Wide receiver from South Carolina commits to Hokies

By Kyle Tucker
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 13, 2011

Virginia Tech football picked up its eighth commitment in as many days Tuesday when wide receiver Mark Irick from Calhoun County, S.C., announced his plans to play for the Hokies.

Including Monday's news that offensive lineman Brent Benedict will transfer from Georgia to Virginia Tech, the Hokies have landed 21 players who'll be eligible in 2012. Irick chose Tech over offers from Georgia Tech and Kentucky and interest from N.C. State and LSU, according to his hometown newspaper, The Times and Democrat.

Irick, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound wideout who caught 38 passes for 880 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior, plays for the same high school that produced South Carolina star receiver Alshon Jeffery.

He's the second wide receiver - joining Norfolk Christian's Mario Nixon - and just the seventh offensive player in this class for the Hokies, compared to 14 defensive prospects. Hoping to improve that imbalance and address a major need, Tech extended scholarship offers Tuesday to a pair of offensive linemen who participated in the Hokies' one-day camp over the weekend.

Fredericksburg offensive tackle Adam Taraschke, who is 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, and Richmond-area tackle Augie Conte, who's 6-6, 270, are Tech's new targets.

That could mean bad news for Old Dominion, which has made offers to both.

Taraschke also has an offer from Ohio, but Conte, home-schooled through the 10th grade, had only been pursued by the Monarchs before the Hokies discovered him four days ago.

COMMENTS ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here; comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its websites. Users must follow agreed-upon rules: Be civil, be clean, be on topic; don't attack private individuals, other users or classes of people. Read the full rules here.
- Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the report violation link below it.

more Hokie Blah Blah

Submitted by awg on Wed, 07/13/2011 at 7:37 am.

I am really curious, Virginia Tech is taking kids that Old Dominion is recruiting. Oh please. Not that ODU is not a good up and coming program but goodness gracious, according to Kyle VT is best thing since sliced bread and they are taking kids that 1-AA teams are after.

Times must be tight in Blacksburg

Just one more item

Submitted by BarryC on Wed, 07/13/2011 at 12:09 pm.

I guess you know that UVA also offered the young man as well (shortly after VT did) guess they respect VT coachs' opinion as well!!!

Do a little research

Submitted by BarryC on Wed, 07/13/2011 at 11:57 am.

Kid you are refering to has not played organized football that long. He camped at VT and they thought he may very well be a sleeper. Their coaching staff has always been able to find young men such as this. Some programs have gone after the top only and still have nothing to show for it but to say "well we are a young team" or (the old standby) "we are rebuilding the program". At some time to have to either mature or at least be rebuilt!!
I hope we get this young man as he seems like a super nice young man and evidently shows potenetial or the coaches would not have offered!