Friday, October 19, 2012 Print Edition

Friday October 19, 2012

The Collegiate Times’ comprehensive guide to Virginia Tech Football

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MEASURING

UP

BY CODY ELLIOTT | sports special sections editor

T

he No. 4 jersey at Virginia Tech comes with more than just shoulder pads and cleats.

It is joined by great expectations from a fan base that has seen some of the greatest Hokies of all time wear the uniform.

J.C Coleman, who wears number four for the current Hokies football team, has accepted the burden put on him as a true freshman this season, and ran with it.

“

It was a number I wore in high school and wanted to keep it going.”

J.C. Coleman Running back

When Coleman graduated high school a semester early so he could enroll at Tech in January, he immediately knew what number he wanted to wear once he took the field.

“It was a number I wore in high school and wanted to keep it going,” Coleman said. “There’s been a lot of comparisons between me and David (Wilson) and I guess

that’s what I get for choosing that number. It’s not a bad comparison to get compared to guys like Eddie Royal, D-Hall (DeAngelo Hall), and David.”

Royal, Hall and Wilson all experienced decorated careers with the Hokies before moving on to careers in the NFL. Royal is currently a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers, while Hall is a corner back with the Washington Redskins and Wilson’s a rookie running back for the New York Giants.

All three players rank as some of the best at their position in Tech history, and all three electrified Worsham Field in Lane Stadium with their play in the number four jersey.

Head coach Frank Beamer says Coleman reminded him of Royal as soon as he sat down to watch his high school highlights.

“I remember looking at his high school tape,” Beamer said, “and the only guy who I remember having as many long plays as him was Eddie Royal.”

Coleman, however, has heard more comparisons to Wilson because of their similarity in size and their dangerous speed at the running back position.

“It gets tiring a little bit,” Coleman said of being com-

pared to Wilson, “because I want to be my own person instead of being just like David.”

Despite his similarities to the big-play former Hokies, the undersized running back wasn’t immediately recruited

by Tech, receiving offers from Florida, West Virginia and rival Virginia before even

see COLEMAN / page 6

Hokies aim to right ship in Death Valley BROOKS TIFFANY ct section position The Virginia Tech football team has long enjoyed success on the road as it boasts an impressive 27-6 ACC roadgame winning record.

It even recently possessed the nation’s best road-game winning streak with 13-straight true road-game wins.

Th is season, however, has brought many changes for the Hokies in all facets of the game, and their road record is no exception.

Tech recently had its roadgame winning streak snapped in an ugly fashion at Pittsburgh; following that, Cincinnati rubbed salt in the wounds at FedEx, and UNC was not fazed by the Hokies’ dominant ACC road record as it sent Tech home packing.

It seems the winds that once favored the Hokies’ course away from home have turned against them as they now sit 0-3 in road games entering the dangerous venue of Death Valley, where the Clemson Tigers will look to sink any hopes Tech has of ending their away-game woes.

Wide receiver Marcus Davis knows the home crowd helps out, but isn’t quite sure where the recent struggles on the road come from.

“I don’t really know what it is to be honest,” Davis said. “Of course, when you are at home there is more of a comfort level because we’re in front of our

own fans and you know they’re cheering for us, but there’s not really one thing I could put my finger on. Usually in the past, we’ve been good both home and away, so I just can’t quite put my finger on it right now.”

Trouble on the road shouldn’t be an issue for the Hokies, but it’s clear they seem to feed off the energy of the home crowd in Lane Stadium and lose that spark when they travel to opposing venues. Linebacker Bruce Taylor, leader of the defense, thinks the difference in play could be a result of how young much of the team is.

“You just have to realize there’s no difference,” Taylor said. “There shouldn’t be a difference in how we play or how we prepare for a game just because we’re on the road. I feel like that’s something that comes with maturity —something that this team needs to build, especially for the future.

“We’re kind of young right now, at a lot of positions, so I think that’s why there’s been such a difference in the home and away games, but guys got to learn, right now, that it’s not about where you play, or who you play, it’s about how you play, and how you play should not be affected by whether you are home, or away, or wherever.”

Some players, like offensive guard Matt Arkema, echo Taylor’s sentiment when it TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

see AWAY / page 4 Running back Michael Holmes (20) is brought down near the goal line by several Cincinatti defenders after a long run at FexEx Field.

2

WHY I’M AFRAID OF

CLEMSON

MCT CAMPUS

Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins (2) has emerged as one of the top receivers in the ACC. Tech will face a tough challenge in slowing down the passing attack of the Tigers.

Rematch of last year’s ACC championship game has a different feel to it than what many expected.

T

he first half of the 2012 season hasn’t been as kind to Virginia Tech as fans have become accustomed to.

September non-conference losses to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were devastating, but seen as speed bumps for a team that’s been known to slip up early and still run the table in the ACC. But a loss at North Carolina on October 6 all of the sudden put this team’s 19-year bowl streak in jeopardy, as Tech sat at 3-3 after six games.

Last week’s 41-20 victory over Duke brought hope back to Hokie nation — a win over Clemson this weekend would be serious reason for celebration in Blacksburg.

But it won’t be easy. The Tigers have scored 40 points four times this year, thanks to a spread option offense that racked up 780 yards in two games against the Hokies last season.

Make no mistake about it — Clemson is the favorite here, and with good reason. But Tech fans know better than anyone that upsets are always a possibility.

That being said, the Tigers are still a very, very dangerous football team. Here’s why I’m afraid of Clemson:

TAJH BOYD Boyd torched the Hokies in the ACC Championship Game last season to the tune of 240 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ 38-10 victory. He ranks second in the ACC this season in passer rating (159.2) and first in passing yards per game (291.3). He’s also run for 224 yards and two touchdowns through six games. Stopping

him — or, slowing him down, rather — will be a huge key to this game.

ANDRE ELLINGTON The senior running back has also seen success when facing the Hokies in the past, compiling 165 yards on the ground and two touchdowns against Tech last season. Ellington has rushed for 2,952 yards and 31 touchdowns during his time at Clemson; so far this year, he’s run for 597 yards six touchdowns, both good for third in the conference.

The Hokies didn’t have much success stopping another talented running back — North Carolina’s Giovanni Bernard — two weeks ago, and Clemson is no doubt aware of that.

DEANDRE HOPKINS/ SAMMY WATKINS While Watkins took the nation by storm last year as a true freshman, his numbers haven’t been quite as flashy this season (118 receiving yards, 99 rushing yards in four games played).

However, he’s still arguably the most dangerous player in the country when he gets in the open field. Hopkins has been anchoring the Tigers’ receiving corps all season, hauling in 49 passes for 777 yards and eight touchdowns.

Both of them are extremely good at what they do, and could cause problems for a Tech defense that’s struggled in weeks past.

historically have a fantastic ACC road record, they’re 0-3 away from Lane Stadium so far this season. If they come away with the victory, it’ll be that much more impressive.

This game’s a tough one to predict, seeing as I’m not sure which Tech team will show up on Saturday. If the play the way they did the last 45 minutes of last week’s game, it’ll be a fun one to watch.

Here’s why I’m not afraid of the Tigers:

LOGAN THOMAS It’s safe to say Thomas has had his fair share of ups and downs this year.

However, he has seemed to progress over the last few weeks, throwing for a career-high 354 yards against North Carolina, then following that up with an impressive performance in the comeback victory over Duke. Thomas struggled mightily against the Tigers in both games last season, and you can bet he has his heart set on turning that around. If he gets time to throw, he should be able to have success doing just that.

J.C. COLEMAN

DEATH VALLEY

The true freshman was honored with ACC Rookie of the Week for his 13-carry, 183-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Blue Devils.

While he didn’t solidify himself as the starter — Frank Beamer insists they’ll still rotate in Michael Holmes, Tony Gregory and Martin Scales, as well — you can bet he’ll still get the majority of the carries on Saturday. Establishing the running game will be crucial for the Hokies this weekend, as it will open things up for Thomas and his receivers.

The Tigers haven’t lost at home in almost two years. Memorial Stadium is one of the most storied, intimidating venues in the country, and Saturday will be no exception. While the Hokies

Davis was also honored by the conference after the Duke game, as he was named ACC Receiver of the Week after

MARCUS DAVIS

a he caught five passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. After struggling against North Carolina, Davis bounced back for a big-time performance when his team needed him most. If he can carry that momentum into this week, he’s going to give his team a much better shot of winning.

BUD FOSTER The Tigers’ high-powered attack gave Foster nightmares last season, as it dominated his defense not once, but twice. Foster’s unit has seen its fair share of struggles so far this season, giving up an average of 381.3 yards per game, or 57th in the country — which is far from familiar for a “Lunchpail D.” His game plan has the potential to be the difference in this football game, if his team can execute it the way he draws it up.

Long story short, if Tech’s defense slows down Clemson, the Hokies are going to have a much better shot of winning. It’s as simple as that.

PREDICTION Saturday’s contest could completely turn Tech’s season around, if it can escape Death Valley with a victory. If not, the Hokies will be sitting at 4-4, teetering on the edge of potentially not reaching a bowl game. Look for desperation to play a part in this game, and don’t be surprised if the Hokies scratch and claw their way to a victory.

I honestly like Tech’s chances, so long as they can establish the running game early.

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3

GAME

PREVIEW Matt Jones / sports editor

Tech seeks redemption vs. Clemson Tigers outscored Hokies 60-3 in two games in ‘11.

It’s no secret that stopping Clemson’s offense will be a challenge for the Hokies.

Frank Beamer knows it. James Gayle knows it. Antone Exum knows it. Bud Foster knows it.

The Tigers (5-1, 2-1) will host the Hokies Saturday afternoon in Death Valley, hoping to make it three wins over the Hokies in the last two seasons. ”Hell, they’ve got to protect deep,” Foster said. “They can’t have yards after the catch. … Now, you can’t double those guys because then they’re going to run it up inside on you. So I’m hoping those guys will step up like they’re capable of doing.”

The Hokies will have to step up in a big way if they hope to pull off the upset.

Their task: slow down a Clemson offense that ranks 13th in yards per game and averages over 40 points.

In last season’s first matchup, the Hokies entered ranked No. 11 in the country, but were promptly dismantled by the up-tempo Tigers. The Hokies held up in the first half on defense, but allowed two big plays in the second half — a Dwayne Allen 32-yard touchdown and a Mike Bellamy 31-yard touchdown — which gave the Tigers the 23-3 win.

“I would think that it’s definitely in the back of guys’ minds that we lost those two games to them,” Exum said.

The Hokies bounced back, earning another shot at the Tigers in the ACC Championship game, but the result was even worse for Beamer’s crew the second time around. The No. 5 Hokies allowed 457 yards of total offense, including 240 yards and three touchdowns by quarterback Tajh Boyd.

“It’s in the front of my mind that we lost the ACC championship game to them,” Exum said. “So that’s definitely a motivator for us to go down there and handle our business. You don’t want to use that revenge word, because it’s a new year and things like that.

But like I said, it’s in the front of my mind.”

The primary pieces that made Clemson so tough last year are back again in 2012 and they haven’t missed a beat.

Boyd, who completed just 59.7 percent of his passes in 2011, has brought his completion percentage up to a stellar 68.2 percent this season. The weapons around him however are the real story.

DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins, two of the most dangerous and explosive playmakers in the country, line up at wide receiver and Andre Ellington takes the handoffs in the backfield. Those three have combined for 1,728 yards of total offense this season.

“You just see a group that’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Foster said.

“They’re doing more things with it than

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

Wide receiver Marcus Davis (7) hauls in a deep pass from quarterback Logan Thomas as two Cincinatti defenders look to bring him down. they did a year ago. They’re going to run it and run it, then throw it and throw it, then run it and throw off the run, reverse passes or a throw back to the quarterback. Just do a lot of unique things. And they do it very well.

Looks like they have a lot of fun with it.”

In order for the Hokies to slow down the Clemson offense, they’ll need big games from their secondary and defensive line, two groups that can throw off an offense’s rhythm. “(Boyd’s) a guy that you’ve got to have scrambling,” Gayle said. “You can’t have him sitting in the pocket. He’ll beat you.”

Foster said one of the keys to slowing

down the Tigers is limiting the big plays.

“We’ve got to be sound with our perimeter people, not letting the ball get outside of us,” he said. “Keep areas restricted and then not give up the big play.”

The Hokies, usually road warriors under Beamer, are 0-3 on the road this season. Death Valley, where the Tigers average 41.7 points per game, won’t make getting that first road win easy.

“Going down there is a challenge for us,” Beamer said. “We haven’t played as well as we want to on the road.”

Tech’s offense, which found its stride Saturday against Duke, will be able to hit some big plays against Clemson’s defense, which ranks 70th in points against. In fact, the Tigers have allowed

30-plus points in each of their last three games. The Hokies think they have a chance to hit some big plays against Clemson.

“Teams will be like ‘we’ve got to limit the explosive plays because those are the ones that are going to kill us,’ but we’re going to keep doing it until somebody stops it, I guess,” said Logan Thomas, quarterback.

Beamer said the best defense Saturday will be a good offense.

“I think the less time they have the ball, the better,” Beamer said.

The Hokies travel to Clemson Saturday to face the Tigers. Kickoff is set for noon, and will be broadcast on ABC or ESPN2.

4 PLAYER

TWEETS-OF-THE-WEEK AJ Hughes @AJ_HughesVT I love makin squirrels flinch as I give a quick jab step in their direction #DrillField

Away: Players insist on focus at all practices

Darius Redman @RedmanVT_33 Watching drake and josh

David Mellstrom @davidmeIIstrom It’s better to look small than shop at hollister to look big

THIS WEEK’S ACC STANDINGS ATLANTIC Maryland

2-0

Florida State

3-1

Clemson

2-1

NC State

1-1

Wake Forest

1-3

Boston College

0-3

MARK UMANSKY / SPPS

Linebacker Bruce Taylor (51) celebrates after a defensive stop last week vs. Duke. from page one

COASTAL Miami

3-1

Duke

2-1

North Carolina

2-1

Virginia Tech

2-1

Georgia Tech

1-3

Virginia

0-3

comes to locking down their focus and blocking out the rest.

“Honestly, I’m just focused on the game,” Arkema said. “I kind of zone out and just focus on what’s going on in the game. I’ve got enough to keep me busy with my assignments and everything.”

It seems some players are able to lock down their focus sooner, home or away, while others have to grow into it.

“It’s important to be mentally tough,” said offensive tackle Michael Via. “Being able to play in front of anybody, anywhere, and that translates into good hard practice, focusing on what you have to do like nothing else matters and that’s what we’ve been doing.”

Maturity, focus and practice are great pillars with which to build a winning road record, but the mortar holding it all together comes in the form of motivation. The players seem to agree on two primary sources of energy when it comes to getting them pumped up.

“Defensively, I would say Bruce Taylor,” Davis said. “The middle linebacker is basically the quarterback of the defense and he’s the one who is

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bringing the most energy out of everybody whether they’re on the field or off the field. We make a play and it’s like he’s on offense and made the play with us, celebrating and getting us up.”

Davis pointed to the man who tossed him two touchdown passes this past Saturday as the motivational generator on offense.

“He’s not the most vocal guy but at the same time when he starts being vocal, you tune in, and when he gets fired up, it just sends energy rushing through the whole offense,” Davis said.

Thomas and Taylor will have to be extra loud this Saturday in front of a fired up Clemson crowd at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers are 22-3 in Memorial Stadium under head coach Dabo Swinney and bring a 10-game home winning streak to the field this Saturday, hoping to make the Hokies victim number 11.

“We know it’s going to be loud,” Davis said. “We know it’s going to be hectic, but at the same time we got to go out and do what we got to do. We got to tune that out, we can’t worry about where we’re playing, what time we’re playing, we just got to go play football.”

VIRGINIA TECH

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5

LOCKDOWN DUO

BY ALEX KOMA | sports reporter

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

Safety Michael Cole (2) aims to help tackle Cincinnatti quarterback Munchie LeGeaux at FedEx FIeld.

Safeties Cole and Bonner use criticism from media as motivation to improve weekly at their position.

A

fter allowing nearly 400 yards through the air in the team’s last two games, few position groups were more harshly criticized than the Hokies’ secondary.

This avalanche of criticism made it especially sweet when embattled defensive backs Michael Cole and Detrick Bonner nabbed game-changing interceptions in the team’s stunning 41-20 comeback win against Duke.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time; to go out there and make a play for my teammates, so it felt great to be able to do that,” Cole said.

The interception was the first of the redshirt freshman’s career, while Bonner’s was his second. Both came at critical moments in the game. Cole’s led to a Cody Journell field goal, while Bonner’s came right before the half and led to a touchdown.

“We were down 20-17, so it was a big game changer and I felt like that was the real start of our comeback there,” Bonner said.

Both players hadn’t exactly performed up to par throughout the early part of the season, so coaches were very pleased to see them create these turnovers to continue the tradition of Virginia Tech’s play-making defense.

“How many times has it been that our

defense has gone out there and made a play that’s turned the game around?” said head coach Frank Beamer. “And thank goodness we got that out of Michael Cole, a guy who’s been getting better every week.”

Cole wasn’t expected to see the field much coming into the season, but the secondary’s been shuffled frequently in an effort to patch some of the defense’s holes, and he’s been forced into the starting lineup as a rover at a very young age.

“You see the guy getting a little bit better all the time,” Beamer said. “He wants to, he’s a great kid, a very smart guy, tough guy, and that was a big, big play. You talk about huge right before the half, that turned the game around.”

Although he’s frequently struggled with tackling in the open field and covering speedy receivers, Cole believes he will only get better as the season progresses.

“I just want to keep improving; keep getting better at all the little things like tackling, reading my keys, stuff like that,” Cole said. “Nobody’s really reached what they need to do yet, so I’ll keep coming out here every day and doing that.”

While he’s grateful for being able to make the play, even Cole admitted that Duke quarterback Anthony Boone made it pretty painless for him to grab the interception.

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Safety Detrick Bonner (8) intercepts a pass from the Duke quarterback last Saturday at Lane Stadium.

“It doesn’t really get any easier, he just kind of threw it up there,” Cole said. “Any turnover gives us momentum and Detrick’s interception, that was big too, we’re just doing our best to help out our offense and give them good field position.”

It’s hard to deny that Bonner’s play was also critical to the team’s success, as his subsequent 39-yard return of the interception put the team in the perfect position to score, but he still regrets that he missed the opportunity to take it into the end zone himself.

“I was thinking about taking it back, but I couldn’t get past the last man for a touchdown,” Bonner said.

The sophomore free safety has seen his role evolve over the course of the season as well. While coaches initially projected him as a starting safety, the team’s issues in coverage has led them to deploy him as a cornerback in nickel coverage, a change he’s continuing to adjust to.

“Covering the slot was definitely difficult,” Bonner said. “Duke has some good receivers; they know how to run their routes very well, and are good at catching it, so my challenge was to stick with them.”

The secondary was also considerably more successful in run support against the Blue Devils. Bonner in particular looked atrocious against North Carolina, but the defense rebounded to allow just 22 yards on the ground on Saturday.

“The whole game we read our keys con-

sistently and we played really well,” Bonner said.

The technical adjustments of players like Bonner and Cole were undoubtedly significant, but it was also their improved mental toughness that helped the Hokies storm back.

“We’d been struggling a little bit, and to come out 20 points in the hole was tough, but I don’t think our attitude changed,” Cole said. “We just have to keep believing and keep going for four quarters and it’ll work out.”

Coaches agreed that the players’ poise was what stopped the early deficit from dooming the team to failure.

“I think it really says something about our players that they hung in there and kept playing,” Beamer said. “A lot of people would panic in that situation, a lot of people would start pointing fingers, but they didn’t do that.”

The team will have to maintain their momentum from the exciting win, as they travel to face Clemson this weekend, and it’s a sure thing that memories of last season’s losses to the Tigers will play a role in their motivation.

“We’re keeping it in the back of our minds that we lost to them, and that they are capable of scoring very quickly and that we have to come together as a team,” Bonner said.

Regardless of what happens in South Carolina this Saturday, it’s clear players like Cole and Bonner showed something against

6

Coleman: Back looks up to past Hokies

J.C. Coleman Running back

“I kidded with him all last week, when you see that hole open, whatever the little turbo button is on the Xbox or the PlayStation is, hit it,” running backs coach Shane Beamer said.

“That’s the way you need to be.”

“He’s a competitor, man,” the coach added. “And he doesn’t act like a true freshman. The atmospheres don’t wow him. He’s not blown away by being on the road or isn’t blown away by being out there in front of 70,000 people. He has fun. He enjoys it.”

“It was just a long run; an exciting run,” added Coleman.

“My eyes just got huge. It was just exciting. I finally got that long run. Seeing all that green in front of you is just exciting.”

While the two long runs caught the attention of most fans and produced the most excitement for the highlight reels, Shane Beamer says he was more impressed with Coleman’s ability to run between the tackles and carry a few defend-

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

Running back J.C. Coleman (4) is lifted up by an offensive lineman as he celebrates his first touchdown of his career vs. Bowling Green. says a lot of Coleman’s success was due to his ability to break away from defenders attempting to wrap him up.

“We had some great blocking and he did some great running,” said Beamer.

“There’s no secret to how you get it done. You have to block some folks and J.C. had about five, six or seven broken tackles so that’s the key to it.”

“

We evaluate every day in practice. We go with the hot guys. J.C. and Tony got hot on Saturday.”

Shane Beamer Running backs coach

Coleman, meanwhile, hopes to keep this momentum from the last game and keep it going into his next performance.

“Coach Shane gave me a lot of opportunities, mostly because I was the hot hand going into the game. I just

had a pretty good game and hopefully we can keep that going” As for his preparation, now that he appears to be the featured back, Coleman says nothing has really changed from how he approached every other week until now.

“I’m just going in with the same mindset,” said Coleman. “Whenever I touch the ball, I just wanna make something happen, create a big play, or even a big block.

Whatever presents an opportunity or I’ll make an opportunity myself.”

On Saturday, Coleman created plenty of opportunities for the Hokies offense in the run game which later opened up the passing game for quarterback Logan Thomas and the wide receivers.

While the similarities between Coleman and the former Hokies are clear, the true freshman is building his own legacy at Tech with his small frame and explosive burst out of the backfield.

The jersey number may bring high expectations.

But it’s nothing J.C. Coleman’s 5-foot-8, 192pound frame can’t handle.

THE LAST FOUR

4’s

2009 - 20122011 present

“

You’ve got to be ready when your number is called. I’ve been trying to work on that all year.”

J.C Coleman 44 carries, 331 yards, two touchdowns.9 kick returns, 207 yards.

20042007

the Hokies.

“Tech wasn’t even looking at me at first and I was a little discouraged,” said Coleman.

“At one point, I was even hating Tech because they weren’t recruiting me,” Coleman said. “Once they hopped on, I immediately fell in love with them because I knew their running back situation.”

The running back situation included Wilson and senior Josh Oglesby. Wilson left school early to enter the NFL Draft and Oglesby left to graduation. This left the running back spot open for guys like Coleman to step up and make a name for themselves.

Last Saturday, Coleman got his opportunity in the Hokies 41-20 come-from-behind victory over ACC opponent Duke.

“You’ve got to be ready when your number is called,” said Coleman. “It was just a matter of being physically ready. That’s been something I’ve been trying to work on all year.”

The true freshman ripped off runs of 45 and 86 yards against the Blue Devils, which energized a stagnant crowd that had grown tired of seeing an offense without any sort of running game throughout this season.

ers a couple extra yards as well as his blocking in pass protection.

“I don’t care how big you are,” the coach said, “if you’re low enough to the ground and you’ve got a good base and you’ve got your hands inside his guys, you’re going to have a chance to win.”

At 5-foot-8, 192-pounds, Coleman hears quite often from media and fans the questions of whether or not he has the size to be an every down back at the Division I level. Coleman, however, points to two professional backs who are getting the job done despite their lack of height.

“It’s crazy that they say the smaller guys can’t do it, because the two smallest backs in the league the last couple years, pretty much led the league in rushing — Ray Rice and Maurice Jones-Drew,” Coleman said.

“I just like the way (Rice) plays. He’s physical, he’s strong, he carries guys, he’s fast. He just does everything well. I just feel like in the future I can kind of emulate him.”

While media and fans may question his size for on the field purposes, his teammates and coach staff enjoy giving the true freshman a hard time off the field.

After the team’s win over Duke on Saturday, Coleman was presented with the offensive game ball. During the presentation, players yelled to the coaching staff to jokingly give Coleman an extra box to stand on.

As for who gives him the most hard time about his height, Coleman said cornerback Antone Exum and deputy director of football operations Bruce Garnes are usually the worst about it.

Garnes and Coleman have even developed a handshake that pokes fun at the running back’s lack of size.

“We’ve even got a little handshake that we do now that (Garnes) gets down on his knee and puts his hand all the way up,” Coleman said. “I’m cool with it. It’s just something I’ve go to live with.”

After Saturday, many members of both the fanbase and the media are questioning whether or not we will see a lot more of Coleman in the Tech backfield.

“I’m gonna keep telling you that each week is its own week and we go with the guys that are hot. Each week is different and that’s the truth,” said Shane Beamer. “Now, I’d be dumb to sit here and tell you that J.C. and Tony (Gregory) didn’t open up some eyes Saturday with the way that they played. But as far as saying this guy is the leader or the anointed one and all that, not necessarily.”

“We evaluate every day in practice. We go with the hot guys. J.C. and Tony got hot on Saturday and we have every expectation that they will continue to play like they did on Saturday.”

Head coach Frank Beamer

Eddie Royal 119 receptions, 1,778 yards, 12 touchdowns.

111 punt returns, 1,296 yards, three touchdowns.

20012003

from page one

DeAngelo Hall 190 tackles, 20 passes defended, eight interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery.

David Wilson 462 carries, 2,662 yards, 14 touchdowns.

61 kick returns, 1,324 yards, two touchdowns.

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Fireworks illuminate campus last night after the Class of 2014 Ring Premiere

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

Friday, October 19, 2012

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 1 News, page 2

Features, page 4

Opinions, page 5

Sports, page 8

Squires hosts showdown

Classifieds, page 7

Hackers compete for app design

BY DONAL MURPHY | news reporter DEAN SEAL news staff writer

STEVE HELBER / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Democratic candidate for the vacant US Senate seat from Virginia, former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, at podium left, and Republican candidate, former Sen. George Allen, right, during a debate co-hosted by Virginia Tech and local NBC-affiliate station WSLS

Senate hopefuls sqared-off at Virginia Tech yesterday during the last debate of the season

V

irginia Tech held a different kind of Thursday night game yesterday, the final debate for the state’s closely-fought Senate seat.

Both former governors, Republican George Allen and Democrat Tim Kaine are running for Virginia’s vacant seat in an election that could help determine which party holds the majority in the Senate come Nov. 6.

The battle began on campus even before either can-

didate even took the stage, as crowds gathered outside Squire’s Student Center.

Daniel Recktenwald, a senior political science major and vice president of Young Democrats, was one of many students waving political signs on Alumni Mall.

“It’s important to have the debate here at school,” Rechtenwald said. “Having a debate for a nationally important race as close as this brings a lot of tension to Virginia Tech.”

Tech, partnering with local NBC-affiliate WSLS, earned the honor of hosting the debate earlier this fall after rounds of negotiations with both campaigns. see DEBATE / page two

Supercomputer crunches big data ANDREW KULAK news staff writer

“Big data” is becoming a big problem for researchers across the board. But at Virginia Tech, computer science and engineering researchers are meeting this 21st century challenge head-on.

Computer science associate professor Wu Feng works with HokieSpeed, a supercomputer he created to be both incredibly powerful and energy efficient, to address the challenge big data poses to researchers.

Big data refers to data sets so large that they are difficult to collect, search and analyze.

Fields such as meteorology and biology require the ability to capture and process incredibly vast amounts of information, like how many stars are in the galaxy or how many cells are in an organism.

Feng, along with colleagues at Stanford and Iowa State, recently received a $2 million grant from the federal government to develop new ways of handling big data, specifically as it relates to DNA sequencing — a classic big data problem. “(Computer) performance will double roughly every 24 months,” Feng said. “But the problem is that

the amount of genetic sequencing data is doubling every nine months, perhaps even faster.

We’re producing data at a faster rate than we can compute it.”

HokieSpeed offers a solution.

Traditionally, computer scientists and researchers relied on an increasing number of transistors in the the central processing unit or “brain” of a computer, the CPU, to increase computational speed.

But this also means increasing power consumption and heat production.

“We hit a powerwall,” Feng said.

“We couldn’t keep going along that path, it was making the processor way too hot ... You can probably find pictures of eggs frying on processors.”

Six years ago, researchers began working on multi-core processors in an attempt to address the problem. Rather than adding more transistors to one CPU, computers were made to utilize two, four or more CPUs at the same time.

Feng’s HokieSpeed supercomputer takes this concept a step further. By tapping into graphics processing unis, GPUs, in addition to traditional CPUs, HokieSpeed is able to handle big data sets more efficiently than previous systems.

Feng compares these graphics units to a drag race car. While see TECH / page two

COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TECH

Computer scientists are invited to a 24-hour straight programming competition this Friday.

An education-focused organization, Apps4VA, is calling on Virginia Tech’s many computer aficionados to take on an opportunity to earn big bucks by developing an app.

They are calling for developers, coders and designers to see who can develop the most useful education-oriented apps based on a particular data catalog that Apps4VA provides.

The data system competitors will use — called the Virginia Longitudina l Data System — was created to aggregate data on the progress of students in Virginia’s public schools.

It was created for the use of educators and policy makers.

Apps4VA is hosting the Hack-a-thon in five different locations across Virginia on Oct. 19.

Carole Ottenheimer, a senior research analyst for the Center for Innovative Technology has helped to organize the statewide event. She hopes the competition will spur more interest and creativity.

“We thought a Hacka-thon, in addition to being fun, would be an effective way to get apps, to get the word out to the community, and just involve other people besides typical bureaucrats in getting data and thinking outside the box,” Ottenheimer said.

Addit iona l ly, t he 24-hour nature of the event makes it unique.

“We’re not requiring people to stay there during the night, but we’ll be open during the night for people to continuously code,” Ottenheimer said. “Some people may choose to go get a couple hours of sleep.”

Apps4VA is looking for any kind of software application that uses at least one of the required datasets in their data catalog.

Participants can also create “mash-ups” that combine at least one of the required datasets with any others that are publicly available.

Blacksburg is one of five locations hosting the Hack-a-thon.

The others will be in Charlottesville, Norfolk, Roanoke and Richmond, with each Hack-a-thon being simultaneously broadcasted to the others.

Registration is required, but can be done both

online and on-site of the competition before it begins.

The grand prize, awarded to the best application created in the state, is $1,500. Each location will also be awarding a first prize of $750, as well as a “Hacker’s Choice” award of $250.

Throughout the competition, smaller prizes will be awarded from sponsoring companies.

“

We thought a Hacka-thon, in addition to being fun, would be an effective way to get apps, to get the word out to the community, and just involve other people besides typical bureaucrats in getting data and thinking outside the box.

Carole Ottenheimer, a senior research analyst for the Center for Innovative Technology The Blacksburg division of the Hack-a-thon will be hosted at the facility for Virginia Tech’s Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology in Collegiate Square, or ICAT. The event is free and participants will be provided with meals.

The Hack-a-thon host, Apps4VA, is a software application development program launched jointly by the CIT and the Virginia Department of Education.

Their mission is to develop and implement a data system that records the educational progress of Virginia students, following them from early childhood schooling all the way to graduate education.

The system also aims to link teachers and students, while still accounting for the privacy and confidentiality of the student.

Apps4VA will still be hosting an additional open competition, without time restraints, seeking the same submissions as required in the Hacka-thon. Submissions are due by Nov. 15 online.

Winning app builders from that competition will earn substantially larger dollar amounts, with the first-prize winner taking home $5,000.

Follow this writer on Twitter @jdeanseal

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october 19, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

editors: mallory noe-payne, victoria zigadlo newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

Tech student advocates for new spirit wear SEAN HAYDEN news staff writer

Virginia Tech students and alumni stock up regularly on maroon and orange apparel.

Claire Wiklund, on the other hand, wanted to know where her spiritwear came from.

When the sophomore biology major traveled to La Villa Alta Gracia in the Dominican Republic with an organization called the Fair World Project, it did not take her long to find the answer she was looking for.

While she was there learning about unionizing and campaigning, she heard about Alta Gracia, a business model that has developed from more than a decade of combined student and worker organizations.

“We stayed in the homes of workers and learned a lot about unionizing and campaigning.

We also traveled around the Dominican countryside, visiting and networking between Alta Gracia’s strong union and other developing unions,” Wiklund said.

Wiklund explained how the movement for better working conditions started, which gave rise to Alta Gracia apparel.

“Ten years ago, the United Students Against Sweatshops

recognized the need for a better system for monitoring labor quality in the apparel industry,” Wiklund said, “They jump-started the creation of the Worker’s Rights Consortium, an independent watchdog organization that is funded by universities and publishes reports about labor conditions in the supply chains of affiliated universities.”

Workers at an apparel factory, called BJ&B, worked with USAS for five years to unionize — a dangerous endeavor considering the infrastructure of the sweatshop-oriented labor industry. In 2005, BJ&B burnt down and the rural town of Alta Gracia was left without a significant source of income.

In 2009, Knights Apparel, the national leader in collegiate apparel, recognized the market for responsibly produced collegiate apparel and opened the Alta Gracia factory.

The factory is the first of its kind because it was built in concordance with WRC safety standards and is centralized around a strong union, the heart of the labor conditions initiative.

“The amazing thing about Alta Gracia is that it pays workers a living wage, three times higher than the minimum wage in the Dominican Republic. This

wage allows workers to access education, healthcare and nutrition for their family, which are basic human rights denied by the standard sweatshop wage,” Wiklund said.

Last year, Wiklund worked under Oxfam, an organization that has been running the Alta Gracia campaign for the past three years. Wiklund hopes that there will be a reemergence of Tech’s USAS chapter to help raise awareness about Alta Gracia and related labor justice issues.

“Tech represents a large portion of collegiate apparel market shares. As a university founded on the principles of Ut Prosim and Hokie Respect, it is a travesty that our own branding would support severe labor abuse,” Wiklund said.

Wiklund said that Alta Gracia apparel produces high quality products and costs the same if not less than comparable brands. She hopes to see Tech move toward having responsible sourcing practices and that Tech joins the Alta Gracia initiative, which she feels is a step in the right direction.

For almost three years, members of Oxfam have been meeting with the University Bookstore in efforts to secure an order of Alta Gracia apparel. Oxfam has

announced that an order has been placed and Alta Gracia will finally be hitting the bookstore in the next couple of weeks.

“While this recent order from the bookstore is a very exciting victory, we’d love to see the order sizes increase, which will be dependent upon the success of Alta Gracia sales,” Wiklund said. “Right now our efforts as a USAS and AG coalition are focused on raising awareness about labor issues and promoting the AG brand, so that other initiatives can grow from this starting off point.”

Wiklund believes that students have very valuable leverage power over the institutions which they attend, and that the issues of labor rights addressed

by Alta Gracia should not be limited to the student population, but should also include alumni, professors, university affiliates and community members.

“As awareness with regards to exploitative labor practices grows, our only hope in correcting the industry infrastructure lies in community organizing and the outlook of global solidarity,” Wiklund said.

what you’re saying Walking the Line: Why would I read the book when I have Sparknotes?

Mike: Sure you can read spark-notes instead of the book but thats the difference between mastery and just scrapping by. Personally. I love to read the spark-note summaries of a book after I have read the book to pic up on any cultural references or themes in the book I might have missed.

Adam: Facepalm. Saying that Sparknotes are a viable alternative to reading a book is like saying "Why go on a trip to ___ when I can just look at pictures on google?" Sure you can see what Stonehenge, the Kalahari Desert, or the Great Wall of China look like but it is nothing like going there in person. You don't get full appreciation of the place, the people, the culture, or anything.

This is the equivalent to the plot and character development of a book. You may think you are saving time to do better things (like writing newspaper articles...?) but it is really you that is missing out. Don't be lazy.

Jimbo: There's more to a great book than the

plot. How it's written and the use of language are just as important.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @shayden

Tech: Prof. builds data resource

Debate: Kaine, Allen face off at Tech

from page one

from page one

they do not have the flexibility of a CPU, they are able to update the image on a display incredibly quickly.

So quickly, in fact, that the human eye cannot detect the changes.

“Every 30 milliseconds, a million pixels get updated,” Feng said. “That’s bloody fast.”

Feng’s work isn’t simple.

The graphics processors were not produced to handle information like a CPU. They operate in different languages, and Feng has to make a translator.

“We now have a processor called AMD Fusion that fuses the CPUs and the GPUs together,” Feng said.

Researchers like Feng must work to determine how best to divide the labor between processors, which Feng likens to the left and right side of the brain.

“How do you make use of these brains that people haven’t used in the past?

And once you’ve programmed them, how do you extract performance?” Feng said.

These questions drive Feng’s research.

HokieSpeed is listed on The Green500, a website

that ranks the world’s most energy efficient supercomputers. And it’s fast.

“I’d probably say it’s at least 10,000 times more powerful (than a standard personal computer),” said Feng, using his iPhone calculator to come up with a quick estimate. “I guess I’m being a little conservative; it would probably end up being a lot more than that.”

HokieSpeed has delivered for Tech researchers.

Associate Professor Alexey Onufriev came to Feng with a molecular modeling program. It took 10 hours to run before, but with the HokieSpeed supercomputer the program could run in less than a second.

Feng sees a bright future for HokieSpeed and other supercomputers grappling with big data. The possibilities for DNA sequencing, drug design at the molecular level and the study of disease are some fields where this generation of information processing is important.

Feng’s goal is to provide all researchers with quicker access to data and information relevant to their fields.

“We’re looking to empower scientists, engineers, even

humanities and business people to accelerate the discovery process (and) create innovations that will contribute to the betterment of society,” Feng said.

And for Hokies looking for a job when they leave Tech, big data processing may have another solution to offer.

“Big data is a big deal right now. My problem now is that I cannot provide enough students for the demand,” Feng said. “People worry about computer science, computer engineering, that all these jobs are being outsourced. The higher-order thinking ... that’s where there’s a fairly significant shortage of qualified people in the workforce.”

Feng estimates that within three to five years, more private businesses like Twitter, Facebook and Amazon may require big data solutions to help them index and keep track of their users and customers, in addition to current applications in research and development.

For those with research experience, big data could mean big money.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @KulakCT

University President Charles Steger says hosting is an important role for a school to fill.

“This is the sort of |function that universities can play to society, bringing people together to share views,” Steger said. “Most importantly, it gives our students the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates on what the key issues are.”

All 500 seats in the Haymarket Theater were filled. After each campaign reserved its seats, the university and WSLS were alotted 150 seats. They were available for free at the Squire’s box office at noon on Tuesday and sold out within twenty minutes.

Matthew Ha ll, a Republican from Ferrum College, was one of the lucky individuals with a ticket. He traveled an hour and a half to be at Tech for the debate.

“Half of all college students are graduating without a job,” Hall said. “We need to focus on that.

That’s why it’s important to have the debate here at

Virginia Tech.”

“This debate is important because it’s important to vote in not just the presidential election,” said Amanda Anger, a Democrat and junior international studies major. “It’s

CHECK BACK SEE OUR CAMPAGIN COUNTDOWN FEATURE ON THE DEBATE IN TUESDAY’S PAPER about things that affect us more locally.”

The two candidates sparred heatedly on the issues of military spending cuts and the upcoming possibility of sequestration, which would result in $500 billion in cuts to defense. Other major points of debate were medical costs and the Affordable Care Act, plans to balance the budget, as well as foreign affairs with Africa and the Middle East after the embassy attacks in Libya and Egypt.

“Tech and WSLS did a great job of hosting (the debate),” Kaine said.

“Partly because it’s the last one, partly because we’re doing the last one here at a place I really care about, but I felt like I did pretty well.”

Thomas May, a senior mathematics major, felt that both candidates fared well during the debate, though Kaine had the better performance.

“I personally felt like they talked about sequestration a little too much,” May said. “I would personally have liked to hear more about college financial aid, since it’s a very important issue to most of us here at Virginia Tech.”

While some thought Kaine led the debate, others felt that Allen was the winner Thursday night.

“I think Gov. Allen presented his plan to lead (Virginia) into a great revival in our country and presented his comeback for America,” Hall said. “He did an excellent job with that.”

This debate was the last of five before Virginia voters go to the ballot on Nov. 6.

Follow this writer on Twitter @HokieRealist

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editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

he she

people & clubs

SAID

I

’m not afraid of scary movies.

Let me tell you why: People are jerks to the kid who is afraid of scary movies.

You mention once, just once, that you had nightmares for a year after watching “Scooby Doo on Zombie Island” when you were a kid, and suddenly it’s all over.

You become the scary movie punching bag.

Apparently, the only thing more entertaining than watching scary movies is scaring the person who is legitimately terrified by them.

Once you mention you’re afraid of scary movies, your Bible Camp leader will think it’s a great idea to plan a camp-wide screening of “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” to explain to you that the only thing you really have to fear is the devil himself.

If you’re afraid of scary movies your friends will start showing you previews for “Devil” even though you explicitly told them about that scary Bible Camp experience.

If you’re afraid of scary movies every boyfriend you’ll ever have will think it’s a cute date idea to watch episodes of “The Walking Dead” and have you cower into his arms the whole time.

But let me tell you that it’s not cute when you start ugly-crying on his sweater because you’re convinced there’s a zombie between you and your front door.

It’s not funny when you can’t ride elevators anymore because you are so cripplingly afraid that you might accidentally be killed by a demon.

Bible Camp loses all value when you have to sleep on your older brother’s floor for a week afterward because he is obviously the only person who can make sure you’re not possessed by the devil.

So I’m not afraid of scary movies. Those of you looking for a punching bag can just move along.

I fall asleep with the lights on because I stay up late doing homework.

I avoid ABC Family all the time, not just in October when it has its 13 Nights of Halloween special.

I show up to movie theater late because I have better things to do, not because I’m scared there might be a horror movie preview.

I’m not afraid of scary movies. Nope, not me.

He said: Stay home, avoid scary movie group trips

W

guess, this would be it.

As time went on, the nightmares ended and I started to move past this event.

Unfortunately, while growing up, most of my peers loved scary movies. On most occasion, I was able to find some excuse to not see them by walking my dog, watching “The Matrix” on TBS and so on. But there were a few times in high school when the girl I liked wanted to go see some variation of a “Saw” movie and I was forced to attend. I vividly remember sitting in the theater knowing how ludicrous it looked for the 6’3, 200 lbs. man to be cringing and crushing the popcorn container into a wad of greasy cardboard.

Post-high school, it has been much easier to avoid these films. With age comes maturity — also my friends are way too cheap to spend 10 bucks at the movie the-

COLLEGIATETIMES

3

She said: Steer clear Club prepares its of all exorcism films members for jobs

VICTORIA ZIGADLO - news editor - senior - English major

ith Halloween swiftly approaching, scary movies are slowly coming out of their crypts and forcing their acknowledgement upon moviegoers through trailers and previews. I’ve never been a fan of scary movies, and I think this had to do with a possibly traumatizing experience I had as a child.

The last scary movie I watched of my own accord was “Anaconda” when I was six. Although most wouldn’t classify it as horror or suspense, to my younger self it was the epitome of fear.

Gigantic snakes, foreboding music and Ice Cube’s acting combined into a perfect storm, which haunted me for weeks with nightmares.

After that experience, I have avoided scary movies like the plague. I don’t know what defines a traumatizing experience exactly, but if I had to

october 19, 2012

ater. The only exception for this is that I currently lead Young Life at a local high school. Sadly, this causes me to occasionally delve once again into the high school culture of scary movie fanaticism and therefore make a fool of myself once again. I don’t know if you have ever seen “The Woman in Black,” starring Daniel Radcliffe — or Harry Potter — but be warned that it caused me to yelp like a small schoolgirl in a full theater.

Even though I have been able to avoid scary movies more easily in recent years, in the world we live in it is hard to sit down and watch any television without ads for scary movies leaving me anxious and scared. Most recently, titles like “Sinister” and “Paranormal Activity 4” have left me curled up on the couch momentarily paralyzed with fear. It is truly

amazing that in less than two minutes producers can develop an ad that convinces me there is a murderer next door and a monster in my living room.

As Halloween approaches and freaky flicks once again rear their ugly heads, a few decisions must be made.

Are you going to buy a ticket for the next horror blockbuster? Are you going to unplug your TV until November? Whatever your decisions may be, make sure of two things: that none of these star Ice Cube and to always check your living room before you turn out the lights.

JAMES HARRIS - featured columnist - senior - history major

RACHEL CLINE features staff writer

One of the most important things employers consider is work experience. The Consulting Club aims to provide just that.

To help students aspiring to enter the consulting field, the club provides an opportunity to gain this exact experience that companies seek. Anson Felder, a senior and president of the club, explains that there are three main ways that members of the club can learn about consulting.

“First, we have workshops with firms and advisers or people who are in the consulting industry already, and we talk about their experiences,” Felder said. “The second thing we do is pro-bono projects. So we’ll work with local businesses and try to help some aspect of their business. The third thing we do is professional development like resume workshops.

It gives people that extra nonacademic side of things that really prepares them for the business world.”

Th rough their meetings, members of Consulting Club are able to see several different sides of the field that they wish to enter after graduation. According to Felder, gaining experience is especially important in this line of work because consultants are expected to provide advice for companies.

“The best explanation of (consulting) is that it’s trying to fi x people’s problems,” Felder said. “Consulting can go from IT to management and anywhere in between. So when businesses have problems, they come to consultants who try to help out with any of their specialties.”

The broad scope of the consulting field is also reflected through the members who make up this club. Though it is sponsored through the Pamplin College of Business, the members are not all business majors.

“That’s one of the things I really like about it,” Felder said. “We have a lot of BIT majors, a lot of finance and a lot of accounting. But we also have a statistic major, a chemical engineer and I’m an (industrial systems) engineer.”

Although the club is open to students from any major interested in consulting, there is a formal recruitment process. Students who wish to join must submit their resumes, fill out an application and attend a short interview with executive members of the club.

Many students chose to participate in the recruit-

ment process this semester, giving a membership boost to the two-year-old club.

Initially starting with six people, Felder said the club has expanded to 48 members.

Bill Yost, a junior who joined Consulting Club last January and has since taken the role of club secretary, feels that this growth is positive for members.

“That’s definitely the best part: when you can walk around campus now and see someone else in the club, especially after this past semester with the recruitment,” Yost said.

In addition to meeting other people with a similar career interest, the club also offers its members a chance to gain experience that they would normally only receive through an internship.

“There are a lot of opportunities and skills that I don’t think we would have had otherwise,” Yost said. “It’s just the professional development that goes a long way, particularly when interviewing for jobs.”

When entering the professional world, members of the club sometimes have an advantage. The workshops hosted by Consulting Club often allow them to meet recruiters from big companies in the consulting field.

“It’s just the interaction with the recruiters and getting your name out there,” Felder said. “I’ve talked to a lot of our members who are interviewing now and they have seen one of the recruiters who has been at one of our workshops, so they’re immediately able to spark a conversation.”

Another important aspect of the club is gaining experience through consulting work for local businesses.

These projects allow the businesses to get free advice from the club, and the businesses typically pay no more than $50 to promote the business.

Felder said that this year, the club is working with Carol Lee Donuts, an IT consulting firm and a crepe shop in the area.

Although the club has seen many new members this year, they are still looking to continue their growth and firmly establish their presence on Virginia Tech’s campus.

“If you take the club where it was two years ago and compare it to where it is now, it’s completely changed,” Felder said. “We’re definitely trying to become one of those clubs that everybody knows, and if you’re in the Consulting Club, it comes with a certain name. So, it’s definitely building, but I would love to see it kind of kick off more.”

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october 19, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

Dual perspectives: Most dangerous?

We all know who wins the games. But who ultimately gets the glory? Brian Marcolini and Jacob Emert debate who is the most dangerous and dynamic player in college football.

MCT CAMPUS

Michigan’s Denard Robinson, one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, has amassed impressive stats in his college career in Ann Arbor.

Robinson has the stats, track record

Clowney an absolute freak of nature

T

T

here are dangerous athletes across the country.

Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas, Ohio State’s Braxton Miller ... even the Virginia Tech’s own Marcus Davis come to mind. But there is one thing most of them have in common: they are young (Thomas) and/or haven’t been consistent (Miller).

Seemingly, the old guy is always forgotten in the search to find the best playmaker in the country. We all like to find the shiny new guys to heap praise on, and eventually get bored with the players that have been threats for years.

That’s why I’m going with Denard Robinson as the most dangerous player in college football.

Sure, he kind of looks like a hobbit, and the whole shoelaces thing is probably the most overplayed story this side of Tim Tebow, but there is a short list of quarterbacks that run a 40-yard dash faster than most receivers and running backs, yet can also throw the ball with precision.

Every time a quarterback like that comes along there always seems to be drawbacks about his accuracy, throwing mechanics or some other pro-football mumble jumble.

When you watch Robinson rip off 50-yard runs like he’s taking a stroll, you tend to forget about all of that. Not only is he explosive, but also has been consistent his entire career. Let’s look at his body of work.

In two and a half years as starting quarterback at Michigan, Robinson has accounted for 90 touchdowns. NINETY. Sure, people can hate on him for his inaccuracy as a passer, but when you run for over 200 yards (as he has done five times in his career) it makes up for it.

He also has over 4,000 career rushing yards and over 6,000 career passing yards. Anyone who can sum up those kind of numbers will go down in the books as a legend in college football.

Those numbers are not only impressive at first glance, but even more so when remembering that he used to be the only weapon on his team.

For the past three years, Robinson has had to go up against defenses that have made specific game plans to try to contain him, but has put up ridiculous numbers anyway (502 total yards and three total scores against Notre Dame in 2010, 337 total yards and five scores against Ohio State in 2011).

Robinson’s athleticism has helped transform Michigan from a struggling former superpower during the Rich Rodriguez era, to Sugar Bowl winner, to preseason top 10 in only three seasons. That is a pretty big jump for a school that went 4-8 when Robinson was a freshman. (Their record has improved e very year since Robinson was named starter in 2010.)

If this sport were a video game, no one would be allowed to use Robinson because it would be too unfair. His ability to make something happen when a play breaks down consistently saves his Wolverines from dire situations.

He is the most dangerous man in the game, and has been so for three seasons.

BRIAN MARCOLINI -sports staff writer -senior -communication major

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he process of writing Dual Perspectives doesn’t change much.

Brian and I spend a few minutes every Monday discussing potential topics for the coming Friday’s article. We finally settle on a theme, and then spend a night or two mulling over possible candidates.

We shoot a few ideas back and forth at each other until we finally feel we have two solid choices.

That’s how most weeks go, but not this one. We agreed that the topic would be the most dangerous player in college football.

As he started to leave, I yelled at him my choice. I didn’t need more time to mull over possibly candidates — I had my man.

If the term “freak of nature” could be used in an endearing way, it would be used to describe South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney.

At 6-foot-6, 255 lbs., the defensive end from Rock Hill, S.C. has been responsible for making sure opposing offensive coordinators get no sleep before they play the Gamecocks.

Coming out of high school in 2011, Clowney was considered No. 1 player in the nation.

His senior season he had 29.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and five defensive touchdowns. He carried the ball 32 times, scored nine times and tallied up 277 yards.

But that’s just high school.

Last year at South Carolina, he totaled eight sacks, good for eighth in the SEC. He was the only freshman in the top 10.

He also forced five fumbles — only seven players in the nation forced more — and

was the first freshman to start on the Gamecocks’ defensive line for the Steve Spurrier since 2007. Clowney was named SEC freshman-of-the-year and SEC defensive-player-of-the-year.

This year he is on pace to blow past all his previous records.

In just seven games (he played 13 last year) he has more tackles, as many tackles for loss and just 1.5 fewer sacks.

Various producers of mock drafts disagree on whether he will enter the NFL after his junior or senior season, but they all have him as a No. 1 overall pick.

As a child, I wasn’t big on superheroes.

It may be sacrilegious, but I would have rather watched repeats of SportsCenter, a documentary on the History Channel or an episode of Spongebob.

Watching Jadeveon Clowney line up across from some of the best offensive linemen in the nation and shred them apart makes me feel like I am making up for lost time.

The kid doesn’t wear a cape between the sidelines but he might as well. He’s faster than a speeding bullet (4.48 40-yard-dash time), stronger than a locomotive and can leap over tall buildings in a single bound (30’’ vertical leap).

JACOB EMERT -sports staff writer -sophomore -history major

opinions

editors: josh higgins, bethany melson opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

october 19, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

5

The Collegiate Times is an independent studentrun newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Michelle Sutherland Managing Editor: Nick Cafferky Design Editors: Andrea Ledesma, Alicia Tillman Public Editor: Erin Chapman Web Editor: Chelsea Gunter News Editors: Mallory NoePayne, Victoria Zigadlo News Reporters: Priscilla Alvarez, Dean Seal, Cameron Austin, Donal Murphy Features Editors: Emma Goddard, Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Ben Kim, Katie White, Kara Van Scoyc, Allie Sivak, Jacob Wilbanks Opinions Editors: Josh Higgins, Bethany Melson Photo Editor: Kevin Dickel Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editors: Cody Elliot, Danielle Buynak Copy Chief: Nora McGann Copy Editors: Allison Hedrick, Kristin Gunter Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: Ryan Francis Circulation Manager: Travis Neale Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Brad Klodowski MCT CAMPUS

Your Views [letters to the editor]

Campus smoking should be banned I disagree with Marcus William’s column regarding smoking on campus (in print Oct. 11). There needs to be an effort to enforce current smoking laws and limit the amount of people smoking in public places. People have a right to smoke cigarettes except when that right to smoke cigarettes infringes on people’s right to breathe clean air.

In his column, Williams asserts there is no benefit to banning smoking in open spaces. However, on my way to classes every day I walk through people smoking in open spaces.

There are people smoking daily in the outdoor residence hall corridors, along the walkways by Newman, in the courtyard at Randolph and in countless other locations. Most of these people smoking are right next to entrances of buildings. At Virginia Tech it is very difficult to go a day walking around

campus without inhaling a good amount of secondhand smoke, as the enforcement of smoking (rules) is nonexistent and people show no restraint as to where they smoke.

It is the smoker’s responsibility to smoke in appropriate places; however, it is a daily occurrence that I encounter students, faculty, staff and contractors employed by Tech smoking in crowded places (with) no consideration for the people around them. Th is is unacceptable, especially for the people exposed that have pre-existing conditions such as asthma.

A ban on smoking on Tech’s campus, if enforced properly, would make for a better campus experience. It doesn’t matter if people are still smoking cigarettes offcampus, all that matters is that people don’t have to be exposed to secondhand smoke in public places on campus.

- Jason Schwartz, student

It’s your paper.

Express your views.

Write a letter to the editor at opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com

Students should wash dishes F rom 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., I spent my Sunday nights washing dishes in the West End Market. I was the man behind that little conveyor belt that you place trash on when you are finished eating. The constant influx of trash and the endless amount of pots and pans that needed to be scrubbed can truly give you some perspective. Those six hours changed my life.

There are two points that resound with me from this experience.

First, until it’s in front of you, the realization that college students waste so much is shocking, and this includes myself. Whole plates of steak, salad and pasta being thrown away after only a bite was mind-blowing. To think we’re nearing a food crisis is baffling; where that wasted food could have gone surpasses my imagination. It’s no wonder we’re having environmental issues. Our agricultural business is producing at unnaturally efficient rates yet we are wasting just as fast.

According to the EPA, in 2010 more than 34 million tons of food waste were generated. Moreover, Americans throw away about 40 percent of the nation’s food supply every year. That’s unbeliev-

able, especially considering how many nations are out there with masses of starving people.

It’s too simple to say we’re just young and our generation doesn’t realize that we’re even doing it. There is something underneath, and it’s a characteristic of our millennial generation. With our smartphones and Hokie passports, everything is so accessible, so easy. It’s hard to realize how much effort and time it takes to put all these luxuries in front of us. What’s so effortless to obtain can be so effortless to disregard.

This leads into my second point: we’re wasting our food like we’re wasting our education. The reason why we’re even getting an education is so that we won’t have to do jobs like the dish section at West End Market. Education is the only thing we have the separates us from the rest; however, we treat it like food that we don’t need to finish. Because it is so accessible after high school, it has lost its uniqueness and its specialness.

In a Christian Science Monitor article, Caryn McTighe Musil of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, says, “A bachelor's (degree) is what a

high school diploma used to be."

To an extent, that’s our fault.

Somehow we’ve made college a buffer zone; an extension of high school that provides us a security blanket from the hard work people are susceptible to in the real world. It seems like each of us are living for the weekends.

Checking your Virginia Tech email for class cancellations is the only hope you have in the morning. Reading? Well, that’s for suckers.

The job market is terrible and tuition prices are rising, but they are not scapegoats for our generation’s lack of intellectual curiosity. Becoming a better, worldlier person is the goal of a higher level instruction, and once you find what you love, the rest will come. Think of your education as a plate of your favorite food from West End. Rather than ordering $60,000 worth of debt and only eating the bits and pieces you enjoy the most then throwing it away, eat the entire plate — including the green stuff.

SHAWN GHUMAN -regular colomnist - senior -psychology major

US cannot let church, state blend

T

he absolute separation of church and state is simply not observed in America today. For example, last month, a cheerleading team from a Texas high school carried banners with Christian messages at a school-sanctioned event.

Across the country, several school boards, including those in Delaware and Pennsylvania, hold prayers to begin meetings. Both our money and our pledge contain phrases relating to the Abrahamic God. The Democratic Party received backlash from the Republican Party for removing God from their platform. These are only a few instances of where Christianity has been involved in government.

There are a variety of justifications for the intermingling between church and state, the most prominent being that America is a Christian nation that was founded on Christian principles. But this simply isn’t the case. On its own, the separation of church and state inherently suggests that America was meant to be an unbiased and secular nation. Founding father Thomas Jefferson insisted on the absolute separation of church and state. In Reynolds v.

United States (1879), the Court held that Jefferson’s directive “may be accepted almost as

an authoritative declaration of the scope and effect of the First Amendment.” It is quite true that for most of its history, America’s culture has been dominated by Christianity.

However, this does not — and should not — translate to the government. This implication can also be seen even further in the early writings of the founding fathers. The Treaty of Tripoli, an official document signed by John Adams and ratified by the Senate, states, “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…”

Contrary to popular belief, both the pledge and money have only contained Christian phrases for about 60 years.

Our original motto “E Pluribus Unum,” was adopted in 1782, and our original pledge, vacant of any reference to religion, was written in 1892 and adopted officially in 1942. It was not until 1956 and 1954 (respectively) that these phrases were edited. The context in which they were edited had little to do with religious fervor, but resulted from the rise of Communism. These changes were made during the “Red Scare” in order to combat the ideals of Communism, which included atheism.

Despite the clear evidence to the fact that America was founded upon the principles of equality and secular government, anger emerges from parts of the Christian community whenever the suggestion of removing these phrases or the ban of religion in schools occurs. This reaction is quite baffling. If these aspects of the government were to be removed and disallowed, it would not be an attack upon Christianity. It would merely bring true equality to all religions in the United States. If Islamic, Hindu, or Judaic principles were being practiced in government, the issue would be exactly the same.

If policy remains the way it is, Christianity will still hold its privileged position above other religions. This directly contradicts the values upon which our country was founded. All religions, whether they are Islam, Judaism, Christianity or any other, must be kept out of government, not only to protect the rights of our citizens, but to protect the foundation of government itself.

DANNY HARTZOG -regular colomnist -sophomore -computer engineering major

College Media Solutions Assistant Ad Director: Carla Craft Account Executives: Elizabeth Dam, Emily Daugherty, Taylor Moran Inside Sales Manager: Amanda Gawne Assistant Account Executives: Andrew Newton, Jordan Williams Creative Director: Danielle Bushrow Assistant Creative Services Director: Alyssa Morrison Creative Staff: Mary Dassira, Diana Bayless Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times.

365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible.

Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times.

Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor-in-chief and the managing editors.

Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed.

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Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes.com Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no direct funding from the university.

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october 19, 2012

Regular Edition

GET INSIDE THE GAME

Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Your thrifty ways provide great savings this year. An income increase could come as soon as this month and gets reinforced by the solar eclipse (Nov. 3). Stick to your financial plan, while diving into specialized study to expand the tools in your belt.

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Complete the grid so that each column, row and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9. For a greater challege see how fast you can complete the puzzle.

Copyright 2007 Puzzles by Pappocom Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com

Week ending October 19, 2012

By Steven J. St. John

ACROSS 1 Dinner wear for the highchair set 5 Talisman 11 Spoil 14 Working without __ 15 Next to 16 Sam Adams product 17 Invasive airline inconvenience 19 Groovy relative?

20 One with an office couch, maybe 21 Untrustworthy 23 __ garden 24 A/C measure

Top Tracks I Knew You Were Trouble • Taylor Swift One More Night • Maroon 5

1 (3) 2 (5) 3

Skyfall • Adele

(2) 4

Gangam Style • PSY

Die Young • Ke$ha

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10/19/12 26 Durante’s “__ Dinka Doo” 27 Wood-dressing tool 29 Uncomfortable airline inconvenience 33 President when Texas was annexed 35 With 1-Down, discoverer of cave treasure 36 Island ring 37 Salon polish target 39 Flippable card file 43 Mag. edition

44 Father’s Day mo. in Australia 45 Congenial 46 Wearying airline inconvenience 51 Lawn strip 52 Moonfish 53 Lumberjack’s tool 54 Subj. with x’s 56 Faraway 59 Paid no attention to 63 Roam (about) 64 Excruciating airline inconvenience (the last straw!)

66 Due-in hr.

DOWN 1 See 35-Across 2 Part of, as a plot 3 Awe 4 Panache 5 Basics 6 Spaghetti go-with 7 Mil. branch 8 Connection 9 Barbara who played a genie 10 Giga- x 1,000 11 Oceanic 12 State with the Big Dipper on its flag 13 Papa Smurf’s headgear 18 Pop music’s ’N__ 22 Sight 25 “More than I need to know!”

27 Suited 28 Scooby-__ 30 Mrs. Gorbachev 31 Skip church, in a way?

32 Sci-fi’s Lester __ Rey 34 Jumping chess piece 38 Comm. for the hearing-impaired

39 Military day starter 40 Shame 41 Green prefix 42 Struck (out) of the text 44 Red or White team 46 Inn resident 47 Morphine, e.g.

48 Where YHOO stock is traded 49 China’s Sun

50 Pealed 55 Spock’s forte 57 Baldwin of “30 Rock” 58 Bright star 60 Dolls’ dates 61 They may not be quiet on the set 62 Small body-shop job 65 Former Opry network

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

10/18/12

WORDSEARCH: Fast Food Restaurants Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.

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A WORD BANK S F W 1 McDonalds U T R 2 Taco Bell 3 Burger King B R E 4 Wendys W Q S 5 Arbys A H T 6 Chick-fil-A 7 Qdoba Y H A 8 Subway D H U 9 KFC 10 Checkers W W R 11 Hardees O E A 12 White Castle Y N N 13 A&W R D T Restaurant I Y N 14 Long John Silvers T S S 15 Sonic Z F I 16 Dairy W T P Queen V K A 17 Big Boy 18 Pizza Hut W E G

GET INSIDE THE GAME WITH CLEMSON - OCTOBER 20th, 2012

editors: matt jones, zach mariner opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

sports

october 19, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

7

Women’s soccer faces off against UVa Tech volleyball has two key weekend matchups BRIAN MARCOLINI sports staff writer

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

The Hokies play their final home game of the season Sunday against rival UVa. The Hokies are currently ranked 8th in the ACC standings.

After falling to Virginia last season, the Hokies are looking for revenge against the Cavaliers Sunday MIKE PLATANIA sports staff writer

The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team will play their final home game on Sunday against Virginia.

The Hokies need a big win to put themselves into prime position to make the ACC Tournament.

The magic number is eight.

Eight of the 11 teams in the ACC are ranked in the top 25. Coincidentally, only the top eight teams make the ACC tournament. As of today, the Hokies are the — you guessed it — eighth and final seed.

Eight is also the combined margin of victory the Cavaliers enjoyed over the Hokies last year in their two meetings.

The Hokies have had an outstanding year, going undefeat-

ed in non-conference play and climbing as high as No. 8 in the rankings. But to get back to being among the nation’s elite, they’ll need to be more successful in ACC play, and a great opportunity lies ahead on Sunday.

The Cavaliers will be wrapping up a three game road trip, and have had a full week to prepare for Tech. The Hokies will want to defend their home ground, where they’ve won six of eight games.

Sunday’s game will certainly be about revenge, as last year the Cavaliers not only defeated the Hokies in the regular season, but also spoiled their fun in the postseason.

The Hokies were amid a magical run through the NCAA Tournament that brought them to the Sweet 16, where their

journey ended at the hands of a 4-0 defeat to their most bitter rival, Virginia.

The match will be emotional, especially considering the teams are likely to see each other again in postseason play later this season.

But both teams are on a very similar level this year, as the Cavs stand at 11-4-1, to the Hokies’ 11-4-1 as of Wednesday afternoon.

The matchup to watch will be the Virginia attack against the Hokies’ defense. The Cavaliers have scored in every game but one this year, and they are averaging over two goals per game.

The Hokies have a strong, veteran backline that’s capped off by star goalkeeper Dayle Colpitts. The Hokies have pitched a shutout in 10 of their 17 games this season.

The Hokies will get their first taste of Virginia star freshman Makenzy Doniak, who’s led

the team in points and gamewinning goals this season. But that’s not to say the Hokies don’t have some new weapons of their own.

Freshmen Ashley Meier and Jordan Coburn have stepped up and been major contributors in a Tech starting lineup dominated by upperclassmen.

It’ll be interesting to watch how much of an impact these fresh faces have on the game this Sunday.

The Hokies’ players and coaches may not admit it, but Sunday’s game will be about revenge for the beatings Virginia inflicted on Tech last season. There’s no doubting the animosity between the schools, and the Hokies won’t soon forget how Virginia ended their NCAA Tournament run.

Both teams need this valuable ACC win, and tensions will be high at Thompson Field Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m.

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There is a time in every team’s season where their backs are against a wall, and they will do whatever is necessary to claw out a win.

The Virginia Tech Hokie volleyball team is in such a position this weekend.

The Hokies came in to October sporting a solid 11-4 record, including a win over No. 2 in the conference Miami and taking conference leader Florida State to five sets.

But the rest of the month has not been as kind, as the team has dropped its last four games. Now, with their record sitting at 11-8 and currently tied for seventh in the ACC, the Hokies are going to need a win now more than ever.

“Every game is important, although now we are in a tough spot,” said senior libero Morgan O’Neill. “This series is important because after two tough weekends we have something to prove to ourselves more than anything else.”

As the team looks to turn their season around, they just might be facing the teams to do it. This weekend, Tech plays host to Wake Forest and Duke, two teams that hover near the bottom of the ACC standings. Both teams are tied for second-to-last in the conference, and have not had great seasons.

Wake Forest is coming in to Blacksburg off their second conference win of the season, but the good thing for the Hokies is that it came against Duke. The Demon Deacons have lost eight of their last 10 matches, never once taking a team to the maximum five sets.

Wake has had trouble on defense, ranking last in opponent hitting percentage,

which should open up some opportunities for the potent Hokie attack. Jennifer Wiker and Samantha Gostling are both in the top ten in the conference in kills, and after a slow series last weekend, they should be back on pace.

Duke actually comes in to Blacksburg with a record above .500 (11-10), but has also lost eight of its last 10 games. While they have had a much better season than Wake Forest – they took North Carolina to five sets – they have had their struggles as well. The Blue Devils have yet to find a consistent presence on offense or defense, usually having one but not the other in a single game.

The Hokies should be able to turn around their recent misfortunes, but what will it actually take for them to turn around this recent skid?

“It’s all about mental toughness, we have the skill and talent to play evenly with every team,” O’Neil said. “We just need to be ready to push back harder when we get into tough situations.”

The Hokies are trying to scratch their way back to the NCAA Tournament, which they made two years ago.

Last season, they found themselves in a similar losing streak, but instead of occurring in the beginning of October (halfway through the conference schedule) it happened in the beginning of November, and it cost them come tournament time.

This time, Tech has all of the tools — and time — to turn their season around.

However, volleyball does not have postseason conference tournaments, so it is all about whether or not the Hokies can finish strong in this last month of the season.

A tall task, but for such a talented team this weekend just may be the spark that they need.

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Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Don’t tell everything to everybody.

Watch out for mistakes with numbers.

Check for changes in requirements.

Exceptional patience may be required.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Friends play an important role today, especially providing assistance in dif icult situations. Listen and be heard.

You have the support of the most important people.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) The glitches in romance will go away.

For now, focus on taking advantage of your new boost of con idence. Thank the others who stand by your side.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Stand up for yourself. The group helps out, even as it seems that they may disagree. Give and receive love, and compromise. Logic wins. A bond gets renewed.

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Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You can be social, but it’s better to postpone having company over. Every experience adds wisdom. Investigate suspicions and avoid gambling.

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Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Consider all possibilities. Make sure you have all the facts before choosing.

Working at home increases your ef iciency. There’s no need to spend money now; you have what you need.

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Aries (Mar. 21-April 19) Keep up the good work. Take some risks, maybe, but keep it steady. Your credit rating’s on the rise. Challenges in romance pay off later. Hide a treasure.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Study an ancient source and combine the new. Listen to a bright idea (from yourself or someone else). Sometimes small is beautiful. Postpone launches, travel and romance.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Be careful so that you don’t double-book or forget an important date. Spend time outdoors to replenish your energy. It’s not a good idea to stretch the truth now.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You have less than you thought, but that can change with intelligent work. You have the support of loved ones (even if it doesn’t always seem so). Meet with friends later.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) A new trick doesn’t necessarily work, but it may still be worth trying (results may surprise). Sell something you’ve kept hidden. Let a loved one help you decide.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Provide plenty of positive reinforcement as it’s needed. Achieve harmony through meditation. Send a scout to gather information. Postpone long journeys for later. Compromise.

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news

october 19, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

editors: mallory noe-payne, victoria zigadlo newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

October 19-20 As parents flood the streets for parent’s weekend, consider all of the events Blacksburg has to offer. For more events and information, visit www.dsa.vt.edu/family.

where to park: Parking Service’s officers will be instructed NOT TO TICKET visitors for failure to display visitor permits starting at NOON on Friday, October 19. The four, 24/7 faculty and staff parking lots will be off-limits to visitors. These lots include: theBasketball Practice Facility Lot, the Basketball Practice Facility Extension Lot, the Owens Lot, and the Dietrick Lot

things to do: turner place ribbon cutting

university choirs concert

If you arrive early enough on Friday you can take part in the

Chamber Singers and Virginia Tech’s Men’s and Women’s Choruses

official ribbon cutting ceremony at our newest dining hall Turner

join together for an evening of choral music, featuring Renaissance

Place at Lavery Hall!

masterworks, contemporary French chanson, Eastern European folk

friday, 2p.m

music, spirituals, and newly-composed works.

friday & saturday, 8p.m.

parent’s registration

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An informational packet will be handed out that includes a sched ule, a brochure on downtown Blacksburg, family buttons, and a few surprises.

blacksburg farmers market

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Get off campus and explore the heart of downtown while check

At registration you can take family photos at

ing out Blacksburg’s locally grown fruits and produce, freshly baked

our photo booth.

goods, flowers, arts and crafts!

saturday, 7:30-9a.m.

burnt creative craft fair

saturday, 8a.m.-2p.m.

hokie challenge

Burnt Creative is a vintage street market owned and operated by a Hokie! The craft fair will feature the work of local and regional

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vendors. Items offered will include vintage and handcrafted cloth ing, jewelry, accessories, housewares and much more.

saturday, 9a.m.-3p.m.

Sign up at registration to participate in Virginia Tech’s combined version of television shows, “Minute to Win It” and “The Amazing Race.” Participate in seven mini events across campus and deci

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pher a riddle after each challenge to lead you to the location of the next event

saturday, 10a.m.

sinkland farms pumpkin festival This annual fall tradition in the New River Valley invites family members of all ages to enjoy fields of pumpkins, great and small!

Haunted corn maize after 5p.m.

saturday, 10a.m.-8p.m.

police community day The event will include an expo of services provided by VTPD, free pizza and popcorn, dunk-a-cop, drunk goggle tricycle races, doughnut eating contests and much more.

sunday, 11a.m.-2p.m.

COLLEGIATETIMES

Michaela Reardon/Collegiate Times