There needs to be a vision for the program that begins with the AD, aligns with the coach's vision, but is not dependent upon the coach alone. It needs to be a vision about who VT is. Coaches come and go but the institution remains. If we want to try to build an elite football program, we need to have a vision and a culture that is deeper than the head coach.

Fuente also needs to be a bigger part of selling the vision. He needs to build confidence in donors and fans of where we're going, how we're going to get there, and how he is leading us.

There's a chicken and egg problem with regard to finances, recruiting, and winning. I don't think we can wait until we're winning more to recruit better or vice versa. It's a both/and situation. We need to win NOW and recruit NOW and fundraise NOW. They all help bootstrap the other elements.

I believe Fuente is a very capable coach with regard to Xs and Os and culture building within the program. But recruiting and fundraising are a different kind of selling. I hope he can figure those pieces out (along with the staff and our fundraisers).

One thing Mack Brown said early on last year was, "You have to make your school the sexy place to be. You have to make it the cool program."

PJ Fleck, Mack Brown, Dabo Swinney -- those guys sell their programs with a bit of confidence.

I think we need a bit more of that. Not swagger. Not arrogance. But like a lunchpail mentality that if you're a tough athlete, this is the place to be.

I think our descent as a program has completely coincided with the cultural shift in the 757. Back in the day, that area was entirely comprised of hungry, tough-as-nails athletes. No sense of entitlement. No reading their press clippings. They showed up with a chip on their shoulder and it was PERFECT for our blue-collar, chip on the shoulder program.

It is MUCH harder to find those kids today. I'm not recruiting expert -- but I think THAT was the key to VT's run of success. The absolute elite of the elite go to one of about 7 or 8 program. We had a direct pipeline to a bunch of dawgs that filled out our roster and made VT a really nasty team to play against. We don't have that anymore.

I'm not sure what the new recruiting strategy should be -- but we need to find our identity, show it on the field, sell it, recruit to, and close on signing day. Easier said than done these days -- which is why I don't get paid to do any of that!