Tech Thoughts: Recruiting and program VecToring, part III:

Stay Safe | Pray Safe!

Virginia Tech football has -amazingly enough- opened for inventorying type of business.

The Hokies have broken August football camp in preparation for what may or may not yet be the 2020 regular season in highly irregularly and downright viral times. Accordingly, do leave your r-state or your b-state takes at the appropriate out-FOX-you or CNN’her website door. As I’m not a pocket-sized immunologist, nor do I play one over on TSL.com. Eye do however enjoy the blessing of Will and Chris and Coach God to begin to cover another season of men’s football for all of you. However, and first, we really do need to finish up recruiting and some macroenvironment thoughts. So, sans any further ado, …what you wanna know is… where will Virginia Tech football and Coach Fu’ go from here? Read on, to find… out!

You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been… –bourbonstreet (PART III)

(from gtbahokie’s question regarding what the 2020 macro environment disallows:  on Will’s Subscriber message-board) Here are the differences between run-up and apex-predator Frank compared to what Fu’ has somewhat environmentally stumbled into today…
READERS note: (Frank first… then Fu’… on a 1-10 scale for each category to help quantify your analysis and comparison(s) all the mo’; with “10” being where you wanna be, and 1=being not so much)
And Frank does=history.
As we have these results to analyze in full— as more science-fact objectively lives here…
  • Well, the A.c.c. is vastly stronger and top-heavier now than Frank’s kinda off or maybe even a bit down Big East was, much less how Frank’s early entry-level A.c.c. was. As the A.c.c. is quite a bit tougher to top right now actually. (9 outta 10)
  • Frank was hauling the Tidewater pretty much like a champ. (a near 9 outta 10).
  • Frank hit what? 4 stud Rb’s and at least 2.5 build an offense around **** Qb1’s. (nearly 10 outta 10).
  • Frank’s black-n-blue Big East coaching methodology (#HardToughRough) really fit the flimsy-looking or wet-powder All Charmin Conference like an Isotoner Marino glove. (as they had no sociological answer for his black-n-blue fisticuffs whatsoever; as man-pleasing waist-benders galore) (10 outta 10).
  • As Chris Coleman has said… Frank had a nationwide leading budget and facilities for a spell. (11 outta 24060, 10!)

    Frank timed this like a Rolex, watch!
  • (plus a very good and very homogeneous Fancy Gap Staff for 7+ years). (8.5 outta 10)
  • Frank revolutionized Special-Teams to cover misses elsewhere. (and everyone was late to his party) (10 outta 10)
  • Frank mostly stayed pretty alpha-star player healthy. (less R.Williams partial selfie year). (at least 8.5 outta 10).
  • Frank had a noticeably better Lane Stadium ruckus home-field advantage than we’ve had post two going on three friendship/socialization busting reseating’s. (9.5 outta 10). Ditto, Frank, and VT’s kickoff movement willingness which helped endear and make us the national feel-good/good-guy media-darling champions. (and we got a lotta A.P. sympathy in coverage/voting for it too, believe you me).
  • Frank perfected his blinking-contest style of play— when he had misQ adverse O’s and studly defenses and stellar attacking special-teams like no other. (10 outta 10).
  • Frank perfected family-first/therapy-first at an unheard-of rate. He took some hardaway kids, he loved on them. And then he turned their lives around and was on-field adored by them for it. (Hall of Fame outta 10)!

Or in other words… Frank maxed out sooooooooooooooooooooooo very many small to midrange things with one or maybe two big-picture strategic vectors… that it is mindboggling what he did here. It really is!

So, what’s a Fu’ to do?!?

Well, and ‘yes’ I already know -wells are for water b.street- though in all honesty? And in all candor to Fu’…  there is not a whole lot up ^there^ that Fu’ can R.A.T.T. 2020 clone or replicate. However, there are a few or Fu’ things he can use or modify to his benefit.

  • League Competition Level: It ain’t Fu’s fault that the National Champ every few years prowls the Atlantic Division side. (and God Help if Miami and/or F.s.u. ever get ‘back’. Or even if U.n.c. and Louisville, evolve) The Coastal is a very decent Conference Championship looksee, granted. Although that appears to be moving away from us as I type; and did I mention Klempson and F.s.u., yet? (5 outta 10).
  • Tidewater/Va.H.S. backyard: Fu’ has burnt a lotta 7-5-7, Richmond and DeeCee bridges, causeways, and beachheads. Now, be yeh Left or Right (single)-wing, I’ma not real sure they un-burn all that well. As there is blackout-curtains very plural that has been drawn on Fu’ and VeeTee here. (2 outta 10).
  • Offensive Star power(s): So far… Fu’ is O-fer on Rb’s compared to Frank. Although J.Evans may want a Qb1 word with the rest… Fu’ needs to go’on and find and/or develop his first division champion level dual-threat Spread Set Qb1 as a Qb1-whispering savant P.D.Q. (7’ish outta 10 here, might be closer to “7.5” for increased Pivot depth-chart gains alone; although a -1-point deduction for repeated BIG-name Rb recruiting fails)
  • #HardToughRough… this one is one of the few retro things that is still most readily available to all things Fu’. Tho’ getting 1.5 decades upset @uva and punched out by the KY-jelly pussycat pre-game and doing not much of anything “hard” or “tough” about it in-game is not a “smart” look. At least not to me. (6 outta 10). (although this is still the All Charmin Conference and there is still 10 outta 10 potential due to the shortage of A.c.c. lead pipe physical warriors here).
  • Fiscality: “No bucks, no Buck Rogers.” Or the only thing I know about genies is? They don’t like bottles. And this one left Aladdin’s Lamp coming up on near a decade ago. And who knows if the Hokie Club and Whit have the Right $tuff? As a lotta things sure look O&M revenue capped-out or downright revenue slumped to me. (4 outta 10).
  • Coaching the verb: Could Fu’ take his current Staff and go play Frank’s alpha 10-win streak Staff? The new 2020 staff -if it gels well- is prolly his closest or least apprentice. Tho’ the master Beamer Staff(s) fit all Commonwealth things to the proverbial Tee. This might be a closer fight than most other replicative categories here… tho’ Frank still wins by a ½-play to one fu’ll score. (8 outta 10, although Fu’ and Co. are indeed in the fight here).
  • Third-Phase of football: Fu’ has been mixed on special teams. He really needs to parrot Frank here and hidden-yardage or leg-game steal one from time-to-time. (as we seem at least one brick shy of a full Special Teams load). Tho’ this one is also prolly within Fu’s or our reach. (7.5 outta 10). (Tho’ 10 outta 10 potential does still exist).
  • Star-power training room health: poor Fu’ and every single Qb1 (or even Qb2) suffering the ‘Fuente treatment’ so far… I mean if not for bad Pivot luck Fu’ and Corny would have no Qb(n)one luck at all. As every single signal-caller starter has been: dinged, dented, or beat all to hell for Fuente. Every single season so far! Crazy, ain’t it?!? (3 outta 10).

    Are there: Bearish or Bullish days ahead?
  • Homefield Terror Dome: Is Lane Stadium now, a bit, lame? This is another one that will be very tough for Fu’ to compete with… as some of the O&M fanbase gets more and more competitive with Fu’ himself. With every single game H.D. streaming and aired LIVE or even on a P.P.V. or subscription basis… Elvis has left the scheduling cow-tailing Ag.School building for keeps. The best seat in the house is the mancave @your house. (6 outta 10).
  • County Fair blinking contest: IF, Fu’ can field a complete Special-Teams unit and at least A-level rebuild his D? This one seems not less than semi-congruent to all things analytics and pretty dang pocket protector or slide rule INTJ personality compatible to me. Fu’ is not a libby-lib’ on Saturdays; and neither was Frank. (8 maybe even 9 outta 10).
  • Family-first/Therapy-first: Fu’ won’t take or even try with the same 757 kids that Frank patched-up, pumped-up, and helped-up in more ways than sum. (and frankly, I doubt these kids would try with Fu’ at this point either). (2 outta 10).
  • An ancillary avenue that was not open unto Frank: Fu’ could, however, do well to red-state raid the recruiting/offer lists of: Air Force, Navy, and Army. Or scout any Military prep school or more structured scholastic environments. Surely these kids do not (often) want for the Fu’-fit discipline and commitment and obedience that Fu’ craves. (and if they want a Military career? I’m pretty sure we still offer V.T.C.C. commissions post-graduation). (9.5 outta 10 as Fu’ could do very very very well here in cultural whiteboard theory)

Franklin J. Fuente Analysis Conclusions:

Or in other summary words… there are parts of Frank that Fu’ could do rather well to emulate. Maybe even peck-away-at improving upon?

Nevertheless, Frank hit three O&M “luckiest coach ever” cherries straight-across. And Fu’ now ports a vastly more ferrous Cross to macroenvironment, bear. (foreshadowing, intended…)

i.e. and frankly speaking, the former Vah.Tech. bull-market is not as equitable to 10-win successes as it once was less than 10 years ago.

Coach Grizzly Adams and I
understand the nature of this lower-ceiling predator.

The only question is…
is there a true roofer-trooper of a coach out there; or maybe already j.Hamming it up@Tech?

Or, is this a really firm rebar Hokiestone ceiling,
no matter the big-whistles surname at all?

George Floyd is not helping any Future tense…

     As this is now cast against the backdrop of Fu’s anti-Kaepernick rant, his Maryland-Wr schollie renege, and the not so Goode Dt S&C case-study in the parsimony of you only get one (and some say: none) second chance. As said above, and quite directly, the blackout curtains have been O&M drawn in the 757, in the District (Washington, D.C.) and in/around Richmond on VeeTee by more than a few pretty urban High Schools ever since. And be yeh r-state or b-state, poor George Perry Floyd Jr. ain’t helping make anything O&M any less colourful as I type. No sirree, not at all…, not 1ι (one-iota).

As all that Twittering and life inside the prism of Roy G. Biv colorful recruiting-spin has found anti-O&M traction anew.

And guess who needs a 10-win 2020 football season like a dead-man needs a coffin?

As any truncation or elimination of scrumming this fall? What with not better than sideways or outright stalling recruiting-momentum as Eye part II typed?

“…one small step…” my, arse!

***

A virally called-off 2020, plus all our recruiting baggage, plus everything colorful; could truly madly deeply set all Hokie gridiron things back by years, plural. As there is a worst-case chance at eviscerating that aforementioned 35th to 57th recruiting precipice that you and Wilie E. Coyote and Acme anvils everywhere want “No no no no noooooooo” (Mars Blackmon) business with.

Seriously gents… notching a 10-win tally in Fu’s 2020 Victory Belt’s favor might just help Fu’ turn the: “my way with my kids” corner. And a non-2020 or a null/dull-2020 will pretty much junk kid poor Fu’ right in the Beamer Way cul-de-sac.

Now mix in the indicators of BAX (Burmeister) making a sharp and electrifying early-camp Qb1 push —this after Fu’ just finally got his pigskin cultural chemistry set fu’lly assembled in his fourth season of assembly no less. And ask yourself true… do you really wanna risk sitting the very popular and altruistically Leadership gifted HennBoss and (possibly) stop ‘pushing forward’ both culturally and chemistry wise? (as #2 is not a suck Qb1, either; not at all).

Because be yeh friend or foe to Fu’, hopefully, you are at least friendly to all things V.Tech.
🙈🙉🙊

And friends, Eye tell you true,
…that the timing of all of this has done no favors for all things VeeTee.

From: a subscriber on Will’s PAY Message board:

You very much did fair-play Bronco– who knew he’d wooden/laconic fit that well at Libby-Liberal arts; uva?!? Fair’s fair… and you gotta give Bronco his mowing The bluegrass Law 10-8 round due.

“Do you believe me now, Trinity?” –Coach Morpheus

And yes, Fu’ also scored several 10-8 rounds (in his favor) post-Duke.

Tho’ Duke, hooVa an Ky-jelly are all 8-10 rounds, against.

corrections… bear with me and learn as we go along…


so, none of you know how he {sic: Fu’} acts to his players.”

This is NOT true. There are prolly a couple of handfuls of peeps on Techsideline.com with really good connections. The hack is, most of them are not footballers themselves. So, although Hermès or relaying they do gets— outright analysis, or implementation of insider data-points only one or two gets. There is a big difference here men. K.Kong sized, actually.

If it is going on at every school, which it is, it’s unfair to just point out that at Tech it is so much worse.” {sic: VT’s portaling and transference rates ain’t *that* bad}

Now did you bother to look this up?
Eye did. (see: the above chart).

Our Portaling Era Exodus count=37 kids who did not return. (2 entered and came back, or it would be 39; right?) So, this ranks us where nationally?

Well, the (current) average transfer rate for football=~14%.

We are almost at 21.7%! (50% Mo' than on average! more/less)

As the Brit’s say… “It’s all in the maths…”

oOo

And I do recall a free-MB post that had us Top-3 in the nation for Portal Player count across the last two years combined— and honestly, raise your hand if you R.A.T.T. believe that Top-3 in portaling is where we/VeeTee need to be?

And when taking a look above, you will cogently see that the punter is… the much-sensationalized Transfer Portal has not (much) increased National transferring rates in annualized player movement returns. The kicker however is that VeeTee kids are transferring far more vapidly than on national mean, median or mode normalized terms. Again, “it’s all in the maths.”

I find it incredibly outlandish some of you act like Fuente inherited an amazing team.

Recall what my Deep State peeps have said here… (although in perfect candor, they did split their vote a bit); they said that Fu’ got to VT and was amazed at the Talent(s) he had (inherited). Fu’ even said so on ESPN his ownself! (Bud Böck was stacked, loaded with Sunday guys; and sources say Foster thought the 2018 lunch pail mighta been his best— had they all returned 100% intact…

Recall: …our Coach left Sooner rather than, later!

(And yes, if my Aunt Kim had nutz-and-a-bolt she’d be my Uncle, Tim; granted).

Fu’ also got a helluva a Qb transfer to his credit— who Frank helped close. Plus, Frank left him three fringe next-level Wr’s, a next-level G and Fu’ enjoyed two true blue once a decade ALPHA leaders at the very same lockerroom time! ^this^ is unheard of to the point of being rare, if not categorically careerist unique.

Tho’ my sources’ did diverge on how Fu’ took to all this… about half said Fu’ just could not bear to discipline them (i.e. run any off) and just road with Talent Max as best/long as he could.

About half said Fu’ got to VT, and found Frank’s footprint was bigger than he expected. And he went for job-security max’ via immediate win max. Thereby postponing ponying year no.1 up for any cultural or chemistry reboots for down the road or later on. (when this really should be day #1, done!)

(nevertheless: do understand that: neither one of these two competing maxims installed his culture. Which he pitifully shank-punted until year no.3. Then attempted to reinstall and reboot with very mixed or uneven year no.4 2019 results).

Unfortunately, we are not Bama, Ohio State, USC, etc…..

Now on that one, you scored really high marks good Sir.

Tho’ you diverged after that… can Fu’ still find Frank’s hardhat stud *** recruiting emeralds in the rough with YouTube, and 247, and Hudl, et al weed-whacking away?

Or, to put it another way… Haze, Grimey, McClease, Rambo, and Farley just R.A.T.T. lowered the 2020 ceiling for all things VeeTee.

Why?
’cause -as you oh so very accurately pointed out- VT ain’t ‘Bama, Ohio State, USC, etc’

MEANING: we/Virginia Tech do NOT have many -if any- Haze, Grimey, McClease, Rambo, and Farley’s backing up our: Haze, Grimey, McClease, Rambo, and Farley’s in the first place.

(not to mention the cultural condition and experience/learning curve
maturity/ripening effects that just left the Jamerson Athletic
Center Building)

🏈💪🏈

As Fu’ simply must increase his alpha-talent retention rate.
Manumitting himself from, himself.

He, absoutey; must!

R.A.T.T. ...Virginia Tech's mens football recruiting will do what from here on out?

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#wimps!

The Hokiebirds Future=Bear, or Bull???

LETS GO!

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HOKIES!

bourbonstreet**

14 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Now that right there is some mighty fine Pickin’ and Grinnin’ cause… ya can’t play without Jimmy and Joes regardless of your X and O… so to make this journey easy on all.. making the conference champ game then someone comes knockin’ while the VT van is rockin’ and Fu-be-gone. Might just be the best L/T solution for all… As little coaching birds in the state just south, are closely watching their favorite sons treatment so if you think the doors are closing in 757, 804 & 703, I-77 & Rt-220 will be shut down…say bye bye to NC-VT…and yes I mean you go Cali… 2020 w/ no loss in eligibility for the players, could look ugly… very quickly… but for now its just win baby.. best for all…

    Let’s Go…Hokies!!!

    1. Yah; I can kinda/sorta fell dat.
      As that could be… if/when we are sure that:

      Coach Next >>> Coach Fu’???

      b.street

      1. Unfortunately for Whit, May have to turn the buns on the grill before they burn cause He won’t know when the burger is done.

        Note:
        Big Hire #1
        Brent. Fart in wind, lots of noise, gave some relief, But ultimately no substance in the end, left a stain. Regardless of how smart the fart was

        Big Hire #2
        Fuente, follows a legion, starts strong the Beamer way, then one blunder & misstep After another, Recruiting base, alumni Fund raising, player personnel, portal,,& Terminating coaching staff etc. epitaph will read. Good X&O coach but too small of feet.

        Hottest seat in Merryman isn’t Fuente’s hmmmmmmmm

        1. Hottest seat in Merryman isn’t Fuente’s hmmmmmmmm

          Whit needs a posterior heat, check?

          b.street

  2. Things headed in right direction – limits today on Fu are one: In conference Competition much better top to bottom than what Frank faced in 2004 forward. Two: much of our in and out of conf. P5 competition caught up and passed us in Level of $$$ for program and Facilities.

    Also, I think nature of VT has changed as well in terms of more elite level academic students across broader spectrum of student population not really sure what effects this has on football program, however, I have a sense that it may reduce importance focus on football by student body and also perhaps put a chill on recruiting as campus atmosphere not as attractive for recruits as say FSU/Clemson/UNC/Louisville/SEC – vibe of VT student body more like NCSU/UM/Rutgers/Purdue/Indiana.

    There is still a strong foundation at VT, laid by Frank. VT has means at present to stay in top half of ACC. However, unless #2 gets fixed winning the Coastal about every other year and challenging Clemson ain’t happening no matter who the coach is.

    I’d also pose the question is the 2016-2020 757 on par with the 2004-2008 757? Also, besides the level and depth of talent comparision; how does the culture/attitude/work ethic of the 757 players & their coaches now compare to then? What is different? How does it impact value & strength of VT/757 pipeline for the – or +?

    1. Also, I think nature of VT has changed as well in terms of more elite-level academic students across a broader spectrum of student population not really sure what effects this has on football program, however, I have a sense that it may reduce importance focus on football by the student body and also perhaps put a chill on recruiting as campus atmosphere not as attractive for recruits as say FSU/Clemson/UNC/Louisville/SEC – the vibe of VT student body more like NCSU/UM/Rutgers/Purdue/Indiana.”

      Well-well-well… 1 o’clock in the east-coast AM and ^there^ is a fresh take.

      We are becoming VT.edu and this will hurt VT.football?
      Interesting… as that’s a fresh take to be sure. Very.
      =============================================
      My peeps say: I’ve been outta football too long (actively/myself).
      And Eye do not get how hard (parts) of the Tidewater are to manage these days.

      Tho’, they also say that the 7-5-7 is no less talented than before.

      I’d agry in full with the first part, and at least 90-cents on the dollar of the second part.

      HTH’s
      b.street

      1. vtox1 does make an excellent point. I’m on an alumni advisory board and I saw first-hand the dramatic rise in the number and quality of applications in the early 2000’s post-1999 MNC championship run. At that time, football HUGELY important to VPI&SU overall–including academics. Now? Not so much, as the academic prestige of my beloved alma mater is propelling academic and research dollar recruitment in a very powerful way. So no, football is not as important, although it would be great if someone could build it back up.

        1. Understood.

          VT.edu owes much to Frank.
          (I doubt many of them get that– which is odd, to be oh so very .edu).

          b.street

  3. Great article and opinions. Idk that the acc top to bottom today is “that” much harder than the years VT won it’s titles. We don’t even play Louisville so you can’t say that’s an issue now.

    I DO think a perfect combo of forces is affecting things as you say. It will take a charismatic and effective leader to recruit in this environment today –

    Culturally, at Econ disadvantage, making lane formidable versus HD tv option, etc. –
    And I’m not sold that fu is that charismatic effective leader. JMO. And apparently that of many recruits these days

    1. Thanks!

      I pretty much agry on all of that.
      VT is not (naturalistically) a ‘loud’ or showy school. However…
      And (sadly), yah; that sells in 2020 terms. i.e. we need a un-quiet coach; at least!

      b.street

  4. Tech should be loaded on offense if Blackshear is eligible, and we all hope so. The offense must learn to run the ball to help the defense. The defense must be better, especially the front 4 play. The pass rush is a must-have for our first year d coordinator.

    Do you think that fuente can make this all happen this year? Lose maybe 2 out of 10, and make this a solid, positive 2020 season? I like the additions by the portal, and I hope he can make this a stepping stone to making tech a school that the local guys

    1. If he had a fu’ll deck?
      Yah; I’d say 10 wins.

      Tho’ with the viral environment?
      Who knows? Upsets galore is my best take. All bets=off. In particular the longer this all goes.

      Tho just 8 wins might win the Coastal.
      That’s not beyond our reach.

      b.street

      p.s. “yes”! the latent make-up Portal additions have been sharp. (possibly, very)
      10-8 round for Fu’ here.
      👏

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