Tech Talk Live notes for December 1, 2014

Buzz Williams

Williams thinks Tech is getting better in some areas.  When they don’t turn the ball over, they are playing well offensively.  Their first shot field goal defense is fine, but they aren’t doing a good enough job on the defensive glass.  Turnovers and rebounding are the Achilles heel right now.

25% of Tech’s possessions are ending in turnovers.  That’s too much.  Tech is shooting 50% on the other 75% of their possessions, but it’s hard to win when you give the other team the ball 25% of the time.

Tech flew across land from Blacksburg to Cancun.  It was a long trip.  It was a miserable travel experience.  The players handled it better than Williams did.

Northern Iowa is an NCAA Tournament team.  Tech played really well against Miami of Ohio.  That’s the best the team has played this year.

Tech had a good practice on Monday, and they will practice on Tuesday morning at 5:45am before leaving for Penn State.  They need to continue to take steps forward, even if they are baby steps.

Adam Smith and Joey van Zegeren are in a good groove.  Statistically they have been better when coming off the bench.

Tech needs Shane Henry to be productive, even if that means in a starting role at the beginning of each half.  Adam Smith has to get better defensively, and that’s why Buzz hasn’t been starting him.

Whit Babcock and Tom Gabbard have been great.  Williams has spent a lot of time thinking about how they are going to improve the Hahn-Hurst Practice Facility.  They are going to re-do the lobbies, the hallways, the offices, etc.  They will update the video equipment, because technology is constantly changing.  There will be many other changes coming.

Williams believes the Power 5 conferences will separate from the rest of the schools, and college athletics will change forever.  However, within those 65 schools, the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer.  If you aren’t being aggressive and making good decisions now, it’s going to hurt you later.  It’s important to create the niche now.  They have to create a great foundation for recruiting.  That includes facilities, including weight rooms, academic opportunities, etc.  They have to be able to show recruits and their parents how coming to Virginia Tech will better their lives.

Williams thinks Tech’s dining facilities help recruiting.  He sent two of his children to the VT culinary camp over the summer.  Whit Babcock has helped with nutrition and such as well.  Buzz can’t cook.  He can grill beef and eat cinnamon rolls, and that’s about it.

Tech usually plays with four guards.  He thinks the backcourt is getting better.  They are putting a lot of pressure on the freshmen to grow up soon.  They need all of those guys to be better defensively, and they need them to not turn the ball over.

If Devin Wilson can continue to shoot 75% from the free throw line, that will help Tech’s points per possession.  He’s going to get to the line.

Kyshoen Jarrett

(Note: The entire football staff was on the road recruiting on Monday.)

Friday night was very intense from the very beginning.  The fans were great.

Before the coin toss, there was an incident.  Jarrett was around when it started, so he isn’t sure what happened.

UVA was very energetic coming off the Miami win.  They thought they were going to win.  The Hokies wanted to bring the intensity first and make UVA match them.

There was a players only meeting after the Wake Forest game.  They laid everything out on the table, everybody spoke their opinion, and everybody was 100% honest.  In practice they kept having fun and didn’t play uptight.

As a senior, you have to continue to encourage the young guys during a losing streak.  You have to make sure they aren’t up tight and they are still having fun.  That’s what he tried to do after the Wake game.

Jarrett stopped a trick play on Friday.  They were going to sneak Greyson Lambert into the boundary and throw it back to him, but Jarrett was able to stop it before the throw.

Jarrett’s interception was big.  It was a momentum play because UVA had good field position.  The defense has had a short field a lot this year, but they keep playing hard and it’s all about executing.

Jarrett proposed to his girlfriend in the stadium after the UVA game, and they are now engaged.

Tech’s defense played much better down the stretch, and they have been very consistent since the Duke game.

Jarrett will miss playing for Bud Foster.  He likes how intense Bud is, and he enjoys his passion for the game.  That transitions its way to the field with the players.

The offense, defense and special teams played well against UVA.  They have to build off that momentum for the bowl game.

Jarrett thought Miami was the most talented offense they faced, and that was mainly with their running game.  James Conner of Pitt is the toughest tailback to tackle.  He’s a big guy.

Jarrett enjoys the all-Maroon uniforms.  He wishes that was the home uniform all the time.

Jarrett will miss the walk from the locker room and down the tunnel before Enter Sandman.  That is one of the greatest feelings.

11 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Chris – I think you meant to say that Jarrett WASN’T around when the incident with UVa happened, and that’s why he isn’t sure what started it.

    Sounds like it was a really good TTL. Lots of good comments and points from both guests. Really appreciate the work that both guys are doing/have done for VT, as well as the work CC does in transcribing the show for us here!

  2. Congrats to Kysheon on his engagement! I openly cheered when he decommitted from Pitt, and committed to VT. It would have been nice for him, as a PA guy to have beaten the ketchup squad a few more times! I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall listening to him prior to game days against Pitt.

    I have always hated Pitt football, and Walt Harris may have been the antichrist while he was there! LOL Strange thing is I am a huge Pirates fan!

    Congrats to him on his engagement, I wish him many happy years of marriage!

  3. “Williams has spent a lot of time thinking about how they are going to improve the Hahn-Hurst Practice Facility. They are going to re-do the lobbies, the hallways, the offices, etc. ”

    Wait – isn’t that building practically new? They’re really going to do re-do the lobbies and hallways already?

    1. Sounds like they are spending money just because they have it. IMO another – for williams

      1. I thought Buzz explained it perfectly: in today’s athletics landscape, you either have to stay at the front of technology, facilities, recruiting, etc. or else you’ll fall behind. And once you fall behind, it’s near impossible to catch up. So if Whit has the money (or can make it appear), it sounds like a great idea.

  4. I echo sentiment of u2hokie…Kyshoen has been fun to watch the past 4 years & hope he gets to play on Sundays!

  5. Congrats to KJ on the engagement!

    Great game and leadership KJ – have a great bowl game and THANKS for being a HOKIE!

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