I see a popular notion on the board (and other boards) that Buzz hasn't recruited post players since he has been at VT, which isn't entirely true

For the sake of the argument I'm going to define post players as guys whose skill set are designed specifically for playing around the rim and not a whole lot more and at least 6'8

Since he has been at VT he has recruited the following:

Shane Henry
Satchel Pierce
Johnny Hamilton
Kerry Blackshear
Khadim Sy
Nick Fullard*

Out of that, I think it's tough to make an argument other than being 1 for 6 in those evaluations (evaluations including how good of a fit the player is for the program, Sy is good, and will be good somewhere else, but not a great fit for Buzz)

Zero bigs so far in this class, and doubts about the development of BJ Mack means Buzz is looking at being 6 years into the program (once BJ Mack gets on campus) and having a 14% success rate on recruiting/developing good post players

This isn't something new. This was a thing back at Marquette as well, and part of what you get with Buzz. He makes it work by how hard he can coach his players to play and a major amount of success recruiting wings.

Kerry Blackshear needs to be the guy to buck the trend. He has a chance to be the kid the staff developed into a high level player and fit within the offense. But recruits and their families will need to see some sort of success in developing that talent before VT can go after top level post players and expect to land them.

Guys like Chris Clarke and Zach LeDay are a perfect fit for Buzz...a little undersized, but skilled and willing to be tough and do the hard work.

I actually really like moving away from strictly post players who are one dimensional, so I think there is room for VT to grow with respect to making a push to a perennial NCAA Tournament contender. And I see the 14% success rate in a different light:

For each post player we tried to fit a square peg into a round hole and missed, that's a scholarship we took away from another skilled wing or undersized post player with skill. Satchel Pierce had no business in a VT jersey. Same for Shane Henry. And those guys started games at VT. Mainly due to a bare cupboard, but also an inability to get someone better.

There's certainly opportunity for the staff to do an about face with their handling of post players, but it starts with Kerry Blackshear. And in all honesty, Blackshear would be a PF at schools who play two post players. But that is the type of post VT will need under Buzz.

Buzz doesn't want to run away from recruiting bigs, he has certainly tried. Just not much to point to when in battles with similarly rated programs for talented bigs. Hopefully that changes