Bleacher Report - Articles by Justin Clark

Virginia Tech Football: Where The Problem Lies

Justin Clark — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:20:03 -0500

This last week has been a tough one for Hokienation as fans have gone from booking trips to Pasadena to planning their two-hour car ride down to Charlotte for the Meinikie Car Care Bowl. Obviously, with four weeks left in this college football season, a lot can still happen (VT still has a shot at winning the ACC, can you believe that?).

However, since the Hokies have a non-conference game this weekend, I'm not going to dive into the psyche of the ECU Drunkin Pirates, instead I'm going to do some soul searching on what exactly is wrong with this Virginia Tech team.

The Virginia Tech fanbase has become spoiled over the past few years. Going into this season, Tech was alone with USC and Texas as the only schools to win 10 or more game each of the past five seasons. So, it's no secret that Tech fans have become accustomed to winning. But, with the Hokies now losing two straight, some fans have pulled out their guitars and began their Kumbaya chants while other have resorted back to burning Stinespring statues in effigy.

As much as I disagree with the direction Beamer wants to take in this offense, this season has at least been a breath of fresh air for us on the offensive side of the ball. And, this brings me back to what I wanted to talk about: What the hell is wrong with our team?

I've really decided that their are three things that currently concern me with the direction of the Virginia Tech program, however the good news is that all are correctable without one of the coaches getting the ax at the end of the year.

1. Offensive Line Woes Continue

Do you all remember the talk heading into this season that the offensive line should finally be able to take a step forward? Ok, do you remember the same talk before last years season? You remember that to. Ok, do you remember the excitement that surrounded the fanbase when Coach Newsome was hired after molding JMU's front five into the best in Division 1-AA?

If you remember all of that then your probably asking yourself why is Virginia Tech still ranked 97th in sacks allowed this year? If you think that's bad, take a look at this... the Hokies are ranked 116th in passing attempts per game with just 146 passes this season. The only teams that have thrown the ball less than the Hokies, the four teams that run the triple-option offense (Navy, Army, Georgia Tech, and Air Force).

So we throw the ball less than 17 times per game but we still give up about three sacks a game, which is about 1.5 more sacks on average than teams like Houston that throw the ball 50 times per game. That folks, is where the problem lies on offense.

Stinespring was the offensive line coach before switching over to tight end coach when Newsome was hired in 2006. After the 2004 season, the offensive line was slowly going down hill and with Stiney taking over as offensive coordinator, it was clear that the Hokies needed somebody who devote all of their attention to coaching the players on the line.

But since the Hokies hired Newsome, the offensive line has never been able to play at that high level most Hokie fans were expecting with Newsome being hired. This year and that 97th ranking in sacks allowed, is the highest the offensive line has risen in that category since 2005 when Tech was ranked a mediocre 80th with just over 2.5 sacks given up per game.

So is it coaching, is it player effort, or is it talent?

Up until last season, I probably would have said it was a lack of talent. But, with the Hokies bringing in some better overall recruiting classes lately, it's pretty clear that Virginia Tech has the talent up front capable of better results.

Sergio Render is currently listed as one of the top three guards in the country by most NFL scouts. Ed Wang is also considered a player that should be drafted by many scouts, especially the New Orleans Saints. Add those two along with Warren, Brooks, and DeChristopher and there is plenty of talent there.

Also, when I went back and watched a few of the games this year, the guys on the offensive line were playing their hearts out but they seemed a little lost in certain situations. The sack on Tyrod Taylor in the 2nd quarter that I broke down in my previous article, was a perfect example of the kids playing hard but completely missing an assignment (aka not knowing what to do).

Boone stayed in to be an extra blocker but completely missed the UNC defensive end, allowing him to come free. Dechristopher sold the run to the left where as Boone ended up blocking the outside linebacker. It's mistakes like that, that keep this offense from reaching it's full potential.

So, I guess Im saying that our problem on the offensive line is coaching. We have the talent, the effort is there, but our kids still seem to be confused by our zone-blocking scheme that we've implemented. Either we need to simplify things a bit and just go with what we know or start shopping for a new offensive line coach.

2. Lack of Recruiting Success

Two and Three go together but I decided to break them up for a couple of reasons. I went back and looked at our 2005 recruiting classes up through our current 2010 recruiting class and there have been some alarming similarities between every one of those classes.

Coach Beamer prides himself on trying to win a national championship with Virginia players. I, and the rest of the fanbase, have no problem with that because if you follow high school football here in Virginia, you know that the state produces a lot of quality talent year in and year out. The problem with Beamer's plan here is that the Hokies have failed to lock down the state in recent years. While Tech has done a good job at grabbing around 30 percent of the top 20 in-state on the average each year, those misses at the top of the class can really change the future of your program. Just imagine if Michael Vick went elsewhere instead of coming to Virginia Tech.

So, from my research here is what I found

2005 class:

This was the one class that breaks up my argument. The Hokies grabbed four of the top five in-state (missing out only on current UVA DB, QB, WR, RB, KR, PR, Kick Holder, defensive coordinator, and head coach Vic Hall).

Tech also grabbed nine of the top 15 in the state of Virginia, four of the remaining six went to UVA, and the remaining two went out of state. However, those great recruits the Hokies got, just about all of them never panned out. Macho Harris was the lone five star in this class and lived up to the hype, becoming a great cornerback.

Deveon Simmons, Elan Lewis, and Todd Nolen were the Hokies other big time recruits in this class and only one of those three ever made it to campus (Lewis tore his ACL and was never the same after that). The rest of this in-state haul has been pretty marginal to say the least. Ed Wang has turned out ok (10th in-state), Greg Boone (12th in-state), and Cordarrow Thompson (26th in-state) have done ok, but the trend that really started with this class was that the Hokies missed on some pretty good players in this class.

Daryl Gresham (8th in-state) went to Florida and has had a pretty good career. Vic Hall has turned out be a good player for UVA although he plays just about every position for them. Pat Sheil (6th in-state) turned out to be a good offensive lineman for Boston College. Quite possibly the biggest loss for the Hokies was losing out of Jeffrey Fitzgereld who turned out to be a quality defensive end at UVA.

2006 class:

The 2006 Virginia class was about as national of a class as you could get. The bad news was that the Hokies failed to land a single player in the top 10 this year. They let Percy Harvin (No. 1), Vidal Hazelton (No. 2), Damon McDaniel (No. 3... and VT's biggest loss in this class, he tried to transfer back to VT two years later), Brent Vinson (No. 7), Dedrick Epps (No. 8), and Brandon Minor (No. 10) all go elsewhere. If we added Harvin, McDaniel, and Minor to this offense, maybe the Sean Glennon years wouldn't have been so bad. Could you imagine Eddie Royal and Percy Harvin lined up for us at wide receiver, it would be like buttering a bread, a simple recipe that not even Stinespring could screw up.

Sadly the losses in the 2006 class didn't just stop in the top 10. Tech missed out on Brandon Caleb who is now a starting WR for Oklahoma, Evan Royster a three year starter for Penn State, and Ras-I Dowling who has turned into a future NFL'er at UVA. The Hokies only had about three recruiting successes in-state in this class and they were Kam Chanceller, Beau Warren, and John Graves.

Also, if you wanted to expand this debate to the out of state prospects to pursued, we did miss out on both Knowhon Moreno and LeSean McCoy. We led for both players up until the very end... ohh what could have been.

2007 class:

The Hokies did a good job of landing the top player in-state in Tyrod Taylor but the rest of this class turned out to be a wash. Tech grabbed only one of the top five, three of the top 10, and just nine of the top 30 in the state of Virginia. Cris Hill and Blake Dechristopher (both four stars) have turned out to be ok but neither one has lived up to the hype they had coming in. Quillie Odom, Will Alvarez, and Davon Morgan had some success but Avarez is now gone and Morgan has battled through some injuries recently while backing up Dorian Porch at Rover. Odom was a promising recruit that came in a year late but has yet to really materialize into anything on the field.

The good news was that the Hokies didn't really miss a whole lot in this class. Four star Andrew Nuss who went to Notre Dame and four star defensive end Jamar Jackson who went to FSU might have been a nice addition but neither have had much success yet in their careers.

2008 class:

I built this class up as possibly the best group the Hokies have brought in and currently, they really haven't let me down. Tech did a good job of raiding their pipelines in-state and did a decent job at getting some kids further down on the list. The Hokies finished with just two of the top five, four of the top 10, and 17 of the top 30 in the state of Virginia. Overall, this is what every Virginia Tech recruiting class should look like.

However, the Hokies did miss out on getting Mike Glennon (NC State), Quinton Couples (UNC... took Leon Mackey, former VT commit with him), Marcus Dowtin (UGA), Deion Walker (Notre Dame), and Kerry Boykins (Maryland). Every one of those kids have at least made some impact on their current teams.

Overall this was probably the Hokies best recruiting effort, especially since they were able to out recruit some schools for Ryan Williams, Tech's starting running back.

2009 class:

The 2009 class had mixed results but it seems like the Hokies had a lot more misses then they did hits. The Hokies landed just two of the top 10 (No. 1 David Wilson and No. 4 Logan Thomas) but missed out on three quarterbacks in Bryn Renner (UNC), Kevin Newsome (Penn State), and Tajh Boyd (Clemson).

To go along with that the Hokies also missed out on Jared Askew who has all the intangibles to be a three year starter at Tennessee. Add two four star running backs and a four star wide receiver to that list and you have a lot of misses at the top of this class. Tech did pretty well from 11-30 by landing nine of those 20 recruits but the failure to bring in a quarterback when they needed one will haunt Virginia Tech.

Everything you do in college football one way or another can be traced back to recruiting. The Hokies have failed to lock down the state of Virginia even when their only real in-state competition is struggling.

If Beamer wants to continue recruiting Virginia and trying to win a national championship with Virginia kids, then he might want to try to improve his recruiting budget and actually go after some of these guys. Sure some of them might just want to head out of state but its the players like Newsome, like Brandon Minor, like Tajh Boyd who have really no reason to head out of state other than to not play in our offensive system.

Thanks to the Internet, these kids aren't as clueless as they were 15 and 20 years ago where you could sell them on just about anything. I'm sure both Kevin Newsome and Tajh Boyd knew exactly how bad our offense was and even when our coaches sold them the chance of playing early after Tyrod leaves, they didn't want to play in the 60th ranked offense in the nation. They wanted to play in an offense that could produce big plays and play in big games and they just didn't see that in the Virginia Tech offense.

Ok, rant over let's move on to number three.

3. Lack of National Championship Level Talent

Every year, every fanbase debates the possibility of their favorite college making it to the national championship game. The Hokies did it this year, many of those on Techsideline and Rivals were predicting an 11-1 or a 12-0 season. But, after watching the Hokies closely over the past six years, it's pretty clear that Tech doesn't have the talent to come out and win 12 games in one season.

This past weekend I decided to watch the first half of the Texas vs Oklahoma State game and if you really want to see how good a team can be when a bunch of four and five star kids put in 100 percent effort, go back and watch that game. Texas is in a school of their own when it comes to recruiting and talent. Texas puts out over 200 kids each year to Division one colleges, that's enough to field two and a half teams. Texas normally wraps up it's recruiting class by April of the previous year. Don't believe me, stroll on on over to Texas's Rivals.com site here in a couple months and look at the amount of commits they'll have for their 2011 class.

Virginia Tech hasn't even gotten close to that level where we can select who we want and who we don't want. That is what's amazing about how we've been able to hang with USC and Texas over the past half decade in wins. Part of that is hard work from our players and our coaches and part of that has been because we play in a weaker conference than they do. But, still impressive nonetheless.

But, if we were to play Texas or USC we would lose to them seven or eight times out of 10. It wouldn't because our coaches would be getting out coached or our players getting out played, it would be because they are simply better athletes than what we have at Virginia Tech.

This is why I said that two and three fit together. Tech needs to recruit at a higher level and we need to recruit more nationally as apposed to just VA, NC, and Maryland. There are enough kids in this area to field a really good football team but if we have a chance to land a kid that's going to develop into a huge playmaker for us, we should recruit that kid instead of a two star kid that has a chance to contribute in three or four years.

Maybe your opinion varies and if it does let me know, but after doing some soul searching this is what I came up with. If we can raise our level of recruiting, I think all of our current problems go away but that's just me.

Zack McCray Commits to Virginia Tech

Justin Clark — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:52:25 -0400

The June 6 camp was expected to be rather uneventful especially since the SAT’s were planned for that Saturday.

However, the Tech coaching staff received an immense surprise when Zack McCray strolled onto the practice field, decked head to toe in Virginia Tech apparel.

A few moments later, Zack was welcomed into the Virginia Tech family.

Back in March, most Virginia Tech fans were beginng to wonder whether or not the cousin of 2009 signee Logan Thomas would ever come to Blacksburg. Even Zack admitted that he wanted to visit a few more schools before committing.

“Every time I tried to schedule a trip to Alabama or LSU, something would always come up, and I wouldn’t be able to make the trip for some reason or another” said the four star recruit.

McCray would go one to visit a couple of schools that were close to Lynchburg but none of them measured up to the way he felt at Virginia Tech.

“North Carolina is really deep at the position I’m trying to play, so that was the most logical reason to choose Tech.”

With Nekos Brown graduating after this year and Worilds graduating in 2010, McCray has a chance at early playing time. Although, he will have to battle with the four defensive ends the Hokies are bringing in this summer.

So now that his recruitment has ended, I guess most Hokie fans want to know, what type of player is Zack McCray?

“I’m very physical, especially on defense.” He said. “I’m very aggressive and have pretty good speed. My biggest thing I want to improve is my overall strength. I’m working on my bull rush. I just want to be more complete as a defensive end and not just a pass rusher.”

McCray is rated as the 95th best player in the nation for the 2010 class and is ranked as the ninth-best defensive end as well on Rivals.com. Zack is also a member of the ESPN 150 and is a four-star on Scout.com

A Look Back At Virginia Tech's 2002 Recruiting Class

Justin Clark — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:04:58 -0400

In the first year of the “Rivals.com” era of college football recruiting, Virginia Tech seemed to have a meager showing as the Hokies recruiting class finished rather poorly in the eyes of the experts.

The coaches did manage to convince five star quarterback Marcus Vick to follow in his brothers footsteps but other then Vick, the Rivals.com experts didn’t rank any of the other commits very high.

This class finished the recruiting season ranked as the 45th best recruiting class in the nation.

Even though this class didn’t create a whole lot of buzz outside of Marcus Vick, Tech did real in some pretty impressive talent in this 2002 class.

I’m sure some fans would like to forget the name “Vick” but Marcus did give us one good season in 2005 so in an article like this, I have to mention his name a few times. Daryl Tapp, Noland Burchette, Jonathan Lewis, Brandon Gore, Jimmy Martin, Mike Imoh, Aaron Rouse, and Jimmy Williams were all part of this class as well.

The coaches did miss out on quite a few prospects especially to their in-state rival UVA.

Coach Beamer recruited both Kai Parham and Michael Johnson, both of whom were five star recruits from the state of Virginia.

Ahmad Brooks was a five star linebacker in this class and ultimately chose the Cavaliers over the Hokies (Author’s note: Thank God).

Virginia Tech did find a few future stars but they also found some duds too so let’s take a look at this recruiting class and break it down player by player.

DE Noland Burchette

Highland Springs High School has been very kind to the Hokies over the past few seasons as Tech has grabbed Burchette, Macho Harris, Cris Hill, and Antoine Hopkins from there recently.

Noland Burchette was a two star recruit according to Rivals and ended up being very underrated by the recruiting services.

By his redshirt sophomore season, Burchette was a starter at weak side defensive end for Tech and finished his career with 137 tackles and 10.5 sacks.

Noland went undrafted in the 2007 NFL draft but was signed by the Falcons as an undrafted free agent. He was later released and eventually signed with the Indianapolis Colts with whom he stayed with for a season until he was released in 2008.

DT Chris Burnett

Chris Burnett was a two star defensive tackle that chose Virginia Tech over West Virginia back in 2002. Burnett was limited athletically although he did manage to start for three years on the pride and joy team under Coach Beamer.

Chris was a bit of a journeyman at Virginia Tech as he played a little bit of everything during his career. He started at defensive tackle but moved to offensive guard in 2003 but after missing the entire year with an injury he moved back to defensive tackle.

Burnett only got to play on defense in two games in his career. He finished with just one total tackle and that came in the 2004 season.

WR Chris Caesar

Chris Caesar was a two star recruit out of Florida that failed to qualify academically out of high school. Chris ended up enrolling at Florida A&M where he achieved the needed SAT score for him to enroll at Virginia Tech.

However, once Caesar made it to Blacksburg, he could just never find a spot on the depth chart. He started off at wide receiver in his freshman season but failed to make any headway so he eventually moved over to cornerback where he once again found himself buried on the depth chart.

It appears that Caesar left the Virginia Tech program sometime after the 2005 season.

OG Brandon Gore

Brandon Gore was a three star recruit out of Virginia but never really lived up to his potential. Gore ballooned up to 360 pounds in his junior and senior seasons, which allowed him to only be used in certain situations.

Gore spent his career primarily as a backup at the guard and center positions. He had 52 snaps in his junior season and started in place of Ryan Shuman in his senior season when he went down with a knee injury.

Gore did have NFL aspirations but was not drafted and was never offered a free agent contract.

ATH Brenden Hill

There were some rumors going around that Hill and Vick were a package deal, which means that in order for Tech to get Marcus Vick in this class they had to take Brenden Hill as well.

Either way, Tech actually ended up with a pretty good deal here. Hill did get suspended for three games in his sophomore season but managed to mature some after that and turned into a high-quality linebacker under Coach Foster.

Hill didn’t see much playing time until his senior year when he won the starting whip linebacker job over Corey Gordon. Brenden went on to finish the season with 52 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

ATH Demetrius Hodges

Demetrius Hodges was a two star athlete from Florida that just never panned out. Hodges ended up leaving Virginia Tech and transferred to East Carolina where his career was plagued by injuries.

Hodges played in the first four games of his junior season for the Pirates but injured his shoulder and had to undergo surgery, which cost him the rest of the season.

He then entered his senior season as the starting weak side cornerback and was able to finish the year with 43 tackles and two interceptions.

RB Mike Imoh

Mike Imoh was listed as a three star recruit out of Fairfax, Virginia and he was one of the players in this class that definitely lived up to the hype.

Mike didn’t play much in his freshman season but he was the Big East’s top kick returner in his sophomore season when he averaged 30.5 yards per return on the season.

Imoh then took over the reigns in 2004 after starting the year on a three game suspension. This allowed him to set the Hokies all time single game rushing record with 243 yards on 32 carries against the Tar Heels.

Imoh suffered through an injury plagued senior season as he rushed for only 419 yards in 2005. Imoh is now currently in the CFL for the Montreal Alouettes.

DT Jonathan Lewis

Jonathan Lewis was the lone four star recruit in this class that actually lived up to his billing. Jonathan played right away and even started the final two games of his freshman season.

Lewis ended up being a three year starter at defensive tackle and finished his career with Tech in 2005 after gathering 134 tackles to go along with his 11.5 sacks.

After his final season in 2005, Lewis was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Since then, the former Hokie has bounced around from the Raiders to the Seahawks to the Jaguars where he is currently listed.

OL Jimmy Martin

Jimmy Martin was a three star recruit out of Fork Union Military who committed to the Hokies over offers from Clemson, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia.

The talented tackle ended up starting in the last seven games of the 2003 season and went on to start every game after that until the end of his collegiate career.

Martin was drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers but was released prior to the 2006 season. Jimmy has also made stops with the Vikings and the Patriots, however he is not currently listed on an NFL roster.

ATH Brian McPherson

Brian McPherson was a two star recruit out of high school who never fully adjusted to the college game. McPherson left the team after his sophomore season for undisclosed reasons.

According to his profile on Virginia Tech Athletics’ website, McPherson never truly dedicated himself enough to make an impact at the collegiate level.

WR Robert Parker

Robert Parker had all the makings of a good football player but for some reason he could never put it all together. Parker started off his career at wide receiver and caught two passes for 19 yards in the Hokies 2004 spring game.

However, Parker ended up making a switch over to linebacker and then switched to safety during his senior year.

Parker won the “Top Newcomer” award during his senior year in the Hokies 2006 spring game but, Parker was not able to contribute on the field that fall.

LB Aaron Rouse

Aaron Rouse was one of the bigger success stories of this 2002 class as he only had one offer coming out of high school.

Rouse played in his first two seasons at whip linebacker but moved to Rover after his sophomore year and starter at that position in his final two seasons.

Aaron finished his career with 217 total tackles to go along with five interceptions.
Rouse was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers where he is now a starter at their strong safety position. He finished last season with 53 tackles and two interceptions.

DB Antoine Rutherford

Antoine Rutherford was a two star cornerback out of Florida whose only scholarship offer came from the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Rutherford looked impressive on the scout team during his redshirt season but that fall, he was charged with “malicious wounding,” which is a felony.

Rutherford was dismissed from the football team and expelled from the University. The chargers we’re dropped and Rutherford transferred to Howard University where he played running back and was able to graduate in 2006.

K Nic Schmitt

Nic Schmitt was a star kicker out of Salem High School that committed to Virginia Tech since they were his only division one scholarship offer.

Schmitt had a good career at Virginia Tech as he set positional records in the weight room that will probably never be broken. Nic started off as a place kicker but in 2003 he switched to punter and became a three year starter for the Hokies at that position.

Schmitt possibly was the best punter in Virginia Tech history as he finished his career with a 42.6 yards per punt average including 32 punts downed inside the 20.

DE Daryl Tapp

The Hokies needed a couple of defensive ends in this class and they landed possibly one of the best defensive ends in school history in Daryl Tapp. Tapp chose Virginia Tech over offers from Florida, Maryland, and UVA.

Daryl played immediately as he saw action in all 14 games of his freshman season and went on to start at defensive end in his last four games of his sophomore campaign. Tapp became a man among boys in his junior and senior seasons as he completed them with a combined 18.5 sacks, giving him 21.5 for his career.

The Seahawks drafted Daryl Tapp in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL draft and he has gone on to have a very good professional career. After completing his third NFL season this past fall, Tapp has 15.5 sacks for his career to go along with 137 total tackles.

DE Lamar Veney

A talented lineman out of Stuarts Draft, Virginia, Lamar Veney was forced to greyshirt and enroll in January of 2003.

However, Veney never did enroll at Virginia Tech, instead he enrolled at Northwest Mississippi Community College.

After graduating from there, Veney transferred to Carson Newman College, which is a liberal arts school in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

QB Marcus Vick

Marcus Vick was the heir apparent to the empty quarterback throne that was currently unfulfilled at Virginia Tech. After his brother Michael led the Hokies to a National Championship appearance back in 2000, Marcus came out of high school with the same hype his brother had only he failed to live up to his potential.

Marcus showed signs of greatness in his redshirt freshman season as he split snaps with starting quarterback Bryan Randall. However heading into his sophomore season, he was suspended due to conduct that was “detrimental to the team.”

Vick went on to have a good junior season in 2005 as the starting quarterback for the Hokies and led the team to a Gator bowl appearance. But after a personal foul penalty late in the game, Coach Beamer and college President Charles Steger decided to dismiss Marcus Vick from the football team.

Marcus did sign a free agent contract with the Dolphins back in 2006 but after Nick Saban took the Alabama job, Vick was cut and his NFL days were over.

DB Cary Wade

Cary Wade was a talented three star recruit out of Fairfax, Virginia who chose the Hokies over offers from Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Wade actually received some playing time in his true freshman season although the majority of his snaps came on special teams.

Wade redshirted in 2003 and moved to the Rover spot where he became the backup man at Rover behind Aaron Rouse. Finally in his senior season, Wade got a chance to start at Rover but after those two games, Rouse regained his starting job and Wade was forced to return to his number two role on the depth chart.

Cary had a solid career at Virginia Tech where he finished with 69 career tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss.

DT Jimmy Williams

Coach Beamer rarely goes after JUCO players now and Jimmy Williams is a perfect reason why Beamer doesn’t recruit them much anymore.

Williams was a four star recruit coming out of Pasadena City Community College and decided to sign with the Hokies over the likes of Alabama, Arizona, and South Carolina.

Jimmy was actually able to enroll at Virginia Tech but his playing time was limited and he never lived up to his four star billing. Williams was supposed to be a part of the new semi-pro team that was going to play in Salem, Virginia this summer but the league has cancelled it’s season and is on the brink of collapse.

DB Jimmy Williams

After signing DeAngelo Hall in the 2001 class, the coaches needed to find a bigger lockdown corner to start opposite of Hall in the future. They found their man in Jimmy Williams.

Williams actually started his career at free safety before moving over to cornerback in his junior and senior seasons. Jimmy finished his career at Virginia Tech with 9 interceptions to go along with 264 total tackles.

Jimmy Williams was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round of the 2002 NFL draft but after starting five games for them that season; he was released due to a drug charge. Williams is now a member of the San Francisco 49ers and has a good chance of making the roster this fall.

Inside the Numbers

The biggest question you can ask when looking back at past recruiting classes is was this class a success?

In my opinion, for a recruiting class to be a success at least 60-percent of it’s members should graduate and be contributing members of the football team and at least 40-percent of the class’s members should become starters during some point in their careers.

The Hokies signed 20 players in this class and of those players 13 become contributing members on the team. Also, 12 of those 13 contributing players started a game at some point in their career. That means that 65-percent of this class contributed in some way and 60-percent of this class ended up starting a game at Virginia Tech.

Summary

For a class that was rated as the 45th best class in the nation, these kids really did overachieve or maybe they were just underrated from the start.

Seven members of this class ended up playing in the NFL and another two were invited to try out for teams but were never signed.

The coaches overall did a good job evaluating talent in this class although they whiffed on every out of state recruit. The coaches missed on a lot of high-end talent but looking back, the majority of those kids never panned out anyway.

So I guess now is the time to actually decide what grade to give this class and to actually say whether or not this class was a success.

I, personally, would give the coaches a solid B for this class as it seems they brought in a lot of under the radar talent and maximized their potential.

This class was a success due to the graduation rate and the amount of future starters this classed produced. Daryl Tapp, Aaron Rouse, Jimmy Williams, Mike Imoh, and Nic Schmitt were all talented players that really helped contribute to the success the Hokies had in the 2004 season.

This class finished with a 39-14 record from 2002 to 2005, which put this class up there as one of the better senior classes in Virginia Tech football history.

A Look At the Hokies in the 2010 NFL Draft

Justin Clark — Tue, 05 May 2009 11:01:45 -0400

Virginia Tech didn’t have a very good showing in the 2009 NFL draft but of course, they really only had a handful of players that had a shot of getting drafted. Macho Harris was the only Hokie to get his name called on that weekend as he was selected in the 5th round and went to the Philadelphia Eagles. Sean Glennon, Orion Martin, and Ryan Shuman have all worked out for NFL teams and are looking to get a free agent contract sometime soon. Nick Marshman has also recently worked out for a team in hopes that he can earn a free agent contract. However, in 2010 Tech should be well represented on draft day as they have few players that could be drafted in the first round. The Hokies won’t be as well represented as they were in 2008 when they had eight players drafted along with five players signing a free agent contract but this year could come fairly close with up to 7 players that could get their names called next April. Sergio Render and Kam Chancellor will be names thrown around next year as Render is predicted to be one of the top offensive guards to go off the board and Chancellor will be one of the top three safeties to be taken as well. The Hokies then have a host of other players that could see their names pop up on Sunday. Defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson, offensive tackle Ed Wang, defensive end Nekos Brown, cornerback Stephen Virgil, linebacker Cam Martin, and punter Brent Bowden all have the opportunity to make it to the next level depending on how this season unfolds and how they all do at the NFL combine next year. So now, let’s dive in and look at each one of these players individually and see where they actually project to go in next years NFL Draft.

Begin Slideshow

Virginia Tech Football: 2009 Schedule Preview and Analysis (Part Three)

Justin Clark — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:53:57 -0400

East Carolina—Nov. 5 (Greenville, NC)

Virginia Tech has struggled on Thursday nights like I pointed out earlier, but they’ve struggled even more on the road recently losing two out of their last three midweek classic games.

However, I don’t see this trend continuing this season for a couple of reasons.

First, the Pirates beat the Hokies last season when they were at full strength, but as the season wore on, the injuries started piling up and ECU just doesn’t have the depth to compete with a higher level team at the end of the season.

Second, this is a revenge game for Tech, so a win in Greenville would ease the pain of the loss that came in Charlotte last season.

ECU received good news over the offseason as star quarterback Patrick Pinkney was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.

After starting off well, Pinkney’s stats faded a bit last year, but he was still able to finish the season with over 2600 yards passing and a 13 to 7 touchdown to interception ratio.

The Pirates will return two of their top three rushers from last season in junior Norman Whitley and senior J.R. Rogers. Whitley rushed for over 600 yards last season and did not play in the opening game against Tech.

Also, East Carolina will return all five starters on the offensive line, which, as a whole, performed very well last year.

On defense, the Pirates seem to be just as good.

They lose middle linebacker Pierre Bell who was the heart and soul of the defense, but they return leading tackler senior, Nick Johnson at linebacker and their leading pass rusher senior, CJ Wilson at defensive end.

Overall, this game should be a close one, but I think the Hokies will get their revenge and leave Greenville with a win.

Prediction: Virginia Tech—27, East Carolina—14

Maryland—Nov. 14 (College Park, MD)

The Hokies and the Terps have only played three times since Tech joined the ACC back in 2004, however; the Hokies have just dominated the series in that span.

Tech crushed Maryland 55-6 back in 2004, then followed that up with a 28-9 game in 2005.

Add on a 23-13 performance this past year where Darren Evans broke the school rushing record, and you have one lopsided series.

This year could be different, as it seems that the Terps will have a fairly talented team returning in 2009.

Quarterback Chris Turner returns for his senior year after a solid 2008 campaign. Turner threw for over 2500 yards, but he also tossed 11 interceptions to just 13 touchdown passes.

Also, back for his final season is talented running back Da’Rel Scott who rushed for 1183 yards and 8 touchdowns last fall.

The Terrapins will need to find some talented receivers as Isaiah Williams and Darius Heyward-Bay are gone from a season ago.

On defense, the Terps will return seven starters including, leading tackler Alex Wujciak at linebacker and their best defensive back in Anthony Wiseman.

The only key loss on defense seems to be Jeremy Navarre who finished the season with 70 tackles and 7.5 sacks.

This game could be a tough one for the Hokies, but Maryland hasn’t even come close to winning a game versus the Hokies yet, so—until they do, I have to pick the Hokies here.

Prediction: Virginia Tech—34, Maryland—21

NC State—Nov. 21 (Blacksburg, VA)

The Hokies and the Wolfpack have not played each other since Sep. of 2005, when Tech walked away 20-16 win in the season opener.

If the first two games in this ACC series are any indicator, this game should be a defensive slugfest.

However, if the Hokies offense improves like most are predicting it will this season, this game could break the tradition and end up being a high scoring affair.

On offense, the Wolfpack seem to be solid as they return sophomore QB Russell Wilson after an outstanding freshman campaign.

Also, former four star recruit Mike Glennon will backup Wilson and could even start later on in the season if Wilson struggles.

At running back, the Pack lost their starter in Andre Brown, but senior Tony Baker returns after missing last season due to a knee injury.

N.C. State was not a great passing team last year as two of their top four wide receivers were their running backs.

This fall, the Pack will have to rely more on junior Owen Spencer to stretch the field and possibly redshirt sophomore Jay Smith to come in and help at the flanker position.

On defense, the Wolfpack will once again be fairly suspect as they return just seven starters from a defense that was ranked 83rd in the nation in total defense a year ago.

The good news for Wolfpack fans is that they do have a talented young linebacker in Terrell Manning coming off a redshirt year, and they have Javon Walker at safety coming back after missing the 2008 season due to an injury.

I really like NC State, but I don’t see them recreating the magic they had at the end of last season.

I think the Pack are a few years away from making an impact in the ACC race. So for now, I like Tech in this game.

Prediction: Virginia Tech—24, NC State—10

Virginia—Nov. 28 (Charlottesville, VA)

The Wahoo’s and the Hokies will meet for the 91st time in 2009 with the Hokies holding a commanding 48-37-5 lead in the series. The Hokies have also won the last five games between the two instate schools and nine of the last ten.

However, is this the year that the Hoo’s turn it around and finally beat their southern rival?

All signs point to…no.

UVA has a brand new coaching staff, except for headman Al Groh, which creates even more questions heading into the 2009 season.

On offense, the quarterback battle is between a converted cornerback in Vic Hall and blast from the past Jamel Sewell.

Hall played really well against the Hokies last season, but his small stature and lack of true arm strength leads me to believe that Sewell will probably be the starting quarterback next fall.

The Cavs were hit fairly hard on the offensive side of the ball at the end of last season as they lost leading rusher Cedric Pearman, leading receiver Kevin Ogletree, and their best offensive lineman in Eugene Monroe.

Senior Mikell Simpson returns along with Keith Payne at running back, so the Cavs won’t be too bad off there.

But after those two, there is a significant drop off.

On defense, the Cavs will have to try and replace three of their four linebackers as well as one of their defensive ends and a cornerback since Hall has moved over to offense.

It’s easy to see that the Cavs have a lot of question marks heading into 2009, but with a new offensive coordinator and a new offensive scheme, there is some hope for the Cavaliers.

If Sewell can return to his old form, and if the offensive line can gel, UVA could make some noise in the ACC next season.

However, the odds of that happening aren’t great, so I’m taking the team that’s on the rise here and predicting that the Hokies will win their sixth straight against their instate rival.

Prediction: Virginia Tech—45, UVA—13

Virginia Tech Football: 2009 Schedule Preview and Analysis (part 2)

Justin Clark — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:36:38 -0400

Duke – Oct. 3 (Durham, NC)

Doing surprisingly well in his first year at the helm, Duke’s head coach David Cutcliffe turned the Blue Devils into a formidable opponent last season. The Devils finished the year 4-8, which for Duke football fans is a big step forward from where they were under Coach Ted Roof.

Duke is still maybe a year away from going to a bowl but they have some pieces in place to make a run.

Senior quarterback Thad Lewis will return for his final season. Lewis was the lone bright spot of the Duke offense last season as he had arguably the best stats of any QB in the ACC.

Thaddius finished the season with a 62-percent completion percentage to go along with 15 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions.

However, for Duke to get over the hump in the ACC, they’re going to have to find a better and more consistent running game. The Blue Devil’s leading rusher was freshman Jay Hollingsworth who ran for just under 400 yards on the season.

The only major loss Duke suffered this past year was the loss of leading wide receiver Eron Riley. Riley caught 61 passes for 693 yards and 8 touchdowns.

The Devil’s defense will also need to improve if they wish to make a bowl this season.

Duke finished the 2008 season with the 60th ranked total defense and the 50th ranked scoring defense.

Duke held the Hokies to just 14 points last year in Blacksburg but even with Coach Cutliffe’s squad improving, I don’t see them beating the Hokies this season.

Prediction: Virginia Tech – 31, Duke - 10

Boston College – Oct. 10 (Blacksburg, VA)

The Hokies and the Eagles have played four times in the past two seasons and frankly, I’m getting a little tired of playing these guys.

Boston College swept the regular season meetings over the past two years however; the Hokies have swept both of the ACC Championship games.

This year, I just don’t see the Eagles being able to make it back to the state of Florida again for the third straight year.

BC will have to adjust to an almost brand new coaching staff with former head coach Jeff Jagodzinski now unemployed.

Also, the Eagles have a lot to replace in 2009 especially on defense. Defensive tackles BJ Raji and Ron Brace both departed after last season along with quarterback Chris Crane, linebacker Brian Toal, and tight end Ryan Purvis.

So with Crane gone, sophomore Dominik Davis will have a chance to shine in 2009. Davis was less then impressive last season when he completed only 45-percent of his passes after taking over for an injured Chris Crane.

Davis’s ACC Championship game portrayed his struggles last season as well as he finished that game 17 of 43 for 263 yards and just one touchdown pass. Dominik was also sacked five times and threw two interceptions

Since BC has a lot to replace, I think the Hokies should be able to finally beat the Eagles in the regular season.

Prediction: Virginia Tech – 23, BC - 13

Georgia Tech – Oct. 17 (Atlanta, GA)

Circle this game on your calendar folks because both teams could be undefeated heading into this showdown.

The Hokies have dominated the Yellow Jackets since joining the ACC as Tech is 4-1 against their Coastal counterparts. This series includes a 51-7 drubbing in 2005 and a 27-3 performance in 2007.

Georgia Tech was one of the younger teams in the ACC last year and they return a large majority of their starters from a year ago.

However, the biggest question for this team will be how the opposing teams adjust to the spread option attack since they’ve all seen it at least once now.

Virginia Tech played very well against the option last season holding the Yellow Jackets to just 17 points.

This year with their three leading rushers in quarterback Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer and Roddy Jones all returning, Coach Foster will once again have to earn his hefty paycheck.

This game will be a chess match between a great offensive mind in Paul Johnson and a great defensive mind in Bud Foster. Even though I really want to pick the Hokies here, I think the Yellow Jackets will get some revenge from last season at home in Atlanta.

Prediction: Virginia Tech – 17, Georgia Tech - 21

North Carolina – Oct. 29 (Blacksburg, VA)

There’s nothing like Thursday nights in Blacksburg. However, the Hokies have struggled in Thursday nights recently as they’ve lost 3 out of their last 6 midweek classics. Two of which came at the hands of the Boston College Eagles and the other one coming last season at the hands of the Miami Hurricanes.

This season should be different for the Hokies as they have two favorable matchups on Thursday Night.

The UNC Tarheels are coming off an impressive 8-5 season, in which they over achieved quite a bit.

For some reason I just can’t buy into the UNC hype this season. The Tar Heels didn’t lose much over the offseason but losing wide receivers Brooks Foster and Hakeem Nicks will hurt their downfield passing game a lot in 2009.

Nicks is a special talent that you can’t replace over night so even though UNC does have some talented receivers coming in, I just don’t see them being as good of a passing team in this season.

Coach Frank Beamer has owned Butch Davis in his career, as Fancy Gap Frank is 8-1 against Coach Davis. The lone win came in 2000 in a game Tech should have won if Michael Vick didn’t injure himself early on in the game.

So as you can see, I’m definitely picking the Hokies in this game, as I just cannot by in to the UNC hype this season.

Prediction: Virginia Tech – 34, UNC - 13

Virginia Tech Football: 2009 Schedule Preview and Analysis (Part 1)

Justin Clark — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:25:34 -0400

I remember back in 2002 and 2003 when UVA fans would call into a local radio show here in Roanoke, Virginia and complain about the “weak” schedule the Hokies had that season.

Even though Tech has played some less then stellar out of conference schedules in years past, 2009’s gauntlet seems to be one of the tougher schedules the Hokies have ever had.

Virginia Tech will have to start the season with an excellent Alabama team on the road in Atlanta, and then head home to face Marshall, Nebraska, and Miami to start off the season. Add road trips to Georgia Tech, Maryland, UVA, Duke, and ECU on a Thursday night and this is a pretty tough course that the Hokies are going to have to pass.

The good news for Hokie fans is that this should be one of our better all around football teams.

After stumbling through the middle part of last season, the Hokies turned it on won five of their last six games. The 2008 team destroyed Boston College in Tampa last December to win an ACC Championship then overpowered a lesser Big East team to win their first BCS Bowl game down in Miami.

This year should be another one to remember for Hokie fans as Tech gears up for a National Championship run heading into 2009.

So let’s take a look at this hellish schedule and see how the Hokies should fair this fall.

Alabama – Sept. 5 (Atlanta, GA)

The Crimson Tide marched into Atlanta last year and completely embarrassed the Clemson Tigers. This year, I just don’t see the Hokies rolling over like Clemson did last September.

Alabama has a lot of question marks heading into this game including finding an heir to the throne vacated by quarterback John Parker Wilson and running back Glen Coffee.

Also, as we saw in the Sugar Bowl last year, the Tide will need to sort out some issues on the offensive line as they were horrible without All-American Andre Smith.

However, as many question marks as Alabama has, it’s not like their short on talent.

Since Nick Saban has taken over, the Tide has pulled in the number one recruiting class, according to Rivals.com, the past two years. This game will be a slugfest that will come down to whichever team makes the fewest mistakes.

With the way Tech has played in big games against top ten teams over the past decade, I have a hard time picking VT here even though I think they are the better team.

Predictions: Virginia Tech – 13, Alabama – 17

Marshall – Sept 12 (Blacksburg, VA)

The Thundering Hurd did not have a very impressive 2008 campaign as they finished the season with just a 4-8 record.

For comparisons sake, they lost to Wisconsin 51-14, WVU 27-3, Cincinnati 33-10, and lost to ECU in overtime 19-16.

Their quarterback Mark Cann was just a freshman last season and did surprisingly well in his first year under center. Cann was accurate with the ball as he completed over 50-percent of his passes and amassed a 14 to 13 touchdown to interception ratio. Cann, however, is not very mobile, which means he will spend a good portion of this game on his back. The teams leading rusher, Junior Darius Marshall, returns after coming within one yard of an 1100 yard rushing season last year.

The Thundering Hurd’s defense was horrendous last year as they finished 102nd in the nation in total defense with 418 yards per game and 72nd in scoring defense at just over 27 points per game.

The Hokies are just too talented and should roll in this one fairly easily.

Prediction: Virginia Tech – 43, Marshall – 10

Nebraska – Sept. 19 (Blacksburg, VA)

In Bo Pelini’s first year, the Cornhuskers saw a vast improvement from the previously Bill Callahan coached teams. Conversely, 2009 may be a small step back for the Huskers as far as their record will go.

Joe Ganz was the lifeblood of this team this past year and since he has now departed, Coach Pelini will have to find himself a new quarterback.

Junior Zac Lee appears to be the likely option with sophomore Patrick Witt deciding to transfer.

Also lost from 2008 were the Cornhusker’s top two wideouts in Todd Peterson and Nate Swift. With Marlon Lucky gone as well at running back, the Nebraska offense will look much different this fall.

On the other hand, you should see the Cornhusker defense take a step forward from last years 80th ranked scoring defense and 55th ranked total defense.

This one could be a close game since Tech did defeat Nebraska on their home turf last year, but I see the Hokies winning this one by a touchdown or more.

Prediction: Virginia Tech – 27, Nebraska – 20

Miami – Sept. 26 (Blacksburg, VA)

The Hurricanes were by far the youngest team in the ACC last year. This year, that youth should mature a bit and you should see Miami return to being a competitive team once again.

The Canes did beat the Hokies last season 16-14, in one of the more frustrating football games I’ve ever watched.

This year, the Hokies get this game in Blacksburg and I don’t see Tech losing two in a row to Randy Shannon’s club. Tech is 4-2 again the Canes since 2003 and 9-5 against them since 1995.

Miami returns just about everybody from a season ago except quarterback Robert Marve who decided to transfer instead of having to battle Jacory Harris for playing time again this season.

I think Miami will be an improved team this year but I just don’t see them being up to the level of other teams in the Coastal division.

Prediction: Virginia Tech – 24, Miami - 14

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look at the Defensive Backs

Justin Clark — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:03:54 -0400

Defensive Back University has undergone a name change and will now be known as Virginia Polytechnic and State University, or Virginia Tech.

The Hokies have become synonymous with placing great defensive back talent into the NFL over the past few years.

Brandon Flowers, Macho Harris, DeAngelo Hall, Jimmy Williams, Eric Green, Vincent Fuller, Pierson Prioleau, Aaron Rouse, and Nick Sorenson are all NFL defensive backs that once called Worsham Field inside Lane Stadium their home.

In 2009, the Hokies have a nest full of future NFL’ers on their squad in what should be one of the best defensive backfields Coach Foster has ever had.

Tech does lose former five star Macho Harris, which may hurt the Hokies early on this season, but the cupboard is far from bare in Blacksburg.

Cornerback

First String

Senior Stephen Virgil made a name for himself early on last season, as he had a 30-yard fumble return for a touchdown and a blocked PAT returned for two points all in the first game of the season versus East Carolina.

Alongside Macho Harris at the field cornerback position, Virgil played well the entire season, grabbing six interceptions and 14 pass defections.

In 2009, Virgil should be the next lockdown corner for the Hokies, as he will move over to the boundary cornerback position and take over for the departed Macho Harris.
Starting opposite of Virgil this spring will be junior Rashad Carmichael.

Roc, as his teammates call him, has struggled a bit during his tenure here at Virginia Tech, but now, as an upperclassman, Carmichael should be able to turn it on and lock down the starting boundary corner spot.

Rashad did start in the ECU game a year ago in place of an injured Macho Harris, so he does have some starting experience. He finished with 12 total tackles last year including four pass defections while seeing limited time in all 14 games.

Second String

The Hokies may be a tad short on depth this year at cornerback, but the good news is that it will give the second string guys a few more reps, which will only help down the road.

Cris Hill was a prominent recruit out of Highland Springs High School that has yet to live up to his potential.

Hill is a bit on the small side at 5’10” and only a 175 pounds. However, Cris is a speedy player that does have good coverage skills but lacks the physical nature that most Virginia Tech defensive backs need to possess.

Hill will backup Stephen Virgil at the boundary corner position this spring.

Sophomore Eddie Whitley may be one of the greatest defensive backs to ever play at Virginia Tech when he leaves Blacksburg in three years.

Whitley is an extremely physical player that reminds me of a faster and even more physical Brandon Flowers.

Eddie will battle Rashad Carmichael this spring and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Whitley starting against the Crimson Tide this fall.

Free Safety

First String

Senior Kam Chancallor is a physically imposing player at safety that appears to have his eyes set on a first round draft pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

Kam struggled last year as he adjusted to his new free safety role on defense. However, Kam should be back to his old, hard-hitting self this fall, as it seems he has a better grip on the free safety position.

In 2008, Kam finished the season with 52 total tackles to go along with his two interceptions.

Second String

Lorenzo Williams was able to see some playing time in his true freshman season last year and should be able to focus on being the primary free safety backup this season.

Zo managed to play in eight games last year and finished the season with six tackles, with all of those coming on special teams.

Rover

First String

Senior Dorian Porch played phenomenally well at the end of last season when he had to take over for Davon Morgan after he tore his ACL.

Porch is one of the better all around athletes on the entire Virginia Tech team, as he was in the top five in five different weight lifting and agility categories this offseason.

Porch finished first in the front squat with 450 pounds, first in the 10-yard dash with 1.62 seconds, second in the vertical jump at 39.5 inches, second in the NFL shuttle with 4.03 seconds, and fifth in the 40-yard dash at 4.43 seconds.

Second String

Davon Morgan started for most of the year until tearing his ACL against Nebraska, which ended his season.

Morgan is cleared and ready to go this spring, as he will battle with Porch to try and win back the starting job at Rover.

In just five games last year, Davon finished with 18 total tackles along with one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry.

Summary

Virginia Tech should once again be able to control the skies in Blacksburg with the talent they have returning at all four defensive back positions.

Virgil and either Roc or Whitley should lock down the starting job at both cornerback spots, while Kam and Porch should be the starters at both safety positions.

Tech may need to try and get one of their true freshmen cornerbacks that are enrolling this fall ready just in case something were to happen, as the Hokies are a bit thin at corner this year.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jerrod Williams or possibly Jayron Hosley dress this fall and travel with the team as either the fifth or sixth cornerback on the depth chart.

Lost from 2008

Victor “Macho” Harris (Graduation)

Enrolling in the Fall

Jerrodd Williams

Jayron Hosley

James Hopper

Antone Exum

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look at the Linebackers

Justin Clark — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:35:23 -0400

After a strong 2008 campaign, defensive coordinator Bud Foster will have to replace his top two linebackers for the second year in a row.

Brett Warren and Purnell Sturdivant stepped in for Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall last year and played exceptionally well for two guys that had to wait their turn.

This year, Tech will rely on some much younger talent at linebacker, but as we’ve seen over the last few years, coach Bud Foster can plug just about anybody in on defense and have them produce on the field.

Backer Linebacker

First String

The Hokies lost both of their backers last year in Purnell Sturdivant and Jonas Houseright, so Tech will head into the spring with two new faces patrolling the outside linebacker position.

Lyndell Gibson’s high school coach Robert Jackson described him as one of the best linebackers he’s ever coached.

The Virginia High School Coaches Association agreed with Coach Jackson and named the former Salem High star to the first team all-state team as a senior.

After a redshirt year, Gibson will get his chance to shine and prove to the coaches that he is deserving of the starting job this fall.

Lyndell is a tad on the short side at 5'10", but he makes up for it with his pure football instincts and his tackling ability. If Gibson has bulked up any this offseason, then he could easily snatch the starting job early on this spring.

Second String

A year ago I would have sworn that Quillie Odom would have locked up the starting job at backer before this spring even began, but that is no longer the case.

Odom played in the Hokies' first seven games of the season but didn’t play a single snap on special teams the rest of the year. Quillie was never on the injury report, so it appears that his lack of playing time was a decision that came down from Coach Foster, which means that Odom did something he was probably no supposed to do.

Obviously in the coach’s doghouse, Odom will need to impress this spring and try to beat out Lyndell Gibson for the starting job.

Hokie fans should keep an eye on Quillie this spring, as Hargrave head coach Rob Prunty called him the best linebacker he’s seen since Ahmad Brooks. That’s high praise coming from a coach that coaches four- and five-star linebackers each year.

Mike Linebacker

First String

Sophomore Barquell Rivers received his first ever start against the Cincinnati Bearcats in last year's Orange Bowl.

Incredibly enough, Rivers had the chance to make the play of his young career when he stuffed Cincy QB Tony Pike at the goal line to force the Bearcats to turn it over on a play that completely changed the game.

This year, Barquell will be the favorite to take over the starting job, although he’ll have some tough competition to deal with.

Second String

That tough competition I speak of is sophomore Jake Johnson, who, like most freshmen, saw most of his playing time on the Hokies' “pride and joy” team last season.

Jake has all the physical tools necessary to be a starter here at Virginia Tech, but he’ll need to sure up the mental side of the game this spring. If he can master Coach Foster’s complex defensive playbook, then Jake could overtake Rivers as the starting MIKE linebacker.

Johnson really impressed in the weight room this winter as he finished fourth on the team with a 560-pound back squat and third on the team with a 351-pound power clean.

Whip Linebacker

First String

Tech returns both of their Whip linebacker starters from last season in senior Cody Grimm and senior Cam Martin.

Grimm, who is a former walk-on, really came on strong last season as he finished second on the team in sacks with 7.5.

Grimm was a high-energy player that seemed to make more big plays last season than anybody else on the team. If he can continue to play at a high level this fall, Cody could go from walk-on to being selected in the NFL draft in 2010.

Second String

Cam Martin will split time with Grimm this fall. However, Cam will miss all of spring practice because of offseason knee surgery.

The senior has battled through injury problems throughout his career, but he should be able to at least head into his senior year at 100 percent.

Last year, Cam played well as he started 13 of the Hokies' 14 games and registered 51 total tackles, including two sacks, on the season.

Third String

Redshirt freshman Alonzo Tweedy will see an increased number of reps this spring with the absence of Cam Martin. Tweedy needs to have a good spring since he figures to be the starter when both Martin and Grimm graduate at the end of this season.

Alonzo came in a tad on the thin side but has since bulked up and could see some playing time this fall if need be.

The biggest asset Tweedy has is his overall speed since he is by far the fastest player currently listed at linebacker.

Alonzo ran a 4.46 this past winter, which is almost a tenth quicker than any other linebacker.

Summary

I used to get worried when Tech had to replace a player on defense, but over the last few seasons, Coach Foster has proved that he really can just plug any player into his system and still crank out great performances.

However, these guys do have a lot of work to do, as they will be tested right out of the gate in 2009.

Tech will face the Alabama Crimson Tide on Sept. 5 in a game that could easily send the winning team on an undefeated run to a national championship.

Lost from 2008

Brett Warren (Graduation)

Purnell Sturdivant (Graduation)

Jonas Houseright (Graduation)

Allen Stephens (Transferred)

Hunter Ovens (Transferred)

Enrolling in the Fall

Telvion Clark

Tyrel Wilson

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look At The Defensive Tackles

Justin Clark — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:21:21 -0400

Virginia Tech lost three defensive tackles at the end of the 2007 season yet in 2008, they still managed to churn out one of the best rushing defenses in all of college football.

Tech returns everybody from a season ago, which means, not only will the Hokies be better then they were last season, they’ll also be a little bit deeper as well.

Defensive line coach Charley Wiles will have some tough decisions to make this spring since he could have as many as eight players worthy of seeing the field this fall.

First String

The starting duo shouldn’t change this year as both John Graves and Cordarrow Thompson return in 2009.

Graves had a good sophomore campaign although he failed to engage in sacking the quarterback. John finished the year with four tackles for loss but never once got to the quarterback in 14 games.

Senior Cordarrow Thompson will be the starter opposite of Graves this fall. Thompson did fair better then his counterpart as he finished the 2008 season with three sacks and six tackles for loss.

Both of these guys have the ability to be future NFL players but they will definitely need to improve their pass rushing from last season since they both had a hard time getting into the backfield.

Second String

Senior Demetrius Taylor has finally found a role on this Virginia Tech team after spending his first three years on campus bouncing around from position to position.

Taylor played in all 14 games last season at defensive tackle and while he was only in on six tackles the entire year, he still managed to find his way to the quarterback a couple of times and was key in helping shut down Georgia Tech’s option attack.

Alongside Taylor on the second string defensive line will be redshirt sophomore Kwamaine Battle.

After undergoing two shoulder surgeries in his redshirt year, Kwamaine should be back to full strength this spring and ready to contribute this fall.

Battle almost cracked the two deep back in 2007 but his shoulder problems caused him to redshirt and ultimately has set him back a year in his development. This spring will definitely be a big one for Kwamaine especially if he wants a crack at a starting job in 2010.

Third String

The 5th and 6th tackle positions will be a battle between four players this spring.

Redshirt sophomore Justin Young probably has the edge heading into spring practice just from being around the program the longest of this group.

Young started out at defensive end but after bulking up to around 275 pounds last year, he made the move inside to defensive tackle.

Antone Hopkins really impressed Coach Wiles last season and almost earned himself a spot in the two-deep but after hitting that “freshman wall” Wiles decided to redshirt him. Hopkins is a strong player that will eventually be a starter here at Virginia Tech.

Courtney Prince was a bit of a “project” that the Hokies took a chance on. Prince really needs to have a good spring or he may fall even further on the depth chart next year since David Wang and DeAntre Rhodes are going to enroll this fall.

Dwight Tucker is an intriguing player that’s in the same boat as Courtney Prince.

Tucker redshirted last season and has progressed well in the weight room as he posted some good numbers for a redshirt freshman. However, the competition is going to be tough at defensive tackle this year and if you don't do your best everyday, you could easily get passed over.

Summary

The Hokies are going to be well off at defensive tackle this year but Coach Wiles really needs to concentrate on developing some of the younger players this spring.

With Thompson and Taylor graduation after this season, the Hokies will have two big holes to fill heading into 2010.

Tech is also bringing in two highly recruited defensive tackles this fall so the defensive tackle battles this spring could be pretty fiery since Tech could have as many as six guys that could start in 2010.

Lost From 2008

None

Enrolling in the fall

David Wang

DeAntre Rhodes

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look at the Defensive Ends

Justin Clark — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:43:08 -0400

Virginia Tech has turned into a defensive end factory over the past few seasons, but this year, that factory may have to churn out a few extra pieces.

The Hokies have depth problems at defensive end, so this spring will be critical for the coaches to establish a two deep heading into the summer.

The good news is that Jason Worilds will miss all of spring practice. Now I know that doesn’t sound like good news, but when you need to develop depth, giving some younger guys extra reps is the only cure for that disease.

The Hokies did bring in four future ends in the 2009 class, so there is a chance that a few of those guys get a chance to play this fall, but all four of them need a redshirt year to maximize their potential.

Coach Charley Wiles really needs to nail down his top four guys this spring and give those players more reps when fall practice rolls around this August.

First String

Junior Jason Worilds is returning and should be 100 percent healthy for the first time in a while once fall practice rolls around.

However, Jason will miss all of spring practice and won’t return until sometime this summer after having shoulder surgery after the Orange Bowl.

Worilds played the entire 2008 season with the shoulder injury and still managed to lead the team in sacks with eight.

Nekos Brown will be the starter at the WEAK DE spot and will take over for a departed Orion Martin.

Brown is a good defensive end that will be a senior in 2009 and should be poised for a solid year. The weak side defensive end is a key position in Bud Fosters' defense so it’s essential that Nekos plays well this spring.

Second String

With Worilds out for the spring, this will give Coach Wiles a chance to develop some depth at both the Stud end and Weak end positions.

Junior Stephen Friday is back and should finally be ready to contribute in 2009.

Friday has bounced around from linebacker to defensive end, as he’s struggled to put on enough weight at times, but Stephen should see a large portion of reps this spring in place of an injured Jason Worilds.

Bruce Taylor started out at MIKE linebacker when he enrolled here at Virginia Tech last fall, but Bruce made the switch to defensive end late last season on the scout team.

When spring practice opens on March 30th, Bruce may see some time at the MIKE LB spot, but eventually somebody is going to have to move to defensive end, and Taylor would be a more natural fit.

Expect Taylor to get some reps at both defensive end positions and potentially back up Nekos Brown this fall.

Third String

The Hokies brought in three very talented defensive ends in the 2008 class, including Isaiah Hamlette and Joe Jones.

Jones and Hamlette will receive some reps early on this spring and whoever wins that battle may end up being the fifth defensive end this year.

I doubt either player sees any meaningful playing time this fall, but both need a good spring if they aspire to be a starter in the future.

Summary

The Hokies really need to try and develop some depth at both defensive end spots this spring. If Coach Wiles can accomplish that, then the Hokies should be well off heading into this fall.

Jason Worilds has fought through injuries every year he’s been in Blacksburg, but if he can find a way to stay healthy for year, he could turn into one of the best to ever dawn a Virginia Tech jersey.

Coach Wiles has some young talent that he has the option to play, but this spring will definitely make Wiles earn his paycheck.

Lost from 2008

Orion Martin (Graduated)

Enrolling in the Fall

Lanford Collins

Duan Perez-Means

James Gayle

Tyrel Wilson

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look At the Offensive Line

Justin Clark — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:13:01 -0400

Virginia Tech has made tremendous improvements on the offensive line over the past couple of seasons, but there is still plenty of work left to be done.

Tech returns four starters from last season, and will only feature three seniors in the entire two deep this season.

Last year, the Hokies really had depth problems along the lines, but this year depth should not be much of a concern.

Left Tackle

First String

Senior Ed Wang will return for his final season in a VT uniform as the starter at left tackle.

Ed has had a bit of a rough career here at Virginia Tech. He started as a backup tight end and decided to move over to right tackle after his redshirt freshman season.

However, during fall practice, Ed broke his fibula and was sidelined for seven weeks following the injury. He finally returned to the roster and played the final six games of the season.

Then this past year, Wang was once again on the move as he switched over to left tackle to take over for Duane Brown, who departed for the NFL.

So after a bit of a tough season at left tackle, Wang should have more of a solid senior year, especially since he’ll be able to get a breather every once in a while.

Second String

Greg Nosal has a perfect frame for an offensive tackle and should really blossom this spring and earn the back up left tackle job behind Wang.

The game should begin to slow down some for Greg this year, and I would expect him to actually see some significant playing time this fall.

He needs to learn to play a little faster like most young linemen but Nosal has a very high ceiling at this position.

Left Guard

First String

Sergio Render moved to left guard for the Cincinnati game and the offensive line turned in one of their best performances in years.

I have a feeling that Render will probably stay at left guard since Jaymes Brooks is a bit ahead of Will Alvarez at this point.

Render should have a very good senior season and hopefully he’ll become another first round NFL draftee for the Hokies.

However, Sergio is going to miss all of spring practice this year due to offseason surgery, which will give Alvarez the possible reps he needs to become a player Coach Newsome can depend on this fall.

Second String

Will Alvarez barely got through the clearinghouse back in 2007 and you can say that he’s had a bit of a roller-coaster ride on the field so far in his young career.

He almost played as a true freshman in 2006 but the coaches decided to redshirt him then last year he got passed over for Richard Graham and never played in a game.

However, Will has all the tools to become a great offensive guard here at Virginia Tech.

He just needs to keep working everyday and keep getting better. If he has a good spring this year he should solidify himself as the back up option to Sergio and put his name in the hat for a starting job in 2010.

Third String

The Hokies are a bit short on depth at the guard spots, so expect Matt Baldwin, a walk-on from Richlands, to see some action at both left and right guard this spring.

Matt is a redshirt sophomore and has done well in the weight room up to this point, but he may still be a year away from truly helping this team in a meaningful game situation.

Center

First String

Beau Warren is the youngest of the Warren brothers and will be the go-to-guy this year at center. Warren was thrown into the fire in his freshman year and really played well when Shuman went down with a knee injury.

Last year he played in about 20 percent of the offensive snaps and graded out better then Ryan in most of the games he played. Now in his junior year, Beau should be able to manage the offensive line and really live up to the potential the coaches knew he had when they signed him.

Second String

With Shuman gone and Barrett Mears not returning to the team this spring, Tech will have to look for a back up to Warren.

Richard Graham is a redshirt senior that has moved around a lot in his career. He was the starter for Ed Wang when he broke his fibula back in 2007, and also played some guard when Render or Nick Marshman were injured over the past couple seasons.

So look for Richard to get some work this spring as the back up center for Beau Warren

Also, it appears that Khalil Latif, who is a redshirt sophomore, could also get a look at center this spring. Latif started off his career here in Blacksburg at left guard, but failed to put on enough weight to stay there.

The coaches moved him over to defensive end last season and Latif still never had a chance to play.

Look for Latif to be on the move again this spring, possibly to the center spot to add some more depth.

Right Guard

First String

Sophomore Jaymes Brooks should finally get his chance at a starting job after spending his first two years on campus as Sergio Render’s backup.

Brooks started his first ever-collegiate game against the Cincinnati Bearcats this past January and played very well, grading out at over 80 percent.

Brooks has a real mean streak that has been lacking in the Hokies linemen over the last few years. I expect Jaymes to continue improving this spring and become one of Coach Newsome’s best linemen this fall.

Second String

Vinston Painter has an NFL body and the kid is only 19 years old. Painter decided to play defensive tackle last year but didn’t pick up the system quick enough and had to redshirt.

This year, “Fire” has moved back over to the offensive line and will backup Jaymes Brooks at right guard.

Vince may struggle a bit early on since he’ll be learning an entire new system on the offensive line, but it’s a more natural position for him and after a few weeks he should be back to dominating anybody who lines up across from him.

Right Tackle

First String

Blake Dechristopher played very well in his redshirt freshman campaign as he started the majority of the season at right tackle.

Dechristopher is a very aggressive lineman who will only improve as he gains more experience and could easily find himself on an NFL roster in a few years.

He’ll need to continue to improve his quickness and overall strength since there were times he got completely manhandled last year, but the sky is the limit for Blake.

Second String

The back up right tackle job will be a battle between three players: Michael Via, Nick Becton, and Andrew Lanier.

If I had to guess, I would have to say that Via will probably be the guy that wins the job.

Michael, who is a redshirt freshman, had a long offer sheet in high school but always wanted to play for the Hokies and he is now living his dream. If he improved his strength enough over the last year or so he should be able to win this job away from Becton and Lanier, although this battle should be fun to watch.

Third String

Nick Becton was a monster in high school but he has a ways to go with his strength and conditioning. This spring will be huge for him if he can improve in those two areas since he is a guy that really could help this offensive line down the road.

Andrew Lanier spent most of last year at tight end but decided to do most inside line since there wasn’t much playing time to be had at that position.

Lanier is an athletic kid that will need another year to grasp the offensive line system but he’s strong enough to possibly earn some additional reps this spring.

Summary

Coach Newsome inherited a mess when he took the job here back in 2006 but he’s finally starting to straighten it out. This year’s offensive line should be the best we’ve had in a long while and it should continue to improve in the future.

I think this will also be the first year in a while that we’ll actually have some depth on the line and if one person does go down then we have somebody waiting in the wings to back him up.

Last year Coach Newsome went eight deep on the line and he should be able to go about ten deep this year.

Players Lost from 2008

OG Nick Marshman (Graduation)

OC Barrett Mears (No Longer With the Team)

OC Ryan Shuman (Graduation)

OG Aaron Brown (No Longer With The Team)

OG Hivera Green (No Longer With The Team)

Players Enrolling in Fall

OT/OC Andrew Miller

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look at the Tight Ends

Justin Clark — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:51:28 -0400

The Hokies have always possessed good tight ends, but they have never had any that are as talented as the ones that will hit the field for head coach Frank Beamer in 2009.

Virginia Tech returns everybody at the tight end position from a year ago so expect to hear more “BOOOOOOOOOONES” from the crowd at Lane Stadium this year.

Heading into this spring, the most important thing this group could work on is just becoming more consistent and being more physical at the point of attack. This group did very well last year so there is not a whole lot that will need to be addressed to these guys when spring practice opens up on March 16 for the Hokies.

First String

Greg Boone and Andre Smith will be the two starting tight ends heading into the spring. However, Smith will miss all of the spring practice session due to offseason surgery.

This means that Boone and Chris Drager will see an increase in reps when the Hokies line up in a two tight end set.

It appears that Boone will get a chance to work out at the quarterback this fall since he has all of his assignments down at tight end.

This means that Tech fans can expect to see the so called “Wild Turkey” formation again this fall.

Second String

Sophomore Chris Drager is going to be an intriguing player to watch this spring.

Drager played in his true freshman season back in 2007, but he tore his ACL during the William & Mary game and was forced to redshirt.

Last season, the tight end out of Pennsylvania had solid showing with three receptions for 37 yards on the season.

This year, Drager should make a bigger impact especially since he will get some first team reps this spring with Smith out for the entire month of practice.

Third String

Sam Wheeler tore his ACL back in 2007 and has not been the same since.

However, this spring he will have a chance to show the coaches what he can do and could earn some more playing time because of it. Wheeler still may not be 100 percent, but he could help out some if one of the starters were to go down in a game situation.

Eric Martin enrolled this January after greyshirting and waiting a semester to begin classes at Virginia Tech.

Martin reminds me a lot of Jeff King, especially since he has almost the same build as him. I would expect him to redshirt this upcoming season, but getting a spring practice under his belt before redshirting is a big plus for any kid.

Summary

The tight ends will improve some heading into 2009 and I would expect another solid performance out of this group.

Boone and Smith will supply Tyrod with two big targets in the passing game. According to Coach Frank Beamer, Boone will play a prominent role in the passing game this season from both the tight end position and the quarterback position.

Stay tuned Hokie fans, our offense could actually be fun to watch in 2009.

Lost From 2008

None

Enrolling in the Fall

Logan Thomas

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look at the Wide Receivers

Justin Clark — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:37:25 -0500

Virginia Tech was forced to play four freshmen at wide receiver in 2008, after the exodus of their top seven wideouts from the 2007 roster.

Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan, Justin Harper and Josh Hyman all went to the NFL then Zach Luckett, Ike Whitaker, and Brandon Dillard all didn’t play last season for different reasons. Luckett was suspended for a DUI, Dillard tore his Achilles tendon, and Whitaker was kicked off the team for “repetitive violations.”

So against ECU, the Hokies started four freshmen, including three true freshmen in Jarrett Boykin, Dyrell Roberts, Xavier Boyce, and the lone redshirt freshman Danny Coale.

Freshmen wide receivers very rarely make an impact there first year in school mainly because very few of them are physically strong enough to hold their own against junior or senior corners.

However, the young Hokie wideouts improved week after week and really came into their own in the final two games of the season.

After a 2008 campaign that was a learning experience for everybody, 2009 should hold bigger and better things in the passing attack for this group.

First String:

The starting rotation didn’t change much last season, so heading into the spring I’m guessing that rotation will remain the same with sophomores Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin getting the first team reps this April.

Coale led all receivers last year with 36 receptions, however Jarrett Boykin won the receiving yards title with 441 yards, 33 more than Coale, on just 30 receptions.

Chemistry between the wide receivers and the quarterbacks was a problem at times last year, especially since the Hokies played two different quarterbacks. With Tyrod Taylor being the lone signal caller, you should see better timing between Tyrod and the top four wide receivers.

Second String

The Hokies normally boast a three or four wide receiver set on offense, but since I’m breaking this down into two’s, Dyrell Roberts and Xavier Boyce will be listed as second team wideouts, although they’ll get as many reps with the first team as Coale and Boykin.

Roberts held his own last season with 17 catches for 227 yards, including the longest passing play from scrimmage in 2008, a 62 yard “pass-n-catch” from Sean Glennon.

Tech fans saw the best and worst out of Dyrell last year as he was a very good punt returner, yet dropped two or three easy deep balls early on in 2008. However, Roberts really came on at the end of last year and should be able to carry that momentum over to this spring.

Xavier Boyce played the first three games of the season until injuring himself against Georgia Tech. Xavier should be able to gain a medical redshirt and be able to play this fall as a freshman once again.

The question for Boyce is whether he will stay on offense or move over to safety, where he might be needed more after Kam Chancellor graduates?

Third String

Last year, the Hokies played the whole season with just three wide receivers and if one of them had to come off they just slid their two tight ends, Greg Boone and Andre Smith out wide instead of lining them up next to the offensive tackle.

This year, the coaches won’t have to worry about doing that, as Tech should have four players that can step in right away and contribute if needed.

Freshman Austin Fuller was a star at Richlands High School and after a year on the scout team at wide receiver, it appears he’ll be ready to hit the gridiron inside Lane Stadium this fall. Austin has by far the best hands of any wide receiver on the team right now, and he will be an excellent possession receiver for the Hokies down the road.

Freshman Marcus Davis will begin spring practice at quarterback but could move back to wide receiver after the first week or two. Davis has not played wide receiver since his junior season of high school so it will be a learning process for him. That is, if he does, in fact, move back to wide receiver. The Hokies are a bit thin at quarterback, so he may very well stay there.

Freshman Randall Dunn is an intriguing player that played just two years of football before enrolling here at Virginia Tech. Dunn is a strong player out on the edge and could wind up being a good possession wide receiver down the road. Randall weighed 235 lbs back before the 2008 season, so if he has bulked up any, he could move inside to tight end this spring as well.

Junior Brandon Dillard should be able to gain a medical redshirt after tearing his Achilles last summer, but the real question with Brandon is will he be able to play at 100 percent again. Achilles injuries are tough to overcome because you never fully regain your speed, and since Dillard is a speed player, it’s going to be interesting to see how he performs this spring.

Summary

Most fans knew that 2008 was going to be a season of growing pains with the Hokies starting four brand new wide receivers.

However, Tech faired pretty well with such a young receiving corps that this groups ceiling might be even higher than the one set by the “Fantastic Four” before them.

Lost from 2008

Zach Luckett: (DUI)

Ike Whitaker: (Dismissed)

Enrolling in Fall

Nubian Peak

DJ Coles

Logan Thomas

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look at the Running Backs

Justin Clark — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:53:55 -0500

The Hokies found a star in Darren Evans last season, and coming into 2009, Tech may find a second and even brighter star in their backfield.

Ryan Williams was all set to play when he enrolled last summer but couldn’t pick up the plays quick enough and redshirted.

Even though Ryan clearly wanted to play, that selfless move will only benefit him and the team for years to come, as the Hokies will have one of the best backfields in the country.

So with the Hokies having around five players that could potentially start at running back this fall, let’s take a look at how the depth chart will start out this spring.

First String

Sophomore Darren Evans had a coming-out party in his freshman season in which he started nine games and rushed for 1,265 yards with 11 touchdowns.

With every carry this past season, you could see Evans improving and getting more comfortable. After another spring practice, Evans should be even better in 2009, although his statistics may drop off some since Tech does have other tailbacks that will be able to touch the ball.

Darren played very well this past season, but the one problem he is going to have to work on is catching the ball out of the backfield. Evans led the running backs this past year with six dropped passes.

Second String

When you’re a running back at Virginia Tech, you have to earn everything. So going into spring practice, I think Josh Oglesby will start out second on the depth chart ahead of Williams just because of the experience factor.

JO had a decent season in 2008 and showed some signs of greatness in the Orange Bowl where he had his longest run of the season, which went for 13 yards. He finished the year with 38 carries for 88 yards.

Oglesby is another player that needs a good spring, just because with Williams right behind him and David Wilson coming in this fall, only so many backs can touch the ball.

Third String

Orion Martin and Macho Harris both were asked to pick people to watch out for next season, and both of them replied the exact same way: “Ryan Williams.”

Ryan was a four-star running back coming out of high school and was expected to play last year, but with the emergence of Darren Evans behind Kenny Lewis, Williams was forced to redshirt.

So after a year of scout team practice and weightlifting, Williams should be ready to bask in the spotlight in 2009.

The JO vs. Williams battle this spring should be a fun one to watch, especially since Ryan can be used in multiple ways. He could easily line up at RB, FB, or out in the slot, much like Reggie Bush out at USC a few years back.

Other Notables

Kenny Lewis will miss all of spring practice after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the Western Kentucky game last year and then re-tearing the muscle again in the shower a few weeks later. He should return for fall practice, but Achilles injuries are tough to overcome, so it’ll be interesting to see how Lewis heals over the next few months.

Tony Gregory enrolled this past January, so he will be another name to watch out for at the running back position. Tony may end up at wide receiver or cornerback as well, but it appears that he will at least get a look at running back when spring practice first convenes in late March.

Jahre Cheeseman has decided to walk away from football and finish up his degree. Rumors swirled that he was transferring, but it looks like Jahre will stay at Tech and get his degree and move on to the next stage of his life.

Lost from 2008

Dustin Pickle (graduated)

Jahre Cheeseman (Leaving team)

Enrolling in 2009

Nubian Peak

David Wilson

Virginia Tech Spring Football Preview: A Look at the Quarterbacks

Justin Clark — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:44:58 -0500

The Sean Glennon days are over and the Tyrod Taylor days will resume a normal schedule at Virginia Tech.

Taylor, who has spent the last two springs expecting to be redshirted, will finally get his chance this spring to work with the offense and develop his game even further without having to look over his shoulder to see a “No. 7” standing there.

Taylor has really matured and improved since his first drive against LSU 19 months ago, but he is clearly nowhere near the ceiling of his almost limitless potential. Hokies coaches will continue to work with him on reading defenses in hopes of “T-mobile” having very Bryan Randall-esque junior and senior seasons.

Before I continue with more of my clearly remarked “man love” for Taylor, lets take a look at how the depth chart will look when spring practice starts in late March.

First String

Tyrod Taylor started 10 games in 2008 and will hopefully start a full 14 in 2009. He is coming off a year where statistically wasn’t the best he has ever had.

Taylor threw for just over 1,000 yards with two touchdown passes and seven interceptions. However, in typical Hokies quarterback fashion, he made up for his passing stats with his 738 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

It’s safe to say Tyrod is beginning to live up to that hype that everybody built around him when he was still in high school. Just two years into his college career, the Hokies have two ACC championships and an Orange Bowl trophy. This is not bad for a kid who is just 19 years old.

Second String

This is where the question lies, since Cory Holt and Glennon have exited stage left. Who will be the quarterback to come in if Taylor gets hurt?

Most signs point to redshirt freshman JuJu Clayton getting the nod as second string quarterback this fall. Clayton is a good football player but after seeing him last fall, he is one of the players that need to have a good spring.

JuJu has a good arm but lacks consistent accuracy. However, he does have good field vision from what I’ve seen out of him and he can make a lot of the throws necessary to be a quarterback at Virginia Tech.

Third String

Marcus Davis was a prized high school recruit back in 2008 that underwent shoulder surgery, which forced him to redshirt last season.

Davis will probably start off this spring at quarterback to give the Hokies an extra body. However, I could see Davis working out at quarterback some the first week then spending the rest of the spring at his more natural position, wide receiver.

Davis is a tall and athletic kid that has a solid arm but if he does want to player quarterback, he will need drastic help with his mechanics and throwing motion. Plus he had surgery on his right shoulder, which is his throwing shoulder. That may all but seal the deal on him moving to wide receiver full time.

Summary

As long as nothing happens to Taylor, the Hokies will be fine at quarterback in 2009. Clayton will be a solid backup that will only get better with experience.

Virginia Tech has plenty of other options as well next fall with Logan Thomas being able to throw the ball and Greg Boone coming back. However, the Hokies will desperately need to find a couple quarterbacks in the 2010 class after missing on four very talented in-state quarterbacks in last year’s class.

Players Lost from 2008

Sean Glennon (Graduation)

Cory Holt (Graduation)

Enrolling in fall 2009

Antone Exum

Jayron Hosley Selects Virginia Tech

Justin Clark — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:53:11 -0500

The Hokies received a surprise letter-of-intent today from four-star cornerback Jayron Hosley.

Hosley visited Blacksburg this past weekend, but after the trip it seemed that he was still leaning towards South Florida.

However, this morning Hosley signed his LOI and faxed it to the Hokies' coaching staff.

"After taking a visit and being around the players, the whole coaching staff, and the environment, it felt more like home, and it was the place I wanted to spend the next four years," Hosley told the Palm Beach Post.

Hosley's coach even admitted that he believed Jayron was headed to South Florida.

"It was a busy last three minutes," Andre Thaddies said Wednesday morning. "He was on the phone with USF. I did not know. I thought it was USF as of nine o'clock this morning. I didn't even have the scholarship papers from them. He agonized over this for a long time, but I think it's the right decision."

Rumor has it that Brandon Flowers, who graduated from the same high school as Hosley, was on campus this past weekend during the prospect's visit.

At 5’10” and 180 pounds, Hosley will need to hit the weights before stepping on the field, but you couldn’t ask for anyone with better football instincts.

Jayron picked off five passes in his senior season, and also tallied 37 total tackles.

Lest we forget, Hosley recorded five special teams touchdowns in 2008.

Virginia Tech 2009 Recruiting Class Grades

Justin Clark — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:54:53 -0500

A year ago, coming off a historic 2008 class, I really didn’t have high hopes for 2009 since Tech only had 12 guaranteed scholarships to give out. A year later, I really can’t be any happier with the way this class turned out.

The Hokies have a total of 21 commits with a few of those 21 greyshirting and coming in next January. The coaches did a good job of filling needs in this class even though they did miss out on a top tier QB.

We have a ton of talent coming in and the future of Virginia Tech football can’t really get any brighter.

Quarterback: (0)

Grade: F

The Hokies missed out on all 6 QB’s they offered this year, which is unacceptable when your known for producing good duel-threat quarterbacks. However, you can’t blame VT when Penn State sales its soul for a recruit.

Kevin Newsome would have been a nice addition to this class but I’m not sold on Kevin being a QB at the college level. He has speed but his mechanics and throwing motion need some work but they’re something that can be fixed.

Running Back: (3)

Grade: A+

Nubian Peak

Tony Gregory

David Wilson

The Hokies are going to be loaded this season with Evans, JO, Williams and Wilson vying for playing time. I said earlier that Wilson will probably redshirt but after talking to some people, that may be a hard task for the coaches to do. David is very good, quite possibly the best in the commonwealth in a long time kind of good.

Nubian Peak is a speedster that will redshirt and probably either move to wide receiver or cornerback depending more or less on where Nubian wants to play. I could also see Nubian getting some duty on the Pride and Joy team after a redshirt year.

Tony Gregory is another speedster that is already on campus as he enrolled earlier this January. Tony is very similar to Peak in he will probably move to WR or CB depending on where he wants to play since the backfield is fairly crowded.
This was a great running back haul and if Peak and Gregory do decide to stay at RB, it will only make VT’s RB stable that much better over the next 5 years.

Wide Receivers/Tight End: (2)

Grade: A

Logan Thomas

DJ Coles

DJ Coles committed to the Hokies over a year and a half ago but had to prep for a year and will enroll this June along with the rest of the 2009 class. Coles is a tall wideout that reminds me a lot of Justin Harper who is now with the Ravens in the NFL.

Logan Thomas was our lone 5 star in this class until Rivals shuffled him down some in the Rivals100 back in early January. Thomas is a bit of a tweener as he will need to gain some weight if he wants to play TE but Logan is a special athlete that will contribute wherever he is on the field.

Offensive Line: (2)

Grade: C

Kory Gough

Andrew Miller

The Hokies really didn’t have a whole lot of talented OL’s to go after this year and they found 2 athletic linemen that will help out down the road.

I believe Gough is going to greyshirt but Kory is a lean lineman that Coach Newsome can mold into a talented tackle down the road.

Andrew Miller is a beast on the mats in wrestling as he is the number one wrestler in the nation and I’m guessing he will probably play both sports in college. Its unclear when Miller will come in as rumors are swirling that he has gotten a VT football scholarship and will enroll this summer. He will redshirt next year and focus purely on wrestling over the winter.

Defensive End: (4)

Grade: B+

Lanford Collins

James Gayle

Duan Perez-Means

Tyrell Edwards

The coaches did a nice job of stock piling talent at defensive end this year especially since the state had a lot of solid defensive line prospects in this class.

Lanford Collins seems to be the most physically ready player in the group to play right away but all four players are probably headed towards a redshirt year in 2009. Collins is a beast at 6’4” and 240 pounds and after a year in Gentry’s weight system, he should be challenging for a spot in the 2 deep the following spring.

James Gayle is a tall, lanky prospect that’s in the same mold as Chris Ellis when he came out of high school. Gayle has a good burst in him but he definitely needs to fill out his frame some more. Hopefully he can get up to about 250 pounds or so after a redshirt year and can help out in 2010.

Perez-Means has a decision to make since he has the chance to play either defensive end or tight end. The coaches are leaving it up to his preference. Means is a very athletic and smooth end that would have to bulk up some if he wanted to play in 2010. Right now Means is at about 220 pounds so he would definitely need to hit the weights hard during his redshirt year.

Tyrell will probably greyshirt and come in as either a MIKE linebacker or a defensive end. Edwards is definitely one of the more versatile players in this class since he could possibly play linebacker, defensive end, or tight end. However, Tyrell too will have to add some weight if he wants to play at DE for the Hokies.

Defensive Tackle: (2)

Grade: A-

David Wang

DeAntre Rhodes

Tech only had room for two tackles in 2009 and they got their top 2 targets so you cant ask for much more then that. David Wang is a tad on the short side as he’s closer to 6’1” right now then the 6’2” he’s listed at but he could still grow more. David has great leg drive and will definitely be a starter down the road for VT.

Rhodes had a great senior season and went from being middle of the pack in state to being in just about everyone’s top ten. DeAntre will need a redshirt year to get a little stronger but after that look out. He could easily get a look at that 2nd starting DT job in 2010.

I was a little worried about the Hokies defensive line coming into this class but with these guys this year and Nic Acree already committed for 2010, I feel a whole lot better.

Linebacker: (3)

Grade: B-

Telvion Clark

Tyrel Wilson

Tariq Edwards

Telvion is a player in this class that I’m stoked about seeing on the field this fall. He is by far one of the more impressive looking prospects that the Hokies have ever brought in. The big question is what position will he actually play. Clark has the speed to play free safety but could grow into a WHIP linebacker or Backer down the road.

Tyrel Wilson was a bit of a surprise commit since he seemed to be a bit of a Tennessee lean for a while but I’m glad the Hokies landed him. Tyrel seems to be the typical VT linebacker. He’ll need a few years to adjust and learn the defense but after that he should be a solid option at the MIKE linebacker spot.

Tariq Edwards is another athletic player that will probably shift around a couple times before finding his home for the next four years. Just like his twin brother Tyrell, Tariq could really play anything from tight end to linebacker to defensive end. He’ll need some time to get bigger and stronger but should be a viable option at linebacker down the road.

Cornerback: (3)

Grade: A+

Jerrodd Williams

James Hopper

Antone Exum

The Hokies only brought in one true cornerback in last year's class so this was a big position of need heading into 2009. The coaches couldn’t have done any better as they brought in 3 of the best corners in the nation.

Jerrodd Williams is a tall prospect that dominated receivers at the Shrine Bowl in December and could potentially play some this fall, depending really on how Cris Hill plays. Tech will need someone to back up Virgil at the Field Corner spot this fall and Williams does have a chance to beat out Hill if hasn’t improved much from last year.

James Hopper got the proverbial Rivals.com shun after leading his team to a state title he still remained a 2 star. However, biased star ratings aside, Hopper is going to be a great player here at Virginia Tech. He’s a bit on the short side at 5’8” but he recorded one of the highest verticals at either one of Tech’s camps this past summer.

Antone Exum will initially start out at quarterback but I don’t think he’ll stay there very long. His ceiling is much higher at cornerback where he could develop into and elite NFL level CB. Exum is a pure athlete and could easily see some playing time after a redshirt year.

Safety: (1)

Grade: B+

Theron Norman

When Peter Rose was arrested last year, the Hokies needed to find another safety/rover prospect that could take his place. Norman is a tall, lanky player that will need some time to get stronger but by looking at his film he definitely has the pure football instincts it takes to be a college safety.

Kicker: (1)

Grade: A+

Cody Journell

Coach Beamer knows what he wants on his special teams and looking at his track record, I have to give this position an A+. Cody is a fantastic kicker and honestly, you have to be to earn a scholarship from VT.

In the Rivals era we’ve offered only 3 kickers/punters. So far Tech has done very well with those kids. Nic Schmitt was a great punter out of Salem High School and had a good career at VT. The same can be said for Brent Bowden who is entering his senior year.

I wouldn’t be too surprised to see Cody possibly on the field this fall. Meyer played as a true freshman last year and on film, it seems that Cody has a stronger leg then any of the 4 kickers we brought in last year.

Overall: (21)

Grade: B+

This class is not really a “sexy” class like last years was but I have a feeling these kids will be every bit as good. Wilson, Thomas, Clark, Coles, and Williams all have the potential to be some of the best VT has ever had. Plus add kids like Hopper, Miller, Peak, Gregory, Exum, Rhodes, Wang, Gayle, Collins and the Edwards twins and you have a very solid class from top to bottom.

As a Hokie fan, you have to be excited about the future of Virginia Tech football. We’ve now brought in two great classes and 2010 is already shaping up to be another great haul of talent.

The future is bright Tech fans.

Virginia Tech Lands Big Time Athlete in Antone Exum

Justin Clark — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:49:33 -0500

The Hokies landed another versatile athlete for their 2009 recruiting class in Antone Exum out of Deep Run High School in Richmond, Virginia.

Playing as a quarterback the past few seasons, Antone has been able to gain a better grasp of that position and even hinted that he might play QB at Virginia Tech.

"It's not 100 percent that I won't be going in as a quarterback,” Exum said after his press conference last week. “They view me as a lot like Tyrod Taylor, able to do things with my feet."

Running mainly a spread offense at Deep Run, Exum as able to account for over 2,200 yards of total offense and 30 touchdowns in his senior season.

It's no secret that if the quarterback option doesn’t work out next fall, Coach Gray would love to have him as a boundary cornerback, but with Hopper and Williams already in the fold and with Jayron Hosley still being a possibility, Exum may get his wish and be able to stay at quarterback long term.

On film, Antone shows very good athletic ability and good vision, but his overall arm strength and accuracy seem to be a bit of a concern. Also, since he is just six-foot or maybe a tad shorter, his height may also be a bit of a concern.

Either way, offense or defense, the Hokies found themselves a superb athlete in Deep Run's star quarterback Antone Exum.

(Picture supplied by Rivals.com)

Virginia Tech: Reasons for the Struggling Hokie Offense

Justin Clark — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:06:52 -0500

It's quite obvious that the Virginia Tech offense has taken a large step back this season but after sifting through certain plays from this season and last season, I have come to one realization: Our offense has multiple problems but really, its not as bad as it seems.

Obviously to have an offense ranked in the bottom 20 in Division I, things are not going your way. But we have had some offensive success over the last couple of seasons, so its not like we're incapable of moving the ball.

I don't really know how to break this down so I'm going to start with what I think is the biggest factor and work my way down.

Recruiting

Normally, any problems you have in college football now days can be traced back to your recruiting success within the last five years. I think the same can be said for Virginia Tech in this case.

If you look at our offense right now you will see a mixture of projects, solid prospects, and high school All Americans.

The only highly recruited players currently in the two-deep on offense for VT is Tyrod Taylor, Darren Evans, and Dyrell Roberts. Notice anything familiar about these guys…they're all in their first or second year on campus.

Back after the 2005 season, the Hokies brought in three new coaches to fill the void that was left after Coach Ball, Coach Rogers, and Coach Pearman, who all left for new jobs.

Ever since this move to bring in Coach Gray, Coach Sherman, and Coach O'Cain, the Hokies recruiting has taken off and honestly has moved up a level. Tech had horrible misses in the 2005 and 2006 classes, which does play a hand in this situation.

The Hokies 2005 recruiting class was thought to be one of the best ever to enter the program however, that was far from the truth. Tech brought in eight offensive linemen (two were technically tight ends in Wang and Graham) in this class, but only three have ever started a game (Render, Wang, Graham).

Antonio North, Hivera Green, Brandon Holland, Robert Norris, and Eric Davis never panned out because of different individual reasons.

Also in this 2005 class, we brought in three very good running backs including, one that scouts everywhere raved about. Elan Lewis was going to be the next big thing but then he tore his ACL and was never the same after that injury.

Tech also brought in a top-notch wide receiver in Todd Nolen, who had to go to a Junior College in order to get into Virginia Tech. He was never able to make it to Blacksburg.

So in the class of 2005, the Hokies signed 15 offense prospects but only five ever went on to start in a game (Render, Graham, Wang, Boone, and Wheeler)

The 2006 class (players would be either sophomores or juniors this season) was just as bad if not worse as the previous class, as far as attrition is concerned. The Hokies signed 10 offensive players in this class but only 3 players have ever started a game (Kenny Lewis, Beau Warren, Andre Smith).

In 2006, the Hokies also whiffed on a couple big offensive line prospects in Clark Crum and Aaron Brown. Both players were heavily recruited, but they never panned out.

Also in 2006, the Hokies missed out on a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball. Running backs LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh), Knowshon Moreno (UGA), Evan Royster (Penn State), and Brandon Minor (Michigan) all had Tech in their top 2 or 3 but yet still committed elsewhere.

Wide receivers Percy Harvin (UF), Damon McDaniel (FSU and now Norfolk State), Jacoby Ford (Clemson), Ras-I Dowling (UVA), and Chris Bell (Penn State) all had Tech near the top of their list as well but committed elsewhere.

So as you can see in the 2005 and 2006 class, the coaches whiffed on a lot of superior offensive talent that would definitely have helped our offense this season. However, is that why we're struggling right now?… No.

But as you can see if some of these guys actually lived up to their billing or if we got some of the guys that went elsewhere, then these past few seasons might have gone a bit differently.

Youth

The Hokies offense was expected to be inexperienced this season but with Glennon returning for his senior year, expectations were still relatively high for this bunch.

However, heading into the ECU game, the Hokies had lost their top six wide receivers, best offensive tackle, and a two-year starter at running back.

The only wide receiver we had on the roster that's played a snap the previous season was Ike Whitaker who eventually was kicked off the team for missing another team meeting. So with the offense's only true playmaker redshirting (Tyrod Taylor), the very inexperienced offense took the field and eventually lost against ECU.

So just how young are the Hokies? The only seniors in the 2 deep on offense are Ryan Shuman, Sean Glennon, and Nick Marshman. The only juniors we have in our two-deep are Kenny Lewis (currently injured), Sergio Render, Richard Graham, Greg Boone, and Ed Wang.

After reading the past two paragraphs, what you're wondering is that with so many upperclassmen on our offensive line, why is our line still struggling so much?

I think the answer to that is fairly simple. We have some great kids on our line but if you look at these kids primarily from a talent standpoint, I'm not so sure they would match up with most of the other offensive lines from other big name programs from across the country.

Wang is a converted tight end that has gone from tight end to right tackle to left tackle in four years. Marshman and Shuman were not very highly recruited and they are nowhere near being listed near the top as far as offensive lineman go but they've done well so far this year.

Render has been one of best guards in the country this year but even he has broken down some on a few plays this season. Then Dechristopher has seemed to hit the freshman wall this season and has played horribly over the last few weeks.

So even though Coach Newsome is working hard to correct the play of the offensive line, it's going to take a few years to cycle in his players and get this line back to the shape it was in the mid-1990's.

With so many freshmen and sophomores in the two deep, you should expect the offense to struggle some. That was easily the case this year and sadly as young as Tech was, they fared a lot better then the teams that were in similar position as far as youth went this year.

Miami and Georgia Tech were the only two teams in the country that were younger than Virginia Tech, and both finished behind the Hokies in the Coastal Division.

Coaching

Frank Beamer came out and said that after the win against UVA that he thought his staff did the best coaching job in his tenure here at Virginia Tech. The truth is, he's right.

Tech was by far one of the youngest teams in the nation this year and still managed to earn a spot in the championship game in their conference. The only two teams younger, as mentioned above, finished behind Tech in the conference.

The fact is, as frustrated as most Tech fans were this season, this team actually did a damn good job at finishing the regular season with eight wins. Tech also still has a shot at a fifth straight 10-win season if they can win their final two games.

The Hokies managed to win every home game this season as well and won on the road at UNC and at Nebraska. That's fairly impressive for a team that was forced to start three true freshmen and a redshirt freshman at wide receiver this season.

Ok, I digressed a bit but getting back to the coaching evaluation, I truly thought that overall the coaches did a good job this season.

Is the offense where it needs to be, no. Could the coaching be a lot better… it always could.

I'm fairly certain that Texas fans and Oklahoma fans still have coaches on their staff who coach in a way that they don't quite agree with.

But, having an eight-win season with one of the youngest teams in the country is quite amazing and actually really exciting. Imagine what this team should be like in two years when all these young guys are upperclassmen… Yikes!

Conference

The Atlantic Coast Conference was probably one of the toughest conferences this year and quite possibly the third-best conference this year behind the Big 12 and the SEC. The league this year was especially tough defensively. Let's take a look at some stats that support this:

The highest ranked offenses this year in conference were Georgia Tech (46th), Florida State (55th), and Maryland (76th). The rest of the offenses are ranked in the bottom 40 nationally: Clemson (82nd), Miami (88th), NC State (89th), Boston College (94th), North Carolina (96th), Duke (101st), Virginia Tech (103rd), Wake Forest (104th), and Virginia (106th).

However, when you look at the defense statistics, its pretty clear that the ACC may have been the best defensive conference in the nation this year.

The top three defenses in the ACC this year were Virginia Tech (6th), Boston College (8th), and Florida State (13th). Notice anything about those three teams? They were the only three teams that were still able to make the trip to Tampa Bay up until last night. Defense wins championships, folks… that will forever remain a truth in college football.

The remaining total defense ranks were as fallows: Clemson (16th), Wake Forest (19th), Georgia Tech (22nd), Miami (24th), UVA (45th), Maryland (60th), Duke (61st), UNC (62nd), and NC State (81st).

Just for comparison the highest-ranked Big 12 team is ranked 50th and that team is Texas. Anybody still think that the Big 12 has superior offenses? No, they have a bunch or good offenses that go against horrible defenses.

If you put Virginia Tech in the Big 12, they would probably average 10 to 15 more points a game and another 100 to 150 yards per game.

Conclusion

This year has truly been a roller coaster ride, but looking back on this season, we've actually had a very good year. An 8-4 record, in a tough ACC conference, is nothing to frown on. The Hokies have another shot at an ACC Championship, which would be their third in just five years in the conference.

This would also be their fourth appearance in the championship game in five years in the conference (I'm including the 2004 Miami game in here as well since that was technically a championship game…If Miami won that game they would have been ACC Champions).

So what you all are probably wondering is the offense as bad as it looks or what? From what I can gather, our offense is not where it needs to be. Whether its coaching, recruiting, or whatever the actually reason is it needs to be fixed.

However, we don't need a Texas Tech offense in order to win a National Championship. We honestly don't even need a top 50 offense to win a championship. We just need an offense that doesn't turn the ball over and can score in must-score situations, and we'll be fine.

Right now, the Hokies are on the right path. We played one of our toughest schedules in the last decade or so, with by far the youngest team we've ever, had and we're still probably the favorite to win yet another ACC title. You can't ask for much more than that.

Virginia Tech is on the right track… just sit back and enjoy the ride, Hokie fans.

Virginia Tech Football: Wide Receiver Suspended Indefinitely

Justin Clark — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:25:34 -0400

This morning, Coach Beamer announced that sophomore wide receiver Zach Luckett is “suspended indefinitely” after being arrested for a DUI.

Luckett has had some problems in the past with his attitude and his demeanor on and off the field, however, he appeared to turn the corner this spring.

Coming into the 2008 season, Luckett was the only receiver with any college experience —so many of the younger guys clearly looked up to him. In interviews, it seemed that Zach realized his role on the team and was ready to become a mature team leader this coming season.

Now because of this DUI arrest, he will be lucky to remain on the team. Hopefully Zach can get himself together, grow up some, and return to the team sometime this season.

This is a serious blow to a wide receiver corps that just became more inexperienced—if that’s even possible.

Look for junior Ike Whitaker and freshmen Danny Coale, Dyrell Roberts, Xavier Boyce, and Jarrett Boykin to be the top five wide receivers when the Hokies take the field against the Pirates on Aug. 30.

Virginia Tech: Running Back Preview

Justin Clark — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:26:46 -0400

After the Brandon Ore fiasco this past offseason, the Hokies are left with a plethora of running backs that could potentially be the starter come August 30.

Junior Kenny Lewis and Junior Jahre Cheeseman appeared to be the favorites to win the starting job until both players suffered serious injuries on back-to-back days in spring practice. Lewis suffered a shoulder injury that has kept him out for the last four months and Cheeseman suffered a fractured fibula that required six weeks to heal.

For the last two weeks of spring practice, Tech just had two scholarship players left on the roster. Freshmen Darren Evans and Josh Oglesby carried the load along with walk-on Dustin Pickle for the remaining practice sessions.

Also coming into the mix is true freshman Ryan Williams from Manassas, Virginia. Williams was very highly recruited out of high school and was listed as one of the top five running backs in the nation by most recruiting sites for the class of 2008.

Now, with the first fall practice only a day away, all of Virginia Tech’s running backs are healthy for the first time in over four months.

With Cheeseman back to 100 percent and Lewis being able to participate in contact drills, Coach Hite will have five capable running backs to choose from when practice begins on Monday August 4.

2008 Outlook:

Coach Beamer publically stated that he wanted this Virginia Tech offense to return their roots this season and bring back the power running game that was very effective back in the late 1990s.

That bodes well for Evans, Williams, and Cheeseman as they are more of the between the tackles style of runner. Lewis is more of the scat back that will try to bounce anything and everything to the outside when he has the chance.

If one running back doesn’t emerge as the clear-cut starter, then Coach Billy Hite may use a running back by committee approach until a full time starter does emerge.

That could cause some problems for opposing defenses if you have to try and game plan for four different types of running backs.

Either way, the Hokies should be more than fine at tailback this year and in the future.

My Thoughts:

I personally think a combination of Jahre Cheeseman, Darren Evans, and Ryan Williams would be very hard for a defense to contain. Therefore, I’m personally for a running back by committee setup this season just because Tech has so much talent at that one position.

Let each player go in there and show what he can do. Hopefully, by the fifth or sixth game, one player has shown the ability to become the sole starter for the Hokies. If not, then in each game keep rotating different running backs in and out until the defense is too tired to stop them.

Virginia Tech Football's Top-Five Freshmen To Watch This Fall

Justin Clark — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:57:12 -0400

Virginia Tech will be forced to play a lot of young players this fall due to the exodus of eight NFL draft picks from the 2007 senior class. That means there are a lot of new names and faces that will be on the field for the Hokies this fall.

Here is a look at the five freshmen players to keep in eye on this year.

5. Linebacker Quillie Odom

Quillie was the first player to give their verbal commitment to the coaches of Virginia Tech for the 2007 recruiting class. Since then, he has gone from somebody most Tech fans have never heard of to the next Xavier Adibi.

Odom had to spend a year at a prep school called Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, VA, but he is now fully enrolled in classes at Virginia Tech. Quillie will spend this year backing up starting LB Purnell Sturdivant, in hopes to earn the starting spot in 2009.

4. Running Back Ryan Williams

Ryan Williams was regarded as one of the top, if not the top, running backs in the nation for the class of 2008. Ryan comes into this season hoping that he can find some playing time at tailback, but that may not be easy, with an already crowded backfield, thanks to the departure of Brandon Ore.

Williams ran for over 1,500 yards in his junior year of high school and rushed for 650 while battling an ankle sprain in his senior year.

3. Wide Receiver Dyrell Roberts

The Hokies aren’t known for developing talent at wide receiver, but Tech has put five wide receivers in the NFL in the last two seasons. Obviously, that is the dream of Dyrell Roberts, who figures to be the Hokies' deep threat at wide receiver this year.

With Brandon Dillard out of the year with a ruptured Achilles, Dyrell and a few other freshman wideouts will be called upon to fill the void. According to a few state of Virginia recruiting sites, Roberts was ranked as the top player in the state of Virginia in the class of 2008.

2. Running Back Darren Evans

Not too many players can say that they’ve scored 61 touchdowns...even less can say that they’ve done it in one season. Evans accomplished that feat in his senior year of high school, as he led his team to a fourth-straight state championship.

The starting running-back job is completely up for grabs after juniors Kenny Lewis and Jahre Cheeseman missed time in the spring with injuries.

Evans received the most reps after both of those players went down and showed everybody that he could be a leader on this team. Mr. Evans may very well earn the starting job if he continues to play well once fall practices starts up.

1. Offensive Tackle Blake DeChristopher

Blake has all the tools necessary to become a future first-round pick in the NFL. He easily wrapped up the starting job at right tackle during the spring and held the Hokies best defensive end Jason Worilds in check in the spring game this past April.

As bad as Virginia Tech’s offensive line has been the last few years, I would expect it to take a big leap forward this fall, thanks in a large part to the emergence of DeChristopher at the right-tackle position.

Virginia Tech: Quarterback Preview

Justin Clark — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:32:49 -0400

Ever since the departure of Bryan Randall after the 2004 season, the Hokies have had numerous question marks at the quarterback position.

This year will be no different, as questions regarding who’s going to be the starting QB for the Hokies this fall still remain.

Senior Sean Glennon is back after a great second half of the 2007 season. Also, sophomore Tyrod Taylor returns after starting five games in his true freshman year.

So I guess Ill go ahead and ask the question… Who is going to be Tech’s starting QB when the team takes the field against the East Carolina Pirates on August 30th?

Well first, let's take a look at how each quarterback fared last season.

Sean Glennon:
143/235 – 60.9 percent
1796 yards
12 Touchdowns
5 Interceptions

Tyrod Taylor
72/134 – 53.4 percent
927 yards
5 Touchdowns
3 Interceptions
429 yards rushing and 6 Touchdowns

Glennon really struggled the first two weeks of last season. He led the Hokie offense to a total of 10 points in over five quarters of play before he was pulled for a more mobile Tyrod Taylor during the second quarter of a LSU thrashing.

For the next four weeks, the more mobile Taylor started and led Tech to a 4-0 record until he was injured during the Duke game down in Raleigh. Glennon then took over and led the Tech offense to over 400 yards of total offense in that game.

After the Duke game, the coaches implemented a dual quarterback system, which lasted the rest of the season. That system worked very well at times, although both players have said publicly this offseason that they would rather have one player leading the team and the other playing a normal backup role.

2008 Outlook:

As spring practice came to a close, Tyrod and Sean were still listed as 1a and 1b on the official Virginia Tech depth chart. So even after an impressive performance in the spring game, Glennon still wasn’t able to separate himself enough to be named Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback.

The coaches will have a tough decision to make, as they will have to monitor closely the performance of both players each day in practice this August. With such a young wide receiver corps, would it be better to have a senior quarterback tossing them the ball or would it be better to have a game changer at quarterback who can make plays with his feet when nobody gets open?

These are just some of the questions that remain as Tech opens its fall practice on Monday.

My Thoughts:

With sophomore Zach Luckett being Tech’s most experienced returning wide receiver with three career catches; it’s quite obvious that the passing game will not be the focal point of this Virginia Tech offense.

Therefore, the Hokies don’t need a dropback passer that’s going to struggle due to a mediocre offensive line and a gaggle of inexperienced receivers.

Taylor should be the starting quarterback, just because he gives the coaches more options with play calling and he gives opposing defensive coordinators more things to lose sleep over.

When Tyrod enrolled at Virginia Tech a year ago, he was immediately regarded as the future of the program. Well, that future is now for the Hokies.

Let Tyrod and this young offensive squad take their lumps this year and then let them loose in 2009 when Tech should be able to once again challenge for a National Championship.