■ 20 November 2009 | 1:15 PM
With the national title and ACC crown off the table for this season, some attention has already turned to 2010 and hope for another championship run.
That is certainly possible. All the big-play guys are back on offense. The Hokies’ tailback situation will be silly good with the return of Darren Evans to join Ryan Williams (and the likely improvement of freshman stud David Wilson).
There are also plenty of talented young players waiting for their chance on defense. BUT ... make no mistake ... a lot will be lost from this season’s squad when graduation rolls around.
Saturday will be the final home game for 15 seniors who have started at least one game for the Hokies – five on offense, eight on defense and both the kicker and punter.
The numbers are pretty crazy. Combined, Tech is going to lose guys who’ve played 121 games and started 92 on the offensive line. The Hokies will lose a three-year starter at tight end and their lead blocker in goal-line situations.
Defensively, the hit is far greater. Soon to depart are players who’ve combined for 155 starts, 955 tackles, 88 tackles for loss, 49 pass break-ups, 38 sacks, 17 interceptions and 16 forced fumbles.
That is quite a senior class. They’ve won 38 games in their careers and will likely leave as (I think) the third consecutive senior class with 40-plus victories. They won two ACC titles and an Orange Bowl. They beat Nebraska twice. They’re 3-0 against rival Virginia and 3-1 against rival Miami. They helped hand Cincinnati, which might just play for the national title, its only loss in the last 17 games.
Not a bad run for these guys. The won’t go out with a national title, nor an ACC trophy, but they will leave the Hokies with some huge holes to fill. So before you start looking at next season, Tech fans, now might be a good time to reflect on this team and its soon-to-be-lost leaders.
Oh, and while I'm at it, here's a story I had in today's paper about a senior not listed below. Is contributions to the team do not show up on stat sheets:
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/hokies-oldest-player-known-pranks-weightroom-feats-0
Now for the guys you've gotten to know a litte better over the past four years ...
OFFENSE
TE Greg Boone – The Oscar Smith High graduate has played in 49 games, starting 38, and has caught 44 passes for 576 yards and three touchdowns. Last year, the Hokies build their Wild Turkey offense around him and he rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Boone has lined up at quarterback, fullback, tight end and wide receiver at Tech.
LT Ed Wang – Has played 45 games and started 34. This season has been his finest, as he’s the only Hokies lineman to grade 80 percent or higher – the coaches’ definition of a winning grade – in all 10 games. He also leads the team with 37 knock-down blocks.
LG Sergio Render – Has played in 51 games and started 49, which is more than any lineman in the ACC. He recorded 45 knockdown blocks in his final eight games last season. This year, he was named a midseason All-American by both CBSsports.com and The Sporting News. He has graded 80-plus in six games and has 35 knockdown blocks.
OL Richard Graham – Has played 25 games, starting nine, and the former walk-on has been an important utility lineman for the Hokies. He took snaps at center last week against Maryland, earning him the distinction of being the first player in as long as anyone at Tech can remember to play in a game at all five positions on the line.
FB Kenny Jefferson – Has played 37 games and while he has only three career carries and five catches for a combined 31 yards, Jefferson has been a key blocker – especially in goal-line situations – for the past two seasons.
DEFENSE
DT Cordarrow Thompson – Has played 46 games, starting 24, and recorded 67 tackles, 12.5 for loss, 6.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He lost more than 30 pounds to become a factor for the Hokies.
DT Demetrius Taylor – The Kellam High grad played 41 games, starting three, and recorded 42 tackles, six for loss, 1.5 sacks and nine quarterback hurries. He owns several team weightlifting records and built his body from that of a linebacker to one of a defensive tackle. His senior season has been his best.
DE Nekos Brown – Has played 51 games, starting 12, and recorded 102 tackles, 13 for loss, and 9.5 sacks. His senior season has been his finest, leading the Hokies with 4.5 sacks.
LB Cody Grimm – Has played 51 games, starting 12, and recorded 193 tackles, 21 for loss, 8.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven pass break-ups and six forced fumbles. The former walk-on and special teams ace is third in the ACC this season with 85 tackles. He’s the son of former Redskin Russ Grimm.
LB Cam Martin – Has played 48 games, starting 26, and recorded 150 tackles, 16.5 for loss, 7.5 sacks, an interception, 11 pass break-ups and five forced fumbles. A rash of injuries has limited his playing time this year, opening the door for Grimm’s big season.
SS Dorrian Porch – Has played 50 games, starting 18, and recorded 111 tackles, six for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, six pass break-ups and four fumble recovers. Porch was critical to last season’s ACC title, stepping in after starter Davon Morgan was lost to injury in Week 5.
CB Stephan Virgil – Has played 47 games, starting 22, and recorded 93 tackles, 8.5 for loss, two sacks, seven interceptions, seven pass break-ups, two blocked kicks and a fumble return for a touchdown. He was a potential All-American candidate this year before an injury in the opener slowed him down.
FS Kam Chancellor – The Maury High grad has played 51 games, starting 38, and recorded 197 tackles, 4.5 for loss, five interceptions, 18 pass break-ups and two forced fumbles. Arguably the team’s most versatile athlete, he came to Tech as a quarterback, played corner as a true freshman, started at strong safety as a sophomore and finally settled at free safety last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Brent Bowden – Has played in 38 games, punting 206 times for 8,670 yards (42.1 per kick). He has 41 punts of 50 yards or longer, 69 kicks downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. He leads the ACC this year with a 43.7-yard average, including a career-long 60-yarder.
K Matt Waldron – The former walk-on became Tech’s third straight one-season starter at kicker to step in and succeed. A Penn State transfer, Waldron has hit an ACC-best 88.9 percent of his field goals (16 of 18). He’s 10 of 11 from 30 yards or longer and 33 of 33 on extra points.
Subscribe to this blog
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
