Practice notes: Camo helmets unveiled, plus signee Drew Harris and a few high-profile recruits stop by
A couple items from the open viewing period of today’s practice:
** First, here’s what you all really want to see. It’s the camouflage Virginia Tech helmet the Hokies will wear for Military Appreciation Night on Sept. 22 against Bowling Green. (Click on it to embiggen.)
** Those helmets are part of the fundraiser Tech is doing with the Wounded Warrior Projecs. The goal is to raise $25,000 for the foundation by selling camouflage hats at local bookstores and online. Here are the details.
Head coach Frank Beamer invited Ben Kiernan to speak with the team today. The ’08 Virginia Tech grad was a 1371 Combat Engineer for the Marines when he was injured in Afghanistan by an IED attack on Sept. 16, 2010. Kiernan, 26, suffered injuries to his leg and all the way up his side to his bicep and has undergone physical therapy and surgeries for the last year and a half. He hopes to be discharged from his medical ward by the end of the year.
Kiernan called it a “dream come true” to address the team and showed them the special helmet they’ll wear. He deployed with the Fourth Combat Engineer Battalion in Bravo Company out of Roanoke, so there were plenty of Hokie fans in his group.
“It was everything to follow the Hokies over there,” Kiernan said. “That gives you a taste of home and gives you that sense of what home is like, really. So it was awesome. We followed them every chance we could. We couldn’t get to watch them, but we’d hear about the scores and look up the reports online.”
This is the second year Virginia Tech has done Military Appreciation Day.
“No. 1, it’s a great program,” Beamer said. “And then Ben is a perfect example of why it’s so good. Here’s a Virginia Tech graduate, he goes over and does his duty for the country, comes back wounded. Now we’re very thankful that he not only can walk but he’s started to jog. It’s just a great project.
** Signee Drew Harris from Downingtown, Pa., watched practice today on the sideline. He’s a big tailback. Very big. He looks taller than the 6-foot-1 he’s listed at and said he was “small” right now at 210 pounds. He’d like to be up at 220 but doesn’t fashion himself strictly a physical runner.
“I like to model my game after Adrian Peterson,” he said. “I wouldn’t consider myself a straight power back. I feel like if you’re a power back, you’re pretty limited. And I don’t think I’m limited.”
Harris’ senior season was cut short by a knee injury but said everything feels great now.
“I have no plans on redshirting,” Harris said. “But whatever god has planned.”
What appealed to him about Virginia Tech?
“Michael Vick went here,” he said. “Just the overall feeling you get, everything.”
Harris plans to be back for the spring game on April 21 and said he’ll probably enroll sometime in July.
** A few high-profile recruits were on hand at today’s practice: cornerback Kendall Fuller of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Olney, Md., quarterback Bucky Hodges of Salem High in Virginia Beach and offensive lineman Braxton Pfaff of Liberty Christian Academy in Lynchburg were.
Fuller is a five-star recruit who Rivals has as the No. 1 cornerback and No. 4 overall prospect in 2013. He’s the younger brother of Hokies senior wide receiver Corey Fuller and junior cornerback Kyle Fuller.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Hodges is the No. 13 pro-style quarterback nationally, according to Rivals.
Pfaff is every bit of the 6-foot-5, 290 pounds he’s listed at.
** One injury from the first day: safety Scott Rolin injured his knee.
March 30, 2012 - 6:13 PM
Ugh, that helmet looks like it was designed by a kid. I was hoping for the more modern digital camo that’s being sported by the military. Similar to something Army wore last year in one of their game. That would have looked great with the maroon VT math logo, and provides a great contrast. Something similar to this – http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/5130121374_26be03f9a1.jpg – and try to image the maroon VT math logo.
So, that Drew Harris kid looks big than his actual height, eh? Sounds like a bruising power runner to me.
Maybe he just looked bigger because he was so bulky. Definitely some good size to him, though. Wouldn’t want to try to tackle him.
Did Harris rip up his A.c.l. or not; officially speaking Mr. Bitter?
I’ve gotten conflicting reports on this one.
However, last I got was it was two tears.
TIA-
b’street
You know, now that you mention it, we did not ask specifically what it was. Just if he was healthy again. I don’t believe it was, but I could not say for sure. Wish I could rewind a few hours.
Got to figure Kendall Fuller would be the highest rated recruit to ever sign with the Hokies. The only possibility I can think of might be Bruce Smith. But I’m not even sure if high school players were ranked on a national level at that time?
Andy – in this case “God” is a proper noun. It’s OK to capitalize it.
I love the helmet! What a fantastic way to show support of our military!
I know Harris said he models his game after Adrian Peterson, but his HS film reminds me of another guy named Harris. That would be Franco Harris and I think Drew is cut from that same mold. He doesn’t look to have the speed or quickness of Coleman or Mangus, but he’s not slow and has a little shake to him in the open field. He and Coleman could be a formidable duo.
Kevin Jones would still be the highest rated recruit.
@ Greg Bowyer – Kevin Jones was the #1 overall rated prospect in the entire country, as I recall. Hard to top that.
Embiggen is a perfectly cromulent word.
Trevor, the pattern on that helmet is similar to the multicam pattern the Army is wearing in Afghanistan now.
Correy, that’s cool. I was thinking the VT logo would look much better on that kind of pattern in comparison to the old “jungle green” scheme.
To Trevor,
You want a more modern camo? I am currently deployed to Afghanistan and all Air Force and Army wear this multicam camo. This is as modern as it gets. What you should be complaining about is the hats they are selling are DCU camo. Thats way out dated.
If they auction these helmets off Im going to do my best to get one
@Mark, first thing, be safe over there, and thanks for all you are doing for the country. I’m not entirely fond of old school camo. Just for the heck of it, why don’t Tech go against the grain and break out RealTree camo helmet? Thatd be cool.
That’s a nice post.