After a bit of a drought, the coaches finally landed another piece to this 2011 puzzle. Dewayne Alford was an unknown until he decided to camp in Blacksburg a few weeks ago at the Hokies 2nd summer camp. However, after a good performance on the day, the coaches decided to offer the young man out of Suffolk, Virginia. With a Virginia Tech offer in hand, it didn’t take Alford long until he decided that Blacksburg was the place for him, calling the coaches Monday night and pledging to Virginia Tech.
Read more Here. (VTF.com)
Tuesday, July 20
Wednesday, July 14
Monday, July 12
Recruiting Update: Hitting the Home Stretch
UNC did the most damage landing both Landon Turner and Marquise Williams. UVA was also able to sneak in and grab quarterback David Watford as well. While the two quarterbacks were expected to commit elsewhere, most Tech fans held out hope that Landon Turner would spurn the recent rumors and pick Virginia Tech. However, due to family issues, he chose the school that he felt was right for him. All you can do is wish the kid luck and turn to the next recruit on the board.
Read the rest of this article Here. (VTF.com)
Friday, July 9
Ranking the ACC: No. 6 Clemson Tigers
Last season, Clemson stunned most of the pre-season prognosticators by winning the Atlantic and scheduling a rematch with Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship game. This year, the Tigers will look to repeat as Atlantic Division winners and take the school to their first ever BCS bowl. However, before that happens, 2nd year coach Dabo Swinney has some work to do with only five starters returning on offense and seven on defense. Not to mention his quarterback is still undecided on whether or not he’s returning to school this fall.
Kyle Parker was drafted in the first round by the Colorado Rockies and is looking at a multi-million dollar contract if he leaves. If that does happen, then the Tigers would have to rely on freshman Tajh Boyd as the team’s signal caller this fall. Boyd struggled some this past spring but the coaches seem confident enough to hand him the reigns if Parker does leave.
Read the rest of this article Here. (VTF.com)
Wednesday, July 7
Ranking the ACC: No. 7 Miami Hurricanes
So why are they seventh on this list? Miami’s schedule is absolutely brutal this year. Although nine wins isn’t enough for a rabid Miami fanbase, if this team can bring home nine wins again this year, it really will be a good season for Shannon’s Canes.
Read the rest of this article Here.(VTF.com)
Thursday, July 1
Ranking the ACC: No. 8 NC State Wolfpack
NC State only returns four starters on defense and seven on offense, so expect this to be a bit of a rebuilding year on the defensive side of the ball. The Pack will also have to find a new running back since Toney Baker decided not to pursue a granted extra year of eligibility. However, with Nate Irving returning at middle linebacker for the Pack, it may help the defense recover from losing most of its front seven.
Read the rest Here.(VTF.com)
Thursday, June 24
Locker Rooms Closing in on Completion
The new Virginia Tech locker rooms were supposed to be done by August of this year, but it appears that the construction may last into the upcoming season. However, the building is now under roof and is looking quite amazing if I do say so myself. Below is an attached picture gallery that shows the progress that has been made over the past 2 years.
Im a little upset that VT didn't release any rendered sketches like they did with the new Press box back in 2006 but needless to say, the "real" pictures show enough. The new locker rooms will boast the a players lounge as well as some administrative offices for the football coaching staff. I doubt this will beat out what Oregon has but this addition to our already top notch football facilities can't hurt things on the recruiting trail either.
At close to 42,000 square feet, this monument to Virginia Tech football will be a beauty when she's finished.
New Virginia Tech Locker Room Picture Gallery
Wednesday, June 23
Matt Roth Commits to Virginia Tech
The Hokies don’t normally recruit the state of Florida that much unless a recruit pops up at a pipeline school like Atlantic High School. However, after viewing Matt Roth’s highlight film a few months ago, the Tech coaching staff immediately offered the Nease High School prospect. Roth visited Virginia Tech a couple weeks back and today, he called the coaches and told them he was ready to commit.
Roth made it no secret that he was a big fan of the Florida Gators in the early going but with Florida having numerous targets above him at defensive end, an offer was not likely going to come for Roth. After swinging up the coast for a few unofficial visits, Roth finally found him a home in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Read the rest of this blog Here. (VTF.com)
Tuesday, June 22
Corey Marshall Commits to VT
I will admit, it was a suspenseful selection show but in the end, Corey Marshall selected the Virginia Tech hat and all was right in the Universe. Marshall had a final five of Tennessee, West Virginia, UVA, Michigan, and Virginia Tech but eliminated all but UVA and VT. At the end of the Washington Post Live show on Comcast Sports Net, Marshall decided to don the white Virginia Tech hat.
Marshall is a four star defensive end as rated by Rivals and will join his teammate, Chris Hall, in Blacksburg next year. The Dinwiddie product recorded over 110 total tackles last season including 21 for loss and seven sacks. Marshall was even better in his sophomore season when he racked up 122 total tackles with 17 for loss and 11 sacks. Needless to say, he is a phenomenal defensive end and a phenomenal pickup for our Virginia Tech Hokies.
Read the rest of this story Here.
Tyrone Garland Qualifies
Garland is a pure point guard and should help provide the Hokies with some excellent depth this coming season. I doubt Garland sees a whole lot of minutes, depending on how much Erick Green improves but he'll get his chance to play early on.
Monday, June 21
Duke:
The Blue Devils picked up a pair of commits today from Ohio OL Matt Skura and LB David Helton. Skura seems likes a bit of a project on the OL, his clips from the Army one-on-one thing aren't very reassuring. He's going to be a center for Duke so maybe that will help. Helton is a talented linebacker and one we pursued for a bit, so I think Duke got a solid pickup there.
FSU:
The Noles picked up a QB commitment today from Jacob Coker. He is an unrated and unranked QB out of Alabama and held offers from Duke, South Alabama, and Arkansas State before receiving an FSU offer. He performed at their camp last week so obviously Jimbo must have saw something to offer him. The Noles also got a commitment from a 4 star wide receiver Rashad Greene on the 17th. He is listed at 175 in the Rivals 250. Good pickup although he's very slight in build.
Georgia Tech:
The Jackets picked up a commitment from 3 star DB Darren Waller. His measurables are impressive as he's listed at 6'5", 205 pounds while running a 4.4. Sounds like he may be more linebacker in the future but he is going to start out at safety.
Miami:
The Canes landed 4 star Phillip Dorsett on Saturday. Dorsett is a speedy yet small wide receiver with a pretty impressive highlight film though.
NC State:
The Wolfpack are off to a pretty slow start this year as they sit on just three commits. One of which they received on Friday when 2 star RB Anthony Knight committed to them. Knight could be either a linebacker, RB, or WR for the Wolfpack but it appears for now, he'll enter as a 6'1", 225 pound running back when he enrolls.
Virginia:
The Hoos picked up a commitment from Kevin Green on Sunday. Green is a solid athlete who I'm guessing has a future at WR or DB.
The Blue Devils picked up a pair of commits today from Ohio OL Matt Skura and LB David Helton. Skura seems likes a bit of a project on the OL, his clips from the Army one-on-one thing aren't very reassuring. He's going to be a center for Duke so maybe that will help. Helton is a talented linebacker and one we pursued for a bit, so I think Duke got a solid pickup there.
FSU:
The Noles picked up a QB commitment today from Jacob Coker. He is an unrated and unranked QB out of Alabama and held offers from Duke, South Alabama, and Arkansas State before receiving an FSU offer. He performed at their camp last week so obviously Jimbo must have saw something to offer him. The Noles also got a commitment from a 4 star wide receiver Rashad Greene on the 17th. He is listed at 175 in the Rivals 250. Good pickup although he's very slight in build.
Georgia Tech:
The Jackets picked up a commitment from 3 star DB Darren Waller. His measurables are impressive as he's listed at 6'5", 205 pounds while running a 4.4. Sounds like he may be more linebacker in the future but he is going to start out at safety.
Miami:
The Canes landed 4 star Phillip Dorsett on Saturday. Dorsett is a speedy yet small wide receiver with a pretty impressive highlight film though.
NC State:
The Wolfpack are off to a pretty slow start this year as they sit on just three commits. One of which they received on Friday when 2 star RB Anthony Knight committed to them. Knight could be either a linebacker, RB, or WR for the Wolfpack but it appears for now, he'll enter as a 6'1", 225 pound running back when he enrolls.
Virginia:
The Hoos picked up a commitment from Kevin Green on Sunday. Green is a solid athlete who I'm guessing has a future at WR or DB.
Saturday, June 19
More Commits Coming Soon
The June and July months are normally the more relaxing months of the year for the Virginia Tech coaching staff. During this time, many of the coaches decide to take family vacations, spend weekdays out on the golf course, and sometimes even get married (Congrats to Torrian Gray on tying the knot last weekend). However, the June and July months are also some of the busiest recruiting months out of the year. The Hokies hold their two summer camps during these months and will host numerous OOS and In-state recruits looking to see the campus for the very first time.
If you look at the last three recruiting classes, you will notice just how important these months are to the livelihood of each class. In 2010, the Hokies received 10 verbals in these two months, exactly half of the class verballed in either June or July. In 2009, Tech received another 10 verbals within these 61 days, almost 45% of that class. In 2008, that number jumps up to 11, although percentage-wise it was only about 35%.
Still, these two months normally help build about 40% of every Virginia Tech recruiting class. So with numerous prospects left wanting to decide before their senior year, you should be able to give an estimate on how this class is going to look by the end of July. Below we will look at some of the prospects that could decide within the next few weeks.
Corey Marshall - Defensive Tackle - Dinwiddie High School
Corey Marshall has been a coveted defensive lineman for the Hokies since last season, when he received a verbal offer long before official offers could be mailed. However, Marshall decided to play the field a little bit and take visits to all of the Universities and Colleges that offered him. The four star defensive tackle will decide before the end of June and as long as he doesn't pull a shocker, he'll likely commit to Virginia Tech. Marshall grew up a Tech fan and now that his teammate (Chris Hall) has a VT offer, I would be shocked if both committed elsewhere.
Chris Hall - Tight End - Dinwiddie High School
Chris Hall earned a greyshirt offer at the Hokies June summer camp and it appears that he is Blacksburg bound sooner rather than later. Hall stated that he wanted to wait a bit after receiving his offer before committing, stating that he wanted to talk it over with his family but odds are he'll commit before the end of the month. If Marshall chooses VT this week sometime, I wouldn't be surprised if Hall turned around and gave his commitment a few days later.
Marquise Williams - Quarterback - Mallard Creek High School
Williams is a talented, yet raw quarterback out of the Charlotte area thats been an interesting story to follow. He grew up a Miami fan and was dead set on going to Miami if they offered him a scholarship. However, the Canes had a few other QB's higher on their list and eventually Williams saw the writing on the wall. The Hokies were one of the first schools to offer him and wow him with a visit when he saw the Hokies dismantle his Canes in Lane Stadium last season. At that time, I would have bet on him becoming a Hokie. After a few months and few more visits it appears that UNC has stuck their hat in this race and may have even taken the lead. UNC has a young freshman QB in Bryn Renner and they already have one three star QB in the 2011 class, which is concerning but it appears that Williams isn't worried about playing time. Honestly, this race is too close to call but most UNC fans feel confident about this so I'm guessing Williams is headed to Baby Blueville.
Kiaro Holts - Offensive Tackle - Warren Central High School
I'm starting to really hate North Carolina, seeing as they tend to offer and now contend with us for a large amount of our recruits. It also doesn't help that they beat us, on Thursday night, in Lane Stadium last season. Also, they sell a lot of their players on their basketball tradition, blindly forgetting that they've been irrelevant in college football for the last 20 years. Holts has never been a Tech lean but I do think for a while he liked the Hokies. At least that was until he visited Florida and UNC. If I had to guess, Baby Blue would win this one as well. Grrr.
Friday, June 18
Adeboye Aromire Commits to Virginia Tech
The ball has officially started rolling on this 2011 Virginia Tech recruiting class as Adeboye Aromire, cornerback out of D.C, has verbally committed to the Hokies. Aromire is Ricardo Young’s former teammate at H.D. Woodson high school and is the fourth player to commit to Tech from HDW since 2002 (Aromire, Young, Theodore Miller, and Roland Minor).
Aromire held six offers and chose Virginia Tech over close competition with UNC and Maryland. The stud cornerback plans on enrolling early in January of 2011 for the spring session, which will allow him to take part in spring practice.
Read the rest of this story Here. (VTF.com)
Wednesday, June 16
Christian Reeves Commits to Virginia Tech
After visiting NC State last week, the McDonough native decided to end his recruitment and commit to Coach Frank Beamer and Coach Torrian Gray. With little to no depth returning next season at tight end, Reeves should have a good shot at putting his name in the hat early on in Blacksburg.
Read the rest of this article Here.
Tuesday, June 15
VTF.com Updates
I've posted a couple new articles on VTF and thought I would link them here.
Countdown to Signing Day: Tech Looks to Ink 2 More QB's
Ranking the ACC: No. 10 Wake Forest
Recruiting Update: A Look at the Positional Needs for the 2011 Class
Ranking the ACC: No. 11 Maryland
Coming up I'll preview the no. 9 team in the ACC, the Duke Blue Devils. That article should be up on Tuesday night. After that I will work on the next part of my "Countdown to Signing Day" series.
Thanks!
GO HOKIES!!
Countdown to Signing Day: Tech Looks to Ink 2 More QB's
Ranking the ACC: No. 10 Wake Forest
Recruiting Update: A Look at the Positional Needs for the 2011 Class
Ranking the ACC: No. 11 Maryland
Coming up I'll preview the no. 9 team in the ACC, the Duke Blue Devils. That article should be up on Tuesday night. After that I will work on the next part of my "Countdown to Signing Day" series.
Thanks!
GO HOKIES!!
Friday, April 30
Ranking the ACC: No. 12 Virginia Cavaliers
Here is the link to my first article in this 12-part series
Enjoy
Ranking the ACC: No. 12 Virginia Cavaliers - VTF
Enjoy
Ranking the ACC: No. 12 Virginia Cavaliers - VTF
Wednesday, April 28
Ranking The ACC: Football Edition
Over the next 11 weeks I'm going to be writing a series of article, detailing some of the major storylines for the other 11 teams in the ACC. I'm going to reveal it by my projected rankings of how each team in the ACC will fare this year. Starting with the last place team and working my way through the first.
Tomorrow my article on the 12th ranked UVA Cavaliers will debut on VTF (www.virginiatechfan.com). Obviously, some are going to take a shot at me for making VT's main rival the last place team in the ACC but logically it fits. UVA could have a good year this year but they have a talent deficiency and are honestly the 2nd least talented team in the conference behind Maryland.
I'll provide a like to the article over here when it's posted but since you guys stay true to this blog, I thought I would give you guys my projected ACC rankings.
12. UVA
11. Maryland
10. Wake Forest
9. Duke
8. NC State
7. Clemson
6. UNC
5. Miami
4. Boston College
3. Florida State
2. Georgia Tech
1. Virginia Tech
Tomorrow my article on the 12th ranked UVA Cavaliers will debut on VTF (www.virginiatechfan.com). Obviously, some are going to take a shot at me for making VT's main rival the last place team in the ACC but logically it fits. UVA could have a good year this year but they have a talent deficiency and are honestly the 2nd least talented team in the conference behind Maryland.
I'll provide a like to the article over here when it's posted but since you guys stay true to this blog, I thought I would give you guys my projected ACC rankings.
12. UVA
11. Maryland
10. Wake Forest
9. Duke
8. NC State
7. Clemson
6. UNC
5. Miami
4. Boston College
3. Florida State
2. Georgia Tech
1. Virginia Tech
Wednesday, April 21
Few Pre-Spring Game Notes
Here are a few things I've kept track of throughout the spring practice sessions.
* The Hokies entered the spring with a question mark as to who would be Tyrod's backup this season. Not only is this quarterback battle important to this season but it will lay the foundation to who his successor will be next year when Tyrod departs to the NFL. After Wednesday's scrimmage, it appears that Logan has flown by JuJu Clayton and should enter the fall as the number two QB. Now before I get ahead of myself, if Logan doesn't play well in the spring game and JuJu throws a couple TD passes then this thing could once again return to something that resembles the 2000 Presidential election.
* The word out of Blacksburg this spring is that the coaches are going to leave it up to David Wilson on whether or not he wants to redshirt this fall. This means that David Wilson is going to be on the field in some aspect. Perhaps you can use him as a slot receiver but at this point, I'm not going to jump to conclusions since Stinespring is still our offensive coordinator. But it appears with Evans still being a little tentative on his knee, the Hokies feel that they should get Wilson ready just encase he is needed this fall.
* The one player that has surprised me this spring is left tackle Nick Becton. The left tackle is a tough position to play whether your in high school, college, or in the NFL. However, Becton has really succeeded at the position and there shouldn't be much of a falloff from losing Wang at the end of last season. Our starting five on the offensive line is an impressive looking group and could be one of the best units in the ACC.
* Speaking of the Offensive line, I'm starting to get a little concerned about depth. Michael Via will miss at least four months due to minor ACL surgery and Painter is out for about the next month with a minor knee injury. Although both should be back for the season, missing reps during spring practice can hurt the chemistry along the line a bit. If the starters can stay relatively healthy this year, this won't be a glaring problem but the Hokies line is only about 10 deep at the max. Losing one or two could be troublesome especially since the Hokies toughest stretch of games is in the month of November.
* Eddie Whitley has become my new favorite player on this team. The Hokies have been lacking that true vocal leader that the defense rallies around since Vince Hall graduated but I have a feeling Whitley is going to become the heart and soul of this defense over the next two seasons. Also, I have a good feeling about Whitley actually being a better free safety than Chancellor last season. Kam was playing out of position, which hurt us a bit but that doesn't diminish the talent he has. Just wish he could have stayed at Rover where he would have been an absolute beast.
* The Backup defensive line concerns me a bit since a good portion of that line consists of underclassmen. Jake Johnson and James Gayle have played well at defensive end but neither one is at the point where they can be trusted during a game situation. Jake needs to bulk up a bit more (if that's even humanly possible) and Gayle just needs some more reps. The defensive tackles are ok with Hopkins and Tucker but Tucker has been largely inconsistent. Same with Joe Jones who has been battling Tucker for the 4th defensive tackle spot.
* The kicking game has been suspect but I expect senior Chris Hazley to win the job. He appears to be the most consistent at this point and Beamer likes going with seniors. I still believe that Justin Meyer will handle kickoffs.
* If Wilson doesn't redshirt, having Roberts and Wilson returning kicks with Hosely returning punts could be a deadly combo. I think David was just too young last year and struggled because of it but it appears he has found his comfort zone on kick-off returns and could take one or two back this season.
Other than the backup quarterback job I don't think the Spring game is going to answer any questions. I think summer preparation will show who really wants to win these starting spots or 2-deep spots that are up for grabs. However, the spring game will be the last chance for us Hokie fans to see the team we love until September 5th.
Go Hokies!!
Complete Overview of Spring Practice
I did the impossible and wrote my final two spring preview articles for VTF today, one of which has been posted and the other will be posted tomorrow.
Whether you've been following along or not, you can find the links to all the articles below.
Thanks for reading
Justin
QB Preview: Here
RB Preview:Here
WR Preview: Here
OL Preview: Here
TE Preview: Here
DL Preview: Here
LB Preview: Here
DB Preview:
Whether you've been following along or not, you can find the links to all the articles below.
Thanks for reading
Justin
QB Preview: Here
RB Preview:Here
WR Preview: Here
OL Preview: Here
TE Preview: Here
DL Preview: Here
LB Preview: Here
DB Preview:
Saturday, April 17
Saturday Scrimmage Thoughts
If it wasn't for the 35 mph gusts of wind, it would have been a beautiful day in Blacksburg.
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the scrimmage but the team is definitely coming together and our first string units are full of talent. Depth is a little shaky at this point but thats expected with so few seniors and so many Jr's and So's.
Quarterbacks:
Tyrod was his usual impressive self. His highlight reel play of the day came on a bad snap when he bolted to his right, grabbed the football, reversed field behind a few coaches and players and darted a strike to (I believe) Jarrett Boykin for a 15-20 yard gain. It was a thing of beauty.
JuJu Clayton struggled today and I honestly believe the wind was a big cause for that. A lot of his balls seemed to float a bit and its clear that he just doesn't have the arm strength that Logan and Tyrod have. He threw 3 interceptions and two of them we're just bad throws.
Logan Thomas didn't fare much better but the Brookville product showed off his wheels some, breaking off a few 10+ yard runs on the day. At this point, Thomas is our backup QB.
Running Backs:
No Williams or Wilson today. Darren Evans looked ok and he's definitely back to his usual self. The offensive line just didn't open a lot of holes for him today.
Tony Gregory looked good but the running game as a whole really struggled in this scrimmage.
Wide Receivers:
Danny Coale is our best pure wideout. He didn't drop one single pass today in warm-ups or in the scrimmage. He had two big catches in the scrimmage and led the way with I believe 81 yards today.
Boykin and Roberts are solid... nothing new here.
Marcus Davis still plays like he's afraid of contact. Dropped a couple easy catches and at this point I don't know what you want to do with him. He has all the talent in the world but plays like he's scarred to get hit.
Didn't notice anybody else but Patrick Terry got an earful from Coach Sherman at one point in today's practice.
TE's/Offensive Line
Eric Martin is going to be a dependable TE for us down the road. Doubt he can contribute much this season but he definitely has that "Jeff King" look to him.
Andre Smith will be an excellent TE this year if he catches the ball. That's my only concern with him right now.
Didn't notice Dunn or any of the others any.
The 1st string OL is solid from left to right. Nosal struggled but he had his shoulder examined by Mike Goforth during the scrimmage. Hopefully he is ok.
Our backups struggled but then again most of our 2nd string OL is missing due to injury.
Defensive line
1st string DL played well but Friday has yet to really turn it on from the rush end position. Losing Jason Worilds hurt and that could be the one piece that keeps us out of an MNC or a BCS bowl this year. Hopkins and Battle are going to be an excellent this fall. They both were very disruptive today.
Joe Jones impressed me a lot. He's skinny but he's quick and was in the backfield on a few different occasions.
Linebackers
Bruce Taylor has won the starting job at MIKE LB as long as Rivers remains sidelined with his injury. Even then I'm not sure Rivers will have enough time to get back to 100% before the beginning of the season. Taylor is showing why he was such a coveted prospect back in 2008.
Did pay attention to any of the WHIPs or Backers.
DBs
Eddie Whitley is going to have a BIG year this year. He's not the fastest, nor the biggest, but he may be the toughest. His diving interception today would have made Sportscenter's top 10 if this was a game.
Hosely had a great scrimmage and is going to be a rich, rich man one day. That is all.
Carmichael and Morgan conclude what is going to be the best defensive backfield in the ACC this fall.
Exum still has a ways to go mentally but physically he's ready to contribute.
Special Teams
Sucked. Ok that's a little unfair because the conditions we're terrible for kickers but each kicker missed a field goal, most of them wound up short.
Brian Saunders boomed about a 50+ yard punt at one point but Hosely caught it inside the five and if the whistle didn't blow, he would have taken it back for a touchdown.
Overall I liked what I saw. First string is solid and will just need some fine tuning in the fall camp period before the Boise game.
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the scrimmage but the team is definitely coming together and our first string units are full of talent. Depth is a little shaky at this point but thats expected with so few seniors and so many Jr's and So's.
Quarterbacks:
Tyrod was his usual impressive self. His highlight reel play of the day came on a bad snap when he bolted to his right, grabbed the football, reversed field behind a few coaches and players and darted a strike to (I believe) Jarrett Boykin for a 15-20 yard gain. It was a thing of beauty.
JuJu Clayton struggled today and I honestly believe the wind was a big cause for that. A lot of his balls seemed to float a bit and its clear that he just doesn't have the arm strength that Logan and Tyrod have. He threw 3 interceptions and two of them we're just bad throws.
Logan Thomas didn't fare much better but the Brookville product showed off his wheels some, breaking off a few 10+ yard runs on the day. At this point, Thomas is our backup QB.
Running Backs:
No Williams or Wilson today. Darren Evans looked ok and he's definitely back to his usual self. The offensive line just didn't open a lot of holes for him today.
Tony Gregory looked good but the running game as a whole really struggled in this scrimmage.
Wide Receivers:
Danny Coale is our best pure wideout. He didn't drop one single pass today in warm-ups or in the scrimmage. He had two big catches in the scrimmage and led the way with I believe 81 yards today.
Boykin and Roberts are solid... nothing new here.
Marcus Davis still plays like he's afraid of contact. Dropped a couple easy catches and at this point I don't know what you want to do with him. He has all the talent in the world but plays like he's scarred to get hit.
Didn't notice anybody else but Patrick Terry got an earful from Coach Sherman at one point in today's practice.
TE's/Offensive Line
Eric Martin is going to be a dependable TE for us down the road. Doubt he can contribute much this season but he definitely has that "Jeff King" look to him.
Andre Smith will be an excellent TE this year if he catches the ball. That's my only concern with him right now.
Didn't notice Dunn or any of the others any.
The 1st string OL is solid from left to right. Nosal struggled but he had his shoulder examined by Mike Goforth during the scrimmage. Hopefully he is ok.
Our backups struggled but then again most of our 2nd string OL is missing due to injury.
Defensive line
1st string DL played well but Friday has yet to really turn it on from the rush end position. Losing Jason Worilds hurt and that could be the one piece that keeps us out of an MNC or a BCS bowl this year. Hopkins and Battle are going to be an excellent this fall. They both were very disruptive today.
Joe Jones impressed me a lot. He's skinny but he's quick and was in the backfield on a few different occasions.
Linebackers
Bruce Taylor has won the starting job at MIKE LB as long as Rivers remains sidelined with his injury. Even then I'm not sure Rivers will have enough time to get back to 100% before the beginning of the season. Taylor is showing why he was such a coveted prospect back in 2008.
Did pay attention to any of the WHIPs or Backers.
DBs
Eddie Whitley is going to have a BIG year this year. He's not the fastest, nor the biggest, but he may be the toughest. His diving interception today would have made Sportscenter's top 10 if this was a game.
Hosely had a great scrimmage and is going to be a rich, rich man one day. That is all.
Carmichael and Morgan conclude what is going to be the best defensive backfield in the ACC this fall.
Exum still has a ways to go mentally but physically he's ready to contribute.
Special Teams
Sucked. Ok that's a little unfair because the conditions we're terrible for kickers but each kicker missed a field goal, most of them wound up short.
Brian Saunders boomed about a 50+ yard punt at one point but Hosely caught it inside the five and if the whistle didn't blow, he would have taken it back for a touchdown.
Overall I liked what I saw. First string is solid and will just need some fine tuning in the fall camp period before the Boise game.
Monday, April 12
Virginia Tech Spring Preview: A Look At The Offense
I'll provide a quick link over to all of my VTF spring football articles below but I wanted to jot a few things down about our offense and you can find that below. .
I wasn't able to attend last Saturday's scrimmage but I am going to try and attend the scrimmage this Saturday. The one review that I heard is that our offense was actually able to move the ball for the first time in a few years. Although we are going to be a little weaker than normal on defense this spring, I still believe that our offense is going to be a dynamic factor this fall.
I know Bryan Stinespring is not a well liked guy in Blacksburg but his limitations as a coordinator have come due to a lack of talented personnel. Last year, the Hokies had their type of quarterback, their type of running back, and a budding group of receivers for the first time since 2005. Tech managed to take a huge step forward by finishing in the top 50 in total offense for the first time since 2005.
This season I would expect that ranking to increase, maybe not by much but enough to alleviate some of the pressure off Stiney's back. This offense is probably the most complete package the Hokies have had since their National Title year in 1999. The Hokies offensive line is back to its late 90's caliber and the Hokies return starters at every other position on the field. They return their most electrifying player in Ryan Williams, they get a stronger and faster Darren Evans back from injury.
Although you won't see it much this spring, the Hokies should have a very formidable and potent offense this fall.
QB Preview: Here
RB Preview: Here
WR Preview: Here
OL Preview: TBA
TE Preview: TBA
I wasn't able to attend last Saturday's scrimmage but I am going to try and attend the scrimmage this Saturday. The one review that I heard is that our offense was actually able to move the ball for the first time in a few years. Although we are going to be a little weaker than normal on defense this spring, I still believe that our offense is going to be a dynamic factor this fall.
I know Bryan Stinespring is not a well liked guy in Blacksburg but his limitations as a coordinator have come due to a lack of talented personnel. Last year, the Hokies had their type of quarterback, their type of running back, and a budding group of receivers for the first time since 2005. Tech managed to take a huge step forward by finishing in the top 50 in total offense for the first time since 2005.
This season I would expect that ranking to increase, maybe not by much but enough to alleviate some of the pressure off Stiney's back. This offense is probably the most complete package the Hokies have had since their National Title year in 1999. The Hokies offensive line is back to its late 90's caliber and the Hokies return starters at every other position on the field. They return their most electrifying player in Ryan Williams, they get a stronger and faster Darren Evans back from injury.
Although you won't see it much this spring, the Hokies should have a very formidable and potent offense this fall.
QB Preview: Here
RB Preview: Here
WR Preview: Here
OL Preview: TBA
TE Preview: TBA
Wednesday, April 7
Kris Harley Commits to Virginia Tech
The Hokies landed Warren Central's Kris Harley yesterday. Harley is a potential 4 star defensive tackle that had offers from USC, Nebraska, Michigan, Oklahoma, and a lot more.
In the past, the Virginia Tech coaches have struggled to find highly touted defensive tackles and if you take the last two classes, the Hokies have landed Nick Acree and now Kris Harley. Combine that with Derrick Hopkins and the Hokies will have some serious depth at defensive tackle in the future.
The best part of this commitment is the fact that we're keeping the pipeline to Warren Central open and that will pay dividends in the future. Too bad we couldn't do the same thing at Butler high school in North Carolina. That school has potentially three top 250 kids this year, including the best quarterback in the nation.
Harley will add immediate depth to the position but I would expect him to come in and redshirt then battle for a spot depending on the amount of attrition.
One of Harley's coaches goes on to discuss why he committed to Virginia Tech.
"He feels at home there," Warren Central assistant coach Greg Brookey said. "He's visited there three times and really likes his position coach (Charley Wiles). I think he was ready for the recruiting process to be over and knew where he wanted to go."
The Warren Central star led his teams defense to a class 5A Championship last fall, beating Carmel High 42-36 in double overtime.
"He's the most explosive defensive player I've ever coached," Hart said of Harley, who had 91 tackles as a junior, 19 for loss, and five sacks.
Although Kris has another 15 months before he enrolls at Virginia Tech, I'm excited about this commitment just because it shows how much the Hokies have evolved in recruiting over the past five seasons. 5 years ago we would have not been able to land this kid for a few different reasons but thanks to some consecutive 10 wins seasons and some national hype, we were able to land Harley.
Tuesday, April 6
What A 96 Seed Tournament Means to Virginia Tech
I wanted to continue on with by spring preview series tonight but thanks to the Final Four blasting on just about every TV in the house, I feel inclined to write another Virginia Tech basketball piece. On Thursday, the NCAA vice president Greg Shaheen broke down the potential expansion options for the NCAA tournament. He showed a 68-team model, an 80-team model, and then the 96-team model. Needless to say, the majority of the press conference was spent on the 96-team model and why it would be good for College Basketball.
You can read the rest of the article Here
Sunday, April 4
Need Boise State vs Virginia Tech Tickets?
If you need Boise State tickets for the September 5th made for TV game in Washington D.C. please check out our ticket page on www.virginiatechfan.com.
The link below is a direct link to the VT vs Boise State ticket page.
Thanks guys!
The link below is a direct link to the VT vs Boise State ticket page.
Thanks guys!
Quarterbacks and Running Backs Previews Are Posted on VTF
These articles take a little bit to write so hopefully I can finish them by the Spring game, although the last one or two may be a photo finish. Either way, read them and feel free to leave me a comment on the VTF site. Thanks!
Quarterbacks Preview: http://www.virginiatechfan.com/2010/03/virginia-tech-spring-football-preview-quarterbacks/
Running Backs Preview: http://www.virginiatechfan.com/2010/04/spring-football-preview-running-backs/
Quarterbacks Preview: http://www.virginiatechfan.com/2010/03/virginia-tech-spring-football-preview-quarterbacks/
Running Backs Preview: http://www.virginiatechfan.com/2010/04/spring-football-preview-running-backs/
Friday, March 26
Coach Greenberg Agrees to Contract Extension
Hokie fans everywhere received a bit of good news today as Men's Basketball head coach Seth Greenberg has agreed to a contract extension that will keep Seth here for at least six more seasons. The new agreement should also increase his base pay to over the 1 million mark and end any rumors of Greenberg leaving Blacksburg.
“I am pleased that Coach Greenberg will continue his mission at Virginia Tech and will lead the Hokies for the next six seasons," Jim Weaver said in a press release Friday afternoon. "He has done an outstanding job in creating a program and environment that has the Hokies competitive year in and year out in the ACC. Under Coach Greenberg’s tutelage, the Hokies have the fourth-best regular season record in the ACC and he has created one of the best programs in the country."
Greenberg has amassed a 132-94 record at Virginia Tech since his arrival in 2003. The Hokies have finished in the top four in the ACC four times in just six years in the league. Next years team will return all five starters and could potentially start off the season in the top 25.
Spring Position Battles: Offense
With the Hokies basketball team suffering a tough loss to the Rhode Island Rams, it's not time to slide seamlessly over to Frank Beamer's department and look at some of the position battles that will be occurring this spring. The offense returns eight starters this spring with the only losses coming from the offensive line and tight end.
The Hokies will have to find a new left tackle and left guard as well as a replacement from Greg Boone at tight end. The good news is that the Hokies have plenty of depth waiting in the wings.
I'm going to do a more in-depth look at each position over on www.virginiatechfan.com so for the purpose of this blog I'm going to do a quick sketch of the offense this spring.
Quarterback
It's been a quick three years for Tyrod Taylor but much like last season, he will enter this spring in full control of this Virginia Tech offense. The biggest question mark is who will be the man standing behind him if something were to happen. Sophomore JuJu Clayton played well in what little playing time he received last season. His biggest highlight was his 81 yard touchdown pass to Marcus Davis against Boston College. If JuJu can produce this spring then odds are he'll have a good shot at keeping his backup job.
Logan Thomas will be JuJu's challenger and will be a worthy opponent this spring. Thomas brings his 6'6" frame and rocket of an arm to the field this spring, but his performance will decide his fate. After a redshirt season I am intrigued to see how much Thomas has progressed as a Quarterback. If he plays well I have a feeling he'll eventually unseat JuJu as the Hokies backup quarterback this spring.
Also keep an eye on true freshman Ricardo Young as this will be his first action in a Hokie uniform.
Running Back
The running back order won't change much from last season except for the addition of a healthy Darren Evans. I would expect Williams to keep his starting job and split carries with Evans who will serve as the primary number two option. The biggest storyline to watch will be the play of Josh Oglesby and the potential redshirting of David Wilson.
Also, keep an eye on Tony Gregory. He had a great spring last year and ended up redshirting since he needed to add a few pounds.
Wide Receiver
The Hokies starting three will remain in place this spring with Boykin, Coale, and Roberts receiving work with the first string offense. However, there are a few kids behind them that could make a splash this season. First is Marcus Davis who had all but surpassed Xavier Boyce by the end of the year. Davis had a up and down first year as he caught a couple touchdown passes but also had a few key drops as well.
Two more players to watch out for are redshirt freshmen Nubian Peak and Ben Barber. Peak is a burner but is a tad on the small side. If Peak can find a niche and stick with it he could see some playing time possibly this fall if not then in the future. Ben Barber is a thick wideout who could earn a few snaps this fall although his number probably won't get called until next year at the earliest.
Lastly, there is D.J. Coles, Austin Fuller, Patrick Terry, and Xavier Boyce. Odds are two or three of these players will switch positions by the end of the spring. The most likely is Boyce, who should have started at free safety from day one, and D.J. Coles. Coles could get moved over to Whip linebacker even though it seems like we have a bajillion Whip linebackers on roster already. Terry and Fuller will both stay at wide receiver but I wouldn't expect either one to make a huge splash this spring.
Tight End
The Hokies will have to replace both Greg Boone and Sam Wheeler who departed last season. As it stands now Senior Andre Smith, Sophomore Randall Dunn, and redshirt freshman Eric Martin will be the one's called upon to fill that void. Smith has had an up and down year last season, struggling to catch the ball at times while also making a few sweet catches as well. With the tight end becoming a dieing position in our offense, I could see 20 or less receptions for this group this fall. Needless to say, we need to recruit some tight ends in this 2011 class.
Offensive Line
The right side of the line will stay intact from last season with Senior Beau Warren at Center, Junior Jaymes Brooks at right guard, and junior Blake Dechristopher at right tackle. The left side of the line is a bit iffy at this time but junior Greg Nosal will more than likely start at left guard and sophomore Nick Becton will start at left tackle.
For the first time in what seems like forever, the Hokies will have some quality depth on the line as well. Sophomore Michael Via will backup at both center and left tackle. Sophomore Vinston Painter and freshman David Wang will provide solid backup at both guard positions and junior Andrew Lanier will backup Dechristopher at right tackle.
This unit should be the best offensive line within the last eight years. There may be some shuffling around to maximize the potential of some of these players but by the end of the spring, this offensive line should be pushing the defensive line around. That's something we haven't seen in Blacksburg in a long, long time.
Saturday, March 6
Virginia Tech Dominates Georgia Tech 88-82
Virginia Tech’s head coach Seth Greenberg received some bad news before the game as Tech’s starting shooting guard Dorenzo Hudson would have to spend the day on the bench in a dress shirt and khaki pants due to injury. Just as the team rallied around Hudson when Delaney was MIA against Seton Hall earlier this year, the team would do the same today.
Malcolm Delaney put on a show in Atlanta, torching the Yellow Jackets for 32 points. However, the two most surprising performances came from Hudson’s replacement Manny Atkins and the Hokie starting small forward Terrell Bell. Atkins started for the first time in his young career and played by far his best basketball of the season. He finished with just five points but chipped in seven rebounds and five assist.
You can read the rest of this article Here.
Jake Johnson Will Move to Defensive End This Spring
With Spring workouts just a few weeks away, the Coaches have already started lining up their two deep for this upcoming season. One of the main topics floating around on Virginia Tech message boards was a possible position change for the Hokies junior Jake Johnson. After two seasons at Backer, Jake will switch from outside linebacker to the end position, which is the Hokies boundary defensive end.
With both Nekos Brown and Jason Worilds departing after last season, Jake will compete with Chris Drager for the starting spot at end while Stephen Friday and some of the younger players compete at the rush end position.
Jake finished last season with 55 tackles in 11 games. Johnson started at Backer for the first eight games until he was benched in favor of Sophomore Lyndell Gibson.
Thursday, March 4
Ronny Vandyke Commits to the Hokies
Just a few weeks after Signing Day, the Virginia Tech coaching staff was back to work trying to secure another highly touted class. Saturday was Virginia Tech’s Junior Day and needless to say the event went off with only one hitch caused by a Bud Lite truck running over a fire hydrant. Some of the recruits had to leave before the Virginia Tech vs. Maryland game but the quality time spent with the coaches was very beneficial.
You can view the entire article here: VTF.com
Hokies Lose Barquell Rivers For 4 Months
According to Beamerball.com, the Hokies will be without their starting Mike Linebacker until August as Barquell tore his his quad during max testing earlier this week. In his absence, expect Bruce Taylor to take some reps with the first team this spring. Also, don't be too surprised if Coach Foster gets creative and moves Jake Johnson back inside to help him out with his lack of lateral quickness.
Wednesday, January 6
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)