Latest / Boundary Corner Podcast / 2023 Season Predictions

Transcript

2023 Season Predictions · Boundary Corner Podcast

0:00
Before we kick off tonight's episode, we wanted to send our
0:02
sincerest thoughts, prayers, and condolences to Caleb Farley and
0:06
his family, Hokie Nation. Please join us in lifting up
0:09
Caleb in the coming days as he processes this tragedy.
1:01
And welcome back to the Boundary Corner Podcast along with my
1:05
partners Brian Siegler, Jonathan Talley, and Shelton Moss.
1:09
I am Curtis Wilson in this episode is brought to you by
1:12
Doctor Jeremy Counts at the Main Street Pharmacy in Blacksburg.
1:16
Your friendly neighborhood pharmacy located at Three O 1 S
1:20
Main St. in Blacksburg. Place again, I said last week.
1:24
I'll say it again. I cannot wait to get there just
1:26
a few weeks from now. How's everybody doing tonight,
1:28
boys? Rocking and rolling, man.
1:31
Rocking and rolling. It's another Tuesday and we're
1:33
back. Live football's here.
1:36
Football. Time to go week 0.
1:39
And wait. Week 0, we've got games on
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Saturday. Whether you think they're worth
1:45
watching, I think it's of everyone's own discretion, but
1:48
there are games on Saturday. And as usual, we sit two weeks
1:52
out from roughly 2 weeks out from the Hokies kicking off, and
1:56
tonight we are going to have our big season preview episode.
2:01
We're going to be looking at our predictions, We're going to be
2:03
taking a look at all the games. We're going to be also breaking
2:06
down what we feel like are three key players for the year.
2:11
And then we've got to address something right boys?
2:13
We got to address the article that came out last Friday from
2:17
Andrea Adelson at ESPN. Been a quiet offseason in
2:22
Blacksburg until that happened. You know, last week I had
2:25
mentioned something there. There hadn't been any articles
2:27
of the Turkey bacon persuasion. And sure is shit.
2:30
Yeah. Couple days later, this thing
2:32
hits the feed. I'm like, well, there we are.
2:35
That's the way it goes, man. But Brian, before we get into
2:38
all that, we got a couple other things we're going to uncover.
2:40
And tonight we are going to be joined by a special guest.
2:44
Our friend Grayson Wimbush is now joining us tonight.
2:48
And he's got a little something he wants to bring to the
2:50
forefront. Grayson, how you doing this
2:51
evening, man? I'm doing great.
2:53
Curtis, how you doing? Thank you for having me again.
2:56
It's great to be back pretty much a week later.
2:58
I mean, it's always good to have you man your takes, you know,
3:02
just talking with you before we got in here, It's always fun
3:05
talking it really honest to God is.
3:07
But we know you've got something very near and dear to your heart
3:11
that we're gonna, we're gonna shoot right out the gate.
3:14
So go ahead and tell us what you got.
3:17
Yeah, absolutely. So I do.
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I do want to take this time to tell y'all I I started this
3:23
offseason a campaign. It's called Rowdy for Robbie.
3:25
It goes to benefit the Testicular Cancer Awareness
3:29
Foundation started by Kim Jones and her husband after their son
3:33
Jordan passed away from testicular cancer.
3:36
My buddy Robbie Armbrister die hard as of a hokey as you could
3:40
possibly get. And and just he passed away last
3:44
September. As a result of testicular
3:46
cancer. And so I I started this to raise
3:51
awareness, to raise education. The TCAF, they funnel money into
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areas where they educate men at the college level about the
3:59
illness. And this fall in Lot 1, we're
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going to be selling these wristbands.
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Where's my camera? It's over there that says Rowdy
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for Robbie and they're going to be 7 bucks.
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But I made a little video kind of explaining all of this.
4:10
So Brian, hit it Whenever you're ready, man.
4:13
Thank you. Hey friends, family, hokey fans.
4:17
My name is Grayson Windish and around this time of year I would
4:20
normally be putting out a Virginia Tech football hype
4:22
trailer, but instead I decided this year.
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I want to take this time to tell you about my very good friend
4:29
Robbie Armbrister. My family met Robbie Armbrister
4:33
in the fall of 2015 in Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA, in
4:38
Section 10 as a part of the 2015 reseeding for the year.
4:44
And upon seeing him for the first time, we were immediately
4:48
drawn to and amused by this very rowdy, rambunctious hokey
4:52
yelling at the ref from missing a pass interference call as the
4:56
season went on. He would always be the only one
4:59
standing up the entire time in Section 10.
5:02
Mind you, this is a section where there's a lot of old
5:04
alumni who love to sit down for the entirety of these football
5:07
games, but he was never afraid to tell someone telling him to
5:11
sit down hey, when I'm in Lane Stadium.
5:14
I'm standing up to cheer on my team.
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I don't know about you, but that's how I roll.
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Robbie always held the attitude that despite a 21 point deficit,
5:23
the Hokies would find a way to pick up the pieces, come back
5:27
and leave Lane Stadium with a win.
5:29
As time went on and more football seasons past, my
5:32
brothers, my mother and father and I always look forward to
5:35
seeing Robbie at football games. We became friends on social
5:38
media. We always shook each other's
5:40
hands prior to kick off, talk to each other about the thoughts of
5:44
the day's football contest, and got ready to cheer on Virginia
5:48
Tech through the wins and losses.
5:50
Robbie would turn around and yell, we're going to do it when
5:53
this boys, we're going to do it. Whether or not that actually
5:57
happened, Robbie always believed that the 12th man could pull the
6:01
Hokies to a victory. One of my favorite memories of
6:04
Robbie was watching him lose his voice in real time at the six
6:08
overtime UNC game in 2019. Shoulder to shoulder, we watched
6:14
as Quincy Patterson rushed for the game-winning two point
6:17
conversion. And I, like many other hokey
6:20
fans, will never, ever forget that evening as long as I live,
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whether it was the Tar Heels in North Carolina, the Miami
6:28
Hurricanes, or somewhere in between.
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Robbie Armbrister became a staple piece in my family's game
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day experience and I always looked forward to seeing my
6:37
friend whenever I would come home to Blacksburg from Los
6:40
Angeles. In March of 2022, I found out
6:45
that Robbie was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
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When I learned this, I immediately thought to myself,
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if there's one person I know who would smile in the face of his
6:56
illness, it would be my friend Robbie.
6:59
I was confident as ever that he would fight with the courage and
7:03
the same positive attitude that he was always known and loved
7:06
for. In September of last year, I
7:09
traveled home to Blacksburg from LA to watch Virginia Tech take
7:12
on the Boston College Eagles, and as I walked up the ramp into
7:16
Section 10A, familiar face stopped me as I started the
7:20
trick up to my seats. It was Robbie and as one can
7:24
imagine, I was ecstatic to see him.
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I was able to give him a big hug and tell him how much he meant
7:29
to my family and I. And little did I know that this
7:33
moment would be the last moment I would ever see Robbie in the
7:37
same place that our friendship started.
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Less than three weeks later, on September 27th, 2022, Robbie
7:45
Armbrister passed away at the age of 31 due to complications
7:50
from testicular cancer over the last month.
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I've had the honor and the privilege to get to know
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Robbie's parents along with some of his closest friends, and talk
8:00
to them about how much their son and their friend meant to my
8:04
family and so many others. With the blessing of Robbie's
8:08
family, I've decided to start Rowdy for Robbie, a campaign to
8:11
raise awareness for testicular cancer.
8:14
This fall. These wristbands will be for
8:17
sale in Lot 1. On several home game days
8:20
throughout the season, they're going to be $7.00 cash for Venmo
8:23
in honor of Robbie's favorite football player to play at
8:26
Virginia Tech, Michael Vick, and all the proceeds will go to the
8:29
Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation in an effort to
8:33
educate young men at the collegiate level about the
8:36
illness. More details will be released on
8:39
exactly where they're going to be able to be purchased in the
8:41
coming weeks. So with this in mind, I do want
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to take this time to turn it over to Robbie's father, Gary
8:47
Armbrister. Was going to tell you a little
8:49
bit more about Robbie's Memorial Fund.
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Thank you, Grayson, and thanks for sponsoring the Rowdy for
8:56
Robbie campaign benefiting testicular cancer awareness.
9:01
Our son Robbie became a hokey at a very young age.
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He was influenced by his granddad, armbrister, me and
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aunt, 2 uncles, his brother and a first cousin who all attended
9:16
Virginia Tech. On the Hokie Inner Sandman and
9:20
Let's Go Hokie Scales, Robbie ranked near the top.
9:25
Anyone seeing and hearing Robbie knew he was a true Hokie 1.
9:30
Characteristic prevalent and almost every story was his
9:35
ability to communicate with absolutely everyone he
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encountered. Robbie never met a stranger,
9:43
only made new friends who instantly became part of our
9:47
family. He wanted to know everyone's
9:49
story, and in each story he found some commonality that
9:54
bound that person to him and to his family.
9:59
Robbie exemplified the quote, Never looked down on someone
10:04
unless you're helping them up. Through all his pursuits, Robbie
10:08
was a free spirit, uninhibited and carefree, yet intentional
10:13
and bringing people together. Through his joyful personality,
10:17
infectious smile and endearing laugh in memory of Robbie's
10:22
giving and caring spirit and to carry on his legacy, my wife
10:27
Lisa, Robbie's brother Wes, and I founded the Robbie Armbrister
10:33
Memorial Family Services Fund last fall following his passing.
10:39
Robbie's Memorial Fund is a component fund of the Community
10:43
Foundation of the New River Valley.
10:46
Based in Christiansburg, VA, the primary purpose of Robbie's Fund
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is to support children, youth, young adults and young families
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with children under the age of 25 that are in crisis or need a
11:01
hand up and are located principally in the Virginia
11:05
counties of Henry and Width, the two counties where Robbie spent
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most of his short life and where he called home.
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For more information about how you can give to the Robbie
11:19
Armbrister Memorial Fund, please visit www.cfnrv.org or please
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visit www.celebraterobbie.love. We hope you will consider a
11:41
generous donation to Robbie's fund and also.
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Don't forget to buy you Rowdy for Robbie wristband and let's
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go Hokies back to you Grayson. And thanks again for all you're
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doing. Thank you for that, Gary.
11:56
It goes without saying that my friend Robbie Armbrister truly
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embodied in every way what it meant to be in Virginia Tech.
12:03
Hokie. He was humble in defeat and he
12:06
was rowdy as ever in victory. And while he is, no.
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Longer with us here on Earth. His spirit lives on in every
12:14
single Virginia Tech fan across Hokie Nation, so with the 2023
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football season upon us, I plan on honoring my friend this year,
12:22
and always by joining the fight against testicular cancer and
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always being rowdy for Robbie Go Hokies.
13:06
Grayson, what a great tribute, definitely, to Robbie there.
13:13
Sorry man, that that that that makes you just think a lot more
13:17
about everything in your life, so.
13:21
Great tribute. I love what you're doing in
13:24
this. And let's educate us a little
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bit more. I put the CFN rv.org website in
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all the comments here, so if you folks want to take a look at
13:32
that while you're listening, please do so.
13:35
But we're in Lot 1. Can we go buy these things when
13:38
we all head down this year? Yes.
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So the exact spot number we're going to drop next week, but
13:45
it's it's right now we're we're trying to find a time slot.
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I am not coming home for any Virginia Tech football game this
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season, so I will not physically be there.
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I wish I could be, but I cannot. So it's going to be my parents
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and then Mr. And Missus Armbrister, they're going to be
14:02
there hanging out. There's going to be a Venmo tab
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with Rowdy for Robbie on it. And so we get we've got an
14:09
account set up and then we're also going to take, we're going
14:12
to accept cash as well. And literally every single dime
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of this, like I said, is going to TCAF.
14:19
Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation in an effort to
14:23
educate men at the college level about testicular cancer, how how
14:27
to properly check themselves. I know when I was in college,
14:31
being a young man like you kind of get the feeling every now and
14:34
again that you're invincible and you just don't take these things
14:38
maybe as seriously as you should.
14:41
And I kind of wish back then even someone had told me about
14:44
this and or educated me on it. But I, Robbie, was the man,
14:50
y'all would have loved him, had a smile that could brighten up
14:53
any room. And I just know that I know that
14:56
he's going to love this. So shout into a great friend and
15:00
a great hokey. Yeah, just just seeing the
15:02
photos and him and everybody talk about it sounds like he had
15:05
a huge personality, fun to be around and and and brought his
15:09
own juice everywhere he went. Oh yeah.
15:12
I mean, like, I'll just never, ever forget.
15:15
Watching that six overtime game and every time the overtimes
15:18
would switch back and forth, just hands on his head, like
15:21
can't believe we're doing this right now.
15:22
Can't believe we're doing this right now.
15:24
It's like, but he would look back up to my family is like
15:27
we're. Still here?
15:30
Still here? But, and then, like I said in
15:34
the video, you know, when I got to see him last year at Boston
15:37
College, I'm just, I'm glad I was able to have that
15:39
interaction. I didn't even think he was in
15:41
town, but but I. Love is folks is folks are great
15:46
people. They'll be at a few games this
15:48
fall and our goal is to get his picture in the Rowdy for Robbie
15:53
Banner on the Jumbotron at Lane Stadium for a game.
15:57
We are actively working on that. So if anyone has anyone who
16:01
might be able to help with that, I'm working to pull some
16:04
strings. But if anyone knows anyone see
16:06
if we can make that happen? Sounds awesome.
16:08
Awesome. I'm sure there is someone out
16:11
there between all the people you have made friends with over all
16:15
these years. Grayson, that it will happen and
16:18
Grayson will. I'll ask this before we go to
16:20
the next thing. Please send us text, DM,
16:23
whatever, just letting us know where it's going to be week to
16:26
week. We will make sure every week we
16:27
will say where that is. I really hope they're at the
16:31
Purdue game because all four of these guys will walk there.
16:34
We will find it. We will.
16:36
I know author of my 7:00. Books.
16:38
Oh yeah. Absolutely.
16:41
And yeah, that was like 7. He loved Michael Vick.
16:44
That was his favorite player, but he was also a nasty soccer
16:47
player and he wore 7. I found this out from his dad as
16:50
well. So some MV7 inspiration there.
16:55
A man after my own heart. Shout out to Michael Vick.
16:59
Again, look for that out at Wayne Stadium in Lot 1 rowdy for
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Robbie Grayson. You're staying with us tonight
17:06
because you're going to preview just like we are.
17:09
But before we actually get to, we'll go to the article.
17:11
But, Mr. Siegel, I'm going to give you the floor.
17:13
Man. Some news was broken this week
17:15
that I know you have to discuss about your former head coach
17:17
down in the city. Yeah, I wanted to say a big, big
17:22
time. Congratulations to my former
17:24
head coach at Hampden City, Marty Marty Favret.
17:28
He announced this week that he will be retiring at the end of
17:31
the 2023 season. You know this.
17:36
This is a big, big announcement that he has been there since
17:39
1999. Five ODAC championships in that
17:43
time, six division, three football championship playoff
17:47
appearances and 18 of the 23 seasons he's coached so far.
17:53
He's had a 500 or better record. During my time there, we lost
17:57
three games. This guy is a legend at Hampden,
18:01
Sydney. It's it's not really any sort of
18:04
question about the the all time GOAT in terms of football head
18:08
coaches at hand and Sydney Marty Favret stands alone and just
18:13
want to say congratulations and we'll we'll definitely be
18:17
thinking about you this year and I can I know right now you know
18:20
thinking about you know practice today he definitely said run it
18:25
again probably at least 10 times and he probably said we look
18:28
like a fucking clown show another five or six.
18:31
So I'm I'm excited to see what the, what the outcome is going
18:35
to be for this team in this final season.
18:37
But Congrats Coach and thank you for everything.
18:41
Very well said, very well, said Siegel.
18:43
And something that Y'all ever want to pick Siegel's brain when
18:46
we're down in Blacksburg on football in general concepts
18:50
they were running 20 years ago for at the D3 level.
18:53
As things that have leaked into D1 level games, I can remember
18:56
going watching it and I remember that wasn't what I was seeing
18:59
on. My screen when I went back to
19:01
Longwood. Like, what is this 15 years
19:05
later? It's a commonality place to see
19:07
some of the stuff y'all were doing back then and and and
19:09
coming from a like a power eye formation you know just straight
19:14
run and some some deep shots in high school and then going to a
19:18
pretty innovative offense in college was was a big step and
19:22
but I mean I loved every second of it and you know it it took
19:26
the ODAC 15 to 20 years to catch up to what Marty was doing back
19:31
in 99 and 2000 So that that that that tells you a whole lot right
19:35
there. You said Hampton Sydney, right?
19:38
Yeah, yeah. It's all all male College it is,
19:41
yeah. Well, hell, he didn't have much
19:43
to get you motivated and go win, you know, go win.
19:48
We'll let you go talk to the girls.
19:50
We need to get you down there on the weekend and you'll you'll
19:52
see a little bit of a whole situation.
19:54
Longwood College. That's where all the girls are.
19:58
They come in from everywhere long.
19:59
When they bust them in from islands, they bust them in from
20:01
sweet bride, they bust them in from everywhere.
20:03
Man, we went to College in the early 1900s.
20:06
You know, it wasn't no, no, Tinder and Twitter and all that.
20:08
It was like you are here to play football and if you win, we may
20:12
let you look at a woman. I will say when I first got
20:16
there, we were still doing 3 days, man.
20:17
So it was a it was a full day of football.
20:20
It was a full day of football. That's awesome though, man.
20:23
Congratulations to your coach on successful career.
20:27
I'm sure he's touched a lot of lot of young men and.
20:29
He's he's going to get there with his grand grandkids now and
20:33
get to spend a lot more time with them going forward.
20:35
Awesome. All right.
20:37
Congrats to him. Well, let's flip it, boys.
20:39
Let's start talking some hokey ball.
20:40
We got a lot of things to cover tonight.
20:42
But before we start anything off, we've got to talk about the
20:46
article dropped last Friday, 7:00 AM sharp by Andrea Adelson
20:49
at ESPN. And I'm going to just open the
20:52
floor. What shocked?
20:53
Y'all what didn't? Let me lead off here.
21:00
I wasn't, I wasn't shocked by a lot of what I saw.
21:03
I'll tell you what I was shocked about.
21:05
I think some of the details of kind of the bigger parts of the
21:10
story. So like hearing about some of
21:12
the the air conditioning situations that were going on
21:17
with players that they were getting on campus, hearing some
21:21
of the. Details of the internal
21:27
kerfuffles between John Belin and Justin Fuente.
21:34
Some of some of the little the little angles here and there and
21:38
that that's what shocked me. Some of the little details, the
21:41
big picture of what the article said and kind of what was going
21:44
on. I wasn't really that shocked
21:46
because I mean we we, we've talked about it before in
21:49
various different venues of of. You know it's not just a on the
21:54
field problem. There's a lot going on off the
21:57
field from an administrative standpoint, from an
22:01
organizational standpoint that that we need to improve, that's
22:05
getting held back in some ways. I think we kind of have a good
22:09
idea of of where that may may lie at this point.
22:12
So that that's my take. Like I said, I'm not super
22:16
shocked, but definitely it's it's good to kind of, you know.
22:20
Color in some of the some of the gaps there for sure.
22:23
I want to tell you the one thing I was like, I I we had heard so
22:26
many of these stories. The only thing that kind of
22:29
shocked me was the whole thing about the equipment.
22:33
Like they needed to basically a coaches to buy them gloves.
22:36
I'm assuming there were some padding, there were some other
22:38
things. And it's like it's a Division
22:41
One football program. That shit should not be
22:43
happening. Clearly now things have been
22:45
self corrected, things are going in the right direction, but for
22:49
the longest time Tally is before you joined us.
22:52
We said mom and pop. We were running shit like a mom
22:56
and pop. And now clearly things have
22:59
really shifted really in the last probably three years more
23:02
than anything. But that's the one thing that
23:04
did shock me. Tally, what do you think?
23:07
You're kind of the same like you say it is.
23:10
You want to be big time football, but you're running it
23:12
like a like a mom and pop. I mean, you can't do that.
23:15
You know, talking about redoing a locker room and keeping the
23:21
same weights, weights, way the same, you know, having stuff
23:28
like that come out. It's funny to me because I'm a
23:30
goofball, but it's just like people with money know how to
23:34
keep their money. I guess you know what I'm
23:36
saying? But you got to spend money.
23:38
You got to spend money to to to make money, essentially.
23:42
So. Grayson Well, I'm saying
23:44
Grayson's got that in his tagline there.
23:50
I just thought that was so funny.
23:52
Well, yeah, we'll we can talk about that later, I guess.
23:54
But remember last week, gentlemen, on on the preview
23:58
panel I gave our offseason. An A -.
24:02
I think it got bumped down. Plus with this with this
24:06
article, I, you know, here's my thing, I don't think anything
24:11
like this article surprises me anymore.
24:13
But in case maybe the only thing that does, it's just timing of
24:17
it. Like you know everything was
24:19
going so great and then all of a sudden it's bomb like just the
24:23
article comes out of nowhere. So I try and not waste.
24:28
Too much headspace thinking about it, you know?
24:30
Or the former regime, especially.
24:32
They're gone. We've torn them up down sideways
24:36
across the board and Coach Prize the guy now.
24:38
So I hope you should be focused on that.
24:40
There you go. Show them what you got.
24:43
Yeah, a few things to say about this.
24:44
First of all, I was not shocked at anything the article, mainly
24:47
because I had talked to a lot of people that confirmed pretty
24:49
much everything that was said in there, to reiterate the point
24:52
about BT being run like a mom and pop show.
24:55
A few things. We were the last program in
24:57
America, the last Power 5 football program to have a
25:00
huddle account for perspective. That is like a baseball team not
25:03
having a radar gun to evaluate pitchers in 2019.
25:08
In 2019, we had two full time recruiting staffers.
25:12
By some metrics, our support staff was the worst in the Power
25:14
of Five, even worse than UVA before the dining hall was open.
25:19
The nutrition center in 2021, I believe.
25:22
Our players are mainly fed to fast food catering after
25:24
practice, so that included Jimmy John's Subs, Domino's Pizza.
25:27
I know someone who had to go buy Klu Herbert Cookout every single
25:31
week because he was not getting enough food.
25:32
So that kind of contextualizes, you know, what we were dealing
25:35
with back during the The 20 Ten's.
25:38
Obviously Fuente failed for a variety of reasons, which we
25:40
have discussed ad nauseam, but I do think this article is very
25:44
important in contextualizing, you know, why Virginia Tech
25:46
struggled. And the lack of emphasis on
25:49
those sort of insular functions that go into having a successful
25:52
Power 5 football program. As far as why the article was
25:55
released this week, Andrea Adelson said in a tweet that she
25:59
spent twenty months writing it because she wanted to interview
26:02
as many people as possible and be as thorough as possible.
26:05
In my opinion, that's good journalism.
26:07
I know that the timing is a little bit awkward, but I can
26:10
understand from her perspective why she felt the need to make
26:15
sure that everything was properly vetted.
26:17
And and as accurate as possible. So that's that.
26:21
Obviously we've moved on. I think we're a much better spot
26:23
now, but I do think it was a very necessary article so people
26:26
could see the truth about what the Virginia Technical Program
26:28
was dealing with. Yeah, great.
26:30
Great point, Sheldon. Thank you for bringing all that
26:32
up. And obviously Shelton being down
26:34
there plugged in even more so to the situation.
26:38
You know, the other things that came out was the stuff about
26:41
John Belin, who's currently part of the administrative staff.
26:44
Nothing really shot me there either because it's when a guy
26:47
has been in a position that long, you can see struggles like
26:50
that happen. You can see a new coach coming
26:53
in and you know, I'm, I'm going to do it this way.
26:56
I want to do it this way. And there's going to be butting
26:59
of heads. Anyone that ever has worked in a
27:01
corporate structure or in any sort of management or with any
27:04
sort of thing like that that happened.
27:06
I guarantee you all five of us in in our different career path
27:10
has seen that happen. So there were some bombshells.
27:14
And you know the one thing that I that that still catch me and
27:16
I've got the article up here, I'm looking at it, It was they
27:19
always would ask how Frank would want to do things, but they
27:23
never asked it how Justin want to do things.
27:25
And I feel like that is something that I don't think
27:28
happens anymore because I got a feeling in that building right
27:30
now, hey, we're about to do this with the logo.
27:33
West Coast, probably think about it.
27:35
Y'all better go down to that office and tell him what you're
27:37
about to do, because I don't think that shit flies anymore.
27:41
Yeah, that was hard to be. Always hard to be the man after
27:44
the man. Yeah, it's hard to be the man
27:46
after the man. And I'll say this, I think I
27:49
came in and he not only brought in guys that could help him on
27:55
the recruiting front to build that that recruiting roster up,
27:59
but the other thing he did he he put guys like Mike Hazel and
28:03
Mike Villagrana between him and some of the administration.
28:08
So he's got guys that are that are sounding boards on various.
28:11
Football related topics that he trusts that trust him that are a
28:15
buffer between him and and and maybe in this case of John
28:20
Berlin to to kind of keep the program running in the direction
28:24
that I think he wants to steer it.
28:28
That's kind of the thing that I think didn't happen is that, you
28:32
know, we know that Berlin was very trusted when Frank was
28:37
coaching and. We know that he got put in a
28:41
position very close to Justin Fuente during the transition,
28:46
and it seems like everything that Beamer did was the 100%
28:53
right way. And if it wasn't that, there was
28:57
going to be some sandbagging. And you know that that makes
29:03
that makes your job all the harder.
29:05
And you know when when we look at that, it's like.
29:10
We got to move, we got to move past Beamer.
29:12
We still got to respect our legacy, but we've got to move
29:15
past. Well, Beamer did it this way.
29:17
So that's the right way to do it.
29:20
Like there's got to be some sort of cut off there, and I think
29:23
that didn't happen especially during that transition.
29:28
Sheldon, I get your mute off, so I have a feeling you want to say
29:30
something here. Yeah, nothing too much.
29:33
I mean, like I said, you know? Blinn's been there for a long
29:36
time. Obviously, you know, I haven't
29:37
met the guys. I'm not going to make any of
29:38
your personal comments, but he does have a very fierce loyalty
29:42
to Beamer. Obviously, you know, he's been
29:45
with him forever. And so I think he was more of
29:47
the mindset that, well, this is the way we've done in the past
29:49
and it worked. But obviously that's that's not
29:52
that works anymore. And look, the rally is, if you
29:54
are not investing and and trying to keep up with the times, you
29:57
are falling behind. And that's just what happened to
29:59
Virginia Tech in the twenty 10s. It happens.
30:02
It doesn't mean that everyone in the administration is dumb or
30:04
terrible and or an idiot. It's just the nature of life.
30:07
You fall behind, other teams catch up and now we have to play
30:10
catch up right now. So it's just a circle of life.
30:13
I think like I said, BT's in a much better spot, so we can
30:15
acknowledge that there has been some progress made to.
30:20
Shelton's point and again, I love what Shelton said.
30:24
In the sense of I mean. It's not my place to come on to
30:28
this podcast and and bash anyone that I've never met or speak on
30:33
things behind the walls of Merriman that I I don't know
30:36
about. John Belen's been around the
30:39
program four years, ever since I was probably three years old or
30:44
whenever he he jumped on board. I think in the case of John
30:49
Belen, you you. Have to evolve with the game,
30:54
and he's had so many roles within the athletic department
30:58
where it doesn't seem like maybe there's been an effort made even
31:03
a little bit to do that. So maybe that's where the
31:06
frustration come. Well, not Maybe that's where the
31:08
frustration comes from, from a lot of Virginia Tech fans and
31:12
you don't. I don't want to word this the
31:15
wrong way, but you can't have stains on a program that is
31:20
trying to grow. And is trying to better itself.
31:24
So when people, people need a fall guy, always someone to
31:28
point the finger and say it's that one person's fault and you
31:32
know, you could point the finger at him, but I don't.
31:34
I don't think that'd be fair. But.
31:37
Yeah, you know, the game is evolving and we got to keep up.
31:42
So however that happens, it's just got to happen a. 100%, And
31:46
that's the thing. And you just said it like
31:48
passing out the blame. It's a little bit on everyone.
31:52
It's a little bit on everyone. You can't say it's all him, it's
31:54
all him. It's all them, it's all them.
31:57
Everyone had a little bit to do with it.
31:58
And I think what's happening, Shelton, you've made it and you
32:01
and Shelton keeps going back to it.
32:03
Shelton's looking forward. It looks like the corrections
32:06
are being made. That's the more important part
32:09
because if this article was coming out and some of the
32:11
things that we know that are going on right now like the
32:14
nutrition center being built, like the dorms being built, like
32:18
the changes to obviously the support staff.
32:21
Then it would be a bigger issue, right?
32:23
About the new weights. Go ahead, Grayson.
32:28
Here's my honest question to whit Babcock I I hope he's
32:32
listening. Why would you spend hundreds of
32:37
$1,000,000 hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade facilities
32:41
at large and not finish the job with the weights?
32:45
Like, how much are those weights collectively?
32:49
They can't be over. $100,000, could they in that ballpark
32:55
roughly. It's like if you're spending
32:57
that much money, just finish it, take it all the way.
33:03
That's that's all I have to say. And the quote is just funny just
33:06
hearing the fact that the WIT said that weights way the same.
33:10
He's not wrong, but. He's not wrong, but.
33:13
But come on. Come on, he kind of wrong.
33:17
Yeah, he's. I just got it wrong.
33:21
I mean, if y'all want me to go into it, I don't look like I
33:24
lifted. Let it.
33:25
Let it go. Let it ride, man.
33:27
Let it ride. Tell us what you got.
33:28
So people who lift weights, free weights, most of the time
33:33
they're going to, they're going to take hits, drop, fall chips
33:38
are going to happen. So in a sense over, I mean we
33:41
worked with rubber weights as well.
33:43
You know, people would cut them, do different things.
33:46
So old weights, if it's a £25 weight and it's been there for
33:53
25 years, it's it may not be 20-5 pounds anymore, 22.
33:57
And 1/2 it may be 22 1/2 which is different.
34:01
So weight don't weigh the same. I will, I will piggy back on
34:05
that real quick. I'll let you finish tally.
34:06
But like, I mean, when we used to lift, we that we do, you
34:09
know, risk strengthening stuff and you know, we have to, you
34:12
know, grab plates and we have a clock on us and we'd have to
34:15
hold the plates for, you know, however, however long.
34:18
You'd always find the ones that were newer because you could get
34:22
your fingertips underneath them bitches a lot better than the
34:24
ones that were older that it worn down a little bit.
34:27
They were a little slicker, They might slip out your hands, you
34:30
know, in the middle of that clock and then you got to have
34:32
to do some up downs or you know a couple extra gassers or
34:36
something like that. So you got to find the weights
34:38
that are that are new. Yeah man, it is, it is.
34:41
It's crazy. But I mean for me, just the last
34:46
to to finish off the, to talk about the, the, the article, it
34:50
wasn't. I mean I guess I'll talk a lot
34:52
or I listen a lot. So I've talked to a lot of
34:54
people and like Shelton said, I mean it's a lot of this stuff
34:58
that was already kind of known. Yeah, it was like the timing of
35:02
it kind of threw me off a little bit because it's like I'm
35:05
getting ready for the game. I'm ready to see some football
35:08
and then you see something like that.
35:09
But it's like most of the stuff in there it it had already been
35:12
said and it had already been known so.
35:14
Yep. I like what we got here.
35:16
Dwight saying just a heads up not hearsay.
35:18
Even Bud admitted when these changes were warranted and the
35:21
program had gotten stale. And I'm going to leave it at
35:23
this y'all and and I said it before and I think we all be.
35:28
It's a lot of blame to go around how far we fell behind and for
35:32
years like 2004 when we were the third highest salary in the
35:36
country. It's time to get back there.
35:38
So. Let's drop that where it is
35:41
right there, because now we get to talk about the upcoming
35:44
season, the 2023 hokey football season, and we're going to do a
35:48
little something different tonight.
35:50
All five of us have picked on each side of the ball 3
35:54
gentlemen that we feel are going to be key players for the year
35:57
of 2023. So what we're going to do is
36:00
we're going to start on the defensive side of the ball.
36:02
We're going to go through each room if we have a player that we
36:05
feel, we're going to name who they are.
36:07
And we're going to discuss why we feel, in our own personal
36:10
opinion, it is that way. So we're going to start on
36:13
defense and we're going to start in the linebacker room.
36:16
And the name that appeared more than one time was Kalai Lawson
36:22
Tally, you put him as one of yours.
36:25
Why'd you put him, man? Hey, look at him, You know what
36:29
I'm saying? Y'all seen pictures of him.
36:33
Oh, we've seen them, we've seen them.
36:34
And he got into. The fridge list, I mean, let him
36:36
get off the bus first. We need to one of the knocks
36:38
that I've always had for Virginia Tech, you know, going
36:41
and watch them play. I would go to Atlanta and watch
36:44
us play Georgia Tech, which is, you know, a team that's very
36:48
similar to us. Now we might not want to admit
36:51
it, but they are. We were always so much smaller
36:54
than everybody that I wouldn't watch us play.
36:57
You know, sometimes we have some heart and we play hard, but like
37:00
just physically Jermaine Edmonds was, he looks totally different
37:06
than anybody else on the field. I get it.
37:08
He is a freak too. But you know, we only have a
37:11
couple of players that that looked apart.
37:13
So I think that we're getting back to actually having a Power
37:18
five looking football team, which I'm very glad about.
37:23
But Lawson's just one of those guys where he looks the part and
37:26
he's also athletic enough where he can do some things different
37:30
at that linebacker position. He can, he can cover.
37:33
We seen him make the tip pass interception last year.
37:38
Not only that, returning for a touchdown.
37:40
You know, we got to see some stuff like that out of our
37:42
linebacker room to to just have us competing.
37:45
So that's why why I'm thinking him.
37:47
I think he's going to have a good year this year.
37:50
Sheldon, you were another one that texted me, Kalai Lawson.
37:52
Why is he on your radar as one of the key players?
37:56
Yeah, like Todd said, he's just a physical freak.
37:58
It kind of reminds me, I know it's a different position, but
38:01
Divine Diablo back a few years ago at safety, people always
38:04
say, man, that dude is a specimen.
38:06
I would say the same about about K Lawson.
38:08
Long, athletic, long arms. I mean, that's exactly what you
38:12
want. I know.
38:13
You know, for him, obviously he's got a lot of work to do.
38:15
The greats last season where you know less a lot to be desired.
38:18
But he's still learning. I think for for me, he's got the
38:21
highest ceiling by far in this linebacker, this linebacker room
38:24
because his physical attributes. So I'm really excited to see how
38:27
he develops. Yep.
38:28
And I this was one of mine as well.
38:30
Folks on was Kalala, Lawson and I kind of look back.
38:34
Tally mentioned that Georgia Tech game, really the last three
38:36
games of the season, because the first half of the season he
38:39
wasn't playing much. He was getting spots here and
38:41
there, doing some special teams. But in the last three games of
38:44
the season, 16 total tackles. 3 tackles for loss, a sack and
38:48
interception, A fumble recovery. You do the math in three games
38:53
and do that over the course of four.
38:55
So right at 70 tackles, I'm not going to say the other pieces
38:57
are going to come, but it was that maturation where Brent
39:01
Prime, Chris Mark felt comfortable enough to basically
39:04
start playing him significantly more at will.
39:07
And when he got that and he started putting the results out
39:10
on the field. Now, Mr. Siegler.
39:14
You did not say Mr. Lawson, but you did have somebody in the
39:17
linebacker room and something else you want to tell the folks
39:20
out there tonight. Yeah, I mean, while while we got
39:22
your little captive audience here, you know we're giving 3 on
39:25
each side of the ball. If y'all want to throw three in
39:28
there, let us know. We'll try to get those on there
39:30
and talk about them a little bit, especially if we got one on
39:32
there that may be a little different than what we're
39:34
talking about. But the guy I'm going with is
39:37
Jaden Keller because we've got a big hole there at Mike
39:41
linebacker. You know both.
39:44
Both of the linebackers that saw the most significant time are no
39:46
longer with program in 2023. Jaden Keller has a big, big
39:53
opportunity to really step in there because his athleticism is
39:57
significantly higher than anything we saw at the Mike
40:00
linebacker position last year. If he can get the mental part
40:04
and that translates and he can step into that role and be the
40:08
guy that is the quarterback of the defense.
40:12
That's going to significantly change the trajectory of the
40:14
linebacker room, just like if Lawson takes that next step and
40:17
becomes that freak that everyone's talked about.
40:19
If Keller can be that solid role in the solid role in the middle
40:25
of that defense, but also elevate the athleticism at that
40:29
Mike linebacker position, that's going to be a big boost for that
40:33
defense. Alrighty.
40:37
So there are some of one of our three now.
40:40
Y'all didn't hear. Grayson.
40:41
Grayson didn't have anybody in the linebacker room.
40:44
And I think you're going to see why in the next room because
40:46
we're moving over to the defensive line.
40:48
And the big vote getter here was Antoine Powell Ryland.
40:53
Brian, I'll let you lead off on this one, man.
40:55
I know he just asked you to talk, but he was one of your.
40:58
He was your second of three. Yeah, I'll talk a little bit
41:01
more. This guy has already flashed.
41:04
We've already seen the highlight tapes coming from ball camp of
41:08
him putting spin moves on guys him, you know a little bit of a
41:11
bull rush, little bit of a little speed rush.
41:15
I mean he's he's got some different moves there already in
41:19
his skill set and he's a big guy coming in.
41:22
He's already ready to to kind of play against the the ACC
41:26
competition. He fared well against SEC
41:28
competition you you would think that was that's going to
41:31
translate pretty good for him especially in a full time role
41:34
hand in the dirt most of the time.
41:36
I'm looking forward to see what he can do because it feels like
41:38
this could be the first kind of big pass rusher that we've seen
41:43
in a while where we can maybe get to double digit sacks with
41:47
with one individual. So I think we we said last week
41:51
at Kenneth Cannon was the last one to to hit that 10 mark.
41:54
So it would be nice to see that 10 mark hit by by Powell Ryland
41:57
this year if he can kind of get up to speed, because definitely
42:01
a freak for sure all. Right tally, this was your #2.
42:06
You know, one reason I guess to start just off the field.
42:10
Him being a guy that you know, Tech missed being a Virginia
42:14
guy. Tech missed him at first.
42:16
He goes to Florida, you know, possibly because of the last
42:21
regime, possibly because of recruit, maybe because of where
42:24
the program was at the time. Doesn't really matter.
42:27
Shows how important the transfer portal is.
42:30
You got to keep those relationships open.
42:33
Because we double back and we get him when he leaves Florida,
42:36
Now he's coming back home and you know his family's will be
42:40
able to come to more games because it's closer to home for
42:42
him. Then you also have him just on
42:45
the field making plays. I think he had like 30 tacos
42:49
last year in a limited role, 3 sacks.
42:53
It's been a long time since we've had a just a defensive end
42:57
that offices had to prepare for, you know?
43:03
And when I say prepare for, you got to run some double teams.
43:05
You got to put a tight end in the box.
43:07
You got to have a running back back there.
43:10
Like when you have a defensive end, it can create havoc and do
43:14
some things like that. It frees other people up, it
43:17
frees your linebackers up, it frees your other defensive end
43:19
up. So we need the person on the
43:21
other side to to to step up. But it all starts with what he
43:25
can do and I think that with him, you know, coming in and
43:29
having a bigger role for us. I think he's going to have a
43:32
good year and it's going to, you know, like I said, free up a lot
43:35
of things for us as well as that DB row, Alright, Grayson.
43:38
This was this was your first to three?
43:40
Yup. I'm Mr. APR.
43:42
I think, I think he's going to have a great year.
43:45
Tally 6 three £242 product of Indian River High School.
43:52
Many Hokies remember Devin Hunter actually went to Indian
43:54
River High School in Portsmouth, VA.
43:59
Used to be at Florida and everything that I've seen, all
44:03
the tape I've seen from practice, the the small amount
44:06
that does exist on a PRI mean, it's really hard to not get
44:10
excited about this kid. He's he's only a junior at
44:14
Virginia Tech, so he's got a couple years of eligibility
44:17
left. And I'm just, I'm just ready to
44:21
have playmakers at a lot. Of positions on our defense and
44:25
we got them. We got a lot of young guys,
44:27
which is very, very exciting as well.
44:29
So really, really fired up about APR.
44:33
Welcome to Blacksburg. Let's do some damage.
44:35
Welcome to Blacksburg Indian River.
44:37
You mentioned you mentioned Devin.
44:40
They don't forget Brandon Orr High school as well way back in
44:43
the day. All right, let me flip over to
44:45
Shelton. Cuz Shelton, we staying on the
44:47
defensive line, but you are moving inside for your next guy.
44:52
Yes, that's right. So I went with Mario Kendricks
44:55
into your lineman. You know I just felt like he was
44:58
really productive most of the last season pulling the stats so
45:02
he so he had he had 24 total QB pressures and I think you know
45:08
when you look at the defensive line this year in the ACC, Kobe
45:11
Turner is gone can't see from Pittsburgh is gone.
45:15
I think he has a chance to be a top five, 6-7 pass pressure in
45:18
the in the conference. And he's a big, you know, run
45:21
stuffing type of guy. I think he's going to be a
45:24
pretty big part of this this D line you throw pal in there as
45:27
well. I mean, I'm expecting, I'm
45:29
expecting pretty big things. Big things from Mario Kendricks.
45:33
I'm one of the higher grader PFS last year.
45:35
I think you've mentioned that a few times.
45:37
I'm Shelton to us. All right, Grayson, I'm gonna
45:39
flip back to you and give you a four because you are staying on
45:42
the interior and you got a pretty.
45:45
Big name that, Yeah, you wonder what you're going to see from.
45:48
Well, there's not a lot of, I guess numbers on this young man,
45:53
but Gunner Givens, I am ecstatic to see him contribute to this
45:58
defense this season. Gunner Givens 6, five 287
46:05
pounds, Product of Lord Bata Tot High School down there in
46:09
Roanoke Salem. The the surrounding areas.
46:14
No. Gunner had a lot of hype coming
46:16
into Blacksburg four-star kid and you know he was that was a
46:19
big deal when he committed to Virginia Tech stayed home.
46:25
So I'm just I want to see what he can do that's that's pretty
46:30
much it. I just want to see what he can
46:32
do. There's not a lot on him, so how
46:35
much, how much will he contribute early on and then in
46:39
into the season? Yeah, if anything, with the
46:42
interior line, at least one of the two younger guys like Gunner
46:45
need to at least start getting reps because it is going to be
46:49
Kendricks obviously gone next year with Pollard.
46:51
All right, I got one in this room.
46:53
This is my second of three, and I'm going to go on the other
46:56
side of the defensive line and I'm going to go Cole Nelson.
46:59
Cole Nelson, obviously three star out of Georgia, You know,
47:03
6-3, about £248. He's gained some weight since
47:06
he's been here. We saw him play last year and
47:09
the reason I'm putting him last year. 5 1/2 tackles for Laws, 24
47:15
tackles in general, 2 sacks. But whoever is on the opposite
47:20
end of a PR has to make the other team pay.
47:26
And whether it's him, and I put Cole because I saw Cole on tape
47:29
last year do some good things. I know we're hearing Burgos.
47:32
But whoever on that end, they have to make the other team pay
47:36
because once you start making that other team pay, there is
47:39
nowhere else you can do. You're not going to take the
47:41
tally. Tell me, Brian, tell me, are you
47:43
going to really take the tight end chipping off the left side?
47:47
Yeah. I mean, you can't Max protect.
47:49
You can't Max protect every every pass play.
47:51
You're not, you're not chipping with a tight end and chipping
47:54
with a running back. You you're eventually going to
47:56
have to figure something else out.
47:58
So. That's why I say cold, because I
47:59
think we've seen the most. And then it goes back to
48:02
Shelton's point, too, with Kendrick and and Grayson, your
48:04
guy gunner, if outside pressure is happening, everything's going
48:10
to open up. Everything's going to open up
48:12
for this defense. When you talk about, when you
48:16
talk about what we're talking about with defensive lineman, it
48:19
takes us to our next, you know, our next, our next group.
48:22
You know, even if you're not getting sex, even if you're not
48:24
getting home, if you're there with your hands up or you're
48:27
causing pressure on the quarterback, guess who that
48:29
helps. That helps your defense, that
48:31
helps your secondary. So go ahead.
48:35
I know we're going to that next. Yeah, we're going to secondary
48:37
next. We want it to be difficult
48:48
today. And Sheldon, we're going to let
48:39
you kick this one off with because believe it or not, y'all
48:42
somehow 5 hokey fans have five different names for the
48:46
secondary. We won't be difficult, but it
48:49
also says how good the secondary room is.
48:52
Sheldon, who's your guy? Yes, my guy is Dorian Strong.
48:57
I chose Dorian because I feel like he's almost kind of a
49:01
diamond in the rough. He was a guy that came in
49:03
freshman year, 2020, the COVID year, had a really good season,
49:06
all things considered regress a little bit in 2021.
49:10
Obviously the last year was injured for the majority of the
49:12
year. He did play well while he was
49:14
playing, but it's like you know, whenever you have a guy come in
49:16
and play well as a freshman's, kind of like, OK, this guy's a
49:18
star was during. He just hasn't really had that
49:20
opportunity to show it because of his injuries and regression.
49:24
I really think he has a chance for breakout year.
49:26
He's also playing opposite Mansard Lane, who is obviously a
49:28
stud, as we have previously noted.
49:31
For Genetex, coverage was fantastic last year I believe
49:33
they finished 11th best nationally and passing success
49:37
rate allowed and that was largely because of the
49:39
cornerbacks. So you put mentor Delaine in
49:41
there with Count the Jenkins I think during strong is going to
49:46
have a bounce back year. I think it's kind of a really,
49:47
really good season that. Sounds good, Callie.
49:51
You you stayed at corner man. Yeah, well, you know, I I wanted
49:56
to pick Dorian Strong, but I can't get past his his jersey
49:58
number at 44. It's still killing me.
50:01
I could never pick a a person with that.
50:04
Dory. Hey man, you need a different
50:06
number. I think it's single digits.
50:08
You need to get a single digit number or something.
50:10
But anyway so for me it was Canteen because I mean I've just
50:16
of course we're all hype about the season so you're picking up
50:19
every you know bit that you can. You're picking up every video
50:22
that you can and I've seen Canteen Flash.
50:26
You had to pick in the you had to pick in the spring game.
50:30
And then I'm hearing other players talk about his
50:32
leadership. I'm hearing him say he's the
50:34
first guy in, last guy out. I mean, what you have in a young
50:40
defensive backroom like we have, we know we have some studs
50:44
coming up. We know Delaine is going to be a
50:46
stud, but he's still a younger guy.
50:49
Canteen coming in and having that mentality of I'm here to
50:53
work and people seeing that as soon as he got there just has me
50:57
excited for him. Because he has the ability.
51:00
We've seen him on the field, you know, at his last school.
51:03
But him having that mentality is more of what's got me excited
51:07
about him, of just being there to work.
51:09
But you know it's going to be competition with all those good
51:12
defensive backs in there. And again, I think he's going to
51:15
make some plays on the field as well.
51:18
That sounds like a plan, so let me let me just do this real
51:21
quick here. Poor and strong freshman
51:25
allamerican. Here canteen freshman
51:28
Allamerican Grayson, Can you hit the trifecta for me?
51:31
Mansoor Delaine. It's it's written in the stars.
51:34
I mean, Speaking of single digit numbers, God, he got out of that
51:40
23. I mean just he joins a long line
51:45
of studs at Virginia Tech to wear #4.
51:48
David Wilson, Eddie Royal, D'Angelo Hall, Dax Hollifield.
51:51
Andre Kendricks. I mean, who else?
51:55
Who am I missing? Eddie Royal?
51:57
Did I say that already? Yeah.
51:59
Yeah, either way. But Delaine is.
52:01
We know this kid's A baller. 38 tackles, 17 solo in 2020, two, 1
52:07
1/2 tackles for loss. I mean, what What can you not
52:12
say about Delaine? Just had a breakout freshman
52:16
season. He was a highlight in a.
52:19
Season full of no offense, kind of low lights, you win.
52:22
Three games is a hard first season, but we knew it was
52:25
coming. So I think this kid, bare
52:28
minimum All ACC. Just an absolute stud.
52:33
Really, really excited to see him flourish in his second year
52:37
out. And he did all of that with no
52:38
offseason and stuff, right? Like, he didn't.
52:41
He didn't enroll early or anything like that.
52:42
He just came in and started playing.
52:44
True freshman. True freshman.
52:46
Nothing. So that's crazy.
52:48
I seen him on a seeing him on a maybe media day or something
52:54
like that and his arms look jacked like he looks like he's
52:57
been in the weight room and those weights probably weighed
53:01
the same as well. Those weights were the new
53:04
weights that. OK.
53:06
They were the new. So they weigh a little bit more,
53:08
but they've got. The right amount.
53:11
All right, Sigla, me and you, we we're moving to the back end
53:14
because I said we all had five different ones.
53:16
Sigla, who's your guy on the back end, man, I went a little
53:20
sideways on this one, but I got, I got some reasons here, so I
53:23
went Jalen Jones, he's switching sides of the ball.
53:27
We have a good we got, we got some, we got some good frontline
53:33
safeties on that side of the ball.
53:34
But with a lot of experience you got, you know, the guy somebody,
53:38
I think Curtis is going to talk about next stepping into a big
53:42
role there. But I feel like we're going to
53:43
need one or two more guys to round out that room.
53:47
Jalen Jones coming along and and we we've heard some things you
53:51
know from the coaches, from the players talking him up, what
53:53
he's done so far in fall camp, what he did kind of towards the
53:56
end of spring there with that position switch.
53:59
If he can step into a big role where he's a, he's a solid
54:01
rotational safety for this team, that's going to pay dividends
54:04
because we're going to need that type of depth on the back end to
54:08
hold up. Because one of the big things we
54:10
saw last year, it wasn't just that our front end talent wasn't
54:14
where it needed to be. It was that our depth in the
54:16
secondary would show its head in the late 3rd and early fourth
54:19
quarter and games that we were hanging around in all of a
54:24
sudden became blowouts. Games that we were had the lead
54:28
in would suddenly go the other direction.
54:30
Having guys that can step in and play those key depth positions
54:34
in the secondary is going to be big for this, this team and I
54:37
feel like Jalen Jones is going to be a part of that.
54:40
Yeah, it's got to be somebody else on the back end.
54:43
Because you mentioned Jalen, he's probably looking at
54:45
probably playing a strong safety position.
54:47
I went with the free safety and and I went with the legacy and
54:50
Jalen Stroman last year he was pressed in the duty to play free
54:53
safety and effectively we could not find a nickel and we're
54:56
forced to move Jamari back down to play nickel.
55:00
He stepped in 43 tackles, 2 fast deflections, 2 force fumbles.
55:04
As a red shirt freshman, he only played four games his first year
55:08
and then I think if everybody can go back to it, go back to
55:11
the spring game and the interception he made on drones,
55:15
we talked about that play. We've talked about it numerous
55:17
times. Special players make that play,
55:21
special players make that play. And I think with the legacy of
55:24
how Big Brother played here, I think he's going to be
55:27
something. I think we better hold on
55:30
because it might be one of those things.
55:31
He could have that type of all ACC season.
55:34
Where he ain't here next year. Yeah, don't forget.
55:38
Yeah, don't forget. Dwight has stabbed him.
55:40
That's the white guy from the beginning.
55:43
Dwight said he don't. Dwight said he don't miss often.
55:45
So because I've known him, I don't think he's missed on the
55:49
guy he's told me about. So he's not going, he's not
55:51
going to put you on a pedestal if he doesn't know you the real
55:53
deal. Well, that's the truth.
55:55
All right, so tailor the tape here.
55:57
We got Tally with Kalai Lawson APR and Derek Canteen.
56:01
We got Sheldon with Kalai Lawson, Mario Kendricks and
56:05
Dorian Strong. Brian's got Jaden Keller, APR
56:09
and Jalen Jones. Our buddy Grayson here.
56:13
We got a PR Gunner, Givens and Mansoor Delaine.
56:19
And I'm rolling with Kalai Lawson, Cole Nelson and Jalen
56:22
Stroman real quick. Don't go into any detail on it.
56:26
Who's the one player from the defensive side of the ball that
56:29
you left off? Go Shelton.
56:32
One player. Delaine.
56:35
Delaine Grayson. Can we can we say repeats?
56:39
I mean, or does it matter? No, no.
56:43
Who's your Who was your fourth guy who was right there but you
56:45
didn't? Put them in.
56:47
Definitely Lawson. Yeah, all.
56:50
Right Tally. I'd say Pollard.
56:53
Pollard. OK.
56:54
That's a different one, Brian Lawson.
56:58
I think. I think the linebackers are
56:59
going to be the the thing that makes the difference this year.
57:02
I think the the D line's going to step up.
57:04
That's going to help the secondary.
57:05
The difference is going to be in the linebacker room.
57:07
If they can make significant jumps, we're going to be a good
57:09
team. Yeah.
57:10
And I'm with you on that. My mind on the cutting room
57:12
floor was Keller. Like it was Keller because like
57:15
what Brian made. Because if Keller takes a step,
57:19
I'm, I'm just, I'm reliving 2007 again, baby.
57:23
That's all an Xavier TV if those two guys pop.
57:27
All right, let's flip over to the offensive side of the room
57:29
here. And again, we're going to do the
57:32
same way. We'll start out here with the
57:34
wide receiver room and someone who got two votes, Jalen Lane
57:40
and Brian, you were one of the first ones.
57:41
Why you think Jalen? I think Jalen, I mean, we said
57:45
it on the panel last week. He was he was kind of my, my,
57:49
my, my big guy to keep an eye on and he remains that for me
57:53
because you know, I feel like Ollie Jennings is going to cook
57:56
outside. But looking at last year's
57:59
offense, what was missing significantly was short and
58:03
intermediate passes, especially between the numbers and between
58:06
the hashes. If we can work the the the
58:09
middle of the field a whole lot better this year, that's going
58:12
to open things up for everybody else.
58:14
Jalen Lane has game breaking type speed, but he's also quick.
58:18
He can move kind of inside those numbers with the with those
58:22
different route trees that you're going to run for the slot
58:24
position. So I'm looking forward to see
58:26
what he can do and take advantage of the interior some
58:29
of these defenses that we didn't really exploit much last year
58:31
all. Right, Shelton, You've also got
58:34
him on here and I know you probably went data diving for
58:38
what you found out from him. Why is Jalen one of your top
58:41
guys for the offensive side? Yeah, it was actually more of a
58:46
hunch. I feel like we kind of know
58:47
we're getting in Jennings, but I feel like Lane Lane was almost
58:50
like an X Factor. You know just looking at some of
58:53
the stats Pastor writing when targeted really really good
58:57
overall grades really really good.
58:58
He's also a very good in yards after the catch which we saw in
59:01
that touchdown against Miami he had.
59:04
So I think he's got some breakaway speed and and yeah I
59:08
think also smaller but certainly important thing very good hands
59:14
grade on PFF so he's not drop a lot of passes to which.
59:17
We made discuss was a very, very big problem for Virginia Tech
59:20
last year. Why receivers dropping passes.
59:21
I think they were Tech was maybe fifth worst power five in a drop
59:26
rate. So yeah that's that's got to
59:28
change. But I think, I think Lynn's got
59:29
some pretty steady hands. All righty, Well, we'll keep.
59:33
We're going to stay in the Wilder swimming room.
59:34
We got a couple more players and tally, you've got one of those
59:38
players. Who is your first offensive key
59:40
player? Mr. Quan felt, man.
59:45
It's kind of like what Sheldon said.
59:46
I mean, when you think about an X Factor, you know, I don't like
59:50
to compare players a lot of times because I feel like it
59:53
said it's a month to be something that they probably
59:55
aren't there themselves. But I feel like just how I felt
1:00:01
about Hazelton, Damon Hazelton, when he came in, he came from a
1:00:05
lower school, you know, it wasn't a lot of stuff out there
1:00:08
on him that I really paid attention to.
1:00:10
I've looked at a lot of highlights about Allie Jennings,
1:00:13
which we all kind of know of him looked at a lot of highlights of
1:00:16
Jalen Lane. But you don't find a lot of
1:00:19
highlights about Felton on that. You know, I've seen some, but
1:00:23
there's not a whole bunch of them out there on him.
1:00:25
He came from a smaller school, but he just has that look to
1:00:29
him, man. He looks like he is just, you
1:00:31
know, kind of kind of different. It looks like he's he's prepared
1:00:34
to to do some things. And I mean he's he's six, five,
1:00:38
205 pounds, £210. I seen him catch a ball in the
1:00:43
spring game and whoever came downhill and popped him laid a
1:00:47
good liquor on him and he fell forward 5 yards.
1:00:49
I mean if you can get a wide receiver that catches the ball
1:00:53
for five yards and falls falls forward for five yards, that's
1:00:57
10 yards. So we do need those possession
1:00:59
type receivers and I think that Caleb Smith last year would have
1:01:06
been great in the road that I think Felton should be in this
1:01:09
year. But we had him being missed
1:01:12
everything at why I received because we had nobody else to
1:01:15
stretch the field or catch the ball.
1:01:17
So Felton is my guy man. Go watch if y'all haven't go
1:01:21
watch him, go watch him. Probably the one of the only
1:01:23
times you'll see him speak to the media and he looks like he
1:01:27
is crazy as can be, which is in a good way, not in the bad way.
1:01:31
Like he has no nonsense. It's like that man don't want to
1:01:34
smile, he just want to play, he. Just wants to play Grayson.
1:01:37
You also picked one in the wide receiver room and who's your
1:01:40
guy? Yes, Mr. Alex Jennings, probably
1:01:44
one of the most hyped ACC receivers going into the 2023
1:01:49
football season, transferred from Old Dominion University,
1:01:53
who, ironically, we open the season against In Lane Stadium,
1:01:56
8:00 PM Eastern. But who's counting?
1:01:59
He was all Sunbelt first team. He led the Monarchs last season
1:02:03
with 54 receptions for 959 yards and 9 touchdowns.
1:02:09
He's a hell of a receiver and it will be very interesting to see
1:02:13
how he fits into Coach Bowen's scheme.
1:02:18
But I can't. I cannot wait to see this kid in
1:02:20
Virginia Tech uniform, and I hope he scores the first
1:02:23
touchdown against all poetic justice.
1:02:28
It would be poetic, Justin, a kid who probably should have
1:02:32
been recruited here a long time ago, finally makes his way home.
1:02:35
And like you said, the thing about all three of the guys
1:02:38
Y'all mentioned, they all did it elsewhere.
1:02:41
Even Felton down at Norfolk State in his first season last
1:02:44
year had like 600 yards. Obviously Lane and Jennings,
1:02:48
like you just mentioned, Grayson all Sunbelt.
1:02:50
He's already a part of a lot of all teams for this year.
1:02:53
All right, let's hit to the running backroom, because
1:02:56
popular selection. Sheldon, take it away.
1:03:01
We have Beshaw Tootin, the running back transfer from FCS
1:03:06
North Carolina AMT. I think people might be sleeping
1:03:09
on him. I think that he has a couple of
1:03:11
really good qualities. First of all, he's got great
1:03:13
breakaway speed. His breakaway numbers at the s s
1:03:16
level were really good and he's really hard to tackle.
1:03:20
Yards after contact numbers also very good.
1:03:23
I know that some people might say, well it's just FCS, but
1:03:26
those those qualities, being able to generate your in touch
1:03:28
of contact actually translate really well the next level.
1:03:31
So I wouldn't have too much concern about that.
1:03:33
I think he is a bona fide Power Five talent and I'm really
1:03:35
excited to see him in this offense because Tech struggled
1:03:38
with many things last year offensively, but chief among
1:03:41
them was lack of explosive plays from the running backs.
1:03:44
Tally, he's on. He's one of your guys too, man.
1:03:47
Yeah, well, I think what a lot of people forget is that when we
1:03:50
did get him, we stole him from Boston College.
1:03:54
He was supposed to be going to Boston College, I believe, and
1:03:56
supposed to be on campus. And somehow he winds up with at
1:04:00
Virginia Tech. If anything, if you don't know
1:04:04
anything about Boston College, go look at their running backs.
1:04:07
They recruit certain types of running backs and if they wanted
1:04:10
him, I want him. And then after seeing him now
1:04:13
and seeing a little bit of tape of him, looks like he can catch
1:04:16
the ball out of the backfield. Like Shelton said, he's got some
1:04:19
good breakaway speed. He breaks tackles.
1:04:22
I mean, he just looks like a complete running back.
1:04:25
And I think that that's going to be good for us to have, you
1:04:29
know, some different types of backs instead of having 14 backs
1:04:32
that all maybe done one thing. I think now we have 3 to 4
1:04:36
running backs that kind of all feed off each other.
1:04:39
You know, one's good at catching one's more of a power back, once
1:04:42
more of a blocking back. So I feel like our running back
1:04:47
room has come a long way and I'm going to be excited to watch
1:04:51
them this year. Mr. Siegler, one of yours as
1:04:55
well. Yeah, I'll round it out here and
1:04:57
Chadley said it the all around back.
1:05:01
I think we really haven't had one of those, you know, since
1:05:03
Herbert stepped away and. You know, Tuten may be a little
1:05:07
bit better in the passing game than Herbert was while during
1:05:10
his time in Blacksburg. Don't think he's quite the the
1:05:14
home run specimen that that Herbert was or or turned out to
1:05:17
be once he was on campus in Blacksburg.
1:05:20
But I like the the the variety of things he does well.
1:05:24
So when we talk about being able to break tackles, being able to
1:05:27
have it have some breakaway speed to to finish out those
1:05:30
long runs to to turn those long runs into touchdowns.
1:05:34
That's not something we've seen the last couple years, so I'm
1:05:37
excited to have that attribute back in the backfield again and
1:05:42
especially with him kind of being 1A1B in the backfield
1:05:45
there with Thomas, I feel like that's a really good 1-2 punch.
1:05:48
They they both compliment each other well, but also when one
1:05:51
comes off, you're not necessarily missing a huge.
1:05:55
Piece of a running back skill set.
1:05:58
Either they they more or less have similar attributes.
1:06:02
I think with Tutin B, you're probably a little bit better in
1:06:05
terms of catching out of the backfield.
1:06:07
Yep, and and and next the truth about Tutin being the better
1:06:10
catcher out of the backfield. But my guy here was Malachi
1:06:14
Thomas. And it was more for the reason
1:06:16
of Malachi has been pretty much banged up in his career at
1:06:19
numerous points in time, but when he's on the field.
1:06:23
He makes an impact. The three games he played last
1:06:25
year, he only played three games.
1:06:27
Y'all 237 yards from scrimmage, 2 touchdowns.
1:06:30
He was right under 5 yards to carry.
1:06:33
His freshman year he was right at 5 yards to carry with only
1:06:36
really 95 plays. So like you just mentioned, it's
1:06:41
having the 1A and 1B and now Tudin is the starter, which I'm
1:06:44
going to presume that's the case.
1:06:46
When you take him off, you have someone thing about it.
1:06:49
We're going to put Malachi on the field.
1:06:51
Go back to the ore and Humes days or came off, Humes came in,
1:06:54
you know, you were still going to get production, right?
1:06:57
It wasn't a falloff. It wasn't a falloff.
1:07:00
And I don't feel like we've had that.
1:07:03
I mean, I feel like it's been 12 years.
1:07:06
Seriously, I feel like we haven't had where we can take
1:07:08
one guy off and immediately say this guy's going to continue to
1:07:11
produce. So I think it's very important
1:07:13
Malachite Thomas produces and hopefully stays healthy having a
1:07:17
partner like Basheel Tootin. All righty, let's move over to
1:07:21
the offensive line. And Shelton, me and you agreed
1:07:24
on the next guy, and that's going to be Parker Clements.
1:07:27
What you got on him? Yeah, so Parker was a guy that
1:07:31
really kind of fell off a Cliff last year again, like Kane
1:07:35
Moore, a very good freshman season in 2021, but imploded
1:07:39
last year. We didn't know it at the time,
1:07:40
but he was recovering from offseason searchers.
1:07:42
That was, you know, I mean part of it as well as you're not
1:07:44
being exactly the right. Fit for the scheme, but for me,
1:07:48
the recent Joe Parker was mainly because I think he is the
1:07:50
biggest bounce back candidate on the team.
1:07:53
Just because if we know his potential, which we saw in 21 as
1:07:56
a freshman, the fact that now he is a junior, he's fully healthy.
1:08:00
You know, he's had, he's, you know, had a full offseason in
1:08:03
this offense. I think he's going to make a
1:08:05
huge piece of rebuilding this offensive line.
1:08:08
And obviously claim that you know the right tackle position,
1:08:10
that's the spot we obviously you need, you need your big guys to
1:08:13
to perform. So I'm looking forward to see
1:08:15
him have it bounce back here. Yeah.
1:08:17
And and and like I said, I'm with you on this one.
1:08:18
And it was because of that because what we saw in his red
1:08:21
shirt freshman year, we saw really good things.
1:08:24
And then what happened last year, I mean we criticized on
1:08:28
this program, but when you come to find out, he basically could
1:08:31
not lift his right arm up. It was right arm right to block.
1:08:35
It's like, well, obvious. Obviously if you're an offensive
1:08:38
line and you don't have the full use of your arm, you're going to
1:08:41
be significantly worse. And just the way you know his
1:08:44
interview looks like he is one of the better leaders on the
1:08:47
offensive line. He looks solid in the spring
1:08:50
game and that's what we want. We need a steady Eddy over right
1:08:53
tackle to make some moves to to, you know, open some holes up.
1:08:59
So that's why I think Barker Clements and the fact that like
1:09:01
you just said, he is the bounce back candidate now Grayson.
1:09:05
You're moving to the middle of the line, right?
1:09:07
That's right. That's exactly right.
1:09:10
I'm going Kaden Moore here. The center play in in
1:09:15
Blacksburg. It's been inconsistent I guess
1:09:20
you could say probably over the last 10 years we've seen a lot
1:09:26
of snaps go really high go over the quarterbacks head.
1:09:30
We saw it a few times last season, so.
1:09:34
Just being able to properly snap the ball, I think it's
1:09:36
paramount. And now Kayden, he's an
1:09:39
upperclassman, he's he's got a lot of experience under his
1:09:43
belt. He made eleven starts at right
1:09:46
guard last season. It'll be interesting to to see,
1:09:51
I guess, how he adjusts, but the the center play has to be a one
1:09:58
in 2023. Just an instrumental part of our
1:10:01
offense, you know, can't have any high snaps, so probably the
1:10:05
most outside of the left tackle, the most important offensive
1:10:08
lineman on the field. Well, that's funny.
1:10:11
You should mention left tackle because Brian.
1:10:15
Yeah, my guy's going to be Xavier Chaplain.
1:10:18
He's going to be. It's such a big, big role the
1:10:21
left tackle. So him filling in being able to
1:10:24
protect the quarterbacks blind side in this case.
1:10:28
Being able to move some bodies on the offensive line, being
1:10:31
able to create some holes, create some rush lanes for the
1:10:34
running backs, You know, he's still a young guy, so having a
1:10:38
young guy step into this role is always some, you know, there's
1:10:43
some hesitation there, right. So he's going to be key to me
1:10:47
because if he can step in there and take over that role and and
1:10:51
perform well, that's going to raise the bar across the
1:10:54
offensive line and and I think that could really be.
1:10:59
A big boom because if we can get a running game going we never
1:11:01
really had last year, if we can get the running game going this
1:11:04
year, then everything else the offense does is going to be a
1:11:07
lot easier. Yeah, and again, I always go
1:11:10
back to the Liberty game, Brian, me and you kind of watched a
1:11:12
little bit of it, you know, after the fact to be his first
1:11:16
collegiate game. He was playing a pretty good
1:11:18
player at the left end there and he didn't do bad.
1:11:21
He got beat a couple times, but it was like this doesn't look
1:11:24
like his first collegiate game. This really looked like a guy
1:11:27
who was coming off an injury and had some rust to knock off
1:11:30
because there were a couple times he got a hold of people
1:11:33
and he just manhandled them because he is a big, big guy.
1:11:37
All right, last room of the offense and it's not the tight
1:11:43
end room, it's the quarterback room and myself, Grayson and
1:11:48
Tally, we all are saying Kyron Drones is one of the key players
1:11:52
here. Tally, I'm going to let you lead
1:11:54
it off, Grayson. Bet second on this one.
1:11:57
Go ahead, Tally. So yeah, I'll say drones, just
1:12:01
for the fact of last year, you know, we had Wells as a starting
1:12:05
quarterback, and no matter what happened, there was no pressure
1:12:08
on him that he was coming out of the game.
1:12:10
You know, nobody, you had nobody backing him up to put any
1:12:15
pressure on him. The coaches didn't even look
1:12:17
like they wanted to put pressure on him.
1:12:18
So if Wells like the starter, I know we're going to announce
1:12:23
soon. If Wells is the starter, I feel
1:12:25
like he's probably been pushed in the offseason a little bit
1:12:30
more than he has been in any other offseason.
1:12:33
And also, you know, he'll have that, he'll have that person
1:12:37
behind him. That'll be, hey, if you don't go
1:12:39
out and perform because the knock that's been on Wells is
1:12:42
him throwing picks on him, turning the ball over.
1:12:45
So if he turns the ball over, I mean, you got to take him out
1:12:48
for a series at least and see what you have.
1:12:51
Now. On the other hand, Kyron Drones
1:12:53
may be the starter, he may be he may be who Prague goes with to
1:12:57
start the game or start the season, and he just brings a
1:13:01
different dynamic to the football team.
1:13:03
He is a little bit bigger guy than Wells is.
1:13:07
He can run a little bit better, but we haven't seen a lot of
1:13:10
him. So all those things just make me
1:13:13
think he's the the the guy to keep an eye on what he does is
1:13:17
going to, you know, help us in a sense.
1:13:23
I see Steve Bryce's question here and I think this is a great
1:13:26
lead in for my. My take I guess on drones is how
1:13:31
short is the Grant Wells lease for the first three games.
1:13:34
I think it's very short. I I I think if he is the
1:13:38
starting quarterback and he goes out there against Old Dominion
1:13:42
and can't produce and really make a statement in that game.
1:13:45
I mean Thrones is going to be the next man up.
1:13:47
Everything that tally just said, his gospel in the fact that, I
1:13:51
mean Grant Wells was. There was a stark gap between
1:13:55
him being the best guy last year and his backup, and now with
1:14:01
that gap is very small for all we know.
1:14:06
But you know, there's not a lot of tape that exists on drones at
1:14:10
Baylor. He did play in five games last
1:14:12
year, completed 14 of 23 passes for 219 passing yards, and he
1:14:17
had one passing touchdown. There is a YouTube video of him
1:14:22
and it shows his ability to scramble and whatnot.
1:14:25
And I will say this, if you look on Baylor message boards and the
1:14:30
Baylor fan base, they were devastated when this kid entered
1:14:36
the transfer portal. They were like, Oh my gosh,
1:14:39
drones is in the portal. The sky is falling.
1:14:41
That makes me feel great about him.
1:14:44
So after three games, drones might be the guy for the rest of
1:14:49
the season. There's a very good chance.
1:14:51
Yep. The leash is definitely going to
1:14:53
be short there, and to me what it is.
1:14:55
You mentioned the athleticism, how you can make the throws on
1:14:57
the run and all that stuff. Those are things that are never
1:15:00
seen in practice. Those are things that are never
1:15:04
going to be seen in practice. It has to be seen on the field.
1:15:07
I love what Pete Be said last week from too deep on the big
1:15:10
panel. It's 2019 again.
1:15:13
You have a returning starter who has a propensity to make really
1:15:16
big errors. With the big arm.
1:15:18
Moments with a big arm and you have the unknown backup who is
1:15:24
athletic if if you're not live in scrimmages, and I know you
1:15:29
can't do that because you can't risk the health of the
1:15:31
quarterback, you have to turn them loose in game.
1:15:34
And the question is, you made a good point there, Grayson, about
1:15:38
ODU if he doesn't light it up, but let's say we're up 21. 24
1:15:43
three And he's not lighting it up.
1:15:45
It's more Tootin and Malachi and the defense is just crushing.
1:15:50
Why not turn him loose? And then if he goes out there
1:15:53
and absolutely performs to a much higher level, you might not
1:15:57
even be weak. Two, we might be seeing drones
1:15:59
start there All right so tailor the tape real quick for the
1:16:04
offensive side of the ball. Brian went Jalen Lane.
1:16:08
Brian went the hell Tootin. Brian went Xavier more.
1:16:11
Shelton's on with Lane, Tooten and Parker Clements, Tally, Quan
1:16:16
Felton, Shell, Tooten and Kyron. Drones, Grayson, Ollie Jennings,
1:16:24
Kayden Moore the center, and Kyron Jones and myself, Kyron
1:16:27
Drones, Parker Clements and Malik Thomas.
1:16:31
I'll do it just like I did last time.
1:16:34
Who's you want on the cutting room floor?
1:16:35
Brian Siegler. I-1 on the cutting room floor.
1:16:39
You know, I got to do it. Too de Quan, right?
1:16:41
Yes, I need you. All right.
1:16:45
De Quan. Right.
1:16:45
Tally. Who's yours?
1:16:48
So I guess that's that's tough, man, because we got so much
1:16:51
going around, but I'd probably say I don't have a certain
1:16:55
person. But the 4th wide receiver, you
1:16:58
know, whoever that 4th wide receiver is, you know we've
1:17:00
heard about Aidan Green. We've heard.
1:17:04
Gosnell of course Godsdale but the the the small kid.
1:17:09
Turner. Bradshaw.
1:17:10
Turner, Bradshaw. You know Tucker Holloway.
1:17:13
We've heard about all these all these wide receivers that last
1:17:17
and in in in Lofton. You know what is he going to do.
1:17:20
So just my we know kind of what we have in some of the wide
1:17:24
receivers but how are those guys pushing for playing time going
1:17:29
to come in and perform. So short answer is the the 4th
1:17:32
wide receiver. 4th wide receiver Grayson.
1:17:34
Bryce Duke all. Right.
1:17:38
BDB, yeah. Sheldon.
1:17:43
I'll go Kaden more. I think playing that that
1:17:45
center's fight is going to be a big, big role.
1:17:48
All right, my sort of one I left on the cutting room floor is
1:17:51
going to be Benji Gosnell. Benji Gosnell wasn't a little
1:17:54
tight end talent. And you know, you get Gallo,
1:17:57
kind of the entrenched starter. You know, steady Eddie.
1:18:02
Don't do anything great. Don't do anything bad.
1:18:04
You got right the Joker. But Gosnell has that ability.
1:18:09
You look at Gallo and you look at Benji Gosnell size.
1:18:13
Gosnell has the chance to be on the field every single play
1:18:15
because he's athletic, he can block, he's big.
1:18:18
So there in mine, Alrighty. That was the first half.
1:18:23
Before we go to our break here from our digital partners and
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My uncle's A pharmacist. My dad's a pharmacist.
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I remember he would give me M and M's to count in little pill
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Now back to the episode. All righty.
1:19:59
So now, boys, we got to lay our money on the line here about
1:20:02
what we think the hokey season record will be.
1:20:05
And here's that caveat. The caveat is the new piece of
1:20:09
jail quit and nobody majorly gets hurt.
1:20:14
Or maybe significant, numerous injuries.
1:20:16
So let's start the first four games of the season.
1:20:19
They're Old Dominion, Purdue, Rutgers and Marshalls Shelton
1:20:23
out of the gate. How are we starting?
1:20:25
It'll start two and two and go to use a win.
1:20:29
I think Purdue is a win by the skin of our teeth.
1:20:35
Rutgers is a loss. I feel like that's going to be
1:20:37
weird game playing up in that stadium with not a lot of fans.
1:20:39
Well, I know that a lot of be maroon and orange fans, that's
1:20:42
for sure. But and then Marshall, the way
1:20:46
think about the Marshalls game was like, we are 6040 underdogs.
1:20:49
So it's hard for me to kind of process that.
1:20:52
Like if we lose that game, like people think it's some shock,
1:20:55
but like we'd be favored to lose.
1:20:58
So I don't know, but I think we'll probably just Marshall and
1:21:01
start two and two. We'll bump in the road there.
1:21:03
But that's how I see it. All righty.
1:21:06
Brian, what do you see? I'm going three and one here.
1:21:10
I'm going to take dubs to open the the the season at home.
1:21:15
I think we're going to get a weird loss up in Piscataway, NJ
1:21:19
to to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
1:21:23
Their defense kind of keeps us a little bit in check there and it
1:21:25
gets a little awkward. I think we pulled a little bit
1:21:27
of an upset in Marshall. I think that's going to be a big
1:21:30
statement game, as weird as that sounds.
1:21:34
Going on the road and and and taking care of Marshall, that's
1:21:37
a solid program out there. You're playing at their place.
1:21:40
If you if you can pull that one out that's that's a pretty solid
1:21:43
win. So I think we pulled that one
1:21:44
out and wrap up that first four, three and one.
1:21:47
All right, he's going three and one tally.
1:21:51
Yep, I got my, I got my, my schedule with my little notches
1:21:54
on it here. You know how everybody makes
1:21:57
those. And I've got, I've had it at
1:21:58
3:00 and 1:00 for a while. So all the million win Purdue a
1:22:03
win. Rutgers are lost and Marshall
1:22:06
will win. I don't know why everybody wants
1:22:09
us to lose the to Rutgers. I don't know why I'm got us down
1:22:12
to lose. I really want to go for it.
1:22:14
No. But it's like my PTSD won't let
1:22:17
me choose that. So that's why I'm at 3:00 and
1:22:19
1:00 for that first one game. All right, Grayson.
1:22:21
What about you, man? Starting the Season 3 and 1, Old
1:22:26
Dominion emphatic win in Lane Stadium.
1:22:30
It better freaking be. Purdue I'm I'm going to say
1:22:35
we're going to win that one as well.
1:22:37
At home, I'm in the same campus. Shelton by the hair on our
1:22:41
chinny chin chin. Rutgers.
1:22:44
I think we're going to get a win in Jersey.
1:22:47
Lot of lot of Hokies going to that one and then Marshall.
1:22:51
I think it's going to be a punishment game.
1:22:53
I think we're going to lose to Marshall.
1:22:56
Just for the sole purpose of us traveling there, which should?
1:23:00
Never ever have happened or been orchestrated.
1:23:04
This is what you have wrought. We will reap what we sow and
1:23:08
like Old Dominion last year, we'll go there and lose.
1:23:12
So yeah, don't feel great about Marshall.
1:23:15
I don't love the optics of that whole situation at all.
1:23:19
All right. So we got two and 2/3 and 1/3
1:23:22
and 1/3 and one. Me and Thomas Train are 100%
1:23:27
together on this. We're going for and up.
1:23:31
We're going for and up. We're going to smoke, OD you.
1:23:33
Curtis said it. Curtis has the kool-aid in hand.
1:23:38
No, I got the I got the maroon and orange glasses and hat on
1:23:41
tonight. Four.
1:23:43
And oh, and here's why OD you. I do think we smoked them.
1:23:45
They are a shitty, shitty team. We're going to so shitty that
1:23:49
next week. I can't even really get a
1:23:51
preview together because they are that bad.
1:23:53
I can't find anything written. I can't find data on them.
1:23:56
If anybody has any, please e-mail me.
1:23:58
I think Purdue, the rebuild, especially along their defensive
1:24:02
line, is huge. They are losing four key players
1:24:06
not coming back. I turn over to a new style of
1:24:08
offense and a new quarterback there.
1:24:12
And then Rutgers. Rutgers is.
1:24:15
I go to Brett's preview. Rutgers is below us on Brett's
1:24:18
preview. Got to be that.
1:24:22
And here's the thing. Everybody's scared of Marshall.
1:24:24
They were nine and four last year, man.
1:24:26
They're doing all this big stuff.
1:24:27
I have a question. Where's their 1500 yard rush
1:24:31
here right now? Anybody know where he is?
1:24:35
Khalil Levry got cut by the San Francisco 49ers just earlier
1:24:39
this week. They don't have a 1500 yard
1:24:42
rusher. They struggled at quarterback.
1:24:43
They barely got 1500 yards passing last year, 10 touchdown,
1:24:47
6 interceptions. They do have a good defense.
1:24:49
I think that will be the toughest of the four games, but
1:24:52
we will come out by the hair of our chinny chin chin.
1:24:55
So that's where I'm at. All right, let's flip to the
1:24:58
middle part of the season. One of the rougher stretches
1:25:01
we're talking it Florida State, Wake and Syracuse.
1:25:04
And I'm going to let you leave this one, Brian.
1:25:08
We are going two and two in this stretch.
1:25:10
All right, I'm I'm thinking we're taking losses to Pitt.
1:25:14
FSU. I'm hoping that Pitt is a a
1:25:18
dogfight battle. I don't want to be embarrassed
1:25:21
by fucking Pitt anymore. That's like, there's nothing
1:25:27
worse than losing in blowout fashion to the Pitt to the
1:25:31
Pittsburgh Panthers. It's just it pisses me off.
1:25:34
Florida State. I I want to be competitive.
1:25:36
I want to be competitive for four quarters.
1:25:39
They're probably one of the at least probably 8 best teams in
1:25:43
the country. You can argue there's they're
1:25:44
one of the four best teams in the country.
1:25:48
I want to see us put four quarters together against them
1:25:50
and give them all they want. I think Wake has lost too much
1:25:54
to be competitive this year. I think they're going to be a.
1:25:58
Maybe A5 win team this year. I think they are a beatable
1:26:01
team. I think you know, losing their
1:26:03
quarterback, losing two of their best wide receivers.
1:26:06
I don't think they have the juice to score enough points to
1:26:10
beat us this year. And in Syracuse they're
1:26:12
replacing a big time running back.
1:26:16
They were already kind of a middling team that would lose
1:26:19
some some head scratches, then occasionally pop up and.
1:26:22
And be the team you don't expect.
1:26:24
I think they're definitely right for for a loss there on Thursday
1:26:27
night, so give me two and two tally.
1:26:30
What about you for those middle stretch of the season?
1:26:33
Yeah, I had it right at at 2:00 and 2:00 as well.
1:26:37
Exactly what Brian had lost the Pit, lost the Yeah, I seen Pete
1:26:42
put that on. Lost the Pit.
1:26:44
Lost the Florida State. Win against Wake Forest.
1:26:47
Win against Syracuse now. I know we still got to finish
1:26:51
this, but I'm thinking, and I got too much going on in my head
1:26:54
because I was so close to going four and old.
1:26:56
But if I go four and old and I start doing too much in my mind
1:27:00
and I get too excited because I feel like if we're four and old
1:27:04
and then we play Pitt, then we beat Pitt at home.
1:27:07
Because every game that we play pit for the most part is a
1:27:09
dogfight. You know, even last year it was
1:27:12
for us to be so bad, like besides a couple of plays we
1:27:17
were with Pitt until the fourth quarter.
1:27:20
I think it was like 39 to 29 or 31 to 29, something like that,
1:27:24
maybe 33 to 29. So I feel like if we're four and
1:27:28
old and we beat Pitt, I mean and we and we play Pitt, we beat
1:27:32
them. And then you go into the Florida
1:27:34
State game undefeated. See, I can't even tell you don't
1:27:38
talk himself in the 12 and no, if he don't, I.
1:27:41
Can't even wrap my head around being like that because I'm a
1:27:44
Virginia Tech fan, so I'm going to just stay calm and say 2:00
1:27:48
and 2:00. You know I'm gonna say right
1:27:51
where I'm at, but all that stuff is going in my mind and I really
1:27:55
wish Curtis had in some of you guys over here in the comments.
1:27:58
Fuck you. I wish you hadn't say it for it.
1:28:00
No, because you get my brain to work in and then I start staying
1:28:04
up all night and looking at clips.
1:28:05
But go ahead. Family going full true at Harris
1:28:08
on us here. Yeah, that's true.
1:28:09
Truly is. All right.
1:28:10
Shelton, what about you in the middle portion here?
1:28:14
Pittsburgh Last three years Virgin Tech has been outscored
1:28:18
by. By 70 points last three games
1:28:22
since we beat them in 2019. I want to beat them bad, but
1:28:25
it's it's just a bad matchup. I never feel good about that
1:28:27
game, especially if you know they're Qb's.
1:28:28
Clicking. That's an L Florida State's an L
1:28:31
but young team bounces back, finds a way to win against Lake
1:28:34
Forest and takes care of business against Syracuse, Who
1:28:37
loses? Both their top coordinators and
1:28:39
their top RB get back to even at 4:00 and 4:00.
1:28:43
All right, Grayson's guys four and four through the first eight
1:28:46
games. What about Grayson?
1:28:47
Win Bush. I mean, we're kind of all on the
1:28:51
same page here. You know, the biggest op on this
1:28:55
schedule, The Pittsburgh Panthers.
1:28:58
Pat and our doozy can kick all the rocks.
1:29:01
That dude sucks. We're going to lose that game.
1:29:05
They're probably going to kick our ass.
1:29:07
They're just better than we are. That sucks.
1:29:10
But it's it's also the truth. Florida State.
1:29:15
We're going to lose. But that game I feel like is
1:29:18
just going to be must see television.
1:29:20
I feel like that's going to be a very the the Nielsen ratings are
1:29:24
going to be very high. A lot of people are going to
1:29:26
tune into that football game and for bragging rights I got some
1:29:29
Noel friends out here in Los Angeles who I'd love to talk
1:29:33
that shit to Wake Forest. I'm I think it was Tally who
1:29:38
said it. They lost too much to be
1:29:39
competitive and that game's at home.
1:29:42
So, yeah, Homecoming, so. I feel good about that.
1:29:47
And then Syracuse, Come on, gentlemen, Thursday night, get
1:29:49
the hell out of town. It's going to be 1999 vibes up
1:29:52
in there. Let's beat them 62 to 0 and be
1:29:55
crazy. Yeah, Thursday night in
1:29:58
Blacksburg, that place lane's going to be rocking.
1:30:01
We're leaving there with a W Alrighty.
1:30:04
Alright, so I'm, I'm, I'm coming back to Earth now, so I'm going
1:30:07
to take the hat off and the maroon glasses and the arms is
1:30:10
off. Oh shit.
1:30:12
I'm coming back to Earth. We're going two and two in this
1:30:14
stretch. But unlike all of y'all, we are
1:30:17
going to beat Pitt in Lane Stadium.
1:30:21
We're going to beat Pitt. Djorkovic is one and two versus
1:30:25
the Hokies in his career. The defense for Pat and Arduzi
1:30:29
will regress. They will be a top 60 defense,
1:30:33
not a top 20 defense. We will lose to Florida State.
1:30:37
I think we will be competitive, but I think that game is going
1:30:40
to essentially do must for Wake Forest to be the first time we
1:30:43
lose all year. We're going to come back the
1:30:45
next week not play a good Wake team, but we know Wake is well
1:30:50
coached regardless. You can crap on Dave Clausen all
1:30:53
you want. He's going to have them
1:30:54
prepared. I think we're going to come
1:30:56
over. It's going to be a hangover
1:30:57
game. We're going to lose that game.
1:30:58
Then we're going to get a 10 day break.
1:31:00
We're going to get ahead, right? And we are going to smash
1:31:02
Syracuse. Sheldon, you said it earlier.
1:31:05
Sean Tucker's about to be the number one running back for the
1:31:07
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He literally was there offense
1:31:10
the last few years. When he went, they went.
1:31:13
When he didn't, they lost. He's no longer on that team.
1:31:16
So get me two and two for the middle stretch of the season
1:31:20
heading into November. We got BC, we got Louisville, we
1:31:24
got NC State, and we got UVA. Who we leading here?
1:31:29
Tally? You get to lead this one because
1:31:31
you're actually traveling to one of these games.
1:31:33
He is heading to Louisville in November.
1:31:35
Yeah, supposed to be going to Louisville.
1:31:37
I already got my room booked. I may not make it to the game
1:31:40
because I'm probably going to be doing that Bourbon Trail and
1:31:42
that will not fare too well. But anyway.
1:31:46
So I got actually losing to Louisville got us losing to
1:31:50
Louisville. I got us beating Boston College.
1:31:55
I got us losing to North Carolina State and then, of
1:31:58
course, beating Virginia. Alrighty, Grayson, you go next.
1:32:04
What you got here? Boston College in Chestnut Hill
1:32:10
in the cold. Don't like the optics of that.
1:32:12
I'm. I think the Eagles get us.
1:32:14
We're going to lose that game. Louisville.
1:32:17
I don't like that one either. I just think we're kind of, I
1:32:21
think, the front half of the season.
1:32:23
We're going to come out guns blazing, but in the back half
1:32:26
we're going to realize, you know, we still are a growing
1:32:28
team and we might gas out a little bit.
1:32:30
So don't love the game in Louisville either.
1:32:32
I think the the Cardinals get that one and then Brennan
1:32:36
Armstrong, North Carolina State, the Wolfpack with him at QBI
1:32:43
don't like that one either. I I think that the Wolfpack
1:32:46
beats us at home and then we're going to be UVAUVA is.
1:32:52
They're in a tough spot. I don't know what they're doing
1:32:54
over there in Charlottesville, but coach Tony Elliott is it.
1:32:58
It looks like he's having a hard time.
1:33:00
But I I think that that game should be an emphatic win in
1:33:03
Charlottesville. I wish you were in Blacksburg,
1:33:06
but obviously with the tragedy last year, very, very sad.
1:33:09
But travel back to Charlottesville and get a big
1:33:13
dub. There we go.
1:33:15
Sheldon, what about you the last four of the season?
1:33:19
I'm going two and two. I'll take actually I didn't
1:33:24
think about this one. I don't OK I'm not going to
1:33:27
predict the. I'm just saying to it too like I
1:33:30
know in my brain, in my brain what this seems directable be.
1:33:35
I think they'll definitely be UVA though and my UVA is they
1:33:37
were worse than us last year which is kind of hard to do.
1:33:42
Their offense, their offense, it was kind of inverted from
1:33:47
previous year where they fell off a Cliff offensively.
1:33:49
Much better defensively though. I lose some key defensive
1:33:51
pieces. This is a clear rebuilding team.
1:33:54
They're starting a Monmouth transfer at QB.
1:33:56
I think this is a this is a win for BT and I will keep that cup
1:34:00
for at least another year, Brian.
1:34:04
I'm going two and two down the stretch here.
1:34:07
I I like us against Boston College, even even in the cold
1:34:11
up there in Chestnut Hill, I don't like us in Louisville.
1:34:16
NC State's going to be be a loss.
1:34:19
And then we take care of business at UVA.
1:34:22
We close it out with a with the W Tony Elliott right now has the
1:34:27
opposite of what juices whatever the opposite of juices that
1:34:29
that's what's going on in Charlottesville right now.
1:34:33
Yeah I mean it it's it's like he can't seem to get out of his own
1:34:37
way. The recruiting's in the in the
1:34:38
in the shitter you know they lost probably their all their
1:34:43
best defenders are playing on another team this year from last
1:34:46
year so. You know, we talked about how
1:34:48
much of A of a of a flip that the defense did last year.
1:34:51
I don't think you're going to see that carry over into into
1:34:54
2023. And you know they lost some key
1:34:57
pieces on offense. They're bringing in a transfer
1:35:00
quarterback from Monmouth. Apparently he's being pushed by
1:35:04
a true freshman in fall camp. So I don't know if that is an
1:35:10
indictment on their transfer quarterback or a, you know, a
1:35:13
big boost to their true freshman.
1:35:15
But. It's probably not the best
1:35:16
optics for a team that's trying to to put something together
1:35:21
after how much they lost. So I like I like two and two
1:35:24
here when at BC2L's at Louisville and NC State and then
1:35:29
a big W there to close without a UVA.
1:35:30
All right I'm going to take the Shelton route on this boys.
1:35:35
We're two and two. I have not went crazy again and
1:35:38
brought the hat and brought the glasses back out.
1:35:40
We're two and two but I'm going to predict just one of the two
1:35:43
victories. We're going to be UVA the other
1:35:45
three games. I think you look at those three
1:35:49
and I like what somebody said here, Thomas, I'm going to bring
1:35:51
you back in cuz me and you are on this.
1:35:54
NC State does sort of play like shit when they get numbers next
1:35:57
to their game. See 2022 when they damn near
1:36:01
lost to us. So the other three games I can't
1:36:05
throw a dart at right now, but I can see us getting at least one
1:36:09
of those two games. But definitely UVA.
1:36:12
And I got a feeling UVA, it might be a bad beat down Brian.
1:36:16
We might have to get in the car that Saturday and drive up there
1:36:18
because there will be tickets for like Nichols.
1:36:21
Honest to God truth. I'm down.
1:36:23
I'll stand on the hill and yell at some people like I did back
1:36:26
in 99. There you go.
1:36:27
All right, let's do a quick tale of the tape.
1:36:29
Shelton. Six and six.
1:36:30
He has us bowling. Brian.
1:36:32
Tally Grayson, seven and five. And yes, I am the optimistic
1:36:36
cokie at 8:00 and 4:00 in this panel.
1:36:39
Now I'm going to remove the caveat.
1:36:40
Let's say some things don't go right real quick, and I'll start
1:36:44
with this one. I think the floor for this team
1:36:47
is five. I think ODUI think Rutgers are
1:36:51
definites, and I can see at least getting three more wins
1:36:57
with the remaining other teams. Who wants to go first?
1:37:03
I will say I did have 6:00 and 6:00.
1:37:06
Just to just to be clear, yeah, that's at least what I have.
1:37:11
I remember maybe. I know you went three and one to
1:37:13
begin with. You're right.
1:37:15
OK, Never mind. I'm.
1:37:19
I'm with you, Curtis. I think the floor is five games.
1:37:22
It kind of has to be 5 games. You have to win at least two
1:37:27
more than you did last year. I think if we can't get wins
1:37:32
over ODU Purdue. Rutgers, at least one, a CC team
1:37:38
and UVA on Thanksgiving weekend. That's a problem.
1:37:43
If if you can't get that, that's that's an issue.
1:37:48
And so, yeah, there's there's your floor, but I mean, you got
1:37:51
to win more than three and you got to win more than four.
1:37:55
I agree. I mean I'm, I'm same way.
1:37:58
I think the floor is five, five games, which is crazy.
1:38:03
Because I want to ask a question, but I'm going to wait
1:38:04
till everybody goes here. But I'll say that the floor has
1:38:08
to be 5 from just looking at the schedule and games.
1:38:13
Yeah, I think you can't really come out with the, with the
1:38:15
schedule we have, with some of the matchups that we have right
1:38:18
out the gate. It's got, it's got to be 5.
1:38:20
I'm with everybody else here. You know you need to at least be
1:38:24
two and two. In those first four you need to
1:38:27
at least win, You know, 2ACC games.
1:38:31
And you got to go ahead and and and kick the shit out of UVAI
1:38:36
think if if you can get there. I think that that's a little bit
1:38:38
something to to build off of that's that's kind of the the
1:38:41
minimum baseline to build off of.
1:38:43
If we're below that you know you're going to start hearing
1:38:46
hearing some conversations and you know fair or unfair.
1:38:51
It's just that's the nature of the beast, man.
1:38:53
When you win three games and if you turn it around with you know
1:38:56
four or fewer year 2. There's going to, there's going
1:38:59
to be some commentary, but. I'm hoping we get 5.
1:39:02
I hope you make a bowl, but I think 5 is the floor for this
1:39:04
team. Sheldon 5 is definitely the
1:39:08
floor. If you go last year, there's a
1:39:10
stat that basically looks at like what they call post game
1:39:12
win expectancy. So you just look at team stats.
1:39:15
How likely would they have been to win all their games?
1:39:18
Tech was actually one of the unluckiest teams in the country
1:39:20
last year. I think they under performed by
1:39:21
like one 1 1/2 wins, so they really should have been like 4.5
1:39:26
ish. Somewhere around there now you
1:39:27
might say OK, that's that's, you know, because of bad coaching.
1:39:30
But you figure this year you're starting from fournaf last year.
1:39:33
Better coaching, better players. They know the system better.
1:39:38
It would be really, really hard for this team not to win five
1:39:40
games. I think, especially if you know,
1:39:43
you figure that luck hopefully improves this year.
1:39:46
They would need some pretty atrocious luck to win four games
1:39:48
or less, in my opinion, and that'd be a pretty disappointing
1:39:51
season if they did. So I'll go 514.
1:39:54
Got it. All right.
1:39:55
Tally, you said you had something you wanted to ask each
1:39:57
of us. Go right ahead.
1:39:58
Yeah, so just just looking at stuff, man, and getting ready
1:40:01
for football and being an idiot. If we are five and O with two
1:40:07
blowout wins going into playing Florida State, are we ranked?
1:40:16
Is that a ranked matchup? I mean, and they're undefeated
1:40:18
as well. Yeah, that's right.
1:40:20
Yeah, that's we're we're ranked. If we're five and O and we beat
1:40:23
Pitt, we're ranked because there's going to be obviously
1:40:26
some and me some dirty fallout from other parts.
1:40:30
So yeah, I think we'll be in the top 25 maybe at the low end.
1:40:36
I I think they would do that like you know polls or yeah, you
1:40:41
know, you know me and Curtis, I, I had this big, big problem with
1:40:46
preseason polls. But I think the way preseason
1:40:48
polls work and I think the way. When people look at matchups, if
1:40:53
you're undefeated heading into that game, there's going to be a
1:40:56
lot of people that will want to put us in the top 25 solely for
1:41:00
that matchup. And that's why I asked the
1:41:02
question. Because I'm like that has the
1:41:03
trigger. For the narrative, it's better
1:41:06
if we are, yes. Yeah, yeah.
1:41:11
I would actually, I do think we would be ranked.
1:41:13
I will say though, I I take a shoot.
1:41:15
There's a narrative that like precinct poser kind of bogus.
1:41:18
I've actually seen some research showing that.
1:41:21
Recent polls are actually more accurate at least in college
1:41:23
basketball than like the in season polls.
1:41:26
And I think it's because you know, the pollsters before the
1:41:29
season tend to look at like, you know, they essentially they're
1:41:32
just projecting like who the best teams will be based on, you
1:41:35
know, returning production, you know staff from us here
1:41:38
etcetera, etcetera. But once season starts, it
1:41:40
becomes essentially like the popularity contest, just like
1:41:42
when lost record and you know who's hot.
1:41:45
So yeah, I don't think recent polls are all that bad, but
1:41:49
yeah, definitely, if tech starts winning games, they're going to
1:41:51
shoot up the Hurricanes, because that's kind of what the polls
1:41:53
all about. See, I think with football it's
1:41:55
worse because everything based on the preseason poll determines
1:41:59
how people vote in subsequent polls.
1:42:02
And there's and. And unlike college basketball,
1:42:04
you don't have, you know, months and months of of polls to deal
1:42:08
with relative to the to the original.
1:42:12
So. It probably biases the the polls
1:42:15
a little bit more than it would in college basketball.
1:42:18
But to your point you know when when those in season polls are
1:42:22
taking place you're you're bringing in a lot of recency
1:42:24
bias of of what we saw you know in in that last week's game.
1:42:28
So that that's definitely probably pulling a lot more
1:42:31
weight than it probably should sometimes.
1:42:33
All right, well, we we've got some other questions we're going
1:42:35
to throw up here and let everybody answer them.
1:42:39
Pete, be our buddy over it. Too deep.
1:42:42
How many wins does PRI need to win the ACC Coach of the Year?
1:42:45
Whoever wants to take that one first. 8.
1:42:48
Eight wins and you better win the bowl too, but definitely
1:42:52
eight wins. That's what.
1:42:54
Listen again, I told y'all, y'all have me.
1:42:57
My mind is nuts over here because y'all freaking let
1:43:00
people put stuff out before the season that don't have shit to
1:43:04
do with the season. You let them put that little
1:43:06
thing out and everybody's thinking about how far we're
1:43:09
behind, how we're running like a mom and pop.
1:43:12
You're doing a great job. What you did was you got them to
1:43:15
put that out, and then you're going to go out here and you're
1:43:17
going to win eight or nine games and then you're going to win the
1:43:19
coach of the year. Dude, I'm, I understand what
1:43:23
he's doing. That's why that article came out
1:43:25
of this. Chestnut checkers, right?
1:43:27
It's Chesnut checkers, man. Hey.
1:43:30
What Tally just said. I was not familiar with your
1:43:33
game, coach, bro. We'll see.
1:43:40
I think it's got to be 9 because I think with the way FSU set up
1:43:43
this year, I think FSU is set up to win 11 or 12 games and if he.
1:43:49
He can win it with eight if FSU has two losses if that's.
1:43:54
I think FSU is going to start the season 2 and two myself.
1:43:56
Honestly, he got to lead. LSU let's let's yeah, let's
1:44:03
Shelton finish here and then we'll throw one more on the
1:44:05
board before we wrap up here. Yeah, it's like it depends on
1:44:08
if. As long as Clemson doesn't win
1:44:10
the ACC. If Clemson doesn't win the ACC,
1:44:14
I would lead more towards 9. If they do win it, I definitely
1:44:16
think it could do it just because you know Clemson would
1:44:18
be expected to win the conference.
1:44:20
Obviously, if we're to say expected to win 10 games, so if
1:44:22
you like Virginia Tech A5 win improvement, that's pretty
1:44:24
insane. So yeah, that is pretty insane.
1:44:26
That's a great point to make. All right, we got one more
1:44:28
question from our bloody Clark. I think we like to have to pull
1:44:31
the website up to do this. So I'm gonna.
1:44:35
I'm gonna get the, I'm gonna get the easy one out of the way
1:44:37
first. First of all, you get to choose
1:44:39
one uniform combination for the game this season.
1:44:41
What game? What you wearing, Tally?
1:44:44
Go ahead. It's the orange effect.
1:44:47
Fucking wear orange. It's it's pretty easy if you if
1:44:52
you're playing Purdue and it's the orange effect, orange
1:44:55
helmets. Orange jersey.
1:44:57
Orange. Past as much orange as you can
1:44:59
get. Put that shit on and let's go.
1:45:01
I want Orange everything Purdue. Everything, Grayson.
1:45:08
Thursday night Syracuse game. Give me the maroon helmet with a
1:45:12
white face mask, maroon top, white pants and white cleats.
1:45:19
Yep, tell them. So I'm going to go.
1:45:25
White top I'll go maroon pants, white helmets with the black
1:45:31
stripe down the middle. And we're also gonna wear
1:45:33
leather helmets cuz this is 1920s.
1:45:35
I'm going 1920s throwback. How's a good one?
1:45:42
The setup was perfect there. The setup was perfect.
1:45:45
I love it. Single.
1:45:47
Oh man. Let me go Thursday night against
1:45:51
Syracuse and we're we're bringing back the Nike Pro
1:45:54
Combat Blacks Oh. My God, that's a tough.
1:45:59
One, do we have a black alternate?
1:46:05
It's it's from the hokey stone. Have y'all seen the pants in
1:46:02
practice like the the? It's, it's from the hokey stone.
1:46:08
Yeah, we still got a full set of those out there that we don't
1:46:11
wear. Great.
1:46:14
All right, I'm, I'm gonna go with kind of tally on this,
1:46:16
except I'm gonna put one caveat. Purdue game, orange fans, orange
1:46:20
jersey, white helmet, orange Vt logo inside it.
1:46:26
That's what I'm going with here, but we do need, listen, the Pro
1:46:29
Combat uniforms, please bring them back.
1:46:31
Literally some of the best jersey we ever had.
1:46:33
It was such a great look. The old woman I hate the and
1:46:36
they hate those jerseys. That's crazy.
1:46:40
Oh yeah. So.
1:46:41
Is it cuz they're tying it to the Boise State loss or is it
1:46:44
just because they hate? Because they hate.
1:46:47
The same things. They're the same people who got
1:46:49
rid of. Stick it in.
1:46:50
They don't like fun things, so they don't like fun things.
1:46:54
I said what I said. All righty.
1:46:56
Is anything breaking? We went right under two hours.
1:47:00
But we don't have a quarterback announcement yet, but that's
1:47:02
probably coming soon. Yeah, we probably has a press
1:47:05
conference tomorrow. We said I thought it was
1:47:08
Tuesday. It's moved to Wednesday.
1:47:10
Shout out David Cunningham, because David Cunningham told me
1:47:13
that that there was going to be Wednesday this week, not
1:47:15
Tuesday, unfortunately. I do think, how about that?
1:47:18
Do we get the announcement tomorrow?
1:47:20
Quarterback I feel like you got to.
1:47:22
I feel like it's that time you know you got, you got a week you
1:47:27
two weeks to to gain. I mean, it's time for somebody
1:47:30
to get all the reps. I feel like you got to come out
1:47:32
and go ahead and tell us or tell not tell us, but tell the team.
1:47:37
I mean, they need to know more to tell the team.
1:47:39
So we know too, because, you know, we're reporting here,
1:47:41
Yeah, it's going to come down. Inquiring minds?
1:47:43
All right, well boys, that is going to wrap up this episode of
1:47:47
the Boundary Corner podcast brought to you by Main Street
1:47:50
Pharmacy in Blacksburg. We appreciate our guest, Grayson
1:47:54
Onebus joining us from the Left coast in California, I'm Curtis
1:47:58
Wilson. I'm Brian Sigler.
1:48:02
Jonathan Talley. I am Shelton Moss.
1:48:06
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