So, remember that time when I said I was going to blog every day for the last year of my 20s, and then didn't...at all? 40-something posts instead of 365 - close enough, right? Well, my friend the @HokieGuru asked me if I'd be interested in a guest post and I figured, what better way to get the blog back up and running than to get us all in the mood for a little ACC football. I know, it's a little early to be previewing the Virginia Tech offense, but with the Bulls out of the playoffs, it's time to move forward.
You also may be wondering why I, as a Miami fan, would post about a rival, since I am sure most of you know I am not keen on rooting for other ACC teams, especially the ones that have given us thorough beatings the last two years.. But my mother told me to always play nice with others, and what better way to start my 30s and enter a more "mature" decade, than sharing with you this interview with long time Hokie Chris Colston. Enjoy!
Personal
HOKIE GURU: So, how did you decide to go to Virginia Tech? @VTCaps wants to know wants to know what sold you on being a Hokie. Also, please tell the readers here a bit about your background some of my followers (many from the Generation Y crowd) might not know you (yes that means you’re getting older lol… unfortunately, that means I, the Generation Xer, am, too, lol).
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: I’ll tell you a story I’ve never told anyone before. One soft-infested summer, I believe it was the summer of ’71, I strolled the southwest Virginia woods when I saw a shadow looming before me. From behind a maple strode a six-foot high turkey, snood a-wagglin’. He lunged, pecked and disappeared into the wilderness, leaving me standing there, blood-a-drippin’. But unlike a werewolf, who changes shape only the night a full moon, I became a Hokie for the rest of my life.
The next fall I attended my first game, where from the high corners of the West stands, amid a ketchup-packet-squirting battle with my younger brother, I watched the passing exploits of Don Strock.
I went on to attend Virginia Tech (1976-1980) and earned a degree in Marketing Management. I worked in the athletics department for 11 years as editor of the Hokie Huddler before moving to USA Today Sports Weekly and then the daily USA Today. I’ve written four books on Hokies football: “The Hokies Handbook”, Frank Beamer’s autobiography “Turn Up the Wick,” “Tales From the Virginia Tech Sidelines”, and the “Virginia Tech Football Vault.”
Hokie Annual
HOKIE GURU: For the average football fan, tell us about the Hokie Football Annual.
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: It’s everything you want to know about the Virginia Tech football program, written by someone bitten by the Hokie Spirit. I consider myself an avid Hokie consumer, and I asked myself, “What would be my dream Virginia Tech publication?” The answer is the Hokie Football Annual.
We made some huge improvements over our premiere issue last season, and I think anybody who buys the HFA is simply going to love it. It’s the perfect magazine to take with you this summer, be it the beach, lake or whatnot.
It’s also a heck of a deal at $14.99. I just picked up the Athlon ACC book, which sells for $8. I finished all the Virginia Tech info in about 15 minutes. The Hokie Football Annual is 128 pages of 100% Virginia Tech football, with stories in there you just aren’t going to find anywhere else, like the Round Table, the Recruiting Q&A, the tailgating section, the uniforms section, the anecdotes from former players, the 2007 Rewind, the all-time Tech team…I mean it just goes on and on. I think once somebody reads it, they’re hooked.
HOKIE GURU: For the record, I have read the Hokie Football Annual from cover to cover and I think it’s awesome. It really gives the reader a true insider’s perspective on Virginia Tech football (especially on the logic for the coaching changes). The publication does a great job talking about the state of the program, the roster, and the coaches. You also get those nuggets like who the epic tailgaters are. Every Hokie I know will love the Hokie Football Annual.
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: Well thank you, oh great Guru! I appreciate that very very much. I tried to give a true perspective on the program, not the in-house spin; having said that, I’m a diehard fan, and I love the program. I’m still close to the people in the athletics department, and I think they do a great job there. Having written a couple of historical perspectives on the football program, I really appreciate what Frank Beamer has done, and what we have right now. We’re truly blessed.
HOKIE GURU: Please tell Virginia Tech fans what the 16th Tenet is for a True Hokies Fan J I don’t want to give too much away here in the book, so I’m not going to ask you everything that’s in there J
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: One of our features is “25 Tenets For True Tech Fans.” (I could use the term rules, but they’re more like guidelines.) No. 16 is this: If a UVA fan overplays the “You Wouldn’t Be in the ACC Without Us” shtick, remind him/her that the Hokies hired former Cavalier Ricky Stokes as our head basketball coach, so they actually OWED us a favor.
HOKIE GURU: Also, for the record, I disagree with you… I think we go 11-1 (yes, we are beating both Clemson and Miami)… you say we’re going to lose to Clemson… no way… an unseasoned QB in Lane Stadium vs. Bud Foster’s defense? SMH, man lol… Clemson’s Tajh Boyd will be in Bud Foster’s lunch pail by night’s end on October 1, 2011.
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: We made those predictions in February before seeing Logan Thomas in the spring. We were actually hunkered down in the Greeks Cellar, over a pitcher and some spanokopitas (best I’ve ever had, by the way) the day Frank Beamer hired Cornell Brown.
Had I seen Logan play, I would’ve predicted 11-1 as well. (Which, by the way, was my prediction in 2010, and Tech finished the regular season 10-2, so maybe I did the right thing.)
I honestly think Virginia Tech has a great chance to go undefeated during the regular season. There is no glaringly tough opponent. The Hokies get three of their toughest opponents, Clemson, Miami and North Carolina, at home.
Offense
HOKIE GURU: How much different will the offense be under Mike O’Cain (h/t for the question to @accsports and @mengus22? More specifically, with the great group of experienced receivers that we have, do you think we’ll look to the pass more? (h/t: @TheLuxSports and @nturnage?)
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: Last year Tech ran 62% of the time. I think you could easily see at least a 50/50 run-pass ratio this year, if not 55% in favor of the pass, for a number of reasons.
The depth at running back isn’t what it was last year, and the returning receivers are terrific. With Mike O’Cain, the quarterbacks coach, calling the plays, there’s a much better chance of a mind-meld with Logan, and that has me very excited. Plus, Logan can make some of the throws that Tyrod Taylor, because of his height, simply couldn’t make.
Bryan Stinespring and Mike O’Cain aren’t going to let talent like Jarrett Boykin, Danny Coale, Marcus Davis and Dyrell Roberts go unutilized. Plus, expect to see David Wilson as a big receiving weapon as well.
HOKIE GURU: Another offensive question (and I’m not talking vulgarities) comes from @Hokie8807: We’ve seen that Logan Thomas has all the physical tools to be successful, but he’s still only thrown 26 passes in his career. How can Mike O’Cain adjust the playbook so that the game doesn’t move too fast for Logan? Can he do that without becoming too predictable in the play calling? Also, there have been a lot of comparisons of Logan Thomas to other QBs - what QB does he most resemble to you? (h/t: @ACCBlogger) Is he ready to take over for @TyrodTayor? (h/t: @Bob_Swagg) For the record, no one will replace Tyrod (who is not replaceable in Hokies lore), but will be taking over as QB.
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: Ideally, Virginia Tech will have a core group of plays installed in August that it can execute to perfection. You really don’t need a huge playbook to be successful. Better to execute 10 plays well than 50 plays with mediocrity. With no big Top 5 opponent early this year, the Hokies can afford to do that, then add plays as the season goes along.
I am not going to make the too-easy Cam Newton comparison. One guy nobody has brought up yet when talking about Logan is Ben Roethlisberger. But they’re both big, tough guys with good arms, and yeah, Ben can run a little bit too. But seriously, it is WAY too early to make any comparisons for Logan, because we simply haven’t seen enough of him in game situations.
He’s definitely ready to continue the Tech tradition of quality quarterbacks. While he won’t have Tyrod’s grasp of the offense initially, he can do some things Tyrod can’t do. I am extremely excited about watching him play this year, as much as any player Virginia Tech’s ever had. We had heard rumblings about how Michael Vick was tearing up practices during his freshman year, but nobody really knew how good he was going to be till he got on the field for real.
The thing that excites me about Logan is the combination of off-the-chart physical attributes with strong intangibles.
HOKIE GURU: Also, what are your thoughts on the backup QB situation? (h/t: @DougHead)
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: It will be Ricardo Young or Mark Leal, depending on who performs better in August.
HOKIE GURU: Our next question comes from one of our friendly rivals, @BCHysteria. He asks us who will be tougher to replace: Tyrod Taylor at QB or Ryan Williams/Darren Evans at RB?
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: Actually I don’t have any worries there at all. I’m more concerned over who will replace Chris Hazley and Brian Saunders. David Wilson has a bigger upside than Evans and is probably faster than Ryan. He just needs to stay healthy. I think Logan will be fine at QB.
HOKIE GURU: @BCInterruption asks will Kevin Rogers' past work experience at Virginia Tech gives Boston College an edge when the two teams hook up in October (I vote no as this is the Homecoming game, but please smack down our rival, okay? haha.)
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: Well, Bud has made so many tweaks to the defense since Kevin was here, that I’d say the advantage isn’t all that great. The biggest advantage is that BC has a really good coach.
HOKIE GURU: And @CougarTrainee (the godmother of @MDavis_7) wants to know if you think her godson should go pro after this year or wait another (my personal opinion is that he should wait one more, but I’m selfish as a Hokies fan and he needs to contact his family and his agent on this subject)… what are your thoughts?
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: Oh my goodness. Marcus had, let’s see…19 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns last year. And you’re already talking about turning pro? Really? How about this: focus on 2011 and have the best year possible as one of four strong receiving options. Then come back in 2012 as the primary receiver, have a monster year. Maybe THEN think about the NFL.
HOKIE GURU: And we’ll close with my question… what are your biggest concerns and what are you most excited about on offense?
No question, my biggest concern is David Wilson’s health (and Logan Thomas). Those two can’t get hurt. I wonder about our field goal kicker too.
What excites me most: a 6-6 QB with a big arm who can run; his ability to hit Marcus Davis on a quick slant on the dead run; an offensive line with depth; Boykin and Coale; a salty tight end who used to play defense; and the mind-meld play-calling of Logan and O’Cain.
Where can we buy the 2011 Hokie Football Annual?
HOKIE GURU: I have many DMV (e.g. DC/Maryland/Virginia… Washington DC-Centric) followers… where can my followers buy that publication in a traditional brick and mortar store? FYI, here’s the cyberspace hyperlink (http://www.chriscolston.com/) and it’s cheap… $14.99 plus shipping and handling… it’s an awesome Father’s Day gift and a great purchase that will help you get fired up for the 2011 Hokies football season.
HOKIE FOOTBALL ANNUAL: We really amped up our distribution avenues this year. It is available statewide at most Barnes & Noble stores, Giant food stores, Target, Food Lion and Borders. In June it will be available at Kroger. In southwest Virginia it’s available at most Stop-In stores, Gobbler Gear in Salem, and University Bookstore, Volume 2 Bookstore and Tech Bookstore in Blacksburg. And yes, you can always order online at http://www.chriscolston.com/.
Here some traditional brick and mortar locations in Alexandria, VA or Arlington, VA where you can buy the Hokie Annual:
· Target, 6600 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA
· Target, 3601 Jefferson Davis Highway, Alexandria, VA
· Bottom Dollar, 8750 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA
· Barnes and Noble, 3651 Jefferson Davis Highway, Alexandria, VA
· Giant, 5870 Kingstowne Center, Alexandria, VA
· Giant, 3680 King Street, Alexandria, VA
· Giant, 3131 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA
· Giant, 7558 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA
· Barnes and Noble, 2800 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500, Arlington, VA
· Borders Books and Music, 1201 Hayes Street, Suite C, Arlington, VA
· Borders Airport, 105 Air Cargo Road, Arlington, VA
· Giant, 3115 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA
HOKIE GURU: Thank you so much for spending time with us, Chris!! GO HOKIES!!
We thank Chris Colston of the 2011 Hokie Football Annual for spending some time with us. I can’t imagine a better publication to take with you to the beach this summer. It also makes an excellent Father’s Day gift.
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