Friday, September 9, 2011 Print Edition

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Remembering

9/11 9/

Sept. 11, 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. at War Memorial Chapel An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

Friday, September 9, 2011

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COLLEG LEGIATETIMES

108th year, issue 83 People & Clubs, page 2

News, page 4

Opinions, page 3 The Extra Point, back page Classifieds, page 6

Boyer meets world

er b em m e page 6 RSudoku,

Gas leak disrupts day

NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS features staff writer A notorious group of high school students cruises in their 1966 Volkswagen van, which became the talk of the town and source of many memorable stories.

With the van’s exterior scrawling with vividly painted murals and comical slogans, the interior was gutted and the ordinary seats replaced with beanbag chairs.

The license plate for the van quite obviously read, “LOSER,” exemplifying the crew’s humorous outlook on life.

The van’s owner was none other than Virginia Tech geography instructor John Boyer, whose high school shenanigans and charismatic personality can be summed up by his notorious, wacky vehicle.

While Boyer may not have always known he would become a teacher, his amiable character has always remained part of his personality.

Boyer grew up in Vinton, Va., a small town near Roanoke. Even as a kid, Boyer and his friends were topics of conversation among residents.

“I had fun — I partied hard even as a kid,” Boyer said. “I played sports, was pretty active and did crazy

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

GAS LEAK ON PATRICK HENRY DRIVE CAUSES ROAD CLOSURE AND EVACUATION THURSDAY CT STAFF A natural gas leak caused road closures on Patrick Henry Drive yesterday.

At 11:48 a.m. Blacksburg Authorities closed Patrick Henry Dive between Chickahominy Drive and Progress Street. Residents of

see BOYER / page four DANIEL LIN / SPPS

World regions inspires students

Shenandoah Townhomes were evacuated at 1:30 p.m.

The road reopened at 3:05 p.m. and residents were allowed back into their homes around 3:30 p.m.

Atmos Energy continued to work on the leak throughout the afternoon, and Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department stood by as a precaution.

Fed court tosses healthcare case

FILE 2010 / SPPS DANIEL LIN / SPPS

Plaid-wearing John Boyer teaches a class of 3,000 students every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. in Burruss Hall auditorium.

CLASS INSPIRES STUDENTS TO KEEP UP WITH GLOBAL EVENTS WHEN THE SEMESTER ENDS CODY OWENS news reporter Every week, 3,000 people fill the largest room on campus to share nights with ninjas, government agents and the occasional Spartan — all to have a three-hour discussion about the bizarre world.

This might sound surprising to some, but not to students who have taken world regions, the popular geography course taught by instructor John Boyer.

The world regions syllabus states that the overall objective of the class is to “broaden and strengthen the individual’s interest in the world at large.” Subjects covered during the semester range from world states to global economies to international organizations.

Boyer often provides another objective to his students: “Don’t just hear the news, understand the news.” Students are encouraged to follow news, not only on a domestic scale, but on an international level, and through multiple sources.

“People like understanding what’s going on in the world,” Boyer said.

“They like being subjected to international events in a very real way.”

Boyer first taught world regions in 1998 with a class of 50 students, which developed over time into a 580-student course in McBryde 100.

However, Boyer said the expanding student interest for the course quickly outgrew the lecture hall.

“The McBryde 100 course kept getting maxed out instantaneously on Hokie Spa when people would sign up for classes, and we would end up with 3,000 people on the wait list,” he said. “We needed a bigger venue — there really is no big-

ger venue until you bump up to Burruss.”

In 2008, an experimental world regions course moved into Burruss auditorium, amid skepticism about the effectiveness of teaching to such a large class. With one professor teaching a class with students that fill every seat in the auditorium, Boyer said he understood the questioning.

“The accepted knowledge is that small classes are better — period,” he said. “With large classes, people say you get no individual attention, and you don’t get to know the professor, and it’s a terrible way to learn. I think my class has simply defied that convention.”

During a typical Monday evening class, students are laughing, yelling and engaging — despite the almost three-hour length of the class.

Seungjae Cho, a sophomore majoring in aerospace and ocean engineering, recommends every student experience Boyer’s class.

“You have to take this class before you graduate,” Cho said, “whether you have the area credit or not.”

“

You have to take this class before you graduate.

SEUNGJAE CHO

In most classes, Boyer uses skits to demonstrate topics, using students who dress up as figures ranging from United Nations representatives to illegal immigrants to ancient warriors.

“He made the class really enjoyable,” said Jack Colston, a sophomore math education major. “He had ninjas attack some guy, and Spartans came dressed in masks. He

loved anybody that came dressed up.”

Even the “The Plaid Avenger’s World,” the textbook Boyer writes each year, has students talking.

“It’s made for people to enjoy reading while learning at the same time,” Cho said. “It has a textbook format with a comic book cover.”

But amid caricatures of world leaders and recipes for foreign cocktails is a wealth of information on the global community.

To connect with and hold the attention of such a large class, Boyer relies on more than just his engaging teaching methods and plaid attire.

Technology is widely utilized as a teaching tool to grip students. Boyer attributes much success to technical assistant Katie Pritchard, who literally connects 3,000 students to one professor.

Boyer conducts online office hours via video streaming. Anyone can watch him answer questions and comment on world events in real time. Additionally, he has recorded hours of video lectures on the class website.

Extra credit is available to students who create a fake Twitter account for a world leader and post tweets based on global events and those happening in the leader’s nation.

“If you pretend to be a leader of the world by using Twitter, you’re accurate, and you can be funny,” Colston said. “You get extra points for the class.”

Search Twitter with the word “plaid” before any major world leader’s name, and a page maintained by a Tech student will most likely appear.

“Increasingly, (technology) is a necessity, specifically for what we do,” Boyer said. “I don’t think these technologies are going to work in every single class, but people should start investigating them further.”

The class has attracted the attention of educators interested in Boyer’s teaching methods. It has warranted seminars, including one at the South by Southwest conferences, about combining large class sizes with technology.

“I want professors and instructors to better teach and better connect with their students,” Boyer said. “I’m not trying to convert everyone, but I now feel like I need to share that knowledge of our experience with other people.”

Going against the initial skepticism, many students said they find themselves engaged by Boyer and fascinated by the material. It is a testament to the class and instructor when students return to lectures, and word of mouth has students of many majors requesting the course.

“I’m very interested in taking world regions,” said Charlie Ewing, a sophomore history major. “I’ve heard exceptional things about it — both the professor and the material in the course.”

Despite the growth from 50 students to 3,000, Boyer said the draw of the class still stems from student desire to understand what is going on in the world and not him. Colston said through the class, he developed a desire international news awareness.

“I actually kept up with world events all of last year to try to learn about what was going on in the world,” he said.

In the end, Boyer said this cultural appetite is what really matters.

“This course is popular because it connects to people in a very real way that they start to understand what is going on in the wider world,” he said. “That is a skill this generation is going to have to have in a globalized world.”

COURT SAYS CUCCINELLI LACKS STANDING TO SUE GOVERNMENT OVER HEALTHCARE MALLORY NOE-PAYNE news staff writer A federal appeals court in Richmond dismissed a lawsuit brought by Virginia challenging the constitutionality of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law Thursday.

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sued the federal government, arguing that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as “Obamacare,” came into conflict with a state law. The national law requires Americans to buy health insurance, which violates a state law that prohibits just such a mandate.

“Obviously, we are disappointed in the ruling,” Cuccinelli said in a press release Thursday, “Our disappointment not only stems from the fact that the court ruled against us, but also that the court did not even reach the merits on the key question of Virginia’s lawsuit.”

The three-judge panel did not actually decide on the constitutional validity of the 2010 law, instead ruling that the state had no standing to sue, meaning the state lacked sufficient connection or harm. The case could not be considered at all.

“What Virginia maintains is that it has standing to challenge the individual mandate solely because of the asserted conflict between that federal statute and the VHCFA,” wrote judge Diana Gribbon Motz in the court’s opinion. “(But) Virginia lacks the ‘personal stake’ in this case” that would give it standing.

The Virginia Health Care Freedom Act, the state law at the

center of the lawsuit, was enacted the day after national healthcare legislation. Cuccinelli filed his lawsuit on behalf of Virginia the same day. The opinion of the court suggested that the VHCFA served “merely as a smokescreen” for Virginia’s lawsuit.

The 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals is the third appeals court to rule on a case challenging the new healthcare law, becoming the second to leave it intact. The 11th Circuit, covering much of Alabama, Florida and Georgia, overturned the law in August.

“I’m disappointed. I think they made the wrong decision,” said Virginia Delegate Steve Landes, a Republican representing Virginia’s 25th District and a patron of the VHCFA. (But) I don’t think it was unexpected when you look at the appointments,” he added, referring to the judges responsible for the decision. Democratic presidents Obama and Bill Clinton appointed all three.

However, Landes expressed faith that the case would not end here.

“I know the attorney general is well prepared to defend the issue before the Supreme Court,” he said.

This sentiment was echoed by Christopher Ruhm, a University of Virginia law professor who filed a brief in support of the federal government.

“All of these cases will ultimately end up being decided by the Supreme Court,” Ruhm said. “I don’t believe the specific decision, or lack thereof, in this case will be relevant at the end of the day.”

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people & clubs

he she

B editors: chelsea gunter, patrickpage murphy featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

september 9, 2011

SAID

He said: First round of tests a rude awakening eality sets in. You have tests in what R seems to be every class including that pointless elective you thought would be easy.

You really should start that five-page paper duenextweek.Andyouhavemeetingsevery day from all the awesome clubs you signed up for during Gobblerfest. I thought college was supposed to be fun?

We have a tough few weeks in front of us ladies and gentlemen. These are the days when social lives become practically nonexistent, freak outs are more prevalent than meals, and engineers become business majors. I am here to tell you everything will be fine if you remain calm, cool and collected.

Whether you are a first semester freshman or an umpteenth year “senior,” the first big wave of tests and projects come as an unwanted and loathed phenomenon, causing almost all of us to want to curl up into the fetal position. The last few weeks have been great, from move in to syllabus week, with only a few homework assignments here and there. But now is the time when things start getting serious, and you realize you actually need to do work — unless you have found a major that requires no work, which I have been unable to find thus far in my academic career.

To succeed, you will need to find what type of study and work habits work best for you. Some of us can learn just by listening during a lecture, while others need to work extremely hard, and some are graced with the ability to succeed without effort. I know I am unfortunately not part of this last group — you should be very happy if you happen to be. It’s not important which category you actually belong to, as long as you are aware which one it is. Discovering which of these habits lead you to success will allow you to form a framework on how you work.

Because of this large amount of variability, I have chosen a few things I think will benefit you, regardless of your study type. The first of which is to always know what you need to do and when. If you are able to make a list, whether in your head or in your planner, you will be able to prioritize what needs to be done. Time is a sacred jewel in college, and if you do not keep up with it, it will get away from you. Always knowing when you have tests, homework assignments, projects and meetings will allow you to schedule your life accordingly.

I have failed to do this many times — an

action that has led to sleepless nights at the dreaded club E, or in layman’s terms, the Empo. I’ve also spent Friday nights studying, timeswhichcouldhavebeenbetterspentkilling brain cells. A simple calendar, planner or piece of paper documenting what and when things needs to be completed can save you from the dreaded all-nighter, unless you’re an architecture major — sorry, there’s nothing you can do to escape those.

Another invaluable piece of advice I wish I had taken advantage of earlier is the use of study groups. If you can find a good group, you can accomplish an exponentially large amount, compared to throwing yourself in the back of a library alone. A group dynamic gives accountability to its members and helps keep everyone on track. But be warned — if you surround yourself with a group with an apathetic and lethargic mindset, it will only hinder you. When you enter the workplace post graduation, you will almost certainly be forced to work in group situations.

Developing the skill now will benefit you greatly and make you much more marketable to companies.

Finally, always make time for yourself.

Devoting every waking minute to studying will cause you to drain quicker than the batteries on the required engineering tablets. We all need to eat, so take some time to go out with your friends and grab some food. Or maybe go work out for an hour. Heck, even reading the newspaper like you are doing now counts. Simple actions like these that free your mind will allow you to come back to your studies with a clearer and more positive mindset.

Well,goodluck.Collegeisthebestfewyears of your life, but it does not come without a price. Believe it or not, we actually pay, and work, to get an education at Virginia Tech.

WhileIwillalwaysbeanadvocateforoutsidethe-classroom learning, the university doesn’t give out degrees for clubs and organizations.

So study hard my friends; at least we have another Tech football win to look forward to.

DANE HARRINGTON -featured columnist -junior -industrial & systems engineering major

STEPHANIE LACASSE / COLLEGIATE TIMES

She said: Rain, apathy deter classroom attendance I took off my rain boots in As class and poured the contents onto the floor, I took a second to look around the room. “Well that was fast,” I thought to myself, noticing almost half of the seats were empty. Now I don’t know if it’s the Blacksburg weather that has put people into hibernation or if they are just skipping classes, but either way it’s pretty sad. This is only the beginning y’all. It isn’t even October.

I will say that it took a lot of convincing, after pushing snooze four times, to get myself out of bed. The sound of rain outside my window was not welcomed as I rolled over; it was almost like magic how easily it could lull me to sleep. After such a fun weekend beating the hell out of Appalachian State and celebrating, the change in temperature has caught up to me. I have found myself sneezing, stuffedup and completely out of it.

I’m sure I am not the only one who thought twice about going to class during such a soggy week. The thought of staying home on days like this and filling my day watching TV shows on Hulu or cuddling up with a good book is very enticing. However, a

tinge of guilt hits my stomach as reality sets in. My parents are definitely not paying out-of-state tuition for me to lie in bed, even if I have a silly little cold.

We are all excited for the opportunities college has presented us, whether they are clubs, organizations or even internships. The trick is balancing school with extracurricular activities and/or work. A lot of times, it is easy to skip a class or procrastinate on doing homework because you just don’t feel like putting any effort in. Ask yourself the question: when will that transition from not caring to putting forth your best work come in?

I’m here to tell you this is simply a slump, and it gets better. Find something to look forward to in your least favorite class. One of my friends likes to use pretty notebooks and fancy pens so she enjoys writing notes in class. I’m telling you, all it takes is a fun game to make class enjoyable. Try and count how many times your professor says “um.”

Or you could simply go to a class to see someone you think is really attractive. My friends and I call these “campus crushes.” You may never meet this person unless you approach them,

but it is never a crime to look. Who knows, maybe your teacher will split the class into groups, and you just so happen to land yourself in a situation where you two can actually communicate. After all, Virginia Tech is known to help in the love department.

Speaking of studying and love, one night driving home from studying my heart out for finals, I saw the most romantic thing. As I walked exhausted to my car parked on the Drillfield, I barely noticed the couple standing by the pylons talking. I remember thinking it was a little odd that they were out there at three in the morning, but I kept on walking to my car. However, as I drove past the pylons, I almost came to a complete stop.

I had curiously glanced over to see if the couple was still there when I saw the guy on a knee and the girl’s hands to her mouth. In the distance on the Drillfield I saw some guys holding poster boards with “Will You Marry Me” spelled out in glow sticks. I just about died. I called my mom almost teary eyed and told her the entire story, and she just laughed and said, “I’m glad to hear you’re getting some studying done.” You never know what

kind of things you’ll come across as you study, so just keep pushing through.

Some of your classes will be the hardest you’ve experienced in your life. Some of the work will be pointless and busy, making you feel like you are in high school again. But regardless of the class, remember why you are here — to learn, grow and mature not only socially, but intellectually. Tech gave you admission because it had faith in you to serve the university beyond graduation. Admissions knew you would be ready for the real world by the time you graduated, and you would spread to companies and professions the unwavering reputation of a Tech graduate. So grab a jacket, chug some coffee and get yourself to class — these four years will fly by on their own. Don’t waste a second.

KELLEY ENGLISH -featured columnist -junior -marketing & management major

opınıons 3

editors: scott masselli, sean simons opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

september 9, 2011

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

MCT CAMPUS

Players have enough

&

I’ll be the first to admit it — I’m cheap.

Who isn’t, right? Factor into the equation I’m your typical, broke college student who chose to work an unpaid internship this summer, and you can pretty much guarantee I’ll do anything to save a buck or two when I can. So, the last time I went to the store, I opted for the off-brand coffee instead of my favorite Starbucks specialty roast to save a measly 53 cents.

Worth it? Let’s just say I might as well have strolled down to Lane Stadium, dug up some dirt from the North End Zone, and used that for my morning brew instead. At least that would have shown some school spirit, and it probably would have tasted better than what I ended up with too. Conclusion? There are no substitutes for quality and authenticity.

But what does this have to do with college football? Everything. In the aftermath of the NCAA investigations of the UNC and Miami programs concerning third-party agents paying off players, there has been an extensive debate as to whether college athletes should receive a salary to play. Are you kidding me? The reason I prefer collegiate sports over the pros is the very fact that the participants aren’t paid. They play for the love of the game — not for a paycheck. It’s pure, unadulterated competition — a quality that’s diluted in professional sports by inflated egos, overt wage demands and lack of team spirit.

In other words, college sports are the equivalent of my beloved Starbucks — enticingly authentic, albeit a little more expensive because of the necessary reevaluation of the NCAA’s regulatory oversight regarding agent solicitation.

On the other hand, a salaried collegiate athletic structure would be akin to my off-brand coffee purchase — sure, it’s cheaper in that the NCAA doesn’t have to invest in more officials to insure players aren’t receiving unjust compensation, but it tastes like crap.

It’s not like top-notch college athletes receive nothing for their performances while they’re in school. When they want to exercise, they don’t have to sweat it out in the notoriously sweltering, cramped basement of the War Memorial Hall gym alongside their history professor — they have exclusive access to stateof-the-art sports specific facilities. They don’t have to wait in the never-ending lines of D2 and West End when they’re hungry because they have nutrition plans designed by professional dieticians. Most importantly, thanks to their athletic scholarships, they don’t have to sacrifice their free time on work-study programs, ROTC membership, or undergraduate research to pay for college tuition like non-athletes. Shouldn’t the perks of a free education, in addition to being an on-campus VIP, be enticing enough for athletes to maintain amateur status?

Simply put, the NCAA needs to crack down on these offenders. Whether it be hiring more regulatory investigators or implementing harsher punishments, the benefits of maintaining amateur status are definitely worth any extra costs incurred by the organization. It’s the difference between a fabricated, lifeless performance and an enthralling, authentic spectacle of passionate competition. I’d fork over a few extra bucks for that.

MARK DEWYEA - regular columnist - senior - English major

New system needed for new age of athletics

I’m going to be blunt — the NCAA, and collegiate athletics for that matter, are currently drowning in a cesspool of controversy. Athletic departments from all over the country — Miami, USC, UNC, Ohio State, Auburn, Oregon and others — have been riddled with scandal, and the media are screaming for reform.

Sports news outlets, especially ESPN, are blaming the NCAA and espousing that the unscrupulous behavior we are witnessing is somehow inherent, or even expected, within the faulty framework currently in place.

Consequently, the question of compensating college athletes has become a major, if not preeminent, topic for discussion and debate.

As with every convoluted issue, there are two polarized sides on both ends of the spectrum that provide legitimate reasons for their position. But both sides obfuscate their weaknesses, unknowingly commit logical fallacies and sometimes assail rather than inform. Consequently, I have found faults with both positions in the compensation debate.

For clarity reasons, I will call one side the “Cartel Camp” and the other side the “They Already Get Paid Camp.” I also want to stress that this question is specifically in regard to college football and basketball, as they are the revenue-generators and the sports where the flagrant cheating is taking place.

The CC believes the NCAA is exploiting college athletes, violating the Sherman Act and is, in effect, running a monopsony — when there is only one buyer in the market. Now I know you are thinking, “But these athletes are celebrities on campus, they are essentially living the dream, how are they being exploited?”

Well, let’s play the hypothetical game and say Virginia Tech just received a verbal commitment from a five-star football recruit, who is in the top five in the ESPN Top 150, and let’s call him “Kevin.”

Kevin’s market value is already worth double the scholarship he will receive, if not more (because keep in mind he has already been marketed heavily, either through magazine publications, such as Rise, or on websites, such as Rivals).

Also, Kevin is without a doubt going to dominate college football, so long as he manages to stay injury-free, and will be marketed by the institution, not with his name, but with his “likeness” (e.g. number) that everyone knows. And let us not forget he will be in the multi-million dollar videogame franchise EA Sports NCAA Football for at least three iterations. Kevin will also be a crucial bargaining chip for the NCAA as it seeks television contracts, which has usurped the millions and leaped into the multi-billions.

As Kevin excels at his craft, he generates money for his collegiate institution and the NCAA, but if

he wanted personal representation — to individually sell his own merchandise or give football lessons to other students — he would be ineligible to play in the NCAA because of his “studentathlete” status. Moreover, if he hasn’t been out of high school for more than three years or played three college football seasons, he would be ineligible to play in the NFL (e.g. Maurice Clarett).

Now let’s juxtapose Kevin to a music student here at Tech. Kevin is strictly prohibited from selling his skill set or talents at market value, while a music student can sign a record deal, market themselves however they see fit, and be rewarded for their hard work and exceptional abilities. The only difference between them is status — one is a student-athlete and one is just a normal student.

The logical oddity here is that any student could, in principle, make up their own sport, market it and sell it to the student body. (One caveat: If you decide to do this, and it becomes popular, expect a lawsuit from the NCAA.) The CC also makes a great point when they point out that the NFL is the only major professional sport with the three-year eligibility rule. All other sports, besides the NBA, which in 2005 changed its eligibility requirement to 19, have a minimum age requirement of 18 or under. The NFL is the anomaly, and it has tacitly conspired with the NCAA in creating a free farm system where both entities can capitalize on a student-athlete’s inability to generate revenue and have unlimited access to an unpaid source of marketable entertainment.

Need proof? There is actually pending litigation — O’Bannon v.

NCAA — that is challenging the issue of the reproduction of collegiate athletes’ “likeness” in videogames, and rebroadcast of games, DVD sales, photos, etc., without due compensation or royalty payments to the athletes. Moreover, Walter Byers, a previous executive director of the NCAA from 1951 to 1987, actually wrote a book called “Unsportsmanlike Conduct,” where he explicitly says contemporary college sports are no longer a student activity, but rather, a high-dollar commercial enterprise. It is evident that even the internal workings of the NCAA understand what is going on, and it is quite ironic when they write statements like “student-athletes should be protected from exploitation by professional and commercial enterprise” in the NCAA manuals given to student-athletes.

The TAGPC, on the other hand, views the question of compensation from an entirely different perspective. The TAGPC’s rebuttal is that student-athletes are already being compensated equitably, and it is not so much whether they should be paid, but how. If college football and basketball players receive extra monetary benefits from the NCAA or

their own institution, they would have to, in accordance with Title IX, give those same monetary benefits to every collegiate athlete, totaling to a substantial amount of money. Moreover, less than 12 percent of all Football Bowl Subdivision schools generated positive net revenue in FY09 — so most institutions are currently not fiscally sound.

Simply put, paying players is not an option. Now let’s also consider the value of a college degree that some of these players would not receive if it were not for their extraordinary athletic ability. According to Patrick Rishe of Forbes, the average cost of instate expenses in a top 25 football school for four years is $99,492, and the average degree value is about $2 million.

That is a short-term savings of almost $100,000 — not including the intangible benefits associated with the scholarship, such as free coaching, lower unemployment rates for college graduates, free publicity, free gear, personal tutors and more — and a long-term earnings potential of $2 million. So the portrayal of studentathletes being deprived is disingenuous, and they should laud the opportunity they have been given. There are plenty of students who would love to be debt free and have access to personal tutors, as well as other privileges.

As it was expressed on ESPN, student-athletes are not going hungry, and we will never see a player go on the Injured Reserve because of famine.

Compensating student-athletes is not feasible or logical. College athletics would inevitably become a bidding warzone for recruits — just like the professional sports free agency market — and the integrity of amateur athletics would be lost in the process.

However, the system currently in place needs a major overhaul.

What the NCAA and NFL are doing is despicable, detestable and flat out unjust. Preventing highprofile athletes from trying out for the NFL without satisfying the three-year eligibility requirement is the reason for all the problems the NCAA is facing. Playing collegiate athletics is a privilege and it should be secondary to obtaining a quality education. If an athlete has no intention of obtaining a degree and is only going to college to get drafted, their scholarship money should be given to someone who actually needs it and will use it toward an education. Changing the eligibility rules will also force higher education institutions to reevaluate their core values and invest more money back into the academic fields, rather than purchasing a multi-million dollar locker room so athletes can sip on champagne while lounging in the hot tub.

TYLER ARTHUR - regular columnist - sophomore - business major

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editors: claire sanderson, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

september 9, 2011

what you’re saying //comments from online readers...

On reporting arrests: What Nonsense>> I find it telling that nowhere in any of the PR the school has produced around this effort have they made an attempt to indicate exactly HOW this policy will protect students.Is the University insinuating that people with serious arrests will be removed from the community? Isn’t that what due process and prison is for? Are they trying to suggest that the prospect of self reporting serious arrests is more of a crime deterrent than prison, fines and probation?Of course not, and if you think about the logical progression of the policy - it is pretty clear that this is an attempt to catch students arrested for alcohol, and especially drugs, outside of Blacksburg, despite the insistence otherwise. Minor drug and alcohol offenses are pretty much the only possible applications of the policy, since Tech has little in the way of punitive authority... It is not like they can force you to leave Blacksburg and ban you from entering the University.Tech has chosen to criminalize those who wish to exercise their right to remain silent, and has stated that students who exercise this right will be “doubly punished.” I hope for your sake that your papers are in order, Comrade.

Anonymous>> Don’t break the law and you won’t have a problem. Or grow up and take responsibility for your actions.

On Romney: Anonymous>> Consider this when you’re discussing Perry’s failure to live up to Christ’s standards.

There is a common theme in the Bible that no man is good, we are all stained scarlet with sin and our burdened by our inequity. The only good man to ever live was Christ and he really doesn’t count.

COLLEGIATETIMES

Boyer: On teaching from page one

stuff all around town.”

When Boyer got to high school, he kept his same friends and transitioned into more organized sports, including soccer and tennis.

“Soccer was so new when I was in high school that the football coach was also the soccer coach, because nobody at that time knew anything about soccer,” Boyer said. “His idea of teaching soccer was to just make everybody run nonstop, so everybody pretty much became marathon runners.”

As his high school and sporting years came and went, the new graduate was not too keen on going to college.

“Me and the cohort of idiots I hung out with didn’t even apply for college at all,” Boyer said. “I was raging a little bit too hard back then, so I kind of just partied all summer. When it came to be fall we were kind of like, ‘Crap, we should probably go to college.’”

His group of friends took a road trip to Richmond, where some enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, while the others registered at a local community college. Boyer attended VCU for a semester and left because he realized he was not taking it seriously and didn’t want to waste his money.

After leaving VCU, Boyer and one of his friends enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, where they served on one of only two U.S. Icebreakers. Upon his exit from the service, Boyer planned

to take advantage of the G.I. Bill and return to school.

“I road tripped back across the country and for some reason ended up in Ohio, so I decided to go to Ohio State,” Boyer said. “It wasn’t even a month and I was like, ‘Yeah, this isn’t the right place for me.’”

He decided to return back home and apply to Tech, which, as one can gather, turned out to be the right fit.

After studying forestry for a bit and aspiring to party outside for a living, Boyer suddenly came to a revelation.

“I came to figure out that being a park ranger is actually work,” he said.

“And I was not keen on that whole thing.”

While delving into forestry, Boyer was also taking geography classes and found them pretty interesting. Despite having no idea what he would do with a geography degree, he decided to pursue his newfound passion.

As an undergraduate, Boyer did a research project on Virginia Wine, which was a new and quickly growing industry at the time. When he finished his undergraduate degree, Virginia Wine approached him and encouraged him to continue conducting research for them for his master’s degree.

The geography department was relatively small then, so Boyer was asked to teach a class while he finished his master’s degree.

“I thought to myself, ‘Sure, I’ll teach for awhile,’ and that’s all she wrote,” Boyer said. “I taught a class and thought it was great. I knew it was

my calling.”

The course is now known as the geography of wine.

Since that time he has received many awards for his outstanding work in the course, including the Sporn Award for Excellence in Teaching Introductory Subjects in 2002, and the Student’s Choice Award for Faculty Member of the Year in 2005 and again in 2007.

When he’s not busy accepting awards, Boyer is busy honing the craft he’s so passionate about. On a daily basis he advocates the importance of being informed on world issues, which makes teaching world regions a perfect fit for him.

“I am very passionate about getting Americans clued into what is going on in the world,” Boyer said. “Our country has been isolated for far too long. We have been in a position where we didn’t have to care what was going on in the rest of the world, and when you don’t have to do something, you won’t. That is just human nature.”

Boyer aims to impart this pressing message onto his students. He believes it is a necessary albeit difficult feat to tackle.

“Ultimately, I want people to be successful,” Boyer said. “I want Tech students to be successful, and you are not going to be able to do that in the 21st century if you are completely clueless internationally. I am called — driven — to get people a kind of working knowledge of what’s happening.”

Anonymous>> He was a campaign chairman for Al Gore. A few months ago he was demanding aid (drought) from the Feds. He supported a “guest worker” program leading to legalization. His head must hurt from all the spinning...

Al Gore’s Texas Cheerleader>> Rick Perry = Al Gore’s Texas Cheerleader. BRILLIANT Ad was released two days ago by the Paul campaign. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtDBp1OrCwI

Anonymous>> He’s not even a clever hypocrite. He will need a Karl Rove type adviser for that. If you want to be president don’t advertise that you will club Social Security to death.

You need to win Florida, idiot!

On Romney:

...... radio for everyone

Cornerback Carousel

NICK CAFFERKY sports special sections editor Over the past decade, no position on the Virginia Tech football team has been as consistently good as cornerback.

Rashad Carmichael, DeAngelo Hall, Brandon Flowers and Eric Green are just a few cornerbacks who took their success with the Hokies to the NFL, giving the Hokies a reputation of pumping out elite cornerbacks.

Jayron Hosley will likely join those men in the NFL at the end of this season, but there is a man behind him that could very well

do the same a few years down the road: Kyle Fuller.

“He’s one of those guys that has taken the next step,” said Bud Foster, Tech’s defensive coordinator. “I think he’s really playing very, very well.”

Fuller enters this season as the starter at field corner, despite being in just his second year in Foster’s defense.

Though just a true sophomore, Fuller doesn’t go into the season without experience. He was one of two true freshmen to see the field in 2010 — mainly because of his physicality and mental toughness. see FULLER / page six

LUKE MASON / SPPS

Scout team’s own Aerial assault in Greenville fantasy football MATT JONES sports editor

Gresh said.

After the guidelines were in place, the guys could just go out and play the game they grew up loving. For some players, fantasy league completely changed the way they approached practice.

“It made us want to be competitive with the starting defense,” George said. “Before, we just went out there, ran our routes and we didn’t really care if we did well or not. But we’re all pretty competitive, so once we started putting ourselves up against each other, we all started going a lot harder.”

Even graduate assistant coach Orion Martin, who runs the offensive scout team, noticed a difference.

“At first I wasn’t for it, but I saw how they were competing and it brought them together a little bit, so it was exciting and brought some fun to the scout team,” Martin said. “Guys were playing faster, guys were excited about going out there and making that big catch and watching it on film, so it brought a little fun and it brought a little enthusiasm out there.”

Offensive scout team players have one job to do: prepare the starting defense for Saturday’s opponent. Scout teamers weren’t the only ones that showed improvement after the fantasy league’s inauguration.

“It really stepped everybody’s game up and made the defense a little bit better,” George said.

Accustomed to flying under the radar, scout teamers reveled in the glory of the fantasy league — even if their notoriety remained amongst themselves. Certain players consistently rose to the top of the leaderboard.

“I don’t want to brag, so I’ll take the modest road and say it was me and Willie,” Smiling said.

For other scout team players, becoming the league’s top point-getter always

judgment Showing up at practice every day to be trampled, assaulted, oppressed and disfigured by the starting defense can become vexing after a while.

For that reason, the guys on our scout team offense invented a new tradition to take their minds off the abuse: scout team fantasy football.

These guys didn’t sit around in a circle and draft NFL players in hopes of vicariously earning points — they rack up their own points doing the grunt work at practice.

The scout team fantasy league was born last fall — a brainchild of tight end George George, wide receiver Willie Byrn and quarterback Trey Gresh. We’re only two weeks into the 2011 regular season, and the scout teamers are already salivating at the thought of starting the league up again.

“Sometimes scout team can get a little repetitive,” said E.L. Smiling, a wide receiver. “It can get boring, so we need something to add to the fun, spice it up a little bit. It gives you a little motivation.

We’re all pretty competitive guys, so it gives you a little extra edge.”

League rules are far from simple.

When a quarterback throws a touchdown pass, he receives five points. If a receiver catches a touchdown, he gets three points. All standard receptions are worth one point, plus an additional point for every 10 yards gained.

Running backs earn one point for breaking a tackle, five for scoring and one point is added for every 10 rushing yards. Players keep track of their own points — strictly adhering to Virginia Tech Honor Code policy. The guy with the most points at the end of each day is dubbed champion — a title with a crown made only of bragging rights.

“We rubbed it in each other’s faces pretty aggressively,” George said. “We let each other know we were the best out there.”

Scout team fantasy league is about more than just wins and losses.

“It made it a lot more fun,” Gresh said.

“You got to get to know people you wouldn’t necessarily get to know and talk to more.”

The position requiring the most mental toughness is the scout team quarterback. Day in, day out, he leads an offense destined for failure. Before every play, coaches show the scout team a card on which the blocking schemes and pass routes are depicted.

Regardless of whether a receiver is covered or open, the quarterback must throw to the receiver circled on the card.

Due to this technicality, interceptions are a dime a dozen. Gresh came up with a rule to compensate for this issue.

“If I did not throw an interception by the end of the day, I got five extra points,”

see FANTASY / page seven

A little under a year ago, Virginia Tech entered its matchup with East Carolina 0-2, reeling from back-toback losses to start the season.

After dispatching Appalachian State in the season opener 66-13, the Hokies (1-0, 0-0) travel to Greenville, N.C., to take on the pass-happy Pirates.

“This offense, to me, is very scary,” said Bud Foster, the defensive coordinator. “It spreads you out where they dink and dunk, and if you miss a tackle, it can turn into a big play. It can just be dinks and dunks, and because of the space they’re creating, it can turn into big plays.”

The leader of that offense, quarterback Dominique Davis, is someone the Hokies are very familiar with at this point. This will be his third career start against a Foster-coached defense.

“Obviously, he did some good things against us last year,” Foster said. “I think Dominique’s an outstanding quarterback. I think I’ll see a different guy this year than I saw last year, just because he has a year under the belt with this offense.”

Second-year head coach Ruffin McNeill, a 1980 graduate of ECU, brought over the high-flying offense from his previous job as defensive coordinator at Texas Tech. The coordinator of that offense, 28-year-old Lincoln Riley, achieved several impressive benchmarks in his first season at the reins.

Riley, who McNeill has known since he was 18, has his complete trust and belief.

“I base people I’m around on two things — trust and verification of trust,” McNeill said. “I trust Lincoln.

It was a no brainer, no hesitation to hire Lincoln. It was one of the first calls I made.”

In their week-one game, the quickpassing Pirates jumped out to a 17-0 lead against No. 12 South Carolina.

ECU held them to no sacks, evidence of the dink and dunk style.

“The transition from App State,

who is a primary running team, to a throwing team is a little more exciting, even if it is quick passes,” said Corey Marshall, defensive tackle. “That just means I have to work a little harder in practice, that ball is getting out there in one or two seconds. You really need to get into your pass rush and sell a guy on a move — that’s what I have to work on.”

The Pirates, competing in Conference USA, finished the 2010 season eighth in passing offense (318.7 yards per game), 16th in scoring offense (36.8 points per game), and 25th in total offense (437.6 yards per game). “(Davis) has always been a leader,” McNeill said. “He’s our hardest worker, has the most passion, and he’s our smartest football player. He’ll do nothing but get better now.”

That progress was evident in the Pirates season-opening loss. Although ECU eventually succumbed to the depth and talent advantage of the Gamecocks, the Pirates only allowed 351 yards, a definite improvement over 2010.

“Teams like we’re playing right now in Virginia Tech and South Carolina, you can’t have any mistakes,” McNeill said. “We put our defense in tough situations. The score was not indicative, I think, of how we played.”

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer echoed that notion.

“I think that those points are very deceiving,” Beamer said. “I think their defense is stronger.”

The ECU defense, which starts just two seniors, will be tested by the ground game of the Hokies this week.

In 2010, the Pirates allowed a whopping 5.33 yards per carry. Week one against Appalachian State, the Hokies held the Mountaineers to 3.25 yards per carry.

FILE 2010 / SPPS

In the offseason, McNeill and defensive coordinator Brian Mitchell studied film of the Pittsburgh Steelers, among others, to learn the 3-4 defense. In the pass-happy C-USA, the switch makes a lot of sense.

“Guys that can play on two legs, that can run around and make plays,” McNeill said of the players he can plug into the 3-4. “We’re able to get those guys here that can really fit this defense.”

While the switch has some promising early signs in preseason camp and week one, it isn’t completely natural

just yet.

“It has not become second nature,” McNeill said. “They are comfortable with it, and they had great retention with it from the spring coming into fall camp. We got thrown right into the fire (in their week one games against South Carolina).”

The Hokies make the trek down through the Tar Heel state for a 3:30 p.m. matchup with the Pirates Saturday.

The game can be seen on FSN. Follow the writer on Twitter: @MattJonesCT

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THE

EXTRA POINT

september 9, 2011

Week two in the ACC

TSL

MICHAEL BEALEY

TechSideline.com

sports reporter

Hokies land threestar recruit from Christiansburg

[

techsideline.com content

Virginia Tech will have a local star on the roster at this time next season. Christiansburg High School quarterback Brenden Motley committed to the Hokies on June 22, over offers from Virginia and Georgia Tech.

Motley led Christiansburg to an undefeated season and regional championship in 2010, throwing for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns in a run-based offense. He also ran for 564 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 93 carries.

Motley is 6-feet, 4-inches tall, 190 pounds, and he is rated as a three-star recruit according to all of the major recruiting services. He is the best athlete on the Christiansburg team, which also includes wingback Zach Snell, a 1,100-yard rusher in 2010.

According to Christiansburg head coach Tim Cromer, Motley is a good fit for the Tech program.

“The first thing about (Motley) is he’s so diverse and so athletic,” Cromer told TechSideline. com recruiting analyst Chris Horne. “He is 6-4. He can throw the ball. He has the type of arm you need, but then he can run the ball. You have that athleticism, but then you just have a humble human being. He’s very coachable. You can correct him and he’ll do what you ask him to do. He’s a great kid to coach. Combine those things together and you have a special quarterback.”

Motley is a very good all-around athlete, though still somewhat raw as a quarterback.

He has a lively arm, but accuracy is a concern. However, Tech is giving him the opportunity to play quarterback, which is something that is important to him.

“He’ll get a shot at quarterback — that’s appealing to him as well,” Cromer said. “(Tech’s coaches) assured him he is being recruited as a quarter-

page 5

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back. That’s important to him. When it came down to it, he wanted to be a Hokie. Coach (Kevin) Sherman did a great job recruiting him and keeping in contact with him.”

Christiansburg runs a Wing-T offense, which is very different from playing quarterback at the college level. Motley will have to work to improve his accuracy, footwork and reads while taking shotgun snaps. The Hokies will have two quality quarterbacks in front of Motley — Logan Thomas and Mark Leal — which will give him an opportunity to redshirt, and plenty of time to develop as a backup.

If quarterback doesn’t work out for Motley, he certainly has the athletic ability to play another position. Wide receiver is a possibility, as well as free safety, rover or whip. He had 57 tackles and four sacks last season for the Blue Demons.

According to Cromer, however, Motley will be a quarterback on the college level.

“Tech has been upfront in saying they want him as a quarterback,” Cromer said. “They think he can play quarterback for them. To me, and I’ve told Brenden this, there is no doubt in my mind he can be a quarterback at Virginia Tech.”

So far, Motley and Christiansburg are off to a good start in 2011.

The Blue Demons are 2-0 on the season following their 20-10 victory over Giles this past weekend. They hope to finish off this season by taking things one step further than they did in 2010 — a state championship.

Motley’s commitment makes up for the loss of Fort Worth, Tex. quarterback T.J. Millweard. Millweard originally committed to the Hokies back in February, but has since backed out and said he will sign with Arizona State.

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The ACC finished its first week of play with a 7-3 record against non-conference foes. Maryland and Miami are off this week after the two teams finished a thriller on Monday night with the Terrapins taking a 32-24 win at home.

This week, the ACC’s only league game features North Carolina State taking on Wake Forest in Raleigh, N.C. Here is an overview of each ACC team’s matchup this week.

12:30 p.m. Rutgers (1-0, 0-0 Big East) at North Carolina (1-0, 0-0 ACC) Both Rutgers and North Carolina began their 2011 campaigns with convincing victories over FCS opponents. However, Rutgers will have its hands full on Saturday against North Carolina’s stifling defense, which held James Madison to 210 total yards. The Tar Heels’ Brynn Renner set an ACC record for highest single-game completion percentage (95.7) in his first start after completing 22 of 23 attempts for 277 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. These two teams met last year, with UNC pulling out a 17-13 victory.

Prediction: North Carolina 28, Rutgers 10 3:30 p.m. No. 6 Stanford (1-0, 0-0 PAC-12) at Duke (0-1, 0-0 ACC) The Blue Devils fell to FCS opponent Richmond last week 23-21 for the third time in the last six seasons, while Stanford cruised to a 57-3 win over San Jose State. Stanford’s Heisman candidate, quarterback Andrew Luck, should have a field day against Duke’s porous defense and put up video-game numbers. If the Blue Devils want any chance against the Cardinals they’ll need quarterback Sean Renfree to step up and compensate for the defense’s shortcomings.

Prediction: Stanford 48, Duke 17 3:30 p.m. North Carolina State (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Wake Forest (1-0, 0-0 ACC) Wake Forest lost a heartbreaker to Syracuse in their opener, 36-29 in overtime, erasing what was an impressive game up to that point. NC State needed all four quarters to comfortably put away its first-week opponent, Liberty, 43-21. Wake Forest’s quarterback Tanner Price is expected to play after injuring his knee in the fourth quarter against the Orange, and hopes to put up similar numbers to the 289 yards and three touchdowns he three before the injury. Last year, NC State rolled to an easy victory 38-3 at home, but with Wake’s offense clicking, expect a much closer contest.

Prediction: NC State 27, Wake Forest 21 3:30 p.m.

Wofford (1-0, 0-0

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MCT CAMPUS

Southern) at Clemson (1-0, 0-0 ACC) After being up by only seven in the fourth quarter against Troy, Clemson closed out the game with 17 unanswered points en route to a 43-19 victory. Wofford won in a nail biter after Mitch Allen threw a touchdown pass to Jeff Ashley with 51 seconds remaining to seal a season opening win, 35-28 over Presbyterian.

Clemson’s speed will be a tough test for Wofford, as true freshmen Mike Bellamy and Sammy Watkins both impressed in their debut. Additionally, quarterback Tajh Boyd officially took over the reins of the Tigers’ offense and threw for 264 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

Prediction: Clemson 56, Wofford 10 6 p.m. Charleston Southern (0-1, 0-0 Big South) at Florida State (1-0, 0-0, ACC) Florida State began its road back to the ACC Championship after blanking Louisiana-Monroe 34-0 in its opener.

Charleston-Southern, on the other hand, came out on the opposite side of a shutout, losing 62-0 to UCF. The Seminoles’ defense came to play and allowed just 191 total yards. In addition, quarterback E.J. Manuel found his stride in his first full season as the team’s starter, throwing for 252 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Florida State has one more warm-up game before their highly-anticipated matchup against No. 1 Oklahoma.

-

Prediction: Florida State 55, Charleston Southern 3 7 p.m. Virginia (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Indiana (0-1, 0-0 Big Ten) Virginia came out strong in its opener, downing Thomas Jefferson’s alma mater William & Mary 40-3. Indiana did not get off to a good start in 2011, losing 27-20 against Ball State. The Hoosiers gave up 210 yards rushing, and will have their hands full against U.Va.’s rushing attack. The Cavaliers gained 240 total yards on the ground, led by freshmen Kevin Parks and Clifton Richardson, who tallied a combined 171 yards and three touchdowns of their own. New starting quarterback Michael Rocco looked impressive in his debut for the Cavaliers, completing 21 of 29 passes for 174 yards and not turning the ball over.

Prediction: Virginia 31, Indiana 20 7 p.m. Georgia Tech (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at Middle Tennessee (0-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) Georgia Tech’s option attack was firing on all cylinders in its opener, defeating Western Carolina 63-21. Middle Tennessee fell just short against Purdue 27-24, after Logan Kilgore’s pass to Malcolm Beyah was overthrown in the end zone with five seconds remaining.

The Yellow Jackets’ signal-caller Tevin Washington threw for an uncharacteristically high 271 yards with three touchdowns. Tech gained 297 yards on the ground, and Orwin Smith led the way with 84 yards and two touchdowns on

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just four carries.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 42, Middle Tennessee 17 8 p.m. Boston College (0-1, 0-0 ACC) at UCF (1-0, 0-0 C-USA) Boston College dropped its season opener to Big Ten opponent Northwestern 24-17, with the Wildcats playing without their starting quarterback, Dan Persa. UCF rolled against Charleston Southern 62-0, showing why they are a strong contender for the C-USA title, and could be undefeated at season’s end.

The Eagles’ offense gained 479 total yards, but managed a paltry two offensive touchdowns. New quarterback Chase Rettig was just 24 of 44 for 375 yards with one interception. Sophomore running back Andre Williams filled in admirably for starter Montel Harris, who will be out for the second straight week with a knee injury, gaining 114 yards on 22 carries with BC’s lone two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough. On the flip side, UCF features a juggernaut on offense with quarterback Jeff Godfrey leading the attack. Godfrey ran for three of UCF’s eight total rushing touchdowns against Charleston Southern, and the Knights rushed for 316 total yards on the ground.

Prediction: UCF 31, Boston College 24

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Follow the writer on Twitter: @mhbealey

THE

EXTRA POINT

page 6

september 9, 2011

Fuller: Sophomore next in line of talented Tech corners from page eight

“We do a tackling drill the first day we’re in pads, and he came up, and from a physical stand point, I was like, ‘Wow,’” said Torrian Gray, the Hokies defensive backs coach. “Usually, you can see it in a kid’s demeanor, and as more practices went on, I said, ‘OK, this kid has got something to him.’”

Fuller went on to start six games last season, mostly at nickel back, as Foster switched up his basic formations after two games because of personnel issues.

“It took a couple extra meetings and things like that,” Gray said, “but he gave us the best chance to win in the circumstances we had last year.”

With Carmichael now in the NFL, Fuller moved into the starting lineup opposite Hosley, and to ensure he keeps

the tradition of excellence at cornerback going, Fuller changed his mindset going into this season.

“Last year, my whole thing was that I was a play away,” he said. “I had two guys — two good players — in front of me, but I had to prepare myself so I could be ready when I played. But this year, taking that starting role, I had to prepare to be a starter — knowing the offense, being able to play, being focused and everything overall.”

The work has seemingly paid off so far. Though just through one game, Fuller has made an impression on the coaching staff. Against Appalachian State, Fuller had two tackles for a loss, including a great open field tackle on third and five to force a punt. He also recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown.

“His approach to the game is mature — he takes it seriously,” Gray said. “He studies the game, he takes corrections well, and he really had a productive fall camp. So, it isn’t a surprise at all that he played a great first game.”

Despite moving into a starting role, Fuller has kept his duties on special teams and become part of the Hokies’ tradition of Beamerball.

“I love special teams,” Fuller said.

“Some guys might not like it — some might like taking a play off — but I try to go into it like, you have the ability to make a play that could be the difference in the game.”

Though it’s the second corner spot, field corner for Tech is perhaps the most frequently challenged position in the secondary because most quarterbacks are afraid of throwing at the more estab-

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to break in on receivers — things like that,” Fuller said.

Fuller’s improvement has him more involved with packages other than just coverage.

“He’s wanted me to start bringing him in on blitzes,” Foster said. “Last year, he probably wasn’t a very good blitzer, and now, he wants that and wants to do those things.”

Tech free safety Antone Exum has also taken notice of Fuller’s progress and is all for having more talent in the secondary. “(Fuller is) a great corner,” he said.

“He’s a really physical corner for his size, good in zone and man coverage, and technically sound — a good reliable corner and a playmaker. The more playmakers we can get in the defensive backfield, the better off we’ll be.”

It may be jumping the gun to predict any professional future for the 19-yearold corner, but Hosley was starting as a sophomore just like Fuller is now and used that season to catapult himself into talks of being one of the best cornerbacks in college football. Fuller has the talent to do the same.

“He has that potential — but potential is just something that is unproven at this time,” Gray said. “We have, hopefully, 13 more games to play, and he had one good game. He played a lot of nickel (against Appalachian State) because they were in a four-wide receiver set, so he really hasn’t gotten tested to that extent. But I’d like to think he’ll be up for the challenge.”

Follow the writer on Twitter: @NickCaffCT

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lished corner.

“It makes it tougher because guys don’t want to throw to (Hosley), so it brings the action (to me),” Fuller said, “but I’m ready for that challenge.”

This could mean Fuller is headed for a season with several interceptions.

Hosley, now the boundary corner, is coming off of a season at field corner where he picked off nine balls — tied for the most in the nation. Before that, Carmichael was at field corner, opposite Stephan Virgil, and collected six interceptions himself.

Fuller said he has been able to learn a lot from the All-American Hosley in preparation for the season. “(Hosley has) helped with knowing what the offense is going to do, learning route concepts, and then with regular fundamental concepts like how much

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Dangerous Animals

9/8/11

THE

EXTRA POINT

september 9, 2011

page 7

Dual perspectives: Wilson and the Heisman Koma: Wilson will need a large workload to win it avid Wilson is Virginia Tech’s stronD gest Heisman Trophy candidate since Michael Vick.

This seems to be the popular opinion among followers of Hokie football, despite that we’ve only seen Wilson as the starting running back in one game.

However, this level of excitement is at least understandable, considering Wilson’s 162-yard and three touchdown performance against Appalachian State.

The better question would be: Is that excitement warranted?

It’s undeniable that Wilson has the necessary qualifications to be a Heisman hopeful. He’s proved that he’s an electrifying runner, and with an experienced offensive line opening holes for him, he should have no trouble breaking big runs with regularity.

Similarly, with an inexperienced quarterback like Logan Thomas at the helm, the team will undoubtedly lean on Wilson’s talents to carry the offense. The combination of playing in a power conference like that of the Atlantic Coast, while still facing a pretty weak schedule also surely helps.

Despite all these factors in Wilson’s favor, it still seems unlikely that his Heisman candidacy is anything but a pipe dream.

Winning the Heisman as a running back has proved to be extremely difficult in recent history. Only Mark Ingram and Reggie Bush have been able to take home the trophy since 2000, and approaching the type of numbers they put up to win the award is extremely difficult, even for a runner as talented as Wilson.

Ingram compiled a team record of 1,658 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in his Heisman year, while Bush racked up 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns in his since-vacated trophy season.

Even if Wilson accomplishes the lofty goals he has set for himself, such as running for at least 100 yards and scoring one touchdown per game, he will still

TWO SPORTS STAFF WRITERS, ALEX KOMA AND ALYSSA BEDROSIAN, GAVE THEIR THOUGHTS ON DAVID WILSON AND THE HEISMAN TROPHY.

be far short of the numbers needed to seriously contend for the award.

Beyond the numbers issue, his competition this year is extraordinarily steep.

There are a wide variety of star players who have Heisman hopes of their own that could block Wilson from even being invited to the trophy presentation in New York.

Stanford’s Andrew Luck is the popular pick of football analysts to be the Heisman front-runner, and his position as the star quarterback of the sixth ranked team in the country surely helps his case.

Additionally, Landry Jones is currently piloting the number one team in the country, and after putting up a 4,700 yard season last year, could very well have the pure numbers to take the award. Even Boise State’s Kellen Moore has the ability to assemble an excellent resume with his gaudy statistics and the Broncos’ increased level of competition this year.

Perhaps most importantly, Wilson may not even be the best candidate for the Heisman among running backs.

Players like Alabama’s Trent Richardson, South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore and Oregon’s LaMichael James may all accumulate superior statistics to squeeze Wilson out of the picture.

In short, Wilson’s talent and ambition certainly shouldn’t be criticized. People just need to understand his limitations, especially within the context of the Heisman.

LUKE MASON / SPPS If he were able to defy the odds, and David Wilson will need a huge season to take home the hardware. accomplish something truly unpredictable, like a 2,000-yard season, then the Heisman would obviously be within David Wilson at a glance reach. However, it’s important to appreciate Wilson for what he is, and what After the departure of the backfield of Tyrod Taylor, he is not.

ALEX KOMA -@AlexKomaCT -sports staff writer -sophomore

Ryan Williams and Darren Evans to the NFL, David Wilson will carry a large percentage of the offensive workload in 2011. Wilson’s athleticism and home run potential make him a Heisman sleeper.

Bedrosian: Undefeated season key for Heisman ust 47 seconds into Virginia J Tech’s 2011 football season, David Wilson proved to the nation why his name deserves to be in the Heisman Trophy discussion.

In Tech’s season opener against Appalachian State, Wilson ran for 162 yards on 16 carries, broke 15 tackles and tallied three touchdowns for the Hokies.

Wilson rushed for 619 yards on 113 carries during the 2010 season, putting up impressive numbers as Tech’s third-string running back.

With Tech’s easy non-conference schedule, Wilson will continue to impress. Yet one question remains: Is Wilson a legitimate contender for the Heisman Trophy?

The only ACC team standing in Tech’s way is No. 5 Florida State. If the Hokies win the Coastal Division and survive the Seminoles in the conference championship, they may just go undefeated.

However, an undefeated season does not equate to a national championship berth. And without a national championship berth, Wilson’s chances look slim.

Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Boise State’s Kellen Moore are at the top of ESPN’s Heisman watch, with their respective schools ranked in the top 10.

For Wilson to be seriously considered for the trophy the Hokies must remain undefeated. In turn, Oklahoma, Stanford and Boise State must lose at least one game.

Tech has yet to produce a Heisman Trophy winner, despite the tradition and prestige surrounding its football program.

Former Tech quarterback Michael Vick came close in 1999, finishing third in the race. The Hokies made it to the Bowl Championship Series National Championship game that same year.

Even if Wilson has a standout year, Tech’s schedule will only hurt the Heisman hopeful. Standout performances against Marshall and Arkansas State will not be enough to send Wilson to New York in December.

Heisman candidate or not, Wilson could have the kind of breakout season that former Tech running back Darren Evans had in 2008.

Wilson’s goals for this year include notching 100 rushing yards each game, no fumbles, All-American honors and 20 touchdowns.

With an inexperienced quarterback, the Hokies offense is looking to Wilson to put up these huge numbers.

Despite the buzz surrounding Wilson, the running back’s focus remains on the Hokies’ matchup against East Carolina on Saturday.

The Pirates will be playing a 3-4 defense with one goal in mind — stop David Wilson.

If Wilson plays with the same type of dominance against the Pirates that he showed during Tech’s season opener, expect the Heisman chatter all across the Internet to continue.

But for Wilson to be taken seriously, he needs near flawless performances in almost every game.

For most Heisman hopefuls, a near flawless performance in each game seems impossible. Yet for the Hokie — who is rumored to run under a 4.3 40-yard dash, has caught a rabbit with his bare hands on the Drillfield, and predicted he would score on his first touch against the Mountaineers (and did) — almost anything seems possible.

ALYSSA BEDROSIAN -@AlyssaBedrosian -sports staff writer -sophomore

Fantasy: Scout team making the best of a tough job from page eight

seemed out of reach.

“George George was the least valuable player,” Gresh said. “A lot of times I would throw it, and it would hit him right in the hands, and it would get tipped up and picked off. That resulted in 10 negative points for George.”

Never short on confidence, George is quick to rebuke Gresh’s accusations.

“I think I was actually the most valued tight end in the league,” George said.

“It was stiff competition with Randall Dunn, but my playmaking ability real-

ly made me valuable throughout the week.”

Once the starting defense became wise to the league, things didn’t get any easier for George.

“I caught a pass on Roc (Carmichael) one time and said, ‘Oh yeah, six fantasy points for me!’” George said. “He locked me down pretty aggressively for the rest of the week, and made it his goal not to let me win ever again. They kind of caught on and they made it their goal not to let certain people win it throughout the season.”

From that day forward, George resorted to ghastly measures of leveling the playing field.

“I started off the season really well, and then the defense really started focusing back on me, and that opened up more catches for people like Willie and Corey Fuller,” George said. “That’s when I really had to start doing some dirty work — yelling at the corners what routes (our receivers) had, so they’d be able to cover them up a little bit better.

“I wasn’t secretive about it,” George said. “I would yell, ‘Willie Byrne has a

With talks of realignment, Hokies should listen to SEC emember the old board game “Perfection?” I do. Players had to arrange three-dimensional puzzle pieces onto a board as a timer ticked down from one minute to zero. If the board was not completely solved by the end of the minute, the pieces went flying into the air — the players left not knowing where they would land.

Today, a real-life version of the game is being played out in the form of conference realignment.

The schools are the puzzle pieces, and the respective conference commissioners are the contestants. It’s only a matter of time before the conference format, as we know it, becomes obsolete.

After officially notifying the Big 12 last week that it would be leaving the conference after this season, Texas A&M was voted into the SEC unanimously on Wednesday, becoming the third team this year to announce its departure. Baylor is trying to block the move with a lawsuit, but the writing is on the wall.

Since then, the rumor mill has spun constantly as to which teams will jump to which leagues. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are allegedly interested in joining the Pac 12, and if that happens, the Big 12 would likely collapse.

If the Big 12 does collapse, the remaining teams would be split up by the other power conferences. This would lead to four “super conferences:” SEC, Big 10, Pac 12 and the ACC. Virginia Tech is also quickly becoming more central to those rumors. According to Chip Brown of Orangebloods.com, the Hokies are among a handful of targets in the SEC’s expansion plans. The Collegiate Times has confirmed that report through an anonymous source.

Should Tech make the leap from the ACC, a league it joined just seven years ago? In short, yes. But unfortunately the answer is not that simple.

In terms of football, the SEC is the cream of the crop. Each of the last five national champions has come

R

from the league — eight of the league’s current 12 teams were ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll this preseason. The ACC, meanwhile, has won just one BCS bowl since 2000, which, by the way, was the Hokies’ win over Cincinnati in the 2009 Orange Bowl.

Tech has dominated a mediocre ACC since joining the league. That would come to an end with a move to the SEC. BCS bowl appearances would be fewer and farther between.

That would be a tough pill to swallow for some Hokie fans.

However, when the dust settles on expansion, it could very easily end the age of the BCS altogether. Keeping the bowl system intact with 16-team leagues doesn’t allow for balanced conference schedules and would be illogical. Therefore, staying put in the ACC, in fear of losing more football games, wouldn’t make sense. A playoff is imminent at some point, thereby devaluing a conference championship.

From a financial standpoint, Tech has everything to gain from a move to the SEC. Schools like Georgia, Alabama, LSU and others rake in as much as $50 million in revenue from football alone. Last season, Tech pulled in just $14 million in football revenue, despite a conference title and Orange Bowl appearance. The SEC’s TV deal with ESPN alone ($2.3 billion) is far more lucrative than the ACC’s ($1.86 billion). Should the Hokies leave the ACC, they would owe the league 75 percent of its conference distribution over its final academic year.

Theoretically, those losses could be recouped in one season in the SEC. Academically, though, the SEC would be a step down in prestige.

Admission standards are, across the board, lower in the SEC than in the ACC. In 2010, the ACC received the highest Academic Progress Rate score from the NCAA for football.

The APR measures just as the name implies among student athletes. The SEC was fourth. Sad as it may be, academics are not a priority in any decision to stay or leave.

On the surface, the Hokies appear committedtotheACC.Commissioner John Swofford has been adamant that all 12 teams remain committed to the conference. Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver says the Hokies have no desire to explore other options.

It’s hard to believe any shrewd businessman, which presumably Weaver is, wouldn’t have a grasp on the situation and be prepared to make the necessary moves if and when the time comes to do so. It’s impossible to predict how everything will look when all is said and done, but the end is nearing quickly.

Tick… tick… tick… tick…

JOSH PARCELL - senior - sports reporter - @JoshParcell

corner route! Willie Byrne has a corner!

Davon (Morgan), Willie has a corner!

Cover him hard!’ They would cover him, and someone else might get the catch, but Willie was one of my top competitors so it would take big yards away from him. I don’t regret it.”

George felt no shame about begging signal-callers for the ball, either.

“I also started coaxing Trey Gresh and some of the quarterbacks to look my way a little bit more on the goal line,” George said. “I didn’t pay them — I’m not going say I didn’t give them

incentives. I’d rather keep that off the record. I’m going be honest I’d rather not divulge that information.”

Whatever the incentives, it’s safe to say we should be grateful George chose not to reveal them.

Coaches are always looking for ways to motivate their players. For Martin, there is no better tactic than the fantasy league.

“We’re going to start it up, as a matter of fact, today,” Martin said. “Just thought about it and we’re going to get that started again.”

The players are experiencing fantasy league withdrawal as well.

“It should be starting up pretty soon,” Byrn said. “Scout team is getting pretty dull without it.”

Collin Carroll - sports columnist - long snapper - @collinjcarroll

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Jaymes Brooks

should hit up #9 from ASU nd ask how it feel to be on espn getting mossʼd by the bro @Dyre11_Roberts but imma be the mature one lol Sept. 4

Also look for: @Camaro_Ye (Boye Aromire) @Dyoung_la8 (Detrick Bonner) @M_Leal6 (Mark Leal) @Dwang09 (David Wang) @Dyre11_Roberts (Dyrell Roberts)