Word on the street Thursday night in Bethesda, Md., was that rising Georgetown Prep rising senior Patrick Glading has committed to Virginia, following in the footsteps of two older brothers who have excelled for the Cavaliers in men's lacrosse.
I've heard enough yesterday and today to say confidently that Virginia signee Morgan Moses, a Parade All-American, will play at Fork Union Military Academy.
A usually reliable poster on cavscorner.com said Monday that Moses would be going to Hargrave Military Academy, "but I haven't talked to him," said Hargrave coach Robert Prunty when asked about Moses.
"I'd be extremely happy if he came here but I'd be shocked."
UVa coach Al Groh said at the ACC's Football Kickoff that Moses would be spending the fall at Fork Union, and FUMA coach John Shuman said Tuesday that Moses and his parents had visited Fork Union on Saturday.
"We're a traditional school and we require some paperwork," Shuman said. "We do not have the paperwork back, but he did visit our school."
Football practice at Fork Union begins Aug. 17.
Virginia Tech's football team was by far the most popular choice to win the ACC Coastal Division, as well as its fourth overall conference title in five seasons. This according to the 87 media members in attendance at the ACC Football Kickoff in Greensboro, N.C.
78 of the 87 voters predicted Tech would win the ACC Coastal. The other nine first-place votes went to Georgia Tech. Virginia was picked to finish fifth.
In the Atlantic Division, Florida State received 56 first-place votes. However, 69 of the 87 voters went on to pick Tech as the winner of the Dec. 5 championship game, which will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Here are the full results:
Atlantic Division
1. Florida State (56 first-place votes)
2. Clemson (14)
3. N.C. State (10)
4. Wake Forest (7)
5. Maryland
6. Boston College
Coastal Division
1. Virginia Tech (78)
2. Georgia Tech (9)
3. North Carolina
4. Miami
5. Virginia
6. Duke
ACC Championship game winner: Virginia Tech (69 votes); Florida State and Georgia Tech (7), Clemson and N.C. State (2).
Preseason player of the year
1. Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (39 votes)
2. C.J. Spiller, Clemson (28)
3. Russell Wilson, N.C. State (16)
One vote apiece: Vic Hall (UVa), Tyrod Taylor (Va. Tech), Christian Ponder (FSU), Riley Skinner (Wake).
Notebook Plus was posted a day early: http://www.roanoke.com/sports/notebookplus/wb/212851
Chase Williams, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker from Loudoun County High School in Leesburg, has become the 17th football player to commit to Virginia Tech for 2010.
Williams' father, Greg, is the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.
Williams was credited with 163 tackles as a junior, including 33 for loss. He reportedly also had offers from West Virginia and Miami.
E.L. Smiling, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound wide receiver from Brooke Point High School in Stafford, has become the 16th football prospect to commit to Virginia Tech for 2010.
Smiling had 27 receptions as a junior but is being “counted on” as more of a featured player this coming season, Brooke Point coach Jeff Berry said Wednesday.
Berry is the third player to commit to Tech after attending a recent one-day camp, although he was offered by the Hokies during the winter. Berry said it was the only offer Smiling had received.
I read on one of the UVa-related boards that a football promo with Jameel Sewell had been pulled off the virginiasportstv.com.
It made for an interesting twist. Sewell missed the 2008 season while on academic suspension and people were wondering if his difficulties had re-occurred. So, I put in a call.
My contact indicated that the promotional spots are rotated and that the absence of the Sewell promo has no special significance. Moreover, Sewell is enrolled in summer school.
That's not to say that Sewell -- and others, presumably -- must complete summer school satisfactorily to be eligible. However, that was as much of an issue in June as it is now.
DD
I have just retrieved a voice message from Mark Bendorf, the football coach at Robinson High School in Fairfax, who reports that 6-4, 215-pound linebacker Brian Laiti (pronounced Light-tee) has committed to Virginia Tech.
The Hokies also have received a commitment from Detrick Bonner, a 6-foot, 170-pound wide receiver and defensive back from Luella (Ga.) High School, where he had 21 receptions for 500 yards as a junior, when he also had four interceptions.
Bonner, who said in a phone interview that he does not have a preference between offense and defense, said he had offers from Michigan, Mississippi State, Toledo, Central Florida and Louisville. He committed to Tech two days after getting an offer.
Robinson coach Mark Bendorf said that Laiti’s final choice came down to Tech, Maryland, Boston College, West Virginia and Syracuse, if there had to be a fifth choice. Laiti, youngest of four brothers to play for Robinson, had 147 tackles as a senior. He was rated the No. 15 junior in Virginia by The Roanoke Times.
Roanoke Times assistant sports editor and University of Virginia beat writer Doug Doughty celebrated his 35th anniversary with the newspaper on July 15. Here's a brief tribute to Doug, who was the man of honor at a surprise reception this week.
-- Steve Hemphill
Virginia Tech has taken a football commitment from 5-foot-11, 160-pound defensive back Kyle Fuller, the younger brother of ex-Hokies' standout Vincent Fuller, now with the Tennessee Titans.
Kyle Fuller, from Mount St. Joseph's in Baltimore, attended a one-day camp this past weekend in Blacksburg. According to rivals.com, he also had offers from Maryland, Duke, Syracuse and Kansas.
