Edit: Joe Kendall actually writes for the Virginia Tech Student Newspaper along with Andrew from Turkey Talk.
Q) What kind of coach/person is Tony Ball?
A) Congrats landing Tony Ball...this guy is truly a class act and a great coach, in response to your questions...Tony Ball is a very thorough very results oriented coach. You can see that in our receiver play this year (last year Josh Hyman was our top option at wr but this year Clowney and a host of others stepped up)
Josh Hyman, one of Ball's WRs, in action
Q) What kind of recruiter is he?
A) Ball recruited mainly out of Maryland and does extremely well in that state. He should be a great addition to what is already an amazing recruiting program
Q) How well was he thought of by the fans? By Beamer? Is this considered a big loss for VT or a non-event?
A) Tony Ball is extremely well thought of in Blacksburg. As you know, Beamer has done all he can to keep his assistants in place. He worked as hard as he could to keep his top assistants with him. Unfortunately for VT and fortunately for UGA, Ball's heart was with the Bulldogs. You all got a fierce competitor; don't let anyone tell you different.
Q) What was his recruiting region?
A) Like I said earlier, we used Ball mainly in Maryland, and he did a great job there. He also helped recruit Luckett out of New Jersey, and he should help tremendously in your northern pursuits.
Q) What role if any did he play in coaching Virginia Tech’s legendary special teams?
A) I’m not sure of the role he played in special teams coaching. That’s usually Beamer’s field of expertise, but Ball trains receivers to be tough. Just look at Hyman/Morgan's pass blocking. Even Eddie Royal for a small guy can block his weight in gold so if nothing else you'll have tough guys on the offensive side of the ball. That can never hurt on special teams.
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A) Well hopefully Ball's departure will have minimal effect. But to be totally realistic, you can't lose a guy of his tenacity and vigor and not be hurt. We have a great receiving corps in tact and hopefully whoever steps in his place can do just a good a job, but guys like TB are one in a hundred.
[Photo: Coach Ball]
Q) Lastly, what sort of year are you expecting from Virginia Tech next year?
A) To be wholly honest, we aren't looking at a top fifteen team this year. God only knows who's gonna take the snaps [at QB], but I think that’s the kind of position VT flourishes upon. Just look at how we've performed when we're ranked outside the top-15 the last few years. We've underperformed when expectations are high, and we’ve excelled when not much is expected from us. Right now I think of us as Minnesota from last year, on the cusp of big things but still a year away, definitely a bowl team and probably a 10-win team (given the relative easiness of our schedule). But, not an elite team that’s going to contend for titles. Look for us to be overrated come midseason and suffer a big-time loss...
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From PWD: Thanks so much to Joe Kendall for the info! Georgia Sports Blog readers should check out Turkey Talk if you get a chance. Very solid content. Andrew over there arranged this interview for me.
For an alternative/more cautious take on Ball's hiring, Kyle on Football has had several articles and comments on the topic.
pwd
9 comments:
Good info pwd. On Tony Ball, when he was a Frosh at UTC, I saw him get thrown into the starting lineup bc of the suspension of their best RB - Gwain Durden, and run for over 200 yards against Western Carolina shocking everyone. I was 12 years old at the time, but I still remember it. He went on to have a heck of a career at UTC. Always been thought of around here as
a HIGH quality person.
ScenicCityDawg
I think the bigger news here is the increased odds of a UGA coach making an appearance on Mustache Wednesday.
You knew he had to be good, because that thing is spectacular.
WHAT'S FUNNY IS THAT UGA OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS HAS AVERAGED BETWEEN 4 AND 12 IN TOP RECRUITING CLASSES. GT ON THE OTHER HAND BEHIND GAILEY HASN'T HAD A TOP 38 CLASS, ALTHOUGH FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS THE UGA GT GAME COULD HAVE GONE EITHER WAY?????????????? HMMMMMMMMMM????? SOUNDS LIKE ALL WE NEED IS A RECRUITER!!!!!!
My favorite posters are GT fans who are less e-smart than my 59 year old dad.
Even dad knows how to press the caps lock key. I guess that makes you an e-dumbass.
pwd
Is it just me or do Black Coaches and Midwestern White Coaches have more mustaches per capita than any other group of men in America?
I can't think of a Black Coach without facial hair.
Karl Dorrell maybe? But I don't think he's much of a coach. Maybe if he grew facial hair?
pwd
Paul you might be touching a bigger theory here. For instance, Mike Davis is stepping down at IU. A black coach without facial hair. There's Karl Dorell as you mentioned.
Other than Tubby Smith, I can't think of a great black head coach in any sport that doesn't have some kind of womb broom going.
I am consistently excited to read anything from a Tech fan on this board. It's almost like some of the guys over at The Hive send one lamb to be sacrificed. I wonder what that poor douchebag did.
In other news, a Tech fan posted on PWD's blog for the one millionth time about how GT ALMOST beat UGA. Nerds everywhere agreed...and then went to Athens to look at women.
this thread is another fine example of one of the traits that endear GTU nerds to UGA fans: the obsession with "the quality loss."
You know what a quality loss is; it's a game where GTU lost, but they COULD have won, especially when they weren't favored to win. They really harped on quality losses early in Hew?tt's tenure, as they tried to figure out why a team that was under .500 in conference should be in the NCAAs.
Tell you what, nerds. You keep enjoying the quality losses over there. We'll keep enjoying the fact that you haven't won a game in football against us since 1990. Any UGA game with a W in our column means a lot more to me than any L we could rack up.
well, obviously u idiot-ass uga fans completely missed the entire poing of my comment. who gives a crap about a quality win, uwon,,,,,there u happy now??? my comment was focused on recruiting!!!!!! rrrreeeeccccrrruuuiiittttttiiinnnggggggg!!!!!!!!! if we get some quality recruits, i don't think uga will stand a chance.
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