A service of TechSideline.com

True Freshmen Status Update
by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, TSLMail #395, August 21, 2009

Virginia Tech has a very good true freshman class, and some of those players are looking to make an impact on the field in their first year on campus. Several true freshmen are being considered for heavy playing time. Even some who are likely redshirts appear to have very bright futures in Blacksburg.

The Hokies are deep enough that they don't have to rely on very many true freshmen to play. However, several will still force their way on the field on special teams at the very least.

At quarterback, Logan Thomas is locked in a battle with r-freshman Ju-Ju Clayton for the #2 spot on the depth chart. At this point the coaches are undecided who will back up Tyrod Taylor, and it's not known when a decision could be made. The battle will continue through this Saturday's scrimmage, and perhaps further. Thomas could easily play this year, if needed. He could be used at multiple positions on offense, as well as special teams.

Tailback David Wilson has missed the last week of practice with a mild shoulder sprain, but he will definitely play this year. Darren Evans is out with a torn ACL, and Josh Oglesby has a hamstring injury and an infection in his heel. Wilson is a talented tailback who should see a lot of action by the end of the year. Tony Gregory is another talented true freshman tailback, but he will likely redshirt to add weight and strength.

True freshman wide receiver D.J. Coles is battling for the #6 spot in the wideout rotation. He is also expected to contribute on special teams. True freshmen wide receivers Ben Barber and Nubian Peak will redshirt. Tight end Eric Martin has battled a slight injury and hasn't received much mention this August.

Offensive guard David Wang has spent most of August injured. He was a candidate for playing time, but he is an almost certain redshirt at this point. Center Andrew Miller has a lot of potential down the road, but a redshirt would be beneficial for him as well.

Virginia Tech has three true freshmen playing defensive end right now. James Gayle has excellent long-term potential, though he'll need to redshirt this year to add size and strength. Lanford Collins is talented as well, but he's a bit raw at this point. Tyrel Wilson is also working at defensive end, and he will also take a redshirt year.

Duan Perez-Means was also going to redshirt this year, but he was forced out of action with shoulder surgery. He will now enroll this coming January.

The Hokies are working Telvion Clark and Tariq Edwards at the backer position. Clark is very strong and looks like he's been in the program for a few years. However, he's not needed this year, so he'll redshirt and take a year to adjust to the speed of the college game. Edwards will also redshirt this year and compete for playing time on special teams this spring.

Virginia Tech seems to have recruited a very nice group of defensive backs. Cornerback Jayron Hosley is a serious candidate to play this year. He has been standing out recently in practice, and the Hokies will try him on special teams to see if he is capable of contributing this season.

True freshman free safety Antone Exum has also earned the praise of defensive backs coach Torrian Gray. Exum had a nice scrimmage last Saturday, and he has the physical ability to play special teams if needed. However, he is a likely redshirt, along with cornerbacks James Hopper and Jerrodd Williams.

Freshman kicker Cody Journell has a strong leg, but he's not ready yet to kick at the college level. He will also take a redshirt year this year.

The Virginia Tech coaching staff will know the majority of their two-deep after tomorrow's scrimmage, and they'll know which freshmen are playing or redshirting, with the lone excepting being Logan Thomas. Other freshmen who are on the fence for playing time, such as Jayron Hosley, will need to play well on Saturday to be considered.

2009 True Freshmen
Player Position Status
Ben Barber WR Redshirt
Telvion Clark LB Redshirt
D.J. Coles WR Likely Playing
J.R. Collins DE Redshirt
Tariq Edwards LB Redshirt
Antone Exum FS Likely Redshirt
James Gayle DE Redshirt
Tony Gregory RB Likely Redshirt
James Hopper CB Redshirt
Jayron Hosley CB Undecided
Cody Journell PK Redshirt
Eric Martin TE Redshirt
Andrew Miller C Redshirt
Nubian Peak WR Redshirt
Logan Thomas QB Undecided
David Wang OG Redshirt
Jerrodd Williams CB Redshirt
David Wilson RB Playing
Tyrel Wilson DE Redshirt


 

Beat Bama Shirt
Price:
$17.99

100% preshrunk cotton

Reads "Beat Bama 09-05-09 / Takin' over the ATL!"

   TechSideline.com Updates From the Past Week
2009 ACC Football Preview: Virginia Tech
August 21, 2009
On paper, Virginia Tech should be a much stronger team in 2009 than they were in 2008. The 2008 Hokies were somewhat fortunate to win the ACC, with such a limited offense. This year's team has many weapons on the offensive side of the ball, and Bud Foster's defense also returns seven starters.
more

2009 Virginia Tech Football Preview: Special Teams
August 20, 2009
Virginia Tech puts emphasis on special teams every year, and this year has the potential to be one of the best special teams years in Tech history. The Hokies have a lot of talented athletes who are ready to contribute in some way. Not all will make the playing rotation on offense or defense, but they will have a chance to make their impact on special teams.
more

In-State Recruiting Analysis, Part 4
August 20, 2009
Nothing stirs debate among recruitniks more than player rankings. Because of the subjective nature of recruiting, fans from rival schools will endlessly argue about the winners each year. Recruiting classes are rated based on the rankings of recruits, which leads to expectations, albeit unrealistic ones, from fans. In this article I will discuss the various methods for ranking players and some different perspectives on player ratings, as well as provide my own player ratings for the last recruiting class in Virginia.
more

4-Star Zwinak Down to Two
August 20, 2009
Virginia Tech is in the final two with Linganore (Frederick, MD) running back/linebacker Zach Zwinak, a 4-star prospect rated the top fullback in the country by Rivals.com and Scout.com. The 6-1, 225-pound rising senior boasted over 20 FBS scholarship offers before whittling his list down to two earlier this month.
more

2009 Preseason Practice Report: Tech Establishing Depth at Key Positions
August 19, 2009
Another week of practice is in the books, and except for the injury to Darren Evans, things are going smoothly for the Hokies. There are still a few spots on the depth chart that are up for grabs, but some other questions are starting to be answered.
more

2009 ACC Football Preview: Wake Forest
August 19, 2009
Wake Forest lost some major talent on the defensive side of the ball, with two linebackers and two defensive backs selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. However, they do return nine starters on offense, and should be one of the better offensive teams in the ACC behind senior quarterback Riley Skinner.
more

Preseason Check-in: DE Justin Taylor
August 19, 2009
At the urging of his cousin, current UNC freshman defensive back Terry Shankle, Justin Taylor came out for the varsity football team only two weeks before the start of last season. Taylor, now a senior, had never played football before, but South Stanly (Norwood, N.C.) head coach Luke Little found a role for the athletic 6-4, 220-pound prospect.
more

Brookville Coach High on Thomas' QB Potential
August 18, 2009
Brookville (Lynchburg, VA) head coach Jeff Woody has always been high on Logan Thomas' abilities at the quarterback position, so he was not surprised to see his former star in the quarterback mix at Virginia Tech this summer. The 6-6, 230-pound Thomas probably wasn't surprised, either.
more

2009 Virginia Tech Football Preview: Quarterbacks
August 18, 2009
Quarterback is the most important position on the field, and the Hokies have yet another controversy there this year. This time it's not for the starting position, but rather it's a battle between Ju-Ju Clayton and Logan Thomas for the right to be Tyrod Taylor's top backup.
more

Embrace the Hype ... and Other Musings
August 17, 2009
It's the preseason, as the old saying goes, and everyone is undefeated. Optimism abounds. The Hokies are picked to win the ACC, are in the discussion for the national title, and have matched their highest preseason ranking ever, at #7 in the coaches' poll. The hype is strong. Should you embrace it? Sure. Give into it.
more

2009 ACC Football Preview: Virginia
August 17, 2009
UVA has a new offensive coordinator in Gregg Brandon, the former head coach at Bowling Green who developed quarterback stars Omar Jacobs and Josh Harris. The Hoos will employ this new spread style offense this year, though they don't yet know who their quarterback will be, and they are breaking in a new group of wide receivers.
more

Dew Schedules Two Unofficial Visits
August 17, 2009
First Colonial (Virginia Beach, VA) safety/linebacker prospect Nick Dew is happy to be back on the gridiron, practicing with his teammates for the 2009 season. Being out on the field is not only fun for the 6-2, 195-pound rising senior, but it's also a nice break from the sometimes stressful recruiting process.
more

Young Players Stand Out in Opening Scrimmage
August 15, 2009
Virginia Tech held the first of three open scrimmages on Saturday afternoon. There were several standouts on each side of the ball, and one young player continued right where he left off during the spring.
more
   TSLMail is a trademark of TechSideline.com - Copyright © 2009 - All Rights Reserved
   To unsubscribe from this email, reply with the word "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject.