CC On Sunday: Embrace The Edge

Chris Coleman

Lead Analyst and Columnist

September 06, 2026 72

Virginia Tech committed 11 penalties for 93 yards, lost two fumbles and converted only three third downs in a 73-3 victory over VMI on Saturday night in Lane Stadium.

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CC on Sunday 2026 VT-VMI Football

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72 Comments

watermanmr September 8, 2026 at 10:33 AM

Awesome article CC!
133193Hokie September 7, 2026 at 5:35 PM

Stop with the cellular complaining please. Unless/until we get a good stadium wifi solution we will continue to struggle. Better cellular coverage is not the answer in my opinion.
HokieFLA September 7, 2026 at 4:34 PM

History repeats itself. Beamer was forced to make major staff changes and he won for years. Fu could have won. Unfortunately by then, the Power 4 Financial Arms Race left VT in the dust. Fu saw this coming and was told to do more with less. With a few major donors and the BOV on board, the next Re-Establishment of VT Athletics has begun. I am amazed that Franklin has so many former HC and Coordinators serving as analysts.
JAVT12 September 7, 2026 at 1:04 PM

Awesome article and spot on. The Uncle Joe analogy is fitting. We as a program just never seemed to move on from the Beamer era once he retired. With Fuente we were convinced all we needed was an offensive guru to pair with Bud, and with Pry we just filled ourselves with nostalgia hoping the glory days would return. But it never addressed any of the structural and operational issues of how we needed to change as a football program and an athletic department. We all knew big change was needed for a while now, it was just a matter of how and when. Last year when we hired Franklin, I joked and said we should run out with Franklin to the NWO theme and take on a heel/antihero persona. Hulkamania was great in its era, but even Hulk thought things were stale and needed a change. And I feel like there’s motivation on both sides - Franklin was literally one play away from playing for a national championship a short time ago, and after all his success and wins he gets tossed out by a very delusional fan base the first time they have a truly bad year and face some adversity. He’s motivated, VT is motivated. It’s time we embrace a new attitude and get that edge.
Mapmaker September 7, 2026 at 10:32 AM

I'm reminded of games in the early dark days of Coach Beamer's tenure. I say dark because we lost so many games and didn't have the talent to compete with any depth and lost in the fourth quarter so often. But even in those dark day losses, we played very tough and our opposition was bruised and sore afterwards. I don't know but wonder how those foes fared the following week? Anyway, if we lose games this year, I want our opponents again to be bruised and sore and know that they just survived a dog fight. And to begin to dread the next VT match. That's what I really want to see this year - that, win or lose, every opponent we face dreads playing us again. That's when we will be 'back'. Go Hokies!
walewis23 September 7, 2026 at 9:50 AM

CC, GREAT article! By far my favorite that I've read on here in my short and inconsistent subscription era. It's a double edged sword where I love the fact we get an intimate, subscription members only article… but at the same time I wish the world could read this and rave about its quality the way Tech fans should. I appreciated it anyway. On second thought, lets not worry about the world in this moment and enjoy what we have. Keep creating! #Talent
bdiroler84 September 7, 2026 at 8:56 AM

Great article,Chris! Very entertaining and loved the analogies.
HoakieCup September 7, 2026 at 8:55 AM

I like the fact that we didn't go plain vanilla and instead showed some great plays called on offense and a relentless defense. One other thing we did that will make ODU spend extra time this week was on special teams. How much time would ODU spend this week preparing their punt team and punter to be absolutely scared that we will be coming after every punt with our hair on fire for the block if we hadn't blocked two and almost a third? Just one more reason to live in the ODU special teams players' and coaches' heads all week. I loved it. Our fans ate it up. It was a nod to Coach Beamer that we can still dial it up to change the outcome of a game. Set up for the punt return every time VMI kicks and ODU might sleep easier this week. Not now. Are we coming for it or are we not? It's a win-win.
skautdog September 7, 2026 at 8:39 AM

Agree, it was only VMI but we did need to have an EDGE. I’m glad CJF got that last second back just to show the team he’s all in and they need to be all in every second. What a great teaching point he made.
richardevans September 7, 2026 at 6:48 AM

Pry is a great DC. I'm glad that he is our DC.
134035Hokie September 6, 2026 at 11:28 PM

Hey Chris. Great article!! But on cell service.. our AT&T service was incredibly great at this game. What service do you use???
1. Chris Coleman September 7, 2026 at 9:01 AM
  
  Verizon
ToledoHokie September 6, 2026 at 10:31 PM

I love to see Chris “push the boundaries” of a typical article….all part of the evolution of a great writer. Doesn’t matter that I hate wrestling and may have gone another route than the “Uncle Joe” comparison but I get it. Sort of like classical music….I don’t like it but I have much respect for it. Very enjoyable read Chris!
Tim Lewis September 6, 2026 at 10:03 PM

Unlike anything you've ever written. I was thinking dang this is morbid then your wrote same. Someone had to kill off VT football (Uncle Joe) and give birth to Sweet Baby James (the new VT football). CC, the "baby daddy" of VT Football
VTCRZY September 6, 2026 at 9:37 PM

Chris.. I've been a Techsideline subscriber since before it was named Techsideline. This was one of the most entertaining, insightful and spot on articles I have read. Great job! And I'm a big fan of Stone Colds glass smash after sacks, btw. Hopefully, someone reads this who can make it happen . Go Hokies!
1. MACE HOKIE September 9, 2026 at 1:27 AM
  
  Yep. Good article. Another Hokie Central subscriber. I lost a good 10 to 15 minutes on the Rock and Stone colds video. Looking forward to the Maryland game.
Hokie2Architect September 6, 2026 at 9:01 PM

Tell me some of you have forgotten how Corey Moore played or how Bud Foster coached every single defense without telling me you never really watched (rolls eyes) Good grief people. Even Frank used to run up the score.
1. Brewing_Hokie September 6, 2026 at 9:07 PM
  
  AMEN!!
2. HokieTC September 7, 2026 at 3:36 AM
  
  And Bud left all the starters in sometimes to the last second. Unnecessarily.
Tidewater Hillbilly September 6, 2026 at 8:56 PM

Whether it is being Bad-🫏 or Stone-🥶 (or whatever you prefer), let's beat the 💩 out of freakin' odu and 🏃‍♂️ up the score like it's 1999!!!
jfhokie September 6, 2026 at 8:46 PM

I think that he, more than likely, meant for us to play hard for four quarters, beat the teams we're supposed to with a take no prisoners mentality
1. HOKIEFROY September 7, 2026 at 10:01 PM
  
  Agree and he would have been criticized if he had not.
BlackwaterHokie September 6, 2026 at 7:14 PM

When I got to the comments I figured if anyone was going to get in their fee-fees it would be over the (extremely apt) funeral metaphor but…wow. This is we poppycocked it isn’t it.
ColoVT82 September 6, 2026 at 6:20 PM

Re: the Vibe. Absolutely.
OhioHokie74 September 6, 2026 at 5:44 PM

The most impressive Hokie performance was Pop Watson leading UMass to a major upset victory vs B1G Rutgers.
1. MACE HOKIE September 9, 2026 at 1:29 AM
  
  It was impressive
IB4TECH September 6, 2026 at 5:22 PM

I loved this article as you made some very good analogies.
1. HokieTC September 7, 2026 at 3:39 AM
  
  Of course Uncle Joe is Frank Beamer. Mixed feelings on that analogy
  1. GoneFishin Hokie September 7, 2026 at 4:33 AM
    
    I never once read into the analogy of Uncle Joe: Frank Beamer. Guess my child-like imagination is gone... just like Unca Joe.
  2. Chris Coleman September 7, 2026 at 9:02 AM
    
    It was absolutely not Frank Beamer. Absolutely not.
  3. HokieGator September 7, 2026 at 1:05 PM
    
    Guess we are skipping over the fact that we've had 2 other coaches since Beamer? And that it's been over a decade since he was our coach?
  4. NokieHokie September 8, 2026 at 11:12 AM
    
    Of course not... Uncle Joe was the athletic department. Geeze, how did you come that absurd interpretation?
AbsolutVT03 September 6, 2026 at 5:16 PM

I kept expecting the Uncle Joe analogy to take a Willie Wonka turn where Uncle Joe springs out of bed as soon as his nephew Charlie finds a golden ticket that turns their luck around.
Glenvar Hokie September 6, 2026 at 4:56 PM

Loved the article CC. The death bed section was perfect. That sums up how I felt for years with VT. A very slow death, you knew was coming, but just were not sure how or when.
tspoon5 September 6, 2026 at 4:35 PM

Interesting point about IBM and Woseley. I'm curious about Marlion Jackson too. For a game that saw almost everyone play, weird that one of the starters laid an egg on the box score.
1. WOJO September 6, 2026 at 6:34 PM
  
  Gosnell was not targeted either
4Hokies4U September 6, 2026 at 4:12 PM

Great stuff enjoy your perspective and analogies. I’m going to enjoy this season, it’s been a while since we looked like a P4 team, we’re young, but there’s a lot to,like about this program, the coach and the fans! Last but not least, we are faster!
ombandit September 6, 2026 at 3:54 PM

Killer instinct or not, it makes a lot more sense letting your backup QB run the offense than hand off 20 times when you’re way ahead in the game. It’s called prepping your 2’s and 3’s for the times they’ll have to start or sub in game due to injury
1. Eddie4hokies September 6, 2026 at 4:34 PM
  
  Agreed. I thought coach Franklin explained his reasoning well during the postgame press conf basically saying the same thing. He's got a new team with a bunch of new players and with each passing game will probably have fewer and fewer opportunities to see the back ups with extended reps. For the purposes of experience for those players and ongoing evaluations for the coaches, I believe he has to allow them to run regular plays and not just ones called intentionally to run out the clock. Developing a "killer instinct" is beneficial, of course, but I honestly think he meant what he said after the game as to why they were still throwing, etc. in the second half.
RoswellGAHokie September 6, 2026 at 3:33 PM

The Stone Cold character was creative brilliance. Lot of blue collar wrestling fans stuck in bad jobs who despise their boss, and they lived vicariously through Steve Austin every time he stuck it to Vince.
middletennhokie September 6, 2026 at 3:20 PM

Agree with the edge mentality, totally disagree with aspiring to being Thugs and dirty ballplayers. There is nothing good about wanting to be the Thug Canes of old, the Thug Pistons, or the farce of the WWE. Franklin is above that. Let's have killer instinct and play clean ball. They are not mutually exclusive.
1. Chris Coleman September 6, 2026 at 3:40 PM
  
  Where did I say I wanted anybody to be thugs or dirty?
  1. NokieHokie September 6, 2026 at 4:33 PM
    
    You didn’t…
  2. middletennhokie September 6, 2026 at 6:03 PM
    
    Chris, if I misinterpreted your words I apologize. I do think VTs reputation matters a lot, and I don't want us to sink to the levels some programs are willing to go to. Having lived in the heart of SEC country for 25 years and attending many, many games, I can attest to what that looks like. Gville, thanks for your post.
  3. Newt September 6, 2026 at 10:40 PM
    
    You didn’t, but you did reference Lame Kitten. Kitten and the Tigers are the poster children for everything’s that wrong with college football.
    1. NokieHokie September 8, 2026 at 11:14 AM
      
      Yeah, he did reference Lane Kiffin.. As in it doesn't mean being Lane Kiffin.
2. GvilleHokie September 6, 2026 at 4:54 PM
  
  I think he was talking about the days of pulling starters as soon as you are up by 3 touchdowns and running up the middle the rest of the game are done. That was Beamers's MO. Don't change your play calling just because of the score. Change your personnel, but not the gameplan on either side of the ball. Instill in the kids that this is business from the opening kickoff until the final gun. No foot off the gas, no taking it easy. Be respectful, but from the snap to the whistle you do your job with extreme prejudice. Don't need to be dirty, just focused and intense.
  1. IB4TECH September 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM
    
    Exactly. And if you have the opportunity to do so in THE FIRST GAME of the season, then do it. The was a preseason game for us.
3. uvabasher September 6, 2026 at 4:57 PM
  
  Reading comprehension 101. What does that have to do with being like the Canes or Thugs? The Hollywood hogan comparison is spot on. Nobody thought he was a bad person just a heel in wrestling terms
4. SCHokie1103 September 6, 2026 at 5:40 PM
  
  Where in the world did you get? He said that from? I don’t understand some of you people on this board who just make up stuff that was never there. You owe Chris Coleman an apology.!
  1. vahokiedog September 6, 2026 at 5:54 PM
    
    +1
5. Brewing_Hokie September 6, 2026 at 6:42 PM
  
  That’s a stupid comment. That was never said.
6. rile-u-up September 7, 2026 at 1:29 AM
  
  Glad to see the comment section being well-adjusted.
downjerseyhokie September 6, 2026 at 3:09 PM

I like the edge, though it also felt like rewarding players for working hard all year. How do you reward brand for being unselfish and moving to WR, throw him in the Wildcat for a touchdown. Others too, just felt like a lot of guys getting rewarded for working hard and putting in the effort. If you can get 2nd and 3rd stringers in and getting carries, catches, td’s, tackles, etc then you have players who are going to stay engaged, working hard, and continuing to develop to their maximum potential. Thought Franklin was putting on a master class in motivation (and thus driving loyalty in an NIL world). I can’t wait to see how this carries through a season and beyond.
TomA September 6, 2026 at 3:07 PM

A good article except that I have major issues with your justification of embracing a thug personna. I can see that Coach James Franklin wants to instill the 'take no prisoners' attitude; that's fine, but character and public image DO MATTER. I'm also not worried about the RUTS part of it. The score should have been at least as bad as how it turned out — we all know that Tech should not have played VMI, but since they did play, the players had no choice but to completely dominate. Not that anyone did this, but no one should have been a jerk about it. Play the game, be respectful, and get ready for ODU.
1. meglow000 September 6, 2026 at 3:34 PM
  
  I think CC was saying he didn’t agree with Lane Kiffins and such but that some people won’t like Coach Franklin no matter what and he should embrace that. I have a few friends that are PSU fans that basically said they can’t stand him and hoped the Hokies got beat. I don’t think Coach Franklin has done anything wrong or been disrespectful of any team or people but to PSU fans will be the no good heel.
2. Chris Coleman September 6, 2026 at 3:41 PM
  
  The word "thug" was not used at any point during the entire article.
3. hokiepro September 6, 2026 at 5:42 PM
  
  What did you read? Nowhere in there did he advocate playing like thugs. Playing with edge and attitude doesn’t mean dirty & thuggish. Miami crossed that line historically but that’s a different line than playing each play to WIN THE PLAY
4. SCHokie1103 September 6, 2026 at 5:43 PM
  
  Another poster who put a word in his mouth, but never appeared in his article. Never once heard him use the word thug. Not sure why you need to post something like that TomA. I think most of us understood exactly what he meant and it was nothing about becoming dirty or a thug. But teams used to hate coming to lane Stadium or playing Virginia Tech because we were physical tough and in your face back in Beamers prime years and it’s been a long time since we were like that and could line up and play with anybody. That’s what I got from Chris Coleman’s article. Don’t know where some of you are getting the thug crap from.
5. Brewing_Hokie September 6, 2026 at 6:43 PM
  
  Dumb and lacking reading comprehension skills.
6. GodfatherHokie September 6, 2026 at 9:55 PM
  
  Amen!
  1. GodfatherHokie September 6, 2026 at 9:57 PM
    
    Trying to post this under TomA
7. U2Hokie September 7, 2026 at 7:00 AM
  
  C'mon man! TomA$$! He never used Thugs and we dont have Thugs on this team - at all! Get a clue and retake your reading comprehension test! EDGE is the term very close to the old "CHIP on the SHOULDER" we used to have and kept throughout the glory days - we need it back and we need to keep it! Name me one perennial top 20 program you think we should emulate that does not have an EDGE to them? Seriously! Great article CC!
Markcwil September 6, 2026 at 2:51 PM

"A grieving family that was ready to move on". Truer words have never been spoken. Move on from Sands. Move on from Whit. Move on from Pry as Head Coach. The new Era of Virginia Tech football and all sports has begun. Hokies embrace it and support it. It's up to all of us to make it happen. GO HOKIES!
1. HokieRaven7 September 6, 2026 at 8:15 PM
  
  Agree!
132629Hokie September 6, 2026 at 2:51 PM

Dear Chris, You're out of the will. Thanks, Uncle Joe
1. HokieHi71 September 6, 2026 at 3:15 PM
  
  Now that's a good laugh!
adcenterhokie September 6, 2026 at 2:45 PM

We owe odu a good ruts
1. MD Hokie September 6, 2026 at 6:54 PM
  
  My sentiment exactly! Keep scoring on them until the final whistle!
proudhokie2001 September 6, 2026 at 2:43 PM

looking forward to the Hokies of 2026. Let’s be the team that prepares and respects our opponent so much that when given the chance…..beat them mercilessly into submission.
GoneFishin Hokie September 6, 2026 at 2:34 PM

For all the nonsense around running up the score, Tech's 2nd-string QB played more snaps than the 1st-string and threw 8 fewer passes.. Just because our 3rd team is better than the Keydets' starters, doesn't mean you can tell them to not step on the opponents throat. That's no way to instill that killer psyche that has been missing around here for too damned long.
1. HokieCrazy1994 September 6, 2026 at 3:19 PM
  
  Another thing, just because we passed the ball in the 2nd half doesn't mean we were running up the score. We had absolutely just as much chance of scoring on a running play than a pass play, anyway. So, running your usual offense to get the 2nd string real reps is 100% the right thing to do. I've been saying for years that our decline started back when we stopped beating the bad teams by enough to play our younger guys. It is absolutely the way to make future players better. And in this day, it also helps keep them in the program.

CC On Sunday: Embrace The Edge

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