Hokies Journal

Hokies win third straight

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:12:53 -0500

With the leafless trees and the crisp air, the setting this time of year at Virginia Tech has often been accompanied by championship implications. Although the November backdrop looks the same, the stakes this fall feel unfamiliar. But on Saturday, the No. 16 Hokies put on a performance to remember in a 38-10 win over North Carolina State before a sell-out crowd of 66,233 at Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech (8-3, 5-2) is not playing for an Atlantic Coast Conference title for a third-straight season, but there were milestones to go around as the Hokies vanquished the Wolfpack (4-7, 1-6) with a swarming defense and an attacking, on-the-move offense. Virginia Tech has won three-straight games following to Georgia Tech on Oct. 17 and North Carolina on Oct. 29. “I’m proud of our whole football team, how they’ve responded the last three weeks,” Coach Frank Beamer said. “I think this team has

Grimm ties NCAA forced fumble record in game

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:23:19 -0500

Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm became only the eight player in NCAA history to record three first fumbles in a game, needing only the first quarter to accomplish the feat. On the first play of the game, Grimm forced and then recovered the ball after sacking quarterback Russell Wilson. Virginia Tech took over at North Carolina State’s 34-yard line but settled for a field goal after stalling in the red zone. On the Wolfpack’s second possession, Grimm stripped wide receiver Darrell Davis after an 8-yard reception at N.C. State’s 25-yard line along the sideline; cornerback Stephan Virgil recovered the loose ball. This time, Virginia Tech parlayed the field position into a trip to the end zone, taking a 10-0 lead after Ryan Williams’s 1-yard touchdown run. Grimm forced his third fumble of the game on N.C. State's fourth offensive play of the game, a 2-yard run by running back Toney

Williams breaks ACC rushing record

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:13:25 -0500

Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams broke the Atlantic Coast Conference's freshman rushing record in the first half of the Hokies' game Saturday against North Carolina State. At halftime, Williams had run for 76 yards and 3 touchdowns on 26 carries. That put Williams's season total at 1,311 yards, breaking the ACC freshman rushing record set last season by the Hokies' Darren Evans (1,265 yards). Williams broke Evans's mark with a 10-yard run in the first quarter, his ninth carry of the day. There was no acknowledgment of the milestone during the game. With his touchdowns in the first half, Williams had 14 rushing scores and 15 overall touchdowns, adding to his Virginia Tech freshman record for touchdowns in a season. His three touchdowns tied a career high, set against Marshall on Sept. 12.

Va. Tech women's soccer falls in NCAAs

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:30:34 -0500

The Virginia Tech women's soccer team's run in the NCAA tournament ended on Friday. The third-seeded Hokies were blasted, 4-1, by second-seeded Portland in the Round of 16 in Oregon, ending the program's strongest post-season bid. Portland will play top-seeded UCLA in the quarterfinals. While Virginia Tech picked up its first victories in the NCAA tournament in advancing as far as it did, it was unable to join the three teams from Atlantic Coast Conference to advance to the quarterfinals. Boston College, Florida State and Wake Forest all moved on with wins in their respective games. Portland's powerful offense overwhelmed the Hokies, who fell behind by 4-1 at halftime. Forward Julian Johnson scored Virginia Tech's lone goal, with an assist from forward Robin Chidester. Coach Kelly Cagle has helped to change the culture of the women's soccer program at Virginia Tech. When she came to Blacksburg in 2003, she said,

Saturday links

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:42:48 -0500

For the final time in 2009: Here are your Saturday game day links from Blacksburg. For 21 seniors, Virginia Tech's meeting with North Carolina State will be their last time playing at Lane Stadium. But there is some apathy in Blacksburg about a disappointing season. Joe Crandley of the Collegiate Times, the student newspaper, points out Virginia Tech's new Saturday pastime: throwing paper airplanes onto the field. "This newfound student apathy was most apparent during the Thursday night North Carolina game. Sure, that may not have been the most intense game ever played in Lane, but the interest in watching paper airplanes fly onto the field far exceeded interest in the actual game," Crandley writes. As N.C. State prepared to come here, the folks in Raleigh were talking about the dimensions that have been added to Beamer Ball this season. And by that, people were talking about the Hokies' offense,

Davis developing at WR

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:09:04 -0500

Marcus Davis played quarterback in high school but was moved to wide receiver when he got to Virginia Tech. Then, last spring, he moved back to quarterback to compete for the No. 2 job. This year, he is back at wide receiver. In the past two weeks, Davis, a redshirt freshman, has seen more playing time at wide receiver and attributed it to developing a comfort level after finally settling on a position. “I think I’ve came a long way from summer time,” Davis said. “The playbook is easier, so it’s not a lot of thinking. It’s playing. It’s coming to me a lot easier now.” Although Davis has not yet emerged as a wide receiver – he has only three receptions for 104 yards this season – he has been on the field more in recent weeks. He played 25 snaps against Maryland last weekend and had one catch

Grimm to the NFL?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:49:44 -0500

Cody Grimm came to Virginia Tech with modest expectations as a little-recruited, undersize player just happy to play on special teams. But five year later, he is leaving Blacksburg a potential NFL prospect. “It’s kind of wild, just thinking I’m going to have to go train somewhere,” Grimm said. I’m used to living around my buddies; now I’m going to be somewhere with no money.” Grimm said he was unsure where he would go to train when he leaves Blacksburg this winter, and he said he has stayed focused on the Hokies’ remaining games. But said he has started receiving packets in the mail about sports agents and financial advisers in anticipation for the NFL draft in April. He said he has also received messages on Facebook from agents or their companies.

Friday links

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:56:45 -0500

Happy Friday. Here are your links. I'd be remiss if I didn't start off with this gem by Kyle Tucker of the Virginian-Pilot. For Senior Day, he wrote a really nice piece on Mark Muncey, Virginia Tech's prankster. The only reason many of us have heard of Muncey is because his friend Cody Grimm has brought up his name several times when telling funny stories at news conferences. But as Tucker writes, he will be remembered in Blacksburg as "a guy who worked hard, but played (pranks) even harder." In nice feature, Randy King of the Roanoke Times writes about the Hokies bubbly guard Jaymes Brooks. Always smiling. Always laughing. Always joking. That's what King writes about the jolly Brooks, and it's dead on. The kids always walking around with a happy-go-lucky smile. North Carolina State has not had much of a problem moving the ball this year. One reason

Warren listed as probable vs. N.C. State

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:35:03 -0500

Virginia Tech center Beau Warren, who has missed the past two games with a left knee injury, was listed as probable to play Saturday against North Carolina State. Warren, a fourth-year junior, practiced this week in a blue, non-contact jersey and on Monday described his condition as day-to-day. He said his knee felt better each day. Warren suffered a Grade II sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against North Carolina on Oct. 29. His leg was pinned underneath a pile near the Tar Heels’ goal line in the third quarter; he did not return to the game. “I heard a pop,” Warren said of his knee. “So I was like, ‘Well, it’s probably torn.’ " Warren’s return would make Virginia Tech’s offensive line whole again. In Warren’s absence, redshirt freshman Michael Via has started each of the past two games at center. Warren had started every

Two-sport athletes at Va. Tech

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:33 -0500

North Carolina State’s Russell Wilson is a talented quarterback and with the potential to be a future professional baseball player. It is rare for such an accomplished two-sport athlete in major college sports. But with the Wolfpack (4-6, 1-5 ACC) playing at No. 16 Virginia Tech (7-3, 4-2) on Saturday, it has stirred some interesting conversation about the Hokies football team’s two-sports athletes. Coach Frank Beamer said there are two players who intend on playing multiple sports: running back David Wilson and offensive lineman Andrew Miller. “I think if you’ve got special skills, then you ought to be able to do them,” Beamer said. Wilson, a freshman, was one of the most talked-about newcomers to the Hokies football team, with coaches raving about his blistering speed and freakish athleticism. That athleticism allowed him to win the triple jump in the Nike Indoor Nationals as a junior and senior.

Taylor makes the call

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:45:41 -0500

The evolution of Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been one of the more promising developments of the Hokies’ season. He has grown as a passer and has earned praise for his demeanor as a leader in the locker room. As the season has gone on, the coaches have trusted Taylor enough to make his own calls and to audible at the line of scrimmage. Now, Taylor says, he calls about 20 percent of his own plays in a given game. “I guess they felt more comfortable in the film room, watching film and learning defenses better, to give me the chance to go out there – give me a couple plays and let me go out there and decide what’s best for the team,” Taylor said.

Thursday links

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:34:43 -0500

Thursday is here. And if you're in Blacksburg or any other college town, that means the weekend has also arrived. Hooray for that. The ACC officials working North Carolina State's 43-23 loss to Clemson last Saturday admitted to making a error in the game. The play at issue happened in the third quarter, when there was a fumble that would have given the ball to the Wolfpack with Clemson leading 24-14. It was ruled dead before the ball was stripped away, and an official review erroneously upheld the call. (Don't you just love all the drama this season about poor officiating? Yeah. It's been ugly. At least it's been a diversion from a yawner of a season.) The Wolfpark is not bowl eligible. But Coach Tom O'Brien has tried to get the team to rally around a no-quit theme. Few better articulate that than N.C. State's banged-up linebacker Ray Michel,

Weaver clears up scheduling issues

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:41:34 -0500

Virginia Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver said Wednesday that the Hokies were close to announcing a replacement for Western Michigan on its 2010 football schedule but did not disclose any details about the possible opponent. “We’re very close to having that done,” Weaver said of filling an opening for Sept. 11, 2010. “Until I get a contract signed, I won’t announce it.” Weaver said he expected to make an announcement within a week. On Oct. 23, Western Michigan announced that it replaced Virginia Tech for Notre Dame on its 2010 schedule. The meeting between the Hokies and the Broncos in Blacksburg, Va., was moved to 2016. That announcement caused some scheduling confusion for Virginia Tech.

Warren is day-to-day with knee injury

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:13:46 -0500

Virginia Tech center Beau Warren, who has missed the past two games with a left knee injury, said Tuesday that he was unsure if he would return for Saturday’s game North Carolina State. Warren, a fourth-year junior, has been practicing this week in a blue, non-contact jersey and described his condition as day-to-day. He said his knee felt “all right” on Monday and that it has been feeling better each day. Warren suffered a Grade II sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against North Carolina on Oct. 29. His leg was pinned underneath a pile near the Tar Heels’ goal line in the third quarter; he did not return to the game. “I heard a pop,” Warren said of his knee. “So I was like, ‘Well, it’s probably torn.’ It’s a good thing they require us to wear these knee braces, otherwise my knee, no question,

The man, the myth: Mark Muncey

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:09:25 -0500

Almost every week, Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm meets with reporters during a news conference. And during many of those sessions this fall, Grimm has recalled stories about his teammate Mark Muncey. Who? Muncey is a fifth-year senior who plays on special teams for the Hokies. While many Virginia Tech fans might not know his name, he is perhaps the most interesting character on the team. Over the past few weeks, Grimm has told a host of Muncey stories. On Monday, Muncey met with reporters for the first time to offer a first-hand account of his hijinx. The best prank, Muncey said, was played on reserve lineman Richard Graham.