> 01:13:17.725
all-conference caliber type

01:13:17.805 --> 01:13:20.105
player coming from a smaller school.

01:13:20.546 --> 01:13:21.706
I think what they need,

01:13:21.886 --> 01:13:23.306
because I think what we saw

01:13:23.306 --> 01:13:27.318
– we make the jokes like –

01:13:27.318 --> 01:13:28.838
Mike, I really – I'm just going to say it.

01:13:29.059 --> 01:13:30.559
This is per Mike McDaniels.

01:13:30.960 --> 01:13:32.279
Death taxes and Stroman

01:13:32.319 --> 01:13:33.421
getting effing ejected.

01:13:33.881 --> 01:13:35.362
It did feel like that a lot

01:13:35.381 --> 01:13:36.542
of times last year.

01:13:38.103 --> 01:13:40.543
But the truth is, just give me a steady.

01:13:40.764 --> 01:13:42.003
Give me someone who's flexible.

01:13:42.185 --> 01:13:42.944
They don't need to blow it

01:13:43.024 --> 01:13:43.685
out of this world,

01:13:44.045 --> 01:13:45.345
but they need to play smart

01:13:45.725 --> 01:13:46.405
and they need to have a

01:13:46.506 --> 01:13:47.506
pretty healthy record.

01:13:48.546 --> 01:13:49.547
That's what we need because

01:13:49.568 --> 01:13:50.587
I think what we're seeing

01:13:50.627 --> 01:13:52.729
here is we know Stroman can play,

01:13:52.769 --> 01:13:54.250
but he can make the boneheaded plays.

01:13:54.390 --> 01:13:54.949
Most can play,

01:13:54.989 --> 01:13:56.230
he makes the boneheaded plays.

01:13:57.051 --> 01:13:58.893
We hope Jalen Jones takes the step.

01:13:58.953 --> 01:14:00.173
We hope maybe Quinn Reddish

01:14:00.213 --> 01:14:01.274
is the second coming.

01:14:01.895 --> 01:14:02.976
But I need someone who's

01:14:02.997 --> 01:14:03.778
going to be steady.

01:14:04.418 --> 01:14:06.060
Because if we have someone who's steady,

01:14:06.400 --> 01:14:07.140
it's going to keep that

01:14:07.201 --> 01:14:08.382
room down when the

01:14:08.422 --> 01:14:09.484
boneheaded play happens.

01:14:11.003 --> 01:14:12.085
Okay, he's fine.

01:14:12.265 --> 01:14:12.965
He's going to be able to

01:14:13.005 --> 01:14:13.886
help and run support.

01:14:14.166 --> 01:14:15.787
He'll understand the coverage concept.

01:14:16.167 --> 01:14:17.728
I don't need him to – would

01:14:17.768 --> 01:14:19.149
I love to find a Cam Chancellor?

01:14:19.288 --> 01:14:20.389
Yes, that'd be wonderful.

01:14:20.748 --> 01:14:21.930
They don't exist, though.

01:14:22.510 --> 01:14:23.930
Cam Chancellor would never

01:14:24.011 --> 01:14:24.832
make it through a whole

01:14:24.891 --> 01:14:27.132
game in this day and age.

01:14:27.172 --> 01:14:28.554
Nope, nope, no, no, no.

01:14:28.594 --> 01:14:30.194
And make that hit like Moe's Phillips.

01:14:31.462 --> 01:14:32.322
Every single one.

01:14:32.742 --> 01:14:33.943
Koshon Jarrett wouldn't even

01:14:33.983 --> 01:14:35.143
make it through a game nowadays.

01:14:35.162 --> 01:14:35.662
No, Koshon wouldn't.

01:14:36.222 --> 01:14:37.643
But the nastiest hit he ever

01:14:37.743 --> 01:14:39.283
laid was clean.

01:14:39.923 --> 01:14:41.104
It looked terrible.

01:14:42.304 --> 01:14:43.463
The Pitt sideline guy.

01:14:44.085 --> 01:14:46.064
Go back in your memory banks when, boom,

01:14:46.104 --> 01:14:48.064
and it was just like, oh, he – no,

01:14:48.305 --> 01:14:49.466
actually, he just caught shoulder.

01:14:49.966 --> 01:14:51.206
All right, let's flip off here.

01:14:51.405 --> 01:14:52.605
I'm not going to flip it off,

01:14:52.645 --> 01:14:54.346
but I'm going to throw a

01:14:54.367 --> 01:14:57.060
little stat down and let –

01:14:57.060 --> 01:15:00.020
Mike and David jump on this.

01:15:00.341 --> 01:15:02.421
Just them, Valley, Brian,

01:15:02.440 --> 01:15:03.180
y'all don't have to worry.

01:15:03.220 --> 01:15:04.060
So last year,

01:15:04.081 --> 01:15:06.322
Virginia Tech's defense was

01:15:06.362 --> 01:15:09.983
the 20th total defense in the country,

01:15:10.462 --> 01:15:10.662
20th.

01:15:11.222 --> 01:15:12.962
Scoring defense was 50th.

01:15:14.023 --> 01:15:15.804
With everything that they've done,

01:15:16.764 --> 01:15:18.163
can this unit improve even

01:15:18.243 --> 01:15:20.585
more going forward 2024?

01:15:20.585 --> 01:15:20.685
David.

01:15:23.569 --> 01:15:24.050
I think so.

01:15:24.270 --> 01:15:25.190
Yeah, absolutely.

01:15:27.011 --> 01:15:28.310
I like the pass rush, man.

01:15:28.631 --> 01:15:29.152
I feel really,

01:15:29.192 --> 01:15:30.572
really – I think you saw that, man,

01:15:31.091 --> 01:15:31.893
in the spring game.

01:15:32.172 --> 01:15:33.332
Like 13 sacks,

01:15:33.453 --> 01:15:34.172
I know they're just like

01:15:34.212 --> 01:15:35.514
basically two-hand touch sacks,

01:15:35.554 --> 01:15:38.213
but like it wasn't like

01:15:38.293 --> 01:15:40.555
they were – it wasn't like

01:15:40.595 --> 01:15:41.675
guys were just falling down

01:15:41.694 --> 01:15:43.136
and letting them get to the quarterback.

01:15:43.336 --> 01:15:46.657
Like I feel pretty good about –

01:15:47.940 --> 01:15:48.822
the pass rush.

01:15:49.261 --> 01:15:51.082
I feel good about the linebackers.

01:15:52.243 --> 01:15:54.404
I think the corners are really good.

01:15:56.244 --> 01:15:58.466
I think this defense can be even better.

01:15:58.546 --> 01:16:00.487
And I say that knowing how

01:16:00.546 --> 01:16:03.368
good the defense was at times last year.

01:16:03.389 --> 01:16:06.149
I think the problem was that

01:16:08.030 --> 01:16:08.952
really the run fits.

01:16:09.091 --> 01:16:10.572
Virginia Tech could not stop the run.

01:16:10.832 --> 01:16:11.912
If Virginia Tech can do

01:16:11.953 --> 01:16:13.253
better stopping the run this year,

01:16:13.554 --> 01:16:13.793
this is a

01:16:17.145 --> 01:16:18.286
Virginia Tech was so high in

01:16:18.326 --> 01:16:21.347
pass efficiency defense, essentially,

01:16:21.408 --> 01:16:23.449
last year because every

01:16:23.489 --> 01:16:25.371
time teams threw the ball at them,

01:16:25.490 --> 01:16:26.252
for the most part,

01:16:26.671 --> 01:16:27.872
the Hokies defended it well.

01:16:29.113 --> 01:16:32.676
But it was so few, so little a game.

01:16:34.157 --> 01:16:35.578
That is, I mean, like I said,

01:16:36.019 --> 01:16:37.159
Dorian Strong and Montsour

01:16:37.199 --> 01:16:39.681
Delane are really, really, really good.

01:16:40.582 --> 01:16:44.005
If you can force quarterbacks to throw it,

01:16:45.088 --> 01:16:45.349
And I,

01:16:45.828 --> 01:16:47.569
I think this is a defense that can

01:16:47.609 --> 01:16:48.551
do that more.

01:16:48.730 --> 01:16:49.511
I think you're going to be

01:16:49.551 --> 01:16:50.612
an even better show.

01:16:51.332 --> 01:16:51.471
Um,

01:16:52.072 --> 01:16:54.313
I like the outlook of this defense again.

01:16:54.853 --> 01:16:56.713
I don't need to go over safety again.

01:16:56.734 --> 01:16:57.274
I don't know.

01:16:58.074 --> 01:17:01.777
Um, I feel okay about that spot,

01:17:02.016 --> 01:17:03.796
but overall,

01:17:03.837 --> 01:17:05.318
I think this is a unit that

01:17:05.717 --> 01:17:06.979
can be improved.

01:17:07.198 --> 01:17:09.340
You have APR back, um,

01:17:09.738 --> 01:17:11.037
I think between Cole Nelson

01:17:11.057 --> 01:17:12.139
and Keyshawn Burgos,

01:17:12.198 --> 01:17:13.779
I think that's a pretty

01:17:13.819 --> 01:17:15.819
good two and three.

01:17:16.880 --> 01:17:18.921
Obviously, if CJ McCray is out long-term,

01:17:18.961 --> 01:17:20.140
which is what it feels like

01:17:20.201 --> 01:17:20.881
it's going to be,

01:17:21.962 --> 01:17:23.942
that's going to hurt in terms of depth.

01:17:25.143 --> 01:17:26.082
But you've got some young

01:17:26.103 --> 01:17:27.483
guys that are going to have to step up.

01:17:30.394 --> 01:17:32.315
I like the way this sits.

01:17:32.376 --> 01:17:33.356
I think those defensive

01:17:33.417 --> 01:17:34.998
tackles are going to wreak havoc.

01:17:36.699 --> 01:17:37.100
Honestly,

01:17:37.240 --> 01:17:40.182
I'm just excited for August 31st

01:17:40.203 --> 01:17:41.744
to see these guys go play, man.

01:17:42.064 --> 01:17:45.809
I'm excited to see Chris Marr's defense.

01:17:46.048 --> 01:17:46.529
Last year,

01:17:47.090 --> 01:17:48.190
there were so many questions

01:17:48.211 --> 01:17:49.572
about Tyler Bowen entering the year,

01:17:49.591 --> 01:17:50.472
and rightfully so,

01:17:50.552 --> 01:17:52.255
and how that unit was going to look.

01:17:53.695 --> 01:17:54.676
It took him a couple weeks.

01:17:56.920 --> 01:17:58.280
It took them a couple weeks, Tally,

01:17:59.002 --> 01:18:00.604
but they figured it out.

01:18:02.425 --> 01:18:03.145
Chris Marv doesn't

01:18:03.185 --> 01:18:04.046
necessarily have a couple

01:18:04.087 --> 01:18:05.068
weeks to figure it out, though,

01:18:05.347 --> 01:18:07.350
like to start the year, right?

01:18:07.430 --> 01:18:08.251
He's got to kind of

01:18:08.451 --> 01:18:09.752
understand it and have a

01:18:09.792 --> 01:18:11.274
good feeling going into the year.

01:18:11.373 --> 01:18:12.854
But I do feel pretty

01:18:12.935 --> 01:18:15.677
confident simply because so

01:18:15.717 --> 01:18:16.759
many key pieces are back.

01:18:18.930 --> 01:18:20.851
Mike, if you wrap this up on defense.

01:18:21.212 --> 01:18:21.712
Yeah, I mean,

01:18:21.971 --> 01:18:23.811
the answer to the initial question,

01:18:23.851 --> 01:18:25.113
can Virginia Tech's defense

01:18:25.193 --> 01:18:26.252
be even better than a year

01:18:26.273 --> 01:18:27.113
ago statistically?

01:18:27.153 --> 01:18:30.913
The answer is yes.

01:18:31.434 --> 01:18:32.635
The interior defensive line

01:18:32.654 --> 01:18:33.335
got a lot better.

01:18:34.854 --> 01:18:36.916
You add Peebles and you add Copeland,

01:18:36.956 --> 01:18:38.775
who both have played

01:18:38.836 --> 01:18:40.176
meaningful snaps at various

01:18:40.216 --> 01:18:41.056
levels of football.

01:18:41.819 --> 01:18:44.780
You add Calvin Gilliam.

01:18:44.801 --> 01:18:47.900
You add Brumfield, a true Mike linebacker.

01:18:48.961 --> 01:18:50.081
Virginia Tech's issues

01:18:50.140 --> 01:18:51.282
defensively when they were

01:18:51.322 --> 01:18:52.242
having them last year were

01:18:52.301 --> 01:18:53.421
right up the middle of the defense.

01:18:54.221 --> 01:18:55.702
And you address those.

01:18:56.202 --> 01:18:57.042
You address those in the

01:18:57.082 --> 01:18:59.002
portal with meaningful guys.

01:19:00.682 --> 01:19:02.923
Peebles is an all-conference

01:19:02.963 --> 01:19:04.363
player that you just add to

01:19:04.384 --> 01:19:05.644
the middle of the defensive line.

01:19:05.984 --> 01:19:06.684
He's a stud.

01:19:06.984 --> 01:19:08.164
He's really, really good.

01:19:09.345 --> 01:19:10.725
Copeland's going to be good defensively.

01:19:11.158 --> 01:19:12.698
like brumfield's going to be

01:19:12.738 --> 01:19:13.859
good like talking about

01:19:13.998 --> 01:19:15.079
another all-conference

01:19:15.119 --> 01:19:16.699
player he's going to be

01:19:16.720 --> 01:19:17.740
good when you add

01:19:17.860 --> 01:19:19.001
all-conference caliber

01:19:19.060 --> 01:19:20.402
players to a defense that

01:19:20.442 --> 01:19:21.903
was improving on an upswing

01:19:21.962 --> 01:19:24.002
on an uptick uh towards the

01:19:24.023 --> 01:19:24.764
end of the year you got to

01:19:24.783 --> 01:19:25.684
feel pretty good about it

01:19:26.003 --> 01:19:27.024
uh you have two number one

01:19:27.085 --> 01:19:28.225
corners that's just what

01:19:28.265 --> 01:19:30.426
you have right um and

01:19:30.445 --> 01:19:31.546
delane and strong they're

01:19:31.587 --> 01:19:32.747
two number one corners you

01:19:32.787 --> 01:19:33.828
have them on the same team

01:19:33.988 --> 01:19:34.927
it's the best one two

01:19:34.967 --> 01:19:36.149
tandem a cornerback in the

01:19:36.208 --> 01:19:37.248
acc for my money

01:19:38.887 --> 01:19:40.328
That's a really good core, guys.

01:19:40.890 --> 01:19:44.832
And look, even with a McRae injury, okay,

01:19:45.073 --> 01:19:46.914
so you need to search for a

01:19:47.015 --> 01:19:48.195
fourth defensive end.

01:19:48.796 --> 01:19:50.358
Virginia Tech, going into last year,

01:19:50.377 --> 01:19:51.498
they just wanted to have

01:19:51.538 --> 01:19:52.319
two defensive ends.

01:19:52.640 --> 01:19:53.201
It's true.

01:19:54.362 --> 01:19:56.623
And I'm not talking about

01:19:57.944 --> 01:19:59.326
two meaningful starters.

01:19:59.365 --> 01:19:59.546
No,

01:19:59.605 --> 01:20:02.167
we need two warm bodies at defensive

01:20:02.228 --> 01:20:03.488
end going into the year last year.

01:20:04.449 --> 01:20:06.872
And now we're talking about, okay,

01:20:06.931 --> 01:20:08.292
who's the fourth defensive

01:20:08.372 --> 01:20:08.953
end going to be?

01:20:09.052 --> 01:20:10.394
That's a good spot to be in.

01:20:10.493 --> 01:20:12.234
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

01:20:12.274 --> 01:20:14.576
That's a good spot to be in, right?

01:20:15.917 --> 01:20:17.918
And even with the concerns of safety,

01:20:20.380 --> 01:20:21.301
Stroman's a good player,

01:20:21.841 --> 01:20:23.301
and the guys who we talked about,

01:20:23.681 --> 01:20:25.523
they played meaningful snaps last year.

01:20:25.643 --> 01:20:26.264
It's not like you're

01:20:26.283 --> 01:20:27.885
starting a true freshman in a spot,

01:20:29.265 --> 01:20:30.605
or you don't have any sort

01:20:30.645 --> 01:20:31.146
of depth there.

01:20:31.266 --> 01:20:33.087
I am concerned about the depth, but like,

01:20:34.841 --> 01:20:36.743
that's the worst thing we're

01:20:36.762 --> 01:20:37.484
going to talk about.

01:20:37.503 --> 01:20:38.323
It's like, okay,

01:20:38.363 --> 01:20:39.725
who's our third safety going to be?

01:20:39.746 --> 01:20:40.886
Who's our fourth defensive

01:20:40.947 --> 01:20:41.567
end going to be?

01:20:42.007 --> 01:20:44.689
We've come a long way guys in 24 months.

01:20:45.190 --> 01:20:45.470
Yeah.

01:20:45.551 --> 01:20:46.412
We've come a long way.

01:20:46.492 --> 01:20:47.153
Insane part.

01:20:47.172 --> 01:20:47.832
All right.

01:20:47.912 --> 01:20:48.793
We're going to flip over to

01:20:48.814 --> 01:20:50.636
the offensive side of the room now.

01:20:51.195 --> 01:20:51.296
Um,

01:20:51.936 --> 01:20:52.997
We have to talk about the

01:20:53.018 --> 01:20:53.797
quarterback room.

01:20:53.818 --> 01:20:55.198
QB won solids.

01:20:55.319 --> 01:20:55.619
I mean,

01:20:56.199 --> 01:20:58.681
he looked so smooth out there on

01:20:58.742 --> 01:20:59.221
Saturday.

01:20:59.542 --> 01:21:00.622
He looked like everything

01:21:00.682 --> 01:21:01.563
was under control.

01:21:01.582 --> 01:21:03.364
You know, David,

01:21:04.045 --> 01:21:05.886
you probably similar to our friend Robbie,

01:21:05.905 --> 01:21:07.567
who had a chance to view practice,

01:21:08.007 --> 01:21:09.649
talking about how it's there.

01:21:09.689 --> 01:21:10.850
Like, that team is his.

01:21:11.590 --> 01:21:13.251
Like, that team is his.

01:21:13.270 --> 01:21:15.511
So I'm going to stay away from Kyron.

01:21:16.511 --> 01:21:17.612
But let me ask you this.

01:21:17.631 --> 01:21:19.233
I'm going to start with Mike on this one.

01:21:19.252 --> 01:21:19.993
All right,

01:21:20.253 --> 01:21:22.154
if Pop Watson is quarterback to

01:21:22.394 --> 01:21:24.175
come fall because per Brent Pryor,

01:21:24.234 --> 01:21:26.615
he is slightly ahead of Dylan Witke,

01:21:27.176 --> 01:21:29.337
is it more of they need Pop

01:21:29.417 --> 01:21:30.717
to stay because of his

01:21:30.797 --> 01:21:33.578
upside potential after Drones leaves,

01:21:33.779 --> 01:21:35.500
or is it just flat out he won the job?

01:21:37.318 --> 01:21:37.877
Hard to say.

01:21:37.898 --> 01:21:39.359
I mean,

01:21:39.378 --> 01:21:41.340
I think the easy answer is they

01:21:41.380 --> 01:21:43.202
need him to stay because it was upside.

01:21:43.301 --> 01:21:44.521
I think that's the easy answer.

01:21:46.182 --> 01:21:47.264
Based on what we saw,

01:21:47.384 --> 01:21:48.664
it's kind of tough to say.

01:21:50.094 --> 01:21:51.033
I know he didn't have the

01:21:51.073 --> 01:21:51.875
best spring game.

01:21:52.295 --> 01:21:54.916
I also know that the way

01:21:54.935 --> 01:21:56.435
spring games are operated... Number one,

01:21:56.456 --> 01:21:57.197
spring games don't really

01:21:57.237 --> 01:21:57.957
matter all that much.

01:21:58.016 --> 01:21:58.777
Number two,

01:21:59.556 --> 01:22:00.898
the way spring games operate

01:22:00.957 --> 01:22:02.018
doesn't really benefit a

01:22:02.037 --> 01:22:03.019
guy like Pop Watson,

01:22:03.059 --> 01:22:04.198
whose greatest attribute at

01:22:04.238 --> 01:22:05.420
this stage in his career is

01:22:05.460 --> 01:22:06.380
his ability to run.

01:22:07.760 --> 01:22:08.680
Can't really do a lot of

01:22:08.701 --> 01:22:09.581
that in spring game because

01:22:09.600 --> 01:22:11.641
you're not live as a quarterback.

01:22:11.681 --> 01:22:14.063
So, you know, I...

01:22:16.243 --> 01:22:18.484
I think Virginia Tech's in a

01:22:18.524 --> 01:22:20.266
spot at quarterback where

01:22:20.266 --> 01:22:21.828
25 is going to be a rebuild.

01:22:22.869 --> 01:22:24.030
I think it's in Virginia

01:22:24.070 --> 01:22:25.592
Tech's best interest to

01:22:25.733 --> 01:22:27.515
just try to develop Pop

01:22:27.555 --> 01:22:29.277
Watson and Dylan Whitkey,

01:22:29.296 --> 01:22:30.377
assuming he sticks around.

01:22:31.953 --> 01:22:33.456
Try to develop them because

01:22:33.515 --> 01:22:34.596
going into next year,

01:22:35.337 --> 01:22:36.640
you're going to have a rebuild.

01:22:36.840 --> 01:22:37.520
And like, sure,

01:22:37.560 --> 01:22:38.801
could Brent Pride go and

01:22:38.841 --> 01:22:39.762
get like an established

01:22:39.783 --> 01:22:40.764
quarterback in the portal?

01:22:40.783 --> 01:22:41.765
Like, of course he could.

01:22:42.766 --> 01:22:43.527
But I think it would be in

01:22:43.547 --> 01:22:44.368
Virginia Tech's best

01:22:44.408 --> 01:22:45.449
interest to just develop

01:22:45.470 --> 01:22:47.332
the young guys in 2025,

01:22:47.332 --> 01:22:48.512
just given kind of what it

01:22:48.533 --> 01:22:49.935
looks like on paper at this

01:22:49.994 --> 01:22:50.595
point in time.

01:22:52.157 --> 01:22:52.497
And look,

01:22:52.738 --> 01:22:53.958
I don't think Virginia Tech's in

01:22:54.019 --> 01:22:55.020
a spot where,

01:22:55.039 --> 01:22:56.680
and I've seen this floating

01:22:56.701 --> 01:22:57.622
around social media,

01:22:57.641 --> 01:23:00.323
I know Andy Bitter and Chris Coleman,

01:23:00.604 --> 01:23:01.164
David Boat,

01:23:01.225 --> 01:23:03.726
addressed this in various columns on TSL,

01:23:03.766 --> 01:23:04.787
and I think they're right on the money.

01:23:05.689 --> 01:23:06.449
Virginia Tech's not in a

01:23:06.489 --> 01:23:08.070
spot where they can go out

01:23:08.270 --> 01:23:09.872
and get a quarterback out

01:23:09.912 --> 01:23:11.713
of the transfer portal to

01:23:11.774 --> 01:23:13.195
go back up Kyron Terone's.

01:23:13.735 --> 01:23:14.537
First of all, like,

01:23:14.837 --> 01:23:15.837
the caliber of quarterback

01:23:15.858 --> 01:23:16.819
you're going to get, like,

01:23:16.939 --> 01:23:18.400
you'd rather just develop

01:23:18.560 --> 01:23:20.502
Pop Watson and Dylan Wickey, number one.

01:23:21.043 --> 01:23:21.864
Number two, it's like,

01:23:22.185 --> 01:23:22.966
what's the incentive of

01:23:23.006 --> 01:23:24.247
that quarterback to come to

01:23:24.287 --> 01:23:25.828
Blacksburg and sit behind Kyron Jones?

01:23:25.868 --> 01:23:26.670
Like, what's the incentive?

01:23:27.329 --> 01:23:27.871
Like, okay,

01:23:27.911 --> 01:23:29.391
you have multiple years remaining.

01:23:29.872 --> 01:23:30.913
You know, maybe you get a guy with, like,

01:23:30.953 --> 01:23:32.074
multiple years of eligibility.

01:23:32.636 --> 01:23:33.476
Okay, that's great.

01:23:33.617 --> 01:23:35.658
But then, you know, is that guy...

01:23:36.483 --> 01:23:37.344
guaranteed going to be

01:23:37.384 --> 01:23:38.345
better than pop Watson?

01:23:39.286 --> 01:23:40.608
Because if the answer is no,

01:23:41.007 --> 01:23:42.810
then going into 2025,

01:23:42.810 --> 01:23:44.752
like pop could be gone and

01:23:44.771 --> 01:23:45.672
you could be left with this guy.

01:23:45.693 --> 01:23:46.854
You got out of the transfer portal.

01:23:47.725 --> 01:23:48.786
that you really just got to

01:23:48.845 --> 01:23:49.806
back up Kyron Drones

01:23:49.827 --> 01:23:50.407
because you didn't think

01:23:50.447 --> 01:23:52.708
Pop was ready right now, right?

01:23:53.069 --> 01:23:54.270
So it's like, okay,

01:23:54.350 --> 01:23:56.310
it was a contingency plan in 24,

01:23:56.310 --> 01:23:57.271
and now he's got to be your

01:23:57.311 --> 01:23:59.193
primary in 25 because Pop Watson,

01:23:59.212 --> 01:24:00.033
you scared him away.

01:24:00.054 --> 01:24:02.095
So you've got to be really careful, right?

01:24:02.376 --> 01:24:06.338
And to answer your question, Curtis,

01:24:06.418 --> 01:24:07.219
I really don't know.

01:24:07.659 --> 01:24:07.920
I think...

01:24:09.650 --> 01:24:11.412
I think they need pop to stick around.

01:24:11.492 --> 01:24:12.932
Like, I think that's the simple answer.

01:24:13.613 --> 01:24:14.413
And I don't think we'll

01:24:14.453 --> 01:24:17.975
really know until fall comes around and,

01:24:18.395 --> 01:24:19.676
you know, you get another full summer,

01:24:19.716 --> 01:24:21.318
you get to camp and you

01:24:21.337 --> 01:24:22.378
kind of see where you're at.

01:24:22.399 --> 01:24:23.198
And I think we'll have like

01:24:23.238 --> 01:24:24.279
a true answer at that point.

01:24:24.300 --> 01:24:26.100
All right, David.

01:24:27.641 --> 01:24:27.841
Yeah.

01:24:27.881 --> 01:24:28.101
I mean,

01:24:28.141 --> 01:24:29.502
I feel all right about the

01:24:29.523 --> 01:24:30.443
quarterback room.

01:24:30.462 --> 01:24:33.104
I think pop is a pretty good talent.

01:24:33.765 --> 01:24:33.904
Yeah.

01:24:34.206 --> 01:24:34.725
I just didn't,

01:24:35.574 --> 01:24:38.077
Kyron Drone said it best after the game,

01:24:38.096 --> 01:24:42.640
and he was asked if he

01:24:42.740 --> 01:24:44.782
feels like the spring game

01:24:46.844 --> 01:24:48.345
does not necessarily

01:24:48.585 --> 01:24:51.167
benefit quarterbacks who are mobile,

01:24:51.287 --> 01:24:52.828
who need to be able to move.

01:24:53.697 --> 01:24:55.417
And he's like, yeah, man, he's like pop,

01:24:55.637 --> 01:24:56.439
you know, talking about pop.

01:24:56.759 --> 01:24:57.899
He basically said pop is

01:24:57.939 --> 01:24:58.940
kind of in the same

01:24:58.980 --> 01:25:00.041
situation I was in last

01:25:00.100 --> 01:25:01.322
year where you don't get to

01:25:01.362 --> 01:25:02.783
really showcase your abilities.

01:25:03.363 --> 01:25:04.765
I think the staff likes pop

01:25:04.824 --> 01:25:06.225
and I think he's got talent.

01:25:06.605 --> 01:25:09.448
Um, I think it's just hard to tell because,

01:25:09.467 --> 01:25:12.670
you know, he's not really live.

01:25:13.591 --> 01:25:13.671
Um,

01:25:14.581 --> 01:25:14.780
you know,

01:25:14.860 --> 01:25:16.002
the fans have not gotten a chance

01:25:16.021 --> 01:25:17.404
to see him live.

01:25:17.904 --> 01:25:19.064
That's just the fact.

01:25:19.845 --> 01:25:20.966
You know,

01:25:21.006 --> 01:25:22.266
I know Chris Coleman and Andy Bitter,

01:25:22.287 --> 01:25:23.148
two of my colleagues got,

01:25:23.328 --> 01:25:25.250
got a chance to watch him

01:25:25.649 --> 01:25:26.570
at a scrimmage a couple of

01:25:26.591 --> 01:25:27.851
weeks ago and they made him

01:25:27.912 --> 01:25:28.872
live for a little bit.

01:25:28.912 --> 01:25:30.713
And I think,

01:25:30.774 --> 01:25:31.954
I think the staff really likes

01:25:32.454 --> 01:25:33.235
what they see.

01:25:33.256 --> 01:25:38.060
And the way I'll put it is this, if,

01:25:38.533 --> 01:25:39.913
if Kyron drones gets hurt, man,

01:25:39.974 --> 01:25:40.715
it doesn't really matter

01:25:40.755 --> 01:25:41.475
what other quarterback

01:25:41.494 --> 01:25:42.275
you're rolling out.

01:25:42.435 --> 01:25:44.356
Like, um, I think you,

01:25:44.537 --> 01:25:45.898
you trust in the kid that's

01:25:46.078 --> 01:25:47.179
been in all the meetings

01:25:47.279 --> 01:25:47.979
and is the one that's

01:25:48.020 --> 01:25:49.121
putting an extra work and

01:25:49.140 --> 01:25:49.921
the one that you have a

01:25:49.961 --> 01:25:50.662
good rapport with.

01:25:50.841 --> 01:25:52.082
And I think that's pop Watson.

01:25:52.103 --> 01:25:55.125
And I think, you know, Brent Bryce said,

01:25:55.145 --> 01:25:57.247
he feels like pops a little

01:25:57.266 --> 01:25:59.047
bit farther along than Dylan Whitkey.

01:25:59.087 --> 01:26:01.289
And I would expect pop to win the job.

01:26:02.109 --> 01:26:03.371
Um, just, he, he just,

01:26:03.591 --> 01:26:04.832
he just looks a little bit better.

01:26:04.851 --> 01:26:04.891
Um,

01:26:07.101 --> 01:26:08.962
but I did hear from talking

01:26:08.983 --> 01:26:10.643
with some people that the

01:26:10.662 --> 01:26:11.823
staff really likes how much

01:26:11.863 --> 01:26:13.404
pop has developed this spring.

01:26:13.545 --> 01:26:16.886
So I think he's somebody like,

01:26:17.006 --> 01:26:20.346
you don't want the kid to leave, you know,

01:26:20.426 --> 01:26:22.167
because I think he has a bright future.

01:26:22.268 --> 01:26:24.288
And, you know, if,

01:26:24.309 --> 01:26:25.649
if Kyron potentially leaves

01:26:25.708 --> 01:26:27.250
after this year, well,

01:26:27.289 --> 01:26:28.791
maybe pop is the guy, right.

01:26:29.770 --> 01:26:30.470
You don't know what kind of

01:26:30.511 --> 01:26:31.992
situation he's going to get thrown into,

01:26:32.112 --> 01:26:32.231
but,

01:26:33.194 --> 01:26:35.735
Everything I've seen shows

01:26:35.756 --> 01:26:37.195
that he has a pretty

01:26:37.615 --> 01:26:39.676
potentially bright future in Blacksburg.

01:26:40.676 --> 01:26:43.457
And you only can take so

01:26:43.497 --> 01:26:44.757
much from a spring game.

01:26:44.797 --> 01:26:45.057
Remember,

01:26:45.078 --> 01:26:46.137
Kyron Jones didn't have a good

01:26:46.158 --> 01:26:47.078
spring game last year.

01:26:48.599 --> 01:26:48.939
He did.

01:26:48.958 --> 01:26:51.500
Not statistically.

01:26:51.760 --> 01:26:52.739
Not statistically,

01:26:53.479 --> 01:26:54.560
but he had a good spring game.

01:26:54.600 --> 01:26:55.560
I liked what I saw on film.

01:26:56.520 --> 01:26:56.680
Yep.

01:26:57.360 --> 01:26:58.981
Tally, what do you think?

01:26:59.122 --> 01:27:00.322
Tally, are you leaning it's –

01:27:00.930 --> 01:27:01.750
Because of the tempo,

01:27:01.949 --> 01:27:02.871
or do you think he's going

01:27:02.890 --> 01:27:03.990
to flat out win the job as

01:27:04.011 --> 01:27:05.011
well as they're keeping him?

01:27:05.850 --> 01:27:07.431
Yeah, I think Pop's going to be fine.

01:27:07.471 --> 01:27:07.891
Like I said,

01:27:07.931 --> 01:27:09.412
I don't want to overreact to a

01:27:09.431 --> 01:27:09.992
spring game.

01:27:10.051 --> 01:27:12.472
It's kind of – I've seen

01:27:12.533 --> 01:27:13.733
everybody – they jumped on you, David,

01:27:13.792 --> 01:27:14.634
but I understood what you

01:27:14.654 --> 01:27:16.113
were saying about Jones

01:27:16.173 --> 01:27:17.533
last year because it was

01:27:17.554 --> 01:27:18.555
the same thing that we said

01:27:18.574 --> 01:27:19.215
while he was in there.

01:27:19.715 --> 01:27:21.376
It's like, you know, statistically,

01:27:21.395 --> 01:27:22.216
you would say, okay,

01:27:22.235 --> 01:27:23.336
he didn't have a good spring game,

01:27:23.376 --> 01:27:25.796
but I think Mike might have

01:27:25.817 --> 01:27:27.756
said a spring game isn't

01:27:27.796 --> 01:27:29.818
set up to let him do what

01:27:29.837 --> 01:27:30.497
he's good at doing.

01:27:31.283 --> 01:27:32.023
So, you know,

01:27:32.243 --> 01:27:33.564
everybody jumps on spring

01:27:33.604 --> 01:27:34.984
games and talk about this and that.

01:27:35.024 --> 01:27:36.485
And when we got on here and

01:27:36.506 --> 01:27:37.367
we talked about it and I

01:27:37.386 --> 01:27:38.846
kept telling people, I was like, for me,

01:27:39.587 --> 01:27:40.408
you got to look at the

01:27:40.507 --> 01:27:43.029
whole body of work for the kid, you know,

01:27:43.289 --> 01:27:45.030
and that's kind of what I do for Pop.

01:27:45.470 --> 01:27:46.311
He's been in there.

01:27:46.931 --> 01:27:48.073
I've talked to, you know,

01:27:48.493 --> 01:27:50.833
people close to the program, parents,

01:27:50.913 --> 01:27:51.435
players.

01:27:52.354 --> 01:27:54.095
They like what what Poppy is.

01:27:54.136 --> 01:27:56.818
They like what he does for the team.

01:27:57.697 --> 01:27:58.777
I think it'd be hard to go

01:27:58.817 --> 01:28:00.597
and get somebody to come in

01:28:00.677 --> 01:28:03.958
and make an impact like he has on the,

01:28:04.838 --> 01:28:05.099
you know,

01:28:05.158 --> 01:28:06.319
at least the wide receiver group

01:28:06.359 --> 01:28:06.760
right now.

01:28:07.000 --> 01:28:07.579
You know what I mean?

01:28:08.199 --> 01:28:09.820
So you want to, like Mike said,

01:28:09.860 --> 01:28:10.900
you want to develop them as

01:28:10.921 --> 01:28:12.542
much as you can because if

01:28:12.582 --> 01:28:13.521
Kyron goes down,

01:28:13.582 --> 01:28:14.242
which you don't even want

01:28:14.261 --> 01:28:15.243
to think about that or you

01:28:15.262 --> 01:28:17.984
don't want to talk that up,

01:28:19.144 --> 01:28:20.163
it's going to be a drop off

01:28:20.604 --> 01:28:21.925
with whoever you go get.

01:28:23.976 --> 01:28:24.837
just because he's your

01:28:24.877 --> 01:28:26.417
quarterback one and how

01:28:26.478 --> 01:28:28.179
much time he's put in to

01:28:28.219 --> 01:28:28.918
run that offense.

01:28:28.958 --> 01:28:31.279
So it doesn't matter who goes in next,

01:28:31.359 --> 01:28:32.801
it's gonna be a drop off at

01:28:32.820 --> 01:28:34.761
least for a while.

01:28:34.820 --> 01:28:36.761
So roll with Pop,

01:28:37.002 --> 01:28:39.283
I think he'll be fine to

01:28:39.342 --> 01:28:40.384
keep getting those reps,

01:28:40.904 --> 01:28:42.524
keep getting better, keep getting bigger.

01:28:43.003 --> 01:28:44.064
Because for him to be a

01:28:44.204 --> 01:28:45.765
running quarterback, he's small.

01:28:46.525 --> 01:28:46.746
Yeah,

01:28:46.786 --> 01:28:48.447
we gotta get him some more weight and

01:28:48.506 --> 01:28:49.247
I think it'll be fine.

01:28:50.216 --> 01:28:52.037
That man needs to live at

01:28:52.417 --> 01:28:54.037
the nutrition center and

01:28:54.057 --> 01:28:55.698
just constantly be ordering food.

01:28:55.738 --> 01:28:57.119
Just keep ordering food, Pop.

01:28:57.460 --> 01:28:59.440
Brian, I'm going to pitch it over to you,

01:28:59.480 --> 01:29:00.081
and then we're going to go

01:29:00.100 --> 01:29:01.162
back to Mike one more time.

01:29:01.221 --> 01:29:03.002
Yeah, a couple things here.

01:29:03.403 --> 01:29:04.724
I'm absolutely with David.

01:29:04.764 --> 01:29:06.085
I don't think that bringing

01:29:06.345 --> 01:29:08.626
in a – and I'll just –

01:29:08.626 --> 01:29:09.527
we'll throw it to the guys

01:29:09.567 --> 01:29:10.046
down the street.

01:29:10.087 --> 01:29:12.127
A Tony Musket-esque

01:29:12.207 --> 01:29:13.349
quarterback to back up

01:29:13.389 --> 01:29:15.770
Kyron Drones is worth the

01:29:15.850 --> 01:29:17.350
risk of chasing off someone

01:29:17.390 --> 01:29:18.811
like Pop Watson.

01:29:20.092 --> 01:29:21.073
just to have a guy that's

01:29:21.092 --> 01:29:22.734
like basically a band-aid

01:29:22.875 --> 01:29:24.034
should an injury occur in 2024.

01:29:24.034 --> 01:29:26.197
I don't think it's worth

01:29:26.277 --> 01:29:27.037
that type of risk.

01:29:27.078 --> 01:29:29.399
I think we know enough about

01:29:29.559 --> 01:29:31.201
what we have in Pop.

01:29:31.220 --> 01:29:32.641
I think he knows the offense.

01:29:33.583 --> 01:29:34.465
as good or better than

01:29:34.545 --> 01:29:35.626
anyone that we bring in at

01:29:35.685 --> 01:29:37.546
this juncture in the process for 2024.

01:29:37.546 --> 01:29:40.189
So I don't think that's

01:29:40.309 --> 01:29:41.569
worth a consideration at

01:29:41.609 --> 01:29:42.970
this point because we're

01:29:42.990 --> 01:29:44.872
going to be looking at potentially a,

01:29:45.453 --> 01:29:45.673
you know,

01:29:45.694 --> 01:29:47.515
a stopgap potential quarterback

01:29:47.555 --> 01:29:49.877
situation in 2025 anyway, right?

01:29:49.936 --> 01:29:51.818
Like it's going to be kind of a rebuild,

01:29:51.858 --> 01:29:53.460
kind of a retool, you know,

01:29:53.479 --> 01:29:54.600
whatever you want to call it.

01:29:56.061 --> 01:29:56.801
So that's already going to

01:29:56.841 --> 01:29:58.082
be a situation regardless

01:29:58.122 --> 01:29:58.884
of who we have at that

01:29:58.904 --> 01:30:00.984
position behind Kyron.

01:30:01.045 --> 01:30:01.206
So...

01:30:02.155 --> 01:30:02.895
That's number one.

01:30:02.975 --> 01:30:05.657
Number two, to Tally's point,

01:30:07.257 --> 01:30:08.677
and really I think all of

01:30:08.698 --> 01:30:09.958
you kind of made this point as well,

01:30:11.198 --> 01:30:12.239
spring game isn't set up

01:30:12.279 --> 01:30:14.220
for Pop Watson's skill set.

01:30:14.359 --> 01:30:15.381
And I think also,

01:30:15.421 --> 01:30:16.780
and we're going to talk about this next,

01:30:17.862 --> 01:30:19.782
I think the Maroon team had

01:30:20.021 --> 01:30:21.382
what I would call a dress

01:30:21.422 --> 01:30:22.863
rehearsal of what the

01:30:23.042 --> 01:30:24.224
actual starting offensive

01:30:24.283 --> 01:30:27.164
line is going to look like come the fall.

01:30:27.925 --> 01:30:29.365
So I think –

01:30:30.605 --> 01:30:33.828
Pop did not exactly have the

01:30:33.868 --> 01:30:35.347
top notch crew, if you will,

01:30:35.528 --> 01:30:36.429
on his side of the ball.

01:30:36.469 --> 01:30:37.668
So that probably put him a

01:30:38.170 --> 01:30:38.970
little more behind the

01:30:39.029 --> 01:30:40.069
eight ball on top of

01:30:40.190 --> 01:30:41.211
everything else that the

01:30:41.251 --> 01:30:42.412
spring game brings with it.

01:30:42.511 --> 01:30:44.372
So I think those two factors

01:30:44.412 --> 01:30:46.332
probably played into him

01:30:46.372 --> 01:30:48.434
not having the best statistical game or

01:30:50.871 --> 01:30:52.372
a ton of standout moments

01:30:52.393 --> 01:30:53.814
that you kind of look back on and say,

01:30:53.875 --> 01:30:54.275
all right, well,

01:30:54.296 --> 01:30:54.976
that's something that we

01:30:54.997 --> 01:30:55.658
can take away from,

01:30:55.677 --> 01:30:56.378
or that's something we can

01:30:56.399 --> 01:30:57.380
take away from because by

01:30:57.420 --> 01:30:59.222
all accounts in practice,

01:30:59.243 --> 01:31:00.184
in the scrimmages, he's,

01:31:00.304 --> 01:31:01.365
he's been doing a really good job.

01:31:01.386 --> 01:31:03.228
All right, Mike,

01:31:03.247 --> 01:31:04.009
you said you had one more

01:31:04.029 --> 01:31:04.729
thing you wanted to hit

01:31:04.770 --> 01:31:05.591
before we close it out.

01:31:06.131 --> 01:31:06.552
Yeah.

01:31:06.712 --> 01:31:07.814
It kind of relates just to,

01:31:08.868 --> 01:31:11.449
Pop Watson not being able to

01:31:11.510 --> 01:31:13.490
show his skill set in the spring game.

01:31:14.832 --> 01:31:17.755
The spring game is for fans

01:31:18.795 --> 01:31:19.716
and it's for recruits.

01:31:22.297 --> 01:31:23.399
It's a huge recruiting weekend.

01:31:23.418 --> 01:31:24.059
That's who it's for.

01:31:27.752 --> 01:31:29.534
The practice periods,

01:31:29.574 --> 01:31:30.837
those extra practices you get,

01:31:31.938 --> 01:31:33.439
we talk about bowl games too.

01:31:33.460 --> 01:31:34.462
You get the extra practices.

01:31:34.681 --> 01:31:35.582
That's really important.

01:31:35.703 --> 01:31:37.225
The coaches rave about that.

01:31:37.305 --> 01:31:38.447
That's a big reason why they

01:31:38.466 --> 01:31:40.449
play in the smaller bowl games.

01:31:40.590 --> 01:31:42.351
It's not the college football playoff.

01:31:42.453 --> 01:31:43.894
It's a big deal for development.

01:31:44.635 --> 01:31:46.576
Spring is a big time for

01:31:46.615 --> 01:31:47.856
development for your roster.

01:31:48.377 --> 01:31:50.018
The practice periods are far

01:31:50.097 --> 01:31:52.180
more meaningful than the spring game,

01:31:52.699 --> 01:31:54.081
which is for the fans and the recruits.

01:31:54.421 --> 01:31:56.341
So if the coaching staff is

01:31:56.362 --> 01:31:58.002
telling you they really like Pop Watson,

01:31:58.143 --> 01:31:59.104
like David just mentioned,

01:31:59.243 --> 01:32:00.003
and they're talking about

01:32:00.043 --> 01:32:01.904
all spring and they're

01:32:01.944 --> 01:32:03.025
pleased with his development.

01:32:04.132 --> 01:32:04.853
I don't want to say they

01:32:04.872 --> 01:32:05.792
could give a rat's ass

01:32:05.833 --> 01:32:07.333
about spring game itself

01:32:07.354 --> 01:32:08.993
because that would be a false statement.

01:32:09.654 --> 01:32:11.055
But don't put too much into

01:32:11.114 --> 01:32:13.115
spring game versus all the

01:32:13.176 --> 01:32:15.296
practices and kind of what

01:32:15.336 --> 01:32:16.275
you've seen with your two

01:32:16.435 --> 01:32:18.377
eyes over extended periods of time.

01:32:18.537 --> 01:32:19.777
It's just a small piece.

01:32:19.817 --> 01:32:21.158
Like spring game is a piece

01:32:21.457 --> 01:32:24.618
of a puzzle with several

01:32:24.658 --> 01:32:25.899
practices that you've had

01:32:26.658 --> 01:32:28.279
for a period of five or six weeks.

01:32:28.500 --> 01:32:30.020
It's just one small piece of it.

01:32:30.119 --> 01:32:31.381
I know fans latch onto it.

01:32:31.400 --> 01:32:31.640
We do.

01:32:32.501 --> 01:32:33.201
Want to emphasize.

01:32:33.220 --> 01:32:33.581
Yeah.

01:32:33.680 --> 01:32:34.801
And of course, it's football.

01:32:34.881 --> 01:32:35.481
It's football.

01:32:35.782 --> 01:32:36.381
It's football.

01:32:36.421 --> 01:32:38.042
It's what we get to see.

01:32:38.103 --> 01:32:39.283
It's football and what you get to see.

01:32:39.802 --> 01:32:42.264
And to what Tally said, I think a week ago,

01:32:42.344 --> 01:32:43.404
like I think the biggest

01:32:43.463 --> 01:32:44.404
thing that you can take

01:32:44.463 --> 01:32:45.283
away from a coaching

01:32:45.323 --> 01:32:47.385
perspective of the spring

01:32:47.404 --> 01:32:48.625
game isn't necessarily like

01:32:48.725 --> 01:32:49.886
individual performances,

01:32:49.966 --> 01:32:51.225
but kind of how are you

01:32:51.286 --> 01:32:54.287
handling a game type atmosphere, right?

01:32:54.327 --> 01:32:55.306
Because this is the most

01:32:55.407 --> 01:32:56.567
game like setting that

01:32:56.606 --> 01:32:58.307
you'll have outside of an actual game.

01:32:59.047 --> 01:33:00.347
So I think those pieces are

01:33:00.368 --> 01:33:02.029
where you kind of see and

01:33:02.048 --> 01:33:03.248
can actually make some sort

01:33:03.269 --> 01:33:04.529
of judgment case versus

01:33:04.588 --> 01:33:06.309
like individual stats or

01:33:06.849 --> 01:33:08.590
what you see on the tape necessarily.

01:33:08.609 --> 01:33:10.529
I think that matters to a point,

01:33:10.689 --> 01:33:11.630
but not necessarily more

01:33:11.670 --> 01:33:12.729
than those other practices.

01:33:12.789 --> 01:33:14.591
But I think that game day

01:33:14.890 --> 01:33:16.470
atmosphere element and how

01:33:16.511 --> 01:33:18.190
you handle that and things

01:33:18.230 --> 01:33:19.511
like that is probably what

01:33:19.570 --> 01:33:20.752
is evaluated more.

01:33:21.811 --> 01:33:21.971
Yep.

01:33:22.612 --> 01:33:22.792
All right.

01:33:22.931 --> 01:33:24.072
Before we go to the next one,

01:33:24.091 --> 01:33:24.952
I just got to throw it up

01:33:24.971 --> 01:33:26.332
because I had not seen our

01:33:26.372 --> 01:33:28.273
man Andretti is back in the house.

01:33:29.351 --> 01:33:30.853
One of our loyal followers

01:33:30.872 --> 01:33:31.672
there on YouTube.

01:33:31.853 --> 01:33:32.172
All right.

01:33:32.514 --> 01:33:33.154
And ready.

01:33:33.594 --> 01:33:34.234
And ready.

01:33:34.255 --> 01:33:34.875
Got to love him.

01:33:34.895 --> 01:33:35.314
All right,

01:33:35.354 --> 01:33:37.076
we're going to the offensive line next.

01:33:37.136 --> 01:33:37.716
Here we go.

01:33:38.176 --> 01:33:38.676
Here we go.

01:33:38.737 --> 01:33:39.936
Now it's a party.

01:33:40.537 --> 01:33:41.537
Now it's a party.

01:33:42.458 --> 01:33:44.560
And before we get into analysis,

01:33:44.899 --> 01:33:46.161
this is a one-word answer.

01:33:46.180 --> 01:33:47.761
It's going to be all five of us,

01:33:48.061 --> 01:33:48.721
and then I'm going to push

01:33:48.761 --> 01:33:49.502
it back to David.

01:33:49.561 --> 01:33:49.903
David,

01:33:51.203 --> 01:33:52.564
can Virginia Tech afford to stand

01:33:52.604 --> 01:33:53.944
pat at right tackle, yes or no?

01:33:55.926 --> 01:33:56.166
No.

01:33:57.345 --> 01:33:57.587
Mike?

01:33:58.266 --> 01:33:58.426
Nope.

01:33:59.467 --> 01:33:59.828
Brian?

01:34:01.069 --> 01:34:01.309
No.

01:34:02.168 --> 01:34:03.369
I say no, Tally.

01:34:04.109 --> 01:34:04.650
Fuck no.

01:34:05.990 --> 01:34:07.511
I knew it was coming.

01:34:07.591 --> 01:34:08.091
All right.

01:34:08.692 --> 01:34:09.912
Now that that's been settled,

01:34:09.932 --> 01:34:11.453
we can't stand Pat.

01:34:12.173 --> 01:34:20.018
Are we going to have to go

01:34:20.037 --> 01:34:20.698
out and throw some money

01:34:20.738 --> 01:34:22.599
into Portal to find a legit

01:34:22.618 --> 01:34:23.699
starting right tackle?

01:34:23.779 --> 01:34:24.100
Because

01:34:26.252 --> 01:34:29.894
I don't see one right now on

01:34:30.335 --> 01:34:32.935
the roster unless something crazy happens,

01:34:32.975 --> 01:34:33.296
David.

01:34:33.756 --> 01:34:34.997
You saw some periods and

01:34:35.016 --> 01:34:36.557
stuff we weren't accustomed to.

01:34:38.659 --> 01:34:39.180
We'll say you.

01:34:40.740 --> 01:34:41.220
Yeah, I mean,

01:34:41.240 --> 01:34:42.962
I don't think you'll ever

01:34:43.021 --> 01:34:43.943
turn down an offensive

01:34:43.983 --> 01:34:44.844
lineman in the portal if

01:34:44.884 --> 01:34:45.663
he's the right fit.

01:34:45.703 --> 01:34:47.425
The problem is they're so hard to come by.

01:34:47.944 --> 01:34:50.407
The problem is that guys

01:34:50.426 --> 01:34:54.653
that are anywhere between –

01:34:54.653 --> 01:35:02.287
6'2 and 6'6 and say 250 pounds to 280,

01:35:02.287 --> 01:35:02.356
300.

01:35:02.356 --> 01:35:08.800
Those giant guys, as you guys well know,

01:35:09.199 --> 01:35:10.480
they don't come around very often.

01:35:10.520 --> 01:35:11.681
They're hot commodities.

01:35:12.381 --> 01:35:12.981
They're almost like

01:35:13.042 --> 01:35:14.222
basketball players in the

01:35:14.262 --> 01:35:16.104
portal in terms of how high

01:35:16.144 --> 01:35:17.104
their values are.

01:35:19.506 --> 01:35:21.546
I think Virginia Tech needs to add

01:35:22.885 --> 01:35:23.706
offensive lineman.

01:35:26.487 --> 01:35:27.207
The thing I'm most

01:35:27.287 --> 01:35:29.908
interested in is to see how

01:35:30.009 --> 01:35:31.889
some of these young guys come along.

01:35:32.489 --> 01:35:33.869
Leif Gannon was a guy who

01:35:33.909 --> 01:35:35.291
Bryn Prye hyped up a lot

01:35:35.331 --> 01:35:36.470
towards the end of the spring.

01:35:36.551 --> 01:35:38.912
We spoke with him and he

01:35:38.953 --> 01:35:39.993
said he was really pleased

01:35:40.012 --> 01:35:41.533
with how Gannon was coming along,

01:35:42.993 --> 01:35:45.234
but it would not hurt Virginia Tech.

01:35:45.274 --> 01:35:46.496
I think I would, you know,

01:35:47.432 --> 01:35:48.193
If I'm Virginia Tech,

01:35:48.212 --> 01:35:49.113
I would actually try

01:35:49.673 --> 01:35:50.795
everything in my power I

01:35:50.895 --> 01:35:52.454
could to get a guy with

01:35:52.534 --> 01:35:54.336
experience because I think

01:35:54.376 --> 01:35:55.596
a lot of the other places

01:35:55.716 --> 01:35:59.537
on the offensive line are pretty solid,

01:35:59.698 --> 01:35:59.958
right?

01:35:59.998 --> 01:36:01.878
You return both of the Moore brothers.

01:36:02.819 --> 01:36:04.841
You bring in Montavious Cunningham.

01:36:06.681 --> 01:36:08.021
I think Tech likes what it

01:36:08.082 --> 01:36:09.802
has with Xavier Chaplin.

01:36:11.260 --> 01:36:15.402
But I think if you can bring in a tackle,

01:36:15.502 --> 01:36:16.502
I think Virginia Tech would

01:36:16.521 --> 01:36:17.922
do everything in its power to.

01:36:20.024 --> 01:36:20.884
I think Ron Crook has

01:36:21.184 --> 01:36:22.664
developed that group pretty

01:36:22.784 --> 01:36:25.747
well in the time that he's been here,

01:36:25.787 --> 01:36:27.447
which it's only been a year.

01:36:29.488 --> 01:36:31.088
But you don't want to have

01:36:31.149 --> 01:36:33.050
to lean back and rely on

01:36:33.988 --> 01:36:35.548
know some of that youth to

01:36:35.649 --> 01:36:37.350
start if you don't have to

01:36:37.630 --> 01:36:39.350
we're not talking about oh

01:36:39.369 --> 01:36:40.591
this is this is a guy like

01:36:40.610 --> 01:36:43.072
christian derisaw who um

01:36:43.731 --> 01:36:46.233
you know he's ready to to

01:36:46.313 --> 01:36:47.493
start immediately I mean

01:36:47.854 --> 01:36:48.514
there have been virginia

01:36:48.533 --> 01:36:49.715
tech offensive lines in the

01:36:49.755 --> 01:36:50.935
past that have been really

01:36:50.975 --> 01:36:52.155
really young and really

01:36:52.195 --> 01:36:54.596
really good it doesn't

01:36:54.636 --> 01:36:56.257
really feel that way and

01:36:57.873 --> 01:37:00.435
if Virginia Tech can add, it should add.

01:37:00.996 --> 01:37:02.596
The only question is who's

01:37:02.636 --> 01:37:03.756
going to be available.

01:37:03.856 --> 01:37:06.037
But if I'm Virginia Tech,

01:37:06.078 --> 01:37:07.238
I'm making a super,

01:37:07.319 --> 01:37:09.520
super hard push to add an

01:37:09.600 --> 01:37:11.860
offensive lineman, specifically a tackle,

01:37:11.940 --> 01:37:13.742
because, man, if you do that,

01:37:13.822 --> 01:37:14.702
I think you feel a whole

01:37:14.721 --> 01:37:16.323
lot better about your depth

01:37:16.382 --> 01:37:17.024
because you have some

01:37:17.043 --> 01:37:18.904
really talented young kids in the program,

01:37:18.944 --> 01:37:19.284
I think,

01:37:19.324 --> 01:37:20.885
that are continuing to get better.

01:37:21.225 --> 01:37:22.386
It's only a matter of time,

01:37:23.346 --> 01:37:27.541
but if you have to rely on them now –

01:37:27.541 --> 01:37:29.443
I kind of think about it like,

01:37:29.984 --> 01:37:31.164
to make a basketball analogy,

01:37:31.225 --> 01:37:32.024
I kind of think about it

01:37:32.145 --> 01:37:33.827
where MJ Collins was kind

01:37:33.846 --> 01:37:35.929
of thrown into the fire last year, right?

01:37:36.029 --> 01:37:37.109
Some guys just simply aren't

01:37:37.130 --> 01:37:38.692
ready to play that many snaps.

01:37:39.592 --> 01:37:40.913
That's just the way it is.

01:37:42.074 --> 01:37:44.176
Mike?

01:37:44.256 --> 01:37:45.238
This kind of goes back to

01:37:45.278 --> 01:37:46.118
the conversation we were

01:37:46.158 --> 01:37:47.000
having about safety.

01:37:48.161 --> 01:37:49.862
If you feel like you can

01:37:49.942 --> 01:37:52.545
make a run at a one-year stopgap,

01:37:54.073 --> 01:37:55.672
at tackle you absolutely

01:37:55.693 --> 01:37:56.672
need to do it because this

01:37:56.734 --> 01:37:58.094
is a one-year window that's

01:37:58.113 --> 01:37:59.274
how I view it I view it as

01:37:59.314 --> 01:38:01.054
a one-year window not that

01:38:01.134 --> 01:38:02.354
like pry and that the

01:38:02.414 --> 01:38:03.814
program won't continue to

01:38:03.854 --> 01:38:04.574
be good that's not what I

01:38:04.614 --> 01:38:05.715
mean I just mean like with

01:38:05.814 --> 01:38:08.055
this group this is a

01:38:08.235 --> 01:38:09.735
one-year window with the

01:38:09.855 --> 01:38:11.115
key contributors on offense

01:38:11.155 --> 01:38:12.756
and defense so I feel like

01:38:12.796 --> 01:38:14.896
if you can go into the

01:38:14.957 --> 01:38:17.796
portal and make a run at

01:38:18.016 --> 01:38:19.417
maybe a couple tackles

01:38:19.578 --> 01:38:20.778
because I mean david hit

01:38:20.797 --> 01:38:21.478
around the head like

01:38:22.836 --> 01:38:23.457
it is really,

01:38:23.497 --> 01:38:25.318
really hard to portal offensive linemen.

01:38:25.819 --> 01:38:27.300
Not to say you can't get them in the door,

01:38:27.680 --> 01:38:28.761
but you don't really know

01:38:28.820 --> 01:38:29.502
if they're a right fit

01:38:29.542 --> 01:38:30.342
until they show up.

01:38:31.024 --> 01:38:31.645
You just don't.

01:38:32.284 --> 01:38:33.525
You put them on the practice field,

01:38:33.546 --> 01:38:34.945
you see how they learn your scheme,

01:38:35.525 --> 01:38:36.286
you really don't know if

01:38:36.305 --> 01:38:37.185
they're going to be a fit

01:38:37.206 --> 01:38:38.367
until they get there.

01:38:38.527 --> 01:38:40.667
Portaling offensive linemen is really,

01:38:40.747 --> 01:38:41.707
really, really difficult.

01:38:41.747 --> 01:38:42.587
At least that's how it's

01:38:42.627 --> 01:38:45.167
been since the four or five

01:38:45.207 --> 01:38:45.887
years we've had it.

01:38:45.927 --> 01:38:46.507
It's been tough.

01:38:46.728 --> 01:38:48.309
The use cases are not very good.

01:38:48.988 --> 01:38:49.189
Now,

01:38:49.488 --> 01:38:50.948
Virginia Tech's over the scholarship

01:38:50.988 --> 01:38:51.269
limit.

01:38:51.430 --> 01:38:52.569
That's really important to

01:38:52.630 --> 01:38:56.011
note because Brent Prye, yes,

01:38:56.530 --> 01:38:57.970
he and his staff, they're going to

01:38:58.797 --> 01:39:00.719
um, be having some tough conversations.

01:39:00.979 --> 01:39:01.899
And I'm sure some of them

01:39:01.918 --> 01:39:03.239
have already been had, you know,

01:39:03.279 --> 01:39:04.239
with some of these players

01:39:04.300 --> 01:39:05.220
that aren't going to be a

01:39:05.261 --> 01:39:06.060
part of the program in the

01:39:06.100 --> 01:39:07.981
fall because he needs to

01:39:08.021 --> 01:39:09.261
make room to maybe go out

01:39:09.301 --> 01:39:10.261
and get a right tackle.

01:39:10.863 --> 01:39:11.922
But if you can make enough

01:39:11.983 --> 01:39:13.524
room to maybe go get to,

01:39:13.543 --> 01:39:16.324
I think that would be a

01:39:16.404 --> 01:39:17.965
pretty beneficial because

01:39:18.005 --> 01:39:19.126
from a depth standpoint,

01:39:19.786 --> 01:39:21.546
like David mentioned, I mean,

01:39:21.646 --> 01:39:22.886
obviously all eyes are on

01:39:22.907 --> 01:39:24.728
the Parker Clements situation,

01:39:24.807 --> 01:39:26.389
but like David mentioned,

01:39:26.569 --> 01:39:27.448
save your chaplain, um,

01:39:27.877 --> 01:39:29.198
Yes, he's big, he's athletic.

01:39:30.599 --> 01:39:32.298
We think the staff likes

01:39:32.498 --> 01:39:33.958
what they have there on the

01:39:33.998 --> 01:39:35.380
left side of the offensive line.

01:39:36.720 --> 01:39:38.560
But if he starts to struggle

01:39:38.760 --> 01:39:39.900
or he gets banged up,

01:39:40.041 --> 01:39:41.661
which he was banged up as a freshman,

01:39:41.860 --> 01:39:43.060
or else he would have gotten on the field,

01:39:43.100 --> 01:39:43.962
I think, pretty early.

01:39:44.921 --> 01:39:46.202
He was banged up as a freshman.

01:39:46.761 --> 01:39:48.182
He's got that injury history there.

01:39:49.082 --> 01:39:51.002
It wouldn't hurt having

01:39:51.122 --> 01:39:52.382
another veteran offensive

01:39:52.422 --> 01:39:54.623
lineman in the room at the tackle spot.

01:39:54.954 --> 01:39:57.376
So I think it's really important.

01:39:58.337 --> 01:40:00.518
I also think that Tyler Bowen's scheme,

01:40:01.438 --> 01:40:02.219
and we didn't see this a

01:40:02.279 --> 01:40:02.998
lot in the spring game

01:40:03.019 --> 01:40:04.319
because the quarterbacks weren't live,

01:40:04.340 --> 01:40:05.199
but we saw it a lot the

01:40:05.239 --> 01:40:06.501
second half of the year last year.

01:40:06.520 --> 01:40:08.181
I think a big reason why the

01:40:08.261 --> 01:40:09.181
offensive line play

01:40:09.221 --> 01:40:10.323
improved is because

01:40:10.563 --> 01:40:11.564
Virginia Tech's offense

01:40:11.604 --> 01:40:12.564
with Kyron Drones just

01:40:12.604 --> 01:40:13.885
looks so drastically different.

01:40:14.625 --> 01:40:15.966
Didn't have a dropback quarterback.

01:40:16.006 --> 01:40:17.306
You're rolling the pocket a lot.

01:40:18.306 --> 01:40:20.887
All that stuff benefits offensive linemen,

01:40:21.168 --> 01:40:21.408
right?

01:40:21.588 --> 01:40:22.969
Benefits the offensive line.

01:40:23.329 --> 01:40:23.850
And for...

01:40:24.628 --> 01:40:25.591
as well as Virginia Tech's

01:40:25.650 --> 01:40:27.033
offensive line played, in my opinion,

01:40:27.052 --> 01:40:27.975
the second half of the year,

01:40:28.515 --> 01:40:29.377
I think a lot of it had to

01:40:29.417 --> 01:40:30.057
do with the scheme.

01:40:30.337 --> 01:40:31.199
Like, I don't think the play,

01:40:31.239 --> 01:40:33.222
and this is nothing against Ron Crook,

01:40:33.243 --> 01:40:34.545
I think he has done a great

01:40:34.564 --> 01:40:35.685
job developing guys in the

01:40:35.747 --> 01:40:36.828
one year he's been in Blacksburg,

01:40:36.868 --> 01:40:37.229
but like,

01:40:38.180 --> 01:40:39.560
the scheme helped a lot.

01:40:40.020 --> 01:40:41.002
Like the way the offense

01:40:41.061 --> 01:40:42.542
looked and the way they

01:40:42.582 --> 01:40:43.603
were calling plays and

01:40:43.662 --> 01:40:44.844
running the system helped a

01:40:44.904 --> 01:40:46.204
lot in the second half of the year.

01:40:46.225 --> 01:40:47.164
And I think it can help them

01:40:47.204 --> 01:40:48.185
again this year, right?

01:40:48.246 --> 01:40:49.747
So like, yeah,

01:40:49.806 --> 01:40:51.028
Parker Clements is not great

01:40:51.047 --> 01:40:51.627
when he's standing

01:40:51.648 --> 01:40:52.969
stationary at right tackle.

01:40:53.328 --> 01:40:54.390
But like Virginia Tech needs

01:40:54.409 --> 01:40:55.810
to roll with him and

01:40:56.310 --> 01:40:57.110
they're running kind of a

01:40:57.171 --> 01:40:57.952
similar offense they did

01:40:57.992 --> 01:40:59.192
the second half of the year last year.

01:40:59.212 --> 01:41:01.173
I think they'll be okay.

01:41:01.373 --> 01:41:02.373
So I don't think it's like a

01:41:02.474 --> 01:41:03.994
five alarm fire situation,

01:41:04.015 --> 01:41:04.895
but I think if you can go

01:41:04.956 --> 01:41:05.756
out and get a tackle,

01:41:05.775 --> 01:41:06.716
you absolutely need to do it.

01:41:07.452 --> 01:41:10.632
Tally, just because he said, you know,

01:41:11.632 --> 01:41:11.972
go ahead.

01:41:13.412 --> 01:41:14.434
Mike made it sound good,

01:41:14.573 --> 01:41:15.514
so I don't want to come in

01:41:15.594 --> 01:41:17.753
and make it sound real bad.

01:41:18.594 --> 01:41:19.295
You know what I'm saying?

01:41:19.314 --> 01:41:21.314
Like, he was kind of diplomatic with it.

01:41:21.414 --> 01:41:25.676
But he mentioned the name, so I said, like,

01:41:25.775 --> 01:41:26.256
Parker,

01:41:26.555 --> 01:41:30.436
he too old and too big to just

01:41:30.636 --> 01:41:31.516
keep getting beat.

01:41:31.856 --> 01:41:32.516
You know what I'm saying?

01:41:32.537 --> 01:41:33.837
Like, I get it.

01:41:33.877 --> 01:41:35.177
Keyshawn Burgos is –

01:41:36.003 --> 01:41:37.845
fast and he's big and he's athletic.

01:41:38.484 --> 01:41:40.365
But he, as it sits,

01:41:40.525 --> 01:41:42.867
is not a top performer in the ACC.

01:41:44.927 --> 01:41:46.608
Parker's going to see better

01:41:47.048 --> 01:41:49.349
defensive ends than Keyshawn Burgos.

01:41:49.729 --> 01:41:51.569
At least one every game, probably.

01:41:51.710 --> 01:41:53.230
As it sits today.

01:41:54.011 --> 01:41:57.393
And David just told us at

01:41:57.432 --> 01:41:58.313
the beginning of the show

01:41:59.052 --> 01:42:01.654
that Burgos had a Hall of Fame day.

01:42:03.475 --> 01:42:05.155
A fucking Hall of Fame day.

01:42:06.293 --> 01:42:07.354
And I think Parker's been

01:42:07.375 --> 01:42:08.956
down for fucking nine years.

01:42:09.515 --> 01:42:10.657
And you let somebody have a

01:42:10.676 --> 01:42:11.396
Hall of Fame day.

01:42:11.677 --> 01:42:12.717
And it ain't just his fault.

01:42:12.738 --> 01:42:13.779
So, you know,

01:42:13.838 --> 01:42:15.520
I play around and joke around.

01:42:15.539 --> 01:42:17.501
I think they do got to get better there.

01:42:17.520 --> 01:42:18.761
I think Parker has to be better.

01:42:18.782 --> 01:42:20.422
I think he'd be good as a depth piece.

01:42:20.743 --> 01:42:22.104
I just don't know that he's a starter.

01:42:22.524 --> 01:42:22.765
You know,

01:42:22.784 --> 01:42:24.126
I think that our floor has been

01:42:24.185 --> 01:42:26.947
raised at Virginia Tech.

01:42:27.027 --> 01:42:29.288
And some of these guys who we have,

01:42:29.328 --> 01:42:30.310
we just have to go with.

01:42:31.912 --> 01:42:32.813
It's kind of hard for

01:42:32.912 --> 01:42:34.113
offensive line as well

01:42:34.154 --> 01:42:35.255
because offensive lineman

01:42:35.274 --> 01:42:36.416
has to have continuity.

01:42:36.856 --> 01:42:37.877
And you're playing different

01:42:37.917 --> 01:42:39.219
people at different positions.

01:42:39.338 --> 01:42:40.119
And, you know,

01:42:40.159 --> 01:42:41.301
you may be used to this guy

01:42:41.320 --> 01:42:42.402
starting beside you or this

01:42:42.442 --> 01:42:43.804
tight end starting beside you.

01:42:44.203 --> 01:42:45.425
And you're calling plays and

01:42:45.444 --> 01:42:46.305
different things are going

01:42:46.405 --> 01:42:47.287
on during a play.

01:42:48.528 --> 01:42:49.970
When you're at a spring game,

01:42:50.229 --> 01:42:51.230
you've got the most

01:42:51.350 --> 01:42:52.391
offensive lineman on the

01:42:52.412 --> 01:42:54.154
field of any other position, you know.

01:42:54.213 --> 01:42:54.314
Yeah.

01:42:55.627 --> 01:42:57.408
We're just trying to find five.

01:42:57.890 --> 01:42:58.649
In a spring game,

01:42:58.670 --> 01:43:00.292
you're saying you need 10 to 12.

01:43:00.292 --> 01:43:02.734
We just ain't got it right now.

01:43:03.274 --> 01:43:07.099
But just at individual workouts,

01:43:07.298 --> 01:43:09.421
individual one-on-one things,

01:43:09.501 --> 01:43:11.342
I've always seen Parker get beat.

01:43:12.304 --> 01:43:13.525
And as a veteran lineman,

01:43:13.586 --> 01:43:14.806
as somebody who the coaches

01:43:14.867 --> 01:43:16.469
have raved about during practice,

01:43:16.969 --> 01:43:18.779
you know –

01:43:18.779 --> 01:43:20.081
MVP during the spring,

01:43:20.121 --> 01:43:21.061
different things like that.

01:43:21.542 --> 01:43:23.224
You just expect a little bit

01:43:23.264 --> 01:43:24.926
better play from him than what I've seen.

01:43:24.966 --> 01:43:27.207
So that's why I'm super hard on him,

01:43:27.287 --> 01:43:27.667
I guess.

01:43:27.747 --> 01:43:30.690
But yeah, I'm with Mike.

01:43:30.810 --> 01:43:32.372
Mike said it best when he said,

01:43:33.292 --> 01:43:35.395
this is your year.

01:43:35.676 --> 01:43:38.779
And I'm going to go ahead and say it.

01:43:38.958 --> 01:43:40.819
The coaches are buying into it as well.

01:43:41.581 --> 01:43:43.143
The trajectory has to go up.

01:43:44.801 --> 01:43:45.720
I think one of the hardest

01:43:45.740 --> 01:43:46.622
shirts that I've seen them

01:43:46.641 --> 01:43:47.563
wearing is the shirts where

01:43:47.582 --> 01:43:49.684
they had the three, the seven,

01:43:49.743 --> 01:43:51.664
and then the question mark.

01:43:51.765 --> 01:43:53.105
That question mark can't be

01:43:53.185 --> 01:43:54.067
less than seven.

01:43:54.747 --> 01:43:56.929
You have to win more games

01:43:56.969 --> 01:43:58.189
than that because that's

01:43:58.229 --> 01:44:00.390
what you're selling.

01:44:00.451 --> 01:44:01.811
If you win more games than that,

01:44:01.891 --> 01:44:03.073
even if it's eight games,

01:44:03.132 --> 01:44:04.234
even though you want to win more,

01:44:04.673 --> 01:44:06.534
if that trajectory keeps going up,

01:44:06.956 --> 01:44:08.556
then what you're selling in

01:44:08.596 --> 01:44:10.198
your program is easier to

01:44:10.238 --> 01:44:11.097
go out and recruit.

01:44:11.698 --> 01:44:11.838
So

01:44:13.188 --> 01:44:14.007
quarterback leaves,

01:44:14.729 --> 01:44:16.289
you may go pull a top quarterback,

01:44:16.529 --> 01:44:16.829
you know,

01:44:16.970 --> 01:44:18.150
if you're in the position where

01:44:18.190 --> 01:44:19.391
you need somebody to come in.

01:44:19.752 --> 01:44:20.292
Where you say, hey,

01:44:20.332 --> 01:44:21.573
you see what we did in this program?

01:44:21.592 --> 01:44:22.193
We built it up.

01:44:22.512 --> 01:44:23.493
We won this many games.

01:44:23.533 --> 01:44:24.675
We were this piece away.

01:44:25.154 --> 01:44:26.695
We got these many people coming back.

01:44:26.735 --> 01:44:26.876
Like,

01:44:26.956 --> 01:44:27.976
it's a couple of things that can

01:44:28.016 --> 01:44:30.457
happen if you have that

01:44:30.557 --> 01:44:32.779
season that most people are expecting.

01:44:33.439 --> 01:44:35.520
But if you ain't good in the trenches,

01:44:35.560 --> 01:44:36.761
you ain't going to have a good season.

01:44:36.822 --> 01:44:38.483
So we got to find a way to

01:44:38.523 --> 01:44:39.863
have the best five linemen

01:44:40.003 --> 01:44:42.545
on the field to protect the quarterback.

01:44:43.837 --> 01:44:44.617
Parker looks like he's going

01:44:44.636 --> 01:44:45.438
to get somebody killed.

01:44:47.279 --> 01:44:47.939
Brian, what you think?

01:44:49.920 --> 01:44:52.440
I think that in terms of trajectory,

01:44:52.461 --> 01:44:53.320
so let's start there.

01:44:53.341 --> 01:44:54.561
In terms of trajectory,

01:44:55.221 --> 01:44:56.563
the offensive line is going

01:44:56.582 --> 01:44:58.363
to determine more than any

01:44:58.423 --> 01:44:59.524
other position on the field

01:44:59.583 --> 01:45:00.864
how many wins we get this year.

01:45:01.738 --> 01:45:04.000
Because with all the pieces

01:45:04.060 --> 01:45:05.260
coming back with, you know,

01:45:05.319 --> 01:45:06.220
getting Ali Jennings where

01:45:06.240 --> 01:45:07.221
you didn't really have him

01:45:07.282 --> 01:45:08.042
most of last year,

01:45:08.082 --> 01:45:10.804
you've got so many pieces

01:45:11.104 --> 01:45:13.405
that fit on this offense

01:45:13.525 --> 01:45:15.567
that can really take that next step.

01:45:16.467 --> 01:45:17.427
That next step is going to

01:45:17.448 --> 01:45:19.489
be limited to how well this

01:45:19.569 --> 01:45:22.292
offensive line progresses from last year.

01:45:22.351 --> 01:45:24.832
And we saw it with the scheme shift,

01:45:24.872 --> 01:45:25.113
you know,

01:45:26.083 --> 01:45:28.345
mike pointed it out um you

01:45:28.364 --> 01:45:29.404
know if I'm an offensive

01:45:29.425 --> 01:45:30.685
lineman on like a five-step

01:45:30.725 --> 01:45:31.605
drop if you're rolling the

01:45:31.645 --> 01:45:32.605
pocket and I'm hinge

01:45:32.666 --> 01:45:33.686
blocking instead of having

01:45:33.707 --> 01:45:36.068
to drop back and uh make

01:45:36.108 --> 01:45:37.047
sure that this guy doesn't

01:45:37.108 --> 01:45:38.268
speed rush around the edge

01:45:38.347 --> 01:45:40.548
on me um while I'm kick

01:45:40.569 --> 01:45:42.270
stepping that's a whole lot

01:45:42.310 --> 01:45:45.070
easier block I i can I can use more of

01:45:45.770 --> 01:45:46.631
My lower body,

01:45:46.792 --> 01:45:48.014
I can use a whole lot more

01:45:48.033 --> 01:45:49.295
of my athleticism than if

01:45:49.375 --> 01:45:50.555
I'm just standing there and

01:45:50.595 --> 01:45:51.818
having to stay in front of

01:45:51.837 --> 01:45:53.158
this guy coming at me full speed.

01:45:53.259 --> 01:45:54.661
So it's a lot easier block.

01:45:54.701 --> 01:45:56.523
The scheme is making the job

01:45:56.563 --> 01:45:58.204
of the tackles especially a lot easier.

01:45:59.046 --> 01:46:00.207
So that's number one.

01:46:00.747 --> 01:46:02.448
But in terms of just getting guys in,

01:46:03.896 --> 01:46:05.557
you know,

01:46:05.658 --> 01:46:06.618
I definitely think we need at

01:46:06.658 --> 01:46:07.520
least one tackle.

01:46:08.220 --> 01:46:09.201
I know Mike said two,

01:46:10.101 --> 01:46:11.122
I would like at least one

01:46:11.162 --> 01:46:12.563
tackle and it needs to be

01:46:12.622 --> 01:46:13.904
somebody that at least had

01:46:13.963 --> 01:46:14.885
some sort of experience.

01:46:14.904 --> 01:46:17.146
I don't know if it needs to be a, you know,

01:46:17.167 --> 01:46:19.167
kind of a one-year rental of a guy that's,

01:46:19.188 --> 01:46:20.628
you know, been a multi-year starter.

01:46:20.649 --> 01:46:22.470
You know, we've seen,

01:46:22.490 --> 01:46:23.811
I think we've got an offer

01:46:23.851 --> 01:46:24.612
out there for Andrew

01:46:24.631 --> 01:46:26.673
Chambly out of Arkansas.

01:46:26.833 --> 01:46:27.373
I don't know if,

01:46:27.694 --> 01:46:28.314
if he's going to be

01:46:28.354 --> 01:46:29.074
somebody that we get a

01:46:29.114 --> 01:46:30.595
visit with or anything like that,

01:46:30.716 --> 01:46:31.256
but yeah,

01:46:31.516 --> 01:46:32.438
At least that's somebody

01:46:32.457 --> 01:46:34.319
that has seen some time in the SEC.

01:46:34.340 --> 01:46:36.801
I think he was all SEC

01:46:36.841 --> 01:46:38.622
freshman team or something like that.

01:46:39.024 --> 01:46:40.465
Very good track record.

01:46:41.225 --> 01:46:42.065
He's at least shown that

01:46:42.105 --> 01:46:44.728
he's capable of putting

01:46:44.747 --> 01:46:45.889
good work out there against

01:46:45.929 --> 01:46:46.810
some of the best in the

01:46:46.869 --> 01:46:48.671
country in terms of pass rushers.

01:46:48.731 --> 01:46:49.773
So you feel a little bit

01:46:49.813 --> 01:46:50.753
good about that if that's

01:46:50.793 --> 01:46:51.854
somebody that you're targeting.

01:46:52.475 --> 01:46:53.695
But that's a position that

01:46:53.716 --> 01:46:55.317
we've got to level up because, again,

01:46:55.377 --> 01:46:57.523
I'm circling back, this is –

01:46:57.523 --> 01:46:58.583
The importance of having

01:46:58.623 --> 01:46:59.465
this offensive line is

01:46:59.484 --> 01:47:00.945
going to dictate how big of

01:47:01.006 --> 01:47:03.868
a step this offense can take in 2024.

01:47:03.868 --> 01:47:05.850
And back to Mike and David's point, I mean,

01:47:05.890 --> 01:47:07.171
this is a year that really

01:47:07.230 --> 01:47:08.652
matters because I feel like

01:47:09.572 --> 01:47:10.292
this is going to be the

01:47:10.332 --> 01:47:11.314
highest ceiling that we're

01:47:11.394 --> 01:47:12.914
seeing for the next, you know,

01:47:13.015 --> 01:47:13.775
one to two years,

01:47:13.836 --> 01:47:14.695
depending on what we're

01:47:14.716 --> 01:47:15.737
able to do in the portal

01:47:16.398 --> 01:47:19.340
and recruiting heading into 25 and 26.

01:47:19.340 --> 01:47:22.002
But the window is here to do

01:47:22.042 --> 01:47:23.243
some big things this year.

01:47:23.682 --> 01:47:24.663
I'd hate for the offensive

01:47:24.703 --> 01:47:25.585
line to hold that back.

01:47:26.630 --> 01:47:28.131
Yep, and that's the point of it.

01:47:28.171 --> 01:47:29.770
And, Mike, you keep saying it, and, David,

01:47:29.810 --> 01:47:30.532
you said it too.

01:47:31.271 --> 01:47:32.153
This is a big gap.

01:47:32.172 --> 01:47:33.273
This is not a gap year.

01:47:33.313 --> 01:47:36.094
This is a go-all-in year, go-all-in.

01:47:36.595 --> 01:47:38.034
You have a quarterback who

01:47:38.055 --> 01:47:40.756
threw 17 touchdowns, threw 17 touchdowns,

01:47:40.817 --> 01:47:42.756
three picks, was super efficient,

01:47:43.177 --> 01:47:46.259
almost ran for 1,000 yards in, you know,

01:47:46.639 --> 01:47:47.859
less than 10 games.

01:47:48.920 --> 01:47:50.201
You brought your entire wide

01:47:50.240 --> 01:47:50.980
receiver quarterback.

01:47:51.020 --> 01:47:52.462
You brought your running back room back.

01:47:53.291 --> 01:47:54.091
Yeah, I'm with you.

01:47:54.150 --> 01:47:55.311
You have to go all in.

01:47:55.391 --> 01:47:56.771
I was going to ask y'all one more question,

01:47:56.792 --> 01:47:57.552
but I'm going to skip it

01:47:57.592 --> 01:47:58.493
because I think we're all

01:47:58.512 --> 01:48:00.274
to a point where we need to

01:48:00.333 --> 01:48:02.073
go get offensive linemen.

01:48:02.134 --> 01:48:03.335
And I think Tally made the

01:48:03.375 --> 01:48:04.835
point just a second ago to

01:48:04.875 --> 01:48:05.435
kind of answered it.

01:48:05.956 --> 01:48:06.996
I would rather have Parker

01:48:07.015 --> 01:48:08.176
Clements here as a depth

01:48:08.195 --> 01:48:09.377
piece because it would be

01:48:09.436 --> 01:48:11.177
nice to know if you bring

01:48:11.238 --> 01:48:12.118
in another tackle.

01:48:13.484 --> 01:48:16.966
Again, to me, Parker's the 2020-2040 club.

01:48:17.286 --> 01:48:18.106
He plays really,

01:48:18.146 --> 01:48:19.408
really good 20% of the time.

01:48:19.448 --> 01:48:20.908
He plays okay 20% of the time.

01:48:21.389 --> 01:48:22.289
Eh, 20% of the time.

01:48:22.510 --> 01:48:23.711
And then 40% of the time are

01:48:23.730 --> 01:48:24.770
the times you just lose

01:48:24.810 --> 01:48:26.192
your mind because it's like,

01:48:27.372 --> 01:48:28.673
how did three snaps ago you

01:48:28.713 --> 01:48:30.335
look very solid and now

01:48:31.655 --> 01:48:33.015
you're stumbling to get it?

01:48:33.256 --> 01:48:35.018
I think that's what the frustration is.

01:48:35.078 --> 01:48:35.797
It's his age.

01:48:36.158 --> 01:48:38.039
If he was a true sophomore –

01:48:38.953 --> 01:48:39.894
We'd be like, okay.

01:48:40.314 --> 01:48:41.574
Every single one of y'all would be like,

01:48:41.835 --> 01:48:42.836
especially Tally and Brian

01:48:42.855 --> 01:48:44.737
who played the positions, we get it.

01:48:45.018 --> 01:48:45.978
It happens sometimes.

01:48:45.997 --> 01:48:46.498
You're young.

01:48:46.519 --> 01:48:47.118
You're going to learn.

01:48:47.618 --> 01:48:48.680
It's the age piece that

01:48:48.739 --> 01:48:49.581
Tally keeps bringing up.

01:48:49.621 --> 01:48:50.782
I'm going to flip on and go

01:48:50.801 --> 01:48:52.882
down to tight end because

01:48:52.962 --> 01:48:53.963
obviously without Benji

01:48:53.984 --> 01:48:55.244
Gosnell and Eric Gallo,

01:48:55.364 --> 01:48:56.305
it was sort of an

01:48:56.426 --> 01:48:57.646
interesting tight end room.

01:48:58.967 --> 01:48:59.228
David,

01:48:59.247 --> 01:49:01.670
who was your tight end MVP of the

01:49:01.710 --> 01:49:02.911
spring game from what you saw?

01:49:04.779 --> 01:49:06.280
Um, Hairston,

01:49:06.502 --> 01:49:08.184
I don't want to butcher his name.

01:49:08.264 --> 01:49:14.252
Is it, uh, uh, I don't, I'm not,

01:49:15.172 --> 01:49:16.515
I honestly don't know how to actually,

01:49:16.555 --> 01:49:18.037
I have a pronunciation guide right here.

01:49:18.117 --> 01:49:19.238
Let me, Oh, there we go.

01:49:19.259 --> 01:49:19.399
Uh,

01:49:20.498 --> 01:49:23.541
Uh, every day.

01:49:23.581 --> 01:49:24.121
Yeah.

01:49:24.362 --> 01:49:25.162
From Bassett.

01:49:25.922 --> 01:49:26.182
Yeah.

01:49:26.203 --> 01:49:27.663
I was going to say, he's, he's, uh,

01:49:27.823 --> 01:49:29.305
he's like a Martinsville Bassett guy.

01:49:29.324 --> 01:49:30.345
That's pretty darn cool.

01:49:30.765 --> 01:49:32.265
Uh, he got a touchdown in the spring game,

01:49:32.305 --> 01:49:32.587
man.

01:49:32.947 --> 01:49:34.427
Um, it's funny.

01:49:34.568 --> 01:49:35.969
Tight end is a really good

01:49:35.988 --> 01:49:37.189
position for Virginia tech.

01:49:37.229 --> 01:49:40.811
I mean, they're pretty solid there.

01:49:40.872 --> 01:49:42.993
Nick Gallo's back Harrison, St.

01:49:43.012 --> 01:49:44.493
Germain, Benji Goss.

01:49:44.554 --> 01:49:45.954
Now, um,

01:49:47.814 --> 01:49:49.956
You've got Zeke Wimbush kind

01:49:49.975 --> 01:49:50.636
of sitting there.

01:49:50.655 --> 01:49:52.297
This was an opportunity for

01:49:52.337 --> 01:49:54.219
Harrison to kind of get some run.

01:49:54.658 --> 01:49:56.020
He caught a touchdown pass.

01:49:56.701 --> 01:49:58.402
I feel good about this tight end room.

01:49:59.783 --> 01:50:03.145
Even though Gosnell and

01:50:03.206 --> 01:50:04.907
Gallo will be coming off injuries,

01:50:06.730 --> 01:50:09.171
This is a group that has shown a lot.

01:50:09.652 --> 01:50:09.811
St.

01:50:09.853 --> 01:50:13.354
Germain and Gosnell each

01:50:13.394 --> 01:50:16.234
caught touchdowns in the spring game.

01:50:16.855 --> 01:50:17.775
Or, sorry, not in the spring game,

01:50:17.796 --> 01:50:18.615
in the military bowl.

01:50:19.136 --> 01:50:20.657
Yeah.

01:50:20.837 --> 01:50:20.997
Like,

01:50:21.037 --> 01:50:22.158
this is a tight end room that's

01:50:22.518 --> 01:50:23.097
showed out.

01:50:23.779 --> 01:50:24.719
I don't really have any

01:50:24.738 --> 01:50:25.359
questions about them.

01:50:25.399 --> 01:50:26.159
But it was really cool.

01:50:26.180 --> 01:50:27.760
You know, Harrison, again,

01:50:28.301 --> 01:50:29.261
kind of a local guy,

01:50:29.421 --> 01:50:30.140
for him to catch a

01:50:30.180 --> 01:50:31.641
touchdown pass in the spring game,

01:50:32.962 --> 01:50:33.762
I thought that was a really,

01:50:33.783 --> 01:50:34.422
really cool moment.

01:50:35.884 --> 01:50:36.043
Mike?

01:50:36.778 --> 01:50:37.158
Yeah,

01:50:37.257 --> 01:50:39.958
the easy answer is Harrison played a

01:50:40.020 --> 01:50:42.421
lot of snaps, caught the touchdown pass,

01:50:42.841 --> 01:50:44.140
was effective when he was in,

01:50:45.141 --> 01:50:45.702
obviously got the

01:50:45.742 --> 01:50:46.802
opportunity to play with

01:50:46.903 --> 01:50:47.703
Virginia Tech's two

01:50:47.762 --> 01:50:48.923
starting tight ends or like

01:50:48.963 --> 01:50:49.823
top two tight ends on the

01:50:49.863 --> 01:50:50.583
depth chart hurt.

01:50:53.006 --> 01:50:54.587
I feel good about tight end.

01:50:55.028 --> 01:50:55.908
I just know that Virginia

01:50:55.929 --> 01:50:57.170
Tech's going to have to use the depth.

01:50:58.970 --> 01:50:59.811
Neither one of the top two

01:50:59.851 --> 01:51:01.172
guys have stayed healthy, really,

01:51:01.212 --> 01:51:02.514
at any point in their career.

01:51:03.435 --> 01:51:04.256
The guys down the depth

01:51:04.275 --> 01:51:05.077
chart are going to need to

01:51:05.136 --> 01:51:06.358
contribute at some point this year.

01:51:06.377 --> 01:51:07.618
I just don't know when it's going to be.

01:51:08.300 --> 01:51:11.402
It is encouraging to see Harrison step up.

01:51:12.483 --> 01:51:13.083
I don't know how much

01:51:13.123 --> 01:51:14.645
Harrison in particular is going to play.

01:51:14.664 --> 01:51:15.246
He's probably like

01:51:15.886 --> 01:51:17.145
fifth on the depth chart at

01:51:17.185 --> 01:51:19.546
tight end you probably play

01:51:20.466 --> 01:51:21.947
win bush before him because

01:51:21.966 --> 01:51:23.988
of the upside you certainly

01:51:24.028 --> 01:51:25.148
play saint germain before

01:51:25.188 --> 01:51:26.967
him with the experience and

01:51:27.007 --> 01:51:29.628
the upside as well um but

01:51:29.708 --> 01:51:30.828
yeah I mean all eyes are on

01:51:30.948 --> 01:51:32.048
gallo and gosnell and

01:51:32.088 --> 01:51:32.710
whether or not they can

01:51:32.729 --> 01:51:34.890
stay on the field brian

01:51:34.909 --> 01:51:36.130
who's yours I think brian's

01:51:36.149 --> 01:51:36.689
gonna have a different

01:51:36.770 --> 01:51:38.610
answer because brian looked

01:51:38.631 --> 01:51:39.270
a lot more tape

01:51:40.475 --> 01:51:41.154
You know, I mean,

01:51:41.534 --> 01:51:42.975
I really liked what

01:51:43.015 --> 01:51:44.435
Harrison brought to the table, honestly.

01:51:44.935 --> 01:51:46.055
He showed that he could be a

01:51:46.115 --> 01:51:48.396
guy that can be relied on to block.

01:51:48.436 --> 01:51:50.596
I think that's the important thing.

01:51:50.657 --> 01:51:52.676
Like, we know what we have with Gallo.

01:51:52.697 --> 01:51:54.057
We know what we have with Gosnell.

01:51:54.537 --> 01:51:55.858
A lot of these guys are going to be,

01:51:55.978 --> 01:51:57.917
can you block and can you

01:51:58.877 --> 01:51:59.958
stay within the framework

01:51:59.979 --> 01:52:01.298
of what we're trying to do offensively?

01:52:01.319 --> 01:52:03.198
Because that's what a depth

01:52:03.238 --> 01:52:04.899
tight end is going to primarily be doing.

01:52:06.060 --> 01:52:06.239
You know,

01:52:07.296 --> 01:52:08.136
When I look at that,

01:52:08.216 --> 01:52:09.355
I feel like Harrison is the

01:52:09.395 --> 01:52:10.337
guy that can do both of

01:52:10.377 --> 01:52:11.277
those things pretty well.

01:52:12.157 --> 01:52:13.337
And he's the guy that

01:52:13.377 --> 01:52:15.157
probably isn't going to see a ton of time,

01:52:15.197 --> 01:52:15.817
but he's probably going to

01:52:15.856 --> 01:52:17.297
be fourth or fifth on the

01:52:17.337 --> 01:52:19.057
depth chart there just

01:52:19.097 --> 01:52:20.578
because of what Wimbush

01:52:20.618 --> 01:52:23.439
brings to the table from a

01:52:23.498 --> 01:52:24.578
route running perspective,

01:52:25.679 --> 01:52:26.899
pass catching perspective.

01:52:28.619 --> 01:52:30.079
But it's nice to have a

01:52:30.140 --> 01:52:31.520
reliable guy that deep on

01:52:31.539 --> 01:52:32.520
your depth chart that can

01:52:32.539 --> 01:52:33.801
block well and still do

01:52:33.860 --> 01:52:34.820
things within the framework

01:52:34.841 --> 01:52:36.461
of the offense consistently for you.

01:52:37.841 --> 01:52:38.622
What about you, Tally?

01:52:39.403 --> 01:52:40.283
Yeah, kind of the same, man.

01:52:40.304 --> 01:52:40.564
I mean,

01:52:40.583 --> 01:52:41.545
you're going to go with what

01:52:41.824 --> 01:52:42.746
everybody's talking about

01:52:42.786 --> 01:52:43.587
here at Harrison.

01:52:44.087 --> 01:52:46.289
It's like when you look at the tight end,

01:52:46.770 --> 01:52:47.371
I think kind of,

01:52:47.971 --> 01:52:49.533
I don't know all the specifics,

01:52:49.594 --> 01:52:50.895
but probably one of the

01:52:50.935 --> 01:52:53.557
reasons why Daquan Wright

01:52:53.618 --> 01:52:55.960
left is because you got so

01:52:56.020 --> 01:52:58.363
many miles to feed on the offense.

01:52:58.462 --> 01:52:59.043
You know, you got to.

01:52:59.639 --> 01:53:00.739
Game-breaking running back.

01:53:00.939 --> 01:53:01.780
You got a game-breaking

01:53:01.900 --> 01:53:04.042
quarterback that's running the balls.

01:53:04.644 --> 01:53:05.984
You got all of these wide

01:53:06.005 --> 01:53:07.265
receivers that have to get

01:53:07.326 --> 01:53:08.127
touches because they're

01:53:08.146 --> 01:53:10.269
going to be getting open.

01:53:10.389 --> 01:53:12.010
You just can't cover everybody.

01:53:12.711 --> 01:53:14.011
You need a tight end to beat

01:53:14.292 --> 01:53:15.894
Nick Gallo this year.

01:53:17.690 --> 01:53:18.251
You know what I'm saying?

01:53:18.270 --> 01:53:19.390
You need a tight end to go

01:53:19.530 --> 01:53:21.692
in and do his job and not

01:53:21.811 --> 01:53:23.692
expect a lot of praise.

01:53:23.773 --> 01:53:25.412
No disrespect to Wright

01:53:25.453 --> 01:53:26.512
because I love what Wright

01:53:26.552 --> 01:53:27.953
brought to the offense,

01:53:28.014 --> 01:53:29.894
but your tight end is just

01:53:29.913 --> 01:53:30.654
going to have to take the

01:53:30.694 --> 01:53:32.795
layups like Harrison did.

01:53:33.314 --> 01:53:35.114
You know, two-yard touchdown,

01:53:35.494 --> 01:53:37.595
just get open, sit down, and take it.

01:53:38.155 --> 01:53:39.115
You may not get a lot of

01:53:39.176 --> 01:53:40.676
targets because of all of

01:53:40.716 --> 01:53:43.277
the other things that we got on offense,

01:53:43.497 --> 01:53:44.398
and you just got to be in

01:53:44.417 --> 01:53:45.497
there to help block.

01:53:46.037 --> 01:53:46.978
You got to be in there to

01:53:47.698 --> 01:53:49.519
run somebody off so Jay

01:53:49.559 --> 01:53:50.519
Lane can come across the

01:53:50.559 --> 01:53:51.680
middle and catch that slant.

01:53:52.220 --> 01:53:54.979
So I think all of those guys

01:53:55.079 --> 01:53:56.881
in the tight end room just

01:53:56.900 --> 01:53:58.100
got to work to be strong,

01:53:58.381 --> 01:53:59.601
to get stronger this summer,

01:54:00.162 --> 01:54:01.261
to get healthy this summer.

01:54:01.782 --> 01:54:02.742
Because, I mean,

01:54:02.761 --> 01:54:03.502
they're going to be a big

01:54:03.542 --> 01:54:04.302
part of the offense,

01:54:04.443 --> 01:54:05.342
even if you don't see their

01:54:05.363 --> 01:54:06.262
name in the stat book.

01:54:08.304 --> 01:54:08.404
Yep.

01:54:09.282 --> 01:54:11.243
It's tough to not shy away

01:54:11.283 --> 01:54:11.965
from the Harrison,

01:54:11.984 --> 01:54:14.006
but Zeke Wimbush did catch four passes,

01:54:15.148 --> 01:54:15.967
which is big.

01:54:15.988 --> 01:54:17.829
He shot four passes for 23 yards.

01:54:17.909 --> 01:54:19.811
And then me and Brian were

01:54:19.851 --> 01:54:21.332
talking a little earlier today,

01:54:21.372 --> 01:54:21.953
and he said he was

01:54:22.014 --> 01:54:23.095
impressed with what St.

01:54:23.114 --> 01:54:24.555
Germain did blocking-wise.

01:54:25.077 --> 01:54:26.898
So I think after those first two,

01:54:27.618 --> 01:54:28.579
you could say they all had

01:54:28.659 --> 01:54:30.541
MVPs because each are

01:54:30.582 --> 01:54:32.603
improving certain aspects of their game.

01:54:32.682 --> 01:54:33.844
Each are going to be important.

01:54:34.608 --> 01:54:35.248
come the season,

01:54:35.288 --> 01:54:36.710
especially to y'all's point,

01:54:37.650 --> 01:54:39.431
Gallo and Benji do not have

01:54:39.471 --> 01:54:41.373
the best injury history at all.

01:54:41.554 --> 01:54:42.515
These aren't clean guys.

01:54:42.935 --> 01:54:44.777
They are good players when on the field,

01:54:44.997 --> 01:54:46.078
they need to stay on the field.

01:54:46.418 --> 01:54:48.581
Now you tell me they stay on the field.

01:54:48.881 --> 01:54:50.181
I'm very happy with three

01:54:50.202 --> 01:54:51.523
through five because they

01:54:51.684 --> 01:54:53.085
all bring some element to the table.

01:54:53.951 --> 01:54:54.131
All right,

01:54:54.150 --> 01:54:55.613
we've got a couple more rooms to hit.

01:54:55.712 --> 01:54:56.514
Yeah, we're going long.

01:54:56.673 --> 01:54:57.033
By the way,

01:54:57.435 --> 01:54:58.756
we're going long because I did

01:54:58.836 --> 01:55:00.377
not expect us to spend 40

01:55:00.377 --> 01:55:01.719
minutes on basketball,

01:55:01.979 --> 01:55:03.201
but obviously there was a

01:55:03.240 --> 01:55:07.045
lot of emotion from this room about that.

01:55:07.645 --> 01:55:08.806
All right, Mike McDaniel.

01:55:10.400 --> 01:55:11.221
Spatial Tootin cleared

01:55:11.261 --> 01:55:12.042
number one running back.

01:55:12.082 --> 01:55:13.462
I think he played – I think

01:55:13.483 --> 01:55:14.604
he ran the ball three times

01:55:14.644 --> 01:55:15.664
and maybe played eight

01:55:15.704 --> 01:55:17.586
snaps total Saturday.

01:55:18.327 --> 01:55:19.648
But give me your depth chart.

01:55:20.427 --> 01:55:21.668
Give me two through five

01:55:22.088 --> 01:55:23.310
after Tootin because

01:55:23.470 --> 01:55:24.551
obviously there were some

01:55:24.711 --> 01:55:26.032
points to be raised after

01:55:26.072 --> 01:55:27.012
what we saw Saturday.

01:55:29.583 --> 01:55:31.725
I really liked what I saw out of P.J.

01:55:31.786 --> 01:55:34.006
Prelo, but I'm going to be honest.

01:55:35.188 --> 01:55:36.529
He's a walk-on running back.

01:55:36.889 --> 01:55:38.569
We've seen a million walk-on

01:55:38.609 --> 01:55:39.791
running backs at Virginia Tech.

01:55:39.831 --> 01:55:40.671
We're really excited when

01:55:40.692 --> 01:55:41.452
they get in the game in the

01:55:41.492 --> 01:55:42.012
fourth quarter.

01:55:42.033 --> 01:55:43.594
We're like, man, why doesn't he play more?

01:55:43.634 --> 01:55:44.654
And then you figure out they

01:55:44.694 --> 01:55:45.994
can't pass block,

01:55:46.175 --> 01:55:48.277
or maybe they don't look

01:55:48.476 --> 01:55:50.457
quite as fast and athletic

01:55:50.557 --> 01:55:51.878
when they're playing

01:55:51.899 --> 01:55:53.279
against the other team's ones.

01:55:55.841 --> 01:55:56.042
Look,

01:55:56.082 --> 01:55:58.002
we're talking about guys who haven't

01:55:58.023 --> 01:55:58.963
been able to stay on the field.

01:56:01.010 --> 01:56:02.670
If Malachi Thomas is healthy,

01:56:02.710 --> 01:56:03.751
I think he is the number

01:56:03.791 --> 01:56:04.871
two to Basial Tootin,

01:56:04.951 --> 01:56:06.371
but I did like what I saw

01:56:06.411 --> 01:56:07.492
out of Jeremiah Coney.

01:56:08.091 --> 01:56:08.952
Coaching staff's really

01:56:08.992 --> 01:56:10.072
raved about him a lot,

01:56:10.612 --> 01:56:12.592
and I think Coney is going

01:56:12.653 --> 01:56:13.632
to be a contributor.

01:56:13.693 --> 01:56:13.893
Now,

01:56:13.993 --> 01:56:15.974
is he going to necessarily be the

01:56:16.094 --> 01:56:18.274
contributor in 2024 that I

01:56:18.293 --> 01:56:19.753
think he could be a year from now?

01:56:19.793 --> 01:56:20.395
Probably not,

01:56:21.494 --> 01:56:22.994
but I do think he has a

01:56:23.034 --> 01:56:25.456
chance to push for snaps

01:56:25.695 --> 01:56:27.055
with Malachi Thomas,

01:56:27.256 --> 01:56:29.237
especially if Malachi's banged up.

01:56:30.136 --> 01:56:30.537
I think if

01:56:31.137 --> 01:56:32.338
tootin's healthy and thomas

01:56:32.399 --> 01:56:33.140
is healthy they're the

01:56:33.180 --> 01:56:36.122
clear one two um after that

01:56:36.141 --> 01:56:37.823
I think coney is your

01:56:37.863 --> 01:56:38.984
number three running back

01:56:39.163 --> 01:56:40.085
just because of the way the

01:56:40.125 --> 01:56:41.265
staffs talked about him and

01:56:41.305 --> 01:56:43.768
I think pj like pj preload

01:56:43.787 --> 01:56:44.507
like it's a nice

01:56:44.568 --> 01:56:46.390
development that you know

01:56:46.470 --> 01:56:48.030
he was able to come out in

01:56:48.070 --> 01:56:49.011
spring game and play the

01:56:49.032 --> 01:56:51.873
way that he did but I i

01:56:52.054 --> 01:56:53.595
think the running back room

01:56:53.635 --> 01:56:55.036
has a clear delineation as

01:56:55.095 --> 01:56:56.537
long as guys are healthy

01:56:57.377 --> 01:56:58.838
but coney in my opinion is

01:56:58.859 --> 01:56:59.920
the guy who's the wild card

01:57:00.903 --> 01:57:01.983
And, you know,

01:57:02.083 --> 01:57:03.024
I think if there are some

01:57:03.043 --> 01:57:04.083
injuries in front of him,

01:57:04.163 --> 01:57:05.284
I think he could step in

01:57:05.324 --> 01:57:06.225
and be an effective back.

01:57:06.244 --> 01:57:06.984
And I think he does have a

01:57:07.024 --> 01:57:09.126
bright future if he does

01:57:09.145 --> 01:57:10.166
stick around with the program.

01:57:11.926 --> 01:57:12.806
David, what about you?

01:57:14.287 --> 01:57:14.728
Yeah, I mean,

01:57:14.908 --> 01:57:16.368
I think it's pretty clear cut.

01:57:17.288 --> 01:57:19.810
You know, it's Tootin one, Thomas two.

01:57:19.890 --> 01:57:22.190
And then I think Coney is

01:57:22.230 --> 01:57:23.451
probably the third back.

01:57:25.152 --> 01:57:25.351
Yeah,

01:57:26.311 --> 01:57:27.832
I think I think the staff likes

01:57:27.893 --> 01:57:28.712
Traylon Mitchell.

01:57:30.675 --> 01:57:32.377
I'm curious to see where P.J.

01:57:32.417 --> 01:57:34.557
Prelude, if he factors in at all.

01:57:35.738 --> 01:57:36.659
Okay.

01:57:36.760 --> 01:57:38.542
It wasn't like he was just

01:57:39.421 --> 01:57:40.724
going out there and beating

01:57:40.783 --> 01:57:43.225
up the third and fourth string guys.

01:57:43.286 --> 01:57:45.547
I mean, he scored two touchdowns.

01:57:45.927 --> 01:57:48.350
Like taking handoffs from Tyron Drones.

01:57:49.229 --> 01:57:49.588
Like,

01:57:50.649 --> 01:57:52.371
I'm interested to see if the Hokies

01:57:52.390 --> 01:57:54.653
can find maybe a niche role for him.

01:57:56.154 --> 01:57:57.055
I don't know if you need him

01:57:57.095 --> 01:57:58.076
returning kicks.

01:57:58.935 --> 01:57:59.317
Obviously,

01:57:59.337 --> 01:58:01.097
Basialton has shown he's able to

01:58:01.137 --> 01:58:02.158
take stuff to the house.

01:58:02.219 --> 01:58:06.561
And, you know, catching punts and stuff,

01:58:06.582 --> 01:58:07.262
Jalen Lane,

01:58:08.463 --> 01:58:09.765
Tucker Holloway is still

01:58:09.805 --> 01:58:10.925
injured come the fall.

01:58:11.426 --> 01:58:12.367
Depending on his stats,

01:58:12.386 --> 01:58:13.887
Jalen Lane will probably be the guy there,

01:58:13.927 --> 01:58:14.667
and he's proven.

01:58:14.728 --> 01:58:14.868
But –

01:58:15.965 --> 01:58:17.907
Is there some kind of niche

01:58:17.926 --> 01:58:19.448
role you can carve out for Prello?

01:58:19.488 --> 01:58:20.347
I'm not really sure.

01:58:20.368 --> 01:58:24.051
I think it's him or Mitchell

01:58:24.150 --> 01:58:25.731
for that fourth spot.

01:58:25.811 --> 01:58:27.453
I'm not sure it really matters.

01:58:29.614 --> 01:58:31.856
But I think if you're the staff,

01:58:31.896 --> 01:58:34.078
you have to at least open

01:58:34.097 --> 01:58:36.560
your eyes and go, that's very interesting,

01:58:36.619 --> 01:58:37.801
the performance P.J.

01:58:37.841 --> 01:58:38.502
Prello had.

01:58:38.862 --> 01:58:40.342
Because, again, it wasn't like,

01:58:41.144 --> 01:58:42.185
It'd be one thing if he

01:58:42.244 --> 01:58:45.087
racked up 40 yards and two

01:58:45.127 --> 01:58:48.912
touchdowns on – if he's

01:58:48.952 --> 01:58:49.993
playing in garbage time in

01:58:50.012 --> 01:58:50.734
the fourth quarter.

01:58:51.274 --> 01:58:52.534
But he had six carries for

01:58:52.534 --> 01:58:55.318
62 yards and a touchdown.

01:58:55.377 --> 01:58:57.159
And he caught a pass out of the backfield.

01:58:58.520 --> 01:59:00.563
He had two catches for 29 yards.

01:59:01.064 --> 01:59:02.626
But you want to talk about all-purpose.

01:59:03.726 --> 01:59:05.068
I actually didn't run the math.

01:59:05.713 --> 01:59:07.054
But he probably had more

01:59:07.094 --> 01:59:08.015
all-purpose yards than

01:59:08.635 --> 01:59:10.515
anybody not named Jeremiah Koenig.

01:59:11.076 --> 01:59:13.735
So I think you have to at

01:59:13.756 --> 01:59:15.176
least be a little

01:59:15.216 --> 01:59:16.676
interested to see how he could help.

01:59:16.777 --> 01:59:19.158
But I think Koenig's the

01:59:19.217 --> 01:59:20.137
number three back.

01:59:20.217 --> 01:59:22.918
And if you don't feel you're

01:59:22.939 --> 01:59:24.340
not interested in Prelude,

01:59:24.380 --> 01:59:25.899
or you don't feel like he

01:59:26.119 --> 01:59:28.341
can really add something juicy maybe,

01:59:29.020 --> 01:59:30.060
I think Mitchell's kind of

01:59:30.100 --> 01:59:31.002
the obvious choice.

01:59:32.181 --> 01:59:33.983
And there's no point, in my opinion,

01:59:34.002 --> 01:59:35.502
to not redshirt Tyler Mason.

01:59:37.068 --> 01:59:38.128
Though I thought he showed

01:59:38.168 --> 01:59:39.270
some interesting stuff.

01:59:39.289 --> 01:59:41.190
I mean, he had eight carries for 33 yards.

01:59:41.931 --> 01:59:42.893
He did have that fumble,

01:59:42.993 --> 01:59:45.774
but he's young and he's got

01:59:45.795 --> 01:59:46.796
some time to learn.

01:59:46.876 --> 01:59:48.157
But I tell you what,

01:59:48.597 --> 01:59:49.438
I was really impressed by

01:59:49.457 --> 01:59:50.179
the running backs.

01:59:50.840 --> 01:59:52.501
It didn't matter if it was Coney.

01:59:52.520 --> 01:59:55.443
It didn't matter if it was Mitchell.

01:59:55.604 --> 01:59:57.784
Mitchell had two catches for 17 yards.

01:59:59.426 --> 02:00:00.587
Coney had one catch.

02:00:01.260 --> 02:00:02.581
I'm looking at my stats right now.

02:00:02.701 --> 02:00:04.021
Mason had one catch.

02:00:04.462 --> 02:00:06.203
Prelude had two.

02:00:07.725 --> 02:00:09.546
Virginia Tech,

02:00:09.646 --> 02:00:10.688
I think you'll see it a lot

02:00:10.927 --> 02:00:12.588
with Toot and Thomas this year,

02:00:12.649 --> 02:00:15.631
is Tech using more out of the backfield,

02:00:16.672 --> 02:00:17.733
especially now that Kyron

02:00:17.752 --> 02:00:19.095
Jones is in his second year

02:00:19.654 --> 02:00:22.676
and I think has a better feel for it.

02:00:22.997 --> 02:00:24.319
And I think that can be an X factor.

02:00:26.109 --> 02:00:26.969
You guys talked about it.

02:00:27.010 --> 02:00:28.390
Basial Tootin's a game breaker.

02:00:28.689 --> 02:00:29.911
And if the Hokies can get

02:00:29.930 --> 02:00:30.792
the ball in his hands out

02:00:30.811 --> 02:00:32.813
of the backfield, I think you're golden.

02:00:32.932 --> 02:00:34.313
And here's the thing.

02:00:36.734 --> 02:00:38.055
The only reason it would

02:00:38.095 --> 02:00:39.595
matter who we're talking

02:00:39.636 --> 02:00:41.077
about behind Basial Tootin

02:00:41.256 --> 02:00:42.938
is if something unfortunate

02:00:42.957 --> 02:00:44.038
was to happen to him where

02:00:44.078 --> 02:00:44.779
he was going to miss some

02:00:44.819 --> 02:00:45.640
time due to injury.

02:00:46.983 --> 02:00:48.545
If he's good,

02:00:48.744 --> 02:00:49.926
he's not coming off the field.

02:00:49.987 --> 02:00:50.887
That's how important he is.

02:00:51.228 --> 02:00:51.529
He is.

02:00:51.868 --> 02:00:52.850
I'm going to make this point,

02:00:52.890 --> 02:00:54.632
and I think we can all agree to this.

02:00:55.493 --> 02:00:57.896
That room has enjoyed such a

02:00:58.016 --> 02:00:59.257
crazy transformation

02:00:59.278 --> 02:01:02.557
because where it seemed for years –

02:01:02.557 --> 02:01:04.658
We don't have that guy.

02:01:04.759 --> 02:01:06.100
We don't have a good running

02:01:06.100 --> 02:01:07.541
– we don't have a good core

02:01:07.581 --> 02:01:08.100
running backs.

02:01:08.161 --> 02:01:09.001
And next thing you know,

02:01:09.662 --> 02:01:12.063
to every point when – to me

02:01:12.143 --> 02:01:13.564
watching it the last couple

02:01:13.604 --> 02:01:14.344
days chopped up,

02:01:14.823 --> 02:01:17.445
every time a guy got a ball in his hand,

02:01:18.359 --> 02:01:19.039
They made moves.

02:01:19.100 --> 02:01:19.899
They made cuts.

02:01:20.341 --> 02:01:21.542
They plowed forward.

02:01:21.582 --> 02:01:22.962
There was no behind.

02:01:23.283 --> 02:01:24.984
Malachi Thomas on that

02:01:25.064 --> 02:01:26.484
screen catch made his

02:01:26.545 --> 02:01:28.466
wiggle and found it.

02:01:28.987 --> 02:01:29.828
Shout out to the Moore

02:01:29.868 --> 02:01:31.628
brothers and Montavious

02:01:31.689 --> 02:01:33.390
Cunningham getting absurdly

02:01:33.451 --> 02:01:34.431
upfield on that too,

02:01:34.471 --> 02:01:35.832
which that always makes

02:01:35.872 --> 02:01:36.993
Brian happy when he sees

02:01:37.014 --> 02:01:38.054
screenplays like that.

02:01:39.454 --> 02:01:40.877
But it's what you just said.

02:01:42.637 --> 02:01:43.418
That room looks good.

02:01:44.332 --> 02:01:45.692
like you see if the

02:01:45.731 --> 02:01:48.672
development of Mitchell and

02:01:49.193 --> 02:01:52.274
Mason in a couple of years, it's like,

02:01:52.654 --> 02:01:54.154
it's going to become that

02:01:54.154 --> 02:01:56.256
2000 where it seemed like, well,

02:01:56.275 --> 02:01:57.416
who's tech's new thousand

02:01:57.435 --> 02:01:59.036
yard running back like for

02:01:59.256 --> 02:02:01.436
every year from basically

02:02:03.438 --> 02:02:05.438
pretty much 95 up to 2011.

02:02:05.438 --> 02:02:07.279
Like every year was a

02:02:07.319 --> 02:02:08.599
thousand yard rusher every year,

02:02:08.618 --> 02:02:09.640
a new thousand yard rusher.

02:02:10.159 --> 02:02:10.420
Brian,

02:02:10.878 --> 02:02:12.000
I'm going to let you tap it off.

02:02:12.020 --> 02:02:12.539
I don't know if Tally's

02:02:12.560 --> 02:02:13.480
going to be back in time,

02:02:13.520 --> 02:02:15.262
but what's yours look like?

02:02:15.582 --> 02:02:16.823
Yeah, I was just impressed with Kony.

02:02:16.863 --> 02:02:17.623
Kony's my three.

02:02:17.684 --> 02:02:18.744
I feel like there's

02:02:18.805 --> 02:02:20.025
potential for Kony even to

02:02:20.065 --> 02:02:21.967
press for some of Malachi's

02:02:21.988 --> 02:02:23.288
carries just because he's a

02:02:23.908 --> 02:02:24.949
little more change of pace,

02:02:24.970 --> 02:02:27.171
a little more do a lot of

02:02:27.212 --> 02:02:28.153
different things than I

02:02:28.172 --> 02:02:29.033
think Malachi can.

02:02:29.194 --> 02:02:30.654
So I think he has the

02:02:30.675 --> 02:02:31.595
potential to push there.

02:02:33.676 --> 02:02:34.557
A little shiftier,

02:02:34.578 --> 02:02:36.158
a little better with the cuts.

02:02:36.378 --> 02:02:37.520
I think that Malachi is good

02:02:37.579 --> 02:02:39.180
running north-south.

02:02:39.480 --> 02:02:40.902
I don't know how much he

02:02:40.962 --> 02:02:43.583
brings us dynamically in

02:02:43.623 --> 02:02:44.704
those other areas that we

02:02:44.744 --> 02:02:45.564
don't get from Coney.

02:02:45.585 --> 02:02:46.145
So that's going to be

02:02:46.185 --> 02:02:47.025
something interesting for

02:02:47.046 --> 02:02:47.966
me to watch there.

02:02:48.587 --> 02:02:51.769
Is Malachi going to lose

02:02:51.809 --> 02:02:54.051
some of those carries to Jeremiah Coney?

02:02:54.930 --> 02:02:55.931
I'm also looking at...

02:02:57.292 --> 02:02:57.912
Trelon Mitchell.

02:02:58.153 --> 02:02:59.033
I thought he had a really

02:02:59.073 --> 02:02:59.833
good spring game.

02:03:00.634 --> 02:03:03.756
I hadn't heard a ton about him before that,

02:03:03.796 --> 02:03:04.735
but like seeing what he was

02:03:04.775 --> 02:03:06.936
doing out there and obviously PJ,

02:03:07.216 --> 02:03:07.436
you know,

02:03:07.476 --> 02:03:08.938
kind of lit it up a little bit there.

02:03:09.118 --> 02:03:10.118
So it's going to be

02:03:10.158 --> 02:03:11.078
interesting to see where he

02:03:11.139 --> 02:03:12.298
mixes in with that group.

02:03:13.439 --> 02:03:14.600
But I feel pretty good about

02:03:14.619 --> 02:03:15.780
the depth overall.

02:03:16.627 --> 02:03:17.529
And that's even, you know,

02:03:17.548 --> 02:03:19.509
when you're still thinking

02:03:19.548 --> 02:03:20.729
that the staff may even be

02:03:20.770 --> 02:03:21.750
looking at adding one more

02:03:21.789 --> 02:03:22.770
running back to this group,

02:03:23.570 --> 02:03:25.631
either in this transfer

02:03:25.652 --> 02:03:26.952
portal cycle or the next one.

02:03:26.971 --> 02:03:27.533
So it's going to be

02:03:27.573 --> 02:03:28.212
interesting to see what

02:03:28.233 --> 02:03:29.092
that room looks like this

02:03:29.132 --> 02:03:30.833
year and then going into 25 as well.

02:03:31.814 --> 02:03:32.154
Tally,

02:03:32.375 --> 02:03:33.875
which behind Basial 2 and what's

02:03:33.914 --> 02:03:36.315
your what's your depth chart for running?

02:03:36.895 --> 02:03:37.076
Yeah,

02:03:37.136 --> 02:03:39.296
I was just about to Brian hit on

02:03:39.337 --> 02:03:40.478
exactly what I was going to say.

02:03:40.518 --> 02:03:40.778
I mean,

02:03:42.632 --> 02:03:43.954
You can tell those guys are working.

02:03:44.837 --> 02:03:48.302
After Tootin' and Thomas

02:03:48.363 --> 02:03:50.006
there at one and two,

02:03:50.265 --> 02:03:51.689
you got those young guys and

02:03:53.362 --> 02:03:54.363
prelude.

02:03:55.042 --> 02:03:56.323
Again, like Mike said, he's a walk-on.

02:03:56.342 --> 02:03:58.363
You don't want to take so

02:03:58.444 --> 02:04:00.364
much from the spring game and go, wow,

02:04:00.385 --> 02:04:02.284
everybody was so great.

02:04:02.826 --> 02:04:04.025
But you can tell that they're working.

02:04:04.046 --> 02:04:05.506
You can tell that Brooks is

02:04:05.567 --> 02:04:06.407
in there doing his thing,

02:04:06.466 --> 02:04:08.087
but I don't think that they

02:04:08.127 --> 02:04:10.268
feel super comfortable with a number two.

02:04:11.149 --> 02:04:12.029
I think that they're still

02:04:12.069 --> 02:04:14.090
looking for somebody like

02:04:14.130 --> 02:04:16.069
Ramon Brown that can come

02:04:16.229 --> 02:04:17.810
in that's not going to have

02:04:17.850 --> 02:04:20.891
a drop-off if Tootin gets gassed and

02:04:21.262 --> 02:04:22.863
you know, runs a hundred yard,

02:04:23.003 --> 02:04:24.765
a hundred yard kickoff and

02:04:24.784 --> 02:04:26.185
needs to sit out a couple of series.

02:04:26.204 --> 02:04:26.845
You know what I'm saying?

02:04:26.886 --> 02:04:29.966
Like Malachi has that, you know,

02:04:30.006 --> 02:04:31.087
he's been hurt in the past.

02:04:31.127 --> 02:04:32.507
He has that on him already.

02:04:32.568 --> 02:04:33.529
So, I mean,

02:04:33.548 --> 02:04:34.729
I feel like everything after

02:04:34.828 --> 02:04:35.949
one's kind of up for grabs.

02:04:36.010 --> 02:04:36.189
I mean,

02:04:36.210 --> 02:04:38.051
I like what I see from a lot of

02:04:38.070 --> 02:04:41.231
those guys, but you do need somebody,

02:04:41.292 --> 02:04:42.313
you need an every down,

02:04:42.353 --> 02:04:44.533
you need an every down back, you know,

02:04:44.594 --> 02:04:46.175
prelude can't be an every down back,

02:04:46.255 --> 02:04:46.454
you know,

02:04:46.475 --> 02:04:47.694
a couple of other guys in there

02:04:47.715 --> 02:04:48.916
can't be an every down back.

02:04:49.368 --> 02:04:50.448
You need to every down back

02:04:50.529 --> 02:04:52.990
kind of like two meals to

02:04:53.070 --> 02:04:55.412
mimic after him because

02:04:55.431 --> 02:04:56.332
that's what the offense is

02:04:56.372 --> 02:04:58.092
going to be looking like

02:04:58.153 --> 02:04:59.752
it's going to be from here going forward.

02:04:59.792 --> 02:05:01.793
So I'm more worried about

02:05:02.014 --> 02:05:04.135
like the two spot more than

02:05:04.234 --> 02:05:05.435
I am the three to five

02:05:05.876 --> 02:05:07.117
because I don't think that

02:05:07.317 --> 02:05:08.697
I don't think that Thomas

02:05:08.777 --> 02:05:09.957
has that on lock.

02:05:10.819 --> 02:05:11.338
That's just me.

02:05:12.338 --> 02:05:12.639
I hear you.

02:05:13.159 --> 02:05:14.819
As far as it goes with P.J.

02:05:14.880 --> 02:05:16.920
Prelude, it was unbelievable.

02:05:17.421 --> 02:05:20.621
Him and basically looking at

02:05:20.640 --> 02:05:21.502
the stat sheet here,

02:05:21.942 --> 02:05:22.902
him and Coney basically had

02:05:22.921 --> 02:05:24.561
the exact same number of total yards.

02:05:25.061 --> 02:05:26.842
But I think what you can look at that,

02:05:27.002 --> 02:05:28.823
and we saw Kevin Concepcion

02:05:28.863 --> 02:05:30.703
last year just rip us apart

02:05:30.724 --> 02:05:31.663
in the NC State game.

02:05:32.862 --> 02:05:35.286
Similar build, not the biggest body guys,

02:05:35.685 --> 02:05:36.567
but something that caught

02:05:36.608 --> 02:05:38.329
my ear from Brent Pryde and David,

02:05:38.350 --> 02:05:38.970
you were there.

02:05:40.032 --> 02:05:41.514
PJ's been working at running

02:05:41.533 --> 02:05:42.496
back and in the slot.

02:05:44.257 --> 02:05:45.640
It's going to be him and XTB

02:05:45.680 --> 02:05:46.862
are going to be gadget guys.

02:05:46.902 --> 02:05:47.983
When they get on the field,

02:05:48.743 --> 02:05:49.364
there's going to be...

02:05:50.369 --> 02:05:51.930
Bunny years going up on that defense.

02:05:52.011 --> 02:05:52.990
Where are those guys at?

02:05:53.030 --> 02:05:53.791
Where are those guys at?

02:05:53.871 --> 02:05:55.391
Oh, bring the safety down to the box.

02:05:56.011 --> 02:05:57.171
Whether they actually run

02:05:57.192 --> 02:05:59.292
the play to them or it's just,

02:05:59.472 --> 02:06:00.934
we're going to get you out

02:06:00.974 --> 02:06:02.833
of your comfort zone and

02:06:02.854 --> 02:06:03.514
you're going to open

02:06:03.554 --> 02:06:04.534
something else up for one

02:06:04.555 --> 02:06:05.574
of our big playmakers.

02:06:06.175 --> 02:06:07.496
That's what I can see him doing.

02:06:08.095 --> 02:06:08.315
All right.

02:06:08.456 --> 02:06:09.216
One last room,

02:06:09.275 --> 02:06:11.136
two hours in wide receiver room.

02:06:11.817 --> 02:06:12.176
And Mike,

02:06:12.216 --> 02:06:13.078
it's going to come to you to

02:06:13.137 --> 02:06:14.257
close us down on this

02:06:14.997 --> 02:06:15.899
because we got a little

02:06:15.958 --> 02:06:17.059
curve balls question for you.

02:06:18.015 --> 02:06:19.175
Who impressed you the most

02:06:19.234 --> 02:06:21.996
that did not play

02:06:22.036 --> 02:06:26.997
significant snaps in 2023?

02:06:26.997 --> 02:06:28.559
Does Aiden Green count as

02:06:28.578 --> 02:06:29.559
significant snaps?

02:06:29.578 --> 02:06:31.500
It was significant snaps for a freshman.

02:06:32.100 --> 02:06:36.702
I mean, he played more than he had to.

02:06:39.358 --> 02:06:41.059
I really like Aiden Green.

02:06:41.819 --> 02:06:43.780
I liked what he showed in the spring game.

02:06:43.801 --> 02:06:46.042
I think he's a smooth route runner.

02:06:46.061 --> 02:06:48.783
I think he's really going to

02:06:48.844 --> 02:06:50.545
play a lot this year.

02:06:54.988 --> 02:06:55.988
Virginia Tech's in this

02:06:56.047 --> 02:06:57.729
interesting spot where we

02:06:57.809 --> 02:07:00.990
know who the top three receivers are,

02:07:01.212 --> 02:07:01.431
right?

02:07:01.452 --> 02:07:02.652
It's pretty set in stone.

02:07:04.132 --> 02:07:05.094
But we also thought that

02:07:05.134 --> 02:07:06.654
going into the year last year, right?

02:07:07.404 --> 02:07:08.006
On paper,

02:07:08.105 --> 02:07:08.867
we thought it was going to be

02:07:08.907 --> 02:07:10.028
Felton and Lane and Jennings,

02:07:10.087 --> 02:07:12.010
and Jennings got hurt in the opener.

02:07:12.371 --> 02:07:13.752
And then it was just like, alright,

02:07:14.193 --> 02:07:15.533
that's why Aiden Green played a lot.

02:07:17.655 --> 02:07:19.137
Aiden Green could be the fourth receiver,

02:07:19.177 --> 02:07:22.121
guys.

02:07:22.461 --> 02:07:23.643
He could be the fourth receiver.

02:07:24.302 --> 02:07:24.463
And

02:07:27.185 --> 02:07:27.645
Yeah,

02:07:28.005 --> 02:07:29.945
this is a room that has a ton of

02:07:29.966 --> 02:07:31.685
depth and a ton of young

02:07:31.706 --> 02:07:34.747
guys that haven't played a lot,

02:07:34.907 --> 02:07:36.148
that are really coming

02:07:36.188 --> 02:07:37.807
along behind the veterans.

02:07:37.868 --> 02:07:39.347
And I think if you're

02:07:39.368 --> 02:07:40.668
looking at any room going

02:07:40.689 --> 02:07:42.729
into the 2025 season where you're like,

02:07:42.828 --> 02:07:43.229
all right,

02:07:43.430 --> 02:07:44.909
we got the makings of a good offense,

02:07:44.970 --> 02:07:45.789
it's the receiver room

02:07:45.829 --> 02:07:46.930
because there's so many

02:07:47.051 --> 02:07:48.350
really good young players

02:07:48.371 --> 02:07:49.871
that are backing up the

02:07:49.911 --> 02:07:50.891
proven commodities that

02:07:50.912 --> 02:07:51.712
Virginia Tech has.

02:07:53.015 --> 02:07:54.216
I think Aiden Green has a

02:07:54.256 --> 02:07:55.216
chance later on in his

02:07:55.277 --> 02:07:56.238
career to be a number one

02:07:56.278 --> 02:07:58.658
wide receiver in an offense.

02:07:59.359 --> 02:07:59.939
He's a stud.

02:08:00.359 --> 02:08:02.661
So Aiden Green's my pick.

02:08:02.680 --> 02:08:03.881
I think he's real smooth,

02:08:04.141 --> 02:08:05.983
great route runner, extremely fast.

02:08:07.904 --> 02:08:09.984
He's got like a little

02:08:10.024 --> 02:08:11.185
veteran moxie to him.

02:08:11.765 --> 02:08:12.765
Like you saw that kind of

02:08:12.805 --> 02:08:14.087
last year as the year went on,

02:08:14.127 --> 02:08:15.887
just kind of how he handled

02:08:15.927 --> 02:08:17.889
himself in big-time situations.

02:08:18.868 --> 02:08:19.488
Down the stretch of the

02:08:19.529 --> 02:08:20.310
season where he had to play

02:08:20.350 --> 02:08:23.011
a lot of meaningful snaps, I am really,

02:08:23.091 --> 02:08:23.831
really high on him,

02:08:24.091 --> 02:08:24.771
if you haven't noticed.

02:08:24.952 --> 02:08:26.653
So, yeah, Aiden Green's my pick.

02:08:27.693 --> 02:08:29.293
Basically, Mike just took my question,

02:08:29.314 --> 02:08:30.054
David, and said, no,

02:08:30.073 --> 02:08:31.215
I'm going to answer exactly

02:08:31.255 --> 02:08:32.315
what I actually think.

02:08:32.775 --> 02:08:34.716
Go ahead, David.

02:08:35.497 --> 02:08:36.757
And you can say Aiden Green.

02:08:36.797 --> 02:08:37.757
Any of y'all can say Aiden

02:08:37.778 --> 02:08:38.599
Green if you've got somebody.

02:08:38.639 --> 02:08:40.920
No, you know, I'll be clear.

02:08:41.460 --> 02:08:43.381
I'm excited to see Xavier on

02:08:43.421 --> 02:08:44.520
Turner Bradshaw, man.

02:08:44.541 --> 02:08:47.943
Dude, we saw it against NC State.

02:08:48.345 --> 02:08:51.725
he had that end around and was untouched.

02:08:52.726 --> 02:08:54.506
He has wicked speed.

02:08:55.488 --> 02:08:58.009
And if Virginia Tech can get

02:08:58.088 --> 02:09:00.090
him involved consistently,

02:09:00.109 --> 02:09:04.952
kind of be that maybe Kevin Concepcion,

02:09:04.971 --> 02:09:06.152
like you mentioned, Curtis,

02:09:06.872 --> 02:09:08.372
I am so interested to see

02:09:08.712 --> 02:09:09.693
how that potentially

02:09:09.752 --> 02:09:10.934
changes this offense.

02:09:11.894 --> 02:09:13.435
Because we know

02:09:15.292 --> 02:09:17.373
The receivers that are going

02:09:17.394 --> 02:09:19.274
to be out there consistently,

02:09:20.073 --> 02:09:21.175
we know who they're going to be.

02:09:22.795 --> 02:09:24.235
And Fontel Mines has shown

02:09:24.275 --> 02:09:25.475
he's not afraid to rotate

02:09:25.595 --> 02:09:26.756
other receivers in.

02:09:27.737 --> 02:09:29.056
Every time Zavion Turner

02:09:29.077 --> 02:09:30.497
Bradshaw steps on the field,

02:09:30.957 --> 02:09:34.118
he has the opportunity to

02:09:34.198 --> 02:09:36.158
make something crazy happen.

02:09:36.259 --> 02:09:37.920
And I think Aiden Green is

02:09:38.000 --> 02:09:40.439
sure – he's got really sure hands,

02:09:40.640 --> 02:09:41.240
it feels like.

02:09:41.301 --> 02:09:41.961
He kind of –

02:09:43.228 --> 02:09:44.748
Seems like he catches everything.

02:09:45.368 --> 02:09:47.130
We know about the three veterans,

02:09:47.329 --> 02:09:47.930
obviously.

02:09:47.949 --> 02:09:51.271
And that's not counting Steven Gusnell,

02:09:51.332 --> 02:09:53.773
who's missed the spring due to injury.

02:09:55.854 --> 02:09:57.213
But I'm very,

02:09:57.333 --> 02:09:59.636
very interested to watch Turner Bradshaw.

02:10:00.076 --> 02:10:01.936
I think he's got a lot of potential.

02:10:01.957 --> 02:10:04.898
I don't think anybody really

02:10:04.938 --> 02:10:06.578
has speed kind of like him.

02:10:08.140 --> 02:10:10.621
If he gets in an open field, he is super,

02:10:10.681 --> 02:10:11.721
super dangerous.

02:10:12.242 --> 02:10:14.363
Can Tyler Bowen get him

02:10:14.564 --> 02:10:17.005
consistent – maybe

02:10:17.024 --> 02:10:18.046
consistent is a strong word.

02:10:18.365 --> 02:10:20.868
Can Tyler Bowen get him some touches,

02:10:21.188 --> 02:10:22.788
like one to two touches a game?

02:10:23.229 --> 02:10:24.390
Throw him a screen pass.

02:10:24.789 --> 02:10:26.051
Throw him a pass across the

02:10:26.091 --> 02:10:27.650
middle and get him in space.

02:10:27.832 --> 02:10:29.752
Because if you do – it's kind of like –

02:10:33.438 --> 02:10:34.880
I don't know if video game

02:10:34.939 --> 02:10:36.140
is the right word to describe it,

02:10:36.180 --> 02:10:37.302
but it's kind of like you

02:10:37.342 --> 02:10:38.984
get him in space and anything can happen.

02:10:39.104 --> 02:10:41.427
He's just kind of that unique dynamic.

02:10:41.967 --> 02:10:43.510
I think what you said is the key there,

02:10:43.550 --> 02:10:43.791
David.

02:10:43.831 --> 02:10:46.213
I don't even think touches.

02:10:46.854 --> 02:10:49.016
Getting him on the field consistently,

02:10:49.157 --> 02:10:50.859
finding spaces to get him

02:10:50.939 --> 02:10:54.278
on the field because, again –

02:10:54.278 --> 02:10:57.118
Brian, you've coached before, Tally,

02:10:57.139 --> 02:10:58.279
having your son play and

02:10:58.418 --> 02:10:59.338
y'all both playing.

02:10:59.798 --> 02:11:00.939
There are certain times when

02:11:00.998 --> 02:11:02.479
certain guys gets on the field,

02:11:02.920 --> 02:11:04.640
those coordinators and those players,

02:11:04.680 --> 02:11:06.180
it's immediate like, wait a second,

02:11:06.261 --> 02:11:07.020
this is different.

02:11:07.480 --> 02:11:08.841
We have to do things different.

02:11:09.240 --> 02:11:10.501
And then as soon as you take

02:11:10.541 --> 02:11:12.082
those defense out of their comfort level,

02:11:12.242 --> 02:11:13.122
that's when you pop them.

02:11:13.502 --> 02:11:13.881
Tally,

02:11:14.282 --> 02:11:15.702
anybody you got on your mind in the

02:11:15.721 --> 02:11:16.563
wide receiver room?

02:11:20.042 --> 02:11:20.483
Y'all mute.

02:11:20.904 --> 02:11:21.863
Y'all mute like I am.

02:11:21.884 --> 02:11:22.823
A lot of Zoom calls at work.

02:11:24.822 --> 02:11:25.243
Thank you.

02:11:25.443 --> 02:11:26.144
Sorry about that.

02:11:26.543 --> 02:11:26.884
No problem.

02:11:26.904 --> 02:11:26.984
Yeah,

02:11:27.003 --> 02:11:28.746
I was excited to see Chance

02:11:28.786 --> 02:11:30.146
Fitzgerald actually make a

02:11:30.186 --> 02:11:30.908
couple of plays.

02:11:31.769 --> 02:11:37.094
I mean, in the long-term scheme of things,

02:11:37.134 --> 02:11:39.876
like Mike said,

02:11:40.497 --> 02:11:41.578
Aiden Green is the guy you

02:11:41.618 --> 02:11:43.720
got to take a look at because, you know,

02:11:43.739 --> 02:11:46.162
I don't know what Steven

02:11:46.181 --> 02:11:47.182
Gosnell is going to be able

02:11:47.203 --> 02:11:47.863
to give us because I don't

02:11:47.882 --> 02:11:49.505
know what the extent of his injury is and

02:11:50.000 --> 02:11:51.161
he'll come back and how he

02:11:51.180 --> 02:11:52.180
comes back off the injury

02:11:52.201 --> 02:11:53.462
so potentially you're

02:11:53.481 --> 02:11:54.341
looking for a fourth

02:11:54.381 --> 02:11:57.604
receiver and I mean seeing

02:11:57.644 --> 02:11:58.684
a picture of aiden green I

02:11:58.704 --> 02:11:59.664
thought he was some skinny

02:11:59.704 --> 02:12:03.027
kid man and he's jacked you

02:12:03.046 --> 02:12:03.926
know what I'm saying like

02:12:04.447 --> 02:12:06.028
he's put the work in and

02:12:06.047 --> 02:12:07.389
you know even last year

02:12:07.849 --> 02:12:09.250
just him getting a lot of

02:12:09.329 --> 02:12:11.470
reps being at that purdue

02:12:11.490 --> 02:12:13.032
game seeing him run routes

02:12:13.231 --> 02:12:15.153
he's very smooth you know he was

02:12:15.752 --> 02:12:17.073
one-on-one a lot of times.

02:12:17.172 --> 02:12:18.653
But, you know, when you're the new guy,

02:12:19.054 --> 02:12:20.073
sometimes the quarterback

02:12:20.113 --> 02:12:20.835
doesn't look your way.

02:12:21.675 --> 02:12:22.654
The only thing that he could

02:12:22.694 --> 02:12:24.296
have done that would have, you know,

02:12:24.395 --> 02:12:25.356
definitely, like,

02:12:25.636 --> 02:12:26.896
wowed everybody was come

02:12:26.936 --> 02:12:30.118
down with that catch where

02:12:30.498 --> 02:12:32.659
Kyron just kind of threw it up.

02:12:32.779 --> 02:12:34.400
He mistimed his jump.

02:12:34.461 --> 02:12:36.021
But Aiden Green is

02:12:36.061 --> 02:12:37.703
definitely who you really

02:12:37.722 --> 02:12:38.162
want to look at.

02:12:38.182 --> 02:12:39.483
But I was excited to see

02:12:39.984 --> 02:12:41.684
Chance Fitzgerald make some

02:12:41.724 --> 02:12:42.925
plays just because last

02:12:43.005 --> 02:12:44.506
year with him coming in,

02:12:45.525 --> 02:12:47.027
When everybody looked at his body size,

02:12:47.067 --> 02:12:49.828
you thought, this kid's ready to play.

02:12:50.109 --> 02:12:51.770
Between him and Aiden Green coming in,

02:12:52.291 --> 02:12:53.231
most people thought

02:12:53.891 --> 02:12:55.132
Fitzgerald would be the one

02:12:55.153 --> 02:12:57.555
that would get the significant snaps.

02:12:58.074 --> 02:12:59.315
And Aiden Green,

02:12:59.336 --> 02:13:01.618
he had a little bit more mature mindset,

02:13:01.658 --> 02:13:02.557
and he went and did what he

02:13:02.597 --> 02:13:04.238
was supposed to do to get on the field.

02:13:05.582 --> 02:13:07.264
Interesting to see, man, because, you know,

02:13:07.283 --> 02:13:08.024
you got a lot of people

02:13:08.085 --> 02:13:10.065
leaving after this year.

02:13:10.426 --> 02:13:12.547
So you want to see what

02:13:13.028 --> 02:13:14.389
receivers are going to, you know,

02:13:14.469 --> 02:13:15.569
stick it out, number one,

02:13:15.609 --> 02:13:17.150
but also which ones are going to step up.

02:13:17.671 --> 02:13:19.813
Because next year, I mean,

02:13:19.832 --> 02:13:22.274
you're going to get real young real quick,

02:13:22.534 --> 02:13:23.194
and you're going to need a

02:13:23.274 --> 02:13:24.836
little bit of veteran

02:13:25.197 --> 02:13:26.136
leadership in that room.

02:13:27.698 --> 02:13:29.479
Brian, real quick, before you jump on,

02:13:29.520 --> 02:13:31.926
your buddy you talked to all weekend –

02:13:31.926 --> 02:13:32.525
There he is.

02:13:32.546 --> 02:13:34.488
One other thing Brian has

02:13:34.528 --> 02:13:35.529
not told everybody,

02:13:35.588 --> 02:13:37.409
but it's cool to get your

02:13:37.430 --> 02:13:38.610
picture with Kyron Drones,

02:13:38.711 --> 02:13:40.432
but Brian got his picture

02:13:40.472 --> 02:13:42.474
taken by Kyron Drones this weekend.

02:13:43.055 --> 02:13:44.716
Him and Kevin love that shot of y'all,

02:13:44.735 --> 02:13:44.996
man.

02:13:45.336 --> 02:13:45.837
There he is.

02:13:46.157 --> 02:13:47.238
Brian, let's go real quick.

02:13:47.257 --> 02:13:47.997
Let's finish it up.

02:13:48.099 --> 02:13:49.760
Wide receiver room, who's your –

02:13:51.359 --> 02:13:52.961
I had my eyes on the young guys.

02:13:52.980 --> 02:13:53.881
So I was looking out there

02:13:53.902 --> 02:13:55.202
to see what Chance Wiggins was doing,

02:13:55.221 --> 02:13:56.342
what Brody Adams was doing.

02:13:56.762 --> 02:13:57.002
Okay.

02:13:57.363 --> 02:13:59.364
And I liked what I saw.

02:13:59.664 --> 02:14:02.087
The moment didn't seem too big for him.

02:14:03.306 --> 02:14:04.087
And both of them showed

02:14:04.148 --> 02:14:05.188
different types of skill sets.

02:14:05.469 --> 02:14:06.208
We saw Brody,

02:14:07.310 --> 02:14:08.850
just still a route technician.

02:14:09.970 --> 02:14:11.511
He runs routes so well.

02:14:12.412 --> 02:14:13.974
And we saw him get open a few times.

02:14:14.413 --> 02:14:16.375
I think when we look at the stat sheet,

02:14:16.414 --> 02:14:17.435
not a lot shows up on the

02:14:17.456 --> 02:14:18.716
stat sheet for those two guys.

02:14:18.737 --> 02:14:19.277
Mm-hmm.

02:14:19.476 --> 02:14:21.457
But watching the game and

02:14:21.478 --> 02:14:22.238
then going back and

02:14:22.278 --> 02:14:23.358
watching the tape later,

02:14:24.998 --> 02:14:29.220
you can see that they're ready.

02:14:29.841 --> 02:14:30.801
They may not be ready to

02:14:31.180 --> 02:14:32.521
play a significant role this year,

02:14:33.202 --> 02:14:34.082
but they're ready to go

02:14:34.141 --> 02:14:35.983
against the ones and the

02:14:36.042 --> 02:14:37.243
twos on this defense.

02:14:37.783 --> 02:14:39.703
They're ready to make those

02:14:39.724 --> 02:14:41.904
type of plays in limited

02:14:42.005 --> 02:14:43.944
minutes and limited snaps

02:14:44.125 --> 02:14:45.206
in a game in 2024.

02:14:45.206 --> 02:14:47.907
I don't necessarily know if we'll see them

02:14:48.567 --> 02:14:49.988
you know, play more than four games,

02:14:50.028 --> 02:14:51.548
whether they redshirt or not.

02:14:51.649 --> 02:14:53.770
But I think seeing that

02:14:53.831 --> 02:14:56.472
makes you feel good long-term to kind of,

02:14:56.533 --> 02:14:58.094
you know, to Tally's point, you know,

02:14:58.113 --> 02:14:59.395
you see Aiden stepping up,

02:14:59.414 --> 02:15:00.216
you want to see maybe a

02:15:00.256 --> 02:15:01.756
chance Fitzgerald kind of

02:15:01.777 --> 02:15:02.997
be a two or three in there.

02:15:03.057 --> 02:15:04.840
I think we're seeing those

02:15:04.880 --> 02:15:05.800
two young guys already

02:15:05.840 --> 02:15:07.822
showed that potential pretty early on.

02:15:07.841 --> 02:15:09.603
All right.

02:15:10.224 --> 02:15:11.845
So there it is with that.

02:15:12.385 --> 02:15:15.667
And just real quick from each of y'all,

02:15:17.273 --> 02:15:19.173
and this is Mike and David because,

02:15:19.194 --> 02:15:19.533
you know,

02:15:19.573 --> 02:15:20.434
we're going to be talking about

02:15:20.474 --> 02:15:21.914
this stuff throughout the offseason.

02:15:23.375 --> 02:15:25.395
This offense ranked around, I think,

02:15:25.395 --> 02:15:27.296
58 last year, which was, oh, my God,

02:15:27.496 --> 02:15:29.457
from 123 to 58 was an

02:15:29.537 --> 02:15:31.497
ungodly jump for one season

02:15:32.457 --> 02:15:33.618
by anybody's standards.

02:15:33.639 --> 02:15:34.458
I don't care who you are.

02:15:35.158 --> 02:15:37.439
But how much improvement do

02:15:37.539 --> 02:15:40.780
you all feel like you have to see to get,

02:15:40.801 --> 02:15:41.780
like you said it earlier,

02:15:42.041 --> 02:15:43.101
a ceiling of 10 wins?

02:15:44.721 --> 02:15:45.122
How much?

02:15:45.842 --> 02:15:46.603
How big of a step?

02:15:50.139 --> 02:15:51.198
I mean, to be honest with you,

02:15:51.359 --> 02:15:55.702
I think we saw the jump

02:15:55.721 --> 02:15:56.761
that you just mentioned

02:15:56.862 --> 02:15:59.783
from whatever it was in 22, not good.

02:15:59.804 --> 02:16:01.024
Terrible.

02:16:01.505 --> 02:16:02.145
Right,

02:16:02.166 --> 02:16:05.367
to essentially a top 65 offense last

02:16:05.408 --> 02:16:06.828
year really came in the

02:16:06.868 --> 02:16:07.708
final eight games.

02:16:09.729 --> 02:16:12.811
That's where all of this happened.

02:16:14.243 --> 02:16:15.564
You get an entire offseason

02:16:16.605 --> 02:16:20.489
to continue to familiarize

02:16:20.510 --> 02:16:21.270
with the new scheme.

02:16:23.171 --> 02:16:24.252
You have your quarterback.

02:16:24.894 --> 02:16:26.194
You have Allie Jennings back.

02:16:27.395 --> 02:16:28.476
Entire receiving room.

02:16:28.837 --> 02:16:29.818
The running back depth.

02:16:30.859 --> 02:16:32.861
You do have your offensive line back.

02:16:33.201 --> 02:16:34.782
We expressed our concerns about tackle,

02:16:34.802 --> 02:16:35.843
but you do have your

02:16:35.884 --> 02:16:37.104
starting offensive line back.

02:16:37.125 --> 02:16:37.986
That's really important.

02:16:39.470 --> 02:16:41.231
all the depth on defense too,

02:16:41.993 --> 02:16:43.693
that it's going to help the offense,

02:16:43.774 --> 02:16:44.034
right.

02:16:44.694 --> 02:16:46.015
Um, take that step forward.

02:16:47.897 --> 02:16:48.838
The offense just needs to

02:16:48.978 --> 02:16:50.079
continue to do what,

02:16:50.559 --> 02:16:51.460
what they did the second

02:16:51.480 --> 02:16:52.240
half of last year.

02:16:52.561 --> 02:16:53.262
And they need to take

02:16:53.322 --> 02:16:54.823
another incremental step forward,

02:16:55.984 --> 02:16:57.245
whether that's like a small

02:16:57.284 --> 02:16:59.387
step or a leap, you know, we'll see,

02:17:00.308 --> 02:17:00.507
right.

02:17:00.528 --> 02:17:01.248
A lot of guys going to

02:17:01.269 --> 02:17:02.530
improve and a lot of

02:17:02.569 --> 02:17:04.290
returning starters and, you know,

02:17:04.310 --> 02:17:05.451
they got valuable experience.

02:17:07.434 --> 02:17:08.594
But in order for this to be

02:17:08.655 --> 02:17:10.255
like a 10 or 11 win team,

02:17:10.296 --> 02:17:12.056
like the offense doesn't

02:17:12.115 --> 02:17:13.236
have to like all of a

02:17:13.256 --> 02:17:15.256
sudden go from like 55 or

02:17:15.256 --> 02:17:16.576
60 to like 20th.

02:17:17.237 --> 02:17:17.477
You know,

02:17:17.698 --> 02:17:18.878
they kind of just keep doing what

02:17:18.897 --> 02:17:19.317
they're doing.

02:17:19.358 --> 02:17:20.218
If the defense holds up

02:17:20.257 --> 02:17:21.119
their end of the bargain

02:17:21.138 --> 02:17:22.679
and improves the way we think they can,

02:17:23.418 --> 02:17:25.440
especially against the schedule, right?

02:17:25.479 --> 02:17:26.159
Against the schedule of

02:17:26.180 --> 02:17:27.180
Virginia Tech's going to play.

02:17:27.459 --> 02:17:28.740
So I think the offense is

02:17:28.761 --> 02:17:29.300
going to be better.

02:17:29.841 --> 02:17:30.460
Just like I think the

02:17:30.501 --> 02:17:31.341
defense is going to be better.

02:17:31.361 --> 02:17:32.061
I think the offense is going

02:17:32.082 --> 02:17:33.041
to take another step forward.

02:17:33.721 --> 02:17:34.662
and be really good because

02:17:34.701 --> 02:17:36.382
an extra four good games is

02:17:36.423 --> 02:17:37.102
really going to do

02:17:37.143 --> 02:17:37.602
something to your

02:17:37.622 --> 02:17:38.942
statistics you know because

02:17:39.164 --> 02:17:40.424
it was a it was a bad

02:17:40.523 --> 02:17:41.404
offense the first four

02:17:41.424 --> 02:17:42.363
games last year was not

02:17:42.384 --> 02:17:45.344
very good so um yeah

02:17:45.465 --> 02:17:46.305
another incremental step

02:17:46.344 --> 02:17:47.046
forward I think that's all

02:17:47.066 --> 02:17:47.706
you really need I don't

02:17:47.726 --> 02:17:48.226
think you need to do

02:17:48.265 --> 02:17:49.126
anything crazy to get

02:17:49.146 --> 02:17:53.266
yourself to 10 wins yeah I

02:17:53.326 --> 02:17:54.427
agree with that and I think

02:17:54.468 --> 02:17:55.487
the biggest thing is

02:17:56.268 --> 02:17:57.968
virginia tech has to win

02:17:57.987 --> 02:17:59.068
the battle in the trenches

02:18:00.789 --> 02:18:02.069
I know Brian's ears probably

02:18:02.090 --> 02:18:03.691
perk up when he hears me say that.

02:18:04.811 --> 02:18:06.073
I think back to that game at

02:18:06.112 --> 02:18:07.793
Louisville last year where

02:18:07.834 --> 02:18:08.834
Virginia Tech just kind of

02:18:08.853 --> 02:18:09.754
got pushed around.

02:18:11.396 --> 02:18:13.236
If Virginia Tech is going to

02:18:13.297 --> 02:18:15.378
win 9-10 games,

02:18:15.679 --> 02:18:16.838
you have to win the battle

02:18:16.879 --> 02:18:17.540
in the trenches.

02:18:17.979 --> 02:18:19.320
You've got this...

02:18:20.905 --> 02:18:21.986
I don't know if generational

02:18:22.005 --> 02:18:22.466
is the right word.

02:18:22.505 --> 02:18:23.486
You've got this special

02:18:23.527 --> 02:18:26.427
quarterback in Kyron Drones

02:18:26.849 --> 02:18:31.050
who has the opportunity to

02:18:31.091 --> 02:18:32.772
do some really special things.

02:18:33.413 --> 02:18:35.414
Basial Tootin is a very,

02:18:35.474 --> 02:18:36.495
very good running back.

02:18:36.895 --> 02:18:39.175
You've got some awesome wide receivers.

02:18:40.516 --> 02:18:41.757
Your tight end room is really,

02:18:41.778 --> 02:18:42.658
really solid.

02:18:43.539 --> 02:18:44.700
The offensive line is the

02:18:44.719 --> 02:18:45.899
big question for me.

02:18:46.260 --> 02:18:47.601
And I think if Virginia Tech

02:18:47.620 --> 02:18:48.801
can shore that up,

02:18:49.322 --> 02:18:50.002
you're looking at an

02:18:50.102 --> 02:18:50.763
offense that has the

02:18:50.823 --> 02:18:53.324
opportunity to be very, very, very good.

02:18:53.904 --> 02:18:57.546
Because what the Hokies did last year,

02:18:57.566 --> 02:18:58.887
even when...

02:19:00.788 --> 02:19:01.987
the offensive line wasn't

02:19:02.028 --> 02:19:04.308
necessarily grading out super well.

02:19:04.408 --> 02:19:05.170
And by that, I mean,

02:19:05.790 --> 02:19:07.170
I just look at the PFF grades.

02:19:08.950 --> 02:19:11.971
I don't think the offensive

02:19:12.031 --> 02:19:15.093
line was doing anything crazy,

02:19:16.173 --> 02:19:17.634
but I think the scheme

02:19:17.814 --> 02:19:19.453
allowed those guys to play

02:19:19.474 --> 02:19:20.354
a little freely.

02:19:21.655 --> 02:19:23.916
If you can continue to develop that,

02:19:24.458 --> 02:19:26.299
Kyron Jones enters in year two,

02:19:26.759 --> 02:19:28.079
Basial Tootin in year two,

02:19:28.399 --> 02:19:30.701
that wide receiver room, year two,

02:19:31.583 --> 02:19:33.103
those guys are all playing together.

02:19:33.603 --> 02:19:34.704
Same thing goes for a lot of

02:19:34.745 --> 02:19:35.605
those offensive linemen.

02:19:35.706 --> 02:19:37.766
If you can supplement it and

02:19:37.826 --> 02:19:38.987
those young offensive

02:19:39.007 --> 02:19:40.568
linemen can continue to grow,

02:19:41.290 --> 02:19:42.351
my only question is,

02:19:43.865 --> 02:19:45.487
What kind of offensive line

02:19:45.548 --> 02:19:46.449
is this going to be?

02:19:46.670 --> 02:19:47.591
I think that kind of

02:19:47.611 --> 02:19:50.373
determines how good this offense can be.

02:19:50.795 --> 02:19:52.095
But all the pieces are there

02:19:52.516 --> 02:19:53.298
everywhere else.

02:19:53.837 --> 02:19:54.138
Like,

02:19:55.340 --> 02:19:56.561
Kyron Drones is one of the best

02:19:56.621 --> 02:19:57.843
quarterbacks in the ACC.

02:19:57.904 --> 02:20:00.226
He might not get preseasonal

02:20:00.286 --> 02:20:03.190
ACC hype because –

02:20:03.190 --> 02:20:07.135
The Carolina media or other

02:20:07.495 --> 02:20:10.319
factions of the press votes

02:20:10.360 --> 02:20:12.582
for somebody like Cam Ward of Miami,

02:20:12.683 --> 02:20:15.546
who has a lot of accolades, obviously.

02:20:17.127 --> 02:20:21.648
but he's a very, very great talent.

02:20:22.110 --> 02:20:24.411
Basial Tootin is very, very good.

02:20:25.332 --> 02:20:26.471
The pieces are there.

02:20:26.933 --> 02:20:28.513
It's kind of just when you

02:20:28.554 --> 02:20:30.215
get into those battles in

02:20:30.254 --> 02:20:31.615
the trenches with really,

02:20:31.695 --> 02:20:34.997
really good teams, how does it play out?

02:20:35.058 --> 02:20:36.018
And Virginia Tech kind of

02:20:36.038 --> 02:20:37.918
got thrown around last year

02:20:37.959 --> 02:20:38.700
against Louisville.

02:20:39.219 --> 02:20:40.320
When it gets into some of

02:20:40.380 --> 02:20:41.621
these big games this year,

02:20:42.939 --> 02:20:45.824
I think about Miami and Clemson.

02:20:46.625 --> 02:20:47.967
That group is going to have

02:20:48.027 --> 02:20:50.069
to play to that level,

02:20:50.209 --> 02:20:51.191
and that will determine

02:20:51.211 --> 02:20:52.313
Virginia Tech's success.

02:20:55.157 --> 02:20:57.379
That is an absolute great point to end on,

02:20:57.418 --> 02:20:57.699
David,

02:20:57.738 --> 02:21:00.539
tonight because I think we saw

02:21:00.578 --> 02:21:01.799
Steph sit here and say, yeah,

02:21:02.440 --> 02:21:04.319
if offensive line ups the game,

02:21:04.379 --> 02:21:05.299
if Montavious comes in,

02:21:05.319 --> 02:21:07.560
and we saw a handful of

02:21:07.661 --> 02:21:08.820
plays in the spring game

02:21:08.861 --> 02:21:10.601
when he did that pull,

02:21:11.200 --> 02:21:12.682
I'm sure Brian's ears light up,

02:21:12.762 --> 02:21:14.842
but he cleared the way for that huge run.

02:21:15.662 --> 02:21:17.221
Him and the Moore brothers got downfield.

02:21:17.262 --> 02:21:19.862
If that levels up, I mean –

02:21:20.643 --> 02:21:21.724
Y'all know I can get and be

02:21:21.804 --> 02:21:22.725
super optimistic.

02:21:23.024 --> 02:21:24.206
I was optimistic last year

02:21:24.226 --> 02:21:24.986
and said eight wins.

02:21:25.006 --> 02:21:26.027
Y'all thought I was crazy.

02:21:26.608 --> 02:21:27.789
We'd started the right quarterback.

02:21:27.849 --> 02:21:29.010
I still insist we had been

02:21:29.030 --> 02:21:31.070
at eight wins because go ahead, Tally,

02:21:31.111 --> 02:21:32.051
because you got to lay it

02:21:32.152 --> 02:21:34.273
on them before we close it out tonight.

02:21:35.011 --> 02:21:35.630
Go ahead.

02:21:36.272 --> 02:21:37.753
They've been doing so good today, man,

02:21:37.772 --> 02:21:38.612
I ain't going to even get them.

02:21:38.632 --> 02:21:39.474
I'm just going to wait.

02:21:39.974 --> 02:21:40.694
I'm just going to wait.

02:21:40.715 --> 02:21:41.796
We're going to be back on here.

02:21:41.835 --> 02:21:43.256
We're going to discuss the season.

02:21:43.676 --> 02:21:45.378
We're going to be back on here in August.

02:21:45.698 --> 02:21:46.939
We're going to discuss the season.

02:21:47.398 --> 02:21:47.940
And I'm going to be

02:21:48.020 --> 02:21:48.920
interested to see what

02:21:48.960 --> 02:21:50.502
everybody has to say about this year.

02:21:52.003 --> 02:21:52.923
Win, loss, total.

02:21:54.283 --> 02:21:55.504
I ain't going to even give

02:21:55.864 --> 02:21:56.784
it to my guys because

02:21:56.844 --> 02:21:57.906
they've been doing good tonight.

02:21:58.525 --> 02:22:00.766
I will not say, I promise you,

02:22:01.106 --> 02:22:01.727
unless there's some

02:22:01.846 --> 02:22:03.048
unforeseen development,

02:22:03.788 --> 02:22:05.289
I can tell you when we get

02:22:05.328 --> 02:22:06.189
together in August,

02:22:06.888 --> 02:22:08.610
I think I speak for David as well here,

02:22:08.629 --> 02:22:10.310
I don't think we'll be

02:22:10.351 --> 02:22:11.191
saying five and seven.

02:22:13.636 --> 02:22:14.416
No, again,

02:22:15.416 --> 02:22:19.077
I like – and I'm somebody who's

02:22:19.278 --> 02:22:20.578
had the opportunity and

02:22:20.638 --> 02:22:21.699
privilege to go to a lot of

02:22:21.759 --> 02:22:24.579
practices this spring.

02:22:24.600 --> 02:22:27.441
And I feel good about what –

02:22:30.435 --> 02:22:32.038
brent pariah and his staff

02:22:32.097 --> 02:22:33.658
are building I think so

02:22:33.738 --> 02:22:34.959
much of so many of the

02:22:35.000 --> 02:22:36.400
pieces are there when you

02:22:36.460 --> 02:22:38.802
return 86 of your

02:22:38.843 --> 02:22:40.565
production you're going to

02:22:40.645 --> 02:22:43.747
be good it's just can you

02:22:44.407 --> 02:22:45.529
get those next pieces to

02:22:45.609 --> 02:22:46.890
supplement everything else

02:22:47.011 --> 02:22:48.811
yep and I think on both

02:22:48.852 --> 02:22:50.293
sides of the ball the hokies have

02:22:51.515 --> 02:22:53.077
have added some of the right pieces.

02:22:53.157 --> 02:22:55.341
Sam Brumfield and Montavious

02:22:55.380 --> 02:22:56.182
Cunningham are two of the

02:22:56.201 --> 02:22:57.404
big ones that come to mind.

02:22:57.543 --> 02:22:58.865
Can those guys have impacts?

02:23:00.427 --> 02:23:01.950
I like the trajectory.

02:23:02.730 --> 02:23:03.872
There is a good trajectory.

02:23:04.174 --> 02:23:05.435
I'm going to bring one real

02:23:05.456 --> 02:23:06.878
quick thing before we wrap it up.

02:23:07.638 --> 02:23:08.940
I'm sure y'all have seen this.

02:23:09.001 --> 02:23:10.201
I'm sure y'all saw it on Twitter.

02:23:10.782 --> 02:23:12.665
MJ Collins is to Vandy along

02:23:12.684 --> 02:23:13.486
with Tyler Nickel.

02:23:13.546 --> 02:23:15.227
I am sure David and Mike may

02:23:15.268 --> 02:23:16.088
have things on their

02:23:16.129 --> 02:23:17.890
Twitter feeds at some point tomorrow.

02:23:17.950 --> 02:23:19.072
I saw a tweet from a

02:23:19.111 --> 02:23:20.393
Vanderbilt fan that I've

02:23:20.433 --> 02:23:21.354
already bookmarked.

02:23:22.075 --> 02:23:22.396
That said,

02:23:22.415 --> 02:23:23.356
we're coming after all the

02:23:23.397 --> 02:23:24.478
Hokies basketball players,

02:23:24.519 --> 02:23:25.179
and we're going to beat

02:23:25.238 --> 02:23:27.902
them in the fall as well.

02:23:28.022 --> 02:23:29.683
So go ahead and bookmark

02:23:29.703 --> 02:23:31.345
that tweet so we can talk a

02:23:31.386 --> 02:23:33.247
whole lot of shit come August 31st.

02:23:33.528 --> 02:23:33.727
Yeah,

02:23:33.768 --> 02:23:34.748
send it to me because I've got to

02:23:34.769 --> 02:23:35.450
start finding some.

02:23:35.510 --> 02:23:36.171
I don't even think it's

02:23:36.210 --> 02:23:37.172
Vanderbilt football fans.

02:23:37.191 --> 02:23:37.933
I don't think there is

02:23:37.972 --> 02:23:38.793
Vanderbilt football fans.

02:23:38.873 --> 02:23:40.174
If you've got a couple of them,

02:23:40.215 --> 02:23:41.477
send them to me so I can fuck with them.

02:23:42.096 --> 02:23:42.618
They're bots.

02:23:42.698 --> 02:23:43.798
They're bots.

02:23:43.817 --> 02:23:44.519
Just a bot.

02:23:45.039 --> 02:23:45.760
Dave and Mike,

02:23:45.879 --> 02:23:47.681
appreciate you guys jumping

02:23:47.720 --> 02:23:48.422
on with us tonight.

02:23:48.461 --> 02:23:50.523
It's been an awesome two and a half hours.

02:23:50.863 --> 02:23:51.864
That's going to wrap up this

02:23:51.924 --> 02:23:53.325
episode of the Boundary

02:23:53.726 --> 02:23:55.027
Corner Podcast brought to

02:23:55.047 --> 02:23:56.208
you by Main Street Pharmacy

02:23:56.227 --> 02:23:57.828
in Blacksburg with our guest,

02:23:58.148 --> 02:24:00.031
David Cunningham from Tech Sideline,

02:24:00.070 --> 02:24:00.971
Mike McDaniel from

02:24:01.131 --> 02:24:03.013
Everything Okie Under the Sun.

02:24:03.032 --> 02:24:06.335
If you don't know, I'm Curtis Wilson.

02:24:07.759 --> 02:24:08.479
Jonathan Taylor.

02:24:09.161 --> 02:24:09.922
Brian Siegler.

02:24:10.302 --> 02:24:10.643
Check out

02:24:10.782 --> 02:24:12.305
bellrecordingteam.com to listen

02:24:12.325 --> 02:24:13.266
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02:24:13.287 --> 02:24:14.427
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02:24:14.468 --> 02:24:17.291
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02:24:20.736 --> 02:24:22.639
Check out our buddy Jason Long's website,

02:24:22.680 --> 02:24:24.702
jasonlongmusic.com.

02:24:25.984 --> 02:24:27.004
Jack Reed's playing his live

02:24:27.045 --> 02:24:30.128
events likely around the NRV this spring.

02:24:30.227 --> 02:24:31.328
Also links you to all his

02:24:31.388 --> 02:24:33.611
music on all available sources.

02:24:34.172 --> 02:24:35.333
We thank you guys for

02:24:35.372 --> 02:24:36.334
watching and listening.

02:24:36.414 --> 02:24:38.575
All 648 of you tonight.

02:24:39.296 --> 02:24:40.618
And as always, let's go.

02:24:40.638 --> 02:24:40.718
Okay.

02:24:41.497 --> 02:24:41.838
Okay.

02:25:45.849 --> 02:25:46.951
music music