Friday, August 30, 2013 Print Edition

Page 1

The Collegiate Times’ comprehensive guide to Virginia Tech F Football ootball

Friday, August 30, 2013

www.collegiatetimes.com

NEVER BY JACOB EMERT | sports editor

BACK DOWN Tech opens the season against No. 1 Alabama. They’re not shying away.

Conventional wisdom says there are two ways to enter a swimming pool. You can use the ladder to test the water, or you can just go for it and jump. Virginia Tech found out there’s a third way. They are being thrown in. The Hokies’ 2013 campaign begins Saturday in Atlanta against two-time defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide. “Facts are facts. I don’t think you’ll see many people, if any, picking us,” said Hokies head coach Frank Beamer.

Just some of the facts that sit between Tech and a 1-0 start: The Hokies will start freshmen at left tackle, running back and cornerback. They are 18.5-point underdogs. Alabama’s quarterback, A.J. McCarron, has a .923 winning percentage while leading the Crimson Tide, and led the nation in quarterback rating a year ago. It would be easy then, with everything seemingly stacked against them, for the outlook to be grim in Blacksburg in the days and weeks leading up to the game. But it has not been so. Whether the players and coaches are putting up a

see CHALLENGE / page 3

GAYLE, DEFENSE MUST STOP RUN TO COMPETE

HOKIES RB DEPTH VANISHES IN FALL JAMES O’HARA

contributing sports reporter

FILE 2013 / SPPS

James Gayle will have to pump up the Hokies fans in what will be a decidedly ‘Bama crowd in Georgia.

Foster committed to containing T.J.Yeldon and the Crimson Tide running game MIKE PLATANIA sports media manager

Defending the Alabama offense isn’t exactly rocket science. They don’t have a dynamic quarterback like Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel who can turn a broken play into a touchdown, nor will they run nearly 100 plays per game like Oregon. Alabama bleeds the clock slowly and steadily with their running game and caps almost all of their drives with short touchdown runs. Add in the fact that they can throw to standout receiver Amari Cooper basically anywhere on the field, and opposing defenses often find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The last time Alabama was held to under 100 yards rushing was when they lost at home to LSU in 2011; they ran for 96 yards. If the Hokies are

going to shock the world this Saturday, it’ll start up front. And defensive coordinator Bud Foster knows it. “We have got to be able to stop the run. That sets everything up that they do,” he said. “They have some dynamic players on the outside but their strength is running the football.”

We’ve have go to be able to stop the run. That sets everything that they do.”

Bud Foster Defensive Coordinator

T.J. Yeldon is great along the outside but doesn’t run between the tackles as well, so the Hokies’ defensive ends will have to consistently seal the edge and force Yeldon to run

right into linebackers’ arms. Luckily for the Hokies, they are strong and deep at defensive end, with proven starters like James Gayle and J.R. Collins. Another player to watch will be No. 90 Dadi Nicolas, who has freakish speed that may keep Alabama running up the middle, as opposed to off-tackle. In other close games Alabama’s been in — though there haven’t been many — their opponents have forced quarterback A.J. McCarron to do more than manage the game and beat them with his arm. Last year, Texas A&M beat the Tide by not only forcing turnovers, but also by creating third-and-long situations. McCarron doesn’t have a rocket arm and he isn’t laser accurate, but that hardly holds Alabama back since he’s not often asked to do much more than hand it off or throw check-down passes to his backs.

see DEFENSE / page 3

Heading into the 2013 offseason it looked like the Virginia Tech football team would have its hands full trying to sort out their running backs. Both starters from 2012 — JC Coleman and Michael Holmes — were back along with main backup Tony Gregory and redshirt freshmen Trey Edmunds and Chris Mangus. Now heading into the season opener against Alabama it seems likely that only one of those running backs, Trey Edmunds, will be playing. What was once the team’s deepest position on offense is now its most shallow. The attrition began in July, when a student judicial board dismissed Holmes after he pled guilty to a misdemeanor assault and battery charge in June. The Hokies then lost another running back when Gregory re-tore his ACL, effectively ending his career at Tech. In fall practice another switch occurred when Mangus changed positions to wide receiver, with highly rated 2012 recruit Joel Caleb moving over to running back. Caleb took to the position quickly and he is now listed as the second team running back on the depth chart. However, Caleb has been suspended for the season

At about noon today I didn’t think there was any chance he would play.”

Shane Beamer Running Backs Coach

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

Trey Edmunds will be the key back in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff. opener against Alabama because of an unspecified violation of team rules. There was more bad news for the Hokie running backs though. When the training staff announced Gregory’s injury, they also announced that Coleman had sprained both his right and left ankles. At the time, they gave an optimistic projection that he would be ready for Alabama, but the latest injury report listed him as questionable. When asked about Coleman’s status on Tuesday,

running backs coach Shane Beamer said, “He looked better. I’ll be honest with you at about noon today I didn’t think there was any chance he would play. He said he feels good.” Only having one running back definitely available is worrisome though, and the Hokies would rather not have one player take all of the carries. “I don’t think it’s realistic against these guys, or any

see BACKS / page 3


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