Healthy Patterson Showing Versatility, Athleticism September 16, 2009 Playing most of the 2008 season with a broken wrist demonstrated Dominique Patterson's toughness but also his ability, as he performed well despite the injury. The 6-1, 205-pound senior does not want to go through that experience again, though, and he has enjoyed being healthy so far this season. more
Football Game Preview: #13 Virginia Tech vs. #19 Nebraska September 16, 2009 Presented by Kent Square Condominiums: Just two weeks after playing Alabama, Virginia Tech will get the privilege of hosting another of the college football traditional powers: Nebraska. The Cornhuskers dropped off during the middle of this decade, but they are getting better under second year head coach Bo Pelini and find themselves ranked in the Top 25. In one of the biggest college football games of the weekend, the Hokies have a chance to gain some momentum before they enter conference play. more
Top Athlete Close to Setting Visit to VT September 15, 2009 Old Mill (Millersville, MD) athlete Josh Furman traveled to the University of Michigan last weekend, making what was his first official visit. The 6-2, 195-pound senior was impressed by the experience, but for now he doesn't appear close to making a verbal commitment. He discusses his first official visit as well as a possible visit to Virginia Tech. more
Marshall Game Analysis: Hokies Improve on Both Sides of the Ball September 15, 2009 After a tough, physical battle against Alabama, the doctor ordered up just the remedy the Hokies needed: a home opener against an overmatched opponent. The offense exploded behind two freshmen whiz kids, the defense was better and the special teams were more consistent. But it's dangerous to project too much from Saturday's performances. Last week, I reiterated a message that I had been preaching throughout the summer - do not get discouraged over the outcome of the Alabama game. In the interest of fairness, a similar statement can be made this week - do not peg the needle too far in the other direction over the results of the Marshall game. more
First Colonial Star Talks Visits September 14, 2009 First Colonial (Virginia Beach, VA) safety/linebacker Nick Dew plans to visit Virginia Tech, the program that has been his favorite throughout, this Saturday. But first, the 6-2, 195-pound senior traveled to Charlottesville this past Saturday for a look at the University of Virginia. more
Monday Thoughts: Marshall September 14, 2009 In last week's Monday Thoughts, I wrote that I thought the Tech running game had done some good things against Alabama and showed promise. Raleigh Hokie went one better in his game analysis and said Tech's rushing game had a chance to be "dynamic." On Saturday, the Hokies mauled Marshall on the ground, and the only question now is what this means for the rest of the season. more
Around the ACC: September 14, 2009 September 14, 2009 Another week of ACC football is in the books, and there were two more close calls against 1-AA teams. A big game between Clemson and Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Thursday night highlighted the week, and there is more ACC football coming up this Thursday. more
Tech Offense Dominates Marshall in 52-10 Victory September 12, 2009 Just a week after only gaining 155 total yards against Alabama, the Virginia Tech offense picked up 605 yards yards against Marshall, dominating the Thundering Herd on their way to a 52-10 victory in Lane Stadium. The Hokies moved to 1-1 on the season, with highly anticipated matchups with Nebraska and Miami coming up. more
TSL's PreSeason Top 30 September 11, 2009 The in-state 2010 class may not be as talented as the 2009 version, but at this point about 40 prospects have committed to FBS or FCS programs. More remain uncommitted but hold scholarship offers, so from an overall recruiting perspective this year is a solid one for college prospects. For the most part, the Pre-Summer list remains in tact with one significant change at the top of the list. more
Nickel Package Should Help Tech's Defense in 2009 September 11, 2009 Year after year, Bud Foster and his staff field one of the best defenses in college football. The scheme and structure stay the same with certain wrinkles added each year to take advantage of certain strengths in personnel. This season, one of those wrinkles is a new look nickel package. more
Leal, Atlantic Confident Following Loss September 11, 2009 Last Friday night's season opening loss was a disappointment, but quarterback Mark Leal says his team came out more encouraged than anything else. Atlantic battled 2A power Pahokee the entire night, taking the lead 6-0 just before halftime. Pahokee rallied for 13 unanswered points in the second half, coming away with a hard-fought victory. more
Football Game Preview: #14 Virginia Tech vs. Marshall September 9, 2009 Presented by Kent Square Condominiums: Virginia Tech will look to get their season back on track this Saturday when Marshall comes to town. Coming off a physical game against Alabama, and looking ahead to home matchups with Nebraska and Miami, this game with the Thundering Herd is a classic trap game. It will be up to the Hokies to show up focused and take care of business. more
Ocean Lakes Junior QB/ATH Earns Early Offers September 9, 2009 Senior wide receiver Justin Hunter has received much of the headlines in Chris Scott's Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, VA) program, and deservedly so, but another national recruit is emerging. Junior quarterback Lafonte Thoroughgood, a 6-2, 212-pound prospect, has earned three official offers already with a fourth likely on the way any day. more
Alabama Game Analysis: Hokies not Sharp Enough to Beat Tide September 8, 2009 It was a tough game with a disappointing finish and there are a lot of things that need to be improved, but there were also some positives to take away as well. It is easy to look at the lack of offensive production and conclude that another frustrating year is ahead. It is also easy to look at all the missed tackles and big plays given up by the defense and wonder if expectations are too high on that side of the ball. more
Star WR Considering Six September 8, 2009 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, MD) standout wide receiver Brandon Coleman is focused on six schools right now, including four ACC programs and two Big East programs. The 6-6, 200-pound senior remains in no rush to commit, instead choosing to focus primarily on his senior season. more
Monday Thoughts: Alabama September 7, 2009 I saw a lot of encouraging signs Saturday night for the 2009 Hokies, but I also saw a lot more of the same-old-same-old. On the positive side, Tech played hard and played with composure, and one new player in particular, Ryan Williams, really stood out. But on the offensive side of the ball, the team once again struggled with many of the same issues we have seen for three years running now. more
Around the ACC: September 7, 2009 September 7, 2009 The ACC was supposed to be better this year, but it looks the same after one week of play. Conference teams lost all of their big games to non-conference foes, and two teams even managed to get knocked off at home by 1-AA competition. It's not a good start to the 2009 season. more
Tide Overpower Hokies, Pull Away Late for 34-24 Win September 6, 2009 Atlanta, GA -- Virginia Tech led 17-16 heading into the fourth quarter of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff, but Alabama blew up the Hokies for 18 fourth-quarter points and won going away, 34-24. The Tide overpowered the Hokies and leveraged huge margins in time of possession, offensive plays, and total yards for the win. more
Leal Ready for Tough Opener September 4, 2009 Quarterback Mark Leal's future team, Virginia Tech, kicks off its regular season tomorrow night against a tough opponent. Leal's current team, Atlantic High School (Delray Beach, FL), will do the same tonight.
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Keys to the Game and Matchups to Watch: Alabama September 3, 2009 In the most anticipated opening game in Virginia Tech football history, the seventh-ranked Hokies travel to Atlanta to face the fifth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night. Tech will be on the main stage in college football's opening weekend with high expectations throughout the Hokie Nation. Can Tyrod Taylor lead VT to a big win against one of college football's most storied programs? Can Bud Foster's defense contain dynamic playmaker Julio Jones? These questions and more will soon be answered in Atlanta. more
Dinwiddie DL Scores First Official Offer September 3, 2009 Dinwiddie (VA) defensive lineman Corey Marshall received verbal offers from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech in June...on the same day, actually. Yesterday, he received an official offer from Tech, and he expects Virginia to come through shortly. The 6-1, 255-pound prospect plans to dive right into the recruiting process this fall. more
Top Junior CB Awaits Two Official Offers September 2, 2009 It's a big week for junior Demetrious Nicholson, who is currently basking in Bayside's (Virginia Beach, VA) 21-17 opening game win over Green Run. Nicholson, like juniors all across the country, is checking his mailbox this week for official offer letters from FBS programs. The 5-11, 165-pound prospect expects at least two offers in the very near future. more
Football Game Preview: #7 Virginia Tech vs. #5 Alabama September 2, 2009 Presented by Kent Square Condominiums: Since this game was announced on December 19, 2008, it's been the biggest thing on the minds of Virginia Tech fans. The Orange Bowl against Cincinnati was just a minor distraction. This is the game Tech fans have been waiting for. It's a chance for the Hokies to prove themselves on national television against a major opponent. It would help the perception of the program nationally, and it would help the Hokies take that ever-elusive "next step." more
Martin Plans to Visit Finalists Once More September 1, 2009 Roanoke Rapids (N.C.) defensive end Kareem Martin couldn't settle on one school prior to the start of his senior season, so he has decided to visit each of his five finalists at least one more time. Roanoke Rapids head coach Russell Weinstein revealed Martin's initial plans and discussed the 6-6, 240-pound prospect's performance so far this season. more
PreSeason Report: Midlothian's Matt Arkema August 31, 2009 Midlothian (VA) opens up its 2009 regular season next Friday, meaning less than two weeks remain before Matt Arkema takes the field for the first game of his senior season. The 6-3 1/2, 290-pound rising senior has come a long way since his first varsity football game, which was two years ago as a sophomore. A key ingredient to Arkema's success - he has accepted a scholarship offer to play at Virginia Tech - is the effort he puts out on and off the field. more
Playing most of the 2008 season with a broken wrist demonstrated Dominique Patterson's toughness but also his ability, as he performed well despite the injury. The 6-1, 205-pound senior does not want to go through that experience again, though, and he has enjoyed being healthy so far this season.
Old Mill (Millersville, MD) athlete Josh Furman traveled to the University of Michigan last weekend, making what was his first official visit. The 6-2, 195-pound senior was impressed by the experience, but for now he doesn't appear close to making a verbal commitment. He discusses his first official visit as well as a possible visit to Virginia Tech.
After a tough, physical battle against Alabama, the doctor ordered up just the remedy the Hokies needed: a home opener against an overmatched opponent. The offense exploded behind two freshmen whiz kids, the defense was better and the special teams were more consistent. But it's dangerous to project too much from Saturday's performances. Last week, I reiterated a message that I had been preaching throughout the summer - do not get discouraged over the outcome of the Alabama game. In the interest of fairness, a similar statement can be made this week - do not peg the needle too far in the other direction over the results of the Marshall game.
In last week's Monday Thoughts, I wrote that I thought the Tech running game had done some good things against Alabama and showed promise. Raleigh Hokie went one better in his game analysis and said Tech's rushing game had a chance to be "dynamic." On Saturday, the Hokies mauled Marshall on the ground, and the only question now is what this means for the rest of the season.
Another week of ACC football is in the books, and there were two more close calls against 1-AA teams. A big game between Clemson and Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Thursday night highlighted the week, and there is more ACC football coming up this Thursday.
Just a week after only gaining 155 total yards against Alabama, the Virginia Tech offense picked up 605 yards yards against Marshall, dominating the Thundering Herd on their way to a 52-10 victory in Lane Stadium. The Hokies moved to 1-1 on the season, with highly anticipated matchups with Nebraska and Miami coming up.
Last Friday night's season opening loss was a disappointment, but quarterback Mark Leal says his team came out more encouraged than anything else. Atlantic battled 2A power Pahokee the entire night, taking the lead 6-0 just before halftime. Pahokee rallied for 13 unanswered points in the second half, coming away with a hard-fought victory.
Senior wide receiver Justin Hunter has received much of the headlines in Chris Scott's Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, VA) program, and deservedly so, but another national recruit is emerging. Junior quarterback Lafonte Thoroughgood, a 6-2, 212-pound prospect, has earned three official offers already with a fourth likely on the way any day.
It was a tough game with a disappointing finish and there are a lot of things that need to be improved, but there were also some positives to take away as well. It is easy to look at the lack of offensive production and conclude that another frustrating year is ahead. It is also easy to look at all the missed tackles and big plays given up by the defense and wonder if expectations are too high on that side of the ball.
I saw a lot of encouraging signs Saturday night for the 2009 Hokies, but I also saw a lot more of the same-old-same-old. On the positive side, Tech played hard and played with composure, and one new player in particular, Ryan Williams, really stood out. But on the offensive side of the ball, the team once again struggled with many of the same issues we have seen for three years running now.
Atlanta, GA -- Virginia Tech led 17-16 heading into the fourth quarter of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff, but Alabama blew up the Hokies for 18 fourth-quarter points and won going away, 34-24. The Tide overpowered the Hokies and leveraged huge margins in time of possession, offensive plays, and total yards for the win.
In the most anticipated opening game in Virginia Tech football history, the seventh-ranked Hokies travel to Atlanta to face the fifth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night. Tech will be on the main stage in college football's opening weekend with high expectations throughout the Hokie Nation. Can Tyrod Taylor lead VT to a big win against one of college football's most storied programs? Can Bud Foster's defense contain dynamic playmaker Julio Jones? These questions and more will soon be answered in Atlanta.
Dinwiddie (VA) defensive lineman Corey Marshall received verbal offers from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech in June...on the same day, actually. Yesterday, he received an official offer from Tech, and he expects Virginia to come through shortly. The 6-1, 255-pound prospect plans to dive right into the recruiting process this fall.
Roanoke Rapids (N.C.) defensive end Kareem Martin couldn't settle on one school prior to the start of his senior season, so he has decided to visit each of his five finalists at least one more time. Roanoke Rapids head coach Russell Weinstein revealed Martin's initial plans and discussed the 6-6, 240-pound prospect's performance so far this season.
Midlothian (VA) opens up its 2009 regular season next Friday, meaning less than two weeks remain before Matt Arkema takes the field for the first game of his senior season. The 6-3 1/2, 290-pound rising senior has come a long way since his first varsity football game, which was two years ago as a sophomore. A key ingredient to Arkema's success - he has accepted a scholarship offer to play at Virginia Tech - is the effort he puts out on and off the field.
