Post Vandy Pry-sser

Used ai to generate this summary, we'll see if y'all like it. I'll come back and update formatting and stuff later tonight

🏈 Disappointment in the Outcome, but Appreciation for Passionate Fans

The coach expresses disappointment in the team's performance and loss to Vanderbilt, acknowledging they didn't play or coach well enough to win. However, he emphasizes his immense appreciation for the incredible turnout and passion of the Hokie Nation fans, saying their support is very special and the team is fortunate to have such dedicated supporters.

• Coach takes ownership of the team's poor performance and failure to execute a winning plan.
• Vanderbilt out-played and out-coached Virginia Tech, according to the coach.
• The coach is grateful for the enthusiastic and sizable fan turnout, calling it "tremendous" and "incredible."
• The coach looks forward to celebrating the 1999 team that played for a national championship in the upcoming home game against Marshall.
• The coach notes the personal ties many on the team and staff have to the Marshall program, making the game meaningful.

🏈 Addressing Sunday Practice and Injury Impacts

The coach describes the approach to Sunday practice, focusing on owning mistakes, making corrections, and moving forward with the next opponent. He also provides injury updates, notably Jaylen Stroman's absence for at least a couple weeks, which will significantly increase playing time for other safeties like Jaylen Jones, Mo, and Quinton Reddish.

• The Sunday practice involves openly addressing and owning up to the team's and coaches' shortcomings from the previous game.
• The goal is to get the team in the right mindset to make necessary adjustments and prepare for the upcoming opponent.
• Jaylen Stroman's injury will force the team to rely more heavily on other safeties like Jaylen Jones, Mo, and Quinton Reddish.
• The coaching staff may also increase opportunities for other players like Monsour, Brilin Johnson, Devin Alves, and Caleb Spencer to fill the safety position.

🏈 Room for Improvement on the Offensive Line

The coach provides an honest assessment of the offensive line's performance, noting they need to be more physical and aggressive in the run game, while also improving pass protection. He acknowledges some communication issues, but believes the new starters like LA did a decent job overall in their first game.

• The offensive line struggled at times to create consistent push in the run game, with Vanderbilt's defense able to disrupt their blocking schemes.
• In pass protection, the line allowed too much pressure on the quarterback, an area they need to improve.
• There were a few communication issues, but overall the new starters like LA performed reasonably well in their first game action.
• The coach sees room for the offensive line to be more physical, aggressive, and cohesive to better support the run and pass game.

🏈 Changes and Increased Contributions in the Linebacker Unit

The coach discusses the adjustments made to the linebacker group, including moving Keller back to the Mike position, increased roles for Kelly and Caleb, and JJ McDaniel as a third option at Mike. He notes Kelly's improved play and the need for JK (Keller) to be a good complement to Sam at the linebacker positions.

• Keller has been moved back to the Mike linebacker position, with the goal of him being a good complement to Sam at the other linebacker spot.
• Kelly has earned more playing time based on his performance in practice and the game, making some impactful plays.
• Caleb Woodson has also stepped up and shown he deserves more snaps at linebacker.
• JJ McDaniel is being viewed as a third option at the Mike linebacker position.
• The coaching staff is adjusting the linebacker rotation and responsibilities to find the best combination and production.

🏈 Addressing Slow Starts and the Need for Aggressive Playcalling

The coach acknowledges the team's tendency to start games slowly, which proved problematic again against Vanderbilt. He discusses factors that contributed to the slow start, including the opponent's opening drive and an early turnover on offense. The coach emphasizes the need to be more aggressive with playcalling in these situations to regain momentum quickly.

• Slow starts have been an issue for the team, and the Vanderbilt game was no exception, with the opponent scoring quickly and the offense turning the ball over early.
• The methodical opening drive by Vanderbilt's offense was "deflating" for the Virginia Tech defense.
• The coach recognizes the need to be more aggressive with playcalling in these situations, rather than trying to gradually work their way back into the game.
• Making adjustments to the practice routine, such as starting with competitive periods, has been an attempt to address the slow start problem.

🏈 Jaylen Jones' Improved Confidence and Performance

The coach praises Jaylen Jones' performance, noting he played with more confidence and brought the improvements he made in practice into the game. The coach believes this should be a confidence-building experience for Jones, who will now be relied upon even more due to Jaylen Stroman's injury.

• Jaylen Jones played well, reflecting the confidence and improvements he has shown in practice throughout the offseason and camp.
• The coach is pleased that Jones was able to translate his strong practice performances into the game environment.
• Jones' performance should serve as a confidence boost for him, as the team will now need to rely on him even more with Jaylen Stroman's injury.
• The coach views Jones' increased playing time as a positive opportunity for the player to continue developing and making an impact.

🏈 Preparing for Quarterback Uncertainty

The coach acknowledges the challenge of preparing for the opponent's quarterback situation, as it remains unclear who will start between multiple options. He says the coaching staff has broken down film on both potential starting quarterbacks to be prepared for either scenario.

• The opponent's quarterback situation is uncertain, with multiple options potentially starting.
• This creates a challenge for the Virginia Tech coaching staff in scouting and preparing for the opponent's offense.
• The staff has analyzed film on both potential starting quarterbacks to be ready for whichever player takes the field.
• The quarterback uncertainty adds an additional wrinkle the team must account for in their game planning and preparation.
🏈 Defensive Line Rotation and Performance

The defensive line played well, with a healthy rotation of players like Kamari and Kelvin contributing meaningful snaps. Kelvin, in particular, stood out with an impactful play on a third-down stop, showcasing his burst and ability to disrupt the offense.

• The defensive line unit as a whole performed well, despite not being enough of a factor in the game overall.
• Kamari, who has been penciled in as a 50-tackle player, made some good plays and earned more playing time.
• Kelvin "bulldozed through the offensive lineman" on a key third-down play, demonstrating his strength and playmaking ability.
• The coaching staff has built a healthy rotation of 5 defensive linemen who can play both nose and three-technique positions, which has not always been the case at Virginia Tech or previous stops.

🏟️ Significance of Marshall University for the Pry Family

Coach Pry's personal connection to Marshall University runs deep, as it's where his family's story began. The experience of taking his father to a game last year and seeing him walk the campus was emotionally meaningful, reflecting the layers of history and tradition that Marshall represents for the Pry family.

• Pry spent a couple of years living in Marshall's married student housing, where his parents got married at 18 and had him.
• His father's experience attending and playing for Marshall's "Thundering Herd" program is deeply significant to the family.
• Figures like Frank Lauterbur and Coach Tally hold special meaning for the Pry family and the Virginia Tech program.
• There is a lot of emotional significance and respect for Marshall's tradition that goes beyond just this week's game.

🏈 Passing Game Adjustments and Execution

The Virginia Tech offense started the game focused on a horizontal passing attack to open up the running game, but struggled with perimeter blocking execution. As the game progressed, they were able to transition to a more vertically-oriented passing game, which is an area they want to emphasize as a strength of the offense.

• The initial game plan was to work the perimeter with horizontal passes to set up the running game, but the perimeter blocking execution was not good enough.
• Quarterback Kirin Callaghan checked down passes at times when he could have taken shots downfield, missing some vertical passing opportunities.
• As coaches, Pry acknowledges they need to ensure the vertical passing game is consistently featured early in games, not just in the second half.
• Overall, the passing game showed positive flashes in the second half that the team wants to build on moving forward.

🏈 Team's Mental Approach and Readiness

Pry emphasized the importance of the team maintaining the right mental approach and not getting ahead of themselves, despite the positive momentum from last season. While the team seemed in a good headspace pre-game, the slow start may have deflated their energy, and Pry takes responsibility for ensuring the team comes out "guns blazing" and playing with toughness from the opening kickoff.

• The coaching staff had discussed the importance of the team not reading too many press clippets or feeling they were better than they are.
• Pry felt the team had the right mentality in the locker room, but the slow start in the game may have impacted their energy and focus.
• As the head coach, Pry acknowledges it's his job to make sure the team comes out playing with the right intensity and toughness from the beginning.
• The team seemed disappointed with the loss, but Pry has not lost confidence in them and expects a great week of practice and improved performance against Marshall.

🏈 Takai Heath's Offensive Role

Pry sees similarities between Takai Heath and a young Jay Pittman, with Heath's ability to catch short passes and make things happen with the ball in his hands. The coaching staff gave Heath some opportunities in a "gadget" role against Vanderbilt, and they plan to continue expanding his involvement in the offense moving forward.

• Pry likens Heath's skill set to that of a young Jay Pittman, with the ability to make plays in the passing game and with the ball in his hands.
• The coaching staff utilized Heath in a small "gadget" role in the Vanderbilt game, and were pleased with how he responded when given that opportunity.
• Pry indicates that Heath's role in the offense will continue to grow, as the coaches see him as a player who can contribute and make plays.

🏈 Will Johnson's Injury Status

Will Johnson, a key special teams contributor and starter, suffered a significant injury that will sideline him for an extended period. Pry described it as a "tough guy" injury, noting that Johnson's reaction on the field indicated it was more than a minor issue.

• Johnson, a special teams standout and starter, suffered a "pretty tough injury" that will keep him out for an extended time.
• Pry knew it was a serious injury when he saw Johnson's reaction and "agony" on the field, rather than just limping off.
• The coaching staff hopes to get Johnson back at some point later in the season, but he will be "out of commission for a little bit."

🏈 Benji Gosnell's Performance Bounce-Back

Gosnell had a tough start, dropping what would have been a touchdown pass, but he bounced back with some impactful plays. Pry praised Gosnell's toughness and improvement as a blocker, and sees the game as a positive building block for the young receiver.

• Gosnell dropped an early potential touchdown pass, but Pry was impressed that he didn't let that affect him and went on to make some big plays.
• Pry highlighted Gosnell's toughness and improvement as a blocker, going up against some good defensive ends.
• The coaching staff is excited about Gosnell's continued growth and development, and believes this game will be a strong foundation for him to build upon.