Maybe probably but that’s not reality. He did quit and here we are. I’m not a fan of fantasy bookings because literally anything is possible since it’s all imaginary.
The reality is Bronco left and the soft schedule isn’t soft
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Or put another way, the easy schedule left and the bronco is soft
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Or perhaps the schedule is still soft and bronco left because he’s softer than the schedule.
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If Virginia were a good team those three opponents would be 10-5
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It was past time. Program was stagnant. The staff was not making any inroads on the recruiting front in state. His defense sucked, wouldn’t make staff changes.
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100% Sometimes I think you’re in my head.
Bronco was 36-38 overall and 22-27 in the ACC, the definition of average after six years and as you said was trending stagnant at best. Look at the recruiting there was no plan for sustained success, the Oline cupboards were bare, the defense had nothing in the pipeline. Hell there isn’t a viable option behind BA
I’ll die on the hill of Bronco’s 135-81 is pumped up by hiding at BYU for 11 seasons and the Mountain West Conference (39-9 in conference avg 11 wins a season. Even as an Independent there were cracks in the armor 8.5 wins per season over 5 years.
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Folks have pointed out that we had a couple guys who decomitted right away, plus a guy coming off a Mormon mission. One issue with Bronco, and I want to tread lightly here, as @Hoos9412 pointed out yesterday, is that whenever we transitioned away, we had guys that were fits with UVa (and chose UVa) only because of Bronco and staff. Some of that is inevitable with any coaching departure, but it was exacerbated, obviously. And not helped by the method of departure, either.
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It’s funny when Bronco was hired, I actually was excited because of the LDS connection (not in a religious way) But I thought it would open a pipeline into the Polynesian LDS community that is deep and rich with talent. The Hoos definitely saw an influx of that, but not enough in the way to move the needle on the field. I also am not surprised at all that once Bronco left that pipeline dried up almost immediately. Central Va. is not exactly known as a LDS or a Polunesian stronghold so culturally anyone from that background is left a long way from home.
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Probably beating a dead horse (Bronco), but the best case was getting that pipeline of talent, getting better, and using it to upgrade the local talent. And combine the two and be a decent program. But it never really happened. Did Covid hurt? Sure. More than most places? I assume so. But I think there was just a disconnect. And, not to give to much credence to the donor stuff, but it seems like there was a disconnect between him and the donors, too. Which is why I can’t feel too bad about him not getting his building. Implied in the promise that “you’re getting a building” is that you have to minimally good at (or willing to) separating rich people and their money.
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I think there’s more to this than I have really acknowledged and it may even tie into my previous comment. I’m not sure that Bronco ever felt comfortable in Virginia. He moved the family east and tried to recreate a western style ranch in the Blue Ridge and it’s nice but not the same. Also he has deep ties to the LDS community and my experience tells me that’s a very tight knit and supportive group. Moving across country certainly disrupted that and was probably harder to duplicate than he anticipated.
BYU is in some ways it’s own bubble of a school almost like a service academy. In it has a unique built in base, tendencies finances everything. I wonder if the move to a more traditional state school was more of a shock than Bronco anticipated and he struggled to make the adjustment. It doesn’t help that UVa is it’s own enigma that embraces its own culture and roots in ways that many state schools do not.
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Let’s see. I watch, and it depresses me, so… yeah. Checks out.
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Hate to say it but kind of an comedy of errors game
for me. Take a TO so the punt wont get blocked, then the punt gets blocked. Our QB had maybe 5 passes batteed down. We get an amazing return off kick off or punt and… fumble
That kinda thing. Couldnt win for losing
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i see what you did there
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Nah Lacrosse needs the new facility too LOL. Wild that they are a top program and operating out of essentially trailers I believe (or atleast at one point were).
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We need some interspersed slow motion clips of CTE clapping in this hype video…
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It’d be kind of funny if we just left it as a giant pit. I’d get a kick out of it at least.
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Still trailers and will be for a few more years.
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