Shuman says Chavis not visiting VT
Defensive lineman Tyrell Chavis, a 2012 UVa signee who is taking a postgraduate year at Fork Union Military Academy, remains committed to Virginia.
Rival Virginia Tech had attempted to persuade Chavis to take an official recruiting visit to Blacksburg this coming weekend.
“He’s done,” Shuman said. “He was supposed to talk to [Tech assistant] Shane Beamer this morning and apparently they passed the phone to Shane and he said, ‘I’m not coming this weekend. I’m committed to Virginia.”
Shuman, who has a son on Tech’s team and has sent numerous players to both schools, talked to Chavis on Wednesday night.
“I told him, ‘Whatever decision you make, I’m good with, I can handle it,” Shuman said. ” I guess he slept on it, made his decision and knocked it out of the ballpark. He’s committed and he’s done.
“It seems like every day now I’ve got a problem where I’m stuck in the middle between these two schools.”
I don’t envy him.


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tech is not sexy anymore, even with changes the program will be average upcoming.
It sounds as though John’s patience is wearing thin with the folks in Blacksburg. It’s always seemed that whatever staff in Cville managed to recruit FUMA better than whatever staff was in Bburg. With the recent addition of Shane, that seems to have become more contentious. Perhaps the vaunted ‘SEC influence’ doesn’t play so well with the folks at FUMA. John’s son is at VaTech, but he seems a little peturbed by their actions lately. That’s shortsighted on the Hokies’ end. Let’s hope they wake up. Hargrave doesn’t have to be the only postgrad answer, if they act responsibly.
Nine wins in a row. 12 out of the last 13. Total scores since Mike London has been at UVA: VT 92 UVA 21. Results speak for themselves
Doug I have always enjoyed reading your columns. I am a hokie and live between Marion,Va.Columbia Falls,Mt. and Fort Lauderdale but always look forward to you columns and comments.
Doug, I’m not going to post my opinion as fact like the previous guy- instead, I would rather ask you to clarify your comments in your article:
“[FORK UNION FB COACH] SHUMAN WAS embroiled in several recruiting scenarios this week, one involving defensive lineman Tyrell Chavis, a 2012 UVa signee who has been committed to the Cavaliers for most of the year but got a late rush from Virginia Tech.”
Your Shuman article made it sound like Shuman may have influenced UVa signed Chavis NOT TO VISIT Virginia Tech on a recruiting visit, but to instead study for a class. This is in the same mention of his concern that his own son was not getting enough playing time at VT. I don’t think I read into it that much, but the gist of that comment in the article was not clear to me. Can you please clarify your understanding of the current Vt recruiting situation with regards to FU? Some posters have nothing better to do than cause trouble, and i just want to make sure I didnt misunderstand your comments. Thanks!
Crooked…speculate much? Shuman loves the relationships at VT. When the recruit spoke to Shane, he said he’s staying with UVA…what makes anything involving that conversation contentious. VT talks with prospects who want to talk…is Shane harassing him?…no. Stop trying to throw VT under the bus at every opportunity. Shuman probably does feel conflicted because he wants players to stay committed, but he also doesn’t want to stand in their way if they truly are having 2nd thoughts….he just wishes kids wouldn’t “commit” too early so they have time to consider everything before committing so they don’t go back on their word. I’ve heard him say that very thing. He probably also identifies some kids who may be better at one place than the other and thinks they’re making the wrong choice, but he talks straight with them and let’s them make the choice
Not sure if you’re responding to me or Mike. Shuman is fine with kids going to VT but he doesn’t want to alienate UVa, with Cavs being that close. If Chavis had flipped, maybe UVa would have been less inclined to send its props there.
Whether it’s Fork Union or Hargrave or some other prep school, the UVas and Techs of the world are going to keep sending their partial qualifiers to a school if they know that school will support them.
If Chavis had flipped, UVa might have been more reluctant to send a kid there in the future. Shuman loves his boys and has a daughter at Tech, too, but he knows the school 30 miles down the road helps his legitimacy.
Don’t think there’s any question, from my conversations, that Shuman worked very hard to make the Drew Harris situation work.
He protected Tech’s interests with Harris the way he protected UVa’s with Chavis and Valles.