Tech cornerback Jayron Hosley played the best game of his young career in the Hokies’ come-from-behind 41-30 victory over N.C. State. The sophomore from Delray Beach, Fla., intercepted three passes, including one in the waning moments to preserve the win. He also finished with six solo tackles and an additional four pass break-ups.
The Walter Camp Football Foundation named Hosley its national defensive player of the week (for games ending Oct. 2) and he was also named the Football Writers Association of America/Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week as well. He will be added to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.
Hosley, who became the first Tech player since Garnell Wilds in 2002 to intercept three passes in a game, graded out higher than any defensive player for Tech in the game and accumulated more points on the coaches’ productivity chart (63) than any player in the past 15 years. Tech’s productivity chart rewards players a certain number of points for positive plays (tackles for a loss, sacks, interceptions, etc.) and deducts for negative plays (missed tackles, penalties, critical errors, etc.).
Thompson’s season over before it begins
Tech forward JT Thompson served an important role for the men’s basketball team – he provided energy, intensity and production off the bench for the Hokies. More importantly, he loved that role.
But Thompson won’t be doing that this season. The senior from Monroe, N.C., tore his ACL in a pick-up game on Sept. 13. He underwent surgery on Sept. 21 and will be out the entire season.
Thompson appeared in all 34 games last season, starting three of those. He finished fourth on the team in scoring at 7.3 points per game and third on the team in rebounding at 4.6 per game.
Thompson, though, is eligible for a medical hardship waiver and could return to the team next season.
The injuries keep piling up for the Hokies. Allan Chaney, a transfer from Florida who sat out last season, was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, and both his season and career remain in jeopardy. Also, Cadarian Raines underwent surgery on his foot back in the spring and is still recovering.
“You can control what you control,” Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. “These things are out of our control.
“Our starting team is intact. It’s where we go from there. Who’s going to be our Energizer bunny? What’s our frontcourt rotation going to look like? Our backcourt will not be changed unless we move [Terrell] Bell to the 4.”
Greenberg addresses Congress
Tech men’s basketball coach Seth Greenberg got the rare opportunity to address the members of the U.S. Congress as part of a group pushing for increased funding for cancer research and prevention programs.
Greenberg joined fellow coaches Dave Rose of BYU, Steve Donohue of Boston College and Bruce Weber of Illinois. Together, they teamed with more than 600 cancer survivors and advocates from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network as part of its third annual “Lobby Day” held Sept. 28.
The subject hits close to home to Greenberg. His father passed away from lung cancer, and one of the Hokies’ former players, Allen Calloway, passed away in 2009 following a battle with a rare form of cancer that stemmed from a tumor in his calf and eventually spread throughout his body.
“Cancer is a disease that has affected all of us,” Greenberg said. “It’s very personal to me. It’s important that we keep this fight against cancer in the forefront, as the progress that is being made is extraordinary.”
Greenberg is an active member of Coaches vs. Cancer. A year ago, he came up with an initiative to raise money for cancer research by selling bracelets honoring Calloway. The fundraiser raised more than $3,000.
River Course receives national acclaim
The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech, home of the Virginia Tech golf team, has been selected as one of the nation’s top collegiate courses. Golfweek released its 2010 list of Best Campus Courses and the River Course debuts at No. 18.
The Course at Yale received the top honor. A total of five Atlantic Coast Conference courses made the list – The Duke University Golf Club (No. 10), the new Lonnie Poole Golf Course at N.C. State (No. 22), UNC’s Finley Golf Course (No. 24) and the University of Virginia’s Birdwood Golf Course (No. 30).
The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech will serve as the host for the 2011 NCAA East Regional Golf Championship.
