Tidewater Hillbilly

lack of depth up front and at LB, certain injuries could be catastrophic. Gotta stay healthy.

to approach your question. You can consider it from a "raw talent" angle... Are the individual players better athletically? Or, you can look at potential which can be unlocked with good coaching and scheming and planning (not to mention greater inspiration of effort by individual players). You also have to account for chemistry among new groups on the field and how players may have improved (or not) in the off-season. Clearly, we expect all receivers to benefit from improved QB play. That translates to a better running game, too. AND, when the passing and running games improve (because the QB is a greater threat) the offensive line's job will get a little easier and they might just look "improved". On defense, we need leadership and effort and GREAT coaching or no positions will improve. The LB output wasn't great last year. I hope it won't be worse!

Do the locomotion!

FAN GRUNK RAILROAD!

a whole lot of egos to deal with. If they can be properly corraled, they might make that final regularly, in which case, VT better hope for an expanded playoff system!

Refreshing in a world where everyone seems to blurt out anything and everything that pops into their gray matter! My second grade teacher gave us the best advice - Think before you speak or act.

a dominant offensive line, first. Otherwise it's sort of the cheer version of an empty trophy case. Perhaps we won't have to wait too long, now!

unlikely part of this story isn't the absolute, abject failure of a six-time Super Bowl winning HC stinking up college football, it is that the 199th overall pick in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL draft went on to win seven Super Bowls and is widely considered the GOAT! (These QBs were all picked ahead of Terrific Tom: Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger, and Spergon Wynn...not exactly household names!)

the ultimate hustle of all time. I've certainly never seen anyone completely suck at their job like he has as a college head coach. I mean, he is totally believable in the role of worst coach in the conference. But, but, the SIX time Super Bowl winning coach can't possibly be that bad, right?! Inconceivable, right?!! Maybe he is just biding his time, lulling the college football world to sleep and...POW! Or not.

been on a Rocky Mtn High, removed those little round 👓, parted those shaggy bangs and looked at his map of the Eastern U.S. with a magnifying glass where he spotted Harper's Ferry. Yup, that river and that mountain (at least the western side of it) are located in the pan-handle of the wild, wonderful state! More importantly, "West Virginia" worked better musically (right # of syllables) than the more appropriate choice. Should have said "Old Dominion, mountain mama..."

your recruiters can evaluate talent better than your competitors. You might find diamonds-in-the-rough like certain Hokies whos names you might recall... Chamarri Conner (Super Bowl Champion), Brandon Facyson (7 years in the League), Divine Deablo (6 years in the League) I think those "lower-tier 3-star guys", none of whom were in the top 30 HS players in their state, might have something to add to this discussion!

ask A.I. the percentage of 5-star and 4-star recruits in an average year. In a dazzling demonstration of why there is an "A" in A.I., here was the answer: Star Rating Percentage of Recruits 5-star - Less than 5% 4-star - Approximately 18% 2-3 stars- About 90% Enlightening.

the guy that HIRED Franklin. Clearly, VT Football made a quantum leap with this hire. Also, credit Virginia Tech - the university, the location, the fans - for appealing to Franklin over other higher-profile programs. Truth is, VT Football sucked and a head coach gig here was not an attractive position post-Beamer. But, the incredible transformation (of a level only recently demonstrated at Indiana) was Franklin. OK, Franklin+... whatever the plus is. Thank goodness!

UNC football. I really do. But I can't seem to get over the years like 2022 when the heels took the #1, #3, #4, #6 and #8 players in Virginia. What sickness could have made all of those Virginians pick UNC over many top-rated programs (and Tech) and, could their spell be somehow cast again?! I've been to Chapel Hill. I've seen VT beat their best teams. What the???

Pitt in 2019, as well, 28-0. 2019 was a strange year for the Hokies... beat Miami in Miami, lost to the hoos. Beat GT 45-0 and lost to ND by a point, both away games. Beat UNC and lost (badly) to Duke, both in Blacksburg. But, wouldn't we have taken that 8-4 with a bowl loss most recent years?!

the Chandler Morris case, while unsuccessful, proved that eligibility rules were meant to be challenged. Does anyone think that Tremaine REALLY wants to play for the NY Football Giants?! So let's say, VT, err... Tremaine, successfully sues the NCAA regarding his remaining eligibility and he receives an NIL+ salary for the upcoming season. After all, the man is only 27 which is about the average age for players at the current National Champion (ntm BYU) so, let's take this time machine for a ride and get Mr. Edmunds the $$$s he would have gotten had he simply been born a few years later! ...He could bring Terrell along for the fun of it.

is bound for glory!

Basically, it is "just another scrimmage" and the HC will pick whatever format will best inform him of where the players are, at that point in time (in front of a lot of observers). For the less-tangible purposes of impressing recruits and fans and having fun, what would you prefer? Offense #1s vs Defense #2s and vice-versa or some mix/hybrid? Should the Offense #1s go head-to-head with the Defense #1s at some point? (I watched the NBA All-Stars split into THREE teams and play a mini-tournament last Sunday but there isn't enough time nor players to try anything that unusual.) IMHO, the WORST part of the Spring Games I've been to is that some were over really quickly due to the clock not stopping in the 2nd half.

Though I doubt it

subscription to Techsideline primarily due to what is happening with the football program and James Franklin's leadership. I'd be surprised if this is not the case with many VT fans. Since I've been subscribed to TSL I have gotten EXACTLY what I was seeking... great in-depth sports journalism. For example, the position-by-position analysis articles have been awesome. So, as a fan, I see the football program and day-to-day football reporting by TSL as symbiotic. I'm sure the TSL side realizes this. FANS are why any of this matters. VT fans have a national reputation (even when the team has struggled) and fans fill seats and contribute to initiatives and love to be engaged. TSL is the BEST and, truly, the ONLY source of its type. As I've seen first-hand as a fairly new subscriber, VT Football NEEDS TSL. Yes, Coach Franklin, the national media is a great tool which will help VT Football to become relevant again. It will help in nationwide recruitment. It is absolutely necessary if VT football is to become the program that all of us long to see. But, the fans want daily, expanded information from a source that is locally-based with a boots-on-the-ground style of reporting. That level of fan engagement is also what it takes if VT Football intends to achieve long-term excellence. We expect it. We are the ones in the seats (and, frequently, out of our seats!)

cool when ol' Clyde looked like Pegasus and then it was an eagle flying off.

Football Game: ★☆☆☆☆ Halftime Show: ★☆☆☆☆ Commercials: ★☆☆☆☆ U.S. Mixed Curling: ★★★★☆

for better than three quarters. Then, after it was too late to save the ratings, NE got on the board. Since the Super Bowl is part football, part spectacle, I'd say this one was among the very worst ever as such. The game sucked but, more importantly, halftime and commercials were way below past experiences.

#66... dude just hold or something!

Those recruits visiting Blacksburg during the January portal window... "g-g-g-guys-z-z, th-th-this is-z-z our p-p-practic-c-c f-f-facilit-t-ty... brrrrr"

likely have three priorities - Immediate playing time and potential for national attention leading up to the NFL draft the following year and, of course, NIL $s. Coach Franklin bucked this trend with his recruitment of younger players that might play multiple years. And, he did so with the facilities at VT in their current condition. Since he couldn't offer a fast-lane to the NFL (in most cases), he sold (very successfully) the promise of hope that VT would quickly reestablish their significance and potentially provide those three priorities year or two later. He might have mentioned a plan to upgrade some facilities to these young men but I don't think that was the motivation that made any of them commit.

by "Next Year" you meant 2027, not "next football season" (2026). In 2026, I would put the Backup QB role at 75% Baker, 15% Grunk, 10% Huhn (as I'd certainly expect Huhn to redshirt BUT things are different in portal-world so maybe not)

would have been easy to answer with some level of certainty. VT just watched their two most experienced QB's (well, only experienced QB's) on the roster portal-out while we sat anxiously awaiting word that thankfully we received, twice. The only answer I would DARE to offer is Grunk OR Baker OR Huhn will START at QB in 2027 and we have no idea if the other two will even stay at VT. I'd say Huhn is the more likely 2027 backup. How about the following prediction for 2027 Backup QB on day 1 (making no assumption regarding who the starter will be or who will portal-out): Huhn - 50%, Baker - 30%, Grunk - 10%, Someone else - 10%

campaigns have caused you Great Depression, remember the pre-game pep-talk from President FRANKLIN D. Roosevelt "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!"

Aretha FRANKLIN, if the Hokies TCB they'll get RESPECT.

in defensive coordinators that was unprecedented in the game of college football. There was simply no way to prepare for the completeness of his athleticism. Who has compared? Lamar? Nope. Who else?

are entering the portal these days (look at how many VT just signed), early playing time, regardless of the school, might be the best strategy. If Pina starts and produces, with his height alone, he will have a lot of interest next year. Sitting/redshirting has got to be seen as a waste of time to a lot of kids, now.

suspended Peter Warrick from the team after his shopping indiscretion conviction, the game played on January 4, 2000 would almost certainly have had a different outcome.

or just the who-venile delinquents?

that entered the portal and went through the entire window and was not offered by another team and was retained on athletic scholarship and/or remained on with VT as a player?

is attitude. As in eleven players executing to the best of their ability on each and every play, epitomized by Mendoza's TD run but also evident in receivers making sure the QB has an open man to throw to and then making the catch every time and on defense where every player flies to the ball, even when it's clear another guy has the tackle. Doubtless, this begins and ends with Cignetti. If a player doesn't exhibit the attitude, he doesn't play. Is Cignetti the only coach that can make this happen?!

is that, eventually, the flag WILL fly and determine the outcome on a penalty that COULD have been called 15 times.

Wouldn't this be about longitude... but what rhymes with longitude?! I got it: Changes in longitude, Changes in prawn seafood I'm no J.B., that's for certain!

As a youngster, I jumped on the Jets bandwagon because of SB-III. Long before Broadway Joe fell off of his wagon I had gotten over the perennial losers out of NY. Joe's infamous MNF proposal to Suzy Kolber might be the most cringe-worthy moment in TV sports history!

for a linebacker. (Grades of 70-79 are considered "good" by PFF and grades below 60 are "struggling".) Isn't this sort of like picking up a QB in the portal that only completed 33% of his passes for his previous team?

Just a guess - The top three LBs on the roster (as it currently stands) would be Wylie, Spencer, Chambers? Thoughts on how we utilize a smaller-than-desireable-size group... Will we likely be forced to only utilize a two-linebacker formation (which would not be unusual for VT)? Any ideas which would likely play the Mike position (the three I listed are all very similar in height, weight)? ** Edited by Tidewater Hillbilly at 1/17/2026, 8:52:14 AM

IF we were to pick a position where we could stand to lose a player, it would probably be DE/EDGE considering the number and talent level we have coming in: Hilson, Williams, Jennings, Harris

The new (HS) recruits that will be enrolled this semester are known but does anyone know when we will have a similar list for those acquired through the portal? I would assume they will need to become a VT student VERY quickly, no?