Is Bo.State for real?

Or is their schedule totally W.A.C.‘ed out?

I don’t know about you; though I am inclined to say that whenever you win a billion games in only a few years you do so more often than not via design rather than by mistake. So lets take a look-see at a few things the Bo.State offense does well and a few things that VT may be able to take advantage of.

This will be a two part preview. As such, I have included all cutting room floor material in quasi bullet format before I delve into some Bronco offensive specifics later on. Hope they mutually entertain and inform you and do look for a more standardized meat and potatoes Bo.State defense, special-teams and prediction approach later this week.

Until then, enjoy the opening 2010 Virginia Tech football preview menu, and come back oh say around Friday or so for the main-course. As Bo.State does wear blue and orange (like you know hoo) I will close this preamble by saying … bon appetite. Read the rest of this entry »

Warren Central (Indianapolis, IN), led by Virginia Tech-bound senior defensive tacklle Kris Harley, fell just short in its quest to defeat USA Today #22 Glenville of Ohio yesterday.  Warren Central took a 21-20 lead late in the fourth quarter before falling 28-21.

Harley and his teammates move to 1-1 on the season.

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Pictures have been added to the TechSideline recruiting cards of Jake Goins, Corey Marshall and Chris Hall.  I saw all three Virginia Tech recruits in action this week – Goins in a preseason practice and Marshall and Hall in preseason scrimmages against Westfield and L.C. Bird.

Goins, a 6-5, 280-pound offensive lineman, lines up at right offensive tackle for the Lancers.  He’s a good athlete – Manchester ran a relay of sorts at the end of practice, and Goins ran very, very well for a big man.  He has the versatility to play tackle or guard on the next level.

Stay tuned to TSL Pass for more on Goins early next week.

Goins hasn’t gotten the notoriety of some of Virginia Tech’s other 2011 offensive line targets such as Landon Turner or Kiaro Holts, but he appears to be a solid, solid pickup who could add depth at tackle or guard.  Goins committed to Tech over Virginia earlier in August.

After seeing Marshall in person, I stand by him as the #5 player in my Preseason Top 40 rankings.  I will update those rankings again this week, but Marshall will stay put in the fifth spot.  The 6-1, 255-pound senior made several nice plays during the Westfield scrimmage, showing off a combination of strength and athletic ability.

Hall, who projects as a tight end at Virginia Tech, is every bit of 6-4, 225 pounds.  He starts at quarterback for the Generals and made some good throws, but he made some bad ones as well.  He’ll have to get the interceptions under control for Dinwiddie to be successful this season, but the potential is there.  I was most impressed with his ability as a runner.  He’s tough to bring down.  Although he consistently timed out at 4.9-seconds in the 40 this offseason, Hall runs well with the pads on.

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Daily Press columnist David Teel writes about the potential recruiting impact of UNC’s troubles.  Certainly, if UNC is hammered by the NCAA for its alleged violations, it could help Virginia Tech.  Tech lost out to UNC for standout offensive tackles Landon Turner and Kiaro Holts.  Neither prospect has indicated a de-commitment would be imminent if something were to happen with UNC, but there is no question it would be worth it for the Hokies to at least inquire about the status of their commitments.

LB Travis Hughes and CB Demetrious Nicholson are two top remaining targets this would seem to impact the most.   Virginia Tech is currently running fourth with Kempsville (Virginia Beach, VA) star Hughes, though, and Clemson and Maryland still stand in the way in case UNC loses favor.

UNC has been the clear favorite throughout with Nicholson.  Potential UNC violations may help Tech more with the Bayside (Virginia Beach, VA) star, who camped in Blacksburg last summer and has had the Hokies high on his list throughout.  Clemson has also come on with Nicholson, who is also considering Stanford, Virginia and others.

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Today at 3 p.m. on ESPN, Virginia Tech fans can check out Good Counsel High School (Olney, MD) take on St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH).  Several Good Counsel prospects – including senior CB Blake Countess, junior WR Stefon Diggs and sophomore DB/WR Kendall Fuller - attended Tech’s July 10 camp.  Fuller, the younger brother of former VT defensive back Vincent Fuller and current Hokies Corey Fuller (junior WR) and Kyle Fuller (freshman DB), has been verbally offered by the Hokies as well as Virginia.  VT is already high on his list. 

I hope to have more on the youngest Fuller brother on TSL Pass next week.

Chris Coleman is on The Sean Bielawski Show every Wednesday at 5:10pm.   You can listen online, or in Blacksburg on ESPN Radio 1430AM, or 94.1FM.  The Sean Bielawski Show runs every weekday from 4-6pm.  Here are links to Chris Coleman’s two segments from August 25, 2010.

Segment 1

Segment 2

“Sloppy” or “ouch”.

Those were my two words to describe scrimmage#2 on the Pay message-board Saturday night.

4 dropped passes; three of which hit the intended Receiver right between the hands — note not just right between the proverbial numbers.

4 fumbles. (no less than two by D.Evans who never got started on what can only be called a bad day)

3 blocked punts.

3 consubstantial hurts.

2 minor dings and dents.

2 INT’s.

1 Dt who got tweaked no less than three times.

1 muffed pass on a FGA.

Not a pretty day; might have even been a bit of a regression from Scrimmage#1 what was surprisingly serrated. Or just what the O&M Doctor ordered; as Frank can surely crack the whip a bit in practice this week after he does film-study on Scrimmage#2. So lets take a look at what RATT stood out — be that Pro or Con… Read the rest of this entry »

Chris Coleman is on The Sean Bielawski Show every Wednesday at 5:10pm.   You can listen online, or in Blacksburg on ESPN Radio 1430AM, or 94.1FM.  The Sean Bielawski Show runs every weekday from 4-6pm.  Here are links to Chris Coleman’s two segments from August 18, 2010.

Segment 1

Segment 2

Mostly good.

That’s how I’d describe things in two notes or less on Saturday down in an unusually cool New River Valley.

Saw a lot of things I liked — for instance the antique car show and the extremely vintage fire-truck parked along Spring Road. Saw just enough young wimminz in their always fetching summertime Sun dresses. Saw all kinds of construction downtown and along Prices Fork Road. Good luck on that if you are moving in next week. If I were a betting man -and I am- I’d be hitting the over on traffic, congestion and S.N.A.F.U.’s associated with the return of VT students in the next seven days.

Also saw this little thing called Public Scrimmage#1.
So let’s get down to your very first hardcore O&M pigskin news for the 2010 season! Read the rest of this entry »

What would you do with L.T. as the 2011 heir apparent at the Pivot position (Qb) as all things 2010 go?

It’s not an easy choice — is it?
So lets see what the good people of TSL.com have to say…..

Where would you play Logan Thomas in 2010??? Qb: toughest position to learn on the field; you can never get too many Qb reps. Te: always put your best ballers on the field. Te needs help, L.T. was the #1 Te out of high school. Qb and Te: gives L.T. some situational Te plays; though keep him at Qb most of the time. View Results  Loading ...

Now lets take a quick look-see at each option of this O&M hot-topic: Read the rest of this entry »

The 2010 Virginia Tech defense is nothing if not fast.

How fast are they?

Very possibly top-2 fastest in the Beamer-bowl era and yes; they just might strike a rightful stopwatch claim to being the fastest VT stop-unit (overall) ever!

That’s what I like to call O&M greased lightening folks — and yes, I will take speed over bulk anyday of the week and twice on Saturdays inside Lane Stadium.

However, how light -in the pants- is too light?
This could shake out to be not only the fastest VT defense in years; it is also one of the lightest.
Check it out………………… Read the rest of this entry »

Click me for Chris Coleman’s VT Qb preview:

I know I am one of the very few students who ever loved Mathematics.

When you have 36 hours of Calc and Stats banging around between your ears; it just has to find a useful home — somewhere, sometime, somehow.

Those subject line digits showcase just how much better a 2009 full-time 13 game starting and fully ensconced T-mobile was compared to an incoming part-time or alternating 2007-2008 TT with a highly visible, (rightfully) less than thrilled, and highly motivated S.Glennon competing or perhaps even tailgating in T’mobile’s rear-view signal-calling O&M mirror. Read the rest of this entry »

Virginia Tech fell short with three 2011 offensive line targets, including Warren Central (Indianapolis, IN) standout Kiaro Holts (UNC), Harrisonburg (VA) star Landon Turner (UNC) and Tennessee (Bristol, TN) standout Mack Crowder (UT).  Crowder, an interior line prospect, committed to the Volunteers on Friday.

Frank Beamer could put an end to this streak soon.  A decision is expected as early as this week from another high offensive line target in Manchester (Midlothian, VA) offensive tackle Jake Goins, who is considering a final three of Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

The 6-5, 285-pound prospect visited VT and UVa this week and seems primed to make a commitment somewhere.  Tech, which had originally offered a grey-shirt opportunity, has now indicated to Goins that he would have the option of regular enrollment (the summer of 2011) or grey-shirt enrollment (Jan of 2012).

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On Monday, August 2, Cave Spring (Roanoke, VA) linebacker/safety Michael Cole  will announce his college choice on Greg Roberts’ radio show on WFIR 960AM between 5 pm and 6:45 pm.  Cole is expected to choose Penn State or Virginia Tech.  Stay tuned to TSL for coverage of the announcement.

The 6-2, 200-pound rising senior is ranked #17 in TSL’s Preseason In-State Top 40.

A commitment from Cole or Goins would be nice, but scoring both would be a boost to Virginia Tech’s 2011 class.  Currently, eight prospects have committed.  Four of those commitments hail from the Commonwealth.

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Virginia Tech has made inroads with Gilman (Baltimore, MD) WR/DB Darius Jennings.  The 5-11, 175-pound athlete plans to visit four schools this week before narrowing his list to a top 10.  Jennings made an unofficial visit to Tech in July and came away impressed.

Stay tuned to TSL Pass for more on the big-time prospect later this week.