Friday, September 13, 2013
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MEN W ON AN ISLAND
BY ALEX KOMA | sports editor
hen Western Carolina quarterback Eddie Sullivan tossed a second quarter interception to Detrick Bonner on Saturday, he awakened something in Virginia Tech’s secondary. Bonner took the pick 37 yards down the field for a touchdown — the first time Tech has notched a defensive score since the 2010 ACC Championship Game. While the touchdown was certainly an exciting moment during the game, it was more significant for the way it ignited a desire for big plays in a Hokies secondary that is rapidly developing into an elite unit. “It just makes us hungrier,” said freshman cornerback Brandon Facyson. “As a secondary, we thrive on missed opportunities by the offense.” It might seem strange that a program commonly referred to as “DB U” would need any extra motivation for its defensive backs to make plays, but it was a rough offseason for the secondary. When senior cornerback Antone Exum tore his ACL in the offseason, many doubted that freshmen like Facyson and Kendall Fuller would be able to take his place. “There was a lot of hype about whether we can get it done or not,” Facyson said.
ECU’S EFFICIENCY POSES POTENTIAL PROBLEMS FOR FOSTER’S DEFENSE
TREVOR WHITE / SPPS
Bud Foster’s defense will try to shut down the Pirates’ offense.
The Pirates, led by Shane Carden, operate a threatening up-tempo spread offense. MIKE PLATANIA sports media manager
Virginia Tech has dominated the all-time series against East Carolina, but the Pirates always remind the Hokies to take them seriously. “I consider ECU playing like an ACC team,” defensive end James Gayle said. “They are definitely someone we need to prepare for, or they will beat us.” The Hokies have been on edge against the Pirates ever since ECU shocked with nearly 400 yards of offense en route to a 27-22 upset in 2008. The following year, Tech rode Ryan Williams’ 179 rushing yards to a blowout win, but the Pirates scared the Hokies again in 2010 and 2011. In the two most recent matchups, the
Hokies have needed second half comebacks to beat ECU. Though the teams’ rosters are entirely different, ECU still runs the same spread offense that torched the Hokies in 2008, and defensive coordinator Bud Foster is aware of it. “This is a tremendous challenge,” Foster said. “We’ve played them over the years and the last time we went down there, it’s the same offense we played.” Offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley has essentially re-written the Pirates’ record book for yards and scoring since his arrival, and he’s now working with the best quarterback ECU has had in years. Shane Carden is completing nearly 80 percent of his passes,
see SPREAD / page 2
“We try not to listen to all the media. We try to stay away from all that and just play our game.” After the unit totaled three interceptions on Saturday, two coming from Bonner and one from Facyson, those doubts were pretty much erased. “I feel like we are making plays as a group already at an early stage,” Bonner said. “Our young guys are getting the idea that we can all make plays and it’s bringing them along.” Bonner might’ve gotten all the glory for his big play, but without the assistance of some of those young players, the touchdown never would’ve happened. “I thought it was a great play by Kendall Fuller with the tip,” Bonner said. “When the ball is in the air, I thought ‘We’ve just got to make plays,’ and that was my opportunity.” Fuller’s pass break up that led to the touchdown was just one instance of the freshmen in the secondary making an impact. Two weeks ago, Kendall blanketed Amari Cooper, Alabama’s most dangerous receiver, and since then, he and
see COVERAGE / page 3
KALVIN CLINE: A BRIEF JACOB EMERT sports editor
In his senior year of high school, Kalvin Cline traded his high tops on the hardwood for cleats on the gridiron. Now a freshman tight end at Virginia Tech, Cline is utilizing the same skill set he once used to beat defenders to the basket to run crisp routes and find the open field. “Jumping, foot speed, it kind of transferred over which was a big advantage,” Cline said. “That really helped me out. Running routes kind of transferred over great from basketball.” Recruited to play basketball at mid-majors like Richmond, Tulane and San Francisco, Cline had no interest in spending his collegiate years at a small school, so he switched sports — a decision that was years in the making. “I still love (basketball), but football, I got a little itch for it,” Cline said. “I came out one year for football and I fell in love. It’s in my blood. My father played football; we were a football family at that point. Everything was going towards
RYAN SUTHERLAND / SPPS
Kalvin Cline (93) burst onto the scene with an impressive game against Western Carolina on Saturday. football.” Cline’s father, Mike, played college ball at Arkansas State before playing professionally for the Green Bay Packers. Shortly after Cline took the field for the first time at Pine Crest High School in Boca Raton, Fla., new Hokies offensive line coach Jeff Grimes was
tipped off about a tight end that was flying under the proverbial recruiting radar. He watched film on the 6-foot-4 high school senior and passed the message along to tight ends coach Bryan Stinespring. “I said, ‘Excuse me?’,” Stinespring recalled, referring to when Grimes said he was
interested in a recruit named Kalvin Cline. “But really I said ‘OK, great. This ought to be really good. Can’t wait to see this.’” Cline, still not interested in attending a smaller universi-
see CLINE / page 2
DEPTH MAKES D-LINE DOMINANT JAMES O’HARA contributing sports reporter
When thinking about the Virginia Tech Hokies defensive line, the first thing that comes to mind is defensive end James Gayle. And for good reason. Gayle is a two-time second-team All-ACC selection, and has a good chance at being drafted. After the Hokies season opener against Alabama, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban specifically singled out Gayle for praise. “Their 99 gave us a lot of problems in pass protection,” Saban said. But the story of the Tech defensive line does not end with Gayle. The defensive
line is the Hokies’ deepest position, and it is one of the deepest in the nation. Gayle’s fellow starters — defensive tackles Luther Maddy and Derrick Hopkins and defensive end JR Collins — are all talented players in their own right. Defensive line is somewhat unique among position groups, as backups receive a significant amount of guaranteed playing time. With the proliferation of up-tempo spread offenses like the one run by East Carolina, this is truer than ever. Accordingly, Dadi Nicolas, Woody Barron, Nigel Williams, Tyrel Wilson and the newly returned Corey Marshall help provide solid
production when one of the starters needs a rest. The return of Marshall assists a defensive line that was already firing on all cylinders.
“
Having (Marshall) back on the team means a lot. We’ll be able to continue to grow with him.” James Gayle Defensive End
“Having him back on the team means a lot. We’ll be able to continue to grow with him,” Gayle said.
With Wilson troubled by a knee injury that kept him out of the Western Carolina game, Marshall’s ability to play both tackle and end will be an attribute to the Hokies. In their first two games of the season, the Hokies have had 10 defensive linemen record a tackle for a loss. More impressively, four defensive linemen have recorded sacks: Nicolas, Williams, Collins and Maddy. That mix of starters and backups shows how much talent is spread throughout the group. The defensive line is deep enough to help out other positions with their depth issues as well.
see LINE / page 2