Hokie ClubLast month, Virginia Tech named 31-year-old Norfolk, Virginia, native Zohn Burden (pronounced ZONN) the wide receivers coach for the Hokies, moving him into the role vacated by Aaron Moorehead, who left for Texas A&M.
Burden grew up in Virginia Beach and graduated in 2002 from Salem High School, where he was coached by current University of Virginia running backs coach Chris Beatty. He played collegiately at VMI before getting into coaching at Fork Union Military Academy.
He then had two stints at Old Dominion, from 2007-10, when he coached defensive backs, and then from 2012-14, when he served as the Monarchs’ passing game coordinator. Burden also spent one year as the wide receivers coach at the University of Richmond.
I had the chance to visit with the newest member of Tech’s coaching staff and ask him some questions:
BR: Welcome to Virginia Tech. It’s nice to have you here.
ZB: “Thank you. It’s nice to be here.”
BR: Give me your early impressions so far of Tech.
ZB: “Honestly, it’s been great. Even better than I thought it would be.”
BR: Why?
ZB: “The people. The people here are just incredible. The atmosphere. The legacy and the tradition you see when you walk in the doors is a dream come true for me.”
BR: For an in-state guy like yourself from Virginia Beach, what was your perception of Virginia Tech football from the outside, and specifically, from the view as an assistant coach at ODU?
ZB: “Being from Virginia, I watched this football program grow, and a lot of kids I went to high school with had a chance to come here and play football in college. I’ve always been a fan. Virginia Tech has always been a special place for me. As far as being the receivers coach at ODU, I’ve always been keeping up with Virginia schools, and Virginia Tech was just always one of those places that you always checked the score when the game was over.”
BR: Let me tell you that Virginia Tech people – fans and coaches – took notice of what you guys were doing at ODU. Everyone saw those passing yards and scoring totals. How did you do it?
ZB: “We had a great quarterback, we had some really good receivers, and we had a good offensive line and good running backs. The ODU program is built around the offense. It’s all catered toward that, and we just let the quarterback run the show.”
BR: Did you know that you always wanted to get into coaching?
ZB: “No. It kind of just fell into my lap. I had a chance to get to Fork Union as soon as I graduated from VMI, and Coach [John] Shuman told me, ‘You’re kinda good at this,’ and I stuck with it from that point.”
BR: We’ve had several coaches here at Virginia Tech, in many different sports over the years, with a Fork Union background. Each one talks about how the discipline learned as a student there helps them as a coach in their professional lives today. Would you agree with that?”
ZB: “I agree 100 percent. Waking up at 5 a.m. becomes a natural thing starting when you’re there until however old you happen to be. Those small things, like shining your shoes and tucking your shirt in, carry you a long way in life.”
BR: Coach Shuman is one of the best ever. What do you think makes you – from Coach Shuman’s perspective and from your own perspective today – a good coach?
ZB: “I think I can relate to my players, and I’m coaching the wide receiver position, which I played at VMI. So it’s been a natural transition for me, and I think kids feed off my energy as far as how I like to coach the position. I want them to get better each and every day.”
BR: At Virginia Tech, you’re inheriting a talented, but still relatively young, receiving corps, with guys like Isaiah Ford and Cam Phillips. When you watched the tapes, what were your initial impressions of the receivers here at Virginia Tech?
ZB: “I think the sky’s the limit for these young guys. That’s the beauty of being the receivers coach here now. The previous coach left a great room of kids that want to work and get better, and they listen when you ask them to do something.”
BR: Let’s talk recruiting. One of the aspects that has Tech fans excited is your background as a Virginia Beach guy, and clearly, some of the best players ever at Tech are from the Hampton Roads area. How would you describe your recruiting philosophy?
ZB: “I’m all about building relationships. That comes from growing up around this area, playing high school football in Virginia Beach and the Tidewater area. There are still coaches there now that I played against when I was in high school, and they know who I am, but I think building relationships is my goal, and then maintaining those relationships wherever you go.”
BR: You obviously have a very close relationship with Coach [Chip] West and Coach Beatty at UVa. That’s going to make for some very interesting recruiting battles in the 757 area, isn’t it?
ZB: “Oh yes [smiling]. It will be fun. Chip helped me get to ODU, and we worked together there, so yeah, it will be fun.”
Looking ahead, there’s no question there will be some really interesting recruiting battles in the 757 area with the Burden-West-Beatty triangle in Blacksburg and Charlottesville. Their familiarity with the region – and each other – certainly adds a new flavor to the Tech-UVa rivalry.
But more than recruiting, Tech has added a tremendously classy, articulate, successful coach to its staff. It was a blow to lose Moorehead, but coach Frank Beamer has added a real rising star to his staff, which is encouraging.
Mr. Roth,
To be honest, I am not a frequent listener to your weekly radio shows, but I did hear the show when you and Coach Buzz Williams were discussing sexual assaults on college campuses. It did take me by surprise to be honest. I want to applaud you both for discussing this issue on the air, and while I have not seen the video that you two spoke about, I am glad the university is being proactive in raising awareness with all of its athletes. Kudos. Jane Caldwell, Richmond, Virginia
Hi Jane,
Thank you for listening. It might have been an uncomfortable topic to some, but I felt it was an important issue to address on our show. While sexual assault may seem like an awkward topic on a sports broadcast, Virginia Tech athletics has joined the “It’s On Us” initiative, an awareness and action campaign designed to address the growing problem of sexual assault at colleges and universities around the country. You can read more about Tech’s participation and watch the video that’s been playing before our games here: http://www.hokiesports.com/wgolf/recaps/20141106aaa.html.
Mr. Roth,
My question for you is this: where can I find the hat that the athletics trainers wear when they're on the sidelines of the football games? It's made by Nike, and the front of the hat and the bill are both black, while the sides and back are white, with the old school VT logo (white V and orange T). I've searched high and low, and I've seen hundred of hats on the Internet and in the stores in Blacksburg, but I cannot seem to find this particular one. It figures that the one hat I would most like to purchase doesn't seem to be available to the general public. Thanks again for everything you do for the Hokie Nation, and I look forward to hearing you and Mike again next season. Justin Moore, industrial and systems engineering, class of '06 Ashland, Virginia
Hi Justin,
Thank you for your note. I spoke with Mike Goforth, Tech’s associate AD for sports medicine who reports as follows: “We get 30 of these a year. Unfortunately, they are a special order, and we have been told that we can't order any new ones because of the use of the old logo. Sorry.”
Dear Bill,
I think it is imperative that Tech fans be able to tailgate the entire day of next year's OSU game. Tech weekday night games are ruined by the university not allowing Hokie Club members to park earlier than a few hours before the game. I, for one, plan to be out there in the morning and know many other locals that are planning for the same. I am basically a Hokie Club member so that I can have a great tailgate/parking spot. Please pass along to Mr. Babcock and see if he can pull some strings. Regards, Robert, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Hi Robert,
I will pass on your note. As you know, that’s a regular workday on Virginia Tech’s campus – regular workday for faculty, staff, researchers, and of course, a full class day for students. For the previous Labor Day game in 2012, Tech opened up parking lots on 4:30 p.m. the day of the game. The RV lots opened on Saturday at noon.
Dear Bill,
The recent passing of Dean Smith made me think about basketball history, specifically the “four corners” offense, perhaps perfected by Coach Smith and Phil Ford. Some research showed it was invented by Neal Baisi of West Virginia Tech. I've also heard ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith proclaim that his former coach, Clarence “Big House” Gaines, was the architect. Then I recalled an article by you about former Tech coach Chuck Noe being the inventor. So I ask you, Bill, who really deserves the credit for this unique piece of basketball history? Tim Lewis, Waynesboro.
Hi Tim,
I don’t know Coach Baisi, nor have I had the opportunity to watch his teams play. However, I did have the opportunity to visit with Coach Noe, and we discussed what he called his “Mongoose” offense. (By the way, you have a keen memory if you recall that article from many years ago.) I’m not sure if Coach Smith adopted any of his “Four Corners” scheme from Coach Noe’s “Mongoose,” but I’m sure someone out there will submit a clarification.
Bill,
You mentioned on a recent broadcast that the Hokies will have five new players join the basketball team for the 2015-16 season. Who are these players? Todd, Virginia Beach.
Todd,
Thank you for listening. The Hokies have two players sitting out this season: guard Seth Allen, who transferred from Maryland, and forward Zach LeDay, who transferred from South Florida. In addition, Virginia Tech signed three players during the early-signing period in November: forward Chris Clarke from Virginia Beach, guard Justin Robinson from Manassas, and forward Kerry Blackshear from Orlando. You can read more about that trio here: http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20141112aaa.html
If you don’t recall Seth’s time at Maryland, here are some clips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GxMCX5Sa-o. And here’s Zach in action at USF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TzsYbjXLGY.