Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, VA) quarterback/athlete Lafonte Thorougood has given a verbal commitment to Virginia Tech, Dolphins head coach Chris Scott has confirmed to TSL. The 6-2, 215-pound senior, who was one of the state’s top remaining uncommitted seniors prior to Saturday, chose the Hokies over Arkansas, Florida and West Virginia.
“He went up to the game, had a good time, and decided that committing to Virginia Tech was the best thing all around,” Scott said of Thourogood, who was accompanied by his father on yesterday’s unofficial visit to Tech. “I think it was a feeling he had for a while, but he wanted to make sure he looked at all options. He just felt there was no more need to look around. He felt it was time to make a decision, so he could start preparing for next year.”
A top athlete, Thourogood is being recruited by Tech as a quarterback. Last January, Coach Scott said that “Tech moved him up to the top of the ranks in terms of quarterbacks in they are targeting in the 2011 class.”
Thourogood totaled 1,800 yards of offense, including 1,000 yards passing and 800 rushing, last season as a junior. He missed several games due to a shoulder injury this season, but he has that dual-threat capability the Tech coaches like in a quarterback. He does, though, have potential to play other positions — Notre Dame recruited him as a wide receiver and Florida recruited him as an athlete — should signal caller not work out.
Thourogood will join cousins Marcus Davis and Randall Dunn in Blacksburg next year.
DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD) place-kicker/punter Michael Branthover has also pledged to the Hokies over an offer from in-state Maryland. The 5-11, 180-pound senior, who camped at Tech this past summer, has booted seven field goals each of the past two seasons. As a junior, 85-percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks.
“[Michael Branthover] is as good as anybody,” DeMatha head coach Bill McGregor said last February. “At one time he had 34 kickoffs in a row go into the end zone. He made first-team all-state. Without doubt, he is a scholarship player.”
Branthover will sign with Tech in February but won’t be on scholarship until January of 2012. He will pay his own way at Tech next fall and compete for the starting punter position. Virginia Tech now has 14 verbal commitments in its 2011 football recruiting class.
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