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.
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