Lots of built-in and structural reasons why VT could NEVER compete with the "big boys" in basketball. Always the same excuses about money, location, fan support, facilities, blah blah blah.

Then after nearly three decades of hiring retreads and rookies, we finally landed a legit head coach... and magically, little ole VT suddenly found itself within a missed layup of beating Duke for a spot in the Elite 8.

Coaching matters. More than money, more than fan support, more than social media, more than shiny new buildings, more than all the other excuses that people come up with to rationalize and explain away the failures of leadership that are right before their eyes.