Search Results

(20 Results)

1. Beamer still searching for Tech's 2014 field-goal kicker

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Following the spring game, Tech coach Frank Beamer was asked if he felt comfortable playing a true freshman at kicker. “Did Shayne Graham play as a true freshman?” he jokingly asked. When informed that Graham played as a true fresh…

2. Defensive backfield loaded with talent and depth

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Perhaps no group on the Hokies’ roster possesses more depth than the defensive backfield – and not just in terms of bodies, but talent. It’s almost an embarrassment of riches. But defensive backs coach Torrian Gray isn’t about…

3. Whips linebackers solid this spring, await return of Vandyke

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Tech’s coaching staff worked more nickel defense, with five defensive backs, this spring than in previous spring practices, but the coaches have no plans on reducing the role of the whip linebacker position. With solid players return…

4. Linebackers' progress eases concerns about departures of Tyler and Edwards

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster lost two valuable cogs to his defense when Jack Tyler and Tariq Edwards departed after basically three years of terrific play. How good were those two? Well, they combined for 59 career starts, 4…

5. Offensive line moving in right direction under new line coach

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Normally, coaches are teachers, and the players serve as their students, but this spring, Stacy Searels found himself doing as much learning as his players. Hired in late January to be the offensive line coach, Searels used the NCAA-a…

6. Tight ends a strong part of Tech's offense coming out of spring ball

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Tight ends coach Bryan Stinespring has spent the past two years working around injuries to players at his position. Two years ago, Randall Dunn and Eric Martin battled an array of injuries that limited them and their production. Last…

7. First-team defensive line solid, but Hokies need for depth to emerge

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Outside of the quarterback position, no group of players received more scrutiny this season than Tech’s defensive linemen, as line coach Charley Wiles began the process of finding replacements for James Gayle, J.R. Collins, Derrick H…

8. Receiving group this spring a nice blend of veterans and younger players

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Tech’s struggles in the running game a year ago have been well documented, but some of those issues came about because of the Hokies’ inability to make big plays in the passing game. Last season, the Hokies hit on just three pass…

9. Coleman, Williams lead contingent of running backs this spring

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Following signing day this past February, a day in which Virginia Tech’s coaching staff signed two of the best tailback prospects in the country, Tech fans found themselves wondering how things would shake out at the tailback positio…

10. Uncertainty remains at football's most important position

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 6 Iss. 10

Tech’s 2014 spring practice ended with the annual Maroon-White game held April 26, so what do fans now know about the quarterback position heading into the fall? Well, not too much. “We’re so far away from being ready to play a…

11. Kicking situation unsettled coming out of spring

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer coaches most of the Hokies’ special teams, and he gave a telling remark about the state of the kicking positions following the attempt of the Maroon-White game on April 21. “I think a l…

12. Staff's moves in the secondary leave them feeling positive coming out of spring

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

Detrick Bonner The secondary spent much of the spring in the spotlight because of all the juggling of positions that took place before practice started. Coming out of spring practice, defensive backs coach Torrian Gray expressed optimis…

13. Seniors hold down the top spots at whip, with the young guys coming on

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

The performances by his players this spring had whip linebackers coach Cornell Brown in a good mood. “Maybe they’ll let us play a little bit this year,” Brown joked. The whip linebackers certainly saw little action in 2011,…

14. Hokies didn't lose a beat with Tyler and Williams in lineup

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

Jack Tyler Spring practice provided defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who doubles as the linebackers coach, an opportunity to get some younger guys plenty of reps, as starters Bruce Taylor (Lisfranc) and Tariq Edwards (leg) missed the s…

15. Experienced and deep defensive line drew notice with play this spring

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

Luther Maddy Tech’s defensive line made its presence felt this spring, recording sacks at a breakneck pace. The unit recorded at least seven sacks in every scrimmage, though to be fair, the officials blew the play dead quickly any tim…

16. Martin and Dunn lead the pack at the tight end position

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

Tech’s tight end position features a lot of players. It features a lot of athletic ability. It features a lot of potential. But at the moment, it doesn’t quite feature that one player, or two players, with the ability to do everyth…

17. Youngsters get much-needed work with all the injuries at the WR spots

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

Dyrell Roberts Tech receivers coach Kevin Sherman planned on giving his younger receivers plenty of reps during spring practice. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of a choice. The offense went the entire spring without the services…

18. Offensive line progresses toward the end of spring ball

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

David Wang In the first scrimmage of the spring, Virginia Tech’s offense gave up 11 sacks, and concern about the offensive line – already at a high level among Hokie Nation – rocketed. But offensive line coach Curt Newsome knew h…

19. Holmes and Coleman shine as Tech looks to replace Wilson

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

Michael Holmes Tech fans went into spring practice anxious to see who would replace David Wilson, who broke the school’s single-season rushing record en route to the ACC’s player of the year honor last fall. Michael Holmes did no…

20. Thomas spent much of spring getting used to inexperienced teammates

Football :: Spring Football Review :: Jimmy Robertson :: Vol. 4 Iss. 10

The bad news about Tech’s offense heading into spring practice was the lack of experience at most of the positions. The good news was that the position with the most experience happened to be the quarterback position. Loga…