My dad’s suffering is over. He passed about an hour ago. My dad is my best friend, my best teacher, my hero, and was a shining example of how to act with grace even if life deals you a shitty hand. Hold your loved ones tonight and every night.
Hated yesterday more for McClease than any other player. On top of running the ball well, you will rarely find a player who improved on the parts of his game that most RBs don’t like to do- block, sell fakes, etc. He was the rock of that offense yesterday.
I am not a fan of Willis. But, if you were one of the worthless slimy pieces of shit that just cheered in the stadium when he took that shot, please unfollow.
Also, I want to tip my hat to Fontel Mines and his receiver room. This has become one of the best blocking receiver groups I can recall in Blacksburg. They work.
Spent the day sitting next to my dad in a hospital bed. I watched VT compete and play entertaining competitive and physical football against a good opponent. I am disappointed, but perspective tells me that I shouldn’t be upset. Build on it.
This game is a criminal indictment of Hilgart’s strength and conditioning. Bad enough VT is outgunned, but looking smaller and much less physical than a team that couldn’t compete against above average Big Ten teams is damning.
There is zero justifiable reason for not televising a spring game/scrimmage. Zero. You don't want fans in? Fine. But, no TV is a smack in the face to the fan base, especially to those of us clawing for a reason to believe VTFB is on the right path. That list gets shorter daily.
I mean, if you could put a list together of every single thing that Virginia Tech fans didn't want to hear in this press conference,
@WhitBabcock
is checking every single box. The fanbase wants a detailed roadmap of the vision for uplifting the program, not whatever this is.
As I noted previously, Turner gave the Hokies offensive line a real tough day during the Richmond game. Given the current lack of depth at DT, Turner would be an excellent addition. Very solid player.
If Christian Darrisaw isn't playing at a first team All-ACC offensive tackle level, then the voters have no idea what constitutes a first team All-ACC tackle.
I am sad to share I won’t be able to attend the
#Hokies
spring game on Saturday. My dad has taken a bad turn and I need to be with him. I will write the reviews as soon as I can, but I can’t focus on football right now.
I don’t like calling for someone to lose a job. It is a gross part of sports fandom culture. But, if Whit Babcock’s expectation is physical dominance, annual contention for the ACC Coastal, and an inspired and generous base for donations, well it isn’t happening.
Tyree Rodgers, a guy who couldn't tackle anyone as a corner this spring, lays perhaps the biggest hit of the season. A credit to that kid, who was thought by me and others to be an afterthought this season. That kid deserves a game ball.
BREAKING: The NCAA has concluded its review.
#OhioState
star DL Chase Young will sit one more game (against Rutgers) and then will return for the rest of the season.
Dax Hollifield, Jarrod Hewitt, and Justus Reed had really good games. Paired with Jalen Holston (who should have received more touches), those guys deserved a better outcome.
I would like to take a minute to just say what an awesome tailback Darren Evans was. Watching the 2008 Orange Bowl, and he is making things happen with absolutely no blocking.
Just saw
@AndyBitterVT
‘s news. As result
@TheAthletic
just lost a customer. The Hokies coverage was the only reason I subscribed. Best of luck Andy. This is a bullshit move by TA
Penny-wise, pound-foolish. That is all I have. Fuente isn't part of the solution to VT's infrastructure problem, and his development program and offense haven't been the strengths advertised. His retention just doesn't make any sense in the current college football climate.
Dvoracek blocked me because I said that him calling the large percentage of his day’s viewing audience “moronic.” If I called my customers “morons” on a globally visible forum, I think my supervisor would have an issue with it.
It has been a rough last month. However, I am pleased to share that my dad is being released from UVA. He will be at a rehabilitation facility to try and build back his strength.
I love Dalton Keene- amazing football player. But, every snap he was in at tailback when the call wasn't a designed QB draw or a pass was a wasted snap. McClease and King should have received more carries tackle to tackle.
I have to be honest. After spending over 7 hours looking at the game film from UVA vs VT, the first quarter game plan for both sides of the ball made no sense to me. None. I can't wrap my head around it.
Because I am a masochist, I turned on the Kentucky game briefly to see that Tayvion Robinson has five catches and 123 yards at the half in a close game. Yeah...
Game ball: Garbutt-Walker-Hewitt/Mihota-Belmar Ashby-Dax, Turner Keene Peoples Grimsley, and you know what- Silas Dzansi when he jumped down there on the Turner incompletion because he thought it was a fumble. Those kids showed a ton of guts
I have lived in Virginia for 40 of my 41 years. I have yet to meet a UVA alum outside of medical school grads that wasn’t a piece of absolute garbage. The only worse collective are W&L alumni, who were mostly born on 3rd base and think they hit a triple. Let the hate flow.
Best VT player in the first half was Jermaine Waller. He has turned into one heck of a player. Chatman was very good too, especially for being thrown into the fire like that.
I also want to thank everyone for the kind thoughts. My dad was discharged this morning from UVA and is going home feeling better. This is sort of the new normal, but every moment with him is a blessing and he got to enjoy the game even if the outcome was a bummer.
Just woke to the news. surprised by the timing- I never feel good about anyone losing their job. Now, find the right guy who can get the players to play the type of football synonymous with the Hokies brand AND be part of the solution for fundraising/infrastructure/recruiting
A lesson for Brent Pry hoops- getting productive lower G5 transfers can make you competitive, but you have to start filling out your lineup with top tier dudes. VT is a little shorter, a little slower, and a little less length so when the shot making isn’t there it is tough night
Did you know Hendon Hooker had only attempted two passes before Saturday? I didn't. Fortunately the crack squad of Jones and Dvoracek told me 537 times during the game.
If you paid attention to college football at all over the last 20 years, the Urban Meyer revelations should not be shocking in the least. The guy oozes dirt bag.
I am telling you, the VT OL was absolutely grinding up Miami on the last scoring drive of the first half. Bryan Hudson and Lecitus Smith had big time games.
I am certainly disappointed by today's news. But, I am not angry. I just hope everyone involved in the program gets through the pandemic as healthy as they went in to it.
I don't like people losing their jobs. It makes me ill. If the status quo is fine, say so. But, don't say a five year sample size should be ignored and call on blind faith that things will turn a corner. That is insulting. I feel insulted.
Great second half on both sides of the ball. End of the year. Miserable conditions. It is an easy time to ease off the gas. Instead, they hammered the pedal. That is impressive.
Want to rebuild goodwill? Present a plan and follow it. Get results. Make spring practices open (at least some.) Televise the spring game. Market fundraising opportunities better. Get rid of tone-deaf poorly timed tweets. Create some enthusiasm.
I know Coach Foster will be remembered because of his great defenses and his sideline fire. But, I will remember him as someone who had a presence while still being warm and engaging. After meeting him once, I said to myself, “man, that is a guy I wish I could have played for.”
Why are all these goofs tweeting me to tell me how a small number of their friends are UVA alum and they aren’t trash? Sorry. They are trash. You just have not wised up yet.
After watching the film, I can comfortably say that today was the best game the safety pair of Floyd and Deablo have played all year, especially in coverage. Conner had a tough day, but that was a REALLY tough match up and he kept fighting until he got a break on the 4th down inc
Offensive line, Blackshear, and Burmeister deserved to win that game. I hate that it was almost taken out of their hands. Defense found something late, but offense did everything right when dumbassery from the booth didn’t get in their way.
I really hope we see a major upswing in fan engagement and promotion in the coming weeks. I want to believe this leadership can get VT back to perennial Coastal king pin. Sell me. Sell the folks who have doubts. Most, except for the permanently negative, will be receptive.
I am not talking smack about UVA. Now is the time to celebrate Ricky Walker and the seniors and the young kids who took a bunch of haymakers and kept punching
This is staggering. I admittedly did not think that Fuente would have players dogging when his Memphis teams showed tons of guts and fight. Chicken or the egg at this point, but there are a lot of people from the top to the bottom of this program that need to look in the mirror
Where first-rounders played in high school:
Texas-7
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana-3
Alabama-2
1-Ohio, Maryland, Hawaii, Oregon, Kentucky, Kansas, Virginia, Iowa, South Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, California, New York
First half, VT had chances. But ND is now playing like a bigger, stronger, and more mature team. Even when they make plays, they are calm and workman like. I know tomorrow is going to be all miserable for VT. But this is probably the best team VT is going to play by far.
Rewatched the film, and frankly, I don't understand the schematic concept VT was using with their linebackers and boundary safety. I could make a case that Josh Fuga was the second best VT defender besides Waller today. That isn't sustainable (good for Fuga looking better though)
Not sure if he would pursue it with all the great work he is doing in the Charlotte market, but Kyle Bailey sure would be awesome as the voice of the Hokies.
Reminder- doing something over and over the wrong way isn’t grit. It is stupid. Greatness is the byproduct of the intelligence to find the best way, the insight to change course when it isn’t working, and the grit to keep trying.
Gaps aren’t sound, pressures not getting home. Tentative tackling. Got caught in a bad matchup in a zone. Missed a couple of easy throws. Can’t run the ball. I will take down 6 with all that.