OFSN 102: Basic Staff Alignment & Assignment

0:21 The fields for the dirt. We don't even grow has been my more than just cleaning shit off. You'll stay cool. This house is falling down. The base Bellas are poking out. It can ramble mother mold of Steel. This stuck in a trap. Welcome back to the boundary Corner podcast. This is Curtis Wilson in my co-host. Brian Siegel. How's it going guys? I'm going well today man. You know, working having a typical beginning of the week stuff man.

1:07 How about you man? That's too bad. It's kind of quiet day on the floor here today so I can't complain, man, you're good weekend. Oh no. Terrible weekend. My wife was sick. This week ended. So Was like me you know playing defense with my two boys all weekend. Not enjoyable she's feeling better now, that's good. Yeah yeah and you know like your wife both our wives our teachers, boundary Corner listeners, they're off today so you know one of those strategically placed holidays especially for your wife, coming off the coming up the illness day.

1:49 Exactly and well deserved for all of our teachers out there. So you know, how about you, you getting too much this weekend, man? It was like there was a quiet weekend at the sequel household, though, we did have my mom came in yesterday, had some lunch and just hung out for a few hours before they headed back but yeah, it was kind of quiet, nothing to complain about. So I'll take it real nice math. Well, you know just chilling running back and forth between my Kids, the older one playing a videogame, the smaller one watching Blaze so much, we go out. The can Phillips absolutely is blowing up in the XFL, man.

2:31 He is tearing it up. We had a hat trick of touchdowns last night from this man first game. He was beaten guys deep in this game. He was the the Red Zone threat. So he's showing that he can, he can kind of do a little bit of everything. He's something like what now? He's like, what? Thirteen catches a hundred, you know, 25 plus yards four touchdowns. Yeah you know I hope you can Phillips you know one of those great players with us had that season in 2017. We really shine got drafted by the bills made it there, a couple of years and then kind of faded off. But I'm going to tell you what I'm seeing, just the way he's playing.

3:14 He's going to get a call in April. Yeah, he's going to catch on. Leave her be all the 90-day somewhere and not the naughty man somewhere and I think, you know, we'll see what goes from there. But you know, I think he's doing too much in the XFL not to at least get a phone call in a whoop for a week or so and somebody's can no doubt. And you know this is kind of what I'm hoping the XFL can be like guys like cam who we follow our Hokies, but you seem kind of like he can do it, but in the end you seem get drafted, excuse me. Picked up as a, you know, non drafted free agent and he sticks with the team for a couple years. And it's like, he's one of those guys that's going to benefit from this, because the way I kind of see the XFL.

3:59 It's, it's just a slight Notch above, most Collegiate football, but it's not in the realm of the NFL. So for guys, like cam, like Ricky, who's on a team? It's a chance to say, hey, I can play for. Give me a couple years to develop. I've got a good analogy for what? Kind of I think the XFL looks like it. Kind of looks like an entire season of what that fourth preseason game is for a lot of these players where they get maybe 1/2 two, maybe three quarters to kind of, kind of show out where now they've got a whole season in this league to show what they're capable of and you're going to start seeing, you know, you get more tape on the guy than you might say.

4:42 Okay, well, let's give him a little bit more reps in practice when we bring them into Kansas, go round, or something like that. So, I think those those are with benefits are going to be. Yeah. And, and definitely for, you know, cam Phillips, the Hokie alumni. He's doing the most with it. And so, let's see in April, if he does get signed to a roster, something on last episode guys, we missed didn't mean to. But I think we were, so we mentioned his name. But we were so deep into recruiting and portal and the guys who are going to be here is Dalton King. Got the combo, Scramble got the combat invite. Good for him Braun, you know you can be in the football guy.

5:27 It's there a spot for Dalton Keenan, two days in FL. Yes, I think there's definitely going to be a spot for him. I'm not sure if he's going to be that guy that you're going to see getting, you know, 80% of the snaps for a team. I don't think he's gonna be that guy at the NFL level, but I definitely think he's going to be a contributor. I think he's got some potential. Shal on special teams even though he didn't do a ton of special teams with the Hokies just his frame is athletic ability and his ability to block him face. I think you're going to see a lot of specialty Mews by him and I think because of his kind of Versatility as an offensive player that's going to be a guy that you want to keep his, maybe your third or fourth tight end on your roster that can do some stuff from the HVAC roll on top of may be contributing on special teams now, I know people. We're going to definitely look at what. Did he run?

6:20 40 wise, I want to see his 20-yard comb because the one thing if you noticed about Dalton playing a lot of sudden, a lot of those angle routes. Yeah, lot of the pot passes, I think his 20-yard cone is going to tell something to a lot of teams because I think if it few runs it well, like I think he is because I think he has some flexibility in his frame. I think that's going to tell people to saying, look how flexible is he's going to be that guy. Like we're running an outside Zone. We can put them at that age back and he can kind Of Swing his way through the garden, The Tackle, and get to the second level. That's gonna be the drill. I think that is going to show for him that if he does well you're going to see him getting drafted day three. Yeah and he's blocking in space was really good as well and I think that's that's going to be another thing that we're going to probably watch at these camps and watch a lot of tape on him is his ability to block in Space is really good. Definitely I'd say Pop in that area yet. Definitely not Elite in the in line blocking, but I think as far as his ability to block in space, either in a lead role, or split out, and get into the second level against the linebacker or safety, he's definitely someone that can contribute their absolutely one other thing that Dalton kind of made a splash within the last week or so here, I'm going to read the Tweet out Brian.

7:46 He made this back on the 7th. Concerning some people discussing for Wednesday in the twittersphere and this was D. Cute /, quote went a, is a coach to demands 100% out of his players every day. I don't think that makes it a toxic environment at all. And to be honest, I wouldn't want to play for a coach that would settle for less. If you're not 100% in, then get 100% out of the program. You know, I again the - twittersphere going on and kind of Alton answered. And guys, like Daris all and some other folks, kind of replicated and kind of gave him the yep. That's it guys.

8:29 So that first blood or First Blood Part 2 first Blood that's the original. That's the original. The cuz you know if he goes he said his piece and I appreciate that. I appreciate the players you know, coming in and you know trying to make put the Programming the light that they feel it. It should be in the said of some of the, the more toxic Corners that we see in this, in the twittersphere, and I mean for, there's always going to have a negative element to it. But yeah, I feel like sometimes the, you know, we get the loud voices coming from the smallest percentage and I feel like it's sometimes nice to have the players step up and put some of that to rest. Absolutely.

9:13 And their voices are definitely going to be the voices that these recruits can. More than just fans and other folks in the hook Universe. Speaking of the Hokey Universe, kind of a big thing happened in the RV, a today form a defensive tackle for the Hokies, Jonathan Lewis who had five year NFL career. He was named defensive coordinator out at piranha Verano, who had kind of been down for a year for years. Thanks to Highland Springs. Sprung back up, made the state. Ship game beat Highland Springs on their way. There lost a Maury.

9:54 I like this as I mean Louis played with, you know, Darryl Tapp new defensive line coach Darryl Tapp so again, people are talking about, let's cultivate the 8004 and it's cultivate Virginia. Now, you got somebody down here, who is obviously helping build the program back up. What's your takes on that? Braun, it's gonna be nice. Obviously, having some People out in the no.4 and especially at a program like Veronica that not only has you know some current high-profile wins but also has a big-time history of winning in the eighth of for so I mean, it's going to be nothing but positive. I feel so therefore in terms of recruiting in general and the 804 in terms of recruiting from, I hope you perspective in particular, so I see nothing but good things coming from this. Especially from a hockey fan perspective. Yeah, I mean because you Jonathan out there. Obviously Sam Rogers took over Hanover announced a couple months ago, Lauren Johnson out of Holland Springs. All the Thailand Springs now is to appoint. They're producing so much talent. The Hokies have sworn.

11:04 It Mystic quite a few of them but a lot of guys they missed that are going to significantly, you know, your top 10 program which is where we want to get to. So, you know, a guys that the talents here don't be afraid to get it. Don't be afraid to use the connections yet me, we got, you know, if that work at the 757. And I think, you know, we need to tap into the data for a little bit more because we did Miss on a couple guys that were looking for from the Greater Richmond area and it'd be nice to start start laying some of them guys, again, absolutely, and 2021 is a big year, it is not only Talent Rich down in the 757, but it's time. Rich in 804 just a land rich in Nova. This is a big year for Virginia and I know probably in some future episodes guys were going to be breaking down. You know what we're looking like, 20 21 was probably in state and probably Bryan taking a look at tape me, taking the look at positional, like how are we looking at the bees positions inside Hokie nation and saying we're going to go after this guy like because for example, if the depth chart is absolutely full, you know what What will make us lose form, but we're not going to go head over heels because you've got a bunch of guys that can play.

12:18 It's a tough sell. Well, you got that in. You also have with a crop of talent. Like the the 2021 town is looking like both in state and within our recruiting footprint. I definitely think that we're going to go for guys that we know. We can get a man, we can get them, get them on the field, you know, if If not you're one year to and definitely build up that not necessarily go after guys just to stack it one position just because it's there. Absolutely I'm something else. I've noticed really these last few days the Virginia Tech football Twitter account has really I want to say stepped.

13:02 It's in game up trying to show culture, show personality. I'm sure. Braun. Did you? I'm going to go buy eat Each one of these, make sure you've seen them because I have. Did you see the Fuente girl Dad drop? Yeah. That that one, actually. I'd say impressed me the most and the thing that aside from the content, the thing that stood out to me, the most was how relaxed for what they seem in that in that video. And the thing that really struck me was if you go back and listen to the video, listen to is accent, his action is thicker in that video than any pressure. I've seen any other Media that's been dropped out. He seemed like he was really just talking the way he talks and not nothing seemed playing nothing seemed, you know, inauthentic so I think that that's going to be that's going to go a long way with without any nation in my opinion just because it seemed relaxed and it seemed authentic. Yeah, it did seem 100% authentic talking about his girls there and talking about being a girl, dad. And in talking about the investment in the program he said it and it made me Reflect back to Remember, the Titans and Hayden Panettiere each character. Like, I pictured, him walking in and like his oldest daughter, jumping on him about play and like, okay. But yeah, I loved it.

14:27 The other one, the Doug Masters, Mom. Hey man, if Mom has like programs, usually that helps and if Mama signing off as it is and to someone of nesters caliber, dog was a top 10. Player he had committed to Ohio State. He had kind of held our visit kind of in the bag for a while and because if you kind of hear that video was he kind of knew that if I go there, I know what's going to happen and he waited and he went and it wasn't long. He flipped. And but again, getting that approval from a parent, again, kind of reshaping. This is the culture. This is what we are loved it. One of the cool things that just dropped very recently. Was it looks like they are putting up the new locker room stuff.

15:20 Yes and in the words of ludicrous I got a got area codes and I love it because it gives the guys name and where they're from and I think they used Grace yard at the 804 700. For the 757 James Mitchell fixed on Gap. In felt for the 276 and then Henderson. At the 336 and those are, that's kind of where Virginia Tech is in the middle of those for area codes. We did Miss in Northern Virginia, they are but I'm sure you can probably see more that but I like in a like something like that. It's kind of showing your here.

16:02 Now with this is where you came from. Yeah. And it's showing that you come from different places. Once you're here, you're here, you're hokey or oq for life. Life. This is home. Just it's all about absolutely. And the last piece, and it's kind of going to kind of set up what we're going to be talking about here today is the about a four to five minute feature. On the four new coaches here between Tracy claeys, built turtleneck Ryan Smith who's younger than us, which makes me sad and Darryl Tapp who's our age, which yeah that's Cool. I'll take especially especially meaning Darrell few years ago again here in those guys talk and I don't know again it just made you feel good and I know there's a lot of negativity. We can you look for optimism and what really struck me. Brian.

17:02 And it was the way bills cheering installed, you could kind of hear, it wasn't, it was very authentic in his voice about. Yeah, the NFL something and it's great, but it's something about the right place, the right people and what you're trying to get to. And to me that says something because Bill turn, it could get a job at any NFL team. He wants, he can his dad's The Godfather, he is shown that he can do that and then he came here what else did you get from that video? Empty several things. I'll be I'm glad you pointed out the chilling piece there. I mean, he's talking about, you know, it's not just what you're doing, but who you're doing it with what you're doing, is what you're trying to accomplish.

17:50 So I think that's that's the big piece for him. I think just in general it was great hearing directly from these new staffers about just hearing stories about what they've done before or, you know, quick right up. So it was good to hear it directly directly from them, I think. Like that. But like you've been pointing out is what the fans have kind of been clamoring for a little bit more. We don't necessarily need to know everything that's happening, but if we can just, you know, get a little closer, don't keep us as much at arm's length. You know, will definitely Embrace that a lot more. So I think that's the big thing. It seems like everybody's excited to be in the building and I think, you know, they want to do something want to build something new with.

18:35 They also want to honor the Traditions that we have that come before them. So I think that's big And just how they all seem to be talking about jehan's energy and hard work, and how that kind of was a big attracting factor for them and why they're there. So I think that that's, that's the big things. The big takeaways that I have absolutely. Well, we've opened up went through some things for the remainder of the show. This is kind of what we're looking at today. Guys. We're going to be looking at the staff itself. Obviously, yet for new guys, we just discussed there were some Al going guys. Some of those are going guys, rub people, the wrong way, the way he let go. There's some staff changes, clearly John's mooching J Hamm here, but Madam like them Berg as well. We're going to discuss that along with these new guys in that interview.

19:26 So before we go any further, we've got to stop here and we've got to start with the outgoing Staff. All right, so obviously the biggest outgoing coach is the legendary. Gary Bud. Foster to me the greatest defensive coordinator in the history of college football. No doubt, you know it was big but it was known luckily but didn't pull anybody strings. He came out in August in announced it sort of got the team and the staff a chance to hate looks. This is how we're going to look in the future and kind of revert back to why the 2020 doesn't look great? Well, when you don't have a name defensive coordinator stuff when going to hurt You know, I don't know what else to say on bud, Brian. You and I were lucky enough.

20:14 We were at the pit game. We were at his last game in Lane Stadium pitching. The shutout, the defense that day. Played unbelievable. It was a fun time in the rain. It wasn't. It was a fun time. In the rain. We were at the perfect spot though. We were at that. Right. Out of the rain we would have been to Rosedale. We would have been soaked. We are right out of the rain but I mean but losing Bud hurts. I mean he'd been on the staff since you know, since we were like in diapers got the defensive coordinator title back in the mid-90s and then ran with it for the next 20 plus years. And I say legendary, I mean those defenses in the mid-2000s man if we had any semblance of an offense in 05, 06 or 07. Yeah.

21:06 If we could have just been You know above average in that category, you're talking about some some serious, some serious winds there and that's on top of you know having having a run there that was better than you know most of the the top 10 programs that were talking about trying to get back to. So you know it's it's something you know, there's some there's some Coulda woulda's in there but at the same time you gotta appreciate what he was able to do while he was there and just glad that we got to experience. That Rod pretty much from start to finish. Yeah we did our age group. Definitely did let me throw this at you.

21:46 Should he be the leading individual as to put coordinators into the College Football Hall of Fame? There's none in there right now, but as you remember during the announcement and people are like, you've got to put them in there. He changed the way the game is played, the way people look at coordinators, you know? There's obviously some other guys, I feel like I cannot think of The guy's name, but the like Switzer's OC, who brought the wishbone to Oklahoma, some of Bears defensive, those guys deserve to be in there and I'm hoping with him being younger guy, you know. And it's, you know, in his early 60s I'm really hoping overall that they can get the benefit and say, we're going to put these guys in, we're going to put a wing for the coordinators in the position, coaches, who, you know, had coaches are great. But if you don't have these guys on certain teams, these You know, these guys aren't as great as they seem. And, yeah, there's guys that innovate in the the college football world that aren't necessarily guys, that would make good head, coaches or interested in becoming head coaches.

22:53 But that doesn't discount how they impacted the teams. They were part of because of the be, they were bringing innovative ideas to the Forefront. Now those, those head coaches were certainly, you know, they in their wisdom. They saw, let's Embrace these new ideas But you know, let's give some credit to the guys that are either taking what was already there and building upon it or kind of coming up with some of these these schemes themselves. So, I think that there's definitely a wing there that needs to be dedicated to these these coordinators that they really change the game in a lot of ways. Absolutely. So there's our first big loss when you about that ahead of time. The next one and the one that rubbed people the wrong way was the letter.

23:38 Go Charlie walls, Charlie. Who had been with the program? You know, since 96? So significantly long was advised, he wasn't going to be returned. Now, the way conversations go, he was given the option to coach the bowl game. He didn't want to do that. That's his choice. Give me what your take is on, Charlie. I love Charlie. I thought he always coach guys, up. Good, never met him, but why do you think Charlie was all in? All that go? Now, I think the biggest thing is that, you know, and we'll talk about this more as we get to the new defensive staff. But I think just with a younger coordinator, I think we were moving to more of a younger more energetic staff. I mean, I just think that that that's that's the direction that we were heading.

24:32 And I think because of that, he was pretty much kind of put to Charlie. Hey, we're heading in this direction. Do you want to coach in the bowl game to go out with bud? Or do you want to go ahead and pack it in and, and call it a day? Unfortunately, you know, he decided he wanted to take that latter option, which I don't, I don't begrudge him but I'm sad that that Hokie Nation didn't get to see him in, but kind of go out at the same time, because I think I've been pretty special thing to see agreed and Charlie, clearly, I think Maybe one reason he did that was to get a jump on his next Endeavor, and he is down at NC State now. So going to be recruiting against him. He's got a friend down there now, too. Absolutely.

25:15 Yeah. Brian Mitchell. Quarterbacks coach also, let go also down at State again. Don't know enough about Mitchell, but he was let go. You know, I mean I kind of this is this is the with what we ended up seeing. I think this was definitely a push to get a guy with Northern Virginia ties. And you know, in-state born, born and bred Virginian and house for that position. I just think that that's, that's ultimately, what would led to be Mitch being being let go there? I think we kind of had a couple ideas in mind and I think both of them were going to be Virginia Natives and ultimately, you know, Ryan Smith is who we ended up.

25:56 Getting at the quarterback spot, but I feel like that's kind of the direction we were heading. And that, unfortunately, put could be met on the outs there. Yeah, and again, down at state. So again, going to be recruited against him. Last got let go on Zone burdens on hasn't landed anywhere else and that's some me and you were kind of shocked about because, when he was originally, let go were, like not shot was a part of the old staff but we were like, oh, do you Campton somebody within the first couple was fourth in the first month of probably pick him up? You know, known as a good recruiter but he hasn't so yeah, that was a big shock to both of us. I mean I thought that definitely for sure, one of the seven, five seven programs were picked him up. Whether you know Division, 1 or Division 1 double a one of those schools down there was going to was going to scoop him up for at least two position roll.

26:44 If not offensive coordinator look, and it just didn't come to fruition. So it's very interesting how that went on. So we're going to move onto. Those are the guys out inside the Graham, there were some staff changes. Obviously, the biggest was Justin Hamilton going from the safeties coach to defensive coordinator. Justin 38 years old? You run, you did a little more for folks that don't know Justin. He you know, there's a lot of stuff in Prime did a little digging on them. So Brian just kind of what you found out by researching. All right so I mean we obviously got to Southwest Virginia.

27:25 Native coming in Into the defensive coordinator role, which I think is a big thing, both for the state. And for the school, there's been a big Push by both the fan base and alumni to really start. Looking at Virginia will be closed and I think this is definitely a concerted effort to really get back on that in-state recruiting wagon and starting scoring some of those those bigger bigger fish from the 757, 804 Northern Virginia. Yeah I think that's the biggest thing that we're talking about. Just about Justin in general. I mean, any hockey fans going to know the use of versatile. Use a versatile player, he was a team first, guy low ego, you know, play three or four positions, whatever was needed of him. He was, he was willing to step in and get it done. You know, I think again 38.

28:18 So we're talking about bringing in a coordinator. That's going to be young energetic, but he's got that hokey blood in and he's got that lunch pail. In him. So I think you're going to see a blend of the old. It was some, maybe some new ideas and some new new ways of attacking off, that may help us especially when it comes to things like containing quarterback runs which have kind of been the Bugaboo for our defense, despite all of the successes through in our history. So I think we might see some some new things from him that might try to address that he was the coordinator UVa-Wise coach outside linebackers of Emi and then I was to from Virginia Tech perspective as a member of the staff. He's been you had an on-field and all field presidency at player Personnel position when he first came on and now he's coaching the safeties.

29:15 So I mean I think we're really getting a really big asset for us. You know, there is some some fear because of the unknown because we don't know what he looks like. Defensive coordinator at the power 5 level. But in terms of intangibles, in terms of football IQ, and in terms of just being able to build relationships with players and with the community, I don't think there's anybody, that we could have found better. Yeah, I agree in the football, like, you is the big piece. A lot of people, you know, while we were supposed to get some million-dollar coordinator yada yada, but then you kind of talk and say, you realize this guy went from playing Running back to receiver to flipping and playing safety for two years, then getting drafted and playing in the NFL for three years.

30:02 Before he hurt his knee, do you know the amount of intelligence and takes to do that to say oh yeah you're going to learn this. Well then you're going to learn this. Now we need you to completely do something different and learn this and become so good at it. That you go to the highest part of your profession and I stay one year, but make it three years and probably would've been longer if not for the injury. And when you think of folks like that in my opinion, that's why when they named I'm like Is first of all the Hokey through and through. But how smart you have to be run, you play offensive line and you switch positions. Occasionally to say, you're not even switching, you're not even staying in your core group. You're jumping from this group and this group and now completely other side of the ball in the intelligence. It takes in the football.

30:44 Like you it takes there's going to be probably things that he can see that. Not many players can see because I've done this before. Yeah. There's always a benefit from guys that were able to Play both sides of the ball at a high level just because I mean as a as an offensive, lineman that coach defensive tackles, you know, I didn't just coach even two tackles on technique and things like that. I also told him, hey, here's what the offensive lineman is going to do. Here's how you can counter that. Here's how you can negate that. So, I mean there's bigger degree of understanding. There is not just scheme and knowing where to be and what to do. But also, Okay.

31:26 Well if they throw this at you knowing hey what's a good counter punch. Exactly. And there's we think you can probably see like that. That again not many people have that same view of. Yeah, I'm really excited to see what he's going to do. I mean I like I said I don't know at this point what changes are going to look like? I'm really looking forward to the spring game to really see from a scheme perspective, how much different this calls are going to be relative to what we saw from bud. Absolutely. Alright. The second move was Adam like them Berg was moved from the associate head. Coach to the running back coach. Yeah, I heard about that.

32:08 You have some thoughts about that. God. So I'm sitting here and they would he was hired for the role last year like, okay. Okay. This is going to be your game manager. I felt we'd like, we horribly manage games this year, like, if this is your job, To help coach for Wednesday with the timeout situations and down in distance. Oh my god. There were times just like, okay, called a timeout. Why aren't we calling the timeout? Somebody get in his ear. If that was his job, which you kind of Wonder? Is that your responsibility as the ahc? You know, it was terrible. Also, we didn't know what his responsibilities was, which is in the tight-lipped part of the program, which we hate is like, what are you doing?

32:49 His resume, doesn't in, you know, excite me. No, he did play it Nebraska in the late 90s early 2000s when they were a very good team under solich but then like he was at it, he was a ga at Wayne State. He was a G8 TCU during those good years. That's a ga not a position coach nothing like that the ga 2010 and 2011. He was a co-offensive coordinator at Central Connecticut University couldn't tell you if that's D3. Edie to in a. I so clearly not, you know, one day a or the highest level and then 2012, he goes to Memphis as the person will pursue director of player Personnel much.

33:37 Like we've got Pearson Prelude, now doing that for us, he had he did a lot of stuff in that role which is great. Kind of get some different views and stuff but he was not immediately brought to Virginia Tech by coach Fuente. He went to UT And where he was the passing game, coordinator wide receiver coach and 16, then he became the director of player personnel and 17 at Tech. So, it's just not a to me, not enthusiastic because I don't know anything about it and My Hope Is We blow up. I'm hoping at in December, I get to say, yeah, I was wrong. This was the best running back group, we've had since David Wilson but I'm just so scared because The background. It's like what is he here for?

34:26 Yeah, I mean the biggest positive that I see out of this right now is that? I mean here's a here's a food guy, he's been in with went to a it multiple stops at this point and I think he's a guy that probably knows what fun things trying to do from an offensive scheme perspective, maybe even better than some of the coaches we've had whether he can relay that information and Coach up the the player. The way he needs to is, maybe the the question mark we have at this point because, you know, based on his resume we don't have a lot of big damage to to Rally behind a success in this terms of the position itself, he hasn't really cooked it.

35:09 So that that part is a little disheartening, it is definitely not something that I'm enthusiastic about. I'm I am glad from a recruiting perspective that we still got this guy and house because he seems to do really well on the recruiting Trail. So, If you're looking for a silver lining going back to, I know we talked about that a lot back in the The Stone spring day is like, yeah, you can't call plays but that sumbitch can recruit good.

36:00 Now 24 guys, me and Brian were both excited about getting hired. I want to start with Ryan Smith. The youngest of these for new hires, I'm trying to do the math. I don't think Ryan Smith is 30 years old. He is so young youth, but, um, As I Look to his resume and kind of the stuff he did, I see him being young and I compare him to like him Berg's resume and I love his just a few things about Ryan Smith for everybody to know. Ryan Smith is a Virginia born and bred Kid. Born in King. George Virginia went to William and Mary is a defensive backs.

36:47 We played under Jimmy laycock, laycock has a great track record of his players, becoming Excellent coaches. See Mike Tomlin the Pittsburgh Steelers, see Sean McDermott with the Buffalo Bills. He was there for five years, he graduated in 2014. Also, he went away in and marry, you just don't get into even married to play football. You literally have to be a scholar athlete to get in there. So, there is a clearly, a very smart guy. We have picked up here He graduated 2014, he went down to University, Texas. San Antonio, as a ga from there, 15 and 16, he was at Penn State. As a ga 16 was there Rose Bowl season, one of the best seasons, they've really had in the last two decades. I like us going to somebody that went to Penn getting somebody who's seen the inner workings of Penn State especially as much if they poach from us for the last S couple of years after 16 2017, and 2018 under Kirk dignity.

38:01 He was down at E Line as their secondary coach had some very successful guys, down there a couple guys to make all CAA teams. And in 2019, he actually was a Walsh NFL fellowship with the Green Bay Packers. They have those throughout some of the former coaches on Tech staff has been part of that. That's again, exposure to the NFL exposure to more coaching, 2019. He followed cignetti down to J mu and clearly, if you follow Commonwealth football or the state of the Commonwealth football JMU had one hell of a season National runners-up in the FCS, he was coaching just the safeties down there, which might be a concern to some people but not to me, he had to Two first-team CAA safeties. The one thing I see with all, if you look at his numbers, his defensive backs are aggressive.

39:04 One of the safeties have six interceptions this year. Nice front, let me ask you this. I've got a couple more things I want to talk with him, but let me ask you this, he played corner, he coached Corner deal on but then he flips the safeties. We do see this a lot with secondary coaches. Like, you can coach one Coach the other and go back. But what's the primary reason for that? Why were you see, guys do that? I think the big thing that we've been seeing is our rosters kind of trending toward that versatility that guy that can do a lot of things. Well so I think that's kind of part of the the philosophy here but also I think you know, you're pointing out it is, it could tell us the story about where J Hamm is heading with his philosophy.

39:54 For the secondary getting a guy that you know, is aggressive in the secondary, both from safeties and four corners, I don't think we're going to see a change in the velocity or trying to get these get these guys about to turn over the ball. So I think that's still going to be a linchpin of the, the Hokie defense is forcing turnovers getting the offense in a good position to score some points. Yeah, agreed. And thanks for that sort of explanation. Another thing I read again, I talked about it. I think this was a huge move for recruiting. Being a Virginia guy, not only for the state. You know, he's primarily going to be covering Richmond area and the 757 but I think just overall when you put a got this young old staff, you talk about I think a lot of relatability to recruits that that has nothing to help.

40:46 We're about to go in the last five years from one of the oldest ass in college football that to now we might Be the youngest staff in college football but we're not young when it comes to years of coaching, and I think the ages of number, but the coaching experience is going to be there. Now, think we're these guys have been as a key component to because you look at some of the stops of these guys. You know, they don't necessarily have a ton of experience but they've been in behind the doors of some of these really, really Key Programs. Some of them, you know, at about the same level Us. And some of them are programs that were aspiring towards and some like JMU or programs that are in the state but have had success in a different level of college football. So I think, you know, that experience is really, really important.

41:38 Yeah. Now, one guy that does have the experience is our new linebackers, coach Tracy claeys. Tracy's been coaching over 25 years. He's a Jerry kill disciple. Feel like when Jerry killed Came in last year he sort of helped back calm the ship after the Duke game could have shown a good direction. Tracy's been a defensive coordinator over. 20 years primarily you take a look at all the stops running for three scheme. So kind of fits kind of tells us that we're probably not going to be changing our base defense too much. When you see that, I don't think you bring in a linebackers coach with the 43 scheme.

42:21 That's his background for 20 plus years and say oh we're going. Switch to a 34. Yeah, but we're not gonna see that now go see that. But, but, you know, crazy to me is, is really big. If you just kind of look at what he's did throughout his career, I'm going to start in really the last couple decades, 2004 with Jerry at Southern Illinois. They led the FCS in scoring defense at 13.2 few years later in 07, they were Nessie SMI. Team semi-final team with another top. 10 defense from there, he followed. Jerry killed in Northern Illinois, is again where they had success, you know, in their 2010 team which was their last year at Northern Illinois, him as a defensive coordinator, they ranked 14th in Total Defense.

43:08 That ain't shabby, no. You're not playing the best competition in the Mac but not shabby. From there, they took over the Minnesota program. First year, I'm gonna kind of do a rundown just to kind of show you where you got that program is now Minnesota. They're not getting the recruits. We are we're, we're recruiting somewhere between 30 and 20 primarily Minnesota is more of that. What I'm seeing that when Keel was there, that mid-50s to Mid 40's range, so we're getting more profile, more higher rate, guys. But this is kind of what he did. They were their first year and 1193 ranked defense. Then the next year, forty third ranked defense.

43:51 Then the 24th ranked defense 3443 and then 21. So less Talent better conference better competition, not playing not having to terrible of Total Defense numbers. What do you think? I mean, do you feel the same without you feel some? It's some hidden stuff in there, Brian. I mean, I think I think those are good numbers to throw out there and I think, also, the thing to consider is that I didn't Get the offensive numbers, but I don't think that in my recollection that Minnesota was out there, putting up, 40 points a game so that those defensive numbers stand for something because you're playing the Ohio, State's and the Penn State's in that, in that time frame, that were putting up some per some pretty serious points. And that, and still able to put out those numbers with that more middle tier recruiting talent that definitely speaks to him being able to coach.

44:53 Those guys up and get the most out of the town that he has on the roster. So I think you know I don't think there's any really - to to speak up in their biggest things going to be as Kenny translate that into what J Hamm is trying to do greed. Now I'm going to throw one more stat out here, 2018, with Wazoo under Mike Leach. He had his best defense. They were the number four total ranked defense in the country. That was the year. I am pretty sure that if they had not been on a snow Laden field and Pullman Probably could have beat Washington and went to the Rose Bowl, but unfortunately you're on the Air Raid Offense and you're playing this so bad things happen, and it did that day. Yep.

45:34 Now, thanks did kind of in sour for him at Wazoo in 2019 that the defense completely struggled. But you doing some research, it looks like there had been a significant riff with one of Mike Leach has long time defensive back coach has Read some articles from Pullman. Looks like this guy was very vocal about things and kind of Tracy. Look like he was just kind of sick of it and just kind of wrote his resignation, laid it on his desk and left and it kind of also spoke to Tracy's personality. That this guy was more outgoing louder. Where Tracy is more was more of a reserved guy in for a new defensive coordinator.

46:22 Having a guy who with significant success coming in and you care about like what the other guy did it almost sounds like this is going to be a good role for Tracy. He doesn't have to be the vocal guy. He can be quiet, he can be reserved in the way. I really feel like what's going to happen is I think Tracy is going to become the sounding board for J Hamm. I think you're going to probably hear stories about after games looking at tape as they're evaluating guys. Jenkins. Let me go into him for things. Gout, this much experience. Why wouldn't you? He's going to have Bud there too? Yep, you can have a plethora of experience to go after. And again hearing about traci's personality, think he's that right type of significantly older guy to be on staff.

47:09 He's not boisterous, he's not loud. He's the other way and where you see Jay, him, full of energy and excitement, probably going to be able to rein him in sometimes, like pull back a little bit, man, but I really I like to Tracy claeys higher concerning. This new staff. Yeah, I think it's going to be really good for us, long term. It's like you said, sounding board for J Hamm. A guy that has has the knowledge has the experience but also isn't necessarily somebody that is looking to pad their resume at this point of their career. So I think he's a guy that's going to be a big asset to J Hamm. As he kind of gets more, acclimated to - it's of coordinator at this level of college football because he's got you nobody can lean on and tracing that you can lean on when he when he gets into a situation where you know, he may not quite be out of this depth a little bit as being, you know, first time coordinator at this level.

48:07 So I think you know, nothing but good things there. So Brian, when we're breaking this down, you've got the opportunity to look at the two hires that were definitely for Hokie Nation more. Exciting TNT. And see. Let's start built are on Nick, go. All right, so you got to hook you fan and a cult fan talking battle, former cult see, ffensive assistant, whose father was the Godfather of demons arrived and had some of the best defensive line output that the Colts have ever had. So this is right in my wheelhouse. I'm ready to talk about is let's do this. Alright, so he'll tear links so big thing for him. Pretty much been in 4-3 defense has for the majority of his career.

48:58 So again as we were talking as you talk with Tracy, I don't see us changing not naughty dramatic changes to scheme. I think it's going to be more subtle as far as responsibilities the amount of time we Blitz. And then what what some of the some of the calls are going to be I think that's going to be where you see the biggest change and not any sort of wholesale Flipping of defensive philosophies I think we're still going to go with a one Gap technique on defense because what what bills worked in has been primarily that one Gap defensive technique. He wants your lawn your give us a while to get upfield disrupt. The running backs angle spill them to the other Defenders that can make the tackle and you want to create pressure on pat on the, on the passing downs and get that quarterback releasing the ball before he's ready to this guy's had some Success in his career. Obviously I mentioned being a defensive assistant for the Colts when his dad was the defensive line coach you know from there I ended up with the the bills working as a defensive assistant with Mike waffle.

50:07 Another another one of the another god father of the modern defense who loved one get technique. So yeah. So yeah like waffles the defensive line coach that was with the Giants the year the They took down the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl. So this guy knows how to get defensive lineman up, feeling, get pressure even against teams that have really good offensive lines, like the Patriots did that year. So, That's that's some of the stops he's been on, but I think the biggest thing for him is that he did work as an assistant defensive line coach with Mike waffles. So in the scenario that we have now with, with Darryl, Tapp working with him on the, on the defensive line.

50:48 I think he kind of appreciates the dynamic of having two guys working in that role and you know what, his role can be and what he can do to, you know, help Darrell grow in that role as well as far as what we can expect to see from the defensive line. I mean, We're going to be I think more aggressive at the offensive line, getting up field getting in those in those gaps and then disrupting things hopefully that doesn't come in a detriment to to the running game just because you can sometimes create bigger gaps and it's going to be important for linebackers to be able to make those tackles in open space. When those gaps, do get bigger as a result of getting up feel. But I think it's going to put a lot more pressure. Iran on quarterbacks to make faster decisions and that's where the aggressiveness at the secondary level that you were talking about.

51:42 With Ryan, Smith comes into play and get those turnovers. Let me ask this Braun from the tape. You looked at, you know, there's, there's a difference between having to write for any and Mathis and Lawson, but just by looking at it, are you skiing? We're okay. Sometimes he depending on the players. But there were some times, he was doing things skiing wise, where it was like There's going to be offensive lines, not ready for some of those different looks and the way he, you know, Slants and stunts like things, like, they're not going to be prepared for On Any Given Saturday. Well, I think the biggest thing that and what the bills were doing is that they did a lot of show and bail which really makes offensive linemen frustrated, you don't. So yeah.

52:30 So so you know you got a guy showing Blitz and they'll bail out The dolphins of lime in the center, probably more than likely has already made a some sort of check. And now, now somebody doesn't have a got a block because the Blitz the blister that was showing his bailed out now where that comes into big-time plays when a blitz is called. But not from the guy showing. So now you've got an offensive lineman. That was expected to pick up a blitz. That's not coming. But now he's also the odd, man that has to find where that Blitz is coming from and get there and that Dates, a lot of the problems. That's why you go from, have a, have a guy running free because you got alignment that's waiting on a, on an a gap Blitz. And now this Center has to get outside and get to the outside linebacker that ended up being the guy that's blitzing, who do you think on the team right now?

53:22 And I'll, and I'll put it at the defensive line primarily. Who do you think? Are we going to see the biggest growth next year with just having Carol, Nick? And His defensive line coach, I think you're going to see a lot more disruption from the defensive. Tackles I think with the rotation that we have now and with some of the younger guys, getting another year in the way around. When we started started a couple guys, right out the gate that hadn't really been in the weight room hadn't, been a part of our program and they were contributing significant snaps. So I think, you know, I think like, I like, Like food is good is going to really benefit from this from this new scheme because he's a guy that has had some size on them already, but he's athletic and he can get up field and disrupt those running plays and still get after the quarterback as well. So I think you might see him, get some more rotation this year.

54:23 On top of the fact these you know Heather had a year in the weight room with us but the just his build and his his ability to get get into the backfield is going to, I think pay dividends With What feelings trying to do. Nice. All right, we're going to move on. And obviously, the last guy we're going to talk about. It's Darryl Tapp and he needs really no introduction to Hokie Nation. But I'm going to give him one anyway, he shouldn't if you've been a fan for any significant bill that you don't know. Darryl Tapp is, I question your fan of the Hokie Nation. I'm sitting in my office right now. I've got a son Darryl Darryl, Tapp pendants. Behind me.

55:04 So I'm a big Darryl, Tapp believer right here so you know we're talking to Tom all-acc first team. ER drafted in 2006 12-year NFL career with six different teams, definition of lunch pail mentality, hard hat mentality said you're not going to outwork me. I'm going to keep this lunch pail. The whole year. You're not going to work. You never gave it up. We joke with him about that and he was like, yeah it was mine. I kept the lunch pail when he got drafted. I mean this guy can do it all and I mean, doing my research, I was looking so me and him share one thing in common, at least part of the 600 back squats.

55:49 Love these 660. I got 600. So we're both in the 600 class. We got asked out to celebrate that on big squat Friday. Absolutely. We have to but I mean from a On the field perspective. And from a recruiting perspective on the field, I think what he's going to bring his, he's going to challenge these kids to work harder and I think his pedigree is not just words. He's shown it on the field, he's shown it in practice, he's shown it with with, with the lunch pail, this guy's not going to get out worked and I think that's going to inspire the kids in terms of how hard they work both in the weight room and on the field you know, to never quit. So I think that's that's the biggest thing out the gate that he's going to provide for man on the field. Perspective, is that extra motivation to get more out of these guys?

56:38 And they think they can really get out of themselves from a recruiting standpoint. I mean, he's ruled it does, it doesn't get much better. I mean, you've got a guy came from the 757 was a Hopi Legend been in the NFL and now he's talking to guys from where he grew up and saying, hey, you can be like me. Let's go do this. Absolutely, and indeed it is it's any school he walks in down. They're the credibility's there again, all-acc All-American drafted, 12 years in the NFL so much of that stuff. You know what can what can you know some coach say like well I don't think you should go there the kid would side. I look him but this is a unique perspective for you because you when you played in college you kind of are going to be in the you were kind of in the same shoes as the defensive line kids who are this year.

57:33 Is because of your go ahead, explain who you had because mean in an NFL got hit it guys. Yes. Well, Championship. Coming with the difference is when a guy like that is talking to you, so I'll paint you a picture here. So I'm makes the last game of my senior year, I tear up my ankle for five months. Recovery at that point. I was, you know, maybe hoping and hoping to get a school like J mu or we were married to say, hey, come walk on for us. Us. So I was pretty much at that point thinking. Yeah, I'm probably not going to play football anymore, you know, I was getting a lot of calls from division, three schools, but I just wasn't quite sure that that was going to be a good choice for me. But ultimately I got a note from Keith conlon, it's coach for hand and Sydney's coaching offensive line. Come to find out.

58:23 That keep conlon was a offensive, lineman for Penn State and won a national championship with Joe Papp and was drafted by the Colts and then played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for a couple years before getting back into the coaching ranks. So that kind of that kind of spoke to me a little I was like, okay, well we got we got a guy with that's been on that journey and he's working with this coach at him and Sydney trying to build something that's got to spend, that's got to count for something. So, you know that guy be in the building and just talking with him and talking with his journey and talk about what, what coach Marty fabric was trying to do. With him and Sydney that that sold me and I ended up playing the hand and Sydney.

59:07 So You know, I was at a point where I wasn't sure if I was ever going to lay some up again and all of a sudden you know get get another good three seasons playing the games I love because of a guy like him and I think Darryl Tapp is going to have a similar type influence on some of the kids that that he's going to talk to you both in the 757 and really any recruits and he's going to talk to on the road. Very nice. So we're going to be putting out a Twitter poll guys and what it's going to say is which of these You coaches Ron Smith, Tracy claeys built tunic or Darryl Tapp we see impact game. One the most my votes going to be for Ryan Smith.

59:50 I think a having to remain waller or Mighty Chapman, Halo Farley to a lesser extent tamari Connor. He's going in there with proven guys and I think guys, he can immediately say I trust from day one. I think that's my vote and I will Vote on there. Of course. What about you Ron? I'm gonna go with out the gate as far as on the field. I'm going to go build your link. I think what he's going to bring to the table of getting those guys ready and just from a technique and skiing perspective, I think you're going to see a lot more disruption in the backfield Scott. I think you're going to see sacks go up and that's a direct correlation. You're going to see turnovers, go up whether we're talking strips Acts or whether we're talking interceptions, because quarterbacks are letting the ball loose before they're ready to make the right decision. Great buy, anything else?

1:00:41 We need to tie up on today's episode. Not real. I think we're good. I just really appreciate everyone that's tuning in here and listening to us and helping us get this thing going. Because it's been fun doing this and I hope you guys enjoy it. Absolutely continue to follow us on Twitter. We are now on Apple app. Tune, so subscribe. So when we drop a new episode, it's right there for you to listen to hit us up on the Twitter account. If you've got questions, DM us, you know, we will be willing to answer your Questions you know, any feedback is greatly appreciated and that wraps up this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast. This is Curtis Wilson, I'm Brian Ziegler and will I buddy. Jason, Long play us out, catch him on Spotify, Apple music. Thanks for listening and as always, let's go hope you