Are we having a covid situation on campus? JMU has sent their students home apparently. The scout board is reporting a significant uptick in cases at VT with one thread suggesting FU expressed concerns of even being able to field a team for the opening game. I have not heard of anything about this anywhere else but is there something going on or just speculation?

I think a solid senior year is all it will take for Chad to move him up the rankings (it does seem like he's already on the edge of that just a bit):

Analyst: Malachi Thomas will always be productive

Welcome to Tunnel Talk, with the latest inside the world of Virginia Tech football recruiting.

High-profile 2022s

You may have noticed that, while a few high-caliber players here and there received their customary recruiting edits (and posted them on social media) over the course of the last 24-plus hours, the majority of the buzz on social media has been either lesser-regarded players, newer targets, or even guys without offers. While that may seem like a negative, I'm told (and have confirmed with at least a couple prospects) that a more personal touch has been the priority with the bigger names.

In fact, most of those guys also got the same "Hard Hat Mentality" picture with their name on it, but - as is often the case with high-profile players - don't post a ton of the recruiting material they receive online. Given that VT's initial salvo in that department was a template-style edit, not a lot lost there.

Of course, "generating buzz among higher-ranked prospects" has also been one of the weaknesses of this staff in recent recruiting classes, so there's some give-and-take there when it comes to the Hokies' needs beyond just the attention on the specific prospect receiving the recruiting material.

In coming days and weeks, the activity will be more meaningful (and the higher-regarded guys will convey that in their public statements, interviews, etc.).

Changes to the recruiting staff

Alex White comes over from Appalachian State - where she only took the job in January, upon graduation from North Carolina - to head VT's on-campus recruiting efforts. That's a job that's essentially a visit coordinator, and is one of the key administrative people within a recruiting department.

All the sources I've spoken to (both within the football office at North Carolina, along with past recruits who both ended up elsewhere and some who play for the Tar Heels) can't say enough positives about her ability to organize and connect on a face-to-face level with prospective student-athletes. The Hokies haven't lacked that - indeed, actually getting players to enjoy campus visits has been one of the strengths of this staff throughout - but taking it to another level would be a positive, and sounds like a possibility if she meets the hype.

My one worry is that VT has hired another younger staffer without high-level coaching or playing experience inn college. It's not a necessity, but when one of the weaknesses of the (non-coaching) recruiting staff has been a bit of a lack of experience, someone fresh out of college is a risk. Putting former players like Corey Fuller and Jeron Gouveia-Winslow inn the more prospect-facing roles while the more-administrative duties get eyes on them on a more full-time basis should mitigate that - and end up a net positive.

As noted in the section above, it does seem like the staff is doing a slightly better job making top-priority players feel as though they occupy a higher spot on the staff's recruiting board (there's no secret that's been one of the biggest struggles with the difficulty in managing the process since Chuck Cantor left), so the proof will be in the pudding long-term.

Christian Charles

My folks in Georgia tell me that Gainesville (Ga.) Chestatee QB/S/Ath Christian Charles continues to feel the love from the Hokies. The prospect himself stays very quiet on the recruiting trail, but those immediately around him like VT's chances:

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I honestly have had a hard time determining just how serious a target he is for the time being, though: with multiple safeties already in the fold, and quarterback locked down, this looks like the type of position that is the definition of "luxury recruit," especially going into a year where the Hokies will almost certainly return some players who should be graduates after the 2020 season but will make use of the NCAA's eligibility freeze. A department that's already discussing a funding gap may not give its coaches the opportunity to go well above and beyond the typical 85-scholarship limit.

I do like Charles a lot as a player, and think he'd be a fit for what VT needs. In a more-typical year, he'd have gotten the full-court press and possibly been committed by now.

Seeing how the 2020 season plays out, and how the ripple effects of the eligibility freeze look like they're going to impact college football (and VRT specifically) should go a long way toward determining what happens here and in a few other potential "best available" spots. Obviously offensive and defensive tackles are no such luxuries, and those positions will need to be filled either way.

Probably doesn't have much of an impact on the outcome of the year:

Nasir Peoples out for the year

Still, in a year where Fuente's already admitted they'll need additional depth when guys have to miss time after testing positive for coronavirus, you want every bullet possible in the chamber.

Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) forward Ben Middlebrooks is scheduled to have a zoom meeting with Virginia Tech today.


The Hokies offered Middlebrooks in mid June of this year. Chester Frazier is leading Virginia Tech's recruiting efforts to land Middlebrooks.

Mississippi offered Middlebrooks on Tuesday.

From @RivalsFriedman:

East Coast Spotlight: Class of 2023 prospects generating buzz

Honestly, it's probably for the best if we want the season to go on as scheduled (and of course we all do). Minimizing risks as much as reasonably possible.

Tailgating prohibited in Blacksburg this Fall

So hard to say what the long-term ramifications are in terms of scholarship numbers since so much is up in the air. But he raises the ceiling a bit for the 2020 team:

The impact: Blackshear eligibility granted

A couple more players taking the field:

HokieHaven Friday Night Lights 2020: Week two

Official announcement coming from the program this afternoon:

Raheem Blackshear's appeal for immediate eligibility granted

...on ABC:

First weekend's games will make the determination. Obviously if you're rooting for a night game, you want it to be the highest-profile of the weekend, which... looks almost certain to happen.

Waiver cleared

Victory #1

A non-coaching staffer, but often an important one:

Alex White officially hired as Director of On-Campus Recruiting

Another piece to close the gap with some of the robust recruiting staffs at the schools VT wants to compete with on the trail.

Welcome to Tunnel Talk, with all the latest in Virginia Tech recruiting.

September is upon us

With the turn of the Gregorian calendar, so turns the recruiting calendar, as well. When the clock hits midnight tonight, college coaches will be allowed to initiate direct contact via telephone, custom recruiting edits, and more with Class of 2022 prospects. Much like official offer day for the 2021 prospects at the beginning of this month, it'll be our opportunity to see who the staff is TRULY serious about at this stage in the recruiting cycle.

All indications are that the revamped and reinforced recruiting staff will have a more cohesive and detailed plan for how to approach the prioritization of recruits, and the consistency (and vigor) of contact as the group works down that priority list. The proof will be in the pudding, of course, but I have a pretty good feeling that there will be actual follow-through this time around.

For starters, there are more non-coaching staff members, and better-experienced (on both sides of the recruiting process) staff members in the office. Bridging that gap between recruiting staffer and on-field coaching staff member in terms of contact has of course been part of (the main?) problem in the past couple years, but a broader group of staffers should help make that process smoother. Secondly, this group has prioritized filling the 2021 class as quickly as possible - willing to accept some of the costs of that priority in terms of overall talent - which gives them the opportunity to spend the majority of their recruiting energy looking beyond.

As has been the case with the 2021 cycle (though as I've just said, the staff hasn't wanted to wait it out), a strong year on the field this Fall - depending upon how much of the season gets played - can change the perception of where recruits see Virginia Tech in the CFB pecking order.

As for 2021...

The miss on Tyleik Williams, while it became apparent for days ahead of time once Ohio State decided to accept a pledge from him, is a blow to changing the narrative of the 2021 recruiting class, barring surprises down the road. As with many other players (particularly in-state guys), the staff made up ground, but the treading of water earlier in the process prevented them from overcoming other deficits in comparison to the OSUs of the world.

Aside from a few established targets at offensive tackle and defensive line, the majority of VT's additional recruiting in the 2021 class is set to be spent on players who will be evaluated for offers in the near future.

With the lack of a high school season this Fall in many states (including Virginia and almost certainly Maryland), that could mean that VT's process extends past not only the December Signing Period - which by all accounts shouldn't happen, but we all know how the NCAA has zero interest in putting the needs of student-athletes first - but past February, as well. Since it's such an odd year, that'll be the case with other programs nationally, too.

A program like VT - which has already begun initiatives to fundraise and close AD budget gaps that the coronavirus pandemic has opened up - there's always the possibility of sticking with a smaller 2021 class, anyway, as a budget-saving concern with extra grants-in-aid to pay for in upcoming years, as well. Those decisions haven't been made (and from the coaches' perspective, they need offensive and defensive line help: the remaining positions are not ones they can pass on, really), but it's something to keep an eye on going forward.

Tim, since this year doesn’t count against years of eligibility, whom do you guess of the senior class that may return for next season? I would think any of them that would not be high draft picks might return for another year.

Possibly heading toward a reclassification to 2021, as well.:

Brandon Huntley-Hatfield cuts his list

As noted in this morning's Tunnel Talk, that progress quickly:

Jared Gibble is a Hokie!

He's playing it up (for now) like a bit of a legit competition:

Fuente evaluating his quarterbacks

If it is indeed a competition, it probably means bad things for VT, honestly. The Hokies need Hendon Hooker to take the next step, not to start from scratch with a new starter yet again.

If it doesn't have a domino effect where more games get pushed back, it won't be that significant. But the start of the school year has no gone hyper-well for the intermingling of teams and their classmates (and what that means for community transmission).

The impact: NC State game pushed back

Alas, this was the expectation:
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