2009-2010 Tech Talk Live Notes for 11/24/09

By: Chris Coleman | Lead Analyst and Columnist

Tech Talk Live (football and basketball season)

When: Every Monday from 7:00-9:00 during football season, 7:00-8:00 during basketball season.

Where: Click here for a list of radio stations, and to find the link for listening to the show on the Internet (look to the right on the hokiesports.com page that loads when you click the link). You can see the show in person Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill in Blacksburg.

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Jim Weaver

  • Weaver thought Tech played a very good game on Saturday. Tyrod Taylor showed a lot of poise, and the defense played very well.
  • JMU will replace Western Michigan on the 2010 schedule. It will be played on September 11 in Blacksburg.
  • There are still discussions about playing a Labor Day night game. If that turns out to be the case, Tech will have to play James Madison on five days rest.
  • The Boise State game will not be part of the 2010 season tickets package.
  • There are individual game tickets for sale to the general public for Virginia Tech men’s basketball home games.
  • Tech doesn’t schedul 1-AA games every year, but they are going to do it when it makes sense for their program. In 2010, it makes sense.
  • If Tech beats UVA on Saturday, they will have a very good chance to be in the mix for the Chick-fil-A Bowl. They are also in the mix for the Gator Bowl and the Champs Sports Bowl.

Seth Greenberg

  • It was great for Tech’s freshmen to go into a sold out atmosphere before ACC play. Campbell was a good experience for them.
  • Tech didn’t play well against Campbell, but Greenberg told the team that if they learn a lesson without paying a price, that’s a good thing.
  • Tech got stretched out defensively, and they didn’t do a good job getting off to help. However, they did manage to get get stops down the stretch.
  • It was good to see J.T. Thompson make some plays. He played like everyone expects him to.
  • Temple is a big, physical team. They have 6-10 post players and 6-4, 6-5 perimeter players.
  • Erick Green has a good feel for the game, especially against zones. Green is a very good shooter, and Boggs is a good shooter.
  • Malcolm Delaney is the best shooter Greenberg has ever coached, including A.D. Vassallo. However, he had an off game on Monday and he let it effect him on the defensive end. He has to keep guarding the ball, even when he doesn’t shoot well.
  • Gene Swindle has to have knee surgery, and he’s going to be out three months.
  • Playing Temple in Philly, even if it’s on a neutral court, is like a road game. The Iowa game will obviously be on the road, and they are getting better.
  • Greenberg wishes the team could have had been healthier in the preseason. They hope to get Cadarian Raines back for the Georgia game, and he should help the team because he gives them a big, physical body.
  • Manny Atkins is a work in progress. He’s a very hard working guy. In time, he will contribute. He’s got to work on getting his shot off quicker, and he’s also got to improve his ball handling.
  • Greenberg hopes the team learned a lot from the film session following the Campbell game, but you never know until you step on the court again.
  • Tech charts every single shot taken by every player from the beginning of the preseason. From the beginning of preseason through today, Tech is an 84% free throw shooting team. They haven’t made them in games, but they work hard at them. The players have to make 100 free throws every day.
  • Tech isn’t as tough as Greenberg would prefer right now, but they are turning the ball over less than 11 times per game. They are winning because of those extra possessions.

Billy Hite

  • It’s been a good year for the Hokies, especially if they win this weekend. They have a chance to win 10 games again, and it’s a great year any time you can say that.
  • Tech hit a few bumps in the road this season, but the team responded. Hite likes what this team is all about. They practice hard all the time, and they are excited to play UVA.
  • The Hokies are getting great leadership from their seniors this year. Any time you have great senior leadership, you have a chance to do big things.
  • Ryan Williams is a special guy. It didn’t take long for Hite to realize he was going to be a great football player. He does something amazing every time he sets foot on the field.
  • Williams is a tough runner, and he understands that picking up 3-4 yards is a good thing. It helps keep drives alive. He still likes to make the big runs, but he doesn’t do a lot of dancing.
  • Josh Oglesby and David Wilson are working very hard. The competition at the tailback spot has been great. Darren Evans will make it even better when he comes back.
  • People are going to be excited about David Wilson as well. He reminds Hite a lot of Ryan Williams. He has great speed. He’s going to be a special guy another year from now.
  • Darren Evans is well ahead of schedule with his rehab. He is back on the practice field now, and it’s great to see him each day.
  • Wins are tough to come by. It takes a lot of hard work. The coaching staff was in the office 11 hours on Sunday and 15 hours on Monday. They do everything they can to prepare to win the next football game.
  • The Hokies have been cutting three minutes off each period of practice this month. It’s helping to keep everyone fresh. That’s one reason Tech is 19-2 in November over the last five years. They aren’t as worn out as their opponents.
  • Hite hasn’t thought about redshirting David Wilson next year, with Evans, Williams and Oglesby coming back. He won’t start to think about that until after next spring.
  • Clemson has to control the ball and keep Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer on the bench. If the Tigers can get up early, the Jackets will have to change their style. It should be a great game.
  • UVA is a very dangerous team. Al Groh is running the defense, and he was a very successful coordinator in the NFL. This is a team that beat UNC, so they are more than capable. Tech needs to run the football and not turn it over. They will also take some shots deep. They need to protect Tyrod Taylor and give him a chance to make plays through the air.

Blake DeChristopher

  • DeChristopher is excited to play at UVA. Virginia has nothing to lose and it’s their Senior Day, so the Hokies have to go up there and play very hard.
  • Having great senior leadership and great team chemistry helped the team bounce back from two straight losses. Everyone on the team likes each other, and that always helps.
  • The offensive line played pretty well over the last two games, but they need to protect Tyrod better and keep him off the ground.
  • DeChristopher came down to Virginia Tech and Virginia in his recruitment. He got a better vibe from the players and coaches at Tech, so that’s where he decided to go.
  • DeChristopher has a lot he needs to improve on. He’s nowhere close to where he needs to be. He is a physical run blocker, but he needs to work on pass protection.
  • Ryan Williams does some great things with the ball, and DeChristopher is excited to get Darren Evans back next year as well.
  • Every year the offensive line is a tight group. They hang out together, play video games, go to movies and do guy stuff.
  • The Virginia game is still the biggest game of the year. Nothing compares to beating them, and a win at UVA would be really special.
  • The best pass rusher DeChristopher has faced was Clint Sintim of UVA last season. Going against Jason Worilds every day helps him prepare for guys like Sintim.

Richard Graham

  • Graham’s career has gone by fast. He’s had so much fun that time has flown by. He wishes he could start all over again.
  • In Graham’s five years at Tech, he has played all five positions on the offensive line in a game.
  • Playing center is fun, because most of the time no one is lined up in front of you unless you are playing a 3-4 defense.
  • As a group, the offensive line is more confident now. The team has a lot of guys who really want to win, and they work hard to win.
  • Cody Grimm is another guy who believed in himself since he first arrived. He’s a little undersized, but he’s a very smart football player.
  • UVA has a good scheme and a tough defense overall. Graham wanted to go to Virginia growing up, but they never offered him. “I just want to go out there and kill them,” Graham said.
  • Graham has a few more classes to take. He is majoring in finance and minoring in sociology.

Frank Beamer

  • Beamer continues to be proud of the team for coming back from the two losses and winning three straight games in impressive fashion.
    Cody Grimm got Tech off to a good start, and that’s how you want to begin a game against a good offensive team like NC State.
    Tech played a very good overall football game. They put it all together on offense, defense and special teams.
  • Tech did a good job of grinding the football and controlling the clock. It also kept Russell Wilson off the field, which is big.
    The Virginia game will be another battle. Last year’s game was a battle until the very end. Tech actually trailed that game at halftime.
    UVA is big and strong on defense, and they’ll play tough. They did it last year, and they’ll do it again this year. Tech has to play well to win.
  • Beamer’s favorite UVA memory was the 1995 comeback, with Jermaine Holmes catching the game-winning touchdown pass from Jim Druckenmiller.
    Beamer wants to make sure the Hokies have the game in hand before playing backups. That’s why he was a little late to put in Ju-Ju Clayton against Maryland and NC State.
  • For next season, Tech probably needs to talk about getting more than one running back on the field at the same time. The Hokies will have a lot of talented backs. David Wilson is right in the middle of it. He is a very talented kid.
  • When Tech recruits, first they want to make sure the player is athletically gifted enough. Grades are also very important. If it comes down to two guys for one position, Tech will take the guy with the best grades.
  • Beamer knows Charlie Weiss. He visited with Frank Beamer two summers ago to get some ideas in the kicking game, and to share knowledge with the Tech offensive staff. The business has gotten tougher. It’s harder to keep your job. The worlds is different now than it was 15 or 20 years ago.
  • Tech is one of two schools to win eight games for 12 years in a row. The other school is Georgia, who is only 6-5 right now.
    Tech has to go play well against Virginia. They have had some good practices this week. He hopes to see a lot of Tech fans in Charlottesville on Saturday.

Monday was Day 1,823 of Virginia Tech’s continuous possession of the Commonwealth Cup.

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