2007-08 Hokie Hotline Notes for 8/27/07

The Hokie Hotline (football and basketball season)

When: Every Monday from 7:00-9:00 during football season, 7:00-8:00 during basketball season.

Where: Click here for a list of radio stations, and to find the link for listening to the show on the Internet (look to the right on the hokiesports.com page that loads when you click the link). You can see the show in person at Awful Arthur’s in Blacksburg, and you can also watch the archive on hokietv.com.

• It’s time to get out and play somebody else. There was a lot of excitement
  in the Merryman Center today.
• Experience will make Tech better on offense this year. Sean Glennon is
  more experienced, and so is the offensive line. The tight ends are also a
  lot better this year.
• Sam Wheeler and Greg Boone made just one total mental error combined in
  three preseason scrimmages. Andre Smith and Chris Drager will also play this
  year. Drager is a true freshman.
• Duane Brown is the leader for Tech up front. He always works hard. Every
  day is game day for him.
• Richard Graham will start at left guard. He was hurt at the beginning of
  practice, but he’s back into the swing of things now. Brandon Holland and
  Matt Welsh will backup at the guard spots. They will try to redshirt Jaymes
  Brooks.
• Nick Marshman is more natural at guard, but he’s Tech’s second best tackle
  right now, so he has to play there. Blake DeChristopher will backup
  Marshman.
• This is the most impressive group of true freshman offensive linemen that
  Tech has ever had.
• Cohesion on the offensive line is critical. You can’t rotate a bunch of
  guys in and out. Building cohesion is their top goal on the offensive line.
• Darren Evans and Josh Oglesby have shown signs that they are going to be
  very good players. They aren’t needed this year, so they’ll redshirt.
• ECU’s defensive ends are very good. They have a lot of experience up
  front. They take up a lot of space and are very good against the run.
• ECU reminds Stinespring of Boston College. They are similar schematically,
  and they have a lot of big guys up front.
• The staff has been pleased with their quarterbacks. Glennon is getting rid
  of the ball quickly. Cory Holt is throwing the ball better. Tyrod Taylor is
  a tremendous talent.
• Taylor is getting strictly the #2 quarterback reps right now. By Thursday
  they’ll make a decision on whether or not he might play on Saturday. He
  still might be redshirted.
• Stinespring will script about the first 12 plays. It’s important to see
  how ECU lines up against certain formations and packages.
• Who is the offensive player who will have a breakthrough season? Sean
  Glennon.

• Fowler, Corso and Herbstreit will be in Lane Stadium for the second half
  of their show. Weaver encourages fans to be in their seats by 11:40am. There
  will be a flyover of four F-15s.
• The MAC is currently working to find Virginia Tech an opponent in 2008.
  The Hokies are no longer playing Bowling Green. That game has been pushed
  back to 2012.
• Tech will play the Yankees in English Field next spring. They don’t want
  to play the game somewhere else. They want as many students to be involved
  as possible.
• Tech got 4,000 tickets to go to LSU. There were a lot of Hokie Club
  members who didn’t get tickets. 300 of those 4,000 tickets are player comp
  tickets.
• Weaver said his health is fine.
• Weaver isn’t sure about single game ticket availability for Ohio or
  William & Mary. They’ll know more at a later date.

• Tech had a great preseason. They didn’t have a single bad practice. The
  team was focused each and every day.
• Last Friday’s scrimmage might have been the best third scrimmage they’ve
  ever had at Tech. The offensive line has gotten better and they will be
  better on Saturdays.
• Xavier Adibi has been exceptional. He’s always been a good player, and now
  he’s a great player.
• The offensive line is settled now. They can start building some cohesion.
  The offense will be better because of that. The backfield is deeper, and
  Glennon has been excellent in the preseason.
• Kickoff returns can play a big difference this year because kickoffs are
  from the 30. Jared Develli and Jud Dunlevy can both still get the ball to
  the end zone. It’s just not clear how far they can get it in the end zone,
  and how often.
• The ECU quarterback, Rob Kass, was arrested for a DWI over the weekend. He’s
  a big guy who has a big arm. The backups aren’t as big, and they have no
  experience, but they are probably more mobile.
• Macho Harris and Ryan Shuman are back working. They are going to be okay.
  Brandon Dillard is banged up, but hopefully he’ll be back on Tuesday.
• They plan to dress true freshman cornerback Cris Hill for the game, but
  they haven’t decided whether or not to play him. True freshman safety Davon
  Morgan will play.
• Kwamaine Battle is having some shoulder problems, and they haven’t made a
  decision on whether or not he’ll play as of yet.
• They are still trying to decide whether or not to play Tyrod Taylor. He
  played well in a mini-scrimmage on Monday.
• Tech players have to make sure they prepare well mentally for Saturday.
  They can’t just depend on the emotion of the day on Saturday.
• Beamer wants everyone to rally around the team, but they need to go out
  and play well to make that happen.
• Tyrod Taylor is an exceptional player. Some of the things he does on the
  field remind you of Michael Vick.
• Beamer wants expectations to be high. It means they’ve done a good job to
  build the program. Now they just need to go meet or exceed those
  expectations.
• Kenny Lewis, Jr. is much further along than he was last year at this time.
  He had a great summer of preparation.
• The Walk will take place two hours before kickoff. It will be the center
  of Lane Stadium on Spring Road. The team will arrive right behind the College
  GameDay set.
• The team scrimmage seems to be very good. The leadership has been good
  from guys like Carlton Powell. Duane Brown also commands a lot of respect
  from his teammates.
• Special teams has to come together. Tech led the ACC in punt returns last
  year, and they need to lead it in blocked punts this year as well.
• The team just has to take care of the details this week and not get caught
  up in the build up. It’s times like this that you really appreciate the
  coaching staff around you.
• ECU always has good skilled position players. This year is no different.
  The only question mark right now is which quarterback will play. Tech will
  be playing ECU for nine straight years. It’s a great situation for Tech
  fans. It’s a good opponent, and when they play at East Carolina, it will be
  close enough to travel to the game.

Monday was Day 1,003 of Virginia Tech’s continuous possession of the Commonwealth Cup.