Virginia Tech’s football team will welcome six freshmen when classes begin next Tuesday, including two who graduated high school a semester early. Their arrival enables them to participate in spring practices, which begin March 31.

Three of the six originally signed with Tech last February: offensive tackle Kory Gough, defensive end Duan Perez-Means and free safety Theron Norman. The latter two are from Hermitage High.

Gough took last semester off and deferred his enrollment until this semester. Perez-Means came to Tech last fall but deferred his enrollment because he needed shoulder surgery. Norman attended Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham last fall.

A fourth player enrolling next week is offensive lineman Laurence Gibson, who is from Sierra Visa, Ariz., and played with on Hargrave’s postgraduate team with Norman. Gibson attended Hargrave after getting no scholarship offers coming out of high school. He committed to Tech last month. He is now rated the nation’s No. 2 prep school player, according to the recruiting Web site Rivals.com.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Tech’s announcement today that the six players will enroll is the inclusion of linebacker Chase Williams and quarterback Ricardo Young, who graduated high school early. Recent Hokies who did this are center Tripp Carroll and tailback George Bell. Carroll came in January 2002, Bell in January 2004. Injuries resulted in both leaving the team with eligibility remaining.

Williams, of Leesburg, is the son of former Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who currently has that role with the New Orleans Saints.

Young, who is from Washington, D.C., will be able to get an extra semester of experience by enrolling early. That’s important because Tech’s starting quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, will be a senior this fall. Taylor’s backups last season were redshirt freshman Joseph “Ju-Ju” Clayton, of Hermitage, and Logan Thomas, a true freshman who redshirted.

Young was one of two quarterbacks who committed to Tech for the Class of 2011. The other is Mark Leal of Atlantic High in Delray Beach, Fla. – the same school that produced two former Tech stars (wide receiver David Clowney and cornerback Brandon Flowers), as well as current cornerback Jayron Hosley, who returned punts as a true freshman this past season.

Leal and at least 16 other committed players for the Class of 2011 are expected to sign with the Hokies on National Signing Day, Feb. 3.

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The mid-year enrollment includes two players who graduated high school early.