College Vistis

VA TECH! Charley Wiles (DL) & Jim Cavanaugh (LBers).

cOACH,

As is the case most often, I look at things a bit diferently. The coaches mentioned above are good, don't get me wrong. But, I always tend to look at the teams who have coaches who win the big ones, and win the most often. On the college level this year that would have to be Ohio State, USC, Florida, Michigan. Now, I know perfectly well that it is the PLAYERS and not the COACHES who do the winning, but it seems to me that the best coaches always seem to have the best players, you ever notice that? They get that way from having great coaching and year after year it seems as though the same schools are in the thick of the race come Novemeber, more often than not. These are the coaches I look to.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

Jerry - I know Va Tech isn't playing for the National Title, BUT, they went 10-2 and LED the NATION in total defense in 2006 (not too shabby for a very YOUNG squad):


IA National Team Report

Total Defense

Year: 2006 Thru: 12/09/06 Minimum Pct. of Games Played

Rank Name Games Plays Yds Avg TDs Ydspgm Wins Losses Ties

1 Virginia Tech 12 691 2653 3.84 11 221.08 10 2 0
2 LSU 12 698 2865 4.10 18 238.75 10 2 0
3 Wisconsin 12 709 2922 4.12 16 243.50 11 1 0
4 TCU 12 705 2994 4.25 18 249.50 10 2 0
5 Miami (Fla.) 12 683 3025 4.43 21 252.08 6 6 0
6 Michigan 12 721 3049 4.23 21 254.08 11 1 0
7 Rutgers 12 714 3117 4.37 21 259.75 10 2 0
8 Wyoming 12 723 3155 4.36 32 262.92 6 6 0
9 Georgia 12 722 3168 4.39 25 264.00 8 4 0
10 Florida 13 791 3494 4.42 21 268.77 12 1 0
11 Western Mich. 12 691 3233 4.68 28 269.42 8 4 0
12 Clemson 12 779 3241 4.16 21 270.08 8 4 0
13 Ohio St. 12 719 3276 4.56 14 273.00 12 0 0
14 Boise St. 12 688 3285 4.77 25 273.75 12 0 0
15 Florida St. 12 764 3347 4.38 28 278.92 6 6 0
16 Penn St. 12 780 3348 4.29 20 279.00 8 4 0
17 Oklahoma 13 793 3643 4.59 23 280.23 11 2 0
18 Alabama 12 669 3451 5.16 26 287.58 6 6 0
19 Tulsa 12 700 3454 4.93 28 287.83 8 4 0
20 Virginia 12 721 3474 4.82 27 289.50 5 7 0
21 Georgia Tech 13 846 3766 4.45 24 289.69 9 4 0
22 Texas 12 696 3503 5.03 28 291.92 9 3 0
23 Southern California 12 767 3525 4.60 19 293.75 10 2 0
24 South Fla. 12 773 3563 4.61 24 296.92 8 4 0
25 Auburn 12 708 3570 5.04 20 297.50 10 2 0
26 Kent St. 12 780 3575 4.58 28 297.92 6 6 0
27 Arizona St. 12 742 3582 4.83 36 298.50 7 5 0
28 Florida Int'l 12 802 3611 4.50 39 300.92 0 12 0
29 Boston College 12 785 3638 4.63 20 303.17 9 3 0
30 Oregon 12 736 3639 4.94 37 303.25 7 5 0
31 Cincinnati 12 725 3651 5.04 27 304.25 7 5 0
32 Ohio 13 809 3956 4.89 29 304.31 9 4 0
33 UCLA 12 767 3658 4.77 26 304.83 7 5 0
34 Arkansas 13 832 3994 4.80 30 307.23 10 3 0
35 Missouri 12 782 3706 4.74 27 308.83 8 4 0
36 Arkansas St. 12 670 3713 5.54 35 309.42 6 6 0
37 Texas A&M 12 711 3718 5.23 28 309.83 9 3 0
38 Illinois 12 797 3722 4.67 38 310.17 2 10 0
39 Wake Forest 13 849 4058 4.78 22 312.15 11 2 0
40 Southern Miss. 13 790 4089 5.18 34 314.54 8 5 0
41 Louisville 12 755 3784 5.01 25 315.33 11 1 0
42 Oregon St. 13 809 4113 5.08 33 316.38 9 4 0
43 North Carolina St. 12 750 3806 5.07 29 317.17 3 9 0
44 Bowling Green 12 714 3822 5.35 46 318.50 4 8 0
45 Notre Dame 12 736 3846 5.23 35 320.50 10 2 0
46 South Carolina 12 709 3852 5.43 24 321.00 7 5 0
47 Mississippi St. 12 713 3856 5.41 39 321.33 3 9 0
48 Akron 12 821 3869 4.71 34 322.42 5 7 0
49 Texas Tech 12 798 3877 4.86 34 323.08 7 5 0
50 Tennessee 12 735 3878 5.28 29 323.17 9 3 0
51 Brigham Young 12 789 3889 4.93 22 324.08 10 2 0
52 West Virginia 12 771 3890 5.05 28 324.17 10 2 0
53 Middle Tenn. St. 12 745 3908 5.25 35 325.67 7 5 0
54 Arizona 12 727 3915 5.39 28 326.25 6 6 0
55 Nevada 12 727 3931 5.41 30 327.58 8 4 0
56 Utah 12 759 3934 5.18 31 327.83 7 5 0
57 Colorado St. 12 750 3964 5.29 33 330.33 4 8 0
58 La.-Lafayette 12 715 3973 5.56 38 331.08 6 6 0
59 Miami (Ohio) 12 712 3981 5.59 37 331.75 2 10 0
60 East Caro. 12 791 3995 5.05 32 332.92 7 5 0
61 Toledo 12 769 3997 5.20 42 333.08 5 7 0
62 Fla. Atlantic 12 702 4009 5.71 37 334.08 5 7 0
63 Kansas St. 12 792 4014 5.07 34 334.50 7 5 0
64 Navy 12 749 4042 5.40 30 336.83 9 3 0
65 North Texas 12 782 4061 5.19 40 338.42 3 9 0
66 Houston 13 813 4408 5.42 34 339.08 10 3 0
67 Colorado 12 800 4091 5.11 34 340.92 2 10 0
67 Iowa 12 842 4091 4.86 31 340.92 6 6 0
69 Central Mich. 13 921 4462 4.84 40 343.23 9 4 0
70 Nebraska 13 826 4468 5.41 30 343.69 9 4 0
71 Troy 12 804 4133 5.14 34 344.42 7 5 0
72 La.-Monroe 12 784 4158 5.30 34 346.50 4 8 0
73 San Diego St. 12 783 4221 5.39 41 351.75 3 9 0
74 Vanderbilt 12 746 4229 5.67 34 352.42 4 8 0
75 San Jose St. 12 786 4232 5.38 33 352.67 8 4 0
76 Southern Methodist 12 821 4240 5.16 38 353.33 6 6 0
77 Mississippi 12 799 4247 5.32 33 353.92 4 8 0
78 Air Force 12 718 4256 5.93 40 354.67 4 8 0
79 Army 12 767 4259 5.55 45 354.92 3 9 0
80 Northern Ill. 12 777 4285 5.51 31 357.08 7 5 0
81 Washington St. 12 783 4286 5.47 32 357.17 6 6 0
82 Connecticut 12 758 4297 5.67 39 358.08 4 8 0
83 UAB 12 726 4311 5.94 37 359.25 3 9 0
84 New Mexico 12 823 4341 5.27 37 361.75 6 6 0
85 Northwestern 12 786 4350 5.53 39 362.50 4 8 0
86 Fresno St. 12 769 4355 5.66 48 362.92 4 8 0
87 Pittsburgh 12 818 4357 5.33 34 363.08 6 6 0
88 Michigan St. 12 771 4365 5.66 43 363.75 4 8 0
89 Maryland 12 778 4403 5.66 34 366.92 8 4 0
90 California 12 784 4412 5.63 29 367.67 9 3 0
91 North Carolina 12 770 4419 5.74 47 368.25 3 9 0
92 Oklahoma St. 12 778 4457 5.73 37 371.42 6 6 0
93 Hawaii 13 869 4898 5.64 40 376.77 10 3 0
94 Kansas 12 843 4537 5.38 38 378.08 6 6 0
95 Washington 12 807 4557 5.65 34 379.75 5 7 0
96 UNLV 12 792 4648 5.87 49 387.33 2 10 0
97 Stanford 12 844 4650 5.51 46 387.50 1 11 0
98 Eastern Mich. 12 820 4660 5.68 42 388.33 1 11 0
99 New Mexico St. 12 746 4673 6.26 50 389.42 4 8 0
100 Buffalo 12 748 4685 6.26 58 390.42 2 10 0
101 Marshall 12 804 4691 5.83 43 390.92 5 7 0
102 Iowa St. 12 778 4707 6.05 47 392.25 4 8 0
103 Idaho 12 764 4733 6.20 57 394.42 4 8 0
104 UTEP 12 835 4739 5.68 46 394.92 5 7 0
105 Duke 12 784 4744 6.05 54 395.33 0 12 0
106 UCF 12 792 4777 6.03 42 398.08 4 8 0
107 Syracuse 12 815 4792 5.88 37 399.33 4 8 0
108 Tulane 12 814 4796 5.89 51 399.67 4 8 0
109 Indiana 12 771 4828 6.26 54 402.33 5 7 0
110 Baylor 12 825 4898 5.94 51 408.17 4 8 0
111 Memphis 12 785 4904 6.25 47 408.67 2 10 0
112 Minnesota 12 840 4995 5.95 39 416.25 6 6 0
113 Rice 12 759 5012 6.60 49 417.67 7 5 0
114 Purdue 13 923 5625 6.09 42 432.69 8 5 0
115 Ball St. 12 820 5202 6.34 38 433.50 5 7 0
116 Utah St. 12 757 5232 6.91 62 436.00 1 11 0
117 Temple 12 797 5429 6.81 65 452.42 1 11 0
118 Kentucky 12 818 5492 6.71 47 457.67 7 5 0
119 Louisiana Tech 13 881 6282 7.13 73 483.23 3 10 0

NYDC,

Appreciate your view coach. My opinion is based on the fact that no matter how gifted an athlete is, without good coaching his skills will deteriorate. I would assume this happens because an athlete who does not strive to employ the latest techniques being taught by the coaches, totally relies upon his ability of doing what has always worked in the past. But, in this game today, you can't be a Willie Loman type, you have to keep up! After completing a 42 year on-field coaching career last year on three levels, I am more convinced of this than ever. I spent the last 12 years coaching professional minor league football where the players were ex-college players, or ex-pros trying to get back to the NFL, CFL, etc. This really reinforced my belief.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE


ONEBACK, I knew that tech had a good year, that is why I went out of my way to reinforce my statement that I did not intend to infer in any way they were not a good team. When they lost the ACC Championship game, to me, it was just not indictive of their usual performance. I think Frank Beamer is one heck of a coach and have always admired him.

AGREED!!! CLEMSON ENJOYED THAT DISTINCTION IN 1990 OR 91 WHEN LANCE PLAYED. 9 OF THE STARTING 11 WENT RIGHT STRAIGHT TO THE NFL THE FOLLOWING YEAR. MOST NOTABLES- LaVON KIRKLAND (STEELERS) ED McDANIEL (VIKINGS) CHESTER McGLOCTON ( RAIDERS ) ROBT. O'NEAL (DOLPHINS) JAMES TRAPP (RAIDERS) ASHLEY SHEPERD (CHIEFS) WAYNE SIMMONS (PACKERS).

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

Just my 2 cents - although it's a Canadian 2 cents so it's actually worth more like 1.82 cents.

I'd go and try and find out who did the MOST with the LEAST amount of talent - those are GREAT coaches. I once read an article where the Boise St guys PREFERRED to go watch HS practices rather than pros or 'higher' Div 1 schools - because sometimes the teaching is better.

I've always thought that there is alot of GREAT coaching that happens at the Div 2 and 3 level that generally goes unrecognized - and sometimes those schools are a little more open with their material, and stuff than the bigger places.

I'm sure Va Tech and some of the other schools around would be great visits, but don't overlook the little guys - sometimes they're doing a better job.