Spring Game Reactions

0:45 Welcome back to the boundary Corner podcast. I'm Curtis Wilson. I'm Brian Cielo buddy. We're live on a Wednesday night how you feeling? Buddy back-to-back Wednesdays in the offseason? Yeah, we could let the let the spring game Shenanigans simmer for too long so we had to get one going this week. Oh no, we couldn't. I mean plus I mean you already watched you were at the spring game. You watched it Sunday he watched. Monday, you brown would likely be on his ninth to Tenth watching of the spring game. Trying to analyze everything that happened if we if we didn't do that man.

1:28 So so let me just ask this. I know you took your son down, how was the trip up and back? Trip up and back was great. Actually made it in like three hours and 10 minutes and no traffic really either in or out, you know. Just it was a good trip, good times. My son got there, he was hanging out with kids at the tailgate we read. He was hanging out with kids at the tailgate next to us. So he was having a good time until he went into the stadium, and it was just a good time all around. He got to jump to Sandman for the first time. So, He got the he got the full experience. At least from a spring game perspective, right out. The gate full experience of a real game to just not as much as the chaos is going up in the fall when it's 66,000 in the stadium and about 100,000 in the town when it's craziness. Yeah, I think we probably clipped a bug just above 30,000 somewhere in there.

2:26 It looks like with, you know what the attendance was? I'm not sure what the exact number was. I haven't seen anyone put that out there. It was a, it was a good showing West was pretty much filled North is pretty much filled South was about 3/4. Then he had about, you know, about a quarter to a third of East, pretty pretty stacked. On that side. So it was a good crowd and just good atmosphere all around. Yeah, but I'm thinking going back to when we went in 16. If you can, remember we said an East and remember, they had like a, they had like caution tape up. And he's like, you couldn't go but so far up on me so maybe I don't know if it's a liability thing or it's just there always are constantly, you know, those updating those seats and stuff but maybe that's the reason East did not look as field as well as because you shouldn't me a picture of West man.

3:18 I mean West was packed West look like a game day with the exception of the upper right corner, like no one was there. And that looked very awkward because you kind of look around, like, that's a great view spot. That's a spot we set before. So you know, but I'm glad you got to go or one of us. Got to go down there, I'm killed talking because I'm keeping an eye on the net Celtics game. Mike McDaniel is going to join us just in a second here. Big Celtics fan, Mike was chatting us up while watching the game right before we came on. So, you know, just went final here. When the softball top 15 victory at Tennessee tonight, I can't was on, ESPN, do yeah, yeah.

4:08 Yeah, I pulled up the apparatus like, oh, that's all there tonight. Let me go. Well, I thought I'd turn it over for a couple Innings. I just. Oh, cool. Let's see how they're doing their up. 31 in like I look them, like that's not a cc Network, that's not the do swear to you. That's full-bore. ESPN, so definitely big night for the ladies. Giving a getting a A big win. I mean they're marching closer and closer not to only getting a regional hosting, but potential getting a Super Regional in Blacksburg when the tournament starts. So that will be awesome. Ron. I'm looking for. Yeah, it's 114 105 were under 25 seconds.

4:52 Is it safe to bring him on? I think we're good, man. I think I think he feels pretty comfortable about the about the cushion now. Alright, Reggie Miller side. Out there. So I think we're going to be all right. Oh man, oh, man, Reggie Miller is not out there, so we are going to bring on I guess tonight. From Si from hokey hangover front sons of Saturday. The one and only hardest working, man in hokey podcast laying Mike, McDaniels Sup boys stole my. I know I'm making it once, and I know I'm making my annual appearance on this podcast when I have a Boston team in the playoffs and you guys are stalling for me and the internet.

5:35 So I do appreciate it. Last year was the Bruins. It wasn't really, it was so I appreciate it. I was, I was locked in so awesome. Awesome. They're, uh, I see, it's not. Are we in a TV timeout or something? Yeah, yeah, they're upstairs. Seven was about 35 seconds left, so safety crew. Uh, okay. Excellent, excellent. The blood pressure is a little bit lower than it was when we first met. I was well, I mean I told him I go back and look and it's like a 12:41 run. The South takes like yeah.

6:22 In with four minutes to go in the first half and then get a couple shots, cut it to 10 and then it was all Celtics in the 2nd half 4th quarter was great. So pretty fired up to be up to them and that the Nets are tough. Yeah, I read Grant tough. Yeah, very good. That's a tough first round. Yeah, I mean, it's a Eastern Conference Finals, matchup forget it. First round matchups. Crazy, it is. But hey, you guys pulled the both W's at home. What a play by Tatum on what someday. The layup. Literally I'm sure your heart was coming out of your chest there that night. Yeah, I'm trying to figure out what made me more nervous, the fact that the Nets were up three, I think like 45 seconds left in game one or the fact that Southward down 17 here in game two. And it was pretty somehow game to was an easier, watch down the stretch and I thought the Celtics played worse tonight. So hey man, I'll take it.

7:16 I will take it. Awesome all, well, my we brought you on tonight. We're going to discuss a ton of Stuff the spring game in il, some draft stuff, but let's start right before the spring game weekend. You know, kicks off the big announcement from the athletic department about the ni L deals and essentially, there are three big partners with Virginia Tech. You've got Commonwealth in il founded by Nick rush and Forest rush you got hot route marketing Kelly wool on taking care of that, and then Nothing else and IL, the one we definitely all are hearing a lot about by James Callan, and by none other than Tech, Legend, Kevin Jones, what are you hearing about each? You know, I know one is going to be really kind of geared towards the academic success, right?

8:13 Yeah, I mean, what else say about all three of these, you know, these n IL, you know, companies is that Brent pry. One of his priorities when he came in, as head coach at Virginia Tech was to make sure that this was built out, right? Because, you know, I think Virginia Tech was a little bit behind the eight ball on the ni L stuff. I mean, last year, it was kind of a weird year. You're coming off of covid, right? It's your kind of the first year, everybody is trying to get their feedback under them. Anyway, right, from a The covid standpoint found top of it, you have this new n IL legislation, that passes and now players can make money off the name image or likeness. And I feel like a lot of schools are ready from the get-go, right?

8:54 It's almost like they were anticipating and I feel like, Virginia Tech was behind the eight ball a little bit and they're they're not alone, right? A, you know, a lot of schools were kind of caught a little bit flat-footed by it because I think everybody knew and I always coming but didn't know when you know and to make matters even more complicated. I mean, just Infante was a lame. Duck head coach last year. I mean, that's, that's what he was, right. I mean, it was a tough schedule, you know, Burmeister a quarterback that we talked about last year, when I was on, like, to go into the fall with having only one real option at quarterback, and he hasn't really been healthy his entire career leading up to that. It's like that is a strategy that gets you fired, right.

9:35 So he was a lame. Duck head coach and it's really really hard to get players excited about ni l. And everything that comes along with it. When you know you're coached on the way out, you're not sure if you're going to be a Virginia Tech, long-term, that's something you have to think about photography and text main players, and it's kind of played out that way, right? Like a lot of Virginia Tech's guys, who were major contributors last year and have been major contributors over the last few years are gone, right? And we'll get into the NFL draft guys later. But a lot of guys transferred, you know, a lot of guys left haveon leaving for Kentucky as a huge loss, right? And Trey Turner going to the NFL We kind of knew last year was going to be his last year.

10:15 He Blackshear choosing to instead of sticking around. He goes to Italy, James Mitchell, you know, blows his knee out. He's like, you know what, I'm sticking around, her new coaching staff. I'm on my way out to. So a lot of guys, you know, kind of saw the writing on the wall to begin with and then I just think Virginia Tech has a much better spot now from an ni L standpoint even before you get into the specifics of each, they're a much better spot. Now with NI L with Brent prize the head coach because there's all this energy around the Anyway now you've introduced the the N IL firms that are going to be kind of working with Virginia Tech is like a partner. You know, even though the school can facilitate deals per se, we all know how college football works at.

10:56 They'll find a way every school does. Let's call it what it is. But yeah, I mean it's going to be really interesting to see kind of how all this plays out, because I know on the basketball side, you know, we saw a dress from us, was able to do with text Sidelines and that's just scratching the surface, right. So if you Really interesting to see kind of what happens from here on out with within I help. Yeah, it seems like Virginia Tech. I know you talked about being behind the 8-ball, they did a decent job of kind of setting up things to help players build their own brand, but there wasn't a whole lot of push with with outside entities, to get the ball, moving to help facilitate some of those deals and and really use it as a recruiting tool for Virginia, Tech agree.

11:38 Yeah. For sure. I mean they that was one thing. I will give Justin Fuente and his staff credit. I'm in the athletic department to, they were like, alright, you know, we're making sure these guys come to understand what the samael legislation means. You know, how do I build my brand as a player? You know, the coaching staff to their credit last year. When this and I also kind of went into effect, they're like alright we're going to try to get these players, you know, thinking the right way about ni L. But as far as like outside influences marketing firm stuff like that, there wasn't really much of that. Now, you can, you can't really put too much of it on Say himself, like everybody wants to blame Fontaine old coaching staff and all that, but like that's kind of like a hard thing to pin on them. But from a lame duck head coach standpoint and from a player's being like I don't know if I'm going to be here or not. It's really hard to get things really rolling with your star players.

12:29 When They're really, you're really not sure if they're gonna stick around, right? So that that's the way I've been thinking about this. Anyway, so I think now moving forward technos, who's going to be in the building, you know, coming out of spring, there's going to be more transfers. But coming out spring, you kind of who's going to be around for the fall and I think you really get the ball rolling on that. Yeah. And you also got to think about the ni L companies, not assured of who's the head coach and then obviously you know, it's going to happen because we're gonna talk about him. No one just influenced his personality. How many wanted to buy. In to that, as you know, being, you know, the head coach like he's the face of the program from a coaching side. How are we supposed to craft these deals?

13:10 When, you know, if he won't, kind of maybe go to bat for his players and help them. So why are we going to go ahead and invest, you know, potentially millions of dollars in giving deals out. When like, you guys have already mentioned, we don't know where who's going to be here. Let's just wait, if he has a great season, awesome. He's going to be here but they're going to come off a winning season if he gets fired. Hopefully, we get somebody we can work with, right? Like, how excited is Kevin Jones to launch? An ni L Venture with Justin Fuente as the head coach. I mean only only Kevin Jones does the answer that right? But we could guess we have a good guess but we have a pretty good guess.

13:51 I mean, look at how many players were in Blacksburg former players right here in Blacksburg for the spring game, versus how many former players came around with went, I was the coach and, you know, that we can all do the math here. So yeah, I mean, I think that's definitely something to take into consideration, just like the Persona of the two coaches and kind of where Virginia Tech is from the public facing standpoint with their football program. Now, with Brent pry versus where they were with Fuente and you know what, to see what the product is going to be on the field year-over-year and whether or not probably enough games to stick around long term but as far as like a PR standpoint and you know facing with alumni and improving alumni relations. I mean this is Is this has been a home run higher from that standpoint so far. Absolutely.

14:35 And I mean while we're on that point, let's go ahead and talk about some of the the player and the alumni stuff that was kind of going on over the weekend. Let's lead off with the monogram Club golf tournament in Roanoke. Some some pretty big star power turned out for that one. It was crazy man. It was crazy. See all the all the former players he shame G decked out in his like old-school, like Payne Stewart all the time. Snickers, it's crazy. It was cool seeing all the pictures come out of that to write like getting all these guys back in the Blacksburg, you know, Shadow Davon Morgan. I know he had a big hand in all the events this weekend in Blacksburg, but again, like perfect. Perfect example, like how much of this was going on during past spring games, right?

15:21 And the last couple of years have been Awash obviously with covid, but even prior to that, we did not see this type of excitement around the football program even when the winds were plenty right in the first couple years that front a regime. So really, really Ali cool to see the monogram Club golf, tournament. By the way, really nice Coursera, Roanoke had the pleasure of playing that in the past. Very, very nice course. So a cool venue to get guys excited about getting back to Blacksburg and they'll alarms all together, you know, on Friday, you know, before spring game and you know, get them back in the building. I think is really important and making them feel like they're wanted around the program and you know, for the players for players or Denies that to write and longs to, by the way, like, like alums who are coaching elsewhere, you know, I mean, and they're, they're all coming into town and there, you know, like, they got NFL offseason program starting right, like current players.

16:19 Yep. Like we got, we got Camp starting. You know, I mean, he can't start next week. Now we're good. We're going to Blacksburg this weekend. I mean, that's right. If you can time it says a lot, right? About kind of the, the attitude that these players have towards the Graham and the energy that's around Blacksburg right now. It's very cool. Absolutely good and putting this together while he's, you know he's coached over it Henry. Yeah, yeah yeah he's doing that. You got tie rod coming down on the heels of Camp started. I mean it's insane. The the coordination and just the enthusiasm that. Yep. The former players are having since this regime is change it seems just like night and day. Know whether it's is I think there's a difference between saying we want you here and then actively doing things to set to try to get people here and I feel like that that's the difference.

17:16 Like I don't you know being Iced Out is one thing but when you feel like actively wanted like we're trying to get you here, we want you here and we're expressing that actively that's what seems the difference to me. It's not just like oh well if you come you come Um now we're trying to get these guys here because it helps our brand and helps them. It gives them a good time and it gives us a way to show what Blacksburg is all about. Absolutely. In the other pieces, the activity on social media, with that golf tournament. You had VT football. Some of the, you know, some of y'all's is, obviously, the videographer went out there with them. The players were posting pictures of each other and, you know, also in, and it's like, well, what does that do?

18:00 Well, these guys, you know, someone like tire rod has Easy amount of followers and the kids out there are seeing this and start like, oh, I didn't know. Kam Chancellor went to Virginia Tech, Revenant floors went to Virginia Tech. It's like brand building is like it might, you know, is it going to be a decision? You know, the decision of why kid comes to techno, but it starts making kids, realize that a lot of good NFL. Players have come through here and now you're having this new regime who's really pushing like being active on social media. You and speaking of being active on social media, the spring Jam Friday night. I mean, that looked like a lot of fun and once again, same way videographer is there pictures going shout out?

18:49 Jordan long shot out here. Yeah, but it was like, it was like the everybody just got back together, didn't miss a beat and it was, you know, all arrows, right? It was There's a poke football even guys who are from the last inning. Were there the Beamer guys? The dually guys on back to the 70s in the 60s in that tells you something of the importance. It is to those guys when they're not iced out and they're invited, they're going to come and they're going to give a hand. Yeah, I mean again shout out to former players right? Xiao to Billy Ray pad. Grayson for, you know, connecting with those guys and you know, help.

19:33 And sponsor that event. It looked unbelievable. I was not in Blacksburg last weekend, but from all the pictures and videos coming out of everything, right. It just seemed incredible, you know, and to have the form, all these former players. And the enthusiasm around the program, I mean, you thought there were a lot of former players at the golf tournament, there were even more at the spring Jam, right. A lot of guys were getting into town Friday afternoon didn't make it to the golf tournament ended up at Spring Jam. Friday night. You had people partying in Blacksburg until really late and taking pictures with fans. Ends and you know, all the players being so hospitable with their time to I mean you got Legends right? People who are who have had really impressive careers or having really impressive careers at the next level and you know guys you know and Dave on Morgan's case, right guys, you coach elsewhere that you know, just want to be in Blacksburg around, Virginia Tech.

20:25 It's it's really cool. And then, you know, to kind of go into to go into Saturday and see the players taking picture to the recruits. It's and yep, it goes to your point Curtis where it's like all these former players don't really necessarily. Remember that, you know, rock Carmi going to Virginia Tech and you got all these guys, Kam Chancellor. And you know, everybody knows tie rod. But yeah, just go down the list of all these guys who had really, really solid NFL careers. And they're like, man, I didn't realize he went there, exactly. You got all these, all these 17, 18 year, olds who are in town, over the weekend, taking pictures with these NFL, Legends. And You know, if you think about the time frame when they were growing up, like that's who these guys were, that's who these guys were watching on TV, at the professional level, they need to realize, I went to Virginia Tech so exactly at that part of it is definitely a big deal for sure.

21:16 And yeah, that's bring jam and monogram called with the golf tournament. All that it's crucial in the big deal of having with the players committee was what Wyatt teller. Shane on Chuck and the Fuller's talking to the recruits. Yeah, you look at that. Change. The oldest change retired. Why? It's one of the best guards in the league. Kindles is a legitimate him and his brother, both really good cornerbacks Chuck's one of the better safeties in the league. And again, it's that it's the good ideas. Like, let the people who played here sell the program. Yeah, I mean, you're just someone saying, why aren't these guys talking to these kids? We're taking the layups.

21:59 Finally, like, these are layup. These are things that are should have always been there. That's why I'm saying like why make things more difficult than you have to write, like, like want a, why aren't you saying what's up to the 99 team? And they're in Blacksburg, you know, when you're playing. Duke. Like I understand what the I know what the outcome of the game was we all need to get in bed but like again like take the layups, right? Like you got this team in town, the best team in Virginia Tech History could be art. It could be argued with what some of those late 2000s games. I know. But the team to me, it's a national championship game, right? And had Vic, and all these guys and they're in town and they're celebrating the 20th anniversary. It's a layout, right?

22:43 Like Nick, the way up to have your players. Your former players speak to what this program is because it's one thing to have a coach writer coaching staff recruited kit and be like hey come to my school, they're getting that pitch from 20. If they're good, they're getting that pitch from 20 or 30 different schools, right? And they're sifting through all these scholarship offers and at some point all the coaches, I feel like blend in unless you're like Saving, right? All the coaches are Blended in the all these coaches but it's especially with some of the school's Virginia Tech is competing against for. You know, a lot of these kids you're going up. Against, you know, you're still getting force for our kids, but you're on a pencil Penn State. You're going up against UNC, right? You're not necessarily going up against dama Clemson, Georgia. Like it's not necessarily those types of recruiting battles for Virginia Tech.

23:28 So you get a lot of these coaches that blend in man and why not just have these former players that can probably relate to these kids a bit more, if they've been in their shoes before. Great versus the coaching staff is saying come to my school, come to my school, come to my school, they're here and that all over the place. They're hearing that all over the Really. So have your former players speak to what a special place Virginia Tech is and the fact that Fuente and his staff didn't take better advantage of that. It's baffling to me because it's so easy to bring kids in and then have them stick around when they are speaking to people, they can relate to. And it's not even just like the coaching staff. And I've heard the argument with like, oh, 41 days from, you know, Oklahoma and Texas. He can't relate to Virginia kids. Yeah, that's that's true.

24:15 True. But even beyond that. Like he's not bringing people in, who can relate to the kids. He's recruiting guys who have been there and done that with the program that can not only relate to what it's like to playing in Blacksburg, but are maybe from Virginia, or from the nearby area and you talk about oh yeah, I went to Virginia Tech this, what my experience was like what they didn't have former players, do some of the recruiting forum and they're not on payroll. Like that's it's easy. Just bring them into town and have have the recruits in and have them. Have this experience where they Kind of see themselves in the shoes of these former players, where it's like, oh, maybe my experience will be like that too. And you just didn't take advantage of that price point. On campus, 20 minutes, I get Virginia Tech, has one guy committed right in the 2023 class. I get that right now and that's a concern that some fans have that, you know, more people haven't jumped into the boat yet, but if you look at just kind of the outside momentum, that's around the program.

25:08 The energy around the program right now. It's palpably different than what the genotype am Justin Fuente. It's it just is and we won't see the fruits of that. I don't think for a couple years because they kind of came in. Like he got to re-establish relationships and all that but like you can feel the energy around the program right now it's different and it hasn't had this in a long, long time, even going back to be more, they did not have this for a while and so that's what's cool about, kind of where things are at right now, even though we can all acknowledge, like, at least in 2022, like this fall, is going to be a bit of a rebuild. Yep. Oh, yeah. It's gonna be, it's gonna be a struggle in the fall off. I mean, I think favorably we have, as more schedule schedule as a first-year head coach, based on the overall caliber of opponent and the amount of travel they have to do October still going to be a bitch because the way things are stacked, the way those teams are stacked in October that's going to be a bitch.

26:09 But if you know, if you can come out of that stretch You know, 500 or close to it. You feel pretty good that they're at least make a bowl in your one. Yeah. So, you know, we'll see what happens in the fall obviously, but that's going to be interesting. But you talked about The Vibes in the, in the different feeling that we have, you were there far since protecting, but let's talk. Let's talk about Saturday. So I'll talk a little bit about The Vibes. Yeah man. Tailgating it kind of felt like a like, an early-season like non-conference FCS tight game atmosphere. Like it was, it was almost like a fall atmosphere in the spring and that was something that I haven't really experienced at a spring game. The ones I've ever been to.

26:59 It was just a different vibe. It was kind of those early season, you know, you have the Hope still in the season, you haven't had a loss yet. Yet, you know, you got an opponent, you feel like you're going to beat up on a little bit and there really wasn't the negativity. I feel like he's been around the pregame atmosphere that we felt before. You know, we went downtown a little bit, you know, downtown is always fun but it just there's, there's just something different about the energy right now. I know I put it on, put it on. It feels like most of the fan base is finally rowing in the same direction. Yeah.

27:43 Yeah, I mean, well, I wasn't in Blacksburg last weekend but it's not hard to go on social media anyway. Get like the small sample size and fan, and just see that finally, it feels like a lot of people are rowing in the same direction and the foreign Terror was very polarizing because you know, when Tech wasn't playing well, it was like yeah, let's fire this guy. Bye. And I've written, you know, you guys know, I wrote several articles now that I'm like, you guys got a fire, gotta fire but every early part of the Fall, you know, Tech rattles off a big wind, they beat in North Carolina. And now, all of a sudden, I'm like, I, you guys are sucking me back in, right? It was just like this polarizing things, like every week, I'm like, oh my God, here we go.

28:26 Again, like you're sucking me back. And I were beaten Carolina Caroline's, a 6-1 team. We didn't know that at the jump. No, they were going to be angry at being any other team, right? I mean, when people are saying there are 11 or 12, when team, their playoff good. I'm like what what are we what did we watch in 20 and then 2020 great liking. What were we were we doing? I mean, this was they went eight and four and, you know, losing a Virginia to UVA and they're losing a flawed at Florida. State team. Like, are we watching the same thing like how are they a top five team in the country? And that's what they were lost, pretty much all their offensive production of Other than their quarterback and made no sense and it don't play games. You don't know who fell players and are ten spots better than you are the previous year.

29:18 It was it didn't make any. It made no sense to me. Like you have a return Howell, but you gotta know. Scope position down, come back. Anyway, the the thing about is the fuck you in sees section. Yeah, we got it, we got slide that in there, right? But I mean you can just see the Vibes are different with the fan base now, right? Like everybody's like, all right, not sure if we want friend pry or not, right? This is like initially, the day it happens, right? Everybody's like print pry. I thought we were getting Charles Huff. I thought, you know, I thought we were getting Matt. Campbell I thought, would like, every 20 minutes, I heard something different and then bring Pride kind of comes out of nowhere. And, you know, early on Brent price. I was like a rumored candidate, right? Like very early on You'd like to have your list of like 10 or 15. Guys are like yeah, Penn State's defensive coordinator he's on there somewhere towards the bottom, right? And then you hear all these other guys, all these other guys, and then lo and behold like out, nowhere. Okay, Brett prize going to be the guy like Pete paymo from Yahoo now.

30:26 ESPN he breaks it right or like a big gamble. Once he says it's happening, right? And he breaks it and the reaction from the fanbase, much like the hire of Mike young for basketball. It was Next, it was like first year head coach but you know, he's done some good things as the coordinator. So then you've got Virginia Tech connections and oh we're getting back to Our Roots a little bit, right? And that's what I felt like for me, well this this podcast will always stand up and say we called him a dark horse when we have the episode, we called him a dark horse in when you start reading more and more and knowing he was here during the foundation in mid nineties. It like that makes sense and you got the ties to Beamer. He's recruited the state of.

31:13 He almost understands the footprint because of being at Penn State, they're very footprint oriented recruiting territory. Yeah. Who do you? Like everything started stacking up. And it was just like this makes a, this makes a lot more sense now. But I think a lot of people thought because he had been a DC for so long with James. It was just kind of like he's Here it was. It was, it's the it's the Brent venables argument. It's the Bud Foster argument. What, what's like that are these guys ever going to be a head coach anywhere? And then here he comes right here, he comes to Blacksburg and you knew like at the press conference that this was the right, the right higher for watching attack right now, right?

31:55 Regardless of whatever happens, right? Wins losses, whatever we needed a program reset. Yeah. And regardless of how the 10-year goes from like the ones in losses standpoint. I think we can all acknowledge that. The culture, the prize going to instill at Virginia Tech is kind of back to Our Roots, right? Because we just kind of lost our way that with one day, certainly G, that's putting it lightly. But I think we're kind of back to our roots and kind of what made 40 and have successful for the last. Like 25 years, you know, leading up to fante. It's like this is a higher that really kind of makes sense, understands Blacksburg understands Virginia.

32:37 It just feels like a more logical higher. Yeah, I feel like the latter years of Beamers in some ways, the culture that was built kind of got stale or neglected and then when Flint a came in, nothing was ever established to really replace that the hard job man. It's not like, I mean, people like you say, oh yeah, you can't be stepping you a perfect situation. I mean, 20, I let you know. I know some some fans, you know, people have fought. They think I'm a Fuente apologist, but like he did not come into a perfect situation, he made it look really good. Your one, and even your to quite frankly, but it was not a perfect situation and, you know, I know Fuente had the dalliance with Baylor, but I've had dalliance with Baylor ideas. Yeah, we talked to Baylor and golly and what they had that press conference later on he was like Like, yeah, you hired me. You didn't I refer first few years, you hire me for like right now, right?

33:35 And he's talking about the actual rebuild that need to take place and it never turned out well, because he had no real plan. It seems like, but he was right. I mean, it was right? Yeah, his assessment was correct. He just did not have the prescription. Yeah, right. Like he's he's not, he's not a doctor. He's not a dumb guy. Like, I think people will be like, yeah, fun fun days an idiot. I think he's thrown into a situation with Virginia Tech that he was not ready for know, and he was a fat Heroes fast, right? And yeah, really good success in offense, coordinator strong, couple of years of bed. Memphis, and then he steps in and everybody's like, yeah, he's ready for brave her. P5 roll.

34:19 It's like mint, we knew pretty quickly with the recruiting. It was like, man, this is not, this is not Memphis, but you got to recruit differently here. What would the big Issue with him was it's like he came into a he did come into a good situation roster wise. We did think bills. Yes. But it felt like what he could not do in what separates P5. From G5 is usually, when you start seeing guys bleep up, grab P4 P5 coaches. They don't last long, they're like gone, you're gone, you're gone, you're gone. I mean, that's normally what happens. In the things we didn't see that. We didn't see the turnover, we needed to see because Normally there's a slight flaw P5.

35:03 Coaches are narcissistic control egomaniacs you're fired and you're fired and they don't care. But I also think for him was he had a Playbook laid in front of him and instead of sitting there really reviewing that Playbook of what had happened the 20 years before, he's kind of glanced at it and threw it to the side. I'm doing things my way I'm doing things. I would so far last piece. Compared this, I'm going to get into one more piece and we're going to get you a spring game. Is I've seen the set over and over. It seems like to that staff, maybe not to all of them to a lot of members of that staff. This was just a job with this new staff. How they're recruiting, how they're getting out in the community, how they're showing and how they're going down, the cheetah Wings down at PK's, how they're hitting, you know, different localities and how they're doing and making sure it's known.

36:04 It's like you said, with the culture, these guys say, this is the culture. This is what we have to show. And that's why it's working. And they also just instead, I think something that should never change the three-point to run regularly before the spring game. Getting all the players too. Line up and basically give high fives to the piano on out of the they get a man's brilliant because you're going to have people who would never run, that 3.2 Miler next year. Say, I want to do that. That looks really cool. Great right now. I agree. It's and yeah, I mean, the roster was really good for the roster is great for fun today, right? You can't step into a better situation, roster eyes, but every quarterback away from a great roster, right? He brought me brother.

36:50 One player in exactly and like everything everything else. It was like man. We know those facilities need to be upgraded but it's almost like fun today. Took him a few years writings like, man. Maybe we don't have the best facilities on the planet. And, you know, i-i've kind of maintain this, this take that I have that Fuente. Fans are going to look back at the 28th of Baylor thing, and a lot of fans like in hindsight were like, yeah, I wish he'd left. But in hindsight I think a lot of fans are going to look at it and say, you know what point a interviewing with Baylor and then going back to what Babcock and saying. This is what I need is going to be one of the greatest things that's ever happened in. Virginia Tech football, I am, I am, you can't talk me off of that, take like because immediately, they're like, oh fundraising we got the funds.

37:41 Okay, now new locker room nutrition right there, doing all this. All these upgrades new meeting rooms everything and now they're not high. The meeting rooms anymore. Billy Ray's talk about that right on Saturday podcast. They're not hiding meeting rooms anymore for recruits. Great great. We're not, we're not embarrassed about our facilities a more. Not the Virginia Tech at the worst facilities on the planet. They did their way worse, facilities and Virginia. Yeah, for the upgrades but now everything's great. Right? Everything looks really good. And the locker room, the weight room, all that stuff's getting upgraded. And you just see the you see, the energy now right now because I got a new coach and you got All these facilities show off, you see the momentum and how much the coaches care, right? Curtis to your point they case it's a big deal and it's a huge deal for sure.

38:29 Yeah, I'll say this, what do you talk about the recruiting? You know, used to be on the others recruiting trips, you know, a lot of things stayed behind a curtain and then there was like well show you here, show you here but we're not going to go over here. That's that's that's not exactly putting us in the best light so now it's like, you know, more or less you can you can take the recruits. Where you shown the meeting rooms you can show them. Yeah, Players Lounge. I mean, the locker room isn't so the probably the locker was, it's not that it's bad. It's just that compared to pretty much every other ACC and especially if you know they CC, no, no, don't go ACC. They're like, we're like nine. There's some pretty bad locker and there are bad one, but I'm saying is, is Back Nine where we want to be in the ACC team in the country.

39:20 I take about 35 teams in the country and what's going to happen is we're about to get into the top 15 in the locker room business read very soon again. Well, I'll save you. It's waterslide money. Not that Cabana money. But what and bloods good enough that is how many settle for the water slide. Let's get to the spring game. We have dogged 30 minutes on the Vibes and so, what happens when I get on here and run my mouth, that's what that is. Let's take a look at the team's. The white team was definitely missing some players. I don't doubt that one bit, but, I mean the routine definitely have an advantage. I mean, they had the Sam, the mic in, the will starting line, backers, Armani and Dorian along with what fuga fucking garbage. Yeah, we're good.

40:18 He didn't stack the team's, he stacked. The team's, I mean, I'll tell you I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what Pride it feels good about a lot of positions on this roster and those positions were playing for the maroon team played, its as its as simple as that to me. And you have some outliers right with Pollard for example, right? But like there are guys that he feels really, really good. About players that he feels really, really good about certain positions. He's like, you know what, I want to see what they look like. I want to have 70% of my starters here, Sofia, starters there, that's what was apparent to me. Great is, that was kind of, you know, watching the game on Saturday and just kind of taking a look at the rosters and trying to get myself up to speed as quickly as possible with who was playing where, and for who and all, you know, because it's hard on TV, you know, I like you, right. Before the games because we're basically. All right, confirmed.

41:30 All right, I got that down. So you're just trying trying to figure things out, you know, on the fly. But yeah, that was my date. That was my major takeaway. It's like I think Pride feels good about a handful of positions on the roster. I think, obviously a line backing core is one of them. I think, you know, the corn is starting Corners. I think he knows we're So what he says about quarterback, I think it's clear walls, is the guy, right? We'll get into that. But yeah, I think it was pretty pretty good about where he's at with certain positions on the roster and then I think there are other positions that you probably feel pretty good about that. Maybe I don't feel so good about. So talk about that too. But yeah we're going to hit all the positions here to you already mentioned it. Let's start quarterback because we didn't name a starter but I think from the look of it, Wells has firmly in control. Brown has a rough day but it looked like with Wells. He felt comfortable out there making the passes. He did almost threw a couple pics. But to me, Jason Brown is going to have to have a heroic fall Camp to overtake Grant Wells.

42:32 Do y'all agree or disagree? Yeah, I mean, I'll say I was there. I felt the same way I think Brown was a little bit hamstrung, the offensive line draw that he had, but sometimes, even when he had time, I don't know if it was just, you know, being an see because of how little time he had on other place but he was a couple of the overthrows here and there even when he had had a little bit of time there. Yeah. Unfortunately blue had one one drop of a good scramble throw. He had I think was midway through the through the Quarter there. I could have extended to drive on a third down, but I mean, overall, just not not a great day for brown and I'd say a pretty pretty, darn.

43:13 Good day for Wells. He had one throw to. I forget who it was. It was a little bit behind almost got picked off another one in blue. Maybe no, no blue is on white of the was on white. No. Maybe it was might have been might have been Lofton. That was awesome. The way first coordinating behind him. I think Marie almost pick. It off. Yeah. But I mean other than that I mean he did a good job of being in Rhythm thrown on time. Yeah. A couple good deep balls to Caleb Smith. So not a whole lot to critique you know bad other than like I said being a little bit more accurate on that that's square into off to Me.

43:58 Maybe maybe a little more touch on some of his throws, right? I mean he did complete those two deep balls to Caleb Smith. I've watched Grand Throw and I'm like, man, this guy loves to throw 90 miles per hour is like the vibe I got but you know, Tech has had a quarterback with live arm like that in a while, right? I mean, Hooker Hooker, I guess but, you know, he kept getting banged up and then the offensive line was was up and down and, you know, he had some struggles are but yet Grant Wells was really, really impressive. And you can just tell he's got he's got more natural talent. That Jason Brown me, Jason Browns, had a really nice college career, kind of where he's from. Around, had a nice career at Saint Frances and then transfers down in South Carolina and plays well, and then, you know, ends up here back in Blacksburg and his dream school, right?

44:44 This is kind of where he's always wanted to be and kind of going to be able to wrap up his career, whether he plays a lot or not you know he's going to end up in a place where he's always want to be. It's a really cool story but you look at G Wells and what he was able to do at Marshall and now you know transferring into Tech and man he's got he's got the skill right. I mean you see it. The ball jumps out of his hand. It doesn't jump out Jason Browns hand, right? It's just different, you know? And I agree. Brian like definitely did not stop. Its why did not do Jason Brown, any favors great definitely didn't, I think he was seeing ghosts a bit there in parts of the second quarter. Especially you look really really uncomfortable back there and and like you said, you know, got Happy Feet missed a couple throws a probably could have made or should have made if he's standing behind him or Cop in offensive line, but he was never really comfortable back there and I put some of that on Jason Brown. I put a lot of it on the offensive line. I'm trying to be cautious regarding kind of what we saw their last Saturday because you can only take so much of it with a grain of salt.

45:52 You know, the fact that it's a scrimmage and the fact that you know you're playing with a bunch of second and third string offensive lineman for most of the game you know that does play a factor certainly for any quarterback but Grant Wellesley Really, really good. You mentioned the two throws to killed Smith and I will get in the receiving Corps here in a minute. But you know Caleb Smith just physically, looks like a different football player which a welcome sight to Virginia, Tech fans who, you know, text looking for a true. Number one, receiver now but Avion gone and train. Moving on. No James Mitchell. You know, they're looking for a number one Target and Kayla says, a good, can it man? If he if he looks like that this fall and he can stay healthy.

46:33 It's true. I'll tell you One else I noticed in her two things, first of all, both Brown and well, showed some athletic ability, when they pulled the run the ball, I know they weren't live, right? But if anything, they look decisive, like, when they re to read they pulled and they took that step in with which if you're not a 45 guy and you're 46, 47 being decisive is going to help you get the extra yards. The other pieces in this was for both of them. Where they missed when they missed throws. They missed correctly. Brian me. And Brian talked about this a couple days ago. The it was a slight over throat, it was to the right side of the shoulder where the other where the it could not be picked.

47:17 I give Brad a ton of credit because we hadn't seen that in the last few years we hadn't seen. No, you need to throw the ball, here's the angle. You have to throw it out, your guy can get it, they can And that's huge. Hey, Curtis giving giving a guy named Brad, a bunch of credit, something we have not been doing in Blacksburg last year so so that will get ready to play name that Brad, right. Exactly. Now the other piece is let's talk a little bit about ties in Devon, you know, they both showed they are super athletic guys, both with some big runs Devin 0 for 1 in passes ties.

48:01 I think 14. For or something like that. I mean are we just going to be these guys are probably going to be battling in the fall and whoever's not the practice squad quarterback is probably going to transfer out. Come the yeah I mean if we maybe Farrell hangs around and lose the receiver or something. Yeah, I mean, I think if we're being honest with ourselves, I think I think Tom's bollocks in a spot where he could be looking elsewhere. I came from a really good program in Jersey, right? Like a Really good, high school football program. I mean, I want to throw shade towards bullets have let it kid, but he was raw coming as a passer. He was most athletic guy on the field.

48:42 In high school. His tape showed that he was not the most proficient passer, you know, on the field, they played a really good football program. So, you know, taking a chance on him, you know, especially in a class where, you know, you're hoping to have a guy like two major is Davis, right? And you're like, all right, we're moving on to Taj Bullock. It's like, all right, That's, that's not the major is Davis, but you know, now he's playing what UTSA? Thank you God. No, no, no, no, no South Alabama, he's an FCS now. Just I saw some on Twitter. I saw someone on Twitter yesterday about how we got like, a UTSA crystal ball. I was like, uh, what that was it and then he committed to South Alabama.

49:25 That's why he somehow outdid himself there. But I mean going from point being you're going from Davis to Bullock, right? And you know, bollocks in the spot where you're like, all right? Tech needs to develop a Young quarterback behind whoever ends up being the quarterback. After all these transfers happen, just Where we were at the time and you know, he comes in last year and when he didn't get playing time under Fuente in a lame-duck year, when all your quarterbacks were bad, that's when I knew I was like, man, Bullock really must not be ready. You know, that was the kind of the indication for me and a lot of people were talking about bringing throw them in the game. Let's see what he's got, man, text quarterbacks that Fuente and Company thought were capable, we're not playing very well.

50:12 And now you think a true freshman Shman getting thrown into the fire when he's a raw passer. You think that's going to work too. And look, we weren't crazy, right? Because now, Brent pride comes in and he said right away, it's going to be a wide-open quarterback competition and before you know it Bullock is buried on the depth chart and it's like all right well maybe this isn't going to work out here so yeah what will see right? We'll we'll obviously see what happens. But I mean it's pretty clear who the one and two are going to be this year and Whatever order they end up in, I think we think it's gonna be Wells and then brown, but I mean, I think Bullock is likely a transfer candidate bollocks got a lot of time. He has less position flexibility act. He's gonna at least be sitting behind the presumptive starter for three years.

51:02 The the less flexibility is a huge thing, right? Because Farrell Farrell I think is more of an athlete you kind of slide all over the place. Like if bollocks off playing quarterback on the way he's playing. So what kind of beer with Malachi and tell him what to tell Mike what you feel like you saw from just being around him just for a couple minutes. I mean he looks bigger than you did last year. I mean I know when he got in the games a lot last year we like node okay.

52:10 Here he looks good running the ball but he needs to give the gym like you know, skinny legs a little bit, little bit, skinny arm, looks like it's got a little bit more definition a little bit more size on on him now, hopefully, he can take a little bit more of those, you know, carries in a game because he's probably going to be that guy. That's going to get get you about 15 carries a game, this year. Looking at what they've done historically, with, with games that bone is called, you know, he likes to get guys, guys, touches you Usually two to three guys are going to get over 10 carries, but we can get Malachi, that 15 carrier range. Every game that have Holston or somebody else getting 10 or 12 a game.

52:51 That's probably going to be the way to go. But if you can get that 15 carry a game for us, that's going to be huge. Yeah, I mean, I Malachi was so good last year, second half year. When the season spiraling out of control, it was like, alright man, this is the one bright spot rights like this Rich really cool to see him kind of develop. See a Get in and play significant snaps and be able to, you know, play as well as he did. But that was always a concern. It was like, man, he's got to put some weight on and realistically he wasn't ready to play from like a build standpoint, right? And that's really good to hear. He's put on weight I mean I'm not surprised when looking at Kayla Smith and pads and like all right it these guys been hit but later on they look a little bit there.

53:32 But yeah, I mean attack in the running back room. They got to figure things out here. I mean, I know, Oh, Bronson transferred out yesterday. Yeah, yeah. I guess yesterday. Already at a mime. Oh, hi. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, announces. He's transferring it like nine and then has this new school at 11. So I think that's been planned out for a little bit. Yeah, that's been in the work. There's a reason he didn't give me carries leading, it carries Lee was on the field. He just didn't get in touch. Yeah, I mean, Kristen got minimal. I mean, it's kind of the writing's on the wall with What's going on the running back room? You know, Hampton got a couple good runs.

54:13 Yeah. That one good run where he kind of broke it outside, got him. Yeah, 15 yards. Yep. In the but the way it's looking on in the fall with Malachi you mentioned Holston you know black and King have their roles right? They both can catch the ball back. Don't ever turn bility? I mean in you it's kind of the writing on the wall, right? Who got carries ones, already out the door ones looks like he's in the doghouse. Ace. I mean the question is when did they go into the portal? Because yeah, let's take this want to stay here unless they love the culture, which, you know I think what you're going to see two is and we're already started.

54:57 We've already started to see it with you know, guys switching positions and and Prime movements guys around and you know I think there's a decent chance. You see, no pun intended, decent chance to see chance. Like in the slot, you know, playing some receiver, which I mean they were talking about that with want a right there saying, okay, but you know, just looking as high school film, it was like this guy can wind up everywhere. And I think prize acknowledge that, and I think they're going to try to get transplant and some different opportunities, you know, both the receiver running back because I mean I see what I see with want a was doing, you know, getting 12 or 13 running backs, you know, step ahead of everybody else.

55:39 You know, just get as many guys as you can and then figure out no idea what he was doing. But now you're in a spot where you got to get the roster back down to, you know, a manner that makes sense. And yeah, I do think the writing's on the wall, right? And I was really excited about Kenji. Christian as a prospect, but I'm not sure he's going to be playing football in Blacksburg, you know. Yeah, yeah. And I do think the writing's on the wall, I mean, I think Holston sticking around, you know, throws a wrench into Kenji, Christians snaps, I think a little bit. See now you don't have like a big body back that, you know, can step in right? And you're like, alright, that may be a natural fit for Kenji Christian.

56:19 Now holsters back and Keshawn King everybody thought was going to transfer out when you know, all the roster attrition when Pride came in and King stuck around. Okay, so now it's like all right, we know. King has talent. If the coaching staff likes and he'll figure it out, and then you got Malachi Thomas. We saw what he did in limited snaps and then you have chance black, you have Bryce Juke, obviously, that the coaching staffs really, really excited about, you know, they've been talking about him at length in the offseason. So there are certainly some guys that are going to have some opportunities here. And I think, the guys who got carries on Saturday and the guys who stuck around in the recruiting class with Brent, pry and stayed in the boat like those are the guys in the running.

57:02 Back room who are going to have, you know, maybe a little bit higher priority, you know for the staff. And some of these other guys that maybe we were excited about like Kenji, Christian or Marco Ali, right? Or Bronson or Hampton like I think that's kind of where we're going to be out here. Yeah, I mean, we look at the the combination of Thomas Christian and black. I mean you saw the thought process at least in bringing those three guys in one class because they really Out of your Thomas, the more All Around, Back Kenji, kind of the the between the tackles specialist and then you had chance life and kind of do a little bit of everything especially help you in the passing game. There was at least a thought process there with these. These three can be kind of that three headed monster in two to three years.

57:50 But yeah with where we are. I think in the process and as you said with Holston coming back, I think that kind of threw a wrench in. We're Christian is, you know, on top of whatever else you may be behind? And him not getting as many as many touches and kind of falling behind in the depth chart there. It's going to be interesting because we have, I think Hampton might be the, the one that sticks around of the that 20 and 21 class group of running backs. He seemed like he was comfortable in what the offense is doing and if he's willing to to bide his time a little bit, you know, there might be a role for him in a year or two.

58:32 Yeah, I mean I think when, you know, you see a Holston, you know, leave you see, you know, maybe a chance black move to receiver. You know, then all the sudden your before, you know, it, you're on like, a two or three deep. And if you're on the three deep, like you mentioned, Brian earlier, if you're on a 3D, the running back for Tyler bones offense, you're getting snaps. Your plan. So really, I mean I don't think any of these guys realistic they were looking at is like, oh, I'm the starting running back because felons going to use all of them and if you're, if you're into two or three deep, you know, you're going to have a real opportunity gum. Feel abso-freakin'-lutely. Now is many questions as we have about the running back room and, you know, people not playing who's leaving, who's not? I think Saturday the wide receiver room kind of Came to light.

59:24 We saw, you know, Caleb Smith obviously have a great game like you said he's looks physically more impressive. Jane blue had a drop again. Little hindered, probably by, you know, the offensive line but I know Brian mentioned just watching him. Run route, his route for solid there. Chris. He was open a few times, just there wasn't time to get wasn't there. He still made a couple couple of patches in the game. So I mean. Yeah. Played. Well just, you know, not As many opportunities. I think we wanted to give him. Obviously, the Wayne Lofton that shocked me and Brian that catch him. A was out of why that was not a slot catch that. He made that big one which, you know, they've been mentioned.

1:00:05 They've been moving them around. Seeing him play that he's going to get on the field more. And then the last two, Jalen Jones had a Richmond here with the big catch, and then Brian again, prime loves downright bronze, love downright. Since the first time, you looked at his tape, you focused on him sad. Add a similar to Blue, right? Similar to Blue looked good in his routes, was Miss a few times. He was Opie was wide, open a couple times, just the Rover throughs. He did have I think what? One, or two catches on the day. So yeah, one right down writes, a damn white? Well, well, he's on the roster, but as he really exists, right? He's around there somewhere. Yeah.

1:00:47 I mean, I agree with the assessment to be honest with you guys, like I was so, To see Lofton and Jalen Jones down the field last year. And then all of a sudden like your comes walk and get a little bit more playing time then towards the end of year was like, oh Jones we're really excited about Jalen Jones. That's all, you know, the staff talk about and Jones, pulled a hamstring or whatever it was, he was at a little while and then they really on the field to later in the year but not obviously has made meaningful. Snaps is Lofton. But I think now you look at you know those two in particular and that's the future of the wide receiver position at Virginia Tech. And they're going to be playing significant snaps as fall and that's really exciting. I think for Virginia Tech fans because, you know, we talked about Caleb Smith and how he, how good he's like physically. And I think, you know, obviously he's going to have a major role, you know, we can talk about Jaden blue but he's a grad transfer, right?

1:01:37 But when you're talking about the true, like future of the position it's Lofton and Jones and it's been locked in and Jones and I think you see them, you know, have an opportunity, this fall to blossom into a bigger role as Virginia Tech, kind of moves forward, and the roster continues to improve. I think a few years from now these guys are seniors. You know, there's going to be a real opportunity for them to be part of a really, really good offense or Virginia Tech and for them to be a kind of the focal points out that. So we're going to have an opportunity here, you know, both last year and kind of Slam Dunk here. And then like during this rebuild here, where we're going to see, you know, some young guys really start to Blossom and turn into like really, really good for your players or Virginia Tech as long as they stick around.

1:02:19 Yeah, I was really excited to see Joan show out. He had that big Jew, con Connor where he was able to take that quick hitter and get about 15 yards out of it. Had one other good catch. I mean, there was a lot of promise from the young guys and that definitely bodes. Well for the like as you said for the future, not just looking to 2022. So yeah. That was big seeing what? At least a little bit of what Connor Blum Works. Role might be in this offense. Very vanilla on Turday, very vanilla, they're hiding him, they're like just a couple quick hitters, just giving the ball to him out of the backfield. Nothing really to show yet but I am so excited to see what language they line them up everywhere though. So I think we actually became a focal point. I think that'll you'll see what what he can do in that. What do you think about the tight ends? We didn't really see a lot of different looks with them in terms of getting them the ball.

1:03:19 But yeah, I mean it's really hard to go from like the excitement of having James Mitchell being you're starting tight end and being like Nick, Al's always been that guy who it's like, oh yeah, I remember he's on the team. He makes like one big catcher like yeah. Hell yeah, Nick Gallo. We got we got into really good tight ends. Yeah, you're just like trying to talk yourself into it and it's cool though, right? Because you see, you know, you see gallop. And like significant snaps. You see him like getting these awards from the coaches and talk about how good of a spring. He's had text going to need somebody in that tight end her to step up like Gallows, the most logical guy, right? And because everybody talks about all what's called our plumber, Exposition going to be its kind of plumbers can be Connor blumrich because W reg a puppy, he was an offensive weapon. That is like Brian said everywhere. He's gonna be everywhere on the field and back. That's that's good for, it's good for Gallo Redskins while the wide receivers good for the running backs that every week with blumrich, going out there teams are going to have to find it because if you put the wrong guy on Blown wrecking, get him the ball quick.

1:04:28 Like if you put the wrong linebacker he can make him Miss and get down the field. If you put a corner on him and that corner came a cashier tackle, he's going to put them in the dirt because of having the size advantage. Yeah so he's going to help everybody in the lon. Yeah I know David Cunningham first of all he did a great job with you guys a couple weeks back that podcast was incredible but he was he was tweeting out some some news and notes and was taking some pictures and video from a few attacks practices and talk about how good honorable America looked at receiver. It's like, you know, you got these guys who were like, seasoned receivers who have, you know, like Caleb Smith who yeah, doesn't drop anything really? In Australia catches everything.

1:05:12 And you know, you're watching these guys in line and for these reporters to be talking about Connor, blumrich and saying he looks like any of the other receivers. When in reality, he was just playing quarterback all last year and was playing like HVAC essentially at a.m. after Colin mod beat him out. Yep. Like that's that's encouraging. And the way I look at one, that's another offensive weapon that we didn't have last year. I mean that's that's that's the way I look at it. I mean we saw in the bowl game, you know, one of the few bright spots of Connor, bomber candy bowl game is like, we at least saw his athletic ability a little bit. Yeah, nothing's really going well.

1:05:52 But, you know, he's athletic. He tries hard. Yeah, and I see him as more of like utility guy in baseball where he's playing like five or six days a week and you know he's kind of just giving everybody else a break. Like that's kind of how I see Connor polemics roll, like he's going to be on the field of ton. And one staff is going to be lined up at outside receiver and you know, Caleb says going to be off the field and then another staff. He's going to be in the slot and like walk is going to be off the field and like I can see him jumping around. Maybe he's lined up in the backfield like bones. Got a line them up all over the place so you're gonna he's gonna give everybody a break, we're gonna lose. Well, it's going to be so good because it's going to give us that formation flexibility and like the hurry-up.

1:06:33 No-huddle situations. He's right. You can do a lot of different things with kind of blood work on the field because you can slide Can split about, you can be the middle guy and trips. He can be in line, he can be tight in Wing. He can he can really do all those things and even line up outside and you don't have sub, you can just keep going, keep going. If you got to be vents on the ropes, just keep pushing it and still give them a lot of different looks. And like I think in theory like want a staff, wanted James Mitchell who that guy and they wanted like Dalton came to be that guy and they'd be like, one of these guys kind of line up everywhere they wanted to really, really wander him. Like, to be that guy. And then, you know, either he didn't say how Ethier, they just don't utilize them. Like I should write. And I think one more clearly has an opportunity because of his unique size and speed and athleticism. I just think it's kind of like a different mold or he really can lot of anywhere we can.

1:07:23 All right somewhere, he can't line up is the offensive line and Brian, this is your baby. We are an offensive mom dad. Can I let you tell me what you saw out there Saturday actually in person which I know Is we know being that close to the field as you were, you get to see certain things you can't see on TV. Yeah, I mean, being an offensive lineman when I was watching the game live, I was mostly paying attention to the offensive line when I was watching it live the first time. So that's just, that's just who I am. I thought the for starters like the presumptive starters that presumptive first team, that actually played since Clements wasn't out there, he was banged up. I thought they looked fine.

1:08:07 I think probably the weakest would have been Jesse Hansen. I mean he had some some good place and bad place but I think overall the guys that we think are going to be that Frontline, had a pretty good spring game. I think the problem is that we have seen that based on the performance, especially on the white side that, you know, we don't I'm not sure we've got more than five or six guys that we can count on at this point. And I think that's where we're going to run into some problems. I will say, of the non presumptive starters. I thought Jack hollifield, look pretty good, Dan, encouraging sign, Meg, that's encouraging, that was a position switch, right? At least coming out of high school were like where's he actually it wasn't like formerly a prime position switch but I come out High School.

1:09:00 We're like alright Jack where are you playing? Keep it lean tight end you playing off its lower you doing. Offensive lines of huge concern for me guys. Huge concern and we'll talk about the offensive line in a bit, but I'm worried about us in the trenches and I'm not talking about the starters talking about the talking about the kind of the rotation and, you know, you get three or four games into into the season you got guys banged up and who you turn into. Like, that's my, that's my concern. And there's there's there's mostly at tackle. Yeah. I mean and Brian, I know you talk. About this at length on this podcast, but you know, you think you can cover up some stuff on the interior offensive line. You can't cover up, offensive tackle, when they're out on island, it's just really especially left tackle with with the quarterbacks we have in this offense and it's going to be a concern.

1:09:54 Yeah you can help out a right tackle from time to time with scheme and things like that. Right left tackle casual gonna be hard to cover and right now we have two that I feel okay about? Yeah. And It's gonna be rough, it's concerned. Yeah, it's definitely a concern. I mean, it was offensive line was concerned going to last year to of it and I mean the way I look at this is that, you know, there is a portal out there. There is we can maybe we can find a guy or two, you know, to come in that we know is played, you know, meaningful snaps elsewhere. Like last year, Johnny Jordan was that guy who you know, we knew it broke off and went down. Maybe Johnny Jordan could step in and play because he was The all-big ten honorable mention at Maryland, and we're like, alright, you can step in and play.

1:10:42 I thought he would get more snaps than he did last year, but maybe we can go find a guy like that in the portal, you know, this summer. I think that's especially a tackle like that somewhere where I think Brent prying his staff really need to hit hard because there's nothing. I really saw out of the white team on the offensive line that really gave me a whole lot of confidence. Grabbing a decent spot on. The only thing is Brian, mentioned to me the other Day. He thought she could probably kick in and be solid guard, but we are definitely going to be. We have to go after the portal with the tackle. I mean, they have to attack it, they have to. Hopefully, the hope is you find someone that's a sophomore or Redshirt sophomore, and come in to get multiple years of Eligibility. So, I mean, I think the things you really want you either, get you want to get a guy that you can either plug and play in. the starting lineup or you want to get a guy that Can at least be that solid backup, whether it's on the left side or the right side.

1:11:45 Or like I said, if you ever get a Frontline guy, you can do one of two things you can either have Clements be kind of groom him to be the left tackle and waiting for next year or you can go ahead and plug whoever that addition is at left tackle and so in slide Silas down to guard, which gives you a little bit of a stronger light across the board. Well, I think I think a lot of us thought last year like that's where the giant Journey example comes in, right? I think a lot of us thought last year, okay? We're bringing in an all Big Ten. Honorable mention offensive, lineman naturally, he's going to come in because Chris and aerosol Left, Right? Went to the NFL. We all thought, okay, naturally. Johnny, Jordan's going to come in and Brock office, get bumped to guard. And now all of a sudden, we feel pretty good about where things are at on the offensive line will try to cover up right tackle.

1:12:31 You know, that was kind of what we were talking about after flipping to new to the left and it didn't really pan out that way, right? This Kayden more developed into a really nice player, which I We're all happy about that now because he's got a full year of experience and he's gonna step in and I think we all have pretty high expectations for him, you know, going into going into this here, but I agree. Like finding a guy like that. Who could step into your starter right away. You know you pull you can plug plug and play, right? Who comes in from another program where doesn't necessarily need to be, you know, a P5. It could be a G5 program, that's fine. But just find somebody with meaningful who's had meaningful snaps is played you know good football somewhere I think that's really Important for this roster, it would be great if it was a tackle because I am concerned that offensive tackle. But that's my that's my biggest area concern. Is this offensive line without a doubt on the entire roster? Yeah I'm do I put it as the number one concern? Yeah.

1:13:26 All right, before we get into the defensive side of the ball guys, we are going to take a quick pause for a message from our digital partners. As we take a quick break, we'd like to tell you about getting your free website report from our digital partner, Grassroots, digital marketing Studio. They'll tell you how your website ranks on Google on-site, SEO and social media. No commitment to buy anything. You can get your free report by visiting. Grassroots digital studio.com forward slash free Dash website, Dash report now back to the episode, all right, back to the defensive side of the ball here and let's start with the linebacker unit and I told Brian this.

1:14:07 I think I texted you. Sunday. Brian. Fat unit, looks the best across the board. I mean, starters to deep, even some of the 3D guys, look legit. And we all thought about saying all men were all worried about Sam Kion to Jenkins is going to be a hell of a Sam this year. Yeah, I'll be out the gate, he looked pretty good, he was making some plays. We saw Kelly Lawson get in there and play. Well, as at that position, as well as in jail. Yeah. And as you said the unit look good across the board, I think we have, you know, legitimately a solid two teeth are when you have you know, Dad accent is coming off the field, you not as worried as you were maybe last year at this time, especially at the back.

1:14:59 Position and artist looked well again, you know hopefully you know coach prize talked about his becoming more of a focal leader on that defense if that comes along and you've got, you know, to legitimate leaders like Dax and and Keyshawn on that defense, that's going to be big for that unit and they look better. Like the coaching is obvious like there wasn't At times last year, and even the year before that, sometimes our linebackers looked lost. And I know they were going against the vanilla game plan and all that. But I didn't see a time where our linebackers looked lost in this one.

1:15:43 I mean, this is what happens when you get a defensive coordinator, and we all love Justin Hamilton, right almost later. Justin Hamilton, great guy. Always really nice to me. Those slander for Justin Hamilton allowed here. With that being said, this is what happens. When you have a defensively minded head coach, who's going to a major P5 defensive coordinator somewhere else and knows what it's supposed to look like. Justin Hamilton did an article with Mike Barber with Richmond Times-Dispatch and great article. Go check it out. One of the things he said was that when he came into Virginia Tech, he started descending into his role. The one thing he knew was that he didn't know how other p5's were being run. He said that in that article with Mike Barber in that are view, right?

1:16:24 So this is what we're seeing on the field now in the spring. We're seeing guys being utilized the positions. They were not necessarily being utilized in a year ago. You're seeing guys more comfortable in their role and it's only the spring. That's the biggest takeaway for me. Like they're moving guys around position changes. You got guys moving on the interior defense and line you have Gunner Givens, playing defensive tackle, you got all these linebackers. Now we got two or three deep at positions that we were a little bit concerned about maybe before and like you mentioned Brian, Virginia Tech's a position. Now we're not feeling quite as bad if That's all I feel comes off the field, right? Or announce his do comes off the field, like all of a sudden were like, you know, I think we're okay with the guys we have in there right now. We didn't feel that way last year, all right? And you're in a spot now where I think guys and their talents and their skill sets are going to be better utilized and that's just the beauty of having a guy who's kind of been there and done that and major P5 program because Chris Martin to come in, right? And he's the defensive coordinator, this is Brent prize defense reversed years.

1:17:27 Like we all have Kind of what that is and that's why I really like the first modifier because you bring him in half and recruit have them, get comfortable. He's played for Pride, just coached under /. I he knows the scheme and now we get to be groomed with pride as a head coach. Like this is a perfect scenario for all involved. I think the defensive players and kind of their new positions I think they're really going to benefit from that. What about to be? Like you said, they get to bring bring Marvel long and in the meantime, you know, by all accounts, one of the better position coaches in terms of just technique. Yeah, and coaching the position. So I also think we're gonna go ahead what you mentioned about P5.

1:18:11 I mean Marvis. See now, Vanderbilt getting sippy State. Any senior, if that's you And he's about 6 or 7 years younger than Justin Hamilton. So when you say ham mentioned, I've never seen a P5 program. This is a guy that seen multiple and he's only been a coach about six years. So, yeah. That room, I think if you asked me, I think I feel best the room. I would say, I have no worries about anywhere. Yeah, and I'll tell you another room. I feel pretty good about, even with the guy transitioning is the safety room, you know, Temari there are some girl in pain Saturday right I don't think any of us would disagree with that but just looking I feel like he looked more natural That's my opinion.

1:19:00 I feel like he looked more natural, playing back at the free, safety field, safety, whatever you want to call it spot, then he ever did it. You're not on an island as much. Yeah, it's as simple as that, which amerikaner I mean Jamari. Connors got a lot of Dietrich Bonner in them where it's like man, I love when he comes down hill and he's in the bodies playing in the box. And, you know, I love the way he attacks running backs and receivers like in the open field after the catch. I don't love him and coverage, great, and you feel now. You feel a little bit better. About him in coverage when he's playing free safety versus the nickel, where he's on island all the time.

1:19:44 We're all worried about his patent. You know, is its ability and coverage, which was You know, the real concern I think going into last year and he ended up actually playing, I think a lot better than a lot of us thought a year ago. But you know like we talked about before the concern which Maria Connor has always been how good is this guy going to be in pass coverage? And I think he's in a position now where, you know, yes he's still going to have to continue to improve in that category. It doesn't have to be perfect anymore. Yeah, I think, I mean, he still has struggled here and there with this tackles, and that's probably going to be something that he struggles with, probably the rest of his career and maybe at this point, if, if that hasn't been cleaned up, you know, I don't know if it will, but I think that from the safety position, it's it fits his skillset better and he's not going to have those as many of those times where he has to be wide open to them. Open field against a die Ami brown, or someone like that where, you know, he's trying to try to make that type of play, like I said, but I'm hoping that some of those, those tackling issues get cleaned up.

1:20:58 We'll see if there comes to fruition. But Curtis what you gonna say you look like you got something you want to say on this one. I'm just laughing, hear about the Dietrich Bonner thing. Let me know. Paul Kerr. People's Bryan, Hawker peoples. I'm going to stick with people's. I'm gonna go with the consider. I'm gonna go with consistency that's now I mean that's my answer to you.

1:21:41 It's people's man. It look people's has been on the field more for a reason, right? And it's been the consistency that he brings whether he's, you know, a spot starter or into 2D which is he's bad to do player pretty much solo career. It's a consistency and I think with Hawkins, I think you're going to get more of like the Boomer bus like oh my God, like that was great. Not your peoples makes that play great. But at the same time your be like, oh my God, I know for a fact people's makes that play. How did you know? So I think the answer is people's. I think prize going to go with like The Proven guy and you're one I just that's my feeling I have on you or is it one of these where people's is the starter? But there's going to be times Hawk. Just give some a breather where maybe Hawks getting 15 a game. Out there.

1:22:31 Yeah, I mean, I think there's it's going to still be a. I'm not saying there to you, go 50/50 on Iran reps here. But I think in terms of staff's, I think we'll probably see, you know, Hawk still probably pull about 30% of the steps in the game. Okay, yeah, I think they're both going to play. I agree. I mean I think push comes to shove like if you need one guy on the field, I think is going to be people's but you know, I think they're broken. Get some snaps. I mean I think it'll be a camp battle for sure. My pick would be peoples and then I think Hawkins will get some snaps for sure. I think I'll play again.

1:23:11 I think we probably feel pretty good about the safety or 90 Jalen strowman, you know, won the special team award. So he's obviously making strides and becoming part of the too deep there. But I think I look next year, I think it this is just this is projecting a year from now. We're talking. I think it people shows enough consistency. I think they're going to probably just simply move people back. If you can, if he continues to build and shows consistency that he can do it, they are they trust him to what they do it boundary they're just going to say we're going to send you back. We know Hawk can play here. We know we have to clean it up but playing boundary Little you make a mistake, it boundary, it's not a big, a deal because there are more guys around you, I think that's what they're aiming towards. All right, let's flip the corners. We hadn't heard Armani Chapman's name, a lot until last week but I think Saturday him and Dorian strong, put their stamps that they are the top two corners at Virginia Tech this fall. Yeah.

1:24:20 I mean no question. I think Dorian strong needs to come out that sophomore. Slump though, righto boys. But I mean those are the guys. Those are those guys. I mean I think that was kind of etched in stone when we realized while I wasn't coming back. You know, I think that was it was pretty much said that it was going to be Chapman and strong. It was a natural fit. I mean Dorian strong made so many great plays as a freshman and then you saw him take some more chances last year and I think that that bit him a little bit, really good player. You feel comfortable with Chapman. He's been around forever, right? I mean you want to talk about, you know, consistency of peoples and being like yeah, he's been on the field more, he's got more experience. I mean you're not going to find it at shorter-term re-contour Dax hollifield like you're not going to find many guys with the an anti gar but I guess.

1:25:12 Guess you're not going to find many guys with the experience Chapman. Like he's just he's been around forever. So this is kind of his moment to step into a more permanent role, be less of a rotational piece of corner and get in and kind of kind of prove that he can be that guy, right? He can be a number one or number two however 11a to whatever like he can be one of the top corners on the roster and we've seen him as a guy with potential for years. And when he's played, he's been pretty decent and And now he's got a really big role. So that let's see what, let's see, what that looks like, more snaps. Yeah, I mean it's going to be interesting to see if he steps in its kind of that that Alpha Dog in the corner back room. Because yeah, I feel like there's kind of a void there with Waller gone.

1:25:56 I mean, our money's definitely the the Elder Statesman in terms of, you know, being on the roster for this long and you know, just on top of the number of reps he's had and snaps. He's played in games so yeah. I was a little disappointed in re on Marie's performance in the spring game. I think nobody is very, very up and down, made a couple good plays on balls but he, you know, he got beat both on both of the deep balls to Smith one. I think was looked like was man the first one and then the second was a cover six and he had the Hatfield and just gave up too much depth to early and Caleb meet him over the top and I will props to to Smith and two Wells on. At the, because it was a skinny post Smith, kind of been it back made.

1:26:46 Sure he stayed to the right of the right, hash Wells, put it right where it needed to be. So Connor can come over. So that was a good play overall, but Marie, definitely the most inconsistent of the kind of the big three that we're expecting for that rotation. It's a bummer with married to you want to talk about guys who have stepped anything about the bowl game a few years ago and how well he played. And like it felt like every time he stepped in when, you know, somebody was hurt or you know somebody Was out a few snaps or whatever it felt like every time Marie Stephanie was making a play. And yeah, last year, didn't play a ton and 020 was all screwed up because a because of covid, you know, but man and Mer, he's another guy who's been around forever and I expected a better prefer.

1:27:29 It's one day. It's I don't want to take too much out of a scrimmage that I think away was exactly the same bride like, Marie's been around forever. Now like you got it, you got to make start making. Start making some plays or at least you know like you like you mentioned that cover six play, they got burned by Caleb Smith like a veteran. Should not be making that type of mistake against Caleb Smith who's who's fast, but not a burner, right? But you can't be making those types of mistakes even in the scrimmage. So, it's killer. It's consistency. It's being here three years and still making the same mistakes you did. When you step foot on campus, where Armani Chapman. Give that guy credit, bron bron praised of how consistent he was.

1:28:13 He like consistent every single play on Saturday rattling and that's what you looking for in the quarterback position. If you're consistent you're going to get beat, you're going to have guys catch balls, but if you're consistent you know six out of ten times, they're not going to be thinking about coming to you because they're know you're he's in good technique. He's on the right side of the shoulder it's going to be tough to get the pass and There we hit DJ Harvey. He got praised about how he's looked at the nickel. You know, we've been mentioning, is he big enough to go play the outsides and maybe that's why they're just talking about him, being at nickel.

1:28:55 I think between this our safety, I think this is a room in Prime mention that this is a room. We go after. I think having Briana being older is definitely a good. Sell to someone with two to three years of Eligibility left but he's saying our three is gone. If you come here, you have that potential. Heck if you might have that potential this year, if you can go beat him out. Yeah like rr3 is gone and then like even you know projecting for like you mentioned a guys guys with a couple years eligibility left like Chapman's not going to be here too much longer, right? So you don't start looking kind of across the room.

1:29:36 You know, Dorian strong has a has a really good year and you just say yeah, two out of three years. I was really good had like 11 year. I took a step back, I mean, you're basically like running opposite of Caleb Farley, right? We're Farley had a really get a one really good game when he was a freshman. That's like that. It wasn't. Very good. And then, you know, is a really good sophomore year and he's like, I'm sitting out the covid year and then he just dropped really. I, you know, strong is a kid with a good, you know, good size and he can really run and we've seen his ability and coverage if you put together a good year, does he make a job? You know, the answer is probably not but I mean I think you could sell it certainly if you're if you're out there, recruiting the portal. Yeah, no doubt I think you know, as you said I think there's definitely some potential to get one at least one. Maybe two in the, in the secondary altogether. I don't know if you want to get a fifth safety that you, you know, feel like can be counted on for significant snaps, you know, behind the 4p mention.

1:30:42 But I think Corners definitely the more likely spot because you really do need a fourth that you can trust playing outside. And again, you talk about the cell. It's Yourself because, you know, Marie's probably not going to be here after this year potentially Chavis, not going to be after this year. And then even the potential with strong, depending on, you know, what output he puts this year. So, it's going to be interesting to see who we Target, and, and how many we end up grabbing? Absolutely. All right guys, let's hit the last position group and probably the number two position group. We're all worried about, that's defensive line. The guys we know did they did fine but I tell you after that, after like McCray Pollard, garbett fuga. I mean it was ugly.

1:31:34 I'm patiently waiting for more cool, more coal, Nelson and patiently waiting for more stretch Carol, right? I'm pulling these coals, right, right? But this fall though, like projecting forward to the fall, like that's what I'm, that's what I'm patiently waiting for, right? It's like those guys to emerge and I know Cole was hurt. Staffs been talking, really highly of I'm right. Talk about, you know what kind of player you can be and want a staff was high on him to? I thought that was a really big get when they recruited him. I thought he was under, you know, I thought he was a bit under recruited. I thought he was a bit underrated on the recruiting Trail.

1:32:16 Really good size, really athletic. Player has potential to be really good, I think. But yeah text going to need some production at defensive end in particular, right? You talk about you talk about offensive tackle, right in the outside, the offense of line. Like I think Virginia Tech's Yes. And the questions are a defense event. Yeah, who's going to be that other starter opposite garbage? That's going to make some noise who's going to be somebody in the 2D that you can really rely on to go out there and give you, you know, three or four quality series and really beyond that, I mean you want to have a solid 3D at the defensive line, you know, who were those, you know, five and six guys going to be across that that defensive line that can come in and defensive end in Still get pressure on the quarterback and slow down the Run. For those who are wondering, where the hell might just went Mike's.

1:33:14 Dog is fell asleep in his kitchen. Hey, can I try to get him to storing only snoring? It's, we can go like walk out a shot. He's been, he's been a little under the weather. The last few days had a infection on his leg and walking's, been an issue in several. He's He's a four-year-old golden retriever. He's fine. Yeah, just got to give me some medicine. Will pop right back up, but now I the medicine makes him sleep real heavy. So there we go, great with this group as well.

1:33:57 Is I don't even think possibility, I think it's a guarantee in to me, I don't think it matters where we go whether it's inside or outside, or both. And we we got to get stronger there. Think what? This goes back to and this is where I will completely bus. The old staff, we've talked about it complete roster mismanagement over the last two years, complete roster mismanagement. It's why we're had nine running backs but not enough you know not enough linemen or we had two tackles and nine guards. No Brian, how many times would you be? Like but it's another guard like we wipe out.

1:34:37 You stop getting guys that were high school. Tackles that That are, you know, you're going to move them to guard. Like, what the hell are you doing, right? I mean, you see him at one position at the high school level and you're clearly recruiting him to another one to college level like stop recruiting the same guy over and over. It's always solved. It's true. Well guys, that kind of wraps up the spring game, what we're seeing obviously between now and really about four months from now about actually about three months from now. You know, we expect to see movement in all that. Because, you know, there are pieces missing on this team. But I also think with this coaching staff, a lot of these guys, potentially they recruited two and three years ago might be looking for a new home in. Luckily, that is where Brent pry has relationships. That is where like, Derrick Jones has relationships, where it could be a kid, they recruited in 2018. Still have the good relationship with let's make a call. Let's see if we can get this kid to come. All right, I'm going to flip over. Let's talk about the draft real quick. Obviously the Hokies have essentially 80. Maybe 90 a Parker only if you count the kicker will see the Smith.

1:35:52 Amari bar know, James Mitchell, Loop, tenuta Jermaine Waller I guess last week, Jordan Williams Trey Turner and Blackshear. Let me get y'all's opinions, who is the first poke? Taken in the 2022, NFL draft. This would have been a layup. If James Mitchell didn't blow out is me. Oh yeah, the way up. I'm gonna I'm gonna go with Waller. Okay. Okay. So if barno had a really good year it would have been like I bar now.

1:36:33 Physical freak. Right. Like can do a little bit everything and look that the pro Scouts can still look at them that way, right? Because physical specimen really athletic but we've seen what Waller can be when he's healthy. Like we know he's capable of being one of the best corners and yeah. DC, which is like, no slouch of a football ground rules, right? And yeah, really good receivers. End up playing in the NFL out the ACC and wall or strap at him up, you know, when he's at his best. So my pick is Waller, although if James Mitchell didn't blow the me out, I think we all know where this was heading right. I mean oh yeah looking for a pass rusher right. You'll have her pass rusher or you're looking for a dynamic playmaker on the outside and Mitchell can be that and borrowed.

1:37:22 Be the pass rusher but Waller is a lockdown Corner that, you know, I think at his best, you know, you can, you can still get them like round three round four, potentially, because he's had this kind of up and down injury history but his upsides really, really good. So I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go with walk. All right, Curtis gotta hedge. No no. Okay, so with that being said, if I can't hedge, I'm gonna go, let's see this Smith. I think he's probably the Most consistent less volatile selection here because there, he's pretty much going to go where he's going to go. He there's not that like okay well he could go as early as early day two.

1:38:09 When he could also go as late as in 27 middle to late of day three. He doesn't have that big window. I feel like he's kind of pretty much locked in to a much smaller window so that's why I'll go with him. But I'll say that to say this number one, I think. I know has the potential to go the highest just on his physical ability. All right. I'm this horrible person. By the way bra Kaufman, my bad. Yeah, brought so but continued just, yeah. So I think Barney has the potential to go. The highest just based on his physical traits. We've seen NFL teams in the past, take a flyer on a physical freak. Think of Bruce Irvin with Seattle, when that thing happened.

1:38:57 Fire but nobody was killing them for it to remember everybody. Yeah, going in for it and he ended up being a pretty pretty damn good player for him. Thanks. Yeah. And so yeah, I think there's some potential there, not necessarily as high as Bruce went but I think you can see, you know, potentially early day, 24 bar, no. But you could see as late as you know, late day to early day three. There's a pretty big window I think 44 where he goes. And then you said, Waller and while I agree with you at his best, I don't know if at this point, if they're if he's going to get some of the Caleb Fairley, stigma of the injured Virginia Tech quarterback. Yeah, I'm going into a draft.

1:39:40 I think that's fair. All right, that's fair. I like you're sticking with your guys but it's going to be Barna in the reason is oh yeah, he's gonna be the first. For the reason is You can't teach the speed and bring him to the NFL, they're going to somebody's just going to like a wide. Not me. And Brian talked about our team's run a wide and I'm very similar. I forgot who's your teammate, Pats fan. Your pets fan, okay, here's what you love. All around defensive end.

1:40:27 But you know what, we can do this first year, get out on the nine, put your helmet directly at the quarterback and run as fast as you can to him. And you know with the guy like him having that speed, I don't think a team of care. They'll just say he's our path from Specialists. We also see him put him on special teams. You can go track somebody down. I will say this. I think James Mitchell you talked about him in the lock, I think Mitchell is going to go higher because I think he tore his ACL at the perfect time. He tore his ACL at the perfect time where he's going to be getting right back into being able to participate in some of those camps.

1:41:11 There's going to be someone around round for that's going to say this guy's a skillful guy. He's probably really a top 50 player. We're going to get him about 150. Or 120. We're going to take the risk because when we get to the mini camps in June, he's probably going to be just about ready to go. Yeah, I think they Virginia Tech did poorly for him, is that we didn't necessarily give Mitchell as much opportunity to show his skill. Set doing the same thing at the same time, you know, he did, show it in some areas. So and I think the NFL scout see, see the abilities so that the question is they going to say? Well, I don't care what the tape says that they didn't get him involved in the offense as much as they should have. We're taking a flyer.

1:41:58 This is just what we do in tight end. On guys out there, I think I think six have a legitimate shot to get drafted. And I think all wind up on the roster somewhere. I think six because some of them have position versatility and things like that. I think six on, we're going to get drafted later rounds. Obviously, you know, best of luck to all of them, even though I'm sure we could probably sit here and two weeks and have a, an episode entitled, you should have stayed in school. I mean, I'll tell you what man, trade. Turn around a 443 or whatever the hell he ran. The combine is going to help. Yeah.

1:42:41 Yeah, I have, I have questions about what Trey Turner was as a freshman versus what he could have turned into and didn't, but I don't know if that says more about Trey Turner more about the Departed coaching staff. So just felt like he was the same receiver, his entire career and I feel like what we saw when he was a freshman, we all thought he was going to be Isaiah Ford can't Phillips at receiver as we all called him, big play tray, but he never really turned into that guy. And, you know, him running a really fast, 40 at the combine. The fact that he catches everything, you know, he's not going to drop a lot of balls, right? And you know, I think he's got an opportunity to get drafted, whereas like, Going into the combine I'm like, I don't know if Trey Turner is going to be a guy.

1:43:31 Who's going to realistically, be drafted. I felt like six or seventh round. Maybe now, I would be surprised speeding. Go just given kind of how he's how he's tested. Yeah, I agree. I think he's kind of in that, in that Fringe area. Now especially with his with his combine and I think he did pretty good as per day as well. So yeah. Yeah. I think he was at to produce the same day. Yeah, yeah. To the same day. So yeah. What do you know, since we started And 45 minutes ago. I'm not seeing anything man.

1:44:17 I think I think we're good to go get to call it. All right. Well we are going to wrap up this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast with our guest. Mike McDaniel, I'm Curtis Wilson. I'm Brian Sigler. Visit our website at boundary Corner V t.com. Listen to all of our episodes. While you're there. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Subscribe to our YouTube account. We appreciate you guys really given that a bump in the last couple months here getting more Followers there. Also, don't forget to subscribe to your favorite podcasts or swear on everything Spotify, Amazon and apple, as always, we let our buddy Jason long place in playing, its out, catch him on Spotify and apple music. Definitely check out his new release old man yelling at the TV which was released last Friday. So take a listen to that and as always we thank you for listening and let's go Hokies