Virginia Tech wrapped up spring practice on April 20, although questions remain heading into the summer that won’t have more definitive answers until fall camp. Nevertheless, the spring cleared up some things. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be taking a look back at what the Hokies figured out and what remains a work in progress.

Today, we’ll cover the specialists. If you missed a previous installment, you can get to it here: quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs.

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THE TWO-DEEP

– PK: Cody Journell, Sr. (starter), Brooks Abbott, So.

– P: A.J. Hughes, So. (starter), Michael Branthover, Jr.

– LS: Joe St. Germain, Jr. (starter), Eddie D’Antuono, r-Fr.

– H: Trey Gresh, Jr. (starter), Mark Leal, Jr.

– KR: Demitri  Knowles, So. or J.C. Coleman, So.

– PR: Kyshoen Jarrett, Jr. (starter), Michael Holmes, So.

THE GOOD

The Hokies have to feel good about their kicking game coming out of the spring. Journell showed a little bit more power, connecting on a 55-yarder in one scrimmage (his career long in college remains 42 yards). Abbott made plenty of kicks too, hitting from 41 and 45 in one scrimmage and suggesting Tech should be in good shape once Journell’s eligibility is up. After a strong freshman season, Hughes picked up where he left off. He had a 47.8-yard average during one scrimmage. Returns were limited in scrimmages, but Jarrett and Knowles continued to show explosiveness back there. The hope is that Josh Trimble can take over Alonzo Tweedy‘s role as a gunner on punts.

THE BAD

Individual performances of kickers, punters and returners haven’t been the downfall of the Hokies’ special teams lately. It’s been consistency and all-too-frequent gaffes (like roughing the kicker, muffing an errant punt, dropping the snap, etc.). Without seeing the special teams units in action for an extended period of time this spring, it’s tough to tell if Tech has started moving in the right direction to fix what’s been ailing this group. But something clearly has been off in recent years.

HELP ON THE WAY

With most of the starting spots pretty much decided on special teams, the biggest help might be from last year’s redshirt freshman class, which should step into roles on kick and punt coverage teams. That’s where young players first start making an impact. There are plenty of return candidates in the 2013 class — Kendall Fuller, Charles Clark and Anthony Shegog, among others — but they’d have to be something really special to supplant Knowles, Coleman or Jarrett in the return game. That’d be surprising.

POTENTIAL BREAKOUT

Hughes had a strong freshman season, but he still ranked sixth in the ACC and 66th nationally in net punting (40.56 avg.). With a year under his belt, this could be the time when he really takes a step forward. His season peaked in the Russell Athletic Bowl, where he punted 11 times and had a 42.2-yard average with a long of 57, numbers that earned him national all-bowl team recognition. If he can pick up where he left off, Tech could be set at punter for quite a while.

BATTLE TO WATCH

The Hokies never settled on a kickoff specialist last year. Branthover did it to start the season, giving way to Abbott. Neither thrived in the role. By the end of the year, Journell was handling kickoff duties. Those three will be in competition for the job again this year. Tech wants to do directional kicking on kickoffs at times, so it’s more than simply finding the player with the strongest leg. The competition lasted all of last season and didn’t provide a clear-cut answer. It wouldn’t be surprising if it went right up to the start of the 2013 season.

THEY SAID IT

“Trimble played backer for me last fall, but was primarily a special teams guy and really performed well. He was one of our leaders on special teams. The guy could come down. Not that he’s going to be Tweedy, but if it wasn’t Tweedy, it was Trimble making the play.” — defensive coordinator Bud Foster

LAST WORD

On the face of things, Tech’s special teams appear to be solid. The personnel in the kicking game is all the same and Jarrett and Knowles were among the more dangerous punt and kick returners, respectively, in the nation last year. But something has been off in recent years with special teams. Football Outsiders ranks efficiency of special teams units. The Hokies last year ranked 62nd out of 124 teams, squarely in the middle. (And a moderate improvement from 68th in 2011.) That speaks to the inconsistency of the group. Sure, one part might stand out in a game, but there were rare moments last year when every facet was clicking at the same time. Tech finished first nationally in those efficiency ratings as recently as 2010, so it’s not like it is so far removed from overall success that it can’t get back there, and perhaps having everyone back will help it accomplish that. But the Hokies will need to shore up some things across the board to get back to having the special teams that everybody in the league and country envies.

Virginia Tech wrapped up spring practice on April 20, although questions remain heading into the summer that won’t have more definitive answers until fall camp. Nevertheless, the spring cleared up some things. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be taking a look back at what the Hokies figured out and what remains a work in progress.

Today, we’ll cover the defensive backs. If you missed a previous installment, you can get to it here: quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends, offensive line, defensive line and linebackers.

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THE TWO-DEEP

– CB: Kyle Fuller, Sr. (starter), Brandon Facyson (Fr.)

– CB: Antone Exum, Sr. (injured), Donaldven Manning, So. or Donovan Riley, So. or Davion Tookes, r-Fr.

– FS: Detrick Bonner, Jr. (starter), Der’Woun Greene, r-Fr.

– ROV: Kyshoen Jarrett, Jr. (starter), Desmond Frye (So.)

THE GOOD

The older players showed improvement after a full year at their current positions and the younger players started to come along. Fuller, Bonner and Jarrett all took steps forward this spring, being leaders and becoming more consistent on the back end. You could sense a greater comfort back there from all three. Manning and Riley got a good number of first-team reps with Exum out with a torn ACL, an important step for them to be trusted by defensive backs coach Torrian Gray. Manning was more consistent, but Riley made more big plays. Tookes began to come on late and could be a contender for the spot too. Facyson, an early enrollee, probably impressed the most of the young guys, not taking any hesitancy when thrust into the action for the first time. And Greene, who  bounced around positions last year, had a good showing at the spring game, returning a Logan Thomas interception the length of the field for a touchdown.

THE BAD

The Hokies didn’t have Exum out there because of the injury, and while he’s a veteran who has a solid knowledge of the system, it’s never good to miss reps like that. His return date remains up in the air. August is the earliest he could come back, although that might be wishful thinking. The backups are still very inexperienced. Riley, Manning and Tookes showed flashes, although maybe still not enough for Gray to complete trust them out there (at this point, though, he doesn’t have a choice). Frye and Greene are in the same boat. The reserves still need some seasoning.

HELP ON THE WAY

The signing class was flush with defensive backs. And while Tech is still waiting to see if guys like Holland Fisher and Cequan Jefferson qualify for next year, there will be a talent influx nonetheless. Kendall Fuller, the youngest brother of the Fuller clan, could be someone who can compete for immediate playing time. Coaches raved about the five-star corner on signing day. It’s probably not a matter of if he can play as a true freshman, but when. He won’t supplant his brother on the depth chart, but he might get his shot at the other corner spot or as a nickelback. Coaches liked what they saw out of other signees like Anthony Shegog and Charles Clark, although things start to get crowded in the backfield at that point.

POTENTIAL BREAKOUT

Based on how he picked things up in the spring, it’s got to be Facyson. He’s tall (6-2), rangy and seems to have a knack for breaking on the ball (it doesn’t hurt that the hopeful heart surgeon seems to have the academic side of things handled). He didn’t make too many glaring mistakes in scrimmages and I can rattle off several times where I remember him making an aggressive play on the ball. He doesn’t put a toe in to test the waters, not showing the usual hesitancy you see out of most freshman. Facyson worked as a boundary corner, but defensive coordinator Bud Foster was so impressed by Facyson that he thinks the Hokies might give him a shot at the vacant field corner spot come August.

BATTLE TO WATCH

With three returning starters, it’s clearly the corner spot left open by Exum. Who knows when he’ll be back and close to full strength? Everyone recovers differently from injuries like that. He might be ready for the opener against Alabama, but Tech has to prepare as though he won’t be healed by then. That leaves a glut of young players like Manning, Riley, Facyson and probably Kendall Fuller to compete for the starting spot at corner. It’s a place-holder thing. When Exum is ready, he’ll start. But finding a potential starter out of those four for the Crimson Tide will be a priority for the defense when camp begins.

THEY SAID IT

“Those guys were freshmen last year and sometimes it’s tough if you don’t get it. Athletically we might not be good enough. Fundamentally we might not be good enough. But now that they’ve been through it, I expect those guys to be a lot better this year.” — Gray

LAST WORD

This had the potential to be the strongest group on the defense this year. Then Exum tore his ACL, throwing a wrench in the Hokies’ plans to return all four starters in the secondary at their same positions. That’s not to say Exum is a lost cause. By all accounts, he’s rehabbing like mad to get back in time for the season, but like I wrote before, everybody reacts differently to injuries. The trio of Kyle Fuller, Jarrett and Bonner should be much better now that they’ve got a year under their belts at their current spots. You could see them grow into their roles last year, coming a long way from the Pittsburgh debacle in September to the way they played down the stretch. If Tech can find a serviceable starter for however long Exum is out — and that’s a big if — and can create some depth behind those starters, this could be one of the strengths of the defense.

Several Hokies football players will graduate today (or are close enough that they may walk). Last year, Tech had 15 graduates on the roster, most in the nation. It’ll be in double digits again 2013.

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Here is a list of Virginia Tech football players who were on track to graduate this semester. Some have already walked in the fall ceremony, so it’s unclear if they’ll do so today. Their majors are from what was on their athletic department bios:

• WR Corey Fuller (Sociology)
• FB Joey Phillips (Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, previously earned Human Development undergraduate degree)
• WR D.J. Coles (Sociology)
• DE J.R. Collins (Human Development)
• LB Tariq Edwards (Psychology)
• RB Tony Gregory (Human Development)
• PK Cody Journell (Marketing Management)
• C Andrew Miller (Agribusiness)
• DE Tyrel Wilson (Sociology)

These three are former players who will graduate this semester too:

• OL Tyler Barfield (Finance)
• P Scott Demler (Finance)
• OL Darian Fisher (Marketing Management)

Three more are on track to graduate this summer:

• DE James Gayle (Sociology)
• WR E.L. Smiling (Apparel, Housing and Resource Management)
• OL David Wang (Master’s, previously earned Management undergraduate degree)

For those keeping track, cornerback Antone Exum has his degree in finance and quarterback Logan Thomas has his in human development.

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– ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is ranking his top five draft-eligible players at each position heading into 2014. He did so last year and Logan Thomas was his top quarterback, so take these lists for what they’re worth so early in the year.

Nevertheless, he has given Thomas and defensive end James Gayle a little love this year. They didn’t make the top five ranking at their respective positions, but they were listed in the next five.

Kiper’s top quarterbacks, in order, were Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Clemson’s Tajh Boyd, Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Alabama’s A.J. McCarron. Thomas was third in the next group of five.

“A disappointing junior season puts some pressure on Thomas, but it’s hard to look past his size, arm and — not mentioned enough — a very good work ethic. A must-watch prospect in 2013,” Kiper wrote.

Thomas, who went to work fixing his mechanics this offseason with new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler, threw for 2,976 yards, ran for 524 and accounted for 27 touchdowns last year but also threw 16 interceptions and watched his completion percentage drop from 59.8 to 51.3.

Gayle was the 10th defensive end Kiper listed.

“Looks the part, and has one very good season under his belt, but Gayle needs to find new ways to separate from defenders,” Kiper wrote.

Gayle had 43 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss and five sacks as a junior, earning second-team All-ACC honors.

– Cornerback Antone Exum, meanwhile, was named to the watch list for  the Lott Award, given annually to the defensive player who has the biggest impact on his team on and off the field.

The award, named in honor of former USC and 49ers safety Ronnie Lott, gives “equal weight to personal character as well as athletic performance” according to the trophy’s website.

Seems like a good time to link back to this feel-good story about Exum around Christmas. The senior cornerback is currently rehabbing from an ACL injury suffered this offseason with his goal of being back for the Alabama opener.

Exum had 48 tackles, a team-high five interceptions and an ACC-high 16 pass breakups last season as a junior, earning second-team All-ACC honors.

UPDATE: Linebacker Jack Tyler was also named to the list. The senior from Oakton was a first-team All-ACC pick by the coaches and a second-team pick by the media after making a team-high 119 tackles.

Virginia Tech is one of seven schools nationally to have two players on the award’s watch list.

Virginia Tech wrapped up spring practice on April 20, although questions remain heading into the summer that won’t have more definitive answers until fall camp. Nevertheless, the spring cleared up some things. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be taking a look back at what the Hokies figured out and what remains a work in progress.

Today, we’ll cover the linebackers. If you missed a previous installment, you can get to it here: quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends, offensive line and defensive line.

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THE TWO-DEEP

– Mike: Jack Tyler, Sr. (starter), Chase Williams, Jr.

– Backer: Tariq Edwards, Sr. (starter), Deon Clarke, r-Fr.

– Whip: Ronny Vandyke, So. (starter), Josh Trimble, So.

THE GOOD

The group got one of its veterans back. Edwards, who had a lost junior campaign with knee and leg injuries, was back at full speed this spring, looking a lot like the old Tariq, according to coaches. Tyler was voted a team captain, continuing his rise from walk-on to respected team leader. The big progress was probably made by the backups, though. Clarke (pictured jumping) and Devin Vandyke, a pair of second-year inside linebackers, got plenty of good work in this spring. Vandyke, the younger brother of Ronny, had three tackles for a loss in the spring game. Clarke led all defenders with nine tackles. If they continued to progress, you might be looking at the starting pair come 2014. Other players like Trimble (a special teams standout the coaches see a lot of Alonzo Tweedy in), Dahman McKinnon (now an inside linebacker because coaches didn’t seem him move well enough in space) and walk-ons Drew Burns and Derek DiNardo also got plenty of work.

THE BAD

It was a quiet spring for a couple of linebackers, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just an unusual one for a couple of guys who got attention this time last year. Ronny Vandyke moved to the top of the whip depth chart, practically unopposed, but he didn’t have any standout scrimmages or moments that come to mind. Williams, a spring standout a year ago, was another player whose name you didn’t hear much.

HELP ON THE WAY

The Hokies signed two linebackers in February, Andrew Motua’puaka and Jamieon Moss, although both seem like longer-term prospects. Motua’puaka sounds like he’s more than just Bucky Hodges‘ high school teammate, but inside linebacker depth is too strong for him to play right away. Moss is a candidate for whip, although he’ll need some seasoning.

POTENTIAL BREAKOUT

It can’t be Tyler or Edwards by default, since they’ve already had breakout seasons. Doing it again would just be following up on a previously strong year. So that leaves Ronny Vandyke, who is still growing into the whip position. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster spoke highly of him prior to last year, calling him an ideal fit for the whip position. But Vandyke stalled last year. Foster thought he was too robotic and wants him to play more fluidly and instinctively. You’ve seen what Vandyke can do when unleashed (the would-be tacklers on Pitt’s punt return team certainly know). Now it’s getting him to play like that more often.

BATTLE TO WATCH

The real battles, like most of the defense, are on the second team. With Tyler and Edwards finishing up their careers this year, it’ll be wide open at the inside linebacker spots in 2014. Williams is the oldest of the group, but Clarke and Devin Vandyke made great strides this spring. McKinnon, who shifted inside from whip, is also in the mix now that he’s back on the team. Game reps might be limited, but practice performance should got a long way in helping coaches determine a pecking order for next season.

THEY SAID IT

“At the end of the year … he was so robotic. He didn’t want to make a mistake. It was more like he was playing to do the right thing rather than, let’s do the right thing, but let’s go out and be a football player. Know what I mean?” — Foster, assessing Ronny Vandyke’s play last year

LAST WORD

There should be some comfort with this group, provided everyone stays healthy. Tyler was an All-ACC player a year ago, seizing the opportunity presented by injuries. While the Hokies lost Bruce Taylor, Edwards is an experienced guy who was starting to come into his own at the end of 2011 before the surgeries to relieve pain from a stress fracture set him back. Vandyke has great potential (and remember, he’s only a sophomore still). It’s behind them that there are questions, something the coaches hope will get sorted out as those younger players get more and more game reps. Depth issues can become major if one or two guys get hurt, but ideally Tech can keep that starting trio on the field while bringing the younger guys along.

Steger, who has served since 2000 and will give Virginia Tech’s commencement speech this week, had an integral role in several big sports stories over the years for Virginia Tech. Here’s a look back:

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– 2003, Virginia Tech leaves the Big East to join the ACC. On June 28, not long after publicly saying Tech would not accept an invitation to the league, Steger sent out a letter detailing the reasons that the Hokies would leave the Big East, their home for the previous 12 years in football, to join the ACC.

In it, he outlined the many financial reasons for Virginia Tech to make the move, words that are extremely similar to the rhetoric in the most recent round of conference expansion.

“It is critical that Virginia Tech be a member of a financially viable conference,” he wrote. “What if athletic conference revenues were reduced by several million per year? Coach [Frank] Beamer advised me that simply the uncertainty of the future of the Big East is negatively affecting football recruiting. If we cannot attract good players, our talented coaching staff will be the target of other schools. Finding ourselves several million in the red each year, we could be forced to raise our student athletic fee or begin to eliminate several non-revenue intercollegiate sports to address the problem.”

– 2006, Marcus Vick dismissed from the football team. Steger announced the dismissal of the oft-troubled quarterback after the school and athletic department gave him multiple chances to turn things around.

Vick’s numerous legal problems coupled with his infamous stomp of Louisville’s Elvis Dumervil in the Gator Bowl eventually led to his dismissal. Steger had previously suspended Vick in 2004, although the quarterback was later given a chance to return to the team.

“The university provided one last opportunity for Vick to become a citizen of the university and readmitted him in January 2005, with the proviso that any future problems would result in automatic dismissal from the team,” Steger said at the time.

– 2012, Chairs BCS Presidential Oversight Committee. Although he repeatedly declined to comment on it, Steger had an active role in changes to college football’s postseason format last  year, sitting as the chair on the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee.

The 12-member group ultimately approved the new four-team playoff, even if it was the commissioners of the big conferences and the AD at Notre Dame who came up with all the details.

ACC commissioner John Swofford praised Steger’s leadership afterward to the Daily Press: “Charles Steger just did a tremendous job in chairing this group, He’s got a terrific way about him. He’s an outstanding consensus-builder, and he was very well-versed in running the meeting. I think he was prepared to lock everybody in the room until 10 o’clock and not feed them before letting anyone out without a decision.”

Virginia Tech wrapped up spring practice on April 20, although questions remain heading into the summer that won’t have more definitive answers until fall camp. Nevertheless, the spring cleared up some things. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be taking a look back at what the Hokies figured out and what remains a work in progress.

Today, we’ll cover the defensive line. If you missed a previous installment, you can get to it here: quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends and offensive line.

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THE TWO-DEEP

– DE: James Gayle, Sr. (starter), Tyrel Wilson, Sr.

– DT: Luther Maddy, Jr. (starter), Alston Smith, r-Fr.

– DT: Derrick Hopkins, Sr. (starter), Woody Baron, Fr.

– DE: J.R. Collins, Sr. or Dadi Nicolas, So.

THE GOOD

This group, particularly the first team, performed about as well as anybody could have expected this spring. With veterans across the front, the Hokies got work in for their established players while bringing the younger class along as well. Gayle was the defensive MVP this spring, abusing offensive tackles in scrimmages and setting himself up for a potentially huge senior season. Collins had a renewed focus and attitude, something that coaches said made him look like a new player. Maddy earned recognition for having an exceptional spring, pairing with Hopkins in a formidable tackle duo. A few young guys emerged, including redshirt freshman Ken Ekanem, who looked good in the spring game and is poised for a bright future, even if reps are scarce this year. But it was Nicolas who probably made the biggest strides, emerging as not only an impact player, but potentially as a starter at end, a luxury for what is the deepest group on the team.

THE BAD

There’s not a lot of tackle depth. Behind Hopkins and Maddy, it gets dicey. Kris Harley and Nigel Williams started the spring as the top backups but finished behind Baron and Smith, per defensive line coach Charley Wiles‘ post-spring comments on Frank Beamer‘s website (although the real gap is behind the starters and the backups). That’s especially disappointing about Harley, who showed flashes last year but still hasn’t quite put everything together and played with any kind of consistency. Wiles had hoped the redshirt sophomore would start to take off this spring. It was mostly a lost spring for Wilson, who was limited by a foot injury.

HELP ON THE WAY

Wyatt Teller is the only defensive linemen in the class, and he’s a good one. But even a top-notch recruit would have trouble cracking this defensive line rotation. It sounds like Teller will being as an end, where Tech has the most depth on the team. Gayle, Collins, Nicolas and Wilson are all potential starters, and that’s not even mentioning Corey Marshall or Ekanem. Teller might be a true talent, but unless he moves to tackle or another position, it’d be surprising to see him on the field this year in anything other than special teams.

POTENTIAL BREAKOUT

While a slimmed-down, refocused Collins has a chance to regain his 2011 form, I don’t think there’s any other answer here than Nicolas. Set back last year following his offseason arrest for stealing a bike, coaches didn’t have high expectations for him last year. But he made plays whenever he was in the game, getting more playing time as t he season went on. That continued in the spring, where he was in the backfield consistently during scrimmages. Wiles is a production guy, so if someone isn’t giving him any, he’s not afraid to turn elsewhere. Nicolas is hard to ignore in that sense. He won’t supplant Gayle, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him start (or co-start) at the other end spot with Collins come fall.

BATTLE TO WATCH

The battle that will be in the spotlight more will be at defensive end, where Nicolas, Collins and Wilson are vying for reps, but given the depth there, that’s not nearly as important as the backup tackle spots. Tech know Hopkins and Maddy can’t play 70 snaps a game (or at least be effective doing so). That’s why the Baron, Smith, Harley, Williams and Jarontay Jones need to step up their games. The Hokies have slid guys inside before (Collins and Marshall have done it), but it didn’t work very well. Wiles doesn’t sound like he wants to do that this year but he might be forced to if backups don’t emerge.

THEY SAID IT

“The good thing right now with Gayle, to me last year, obviously junior year, are you coming out? All that crap. We don’t have that crap this year. He’s very focused and determined. He made the decision to stay in school, so he’s very focused, and I think he realizes this is a special opportunity, so his mind is really tight right now.” — Wiles

LAST WORD

This is undoubtedly the strength of the team. The Hokies have play-makers and, save for tackle, pretty good depth. It’s no coincidence that Tech’s defense started to excel last year when the defensive line started pulling its weight. It lost Antoine Hopkins to graduation but otherwise returns everyone else, setting expectations high for this year. Gayle and Collins have been All-ACC performers in the past, while Hopkins, Maddy and Nicolas seem like they have that potential. Tackle depth will continue to be a concern until a) a younger player steps up or b) the Hokies shift one of their ends inside, but when your primary worry is about your backups, that’s generally a good sign. Alabama lost three All-Americans on its offensive line, and while the Crimson Tide simply reloads with highly-touted replacements, Tech’s best bet against the Crimson Tide is to get a monster game out of its d-line. The talent is there. Now it’s a matter of producing.

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First, here’s a story about Corey Fuller at Detroit Lions mini-camp, where he’s trying to prove he’s more than just a guy who can stretch the field. It sounds like he’s made some nice catches early on. From the story:

Saturday, he showed more of his repertoire on the short and intermediate routes. He made a number of terrific catches within 10 and 15 yards of the line of scrimmage, including one on a comeback route with cornerback Lionel Smith draped all over him that got a few ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from teammates.

Detroit drafted him as a developmental guy, because he only had one productive year in college, but Fuller insists his game is more than just a deep threat.

“It is true, I haven’t played much football, but then I don’t think that I’m that raw,” he told the Lions’ website. “I’m just trying to show them everything I can do, as well as learn as much as I possibly can.”

Fuller, a sixth-round pick in the NFL Draft, signed a four-year, $2.28 million contract last week that includes a $123,100 signing bonus. Fellow sixth-rounder and offensive lineman Vinston Painter signed a four-year, $2.27 million deal. That included a $117,932 bonus.

In other news, former Hokies receiver Marcus Davis was waived by the New York Giants after signing a free agent deal shortly after not being selected in April’s draft.

New York signed two veterans and three rookies Saturday but also made six cuts. Davis was one of the six.

He’ll still have a shot at latching on somewhere else. Jarrett Boykin did so last year. After failing to stick with the Jaguars following a tryout, he got a chance in Green Bay and made the team’s roster.

Virginia Tech wrapped up spring practice on April 20, although questions remain heading into the summer that won’t have more definitive answers until fall camp. Nevertheless, the spring cleared up some things. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be taking a look back at what the Hokies figured out and what remains a work in progress.

Today, we’ll cover the offensive line. If you missed a previous installment, you can get to it here: quarterbacks, running backs and receivers and tight ends.

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THE TWO-DEEP

– LT:  Jonathan McLaughlin, Fr. (starter), Adam Taraschke, Fr.

– LG: Brent Benedict, Jr. or Mark Shuman, Jr.

– C:  Caleb Farris, Jr.  or Andrew Miller, Sr. Matt Arkema, Jr.

– RG: Andrew Miller, Sr. or David Wang, Sr., Jake Goins, So.

– RT: Laurence Gibson, Jr. (starter), Augie Conte, Fr.

THE GOOD

New coach Jeff Grimes took the first steps toward finding out what he has by mixing and matching players all spring, trying different combinations to get a starting five he thinks can play well with each other. It’s still a process, but he certainly got plenty of film with which to evaluate. Grimes came in with no preconceived notions, trying to find which players fit the tough mentality he’s trying to instill up front. A couple stood out. Miller proved to be the veteran leader everyone thought he’d be, even if he was battling through the latter stages of his recovery from a leg injury. McLaughlin was probably the biggest spring surprise, enrolling early out of Fork Union and jumping to the top of the depth chart at left tackle, a difficult spot for a true freshman. Gibson seemed to move himself into a position where the Hokies can feel comfortable with him starting at one of the tackle spots. Plenty of players worked at center — Farris, Miller, Arkema, Wang — to at the very least give Tech some versatility.

THE BAD

Well, the group didn’t block particularly well (which is, you know, sort of the point up front). The spring game was a particularly galling experience for the fans, who watched the supposed first-team group fail to push second- and many times third-team defensive line off the line with any kind of success. It’s clear the tip of the spear still needs to be sharpened. A couple players had up and down springs. Wang had another injury setback, again injuring his ankle and being forced to sit out. Nick Acree, a physical marvel who seems like he could have been a contributor, is likely to be done with football because of nagging knee injuries. Benedict began the spring as the top left guard, a returning part-time starter who seemed destined to keep that spot. But Shuman, who got shifted inside after getting jumped on the depth chart at tackle, worked with the first group in the spring game at left guard, leaving many to wonder just who will end up at that spot.

HELP ON THE WAY

McLaughlin and Parker Osterloh are already here, although McLaughlin is the only one of the two that seems poised to play. Signee Braxton Pfaff was the highest-rated linemen in the class, although it’s a tough jump for true freshmen coming out of high school to make (remember, McLaughlin prepped for a semester). Kyle Chung was a tight end who began making the full-time transition to offensive line his senior year, so it’s likely he’ll need some work too. Bottom line: it doesn’t look like there’s too much that this year’s class will contribute this year, which isn’t atypical.

POTENTIAL BREAKOUT

From the start, McLaughlin impressed Grimes, both with his maturity and physical style of play. That’s surprising for a true freshman, even one who had a delayed enrollment in college. He’s big enough already to play (6-4, 306) and seems to have the attitude Grimes craves, which is a bigger asset than any of the physical traits he could bring to the field. Playing left tackle as a true freshman for a BCS conference team can be tough, and McLaughlin could be in for some lessons from opposing players this year if he keeps his spot, but if he can hold his own, it would set up nicely down the line to have an established left tackle for years to come.

BATTLE TO WATCH

Put on a blindfold and throw a dart at a board with all the positions. It might seem like some of the positions crystallized by the end of spring, but Grimes isn’t afraid of competition going up close to the start of the season (and beyond) and won’t be afraid to shuffle things up if he can find a better combination of players. He’d like a starting five that he can go ahead with and build some comfort, but the reality is that the talent level up front isn’t enough to make that clear. Nobody’s spot is safe right now.

THEY SAID IT

“I’ve learned over the years, especially early on with a group, let them do different things and kind of see where they fit best. And part of it is doing that on an individual basis. Part of it will end up being based on getting our best five on the field. So where one guy plays isn’t always based on his ability, it might be based on what other guys can do better. It’s a matter of getting the best five guys on the field and getting them in spots where they can help us best and play their best.” — Grimes

LAST WORD

The approach is new, but it might take a while to get results. This was a group with plenty of issues coming into the spring that don’t figure to get resolved overnight. Yes, there’s trying to instill a new mentality, a tough-minded one that’s in line with Grimes’ coaching style. But there’s also the fact that the Hokies have to replace Vinston Painter, Nick Becton and Michael Via, three veterans of the group. There were some intriguing things the group did this spring, but it was never with any consistency. Tech didn’t push people off the line in scrimmages or the spring game, which is what the goal is. Grimes has said building the right mentality in players comes through recruiting, identifying them before they even get to Tech. This is an inherited group for him, one that’s not devoid of talent, but still one that’s trying to adjust to a new coach, a new scheme and a new attitude. And that takes time, certainly more than 15 spring practices allow.

Virginia Tech wrapped up spring practice on April 20, although questions remain heading into the summer that won’t have more definitive answers until fall camp. Nevertheless, the spring cleared up some things. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be taking a look back at what the Hokies figured out and what remains a work in progress.

Today, we’ll cover the receivers and tight ends. If you missed a previous installment, you can get to it here: quarterbacks and running backs.

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THE TWO-DEEP

– WR: D.J. Coles, Sr. (starter), Josh Stanford, r-Fr.

– WR: Demitri Knowles, So. (starter), Kevin Asante, So.

– TE: Ryan Malleck, Jr. (starter), Duan Perez-Means, Jr.

THE GOOD

The group showed a renewed spirit under new coach Aaron Moorehead, whose energy was infectious. Sesveral players remarked about how practice was fun again. The two spring standouts at receiver were probably Knowles and Stanford. Knowles began to round out his game more, becoming more than just a deep threat and polishing up his routes. Stanford, who took a medical redshirt last year with a knee injury (something that’s still pending, by the way), made major strides all around, gaining Logan Thomas‘ trust in the process. He had three catches for 86 yards in the spring game and showed he’ll be a big contributor this year. Coles lined up all over the place, and it looks like Tech will use him some as an H-back to exploit mismatches. At tight end, Malleck seems like the well-rounded player who will be the starter. He had the only offensive touchdown in the spring game. Zack McCray might be new to the position, but as Thomas’ cousin, he clearly has a comfort with him. A four-catch, 65-yard spring game was a nice capper.

THE BAD

Drops and drops and drops. Oh, the drops. There were so many. By everyone, In every scrimmage, it seemed. They were so plentiful that Frank Beamer made it a point in his post-spring press conference to note that pretty much every receiver and tight end on the team needs to catch about 100 balls a day on the JUGS machine. Think that might be a concern? The other downside was the inconsistency of the groups. The receivers are still extremely inexperienced. That’s most evident with guys down the depth chart like Joel Caleb and Charley Meyer who haven’t been in the program long (and in Caleb’s case, hasn’t even been playing receiver for a full year). Ditto for the tight ends, where Perez-Means and McCray are converted defensive linemen who are still learning the position.

HELP ON THE WAY

There’s not a ton of players who seem like they could contribute immediately. David Prince will start out at receiver and probably Deon Newsome too (although he’s been mentioned as a DB candidate by Bud Foster as well). Quarterback Carlis Parker took some reps at wide receiver this spring after enrolling early, although he looked very raw at a position he’s never played before. Coaches mentioned on signing day that Kendall Fuller could be a guy who could possibly play offense too. That might be a stretch this year, considering how excited the defensive staff is to get him on the field early.

POTENTIAL BREAKOUT

Since Knowles established himself a little bit last year, let’s go with Stanford. The Canadian-born receiver was one of the last members of the 2012 class to sign, but it’s clear the Hokies got a steal on that one. He was going to be in Tech’ s plans last year before the knee injury set him back. He seems eager to have a big role this year, and is a smart player who picks things up quickly. If the Hokies go with three wide receivers, expect him to be one of them.

BATTLE TO WATCH

The trio of Coles, Knowles and Stanford seems like a very good bet to get tons of playing time. It’s the players below them on the depth chart who will be competing to get on the field. Guys like Asante, Caleb, Meyer, E.L. Smiling and Willie Byrn are in that second-tier that needs to advance their games enough for the coaches to trust putting them on the field with any regularity. Whoever can get over that hump will play, because Tech won’t be able to get by with just three receivers.

THEY SAID IT

“I’d rather have a group of guys that are a little more established, but you know what? This is my group. Of course you can mold them the way you need to mold them, but we’re going to have to grow up fast, because as you guys know, the ACC is a good football league and there are a lot of good football teams, and if you go in flat, you’re going to have some really slow Saturdays. If you come in up tempo and every week you’re coming in and you’re fired up, you’re ready to go and you’ve got play-makers, you’ll be good.” — Moorehead

LAST WORD

It’ll be a brand new look at receiver this year for the Hokies, who have bid adieu to Danny Coale, Jarrett Boykin, Marcus Davis, Corey Fuller and Dyrell Roberts in the last two years. Those five guys caught nearly all the team’s passes. With the exception of Coles, it’s a fairly inexperienced group, one that’s going to need to progress rapidly for Thomas to achieve a comfort with them that makes passing games so effective. There’s some promise. Coles, if he gets healthy and in shape, could be primed for a big year. Knowles and Stanford have promise. And Malleck is a decent option at tight end. But Tech will need more than them to be effective, leaving plenty of opportunities for whoever wants to seize them.