Login | Sign Up
TechSideline

All Hokie, All the Time. Period. Presented by First Bank & Trust Company

Football Board
▶
HokiePetcu
Joined: 01/05/2001
Posts: 1,791
Likes: 30
HokiePetcu

What changed the VT Football Personality?

Let's admit it. We are now a soft program with no mental toughness. Was it the move to the ACC in 2004? The hiring of Sands/Whit in 2014? Both? The Big East days felt tougher and we adjusted our personality to be tougher then others. Once we joined the ACC, it seemed liked that toughness allowed us to be a dominant force against what I believe are softer programs in the ACC. Stats to back it up? In the 8 years prior to joining the ACC, VT had four seasons of 10+ wins (including 2 with Vick). 4-3 and 5-2 were common in conference records. In the first 8 years we were in the ACC, we had 8 straight 10+ win seasons. Result of the tough personality we had and softness of the ACC? Then I look at the bowl games and clearly we still had that tough mentality even if not winning all the bowl games. 2004 - Sugar and went toe to toe with unbeaten AU 2005 - Gator and beat Big East member Louisville 2006 - CFA and went toe to toe with SEC Georgia 2007 - Orange but lost to best KU team ever 2008 - Orange and beat Big East Cincy 2009 - CFA and beat SEC Tennessee (and Lane Kiffin) 2010 - Orange but got stomped by tougher Stanford team (signs of cracking?) 2011 - Sugar and lost to Michigan (but we know it was a catch) After that the wheels start to come off. Why? Since 2011, only 1 season of 10 wins. Did we start to act like a soft ACC team? In 2014, Sands and Whit arrive and it is downhill since. Did our mental toughness go away as we tried to be like an ACC university and program? Did joining the ACC start us down the path that we are on now? And should the blame fall at Sands' and Whit's feet? Or is it just because we stopped the "Stick It In" chant? Just something you think about after losing to Vandy and Rutgers in the same season.
Posted: 09/25/2024 at 01:03 PM ET

Thread Replies (68)

Full Thread →
What changed the VT Football Personality? ◄
HokiePetcu • 09/25/24 01:03 PM ET
It started with eliminating “stick it in” chant
Screenwriter • 09/25/24 09:52 PM ET
When did VT stop selling The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly type shirts?
VTHokie2000 • 09/25/24 10:26 PM ET
All Charmin Conference is infectious. Twiilght Frank then Fu'Fu'.
bourbonstreet • 09/25/24 08:43 PM ET
We were a different school with a different mentality, culture, attitude,
Tombo • 09/25/24 08:30 PM ET
Say what u want about Jim Weaver, he was instrumental in our ACC addition…
ombandit • 09/25/24 06:46 PM ET
Don’t agree with the intimidation description.
RJHokie • 09/25/24 07:18 PM ET
Whit and Fuente
WildTurkey • 09/25/24 05:21 PM ET
Convenient. But not particularly accurate.**
marcbvtgm • 09/26/24 03:53 PM ET
Started LONG before Fuente
hokiepro • 09/25/24 07:21 PM ET
Hey, we agree! :)**
NokieHokie • 09/25/24 08:52 PM ET
^---- This!!**
OldRetiredHokie • 09/25/24 05:46 PM ET
But some said and still say he was better for VT than insiders**
VTCALS72 • 09/25/24 06:01 PM ET
How far behind is the program on facilities?
One4VT • 09/25/24 03:15 PM ET
It's not 2015 anymore. Facilities will be mostly a non-issue in NIL era.
marcbvtgm • 09/26/24 03:55 PM ET
The nicest I've seen is Clemson's facilities
99VT • 09/26/24 09:37 AM ET
Assuming that's true, facilities shouldn't be holding this program back...
One4VT • 09/26/24 09:55 AM ET
No, that's not holding them back IMO.**
99VT • 09/26/24 10:30 AM ET
logging **
bigbadbird • 09/25/24 03:25 PM ET
We are a Kettle Corn school and Whit is a Popcorn guy**
bigbadbird • 09/25/24 03:06 PM ET
Fosters energy
50Ford • 09/25/24 02:59 PM ET
What you say about Foster is true
crazylane • 09/25/24 05:32 PM ET
Beamer's own success did, in more ways than one
Synaesthesia • 09/25/24 02:48 PM ET
Beamer stayed 3 years too long, we missed on Fu and were late on facilities
hokieinoregon • 09/25/24 02:25 PM ET
About as succinct and true as you can be**
Happy Dog • 09/25/24 02:47 PM ET
^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^
hokiedad25 • 09/25/24 02:47 PM ET
Beamer stayed because Weaver stayed.
RJHokie • 09/25/24 02:30 PM ET
If you believe that was VT's "window of opportunity" to carpe diem and
VTHokie2000 • 09/25/24 07:33 PM ET
Steger should have retired Weaver when it became obvious
RJHokie • 09/25/24 07:59 PM ET
Isn't that what a BOV is for? Someone should have been minding the ship...**
NokieHokie • 09/25/24 08:53 PM ET
Some of those folks likely don’t know the score either.
RJHokie • 09/25/24 09:01 PM ET
It wouldn't surprise me if the BOV thought April 16th was the bigger (and
VTHokie2000 • 09/25/24 08:59 PM ET
Lack of two Hall of Fame coaches in the program at the same time? **
BG Hokie • 09/25/24 02:12 PM ET
stadium expansion
kingofcassell • 09/25/24 02:12 PM ET
Step 1 - moving to the ACC, the Charmin of conferences
VT ChemE 1986 • 09/25/24 02:09 PM ET
Complacency
1947Sunbowl • 09/25/24 01:58 PM ET
Lots of spelling mistakes there, DMercuryVGobbler. Lots of factual errors
NokieHokie • 09/25/24 02:55 PM ET
Suffering from "crippling authoritus"
dj97223 • 09/25/24 06:50 PM ET
That was likely........
2hhoop3 • 09/25/24 06:53 PM ET
You missed the mark........
2hhoop3 • 09/25/24 02:23 PM ET
Agree 100%. And VT is one of the lowest spenders in ACC for athletics **
HokieAl • 09/25/24 02:02 PM ET
What metric........
2hhoop3 • 09/25/24 03:02 PM ET
Well it's impossible to know what the private schools are spending. So...
HokieAl • 09/25/24 05:10 PM ET
Thanks for reply........
2hhoop3 • 09/25/24 05:36 PM ET
It was everything and everyone. We got comfortable and relaxed
HokieAl • 09/25/24 01:49 PM ET
I wasn't blinded. I had been shouting from the rooftops. Oh well...**
NokieHokie • 09/25/24 02:55 PM ET
Turkey Bacon but no sugar cookies **
bigbadbird • 09/25/24 01:54 PM ET
Missing out on Tutzler hurt….a lot**
Riverguy • 09/25/24 01:49 PM ET
If it wasn't for that visa issue over those videotapes**
One4VT • 09/25/24 02:45 PM ET
ACC membership
hokiepro • 09/25/24 01:46 PM ET
Curse of Stadium Woods**
bigbadbird • 09/25/24 01:39 PM ET
Whit, and his reactive hiring.
Gobbler Guru • 09/25/24 01:36 PM ET
We had a chip on our shoulder in Big East
Hokie12thman • 09/25/24 01:28 PM ET
It has been all downhill since we stopped the "Stick It In" chant
XundaVT • 09/25/24 01:18 PM ET
This!**
aint2Hokie4me • 09/25/24 01:53 PM ET
How did you come up with the 1st two questions?
VTCALS72 • 09/25/24 01:18 PM ET
Fair questions
HokiePetcu • 09/25/24 01:57 PM ET
When do you think we tailed off in the ACC?
VTCALS72 • 09/25/24 03:31 PM ET
2011-12
hokiepro • 09/25/24 07:28 PM ET
We benefited from Clemson and FSU being terrible. Then they got good again.**
NokieHokie • 09/25/24 02:59 PM ET
Beamer got old and had health issues
CMU Hokie • 09/25/24 01:11 PM ET
Beamer and Foster gone...that's when**
MDHokie79 • 09/25/24 01:07 PM ET
We no longer "Turn Up the Wick..."**
banishedtothelounge • 09/25/24 01:59 PM ET
It's more like "Turn off the lights, the party's over."**
EDGEMAN • 09/25/24 03:25 PM ET
True - and who made the hiring decisions from that point forward?**
HokiePetcu • 09/25/24 01:09 PM ET
What does that have to do with it?
VTCALS72 • 09/25/24 01:24 PM ET
The leadership has everything to do with it
HokiePetcu • 09/25/24 02:02 PM ET
the standard we have landed us in turmoil anyway
JerseyHokie84 • 09/25/24 01:42 PM ET
True enough, point well taken!**
MDHokie79 • 09/25/24 01:12 PM ET