The Virginian-Pilot
©
BLACKSBURG
Although he lives less than an hour from Virginia Tech's campus, Michael Cole considered spurning the hometown Hokies in favor of playing football at Penn State.
That would've been a bitter pill for Tech to swallow, especially considering the string of recent recruiting strikeouts it has suffered. But Cole made the Hokies happy Monday, when he offered his oral commitment live on a Roanoke radio show.
Cole is 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and projects as a linebacker or safety at Tech. He recorded 83 tackles, 11 for loss, as a junior at Cave Spring High. With a reported 4.49-second speed in the 40-yard dash, Cole rushed for 576 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 103 carries last season.
He chose the Hokies over offers from Connecticut, Duke, Maryland, Virginia and the Nittany Lions, and he's rated the No. 29 in-state prospect from the Class of 2011 by rivals.com. He also is a strong student and is considering a pre-med track.
Only a few weeks ago, Cole seemed to be leaning toward Penn State. His commitment signals the end of a minor recruiting drought.
After a strong start, Tech had landed only one pledge in the previous six weeks and lost multiple recruiting battles with North Carolina and Virginia. Cole, though, is the fifth in-state player to pick the Hokies and the fourth rated among the state's top 30 prospects.
Seven of Tech's nine commitments play defense. Among the program's remaining needs from this class are offensive linemen and help may soon be on the way.
Manchester lineman Jake Goins visited Blacksburg last week and is reportedly close to deciding among finalists Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
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The end is near
The way Gobbler fans pop off, you'd think they would have won something, anything. Instead, its a school where its best athletes are mostly felons. Every season they are over hyped and are usually done in the first month w/ a big loss to someone. This year with their top 5 ranking in tow, they will be embarrassed on National TV by Boise St. Every football season w/o a national championship leaves dorky, key jingling Hokie guy a little more anxious. Now, the window is starting to close on Beamer ball. For the first time in his tenure, he has a formidable in state opponent to out recruit (No, not Bobby Wilder) at UVA. Basically, Mike London stepped on "the grounds" and started slowly killing Ole Frank on Day One. Its almost over......
nice choice
zero national championships in ANY sport, have fun playing in Bleaksburg young lad. My fault, VT does have one in bass fishing, i don't know many doctors that like to fish.
Has ODU ever had a D1
Has ODU ever had a D1 national championship in any men's sport other than sailing?
NATL CHAMPS
I am glad you asked, yes in wrestling. I didn't know you don't take into consideration woman's sports where we have 3 in basketball and 9 in Field Hockey. I think VT has both those sports. And the closet you have ever come to a national title is in Woman's softball, so i think we should account for these. Besides your basketball team will not schedule ODU b/c Seth knows the outcome, so you have the 350th ranked schedule in D1. Exactly why we danced in the NCAA an you went to the "not invited tourney". In addition the last 10 years you have only beaten ODU in the govener's cup once. Like I always say i take the beach over bleaksburg anyday.
Oh yeah?
Are you sure that wrestling national championship wasn't in Division II?