Virginia Tech football practice is about a fortnight away give or take.

Probably the most interesting training camp at Virginia Tech in oh say, about three decades, give or take.

I for one can not wait, time for something real to write about for a change and make no mistake; we who are blessed to write about Hokie sports still have so  much study and (hopefully) learn about Coach Fuente and his new cadre of imported Memphis staffers. As everything -well almost everything- is brand spanking new down in the Beamer Barn and the abutting outdoor real live grass practice field. What some would have me say had indeed grown at lest a little bit old, is new again. New big whistle, new Fu’fense when the Hokies have the football and even some new metaphysical blood on tap for Bud Stout. However, there are a few more odds and Split-Ends to cover. So let us hop right to it before this oblong spheroid football thingy really does tip-off for keeps in just a couple more weeks.

#9ishMoreDaysUntilHokieFootball!

The much vaunted visiting turf collecting Foster lunch pail rests with one Mister Chuck Clark, at least at the end of spring ball it did anyway. And Chuck is one of those few guys who plays bigger -in physical terms I mean- than he current listing of 6’1” 2o4 lbs. as a rising senior status suggests. Generally, the guy who carries the lunch pail is either a rock-thrower, a root-hog, or likes to fight guy, so here is hoping that Chuck is actually all three. And oh by the way, good luck taking it away from any of them.

Haven’t written much about r-senior 6’4” 296 lb. final year Nigel Williams at Dt. As to be honest, he’s never quite lived up to his 34th ranked Dt status in the country coming outta high school way back when. Recall that this was supposed to be a pretty pocket fit Dt for the 1-Gap Foster base scheme defensive standard; and a pretty athletic one as he put up some pretty dang decent Te and H-back numbers playing both ways in high school. And yet other than that one fumble return vs. Cincy in the bowl game a few years back; not much all that exciting has happened here. Although I do not know what kinda 2016 final season Mister Williams will field after what has been a underwhelming career thus far; I do know this… he too looks a good deal visually better; at least to me. Not just fitter; cardio and pulmonary speaking. Nigel looks a good deal stronger in the chest and across the upper-arms/shoulders at the end of spring ball. I also know that 18 career TFL (tackles for a loss) and 6 & ¹/₂ career sacks ain’t bad work, from a career back-up or no better than basically your Dt4 if you can get it. I further know that Williams has recorded a a 400 lb. low box squat and a 300 lb. push jerk; which ain’t too shabby; and I’m sure he looks a good deal stronger than that heading into August Camp. I’m hoping that he goes from being a serviceable back-up to at least a serviceable starter; if not a downright solid looking one, with the poignant increase in strength. And I’ll say this too; did anyone else notice the outside Dt loops and twists this past spring? Almost giving Williams a bit of a De look at times; I do like that match-up as he could have played collegiate Te in a pinch.

If I asked you to name the physically strongest Virginia Tech internal G-G blocking tandem at the Guard position of all-time, who you gots?

William Boatwright all by his probably untouchable and downright obscene 755 lb. back-squat straight bar bending, nearly spine killing, and probably should never be allowed to happen -for safety reasons again- all by his ownself? Yah; I’ll sign off on that, as nobody has even gotten close to that mark in over a quarter century of orange and maroon gridiron time. However, and in lieu of Boat’ committing the single most electrifying weight room act in the history of Virginia Tech sport’s; who do you have next?

Me? I’d have to take a dang long hard look at the pair of returning 2016 starting offensive Gobbler G’s. As make no mistake gents, there may not be a stronger offensive-G tandem in the whole entire A.c.c. Check it out… as those are the all-time Top-10 lifts in their respective categories in the history of Virginia Tech weight-lifting history, itself! These two is strong, strong like bull very strong, and you can go ahead and expect some opposing starting Dt’s and Dt back-ups to fall down, go, boom!

To be a true home position Rover (Ss) or Fs, now forced to play Linebacker due to the relative thinness of the second layer itself, #23 Anthony Shegog is sure one strong mother in the southern hemisphere. As this guy is to soleus muscles what former Tb George Bell and Popeye himself were to spinach fueled forearm flexors –now turned a converted 6’3” 212 lb. smaller ‘backer (or Sam). Accordingly, you need not look very far to see why this guy brings some real live voltage to the field, he can surely cover the throw-game as a Lb; he has a penchant for TFL, and a nose for the ball in defense of the same. I’m hoping that Anthony and his handsome 39” vertical leap pick up right where he left off; as he was one of the few stop-unit Hokies to enjoy a medley day vs. the bowl game offensive juggernaut otherwise known as Tulsa.

Although I do not know how many reps Tb Deshawn McClease will catch as a running-back this fall — I do know that he can flat out catch that rock and you’d have to expect that that counts for something in the quicker hitting, bang-bang, zip-zip coach-Fu “one-Mississippi” “go” offensive set. In point of fact, this kid probably has Top-4 to Top-3 hands on the whole entire football club; including Te’s and Wr’s. His Gift of grab is that good. Yes, it’s true, 5’9” and a buck-seventy-seven (177 lbs.) is not a regulation sized target; more like the old-school Miller high life 8-pack of pony or hand grenade sized beers. Still yet, this r-freshman did not ring up 5,025 rushing yards and 82 total touchdowns in scholastic terms just because he sucks. Those are some pretty mean numbers for a footballer who is fast enough to dabble in T&F (track and field) at the power-conference, B.C.S., D-1 level. Or in other words, I like to think of Deshawn as a mini-me Vaughn Hebron; even though they are technically the same height. As both could catch the rock and do damage on scripted vertical stretch plays outta the Hokie backfield in the aerial assault. And if anything; Deshawn probably has a little more swivel to his hips and maybe even a higher end full tilt red-line R.P.M. top speed. McClease will indeed contribute and help the Fu’fense this autumn; the only question is… just how much?

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Do wanna give a shout out to Marshawn Williams, who looks a good 20-30 lbs. lighter this summer compared to his nearly Stay Puff looking marshmallow man routine late last fall. As a bad-mass ~250 is just way the hell too much for a leaping, hurdling, aerial rushing Rb such as the still 5’11” in height Marshawn was back on his high school highlight reel tapes. The thing I do not know for sure, is …is his A.c.l. blown-out left-knee actually and factually alright? I do however know that you do not rush for over 4,000 yards with 62 majors (TD’s), in your final two high school seasons as a bum. I also know you do not hit for all-state track-n-field honors in the off-season, in the typical offensive lineman playing T&F domain otherwise known as the shot-put as a weak sauce candy ass. That’s just not how any sporting version of Newtonian Mechanics that I know of, works. As I’m pretty sure that being tabbed the 15th best Rb in the nation outta high school still counts for something –likewise being named the Dr. Paul Torgersen Award winner as the the top up and comer just two springs and one knee ago. Be real real real nice to see Marshawn getting back to where he can now count on his very own left-knee, as there may not be a better Rb duo in college football right now with three full blown knees. (He and Shai McKenzie combined)

Far out to see the more red-state Andrew Motuapuaka sporting neon green cleats with likewise matching neon green shoelaces which is just pretty funny to see. As ‘drew is about as humility driven of Fighting Gobbler gridiron starter to take the field for as long as right at about half past Tommy Beasley that I can recall. I know, I know, everyone has their Mike-Lb worries and this just in, …rain is rumored to be wet. That being said, there are not many boys you’d rather have court your daughter than this one, as if you tell him to have her home by 11, he’s probably there by no less than a quarter till. #54 is a great kid and here’s hoping he (somehow) stays healthy and turns the nice guys eventually do finish first; corner; this fall.

One of the few schematic offensive nuggets to emerge this inaugural coach-Fu spring practice was the use of Sam Rogers (as an H-back), on the edge, in several old-schools off-Tackle plays turned new-school C-gap parlance. I’ll say this, you do not see many true home position Fb’s capable of getting to the edge vs. smaller, faster and specifically designed to thwart the Spread set defenses’ these days. If Sam Rogers is getting his number called to the odd-side 5 or right side 6-hole like this? Sam Rogers must be doing some right in ground chuck terms for a person whose heart is all fillet Mignon.

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Ask my boss Chris Coleman just how strong men’s football Strength and Conditioning head coach Ben Hilgart or Hilgirth is; in person. However, you might wanna ask newly knighted full-time assistant strength and conditioning Coach Nick Acree; first. As one is left wondering out-loud… does Virginia Tech now industrialize THE strongest Strength and Conditioning Staff 1-2 punch in all of 128 teams worth of Division-One college football in the whole damn land?!? (As this much iron is plum crazy, as in nearly William Boatwright, crazy!!! see: below vid’)

WOW!
I mean, just F‘n wow!!!

Virginia Tech=almost ready to break camp!

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

bourbonstreet**

V.A.D.A. approved