Reasoned and Measured Analysis Without the BS
You know it and I know it. It’s been a tough 12 months. You’re ready to get back to normal.
You’re not alone, either.
We all long for the days that enormous stadiums and arenas are packed once again, glistening in shades of team colors instead of chairbacks.
We’re ready. And so is the SEC. Continue reading “It’s Alright to be Optimistic”
When Virginia Tech lost Tyrece Radford due to off-the-field issues about a month ago, it seemed like Radford’s season was over.
It looked like the Hokies would have to completely reform their offensive scheme without their best perimeter player. Radford created a lot of shots from the wing, and efficient shot creation isn’t a skill that’s in abundance these days.
But with the talented Nahiem Alleyne still on the roster, it was easy to figure that Alleyne could help lessen that blow. After all, Alleyne can create his own shot and has been moderately effective as a secondary scoring option. Continue reading “Tyrece Radford’s Return Comes Not a Moment Too Soon”
Let’s start today’s column with a life lesson — two things can be, and often are, true at once.
This can be applied to all life situations — your family, your friends, politics and yes, sports. So let’s apply this principle to Virginia Tech’s hiring of Jon Tenuta as a defensive analyst.
Tenuta’s hire is a no-brainer. And it still doesn’t absolve Justin Fuente of his flaws that make Tenuta’s hire necessary in the first place.
Allow me to explain. Continue reading “Only One Person Can Stop Jon Tenuta From Succeeding at Virginia Tech”
When you lose a valuable person in an organization, the key long-term question oftentimes isn’t why they left.
It’s “who is the replacement?”
In Virginia Tech’s case, it looks like the Hokies had a solid answer, naming a defensive line coach who happens to be a former player. One who was an All-American defensive lineman that anchored a dominant defense.
That man is JC Price, who is almost exactly what the Hokies needed. Continue reading “Fuente Finds a Sufficient Replacement in Virginia Tech Legend JC Price”
I had really high hopes for Darryl Tapp.
When Tapp was hired to Virginia Tech’s staff as the assistant defensive line coach, I envisioned a scenario where Tapp’s long NFL career, storied past in Blacksburg and connection to the Hampton Roads area would bear delicious fruit for the Hokies.
My vision included a larger and more productive defensive front that more closely resembled that of college football’s elite. It included Tapp boosting Virginia Tech’s recruiting efforts, not just along the defensive line but in his home area, one of the biggest population centers in the Commonwealth. Continue reading “Well, There Goes That Idea”
Once again, it seems Virginia Tech basketball is not allowed to have nice things.
It’s always something. It could be a catastrophic injury to a star player, it could be your head coach flirting with other programs. But it’s always something.
This time around, it’s the legal system. Continue reading “That’s Why You Build Depth”
Sadly, there’s a question that gets raised inside athletic programs quite frequently.
Is it worth it to cheat the system?
Depending on who and where you are, the answer may very well be yes. Much, of course, depends on whether you get caught. Continue reading “Cheating: It Just Means More”
As more and more players transfer from their original school each season, Justin Fuente has repeatedly used the transfer portal to bolster his quarterback room.
Fuente added JUCO stud Jerod Evans for the 2016 season, acquired AJ Bush for the following year and prior to 2018, Fuente signed Oregon transfer Braxton Burmiester.
After two more departures, Fuente dipped into the portal again on Tuesday and brought in Texas A&M transfer Connor Blumrick. While Blumrick’s may not be a bad thing, it barely addresses the elephant in the room — the Hokies’ quarterback situation is unsettling. Continue reading “An Incredibly Weak Solution to a Significant Problem”
One of my favorite parts of the NCAA Football video games was custom scheduling.
Before every season, you as the head coach got to build your schedule for the coming year. It was fun replacing no-name programs like Middle Tennessee State or Old Dominion with the likes of Alabama or Ohio State. It enhanced the game’s replay factor and allowed you to adjust your schedule depending on who the best teams were.
Real football doesn’t work that way. Athletic directors schedule games far in advance, sometimes a decade before the game is to be played. It’s an odd practice. But sometimes, you get the chance to schedule a game in the short-term, which is what Whit Babcock did last Friday when he added South Carolina to the 2025 slate. Continue reading “Dreaming of Fun Matchups for Virginia Tech”
Let’s get one thing straight here from the start — Virginia Tech is not a basketball school.
That said, it sure is fun for Hokies fans to watch the basketball team carry the torch for the athletic program. Continue reading “Why Not the Hokies?”