First, a bit of housekeeping. Someone posted a comment here, asking if he/she could RSS feed just my blog. An embarassed admission: I have no idea what RSS means or what it involves, other than the microscopic hamsters that run around on microscopic wheels inside my laptop to power the thing. I think RSS has something to do with a BlackBerry.

Anyway, I passed the question along to my sports editor, Steve Trosky, and he informed me that our technocrats are working on the RSS thing, and he will let me know when the situation is ironed out. I will pass that information along in this space when I receive it.

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On to the rest of today’s post ...

Senior Cory Holt moved from quarterback to wide receiver last week. He began practicing at receiver toward the end of last season and remained there through the spring. He had a fantastic catch in practice today, hauling in a pass with one hand while falling down and fighting through a crowd of three defenders in the end zone.

After practice, Holt talked about his latest position switch. Some tidbits from that conversation ...

- He asked the coaches last Monday if he could move. “I knew the direction we’re headed at quarterback,“ he said.

- He is listed third or fourth on the depth chart right now at the X position, behind Prince Parker.

- He is now done for good at quarterback and hopes to do “anything I can” to get on the field before his career ends (which is why he asked the coaches if he could move to receiver). He has thrown a pass in just eight games, completing 8 of 19 for 113 yards and a touchdown.

- He’s technically the most experienced player at receiver, at least in terms of year. Junior Ike Whitaker is the second-most experienced. Holt’s knowledge of the offense could come in handy for Tech’s young receivers. “I’m mentoring a little bit,“ Holt said. “Any help I can give, I’m all for it.“

- Holt also is practicing on special teams. Today was his first day there. He is a “wing” player on the punt-block unit, the guy responsible for coming off the edge to block a punt.

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During the part of practice we media mongrels are allowed to watch, Tech head coach Frank Beamer observed punter Brent Bowden as Bowden worked on placing punts inside the 10-yard line. Bowden is about as accurate with his foot as someone can be.

He stood at the right hash marks and dropped several punts inside the 10. He punted several more out of bounds inside the 10, which would pin an opponent back just the same. Then Bowden did the same thing from the left hash marks. Beamer stood behind Bowden and clocked his “get-off time” with a stopwatch. Beamer also watched to see how high Bowden’s punts sailed, because that’s the goal when you’re trying to pin an opponent deep—the higher the punt, the better.

Last season, Tech used field-goal kicker Jud Dunlevy on these quick kicks, when the Hokies were on the edge of Dunlevy’s field-goal range. This approach could throw off an opponent, which might expect Dunlevy to attempt a field goal, only to have him drop a punt inside the 10. This season, field-goal kicker Dustin Keys isn’t as sure-handed as Bowden, so Bowden will handle the quick-kick situations.

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A quick preview of what you’ll see in the print edition for the rest of the week ...

- Friday: A feature on North Carolina’s Brandon Tate, who has accumulated yards this season like he’s a pixilated character in a video game.

- Saturday: The game preview (advance, in the fancy parlance of a newspaperman) on cornerback Victor “Macho” Harris doubling up and playing wide receiver. How much might Tech use him on Saturday? How have Harris’s cornerback skills helped him at receiver? Will he help the Hokies develop their vertical passing attack, something they have lacked in the first three games? Check Saturday’s paper for the answers.