BLACKSBURG

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, whose team has to replace seven starters from last season's defense, was surprised to see the results of the preseason coaches' poll released a few hours before the Hokies opened camp Friday.

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.

BLACKSBURG Get your popcorn ready. As if Virginia Tech's opening game against Boise State on Labor Day night - a match-up of likely top-10 teams - wasn't big enough already, now you can watch it in 3-D.

BLACKSBURG In college football, pursuit of the BCS championship relies heavily on impressing the computers. At least one of them already thinks Virginia Tech will fall short of the big prize this fall.

By Doug Doughty Nansemond River's Dewayne Alford, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound defensive end, decided to attend Virginia Tech. His high school coach described him as "a diamond in the rough."

BLACKSBURG One set of numbers says that Virginia Tech has dominated Virginia and North Carolina and been a superior football program to both in the past six seasons. Another set of stats tells a surprising tale: The Cavaliers and Tar Heels have each plucked key prospects from the Hokies and are so far out-recruiting Tech in the Class of 2011.

BLACKSBURG Nick Dew looks a lot like Virginia Tech football's ideal defensive recruit: 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, quick, explosive, physical. Most important, versatile.

BLACKSBURG

Kiaro Holts, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound tackle from Warren Central High in Indianapolis, surprised Virginia Tech on Friday by orally committing to North Carolina. Many recruiting analysts thought he favored Tech. His teammate, defensive tackle Kris Harley, chose the Hokies in April and former Warren Central running back Darren Evans will be a Tech junior this season.

BLACKSBURG On the first day of Virginia Tech's preseason football practice last August, assistant coach Mike O'Cain watched a promising new tight end help warm up the quarterbacks. Logan Thomas, rated the No. 1 "jumbo athlete" recruit in the country by Rivals.com, was catching passes and tossing them back. It wasn't the catching that grabbed O'Cain's attention.