A call for the offseason Virginia Tech mailbag, plus a few more news and notes
It has been a minute since we’ve done an offseason Virginia Tech mailbag, so let’s do one before the Hokies report for practice next Monday. Here’s how it works: you send me questions in emails and I’ll answer them the best I can.
So email me at andy.bitter@roanoke.com or andy.bitter@pilotonline.com with your questions. Be sure to leave your name and hometown so I can credit you with the query.
I’ll try to answer them on Friday.
There are a few more news and notes out there that I figure I’ll hit in one blog post. Let’s get to it:
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I thought the watch lists were finished this summer, but defensive end James Gayle was named to the watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive end. There are 40 players on the list.
Gayle, a first-team preseason All-ACC pick, was previously named to the watch lists for the Bednarik (national defensive player of the year) and Lombardi (top lineman or linebacker) awards.
He was a second-team All-ACC pick in 2011, finishing with 38 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss and 7 sacks despite battling an ankle injury during the second half of the season.
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Suspended defensive end Dadi Nicolas‘ preliminary court hearing on a felony grand larceny charge will be Aug. 30, his attorney Jimmy Turk said.
Nicolas was arrested in late-June for his alleged involvement in a stolen bike on campus in May. He was arraigned earlier this month.
Turk said he hoped to have the case resolved and the hearing moved up if possible. Nicolas remains suspended indefinitely from the team, per university policy, until the felony charge is dismissed or otherwise resolved. If found guilty of a felony, he’d be dismissed from the team permanently.
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The Hokies had a few representatives on CBS Sports’ preseason All-ACC team. Center Andrew Miller, Gayle and cornerback Kyle Fuller made the team.
Oddly, Fuller made the team as a safety, a position he’s never played and one he doesn’t figure to be at this year. The writer explained it as a way to get him on the team despite a crowded group at cornerback.
Logan Thomas finished in a group of quarterbacks behind Florida State’s EJ Manuel. Wide receiver Marcus Davis, linebacker Bruce Taylor and defensive end J.R. Collins were all mentioned as candidates who just missed the cut.
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Columnist Aaron McFarling was at the Roanoke Valley Sports Club, where running backs coach Shane Beamer spoke last night. (UPDATE: Aaron has an entire post up on it now.)
A few nuggets that Aaron revealed on Twitter (and while you’re there, give him a follow):
* Shane said several current Penn State players have reached out to Virginia Tech, but he couldn’t say where that might lead. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “It’s a free-for-all at Penn State.” (On that subject, our recruiting guru Doug Doughty says he doesn’t expect any Penn State players to transfer to Virginia Tech or Virginia.)
* A 70-year-old woman from Clifton Forge apparently brought the heat. I’ll let Aaron and Shane’s tweets tell that tale:
Nice job by
— Aaron McFarling (@aaronmcfarling) July 31, 2012#Hokies assistant Shane Beamer speaking at Roanoke Valley Sports Club tonight. 70-year-old woman from Clifton Forge...
grilled him pretty good on O-line, special teams. "The only thing I want is the same thing your daddy wants," she said. Beamr:"What's that?"
— Aaron McFarling (@aaronmcfarling) July 31, 2012
"A national championship," she said. Shane jokingly invited her to
— Aaron McFarling (@aaronmcfarling) July 31, 2012#Hokies 8 a.m. staff meeting tomorrow.
— Aaron McFarling (@aaronmcfarling) July 31, 2012
@coachsbeamer Haha. Woman: "Are you trying to find some good O-lineman?" Shane: "Well, we don't try to find BAD ones, I can say that."
July 31, 2012 - 12:55 AM
It was later discovered that the “old woman” was actually Logan Thomas in drag! I kid, I kid… but yeah, that was funny, would loved to have seen that exchange in person.
Good post.
Here’s my mailbag question, and it have nothing to do with Virginia Tech. Who is your dark horse picks to win the Atlantic and Coastal division?
Why is her age important? If she knows football she knows football.
Is it really a surprise that PSU players are looking for an out? Congrats to Shane for telling the truth.
When Granny starts going off…watch out!!!!!
#4 Yeah Zman, I’m with you on that. Seems folks are taking offense at the mention of even the remotest possibility of a Lion player looking elsewhere. Two of them, names forgotten, had VT high on their list but chose PSU. Let’s face reality, the PSU today is far different than the one they signed up for.
No, you are all wrong. Andy told us all the other day that there wasn’t going to be any mass exodus, that’s why he rated PSU a 3 on UVA’s schedule for this year.
TIC.
Huh?