Virginia Tech fans no longer have to wonder who will start at quarterback for the Hokies come Sept. 3, when Tech plays Liberty at Lane Stadium.
Head Coach Justin Fuente announced that JUCO-transfer Jerod Evans will start vs. Liberty in the season-opener at Thursday’s press conference.
“I’ve talked to all the quarterbacks, were going to get them all ready to play and continue to develop, but Jerod is going to start the game against Liberty, unless some unforeseen thing happens,” Fuente said. “I’m pleased with all of them. They’ve all handled it well. I’m confident that they’ll continue to develop and get better. This season will be a long journey. We’ll just kind of see how it goes. We’re going to continue to get those other guys ready to play.”
Fuente said that Evans’ consistency pushed him into the starting role.
“For right now, I would say we’ve had a few more predicted outcomes, in terms of executing,” Fuente said. “He is a good athlete and that plays into it as well.”
Evans, who found out with the other quarterbacks in their meeting room, said that it hasn’t really hit him yet that he’ll be starting in next weekend’s game.
“My reaction was, just keep preparing,” Evans said. “It’s another day in the office, another day that I’ve got to get better. I took it as, now it’s time for practice. I didn’t take it any other way.”
Fuente did not say who the backup quarterback is right now, but Evans is not guaranteed to start the entire season. Even though Evans is starting for Week One, the competition continues between Evans, Brenden Motley and Josh Jackson.
“(Fuente’s) that way,” Evans said. “He doesn’t want his quarterbacks to be content or complacent. That’s definitely his style and I respect it.”
Evans, who played last season at Trinity Valley Community College, threw for 3,164 yards and 38 touchdowns in just eight games. He also valued the football, throwing just three interceptions.
Taking care of the ball and maintaining possession was one of Fuente’s keys for his quarterbacks since he arrived.
“I would say that they’ve all shown value for the ball,” Fuente said. “It’s obviously very much on their mind. That’s an awfully low number for a bunch of opportunities. I’m not sure if those numbers exactly correlate over to playing in the ACC, that being said, I’ve been, at times, pleased with all three and at some times, displeased with their valuing of the football and making decisions.”
Evans also believes his ability to not get too high or too low put him in a good position as well.
“I think what Coach Fuente preaches about, making sure that we’re even-keeled, making sure that we’re composed through the ups and downs of practice, schooling and coming soon, the season,” Evans said.
Jackson, who is a true freshman who enrolled in January, is a redshirt candidate, but Fuente said that Jackson could still see the field this season. What Fuente did say is that he has not ruled out playing multiple quarterbacks in games.
“What I have always learned from the past is that guaranteeing somebody else was going to play, and then all of a sudden you’re in the middle of the game and you feel differently, but you’ve already said somebody was going to play, then you’re acting against what you think is best for the team,” Fuente said. “Those cards are all on the table. I don’t know whether it will happen or won’t happen and if they do, to what extent. None of that has been ruled out though.”
For now, Evans is back to work. He said that he hadn’t had a chance to call anyone as of Thursday evening, just a chance to tell his father via text message.
“Just a quick text, then it’s straight to business,” Evans said.
Williams, Alleyne to miss games, Teller working with second team
Shortly after announcing the starting quarterback, Fuente mentioned that running back Marshawn Williams and safety Jahque Alleyne will not be available for the first two and four games, respectively.
“Marshawn Williams has a hurdle that he has to overcome, that quite honestly, predates my time here,” Fuente said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, it isn’t a behavioral issue, but he’s going to miss the first two weeks. Jahque Alleyne has a similar situation, but he’s going to have four games.”
Fuente also said that cornerback Adonis Alexander and defensive end Houshun Gaines are still slated to miss the Liberty game, but should be available moving forward.
Another big development was Fuente saying that offensive guard Wyatt Teller has been working with the second team in practice. Lately, Colt Pettit has been working with the starting unit at that position.
“Colt was playing better,” Fuente said. “It could always change.”
While Fuente was tight-lipped about Teller’s performance, he praised Pettit for his work in fall camp.
“I think he’s a hard-nosed, tough guy, seems to be intelligent,” Fuente said. “He knows what we’re trying to accomplish and it’s important to him.”
Fuente said that a team depth chart would be released on Monday.
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Am I mis-remembering? I seem to remember Teller being dropped to 2nd team in the spring, AND last season and maybe even the spring before that.
If my memory is correct, I’d say we have a practice work ethic issue.
I’m sure coaches are doing what they think is best. But the program has sent a message to incoming frosh QB’s: We may recruit you, but we’re also recruiting and playing JUCOs and transfers. Evans at the helm means 4 straight years of upperclass QBs coming in & jumping to the front of the line. Lawson left and I bet Jackson will too. This approach will not help us recruit HS QBs. Having said that, all the best to Evans. Hope he excels.
I kind of knew this would be his starter from the time he came to VT he recruited him at Memphis. Feel bad for Motley, he has been a team player, while maybe not the best qb in the world, he helped us out when we needed it. Hope he gets to play some.
Although I’m happy for Will (and Chris) for the press pass, it means we get this filler stuff amidst the other, great outsider analysis that made TSL great. I can read this anywhere:
“For right now, I would say we’ve had a few more predicted outcomes, in terms of executing,” Fuente said. “He is a good athlete and that plays into it as well.”
What?!? Predicted outcomes?!? I really wish the coaches could just coach and not have to deal with the press so often. The reason for coach-speak is that the mainstream press is trying to break ‘exciting news’ in what is an annual cycle of player evaluation, while the coaches are trying to do their real job. It’s like a company that makes an org change, but if the stock analysts didn’t see it coming, they’re going to paint it against the company rather than against their predictions. Sports coverage has become awful, which is why I’ve been nearly exclusive to TSL since I discovered HokieCentral in ’99.
Football exists for the actual game, and I for one just want to survive the daily updates until Sept. 3. But please, TSL, keep up the non-press release stuff in the meantime. I know you have to do the mainstream stuff also, just don’t lose your original identity in the process.
Coach Fu is establishing a culture. Bravo.
Maybe Teller is not demonstrating to his teammates that buying into Coach Fuente’s’ system is the most important thing to him. Fuente’s is going to put the TEAM on the field that he thinks will give them the best chance to win. Sitting a likely pro draftee who is not focused upon the here and now is sending a clear message.
Funny, that’s what Teller sounded like- he was putting the team first, and not “Fuente”.
Seems like the last statement could be an indictment of why Teller is currently not on the field. Maybe he has not shown he knows what they want to do, and maybe he hasn’t valued the team and doing things the right way. Don’t play him until he does if that is the case
Go back 2 weeks and watch his interview- he talks in a standoffish manner about supporting “the team” and he refers to the coach as “Fuente” and not coach Fuente, or even coach.
Whoever shot the video had to have picked up on his attitude and demeanor at the time. Hopefully not to big of a conflict, but it looked like a little resistance to me, and coach Fuente may now be breaking the wild horse.
Teller is a gamer…he’s not the greatest practice player.
Teller was arguable our best lineman last year so if Petit is outplaying him, either Petit is a beast or Teller has really regressed
I just think the coaches are trying to send him a message, maybe wanting him to break a bad habit. I thought he seemed to have some issues with holding last year.
I’m working on an analysis of VT’s penalties last year, and Teller’s name does indeed appear a lot. I don’t have the document with me right now, but his name is in it a lot.
Facyson appears a lot for interference … Maddy for offsides … Dadi here and there. It’s interesting stuff.
That sounds like a great article is on our way!
It seemed like many of the offsides calls last year were against the older players (primarily Maddy and Dadi). I’ve always thought of offsides as more of a mental (read Freshman) mistake but perhaps for them it’s also a “want to” mistake. Last I heard, Dadi was having a solid camp with the Chiefs.
I look forward to your article.
I thought for Maddy and Dadi they were trying to beat the snap count a few times to get an edge on whoever they were up against. Microseconds of difference, especially when up against bigger tackles, especially when Dadi had a bum wing.
That’s the first thing I thought( holding issues). I think he’s relying on his brute strength to the point where when he’s on a block,as the opponent is moving he’s not moving his feet and shifting his hips.