Battleground state: A look at Virginia Tech, Virginia’s 2012 recruiting efforts in the commonwealth
If you’re not a fan of historical recruiting rankings, then this probably isn’t the blog post for you.
A few days before Signing Day, Rivals determined the victors in the state recruiting battles. It picked Virginia Tech in the commonwealth, an opinion that didn’t seem to change much after Signing Day. Looking at the final lists, Virginia might have grabbed the biggest name in the state (top-ranked DE Eli Harold), but Virginia Tech appears to have done better overall, getting five of the top-10 recruits and nine of the top-15.
It was no doubt a rewarding feeling for Frank Beamer, who reshuffled his staff last offseason, in part to reinforce the recruiting side of things with Mike London getting UVa’s in-state efforts on track.
Here’s a look at how each team did in the state in the 2012 class (rankings are by Rivals):
Virginia Tech
- 3. Joel Caleb, WR, Midlothian, 4*
- 5. J.C. Coleman, RB, Chesapeake, 4*
- 6. Deon Clarke, LB, Chesterfield, 4*
- 8. Ken Ekanem, DE, Centreville, 4*
- 9. Trey Edmunds, LB/RB, Danville, 4*
- 11. Devin Vandyke, LB, Lorton, 3*
- 13. Der’Woun Greene, WR, Portsmouth, 3*
- 14. Augie Conte, OL, Powhatan, 3*
- 15. Nigel Williams, DT, Richmond, 3*
- 17. Dakota Jackson, TE, Roanoke, 3*
- 20. Brenden Motley, QB, Christiansburg, 3*
- 21. Desmond Frye, DB, Chester, 3*
- 24. Alston Smith, DL, Virginia Beach, 3*
- 28. Seth Dooley, DE, Salem, 3*
- 29. Jerome Wright, RB, Highland Springs, 3*
Virginia
- 1. Eli Harold, DE, Virginia Beach, 4*
- 4. Kwontie Moore, LB, Norfolk, 4*
- 12. Anthony Cooper, WR, Virginia Beach, 3*
- 16. Courtnye Wynn, DE, Norfolk, 3*
- 18. Mario Nixon, WR, Norfolk, 3*
- 19. Mark Hall, LB, Virginia Beach, 3*
- 23. Andre Miles-Redmond, OL, Richmond, 3*
- 26. Tyrell Chavis, OL, Richmond, 3*
- 2. Alex Carter, DB, Ashburn, 4* (Stanford)
- 7. Korren Kirven, DL, Brookville, 4* (Alabama)
- 10. Win Homer, OL, Christchurch, 4* (Boston College)
- 22. C.J. Prosise, DB, Woodberry Forest, 3* (Notre Dame)
- 25. Will Smith, OL, Christchurch, 3* (Wake Forest)
- 26. Romond Deloatch, WR, Hampton, 3* (Temple)
- 30. Rhakeem Stallings, LB, Chesapeake, 3* (James Madison)
Comparing Virginia Tech and Virginia, here’s the breakdown this year:
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 15 0 5 10 5 11 Virginia 8 0 2 6 2 6 Elsewhere 7 0 3 4 3 3
Now, you might ask yourself, how does that compare to previous years? I’m so glad you asked, because I looked it up. These go back to 2003, when Rivals began posting its state rankings. (Things of note: not all the columns add up because in some years not all the top-30 recruits signed somewhere; Rivals only did a top 25 in 2004 for some reason.)
2011
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 7 0 2 5 2 3 Virginia 13 0 3 10 4 10 Elsewhere 10 1 2 7 4 7
Top five: LB Curtis Grant (Ohio State), CB Demetrious Nicholson (Virginia), OL Landon Turner (North Carolina), LB Travis Hughes (North Carolina), ATH Dominique Terrell (Virginia)
2010
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 10 0 4 6 4 8 Virginia 1 0 0 1 0 0 Elsewhere 19 0 7 12 6 12
Top five: DE J.R. Ferguson (LSU), QB Phillip Sims (Alabama), WR Justin Hunter (Tennessee), OL Quinton Spain (West Virginia), DE Zack McCray (Virginia Tech)
2009
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 11 0 2 9 2 7 Virginia 7 0 4 3 3 5 Elsewhere 12 0 7 5 5 7
Top five: RB David Wilson (Virginia Tech), OL Morgan Moses (Virginia), QB Tajh Boyd (Clemson), TE Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech), LB Jerod Askew (Tennessee)
2008
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 21 0 4 17 4 8 Virginia 1 0 0 1 0 1 Elsewhere 10 0 6 4 5 5
Top five: QB E.J. Manuel (2008), RB Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech), QB Mike Glennon (N.C. State), DE Quinton Coples (North Carolina), OL Vinston Painter (Virginia Tech)
2007
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 9 1 2 6 3 4 Virginia 7 0 3 4 3 4 Elsewhere 14 0 4 10 4 9
Top five: QB Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech), QB Peter Lalich (Virginia), DE Jamar Jackson (Florida State), LB J’Courtney Williams (Virginia), WR Jay Smith (N.C. State)
2006
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 5 0 1 4 0 4 Virginia 6 0 1 5 1 2 Elsewhere 18 2 7 9 9 14
Top five: WR Percy Harvin (Florida), WR Vidal Hazelton (USC), WR Damon McDaniel (Florida State), WR Chris Bell (Penn State), LB Jarrell Miller (North Carolina)
2005
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 11 1 4 5 6 10 Virginia 11 0 1 7 2 7 Elsewhere 9 0 1 3 2 3
Top five: ATH Victor Harris (Virginia Tech), ATH Vic Hall (Virginia), LB Deveon Simmons (Virginia Tech), RB Elan Lewis (Virginia Tech), WR Todd Nolen (Virginia Tech)
2004
Team Total (25) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 7 0 3 2 3 7 Virginia 8 0 2 4 4 7 Elsewhere 8 0 1 2 2 4
Top five: DE Olu Hall (Virginia), DB Kent Hicks (Virginia Tech), QB Sean Glennon (Virginia Tech), LB Jerod Mayo (Tennessee), DE Chris Long (Virginia)
2003
Team Total (30) 5* 4* 3* Top 10 Top 20 Virginia Tech 10 0 4 5 5 7 Virginia 8 0 1 6 2 7 Elsewhere 11 0 0 7 3 3
Top five: CB Phillip Brown (Virginia), DE Chris Ellis (Virginia Tech), LB Xavier Adibi (Virginia Tech), LB Vince Hall (Virginia Tech), OL Matt Welsh (Virginia Tech)
So … what conclusions can you draw from all this data? A few:
* Although the Virginia Tech coaches don’t talk about the other team in the state’s recruiting efforts, Virginia is posing a real threat. Those 2011 numbers are no mirage. The last time the Cavaliers had more in-state top-30 recruits and more in the top 10 in the same recruiting season was 2006. That the Hokies struck back with a solid 2012 effort has to ease some of the fears fans had that the tables were turning.
* I’m struck by how lopsided the in-state recruiting got during near the end of the Al Groh era. The 2008 class was especially one-sided, with Virginia Tech getting 21 of the state’s top-30 recruit and Virginia getting 1. That includes a 4-0 disparity in the top 10 and an 8-1 difference in the top 20. Is it any wonder that Groh’s days were numbered?
* Overall, Virginia Tech and Virginia closed down the borders pretty well this year. There haven’t been this many top-30 Virginia recruits to stay in state in the 10 years of archives on Rivals’ site. The mass exodus of 2006, when nearly all of the state’s elite talent crossed the border, is one that sticks out in people’s minds, but in 2008 and ’10, more of Virginia’s top 10 recruits went to out-of-state schools rather than Virginia Tech and Virginia. This makes it two straight years in which the Tech and UVa have gobbled up most of the in-state talent.
* Pretty good talent year for the state, even if there was not a 5-star player out there (at least according to Rivals’ rankings). There were 10 4-star recruits, however. That’s tied for the third most of the last decade. The most 4-star recruits or better on this list was in 2009, when there were 13. There were 11 in 2010 and in 2006, which might have been the most star-studded group with a pair of 5-star recruits in Harvin and Hazelton.
* Just as more proof of the inexact science of recruiting, there are a bunch of top-five signees who didn’t pan out. Phillip Brown, Olu Hall, Kent Hicks, Elan Lewis, Todd Nolen and Peter Lalich to name a few.
* But more often than not, the top recruits do have pretty good careers, as Chris Ellis, Xavier Adibi, Vince Hall, Jerod Mayo, Chris Long, Victor Harris, Percy Harvin, Tyrod Taylor, David Wilson and Logan Thomas show. People rag on recruiting rankings (I’m one of them), but they hit more than they miss on stuff like this. It’s probably in a school’s best interest to do well on a year-to-year basis..
February 6, 2012 - 12:53 AM
Even setting loyalties aside, it is good that most of the talent stayed instate. I think the shuffle done last year provided Beamer with some MUCH needed ‘new blood’. Nothing at all wrong with Hite or Cavanaugh. The problem is that the entire staff consisted of old white guys. That is where London was able to make inroads. Now Frank has at least a couple of younger guys on staff. A couple more would be even better, but hopefully that will occur in the near future. When you see the way Mack Brown evolved his staff, it could be instructive.
I wonder if Pa. will be more of a focus with Pittsburgh coming into the ACC. We certainly expanded our NC presence when we joined the ACC, and it’s done well for us.
I remember Doughty harping on Russell Wilson being ignored by both VT & UVa back in ’07. The 5 star players that go elsewhere are often the ones that are game changers. For whatever reason, Tech just doesn’t pick up many of them. Those are the guys you need to make it into the elite status. More than just one every 4-5 years, you need multiple ones every season.
It isn’t the number of stars that count. it is what you do with them. sadly, some kids don’t work out do to injury, luck or behavior. some kids mature in high school and don;t improve. some do.
beamer has a good history of developing talent. he built the program on kids that others overlooked. he took us from bad to good and from good to great. now we are looking to jump from great to the very top (the few programs that are always out front – ‘bama, lsu, usc, florida and ohio state). with the recruiting changes he can do this.
That’s missing the point. The number of stars is not an exact indicator, but is a reliable indicator. That was what Andy was saying. What I’m saying is this – do the analysis that Andy did, only do it on the elite programs around the country. You’ll see that they get 5 star players every season, multiples. Not one every four or five years, they get four or five every year. That is the difference.
It’s not necessarily a criticism of Beamer, it’s just a fact. Until Beamer gets multiple five star players every season, his odds of winning the MNC are the same as your or mine of winning the lottery. If he can do that, get those five star guys, then his odds drop to about 1 in 20 or so. Maybe 1 in 10. Regardless, we’re so far from that it isn’t worthy of discussion.
What Beamer has to do to achieve that? Well, it’s long and complicated, and I doubt it is worthy of discussion, since he’s not doing it regardless. The point is – satisfy yourself with remaining atop the ACC heap, because the next step is one that’s about 2′ above this last one. It’s not impossible, it’s just unrealistic.
“Although the Virginia Tech coaches don’t talk about the other team in the state’s recruiting efforts, Virginia is posing a real threat. Those 2011 numbers are no mirage.”
What about that mirage from ’03-’06? UVA drew even in Top 30′s, but what good did it do them? Nothing? How many wins have they had since then? Pretty easy to stick up one finger in the air.
UVA has done nothing with what they have ever gotten, and in recent history, the best they’ve gotten was an extremely undersized CB that will get used and abused by everybody that wants to go after him.
UVA needs to tilt the scales to a 2:1 ratio of top 20′s for about 6 years to make a difference.
The VT dominance in 2008-2010 is just starting to show. Its first glimpse occurred this year, and it read 38-0, on the road.
The ‘Hoos made some ground in 2011, and gave it back in 2012, particularly when you look at the higher rated recruits.
I’m certainly no fan of recruiting rankings, but the way things are in the Commonwealth, they certainly do hold true with regard to in-state recruits.
The table below the list of 2012 signees doesn’t match the list – either the list is wrong, or VT should be credited with 15 total and UVa 8 (not 13 and 10). The same goes with the 3* column. Otherwise, great comparison. It definitely shows that while this head-to-head recruiting battle goes in cycles, VT still wins the games on the field!
You do not have to have 5* recruits to be a great team. Normally there are only about 30 5* recruits a year by Rivals’ standards. It’s not like there’s a lot of them to go around. This year 32 were signed by 17 schools…1.88 per school. No school signed more than 3, including ‘Bama! Some notable schools that had zero beside VT are Auburn, Clemson, Oregon, LSU, So. Carolina, Cal, Neb., Okie St., & Ark. Okla, UCLA, aTm, Wash, Rutgers and Mo all had one. So 11 schools scored with more than one.
The truth of the matter is, if you can get the higher caliber 4* recruits by the number, you do not have to have 5* players to develop a great team!! It is normally the low tier 3* and the 2* players that fail to develop that hurt a recruiting class. And, of course, the 4* recruits that wash out for whatever reason.
The other thing that stops a team from being great is lack of depth. You can bring in 25 4* players but, if they are not covering all the positions of need, there will be holes that will eventually weaken the team which is why, to achieve greatness, you need a little luck every now and then.
MD Hokie Fan, you’re right. I had to adjust something in the lists above and failed to update the table. It should be right now.
On paper this recruiting class seems to be a good group that will help Tech in the future.
Now Tech needs to follow this class with another good group next year.
Many of us still have hope that Tech will reach the upper tier of college teams, and maybe make some real news with another run at playing in the MNC game. We hold out hope for our Hokies.
Let’s go Hokies !!!