THE YEAR IS 2005....... And you say what ? Defending ACC Champs. VIRGINIA TECH IS THE DEFENDING ACC CHAMP. What more can be said. To many of us this is a lifelong dream come true. NOW. Let's get down to business and discuss the prospects for the 2005 season. Lets talk some football.
Just when the controversy was heating up on whom the starting QB was going to be Marcus Vick had to have a great Spring game and beat out Sean Glennon for the starting QB slot. I was at the Spring game and the competition for QB was not close. Vick was on top of his game mentally and physically. Glennon threw an inteception to Aaron Rouse a player often out of position in previous years and Rouse runs the return back for a diving TD. I hope this portends a great year for Rouse, but I have to admit I still have my doubts.
Cory Holt was out because of a shoulder injury and the third string QB who did not get to take one snap was Grant Throckmorton a local boy who went to our County School system here in Wytheville VA. and led the fighting Maroons to a state crown. Sorry. I had to get that plug in for a local boy.
If Holt emerges this spring and proves he can be a capable backup, then the VT coaches may have the luxury of redshirting Glennon.
To show you how cemented their starting jobs are Cedric Humes and Mike Imoh did not take a snap in the Spring game. So, we got to see a lot of newbies, Brandon Ore and George Bell, both of whom will see playing time this year. Neither will win a starting position but both will play on a regular basis. Coaches say Ore runs like Lee Suggs and I would almost agree.
The big question is will Marcus Vick stay in his dorm room playing video games and staying out of trouble. Or will the #5 pre-season ranking get to his head and cause him to celebrate prematurely, party and get arrested again.
Look for Jesse Allen to fill the fullback roll in the Beamer game plan. Block for the tailgate 100 times each year, run three times and catch two passes. But he is a beast at 240 pounds and one of the strongest to ever play the position in the modern Hokie era.
I won't say more than we are loaded at tight end with Brown, King and Kinzer.
Receivers are Hyman, Harper, Clowney and Morgan...all solid, all athletic and mindful of receiving corps the likes of Pitt, Miami and Syracuse in good years. And one more that didn't play in the Spring Game....Eddie Royal and potential. All American. Did anyone see the reception he made in the Miami game last year on the crossing pattern. He caught the back 4 inches of the ball at full speed.
Butler and Martin both true Seniors will have to shore up the offensive line. All the starters are solid. Montgomery and Murphy both red shirt seniors too but from there it gets hard to recognize the names and you start seeing redshirt soph and a few freshmen redshirts too. You've heard of Tripp Carroll but Welsh, Shuman and Parham...haven't heard of them right.!
Lets give a quick rundown of the defense. First. Justin Hamilton is out for the year , and I hope he gets a medical redshirt. He was moved to safety. Justin tore up his ankle.
A player who would have been given a free agency at Atlanta, Jimmy Williams is at corner. Roland Minor shores up the other corner. These two are blue chip no arguments.
With the exception of Jim Davis the front seven are all returning starters. Didn't Davis go to Jacksonville. Tapp will step up at end. Burchette at stud and Johnathan Lewis at tackle. Powell and Sandidge at nose will be solid in the middle of the action. Trott needs to step it up. As a redshirt senior he is running out of time.
There has been talk or questions at backer but
Vince Hall, R-SO Brett Warren, T-SO Xavier Adibi, R-SO
Blake Warren, R-SR James Anderson, R-SR Aaron Rouse, R-JR I think we will be fine.
At rover and free safety we are young but deep. This was one area of the Spring game I thought we played above ourselves. You have to remember the caliber of the QB's and the receivers they were up against. Of course there are not trick plays in he Spring game so we will need to see what they can do against a real team.
All said and done look for another defensive slugfest against the North Carolina State Wolfpack on ESPN Sunday evening Sept 3rd. They say in Raleigh they have another #1 defense nationally even after losing 5 starters off the defense. That is one game I will not miss. I'm going down for that one. See you there. Go Hokies. |
