Virginia Tech Hokies’ Offense Preview

PART I: OFFENSE

The Hokies haven’t had a dominating offense since the days of Michael Vick, but when you have the #1 defense statistically, that may not be entirely necessary for success. With the loss of Marcus Vick for problems off and on the field, two senior running backs and key starters on the offensive line, some might quickly write off Virginia Tech’s chances this year. Newsflash: this is not the case.

Let’s go over each position with some tender love and care and figure out where the Hokies really stand.
QUARTERBACKS

For those who have followed Virginia Tech the past few seasons, they know that highly-touted recruits may not be the key factor for success at the quarterback position. Former QB Bryan Randall, the 2004 ACC Player of the Year, didn’t have the athleticism or powerful arm that some may demand out of a quarterback. What Randall had was what Marcus Vick lacked. Randall had the necessary composure and leadership which eventually rubbed off on his teammates.

Redshirt sophomore Sean Glennon was recently named the starter by Frank Beamer. Beamer expressed interest in naming one starter as opposed to taking a split-time QB approach, which failed in the past with Marcus Vick and Bryan Randall in 2003. Glennon appears to have the intangibles that coaches love including a better grasp of the offense than the other QBs on the team. Glennon has not started a game in his college career yet but the coaching staff has a great deal of confidence in Glennon. He may not be the most athletic quarterback on the team, but he has shown the best consistency and drive to lead the team.

There is a heated competition for the backup QB role. Redshirt sophomore Corey Holt and redshirt freshman Ike Whitaker are battling it out to prove to the coaches that one of them is the second best QB on the team. Ike Whitaker has wowed coaches with amazing flashes of athleticism, great runs and great deep passing. But Whitaker has not grown very familiar with the offensive system and his questionable decision-making process on the field has set him back. Corey Holt is also a very athletic QB, but just doesn’t have the passing accuracy that the coaches are looking for. He has learned the offense but lacks ideal consistency.

Grade: B. I may be a tad pessimistic but the lack of experience for all of these quarterbacks leaves me feeling concerned. I am happy that Glennon is the starter though since I do agree with the coaching staff that he will be the most consistent of the trio of QBs. Look for the weak schedule at the beginning of the season to benefit the team greatly as they try to resolve their QB troubles.

RUNNING BACKS

Current starter RB Brandon Ore has had a tumultuous offseason. The redshirt sophomore out of Chesepeake, Virginia took off last spring semester for personal reasons. It’s here that he found his passions in football again. In the past, coaches had said Brandon would often come to meetings late and sometimes questioned his desire to play football at the college level. But heading into the season, the coaching staff has applauded his effort and desire. He has been early to meetings and shown that now he is ready to step up and be the running back the coaches had hoped they were getting when they recruited him. Ore displayed brilliant flashes during the 2005 season though and actually led the team with a 5.9 yards per carry average last season. Look for Ore to establish himself as yet another great running back for the Hokies.

Backup RB George Bell is a bruiser but he can definitely move. I look forward to seeing the tandem of Ore and Bell do very well, just as Imoh/Humes in 2005 or Jones/Suggs in 2002. Bell is a punishing back who is a load of a man to tackle. He has pressured Ore for the starting position so he’s not a slouch.

The veteran of the backfield is redshirt senior FB Jesse Allen. Allen didn’t have a single carry last year but he is a punishing blocker who can also hurt you with the occasional catch out of the backfield. Allen also impresses with his workout regiment and actually first got onto the team as a walk-on.

Grade: B+. Brandon Ore is the real deal. If any of you have seen him play, you know that he will step up huge for the Hokies this year. Personally, I felt Ore was a better running back than Mike Imoh and Cedric Humes last year when he was called in to play when both were hurt. With Bell also getting more time to play, this duo will catch many teams by surprise with their more physical style of running. With an experienced FB leading the way, these guys could put up huge numbers with opposing teams being forced to respect the Hokies’ depth at wide receiver.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS

The Hokies have arguably one of the best and deepest set of WRs in the whole country. The group is led by senior flanker David Clowney who led the team in receptions and yards last year. There is a quartet of great, junior WRs: Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan, Josh Hyman, and Justin Harper. Eddie Royal holds the most upside with top notch speed and array of moves. He underachieved in 2005 but is looking to make a big splash as he also headlines as the punt returner. Josh Morgan and Justin Harper are tenacious possession style receivers who can always hurt you deep downfield. Josh Hyman hasn’t quite found his place among this group of wide receivers but that is not to say he doesn’t have the talent to succeed with the Hokies. Hyman is a very competitive player who has impressed coaches with his work ethic. All five of these receivers can beat you deep and the Hokies’ coaching staff must find ways to keep defenses on their heels with this quintet. This may be the year that Hokies have their first 1,000-yard receiver in the school’s history with Glennon at QB who is predominantly a pocket-passing quarterback.

Tight end is one of the big question marks for the Hokies entering the season. With Jeff King entering the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, the team was left with a big hole to fill. The Hokies had a promising backup last year at TE, John Kinzer, but a neck injury forced him to give up football. Sam Wheeler, the projected starter entering the season also got injured at the beginning of practices and this really left the team scrambling to find a replacement. Enter Greg Boone. Boone was formerly a backup QB, but with so much competition at that position, the coaching staff urged him to consider changing positions. He agreed and had a strong desire to play and do what he could for the team. You may be thinking, “A backup QB? What is he? 6′, 6’1″? Maybe 200 pounds when soaking wet??” Well, try 6’3″ and a whopping 283 pounds! This kid is surprisingly athletic. His coaches and teammates also comment on what a handful he is to bring down. He admittedly has some intangibles to learn with run and pass protection, his development is something to keep an eye on. Wheeler should be able to play within the first few weeks of the season so in any case, the Hokies may have found a fair solution for an emergency situation.

Grade: A. The only reason the grade isn’t an A+ is because of the lack of experience at TE and although the team has great depth at WR, there isn’t a true game-changing WR. But this group of WRs has the potential to be devastating for opposing secondaries. Although there is no standout WR with the talent comparable to the likes of fellow-ACC player Calvin Johnson, the unit as a whole is undoubtedly one of the deepest in the country. TE is still a question mark, but Sam Wheeler will be healthy sooner or later and he is more than satisfactory at the position. Greg Boone’s potential is also something that isn’t appreciated by the casual Hokies fan but he will benefit greatly with more experience at the position.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The offensive line is major concern for the Hokies. They lost three starters and one role player to graduation from last season’s team. The leader of the squad is RT Duane Brown. After converting from TE to RT two seasons ago, Brown has made great strides into being a terrific RT. He is without doubt the most athletic and best offensive lineman on the team.

Another key to the puzzle is a healthy C Danny McGrath. After missing all of spring ball with injuries, he’s back and looking to provide needed experience for the line. One gem for the Hokies has been redshirt sophomore Ryan Shuman. He was named the Hokies most improved offensive player this year. When McGrath was hurt, he stepped in and really impressed the coaches with his style of play. Another player the Hokies are expecting big things from is LT Brandon Frye. Stepping in for an injured Jimmy Martin last year, Frye did not disappoint and played a great game for the Hokies and everyone on the coaching staff hopes for the same from him this year. The only big question mark is whichever guard spot is not occupied by Shuman. Currently, the leading candidates for the remaining spot are freshman Sergio Render and redshirt sophomore Nick Marshman. It looks like Render might be pushing for the spot but Marshman continues to battle for the position. Both will have a lot to prove whoever gets the nod as starter.

GRADE: C+. The only question mark here is playing experience but it appears the pieces are in place for a respectable year for the Hokies’ offensive line. The Hokies also recruited a four-star recruit Aaron Brown who could contribute as early as next year as well. Depth will be a problem if any of the players get banged up so the thing to look for is the development of the new players on the line. The Hokies have a new offensive line coach with Curt Newsome coming over from the James Madison Bulldogs. Although he is a new coach, there may be that passion and desire with the coach to prove himself on a new team.

Offensive MVP: David Clowney, FL
Underachiever looking to shine: Eddie Royal, FL
New starter who will impress: Brandon Ore, RB
Player with big expectations: Sean Glennon, QB
Role players needed to step up: Justin Harper SE, Josh Morgan SE, Ryan Shuman OG