This week we're back to take a deep dive into the departures of Tim Sands and Whit Babcock. Joining us to unpack this new chapter for Virginia Tech is VTScoop247 writer Doug Bowman. We will look at the impact of these departures as it relates to the Hokies football program's long term aspirations and discuss who he thinks would be ideal to fill these important roles at Virginia Tech.
1
00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:23,520
And welcome back to the Boundary
Corner Podcast.
2
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:28,440
Along with my partners, Brian
Siegler and Jonathan Hannibans,
3
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,800
I am Curtis Wilson and we are
brought to you by Moments on the
4
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,200
Mari.
Looking for a weekend getaway
5
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,360
this summer or fall?
Then Moments on the Mari might
6
00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,360
be exactly what you are looking
for.
7
00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:46,000
Owned by a very proud Hokie and
located just outside Lexington,
8
00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,440
VA, this place gives you
everything you can think of for
9
00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,440
a great mountain experience.
Fishing, kayaking, just relaxing
10
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,520
by or in the river right outside
the back door.
11
00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,360
Check it out in our links or
visit moments on the memorial on
12
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:07,320
their Instagram page.
Gentlemen.
13
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,080
Gentlemen.
What's happening, man?
14
00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,480
How are you all tonight?
Tell me you on mute.
15
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:13,840
Like telling people, telling me
on calls all the time.
16
00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,080
You're on mute.
You want me to get off mute?
17
00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:21,040
You got to talk you off mute.
Can you hear us?
18
00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,960
I think I'm off.
I think I'm off now.
19
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:28,760
He is off.
Mute.
20
00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,840
We got you.
What's been up, guys?
21
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,880
We have been running around in
circles this spring since the
22
00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:39,240
spring game.
It felt like.
23
00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,160
How was life?
We we had a little false start
24
00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,320
last week.
We, we, we, we got the same same
25
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,920
structure this week.
But, you know, it's fun because,
26
00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,280
you know, we had a couple more
commits come through since then.
27
00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,920
So we got a little little bit
more to kind of, you know, pad
28
00:02:54,920 --> 00:02:56,720
the, the end of this episode a
little bit.
29
00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,640
But yeah, we had a, you know, a
couple couple snafus here or
30
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:02,400
there last week that caused us
to punt.
31
00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,240
But hey, we're back here.
We're we're doing it live as we
32
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,800
normally do.
And we got a a fun special guest
33
00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,040
we're going to introduce here
shortly.
34
00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:13,480
Tally what you want.
We punt it, man.
35
00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:16,280
We didn't have two zeros.
Yeah, we punt it.
36
00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,120
We didn't have two zeros on the
field.
37
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,640
So we, I, we made it.
We didn't get called for a
38
00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,080
penalty, we just punted the
ball.
39
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,400
This is.
This is what I'm going to say a
40
00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:33,760
little bit off off topic before
we get our guest on here because
41
00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:38,560
I think most of our chat is
probably right around the same
42
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,600
age we are.
You know you get into those
43
00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,160
golden ages.
I understand.
44
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:50,600
I want to know man y'all put in
the chat what is the best bio
45
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:56,600
pic that you've seen the best
you know movie about somebody's
46
00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,520
life?
The reason I'm asking that is
47
00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:04,000
because I watch Michael.
I mean, everybody got to see
48
00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:05,520
Michael, right?
You know what I'm saying?
49
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,960
Like you got to watch it.
Go ahead, Curtis.
50
00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,240
What you going to say I'm.
Going to say but what I'm going
51
00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,000
to say is 2 weekends ago my
mother came into town gave me a
52
00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,880
wife date night and we went into
a local steakhouse and I said we
53
00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,480
should go we should go see
Michael and she's like I just I
54
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,640
just don't feel like going She's
like it's it's a 730 start it's
55
00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,000
like a 2 1/2 hour movie, right
She's like I'm gonna fall asleep
56
00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,560
and now she's looking at me mad
everybody's.
57
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:32,800
Saying it's so.
Good.
58
00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:33,960
We should have went.
I'm like.
59
00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,400
I'm just saying.
Laid it out there.
60
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:41,240
I literally said we should go.
I think everybody, our age at
61
00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,200
least, should watch it, you know
what I'm saying?
62
00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,480
But me being a huge Michael
Jackson fan and knowing a lot
63
00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,800
about him and watching a lot of
movies about him, they made a
64
00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,800
movie way back when.
I think it's called The American
65
00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:54,840
Dream.
Oh yeah.
66
00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,480
It just had more in that movie
than this one had.
67
00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,880
If you really want to know about
his life, you know what I'm
68
00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,920
saying.
But not not a bad movie.
69
00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:11,320
So I did come here to advocate
everybody go see it or do like I
70
00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,080
did and just be able to watch
it, if you know what I mean.
71
00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,360
Got you.
Because I didn't go to the
72
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,640
theater.
Yeah, I feel like American Dream
73
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:23,000
had like it had so much of the
Jackson 5 stuff and like.
74
00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,160
Off the wall.
And it was everything else was
75
00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,360
kind of rushed through.
Yeah, it was like a, it was like
76
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,680
a origin story or a villain or
something, you know what I'm
77
00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,040
saying?
And then it was just at the end
78
00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,160
anyway.
I mean, I just feel like it was
79
00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:44,160
a lot left lacking.
Yes, Jason, that is a good
80
00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,240
biopic.
Lincoln, if y'all haven't seen
81
00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,320
that, is a good biopic.
That's not my favorite.
82
00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,080
My favorite biopic is probably
The Temptations.
83
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:57,480
But again, I didn't want to
throw a whole segment about
84
00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,280
movies, but I did have to shout
out my boy Michael Jackson, the
85
00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:03,760
greatest of all times.
Man, I'm I'm gonna throw Ray out
86
00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:04,760
there.
Ray is probably my.
87
00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,480
Favorite Ray is a that's that's
a close second.
88
00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,120
Ali.
That's another one like I'll
89
00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:11,760
throw.
One, and this is old and I, I
90
00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,800
mean well before, I mean a
couple years before we were
91
00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:16,680
born.
You ever watch Raging Bull?
92
00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,160
Oh yeah.
Boxing about Jake.
93
00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,360
Lemada Yeah, Yeah.
That's fine.
94
00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,680
Bryan Song with with James Caan.
Bryan Song with James Caan.
95
00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,520
Oh yeah.
Oh man.
96
00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:31,360
Lot of good ones, lot of good
ones.
97
00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,880
Well, you know what?
We got a lot of fun to talk
98
00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,800
about and believe it or not, now
he's in the backroom like
99
00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,440
thinking, oh man, I know what's
going to happen the second I get
100
00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,600
on.
But tonight we have a very
101
00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,800
special guest, another one of
our good friends from 247.
102
00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,680
Long time writer, contributor to
247 Sports.
103
00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,720
Tonight we have Doug Bowman
joining us and we'll get him on
104
00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,800
stage, make sure he's off mute
and Doug Tally let it off.
105
00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,200
What is your favorite biopic?
I was thinking about this while
106
00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,640
you guys were talking and thanks
for stalling because I had to
107
00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,440
pull up a list of like, all
right, I need some like
108
00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,120
something to trigger my memory.
It's walk the line.
109
00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:11,760
I was going to say Walk the
Line.
110
00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,520
Walk the Line's a good movie
too.
111
00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,720
I was hoping somebody said that,
Chad.
112
00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,320
Hey, we got some.
We got some good ones coming in.
113
00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:20,720
Doug just came with a another
banger.
114
00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,920
I need to know what's y'all's
best biopic?
115
00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,720
Doug, keep going, buddy.
I was going to say walk the line
116
00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,240
with Johnny Cash.
It's it's on the list of movies
117
00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,120
that you whenever it's on, you
know, you're flipping through.
118
00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,080
Not that many people flip
through the channels anymore,
119
00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,800
but you see it and you just
watch it no matter where you are
120
00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,800
in the movie, pick it up right
where it left off.
121
00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,040
So I probably, I don't know how
many times I've seen it, but
122
00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:45,360
it's good.
Nice.
123
00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,120
Well, it's it's always funny
because you talk about like the
124
00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,880
biopics and some people don't
think of certain movies as
125
00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:56,320
biopics because like American
gangster people wouldn't think
126
00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:57,680
that.
But that's basically Frank
127
00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,800
Lucas's life.
Like not it, not his whole life,
128
00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,920
but a good portion of his life.
And then there's so many other
129
00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:08,400
ones like like Catch Me if you
can again, that's that.
130
00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:10,840
Like you don't think of them as
biopics, but they are.
131
00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,440
Is Walt Wolf of all straight?
Line, then yes, absolutely.
132
00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:17,720
Wolf of Wall Street, I.
Didn't even think about that,
133
00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:18,920
but yeah.
I mean.
134
00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,960
We just go ahead and call, I
mean, Goodfellas.
135
00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:28,720
Yes, yes.
Scorsese like half his half his
136
00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,200
repertoire is is technically
biopic.
137
00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,280
So well did y'all see the tweet
yesterday?
138
00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:39,760
It was like the the March 11th
was in like 5:00 AM was the day
139
00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,200
he got busted.
Like that whole scene in the
140
00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,440
movie The day like.
Doing all the crazy.
141
00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,480
Stuff it was 5/11/1980 is when
it happened.
142
00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,720
Like started at 5:00 AM because
he was off like the cocaine
143
00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:54,840
Bender.
Yeah, and he was like paranoid
144
00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:59,800
as hell, like.
We've been got down a road that
145
00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,320
we could be.
Be like 12:00.
146
00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,760
Hokey football and hokey sports.
Everybody was Doug Moment after
147
00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,600
14 hours of talking about
biopics.
148
00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,160
I bad Curtis, I didn't mean I
didn't mean to get you started
149
00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:13,520
today, man.
I was just trying to get the
150
00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,960
creative juices flowing.
And we got we got an idea for
151
00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,200
for a spin off podcast now.
So yeah, the.
152
00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,720
Biopic Well Doug, first of all,
how you been doing man?
153
00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,200
This is your first time with us.
Obviously we followed you for
154
00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,400
years with your writings and
stuff on 247.
155
00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,240
So how you doing?
And then how did you stumble
156
00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:37,160
upon 247?
Because like you have a day job
157
00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,720
like us three, dude.
Like how did that happen?
158
00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,520
How did your relationship start
with 247 back about I guess a
159
00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:46,040
decade ago?
God, it's been, I think it's
160
00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,440
been, it was definitely before
COVID, which is now like
161
00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,080
suddenly six years ago.
So we're close to a decade.
162
00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:58,800
I started writing about Virginia
Tech actually back in O7 Tyron's
163
00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,560
first year.
I was at Hoagie Haven with Brian
164
00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:05,600
Moore and that kind of during
that era, there's been so many
165
00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,160
like kind of like eras of the
regime tech recruiting sites.
166
00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,920
And then Jason Stam came on,
came on and took him over there,
167
00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:17,880
took over there and then went to
the Vt Scout site at the time.
168
00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:21,760
So I was over there for a little
bit and I think I jumped on the
169
00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,480
Vt Scoop.
Must have been 2018 ish
170
00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,320
somewhere around there.
Yeah.
171
00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,800
But just knowing I had done it
for a while, I'm at Hoagie Haven
172
00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,320
and Scout and and kind of taken
a couple years off and wanted to
173
00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,520
get back into it.
So I reached out and happened to
174
00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:46,200
be the right time.
Nice man, What's what what was
175
00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,000
that journey like?
I know you said you were writing
176
00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,760
for for Hoagie Haven and doing
all that.
177
00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,960
Have you, Is that just been like
a passion project for you or
178
00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,120
just being in the, in the
Virginia Tech sports realm and
179
00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,520
just loving that so much That's
kind of been, you know, what's
180
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,120
kind of kept that that drive
for.
181
00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,320
You yeah, a little bit of both,
I'd say probably I was the, I
182
00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,000
started right in there when I
was in 8th grade.
183
00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:14,120
Probably nobody reading knew
that at the time, but when I was
184
00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:19,200
2007 tie rods first year.
So I was always the the kid that
185
00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,080
wanted to be on ESPN growing up
and all that stuff.
186
00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,600
Got to got to college, got to
sit in the press box and, and do
187
00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,280
that during school and realized
I didn't want to do that for my
188
00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,200
job.
I enjoy, I enjoy the fandom, I
189
00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,840
enjoy being in the stands.
I enjoy all that stuff that you
190
00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,000
don't get to do when you're
covering the games and stuff.
191
00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:43,560
So that was a great lesson.
But I I, like you said, kind of
192
00:11:43,560 --> 00:11:46,640
like a passion project of just
something I enjoy doing on the
193
00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,480
side.
That's very nice.
194
00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,520
So I've been so many people that
it's part of it.
195
00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,400
And obviously, what year did you
graduate from tech?
196
00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:59,760
2015. 2015 OK.
That sounds like a one good year
197
00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,240
with Logan Thomas when he was
good and then after that it
198
00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,600
went, you know, to six.
What was it?
199
00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:11,040
No it.
Was no Never sixes, 6 never
200
00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:15,400
losing during Frank's time. 7
and 6-8 and five, seven and six.
201
00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,360
Yep.
After So your first year was
202
00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,000
Sugar Bowl youth, correct?
You caught the ball.
203
00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:23,640
Yep.
Exactly.
204
00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:29,320
Did you go to New Orleans?
Did not got tickets, couldn't
205
00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:32,920
couldn't figure out how to get
there if it was broke all that
206
00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:37,200
stuff.
So, but I mean, the peak was
207
00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,160
definitely beating Ohio State
and Columbus and 14 that was
208
00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,080
that was, I guess that was
technically this fall of senior
209
00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,960
year.
So I mean, that was that was the
210
00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,480
peak of of the football
experience during my time there.
211
00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,920
We were all seniors went up, you
know, there's probably 100 of us
212
00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,760
there.
Just a classic like college
213
00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,160
experience of being up there
with all of your college buddies
214
00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,080
and then you actually win the
game.
215
00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,440
Stopped at the casino, and
where's the casino in West
216
00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,240
Virginia?
Charleston.
217
00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,720
Charleston.
Yeah, the, the Mardi Gras
218
00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,880
stopped there on the way.
I mean, it was just, you know,
219
00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,200
22 with nothing else to worry
about.
220
00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,000
Tally, you've been to that one.
You've.
221
00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,640
Been to any Charleston casino?
I never want to go to West
222
00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,520
Virginia.
I don't care what kind of casino
223
00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,200
to have.
I don't, I just, I don't want to
224
00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:29,640
be there.
So anything in West Virginia,
225
00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,960
there's definitely don't need me
in it.
226
00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:33,520
But no, I haven't, I haven't
been there.
227
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,840
I went to, I went to the one in
Bristol, but I haven't been to
228
00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:39,800
the one in West Virginia.
Nice.
229
00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,360
Well, I was going to ask you
what was like your game.
230
00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,080
Clearly you, you, you laid it
right out there with the visit
231
00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,840
to the Horseshoe with the win
back in 2014 Miami.
232
00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,240
The Logan Thomas Miami game was
my freshman year and it was
233
00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,240
probably the best home game,
yeah.
234
00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:02,440
Dave Wilson lost two games that
year to the same team.
235
00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:04,520
Yep.
Clemson.
236
00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,880
Twice Clemson.
Twice, unfortunately.
237
00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:08,720
All right, well, let's get into
it.
238
00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,440
We got a lot of stuff to unload
and talk with Doug about.
239
00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,960
We are going to get kind of the
biggest topics we're going to
240
00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,160
talk with Doug as we get later
into the program is the retiring
241
00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,840
of Tim Sands, retiring with
Babcock and how that's kind of
242
00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,480
all going to shake out.
If y'all never followed Doug,
243
00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,800
first of all, give him a follow
at Doug Bowman 247.
244
00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:30,480
Doug somehow knows how to
navigate certain things in the
245
00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,880
stratosphere of governments and
contracts.
246
00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,720
And the next thing you know,
Doug puts it out, here's what's
247
00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:37,960
going to happen.
And you're like, Oh my God, that
248
00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,120
that that three days later it
happens.
249
00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,080
So give him a follow if you
don't do anything tonight.
250
00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,240
Also if you are a 247 or check
out his writings.
251
00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:49,320
Obviously a lot of good stuff,
but we're going to start non
252
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,400
football 1st.
And when this popped up just a
253
00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,360
few days ago, I was a little bit
of.
254
00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:57,920
In.
A little bit of disbelief
255
00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:04,000
because you don't hear about Non
Rev Sports getting this kind of
256
00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,280
donation.
At Virginia Tech.
257
00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:10,040
And what the Jester family from
Virginia Beach did by giving a
258
00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:15,040
million dollars, $1 million to
the wrestling program.
259
00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,920
And now it's left open as
$1,000,000 match out there now
260
00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,640
that what's they're asking for
is wild.
261
00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,280
So Doug, I'll start with you
being a a tech alum, knowing how
262
00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,080
good the wrestling program it
was, was that did that color you
263
00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,600
shocked or had there been
buzzings that like this was
264
00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,800
going to happen soon?
Yeah, I hadn't heard anything
265
00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:40,560
about about that kind of
donation to wrestling, as you
266
00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,800
said, like a non revenue sport.
That's I mean it's been the
267
00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,480
sport that Virginia Tech's
probably closest to winning a
268
00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,440
national championship in for
several years now.
269
00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:55,240
They have a really loyal
following and donor base and all
270
00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,600
that stuff, which has allowed
them to be really successful for
271
00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,600
a really long time.
So you know, it's not all that
272
00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,280
surprising to get kind of a
unique donation to a sport with
273
00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,760
that kind of support and
community and kind of long time
274
00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,720
success that they've had.
But like, like you kind of said,
275
00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,800
like $1,000,000 in in that kind
of sport is especially in
276
00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,760
today's kind of Rev share.
I don't know how much or if,
277
00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,720
what the plans are for that kind
of money, but I'm sure they'll
278
00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,120
they'll put it to good use to
try and get over the hump.
279
00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,720
And I don't, I don't, I don't
really understand wrestling,
280
00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,840
college wrestling, to be honest.
The whole like watch, I watch
281
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,160
them when there's a big match on
or something and like try and
282
00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,400
understand what's happening, but
I just can't, I can't figure it
283
00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:44,160
out.
But like, it's it's definitely
284
00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,640
the sport where it seems like
they're gearing up to make that
285
00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:51,520
push next year.
And Tony Roby's done a great job
286
00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,160
of, like, building probably the
most sustainable program at
287
00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,080
Virginia Tech for the last 15
years.
288
00:16:59,080 --> 00:16:59,400
Yeah.
A.
289
00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:01,320
Lot.
Brian.
290
00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,079
I mean, what did?
You think about, yeah, it's just
291
00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,000
you keep starting stacking
these, these wins.
292
00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,280
I mean, you had a bunch of
recruiting wins, you know,
293
00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:14,000
behind this and all of a sudden
you've got this influx.
294
00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,760
And I don't know if one began
the other or, or what was going
295
00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,400
on there, but this really puts
you in a really good spot
296
00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,000
heading into a season where you
feel, I think really good about
297
00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,720
your roster top to bottom and
kind of how you match up across
298
00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,440
the board.
I don't know if it's enough to
299
00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,880
to get us into the the national
championship conversation, but
300
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,240
you know, you're certainly going
to be at least in the probably
301
00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:42,440
the top of the heap of that,
that that next group there kind
302
00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,160
of puts you firmly in in a in a
top five category and you get
303
00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:47,880
that close.
So you can, you know, have a
304
00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:49,920
couple things go your way.
You might put yourself in a
305
00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,360
really good spot as you as you
kind of move through the the
306
00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:56,280
season coming up here.
It's just going to be exciting
307
00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,520
because, you know, I think
you're going to see, you know,
308
00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,080
this is the team that's already,
you know, consistently, you
309
00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:06,480
know, tops of the ACC.
You know, there's really only a
310
00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,320
handful of other schools that
have similar caliber or better
311
00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,640
caliber programs of Virginia
Tech at this point.
312
00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,280
So if if this is the the thing
that gets them over the hump, it
313
00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:19,960
could be really huge.
Tally anything on this when you
314
00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:21,280
read the news and saw those
things.
315
00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,720
Yeah, no, I'm kind of like, like
Doug said, when it comes to
316
00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:26,600
wrestling.
Like I know when they say
317
00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,240
somebody wins or somebody loses,
but I never know what's going
318
00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,560
on.
Like all I know is when NWO
319
00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:38,680
comes out with steam and Hulk
Hogan and The Rock, stuff like
320
00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:39,960
that.
Like, I know that kind of
321
00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,040
wrestling, but I don't know
nothing about the rules and
322
00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,120
stuff.
But I do know I will say this,
323
00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,120
we need football to be good.
We need football to be good.
324
00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,080
And I think James Franklin being
at Virginia Tech definitely
325
00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,040
plays a part in what some of the
other sports are able to do.
326
00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,920
Again, wrestling, this is the
own thing and they've been doing
327
00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:07,000
a great job.
But I do feel like when you do
328
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,960
have a lot of buzz around your
program that it creates
329
00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:14,400
excitement.
So I'm not saying that that
330
00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:17,960
$1,000,000 gift wasn't already
in the works, but I think
331
00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,960
getting a serious, you know,
football coach and then all of
332
00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,920
the changes that are coming from
up top probably had somebody
333
00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:27,720
said, oh, they're looking at
being serious about it.
334
00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:29,920
Yeah, I want to.
I'd like to get in on that.
335
00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:34,760
So keep doing that, everybody.
We need everybody to be good.
336
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,160
We do, but I get what you're
saying, Tally.
337
00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,200
Sometimes that stuff is the
springboard, right?
338
00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:44,000
Like everything from last August
with the the focus back pointing
339
00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,760
a lot of money back towards
football.
340
00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:49,120
Hired a big name coach, making
some serious moves.
341
00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,560
Maybe there is that donor out
there that loads the wrestling
342
00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,480
program that says, you know
what, if I write $1,000,000,
343
00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,040
some of the other money can
funnel back into football.
344
00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,920
By the way, Doug, you, you just
need to sign somebody who likes
345
00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:02,440
wrestling and wrestled in
college.
346
00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,360
We, we've had, we've had,
obviously we've had Joe Rogers
347
00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:08,560
on here, believe it or not.
As as much shenanigans as Joe
348
00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:10,640
causes, Joe knows wrestling.
Really.
349
00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,120
Knows wrestling.
He knows.
350
00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:14,280
Wrestling.
The other guy is one of my
351
00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,880
fraternity brothers from
Longwood named David Fuqua.
352
00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,760
He wrestled in college.
I text him all the time and he
353
00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,840
can tell me what happened in
this guy right here, who's our
354
00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:27,200
music man, Wrestled in high
school, coached middle school.
355
00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,040
Like if you somebody who
understands wrestling and you
356
00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,480
sit with them, they can tell you
what's happening and then it
357
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:34,880
makes sense.
Now what's?
358
00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:36,640
The issue is the next time
there's a match you're
359
00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,640
launching.
I forgot everything he told me
360
00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:40,040
while we were sitting.
It's gone.
361
00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,520
I just I just sit there when it
you know, it'll be on ACC
362
00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,120
network or one of those big one
of those big matches they have
363
00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:51,000
and like people start screaming
and saying too, too, too.
364
00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,280
And I'm like, I don't know
what's happening.
365
00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,240
I don't know why that, but good
job.
366
00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,840
Good job, Rogers, if you're out
there listening, make it AI chat
367
00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:03,280
agent Joe Rogers that we can
just, you know, queue up anytime
368
00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:04,800
a match is on so we'll know
what's up matches.
369
00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:06,480
On.
Please.
370
00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:11,040
Explain to us do a do a live
stream of what's going on with
371
00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:12,720
wrestling.
It's like when the NFL does like
372
00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,200
a Nickelodeon cat cast down a
little bit.
373
00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,800
We need the simpler version.
I need the overlay give me the.
374
00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:20,840
Overlay.
What's happening here I.
375
00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:22,640
Need type of video for this
wrestling match.
376
00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:25,960
One more non Rev talk
discussion.
377
00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,600
Yeah, I know you said we should
talk about it, but I am going to
378
00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,640
talk about it.
First of all, big kudos to
379
00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,640
women's softball.
Again, what, seven straight
380
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,320
regionals, seven straight NCAA
terms appearance.
381
00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,240
That's that's you.
I don't care what your program
382
00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:45,360
is, where you are making seven
times to the NCAA tournament is
383
00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:50,560
huge.
They get basically the 17 seed
384
00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,880
and basically a lot of chaos
that happened because there was
385
00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:58,320
well, it was because you're
having graduation.
386
00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,880
You can't you can't host.
There's not enough, there's not
387
00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:02,720
enough.
People say, first of all, that
388
00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:07,800
stadium is only like what, 2300?
It's not a massive 10,000 seat
389
00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,000
stadium.
So that's the first thing.
390
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,000
Then it's like, well, your
record kind of hurts you.
391
00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:16,600
You know, LSU is better.
Like we played like some of the
392
00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,280
same teams that LSU did and we
beat them six.
393
00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,160
You know, I don't think they had
a six and a record.
394
00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:26,680
So you got mutual competition.
I just and then and you know,
395
00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,040
Doug, you made such a fairpoint
on Twitter.
396
00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:30,560
How?
Are we going to host some of
397
00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,520
these games in the fall with
football?
398
00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:36,560
I mean, are are we going to be
able to have enough hotels?
399
00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,720
Yeah, I I put out a snarky
tweet, you know, and and I got
400
00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:47,120
to give credit to Sam Mostel
hope I said that right at tech
401
00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:49,400
sideline who did actual
reporting to figure out what the
402
00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,240
deal was.
I mean, it makes sense on like
403
00:22:53,360 --> 00:22:57,440
it makes sense once you here at
like it's a quick turn
404
00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,320
graduation weekend.
All the hotels are booked up for
405
00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,200
for the Georgia Tech football
game in the fall.
406
00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,760
Virginia Tech will have secured
that hotel for Georgia Tech well
407
00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:09,720
in advance and there's nothing
no problem with that.
408
00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:11,480
Like it all the reasoning makes
sense.
409
00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,400
What didn't make sense was why
they even why the selection
410
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,920
committee chair even like LED
with that like if if they're not
411
00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:23,840
a top 16, see then it doesn't
there's no reason to mention the
412
00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,600
hotels or anything like it's
that's the reason they didn't
413
00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,440
they're not hosting is because
they're not a top six team.
414
00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:35,120
But to even like bring that into
the conversation was felt like
415
00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:38,080
an own goal and they kind of
asked for that reaction.
416
00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:44,400
So I could there be could that
really be the real reason?
417
00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:48,800
Perhaps, But you know, you look
at it on the kind of, if you
418
00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,600
just look at the facts of trying
to turn around in a week and
419
00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:58,600
host four teams in Blacksburg,
Sure, it makes sense with
420
00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,800
graduation going on and having
all the all the hotels booked
421
00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,320
up.
I guess there's you could argue
422
00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:09,160
like can we extend the radius a
little bit to to fit some more
423
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,080
hotels in there?
But I guess the rules are the
424
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,040
rules.
Yeah.
425
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:18,120
And I guess that radius only
included like I guess like most
426
00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:21,160
of Salem and kind of that area
didn't like quite extend all the
427
00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:24,960
way through the better part of
Roanoke and all that stuff.
428
00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:28,800
So like a good a good portion of
the the hotels in Roanoke were
429
00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,000
kind of out of play and all this
other stuff with that.
430
00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,040
Which is interesting because,
like, for years, I know they
431
00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,440
stopped doing it in the last
couple years, but like, Tech
432
00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,880
would stay in Roanoke before
football games.
433
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:42,760
Yeah, no problem.
Just get a police escort.
434
00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:44,480
You're in Blacksburg pretty
quickly.
435
00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,800
Like there was never a concern
about or too far.
436
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:50,800
I know there was stuff about
like recruiting that made it
437
00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,000
inconvenient, but it wasn't a
problem when you have some
438
00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,320
resources to help, right, To
help you figure it out.
439
00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,880
Yeah, yeah.
And I know they like having, you
440
00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:03,360
know, guys on campus so you can
do stuff with the hosting and
441
00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:08,920
recruiting and that that makes
more sense from a being in in
442
00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:13,040
Blacksburg versus in Roanoke.
But yeah, I know what's what's
443
00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,440
the rule like 30 mile, 50 minute
drive?
444
00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,560
Or may or it might have been the
other way, 30 minutes or 45
445
00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,560
miles or something like that.
Yeah, yeah.
446
00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,880
And.
I know that based on what they
447
00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:28,480
were saying, it put like a a
good majority of the Roanoke
448
00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,720
area area out of play from a
hotel standpoint.
449
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,680
So like I get, I get that part
of it.
450
00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:37,800
But like to your point, why even
go down that road if you're
451
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,800
saying they're not a top 16 seed
anyway?
452
00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,960
If.
It weren't in play then why we.
453
00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,520
Were I think that's I.
Think we were.
454
00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:50,160
I think we were.
And then it was just like, well,
455
00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,240
we can't really make this
happen, So what can we do?
456
00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,120
We'll put them at 17.
And, and if you want to say that
457
00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,440
was the, you know, we can't
decide between these two teams,
458
00:25:58,440 --> 00:25:59,760
but they can accommodate
everybody.
459
00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,760
So that's where we're going.
You know that I'm fine if that,
460
00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:06,000
if that's the the qualifying
factor there, but like just to
461
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,960
come out and say, well, they
weren't a 16 anyway.
462
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,720
Well, they went down that road
that far.
463
00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:12,480
They probably worked.
They probably worked.
464
00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,960
Tally, I know you lost softball,
so I mean what you got.
465
00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,040
I ain't got nothing, man.
I I got nothing to I I you know
466
00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:22,200
what?
I do have something to say.
467
00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:23,000
Oh, he.
Got something?
468
00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:24,360
I see.
He got to give him a second
469
00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:25,320
here.
He's got to wind the money.
470
00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:31,120
Every time I I I looked at
hotels in Blacksburg to come up
471
00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:34,560
for I just looked at hotels for
the VMI game.
472
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:42,160
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Why is it so high?
473
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,040
Why does every boy around this
cost so much?
474
00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,400
I looked at Airbnb.
I looked at Airbnb's.
475
00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:55,200
Somebody was charging $1400 for
I think they said you could walk
476
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,880
to the stadium from this Airbnb.
I was like, no, I don't think I
477
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,400
want to walk big.
I have $1400 for a night.
478
00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,280
It may have been two nights, but
whatever the case is and I'm not
479
00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,920
doing it, man.
So hey, y'all got to get that
480
00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,120
hotel stuff taken care of.
Cause see, anytime I've come up
481
00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:14,640
for a game, we've stayed.
I think we stayed in like what's
482
00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,200
called Withville,
Christiansburg.
483
00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:22,520
Where's Radford?
Radford sometimes.
484
00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,920
Radford Yeah.
So I was driven.
485
00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,760
In the nose.
Before, yeah, so that's what I'm
486
00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:31,080
saying.
There's been plenty of times
487
00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:32,960
that we've come up and we just
had to stay.
488
00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:36,080
Like I've never stayed in
Blacksburg when I went up there.
489
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:39,360
So yeah, it's, it's state fault,
man.
490
00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,240
Y'all got them, y'all no hotels
too, too high and you got them
491
00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:46,280
booked up and stuff, man.
They wanted to let, they wanted
492
00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,360
to let Virginia Tech host it,
but the hotels is the problem.
493
00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,480
You know what, we got a friend.
Can you get some money together?
494
00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:58,480
I bet you he would build a hotel
up there if he knew it was going
495
00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,000
to be a problem.
You get to well.
496
00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,480
The well, the, the probability
is not the, the the problem,
497
00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,600
it's it's getting all the
permits and the land and
498
00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:12,160
everything by the the Blacksburg
Council and all that stuff that
499
00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,320
I think is hindering some of
some of that, that front.
500
00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:20,280
And I don't know a shortcut
around that.
501
00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,840
You know, we, we know Blacksburg
local politics is what it is so.
502
00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:31,560
We'll we'll give you his name
later, Tally, we'll let you give
503
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,800
him a call.
I thought we can, I thought.
504
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,000
Jerry on here and talk a little
bit about the the black man.
505
00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:37,520
On here, Yeah.
I thought.
506
00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:38,960
I thought y'all was going to say
Phil.
507
00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:40,440
That's the only reason.
I asked who it was.
508
00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,160
No, not Phil.
It's another one of our buddies.
509
00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,560
But he's also actually, you know
what, Brian, I might actually
510
00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,880
talk to Robbie about his new
purchase if he wants to sponsor
511
00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,520
it on here.
Yeah, that that's a good idea.
512
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,880
Seriously, I think that'd be a
good idea.
513
00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,080
We'll let y'all know about it
after the show.
514
00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,880
The guy too.
All right, let's get to what we
515
00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:02,920
really want to talk about.
Let's talk some football.
516
00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:07,360
Let's start with the recruiting
aspect first, because since we
517
00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:12,320
last came on here, the
recruiting has been absolutely
518
00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:17,640
on fire.
It is something that I can say I
519
00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,280
don't remember every.
I can't recall.
520
00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:25,160
I can't personally recall the
last time we sat in the teens.
521
00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,080
Yes, I know it's.
Made.
522
00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:29,640
I don't remember.
The last time we were in the
523
00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:35,040
teens and right now per the site
that Doug writes 4247, we are
524
00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:40,640
17th in the country.
And this isn't with like 3 or 4
525
00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,120
recruits.
This is with 11 recruits.
526
00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,240
And if you look around, nobody
around us has like 5 or 6.
527
00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:52,440
Everybody's in that same boat.
10111213 And so Doug, I want to
528
00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:55,960
start there and just you know, I
know you do different writings,
529
00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:57,880
but obviously it's the site
you're right for.
530
00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:03,320
But what are what is your just
initial thoughts of this wave
531
00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:09,040
right out of the gate with James
Franklin and and just the amount
532
00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,920
of the commits and the quality
of the commits?
533
00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:17,000
Yeah, I think the latter part is
the big piece of it, the quality
534
00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,520
of the commence.
I feel like every year around
535
00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:24,720
this time you get a run on
commits in May and June.
536
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,400
People have taken their official
visits in this decision time
537
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:30,640
spots.
You know, you start to see the
538
00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,920
puzzle pieces play out of the
spots getting taken out, taken
539
00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:35,560
up and stuff.
But I think the big difference
540
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,920
this year is, is really why you
hired James Franklin.
541
00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,600
It's his recruiting ability you
look at.
542
00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:44,960
I think there's been a
noticeable difference in the
543
00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:49,000
competition that Virginia Tech
is winning these battles against
544
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,840
compared to previous years.
I started just jotting these
545
00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,920
down.
This was last week, but so I've
546
00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,880
only got a handful of them.
But like Alex Taylor, they just
547
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,640
going based off the 247 article
that says he chose Virginia Tech
548
00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:09,160
over these these schools, you
know, A&M, Tennessee, Auburn,
549
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,520
Xavier Perkins, Miami,
Louisville, Joseph Buchanan, NC
550
00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,680
State, Arkansas, Tennessee,
Kelvin Morrison, Penn State,
551
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:21,840
Miami, Braxton Solster, the
tight end from Ole Miss, Auburn,
552
00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,760
Baylor.
Like it just feels like a
553
00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:29,440
different level of competition
that Virginia Tech is recruiting
554
00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:31,200
and winning recruiting battles
against.
555
00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:35,160
And that's solely because of
James Franklin and his
556
00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,920
recruiting ability, how his
track record sells itself, which
557
00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,880
helps when you're recruiting to
a new place like Virginia Tech.
558
00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:45,640
But you see them just like it's
definitely feels different
559
00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:51,320
immediately in terms of just the
quality of prospect they're
560
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:55,440
getting in terms of like the the
other schools also recruiting
561
00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:57,640
these players.
Yeah.
562
00:31:57,640 --> 00:31:59,720
And you talk about the quality
of the thing that I'd like to
563
00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,080
look at.
You know, I love the overall
564
00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,840
ranking, you see it in the
teams, but when you start
565
00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:08,480
looking at that average recruit
rank, that that's that's where I
566
00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:12,760
always look as far as a class in
terms of, you know, how good is
567
00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:16,320
this class and, and making those
comparisons to kind of other
568
00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,600
schools in that same area.
And you know, that checks out
569
00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,640
just as well, if not better than
than just looking at that
570
00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:26,240
overall range, just because you
know, volume a lot of times
571
00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:28,200
plays a factor in that and
things like that.
572
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:30,080
Where is that average recruit
rank?
573
00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,960
You know, that's that's going to
be there, you know, regardless
574
00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:35,400
of the the the size of the class
that you're taking in.
575
00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:39,240
And and that's continued to
trick trickle up and up and up.
576
00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:42,160
And now we're, you know, looking
at kind of the mid 80 eights,
577
00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,200
you know, pretty consistently
looking at how Franklin wrapped
578
00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:48,480
up last class and kind of where
this class is standing right
579
00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,960
now.
And and you got some some heavy
580
00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:55,160
hitters, you know, on the clock
here coming up.
581
00:32:55,160 --> 00:33:00,080
So you know that that could that
could go way up here, you know,
582
00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,920
potentially in a couple days.
So excited for the quality,
583
00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,880
excited to see us flip DeMarcus
Brown.
584
00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:11,920
I think that was, you know, it's
always good when you can eat off
585
00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:15,000
of little brother's plate a
little bit in the process of
586
00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:19,080
getting a quality prospect.
And then, you know, Chase
587
00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:21,880
Johnson sneaking in there.
And you hadn't really heard a
588
00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,600
whole lot about, you know,
Virginia Tech being, you know,
589
00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,960
super in play there.
And then, you know, he he
590
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,160
commits.
And I thought that was a big
591
00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,400
one, you know, beating out
Florida State for that one.
592
00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,200
So I mean, there's just so many
good things that are happening
593
00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,000
with this class so far.
That's got to be excited.
594
00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,360
The recruiting, the average
recruiting ranking is notable.
595
00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:44,240
I think for what where we are
kind of in the, the cycle of
596
00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:46,960
like you want that to be pretty
high at this point, because that
597
00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,400
means you're, you're hitting at
the top of your board or close
598
00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,960
to the top of the board versus
having to kind of go down
599
00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:56,680
further the you miss on your top
targets.
600
00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,000
And then you're you're kind of
going down the board for a
601
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:03,040
lower, lower ranked guy.
So that's exactly what you want
602
00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:04,240
to see.
I think the other thing that's
603
00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:08,360
notable, you talked about Chase
Johnson, you can throw Salster
604
00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:12,840
in there from, from Alabama, but
Stanley's smart from Georgia.
605
00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:15,600
They're they're, they're
stretching the footprint down
606
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:18,960
into the Southeast.
Right off the bat, you knew
607
00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:21,320
James Franklin was going to
recruit Pennsylvania, Maryland
608
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:24,120
and Northern Virginia.
Like it's the back of his hand.
609
00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:26,560
You knew he was going to go,
he's going to be able to go into
610
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:30,120
Charlotte and around the state
of Virginia and kind of within
611
00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,480
that like 3 hour radius of
Virginia Tech is probably going
612
00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:37,400
to sell itself with James
Franklin where he didn't have as
613
00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:42,679
much experience as going further
South into Georgia specifically.
614
00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:47,040
I think Norval McKenzie probably
was a strategic hire for that.
615
00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:50,639
But when you can kind of
everyone talks about the six
616
00:34:50,639 --> 00:34:53,560
hour radius and when you can
start to really push those
617
00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:58,240
boundaries and take full
advantage of the of that of the
618
00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,240
of the radius or footprint or
whatever you want to call it.
619
00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,680
I think that's, it's especially
notable right off the bat.
620
00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,680
You know, we're only five months
into this tenure, basically.
621
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,920
Yeah, yeah, Stretching into that
more, more of a 10 hour radius,
622
00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:14,440
you know, reaching down into,
you know, parts of Florida,
623
00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,760
getting into Georgia, getting,
you know, all those states
624
00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:22,480
where, you know, the, the depth
of, of the classes coming out of
625
00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:26,040
those states is so much greater
than what you see in Virginia.
626
00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:28,560
And, you know, there's a lot of
factors that play into that.
627
00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:32,560
And you still have to, you know,
I think you still have to
628
00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:34,760
Virginia still needs to be a
focus.
629
00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:39,960
But at the same time, once
you're out of the, you know, top
630
00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:43,560
15, top 20 of the state, you can
probably reach in some of those
631
00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:46,400
other States and get a
comparable, you know, comparable
632
00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,120
talent.
Chase Johnson.
633
00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:52,440
You know, much, much further
down, much further down there in
634
00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,160
state list.
But as far as their overall
635
00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:58,080
ranking is concerned, would be
would you know, they'd be a a
636
00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:01,280
top ten player if they were, you
know, simply ranked in Virginia,
637
00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:02,920
So 100.
Percent talent, you've been
638
00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:04,200
quiet.
What do you what do you want to
639
00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,800
say on this matter?
No, man, I'm just listening.
640
00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:08,520
I mean, I kind of hit on what I
was going to say.
641
00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,360
I'm glad of course they're
putting a, you know, emphasis on
642
00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:17,280
trying to recruit the state and
the footprint.
643
00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,880
But the footprint is you got to
get talent as well now, not no
644
00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,200
stupid ass shit like Texas, the
Vt and let's forget about
645
00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:25,920
Virginia.
You know, of course we're not
646
00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:29,880
thinking that.
But just like you were saying, I
647
00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:35,720
think Curtis was saying, or
maybe Brian, when you look at
648
00:36:35,720 --> 00:36:39,760
some of the caliber of recruits,
just the depth that some of the
649
00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:44,360
some of the recruits or states
have for the recruits, you
650
00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:48,840
might, you may be looking at a
50th in the state, but he's
651
00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:52,120
ranked at 89.
You know, it's just different.
652
00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:55,080
Sometimes at the end, listening
to what some of the recruits
653
00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,440
say, I can't remember which was
I think it was the running back
654
00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:02,400
from Georgia when Kobe did an
interview with him and he just
655
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:05,000
talked about, you know, why now
what, what was the time?
656
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,120
Why was it the time to to
commit?
657
00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:09,840
And he's saying, you know, I got
to get in.
658
00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:12,560
I don't want to lose my spot.
You know what I'm saying?
659
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,520
Like who it is me, you know what
I'm saying?
660
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,680
And you got you got kids already
saying that about Virginia Tech
661
00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,480
when we were begging people to
to come in at some points, not
662
00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,320
all the time, but you know,
sometimes in our recruiting
663
00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:29,360
Fuente Aras, we had people that
we was just trying to get a kid
664
00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,400
in, you know, just trying to get
anybody to.
665
00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:36,040
And and now you got kids saying,
you know, I'm just I got to get
666
00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:39,040
in early so I don't lose my spot
because I would hate for
667
00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:41,760
somebody to take my spot and I
not have that spot.
668
00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:43,120
I know that building something
up there.
669
00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:49,520
So kudos to the to the staff and
James Franklin, you know, like
670
00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:51,680
you said, stretching that that
footprint.
671
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,920
I don't know did we I I looked
at the I was look, when you
672
00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,600
asked me what I was doing.
I was looking at the the
673
00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:01,240
rundown.
Curtis, did we talk about the
674
00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:03,720
big recruit on Thursday in the
rundown in it we're.
675
00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:05,840
Going to get.
There, we don't get there.
676
00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:07,440
Hold.
On We're going to get there.
677
00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:09,440
I was trying to see it.
I didn't know if we, I didn't
678
00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:11,360
know if it was on there, so I
didn't want to that was.
679
00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:13,320
I was not on there, I missed it,
but Brian brought.
680
00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:15,920
It up.
I'll say this, I'll say this,
681
00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:17,560
I'll say this.
What?
682
00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:21,760
Because Doug brought him up.
The kid from Alabama is good.
683
00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:26,880
The kid from Alabama is good.
He's a phenomenal athlete at a
684
00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:30,520
very, he's a big fish in a small
pond right now.
685
00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:33,200
He goes to one of the smaller
schools in Alabama.
686
00:38:33,240 --> 00:38:38,520
I think it's a two way school
and he is dominating people in
687
00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,400
that until they get to the
playoffs, there's nobody who can
688
00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,800
do what he's doing that he plays
against.
689
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:47,240
All of the schools are going to
be similar to to him or to his
690
00:38:47,240 --> 00:38:49,000
school.
I think they may have went like
691
00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:53,600
10 and two last year.
You know, they may have been not
692
00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:55,960
one lost one game in the regular
season.
693
00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:01,840
But just thinking about like
that is a usually that's a
694
00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:06,480
Auburn type of player.
I wouldn't say Alabama caliber
695
00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:11,880
for how Alabama recruits, but
most of the time Auburn comes in
696
00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:14,320
and didn't even you know,
schools like you know, South
697
00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:18,880
Alabama, but even when we stay
in the SEC like Ole Miss was
698
00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:22,240
hard on this kid.
So for them to sneak in, you
699
00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:26,040
know, down in Pleasant Valley,
Alabama, which is Jacksonville.
700
00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:29,000
I went to Jacksonville State his
his his school is in
701
00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,680
Jacksonville, AL for them to
sneak in and be like, hey, we
702
00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,320
need you to come here for a
athlete like that. 65 he plays
703
00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,960
basketball.
It just lets me know like the
704
00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:42,920
recruiting, you know, prowess
that they have that they're
705
00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:46,000
they're going after it man.
And I, I, it's interesting to
706
00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:48,280
see it makes it fun again.
You know what I'm saying?
707
00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:52,640
Like now I got to put Doug on.
I got to turn my notices on for
708
00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:57,640
Doug and Kobe and Evan so I can
know what's going on because for
709
00:39:57,640 --> 00:39:59,280
years I was just like, man, it
don't matter.
710
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:00,920
I don't care.
You know what I'm saying?
711
00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:04,240
That you going to give me what,
858482?
712
00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:08,080
No disrespect to the kids, man,
you know, but I'm just being
713
00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:11,000
real now.
I got a now I'm getting excited
714
00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,600
about it a little bit more
because I mean, when you start
715
00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:18,320
saying, I know sometimes when
people write the articles, they
716
00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:22,560
may say, oh, he chose Virginia
take over this school, right?
717
00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:26,760
But if you really look at it and
you go back, because I go follow
718
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:30,160
visits and things like that and
I'm like, oh, this coach was in
719
00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:32,920
to see this kid.
Oh, this he's got pictures.
720
00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:37,040
He just went there.
OK, we doing something, Curtis,
721
00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,080
I ain't mean I ain't mean to
step in front of you, man.
722
00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:41,400
What you had to say you.
Didn't step in front of me, but
723
00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:44,120
obviously I was going to kind of
let us go around and talk about
724
00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:47,920
the recent wave of commits, and
I expected you to talk about
725
00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:49,960
Braxton.
He's from Alabama, you know
726
00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:51,880
about him.
But I'm going to flip it to our
727
00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:55,520
guest, Doug, of all these recent
commits of this big groundswell
728
00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:57,640
that's been happening in the
last about 3 weeks here.
729
00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:02,240
Is there a certain 1 you point
out just like that kid right
730
00:41:02,240 --> 00:41:05,640
there, whether it's Tate, his
offer list, maybe things you
731
00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:07,520
read about him.
Is there one that just pops out
732
00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:09,640
to you?
That's like, that's my guy,
733
00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:12,120
That's who?
I'm glad we got them in the
734
00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:14,840
boat.
I I'm going to go with Brian's
735
00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:18,680
guy, but DeMarcus Brown, I think
a wide receiver, I think
736
00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:22,160
Virginia Tech has recruited with
Fontel Mines has recruited the
737
00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:26,480
wide receiver position extremely
well on paper for the last
738
00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,040
several years.
It hasn't quite yet paid off on
739
00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:32,440
the field.
So like continuing to stock that
740
00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:35,960
position is a big one for me.
I know they got Roberts too of
741
00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:41,680
that's at that spot, but taking
up he's a composite 4 star from
742
00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:46,880
your in state rival at this
point of the process, like
743
00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,240
pretty pretty solid job.
You know, not like a late in the
744
00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:53,440
cycle type flip.
So they did a really good job
745
00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:56,320
recruiting him and he's he's one
of those that's one of those
746
00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:58,600
premium positions.
One of James Franklin's like go
747
00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:01,800
to quotes these days.
Is that like, what does he say?
748
00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:05,800
He says running backs have to
make like 3 people or four
749
00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:10,000
people miss before they're gone,
whereas receivers like they make
750
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,440
one guy miss and they're gone.
So he's trying to put a a big
751
00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:16,840
premium on on the wide receiver
position, maybe more so than he
752
00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:20,680
did at Penn State.
But I think Brown in particular
753
00:42:20,680 --> 00:42:26,320
at, you know, the 247 has him at
six, 3 1/2 is a four-star wide
754
00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:28,520
receiver.
That's the kind of like high
755
00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:31,840
level talent that you just need
to stock at that position.
756
00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:35,200
So you have like 3 really good
ones at the top of your depth
757
00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:37,120
chart.
Brian is George.
758
00:42:37,120 --> 00:42:39,240
DeMarcus, is that your guy right
now?
759
00:42:39,240 --> 00:42:41,720
Do you have another one?
It it's between him and Chase
760
00:42:41,720 --> 00:42:45,680
Johnson and I mean, just look at
looking at both of those.
761
00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,760
Yeah, those are areas that you
need to get some bodies in
762
00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:52,360
there, you know, outside of the
trenches, you know, you want to
763
00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:55,320
get as many cornerbacks and and
wide receivers in the room.
764
00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:01,160
It it's a position that, you
know, if, if things go well,
765
00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:04,120
they can play quickly and I
think that that's important as
766
00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:07,640
we're trying to level up the
talent in this roster is, is
767
00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:11,040
getting those, you know, high
caliber, high, high profile
768
00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:14,080
players in the building and, and
see what they can do right away.
769
00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:18,760
Probably cornerback, even more
so than wide receiver, you know,
770
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:23,200
if, if, if a cornerback has a
skill set, you know, you can get
771
00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:26,200
them out there pretty quick.
So you get more bodies in the
772
00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:27,800
building like a, like a Chase
Johnson.
773
00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:31,400
I think it's going to be be real
important to continue to keep
774
00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:34,560
the, the trajectory of that room
moving forward because you know,
775
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:39,200
when we look back, just, you
know, just to last year, man,
776
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:41,600
that room was in complete
shambles.
777
00:43:42,680 --> 00:43:46,760
And, and, and what Franklin has
been able to do with wrapping up
778
00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:50,600
the 26th cycle in the transfer
portal and now what he's
779
00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:52,800
starting to do in the 27th
cycle.
780
00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:57,080
I mean, this is really turning
something that was an absolute
781
00:43:57,080 --> 00:44:02,480
negative in 2025 into, you know,
you're looking at A at a pretty
782
00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:04,920
good plus room heading into this
year and it's only going to get
783
00:44:04,920 --> 00:44:06,400
better as this class grows up
all.
784
00:44:07,680 --> 00:44:09,080
Right.
I'm, I'm going to throw mine out
785
00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:11,760
there before we hit that topic
that's happening on Thursday
786
00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:16,200
that Tally wants to talk about,
but I want to go Kelvin
787
00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:18,640
Morrison.
Well, first of all, we've been
788
00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:21,720
talking about James Franklin
starting to create a further
789
00:44:21,720 --> 00:44:24,000
footprint down South.
Doug, I'm with you.
790
00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:28,120
The reason Norville was, the
reason Norville was hired was
791
00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:29,880
for that.
Georgia, South Carolina,
792
00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:32,720
Alabama, The reason Fontell was
kept on because of that.
793
00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:35,680
The reason Matt Moore was kept
on was because of the Ohio, New
794
00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:38,000
Jersey type connections that
he's always made.
795
00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:42,600
So he made a very conscientious
effort to make sure we've got to
796
00:44:42,600 --> 00:44:45,320
go further South because to what
Tally said, what we're all
797
00:44:45,320 --> 00:44:48,920
agreeing to here is some of
those states, the 50th ranked
798
00:44:48,920 --> 00:44:52,920
player is as good as the top
ten, top 15 in other states.
799
00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:55,280
And when you snatch one of them,
that's how you start building
800
00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:57,200
depth.
But the Morrison pick, for me,
801
00:44:57,200 --> 00:45:00,320
it's more of he is that
borderline 4 star running back
802
00:45:00,320 --> 00:45:03,680
out of Pennsylvania.
But it shows that he is not
803
00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:07,080
going to forget that area.
Doug, you said he should have a
804
00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:09,440
problem recruiting, but he's
proven I'm not going to forget
805
00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:11,600
about y'all.
Yes, I moved down to Virginia.
806
00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:13,760
Virginia's still our home base,
but I'm going to keep coming
807
00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:15,440
back up north.
I'm going to keep looking for
808
00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:18,680
players in this area to come in.
We lost Brian.
809
00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:20,800
That's very strange.
I don't know what's going on
810
00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:22,080
there.
So hopefully we'll jump back on
811
00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:23,440
in a second.
Here my Internet.
812
00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:25,880
He stole your Internet, You
stole his Internet.
813
00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:31,120
That's when it went on there.
But when you see that, I think
814
00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:34,640
that's what happened last week.
But when you see that, when you
815
00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:37,960
see him continuously pulling a
four-star out of there and then
816
00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:40,640
like the Saint Francis Academy
guys out of Maryland, it's like
817
00:45:40,920 --> 00:45:43,480
he's not forgetting about what
he built Penn State into.
818
00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:47,240
But now he's winding that base
and he's getting into the Deep
819
00:45:47,240 --> 00:45:49,440
South.
And obviously we expect probably
820
00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:51,000
Florida kids to start hopping
on.
821
00:45:51,240 --> 00:45:56,320
And I think that's the piece
because if you tell Doug we're a
822
00:45:56,320 --> 00:45:58,560
little bit older than you, like
what made Virginia Tech,
823
00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:01,880
Virginia Tech back in the day it
was Pennsylvania, Maryland,
824
00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:04,440
Jersey, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina,
825
00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:09,160
Georgia, and then some Florida
kids, those eight states Duvall
826
00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,280
in the Fort.
Lauderdale area in Fort
827
00:46:11,280 --> 00:46:15,440
Lauderdale area and if you say.
He's getting that back and it's
828
00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:17,880
not just he's just going in
there getting a player.
829
00:46:17,880 --> 00:46:21,840
He is getting, you know, in the
world's of Chase Johnson, a top
830
00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:25,000
50 player of the state.
And he's.
831
00:46:25,000 --> 00:46:27,640
Topped like 400 in the country.
It's like way zone.
832
00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,840
That's where it changes so.
I think another thing.
833
00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:35,200
Too, Curtis, just to kind of
piggyback on what you're saying,
834
00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:37,600
it's like, you know, of course
when you're talking recruiting
835
00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:42,440
this, the next recruit, the next
class, the current class, we
836
00:46:42,440 --> 00:46:45,640
still have people from the 26th
class that hadn't come in yet.
837
00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:48,680
And the reason I'm saying that
is because they're going to be
838
00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:51,320
very pivotal parts of what we're
looking at doing.
839
00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:55,880
Pierce, what Peterson, I think
his name is very because I'm
840
00:46:55,880 --> 00:46:59,520
talking about the tight end from
Alabama, you know, that that
841
00:46:59,520 --> 00:47:02,160
they, they that they've got to
commit.
842
00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:05,080
But this kid is supposed to be
there, you know, here in just a
843
00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:07,640
little bit.
He's he's a very talented tight
844
00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:08,920
end.
You know what I'm saying?
845
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:11,400
Did you think about some of the
recruiting that we've done in
846
00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:14,120
the past?
We would, you know, maybe get a
847
00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:17,760
four-star here or, you know, get
a four-star here and then we
848
00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:19,960
forget the position for two or
three years.
849
00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:23,040
Tommy Wilder.
Tommy Wilder is not even on
850
00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:25,920
campus yet.
He's a four-star, you know,
851
00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:29,320
lineman that that we're still
wearing the fat rat Brown.
852
00:47:29,720 --> 00:47:33,520
You know, when you talk about
those kids coming in and then
853
00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:36,960
you already are stacking other
kids behind them.
854
00:47:37,240 --> 00:47:39,800
That's how you build the depth.
You know what I'm saying?
855
00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:43,480
Every it seems like it's just
been, you know, that last
856
00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:46,200
recruiting cycle.
Now we're moving into this one
857
00:47:46,560 --> 00:47:50,440
and you can see the depth
starting to build with some of
858
00:47:50,440 --> 00:47:51,800
the positions that they're
doing.
859
00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:55,560
So we talk about like DeMarcus
Brown and then Fat Rat Brown
860
00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:58,960
both getting in there and being
in that wide receiver room.
861
00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:01,840
Because how many times at Tech
have we been like, oh man, we're
862
00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:05,120
going to have a great year and
this one player gets injured and
863
00:48:05,120 --> 00:48:08,040
it's like it throws everything
in disarray, You know what I'm
864
00:48:08,040 --> 00:48:10,760
saying?
And I get it, star players are
865
00:48:11,720 --> 00:48:14,560
star players for a reason.
But how many times does that
866
00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:17,520
happen at other schools?
Somebody gets injured and being
867
00:48:17,520 --> 00:48:19,440
a star is born.
You know what I'm saying?
868
00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:22,960
This person gets injured and
somebody else steps up and you
869
00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:24,680
know, they have a great year for
that team.
870
00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:27,600
I don't wish for anybody to get
injured by no means.
871
00:48:27,600 --> 00:48:29,400
That's not what I'm saying.
But I'm just saying you got to
872
00:48:29,400 --> 00:48:31,760
have depth in football.
And I think that's one of the
873
00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:34,040
big things that we have lacked
in the past.
874
00:48:34,360 --> 00:48:37,280
And I can see with the
recruiting and the people that
875
00:48:37,280 --> 00:48:41,680
they brought in through the
transport portal that it's it's
876
00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:45,080
getting a lot better.
So yeah, that's the big thing
877
00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:48,080
with.
The blue chip ratio is something
878
00:48:48,080 --> 00:48:51,880
I follow pretty closely the the
ratio of four stars and five
879
00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:54,080
stars you get compared to
everyone else.
880
00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:57,480
Indiana finally broke it from
the national championship
881
00:48:57,480 --> 00:49:00,480
perspective, but I but it's
still like a good metric in
882
00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:05,560
terms of do you have enough
talent on the roster to survive
883
00:49:05,840 --> 00:49:09,080
the injury, to survive the
portal guide, to survive that.
884
00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,080
Like it's a measure of kind of
the margin for error you've
885
00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:16,400
given yourself for all the
roster shenanigans that happened
886
00:49:16,400 --> 00:49:21,280
these days in college football.
If you're like it's a you see
887
00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:24,200
that the NFL draft now all the
time, but like if you recruit 4
888
00:49:24,200 --> 00:49:28,000
stars and five stars more often,
like you're going to be fine the
889
00:49:28,000 --> 00:49:31,720
vast majority of the time. 1%
Tex at 11.
890
00:49:31,720 --> 00:49:33,280
Go ahead, you.
Go ahead.
891
00:49:33,280 --> 00:49:35,240
Finish off.
I didn't.
892
00:49:35,240 --> 00:49:36,880
I was.
Just going to say Tex at 11.
893
00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:43,160
Blue chips since Franklin took
over, which is class and a half,
894
00:49:43,320 --> 00:49:47,880
I guess class and a quarter,
that's the most in a two class
895
00:49:47,880 --> 00:49:55,400
period or that's the third most
in a two class period. 2526 and
896
00:49:55,400 --> 00:50:01,000
then going back that 2017,
2018-2019 run that Fuente was on
897
00:50:01,000 --> 00:50:04,160
before it went sour.
And that's basically it for the
898
00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:06,120
last 25 years of machine tech
football.
899
00:50:06,120 --> 00:50:09,360
So like he's already, he's
already approaching like the
900
00:50:09,360 --> 00:50:12,520
most talent that has ever been
brought in in such a short
901
00:50:12,520 --> 00:50:14,560
period of time.
Yeah.
902
00:50:14,760 --> 00:50:16,000
And and.
The problem with you.
903
00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:19,480
When you look at the the Fuente
situation is that talent came in
904
00:50:19,480 --> 00:50:22,120
the building, but it most of it
quickly went out of the
905
00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:25,200
building.
And I think that that's that's
906
00:50:25,200 --> 00:50:28,920
where someone like James
Franklin, who has even in the
907
00:50:28,960 --> 00:50:32,680
transfer portal in NIL time
frame, has done a really good
908
00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:35,360
job of retaining the talent that
he recruits.
909
00:50:36,240 --> 00:50:39,080
So that that's where that comes
into play as well.
910
00:50:39,080 --> 00:50:41,960
And we've you talk about the
pillars that he has for the
911
00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:45,480
program, you know, recruiting
your current roster and keeping
912
00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:49,320
those guys in the building,
making sure that they're they're
913
00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:51,160
locked in.
They understand what their role
914
00:50:51,160 --> 00:50:53,840
in the team is and taking care
of those guys.
915
00:50:53,840 --> 00:50:56,640
That's been a priority for him.
It was a priority at Penn State.
916
00:50:56,720 --> 00:51:00,600
And he's doubled down on that
commitment, it sounds like at
917
00:51:00,600 --> 00:51:04,200
Virginia Tech so far.
So that's going to be important
918
00:51:04,200 --> 00:51:06,080
moving forward as well.
And you know, it's good to have
919
00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:12,520
someone like Franklin that has a
history of navigating not only
920
00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:15,040
getting talent in the building,
but keeping that talent in the
921
00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:17,800
building.
I think I think it's history is.
922
00:51:18,040 --> 00:51:21,400
Probably what drives a lot of
that, it's like, yeah, you can
923
00:51:21,400 --> 00:51:24,560
leave, but you're not like
you're not guaranteed to find
924
00:51:24,560 --> 00:51:27,560
somebody better.
You're taking a pretty.
925
00:51:27,560 --> 00:51:30,480
Sizable risk.
To leave a James Franklin coach
926
00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:33,360
program, maybe that maybe that
ends up being more true at a
927
00:51:33,360 --> 00:51:35,920
Penn State type program than
Virginia Tech, but it's still
928
00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:39,720
that kind of like trust and
track record that sells itself
929
00:51:39,720 --> 00:51:44,760
of like, I'm already here and
I'm close if you're not close.
930
00:51:44,760 --> 00:51:46,880
You're probably going to leave.
Anyway, but for those guys that
931
00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:50,640
are close and could go either
way, it feels like with a little
932
00:51:50,640 --> 00:51:54,320
bit more track record, a little
bit more winning, it becomes
933
00:51:54,320 --> 00:51:59,160
harder and harder to leave.
Yeah, and to Tally's point, I.
934
00:51:59,160 --> 00:52:01,320
Mean, you know.
You talk about the injuries, you
935
00:52:01,320 --> 00:52:04,560
know, when we looked at that
last year, I mean, we had really
936
00:52:04,560 --> 00:52:08,440
three position groups that were,
you know, an injury or an opt
937
00:52:08,440 --> 00:52:12,240
out from being OK.
We we can, we can live with,
938
00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:15,080
with the talent that we have to
all right, this room is a
939
00:52:15,120 --> 00:52:17,760
problem and that, you know, with
this cornerback, it's offensive
940
00:52:17,760 --> 00:52:19,240
line.
It was defensive line,
941
00:52:19,720 --> 00:52:21,880
particularly defensive end.
We couldn't rush the passer.
942
00:52:21,880 --> 00:52:25,880
We already had a cornerback room
in shambles and that's that's a
943
00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:29,400
recipe to to not have a very
good defense.
944
00:52:29,920 --> 00:52:32,640
And if you can't protect your
quarterback, then you've got all
945
00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:34,520
sorts of other problems on the
other side of the football.
946
00:52:34,520 --> 00:52:38,400
So that that's that's how you
that's how a season that wasn't
947
00:52:38,400 --> 00:52:41,840
going to be good to begin with
went off the runs pretty quick
948
00:52:41,840 --> 00:52:44,920
last year and and then.
To your point.
949
00:52:45,240 --> 00:52:48,120
Doug with like, Franklin and his
track record, well, when
950
00:52:48,120 --> 00:52:52,960
literally after the NFL draft,
they start popping up, oh, what
951
00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:55,080
schools have the most NFL
talent?
952
00:52:55,080 --> 00:52:58,560
And it's like Penn State is 6.
And it's just like we get to
953
00:52:58,560 --> 00:53:01,640
raise our hand and be like, hey,
that head coach is here now that
954
00:53:01,640 --> 00:53:03,560
head coach is here.
He's not up there anymore.
955
00:53:03,560 --> 00:53:06,400
He's down here.
It's like they're literally
956
00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:10,280
doing a sales pitch for the new
coach to a new program, which is
957
00:53:10,320 --> 00:53:13,800
unbelievable, All right?
Speaking.
958
00:53:13,800 --> 00:53:15,000
Of blue.
Chips.
959
00:53:15,920 --> 00:53:18,160
Speaking of blue chips, that.
Ratio.
960
00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:23,560
Has a potential chance to get
even better on Thursday with
961
00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:27,480
Peter Fort if y'all.
I have a feeling everybody
962
00:53:27,520 --> 00:53:29,680
snows, but if y'all have not
looked up Peter Bork.
963
00:53:29,800 --> 00:53:31,760
This is 247.
This is Doug's site.
964
00:53:32,320 --> 00:53:34,400
He is the 7th ranked quarterback
in the country.
965
00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:37,320
He is the 80th ranked player in
the country.
966
00:53:37,320 --> 00:53:39,280
He is the top player in
Massachusetts.
967
00:53:39,280 --> 00:53:42,280
He is 6 foot 4.
He is 220 lbs.
968
00:53:42,520 --> 00:53:50,000
His offer list is long and it
seems like it's down to Georgia.
969
00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:53,280
His offer list is insanely long
with a lot of really good teams.
970
00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:56,280
It seems like it's down to
Georgia and us.
971
00:53:56,560 --> 00:54:00,280
Doug, whatever you can tell us
how you're feeling about this,
972
00:54:01,320 --> 00:54:06,480
let us know because we are right
at 36 hours or so the way you
973
00:54:06,600 --> 00:54:09,800
think he's announcing in the
morning I.
974
00:54:10,000 --> 00:54:12,880
Do not, I do not know when he's.
Announcing exactly.
975
00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:15,080
I think last I saw it was still
TBD.
976
00:54:15,640 --> 00:54:17,600
It's Thursday sometime right?
Thursday.
977
00:54:17,600 --> 00:54:19,760
Sometime I'm not sure what when.
Exactly.
978
00:54:20,040 --> 00:54:22,160
Thursday, 12:00 PM.
They got it up, Yeah.
979
00:54:22,520 --> 00:54:24,520
All right.
So we are right at 36 hours.
980
00:54:26,200 --> 00:54:29,520
This this is.
Really a fascinating kind of
981
00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:31,800
when you think about where,
where, where Virgin Tech was in
982
00:54:31,800 --> 00:54:34,640
the fall and now they're
recruiting one of the top
983
00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:37,320
quarterbacks in the country
against Georgia and Penn State.
984
00:54:37,880 --> 00:54:42,480
Pretty ridiculous, but it's just
a fascinating, like, this level
985
00:54:42,480 --> 00:54:44,840
of recruiting is something
Virginia Tech has not done and
986
00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:48,440
like, has not competed for this
level of recruiting.
987
00:54:49,320 --> 00:54:50,840
Who knows how long maybe.
Josh.
988
00:54:50,840 --> 00:54:53,760
Josh Wet was the last one way
back when.
989
00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:58,800
But like today, they just you
know, the story just came out of
990
00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:02,920
his high school or I think
hosted a camp of sorts of
991
00:55:03,000 --> 00:55:06,520
showcase and Georgia, Penn
State, Virginia, this guy's
992
00:55:06,520 --> 00:55:10,600
deciding less than 48 hours and
all three Staffs are right there
993
00:55:10,600 --> 00:55:15,520
on the sideline watching them.
So it's just like this is the
994
00:55:15,520 --> 00:55:18,640
level of this is the recruiting
that you do at the top of the
995
00:55:18,640 --> 00:55:24,320
SEC and the top of the Big 10
and for for his level of
996
00:55:24,320 --> 00:55:27,760
quarterback at the most
important position on the field.
997
00:55:27,760 --> 00:55:31,560
But it's it's a big one.
I have no idea where it's going
998
00:55:31,560 --> 00:55:34,680
to go.
I think, I think you get down as
999
00:55:34,680 --> 00:55:37,800
tight as this has been and with
all the dominoes, you know, you
1000
00:55:37,800 --> 00:55:42,400
start following the wood kid
that Penn State is supposedly
1001
00:55:42,400 --> 00:55:46,400
like, I don't know whether he's
their number one choice or he's
1002
00:55:46,400 --> 00:55:50,200
their fall back option.
Apparently George's been
1003
00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:53,280
recruiting other quarterbacks.
So you start to try and follow
1004
00:55:53,280 --> 00:55:55,360
the musical chairs of what's
happening.
1005
00:55:57,520 --> 00:56:00,000
So we'll see.
The other thing that is that
1006
00:56:00,000 --> 00:56:02,960
I'll say at the like, at this
level of recruit, it's been
1007
00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:07,920
crazy things happen at the last
second programs.
1008
00:56:07,920 --> 00:56:12,240
Decide to go for it.
When they decide to spend that
1009
00:56:12,240 --> 00:56:15,600
extra resource to make it happen
if that's what they need to get
1010
00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:19,960
it across the finish line.
So I think the next 48 hours or
1011
00:56:20,280 --> 00:56:24,000
less than 48 hours at this point
will probably generate one of
1012
00:56:24,000 --> 00:56:27,760
those great post signing day
stories of like what it was like
1013
00:56:27,880 --> 00:56:30,600
going back and forth, especially
in today's age with all the
1014
00:56:30,600 --> 00:56:35,600
agents and stuff.
But it like getting him on the
1015
00:56:35,600 --> 00:56:38,200
heels of getting, you know, Troy
Hoon last year, another
1016
00:56:38,200 --> 00:56:42,960
four-star quarterback really
sets up Tech's quarterback room
1017
00:56:43,440 --> 00:56:47,880
with a lot of high level talent.
And I mean, that's what you need
1018
00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:49,800
to do at the quarterback
position is laying one of those
1019
00:56:49,800 --> 00:56:52,480
guys every year.
Eventually you hit a home run on
1020
00:56:52,480 --> 00:56:55,920
them and you you'll you'll have
a higher hit rate when you're
1021
00:56:55,920 --> 00:56:59,640
recruiting at the Bork level
than Keldon Ryan.
1022
00:56:59,640 --> 00:57:03,640
No disrect, disrect to him, but
Knox Kadem, all the all the guys
1023
00:57:03,640 --> 00:57:08,240
that tech was trying to do that
with Pop Watson, like good
1024
00:57:08,240 --> 00:57:10,440
strategy.
It's just going to take a while
1025
00:57:10,440 --> 00:57:13,200
to find the diamond in the rough
kind of thing at that level of
1026
00:57:13,200 --> 00:57:17,040
quarterback recruiting.
But Hoon and followed by Bork
1027
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:20,400
like would be quite impressive
and like kind of set up the the
1028
00:57:20,400 --> 00:57:23,720
next probably phase two of the
Franklin era if you think about
1029
00:57:23,720 --> 00:57:26,720
Grunk Meyer being phase one.
Yeah, I mean, I think.
1030
00:57:27,080 --> 00:57:28,800
You know, if you're able.
To land Bork, I think that would
1031
00:57:28,800 --> 00:57:33,000
be the highest composite
quarterback commit since Logan
1032
00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:35,800
Thomas.
So it wasn't really a
1033
00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:36,480
quarterback.
For.
1034
00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:38,480
Commit at the time.
All right, I saw.
1035
00:57:38,520 --> 00:57:42,480
Somebody was discussing.
It today on our board about like
1036
00:57:42,480 --> 00:57:45,920
Brian Randall was probably the
late like he's the best since
1037
00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:51,280
Brian Randall, which was O2 O
three yeah in terms of
1038
00:57:51,280 --> 00:57:56,000
quarterback prospect.
Yeah, I mean.
1039
00:57:57,080 --> 00:57:59,120
It's wild, man.
It's it's going to be
1040
00:57:59,120 --> 00:58:02,080
interesting to see how the next
30 to 6 hours shake out because
1041
00:58:02,800 --> 00:58:07,600
you know that that's something
that can you know that, that.
1042
00:58:07,600 --> 00:58:10,040
Has a ripple effect.
Across the rest of the class,
1043
00:58:10,120 --> 00:58:13,840
you know, getting somebody like
that in the building, so excited
1044
00:58:13,840 --> 00:58:16,880
to see how that shakes out for
the Hokies and what sort of
1045
00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:19,320
ripples it causes for the rest
of the class.
1046
00:58:19,320 --> 00:58:23,000
And, you know, whether it has
that that coattails effect that
1047
00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:25,240
you you sometimes see with a
recruit like that.
1048
00:58:25,880 --> 00:58:28,680
Yeah, so.
Tally anything y'all want to.
1049
00:58:29,200 --> 00:58:31,920
Put a cap on it.
Scared to death, scared to.
1050
00:58:32,080 --> 00:58:34,320
Death, I ain't going to lie to
you.
1051
00:58:35,120 --> 00:58:37,840
Scared to death.
He going to be Tally.
1052
00:58:37,840 --> 00:58:41,880
Ain't getting nothing done at
work on on on Thursday until
1053
00:58:41,880 --> 00:58:44,240
that commitment.
So he going to be refreshed,
1054
00:58:44,800 --> 00:58:48,200
refreshed going on the boards,
following Doug, following Evan,
1055
00:58:48,200 --> 00:58:51,640
following the take because I've
been I've been on the.
1056
00:58:51,640 --> 00:58:54,920
Boards too much.
There's been all kind of stuff
1057
00:58:54,920 --> 00:58:57,040
going on.
You know, that's a paywall.
1058
00:58:57,040 --> 00:58:59,440
So I ain't going to tell y'all
if y'all want it, they give good
1059
00:58:59,440 --> 00:59:00,720
deals.
Go on there, get your
1060
00:59:00,720 --> 00:59:04,000
subscription.
But I can say, man, it is still
1061
00:59:04,000 --> 00:59:07,640
is exciting just to see.
But I don't know man.
1062
00:59:07,960 --> 00:59:10,520
It's just usually me being a
Virginia Tech fan.
1063
00:59:10,520 --> 00:59:13,600
This doesn't end well for us
speaking.
1064
00:59:13,600 --> 00:59:16,760
It don't end well for us.
Why did the office of lineman
1065
00:59:16,760 --> 00:59:19,880
had to throw our hat?
Oh yeah.
1066
00:59:20,400 --> 00:59:23,000
Yeah.
Why did he have to?
1067
00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:26,080
Throw our hat.
Like what did we do to it?
1068
00:59:26,920 --> 00:59:28,960
What did we do to it?
We didn't.
1069
00:59:28,960 --> 00:59:30,320
Do anything to it?
I don't know.
1070
00:59:31,400 --> 00:59:34,920
He said that kid, he said that
kid if he ever, if he fails at
1071
00:59:34,920 --> 00:59:36,360
life.
He got to come back to rolling
1072
00:59:36,400 --> 00:59:38,840
up.
I need a job.
1073
00:59:39,320 --> 00:59:41,240
No.
You ain't getting a job here.
1074
00:59:41,680 --> 00:59:44,000
No one else would, don't you?
Don't you have nothing on?
1075
00:59:45,160 --> 00:59:46,840
You head on back to Janesville,
brother.
1076
00:59:47,560 --> 00:59:49,360
Head back to the ain't ain't
going in Gainesville.
1077
00:59:49,360 --> 00:59:51,640
All right, so.
We're going to kind of put a
1078
00:59:51,640 --> 00:59:54,720
wrap on recruiting.
Again, great spots.
1079
00:59:54,960 --> 00:59:58,800
Thanks Doug for all the info
there, the insights and just
1080
00:59:58,800 --> 01:00:01,600
your thoughts on that because we
do respect them significantly.
1081
01:00:02,120 --> 01:00:04,640
Let's flip up to where we said
we were going to talk about
1082
01:00:04,640 --> 01:00:07,920
initially because you know we
want to bring these things up
1083
01:00:07,920 --> 01:00:11,800
because we have not talked about
them and obviously over the last
1084
01:00:11,800 --> 01:00:13,320
few weeks couple things have
happened.
1085
01:00:13,640 --> 01:00:16,560
Within the realm of Virginia
Tech, that may not directly
1086
01:00:16,560 --> 01:00:21,320
affect the football program, but
the, the, the, the strategies
1087
01:00:21,600 --> 01:00:24,440
and all that stuff are going to
be affected significantly.
1088
01:00:24,440 --> 01:00:28,160
And that is Tim Sands announces
his retirement.
1089
01:00:29,600 --> 01:00:33,600
So Doug, you know, obviously you
were there as an undergrad when
1090
01:00:33,600 --> 01:00:36,720
Sands first came on, correct?
And obviously you've seen the
1091
01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:39,480
last decade plus of, you know,
everything that's happened.
1092
01:00:39,480 --> 01:00:43,800
But what's just your two?
Thoughts.
1093
01:00:44,040 --> 01:00:46,960
Thoughts on him in general?
For what he did at the school
1094
01:00:47,120 --> 01:00:50,160
and then the thought on how this
retirement and when this
1095
01:00:50,160 --> 01:00:53,320
retirement happened.
I think.
1096
01:00:53,960 --> 01:00:59,280
It's hard to not being in tune
with what makes a truly
1097
01:00:59,280 --> 01:01:02,800
successful president of
university on the academic side.
1098
01:01:04,160 --> 01:01:07,920
It's a little hard to, for me to
like pass a grade on on him
1099
01:01:07,920 --> 01:01:11,160
overall.
I think, you know, I, I know the
1100
01:01:11,320 --> 01:01:13,680
Amazon thing up in Northern
Virginia is going to be a long
1101
01:01:13,680 --> 01:01:19,240
term like, like great, great
long term play for Virginia
1102
01:01:19,240 --> 01:01:22,680
Tech.
He, I know he also hired Charlie
1103
01:01:22,680 --> 01:01:27,000
Fleeger, who's Virginia Tech's
advancement director of advanced
1104
01:01:27,080 --> 01:01:30,440
advancement.
I guess who if you look at their
1105
01:01:30,440 --> 01:01:34,480
like university side fundraising
numbers over the last 10 years.
1106
01:01:34,680 --> 01:01:38,720
He retired last summer.
I guess end of last summer
1107
01:01:39,640 --> 01:01:42,760
Fleeger did.
But like that was a smashing
1108
01:01:42,760 --> 01:01:45,080
success as well.
So like you, you, you can point
1109
01:01:45,080 --> 01:01:48,360
to some stuff that sounds good.
I'm sure other people who are
1110
01:01:48,360 --> 01:01:51,360
way more in tune with University
Rankings and all that stuff.
1111
01:01:51,360 --> 01:01:54,360
I know AAU membership has been a
big goal.
1112
01:01:55,800 --> 01:02:02,120
That's been something that was
like frequently in board of
1113
01:02:02,120 --> 01:02:06,040
visitors meetings, discussions
in terms of like where, where,
1114
01:02:06,080 --> 01:02:07,800
where's Virginia?
Tech in terms of.
1115
01:02:07,880 --> 01:02:12,000
Its peers that are a member of
the AU so that you can you can
1116
01:02:12,000 --> 01:02:15,440
tell they want to get in there
and it didn't happen under his
1117
01:02:15,440 --> 01:02:17,040
watch.
So maybe that's something that
1118
01:02:17,040 --> 01:02:19,040
you Ding him for, but I don't
know.
1119
01:02:19,040 --> 01:02:23,560
I think I think overall then
you.
1120
01:02:23,680 --> 01:02:26,680
Then you bring in the athletics.
Discussion which was just a
1121
01:02:26,680 --> 01:02:31,800
fail, but just there's no other
way to the to look at that.
1122
01:02:31,800 --> 01:02:35,360
He was the president.
Virginia Tech was not successful
1123
01:02:35,360 --> 01:02:38,760
in football except you can give
him 2016 and 2019.
1124
01:02:40,360 --> 01:02:43,520
The athletic director who was in
charge of athletics was still
1125
01:02:43,520 --> 01:02:45,600
the athletic director until the
very end.
1126
01:02:46,680 --> 01:02:50,480
Like it's just that that that
will be a big part of his
1127
01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:55,560
legacy, just like it's a big
part of Stevens legacy in terms
1128
01:02:55,560 --> 01:02:58,920
of like what Virginia Tech was
able to do in athletics during
1129
01:02:58,960 --> 01:03:02,960
his tenure.
So that's that's notable as far
1130
01:03:02,960 --> 01:03:06,920
as the departure going back.
To athletics, it definitely
1131
01:03:06,920 --> 01:03:10,080
speed.
It up you know the rumors for
1132
01:03:10,080 --> 01:03:13,760
for a long time were that he was
going to wrap up in 27 and and
1133
01:03:13,760 --> 01:03:17,600
ride off in the sunset retire
then was probably going to give
1134
01:03:17,600 --> 01:03:22,280
Virginia Tech a nice patient
presidential presidential search
1135
01:03:23,000 --> 01:03:25,080
on that timeline.
But like the just lack of
1136
01:03:25,080 --> 01:03:29,200
success on the football side
eventually led this board of
1137
01:03:29,200 --> 01:03:32,320
visitors to take the action that
they have taken over the last
1138
01:03:33,000 --> 01:03:37,680
you know since that August
August presentation and speed
1139
01:03:37,680 --> 01:03:41,400
all of this up.
You know Sands is writing
1140
01:03:41,400 --> 01:03:44,800
editorials and like inside
higher Ed about the future of
1141
01:03:45,080 --> 01:03:48,640
college sports like a month
before his announcement.
1142
01:03:49,880 --> 01:03:53,560
So, you know, I think I think he
still probably wanted to retire
1143
01:03:53,560 --> 01:03:58,480
in 27 as planned, but when like
the timeline just got out of
1144
01:03:58,480 --> 01:04:02,160
whack when Tech was not
successful in athletics and they
1145
01:04:02,360 --> 01:04:08,280
they could not wait to to
replace him and try and hire a
1146
01:04:08,280 --> 01:04:08,920
new.
Athletic.
1147
01:04:09,320 --> 01:04:11,000
Director and all that stuff like
that.
1148
01:04:11,040 --> 01:04:15,400
It had to flow in that sense.
So they had to, they had to push
1149
01:04:15,400 --> 01:04:18,000
him, push him out a little
earlier than I think the
1150
01:04:18,400 --> 01:04:21,680
intended plan would have been.
I'm, I'm going to say this,
1151
01:04:21,680 --> 01:04:23,120
Brian, I know.
You're going to kind of jump
1152
01:04:23,120 --> 01:04:26,040
into the next thing.
His statement still, I think it
1153
01:04:26,040 --> 01:04:29,280
was 18.
Eventually this.
1154
01:04:29,280 --> 01:04:32,640
College Sports.
Bubble is going to burst eight
1155
01:04:32,640 --> 01:04:35,480
years later, Timmy.
It ain't burst buddy.
1156
01:04:35,480 --> 01:04:38,240
It's just gotten bigger.
In your thought, his thought
1157
01:04:38,240 --> 01:04:42,400
process on it has been
completely incorrect.
1158
01:04:42,800 --> 01:04:45,920
It's gotten bigger.
It's got even stronger with some
1159
01:04:45,920 --> 01:04:49,400
of the TV deals and to me,
again, not from a higher
1160
01:04:49,400 --> 01:04:51,640
education because I think from
an education point of view and
1161
01:04:51,640 --> 01:04:55,360
what he did for that wonderful.
But when he said that that
1162
01:04:55,440 --> 01:04:59,080
irritated a lot of people.
We we didn't get there.
1163
01:04:59,760 --> 01:05:01,320
Me, me and Brian.
Tyler didn't go there.
1164
01:05:01,320 --> 01:05:02,880
Like, you know, me and Brian got
in.
1165
01:05:02,880 --> 01:05:06,080
Tyler played football down at
Jacksonville State, but it's
1166
01:05:06,080 --> 01:05:07,640
like.
We didn't go here.
1167
01:05:08,120 --> 01:05:10,200
But this is our team.
This is our team from when we
1168
01:05:10,200 --> 01:05:16,040
were, you know, ten, 11-12 years
old and then you say that like
1169
01:05:16,040 --> 01:05:17,560
it it kind.
Of irks you because.
1170
01:05:17,560 --> 01:05:20,320
It's kind of like there the
reason why this?
1171
01:05:20,320 --> 01:05:23,520
University.
Built so big was the late 1990s
1172
01:05:23,520 --> 01:05:28,120
in the in the boom of football
and when Michael Vick played and
1173
01:05:28,120 --> 01:05:30,360
how much the enrollments.
Our friend Robbie, who was in
1174
01:05:30,360 --> 01:05:34,160
the chat earlier, he was like,
basically, I'm going to get into
1175
01:05:34,160 --> 01:05:37,360
tech and then Michael Vick
happened and then it was I'm not
1176
01:05:37,400 --> 01:05:41,240
going to get into tech anymore.
So I just, I want to say that
1177
01:05:41,240 --> 01:05:44,440
because I will never forget him
saying that and that coming out
1178
01:05:44,840 --> 01:05:47,560
because it was like, dude, you
don't know how crazy college
1179
01:05:47,560 --> 01:05:49,480
football fans are.
We spend lots of money.
1180
01:05:49,480 --> 01:05:54,440
We're stupid.
I think, well, that was an. 18
1181
01:05:54,440 --> 01:05:57,120
you said, right, I think it was
18 it was well.
1182
01:05:57,400 --> 01:05:58,840
Well then, like I mentioned,
the.
1183
01:05:58,840 --> 01:06:00,920
Inside Higher Ed editorial
rights.
1184
01:06:00,920 --> 01:06:03,240
And then he signed on.
This all happened in the last
1185
01:06:03,240 --> 01:06:07,920
like four months, but he signed
on to another letter with three
1186
01:06:07,920 --> 01:06:11,400
other university presidents, his
last two big like public
1187
01:06:12,960 --> 01:06:14,680
leadership.
Attempts were.
1188
01:06:15,280 --> 01:06:18,640
A let the letter that signed
where they basically said
1189
01:06:19,400 --> 01:06:21,560
please, please follow the rules
guys.
1190
01:06:22,680 --> 01:06:25,680
And then the set and then the
the the inside higher Ed one,
1191
01:06:25,680 --> 01:06:30,360
which he said where he tried to
like tried to pitch the reality
1192
01:06:30,360 --> 01:06:33,760
that athletic department should
be, should take.
1193
01:06:33,800 --> 01:06:37,240
I forget what the exact wordage
wordage was, but it was like,
1194
01:06:37,560 --> 01:06:40,160
you should be OK with having
less, less success.
1195
01:06:40,640 --> 01:06:43,400
So so that we can figure this
out, Like winning is you should
1196
01:06:43,600 --> 01:06:46,720
you should be OK with winning
less competing less.
1197
01:06:47,360 --> 01:06:51,960
Like it's like LSU literally
just spent $150 million to lure
1198
01:06:51,960 --> 01:06:54,520
Lane Kiffin away and now you're
telling them that they should
1199
01:06:54,520 --> 01:06:57,480
like care a little less about
their athletic program.
1200
01:06:58,520 --> 01:07:02,440
Those were the two moments where
I was just like, it's it's
1201
01:07:02,440 --> 01:07:05,720
coming to an end soon.
And I and I'd love to know if if
1202
01:07:05,720 --> 01:07:09,960
those him signing off of that
and doing that like speed up,
1203
01:07:10,400 --> 01:07:13,520
speed up the process a little
bit, because at that point, like
1204
01:07:13,920 --> 01:07:17,920
it just was like that kind of.
And I, I think we'll get into
1205
01:07:17,920 --> 01:07:21,040
what Virginia Tech needs in the
next president from an athletic
1206
01:07:21,040 --> 01:07:23,720
standpoint.
But it's just like that, that
1207
01:07:23,880 --> 01:07:27,280
that can't be the opinion of the
president of Virginia Tech,
1208
01:07:27,640 --> 01:07:30,800
especially after you just put
$230 million in the athletic
1209
01:07:30,800 --> 01:07:34,520
department. 2 words that.
James Franklin likes
1210
01:07:34,520 --> 01:07:39,920
institutional alignment and, and
the other thing that that I'll
1211
01:07:39,920 --> 01:07:42,720
talk about a little bit before
we get to the next thing is that
1212
01:07:43,680 --> 01:07:47,160
the the problem that I had with
Sands from an athletic
1213
01:07:47,160 --> 01:07:49,960
department standpoint and just
an athletics and general
1214
01:07:49,960 --> 01:07:55,320
standpoint is that you can
either be proactive or reactive.
1215
01:07:55,320 --> 01:08:01,720
And at our best, we were always
reactive, meaning that we had to
1216
01:08:02,280 --> 01:08:06,400
show that it wasn't working
before we made any changes.
1217
01:08:07,680 --> 01:08:09,440
And I think.
That that's where you.
1218
01:08:09,440 --> 01:08:14,680
Know Virginia Tech for a long
time coasted on the fact that
1219
01:08:15,440 --> 01:08:20,160
Frank Beamer was able to do a
lot with what he was given.
1220
01:08:21,439 --> 01:08:27,520
And we never modernized from an
operational standpoint, from a
1221
01:08:27,520 --> 01:08:32,840
funding standpoint to still
maintain a competitive program
1222
01:08:33,200 --> 01:08:35,200
with our peers.
And I'm not just talking about
1223
01:08:35,200 --> 01:08:37,439
competing for a national
championship or winning the AC.
1224
01:08:37,439 --> 01:08:42,200
I'm talking about just to be
competitive in the ACC and we
1225
01:08:42,200 --> 01:08:43,120
were not.
Doing.
1226
01:08:43,120 --> 01:08:44,920
That.
And part of that comes from
1227
01:08:44,920 --> 01:08:48,279
leadership, like if you're if
you're not recognizing that
1228
01:08:48,279 --> 01:08:52,120
that's a problem, you've got to
have a solution for that.
1229
01:08:52,120 --> 01:08:56,600
And you've got to look at where
things are going and take some
1230
01:08:56,600 --> 01:09:00,439
risk on there in the process.
And I feel like we were so risk
1231
01:09:00,439 --> 01:09:05,760
averse and chasing our tail for
the majority of his tenure that,
1232
01:09:05,960 --> 01:09:09,479
you know, you get to a point
where you finally get the BOV
1233
01:09:09,560 --> 01:09:12,120
that recognizes the issue and
makes this investment.
1234
01:09:12,120 --> 01:09:15,000
But you've got to have
leadership that are bought in.
1235
01:09:15,000 --> 01:09:18,000
So you got to have a president
that's bought into that vision.
1236
01:09:18,000 --> 01:09:20,920
You got to have an athletic
director, which we'll talk about
1237
01:09:20,920 --> 01:09:22,720
a little bit that's bought into
that vision.
1238
01:09:22,720 --> 01:09:27,080
So it's an exciting time from an
athletic standpoint because you
1239
01:09:27,120 --> 01:09:29,160
you get to get some some new
blood in here.
1240
01:09:29,160 --> 01:09:35,640
And hopefully someone that sees
how athletics drives everything
1241
01:09:35,640 --> 01:09:39,439
else that happens at Virginia
Tech Athletics is such a big
1242
01:09:39,439 --> 01:09:44,000
part of what makes Virginia Tech
a great place to go to school, a
1243
01:09:44,000 --> 01:09:46,760
great place to go to a game, a
great place to go visit.
1244
01:09:47,800 --> 01:09:52,600
If you're not putting that as a
big piece of the overall
1245
01:09:52,840 --> 01:09:55,760
university experience, then
you're missing the point.
1246
01:09:57,480 --> 01:09:59,280
Let's.
Let's pivot a little bit though.
1247
01:09:59,280 --> 01:10:03,560
Let's talk about like what with
the new president, what do you
1248
01:10:03,600 --> 01:10:07,240
know about kind of the process
of of what's happening next on
1249
01:10:07,320 --> 01:10:12,960
that front and what that
timeline looks like timeline?
1250
01:10:12,960 --> 01:10:14,760
'S going to be.
Interesting because most of
1251
01:10:14,760 --> 01:10:18,960
these searches take a long time.
I think that was the plan.
1252
01:10:20,440 --> 01:10:24,280
Like if Sands was able to retire
in 27 to give a nice long drawn
1253
01:10:24,280 --> 01:10:28,080
out search.
You know, it's one of those,
1254
01:10:28,480 --> 01:10:32,080
like I was saying on the
academia side, like candidates
1255
01:10:32,400 --> 01:10:36,480
who knows who's interested in
this job, all that stuff.
1256
01:10:36,840 --> 01:10:41,280
They had a board of visitors
meeting yesterday where the
1257
01:10:41,840 --> 01:10:47,000
search for search firm they
hired, Isaacson Miller, gave a
1258
01:10:47,000 --> 01:10:51,680
little presentation.
They had a meeting earlier in
1259
01:10:51,680 --> 01:10:56,800
the week, I think for like
faculty and students to weigh
1260
01:10:56,800 --> 01:11:01,920
in, which I'm not sure how much
that is just a required thing or
1261
01:11:01,920 --> 01:11:04,400
whether they're actually taking
the opinions of those people
1262
01:11:05,280 --> 01:11:08,240
into the search.
So I, I think the first thing
1263
01:11:08,240 --> 01:11:10,880
has been done.
They've, they've hired the
1264
01:11:10,880 --> 01:11:16,760
search firm Isaacson Miller to,
to run it and to start kind of
1265
01:11:16,760 --> 01:11:19,360
vetting pros, vetting potential
candidates.
1266
01:11:19,760 --> 01:11:23,080
I don't know where they'll go.
It's pretty similar.
1267
01:11:23,280 --> 01:11:26,040
It's kind of similar in terms of
like where they're going with
1268
01:11:26,040 --> 01:11:29,480
the athletic director search of
do you do you take somebody
1269
01:11:29,480 --> 01:11:34,680
who's come up, come up in the
traditional administration of
1270
01:11:34,720 --> 01:11:38,840
universities or do you go
outside and kind of hire an
1271
01:11:38,840 --> 01:11:44,280
outsider from the.
Business, world or politics?
1272
01:11:44,280 --> 01:11:47,000
Or something like that.
Who's not just like kind of like
1273
01:11:47,000 --> 01:11:51,360
Sans was the Provost of Purdue
before he became the president
1274
01:11:51,360 --> 01:11:54,560
of Virginia Tech.
So like that's going to be an
1275
01:11:54,640 --> 01:11:58,920
interesting decision on where
where they want to go in that
1276
01:11:58,920 --> 01:12:00,840
direction.
But I think, I think it's going
1277
01:12:00,840 --> 01:12:06,320
to, it's going to take months
because these searches, even if
1278
01:12:06,320 --> 01:12:10,280
you wanted to do them in in a
hurry, like if that takes months
1279
01:12:11,960 --> 01:12:14,640
and, and then, you know, you get
into all the political appointee
1280
01:12:14,640 --> 01:12:18,120
stuff and the board of visitors
stuff and like getting all
1281
01:12:18,120 --> 01:12:21,320
those, all that lined up and
improved and all that.
1282
01:12:21,320 --> 01:12:25,040
I think you, I think you're
looking into the summer at the
1283
01:12:25,040 --> 01:12:29,360
very earliest, like in the even
that feels fast to me.
1284
01:12:30,960 --> 01:12:36,400
So, and, and I think I don't, I
don't know, like the leaks of
1285
01:12:36,400 --> 01:12:40,320
names and how frequent that'll
be and like how, how, how you
1286
01:12:40,320 --> 01:12:44,280
can really kind of grasp who the
true candidates are because I
1287
01:12:44,280 --> 01:12:46,640
don't, I don't know how you
would have identified Tim Sands,
1288
01:12:46,640 --> 01:12:50,080
the Provost of Purdue, as the
top candidate almost.
1289
01:12:51,040 --> 01:12:52,400
We'll almost say this, but I
think.
1290
01:12:52,400 --> 01:12:57,360
With like how you research, I do
think if if you're not.
1291
01:12:57,360 --> 01:12:58,440
If you're wondering who the
next.
1292
01:12:58,520 --> 01:13:01,320
Virginia Tech president is you
better be following Doug and you
1293
01:13:01,320 --> 01:13:05,440
better be out the 247 because
like the BOV, you've been so
1294
01:13:05,440 --> 01:13:08,040
good at getting those minutes
and getting them out there
1295
01:13:08,040 --> 01:13:11,160
quickly to folks and saying this
is what was being said.
1296
01:13:11,440 --> 01:13:13,320
You've done a great job of
analyzing it.
1297
01:13:13,920 --> 01:13:16,400
I mean, no, kudos to you, man.
Because a lot of those like when
1298
01:13:16,400 --> 01:13:19,320
that stuff was going on in
August, like I'm trying to read
1299
01:13:19,320 --> 01:13:21,280
and I'm like, OK, I understand
some of this.
1300
01:13:21,560 --> 01:13:23,080
And some of it's like, where's
Doug?
1301
01:13:23,480 --> 01:13:25,640
Like where Doug's going to do
something good.
1302
01:13:25,640 --> 01:13:27,560
I'm going to be able to like
consume it.
1303
01:13:27,560 --> 01:13:31,320
So again, I, I, I'll give you
your props, but let me ask this.
1304
01:13:31,600 --> 01:13:37,560
And we talk about sports, but
like, if you had to choose like
1305
01:13:38,040 --> 01:13:41,760
like a perfect candidate, like
like I want them from like this
1306
01:13:41,760 --> 01:13:43,640
type of school, this type
background.
1307
01:13:43,640 --> 01:13:47,040
Do you have like 3 or 4 things?
Like if they check a couple of
1308
01:13:47,040 --> 01:13:49,760
those boxes where as you're
reading like about a candidate
1309
01:13:49,760 --> 01:13:54,080
like this guy, please pick this
guy like University of Georgia
1310
01:13:55,040 --> 01:13:58,040
deeper S like what's your what's
your reality on that?
1311
01:13:58,040 --> 01:13:59,640
I mean, I think, I think he kind
of.
1312
01:14:00,200 --> 01:14:04,680
Went in that direction of it's
got to be somebody who is from a
1313
01:14:04,680 --> 01:14:08,360
football school that understands
the importance of football too
1314
01:14:08,360 --> 01:14:12,200
at school.
I think it.
1315
01:14:12,200 --> 01:14:16,720
Also needs to be somebody.
That the school has been at the
1316
01:14:17,080 --> 01:14:21,880
forefront towards the forefront
of the the changes in college
1317
01:14:22,040 --> 01:14:26,480
college athletics over the last
10 to 15 years or even the last
1318
01:14:26,480 --> 01:14:29,200
five years since COVID.
Like if you haven't been, if
1319
01:14:29,200 --> 01:14:32,600
your school hasn't been and you
were in a leadership, assuming
1320
01:14:32,600 --> 01:14:35,480
you were in a leadership
position there, like hasn't been
1321
01:14:36,560 --> 01:14:38,880
successful in navigating the new
world.
1322
01:14:39,720 --> 01:14:41,640
I don't think you're going to be
a candidate for this role,
1323
01:14:41,640 --> 01:14:44,880
especially with this current
board of visitors and $230
1324
01:14:44,880 --> 01:14:47,720
million that they want to invest
in the right way and
1325
01:14:48,120 --> 01:14:52,480
successfully turn that into wins
and a sustainable business
1326
01:14:52,480 --> 01:14:55,520
model.
Like there's got to be some re
1327
01:14:55,560 --> 01:14:58,760
not only like understanding of
the importance of football to
1328
01:14:58,760 --> 01:15:03,280
the university, but also some
like recent track record of this
1329
01:15:03,280 --> 01:15:07,280
is what that university did to,
to achieve success there.
1330
01:15:07,280 --> 01:15:09,280
So I think those are the two
biggest things.
1331
01:15:11,400 --> 01:15:14,680
I think if you wanted to go
outside and like like I said
1332
01:15:14,680 --> 01:15:17,640
earlier, you could have the same
discussions about the athletic
1333
01:15:17,640 --> 01:15:19,440
director role.
But if you wanted to go outside
1334
01:15:19,920 --> 01:15:24,000
of the traditional athletics
role, it's like do you have
1335
01:15:24,000 --> 01:15:25,960
success?
Have you had success kind of
1336
01:15:25,960 --> 01:15:28,560
innovating in a business model
and building something
1337
01:15:29,120 --> 01:15:31,720
essentially from scratch in a in
a new environment?
1338
01:15:33,720 --> 01:15:36,560
No, that's perfect it kind.
Of leads into the next thing
1339
01:15:36,560 --> 01:15:39,560
that we talked about when you
said you know the AD because
1340
01:15:39,720 --> 01:15:43,960
we're going to talk about Mr.
Mr. Wit Babcock here but I'll
1341
01:15:43,960 --> 01:15:48,720
start by saying I'm working
doing my thing today and I get a
1342
01:15:48,840 --> 01:15:52,960
ESPN little tidbit that comes.
Through and I'm.
1343
01:15:52,960 --> 01:15:56,200
Thinking for sure it's going to
say LeBron is coming back to the
1344
01:15:56,200 --> 01:15:58,280
Lakers next year, something like
that.
1345
01:15:58,560 --> 01:16:04,360
But instead I get I get a story
that says James Franklin says
1346
01:16:04,360 --> 01:16:07,680
Virginia Tech's next AD must be
aggressive with football.
1347
01:16:08,240 --> 01:16:14,160
So that is what that is what
James Franklin had to say.
1348
01:16:14,800 --> 01:16:18,680
Doug, what say you about with
Babcock and kind of what his
1349
01:16:18,680 --> 01:16:25,040
status is and where Virginia
Tech is moving forward with
1350
01:16:25,400 --> 01:16:28,840
with?
Babcock I think the writing.
1351
01:16:28,840 --> 01:16:32,640
Was on the wall for him.
Right from the time the football
1352
01:16:33,040 --> 01:16:38,360
search got taken from him, you
know, when you're the athletic
1353
01:16:38,360 --> 01:16:41,200
at the university and you don't
have control over who the next
1354
01:16:41,200 --> 01:16:42,640
head football coach is going to
be.
1355
01:16:43,080 --> 01:16:45,440
It's I think the clock is
ticking at that point.
1356
01:16:46,360 --> 01:16:50,640
It was just a matter of time.
They, they, they did a great job
1357
01:16:50,640 --> 01:16:53,200
of alignment of saying, you
know, James Franklin credited
1358
01:16:53,200 --> 01:16:55,680
with during the search and his
work with the agents and all
1359
01:16:55,680 --> 01:16:58,240
that stuff.
But I, I don't, I think this
1360
01:16:58,240 --> 01:17:03,720
was, was, was pretty, pretty
planned right around the time
1361
01:17:03,720 --> 01:17:05,960
that they decided they needed a
committee instead of the
1362
01:17:05,960 --> 01:17:08,000
athletic director to find the
next head coach.
1363
01:17:11,080 --> 01:17:17,440
I think in general.
Babcock was just not going back
1364
01:17:17,440 --> 01:17:20,240
to what Brian was talking about,
proactive versus reactive, which
1365
01:17:20,280 --> 01:17:24,840
is not proactive enough, and in
improving the athletic
1366
01:17:24,840 --> 01:17:27,480
department.
I think I know John.
1367
01:17:27,840 --> 01:17:30,440
I know John Boleyn takes a lot
of heat for how long he stuck
1368
01:17:30,440 --> 01:17:34,160
around, but there's a lot of
that in the athletic department.
1369
01:17:34,160 --> 01:17:37,080
No disrespect to them.
That has been there a long time.
1370
01:17:37,080 --> 01:17:41,440
And if you look at over the last
5-10 years of college athletics,
1371
01:17:41,840 --> 01:17:45,320
like there's been so much change
and not much change at Virginia
1372
01:17:45,320 --> 01:17:47,920
Tech.
And, and I think you saw a lot
1373
01:17:47,920 --> 01:17:54,600
of that play out on the field.
I know maybe that presentation
1374
01:17:54,600 --> 01:17:57,320
ends up being Babcock's defining
legacy.
1375
01:17:57,320 --> 01:18:02,000
I think the board members,
Peterson and McCarthy were
1376
01:18:02,000 --> 01:18:04,400
influential in even getting that
on the agenda.
1377
01:18:05,640 --> 01:18:11,280
But like though I guess the you
could see if that investment
1378
01:18:11,280 --> 01:18:15,120
pays off, the Babcock's legacy
becomes that essentially,
1379
01:18:15,120 --> 01:18:18,640
because I don't know that
there's much else there.
1380
01:18:19,840 --> 01:18:23,960
He hired Buzz Williams worked
out for the five years there,
1381
01:18:24,080 --> 01:18:26,600
but they they haven't made an
NCAA tournament in men's
1382
01:18:26,600 --> 01:18:28,200
basketball in the last Four
Seasons.
1383
01:18:28,600 --> 01:18:30,640
They've only had two good
football years during his
1384
01:18:30,640 --> 01:18:33,560
tenure.
Like the on field success just
1385
01:18:33,560 --> 01:18:36,640
wasn't there to to warrant how
long he was the athletic
1386
01:18:36,640 --> 01:18:38,720
director.
Well, I think then to.
1387
01:18:38,960 --> 01:18:42,320
With where if sometimes he he
couldn't hit a layup, he
1388
01:18:42,320 --> 01:18:44,960
couldn't read the room and that
that goes back.
1389
01:18:45,480 --> 01:18:51,040
Everybody in Hokie nation can
remember 2020 when there is a
1390
01:18:51,200 --> 01:18:54,040
you probably got notification.
We start hearing, oh, Wit's
1391
01:18:54,040 --> 01:18:57,240
doing a press conference today
and it literally is everybody's
1392
01:18:57,240 --> 01:18:59,720
reading the tea leaves, oh, this
is the day Justin Puente's
1393
01:18:59,720 --> 01:19:03,680
buyout is like $1,000,000.
And it's like, oh, he's firing
1394
01:19:03,680 --> 01:19:04,720
him.
Good for what?
1395
01:19:04,720 --> 01:19:09,040
You know, make that strong move
in that interview and doing it
1396
01:19:09,040 --> 01:19:14,840
that day it it's like you got to
have a sense of what's going on
1397
01:19:14,840 --> 01:19:18,280
inside your community, inside
the walls of the athletic
1398
01:19:18,280 --> 01:19:21,440
department.
And in my opinion, just from
1399
01:19:21,440 --> 01:19:26,480
what I saw was 12 years, right,
because he was 2014 that right.
1400
01:19:28,320 --> 01:19:31,560
Like in the beginning it was.
OK, because football was still
1401
01:19:31,560 --> 01:19:33,400
OK.
And then he made the Fuente
1402
01:19:33,400 --> 01:19:35,840
higher where it looked like oh
wow, he got one of the hottest
1403
01:19:35,840 --> 01:19:37,680
main coaches, he knew what he's
doing.
1404
01:19:38,360 --> 01:19:44,080
And then after like 2019, it was
just like fallacy after.
1405
01:19:44,080 --> 01:19:46,600
Fallacy.
After falling on your face after
1406
01:19:46,600 --> 01:19:50,040
doing something dumb over and
over again.
1407
01:19:50,880 --> 01:19:56,800
And it was just like, Oh my God,
I, I, this is terrible.
1408
01:19:57,000 --> 01:20:00,120
In in. 2020 is just the cap.
That's just the cap.
1409
01:20:00,240 --> 01:20:04,160
No one will ever forget that
because most people, most
1410
01:20:04,160 --> 01:20:07,880
universities, most athletic
directors would see, yeah, if
1411
01:20:07,880 --> 01:20:10,680
we're going to keep them, I
definitely shouldn't do it that
1412
01:20:10,680 --> 01:20:13,680
day because every single person
in the world are going to think
1413
01:20:13,680 --> 01:20:17,600
of fine.
Yeah, I I was thinking about
1414
01:20:17,600 --> 01:20:19,800
that when.
Brian was talking about Sands,
1415
01:20:19,800 --> 01:20:24,880
but like that that decision and
you can and I think Sands and
1416
01:20:24,880 --> 01:20:28,240
Babcock both have the same
amount of blame for that
1417
01:20:28,240 --> 01:20:31,040
decision of at that point of
Fuente's tenure.
1418
01:20:31,040 --> 01:20:34,040
And I know it was right after
COVID, so everything was wonky.
1419
01:20:36,200 --> 01:20:38,480
I think at that point of
Fuente's tenure, it should have
1420
01:20:38,480 --> 01:20:41,520
been pretty clear that he was
not as interested in recruiting
1421
01:20:41,520 --> 01:20:44,280
as you were going to need to be
to be successful.
1422
01:20:46,280 --> 01:20:51,680
That was what, 2016171819?
So five seasons in, if you're
1423
01:20:51,680 --> 01:20:56,800
as, if you're as proactive and
like engaged in the program as
1424
01:20:56,800 --> 01:20:59,120
you need to be, I think as an
athletic director these days,
1425
01:20:59,120 --> 01:21:03,640
that or a president that should
have been a lot clearer that
1426
01:21:04,720 --> 01:21:07,480
giving him another year isn't
probably not going to change
1427
01:21:07,480 --> 01:21:11,040
much.
And so that just ended up being
1428
01:21:11,040 --> 01:21:15,280
essentially a wasted year there
in 2021 at at during a time when
1429
01:21:15,280 --> 01:21:19,440
Tech's roster was pretty well
stocked too, like those two
1430
01:21:19,440 --> 01:21:22,920
seasons were.
The 2020 roster was fantastic.
1431
01:21:22,920 --> 01:21:27,560
It just got wrecked by COVID.
And then the 2021 was projected
1432
01:21:27,560 --> 01:21:28,480
to be.
Pretty good.
1433
01:21:28,960 --> 01:21:31,560
If they could, could have gotten
the quarterback position right,
1434
01:21:31,560 --> 01:21:35,760
yeah.
And and you know when we look
1435
01:21:35,760 --> 01:21:37,720
at.
Win and you know, to Curtis to
1436
01:21:37,720 --> 01:21:41,320
your point that that presser was
like a double whammy because
1437
01:21:41,320 --> 01:21:45,920
it's like you, you expect to get
fired and instead, you know wit
1438
01:21:45,920 --> 01:21:47,000
comes.
Out there and it's.
1439
01:21:47,000 --> 01:21:51,600
Like double down, baby.
Doubling down.
1440
01:21:51,600 --> 01:21:55,280
On the choice and then like
pointing the fingers when you
1441
01:21:55,360 --> 01:22:02,200
started pointing the fingers at
at fans of like, OK, well, what?
1442
01:22:02,760 --> 01:22:04,200
We're we're not going to pay.
Attention to fans.
1443
01:22:04,200 --> 01:22:07,600
They're probably not giving that
much anyway to the program and
1444
01:22:07,600 --> 01:22:09,960
we're like what we're going to
we're.
1445
01:22:09,960 --> 01:22:11,240
Going to we're going to go
there.
1446
01:22:11,240 --> 01:22:14,640
We're.
Going to hit there at the end of
1447
01:22:14,640 --> 01:22:18,800
the day and I know like you
can't make all.
1448
01:22:18,800 --> 01:22:21,280
Of your decisions.
Based on fan sentiment and I get
1449
01:22:21,280 --> 01:22:24,760
that like but the writing was on
the wall.
1450
01:22:25,760 --> 01:22:29,480
Fuente was at best going to be a
lame duck coach heading into the
1451
01:22:29,480 --> 01:22:34,240
2021 season, barring A9 plus win
season.
1452
01:22:35,040 --> 01:22:39,080
And when you when you aren't
able to recruit, you don't do a
1453
01:22:39,080 --> 01:22:44,880
good job of recruiting where you
need to be recruiting, it was
1454
01:22:44,880 --> 01:22:47,720
just a recipe for disaster.
And, you know, you ended up in
1455
01:22:47,720 --> 01:22:50,920
the same place that you were
going to be anyway one year
1456
01:22:50,920 --> 01:22:56,240
later and.
I think you know when you talk
1457
01:22:56,240 --> 01:22:58,840
about the.
You know this like parting.
1458
01:22:58,840 --> 01:23:02,960
Shot being kind.
Of part of that legacy for me,
1459
01:23:02,960 --> 01:23:05,600
it, it, it's, it's great that
it's happening, but it's
1460
01:23:05,720 --> 01:23:08,440
absolutely too little too late
in a lot of ways.
1461
01:23:08,440 --> 01:23:12,680
Because, you know, if you had
been this proactive
1462
01:23:13,520 --> 01:23:18,880
incrementally, you wouldn't have
to have this huge influx of cash
1463
01:23:19,480 --> 01:23:24,120
into the athletic department all
at once and have to completely
1464
01:23:24,120 --> 01:23:27,760
restructure what you're doing.
And this goes back to his
1465
01:23:27,760 --> 01:23:31,600
leadership starting in 2014.
I mean, this is something where,
1466
01:23:31,640 --> 01:23:35,160
you know, Fuente comes in and
recruiting wise was kind of just
1467
01:23:35,160 --> 01:23:38,400
handed the playbook that that
Beamer had and, you know, had
1468
01:23:38,480 --> 01:23:41,680
had had some decent success with
that.
1469
01:23:42,400 --> 01:23:47,360
But instead of incrementally
working more staffers into that
1470
01:23:47,360 --> 01:23:51,880
recruiting program, more money
into the ability to to recruit
1471
01:23:51,880 --> 01:23:58,600
more money into the into the
staff and to the the the
1472
01:23:58,600 --> 01:24:01,600
coaching staff itself, we just
didn't.
1473
01:24:01,600 --> 01:24:04,200
Do the the little.
Things incrementally along the
1474
01:24:04,200 --> 01:24:09,120
way to set ourselves up for
success and a lot of that falls
1475
01:24:09,120 --> 01:24:12,560
back on wit you know the.
The the coach.
1476
01:24:12,560 --> 01:24:17,800
Can only work with what he's
been given and that's not to say
1477
01:24:17,800 --> 01:24:22,240
that Fuente or Pride maximize
that necessarily, but at the
1478
01:24:22,240 --> 01:24:27,160
same time you.
Were kind of playing with 11.
1479
01:24:27,160 --> 01:24:30,160
Hand behind your back from jump
street because of the way the
1480
01:24:30,160 --> 01:24:32,480
athletic department was
structured in in the amount of
1481
01:24:32,480 --> 01:24:37,400
investment and overall.
Plan.
1482
01:24:37,800 --> 01:24:44,680
That that wit had for the
program, Sally, what you got, I
1483
01:24:44,720 --> 01:24:47,160
mean, when you think.
About a DS, I mean, it's kind of
1484
01:24:47,160 --> 01:24:52,040
like 4 key factors that you're
going to look at like their
1485
01:24:52,040 --> 01:24:57,560
adaptability, So what they're
going to do in the landscape of
1486
01:24:57,800 --> 01:25:04,520
sports facility upgrades,
coaching hires and generating
1487
01:25:04,520 --> 01:25:08,000
revenue.
Like when we just look at.
1488
01:25:08,000 --> 01:25:10,200
It what did.
Wit do did he do any of that
1489
01:25:10,200 --> 01:25:12,800
good?
How did he, how did he grade on
1490
01:25:12,800 --> 01:25:16,360
that stuff?
And he didn't do a good job.
1491
01:25:16,440 --> 01:25:19,160
You know what I'm saying?
Like, no disrespect to him.
1492
01:25:19,160 --> 01:25:20,920
He didn't look like he had a
good time.
1493
01:25:22,600 --> 01:25:26,280
He always looked like somebody
pissed in his oatmeal, you know,
1494
01:25:26,280 --> 01:25:30,080
and I would probably too with
Joe Rogers and the crew on my
1495
01:25:30,080 --> 01:25:34,640
head every every day on Twitter.
But he just, you know, he didn't
1496
01:25:34,640 --> 01:25:36,160
he didn't do a lot of those
things good.
1497
01:25:36,160 --> 01:25:39,160
So and then the things that he
may have tried to do was a
1498
01:25:39,160 --> 01:25:41,520
little bit too late.
And some people said, well, it
1499
01:25:41,520 --> 01:25:44,000
starts at the top.
It starts with, you know, saying
1500
01:25:44,000 --> 01:25:47,880
so it starts with Valentina,
whoever, all of them.
1501
01:25:48,040 --> 01:25:52,960
So perfect, let's just start
fresh because to think about
1502
01:25:53,120 --> 01:25:56,720
some of the things that some of
the leaders would have to
1503
01:25:56,720 --> 01:25:59,480
navigate now, like who would
ever thought that?
1504
01:26:00,080 --> 01:26:05,360
You know, you got to know about
AI, you know, you got to do
1505
01:26:05,640 --> 01:26:09,520
social media stuff with
recruits, you got to be able to
1506
01:26:09,520 --> 01:26:11,600
talk to the people about video
games.
1507
01:26:12,040 --> 01:26:14,000
This is all things that are
important.
1508
01:26:14,360 --> 01:26:18,600
You know what I'm saying?
What was the year 2 years ago
1509
01:26:19,040 --> 01:26:23,360
the, the leaking of the Virginia
Tech uniforms on college
1510
01:26:23,400 --> 01:26:27,800
football, the, the video game,
just little stuff like that that
1511
01:26:28,240 --> 01:26:31,800
probably don't make the biggest
difference on if you're a good
1512
01:26:31,800 --> 01:26:34,840
AD or not.
But those little details can
1513
01:26:35,520 --> 01:26:39,640
definitely be, you know, play a
part in you being good to great
1514
01:26:39,920 --> 01:26:45,280
or average to good.
So, so long Whit go and find you
1515
01:26:45,280 --> 01:26:48,720
something else to do, Man.
I I hope you go and well, no, he
1516
01:26:48,880 --> 01:26:53,080
he's hanging around.
He's he going to hang around and
1517
01:26:53,080 --> 01:26:55,680
go ahead and go.
I want him to go ahead and get
1518
01:26:55,680 --> 01:26:59,720
all right.
Doug, we we kind of got to this.
1519
01:26:59,720 --> 01:27:03,880
Spot and back if y'all check out
April 25th.
1520
01:27:03,880 --> 01:27:06,760
Doug, you wrote again a great
article about the nine Names to
1521
01:27:06,760 --> 01:27:09,440
know.
Go read it.
1522
01:27:10,360 --> 01:27:13,480
He's not going to give all nine
names right now, but give me a
1523
01:27:13,480 --> 01:27:16,720
couple of your like who do you
like?
1524
01:27:16,760 --> 01:27:18,840
You've been doing the research,
you've been reviewing what
1525
01:27:18,840 --> 01:27:23,760
they've been doing elsewhere.
Give me 2-3 guys that you like.
1526
01:27:23,760 --> 01:27:27,960
And then if you had to say right
now, and I know it's not going
1527
01:27:27,960 --> 01:27:30,600
to be next month or the month
after we got to get the
1528
01:27:30,600 --> 01:27:32,560
president in flight square.
So it's going to be even longer
1529
01:27:32,560 --> 01:27:35,600
than waiting for the president.
Who would you who would be your
1530
01:27:35,600 --> 01:27:37,520
choice?
I'll be curious to see if they
1531
01:27:37,520 --> 01:27:39,960
actually.
Do wait for the president and if
1532
01:27:39,960 --> 01:27:42,720
the timeline has still, because
it's I don't know if the
1533
01:27:42,720 --> 01:27:46,360
president's going to, I feel
like you could hire AAD or
1534
01:27:46,680 --> 01:27:51,000
whatever they want to call this
role that much faster than you
1535
01:27:51,000 --> 01:27:54,120
can hire a university president.
So that's one of the big
1536
01:27:54,120 --> 01:27:57,240
questions of can you like, can
you truly do it?
1537
01:27:58,320 --> 01:28:00,760
It's kind of the same question
that we had back when they first
1538
01:28:00,760 --> 01:28:04,520
fired fired pry of like, all
right, well, if you're going to
1539
01:28:04,520 --> 01:28:07,080
if you're going to fire a wit,
can you can you hire an AD in
1540
01:28:07,080 --> 01:28:10,200
time to hire the football coach
or so it's the same kind of
1541
01:28:10,200 --> 01:28:13,960
timeline like nonsense that
Virginia Tech's been dealing
1542
01:28:13,960 --> 01:28:15,560
with for the last several
months.
1543
01:28:16,560 --> 01:28:19,760
I read that article.
It's a mix of names I've
1544
01:28:19,760 --> 01:28:22,200
definitely heard and names that
I kind of like.
1545
01:28:22,200 --> 01:28:26,640
I think they will be involved
with any major opening at this
1546
01:28:26,640 --> 01:28:28,680
point of their careers in
college athletics.
1547
01:28:29,520 --> 01:28:33,560
And then I tried to identify
some of the people in college
1548
01:28:33,560 --> 01:28:37,640
athletics that fit that kind of.
Outsider business.
1549
01:28:37,640 --> 01:28:40,560
Experience I I wrote in that
article.
1550
01:28:40,560 --> 01:28:45,320
Like trying to identify an
actual business outsider who's
1551
01:28:45,320 --> 01:28:47,800
interested in becoming an
athletic director in college
1552
01:28:47,800 --> 01:28:50,560
athletics.
Right now I don't know how to do
1553
01:28:50,560 --> 01:28:55,600
that, but like I, I would love
to be able to tell you that the,
1554
01:28:55,880 --> 01:28:59,840
the vice president of brand
strategy for fanatics wants to
1555
01:28:59,840 --> 01:29:02,880
get into college athletics or,
you know, something like that,
1556
01:29:02,880 --> 01:29:05,360
but who knows?
So, you know, you look at the,
1557
01:29:05,440 --> 01:29:08,960
the trend that people identify
with that is like North North
1558
01:29:08,960 --> 01:29:13,760
Carolina hired a NASCAR person,
Stanford hired a former Nike
1559
01:29:13,760 --> 01:29:17,520
executive.
So you get those like adjacent.
1560
01:29:17,720 --> 01:29:21,440
Sports.
Executive type positions, so I
1561
01:29:21,440 --> 01:29:24,360
was trying to identify because
some people have hired them as
1562
01:29:24,360 --> 01:29:26,640
like deputies in their athletic
department.
1563
01:29:26,640 --> 01:29:29,240
So I was trying to identify some
of those types of people.
1564
01:29:30,600 --> 01:29:35,480
Jared Dinko at Auburn, Julie
Cromer at LSU, those two are on
1565
01:29:35,480 --> 01:29:37,520
my list.
I think they're those those
1566
01:29:37,520 --> 01:29:39,760
would be more of the traditional
hire.
1567
01:29:40,520 --> 01:29:43,600
They're up and comers in the
industry that are probably
1568
01:29:43,600 --> 01:29:46,480
interested in just about like I
said, every major job.
1569
01:29:47,600 --> 01:29:52,480
I think the notable thing and
one of the things on my criteria
1570
01:29:52,480 --> 01:29:56,400
list is that they so Banco was
the athletic director at Georgia
1571
01:29:56,400 --> 01:30:01,280
Southern for four years and
Cromer was the athletic director
1572
01:30:01,280 --> 01:30:04,760
at Ohio University.
So not before experience, but
1573
01:30:04,760 --> 01:30:08,080
you were the top dog, you were
the person calling the shots
1574
01:30:08,840 --> 01:30:12,000
much in the same way that like I
think that pays off for James
1575
01:30:12,000 --> 01:30:13,760
Franklin with all his
experience.
1576
01:30:14,120 --> 01:30:18,600
I think having experience in the
number one role of a huge
1577
01:30:18,600 --> 01:30:21,640
enterprise is prerequisite must
have.
1578
01:30:21,640 --> 01:30:26,600
So like they left those jobs to
take deputy roles at Auburn and
1579
01:30:26,600 --> 01:30:31,720
LSU to advance their careers.
So I think they make sense if
1580
01:30:31,720 --> 01:30:33,720
they're going to go to the
traditional route.
1581
01:30:34,600 --> 01:30:37,960
I had another guy on the list,
Joe Lebieu, who's at Maryland
1582
01:30:38,640 --> 01:30:43,120
fit what I was looking for from
like a yes, he's in college
1583
01:30:43,120 --> 01:30:46,000
athletics right now, but he's
got plenty of outside
1584
01:30:46,000 --> 01:30:47,520
experience.
He was the president of
1585
01:30:47,520 --> 01:30:51,320
Charlotte FC, the MLS franchise
down in Charlotte.
1586
01:30:52,560 --> 01:30:55,760
Before that, he worked at
Monumental Sports, the parent
1587
01:30:55,760 --> 01:30:58,160
company for the Wizards and
Capitals.
1588
01:30:59,000 --> 01:31:02,480
So I was like, I was like,
that's outside business
1589
01:31:02,520 --> 01:31:05,080
experience.
Still in the sports world,
1590
01:31:05,600 --> 01:31:09,280
Running, which is essentially
what Virginia Tech's athletics
1591
01:31:09,280 --> 01:31:14,880
is becoming, is a mini pro
sports franchise with with what
1592
01:31:14,880 --> 01:31:18,160
I assume to be plenty of
business connections in the DMV
1593
01:31:18,160 --> 01:31:21,640
and Charlotte, which are two of
Virginia Tech's biggest metro,
1594
01:31:21,640 --> 01:31:25,760
most important metro areas.
So like when I when I saw his
1595
01:31:25,760 --> 01:31:27,600
resume, I was like, yeah, that
makes a lot of sense to me.
1596
01:31:27,600 --> 01:31:31,680
So I put him on the list.
Those are the three I think
1597
01:31:31,680 --> 01:31:34,560
probably stand out the most from
that list I wrote.
1598
01:31:35,240 --> 01:31:39,040
I was glad to see David Thiel
came out with an article shortly
1599
01:31:39,040 --> 01:31:41,840
thereafter or maybe before.
I don't I, I didn't see it till
1600
01:31:41,840 --> 01:31:45,240
after if he was first on it, but
that that had some of the same
1601
01:31:45,240 --> 01:31:48,640
names, which I was like, all
right, that's a good sign that
1602
01:31:48,640 --> 01:31:51,760
we're on the right track here.
So we'll see what happens.
1603
01:31:51,760 --> 01:31:56,080
I know that there is interest in
the completely outside candidate
1604
01:31:56,560 --> 01:32:02,480
from, from business or from not
college athletics, basically to,
1605
01:32:02,560 --> 01:32:07,080
to become ACEO of athletics or
general manager athletics,
1606
01:32:07,080 --> 01:32:11,000
whatever they want to call it.
Given that, given that being the
1607
01:32:11,000 --> 01:32:15,200
trend, I just don't know that
that's the direction they end up
1608
01:32:15,200 --> 01:32:17,200
going once they start
interviewing these people.
1609
01:32:17,200 --> 01:32:20,080
Like one of these more
traditional candidates could
1610
01:32:20,560 --> 01:32:23,480
crush the interview and be like,
actually, they could do the job
1611
01:32:23,480 --> 01:32:24,960
that we're looking for
completely.
1612
01:32:26,880 --> 01:32:30,560
You know, I, I remember back
when they were trying to hire a
1613
01:32:30,560 --> 01:32:32,440
head football coach that they
thought they were going to hire
1614
01:32:32,440 --> 01:32:35,000
a general manager 1st.
And then they backed off that
1615
01:32:35,000 --> 01:32:37,120
plan when they realized that it
wasn't feasible.
1616
01:32:38,200 --> 01:32:40,040
So we'll see what happens
overall.
1617
01:32:40,040 --> 01:32:42,800
But you know, I think, I think,
I think those are the three
1618
01:32:42,800 --> 01:32:45,840
buckets that you can look at of
like up and Comer traditional
1619
01:32:46,680 --> 01:32:50,360
somebody that was like recently
hired at a flagged athletic
1620
01:32:50,360 --> 01:32:54,880
department that fits that
outside model, outsider model or
1621
01:32:54,880 --> 01:32:56,520
somebody completely out of left
field.
1622
01:32:56,520 --> 01:32:59,160
But like I said, I don't know
how you identify those people
1623
01:32:59,160 --> 01:33:03,680
because I, I, I don't know how
to project people's interest in
1624
01:33:03,680 --> 01:33:07,960
becoming an athletic director
in, in college sports today.
1625
01:33:07,960 --> 01:33:09,480
That was one.
That's one of the kind of
1626
01:33:10,360 --> 01:33:13,120
storylines I'm watching.
Like Babcock gave some
1627
01:33:13,120 --> 01:33:16,840
interviews to to media this week
and and they asked him if he was
1628
01:33:16,840 --> 01:33:19,040
ever going to work in college
athletics again.
1629
01:33:19,040 --> 01:33:22,720
And he was like, absolutely not
like, I'm done.
1630
01:33:22,720 --> 01:33:25,400
Like this is old.
Essentially, this is terrible
1631
01:33:25,760 --> 01:33:28,480
and not that fun.
And it's like, all right, so how
1632
01:33:28,480 --> 01:33:32,480
am I can, how can I project
somebody from some very
1633
01:33:32,480 --> 01:33:35,680
successful company who's already
a high up executive there that
1634
01:33:35,680 --> 01:33:39,360
they're going to want to move to
Blacksburg and, and get get
1635
01:33:39,360 --> 01:33:41,880
involved in this?
I, I, I think that'll be an,
1636
01:33:41,880 --> 01:33:45,000
that'll be an interesting
question to ask whoever does end
1637
01:33:45,000 --> 01:33:47,640
up getting the job.
Who was the guy at Marilyn, you
1638
01:33:47,640 --> 01:33:49,720
said?
Joe Lebou.
1639
01:33:50,320 --> 01:33:53,040
Gentle of you.
Because that that seems like
1640
01:33:53,040 --> 01:33:55,360
it's.
Like like that's.
1641
01:33:55,360 --> 01:33:58,360
The kind of experience that.
Fits whether it's him or
1642
01:33:58,360 --> 01:34:01,800
somebody with that same kind of
experience where they can send
1643
01:34:01,800 --> 01:34:05,320
out the press release and we can
say, yeah, that makes that makes
1644
01:34:05,320 --> 01:34:07,680
sense.
Are you are you looking?
1645
01:34:07,680 --> 01:34:12,520
Primarily for if if you go the
traditional route, someone
1646
01:34:12,520 --> 01:34:20,240
that's coming from kind of AP4
football focused university must
1647
01:34:20,240 --> 01:34:22,440
have yeah, like.
But it's got to.
1648
01:34:22,440 --> 01:34:24,800
Be.
It's a completely different
1649
01:34:24,800 --> 01:34:30,200
world than than the G5 or I
would even say you're looking at
1650
01:34:30,200 --> 01:34:34,400
the P2 like like.
I've seen people float like Matt
1651
01:34:34,400 --> 01:34:39,720
Rohn out there, and I'm like
Roan, Roan would be somebody.
1652
01:34:39,720 --> 01:34:43,760
Yeah, I don't think you can win
the PR battle if you hire the
1653
01:34:43,760 --> 01:34:47,880
JMU athletic director.
But also like, he's the guy that
1654
01:34:47,880 --> 01:34:52,600
I think would make a like would
kind of do what Banco did at
1655
01:34:52,600 --> 01:34:56,280
Auburn or Kromer did the LSU
where they had to leave the G5
1656
01:34:56,280 --> 01:35:02,680
job to, to go take a deputy job
at AP4P2 school to kind of work
1657
01:35:02,680 --> 01:35:05,200
to, to, to take, to truly take
the next step.
1658
01:35:05,640 --> 01:35:08,800
Because I think without without
experience and he doesn't have
1659
01:35:08,800 --> 01:35:12,680
any experience at the P4, much
less the P2 without that
1660
01:35:12,680 --> 01:35:15,080
experience.
It's just you're, you're not,
1661
01:35:15,200 --> 01:35:16,800
you're not, you're not going.
To be hirable.
1662
01:35:17,960 --> 01:35:22,560
Because of how different it is,
and especially with Virginia
1663
01:35:22,560 --> 01:35:26,320
Tech's going to be a two, well,
like a $200 million enterprise,
1664
01:35:26,320 --> 01:35:28,720
like it's just different.
It is.
1665
01:35:29,560 --> 01:35:31,760
Who's your guy?
You, you, you wrote nine.
1666
01:35:31,760 --> 01:35:33,680
You probably got.
There's probably.
1667
01:35:34,080 --> 01:35:35,760
There's probably.
Somewhere in your computer.
1668
01:35:35,760 --> 01:35:38,640
There's like 30 other people
that you have names on.
1669
01:35:38,640 --> 01:35:40,920
Yeah, I think there was a lot
more on the list.
1670
01:35:40,920 --> 01:35:42,000
And I was.
Like I can't write.
1671
01:35:42,000 --> 01:35:44,880
All these people, if I had to
pick.
1672
01:35:44,880 --> 01:35:47,160
Somebody off my?
List it would be Banco at Auburn
1673
01:35:49,520 --> 01:35:51,280
like.
That's the kind of school.
1674
01:35:51,280 --> 01:35:56,080
That cares about football a lot
runs his own ran his own
1675
01:35:56,080 --> 01:35:59,760
athletic department according to
his bio had a ton of success
1676
01:35:59,840 --> 01:36:05,920
raising money like all like and
is now the number 2 at a a you
1677
01:36:05,920 --> 01:36:11,080
know a high high P2 institution
in terms of how much they are
1678
01:36:11,080 --> 01:36:14,200
investing in athletics, which
you can see by.
1679
01:36:14,440 --> 01:36:16,080
Their.
Coaching decisions over the last
1680
01:36:16,080 --> 01:36:18,800
several years.
So if I had to pick one off the
1681
01:36:18,800 --> 01:36:22,360
list, I'd probably go with him.
I I, like I said, I don't know
1682
01:36:22,640 --> 01:36:25,520
where to start with like, all
right, pick somebody from from
1683
01:36:25,520 --> 01:36:26,920
the outside.
Yeah, I know.
1684
01:36:28,640 --> 01:36:29,800
That's probably a much harder
ask.
1685
01:36:30,240 --> 01:36:32,560
The the traditional route is
probably a little bit easier to
1686
01:36:32,560 --> 01:36:35,040
quantify.
Yeah, it's the same thing is
1687
01:36:35,040 --> 01:36:36,360
like.
Looking for a head coaching
1688
01:36:36,360 --> 01:36:38,520
candidate where you can see the
experience.
1689
01:36:38,520 --> 01:36:41,480
There's so many people that
probably the experience lines
1690
01:36:41,480 --> 01:36:44,720
up.
You know, I know Syracuse he
1691
01:36:44,720 --> 01:36:48,840
just retired, but like you hire
an ESPN guy like a media exec
1692
01:36:49,080 --> 01:36:55,720
would fit to in in today's
world, but like the the
1693
01:36:55,720 --> 01:36:57,520
possibilities are endless on
that side all.
1694
01:37:00,000 --> 01:37:01,520
Right.
Tally Braun.
1695
01:37:01,920 --> 01:37:04,120
Anything.
Else floating out there like I'm
1696
01:37:04,240 --> 01:37:06,800
going to say what I've been
doing the like all the names.
1697
01:37:06,800 --> 01:37:10,440
I have literally like started
reading biographies of 80s for
1698
01:37:10,440 --> 01:37:14,760
the last few minutes here.
Le Beau's thing is interesting.
1699
01:37:14,920 --> 01:37:17,880
I'm going to put Le Beau out
there because that gives you
1700
01:37:17,880 --> 01:37:21,160
what you're talking about.
Heavily involved not only with
1701
01:37:21,200 --> 01:37:25,040
FC, but with Pepper's stuff with
the Panthers, the professional
1702
01:37:25,040 --> 01:37:27,120
football level.
And then he's dipped his toe
1703
01:37:27,160 --> 01:37:30,720
into the collegiate world.
So there's like he has that
1704
01:37:30,720 --> 01:37:36,120
experience both ways.
So I'm like, I mean, again, I
1705
01:37:36,160 --> 01:37:39,040
don't know everything it takes,
but I'm like, but but you're
1706
01:37:39,040 --> 01:37:43,080
kind of selling me on having
like that be outside of college
1707
01:37:43,080 --> 01:37:46,160
sports, but in sports in some
way could get some experience in
1708
01:37:46,160 --> 01:37:49,000
or to your point, go run your
own.
1709
01:37:49,280 --> 01:37:52,120
And if somebody was at Ohio,
Ohio has been a pretty
1710
01:37:52,120 --> 01:37:54,080
successful Mac program the last
decade.
1711
01:37:54,080 --> 01:37:56,200
It has.
They've always they're always
1712
01:37:56,200 --> 01:37:58,000
one of the teams in the Mac
Championship.
1713
01:37:58,760 --> 01:38:01,600
And if you're putting that kind
of emphasis on football at a
1714
01:38:01,600 --> 01:38:04,000
smaller program where they're
staying good, you're getting
1715
01:38:04,000 --> 01:38:07,640
those people to invest within
the program, then you know that
1716
01:38:07,760 --> 01:38:10,800
they have some sort of sales
pitch that works great.
1717
01:38:11,480 --> 01:38:14,200
Yeah.
The the.
1718
01:38:14,440 --> 01:38:17,560
The, the executive experience,
whatever you won't call it,
1719
01:38:17,560 --> 01:38:19,920
having run your own department
huge.
1720
01:38:19,920 --> 01:38:22,240
I think, I think we're seeing
that with James Franklin, the
1721
01:38:22,240 --> 01:38:25,960
difference of how he runs the
program versus like Brent Pride.
1722
01:38:26,040 --> 01:38:28,560
I mean, Brent Pride was right
next to James Franklin as a dire
1723
01:38:28,640 --> 01:38:32,360
career and couldn't, couldn't
replicate it as a head coach
1724
01:38:32,680 --> 01:38:34,080
because he'd never done it
before.
1725
01:38:35,560 --> 01:38:38,880
But like you bring in a guy that
has done it for 12 years, you
1726
01:38:38,920 --> 01:38:42,040
bring in an athletic department
that has experience running
1727
01:38:42,040 --> 01:38:45,080
their own, running their own
shop, so to speak.
1728
01:38:45,080 --> 01:38:47,920
Like I think that's, that's the
big thing.
1729
01:38:47,920 --> 01:38:52,440
Or if it's outside, like I guess
you got to be AC suite type type
1730
01:38:52,440 --> 01:38:57,720
person that that has, has that
responsibility, has that
1731
01:38:57,720 --> 01:39:02,040
decision making experience and
kind of that leadership ability
1732
01:39:02,040 --> 01:39:06,240
that you need to, to, to do what
Virginia Tech wants to do with
1733
01:39:06,240 --> 01:39:09,920
the $230 million that they're
investing into the athletic
1734
01:39:09,920 --> 01:39:13,280
department, 100%.
Valley, Bryan, y'all had
1735
01:39:13,280 --> 01:39:15,440
anything else y'all want to ask
though, before we get ready to
1736
01:39:15,440 --> 01:39:18,240
wrap this up?
Yeah, just the only thing I.
1737
01:39:18,240 --> 01:39:21,120
Would say I've been reading the
chat for the last, I don't know,
1738
01:39:21,120 --> 01:39:30,160
maybe 5-10 minutes and VPI under
score 13 said he's just giving
1739
01:39:30,160 --> 01:39:32,560
with his props and that's fine,
you know, giving him his
1740
01:39:32,560 --> 01:39:34,920
flowers.
But hey, man, no moral
1741
01:39:34,920 --> 01:39:37,120
victories.
He didn't do a good job.
1742
01:39:37,600 --> 01:39:41,120
I don't care if he's a good guy.
I don't care that he came and
1743
01:39:41,120 --> 01:39:44,240
shook hands.
You know, I like James Franklin,
1744
01:39:44,320 --> 01:39:46,440
but if he don't win no football
games, he need to go.
1745
01:39:47,040 --> 01:39:50,600
He didn't coach yet.
Like the moral victory thing is
1746
01:39:50,600 --> 01:39:54,920
over.
You know, I again, I'm just, I'm
1747
01:39:54,920 --> 01:39:57,320
just speaking my truth.
He said it's true.
1748
01:39:57,320 --> 01:40:00,320
He presented when he presented
James Franklin at the press
1749
01:40:00,320 --> 01:40:02,960
conference, I saw a man that had
been putting himself through the
1750
01:40:02,960 --> 01:40:07,800
ringer to set VTL for success.
No, he is put himself through
1751
01:40:07,800 --> 01:40:12,240
the ringer to get paid.
He is a millionaire because he
1752
01:40:12,240 --> 01:40:14,640
didn't do a good job.
Not only did he not do a good
1753
01:40:14,640 --> 01:40:17,800
job at Virginia Tech, what was
he at Cincinnati before?
1754
01:40:19,640 --> 01:40:20,720
Didn't.
Do.
1755
01:40:20,720 --> 01:40:24,400
A good job there either.
So I I can't say that.
1756
01:40:24,400 --> 01:40:29,440
And then Bassmaster, my guy, he
said Wit gave us James Franklin
1757
01:40:29,600 --> 01:40:31,640
kinda.
So his legacy.
1758
01:40:32,080 --> 01:40:35,680
It's still it's still unwritten.
So I'm thinking that he got some
1759
01:40:35,680 --> 01:40:37,520
sarcasm in there, but Wit didn't
have nothing.
1760
01:40:37,600 --> 01:40:39,520
I mean, he might have had a
little bit to do with him, but
1761
01:40:39,520 --> 01:40:42,600
he Doug.
You kind of said it a little
1762
01:40:42,600 --> 01:40:44,600
earlier.
He might have been able to call
1763
01:40:44,600 --> 01:40:47,960
the agents and make some moves.
Jake Peterson, Blood Foster and
1764
01:40:47,960 --> 01:40:50,600
some of those guys on BMV
Director.
1765
01:40:51,080 --> 01:40:52,920
Why can't I think of his name?
Rakovich, Rakovich.
1766
01:40:53,800 --> 01:40:55,560
Rakovich.
Rakovich.
1767
01:40:55,560 --> 01:40:56,640
Is maybe?
The.
1768
01:40:56,920 --> 01:41:01,360
Best director, Director of the
BOV for athletics in Virginia
1769
01:41:01,360 --> 01:41:03,640
Tech history.
He was there in the early part
1770
01:41:03,640 --> 01:41:06,800
of the 2000s, and he made those
moves to get into the ACC.
1771
01:41:07,800 --> 01:41:09,600
That's a game.
Again this.
1772
01:41:09,600 --> 01:41:11,400
Is funny, we're talking about
Rector's, a board of visitors,
1773
01:41:11,400 --> 01:41:16,040
but every time that guy has been
Rector, something really good
1774
01:41:16,040 --> 01:41:18,080
happens for Virginia Tech
athletics.
1775
01:41:18,640 --> 01:41:22,800
So he said he don't.
Do moral victories.
1776
01:41:22,840 --> 01:41:25,160
Perfect we we won him the same
then.
1777
01:41:25,560 --> 01:41:27,120
Let's go.
I'm tired of more.
1778
01:41:27,160 --> 01:41:29,720
Victories I want.
To win, we want wins.
1779
01:41:29,720 --> 01:41:32,080
We want to be.
Hooping and hollering and
1780
01:41:32,080 --> 01:41:36,960
screaming on Saturday nights
about wins, not about moral
1781
01:41:36,960 --> 01:41:40,200
victories.
But Doug, man, listen, the last
1782
01:41:40,200 --> 01:41:42,720
90 minutes plus has been a
blast.
1783
01:41:42,720 --> 01:41:46,080
Thank you for bringing your
insight, your knowledge on all
1784
01:41:46,080 --> 01:41:48,120
this stuff.
We really appreciate you joining
1785
01:41:48,120 --> 01:41:51,280
us tonight.
And with that being said, I'm
1786
01:41:51,280 --> 01:41:54,200
going to wrap up this episode of
the Boundary Corner Podcast
1787
01:41:54,200 --> 01:41:57,120
brought to you my moments on the
Maury in Lexington along with
1788
01:41:57,120 --> 01:41:59,320
our Special Decks guest, Doug
Bowman.
1789
01:41:59,320 --> 01:42:01,720
Check him out at Doug Bowman
247.
1790
01:42:01,920 --> 01:42:06,280
Sign up at 247 to read all of
Doug's awesome articles and the
1791
01:42:06,280 --> 01:42:09,240
stuff he's going to be coming
out with as this president
1792
01:42:09,240 --> 01:42:12,440
search happens, as this AD
search happens, he's going to be
1793
01:42:12,440 --> 01:42:15,880
the man on the mission there.
My name is Curtis Wilson.
1794
01:42:16,280 --> 01:42:19,120
I'm Brian Siegler.
Jonathan Talley visit.
1795
01:42:19,120 --> 01:42:22,560
Boundary Corner BT.
Dot com to listen to all of our
1796
01:42:22,560 --> 01:42:24,520
episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on
1797
01:42:24,520 --> 01:42:28,560
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,
subscribe to our YouTube
1798
01:42:28,560 --> 01:42:31,840
channel, your favorite podcast
source.
1799
01:42:31,840 --> 01:42:35,120
Please go there as well.
We are on them all.
1800
01:42:35,480 --> 01:42:38,040
As always, we let our buddy
Jason Long play us in play us
1801
01:42:38,040 --> 01:42:39,440
out.
Check him out at
1802
01:42:39,440 --> 01:42:43,720
jasonlongmusic.com to let all of
his music on all of his formats.
1803
01:42:44,000 --> 01:42:46,200
Also check out that little live
page.
1804
01:42:46,200 --> 01:42:49,400
He is doing a lot of events down
from the Roanoke area this
1805
01:42:49,400 --> 01:42:51,840
summer, so check him out when
you can.
1806
01:42:51,840 --> 01:42:53,360
I appreciate y'all for
listening.
1807
01:42:53,360 --> 01:42:55,720
We appreciate the chat.
Thank y'all for being so active
1808
01:42:55,720 --> 01:42:59,320
tonight.
And as always, let's go Hokies.
00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:23,520
And welcome back to the Boundary
Corner Podcast.
2
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:28,440
Along with my partners, Brian
Siegler and Jonathan Hannibans,
3
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,800
I am Curtis Wilson and we are
brought to you by Moments on the
4
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,200
Mari.
Looking for a weekend getaway
5
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,360
this summer or fall?
Then Moments on the Mari might
6
00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,360
be exactly what you are looking
for.
7
00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:46,000
Owned by a very proud Hokie and
located just outside Lexington,
8
00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,440
VA, this place gives you
everything you can think of for
9
00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,440
a great mountain experience.
Fishing, kayaking, just relaxing
10
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,520
by or in the river right outside
the back door.
11
00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,360
Check it out in our links or
visit moments on the memorial on
12
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:07,320
their Instagram page.
Gentlemen.
13
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,080
Gentlemen.
What's happening, man?
14
00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,480
How are you all tonight?
Tell me you on mute.
15
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:13,840
Like telling people, telling me
on calls all the time.
16
00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,080
You're on mute.
You want me to get off mute?
17
00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:21,040
You got to talk you off mute.
Can you hear us?
18
00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,960
I think I'm off.
I think I'm off now.
19
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:28,760
He is off.
Mute.
20
00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,840
We got you.
What's been up, guys?
21
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,880
We have been running around in
circles this spring since the
22
00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:39,240
spring game.
It felt like.
23
00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,160
How was life?
We we had a little false start
24
00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,320
last week.
We, we, we, we got the same same
25
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,920
structure this week.
But, you know, it's fun because,
26
00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,280
you know, we had a couple more
commits come through since then.
27
00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,920
So we got a little little bit
more to kind of, you know, pad
28
00:02:54,920 --> 00:02:56,720
the, the end of this episode a
little bit.
29
00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,640
But yeah, we had a, you know, a
couple couple snafus here or
30
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:02,400
there last week that caused us
to punt.
31
00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,240
But hey, we're back here.
We're we're doing it live as we
32
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,800
normally do.
And we got a a fun special guest
33
00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,040
we're going to introduce here
shortly.
34
00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:13,480
Tally what you want.
We punt it, man.
35
00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:16,280
We didn't have two zeros.
Yeah, we punt it.
36
00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,120
We didn't have two zeros on the
field.
37
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,640
So we, I, we made it.
We didn't get called for a
38
00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,080
penalty, we just punted the
ball.
39
00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,400
This is.
This is what I'm going to say a
40
00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:33,760
little bit off off topic before
we get our guest on here because
41
00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:38,560
I think most of our chat is
probably right around the same
42
00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,600
age we are.
You know you get into those
43
00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,160
golden ages.
I understand.
44
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:50,600
I want to know man y'all put in
the chat what is the best bio
45
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:56,600
pic that you've seen the best
you know movie about somebody's
46
00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,520
life?
The reason I'm asking that is
47
00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:04,000
because I watch Michael.
I mean, everybody got to see
48
00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:05,520
Michael, right?
You know what I'm saying?
49
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,960
Like you got to watch it.
Go ahead, Curtis.
50
00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,240
What you going to say I'm.
Going to say but what I'm going
51
00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,000
to say is 2 weekends ago my
mother came into town gave me a
52
00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,880
wife date night and we went into
a local steakhouse and I said we
53
00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,480
should go we should go see
Michael and she's like I just I
54
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,640
just don't feel like going She's
like it's it's a 730 start it's
55
00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,000
like a 2 1/2 hour movie, right
She's like I'm gonna fall asleep
56
00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,560
and now she's looking at me mad
everybody's.
57
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:32,800
Saying it's so.
Good.
58
00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:33,960
We should have went.
I'm like.
59
00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,400
I'm just saying.
Laid it out there.
60
00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:41,240
I literally said we should go.
I think everybody, our age at
61
00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,200
least, should watch it, you know
what I'm saying?
62
00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,480
But me being a huge Michael
Jackson fan and knowing a lot
63
00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,800
about him and watching a lot of
movies about him, they made a
64
00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,800
movie way back when.
I think it's called The American
65
00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:54,840
Dream.
Oh yeah.
66
00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,480
It just had more in that movie
than this one had.
67
00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,880
If you really want to know about
his life, you know what I'm
68
00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,920
saying.
But not not a bad movie.
69
00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:11,320
So I did come here to advocate
everybody go see it or do like I
70
00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,080
did and just be able to watch
it, if you know what I mean.
71
00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,360
Got you.
Because I didn't go to the
72
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,640
theater.
Yeah, I feel like American Dream
73
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:23,000
had like it had so much of the
Jackson 5 stuff and like.
74
00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,160
Off the wall.
And it was everything else was
75
00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,360
kind of rushed through.
Yeah, it was like a, it was like
76
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,680
a origin story or a villain or
something, you know what I'm
77
00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,040
saying?
And then it was just at the end
78
00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,160
anyway.
I mean, I just feel like it was
79
00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:44,160
a lot left lacking.
Yes, Jason, that is a good
80
00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,240
biopic.
Lincoln, if y'all haven't seen
81
00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,320
that, is a good biopic.
That's not my favorite.
82
00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,080
My favorite biopic is probably
The Temptations.
83
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:57,480
But again, I didn't want to
throw a whole segment about
84
00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,280
movies, but I did have to shout
out my boy Michael Jackson, the
85
00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:03,760
greatest of all times.
Man, I'm I'm gonna throw Ray out
86
00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:04,760
there.
Ray is probably my.
87
00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,480
Favorite Ray is a that's that's
a close second.
88
00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,120
Ali.
That's another one like I'll
89
00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:11,760
throw.
One, and this is old and I, I
90
00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,800
mean well before, I mean a
couple years before we were
91
00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:16,680
born.
You ever watch Raging Bull?
92
00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,160
Oh yeah.
Boxing about Jake.
93
00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,360
Lemada Yeah, Yeah.
That's fine.
94
00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,680
Bryan Song with with James Caan.
Bryan Song with James Caan.
95
00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,520
Oh yeah.
Oh man.
96
00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:31,360
Lot of good ones, lot of good
ones.
97
00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,880
Well, you know what?
We got a lot of fun to talk
98
00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,800
about and believe it or not, now
he's in the backroom like
99
00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,440
thinking, oh man, I know what's
going to happen the second I get
100
00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,600
on.
But tonight we have a very
101
00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,800
special guest, another one of
our good friends from 247.
102
00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,680
Long time writer, contributor to
247 Sports.
103
00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,720
Tonight we have Doug Bowman
joining us and we'll get him on
104
00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,800
stage, make sure he's off mute
and Doug Tally let it off.
105
00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,200
What is your favorite biopic?
I was thinking about this while
106
00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,640
you guys were talking and thanks
for stalling because I had to
107
00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,440
pull up a list of like, all
right, I need some like
108
00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,120
something to trigger my memory.
It's walk the line.
109
00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:11,760
I was going to say Walk the
Line.
110
00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,520
Walk the Line's a good movie
too.
111
00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,720
I was hoping somebody said that,
Chad.
112
00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,320
Hey, we got some.
We got some good ones coming in.
113
00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:20,720
Doug just came with a another
banger.
114
00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,920
I need to know what's y'all's
best biopic?
115
00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,720
Doug, keep going, buddy.
I was going to say walk the line
116
00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,240
with Johnny Cash.
It's it's on the list of movies
117
00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,120
that you whenever it's on, you
know, you're flipping through.
118
00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,080
Not that many people flip
through the channels anymore,
119
00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,800
but you see it and you just
watch it no matter where you are
120
00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,800
in the movie, pick it up right
where it left off.
121
00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,040
So I probably, I don't know how
many times I've seen it, but
122
00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:45,360
it's good.
Nice.
123
00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,120
Well, it's it's always funny
because you talk about like the
124
00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,880
biopics and some people don't
think of certain movies as
125
00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:56,320
biopics because like American
gangster people wouldn't think
126
00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:57,680
that.
But that's basically Frank
127
00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,800
Lucas's life.
Like not it, not his whole life,
128
00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,920
but a good portion of his life.
And then there's so many other
129
00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:08,400
ones like like Catch Me if you
can again, that's that.
130
00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:10,840
Like you don't think of them as
biopics, but they are.
131
00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,440
Is Walt Wolf of all straight?
Line, then yes, absolutely.
132
00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:17,720
Wolf of Wall Street, I.
Didn't even think about that,
133
00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:18,920
but yeah.
I mean.
134
00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,960
We just go ahead and call, I
mean, Goodfellas.
135
00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:28,720
Yes, yes.
Scorsese like half his half his
136
00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,200
repertoire is is technically
biopic.
137
00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,280
So well did y'all see the tweet
yesterday?
138
00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:39,760
It was like the the March 11th
was in like 5:00 AM was the day
139
00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,200
he got busted.
Like that whole scene in the
140
00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,440
movie The day like.
Doing all the crazy.
141
00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,480
Stuff it was 5/11/1980 is when
it happened.
142
00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,720
Like started at 5:00 AM because
he was off like the cocaine
143
00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:54,840
Bender.
Yeah, and he was like paranoid
144
00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:59,800
as hell, like.
We've been got down a road that
145
00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,320
we could be.
Be like 12:00.
146
00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,760
Hokey football and hokey sports.
Everybody was Doug Moment after
147
00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,600
14 hours of talking about
biopics.
148
00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,160
I bad Curtis, I didn't mean I
didn't mean to get you started
149
00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:13,520
today, man.
I was just trying to get the
150
00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,960
creative juices flowing.
And we got we got an idea for
151
00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,200
for a spin off podcast now.
So yeah, the.
152
00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,720
Biopic Well Doug, first of all,
how you been doing man?
153
00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,200
This is your first time with us.
Obviously we followed you for
154
00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,400
years with your writings and
stuff on 247.
155
00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,240
So how you doing?
And then how did you stumble
156
00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:37,160
upon 247?
Because like you have a day job
157
00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,720
like us three, dude.
Like how did that happen?
158
00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,520
How did your relationship start
with 247 back about I guess a
159
00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:46,040
decade ago?
God, it's been, I think it's
160
00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,440
been, it was definitely before
COVID, which is now like
161
00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,080
suddenly six years ago.
So we're close to a decade.
162
00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:58,800
I started writing about Virginia
Tech actually back in O7 Tyron's
163
00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,560
first year.
I was at Hoagie Haven with Brian
164
00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:05,600
Moore and that kind of during
that era, there's been so many
165
00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,160
like kind of like eras of the
regime tech recruiting sites.
166
00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,920
And then Jason Stam came on,
came on and took him over there,
167
00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:17,880
took over there and then went to
the Vt Scout site at the time.
168
00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:21,760
So I was over there for a little
bit and I think I jumped on the
169
00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,480
Vt Scoop.
Must have been 2018 ish
170
00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,320
somewhere around there.
Yeah.
171
00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,800
But just knowing I had done it
for a while, I'm at Hoagie Haven
172
00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,320
and Scout and and kind of taken
a couple years off and wanted to
173
00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,520
get back into it.
So I reached out and happened to
174
00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:46,200
be the right time.
Nice man, What's what what was
175
00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,000
that journey like?
I know you said you were writing
176
00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,760
for for Hoagie Haven and doing
all that.
177
00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,960
Have you, Is that just been like
a passion project for you or
178
00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,120
just being in the, in the
Virginia Tech sports realm and
179
00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,520
just loving that so much That's
kind of been, you know, what's
180
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,120
kind of kept that that drive
for.
181
00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,320
You yeah, a little bit of both,
I'd say probably I was the, I
182
00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,000
started right in there when I
was in 8th grade.
183
00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:14,120
Probably nobody reading knew
that at the time, but when I was
184
00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:19,200
2007 tie rods first year.
So I was always the the kid that
185
00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,080
wanted to be on ESPN growing up
and all that stuff.
186
00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,600
Got to got to college, got to
sit in the press box and, and do
187
00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,280
that during school and realized
I didn't want to do that for my
188
00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,200
job.
I enjoy, I enjoy the fandom, I
189
00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,840
enjoy being in the stands.
I enjoy all that stuff that you
190
00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,000
don't get to do when you're
covering the games and stuff.
191
00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:43,560
So that was a great lesson.
But I I, like you said, kind of
192
00:11:43,560 --> 00:11:46,640
like a passion project of just
something I enjoy doing on the
193
00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,480
side.
That's very nice.
194
00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,520
So I've been so many people that
it's part of it.
195
00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,400
And obviously, what year did you
graduate from tech?
196
00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:59,760
2015. 2015 OK.
That sounds like a one good year
197
00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,240
with Logan Thomas when he was
good and then after that it
198
00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,600
went, you know, to six.
What was it?
199
00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:11,040
No it.
Was no Never sixes, 6 never
200
00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:15,400
losing during Frank's time. 7
and 6-8 and five, seven and six.
201
00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,360
Yep.
After So your first year was
202
00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,000
Sugar Bowl youth, correct?
You caught the ball.
203
00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:23,640
Yep.
Exactly.
204
00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:29,320
Did you go to New Orleans?
Did not got tickets, couldn't
205
00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:32,920
couldn't figure out how to get
there if it was broke all that
206
00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:37,200
stuff.
So, but I mean, the peak was
207
00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,160
definitely beating Ohio State
and Columbus and 14 that was
208
00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,080
that was, I guess that was
technically this fall of senior
209
00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,960
year.
So I mean, that was that was the
210
00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,480
peak of of the football
experience during my time there.
211
00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,920
We were all seniors went up, you
know, there's probably 100 of us
212
00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,760
there.
Just a classic like college
213
00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,160
experience of being up there
with all of your college buddies
214
00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,080
and then you actually win the
game.
215
00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,440
Stopped at the casino, and
where's the casino in West
216
00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,240
Virginia?
Charleston.
217
00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,720
Charleston.
Yeah, the, the Mardi Gras
218
00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,880
stopped there on the way.
I mean, it was just, you know,
219
00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,200
22 with nothing else to worry
about.
220
00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,000
Tally, you've been to that one.
You've.
221
00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,640
Been to any Charleston casino?
I never want to go to West
222
00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,520
Virginia.
I don't care what kind of casino
223
00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,200
to have.
I don't, I just, I don't want to
224
00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:29,640
be there.
So anything in West Virginia,
225
00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,960
there's definitely don't need me
in it.
226
00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:33,520
But no, I haven't, I haven't
been there.
227
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,840
I went to, I went to the one in
Bristol, but I haven't been to
228
00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:39,800
the one in West Virginia.
Nice.
229
00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,360
Well, I was going to ask you
what was like your game.
230
00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,080
Clearly you, you, you laid it
right out there with the visit
231
00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,840
to the Horseshoe with the win
back in 2014 Miami.
232
00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,240
The Logan Thomas Miami game was
my freshman year and it was
233
00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,240
probably the best home game,
yeah.
234
00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:02,440
Dave Wilson lost two games that
year to the same team.
235
00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:04,520
Yep.
Clemson.
236
00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,880
Twice Clemson.
Twice, unfortunately.
237
00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:08,720
All right, well, let's get into
it.
238
00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,440
We got a lot of stuff to unload
and talk with Doug about.
239
00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,960
We are going to get kind of the
biggest topics we're going to
240
00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,160
talk with Doug as we get later
into the program is the retiring
241
00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,840
of Tim Sands, retiring with
Babcock and how that's kind of
242
00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,480
all going to shake out.
If y'all never followed Doug,
243
00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,800
first of all, give him a follow
at Doug Bowman 247.
244
00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:30,480
Doug somehow knows how to
navigate certain things in the
245
00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,880
stratosphere of governments and
contracts.
246
00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,720
And the next thing you know,
Doug puts it out, here's what's
247
00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:37,960
going to happen.
And you're like, Oh my God, that
248
00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,120
that that three days later it
happens.
249
00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,080
So give him a follow if you
don't do anything tonight.
250
00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,240
Also if you are a 247 or check
out his writings.
251
00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:49,320
Obviously a lot of good stuff,
but we're going to start non
252
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,400
football 1st.
And when this popped up just a
253
00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,360
few days ago, I was a little bit
of.
254
00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:57,920
In.
A little bit of disbelief
255
00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:04,000
because you don't hear about Non
Rev Sports getting this kind of
256
00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,280
donation.
At Virginia Tech.
257
00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:10,040
And what the Jester family from
Virginia Beach did by giving a
258
00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:15,040
million dollars, $1 million to
the wrestling program.
259
00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,920
And now it's left open as
$1,000,000 match out there now
260
00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,640
that what's they're asking for
is wild.
261
00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,280
So Doug, I'll start with you
being a a tech alum, knowing how
262
00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,080
good the wrestling program it
was, was that did that color you
263
00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,600
shocked or had there been
buzzings that like this was
264
00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,800
going to happen soon?
Yeah, I hadn't heard anything
265
00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:40,560
about about that kind of
donation to wrestling, as you
266
00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,800
said, like a non revenue sport.
That's I mean it's been the
267
00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,480
sport that Virginia Tech's
probably closest to winning a
268
00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,440
national championship in for
several years now.
269
00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:55,240
They have a really loyal
following and donor base and all
270
00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,600
that stuff, which has allowed
them to be really successful for
271
00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,600
a really long time.
So you know, it's not all that
272
00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,280
surprising to get kind of a
unique donation to a sport with
273
00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,760
that kind of support and
community and kind of long time
274
00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,720
success that they've had.
But like, like you kind of said,
275
00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,800
like $1,000,000 in in that kind
of sport is especially in
276
00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,760
today's kind of Rev share.
I don't know how much or if,
277
00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,720
what the plans are for that kind
of money, but I'm sure they'll
278
00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,120
they'll put it to good use to
try and get over the hump.
279
00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,720
And I don't, I don't, I don't
really understand wrestling,
280
00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,840
college wrestling, to be honest.
The whole like watch, I watch
281
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,160
them when there's a big match on
or something and like try and
282
00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,400
understand what's happening, but
I just can't, I can't figure it
283
00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:44,160
out.
But like, it's it's definitely
284
00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,640
the sport where it seems like
they're gearing up to make that
285
00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:51,520
push next year.
And Tony Roby's done a great job
286
00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,160
of, like, building probably the
most sustainable program at
287
00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,080
Virginia Tech for the last 15
years.
288
00:16:59,080 --> 00:16:59,400
Yeah.
A.
289
00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:01,320
Lot.
Brian.
290
00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,079
I mean, what did?
You think about, yeah, it's just
291
00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,000
you keep starting stacking
these, these wins.
292
00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,280
I mean, you had a bunch of
recruiting wins, you know,
293
00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:14,000
behind this and all of a sudden
you've got this influx.
294
00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,760
And I don't know if one began
the other or, or what was going
295
00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,400
on there, but this really puts
you in a really good spot
296
00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,000
heading into a season where you
feel, I think really good about
297
00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,720
your roster top to bottom and
kind of how you match up across
298
00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,440
the board.
I don't know if it's enough to
299
00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,880
to get us into the the national
championship conversation, but
300
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,240
you know, you're certainly going
to be at least in the probably
301
00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:42,440
the top of the heap of that,
that that next group there kind
302
00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,160
of puts you firmly in in a in a
top five category and you get
303
00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:47,880
that close.
So you can, you know, have a
304
00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:49,920
couple things go your way.
You might put yourself in a
305
00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,360
really good spot as you as you
kind of move through the the
306
00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:56,280
season coming up here.
It's just going to be exciting
307
00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,520
because, you know, I think
you're going to see, you know,
308
00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,080
this is the team that's already,
you know, consistently, you
309
00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:06,480
know, tops of the ACC.
You know, there's really only a
310
00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,320
handful of other schools that
have similar caliber or better
311
00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,640
caliber programs of Virginia
Tech at this point.
312
00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,280
So if if this is the the thing
that gets them over the hump, it
313
00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:19,960
could be really huge.
Tally anything on this when you
314
00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:21,280
read the news and saw those
things.
315
00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,720
Yeah, no, I'm kind of like, like
Doug said, when it comes to
316
00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:26,600
wrestling.
Like I know when they say
317
00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,240
somebody wins or somebody loses,
but I never know what's going
318
00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,560
on.
Like all I know is when NWO
319
00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:38,680
comes out with steam and Hulk
Hogan and The Rock, stuff like
320
00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:39,960
that.
Like, I know that kind of
321
00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,040
wrestling, but I don't know
nothing about the rules and
322
00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,120
stuff.
But I do know I will say this,
323
00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,120
we need football to be good.
We need football to be good.
324
00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,080
And I think James Franklin being
at Virginia Tech definitely
325
00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,040
plays a part in what some of the
other sports are able to do.
326
00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,920
Again, wrestling, this is the
own thing and they've been doing
327
00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:07,000
a great job.
But I do feel like when you do
328
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,960
have a lot of buzz around your
program that it creates
329
00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:14,400
excitement.
So I'm not saying that that
330
00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:17,960
$1,000,000 gift wasn't already
in the works, but I think
331
00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,960
getting a serious, you know,
football coach and then all of
332
00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:25,920
the changes that are coming from
up top probably had somebody
333
00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:27,720
said, oh, they're looking at
being serious about it.
334
00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:29,920
Yeah, I want to.
I'd like to get in on that.
335
00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:34,760
So keep doing that, everybody.
We need everybody to be good.
336
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,160
We do, but I get what you're
saying, Tally.
337
00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,200
Sometimes that stuff is the
springboard, right?
338
00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:44,000
Like everything from last August
with the the focus back pointing
339
00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,760
a lot of money back towards
football.
340
00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:49,120
Hired a big name coach, making
some serious moves.
341
00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,560
Maybe there is that donor out
there that loads the wrestling
342
00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,480
program that says, you know
what, if I write $1,000,000,
343
00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,040
some of the other money can
funnel back into football.
344
00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,920
By the way, Doug, you, you just
need to sign somebody who likes
345
00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:02,440
wrestling and wrestled in
college.
346
00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,360
We, we've had, we've had,
obviously we've had Joe Rogers
347
00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:08,560
on here, believe it or not.
As as much shenanigans as Joe
348
00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:10,640
causes, Joe knows wrestling.
Really.
349
00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,120
Knows wrestling.
He knows.
350
00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:14,280
Wrestling.
The other guy is one of my
351
00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,880
fraternity brothers from
Longwood named David Fuqua.
352
00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,760
He wrestled in college.
I text him all the time and he
353
00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,840
can tell me what happened in
this guy right here, who's our
354
00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:27,200
music man, Wrestled in high
school, coached middle school.
355
00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,040
Like if you somebody who
understands wrestling and you
356
00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,480
sit with them, they can tell you
what's happening and then it
357
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:34,880
makes sense.
Now what's?
358
00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:36,640
The issue is the next time
there's a match you're
359
00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,640
launching.
I forgot everything he told me
360
00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:40,040
while we were sitting.
It's gone.
361
00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,520
I just I just sit there when it
you know, it'll be on ACC
362
00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,120
network or one of those big one
of those big matches they have
363
00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:51,000
and like people start screaming
and saying too, too, too.
364
00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,280
And I'm like, I don't know
what's happening.
365
00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,240
I don't know why that, but good
job.
366
00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,840
Good job, Rogers, if you're out
there listening, make it AI chat
367
00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:03,280
agent Joe Rogers that we can
just, you know, queue up anytime
368
00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:04,800
a match is on so we'll know
what's up matches.
369
00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:06,480
On.
Please.
370
00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:11,040
Explain to us do a do a live
stream of what's going on with
371
00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:12,720
wrestling.
It's like when the NFL does like
372
00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,200
a Nickelodeon cat cast down a
little bit.
373
00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,800
We need the simpler version.
I need the overlay give me the.
374
00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:20,840
Overlay.
What's happening here I.
375
00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:22,640
Need type of video for this
wrestling match.
376
00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:25,960
One more non Rev talk
discussion.
377
00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,600
Yeah, I know you said we should
talk about it, but I am going to
378
00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,640
talk about it.
First of all, big kudos to
379
00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,640
women's softball.
Again, what, seven straight
380
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,320
regionals, seven straight NCAA
terms appearance.
381
00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,240
That's that's you.
I don't care what your program
382
00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:45,360
is, where you are making seven
times to the NCAA tournament is
383
00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:50,560
huge.
They get basically the 17 seed
384
00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,880
and basically a lot of chaos
that happened because there was
385
00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:58,320
well, it was because you're
having graduation.
386
00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,880
You can't you can't host.
There's not enough, there's not
387
00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:02,720
enough.
People say, first of all, that
388
00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:07,800
stadium is only like what, 2300?
It's not a massive 10,000 seat
389
00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,000
stadium.
So that's the first thing.
390
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,000
Then it's like, well, your
record kind of hurts you.
391
00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:16,600
You know, LSU is better.
Like we played like some of the
392
00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,280
same teams that LSU did and we
beat them six.
393
00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,160
You know, I don't think they had
a six and a record.
394
00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:26,680
So you got mutual competition.
I just and then and you know,
395
00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,040
Doug, you made such a fairpoint
on Twitter.
396
00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:30,560
How?
Are we going to host some of
397
00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,520
these games in the fall with
football?
398
00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:36,560
I mean, are are we going to be
able to have enough hotels?
399
00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,720
Yeah, I I put out a snarky
tweet, you know, and and I got
400
00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:47,120
to give credit to Sam Mostel
hope I said that right at tech
401
00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:49,400
sideline who did actual
reporting to figure out what the
402
00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,240
deal was.
I mean, it makes sense on like
403
00:22:53,360 --> 00:22:57,440
it makes sense once you here at
like it's a quick turn
404
00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,320
graduation weekend.
All the hotels are booked up for
405
00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,200
for the Georgia Tech football
game in the fall.
406
00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,760
Virginia Tech will have secured
that hotel for Georgia Tech well
407
00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:09,720
in advance and there's nothing
no problem with that.
408
00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:11,480
Like it all the reasoning makes
sense.
409
00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,400
What didn't make sense was why
they even why the selection
410
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,920
committee chair even like LED
with that like if if they're not
411
00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:23,840
a top 16, see then it doesn't
there's no reason to mention the
412
00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,600
hotels or anything like it's
that's the reason they didn't
413
00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,440
they're not hosting is because
they're not a top six team.
414
00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:35,120
But to even like bring that into
the conversation was felt like
415
00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:38,080
an own goal and they kind of
asked for that reaction.
416
00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:44,400
So I could there be could that
really be the real reason?
417
00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:48,800
Perhaps, But you know, you look
at it on the kind of, if you
418
00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,600
just look at the facts of trying
to turn around in a week and
419
00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:58,600
host four teams in Blacksburg,
Sure, it makes sense with
420
00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,800
graduation going on and having
all the all the hotels booked
421
00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,320
up.
I guess there's you could argue
422
00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:09,160
like can we extend the radius a
little bit to to fit some more
423
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,080
hotels in there?
But I guess the rules are the
424
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,040
rules.
Yeah.
425
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:18,120
And I guess that radius only
included like I guess like most
426
00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:21,160
of Salem and kind of that area
didn't like quite extend all the
427
00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:24,960
way through the better part of
Roanoke and all that stuff.
428
00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:28,800
So like a good a good portion of
the the hotels in Roanoke were
429
00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,000
kind of out of play and all this
other stuff with that.
430
00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,040
Which is interesting because,
like, for years, I know they
431
00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,440
stopped doing it in the last
couple years, but like, Tech
432
00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,880
would stay in Roanoke before
football games.
433
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:42,760
Yeah, no problem.
Just get a police escort.
434
00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:44,480
You're in Blacksburg pretty
quickly.
435
00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,800
Like there was never a concern
about or too far.
436
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:50,800
I know there was stuff about
like recruiting that made it
437
00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,000
inconvenient, but it wasn't a
problem when you have some
438
00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,320
resources to help, right, To
help you figure it out.
439
00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,880
Yeah, yeah.
And I know they like having, you
440
00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:03,360
know, guys on campus so you can
do stuff with the hosting and
441
00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:08,920
recruiting and that that makes
more sense from a being in in
442
00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:13,040
Blacksburg versus in Roanoke.
But yeah, I know what's what's
443
00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,440
the rule like 30 mile, 50 minute
drive?
444
00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,560
Or may or it might have been the
other way, 30 minutes or 45
445
00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,560
miles or something like that.
Yeah, yeah.
446
00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,880
And.
I know that based on what they
447
00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:28,480
were saying, it put like a a
good majority of the Roanoke
448
00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,720
area area out of play from a
hotel standpoint.
449
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,680
So like I get, I get that part
of it.
450
00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:37,800
But like to your point, why even
go down that road if you're
451
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,800
saying they're not a top 16 seed
anyway?
452
00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,960
If.
It weren't in play then why we.
453
00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,520
Were I think that's I.
Think we were.
454
00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:50,160
I think we were.
And then it was just like, well,
455
00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,240
we can't really make this
happen, So what can we do?
456
00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,120
We'll put them at 17.
And, and if you want to say that
457
00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,440
was the, you know, we can't
decide between these two teams,
458
00:25:58,440 --> 00:25:59,760
but they can accommodate
everybody.
459
00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,760
So that's where we're going.
You know that I'm fine if that,
460
00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:06,000
if that's the the qualifying
factor there, but like just to
461
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,960
come out and say, well, they
weren't a 16 anyway.
462
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,720
Well, they went down that road
that far.
463
00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:12,480
They probably worked.
They probably worked.
464
00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,960
Tally, I know you lost softball,
so I mean what you got.
465
00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,040
I ain't got nothing, man.
I I got nothing to I I you know
466
00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:22,200
what?
I do have something to say.
467
00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:23,000
Oh, he.
Got something?
468
00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:24,360
I see.
He got to give him a second
469
00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:25,320
here.
He's got to wind the money.
470
00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:31,120
Every time I I I looked at
hotels in Blacksburg to come up
471
00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:34,560
for I just looked at hotels for
the VMI game.
472
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:42,160
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Why is it so high?
473
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,040
Why does every boy around this
cost so much?
474
00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,400
I looked at Airbnb.
I looked at Airbnb's.
475
00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:55,200
Somebody was charging $1400 for
I think they said you could walk
476
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,880
to the stadium from this Airbnb.
I was like, no, I don't think I
477
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,400
want to walk big.
I have $1400 for a night.
478
00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,280
It may have been two nights, but
whatever the case is and I'm not
479
00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,920
doing it, man.
So hey, y'all got to get that
480
00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,120
hotel stuff taken care of.
Cause see, anytime I've come up
481
00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:14,640
for a game, we've stayed.
I think we stayed in like what's
482
00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,200
called Withville,
Christiansburg.
483
00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:22,520
Where's Radford?
Radford sometimes.
484
00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,920
Radford Yeah.
So I was driven.
485
00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,760
In the nose.
Before, yeah, so that's what I'm
486
00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:31,080
saying.
There's been plenty of times
487
00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:32,960
that we've come up and we just
had to stay.
488
00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:36,080
Like I've never stayed in
Blacksburg when I went up there.
489
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:39,360
So yeah, it's, it's state fault,
man.
490
00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,240
Y'all got them, y'all no hotels
too, too high and you got them
491
00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:46,280
booked up and stuff, man.
They wanted to let, they wanted
492
00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,360
to let Virginia Tech host it,
but the hotels is the problem.
493
00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,480
You know what, we got a friend.
Can you get some money together?
494
00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:58,480
I bet you he would build a hotel
up there if he knew it was going
495
00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,000
to be a problem.
You get to well.
496
00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,480
The well, the, the probability
is not the, the the problem,
497
00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,600
it's it's getting all the
permits and the land and
498
00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:12,160
everything by the the Blacksburg
Council and all that stuff that
499
00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,320
I think is hindering some of
some of that, that front.
500
00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:20,280
And I don't know a shortcut
around that.
501
00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,840
You know, we, we know Blacksburg
local politics is what it is so.
502
00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:31,560
We'll we'll give you his name
later, Tally, we'll let you give
503
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,800
him a call.
I thought we can, I thought.
504
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,000
Jerry on here and talk a little
bit about the the black man.
505
00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:37,520
On here, Yeah.
I thought.
506
00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:38,960
I thought y'all was going to say
Phil.
507
00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:40,440
That's the only reason.
I asked who it was.
508
00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,160
No, not Phil.
It's another one of our buddies.
509
00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,560
But he's also actually, you know
what, Brian, I might actually
510
00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,880
talk to Robbie about his new
purchase if he wants to sponsor
511
00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,520
it on here.
Yeah, that that's a good idea.
512
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,880
Seriously, I think that'd be a
good idea.
513
00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,080
We'll let y'all know about it
after the show.
514
00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,880
The guy too.
All right, let's get to what we
515
00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:02,920
really want to talk about.
Let's talk some football.
516
00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:07,360
Let's start with the recruiting
aspect first, because since we
517
00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:12,320
last came on here, the
recruiting has been absolutely
518
00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:17,640
on fire.
It is something that I can say I
519
00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,280
don't remember every.
I can't recall.
520
00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:25,160
I can't personally recall the
last time we sat in the teens.
521
00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,080
Yes, I know it's.
Made.
522
00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:29,640
I don't remember.
The last time we were in the
523
00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:35,040
teens and right now per the site
that Doug writes 4247, we are
524
00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:40,640
17th in the country.
And this isn't with like 3 or 4
525
00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,120
recruits.
This is with 11 recruits.
526
00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,240
And if you look around, nobody
around us has like 5 or 6.
527
00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:52,440
Everybody's in that same boat.
10111213 And so Doug, I want to
528
00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:55,960
start there and just you know, I
know you do different writings,
529
00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:57,880
but obviously it's the site
you're right for.
530
00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:03,320
But what are what is your just
initial thoughts of this wave
531
00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:09,040
right out of the gate with James
Franklin and and just the amount
532
00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,920
of the commits and the quality
of the commits?
533
00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:17,000
Yeah, I think the latter part is
the big piece of it, the quality
534
00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,520
of the commence.
I feel like every year around
535
00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:24,720
this time you get a run on
commits in May and June.
536
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,400
People have taken their official
visits in this decision time
537
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:30,640
spots.
You know, you start to see the
538
00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,920
puzzle pieces play out of the
spots getting taken out, taken
539
00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:35,560
up and stuff.
But I think the big difference
540
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,920
this year is, is really why you
hired James Franklin.
541
00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,600
It's his recruiting ability you
look at.
542
00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:44,960
I think there's been a
noticeable difference in the
543
00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:49,000
competition that Virginia Tech
is winning these battles against
544
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,840
compared to previous years.
I started just jotting these
545
00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,920
down.
This was last week, but so I've
546
00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,880
only got a handful of them.
But like Alex Taylor, they just
547
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,640
going based off the 247 article
that says he chose Virginia Tech
548
00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:09,160
over these these schools, you
know, A&M, Tennessee, Auburn,
549
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,520
Xavier Perkins, Miami,
Louisville, Joseph Buchanan, NC
550
00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,680
State, Arkansas, Tennessee,
Kelvin Morrison, Penn State,
551
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:21,840
Miami, Braxton Solster, the
tight end from Ole Miss, Auburn,
552
00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,760
Baylor.
Like it just feels like a
553
00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:29,440
different level of competition
that Virginia Tech is recruiting
554
00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:31,200
and winning recruiting battles
against.
555
00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:35,160
And that's solely because of
James Franklin and his
556
00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,920
recruiting ability, how his
track record sells itself, which
557
00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,880
helps when you're recruiting to
a new place like Virginia Tech.
558
00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:45,640
But you see them just like it's
definitely feels different
559
00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:51,320
immediately in terms of just the
quality of prospect they're
560
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:55,440
getting in terms of like the the
other schools also recruiting
561
00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:57,640
these players.
Yeah.
562
00:31:57,640 --> 00:31:59,720
And you talk about the quality
of the thing that I'd like to
563
00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,080
look at.
You know, I love the overall
564
00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,840
ranking, you see it in the
teams, but when you start
565
00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:08,480
looking at that average recruit
rank, that that's that's where I
566
00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:12,760
always look as far as a class in
terms of, you know, how good is
567
00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:16,320
this class and, and making those
comparisons to kind of other
568
00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,600
schools in that same area.
And you know, that checks out
569
00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,640
just as well, if not better than
than just looking at that
570
00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:26,240
overall range, just because you
know, volume a lot of times
571
00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:28,200
plays a factor in that and
things like that.
572
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:30,080
Where is that average recruit
rank?
573
00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,960
You know, that's that's going to
be there, you know, regardless
574
00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:35,400
of the the the size of the class
that you're taking in.
575
00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:39,240
And and that's continued to
trick trickle up and up and up.
576
00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:42,160
And now we're, you know, looking
at kind of the mid 80 eights,
577
00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,200
you know, pretty consistently
looking at how Franklin wrapped
578
00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:48,480
up last class and kind of where
this class is standing right
579
00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,960
now.
And and you got some some heavy
580
00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:55,160
hitters, you know, on the clock
here coming up.
581
00:32:55,160 --> 00:33:00,080
So you know that that could that
could go way up here, you know,
582
00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,920
potentially in a couple days.
So excited for the quality,
583
00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,880
excited to see us flip DeMarcus
Brown.
584
00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:11,920
I think that was, you know, it's
always good when you can eat off
585
00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:15,000
of little brother's plate a
little bit in the process of
586
00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:19,080
getting a quality prospect.
And then, you know, Chase
587
00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:21,880
Johnson sneaking in there.
And you hadn't really heard a
588
00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,600
whole lot about, you know,
Virginia Tech being, you know,
589
00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,960
super in play there.
And then, you know, he he
590
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,160
commits.
And I thought that was a big
591
00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,400
one, you know, beating out
Florida State for that one.
592
00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,200
So I mean, there's just so many
good things that are happening
593
00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,000
with this class so far.
That's got to be excited.
594
00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,360
The recruiting, the average
recruiting ranking is notable.
595
00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:44,240
I think for what where we are
kind of in the, the cycle of
596
00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:46,960
like you want that to be pretty
high at this point, because that
597
00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,400
means you're, you're hitting at
the top of your board or close
598
00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,960
to the top of the board versus
having to kind of go down
599
00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:56,680
further the you miss on your top
targets.
600
00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,000
And then you're you're kind of
going down the board for a
601
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:03,040
lower, lower ranked guy.
So that's exactly what you want
602
00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:04,240
to see.
I think the other thing that's
603
00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:08,360
notable, you talked about Chase
Johnson, you can throw Salster
604
00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:12,840
in there from, from Alabama, but
Stanley's smart from Georgia.
605
00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:15,600
They're they're, they're
stretching the footprint down
606
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:18,960
into the Southeast.
Right off the bat, you knew
607
00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:21,320
James Franklin was going to
recruit Pennsylvania, Maryland
608
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:24,120
and Northern Virginia.
Like it's the back of his hand.
609
00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:26,560
You knew he was going to go,
he's going to be able to go into
610
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:30,120
Charlotte and around the state
of Virginia and kind of within
611
00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,480
that like 3 hour radius of
Virginia Tech is probably going
612
00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:37,400
to sell itself with James
Franklin where he didn't have as
613
00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:42,679
much experience as going further
South into Georgia specifically.
614
00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:47,040
I think Norval McKenzie probably
was a strategic hire for that.
615
00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:50,639
But when you can kind of
everyone talks about the six
616
00:34:50,639 --> 00:34:53,560
hour radius and when you can
start to really push those
617
00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:58,240
boundaries and take full
advantage of the of that of the
618
00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,240
of the radius or footprint or
whatever you want to call it.
619
00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,680
I think that's, it's especially
notable right off the bat.
620
00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,680
You know, we're only five months
into this tenure, basically.
621
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,920
Yeah, yeah, Stretching into that
more, more of a 10 hour radius,
622
00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:14,440
you know, reaching down into,
you know, parts of Florida,
623
00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,760
getting into Georgia, getting,
you know, all those states
624
00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:22,480
where, you know, the, the depth
of, of the classes coming out of
625
00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:26,040
those states is so much greater
than what you see in Virginia.
626
00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:28,560
And, you know, there's a lot of
factors that play into that.
627
00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:32,560
And you still have to, you know,
I think you still have to
628
00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:34,760
Virginia still needs to be a
focus.
629
00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:39,960
But at the same time, once
you're out of the, you know, top
630
00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:43,560
15, top 20 of the state, you can
probably reach in some of those
631
00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:46,400
other States and get a
comparable, you know, comparable
632
00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,120
talent.
Chase Johnson.
633
00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:52,440
You know, much, much further
down, much further down there in
634
00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,160
state list.
But as far as their overall
635
00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:58,080
ranking is concerned, would be
would you know, they'd be a a
636
00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:01,280
top ten player if they were, you
know, simply ranked in Virginia,
637
00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:02,920
So 100.
Percent talent, you've been
638
00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:04,200
quiet.
What do you what do you want to
639
00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,800
say on this matter?
No, man, I'm just listening.
640
00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:08,520
I mean, I kind of hit on what I
was going to say.
641
00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,360
I'm glad of course they're
putting a, you know, emphasis on
642
00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:17,280
trying to recruit the state and
the footprint.
643
00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,880
But the footprint is you got to
get talent as well now, not no
644
00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,200
stupid ass shit like Texas, the
Vt and let's forget about
645
00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:25,920
Virginia.
You know, of course we're not
646
00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:29,880
thinking that.
But just like you were saying, I
647
00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:35,720
think Curtis was saying, or
maybe Brian, when you look at
648
00:36:35,720 --> 00:36:39,760
some of the caliber of recruits,
just the depth that some of the
649
00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:44,360
some of the recruits or states
have for the recruits, you
650
00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:48,840
might, you may be looking at a
50th in the state, but he's
651
00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:52,120
ranked at 89.
You know, it's just different.
652
00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:55,080
Sometimes at the end, listening
to what some of the recruits
653
00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,440
say, I can't remember which was
I think it was the running back
654
00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:02,400
from Georgia when Kobe did an
interview with him and he just
655
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:05,000
talked about, you know, why now
what, what was the time?
656
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,120
Why was it the time to to
commit?
657
00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:09,840
And he's saying, you know, I got
to get in.
658
00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:12,560
I don't want to lose my spot.
You know what I'm saying?
659
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,520
Like who it is me, you know what
I'm saying?
660
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,680
And you got you got kids already
saying that about Virginia Tech
661
00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,480
when we were begging people to
to come in at some points, not
662
00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,320
all the time, but you know,
sometimes in our recruiting
663
00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:29,360
Fuente Aras, we had people that
we was just trying to get a kid
664
00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,400
in, you know, just trying to get
anybody to.
665
00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:36,040
And and now you got kids saying,
you know, I'm just I got to get
666
00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:39,040
in early so I don't lose my spot
because I would hate for
667
00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:41,760
somebody to take my spot and I
not have that spot.
668
00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:43,120
I know that building something
up there.
669
00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:49,520
So kudos to the to the staff and
James Franklin, you know, like
670
00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:51,680
you said, stretching that that
footprint.
671
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,920
I don't know did we I I looked
at the I was look, when you
672
00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,600
asked me what I was doing.
I was looking at the the
673
00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:01,240
rundown.
Curtis, did we talk about the
674
00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:03,720
big recruit on Thursday in the
rundown in it we're.
675
00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:05,840
Going to get.
There, we don't get there.
676
00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:07,440
Hold.
On We're going to get there.
677
00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:09,440
I was trying to see it.
I didn't know if we, I didn't
678
00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:11,360
know if it was on there, so I
didn't want to that was.
679
00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:13,320
I was not on there, I missed it,
but Brian brought.
680
00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:15,920
It up.
I'll say this, I'll say this,
681
00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:17,560
I'll say this.
What?
682
00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:21,760
Because Doug brought him up.
The kid from Alabama is good.
683
00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:26,880
The kid from Alabama is good.
He's a phenomenal athlete at a
684
00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:30,520
very, he's a big fish in a small
pond right now.
685
00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:33,200
He goes to one of the smaller
schools in Alabama.
686
00:38:33,240 --> 00:38:38,520
I think it's a two way school
and he is dominating people in
687
00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,400
that until they get to the
playoffs, there's nobody who can
688
00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,800
do what he's doing that he plays
against.
689
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:47,240
All of the schools are going to
be similar to to him or to his
690
00:38:47,240 --> 00:38:49,000
school.
I think they may have went like
691
00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:53,600
10 and two last year.
You know, they may have been not
692
00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:55,960
one lost one game in the regular
season.
693
00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:01,840
But just thinking about like
that is a usually that's a
694
00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:06,480
Auburn type of player.
I wouldn't say Alabama caliber
695
00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:11,880
for how Alabama recruits, but
most of the time Auburn comes in
696
00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:14,320
and didn't even you know,
schools like you know, South
697
00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:18,880
Alabama, but even when we stay
in the SEC like Ole Miss was
698
00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:22,240
hard on this kid.
So for them to sneak in, you
699
00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:26,040
know, down in Pleasant Valley,
Alabama, which is Jacksonville.
700
00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:29,000
I went to Jacksonville State his
his his school is in
701
00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,680
Jacksonville, AL for them to
sneak in and be like, hey, we
702
00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,320
need you to come here for a
athlete like that. 65 he plays
703
00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,960
basketball.
It just lets me know like the
704
00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:42,920
recruiting, you know, prowess
that they have that they're
705
00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:46,000
they're going after it man.
And I, I, it's interesting to
706
00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:48,280
see it makes it fun again.
You know what I'm saying?
707
00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:52,640
Like now I got to put Doug on.
I got to turn my notices on for
708
00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:57,640
Doug and Kobe and Evan so I can
know what's going on because for
709
00:39:57,640 --> 00:39:59,280
years I was just like, man, it
don't matter.
710
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:00,920
I don't care.
You know what I'm saying?
711
00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:04,240
That you going to give me what,
858482?
712
00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:08,080
No disrespect to the kids, man,
you know, but I'm just being
713
00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:11,000
real now.
I got a now I'm getting excited
714
00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,600
about it a little bit more
because I mean, when you start
715
00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:18,320
saying, I know sometimes when
people write the articles, they
716
00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:22,560
may say, oh, he chose Virginia
take over this school, right?
717
00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:26,760
But if you really look at it and
you go back, because I go follow
718
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:30,160
visits and things like that and
I'm like, oh, this coach was in
719
00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:32,920
to see this kid.
Oh, this he's got pictures.
720
00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:37,040
He just went there.
OK, we doing something, Curtis,
721
00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,080
I ain't mean I ain't mean to
step in front of you, man.
722
00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:41,400
What you had to say you.
Didn't step in front of me, but
723
00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:44,120
obviously I was going to kind of
let us go around and talk about
724
00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:47,920
the recent wave of commits, and
I expected you to talk about
725
00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:49,960
Braxton.
He's from Alabama, you know
726
00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:51,880
about him.
But I'm going to flip it to our
727
00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:55,520
guest, Doug, of all these recent
commits of this big groundswell
728
00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:57,640
that's been happening in the
last about 3 weeks here.
729
00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:02,240
Is there a certain 1 you point
out just like that kid right
730
00:41:02,240 --> 00:41:05,640
there, whether it's Tate, his
offer list, maybe things you
731
00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:07,520
read about him.
Is there one that just pops out
732
00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:09,640
to you?
That's like, that's my guy,
733
00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:12,120
That's who?
I'm glad we got them in the
734
00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:14,840
boat.
I I'm going to go with Brian's
735
00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:18,680
guy, but DeMarcus Brown, I think
a wide receiver, I think
736
00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:22,160
Virginia Tech has recruited with
Fontel Mines has recruited the
737
00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:26,480
wide receiver position extremely
well on paper for the last
738
00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,040
several years.
It hasn't quite yet paid off on
739
00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:32,440
the field.
So like continuing to stock that
740
00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:35,960
position is a big one for me.
I know they got Roberts too of
741
00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:41,680
that's at that spot, but taking
up he's a composite 4 star from
742
00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:46,880
your in state rival at this
point of the process, like
743
00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,240
pretty pretty solid job.
You know, not like a late in the
744
00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:53,440
cycle type flip.
So they did a really good job
745
00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:56,320
recruiting him and he's he's one
of those that's one of those
746
00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:58,600
premium positions.
One of James Franklin's like go
747
00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:01,800
to quotes these days.
Is that like, what does he say?
748
00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:05,800
He says running backs have to
make like 3 people or four
749
00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:10,000
people miss before they're gone,
whereas receivers like they make
750
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,440
one guy miss and they're gone.
So he's trying to put a a big
751
00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:16,840
premium on on the wide receiver
position, maybe more so than he
752
00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:20,680
did at Penn State.
But I think Brown in particular
753
00:42:20,680 --> 00:42:26,320
at, you know, the 247 has him at
six, 3 1/2 is a four-star wide
754
00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:28,520
receiver.
That's the kind of like high
755
00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:31,840
level talent that you just need
to stock at that position.
756
00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:35,200
So you have like 3 really good
ones at the top of your depth
757
00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:37,120
chart.
Brian is George.
758
00:42:37,120 --> 00:42:39,240
DeMarcus, is that your guy right
now?
759
00:42:39,240 --> 00:42:41,720
Do you have another one?
It it's between him and Chase
760
00:42:41,720 --> 00:42:45,680
Johnson and I mean, just look at
looking at both of those.
761
00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,760
Yeah, those are areas that you
need to get some bodies in
762
00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:52,360
there, you know, outside of the
trenches, you know, you want to
763
00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:55,320
get as many cornerbacks and and
wide receivers in the room.
764
00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:01,160
It it's a position that, you
know, if, if things go well,
765
00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:04,120
they can play quickly and I
think that that's important as
766
00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:07,640
we're trying to level up the
talent in this roster is, is
767
00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:11,040
getting those, you know, high
caliber, high, high profile
768
00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:14,080
players in the building and, and
see what they can do right away.
769
00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:18,760
Probably cornerback, even more
so than wide receiver, you know,
770
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:23,200
if, if, if a cornerback has a
skill set, you know, you can get
771
00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:26,200
them out there pretty quick.
So you get more bodies in the
772
00:43:26,200 --> 00:43:27,800
building like a, like a Chase
Johnson.
773
00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:31,400
I think it's going to be be real
important to continue to keep
774
00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:34,560
the, the trajectory of that room
moving forward because you know,
775
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:39,200
when we look back, just, you
know, just to last year, man,
776
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:41,600
that room was in complete
shambles.
777
00:43:42,680 --> 00:43:46,760
And, and, and what Franklin has
been able to do with wrapping up
778
00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:50,600
the 26th cycle in the transfer
portal and now what he's
779
00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:52,800
starting to do in the 27th
cycle.
780
00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:57,080
I mean, this is really turning
something that was an absolute
781
00:43:57,080 --> 00:44:02,480
negative in 2025 into, you know,
you're looking at A at a pretty
782
00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:04,920
good plus room heading into this
year and it's only going to get
783
00:44:04,920 --> 00:44:06,400
better as this class grows up
all.
784
00:44:07,680 --> 00:44:09,080
Right.
I'm, I'm going to throw mine out
785
00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:11,760
there before we hit that topic
that's happening on Thursday
786
00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:16,200
that Tally wants to talk about,
but I want to go Kelvin
787
00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:18,640
Morrison.
Well, first of all, we've been
788
00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:21,720
talking about James Franklin
starting to create a further
789
00:44:21,720 --> 00:44:24,000
footprint down South.
Doug, I'm with you.
790
00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:28,120
The reason Norville was, the
reason Norville was hired was
791
00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:29,880
for that.
Georgia, South Carolina,
792
00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:32,720
Alabama, The reason Fontell was
kept on because of that.
793
00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:35,680
The reason Matt Moore was kept
on was because of the Ohio, New
794
00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:38,000
Jersey type connections that
he's always made.
795
00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:42,600
So he made a very conscientious
effort to make sure we've got to
796
00:44:42,600 --> 00:44:45,320
go further South because to what
Tally said, what we're all
797
00:44:45,320 --> 00:44:48,920
agreeing to here is some of
those states, the 50th ranked
798
00:44:48,920 --> 00:44:52,920
player is as good as the top
ten, top 15 in other states.
799
00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:55,280
And when you snatch one of them,
that's how you start building
800
00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:57,200
depth.
But the Morrison pick, for me,
801
00:44:57,200 --> 00:45:00,320
it's more of he is that
borderline 4 star running back
802
00:45:00,320 --> 00:45:03,680
out of Pennsylvania.
But it shows that he is not
803
00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:07,080
going to forget that area.
Doug, you said he should have a
804
00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:09,440
problem recruiting, but he's
proven I'm not going to forget
805
00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:11,600
about y'all.
Yes, I moved down to Virginia.
806
00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:13,760
Virginia's still our home base,
but I'm going to keep coming
807
00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:15,440
back up north.
I'm going to keep looking for
808
00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:18,680
players in this area to come in.
We lost Brian.
809
00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:20,800
That's very strange.
I don't know what's going on
810
00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:22,080
there.
So hopefully we'll jump back on
811
00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:23,440
in a second.
Here my Internet.
812
00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:25,880
He stole your Internet, You
stole his Internet.
813
00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:31,120
That's when it went on there.
But when you see that, I think
814
00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:34,640
that's what happened last week.
But when you see that, when you
815
00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:37,960
see him continuously pulling a
four-star out of there and then
816
00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:40,640
like the Saint Francis Academy
guys out of Maryland, it's like
817
00:45:40,920 --> 00:45:43,480
he's not forgetting about what
he built Penn State into.
818
00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:47,240
But now he's winding that base
and he's getting into the Deep
819
00:45:47,240 --> 00:45:49,440
South.
And obviously we expect probably
820
00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:51,000
Florida kids to start hopping
on.
821
00:45:51,240 --> 00:45:56,320
And I think that's the piece
because if you tell Doug we're a
822
00:45:56,320 --> 00:45:58,560
little bit older than you, like
what made Virginia Tech,
823
00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:01,880
Virginia Tech back in the day it
was Pennsylvania, Maryland,
824
00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:04,440
Jersey, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina,
825
00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:09,160
Georgia, and then some Florida
kids, those eight states Duvall
826
00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,280
in the Fort.
Lauderdale area in Fort
827
00:46:11,280 --> 00:46:15,440
Lauderdale area and if you say.
He's getting that back and it's
828
00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:17,880
not just he's just going in
there getting a player.
829
00:46:17,880 --> 00:46:21,840
He is getting, you know, in the
world's of Chase Johnson, a top
830
00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:25,000
50 player of the state.
And he's.
831
00:46:25,000 --> 00:46:27,640
Topped like 400 in the country.
It's like way zone.
832
00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,840
That's where it changes so.
I think another thing.
833
00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:35,200
Too, Curtis, just to kind of
piggyback on what you're saying,
834
00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:37,600
it's like, you know, of course
when you're talking recruiting
835
00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:42,440
this, the next recruit, the next
class, the current class, we
836
00:46:42,440 --> 00:46:45,640
still have people from the 26th
class that hadn't come in yet.
837
00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:48,680
And the reason I'm saying that
is because they're going to be
838
00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:51,320
very pivotal parts of what we're
looking at doing.
839
00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:55,880
Pierce, what Peterson, I think
his name is very because I'm
840
00:46:55,880 --> 00:46:59,520
talking about the tight end from
Alabama, you know, that that
841
00:46:59,520 --> 00:47:02,160
they, they that they've got to
commit.
842
00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:05,080
But this kid is supposed to be
there, you know, here in just a
843
00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:07,640
little bit.
He's he's a very talented tight
844
00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:08,920
end.
You know what I'm saying?
845
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:11,400
Did you think about some of the
recruiting that we've done in
846
00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:14,120
the past?
We would, you know, maybe get a
847
00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:17,760
four-star here or, you know, get
a four-star here and then we
848
00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:19,960
forget the position for two or
three years.
849
00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:23,040
Tommy Wilder.
Tommy Wilder is not even on
850
00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:25,920
campus yet.
He's a four-star, you know,
851
00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:29,320
lineman that that we're still
wearing the fat rat Brown.
852
00:47:29,720 --> 00:47:33,520
You know, when you talk about
those kids coming in and then
853
00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:36,960
you already are stacking other
kids behind them.
854
00:47:37,240 --> 00:47:39,800
That's how you build the depth.
You know what I'm saying?
855
00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:43,480
Every it seems like it's just
been, you know, that last
856
00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:46,200
recruiting cycle.
Now we're moving into this one
857
00:47:46,560 --> 00:47:50,440
and you can see the depth
starting to build with some of
858
00:47:50,440 --> 00:47:51,800
the positions that they're
doing.
859
00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:55,560
So we talk about like DeMarcus
Brown and then Fat Rat Brown
860
00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:58,960
both getting in there and being
in that wide receiver room.
861
00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:01,840
Because how many times at Tech
have we been like, oh man, we're
862
00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:05,120
going to have a great year and
this one player gets injured and
863
00:48:05,120 --> 00:48:08,040
it's like it throws everything
in disarray, You know what I'm
864
00:48:08,040 --> 00:48:10,760
saying?
And I get it, star players are
865
00:48:11,720 --> 00:48:14,560
star players for a reason.
But how many times does that
866
00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:17,520
happen at other schools?
Somebody gets injured and being
867
00:48:17,520 --> 00:48:19,440
a star is born.
You know what I'm saying?
868
00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:22,960
This person gets injured and
somebody else steps up and you
869
00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:24,680
know, they have a great year for
that team.
870
00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:27,600
I don't wish for anybody to get
injured by no means.
871
00:48:27,600 --> 00:48:29,400
That's not what I'm saying.
But I'm just saying you got to
872
00:48:29,400 --> 00:48:31,760
have depth in football.
And I think that's one of the
873
00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:34,040
big things that we have lacked
in the past.
874
00:48:34,360 --> 00:48:37,280
And I can see with the
recruiting and the people that
875
00:48:37,280 --> 00:48:41,680
they brought in through the
transport portal that it's it's
876
00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:45,080
getting a lot better.
So yeah, that's the big thing
877
00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:48,080
with.
The blue chip ratio is something
878
00:48:48,080 --> 00:48:51,880
I follow pretty closely the the
ratio of four stars and five
879
00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:54,080
stars you get compared to
everyone else.
880
00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:57,480
Indiana finally broke it from
the national championship
881
00:48:57,480 --> 00:49:00,480
perspective, but I but it's
still like a good metric in
882
00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:05,560
terms of do you have enough
talent on the roster to survive
883
00:49:05,840 --> 00:49:09,080
the injury, to survive the
portal guide, to survive that.
884
00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,080
Like it's a measure of kind of
the margin for error you've
885
00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:16,400
given yourself for all the
roster shenanigans that happened
886
00:49:16,400 --> 00:49:21,280
these days in college football.
If you're like it's a you see
887
00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:24,200
that the NFL draft now all the
time, but like if you recruit 4
888
00:49:24,200 --> 00:49:28,000
stars and five stars more often,
like you're going to be fine the
889
00:49:28,000 --> 00:49:31,720
vast majority of the time. 1%
Tex at 11.
890
00:49:31,720 --> 00:49:33,280
Go ahead, you.
Go ahead.
891
00:49:33,280 --> 00:49:35,240
Finish off.
I didn't.
892
00:49:35,240 --> 00:49:36,880
I was.
Just going to say Tex at 11.
893
00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:43,160
Blue chips since Franklin took
over, which is class and a half,
894
00:49:43,320 --> 00:49:47,880
I guess class and a quarter,
that's the most in a two class
895
00:49:47,880 --> 00:49:55,400
period or that's the third most
in a two class period. 2526 and
896
00:49:55,400 --> 00:50:01,000
then going back that 2017,
2018-2019 run that Fuente was on
897
00:50:01,000 --> 00:50:04,160
before it went sour.
And that's basically it for the
898
00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:06,120
last 25 years of machine tech
football.
899
00:50:06,120 --> 00:50:09,360
So like he's already, he's
already approaching like the
900
00:50:09,360 --> 00:50:12,520
most talent that has ever been
brought in in such a short
901
00:50:12,520 --> 00:50:14,560
period of time.
Yeah.
902
00:50:14,760 --> 00:50:16,000
And and.
The problem with you.
903
00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:19,480
When you look at the the Fuente
situation is that talent came in
904
00:50:19,480 --> 00:50:22,120
the building, but it most of it
quickly went out of the
905
00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:25,200
building.
And I think that that's that's
906
00:50:25,200 --> 00:50:28,920
where someone like James
Franklin, who has even in the
907
00:50:28,960 --> 00:50:32,680
transfer portal in NIL time
frame, has done a really good
908
00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:35,360
job of retaining the talent that
he recruits.
909
00:50:36,240 --> 00:50:39,080
So that that's where that comes
into play as well.
910
00:50:39,080 --> 00:50:41,960
And we've you talk about the
pillars that he has for the
911
00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:45,480
program, you know, recruiting
your current roster and keeping
912
00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:49,320
those guys in the building,
making sure that they're they're
913
00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:51,160
locked in.
They understand what their role
914
00:50:51,160 --> 00:50:53,840
in the team is and taking care
of those guys.
915
00:50:53,840 --> 00:50:56,640
That's been a priority for him.
It was a priority at Penn State.
916
00:50:56,720 --> 00:51:00,600
And he's doubled down on that
commitment, it sounds like at
917
00:51:00,600 --> 00:51:04,200
Virginia Tech so far.
So that's going to be important
918
00:51:04,200 --> 00:51:06,080
moving forward as well.
And you know, it's good to have
919
00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:12,520
someone like Franklin that has a
history of navigating not only
920
00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:15,040
getting talent in the building,
but keeping that talent in the
921
00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:17,800
building.
I think I think it's history is.
922
00:51:18,040 --> 00:51:21,400
Probably what drives a lot of
that, it's like, yeah, you can
923
00:51:21,400 --> 00:51:24,560
leave, but you're not like
you're not guaranteed to find
924
00:51:24,560 --> 00:51:27,560
somebody better.
You're taking a pretty.
925
00:51:27,560 --> 00:51:30,480
Sizable risk.
To leave a James Franklin coach
926
00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:33,360
program, maybe that maybe that
ends up being more true at a
927
00:51:33,360 --> 00:51:35,920
Penn State type program than
Virginia Tech, but it's still
928
00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:39,720
that kind of like trust and
track record that sells itself
929
00:51:39,720 --> 00:51:44,760
of like, I'm already here and
I'm close if you're not close.
930
00:51:44,760 --> 00:51:46,880
You're probably going to leave.
Anyway, but for those guys that
931
00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:50,640
are close and could go either
way, it feels like with a little
932
00:51:50,640 --> 00:51:54,320
bit more track record, a little
bit more winning, it becomes
933
00:51:54,320 --> 00:51:59,160
harder and harder to leave.
Yeah, and to Tally's point, I.
934
00:51:59,160 --> 00:52:01,320
Mean, you know.
You talk about the injuries, you
935
00:52:01,320 --> 00:52:04,560
know, when we looked at that
last year, I mean, we had really
936
00:52:04,560 --> 00:52:08,440
three position groups that were,
you know, an injury or an opt
937
00:52:08,440 --> 00:52:12,240
out from being OK.
We we can, we can live with,
938
00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:15,080
with the talent that we have to
all right, this room is a
939
00:52:15,120 --> 00:52:17,760
problem and that, you know, with
this cornerback, it's offensive
940
00:52:17,760 --> 00:52:19,240
line.
It was defensive line,
941
00:52:19,720 --> 00:52:21,880
particularly defensive end.
We couldn't rush the passer.
942
00:52:21,880 --> 00:52:25,880
We already had a cornerback room
in shambles and that's that's a
943
00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:29,400
recipe to to not have a very
good defense.
944
00:52:29,920 --> 00:52:32,640
And if you can't protect your
quarterback, then you've got all
945
00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:34,520
sorts of other problems on the
other side of the football.
946
00:52:34,520 --> 00:52:38,400
So that that's that's how you
that's how a season that wasn't
947
00:52:38,400 --> 00:52:41,840
going to be good to begin with
went off the runs pretty quick
948
00:52:41,840 --> 00:52:44,920
last year and and then.
To your point.
949
00:52:45,240 --> 00:52:48,120
Doug with like, Franklin and his
track record, well, when
950
00:52:48,120 --> 00:52:52,960
literally after the NFL draft,
they start popping up, oh, what
951
00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:55,080
schools have the most NFL
talent?
952
00:52:55,080 --> 00:52:58,560
And it's like Penn State is 6.
And it's just like we get to
953
00:52:58,560 --> 00:53:01,640
raise our hand and be like, hey,
that head coach is here now that
954
00:53:01,640 --> 00:53:03,560
head coach is here.
He's not up there anymore.
955
00:53:03,560 --> 00:53:06,400
He's down here.
It's like they're literally
956
00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:10,280
doing a sales pitch for the new
coach to a new program, which is
957
00:53:10,320 --> 00:53:13,800
unbelievable, All right?
Speaking.
958
00:53:13,800 --> 00:53:15,000
Of blue.
Chips.
959
00:53:15,920 --> 00:53:18,160
Speaking of blue chips, that.
Ratio.
960
00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:23,560
Has a potential chance to get
even better on Thursday with
961
00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:27,480
Peter Fort if y'all.
I have a feeling everybody
962
00:53:27,520 --> 00:53:29,680
snows, but if y'all have not
looked up Peter Bork.
963
00:53:29,800 --> 00:53:31,760
This is 247.
This is Doug's site.
964
00:53:32,320 --> 00:53:34,400
He is the 7th ranked quarterback
in the country.
965
00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:37,320
He is the 80th ranked player in
the country.
966
00:53:37,320 --> 00:53:39,280
He is the top player in
Massachusetts.
967
00:53:39,280 --> 00:53:42,280
He is 6 foot 4.
He is 220 lbs.
968
00:53:42,520 --> 00:53:50,000
His offer list is long and it
seems like it's down to Georgia.
969
00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:53,280
His offer list is insanely long
with a lot of really good teams.
970
00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:56,280
It seems like it's down to
Georgia and us.
971
00:53:56,560 --> 00:54:00,280
Doug, whatever you can tell us
how you're feeling about this,
972
00:54:01,320 --> 00:54:06,480
let us know because we are right
at 36 hours or so the way you
973
00:54:06,600 --> 00:54:09,800
think he's announcing in the
morning I.
974
00:54:10,000 --> 00:54:12,880
Do not, I do not know when he's.
Announcing exactly.
975
00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:15,080
I think last I saw it was still
TBD.
976
00:54:15,640 --> 00:54:17,600
It's Thursday sometime right?
Thursday.
977
00:54:17,600 --> 00:54:19,760
Sometime I'm not sure what when.
Exactly.
978
00:54:20,040 --> 00:54:22,160
Thursday, 12:00 PM.
They got it up, Yeah.
979
00:54:22,520 --> 00:54:24,520
All right.
So we are right at 36 hours.
980
00:54:26,200 --> 00:54:29,520
This this is.
Really a fascinating kind of
981
00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:31,800
when you think about where,
where, where Virgin Tech was in
982
00:54:31,800 --> 00:54:34,640
the fall and now they're
recruiting one of the top
983
00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:37,320
quarterbacks in the country
against Georgia and Penn State.
984
00:54:37,880 --> 00:54:42,480
Pretty ridiculous, but it's just
a fascinating, like, this level
985
00:54:42,480 --> 00:54:44,840
of recruiting is something
Virginia Tech has not done and
986
00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:48,440
like, has not competed for this
level of recruiting.
987
00:54:49,320 --> 00:54:50,840
Who knows how long maybe.
Josh.
988
00:54:50,840 --> 00:54:53,760
Josh Wet was the last one way
back when.
989
00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:58,800
But like today, they just you
know, the story just came out of
990
00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:02,920
his high school or I think
hosted a camp of sorts of
991
00:55:03,000 --> 00:55:06,520
showcase and Georgia, Penn
State, Virginia, this guy's
992
00:55:06,520 --> 00:55:10,600
deciding less than 48 hours and
all three Staffs are right there
993
00:55:10,600 --> 00:55:15,520
on the sideline watching them.
So it's just like this is the
994
00:55:15,520 --> 00:55:18,640
level of this is the recruiting
that you do at the top of the
995
00:55:18,640 --> 00:55:24,320
SEC and the top of the Big 10
and for for his level of
996
00:55:24,320 --> 00:55:27,760
quarterback at the most
important position on the field.
997
00:55:27,760 --> 00:55:31,560
But it's it's a big one.
I have no idea where it's going
998
00:55:31,560 --> 00:55:34,680
to go.
I think, I think you get down as
999
00:55:34,680 --> 00:55:37,800
tight as this has been and with
all the dominoes, you know, you
1000
00:55:37,800 --> 00:55:42,400
start following the wood kid
that Penn State is supposedly
1001
00:55:42,400 --> 00:55:46,400
like, I don't know whether he's
their number one choice or he's
1002
00:55:46,400 --> 00:55:50,200
their fall back option.
Apparently George's been
1003
00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:53,280
recruiting other quarterbacks.
So you start to try and follow
1004
00:55:53,280 --> 00:55:55,360
the musical chairs of what's
happening.
1005
00:55:57,520 --> 00:56:00,000
So we'll see.
The other thing that is that
1006
00:56:00,000 --> 00:56:02,960
I'll say at the like, at this
level of recruit, it's been
1007
00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:07,920
crazy things happen at the last
second programs.
1008
00:56:07,920 --> 00:56:12,240
Decide to go for it.
When they decide to spend that
1009
00:56:12,240 --> 00:56:15,600
extra resource to make it happen
if that's what they need to get
1010
00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:19,960
it across the finish line.
So I think the next 48 hours or
1011
00:56:20,280 --> 00:56:24,000
less than 48 hours at this point
will probably generate one of
1012
00:56:24,000 --> 00:56:27,760
those great post signing day
stories of like what it was like
1013
00:56:27,880 --> 00:56:30,600
going back and forth, especially
in today's age with all the
1014
00:56:30,600 --> 00:56:35,600
agents and stuff.
But it like getting him on the
1015
00:56:35,600 --> 00:56:38,200
heels of getting, you know, Troy
Hoon last year, another
1016
00:56:38,200 --> 00:56:42,960
four-star quarterback really
sets up Tech's quarterback room
1017
00:56:43,440 --> 00:56:47,880
with a lot of high level talent.
And I mean, that's what you need
1018
00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:49,800
to do at the quarterback
position is laying one of those
1019
00:56:49,800 --> 00:56:52,480
guys every year.
Eventually you hit a home run on
1020
00:56:52,480 --> 00:56:55,920
them and you you'll you'll have
a higher hit rate when you're
1021
00:56:55,920 --> 00:56:59,640
recruiting at the Bork level
than Keldon Ryan.
1022
00:56:59,640 --> 00:57:03,640
No disrect, disrect to him, but
Knox Kadem, all the all the guys
1023
00:57:03,640 --> 00:57:08,240
that tech was trying to do that
with Pop Watson, like good
1024
00:57:08,240 --> 00:57:10,440
strategy.
It's just going to take a while
1025
00:57:10,440 --> 00:57:13,200
to find the diamond in the rough
kind of thing at that level of
1026
00:57:13,200 --> 00:57:17,040
quarterback recruiting.
But Hoon and followed by Bork
1027
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:20,400
like would be quite impressive
and like kind of set up the the
1028
00:57:20,400 --> 00:57:23,720
next probably phase two of the
Franklin era if you think about
1029
00:57:23,720 --> 00:57:26,720
Grunk Meyer being phase one.
Yeah, I mean, I think.
1030
00:57:27,080 --> 00:57:28,800
You know, if you're able.
To land Bork, I think that would
1031
00:57:28,800 --> 00:57:33,000
be the highest composite
quarterback commit since Logan
1032
00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:35,800
Thomas.
So it wasn't really a
1033
00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:36,480
quarterback.
For.
1034
00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:38,480
Commit at the time.
All right, I saw.
1035
00:57:38,520 --> 00:57:42,480
Somebody was discussing.
It today on our board about like
1036
00:57:42,480 --> 00:57:45,920
Brian Randall was probably the
late like he's the best since
1037
00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:51,280
Brian Randall, which was O2 O
three yeah in terms of
1038
00:57:51,280 --> 00:57:56,000
quarterback prospect.
Yeah, I mean.
1039
00:57:57,080 --> 00:57:59,120
It's wild, man.
It's it's going to be
1040
00:57:59,120 --> 00:58:02,080
interesting to see how the next
30 to 6 hours shake out because
1041
00:58:02,800 --> 00:58:07,600
you know that that's something
that can you know that, that.
1042
00:58:07,600 --> 00:58:10,040
Has a ripple effect.
Across the rest of the class,
1043
00:58:10,120 --> 00:58:13,840
you know, getting somebody like
that in the building, so excited
1044
00:58:13,840 --> 00:58:16,880
to see how that shakes out for
the Hokies and what sort of
1045
00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:19,320
ripples it causes for the rest
of the class.
1046
00:58:19,320 --> 00:58:23,000
And, you know, whether it has
that that coattails effect that
1047
00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:25,240
you you sometimes see with a
recruit like that.
1048
00:58:25,880 --> 00:58:28,680
Yeah, so.
Tally anything y'all want to.
1049
00:58:29,200 --> 00:58:31,920
Put a cap on it.
Scared to death, scared to.
1050
00:58:32,080 --> 00:58:34,320
Death, I ain't going to lie to
you.
1051
00:58:35,120 --> 00:58:37,840
Scared to death.
He going to be Tally.
1052
00:58:37,840 --> 00:58:41,880
Ain't getting nothing done at
work on on on Thursday until
1053
00:58:41,880 --> 00:58:44,240
that commitment.
So he going to be refreshed,
1054
00:58:44,800 --> 00:58:48,200
refreshed going on the boards,
following Doug, following Evan,
1055
00:58:48,200 --> 00:58:51,640
following the take because I've
been I've been on the.
1056
00:58:51,640 --> 00:58:54,920
Boards too much.
There's been all kind of stuff
1057
00:58:54,920 --> 00:58:57,040
going on.
You know, that's a paywall.
1058
00:58:57,040 --> 00:58:59,440
So I ain't going to tell y'all
if y'all want it, they give good
1059
00:58:59,440 --> 00:59:00,720
deals.
Go on there, get your
1060
00:59:00,720 --> 00:59:04,000
subscription.
But I can say, man, it is still
1061
00:59:04,000 --> 00:59:07,640
is exciting just to see.
But I don't know man.
1062
00:59:07,960 --> 00:59:10,520
It's just usually me being a
Virginia Tech fan.
1063
00:59:10,520 --> 00:59:13,600
This doesn't end well for us
speaking.
1064
00:59:13,600 --> 00:59:16,760
It don't end well for us.
Why did the office of lineman
1065
00:59:16,760 --> 00:59:19,880
had to throw our hat?
Oh yeah.
1066
00:59:20,400 --> 00:59:23,000
Yeah.
Why did he have to?
1067
00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:26,080
Throw our hat.
Like what did we do to it?
1068
00:59:26,920 --> 00:59:28,960
What did we do to it?
We didn't.
1069
00:59:28,960 --> 00:59:30,320
Do anything to it?
I don't know.
1070
00:59:31,400 --> 00:59:34,920
He said that kid, he said that
kid if he ever, if he fails at
1071
00:59:34,920 --> 00:59:36,360
life.
He got to come back to rolling
1072
00:59:36,400 --> 00:59:38,840
up.
I need a job.
1073
00:59:39,320 --> 00:59:41,240
No.
You ain't getting a job here.
1074
00:59:41,680 --> 00:59:44,000
No one else would, don't you?
Don't you have nothing on?
1075
00:59:45,160 --> 00:59:46,840
You head on back to Janesville,
brother.
1076
00:59:47,560 --> 00:59:49,360
Head back to the ain't ain't
going in Gainesville.
1077
00:59:49,360 --> 00:59:51,640
All right, so.
We're going to kind of put a
1078
00:59:51,640 --> 00:59:54,720
wrap on recruiting.
Again, great spots.
1079
00:59:54,960 --> 00:59:58,800
Thanks Doug for all the info
there, the insights and just
1080
00:59:58,800 --> 01:00:01,600
your thoughts on that because we
do respect them significantly.
1081
01:00:02,120 --> 01:00:04,640
Let's flip up to where we said
we were going to talk about
1082
01:00:04,640 --> 01:00:07,920
initially because you know we
want to bring these things up
1083
01:00:07,920 --> 01:00:11,800
because we have not talked about
them and obviously over the last
1084
01:00:11,800 --> 01:00:13,320
few weeks couple things have
happened.
1085
01:00:13,640 --> 01:00:16,560
Within the realm of Virginia
Tech, that may not directly
1086
01:00:16,560 --> 01:00:21,320
affect the football program, but
the, the, the, the strategies
1087
01:00:21,600 --> 01:00:24,440
and all that stuff are going to
be affected significantly.
1088
01:00:24,440 --> 01:00:28,160
And that is Tim Sands announces
his retirement.
1089
01:00:29,600 --> 01:00:33,600
So Doug, you know, obviously you
were there as an undergrad when
1090
01:00:33,600 --> 01:00:36,720
Sands first came on, correct?
And obviously you've seen the
1091
01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:39,480
last decade plus of, you know,
everything that's happened.
1092
01:00:39,480 --> 01:00:43,800
But what's just your two?
Thoughts.
1093
01:00:44,040 --> 01:00:46,960
Thoughts on him in general?
For what he did at the school
1094
01:00:47,120 --> 01:00:50,160
and then the thought on how this
retirement and when this
1095
01:00:50,160 --> 01:00:53,320
retirement happened.
I think.
1096
01:00:53,960 --> 01:00:59,280
It's hard to not being in tune
with what makes a truly
1097
01:00:59,280 --> 01:01:02,800
successful president of
university on the academic side.
1098
01:01:04,160 --> 01:01:07,920
It's a little hard to, for me to
like pass a grade on on him
1099
01:01:07,920 --> 01:01:11,160
overall.
I think, you know, I, I know the
1100
01:01:11,320 --> 01:01:13,680
Amazon thing up in Northern
Virginia is going to be a long
1101
01:01:13,680 --> 01:01:19,240
term like, like great, great
long term play for Virginia
1102
01:01:19,240 --> 01:01:22,680
Tech.
He, I know he also hired Charlie
1103
01:01:22,680 --> 01:01:27,000
Fleeger, who's Virginia Tech's
advancement director of advanced
1104
01:01:27,080 --> 01:01:30,440
advancement.
I guess who if you look at their
1105
01:01:30,440 --> 01:01:34,480
like university side fundraising
numbers over the last 10 years.
1106
01:01:34,680 --> 01:01:38,720
He retired last summer.
I guess end of last summer
1107
01:01:39,640 --> 01:01:42,760
Fleeger did.
But like that was a smashing
1108
01:01:42,760 --> 01:01:45,080
success as well.
So like you, you, you can point
1109
01:01:45,080 --> 01:01:48,360
to some stuff that sounds good.
I'm sure other people who are
1110
01:01:48,360 --> 01:01:51,360
way more in tune with University
Rankings and all that stuff.
1111
01:01:51,360 --> 01:01:54,360
I know AAU membership has been a
big goal.
1112
01:01:55,800 --> 01:02:02,120
That's been something that was
like frequently in board of
1113
01:02:02,120 --> 01:02:06,040
visitors meetings, discussions
in terms of like where, where,
1114
01:02:06,080 --> 01:02:07,800
where's Virginia?
Tech in terms of.
1115
01:02:07,880 --> 01:02:12,000
Its peers that are a member of
the AU so that you can you can
1116
01:02:12,000 --> 01:02:15,440
tell they want to get in there
and it didn't happen under his
1117
01:02:15,440 --> 01:02:17,040
watch.
So maybe that's something that
1118
01:02:17,040 --> 01:02:19,040
you Ding him for, but I don't
know.
1119
01:02:19,040 --> 01:02:23,560
I think I think overall then
you.
1120
01:02:23,680 --> 01:02:26,680
Then you bring in the athletics.
Discussion which was just a
1121
01:02:26,680 --> 01:02:31,800
fail, but just there's no other
way to the to look at that.
1122
01:02:31,800 --> 01:02:35,360
He was the president.
Virginia Tech was not successful
1123
01:02:35,360 --> 01:02:38,760
in football except you can give
him 2016 and 2019.
1124
01:02:40,360 --> 01:02:43,520
The athletic director who was in
charge of athletics was still
1125
01:02:43,520 --> 01:02:45,600
the athletic director until the
very end.
1126
01:02:46,680 --> 01:02:50,480
Like it's just that that that
will be a big part of his
1127
01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:55,560
legacy, just like it's a big
part of Stevens legacy in terms
1128
01:02:55,560 --> 01:02:58,920
of like what Virginia Tech was
able to do in athletics during
1129
01:02:58,960 --> 01:03:02,960
his tenure.
So that's that's notable as far
1130
01:03:02,960 --> 01:03:06,920
as the departure going back.
To athletics, it definitely
1131
01:03:06,920 --> 01:03:10,080
speed.
It up you know the rumors for
1132
01:03:10,080 --> 01:03:13,760
for a long time were that he was
going to wrap up in 27 and and
1133
01:03:13,760 --> 01:03:17,600
ride off in the sunset retire
then was probably going to give
1134
01:03:17,600 --> 01:03:22,280
Virginia Tech a nice patient
presidential presidential search
1135
01:03:23,000 --> 01:03:25,080
on that timeline.
But like the just lack of
1136
01:03:25,080 --> 01:03:29,200
success on the football side
eventually led this board of
1137
01:03:29,200 --> 01:03:32,320
visitors to take the action that
they have taken over the last
1138
01:03:33,000 --> 01:03:37,680
you know since that August
August presentation and speed
1139
01:03:37,680 --> 01:03:41,400
all of this up.
You know Sands is writing
1140
01:03:41,400 --> 01:03:44,800
editorials and like inside
higher Ed about the future of
1141
01:03:45,080 --> 01:03:48,640
college sports like a month
before his announcement.
1142
01:03:49,880 --> 01:03:53,560
So, you know, I think I think he
still probably wanted to retire
1143
01:03:53,560 --> 01:03:58,480
in 27 as planned, but when like
the timeline just got out of
1144
01:03:58,480 --> 01:04:02,160
whack when Tech was not
successful in athletics and they
1145
01:04:02,360 --> 01:04:08,280
they could not wait to to
replace him and try and hire a
1146
01:04:08,280 --> 01:04:08,920
new.
Athletic.
1147
01:04:09,320 --> 01:04:11,000
Director and all that stuff like
that.
1148
01:04:11,040 --> 01:04:15,400
It had to flow in that sense.
So they had to, they had to push
1149
01:04:15,400 --> 01:04:18,000
him, push him out a little
earlier than I think the
1150
01:04:18,400 --> 01:04:21,680
intended plan would have been.
I'm, I'm going to say this,
1151
01:04:21,680 --> 01:04:23,120
Brian, I know.
You're going to kind of jump
1152
01:04:23,120 --> 01:04:26,040
into the next thing.
His statement still, I think it
1153
01:04:26,040 --> 01:04:29,280
was 18.
Eventually this.
1154
01:04:29,280 --> 01:04:32,640
College Sports.
Bubble is going to burst eight
1155
01:04:32,640 --> 01:04:35,480
years later, Timmy.
It ain't burst buddy.
1156
01:04:35,480 --> 01:04:38,240
It's just gotten bigger.
In your thought, his thought
1157
01:04:38,240 --> 01:04:42,400
process on it has been
completely incorrect.
1158
01:04:42,800 --> 01:04:45,920
It's gotten bigger.
It's got even stronger with some
1159
01:04:45,920 --> 01:04:49,400
of the TV deals and to me,
again, not from a higher
1160
01:04:49,400 --> 01:04:51,640
education because I think from
an education point of view and
1161
01:04:51,640 --> 01:04:55,360
what he did for that wonderful.
But when he said that that
1162
01:04:55,440 --> 01:04:59,080
irritated a lot of people.
We we didn't get there.
1163
01:04:59,760 --> 01:05:01,320
Me, me and Brian.
Tyler didn't go there.
1164
01:05:01,320 --> 01:05:02,880
Like, you know, me and Brian got
in.
1165
01:05:02,880 --> 01:05:06,080
Tyler played football down at
Jacksonville State, but it's
1166
01:05:06,080 --> 01:05:07,640
like.
We didn't go here.
1167
01:05:08,120 --> 01:05:10,200
But this is our team.
This is our team from when we
1168
01:05:10,200 --> 01:05:16,040
were, you know, ten, 11-12 years
old and then you say that like
1169
01:05:16,040 --> 01:05:17,560
it it kind.
Of irks you because.
1170
01:05:17,560 --> 01:05:20,320
It's kind of like there the
reason why this?
1171
01:05:20,320 --> 01:05:23,520
University.
Built so big was the late 1990s
1172
01:05:23,520 --> 01:05:28,120
in the in the boom of football
and when Michael Vick played and
1173
01:05:28,120 --> 01:05:30,360
how much the enrollments.
Our friend Robbie, who was in
1174
01:05:30,360 --> 01:05:34,160
the chat earlier, he was like,
basically, I'm going to get into
1175
01:05:34,160 --> 01:05:37,360
tech and then Michael Vick
happened and then it was I'm not
1176
01:05:37,400 --> 01:05:41,240
going to get into tech anymore.
So I just, I want to say that
1177
01:05:41,240 --> 01:05:44,440
because I will never forget him
saying that and that coming out
1178
01:05:44,840 --> 01:05:47,560
because it was like, dude, you
don't know how crazy college
1179
01:05:47,560 --> 01:05:49,480
football fans are.
We spend lots of money.
1180
01:05:49,480 --> 01:05:54,440
We're stupid.
I think, well, that was an. 18
1181
01:05:54,440 --> 01:05:57,120
you said, right, I think it was
18 it was well.
1182
01:05:57,400 --> 01:05:58,840
Well then, like I mentioned,
the.
1183
01:05:58,840 --> 01:06:00,920
Inside Higher Ed editorial
rights.
1184
01:06:00,920 --> 01:06:03,240
And then he signed on.
This all happened in the last
1185
01:06:03,240 --> 01:06:07,920
like four months, but he signed
on to another letter with three
1186
01:06:07,920 --> 01:06:11,400
other university presidents, his
last two big like public
1187
01:06:12,960 --> 01:06:14,680
leadership.
Attempts were.
1188
01:06:15,280 --> 01:06:18,640
A let the letter that signed
where they basically said
1189
01:06:19,400 --> 01:06:21,560
please, please follow the rules
guys.
1190
01:06:22,680 --> 01:06:25,680
And then the set and then the
the the inside higher Ed one,
1191
01:06:25,680 --> 01:06:30,360
which he said where he tried to
like tried to pitch the reality
1192
01:06:30,360 --> 01:06:33,760
that athletic department should
be, should take.
1193
01:06:33,800 --> 01:06:37,240
I forget what the exact wordage
wordage was, but it was like,
1194
01:06:37,560 --> 01:06:40,160
you should be OK with having
less, less success.
1195
01:06:40,640 --> 01:06:43,400
So so that we can figure this
out, Like winning is you should
1196
01:06:43,600 --> 01:06:46,720
you should be OK with winning
less competing less.
1197
01:06:47,360 --> 01:06:51,960
Like it's like LSU literally
just spent $150 million to lure
1198
01:06:51,960 --> 01:06:54,520
Lane Kiffin away and now you're
telling them that they should
1199
01:06:54,520 --> 01:06:57,480
like care a little less about
their athletic program.
1200
01:06:58,520 --> 01:07:02,440
Those were the two moments where
I was just like, it's it's
1201
01:07:02,440 --> 01:07:05,720
coming to an end soon.
And I and I'd love to know if if
1202
01:07:05,720 --> 01:07:09,960
those him signing off of that
and doing that like speed up,
1203
01:07:10,400 --> 01:07:13,520
speed up the process a little
bit, because at that point, like
1204
01:07:13,920 --> 01:07:17,920
it just was like that kind of.
And I, I think we'll get into
1205
01:07:17,920 --> 01:07:21,040
what Virginia Tech needs in the
next president from an athletic
1206
01:07:21,040 --> 01:07:23,720
standpoint.
But it's just like that, that
1207
01:07:23,880 --> 01:07:27,280
that can't be the opinion of the
president of Virginia Tech,
1208
01:07:27,640 --> 01:07:30,800
especially after you just put
$230 million in the athletic
1209
01:07:30,800 --> 01:07:34,520
department. 2 words that.
James Franklin likes
1210
01:07:34,520 --> 01:07:39,920
institutional alignment and, and
the other thing that that I'll
1211
01:07:39,920 --> 01:07:42,720
talk about a little bit before
we get to the next thing is that
1212
01:07:43,680 --> 01:07:47,160
the the problem that I had with
Sands from an athletic
1213
01:07:47,160 --> 01:07:49,960
department standpoint and just
an athletics and general
1214
01:07:49,960 --> 01:07:55,320
standpoint is that you can
either be proactive or reactive.
1215
01:07:55,320 --> 01:08:01,720
And at our best, we were always
reactive, meaning that we had to
1216
01:08:02,280 --> 01:08:06,400
show that it wasn't working
before we made any changes.
1217
01:08:07,680 --> 01:08:09,440
And I think.
That that's where you.
1218
01:08:09,440 --> 01:08:14,680
Know Virginia Tech for a long
time coasted on the fact that
1219
01:08:15,440 --> 01:08:20,160
Frank Beamer was able to do a
lot with what he was given.
1220
01:08:21,439 --> 01:08:27,520
And we never modernized from an
operational standpoint, from a
1221
01:08:27,520 --> 01:08:32,840
funding standpoint to still
maintain a competitive program
1222
01:08:33,200 --> 01:08:35,200
with our peers.
And I'm not just talking about
1223
01:08:35,200 --> 01:08:37,439
competing for a national
championship or winning the AC.
1224
01:08:37,439 --> 01:08:42,200
I'm talking about just to be
competitive in the ACC and we
1225
01:08:42,200 --> 01:08:43,120
were not.
Doing.
1226
01:08:43,120 --> 01:08:44,920
That.
And part of that comes from
1227
01:08:44,920 --> 01:08:48,279
leadership, like if you're if
you're not recognizing that
1228
01:08:48,279 --> 01:08:52,120
that's a problem, you've got to
have a solution for that.
1229
01:08:52,120 --> 01:08:56,600
And you've got to look at where
things are going and take some
1230
01:08:56,600 --> 01:09:00,439
risk on there in the process.
And I feel like we were so risk
1231
01:09:00,439 --> 01:09:05,760
averse and chasing our tail for
the majority of his tenure that,
1232
01:09:05,960 --> 01:09:09,479
you know, you get to a point
where you finally get the BOV
1233
01:09:09,560 --> 01:09:12,120
that recognizes the issue and
makes this investment.
1234
01:09:12,120 --> 01:09:15,000
But you've got to have
leadership that are bought in.
1235
01:09:15,000 --> 01:09:18,000
So you got to have a president
that's bought into that vision.
1236
01:09:18,000 --> 01:09:20,920
You got to have an athletic
director, which we'll talk about
1237
01:09:20,920 --> 01:09:22,720
a little bit that's bought into
that vision.
1238
01:09:22,720 --> 01:09:27,080
So it's an exciting time from an
athletic standpoint because you
1239
01:09:27,120 --> 01:09:29,160
you get to get some some new
blood in here.
1240
01:09:29,160 --> 01:09:35,640
And hopefully someone that sees
how athletics drives everything
1241
01:09:35,640 --> 01:09:39,439
else that happens at Virginia
Tech Athletics is such a big
1242
01:09:39,439 --> 01:09:44,000
part of what makes Virginia Tech
a great place to go to school, a
1243
01:09:44,000 --> 01:09:46,760
great place to go to a game, a
great place to go visit.
1244
01:09:47,800 --> 01:09:52,600
If you're not putting that as a
big piece of the overall
1245
01:09:52,840 --> 01:09:55,760
university experience, then
you're missing the point.
1246
01:09:57,480 --> 01:09:59,280
Let's.
Let's pivot a little bit though.
1247
01:09:59,280 --> 01:10:03,560
Let's talk about like what with
the new president, what do you
1248
01:10:03,600 --> 01:10:07,240
know about kind of the process
of of what's happening next on
1249
01:10:07,320 --> 01:10:12,960
that front and what that
timeline looks like timeline?
1250
01:10:12,960 --> 01:10:14,760
'S going to be.
Interesting because most of
1251
01:10:14,760 --> 01:10:18,960
these searches take a long time.
I think that was the plan.
1252
01:10:20,440 --> 01:10:24,280
Like if Sands was able to retire
in 27 to give a nice long drawn
1253
01:10:24,280 --> 01:10:28,080
out search.
You know, it's one of those,
1254
01:10:28,480 --> 01:10:32,080
like I was saying on the
academia side, like candidates
1255
01:10:32,400 --> 01:10:36,480
who knows who's interested in
this job, all that stuff.
1256
01:10:36,840 --> 01:10:41,280
They had a board of visitors
meeting yesterday where the
1257
01:10:41,840 --> 01:10:47,000
search for search firm they
hired, Isaacson Miller, gave a
1258
01:10:47,000 --> 01:10:51,680
little presentation.
They had a meeting earlier in
1259
01:10:51,680 --> 01:10:56,800
the week, I think for like
faculty and students to weigh
1260
01:10:56,800 --> 01:11:01,920
in, which I'm not sure how much
that is just a required thing or
1261
01:11:01,920 --> 01:11:04,400
whether they're actually taking
the opinions of those people
1262
01:11:05,280 --> 01:11:08,240
into the search.
So I, I think the first thing
1263
01:11:08,240 --> 01:11:10,880
has been done.
They've, they've hired the
1264
01:11:10,880 --> 01:11:16,760
search firm Isaacson Miller to,
to run it and to start kind of
1265
01:11:16,760 --> 01:11:19,360
vetting pros, vetting potential
candidates.
1266
01:11:19,760 --> 01:11:23,080
I don't know where they'll go.
It's pretty similar.
1267
01:11:23,280 --> 01:11:26,040
It's kind of similar in terms of
like where they're going with
1268
01:11:26,040 --> 01:11:29,480
the athletic director search of
do you do you take somebody
1269
01:11:29,480 --> 01:11:34,680
who's come up, come up in the
traditional administration of
1270
01:11:34,720 --> 01:11:38,840
universities or do you go
outside and kind of hire an
1271
01:11:38,840 --> 01:11:44,280
outsider from the.
Business, world or politics?
1272
01:11:44,280 --> 01:11:47,000
Or something like that.
Who's not just like kind of like
1273
01:11:47,000 --> 01:11:51,360
Sans was the Provost of Purdue
before he became the president
1274
01:11:51,360 --> 01:11:54,560
of Virginia Tech.
So like that's going to be an
1275
01:11:54,640 --> 01:11:58,920
interesting decision on where
where they want to go in that
1276
01:11:58,920 --> 01:12:00,840
direction.
But I think, I think it's going
1277
01:12:00,840 --> 01:12:06,320
to, it's going to take months
because these searches, even if
1278
01:12:06,320 --> 01:12:10,280
you wanted to do them in in a
hurry, like if that takes months
1279
01:12:11,960 --> 01:12:14,640
and, and then, you know, you get
into all the political appointee
1280
01:12:14,640 --> 01:12:18,120
stuff and the board of visitors
stuff and like getting all
1281
01:12:18,120 --> 01:12:21,320
those, all that lined up and
improved and all that.
1282
01:12:21,320 --> 01:12:25,040
I think you, I think you're
looking into the summer at the
1283
01:12:25,040 --> 01:12:29,360
very earliest, like in the even
that feels fast to me.
1284
01:12:30,960 --> 01:12:36,400
So, and, and I think I don't, I
don't know, like the leaks of
1285
01:12:36,400 --> 01:12:40,320
names and how frequent that'll
be and like how, how, how you
1286
01:12:40,320 --> 01:12:44,280
can really kind of grasp who the
true candidates are because I
1287
01:12:44,280 --> 01:12:46,640
don't, I don't know how you
would have identified Tim Sands,
1288
01:12:46,640 --> 01:12:50,080
the Provost of Purdue, as the
top candidate almost.
1289
01:12:51,040 --> 01:12:52,400
We'll almost say this, but I
think.
1290
01:12:52,400 --> 01:12:57,360
With like how you research, I do
think if if you're not.
1291
01:12:57,360 --> 01:12:58,440
If you're wondering who the
next.
1292
01:12:58,520 --> 01:13:01,320
Virginia Tech president is you
better be following Doug and you
1293
01:13:01,320 --> 01:13:05,440
better be out the 247 because
like the BOV, you've been so
1294
01:13:05,440 --> 01:13:08,040
good at getting those minutes
and getting them out there
1295
01:13:08,040 --> 01:13:11,160
quickly to folks and saying this
is what was being said.
1296
01:13:11,440 --> 01:13:13,320
You've done a great job of
analyzing it.
1297
01:13:13,920 --> 01:13:16,400
I mean, no, kudos to you, man.
Because a lot of those like when
1298
01:13:16,400 --> 01:13:19,320
that stuff was going on in
August, like I'm trying to read
1299
01:13:19,320 --> 01:13:21,280
and I'm like, OK, I understand
some of this.
1300
01:13:21,560 --> 01:13:23,080
And some of it's like, where's
Doug?
1301
01:13:23,480 --> 01:13:25,640
Like where Doug's going to do
something good.
1302
01:13:25,640 --> 01:13:27,560
I'm going to be able to like
consume it.
1303
01:13:27,560 --> 01:13:31,320
So again, I, I, I'll give you
your props, but let me ask this.
1304
01:13:31,600 --> 01:13:37,560
And we talk about sports, but
like, if you had to choose like
1305
01:13:38,040 --> 01:13:41,760
like a perfect candidate, like
like I want them from like this
1306
01:13:41,760 --> 01:13:43,640
type of school, this type
background.
1307
01:13:43,640 --> 01:13:47,040
Do you have like 3 or 4 things?
Like if they check a couple of
1308
01:13:47,040 --> 01:13:49,760
those boxes where as you're
reading like about a candidate
1309
01:13:49,760 --> 01:13:54,080
like this guy, please pick this
guy like University of Georgia
1310
01:13:55,040 --> 01:13:58,040
deeper S like what's your what's
your reality on that?
1311
01:13:58,040 --> 01:13:59,640
I mean, I think, I think he kind
of.
1312
01:14:00,200 --> 01:14:04,680
Went in that direction of it's
got to be somebody who is from a
1313
01:14:04,680 --> 01:14:08,360
football school that understands
the importance of football too
1314
01:14:08,360 --> 01:14:12,200
at school.
I think it.
1315
01:14:12,200 --> 01:14:16,720
Also needs to be somebody.
That the school has been at the
1316
01:14:17,080 --> 01:14:21,880
forefront towards the forefront
of the the changes in college
1317
01:14:22,040 --> 01:14:26,480
college athletics over the last
10 to 15 years or even the last
1318
01:14:26,480 --> 01:14:29,200
five years since COVID.
Like if you haven't been, if
1319
01:14:29,200 --> 01:14:32,600
your school hasn't been and you
were in a leadership, assuming
1320
01:14:32,600 --> 01:14:35,480
you were in a leadership
position there, like hasn't been
1321
01:14:36,560 --> 01:14:38,880
successful in navigating the new
world.
1322
01:14:39,720 --> 01:14:41,640
I don't think you're going to be
a candidate for this role,
1323
01:14:41,640 --> 01:14:44,880
especially with this current
board of visitors and $230
1324
01:14:44,880 --> 01:14:47,720
million that they want to invest
in the right way and
1325
01:14:48,120 --> 01:14:52,480
successfully turn that into wins
and a sustainable business
1326
01:14:52,480 --> 01:14:55,520
model.
Like there's got to be some re
1327
01:14:55,560 --> 01:14:58,760
not only like understanding of
the importance of football to
1328
01:14:58,760 --> 01:15:03,280
the university, but also some
like recent track record of this
1329
01:15:03,280 --> 01:15:07,280
is what that university did to,
to achieve success there.
1330
01:15:07,280 --> 01:15:09,280
So I think those are the two
biggest things.
1331
01:15:11,400 --> 01:15:14,680
I think if you wanted to go
outside and like like I said
1332
01:15:14,680 --> 01:15:17,640
earlier, you could have the same
discussions about the athletic
1333
01:15:17,640 --> 01:15:19,440
director role.
But if you wanted to go outside
1334
01:15:19,920 --> 01:15:24,000
of the traditional athletics
role, it's like do you have
1335
01:15:24,000 --> 01:15:25,960
success?
Have you had success kind of
1336
01:15:25,960 --> 01:15:28,560
innovating in a business model
and building something
1337
01:15:29,120 --> 01:15:31,720
essentially from scratch in a in
a new environment?
1338
01:15:33,720 --> 01:15:36,560
No, that's perfect it kind.
Of leads into the next thing
1339
01:15:36,560 --> 01:15:39,560
that we talked about when you
said you know the AD because
1340
01:15:39,720 --> 01:15:43,960
we're going to talk about Mr.
Mr. Wit Babcock here but I'll
1341
01:15:43,960 --> 01:15:48,720
start by saying I'm working
doing my thing today and I get a
1342
01:15:48,840 --> 01:15:52,960
ESPN little tidbit that comes.
Through and I'm.
1343
01:15:52,960 --> 01:15:56,200
Thinking for sure it's going to
say LeBron is coming back to the
1344
01:15:56,200 --> 01:15:58,280
Lakers next year, something like
that.
1345
01:15:58,560 --> 01:16:04,360
But instead I get I get a story
that says James Franklin says
1346
01:16:04,360 --> 01:16:07,680
Virginia Tech's next AD must be
aggressive with football.
1347
01:16:08,240 --> 01:16:14,160
So that is what that is what
James Franklin had to say.
1348
01:16:14,800 --> 01:16:18,680
Doug, what say you about with
Babcock and kind of what his
1349
01:16:18,680 --> 01:16:25,040
status is and where Virginia
Tech is moving forward with
1350
01:16:25,400 --> 01:16:28,840
with?
Babcock I think the writing.
1351
01:16:28,840 --> 01:16:32,640
Was on the wall for him.
Right from the time the football
1352
01:16:33,040 --> 01:16:38,360
search got taken from him, you
know, when you're the athletic
1353
01:16:38,360 --> 01:16:41,200
at the university and you don't
have control over who the next
1354
01:16:41,200 --> 01:16:42,640
head football coach is going to
be.
1355
01:16:43,080 --> 01:16:45,440
It's I think the clock is
ticking at that point.
1356
01:16:46,360 --> 01:16:50,640
It was just a matter of time.
They, they, they did a great job
1357
01:16:50,640 --> 01:16:53,200
of alignment of saying, you
know, James Franklin credited
1358
01:16:53,200 --> 01:16:55,680
with during the search and his
work with the agents and all
1359
01:16:55,680 --> 01:16:58,240
that stuff.
But I, I don't, I think this
1360
01:16:58,240 --> 01:17:03,720
was, was, was pretty, pretty
planned right around the time
1361
01:17:03,720 --> 01:17:05,960
that they decided they needed a
committee instead of the
1362
01:17:05,960 --> 01:17:08,000
athletic director to find the
next head coach.
1363
01:17:11,080 --> 01:17:17,440
I think in general.
Babcock was just not going back
1364
01:17:17,440 --> 01:17:20,240
to what Brian was talking about,
proactive versus reactive, which
1365
01:17:20,280 --> 01:17:24,840
is not proactive enough, and in
improving the athletic
1366
01:17:24,840 --> 01:17:27,480
department.
I think I know John.
1367
01:17:27,840 --> 01:17:30,440
I know John Boleyn takes a lot
of heat for how long he stuck
1368
01:17:30,440 --> 01:17:34,160
around, but there's a lot of
that in the athletic department.
1369
01:17:34,160 --> 01:17:37,080
No disrespect to them.
That has been there a long time.
1370
01:17:37,080 --> 01:17:41,440
And if you look at over the last
5-10 years of college athletics,
1371
01:17:41,840 --> 01:17:45,320
like there's been so much change
and not much change at Virginia
1372
01:17:45,320 --> 01:17:47,920
Tech.
And, and I think you saw a lot
1373
01:17:47,920 --> 01:17:54,600
of that play out on the field.
I know maybe that presentation
1374
01:17:54,600 --> 01:17:57,320
ends up being Babcock's defining
legacy.
1375
01:17:57,320 --> 01:18:02,000
I think the board members,
Peterson and McCarthy were
1376
01:18:02,000 --> 01:18:04,400
influential in even getting that
on the agenda.
1377
01:18:05,640 --> 01:18:11,280
But like though I guess the you
could see if that investment
1378
01:18:11,280 --> 01:18:15,120
pays off, the Babcock's legacy
becomes that essentially,
1379
01:18:15,120 --> 01:18:18,640
because I don't know that
there's much else there.
1380
01:18:19,840 --> 01:18:23,960
He hired Buzz Williams worked
out for the five years there,
1381
01:18:24,080 --> 01:18:26,600
but they they haven't made an
NCAA tournament in men's
1382
01:18:26,600 --> 01:18:28,200
basketball in the last Four
Seasons.
1383
01:18:28,600 --> 01:18:30,640
They've only had two good
football years during his
1384
01:18:30,640 --> 01:18:33,560
tenure.
Like the on field success just
1385
01:18:33,560 --> 01:18:36,640
wasn't there to to warrant how
long he was the athletic
1386
01:18:36,640 --> 01:18:38,720
director.
Well, I think then to.
1387
01:18:38,960 --> 01:18:42,320
With where if sometimes he he
couldn't hit a layup, he
1388
01:18:42,320 --> 01:18:44,960
couldn't read the room and that
that goes back.
1389
01:18:45,480 --> 01:18:51,040
Everybody in Hokie nation can
remember 2020 when there is a
1390
01:18:51,200 --> 01:18:54,040
you probably got notification.
We start hearing, oh, Wit's
1391
01:18:54,040 --> 01:18:57,240
doing a press conference today
and it literally is everybody's
1392
01:18:57,240 --> 01:18:59,720
reading the tea leaves, oh, this
is the day Justin Puente's
1393
01:18:59,720 --> 01:19:03,680
buyout is like $1,000,000.
And it's like, oh, he's firing
1394
01:19:03,680 --> 01:19:04,720
him.
Good for what?
1395
01:19:04,720 --> 01:19:09,040
You know, make that strong move
in that interview and doing it
1396
01:19:09,040 --> 01:19:14,840
that day it it's like you got to
have a sense of what's going on
1397
01:19:14,840 --> 01:19:18,280
inside your community, inside
the walls of the athletic
1398
01:19:18,280 --> 01:19:21,440
department.
And in my opinion, just from
1399
01:19:21,440 --> 01:19:26,480
what I saw was 12 years, right,
because he was 2014 that right.
1400
01:19:28,320 --> 01:19:31,560
Like in the beginning it was.
OK, because football was still
1401
01:19:31,560 --> 01:19:33,400
OK.
And then he made the Fuente
1402
01:19:33,400 --> 01:19:35,840
higher where it looked like oh
wow, he got one of the hottest
1403
01:19:35,840 --> 01:19:37,680
main coaches, he knew what he's
doing.
1404
01:19:38,360 --> 01:19:44,080
And then after like 2019, it was
just like fallacy after.
1405
01:19:44,080 --> 01:19:46,600
Fallacy.
After falling on your face after
1406
01:19:46,600 --> 01:19:50,040
doing something dumb over and
over again.
1407
01:19:50,880 --> 01:19:56,800
And it was just like, Oh my God,
I, I, this is terrible.
1408
01:19:57,000 --> 01:20:00,120
In in. 2020 is just the cap.
That's just the cap.
1409
01:20:00,240 --> 01:20:04,160
No one will ever forget that
because most people, most
1410
01:20:04,160 --> 01:20:07,880
universities, most athletic
directors would see, yeah, if
1411
01:20:07,880 --> 01:20:10,680
we're going to keep them, I
definitely shouldn't do it that
1412
01:20:10,680 --> 01:20:13,680
day because every single person
in the world are going to think
1413
01:20:13,680 --> 01:20:17,600
of fine.
Yeah, I I was thinking about
1414
01:20:17,600 --> 01:20:19,800
that when.
Brian was talking about Sands,
1415
01:20:19,800 --> 01:20:24,880
but like that that decision and
you can and I think Sands and
1416
01:20:24,880 --> 01:20:28,240
Babcock both have the same
amount of blame for that
1417
01:20:28,240 --> 01:20:31,040
decision of at that point of
Fuente's tenure.
1418
01:20:31,040 --> 01:20:34,040
And I know it was right after
COVID, so everything was wonky.
1419
01:20:36,200 --> 01:20:38,480
I think at that point of
Fuente's tenure, it should have
1420
01:20:38,480 --> 01:20:41,520
been pretty clear that he was
not as interested in recruiting
1421
01:20:41,520 --> 01:20:44,280
as you were going to need to be
to be successful.
1422
01:20:46,280 --> 01:20:51,680
That was what, 2016171819?
So five seasons in, if you're
1423
01:20:51,680 --> 01:20:56,800
as, if you're as proactive and
like engaged in the program as
1424
01:20:56,800 --> 01:20:59,120
you need to be, I think as an
athletic director these days,
1425
01:20:59,120 --> 01:21:03,640
that or a president that should
have been a lot clearer that
1426
01:21:04,720 --> 01:21:07,480
giving him another year isn't
probably not going to change
1427
01:21:07,480 --> 01:21:11,040
much.
And so that just ended up being
1428
01:21:11,040 --> 01:21:15,280
essentially a wasted year there
in 2021 at at during a time when
1429
01:21:15,280 --> 01:21:19,440
Tech's roster was pretty well
stocked too, like those two
1430
01:21:19,440 --> 01:21:22,920
seasons were.
The 2020 roster was fantastic.
1431
01:21:22,920 --> 01:21:27,560
It just got wrecked by COVID.
And then the 2021 was projected
1432
01:21:27,560 --> 01:21:28,480
to be.
Pretty good.
1433
01:21:28,960 --> 01:21:31,560
If they could, could have gotten
the quarterback position right,
1434
01:21:31,560 --> 01:21:35,760
yeah.
And and you know when we look
1435
01:21:35,760 --> 01:21:37,720
at.
Win and you know, to Curtis to
1436
01:21:37,720 --> 01:21:41,320
your point that that presser was
like a double whammy because
1437
01:21:41,320 --> 01:21:45,920
it's like you, you expect to get
fired and instead, you know wit
1438
01:21:45,920 --> 01:21:47,000
comes.
Out there and it's.
1439
01:21:47,000 --> 01:21:51,600
Like double down, baby.
Doubling down.
1440
01:21:51,600 --> 01:21:55,280
On the choice and then like
pointing the fingers when you
1441
01:21:55,360 --> 01:22:02,200
started pointing the fingers at
at fans of like, OK, well, what?
1442
01:22:02,760 --> 01:22:04,200
We're we're not going to pay.
Attention to fans.
1443
01:22:04,200 --> 01:22:07,600
They're probably not giving that
much anyway to the program and
1444
01:22:07,600 --> 01:22:09,960
we're like what we're going to
we're.
1445
01:22:09,960 --> 01:22:11,240
Going to we're going to go
there.
1446
01:22:11,240 --> 01:22:14,640
We're.
Going to hit there at the end of
1447
01:22:14,640 --> 01:22:18,800
the day and I know like you
can't make all.
1448
01:22:18,800 --> 01:22:21,280
Of your decisions.
Based on fan sentiment and I get
1449
01:22:21,280 --> 01:22:24,760
that like but the writing was on
the wall.
1450
01:22:25,760 --> 01:22:29,480
Fuente was at best going to be a
lame duck coach heading into the
1451
01:22:29,480 --> 01:22:34,240
2021 season, barring A9 plus win
season.
1452
01:22:35,040 --> 01:22:39,080
And when you when you aren't
able to recruit, you don't do a
1453
01:22:39,080 --> 01:22:44,880
good job of recruiting where you
need to be recruiting, it was
1454
01:22:44,880 --> 01:22:47,720
just a recipe for disaster.
And, you know, you ended up in
1455
01:22:47,720 --> 01:22:50,920
the same place that you were
going to be anyway one year
1456
01:22:50,920 --> 01:22:56,240
later and.
I think you know when you talk
1457
01:22:56,240 --> 01:22:58,840
about the.
You know this like parting.
1458
01:22:58,840 --> 01:23:02,960
Shot being kind.
Of part of that legacy for me,
1459
01:23:02,960 --> 01:23:05,600
it, it, it's, it's great that
it's happening, but it's
1460
01:23:05,720 --> 01:23:08,440
absolutely too little too late
in a lot of ways.
1461
01:23:08,440 --> 01:23:12,680
Because, you know, if you had
been this proactive
1462
01:23:13,520 --> 01:23:18,880
incrementally, you wouldn't have
to have this huge influx of cash
1463
01:23:19,480 --> 01:23:24,120
into the athletic department all
at once and have to completely
1464
01:23:24,120 --> 01:23:27,760
restructure what you're doing.
And this goes back to his
1465
01:23:27,760 --> 01:23:31,600
leadership starting in 2014.
I mean, this is something where,
1466
01:23:31,640 --> 01:23:35,160
you know, Fuente comes in and
recruiting wise was kind of just
1467
01:23:35,160 --> 01:23:38,400
handed the playbook that that
Beamer had and, you know, had
1468
01:23:38,480 --> 01:23:41,680
had had some decent success with
that.
1469
01:23:42,400 --> 01:23:47,360
But instead of incrementally
working more staffers into that
1470
01:23:47,360 --> 01:23:51,880
recruiting program, more money
into the ability to to recruit
1471
01:23:51,880 --> 01:23:58,600
more money into the into the
staff and to the the the
1472
01:23:58,600 --> 01:24:01,600
coaching staff itself, we just
didn't.
1473
01:24:01,600 --> 01:24:04,200
Do the the little.
Things incrementally along the
1474
01:24:04,200 --> 01:24:09,120
way to set ourselves up for
success and a lot of that falls
1475
01:24:09,120 --> 01:24:12,560
back on wit you know the.
The the coach.
1476
01:24:12,560 --> 01:24:17,800
Can only work with what he's
been given and that's not to say
1477
01:24:17,800 --> 01:24:22,240
that Fuente or Pride maximize
that necessarily, but at the
1478
01:24:22,240 --> 01:24:27,160
same time you.
Were kind of playing with 11.
1479
01:24:27,160 --> 01:24:30,160
Hand behind your back from jump
street because of the way the
1480
01:24:30,160 --> 01:24:32,480
athletic department was
structured in in the amount of
1481
01:24:32,480 --> 01:24:37,400
investment and overall.
Plan.
1482
01:24:37,800 --> 01:24:44,680
That that wit had for the
program, Sally, what you got, I
1483
01:24:44,720 --> 01:24:47,160
mean, when you think.
About a DS, I mean, it's kind of
1484
01:24:47,160 --> 01:24:52,040
like 4 key factors that you're
going to look at like their
1485
01:24:52,040 --> 01:24:57,560
adaptability, So what they're
going to do in the landscape of
1486
01:24:57,800 --> 01:25:04,520
sports facility upgrades,
coaching hires and generating
1487
01:25:04,520 --> 01:25:08,000
revenue.
Like when we just look at.
1488
01:25:08,000 --> 01:25:10,200
It what did.
Wit do did he do any of that
1489
01:25:10,200 --> 01:25:12,800
good?
How did he, how did he grade on
1490
01:25:12,800 --> 01:25:16,360
that stuff?
And he didn't do a good job.
1491
01:25:16,440 --> 01:25:19,160
You know what I'm saying?
Like, no disrespect to him.
1492
01:25:19,160 --> 01:25:20,920
He didn't look like he had a
good time.
1493
01:25:22,600 --> 01:25:26,280
He always looked like somebody
pissed in his oatmeal, you know,
1494
01:25:26,280 --> 01:25:30,080
and I would probably too with
Joe Rogers and the crew on my
1495
01:25:30,080 --> 01:25:34,640
head every every day on Twitter.
But he just, you know, he didn't
1496
01:25:34,640 --> 01:25:36,160
he didn't do a lot of those
things good.
1497
01:25:36,160 --> 01:25:39,160
So and then the things that he
may have tried to do was a
1498
01:25:39,160 --> 01:25:41,520
little bit too late.
And some people said, well, it
1499
01:25:41,520 --> 01:25:44,000
starts at the top.
It starts with, you know, saying
1500
01:25:44,000 --> 01:25:47,880
so it starts with Valentina,
whoever, all of them.
1501
01:25:48,040 --> 01:25:52,960
So perfect, let's just start
fresh because to think about
1502
01:25:53,120 --> 01:25:56,720
some of the things that some of
the leaders would have to
1503
01:25:56,720 --> 01:25:59,480
navigate now, like who would
ever thought that?
1504
01:26:00,080 --> 01:26:05,360
You know, you got to know about
AI, you know, you got to do
1505
01:26:05,640 --> 01:26:09,520
social media stuff with
recruits, you got to be able to
1506
01:26:09,520 --> 01:26:11,600
talk to the people about video
games.
1507
01:26:12,040 --> 01:26:14,000
This is all things that are
important.
1508
01:26:14,360 --> 01:26:18,600
You know what I'm saying?
What was the year 2 years ago
1509
01:26:19,040 --> 01:26:23,360
the, the leaking of the Virginia
Tech uniforms on college
1510
01:26:23,400 --> 01:26:27,800
football, the, the video game,
just little stuff like that that
1511
01:26:28,240 --> 01:26:31,800
probably don't make the biggest
difference on if you're a good
1512
01:26:31,800 --> 01:26:34,840
AD or not.
But those little details can
1513
01:26:35,520 --> 01:26:39,640
definitely be, you know, play a
part in you being good to great
1514
01:26:39,920 --> 01:26:45,280
or average to good.
So, so long Whit go and find you
1515
01:26:45,280 --> 01:26:48,720
something else to do, Man.
I I hope you go and well, no, he
1516
01:26:48,880 --> 01:26:53,080
he's hanging around.
He's he going to hang around and
1517
01:26:53,080 --> 01:26:55,680
go ahead and go.
I want him to go ahead and get
1518
01:26:55,680 --> 01:26:59,720
all right.
Doug, we we kind of got to this.
1519
01:26:59,720 --> 01:27:03,880
Spot and back if y'all check out
April 25th.
1520
01:27:03,880 --> 01:27:06,760
Doug, you wrote again a great
article about the nine Names to
1521
01:27:06,760 --> 01:27:09,440
know.
Go read it.
1522
01:27:10,360 --> 01:27:13,480
He's not going to give all nine
names right now, but give me a
1523
01:27:13,480 --> 01:27:16,720
couple of your like who do you
like?
1524
01:27:16,760 --> 01:27:18,840
You've been doing the research,
you've been reviewing what
1525
01:27:18,840 --> 01:27:23,760
they've been doing elsewhere.
Give me 2-3 guys that you like.
1526
01:27:23,760 --> 01:27:27,960
And then if you had to say right
now, and I know it's not going
1527
01:27:27,960 --> 01:27:30,600
to be next month or the month
after we got to get the
1528
01:27:30,600 --> 01:27:32,560
president in flight square.
So it's going to be even longer
1529
01:27:32,560 --> 01:27:35,600
than waiting for the president.
Who would you who would be your
1530
01:27:35,600 --> 01:27:37,520
choice?
I'll be curious to see if they
1531
01:27:37,520 --> 01:27:39,960
actually.
Do wait for the president and if
1532
01:27:39,960 --> 01:27:42,720
the timeline has still, because
it's I don't know if the
1533
01:27:42,720 --> 01:27:46,360
president's going to, I feel
like you could hire AAD or
1534
01:27:46,680 --> 01:27:51,000
whatever they want to call this
role that much faster than you
1535
01:27:51,000 --> 01:27:54,120
can hire a university president.
So that's one of the big
1536
01:27:54,120 --> 01:27:57,240
questions of can you like, can
you truly do it?
1537
01:27:58,320 --> 01:28:00,760
It's kind of the same question
that we had back when they first
1538
01:28:00,760 --> 01:28:04,520
fired fired pry of like, all
right, well, if you're going to
1539
01:28:04,520 --> 01:28:07,080
if you're going to fire a wit,
can you can you hire an AD in
1540
01:28:07,080 --> 01:28:10,200
time to hire the football coach
or so it's the same kind of
1541
01:28:10,200 --> 01:28:13,960
timeline like nonsense that
Virginia Tech's been dealing
1542
01:28:13,960 --> 01:28:15,560
with for the last several
months.
1543
01:28:16,560 --> 01:28:19,760
I read that article.
It's a mix of names I've
1544
01:28:19,760 --> 01:28:22,200
definitely heard and names that
I kind of like.
1545
01:28:22,200 --> 01:28:26,640
I think they will be involved
with any major opening at this
1546
01:28:26,640 --> 01:28:28,680
point of their careers in
college athletics.
1547
01:28:29,520 --> 01:28:33,560
And then I tried to identify
some of the people in college
1548
01:28:33,560 --> 01:28:37,640
athletics that fit that kind of.
Outsider business.
1549
01:28:37,640 --> 01:28:40,560
Experience I I wrote in that
article.
1550
01:28:40,560 --> 01:28:45,320
Like trying to identify an
actual business outsider who's
1551
01:28:45,320 --> 01:28:47,800
interested in becoming an
athletic director in college
1552
01:28:47,800 --> 01:28:50,560
athletics.
Right now I don't know how to do
1553
01:28:50,560 --> 01:28:55,600
that, but like I, I would love
to be able to tell you that the,
1554
01:28:55,880 --> 01:28:59,840
the vice president of brand
strategy for fanatics wants to
1555
01:28:59,840 --> 01:29:02,880
get into college athletics or,
you know, something like that,
1556
01:29:02,880 --> 01:29:05,360
but who knows?
So, you know, you look at the,
1557
01:29:05,440 --> 01:29:08,960
the trend that people identify
with that is like North North
1558
01:29:08,960 --> 01:29:13,760
Carolina hired a NASCAR person,
Stanford hired a former Nike
1559
01:29:13,760 --> 01:29:17,520
executive.
So you get those like adjacent.
1560
01:29:17,720 --> 01:29:21,440
Sports.
Executive type positions, so I
1561
01:29:21,440 --> 01:29:24,360
was trying to identify because
some people have hired them as
1562
01:29:24,360 --> 01:29:26,640
like deputies in their athletic
department.
1563
01:29:26,640 --> 01:29:29,240
So I was trying to identify some
of those types of people.
1564
01:29:30,600 --> 01:29:35,480
Jared Dinko at Auburn, Julie
Cromer at LSU, those two are on
1565
01:29:35,480 --> 01:29:37,520
my list.
I think they're those those
1566
01:29:37,520 --> 01:29:39,760
would be more of the traditional
hire.
1567
01:29:40,520 --> 01:29:43,600
They're up and comers in the
industry that are probably
1568
01:29:43,600 --> 01:29:46,480
interested in just about like I
said, every major job.
1569
01:29:47,600 --> 01:29:52,480
I think the notable thing and
one of the things on my criteria
1570
01:29:52,480 --> 01:29:56,400
list is that they so Banco was
the athletic director at Georgia
1571
01:29:56,400 --> 01:30:01,280
Southern for four years and
Cromer was the athletic director
1572
01:30:01,280 --> 01:30:04,760
at Ohio University.
So not before experience, but
1573
01:30:04,760 --> 01:30:08,080
you were the top dog, you were
the person calling the shots
1574
01:30:08,840 --> 01:30:12,000
much in the same way that like I
think that pays off for James
1575
01:30:12,000 --> 01:30:13,760
Franklin with all his
experience.
1576
01:30:14,120 --> 01:30:18,600
I think having experience in the
number one role of a huge
1577
01:30:18,600 --> 01:30:21,640
enterprise is prerequisite must
have.
1578
01:30:21,640 --> 01:30:26,600
So like they left those jobs to
take deputy roles at Auburn and
1579
01:30:26,600 --> 01:30:31,720
LSU to advance their careers.
So I think they make sense if
1580
01:30:31,720 --> 01:30:33,720
they're going to go to the
traditional route.
1581
01:30:34,600 --> 01:30:37,960
I had another guy on the list,
Joe Lebieu, who's at Maryland
1582
01:30:38,640 --> 01:30:43,120
fit what I was looking for from
like a yes, he's in college
1583
01:30:43,120 --> 01:30:46,000
athletics right now, but he's
got plenty of outside
1584
01:30:46,000 --> 01:30:47,520
experience.
He was the president of
1585
01:30:47,520 --> 01:30:51,320
Charlotte FC, the MLS franchise
down in Charlotte.
1586
01:30:52,560 --> 01:30:55,760
Before that, he worked at
Monumental Sports, the parent
1587
01:30:55,760 --> 01:30:58,160
company for the Wizards and
Capitals.
1588
01:30:59,000 --> 01:31:02,480
So I was like, I was like,
that's outside business
1589
01:31:02,520 --> 01:31:05,080
experience.
Still in the sports world,
1590
01:31:05,600 --> 01:31:09,280
Running, which is essentially
what Virginia Tech's athletics
1591
01:31:09,280 --> 01:31:14,880
is becoming, is a mini pro
sports franchise with with what
1592
01:31:14,880 --> 01:31:18,160
I assume to be plenty of
business connections in the DMV
1593
01:31:18,160 --> 01:31:21,640
and Charlotte, which are two of
Virginia Tech's biggest metro,
1594
01:31:21,640 --> 01:31:25,760
most important metro areas.
So like when I when I saw his
1595
01:31:25,760 --> 01:31:27,600
resume, I was like, yeah, that
makes a lot of sense to me.
1596
01:31:27,600 --> 01:31:31,680
So I put him on the list.
Those are the three I think
1597
01:31:31,680 --> 01:31:34,560
probably stand out the most from
that list I wrote.
1598
01:31:35,240 --> 01:31:39,040
I was glad to see David Thiel
came out with an article shortly
1599
01:31:39,040 --> 01:31:41,840
thereafter or maybe before.
I don't I, I didn't see it till
1600
01:31:41,840 --> 01:31:45,240
after if he was first on it, but
that that had some of the same
1601
01:31:45,240 --> 01:31:48,640
names, which I was like, all
right, that's a good sign that
1602
01:31:48,640 --> 01:31:51,760
we're on the right track here.
So we'll see what happens.
1603
01:31:51,760 --> 01:31:56,080
I know that there is interest in
the completely outside candidate
1604
01:31:56,560 --> 01:32:02,480
from, from business or from not
college athletics, basically to,
1605
01:32:02,560 --> 01:32:07,080
to become ACEO of athletics or
general manager athletics,
1606
01:32:07,080 --> 01:32:11,000
whatever they want to call it.
Given that, given that being the
1607
01:32:11,000 --> 01:32:15,200
trend, I just don't know that
that's the direction they end up
1608
01:32:15,200 --> 01:32:17,200
going once they start
interviewing these people.
1609
01:32:17,200 --> 01:32:20,080
Like one of these more
traditional candidates could
1610
01:32:20,560 --> 01:32:23,480
crush the interview and be like,
actually, they could do the job
1611
01:32:23,480 --> 01:32:24,960
that we're looking for
completely.
1612
01:32:26,880 --> 01:32:30,560
You know, I, I remember back
when they were trying to hire a
1613
01:32:30,560 --> 01:32:32,440
head football coach that they
thought they were going to hire
1614
01:32:32,440 --> 01:32:35,000
a general manager 1st.
And then they backed off that
1615
01:32:35,000 --> 01:32:37,120
plan when they realized that it
wasn't feasible.
1616
01:32:38,200 --> 01:32:40,040
So we'll see what happens
overall.
1617
01:32:40,040 --> 01:32:42,800
But you know, I think, I think,
I think those are the three
1618
01:32:42,800 --> 01:32:45,840
buckets that you can look at of
like up and Comer traditional
1619
01:32:46,680 --> 01:32:50,360
somebody that was like recently
hired at a flagged athletic
1620
01:32:50,360 --> 01:32:54,880
department that fits that
outside model, outsider model or
1621
01:32:54,880 --> 01:32:56,520
somebody completely out of left
field.
1622
01:32:56,520 --> 01:32:59,160
But like I said, I don't know
how you identify those people
1623
01:32:59,160 --> 01:33:03,680
because I, I, I don't know how
to project people's interest in
1624
01:33:03,680 --> 01:33:07,960
becoming an athletic director
in, in college sports today.
1625
01:33:07,960 --> 01:33:09,480
That was one.
That's one of the kind of
1626
01:33:10,360 --> 01:33:13,120
storylines I'm watching.
Like Babcock gave some
1627
01:33:13,120 --> 01:33:16,840
interviews to to media this week
and and they asked him if he was
1628
01:33:16,840 --> 01:33:19,040
ever going to work in college
athletics again.
1629
01:33:19,040 --> 01:33:22,720
And he was like, absolutely not
like, I'm done.
1630
01:33:22,720 --> 01:33:25,400
Like this is old.
Essentially, this is terrible
1631
01:33:25,760 --> 01:33:28,480
and not that fun.
And it's like, all right, so how
1632
01:33:28,480 --> 01:33:32,480
am I can, how can I project
somebody from some very
1633
01:33:32,480 --> 01:33:35,680
successful company who's already
a high up executive there that
1634
01:33:35,680 --> 01:33:39,360
they're going to want to move to
Blacksburg and, and get get
1635
01:33:39,360 --> 01:33:41,880
involved in this?
I, I, I think that'll be an,
1636
01:33:41,880 --> 01:33:45,000
that'll be an interesting
question to ask whoever does end
1637
01:33:45,000 --> 01:33:47,640
up getting the job.
Who was the guy at Marilyn, you
1638
01:33:47,640 --> 01:33:49,720
said?
Joe Lebou.
1639
01:33:50,320 --> 01:33:53,040
Gentle of you.
Because that that seems like
1640
01:33:53,040 --> 01:33:55,360
it's.
Like like that's.
1641
01:33:55,360 --> 01:33:58,360
The kind of experience that.
Fits whether it's him or
1642
01:33:58,360 --> 01:34:01,800
somebody with that same kind of
experience where they can send
1643
01:34:01,800 --> 01:34:05,320
out the press release and we can
say, yeah, that makes that makes
1644
01:34:05,320 --> 01:34:07,680
sense.
Are you are you looking?
1645
01:34:07,680 --> 01:34:12,520
Primarily for if if you go the
traditional route, someone
1646
01:34:12,520 --> 01:34:20,240
that's coming from kind of AP4
football focused university must
1647
01:34:20,240 --> 01:34:22,440
have yeah, like.
But it's got to.
1648
01:34:22,440 --> 01:34:24,800
Be.
It's a completely different
1649
01:34:24,800 --> 01:34:30,200
world than than the G5 or I
would even say you're looking at
1650
01:34:30,200 --> 01:34:34,400
the P2 like like.
I've seen people float like Matt
1651
01:34:34,400 --> 01:34:39,720
Rohn out there, and I'm like
Roan, Roan would be somebody.
1652
01:34:39,720 --> 01:34:43,760
Yeah, I don't think you can win
the PR battle if you hire the
1653
01:34:43,760 --> 01:34:47,880
JMU athletic director.
But also like, he's the guy that
1654
01:34:47,880 --> 01:34:52,600
I think would make a like would
kind of do what Banco did at
1655
01:34:52,600 --> 01:34:56,280
Auburn or Kromer did the LSU
where they had to leave the G5
1656
01:34:56,280 --> 01:35:02,680
job to, to go take a deputy job
at AP4P2 school to kind of work
1657
01:35:02,680 --> 01:35:05,200
to, to, to take, to truly take
the next step.
1658
01:35:05,640 --> 01:35:08,800
Because I think without without
experience and he doesn't have
1659
01:35:08,800 --> 01:35:12,680
any experience at the P4, much
less the P2 without that
1660
01:35:12,680 --> 01:35:15,080
experience.
It's just you're, you're not,
1661
01:35:15,200 --> 01:35:16,800
you're not, you're not going.
To be hirable.
1662
01:35:17,960 --> 01:35:22,560
Because of how different it is,
and especially with Virginia
1663
01:35:22,560 --> 01:35:26,320
Tech's going to be a two, well,
like a $200 million enterprise,
1664
01:35:26,320 --> 01:35:28,720
like it's just different.
It is.
1665
01:35:29,560 --> 01:35:31,760
Who's your guy?
You, you, you wrote nine.
1666
01:35:31,760 --> 01:35:33,680
You probably got.
There's probably.
1667
01:35:34,080 --> 01:35:35,760
There's probably.
Somewhere in your computer.
1668
01:35:35,760 --> 01:35:38,640
There's like 30 other people
that you have names on.
1669
01:35:38,640 --> 01:35:40,920
Yeah, I think there was a lot
more on the list.
1670
01:35:40,920 --> 01:35:42,000
And I was.
Like I can't write.
1671
01:35:42,000 --> 01:35:44,880
All these people, if I had to
pick.
1672
01:35:44,880 --> 01:35:47,160
Somebody off my?
List it would be Banco at Auburn
1673
01:35:49,520 --> 01:35:51,280
like.
That's the kind of school.
1674
01:35:51,280 --> 01:35:56,080
That cares about football a lot
runs his own ran his own
1675
01:35:56,080 --> 01:35:59,760
athletic department according to
his bio had a ton of success
1676
01:35:59,840 --> 01:36:05,920
raising money like all like and
is now the number 2 at a a you
1677
01:36:05,920 --> 01:36:11,080
know a high high P2 institution
in terms of how much they are
1678
01:36:11,080 --> 01:36:14,200
investing in athletics, which
you can see by.
1679
01:36:14,440 --> 01:36:16,080
Their.
Coaching decisions over the last
1680
01:36:16,080 --> 01:36:18,800
several years.
So if I had to pick one off the
1681
01:36:18,800 --> 01:36:22,360
list, I'd probably go with him.
I I, like I said, I don't know
1682
01:36:22,640 --> 01:36:25,520
where to start with like, all
right, pick somebody from from
1683
01:36:25,520 --> 01:36:26,920
the outside.
Yeah, I know.
1684
01:36:28,640 --> 01:36:29,800
That's probably a much harder
ask.
1685
01:36:30,240 --> 01:36:32,560
The the traditional route is
probably a little bit easier to
1686
01:36:32,560 --> 01:36:35,040
quantify.
Yeah, it's the same thing is
1687
01:36:35,040 --> 01:36:36,360
like.
Looking for a head coaching
1688
01:36:36,360 --> 01:36:38,520
candidate where you can see the
experience.
1689
01:36:38,520 --> 01:36:41,480
There's so many people that
probably the experience lines
1690
01:36:41,480 --> 01:36:44,720
up.
You know, I know Syracuse he
1691
01:36:44,720 --> 01:36:48,840
just retired, but like you hire
an ESPN guy like a media exec
1692
01:36:49,080 --> 01:36:55,720
would fit to in in today's
world, but like the the
1693
01:36:55,720 --> 01:36:57,520
possibilities are endless on
that side all.
1694
01:37:00,000 --> 01:37:01,520
Right.
Tally Braun.
1695
01:37:01,920 --> 01:37:04,120
Anything.
Else floating out there like I'm
1696
01:37:04,240 --> 01:37:06,800
going to say what I've been
doing the like all the names.
1697
01:37:06,800 --> 01:37:10,440
I have literally like started
reading biographies of 80s for
1698
01:37:10,440 --> 01:37:14,760
the last few minutes here.
Le Beau's thing is interesting.
1699
01:37:14,920 --> 01:37:17,880
I'm going to put Le Beau out
there because that gives you
1700
01:37:17,880 --> 01:37:21,160
what you're talking about.
Heavily involved not only with
1701
01:37:21,200 --> 01:37:25,040
FC, but with Pepper's stuff with
the Panthers, the professional
1702
01:37:25,040 --> 01:37:27,120
football level.
And then he's dipped his toe
1703
01:37:27,160 --> 01:37:30,720
into the collegiate world.
So there's like he has that
1704
01:37:30,720 --> 01:37:36,120
experience both ways.
So I'm like, I mean, again, I
1705
01:37:36,160 --> 01:37:39,040
don't know everything it takes,
but I'm like, but but you're
1706
01:37:39,040 --> 01:37:43,080
kind of selling me on having
like that be outside of college
1707
01:37:43,080 --> 01:37:46,160
sports, but in sports in some
way could get some experience in
1708
01:37:46,160 --> 01:37:49,000
or to your point, go run your
own.
1709
01:37:49,280 --> 01:37:52,120
And if somebody was at Ohio,
Ohio has been a pretty
1710
01:37:52,120 --> 01:37:54,080
successful Mac program the last
decade.
1711
01:37:54,080 --> 01:37:56,200
It has.
They've always they're always
1712
01:37:56,200 --> 01:37:58,000
one of the teams in the Mac
Championship.
1713
01:37:58,760 --> 01:38:01,600
And if you're putting that kind
of emphasis on football at a
1714
01:38:01,600 --> 01:38:04,000
smaller program where they're
staying good, you're getting
1715
01:38:04,000 --> 01:38:07,640
those people to invest within
the program, then you know that
1716
01:38:07,760 --> 01:38:10,800
they have some sort of sales
pitch that works great.
1717
01:38:11,480 --> 01:38:14,200
Yeah.
The the.
1718
01:38:14,440 --> 01:38:17,560
The, the executive experience,
whatever you won't call it,
1719
01:38:17,560 --> 01:38:19,920
having run your own department
huge.
1720
01:38:19,920 --> 01:38:22,240
I think, I think we're seeing
that with James Franklin, the
1721
01:38:22,240 --> 01:38:25,960
difference of how he runs the
program versus like Brent Pride.
1722
01:38:26,040 --> 01:38:28,560
I mean, Brent Pride was right
next to James Franklin as a dire
1723
01:38:28,640 --> 01:38:32,360
career and couldn't, couldn't
replicate it as a head coach
1724
01:38:32,680 --> 01:38:34,080
because he'd never done it
before.
1725
01:38:35,560 --> 01:38:38,880
But like you bring in a guy that
has done it for 12 years, you
1726
01:38:38,920 --> 01:38:42,040
bring in an athletic department
that has experience running
1727
01:38:42,040 --> 01:38:45,080
their own, running their own
shop, so to speak.
1728
01:38:45,080 --> 01:38:47,920
Like I think that's, that's the
big thing.
1729
01:38:47,920 --> 01:38:52,440
Or if it's outside, like I guess
you got to be AC suite type type
1730
01:38:52,440 --> 01:38:57,720
person that that has, has that
responsibility, has that
1731
01:38:57,720 --> 01:39:02,040
decision making experience and
kind of that leadership ability
1732
01:39:02,040 --> 01:39:06,240
that you need to, to, to do what
Virginia Tech wants to do with
1733
01:39:06,240 --> 01:39:09,920
the $230 million that they're
investing into the athletic
1734
01:39:09,920 --> 01:39:13,280
department, 100%.
Valley, Bryan, y'all had
1735
01:39:13,280 --> 01:39:15,440
anything else y'all want to ask
though, before we get ready to
1736
01:39:15,440 --> 01:39:18,240
wrap this up?
Yeah, just the only thing I.
1737
01:39:18,240 --> 01:39:21,120
Would say I've been reading the
chat for the last, I don't know,
1738
01:39:21,120 --> 01:39:30,160
maybe 5-10 minutes and VPI under
score 13 said he's just giving
1739
01:39:30,160 --> 01:39:32,560
with his props and that's fine,
you know, giving him his
1740
01:39:32,560 --> 01:39:34,920
flowers.
But hey, man, no moral
1741
01:39:34,920 --> 01:39:37,120
victories.
He didn't do a good job.
1742
01:39:37,600 --> 01:39:41,120
I don't care if he's a good guy.
I don't care that he came and
1743
01:39:41,120 --> 01:39:44,240
shook hands.
You know, I like James Franklin,
1744
01:39:44,320 --> 01:39:46,440
but if he don't win no football
games, he need to go.
1745
01:39:47,040 --> 01:39:50,600
He didn't coach yet.
Like the moral victory thing is
1746
01:39:50,600 --> 01:39:54,920
over.
You know, I again, I'm just, I'm
1747
01:39:54,920 --> 01:39:57,320
just speaking my truth.
He said it's true.
1748
01:39:57,320 --> 01:40:00,320
He presented when he presented
James Franklin at the press
1749
01:40:00,320 --> 01:40:02,960
conference, I saw a man that had
been putting himself through the
1750
01:40:02,960 --> 01:40:07,800
ringer to set VTL for success.
No, he is put himself through
1751
01:40:07,800 --> 01:40:12,240
the ringer to get paid.
He is a millionaire because he
1752
01:40:12,240 --> 01:40:14,640
didn't do a good job.
Not only did he not do a good
1753
01:40:14,640 --> 01:40:17,800
job at Virginia Tech, what was
he at Cincinnati before?
1754
01:40:19,640 --> 01:40:20,720
Didn't.
Do.
1755
01:40:20,720 --> 01:40:24,400
A good job there either.
So I I can't say that.
1756
01:40:24,400 --> 01:40:29,440
And then Bassmaster, my guy, he
said Wit gave us James Franklin
1757
01:40:29,600 --> 01:40:31,640
kinda.
So his legacy.
1758
01:40:32,080 --> 01:40:35,680
It's still it's still unwritten.
So I'm thinking that he got some
1759
01:40:35,680 --> 01:40:37,520
sarcasm in there, but Wit didn't
have nothing.
1760
01:40:37,600 --> 01:40:39,520
I mean, he might have had a
little bit to do with him, but
1761
01:40:39,520 --> 01:40:42,600
he Doug.
You kind of said it a little
1762
01:40:42,600 --> 01:40:44,600
earlier.
He might have been able to call
1763
01:40:44,600 --> 01:40:47,960
the agents and make some moves.
Jake Peterson, Blood Foster and
1764
01:40:47,960 --> 01:40:50,600
some of those guys on BMV
Director.
1765
01:40:51,080 --> 01:40:52,920
Why can't I think of his name?
Rakovich, Rakovich.
1766
01:40:53,800 --> 01:40:55,560
Rakovich.
Rakovich.
1767
01:40:55,560 --> 01:40:56,640
Is maybe?
The.
1768
01:40:56,920 --> 01:41:01,360
Best director, Director of the
BOV for athletics in Virginia
1769
01:41:01,360 --> 01:41:03,640
Tech history.
He was there in the early part
1770
01:41:03,640 --> 01:41:06,800
of the 2000s, and he made those
moves to get into the ACC.
1771
01:41:07,800 --> 01:41:09,600
That's a game.
Again this.
1772
01:41:09,600 --> 01:41:11,400
Is funny, we're talking about
Rector's, a board of visitors,
1773
01:41:11,400 --> 01:41:16,040
but every time that guy has been
Rector, something really good
1774
01:41:16,040 --> 01:41:18,080
happens for Virginia Tech
athletics.
1775
01:41:18,640 --> 01:41:22,800
So he said he don't.
Do moral victories.
1776
01:41:22,840 --> 01:41:25,160
Perfect we we won him the same
then.
1777
01:41:25,560 --> 01:41:27,120
Let's go.
I'm tired of more.
1778
01:41:27,160 --> 01:41:29,720
Victories I want.
To win, we want wins.
1779
01:41:29,720 --> 01:41:32,080
We want to be.
Hooping and hollering and
1780
01:41:32,080 --> 01:41:36,960
screaming on Saturday nights
about wins, not about moral
1781
01:41:36,960 --> 01:41:40,200
victories.
But Doug, man, listen, the last
1782
01:41:40,200 --> 01:41:42,720
90 minutes plus has been a
blast.
1783
01:41:42,720 --> 01:41:46,080
Thank you for bringing your
insight, your knowledge on all
1784
01:41:46,080 --> 01:41:48,120
this stuff.
We really appreciate you joining
1785
01:41:48,120 --> 01:41:51,280
us tonight.
And with that being said, I'm
1786
01:41:51,280 --> 01:41:54,200
going to wrap up this episode of
the Boundary Corner Podcast
1787
01:41:54,200 --> 01:41:57,120
brought to you my moments on the
Maury in Lexington along with
1788
01:41:57,120 --> 01:41:59,320
our Special Decks guest, Doug
Bowman.
1789
01:41:59,320 --> 01:42:01,720
Check him out at Doug Bowman
247.
1790
01:42:01,920 --> 01:42:06,280
Sign up at 247 to read all of
Doug's awesome articles and the
1791
01:42:06,280 --> 01:42:09,240
stuff he's going to be coming
out with as this president
1792
01:42:09,240 --> 01:42:12,440
search happens, as this AD
search happens, he's going to be
1793
01:42:12,440 --> 01:42:15,880
the man on the mission there.
My name is Curtis Wilson.
1794
01:42:16,280 --> 01:42:19,120
I'm Brian Siegler.
Jonathan Talley visit.
1795
01:42:19,120 --> 01:42:22,560
Boundary Corner BT.
Dot com to listen to all of our
1796
01:42:22,560 --> 01:42:24,520
episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on
1797
01:42:24,520 --> 01:42:28,560
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,
subscribe to our YouTube
1798
01:42:28,560 --> 01:42:31,840
channel, your favorite podcast
source.
1799
01:42:31,840 --> 01:42:35,120
Please go there as well.
We are on them all.
1800
01:42:35,480 --> 01:42:38,040
As always, we let our buddy
Jason Long play us in play us
1801
01:42:38,040 --> 01:42:39,440
out.
Check him out at
1802
01:42:39,440 --> 01:42:43,720
jasonlongmusic.com to let all of
his music on all of his formats.
1803
01:42:44,000 --> 01:42:46,200
Also check out that little live
page.
1804
01:42:46,200 --> 01:42:49,400
He is doing a lot of events down
from the Roanoke area this
1805
01:42:49,400 --> 01:42:51,840
summer, so check him out when
you can.
1806
01:42:51,840 --> 01:42:53,360
I appreciate y'all for
listening.
1807
01:42:53,360 --> 01:42:55,720
We appreciate the chat.
Thank y'all for being so active
1808
01:42:55,720 --> 01:42:59,320
tonight.
And as always, let's go Hokies.
Sponsor
