Virginia Tech football is coming up on just about a full fortnight of practicing in esprit de corps for the very first ever Virginia Tech football game with Justin Fuente as the head honcho or big cheese atop the Hokie helm.
Probably not much of a contest as a 27.5 opening line betting favorite as the hosting O&M home team out on the Vegas big-board avers or connotes.
I for one find that to be a bit; low. Virginia Tech does not to need to worry about Liberty seeking any revanche any revenge or any sporting payback next season or any time soon. And we do have this little matter called Tennessee up next no matter how liberating game no.1 is, or is not. So you might as well get the starters as prepped up as you can before you ask them to volunteer for something a bit more difficult in the fifth through the eight quarters of regular season play otherwise known as the Battle of Bristol itself. In the meantime however; some evidence has emerged to confirm a few things and some, -shall we say- some other evidence has emerged to tagline a very Pivotal (Canadian Football League pun for Qb insert________here; check) a very Pivotal lack of likely Qb1 news. Or at least evidence that was formerly expected to emerge regarding transferring JuCo quarterbacking (read: Evans) hopeful upward movement; that has now officially failed to emerge as Evans go thus far. Ergo, R.A.T.T.’s rejoice, this one is not as “P.A.T.T.y-cake, P.A.T.T.y-cake, baker’s man”; as some previous articles have been; …and neither is the terminal contact sport we all call football. Or so last time I checked…
Not much has been written about (hopeful) star Cb Brandon Facyson because, well; not much has been seen of #31 since his laggard to heal 2015 training camp leg/knee finally gave out later on last year. The r-junior 6’2” 197 lb. Cb, right now; in a word? I’d say he looks: “phenomenal” in four syllables or less. And that ain’t half bad for a normally wounded Cb this time of year after having just missed his third consecutive spring practice in a row. Or in other words; poor Brandon has missed the equivalency of about one season of football practice so far in his oft’ hobbled Hokie career. Which spans a ugly fully busted leg, that coming after an initial stress-fracture that was downright recalcitrant to heal and a now twice tricked out and once ‘scoped out right-knee. Or in further words, this straight-A student has a 4.0 G.P.A. in the northern hemisphere every bit as much as he has a southern hemisphere that has been barely eligible. That being said, he really does look great thus far this camp; physically great I mean, in terms of fitness and cuts which look devastatingly serrated up close and in person. The whispers say he is close to being 100% back; which did not directly say that he is 100% back; at least not just yet –God Bless. However, this is one knifed up looking r-junior Cb who is probably closer to being a t-junior in terms of pigskin matriculation when you account for nearly 4.5 months of missed practices thus far in Blacksburg, Va. Nevertheless, if this kid can (finally) get and therefore stay healthy? He’s a Cb who takes away 33.33% of the field at a time and that’s very likely code for enjoying an all-conference honors in 2016 or 2017 and a possibly National Football League in 2018 career after that; again; coach God willing.
Likewise rising star Wideout Isiah Ford; who someone already wrote about regarding his hanging of 21 lbs. of right mass since last season! That being said, if you observe the pic’ to the right; you can now officially see what I mean(t)…
Curious -and most welcome- to see big bad Tim Settle settling into an old-school 4-point stance at left-Dt in what more or less amounts to an outside-eye-to-outside-eye or about a 2.75 technique if you are keeping modern era textbook score at home. Do notice however; that the 4-point stance is typically the domain of a run-fighting Brahma bull Ng. Or even a home position Ng now playing Dt who is probably closer tasked to a mänō ä ˈmänō whip that opposing Center’s damn ass 0-technique or head-up; as a siege warfare throwback human ballista right smack dab in the middle of the gridiron. Or in other words I really enjoy seeing this kid scrumming with 10 fingers in the dirt. This fits him and his game to the proverbial Tee.
Travon McMillian was not a small or flimsy looking guy last year; it is more like he looked like exactly what he basically was. An underclassman typically forced to scrap or at least attempt to a adsorb upperclassman contact; … now? Well now he looks much stronger; in particular in the northern hemisphere where he now fields drinking-age looking guns or upper-arms to be more succinct. As this guy has added some sharp looking cuts to his physique which we all hope allows him to wear-n-tear a bit better this year as opposed to getting beat-up and just plain old wearing down as the years’ campaign wears on.
Very interesting to see Stephen Peoples getting some Tb looks with the 1’s early this camp; and I must say; that is my peep’s best call since half past Osterloh two seasons ago. I don’t know about you; though the thought of Peoples + Sam conspiring to = the thunder part of a seemingly contradictory thunder-n-lightening offensive combo’ is downright rather lucrative to me. (Lightening=the quick strike, quick hitting passing attack in Blacksburg by way of Memphis under coach-Fu; Thunder=Same and Peoples going: “BOOM! BOOM! POW!”)
Likewise; it is extremely curious -to the point of being rather telling- to learn that rookie Qb Josh Jackson has struck a few marks with the 1’s early this August Training camp. As this probably says every bit as much about the other two elder (Qb’s) as it does about this would be rookie voting year Qb1. (p.s. Josh has a little bit of a lower-release point or a side-arm look at times; causing battled ball or pop-up INT’s under pressure, although the rest of his throw-game mechanics seem smart enough; almost effortless in fact)
Don’t get your hopes too sky-high up up and away just yet; nevertheless, I will say this little; someone hears that none other than the much maligned incumbent Mike-Lb Andrew Motuapuaka has been tackling a bit better and actually a bit lower. In point of fact; he’s almost got something of the wrap-n-drag, (you downward), technique that I’ve not seen since the days of the scrappy bull terrier otherwise known as Andy Russell playing OLb opposite of Ham and Lambert up in Pittsburgh for the quad Super Stillers as a kid. This may not be a high voltage or highlight reel style Jack Tatum hit; although it is a hang on for dear life or until help arrives style of tackling; and it is actually quite effective if you have strong enough hands and forearm flexors to industrialize or lasso both ball carrying legs on the stop; almost like a bull-rider must have via his chappy trade.
Memphis Offensive Splits under coach-Fu:
Last season Memphis averaged a 45-55 offensive split; in a jumped up Spread offensive set, now take a wild guess which way? Rushing to passing most would be inclined to rejoinder? “Not so fast my friends…” or “survey says…” the correct answer is 55% rushing to a relatively mere 45% passing. Check it out… here are coach-Fu’s pet Run:Pass Tiger mixes more directly stated in bullet format…
- 2015: Run=55%, pass=45%
- 2014: Run=59%, pass=41%
- 2013: Run=55%, pass=45% (again)
Now do recall that coach-Fu just had the now N.f.l. Qb otherwise known as Paxton Lynch last year over in Memphis at his aerial assault disposal. Paxton Lynch sucked, he of 67% passing, good, I mean great for nearly 3,800 yards and 28 hurling TD’s. Or in other words, this is actually a run first coach, even with a 1st Round N.F.L. Qb; so all you nervous Claiborne era or Paul “Bear” Bryant throwback passing ostriches can come up from the “only three things can happen when you throw the ball and two of ’em are bad” Slusher Beach sand. As even with a professional Qb at his throw-game disposal, coach-Fu eschewed the airwaves for a true ground assault; so chew on that one mentally for a bit…
Now this part of Memphis regression analysis, a Tiger line-of-best-fit or Beale Street 4-squares method is rather interesting to me and my 36 McBryde Hall hours of calc’ and stats. Paxton Lynch was an overlooked (out of high school) true pocket protector Qb. He was not even say a Bryan Randall, whom someone has already used to describe Jerod Evans as a Bryan Randall+ (plus). And yet this somewhat robotic, mechanical, stiff, starchy or even lumbering looking Pivot -who was listed as nobodies Roger Staubach dual-threat Qb coming into college; and who charts a career best of a downright pokey looking 4.86 forty time- (somehow), rumbled for just under 230 yards per year for coach-Fu on average, and 349 yards in his carrying the mail zenith season on the ground. To put it another way; a guy who could not really run, actually ran pretty damn well for coach-Fu; all things considered. Do you now see what I mean sports-fans? Evans and Motley are actual and factual dual-threat Qb’s with real live run-game wheels, and that makes you kinda wonder what the eventually emerging Qb1 will do on the ground this year for coach-Fu?
Qb derby whispers…
- j.Evans found what he had cut as spring wore on; his Tajh Boyd paunch is back (see: pic on the right); and quite frankly; this is very disappointing to me. You wanna be a power-conference, B.C.S., big-time D-1 college football starting Qb? Well, you eat (and drink) like one; while simultaneously you train the very same. That’s the bad news; the good news is Evans looked noticeably better (read: a good 10 lb. weight cut); as we got into the final week of spring practice and that is likely where he’ll finish August camp in a few weeks. (see: top pic)
- As was reported and validated by someone last time, the whispers said last week that Mot’ is in the best condition of his life! Then Brenden himself said so out-loud to the traditional brick-n-mortar media midway this previous week. Or in other words, there is a differential here in cardio and pulmonary terms early on.
It seems to someone, that Virginia Tech and coach Corny courtesy of the chaperoning coach-Fu -who recall wanted j.Evans to come be his Qb-next (after Paxton) at Memphis before inking with A.D. Whit Babcock and mighty Virginia Tech- it seems to that someone that j.Evans has been given every available opportunity to win the Qb1 job outright; –and thus far? Well, he just, hasn’t. Now consider this… someone simply must play Qb1 in 2017; and no matter if Motley threw for 8-zillion yards in 2016, it simply can not be him in thirteen months time. Or in other words, through no credit of Evan’s own, Evans has not won the two year Qb1 job. And likewise through no credit of the fitter looking -albeit probably less talented Motley’s own- he (Motley) may or may not have the juice to carpe diTech and win the Qb1 job outright in overwhelming or irrefutable fashion. Thing is, methinks that Evans (still) most likely enjoys the higher longitudinal Qb ceiling vis-à-vis; and me further thinks that Motley is very likely pretty dang strategically close to his {sic: ceiling}. Ergo, to wit and therefore, do not die of shock if this Qb1 casting audition continues until Evans gets back into better shape; or possibly even until the Liberty game-tape gets broken down. As right now we have two average to just barely good enough or two lowest possible B— Qb’s on our hands; and any Pivotal greatness may have to hurry up and wait for ’17. Or possibly three similar caliber Qb’s, if you count the emerging Josh Jackson kid.
In Qb summary: the allegory here -as terminal contact sports go- is of course, the squared circle or ultimate crucible of truth, a.k.a. boxing. Coach Fuente is the referee in our little metaphor. He is a referee that wants the fight to decide itself; a referee that swallows his whistle and lets them play in pigskin terms. Thing is… after coming up on six and a half weeks of spring ball plus August camp thus far combined; the kid Fuente himself brought in… (j.Evans) is being given every chance to put Motley away. And as yet he (j.Evans) has not; –now add to all of that, that Chris Coleman’s best call this side of the breakout B.Ore year, the Josh’ Jackson kid is still (somehow) in the Qb1 mix … and this tells us all, what?
Loading ...Virginia Tech=which starting Qb?!?
“LETS GO!”
“Hokies!”
bourbonstreet**
Watched a lot of Evans juco tapes. To me he looks like he is the more consistent passer and a bit more accurate per centage wise when you consider ALL the throws. And he does have a slight hitch in his motion sometimes. Although Motley has a bit stronger arm and can throw a nice deep ball, Evans has a bit more juke and quicks than Mot and Evans thicker mid torso could mean more durability than Mot. So I think he wins the job. But the real clincher we don’t know enough about yet and that is who can make the right reads and decisions. And that might be Mot. So we might not know until after Liberty. Nice article. Always enjoy your insight B-Street.
good catch on the hitch.
Yah; kinda like a true set-shot in hoops.
I see what you mean.
Yup on mo’ juice (quicks/cuts, call it what you will).
Methinks Evans to be the more dynamic pure runner of the 3.
And that might just be his tiebreak right ^there^.
and thanks!
b.street
Can we just start calling this staff the Fu-Tang Clan? IF we start winning?
Mae West and I agry…
“Call me anything; just call me, often.”
Yah; sure.
They get rolling?
Go for it.
b.street
Why not?