Thursday, September 26, 2013
The Collegiate Times’ comprehensive guide to Virginia Tech Football
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JACK
YOU DON’T KNOW It doesn’t take long to realize the kind of impression Jack Tyler leaves on people. Even four years after the linebacker graduated from Oakton High School, Tyler’s old defensive coordinator, Jason Rowley, had no hesitation about taking some time to praise his old player. After all this time, Rowley would still do “anything for Jack.” Tyler hasn’t taken the path most All-ACC linebackers follow. He capped his high school career averaging 10 tackles per game and was named state defensive player of the year — but that wasn’t enough to get a Division I scholarship offer. In the weight room, Tyler’s numbers didn’t hold him back (he posted a 315 pound bench press and 400 pound squat), but most programs cited his lack of size as a reason he wasn’t cut out for college football. Coming out of high school, Tyler stood at six feet tall and weighed 215 pounds, but the inside linebackers who get Division I offers are typically a few inches taller and a couple pounds heavier. Rowley disagreed with the scouts’ philosophy.
BY MIKE PLATANIA | sports media manager
“I was surprised he didn’t get an offer. In 2008, he was the best defensive player in our region,” Rowley said. “He was as good as anybody. I think his height definitely stood in his way.” Tyler himself admitted that leaving high school without a D-I scholarship offer was unexpected. “It was frustrating more because of the reasoning behind it,” Tyler said. “No one ever said I couldn’t play football well enough. It was always that I was too slow, too un-athletic, too small, too something. “I always joked that I was the
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I always joked that I was the highestrecruited walk-on in the country.” Jack Tyler Linebacker
highest-recruited walk-on in the country, because everyone wanted me to walk on, but no one wanted to pull the trigger to go ahead and give me a scholarship.” Other than an apathetic offer from Buffalo after their targeted recruit didn’t sign with them,
Tyler had to pick between playing his way onto a squad or walking on somewhere. Jack, who grew up a Virginia Tech fan, opted to chase his childhood dream — bittersweet as it was. “I knew that I wanted to play for Coach Foster. I always saw myself going to Virginia Tech,” Tyler said. “But I think most of the time I was just kind of hoping I’d get a scholarship somewhere, and when it never happened I was just kind of like, ‘Well, I’ll go to the best of the best, and that’s Virginia Tech.’” The Hokies wanted Jack, but with a few strings attached. They wouldn’t offer him a scholarship off the bat, so he was a “preferred walk-on,” meaning that if he performed well enough through his first year and continued to improve, they’d give him a scholarship eventually. So by going to Tech, Tyler was betting on himself with quite a bit on the line. Ahead of him on the depth chart were guys like Cody Grimm and Bruce Taylor. Taylor was a coveted four-star recruit, while Grimm was also an
see TYLER / page 3 FILE APRIL 2013 / SPPS
OFFENSE MISSES ACC GOALS JACOB EMERT sports editor
Before the 2013 season, Virginia Tech knew their offense wasn’t going to be immediately productive. Few offensive weapons and a new offensive staff ensured that. That’s why head coach Frank Beamer set the goal of getting things clicking by ACC play. Now, with the Hokies set to kickoff against Georgia Tech at 7:30 p.m., that deadline has arrived. Does Beamer believe his team is in fact ready for ACC play? “Well, I’d say we are where we are.” The answer doesn’t exactly exude confidence, but neither does the on-field product. Even with the team’s blowout win over FCS Western Carolina, the Hokies average 341.8 yards a game (102nd in the nation) and 24.8 points a game (85). “I don’t think we’re where we’d thought we would be. I thought we’d be a little stronger, doing a little bit better,” quarterback Logan Thomas said. “Obviously I think the offense is not doing as well on paper because we’re not putting up points in the red zone. The red zone is what’s killing us. We know it. We’ve had the ability to put up more points and we haven’t done it.” The Hokies have managed to score on 10 of their 16 red zone visits this year, eight of which were touchdowns. Their 62.5 percent scoring percentage in the red zone is 114th in the nation. “Offensively we left some plays out there Saturday,” Beamer said. “But there are things you can learn from, and how quickly you can learn and get better is the deal.” Offensive line coach Jeff Grimes, like Beamer, isn’t thrilled with where his team currently sits. “Some more than others,” Grimes said, referencing the
SPECIAL TEAMS GETS THEIR GROOVE BACK
TREVOR WHITE / SPPS
D.J. Coles (18) is just one of the disappointing parts of the offense. physicality of his unit. “At the fans are actually excited times we look like that kind and ready to go.“ of group, but we’re not anyGeorgia Tech’s defense, rejuwhere near where I envision venated under new coordithis group being and where I nator Ted Roof, has stepped think we can be. We’re cer- up their play this year—they tainly not anywhere near rank 11th nationally at 275 what I envision a Virginia yards per game. Tech offensive line being, yet.” Th rough four games the During this time of offensive Hokies’ offense is not preturmoil, it would calm many forming at the level it would Hokies fans to learn that like. The defense has done their quarterback has some what it can to cover up that of his best success against fact though, putting on one the Yellow Jackets. In his two stupendous performance after starts against them, Thomas the next to get the team to 3-1. is 28 of 51 for 439 yards, five “We’re still learning,” touchdowns and zero inter- Beamer said. “How quickly ceptions. we become consistent and “I don’t think it’s anything efficient, that’ll tell us how that I’ve done or anything our year’s going.” that they’ve done. It’s just I’ve Now, with ACC play finally played well, nothing else,” here, the task for the Hokies Thomas said. He’s 2-0 against becomes improving as quickGeorgia Tech as a starter. ly as the level of competition “I’ve always enjoyed play- will. ing at Georgia Tech. It’s a fun place to play, their fans get into it and, always when your @ @JacobEmert playing away, it’s fun when
CHEN JIANG / SPPS
Kyshoen Jarrett had a big return called back, but the special teams still had a great afternoon Saturday.
The special teams unit recalled memories of the days of “Beamer Ball” in a big victory ALEX KOMA sports editor
“Beamer Ball” may be dead, but at least the Virginia Tech football team did an admirable job of honoring its memory against Marshall. It’s a common refrain among Hokie fans to proclaim that Frank Beamer’s signature style of special teams excellence has returned any time Tech blocks a punt. These proclamations may be premature, but the unit still stepped up in a big way against the Thundering Herd. Between Kyle Fuller’s blocked punt that led to a Derek DiNardo touchdown in
the first quarter and Derrick Hopkins’ blocked field goal in the first overtime, the special teams played a huge role in the tight 29-21 win. “To win games at this level you need great special teams play,” said linebacker Jack Tyler. “Special teams is the reason we won today’s game.” Fuller’s block was an especially big moment for the team. Not only was it Tech’s first blocked punt against an FBS opponent since the Boise State game in 2010, but it also helped the team jump out to an early lead, relieving some of the pressure on the offense. “We came in wanting to change the game and I feel
like we did that,” Fuller said. “There were some at ECU that I was close (to blocking), they just gave me a short edge and I really focused this week on blocking a punt since it’s not as easy as it looks.” DiNardo’s touchdown return was significant for both the team and the outside linebacker himself, who hadn’t seen the end zone since his days as a quarterback in high school. “Senior year of high school. That was probably the last time I touched the ball,” DiNardo said. Hopkins’ block was equally meaningful. The defensive tackle tipped a Marshall field goal attempt that could’ve ended the game in the first overtime.
see BLOCKS / page 2