What Does David Wilson's Departure Do to VT Offense?

David Wilson’s public announcement on Friday didn’t come as a surprise to many. He decided to make a lifelong dream come true by entering the NFL. It could be argued that the running back could have gained more by staying for his senior season in Blacksburg, but he would have been gambling on his future.

The lifespan of an NFL running back is a short one. One that can be derailed quickly by injury or slowly by constant hits on a player. Had Wilson stayed, he could have moved himself into position to a first round lock, but as of now he is either a late first or early second round pick.

Wilson believes that he can become a first round draft pick with a good performance in the combine. He is correct in this belief. He is fast, powerful and athletic. All of those things will be on full display in the combine. The entirety of the Hokie Nation is proud of Wilson’s accomplishments and wishes him well in the NFL.

But, where does his departure leave the Hokies” offense?

The simple answer is that Wilson’s departure will do a lot of damage to the offense. While Logan Thomas had a great first year as a starting quarterback, it is hard to argue with the fact that Wilson was what made the offense go.

Wilson ran for 1,709 yards (a Virginia Tech record) and nine touchdowns. Those will be hard to replace. Chances are that the job of filling Wilson’s shoes will go to either Tony Gregory or incoming freshman J.C. Coleman. Gregory didn’t do anything spectacular in 2011, and as for Coleman, it is hard to determine how good an incoming freshman will be in his first season.

The problem of replacing Wilson in the running game has been well documented, but his effect on the passing game has gone overlooked. Wilson wasn’t a huge threat in the passing game when it came to receptions or yardage, but his presence on the field did a lot for Logan Thomas.

Thomas had an excellent season, he passed for over 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns, but some of that credit needs to fall at Wilson’s feet. David Wilson was the biggest distraction for opposing defenses. Every time the ball was snapped there were 11 defenders that had to account for Wilson’s presence.

Cornerbacks covering receivers had to split their attention between the man they were covering and making sure that Wilson didn’t get to the second level. That part of Wilson’s game cannot go undervalued. This could lead to blown coverages and open receivers for Thomas to throw to.

This will no longer be the case in 2012. Thomas will become the sole focus of opposing defenses. Thomas will improve and make better decisions in 2012 but that doesn’t necessarily translate to stats or wins for that matter. If all focus is on Thomas and the passing game then it is a must that a solid running back appears for the Hokies.

The one thing the Virginia Tech can’t do is become a one dimensional offense. A lack of a running game will cause a lot of trouble with passing the ball and vice versa. Thomas can run the ball, but he can’t be the sole playmaker in this offense, if it is to be successful.

David Wilson’s departure will hurt the Hokies offense a lot more than just rushing yards. It is imperative that Virginia Tech finds a serviceable running game in 2012.