Nine Virginia Tech football players received All-ACC recognition in voting conducted by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, the media group for the ACC that selects the all-conference teams. The group includes four who earned first-team honors.
Cody Grimm and Ryan Williams both earned first-team nods, along with punter Brent Bowden and kicker Matt Waldron. Williams, a redshirt freshman from Manassas, Va., leads the ACC in rushing at 128.2 yards per game and set both the Tech and ACC single-season records for touchdowns by a freshman with 20 (19 rushing). Grimm, a redshirt senior from Fairfax, Va., leads the Hokies in tackles with 99 (44 solo) and leads the nation in fumbles forced with seven (including an NCAA-record three against N.C. State). Bowden, a redshirt senior from Centreville, Va., leads the ACC in punting with an average of 43.9 yards per punt, while Waldron, a redshirt senior from Oakfield, N.Y., has connected on 17 of his 20 field-goal attempts.
Those earning second-team honors included offensive linemen Ed Wang and Sergio Render, along with tight end Greg Boone, defensive end Jason Worilds and safety Kam Chancellor. Wang, a redshirt senior from Ashburn, Va., has started every game and is the highest grader on Tech’s offensive line for the entire season, while Render, a senior from Newnan, Ga., teams with Wang to anchor the left side of the line. Boone, a redshirt senior from Chesapeake, Va., has caught seven passes for 75 yards, while also contributing heavily with his blocking.
Worilds, a redshirt junior from Cataret, N.J., has 46 tackles (13 solo) and ranks tied for the team lead in tackles for a loss (9.5) and sacks (4.5). Chancellor, a senior from Norfolk, Va., is third on the team in tackles with 64 (23 solo), including three for a loss. He also has two interceptions and a fumble recovery – which turned the momentum in the Hokies’ win at UVa.
Both Worilds and Render earned second-team nods a year ago. The other seven were first-time honorees.
Hokies to play Cincinnati at FedEx Field in 2012
FedEx Field is the home of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, but the Virginia Tech Hokies are becoming familiar guests.
Officials from the Redskins, Tech and the University of Cincinnati announced in mid-November that they have agreed to the two schools playing at FedEx Field in 2012. The game will mark the third trip for the Hokies, who played there in 2004 against Southern Cal and will play Boise State there next season. It will mark Cincinnati’s first visit to FedEx Field.
The Bearcats played at Lane Stadium in 2006 and were scheduled to be the hosts for the Hokies to open this season. But that game ended up being moved to 2012 to allow the Hokies to play the University of Alabama in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff in Atlanta.
Also, Tech AD Jim Weaver announced that the Hokies have added JMU to their 2010 football schedule after pushing back a scheduled 2010 date with Western Michigan to 2016. The move allowed Western Michigan to accept an offer to play at Notre Dame next fall. The Hokies and Dukes are scheduled to meet at Lane Stadium on Sept. 11, 2010.
Wrestling squad loses football player
Tech wrestling coach Kevin Dresser and his squad lost a key member of the team recently – and he also happens to be a football player.
Andrew Miller, a 6-foot-4, 288-pound freshman from Bassett, Va., came to Tech on a football scholarship, but received assurances that he could wrestle as a freshman. So he redshirted in football and head coach Frank Beamer released him in early November to switch to wrestling, but his wrestling days ended quickly, as Miller underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder in early November and will miss the wrestling season.
Miller suffered the injury during his last week of football practice. He wrestled in one match, easily beating Mingo Grant of Appalachian State 10-4 at heavyweight before going under the knife. Having the surgery now as opposed to after wrestling season allows Miller to recover in time for spring practice.
Miller came to Tech as one of the top 20 football prospects in Virginia according to The Roanoke Times. Despite being the Region IV and Piedmont District defensive player of the year out of Bassett High, he projects as an offensive lineman.
