Hokies Camp 2010, Vol. 15: The David Wilson Dilemma ...

Paging Jim Gray. We’ve got another “The Decision: 2010” that needs some attention. What the heck are the Hokies going to do with sophomore tailback David Wilson?

Will he take his talents to the sideline this fall and spend the season redshirting? Or will he take his talents to a specialized role that gives him a handful of touches a game returning kicks, catching passes and carrying the ball once in a while?

It’s a tough call. The kid is good. He’s a physical freak (yes, we’ve used that term about a lot of guys on this team, because the roster is full of them). He has track speed and an aspiring body builder’s physique. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry and gained 334 yards in limited action as a true freshman.

Oh, and he’s also been the most productive back in scrimmages for months now. Since spring practice started, Wilson has carried 37 times for 172 yards (4.6 ypc) in scrimmages – including 16 for 74 yards so far in this camp. In his last outing, Wilson had a pair of runs that looked a lot like his old high school highlights. He’s getting comfortable with the college game.

In almost any other year – or this season on almost any other team – it would be a no brainer. A guy this talented plays.

But Tech has two other talents, more proven at this level, in Darren Evans and Ryan Williams. How can the coaches justify taking a single carry from either of those guys? It’s a brutal decision to make.

On one hand, I’d say I’m glad I don’t have to make it. On the other, most coaches in America would give their right arm to be in this “dilemma.”

I caught up with Tech’s RB coach and the kid in question after Tuesday’s practice to talk about “The Decision: 2010” ...

RB COACH BILLY HITE

ON HOW DIFFICULT SOPHOMORE RB DAVID WILSON IS MAKING IT TO REDSHIRT HIM THIS SEASON: “David is making it very tough right now. He has performed so well out there. Obviously, we’re not going to make that decision until the last minute. I’ve even said that I wouldn’t mind carrying him for a couple weeks to see if something happens to one of (Evans or Williams) and to have him ready to go. David’s performing so well right now it’s unbelievable. He looks like lightning out there on the field.”

ON WHAT THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PLAYING TIME WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR WILSON NOT TO REDSHIRT: “Well, if I can get Stinespring to run it 60 times and give each one of them 20 carries ... but that isn’t going to happen. That’s the problem. I don’t want to play David Wilson with him only getting four touches a game. I think we’re wasting him if we do that.”

ON WHETHER WILSON WOULD START FOR THE HOKIES IN MOST SEASONS: “There’s no question. He’s that special. The way he practices, he loves being out here, and he does stuff all the time to make it fun out here. He’s just a great competitor. And he’s competing with those other two guys right now. He really is.”

RB DAVID WILSON

ON COACHES SAYING HE’S MAKING THE REDSHIRT DECISION DIFFICULT: “That is the goal, to show them everything I’ve got before (the season). They said I did well in the scrimmage, but I still feel like I need improvement. From what I’m used to doing when I got the ball in my hands in high school to here, I know it’s a different level but I expect the same out of myself here – or better. I’m working hard every day to get to that point, regardless of what the coaches’ decision is.”

ON GETTING CLOSER TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL FORM: “I can’t say I’m back to where I was in high school, but I’m definitely more comfortable than I was last year. Last year, I was expecting everybody to be way better athletes and I’m forgetting that I’ve gotten older, too. These are some of the guys I could’ve played against in high school. I just need to know when to slow it down and know when to speed it up.”

ON HAVING A RUN IN THE SCRIMMAGE WHERE HE RAN TO THE RIGHT, INTO A DEFENDER, SPUN OUT AND REVERSED FIELD FOR A NICE GAIN: “I was expecting nobody to be on the other side, but it was cool to break tackles. That always feels good.”

ON FEELING LIKE HE’S PLAYING FASTER NOW: “I feel like I’m playing smarter, rather than faster. Last year, I was just trying to play faster and I wasn’t making decisions. I’d pick a way and I’d go that way regardless of what was there. This year, I’m reading my holes, reading the defenses, reading my blocks and getting to a point where I can use my speed.”

ON HOW HE LEARNS TO SEE THAT STUFF: “It comes with experience and work. When you watch film, you say, ‘Hey, I missed a wide-open hole.’ That comes with experience.”

ON WHAT THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF CARRIES/TOUCHES HE THINKS WOULD VALIDATE NOT REDSHIRTING: “If it came down to the point where they said, ‘Nah, David, we don’t want you to redshirt; we want you to play this year,’ then I’d discuss what would be my role on the team, as far as making sure I’m not wasting a year. I’d talk to them about that.”

ON WHETHER 10-12 TOUCHES A GAME WOULD BE A WASTE: “Definitely not. If I’m going into the game knowing I’m at least going to get to 10 carries, then I can make smart decisions. Last year, I’d get in at the end of the game and everybody knew I was getting ready to run the ball. You’re up a certain number of points and you’re trying to burn the clock and it’s constantly the same play. Getting those yards are hard, so I’m trying to get the most yards out of every play. (But) going into the game knowing I’m going to get the ball and the coaches plan on using me, I can say, ‘Alright, I see this play is only going to get me five yards,’ and I’ll get five yards. Instead of, last year, I’d say, ‘This play can only get me five yards, but I want to show the coaches I can get a touchdown,’ and I end up with two yards. When you have that confidence to come in the game knowing you’ll get another carry, you play different.”

ON MOTIONING TO WIDE RECEIVER SOME IN THE SCRIMMAGE: “Putting me out there in the open field, getting me the ball – most of my routes are short routes – I’d be one-on-one with somebody in that position. That gives me a lot of space to use my speed. I make one guy miss and it’s nothing but grass, and that’s a good scene.”

ON THAT NEW WRINKLE TO THE OFFENSE MAKING HIM FEEL LIKE MAYBE THE COACHES DO HAVE USE FOR HIM THIS SEASON: “Yeah. When they create more ways for the running backs to get the ball – with the talented running backs we’ve got on our team – the more chances you get to get the ball. If we keep putting in running back plays, you can say, ‘Alright, maybe he’s good at these plays, but I can be good at these plays.’ Say a sweep. Maybe I’d bee good at a sweep and Darren would be good at a power. So different situations, different plays, always gives you better chances.”

ON ALL THREE TAILBACKS HAVING DISTINCTIVE STYLES – WILLIAMS (QUICKNESS), WILSON (SPEED) AND EVANS (POWER) – MAKING IT MORE POSSIBLE FOR ALL THREE TO BE USED: “I think it does, because if you had all big, strong guys back there, you can only use one big, strong guy. You’d say, ‘I can use this big, strong guy. Keep using him.’ So if you’ve got somebody with speed, quickness and power, then you’ve got different things you can use.”

* For instant updates on the Hokies, follow me at twitter.com/kyletuckerVP

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