Welcome to Tunnel Walk, with the latest inside the Virginia Tech program. Today, a look at recruiting in both football and basketball, but first, the current team...
Practice resumes
Virginia Tech's four-day pause in football activities is over, and the Hokies practiced again this morning. I wouldn't say they're out of the woods in terms of being past the virus (sources have indicated upwards of 50 players were quarantined due to positive tests and contact tracing, with more than 20 of those positive tests), but certainly there's confidence that it'll be a one-time blip and the NC State game won't be affected in just over a week's time. If the Hokies have further issues with the virus going forward, it will be a distinct event separate from the one they've gone through this week.
Today's work was understandably a little rusty (and of course, still short-handed - the four-day pause was to ensure that there wasn't spread at practice from unknown asymptomatic carriers, not to get those currently quarantining back onto the field). But the belief is that the team will be not only healthy - as healthy as can be expected - and ready to take out some aggression when the Wolfpack comes to town.
As for another current-team situation... regardless of the outcome of his legal issue, I've been given indication that Devon Hunter won't be expected back with the team. It would take a major revelation in court proceedings (which will likely end before any sort of trial with a plea deal, anyway). For a guy who has admitted to a strangling/choking incident while trying to explain the why of the event, the type of revelation that would be necessary has already been eliminated as a possibility, in all likelihood. It's the "what" that's an issue, even if a "why" makes it a little less egregious. The standards for remaining a Virginia Tech football player are different than the standards for avoiding a conviction.
Class of 2022
While offensive and defensive tackle remain priorities in the 2021 class, thew coaches have mostly moved onto the rising junior group. Wrapping up the class headed into the season has been their priority, both to get ahead on the next group and to focus on the on-field product for the Fall. The bizarre nature of this offseason meant that the staff couldn't do its evaluating in-person like is preferred during the Summer, so the "getting ahead" aspect (for a staff whose ability to get ahead is largely based around their evaluation skills being at a higher level than most Power-5 staffs) isn't quite as significant. Given that they can't host recruits at games for the foreseeable future - the emergency Dead Period currently goes through September 30, but it'd be a surprise to see no further extensions - the in-person contact that they typically do a pretty good job of during the year is on pause, as well.
However, with the unknown nature of scholarship numbers going forward (the 85 limit will be paused for at least next season, but nobody knows how the NCAA is going to manage it in subsequent seasons), the rush to get going in 2022 is less pressing than it might be in a typical year. The coaches are more in an evaluating-and-offering phase than pushing for commitments, though they're keeping on top of some key targets.
Carter Whitt
On the hoops side of things, Class of 2021 guard Carter Whitt will not play at Brewster Academy this season, as he'd been planning, and will instead attend a more traditional high school with the aim of joining his college program in January. A guy who had considered reclassifying to 2020... will do so in a half-measure, I guess?
Virginia Tech has long been one of Whitt's top schools, but the move is good news for the current favorite, Nebraska. VT has done a good job recruiting Whitt, but there's ground to make up... and changes in the timeline of a player's recruitment while there's an established favorite is often good for that favorite. A Hokie recruiting class that's still looking for its first pledge may not find it in the player who's been atop the board for some time.
As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to use this thread for discussion of the topics herein or all things Hokies.
Practice resumes
Virginia Tech's four-day pause in football activities is over, and the Hokies practiced again this morning. I wouldn't say they're out of the woods in terms of being past the virus (sources have indicated upwards of 50 players were quarantined due to positive tests and contact tracing, with more than 20 of those positive tests), but certainly there's confidence that it'll be a one-time blip and the NC State game won't be affected in just over a week's time. If the Hokies have further issues with the virus going forward, it will be a distinct event separate from the one they've gone through this week.
Today's work was understandably a little rusty (and of course, still short-handed - the four-day pause was to ensure that there wasn't spread at practice from unknown asymptomatic carriers, not to get those currently quarantining back onto the field). But the belief is that the team will be not only healthy - as healthy as can be expected - and ready to take out some aggression when the Wolfpack comes to town.
As for another current-team situation... regardless of the outcome of his legal issue, I've been given indication that Devon Hunter won't be expected back with the team. It would take a major revelation in court proceedings (which will likely end before any sort of trial with a plea deal, anyway). For a guy who has admitted to a strangling/choking incident while trying to explain the why of the event, the type of revelation that would be necessary has already been eliminated as a possibility, in all likelihood. It's the "what" that's an issue, even if a "why" makes it a little less egregious. The standards for remaining a Virginia Tech football player are different than the standards for avoiding a conviction.
Class of 2022
While offensive and defensive tackle remain priorities in the 2021 class, thew coaches have mostly moved onto the rising junior group. Wrapping up the class headed into the season has been their priority, both to get ahead on the next group and to focus on the on-field product for the Fall. The bizarre nature of this offseason meant that the staff couldn't do its evaluating in-person like is preferred during the Summer, so the "getting ahead" aspect (for a staff whose ability to get ahead is largely based around their evaluation skills being at a higher level than most Power-5 staffs) isn't quite as significant. Given that they can't host recruits at games for the foreseeable future - the emergency Dead Period currently goes through September 30, but it'd be a surprise to see no further extensions - the in-person contact that they typically do a pretty good job of during the year is on pause, as well.
However, with the unknown nature of scholarship numbers going forward (the 85 limit will be paused for at least next season, but nobody knows how the NCAA is going to manage it in subsequent seasons), the rush to get going in 2022 is less pressing than it might be in a typical year. The coaches are more in an evaluating-and-offering phase than pushing for commitments, though they're keeping on top of some key targets.
Carter Whitt
On the hoops side of things, Class of 2021 guard Carter Whitt will not play at Brewster Academy this season, as he'd been planning, and will instead attend a more traditional high school with the aim of joining his college program in January. A guy who had considered reclassifying to 2020... will do so in a half-measure, I guess?
Virginia Tech has long been one of Whitt's top schools, but the move is good news for the current favorite, Nebraska. VT has done a good job recruiting Whitt, but there's ground to make up... and changes in the timeline of a player's recruitment while there's an established favorite is often good for that favorite. A Hokie recruiting class that's still looking for its first pledge may not find it in the player who's been atop the board for some time.
As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to use this thread for discussion of the topics herein or all things Hokies.
