Collegiate Times

Sean Glennon couldn’t stop smiling after Virginia Tech beat rival Virginia 17-0 last Saturday.

Most Hokie fans would not have imagined the redshirt sophomore would help lead Tech to a 10-win season. Fans had been accustomed to the likes of Bryan Randall and Marcus Vick, who ran and passed for the Hokies. Glennon is a standard pocket passer – though he picks his moments. In Saturday’s game Glennon ripped off a 19-yard run early in the third quarter.

“I told you all to not write me off,” Glennon said when asked about not being mobile enough. “I told you from day one that I’m not Marcus. But, I’m not a statue either. I’m somewhere in between. I can do things. It was a big play. I know maybe one of the Vicks would have taken that to the house, but that showed people that I have a little speed.”

Known as a pocket passer, Glennon is not afraid to tuck it and run.

“I’ve always had confidence that I could pick up 10 or 15 yards,” he said. “I’m not going to run for 70.”

At the end of the regular season, the Centreville, Va. native finished the season as the fourth-best passer in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Through 12 games, Glennon went 157-for-276 for 2,097 yards, 11 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

Those numbers may not turn heads. However, as a true sophomore starting in his first full season in 2002, Bryan Randall went 140-225 for 1,957 yards, 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 13 regular season games.

Randall helped the Hokies go 9-4 and earn a win in the San Francisco Diamond Walnut Bowl. Glennon led his team to a 10-2 mark, making him the third quarterback in as many years to lead the Hokies to a double-digit win season.

“Winning 10 games means a lot,” he said. “Although we may not get the recognition for it, because we’re not going to be in the ACC Championship or a BCS bowl game, Coach Beamer said there are only three teams have won 10 games in each of the last three seasons — us, Texas and USC. That’s a lot to be proud of in a conference like the ACC. With the players out there today, it’s tough to win 10. I’m real proud to be on this team.”

Even Tech’s defense took notice in Glennon’s leadership ability.

“Sean has really stepped up,” said linebacker Xavier Adibi. “He might have started slow at the beginning of the year, but now he’s coming into his own.”

One player who has watched Glennon’s ascent to leadership is wide receiver and fellow former Westfield High School Bulldog Eddie Royal.

“I’m real proud of him,” Royal said. “There were some people doubting his leadership and how well he could play. He did a great job and he didn’t get down when our team went through that little slump. He stood tall and was a leader of this team and made sure that everybody knew that he could be a leader. That shows what kind of guy he is.”
Glennon settled down after a turbulent start, thanks to the presence of his high school teammate at wide-out.

“It’s always fun to see a familiar face out there,” Glennon said. “He gives me confidence in knowing how much success I’ve had with him in the past. He puts me at ease a little more. Watching him make plays like he did against UVa definitely makes my job a little easier. I’m so glad he came here with me, because I have a lot of fun throwing to him.”

Royal sees Glennon as a major leader as the season comes to a close, much like their days in high school.

“It really hasn’t changed that much. Sean’s always been a leader,” Royal said. “It’s just the type of guy that he is. He’s just going to come in there and make things happen. You can just tell by his presence that he’s a leader of our team.”

Glennon stepped up to the table after the two losses, thanks to his continued poise in the pocket.

“I think I did achieve my goals. I had some team goals, like going to the ACC Championship, but that didn’t work out. If you would have told me that we would go 10-2, I would have thought that would have been good enough,” Glennon said.

Now, in the midst of a six-game winning streak, Glennon believes the Hokies are the best team in the conference.
“To be honest, I think with the way we’ve turned things around and the way our defense is playing right now, I don’t think there is a better team in the ACC,” he said. “The offense is making plays. We may not be as consistent as the defense, but we’re still making plays. Knowing how we were in those losses and how we’re playing now, I’d love to play those two games over again.”