2012.02.06
Hokies defensive end Duan Perez-Means will make the switch to tight end
The long-rumored switch is official: Hokies defensive end Duan Perez-Means will play tight end this season, according to Frank Beamer‘s personal website.
Perez-Means, a sophomore from Richmond, requested the move, the site said. He played in all 14 games at defensive end last season but got minimal playing time behind starters James Gayle and J.R. Collins, a pair All-ACC honorees who both return.
Perez-Means finished with 8 tackles and half of a tackle for loss. Five of those stops came against Appalachian State and Arkansas State.
He got some work on the scout team at tight end, where he’ll give the Hokies another option now that starter Chris Drager graduated following a 15-catch, 201-yard senior season. The competition figures to be between Perez-Means, junior Eric Martin, sophomore Ryan Malleck and senior Randall Dunn. Martin, Dunn and senior George George combined for 6 catches, 69 yards and 2 touchdowns last season.
The 6-foot-4, 248-pound Perez-Means played on both sides of the ball at Hermitage High School. He had 22 catches and 8 touchdowns as a junior. He averaged 27 yards per catch in a six-game senior season cut short by injury.
A shoulder injury delayed his enrollment until January of 2010. He redshirted his first year while working at defensive end.
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Good choice, especially with the incoming class, but I question the lack of production by Dunn. I thought he would be a go-to-guy by now.
Comment by hokiedave5000 — February 6, 2012 @ 10:35 am
This could be a really good move. I saw him in high school and he was pretty dominant at TE before his injury. Also he impresses me as a team player. Even when he was hurt, he was the team’s leading cheerleader when he could have been down and sulking. I was glad when he chose Tech.
Comment by Jackson Furr — February 6, 2012 @ 10:51 am
This could be a good move for him to earn playing time. Tech has very good players at defensive end and he did not figure to get much playing time there.
hokiedave5000 is right about Dunn, he should have been more of a factor for Tech by now, maybe he will have a good senior season.
Tech has good players as starting players so if a backup player is not really good also that player will not get much playing time for the Hokies, that is the way that it is at Tech now.
Let’s go Hokies !!!
Comment by Frank — February 6, 2012 @ 2:50 pm
where do ya’ll see Perez-Means fits in in the TE rotation?
Comment by letsgohokies — February 7, 2012 @ 1:18 am