Virginia Tech football thoughts…

Virginia Tech football starts in less than a fortnight or with about 13 more days until all of you get to open your very first coach-Fu O&M gift wrapped – and hopefully- highly offensive present at home, in Lane, on Worsham Field, when hosting Liberty. Coach God willing…

Per chance, there is however some real live news coming or should I say seeping outta Blacksburg Virginia during the normally sleepy Slusher Beach dog days of summer. As a nugget, t-freshman, or rookie voting year Qb may have emerged as a suddenly credible Qb1 threat to start in game no.1. There are a couple of other (sur)names that have emerged this camp that are worthy of some further namedropping mention and likewise analysis. And there was also a great article written this week by Chris Coleman of techsideline.com that is worthy of further numerical and trend gleaming amplification; plus some hardcore coach-Fu Memphis era statistics that might just objectively surprise you in both directions.

I therefore urge you accordingly, buckle up, it is about to get… real!

Coach Scott could be from: New Guinea –as the whispers hint that he has the hind-4 playing headhunters style football over on D; in particular the Clarke kid who even knocked big bad Bucky; for a true loop. I for one welcome a return of the intimidating days of: A.Banks, (ex-coach) T.Gray, W.Yarborough and George DelRicco when we made you (bleeping)-A play the damn price for catching the football; and when you watch the pretty well nutty coach Scott coach? It don’t take long to see why this Hokie secondary is back to its high voltage powerhouse hitting ways –not to mention the fact that coach Scott is fielding several pretty dang strapping looking physical specimens back there. That ain’t hurting one iota; either. Well, not unless you play Wr/Te this year vs. Virginia Tech.

The back-up H-back, 5’9” (if that), 219 lb., t-sophomore with a man’s game body, a.k.a., the former high school record breaking Tb, one Mister Steven Peoples. Or, my peeps best call since half-past Osterloh; as this guy is a (bleepin’) problem; seriously!  Peoples of the 385 lb. bench press and 32” vertical jump in spring max’ testing fame … and the final Hokie to earn the Frank O. Moseley Award for the most hustle in spring practice about 15 months ago. Only, rumbled for 3,o78 yards and 44 TD’s as a human battleaxe of a Galax senior in 2013 … and additionally set a VHSL record with 5o2 rushing yards on 22 carries vs. the g-boys of graham that same campaign. Or in other words, this kid is the F’n-A truth; and a very serious version of gridiron scopolamine of WW II jerry truth-drug infamy. Good luck if you wanna hit this kid upstairs; as you can see in the spring-ball pic’, this kid is truly loaded for bear north of the boarder; –because if you do that; I’ll be the one helping you up; after I go looking for your teeth and a few of your toes. As this is a very serious hitter men. And he can dang sure run a bit; too.

I believe someone now knows why Settle did not ball (last year)… as there are some vibes that (now) suggest the following have now all improved; and that posits that the following were south of epic last season. Among them, we know for an observable science-fact; that Tim -to his enormous Jenny Craig credit- has reconditioned and cut about 30 and some might say closer to 40 lbs. of bad-mass since last year. What was interesting however, was hearing that Tim has made progress in technique and in signature single-Gap store minding integrity from 2015. Or in other words, he was a 1-trick bull-rushing pony when he got to campus last year; even if for about one or two plays that rotund bull-rushing routine was pretty dang tricky to deal with indeed. Or yet another Mt.Gore as the Hokie Huddler once pronounced B.Gore on the cover; way way back when; as a scholastic kid who simply got by on being big. As in bigger than everyone else or what Nebraska once called: Tb, Mike Rozier syndrome  –as you gotta hunker down on the practice-field and in the film-room when you suddenly are going up against kids, who same as you, were *the* superstar baller at their high school too.

Boy does 6’5” 294 lb. left-Ot and true-senior year Jonathan McLaughlin look classical edge lineman -be that Ot on O, or De on D- pear-shaped good. By that I mean a kid whole basically looks like an upside down T-bone steak. Strong backed and shoulders alike, though with very wide hips and glutes to fund downhill run blocking on offense or collapsing the line-of-scrimmage (L.O.S.) proper towards the interior as a De. Uou just don’t see this classical edge build as much as you used to; either. Although Jonathan and his 400 lb. front-squat; simply look big time this August; and I sure wish we could have red shirted this kid back in 2012; as he might just be a fringe to credible Canadian League Pro’ with one more year of development upfront. Would that we could…

Curious to see how the new Staff kinda, sorta, semi remodeled the main portico entryway to Jamerson that (eventually) segues over into or down into the football department proper. In a word; I’d call it: “modern”. Much more social media flash file savvy; also more open air; less clutter; breathy and with a good deal more sunlight coming through. Literally; a breath of fresh air for place that was college football Hall of Fame great enough; though had R.A.T.T. grown a little stale; and now has much much more 2016 facebook.com savvy zip to its pop culture game.

Likewise curious to see the left-arm sleeve of Polynesian ink that Mike-Lb Andrew Motuapuaka now fields. I did not know that the elbow was left out; traditionally speaking. And although I’m not into tats personally; that’s about as cool of a arm sleeve as you will ever see. Not to mention one that honors his culture and therefore customs.

Far out to see the pretty animality temperamental as is; rising r-senior year, 6′ 6” 3o5 lb. right-G #72 Augie Conte sporting the Full Metal Jacket haircut. Now mix in several good ole boy farmer Brown or Amish looking guys, and you’ve at least got a mean looking offensive-line on your hands appearance wise. And there is something to be said for dressing for success. Just read any quality corporate ladder ascendancy self-help book if you doubt that; as this line has a different vibe to it under Coach Vice. Kinda/sorta what the Grimy offensive line always said it wanted to be… or to put it another way: deeds >>> words!

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The Qb derby:
Normally I do not do this, as this website needs to learn how to stand on its own two cyber feets’. However, Chris Coleman of techsideline.com just wrote such an well quantified article that I decided to make a concession; as doing so was the only way to build upon what Chris wrote; and therefore to help what Chris sagely wrote; take the next step. So here is what Chris just said, just to put you on objective science-fact quantifiable point… (and you do probably need to read this, first)

http://virginiatech.sportswar.com/subscription/2016/08/17/josh-jackson-win-job/

Here is what we can further discern and sometimes gleam according to what coach-Fu seems to want; to the point of outright insisting upon… per Chris’ epic pigskin R&D article…

1. The Frank-n-Stiney/Loeffer Qb’s, threw 192% more INT’s than the former coach-Fu/Corny Qb’s have. (THINK about that, for a minute men)
2. Brenden Motley sure looks hard to start as the 2nd most pickable Qb of the entire nearly quarter century lot (per Chris’ math’s). As the long ball may indeed be his thing; nonetheless, what does it matter if you can throw it from here to Tennessee if it lands in …Kentucky? Likewise the fact that Motley runs a bit streaky on his throw-game accuracy; his accurate days are well above 50% (60% in fact); with a sterling NO picks … and yet his off games are well well below average (at 51%) with seven picks and four big fat ugly L’s in four games; three of which we could have actually; won; to show for it. Or in other words, this is one wildly swining hi’ to lo’  potential Qb1 who can run every bit as hot as he can run, cold. On the other hand, Motley showed up the most physically ready of the three; having added some smart looking raw-back strength to his physical game. He is obviously the most experienced; he hands down courts the largest arm; and no one questions is overall athletic ability. He provides the deepest North-South stretch of the lot and is a legit dual threat Qb in the truest sense.
3. Jerod Evans however checking in at a very efficacious 1.39% picked; or 3rd best in a race of 16 Qb’s throw game chastity (Greek, meaning: integrity) seems very much alive here to me. This guy takes damn good care of the rock and his 38:4 or 19:2 passing ratio of TD’s to INT’s sure seems inviting enough. Likewise, he seems to be a game-day baller; who saves his best for last; or is something of Ot Brandon Frye vs. De Elvis Drummerville of Louisville in the bowl game a number of years back. Additionally, he seems extremely comfortable ad-libbing; purchasing time, and then making something happen when the initial play-side call is covered, or when he has to move East-West and stretch the field horizontally himself. And make no mistake here folks; there is no doubt upon breaking tape; that Evans is the most gifted pure runner of the three; with just a hint of MV2 (Marcus Vick) to his game downfield. That being said, his conditioning has been found to be lacking; the next sinew cuts he fields in his arms will be his first and he appears to be a bit inconsistent short to medium throw-game wise at times; with not a whole lot north of a  C+++/B— caliber arm.
4. Josh’ Jackson however does not industrialize epic testing measurable’s himself, not at all. Check it out… in addition to wanting to gain a terminal degree and employ a PhD in Sports Psychology post-football; Josh brings the following well south of wowing metrics to the stopwatch and/or tape measure: below average quicks with 4.45 20-yard shuttle time; or a bottom 17% ranking for Qb’s in the same nationally. A relatively mere 24” can’t dunk vertical. Or in the bottom 33% of the same. And a relatively pokey 4.67 career best 40-time; although someone has heard he is closer to 4.7. He is also said to be a very heady Summa Cum Laude coach’s son gridiron I.Q. right between the ears. Said to have a quick-release and he did rank nearly in the 70th percentile of the power-throw; so there is some hope that his arm strength is actually above average. Does showcase a bit of an M.L.B. wheel-over classical pitchers release. Say a senior year B.Randall caliber arm or thereabouts. Or in other words, he packs an A-  game if from the heart up; and yet  his southern hemisphere’s game is more like a middle C, or R.A.T.T. just not that explosive. Finally; someone did hear that the Staff said that Josh’ played is best scholastic games on his bigger high school stage(s); and that connotes a gamer or someone who takes a shine to the spotlight.

So exactly who will win this Qb1 job -eventually- still remains to be seen. Although right now I’d peg the Pivotal probabilities as follows…

• Brenden Motley=20%
• *Jerod Evans=40% (a needs to recondition and then make a late camp move)
• Josh’ Jackson=40% (and Josh is the one gaining on the thus far flat and non-differentiating elder two of late)

(READERs note: the asterisk is where I had this Qb1 race pegged on Thurs./Fri., however there are a few indications that Evans has stepped his game up just enough to possibly have now inched ahead in a thus far Qb1 photo-finish, say 43% on him, and 37% for Jackson as of right now)

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Data mining the Memphis analytic’s under coach-Fu:

Penalties:

Remember about three four articles back; when someone opined about the buzzword of: “discipline” coming outta the Virginia Tech coach’s clinic as the #1 thing that had changed in Blacksburg, Va.? Well, just how much “discipline” was there over in Memphis under head football coach-Fu? Check it out…

• 2015: 4th from last or 123rd best in Penalties!
• 2014: his high water mark of 97th in Penalties.
• 2013: back down to 116th in Penalties.

Not exactly what I’d call: “disciplined”; how about you?

Beamerball part II:

• 2015: 18th best in punts blocked | 45th best in Kicks snuffed out.
• 2014: 16th in punts blocked | 41st in Kicks deflected.
• 2013: 11th in punts blocked | 11th in Kicks swatted.

Now mix in the fact that in 2014 Memphis ranked 1st in punt blocks and kick blocks allowed -with zero- plus ranking a nifty field position changing 28th best on average in Net Punting and I’d say you epic Special Team’s fans can very likely rejoice. As this sure looks like a return to Beamerball, Frankly speaking…

Rb’s Pigskin integrity:
Here’s a strange little nugget, holding onto the football -for Memphis Rb’s has been a dull average at best; and pretty dang bad at worst; as the Tigers conspired to average a well below average 86th best in their ability to hold onto the rock under coach-Fu.

STOP the rush; 1st!
Coach-Fu (and his Qb whisperer coach Corny) may indeed be offensive wizards extraordinaire. However, coach-Fu came up under the much much vaunted defensive-stud, one coach Patterson out at T.c.u. … accordingly, coach-Fu and all his much ballyhooed offensive acumen just finished 12th and 19th vs. the run at Memphis. Yah; I’d say he brought more than just a studly offensive Staff with him to Blacksburg, Va. men.

…and be PATIENT (on O)!!!
This crazy hyped up Fu’fense takes a while to install, and even longer to synchronize and then eventually totally master… so take a deep breath and give coach-Fu a minute or three…

• 2013: passing yards per completion=120th best!
• 2014: passing yards per completion=77th best.
• 2015: passing yards per completion=49th best.

Coach-Fu’s epic offense clearly was not built in a day; or even in his first single season. Some of yah’ll predicting 40 ppg should take a big ole deep breath; put the Acme Looney Tunes Wilie E. Coyote signature anvil down and “…don’t worry, be Hokie.” This is gonna take a bit; trust me on this one folks. Let’s all agree to caucus and ask 2017, or maybe even 2018, how this all tastes.

Virginia Tech=less than 2 weeks away!!

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

bourbonstreet**

V.A.D.A. approved