No. 5 Virginia Tech has the pieces in place for a special season

Greg Boone, a 6-3, 287-pound athletic tight end, could be a bigger factor in Virginia Tech's running game now that starting tailback Darren Evans is out for the season.

By Bucky Dent

When asked about the outlook for his Virginia Tech squad, which returns 17 starters after a fifth straight 10-win season that culminated in an Orange Bowl whipping of Cincinnati, coach Frank Beamer’s answer was typically measured.

“The way we finished was great,” he said, “but you have to start over.”

But starting over for the Hokies shouldn’t be too difficult. There is all that experienced talent, and the offense has the potential to finally rise up to the level of Tech’s stalwart defense.

Eight starters are back on offense, the skill positions are stocked with multiple potential stars everywhere but at quarterback, where at least starter Tyrod Taylor might be an early frontrunner for ACC Player of the Year.

Tech also possesses a high-risk, high-reward September schedule. The Hokies open with Alabama at a neutral site game in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, then play host to Nebraska before starting conference play against what should be a much-improved Miami squad.

“It is tough, but it’s good,” Beamer said of the schedule.

The fan base has certainly been re-energized by last year’s strong finish, capped by the first BCS win for an ACC program since Florida State dumped Tech in the 1999 title game. The spring game drew a record crowd of 41,000 despite near-record heat in Blacksburg.

If Beamer’s latest blueprint holds up, the Hokies will be bringing heat of their own to the national title picture before the leaves change.

OFFENSE

Coordinator Bryan Stinespring might have been the most reviled man in town much of 2008. Saddled with an inconsistent line, inexperience at the skill positions and a quarterback situation that stayed in flux, Stinespring was under so much fire that the mild-mannered Beamer even rebuked a caller on his weekly talk show who demanded changes in the offense.

That might not be a worry this fall, as long as quarterback Tyrod Taylor can avoid the ankle injuries that plagued his first two seasons. The junior has the live feet to frustrate any pass rush and is working on improving his accuracy as a passer, eliminating a nettlesome hitch in his motion during the offseason.

He needs to boost his career completion percentage of 55 percent.

“I look back at our scrimmages this spring, and we’ve been putting up points,” Taylor said. “I think we can be more explosive offensively this year.”

That optimism is based on the team’s coterie of playmakers, plus a line that has more than 70 combined starts and appears to be more athletic than it’s been in the past three seasons.

Darren Evans, who rushed for 1,265 yards as a freshman, was expected to be the starting tailback, but he tore the ACL in his left knee in August practices and will miss the season. Behind him is electrifying freshman Ryan Williams, who wowed in the spring game, rolling up 151 total yards from scrimmage.

Add Taylor’s 700-plus yards to the ground attack, and this is a team that might not have to throw much to win.

But the Hokies have three sophomore wideouts — Danny Coale, Jarrett Boykin, Dyrell Roberts — who combined for more than 80 catches last season. Tight end Greg Boone had 22 grabs.

Up front, Tech has potential All-ACC candidates in left tackle Ed Wang, a converted tight end, and left guard Sergio Render, a three-year starter. Right tackle Blake DeChristopher added stability to the line after an early-season injury, while right guard Jaymes Brooks started for ineligible Nick Marshman in the Orange Bowl and performed well.

While departed center Ryan Shuman was a rock in the line, his replacement, Beau Warren, should ensure that the drop-off will be slight.

“I like that we’re much more athletic in the offensive line,” Beamer said.

DEFENSE

Despite the loss of leaders such as cornerback Macho Harris and end Orion Martin, don’t worry about coordinator Bud Foster’s unit. This starting 11 could be as fast as any the program has fielded.

Even with Harris’ departure, the strength of the defense should be in the secondary. His cherished boundary cornerback spot has been taken over by Stephan Virgil, a revelation last year when he rose from obscurity to pick off a half-dozen passes and become a big hitter in the mold of Brandon Flowers.

“He follows a couple of guys who have been pretty good there,” Beamer said, referring to Harris and Flowers. “He’s turned into a really good player.”

Filling Virgil’s shoes at the other corner is Rashad Carmichael, who started the season-opener last year when Harris was injured. Carmichael beat out Cris Hill in the spring but will have to play well early against opponents that will aim their passing games at him.

Dorian Porch returns at rover and senior Kam Chancellor, who struggled for most of 2008 with his conversion to free safety, appears to have fully grasped the spot. After a brilliant bowl game, the 6-4, 226-pound Chancellor considered skipping his last year of school to test the NFL waters, but opted to stay and should reap the rewards in next year’s draft.

The line should be led by second-team All-ACC end Jason Worilds and tackle John Graves, both high-motor guys who have the kind of quickness that drives opposing linemen crazy. Defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson dropped weight and lived up to the coaches’ expectations in 2008, while end Nekos Brown gets the first shot at replacing Martin, a second-team All-ACC pick. If Brown doesn’t pan out, Graves — an end in high school — could move over to his old spot, putting tackle Antoine Hopkins, who had success collapsing the pocket most of the spring, in line for more playing time.

At linebacker, Cody Grimm is back on the outside after a breakout 2008 season in which he was third on the team in tackles (71) and tied for second in sacks (7.5) despite weighing just 202 pounds. Barquell Rivers and Jake Johnson are new starters on the inside, although Rivers started in the Orange Bowl and turned in a big play during a goal-line stand.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Matt Waldron will try to become the third straight Tech senior placekicker to score more than 100 points in his only year as the starter. Last year’s kicker, Dustin Keys, won three games with clutch fourth-quarter kicks and finished with 101 points, converting 23 of 29 field goal attempts.

Punter Brent Bowden is back for a third year, although he dropped off in 2008 to 40.4 yards per attempt. Opponents returned three of his boots for touchdowns and blocked two others, a baffling turn of events for Beamer, a longtime special teams guru.

Good return men dot the roster, but Tech failed to return a punt or kickoff for a touchdown last year — the third time in the last five seasons that’s happened. Dyrell Roberts and Ryan Williams have the capability to return any kick to the end zone.

SCHEDULE ANALYSIS

The Hokies are ranked fifth nationally by Lindy’s heading into the season, but they’ll find out quickly just how good they are. They open with Alabama at a neutral site game in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, then host Nebraska and Miami before September ends. In October, Tech has three straight difficult ACC tests against two-time Atlantic Division champ Boston College, Georgia Tech and North Carolina. November starts with a potentially tricky non-conference date at East Carolina, followed by a trip to Maryland.

This marks the second straight year the Hokies have played just six home games, a rarity for a traditional power in a BCS league.

FALL UPDATE

The Hokies took a hit on August 11 when incumbent tailback Darren Evans tore the ACL in his left knee ending his season. Evans started eight games in 2008 and rushed for a team-high 1,265 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. It earned him a second-team spot on the All-ACC team. The injury puts the spotlight on freshmen Ryan Oglesby and David Wilson.

2009 Schedule

Sept. 5 vs. Alabama (Atlanta) (12-2)

Sept. 12 MARSHALL (4-8)

Sept 19 NEBRASKA (9-4)

Sept. 26 MIAMI (7-6)

Oct. 3 at Duke (4-8)

Oct. 10 BOSTON COLLEGE (9-5)

Oct. 17 at Georgia Tech (9-4)

Oct. 29 NORTH CAROLINA (8-5)

Nov. 5 at East Carolina (9-5)

Nov. 14 at Maryland (8-5)

Nov. 21 NC STATE (6-7)

Nov. 28 at Virginia (5-7)

Home games are in ALL CAPS. Opposing team's record from a year ago in parenthesis.

To order Lindy's 2009 College Football preview magazine, please click here: http://www.lindyssports.com/category.php?cn=ACC