Virginia Tech football opened another season last week with their first official practices. A team with very high expectations and an exceptionally high amount of media attention looks to improve upon last year’s 10-3 performance.
USA Today ranks this year’s squad as the ninth best team in the country and first in the ACC. Only three players graduated from the Hokies 2006 top ranked defense in the country. The offense returns breakout running back Brandon Ore from the previous year and invaluable experience was gained at the quarterback and offensive line position last year.
Positional battles and a few early season injuries permeated throughout the first week of the 2007 season.
The Hokies received some bad news when redshirt sophomore Ed Wang broke his leg during a Sunday afternoon practice. Wang, who moved from tight end to starting offensive tackle this past spring, fractured his fibula after someone rolled on his leg in the team’s fourth practice of the season. He had surgery Sunday night at Montgomery Regional Hospital and is predicted to be out of commission for the next 10 to 12 weeks.
Another early season injury for the Hokies occurred when reserve running back Elan Lewis re-injured his right knee during last Thursday’s practice. Lewis, a redshirt sophomore from Hampton, suffered from an injury to his ACL and will have to have season-ending surgery. Last year, Lewis was plagued with his knee injury throughout the year but did see playing times in eight games where he gained 47 yards on the season and scored a touchdown against Georgia Tech. The date of Lewis’s surgery has not yet been released.
Hokie starting running back Brandon Ore has also been involved in some early season publicity. Ore decided to miss the second summer session of classes and go home to help a friend with family related issues. As punishment for missing unofficial team training,
Ore has dropped from first to third running back on the team’s depth chart. Little has been said about the incident and Ore should be expected to be the starter by the season opener against East Carolina. The first-team All-ACC back will provide a major role in the Hokies offensive production. Last year’s 17 touchdowns and 1,137 yards rank fourth and sixth in Virginia Tech history and coaches are looking for even more improvement out of Ore.
Kenny Lewis Jr. is currently the number one running back on the depth chart after Ore’s penalty, and Jahre Cheeseman will be battling Lewis for the spot throughout early season practices.
Many of the Virginia Tech fans are looking at the quarterback position with a close eye. Starting quarterback Sean Glennon showed glimpses of good game management skills throughout last season, but last year’s 11 touchdown and 11 interception season has led to some speculation about his decision making abilities. Back up Ike Whitaker has since recovered from last year’s stint in rehab for alcohol abuse and coaches believe that he has changed for the better. Whitaker’s standout athletic abilities will provide a dramatic challenge to Glennon’s consistency and work ethic.
Special teams suffered the loss of both kickers last season and look to newcomers to fill their shoes. Jed Dunlevy was the first string place kicker after spring practices and he has retained the position so far after the departure of Brandon Pace. Dunlevy, a red shirt senior, has kicked for the jayvee team for the past three seasons and will benefit from game experience as the season wears on.
Punter Nic Schmitt looks to be replaced by redshirt sophomore Brent Bowden. Bowden has been the backup for the past two seasons and has no game experience.
Last year’s number one defense remains strong. Starters Aaron Rouse, Brenden Hill and Noland Burchette were the only losses to last year’s No. 1 ranked total defense in the country. The team looks to reload at those three positions rather than rebuild.
Led by redshirt senior Chris Ellis, the defensive line remains strong. Orion Martin, Nekos Brown and Jason Worilds will be battling throughout the late summer practices to fill Noland Burchette’s spot on the line.
The secondary only lost Aaron Rouse and should be just as strong with Brandon Flowers and Victor “Macho” Harris taking over the leadership abilities. Kam Chancellor and Dorian Porch will be battling for Aaron Rouse’s old position at rover. Both are sophomores and Chancellor has seen most of his playing time at special teams.
Harris is not expected to play in Saturday’s scrimmage, according to a release from the trainer, Chad Hyatt.
The Hokies start the season under the microscope of College GameDay in Blacksburg.
The team not only has large expectations because of their football prowess but also because of the increased media coverage of Virginia Tech after April 16, 2007. Like every other athletic team, football will be displaying a memorial patch on their official jerseys.
Practice will continue throughout the remaining summer weeks and the season opener against East Carolina will be at noon on September 1, 2007 in Lane Stadium. The Hokies then travel to Baton Rouge, LA for a big match up against the USA Today No. 2 LSU Tigers at 9:15 PM on Sept. 8, 2007.
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