Collegiate Times

The second Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor first set foot on the field at Louisiana State University in fall 2007, the future of Hokie football was changed.

Taylor’s 31 wins as a quarterback are a school record, a number that stands out to head coach Frank Beamer.

“He's not into stats,” Beamer said Tuesday. “He's into winning football games and helping his teammates win. So, I really appreciate Tyrod a lot.”

A dual-threat quarterback coming out of Hampton High School in Hampton, Va., Taylor progressed as a passer each year.

Taylor, who was recruited by former Virginia defensive coordinator and now head coach Mike London, always caught the first year coach’s eye.

“There's no way you say you can defend him like this, like that, because he has all the tools, the arms, the legs to get out of it,” London said. “He's become a really good quarterback in terms of the passing game.”

While UVa will look to contain Taylor and the nation’s No. 23 scoring offense, Beamer is giving London and his staff a lot of credit.

"I've always been impressed with Mike (London),” Beamer said. “I think he's done a good job now. I think he's put together a good staff. They're working extremely hard and I think he's doing a good job.”

While Tech has enjoyed the talents of Taylor over the past four years, Cavalier fans have seen a number of different quarterbacks under center.

The likes of Jameel Sewell, Peter Lalich and Marc Verica have all taken snaps for UVa during the Tyrod Taylor Era at Tech, with only one bowl game appearance to show for it.

London and staff are hoping to restore the pride that UVa football once had. The program has always turned out NFL talent, such as Herman Moore (Detroit Lions), Heath Miller (Pittsburgh Steelers) and D’Brickashaw Ferguson (New York Jets). Wins and bowl berths have not always been so easy.

Part of that problem has been the in-state recruiting of Virginia’s top talent. With Tech's success, and the head-to-head record this decade, it has been tough sledding for recruiters in Charlottesville.

However with London's arrival, UVa has taken steps in the right direction. While the wins have not been plentiful, the recruits have.

In his first year in Charlottesville, London has secured commitments from four-star Maryland athlete Brandon Phelps and Newport News, Va., running back Clifton Richardson. London is trying to change the culture of Cavalier football.

“As the new guy coming in and as you try to attract young men that are interested in your particular university,” London said. “You can say, 'Hey, listen, you can be part of the foundation that changed the culture and changed the fortunes of Virginia football.'”

While UVa has had success in the recruiting game, success on the field has been minimal. The Cavaliers are just 44-72-4 all-time in regular-season finales, and have lost the last six. London is making more of an effort to get some of his younger players into these late-season games.

Cavalier fans have a bright future, while Beamer and company are enjoying a successful present. With a win Saturday, Tech will achieve 10 wins for the seventh consecutive season.

“The thing I'm most proud about is our consistency,” Beamer said. “I think we're the only team in the country to win 10 games for seven straight years, we separated ourselves there, so I'm proud of that.”

Although the game Saturday might not hold much importance in the ACC, Beamer believes the Commonwealth Cup still means a lot to his football team.

“We understand how important it is to our fans and our alumni of this university and how important it is to us,” Beamer said. “It's an important game to them too. So, I think the fact that it's Virginia, makes it a very, very important football game.”

The Cavaliers head into Blacksburg Saturday afternoon to face the Hokies. Kickoff is set for noon on the ACC Network.

A version of this article appeared in the Nov 20 issue of the Collegiate Times.