Welcome to Tunnel Talk, your regular update on behind-the-scenes developments in the world of Hokie recruiting.
Mattheus Carroll
I think there's a really good chance that Virginia Tech picks up its next commitment tomorrow. Baltimore (Md.) Gilman 2021 defensive end Mattheus Carroll will choose between the Hokies, Duke, and Maryland on his Instagram Live at 3 p.m.
If I were to update the defensive line hotboard - and therefore my percentage on his recruitment - today, I would give VT an 80% chance of reeling him in, Maryland about 15%, and Duke 5%. I'm naturally an optimist (as you guys have probably observed over the past few years), but I'm also extremely realistic, and quite cautious when it comes to making predictions or spoiling players' moments. Within that context, the percentages there should say a lot.
I like Carroll, and I think he's a really good fit for what Virginia Tech has had at the DE spot in recent years, with some serious upside to explore when he gets to college (Gilman is still an outstanding football program, but it's not turning out the same level of finished-product type recruits that it was 4-5 years ago when Biff Poggi was the head coach).
Of course, "what Virginia Tech has had at the position in recent years" also means slightly underwhelming from a pass-rush perspective.
We'll have to see how much the revitalized defensive coaching staff can coach him up in that regard, while relying on his very solid ability against the run in the short-term (think of him as a version of Emmanuel Belmar with less physical development but more long-term upside). Either way, he's just one piece of the defensive end puzzle, and you'd certainly like to complement him with a guy who can provide that immediate burst off the edge in this class - with the caveat that VT's 2020 signees may be able to provide solutions there before we even worry about what 2021 prospects can bring.
Zach Hoban
Rice transfer kicker Zach Hoban has narrowed his list to two options, Virginia Tech and UCLA. Both of those opportunities are preferred walk-on slots, not scholarship, so if he does ultimately choose the Hokies, don't wear yourself out thinking about what it means for numbers: the answer is, effectively, "nothing."
He'll also have to sit out a year (barring a blanket waiver for all transfers nationally from the NCAA, thanks to coronavirus), and even if that ends up not having to happen, it would make sense - should he choose the Hokies - for him to redshirt and get a year of separation from returning starter Brian Johnson.
He's a New Jersey kid with some roots in Maryland - Dad ran track at Navy - so the East Coast makes more sense from a closeness-to-home perspective... but that also means UCLA has an exotic appeal beyond the typical in some ways, too. This one is going to be close, and he plans to make a commitment after visiting both programs.
If he ends up at VT, it'd be hard to characterize it as a program-changing - or even team-changing - commitment, but he'd be a nice special teams option.
Mattheus Carroll
I think there's a really good chance that Virginia Tech picks up its next commitment tomorrow. Baltimore (Md.) Gilman 2021 defensive end Mattheus Carroll will choose between the Hokies, Duke, and Maryland on his Instagram Live at 3 p.m.
If I were to update the defensive line hotboard - and therefore my percentage on his recruitment - today, I would give VT an 80% chance of reeling him in, Maryland about 15%, and Duke 5%. I'm naturally an optimist (as you guys have probably observed over the past few years), but I'm also extremely realistic, and quite cautious when it comes to making predictions or spoiling players' moments. Within that context, the percentages there should say a lot.
I like Carroll, and I think he's a really good fit for what Virginia Tech has had at the DE spot in recent years, with some serious upside to explore when he gets to college (Gilman is still an outstanding football program, but it's not turning out the same level of finished-product type recruits that it was 4-5 years ago when Biff Poggi was the head coach).
Of course, "what Virginia Tech has had at the position in recent years" also means slightly underwhelming from a pass-rush perspective.
We'll have to see how much the revitalized defensive coaching staff can coach him up in that regard, while relying on his very solid ability against the run in the short-term (think of him as a version of Emmanuel Belmar with less physical development but more long-term upside). Either way, he's just one piece of the defensive end puzzle, and you'd certainly like to complement him with a guy who can provide that immediate burst off the edge in this class - with the caveat that VT's 2020 signees may be able to provide solutions there before we even worry about what 2021 prospects can bring.
Zach Hoban
Rice transfer kicker Zach Hoban has narrowed his list to two options, Virginia Tech and UCLA. Both of those opportunities are preferred walk-on slots, not scholarship, so if he does ultimately choose the Hokies, don't wear yourself out thinking about what it means for numbers: the answer is, effectively, "nothing."
He'll also have to sit out a year (barring a blanket waiver for all transfers nationally from the NCAA, thanks to coronavirus), and even if that ends up not having to happen, it would make sense - should he choose the Hokies - for him to redshirt and get a year of separation from returning starter Brian Johnson.
He's a New Jersey kid with some roots in Maryland - Dad ran track at Navy - so the East Coast makes more sense from a closeness-to-home perspective... but that also means UCLA has an exotic appeal beyond the typical in some ways, too. This one is going to be close, and he plans to make a commitment after visiting both programs.
If he ends up at VT, it'd be hard to characterize it as a program-changing - or even team-changing - commitment, but he'd be a nice special teams option.
