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Is there anybody ALIVE out there?!
Darryl Slater
Sep 15, 2008

Good morning, everybody. How are you today?

Concerned about the Wall Street woes? Weary of the presidential-race he said/she said? Fear not. We have some tidbits from Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer’s Monday teleconference to start your week on a positive, or at least neutral, note.

Before that, a couple items of news ...

*Fifth-year senior linebacker Brett Warren was named ACC defensive lineman of the week today after making a career-high 15 tackles and forcing a fumble Saturday against Georgia Tech.

*Backup junior fullback Kenny Younger (Mills Godwin) will undergo knee surgery, Tech announced today. Younger injured his right knee during last Tuesday’s practice.

OK, now to stuff from Beamer’s teleconference ...

- Beamer said North Carolina, Tech’s opponent this week, “is the best football team we’ve played” this season.

- For the third consecutive week, Beamer has put his quarterbacks, Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon, off limits to the media. Not that it really matters anymore. Taylor is the starter, Glennon the backup. The rotation is history.

- Junior Kenny Lewis Jr. will continue to start at tailback, despite being overshadowed by redshirt freshman Darren Evans on Saturday. Lewis carried eight times for 13 yards, Evans 19 times for 94 yards and a touchdown. Beamer said he met with running backs coach Billy Hite to discuss the situation at tailback and that “I know Billy has a lot of faith in [Lewis].”

- Beamer credited defensive tackle John Graves (Meadowbrook High) for blocking kicks in each of the first three games, but noted that a couple of those kicks were low, which helped Graves block them.

- Beamer hopes this is the week right tackle Blake DeChristopher (Clover Hill) returns after a two-game absence due to a bruised right kidney, knee and thigh. “We’re gonna need everything we’ve got for this one,” Beamer said.

- Junior wide receiver Ike Whitaker didn’t get into the game on Saturday. Beamer said that’s because other players are practicing well, namely Jarrett Boykin. Whitaker began the season as Tech’s third option at wide receiver.

- Beamer said last week that he’d like to take a look at redshirt freshman tailback Josh Oglesby, but he had no carries Saturday and has just four this season. But Beamer maintained today that he still has “a lot of hope” for Oglesby.

- Speaking of tailbacks, Beamer confirmed that this is the week he will decide for sure about whether true freshman Ryan Williams will redshirt. Based on everything Hite and Williams said last week, the official announcement of Williams redshirting seems inevitable. Probably just a matter of when Beamer announces it this week. Williams was Tech’s top recruit.

- Senior cornerback Victor “Macho” Harris (Highland Springs) could play more this week at wide receiver. He caught one pass Saturday, fumbled a double reverse and saw a deep pass sail over his head. “I think he needs to play more series, not just plays,” Beamer said. “He needs to be able to play a couple series, three series, four series, whatever. We’re gonna try to have a good plan for that.”

- When a reporter started asking a question about Carolina senior receiver Brandon Tate, who has 616 all-purpose yards in two games, Beamer could barely contain his enthusiasm for Tate’s skills. “Oooh,” Beamer said while the reporter asked his question. And then, a few seconds later, as the reporter continued to ask his question, another “oooh.” Clearly, Beamer thinks Tate is a threat that needs to be contained. “This guy is a great football player,” Beamer said. “The way he starts may not be the way he ends up. He can change direction. He can zig-zag. He’s legit all the way.”

***

In the spirit of today’s summary headline (the thing below the main headline), here’s a musical treat ...

Wakin’ up feelin’ good and limber with Frank Beamer’s teleconference

Posted in • College SportsVirginia Tech
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