Quarterback Tyrod Taylor jumps back into Hokies' plans

BLACKSBURG

Red shirt? Virginia Tech's football coaches are now hoping Tyrod Taylor - who struck a Superman pose for the fans after an electric touchdown run against Florida State last season - is more comfortable in a red cape.

Exactly one week after Hokies coach Frank Beamer announced the plan to redshirt Taylor for this season, leaving him with three more years of eligibility starting in 2009, Beamer scrapped the plan Tuesday.

He said both Taylor and senior Sean Glennon will play this weekend against Furman. Beamer wouldn't say who will start or how the two quarterbacks will share snaps. He also put both players off-limits to the media this week.

In the wake of a season-opening loss to unranked East Carolina, which plunged Tech out of the rankings this week, Beamer bemoaned issues with the offensive line, young wide receivers, a defense that isn't up to Tech's high standards and a desperate need to run the ball. He's hoping that Taylor, in a way, is a solution to all those problems.

"We need what Tyrod brings to the game," Beamer said. "Some things became clearer in our game with East Carolina."

A few days earlier, Beamer had said redshirting Taylor was in the long-term best interest of the program. Glennon, who co-piloted the team with Taylor to an ACC title last fall, looked sharp in preseason practices.

Taylor and his family made it clear they weren't interested in him sharing time again. If he wasn't going to be the outright starter, they pleaded, let him sit out.

And so it was... until the first game, in which Tech's offense struggled to gain just 243 yards and Glennon threw for 139 yards, including two interceptions.

"We tried to make it work," quarterbacks coach Mike O'Cain said. "But you look at it and what can make this football team the best? Obviously sitting one of your best players on the bench is not the answer."

So the coaching staff met Sunday and discussed its options. The coaches presented the idea to Taylor, who had to decide if he was willing to share again.

He still wasn't keen on it. In the end, though:

"Tyrod likes to play," O'Cain said. "He's never sat out a year. I think he would feel badly if he's sitting on the bench and we're struggling offensively and he feels like he can do something about it."

Beamer outlined extensively how Taylor's presence addresses all of Tech's pressing needs.

First, Beamer thinks that with an all-new corps of young wide receivers, the passing game is going to be limited this season. To win, the Hokies will have to be a dominant rushing team. Taylor rushed for more than 400 yards last year and is among the team's fastest players.

"Putting another guy in the game that can help you run the football is in our best interest," Beamer said. "I don't think with young receivers you want to rely on throwing the ball 40 times a game."

And like last year, the offensive line is an issue. The blocking for Glennon - a much less mobile quarterback - was so poor last season that it prompted Taylor's redshirt to come off in the middle of the game against LSU in Week 2.

The line was supposed to be better this season, but starting right tackle Blake DeChristopher went down on the first series against East Carolina. He is slated to miss 2-4 weeks with a bruised knee, thigh and kidney.

"Our offensive line is better... but we're still a work in progress," Beamer said. "We still have trouble holding up at times. I think moving the launch point, where we throw the football... is a must."

Taylor doesn't play defense, though, so how can he help a young unit, with seven new starters, that missed multiple tackles last week and allowed nearly 400 yards of offense?

"Controlling the clock (offensively," Beamer said, "and limiting the number of plays the other team has is very important."

Tech's coaches think Taylor, 15 months removed from Hampton High School, can do all that. Or at least help.

Beamer said Glennon is disappointed and O'Cain thinks Taylor and his family were wary.

"But we have to make those decisions," O'Cain said, "because our job is winning football games."