Hokies prefer this Vick's decision
roanoke.com
The presence of new quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers lures Marcus Vick to Virginia Tech.
By JIM DUCIBELLA LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - When Ricky Bustle left the Virginia Tech football staff in December to become head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette, the Hokies lost an offensive coordinator.
They ultimately gained a top quarterback prospect.
Warwick High School's Marcus Vick, brother of former Hokies star and No.1 NFL Draft pick Michael Vick, announced Tuesday he will attend Tech.
Before Bustle was replaced as quarterbacks coach by former Syracuse and Notre Dame assistant Kevin Rogers, Tech wasn't among Vick's finalists.
"That became the main focus," said Vick, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound Parade and SuperPrep All-American who led Warwick to a 7-3 record that included an upset of state champion Phoebus. He passed for 1,812 yards and ran for 810 last season.
"I wasn't even considering Tech when Bustle was there. Now with Coach Rogers there, he has experience with several quarterbacks who are in the pros now. I think he'll add the style to the offense that was missing. Coach Bustle was too conservative."
Tech's coaching staff can't comment on commitments until after it has received a signed letter of intent. That is expected to come today, the first day of the national signing period for football.
Rogers became a friend of the Vick family when he was recruiting Michael Vick for Syracuse in 1997. Rogers and Marcus Vick spoke fewer than 10 times since Rogers joined the Hokies, far less often than Vick talked with recruiters from runners-up Virginia and Tennessee.
Michael Vick, who left Tech after his sophomore season and just finished his rookie season with the Atlanta Falcons, attended his brother's announcement but downplayed his role in the process. In fact, Marcus said he decided on Tech on Sunday night but didn't tell his brother until 24 hours later.
"I'm glad he's going to Tech," Michael Vick said. "Two years ago, I never thought he'd go to Virginia Tech. I left early, and now this gives [coach] Frank Beamer another 'MV.'"
Unlike Michael Vick, Marcus might not redshirt as a freshman. It depends how comfortable he is with the offensive system installed by offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring and Rogers. Last year's starter, Grant Noel, plus backups Bryan Randall and Chris Clifton will be in the same position in learning a new scheme.
Warwick coach Tommy Reamon, who also has coached New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks, doesn't expect Vick's grasp of the system to be a problem. He said Marcus is a better quarterback than Michael was at the same stage.
"He has such a strong arm and intellect," Reamon said. "You have to understand that he already can make all the throws they make at Division I schools."
Reamon said Marcus Vick, who is right-handed, doesn't have the quick wrist snap that characterized his brother's passing motion. He's also slightly slower in the 40-yard dash, 4.4 seconds to Michael's 4.3. However, Marcus has better ability to put touch on the ball to feather it to places only his receivers can reach.
"He's going to do some things Michael Vick didn't do," Reamon said. "People who criticize him when he makes a mistake by saying 'Michael never did that' are going to have to acknowledge the things he does that Michael didn't. The things he's working to do, I guarantee you, not many high school quarterbacks are able to do."
Marcus Vick said at least one high school star tried to influence his decision. Michael Johnson of Heritage High School, a Parade All-American running back and close friend, phoned him Monday trying to persuade him to join Johnson at Virginia.
"At Virginia, I thought there would be a two-year wait before I played," Vick said. "At Tennessee, I thought there would be a two-year wait. At Tech, I may play next year. I may not, but the opportunity to play may be presented to me earlier."
Teammate Brendan Hill, a wide receiver who also signed with Tech, said he doubted Vick would have trouble dealing with the expected comparisons to his older brother.
"Even at our games this year, sometimes the public-address guy would slip and say, 'Michael Vick passes' or 'Michael Vick runs,' when he meant Marcus," Hill said.
"Marcus is so strong as an individual, he just handles it well. He's not concerned about being his own person because he already is."
Vick smiled when asked whether he would resent being compared to his brother.
"He was the No.1 pick in the NFL," he said. "Why wouldn't I want to be compared to him?"
In other news, Virginia likely concluded the scholarship portion of its recruiting when the Cavaliers received an oral commitment Tuesday morning from SuperPrep All-American Wali Lundy from Holy Cross High School in Delran, N.J.
Lundy (6-1, 195) made first-team all-state as a junior, when he played wide receiver. He moved to tailback last season and rushed for 2,030 yards and 30 touchdowns, and he caught 29 passes for 411 yards and six touchdowns.
Lundy is one of three top-15 prospects in New Jersey to commit to UVa. He picked the Cavaliers over Boston College, North Carolina and Rutgers.
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