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1) There's been a lot of speculation about the next head coach, but there hasn't been much speculation about which assistants, other than Coach Foster, might be retained by the next coach. Assuming the next head coach is on the offensive side of the ball as everyone expects, who is retained, if anyone? - 134337Hokie
Chris Coleman: I'm glad you asked, because I've been looking for an opportunity to touch on this subject. I believe there are two scenarios that could play out here…
1: Three assistants are retained
2: One assistant is retained
It's also possible that the new coach could choose to not retain anyone, but for the time being let's assume that he'll retain either one coach or three coaches. How did I come up with those two numbers? It's quite simple…
If Bud Foster is retained, then I'm sure Bud will insist on keeping Torrian Gray and Charley Wiles. Foster, Gray, and Wiles would then be the three assistants retained. Then the new coach would fill out the staff by hiring six new assistants.
If Bud Foster isn't retained, or if Bud chooses to move elsewhere, I'd be looking for the next coach to almost completely clean house. He could choose to keep one assistant from the old staff. If I were him, I would keep one of Bryan Stinespring, Zohn Burden or Stacy Searels. Stiney and Burden have 757 connections, and Searels is one of the best offensive line coaches in the country. I might lean towards Searels at this point, but I keep going back and forth.
At any rate, I don't see any scenario in which more than three current assistants are retained. In fact, retaining three assistants from the old staff is not normal at all. Usually just one, or none, are retained. The only reason the next coach could possibly retain three guys is because of Bud Foster. That's the only reason.
2) What is the likelihood that the following players wear the orange and maroon next season, and why? Kendall Fuller, Shai McKenzie, Marshawn Williams, Tim Settle and Dwayne Lawson. - VTScanlo
CC: Before we get started on those guys, let me note that five r-juniors won't be returning next season: Joel Caleb, Desmond Frye, Jack Willenbrock, Charley Meyer and Alston Smith. Those guys were listed as being part of Tech's Senior Day festivities on the BeamerBall Twitter account.
https://twitter.com/Beamer_Ball/status/667146543263318017
That means they have graduated already, and will forego their fifth season of eligibility. Best of luck to them in the future.
The best news is that Kendall Fuller isn't on that list. Somebody in the program told me that they are holding out hope that Fuller will return next season, and they aren't automatically assuming that he'll declare for the draft. He hasn't made a decision yet. I'd put the chances at less than 50%, but that's better than nothing.
The staff hasn't been particularly impressed with the maturity level of McKenzie since he first arrived. Now he's got a knee that has been torn up twice. He's taking a medical redshirt this year, which lessens the chances that he transfers. If he transfers, he won't be eligible to play again until his r-junior season in 2017. I expect he'll be back, but I'm not sure what to expect from him with that knee.
I'd be very surprised if Marshawn Williams doesn’t return next season. He hasn't given me any indication that he doesn't like it here. Besides, he's using his redshirt this season, so if he transfers it will cost him a year of eligibility. He needs to stick it out, and I think he will.
Like Williams, I don't see any reason for Tim Settle to leave. In fact, if for some reason Tech's defensive staff doesn't come back, the next staff might have a system that fits his strengths better than the current staff. Settle isn't the typical VT defensive tackle, after all.
I do worry about Dwayne Lawson, but there is also a rumor going around that Brenden Motley will either transfer or give up football. That's the second time that rumor has made the rounds. The same rumors existed at the end of last season. If that did happen, then Lawson would definitely be the starter next season, so I can't see him leaving in that scenario. Right now I see Lawson in a Tech uniform next year.
3) Why don't we move Trey Edmunds to linebacker this Spring? He played LB in high school and likely would have stuck there for us had we any depth at RB in 2013. We don't need him there now and we do seem to need LBs. - 133922Hokie
CC: We don't know that we won't need him at RB next year. In fact, at this moment in time, chances are solid that we will need him at RB next year. First, let's look at the other running backs behind Travon McMillian…
Shai McKenzie: Two torn ACLs; we don't know if he'll ever be the same. Marshawn Williams: Ditto, and he won't be available during the spring (again). Deshawn McClease: A rising r-freshman who has never played a snap. DJ Reid: A rising r-sophomore who did not play a down as a r-freshman, even on special teams. Coleman Fox: A rising r-freshman would could be best suited as a slot receiverFor all his faults, Trey Edmunds might be our best option as the #2 tailback next year, and the Hokies will need a #2 back. They can't keep running Travon McMillian an average of 28 times per game as they've done over the last three contests.
The Hokies don't update their depth chart anymore, but right now Tremaine Edmunds is slated to take over the starting backer position from Deon Clarke. Jamieon Moss could also play there. Both of those guys have a lot more experience at linebacker at the college level than Trey, and it's extremely unlikely that he would beat either one of them out for a spot on the depth chart. The #2 tailback, or even the #3 tailback, would play more than the #2 or #3 backer, so it really doesn't make sense to move him to that spot.
Edmunds isn't a mike. He isn't built like a mike, and in high school he didn't play like a mike. He would not translate well to that position at Virginia Tech, and just like the backer spot, he'd have to beat out guys who have a lot more experience at the position than he does.
His only real shot would be at whip, which isn't even used that much anymore. That's a possibility, but what if nobody stepped up and secured the #2 tailback spot? What if McKenzie and Williams don't get over their knee injuries? What if Reid isn't any good? What if Fox, who had no other FBS offers, isn't an ACC tailback? What if McClease isn't quite ready yet?
For Edmunds to have a chance to play defense, he'd have to make the move during spring practice. However, the backup tailback situation won't be cleared up until the end of spring practice. Can you really make that move not knowing if anyone else will be capable of playing tailback? That would be very risky.
Personally, I think McClease will be our #2 back next year (McKenzie and Williams have to show me that they are 100% before I'll believe it), but it's not with enough certainty that the staff will risk moving Edmunds.
Of course, I just typed all that while putting myself in the shoes of the coaching staff that I've spent my entire life following. The next coaching staff could have a completely different philosophy. They could also have a totally different defensive scheme. That staff might also feature a running backs coach who is capable of teaching Edmunds to run lower, and who can eliminate his herky-jerky running motion. Right now there are a lot of unknowns.
4) Does Les Miles hear from us about our job? Also, who do you think the Wahoos hire? - gr8hokie
CC: I can't see us going after Les Miles at all. He has a short shelf life as a coach at this point. He's 62 years old, and even if he stays at LSU, pretty soon he's going to be getting the same questions that Frank Beamer has been getting from recruits the past few years: will you be my coach my entire career, or will I have to deal with a coaching change?
I don't think Miles is what we need right now. Obviously he's had a great career at LSU, and I seriously doubt he gets canned after this year. Even if he does, I wouldn't be a big fan of hiring him.
UVA fans wanted Pete Lembo of Ball State a couple of years ago, after Lembo beat them in Scott Stadium. Since then, Ball State went 5-7 last year, and are 3-8 this year. Lembo was the "HYC" (hot young coach) of a couple of years ago, to UVA fans at least, but he didn't make a move, and now his star has faded.
I don't know who UVA could hire right now. I don't think they are in a position to make a great hire. First of all, associate AD Jon Oliver is known as a guy who isn't easy to work for.
Just read this scathing indictment from an SI Campus Rush article by Pete Thamel a few weeks ago:
If Virginia cared about football, it would have fired Mike London after last season. Instead, the Cavs are enduring a 2-5 campaign that's wheezing to the result everyone saw coming all along. One big problem with the Virginia job is that 64-year-old athletic director Craig Littlepage won't be around much longer. The other big issue is executive associate athletic director Jon Oliver, who fancies himself the general manager for football but in reality is a meddler and someone coaches eyeing this job don't want to work for. Good luck fixing all that and luring a top-notch coach the next few months.
UVA is a major rebuilding job. It might take 4-5 years to rebuild that program. What if they have a new AD in two years, and the new head coach hasn't won yet? Will that new AD want to go out and hire his own guy?
If I were a prospective coach, I'd be extremely wary of taking that job right now. I don't think the Hoos will be in a position to make a good hire until Littlepage retires and Oliver isn't retained by the next AD. They need a fresh start in their administration before they can hope to make a really good football hire. I don't think their next coach will have a great resume. It's not out of the realm of possibility that they'll get lucky with their next hire, but right now the Hokies are in a great position to retain their in-state dominance in the near future.
5) In reference to a recent article about the coaching carousel posted by Travis Haney on ESPN…he believes Justin Fuente is the guy at Virginia Tech because he does not think Fuente wants to deal with the SEC arms race in recruiting. I assume he means the shady practices. This would seem to fit your "cultural fit" issue that Whit may be dealing with, because it doesn't seem like Frank Beamer ever wanted to be in the muck either, but would it satiate the rabid fan base that wants this program to get to the next level in your opinion? Conservative is nice, but being a great salesman wins. - jaden425
CC: Great question. In fact, I had the exact same question when I read the passage you are referring to. Fuente would indeed be a great cultural fit at Virginia Tech. However, if that's true that he doesn't want to recruit in the SEC, I think it's a major concern.
For those wondering, here is the exactly quote from the Haney article…
Those close to Fuente have said he would not be interested in an SEC job, largely because of the nature of recruiting in the league.