We should be very selective about playing those schools.

I'm not opposed to playing at ODU or Richmond or other Virginia schools from time-to-time, but I see no reason to make a habit of it. When I was in school in the late 1980s, Tech regularly played ODU, Richmond, VCU, JMU and VMI, home and away in alternating seasons, plus games in the Richmond Times-Dispatch holiday tournament. It really doesn't do much for Tech.

I would encourage Tech to play a game in Richmond or Norfolk every year and in the Washington, DC area in those years it doesn't play Maryland. But those games ought to be a mix of state schools and neutral site games against teams from power conferences. In other words, play LSU in Norfolk and New Orleans. Play Indiana in Richmond and Indianapolis. Play Texas in Washington, DC and Dallas. Getting quality opponents to travel to Blacksburg is not easy, and the name of the NCAA tournament game is constructing a schedule that is strong enough to be respected by the committee.