Questions abound in Blacksburg
roanoke.com
Between departures and other issues, the Hokies have to find answers at several positions.
By Randy King
It's coming off its worst season since 1997. It's without three players whom all could be first-round picks in next month's NFL Draft. As if that's not enough to tackle, two of its most talented returnees currently find themselves entangled in off-the-field legal complications that could jeopardize their full participation come fall.
All those points established, Virginia Tech will begin perhaps the most crucial spring practice in its football program's history come Saturday.
Mere overstatement of what will be at stake in Blacksburg the next four weeks? Tech coach Frank Beamer, whose program heads to the ACC this fall, doesn't think so.
"I think there's a sense of urgency in our whole program ... coaches and players," Beamer said.
Certainly, the 15 workouts leading up to Tech's April24 Maroon-White game will be anything but a spring fling. Beamer knows it's imperative that he and his staff find some definitive solutions, or, at least, begin to answer some of the litany of questions in regard to personnel.
For openers, start with the quarterback spot. While Bryan Randall remains the Hokies' No.1 man, the senior will still have to deal with the constant shadow of Marcus Vick. Vick, a redshirt sophomore, remains what Beamer called "a challenger" for the job despite off-the-field woes in which he was charged with four misdemeanor counts for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Vick and two teammates charged in the same case - junior tailback Mike Imoh, who is being counted on to be a heavy contributor this fall, and sophomore receiver Brenden Hill - have been permitted by Tech athletic director Jim Weaver to participate in spring drills. The trio's court case is scheduled for May12 in a Montgomery County court.
Depending on what transpires in court, Vick and the other two players could face suspension or dismissal from the team, or perhaps no penalties from Weaver under the school's Comprehensive Action Plan that governs the behavior of student-athletes.
With Vick's status in limbo, Beamer&Co. now will have to spend at least part of spring practice preparing their projected third QB - freshman Cory Holt - for possible game action.
Elsewhere, the Hokies must fill holes left by the graduation of consensus All-American center Jake Grove and two junior stars who are heading to the NFL early - tailback Kevin Jones and cornerback DeAngelo Hall.
Junior guard Will Montgomery has been shifted to center and junior free safety Jimmy Williams has been moved to corner. Junior Cedric Humes, with help from Imoh, are the front-runners at tailback.
The loss of fullback Doug Easlick could be a bigger problem. Beamer said he's counting heavily on redshirt freshman John Kinzer to fill the void, with possible help from already-enrolled freshman George Bell.
Defensively, the Hokies will play a more traditional 4-3 alignment this fall in order to relieve the deep-pass coverage responsibilities of their linebackers, a point of attack that opponents often exploited last season.
Beamer said he's anxious to see how redshirt freshmen such as touted linebackers Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall, plus defensive linemen Carlton Powell, Kory Robertson and Barry Booker, progress this spring. Also, junior Jordan Trott has been moved from linebacker to end.
In the kicking game, Beamer said he hopes to find place-kicker Carter Warley's successor among the untested trio of Jon Pace, Jud Dunlevy and Pulaski County's John Hedge. Beamer said the inconsistency of junior Nic Schmitt has led to the former Salem High standout being moved out of the placement-kicking mix. Beamer said he wants Schmitt to work on his punting as well as possible kickoff and holding chores. |
