Comments on: Recapping the Hokies’ 2013 signing day

By: Perch

Perch — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:34:59 +0000

Dools and crooked are right. Seemed like special teams just faded away. Like a been there, done that, got the Beamerball T shirt kinda thing. I know other teams stepped up their stuff, but if we were cutting edge once, we should have been striving to stay on that edge. Seems like we dialed it back. Not saying we gave up, just seems like the intensity of the plan was reduced. I do understand the injury concerns, and the coaches are paid to assess the risks/rewards, but it seems like a dramatic drop to me. Were kids getting hurt at an inordinate pace? Any injury is a bad one, but were there more than usual because of our emphasis? If so, I defer for the safety of our players. I will just say that I really enjoyed the hayday of Beamerball and long for it’s return.
What an asset! Scoring on special teams, blocking kicks, scaring the heck out of the other guy’s special teams…them were the days.

By: Dools

Dools — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:09:03 +0000

CR you are correct on the special teams personnel . I was watching a Hokie power hour video the other night (http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=atVNNR29GHA&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DatVNNR29GHA) actually pretty cool if you have time to watch, but the video proves your point. Many of our favorite special teams plays came from our best athletes, I believe General Lee Suggs blocks a punt at one point in the mix. From what I’ve seen and read about this class, they are extremely athletic and have the ability to play in any three phases of the game. I don’t know why we ever got away from using our best players on special teams situations to turn the tide of the game, probably injury concerns, but either way, Beamer needs to re-instill the high risk high reward philosophy if he evers hopes to fill that empty case in the office.

By: Andy Bitter

Andy Bitter — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:04:41 +0000

There’s a limit for number of guys who can practice before school starts. That limit is relaxed once class begins. I’m not sure if there’s a hard cap on players. But it’s usually over 100 guys on the roster, even if they dress for a game.

As for Fisher’s suspension, I’d say that’s certainly sanitized version of what happened. You don’t get a 10-day suspension for simply arguing with a teacher. There has to be more the story than that.

By: FOOTBALL FAN

FOOTBALL FAN — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:19:03 +0000

10 day suspension for arguing with a teacher??? Ask any principal and they will tell you if a kid gets that many days suspension he’s had previous issues that warranted longer time out. Tech get wise and cut your losses with Holland Fisher now instead of wasting a scholarship on him that could go to more deserving student.

By: Ralph

Ralph — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:12:08 +0000

Andy, one more question about walk-ons and my knowledge will be complete. I know the 85 limit scholarship rule but can Tech have as many players practicing or dressing for games or does the 85 apply there too.

By: crooked road

crooked road — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:42:22 +0000

#1 Dools, the change in special teams effectiveness over the last several seasons is not due to available player talent. It is due to coaching focus. From the decision to use fewer starters on special teams to many other seemingly small modifications, they have combined to produce what we now have. Hopefully that facet of Hokie football receives the same sort of restructuring that the offense recently did, and soon.

By: Andy Bitter

Andy Bitter — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:22:15 +0000

I don’t have a complete list of walk-ons. Those are tough to confirm sometimes, since VT can’t technically comment on guys who haven’t signed anything. Usually, you see stuff pop up in local papers about these guys accepting walk-on offers.

As for the speed of this group, Cequan Jefferson sounds pretty fast. Parker has some moves and speed. It’s hard to tel. They list 40 times on some of these recruiting websites, but it’s tough to trust those times. Plus, every one of these guys is fast against high school competition. We’ll see what they do against other college guys.

By: Voice of Reason

Voice of Reason — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:07:28 +0000

Also, Andy I asked the other day if you had any information about the speed of any of the these new recruits. Any really fast guys in this group?

By: Voice of Reason

Voice of Reason — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:06:11 +0000

Andy, I was reading an article from Doug Doughty that said Tech picked up a punter as a walk on named Ludwig from Abington HS. Doughty reports he had a 43 yard average and kicked 40 out of 46 kickoffs out of the end zone. Do you have any information on Ludgig or other walk ons? I know that Beamer seems to rarely offers scholorships to kickers right out of HS. Any word on future field goal kickers?

By: 69HOKIE

69HOKIE — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:32:38 +0000

Looks like a very good group. Hopefully the coaches will lay down the law to Fisher, and put him on a short leash. We don’t need these kind of distractions.

We know Foster will get the most of out the guys on his side of the ball. It will be interesting to see what the new offensive coaches get out of ‘other people’s’ recruits. Time will tell what they can do with their own.