Following Virginia Tech’s annual Maroon vs. White spring football game on Saturday, members of the media asked head coach Frank Beamer about the option of redshirting sophomore QB Tyrod Taylor if redshirt senior Sean Glennon won the QB battler outright. Beamer’s response surprised more than a few people – he didn’t rule it out – though he did say that the competition would remain open throughout fall practice.
I have made my case for Tyrod Taylor being the starter this season, but I’m having second thoughts. Not because I do not think that he is the best quarterback for this team; but because the team, as it stands right now, might not be the best fit for his game, and redshirting him this season would give us two full seasons with him as the uncontested QB. Throw him in there this season and he could very likely be running for his life on every play, which would increase the likelihood of injury.
The offensive line, while massive, is untested and suspect. The running game is in complete disarray with our top two RBs out with injuries and the next three guys, while talented, have no meaningful game experience. In fact, Dustin Pickle, the redshirt senior, is the only one of the three that has run the ball in an actual game, though all of his game experience came in garbage time. He only got one carry in the spring game. The other two, Josh Oglesby and Darren Evans, both redshirted last year. Even when Jahre Cheeseman and Kenny Lewis come back, there is no guarantee that the offensive line will be able to open up the holes necessary to establish an effective ground game.
Then there is the receiving corps, which is completely new. Our top guy right now isn’t even on scholarship. Brandon Dillard is a redshirt junior out of Martinsville and he’s all of 5-11, 180 pounds. He’s one of the fastest guys on the team and looked alright in the spring game, but he also lacks game experience and his lack of height will hurt him in jump ball situations. Then there are Ike Whitaker and Cory Holt, both converted QBs who haven’t seem much action as receivers. Certainly there is talent and potential at the receiver spot, but again, it is untested and there will be growing pains.
Glennon looked good in the spring game and tossed a pair of nice touchdown passes. He showed poise and maturity and looked every bit of the solid QB he proved he could be in the last year’s impressive 27-3 win over Georgia Tech. His issues is inconsistency and that is where I have concerns about making him the full time starter. Who would back him up if he struggles? Right now, Jeff Beyer, a 6-4, 221-pound redshirt junior is listed as the only other QB on the roster. I sincerely doubt they’d moved Ike or Cory back to QB after playing them at receiver all spring, though they could step in should the need arise, a la Nick Sorenson, but that’s a worst-case scenario.
If the Hokies are to redshirt Taylor this season – which is making more and more sense to me – they would need to ride any inconsistencies on Glennon’s part for the entire season. I would think that if Glennon – God forbid – got hurt within the first three games, you could bring Taylor out and burn the redshirt. However, if Glennon remains healthy, you keep Taylor on the bench and give the RBs, OL and WRs a year to mature and adjust to the system. That also gives Tyrod another two years with the incoming, talent-laden ’08-’09 recruits.
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I am totally with you on this. I not only have second thoughts about Taylor being redshirted, I highly recommend it. I was a lonely voice last year, that thought he should have redshirted then. Yanking Glennon early last year, I thought, was a disaster. It created divide- pro-Glennon vs. pro-Taylor, and killed any confidence Glennon had. Believe me, I do not think Glennon is anything special, but he does have experience, and Taylor can be a bonehead at times. He still needs time to season. And please, if anyone is listening- DO NOT do the duel QB thing this year.
Yeah, or Tech could just go with split starters again like they did last year to the tune of ACC Champs and 11 wins. Redshirting Tyrod does nobody any good, except perhaps NFL teams and our opponents.
The rule states that you can’t leave without three years at a school. A redshirt year counts as one of those years! Why would we want to chance only letting him play another year? That’s just stupid!
And, hello!!! Once again, has everyone forgotten about how well it worked last year? Everybody seems to think we HAVE to have a set starter. WE DON’T! Last year was proof. I’m starting to think everyone within the Hokie community has amnesia! And how can you say the line is untested? We return 4 starters and several others who started games. This will be our best offensive line since 2005, HANDS DOWN.
Oh, wait…dude!!! Did you just compare Nick Sorenson to Ike Whitaker and Cory Holt? That’s painful. Granted Cory Holt has had his troubles in the passing game, but Ike?
Ike is the most talented quarterback on the team and perhaps the most talented PLAYER on the team. I know that is a bold prediction, but this is coming from a former invited walk-on Deep Snapper in Cory Byrd.
Cory once told me that from his feet to his neck, Ike was the most talented player on the team. He said it was just from the neck up where it was a bit fuzzy. Truly, with that being said, and with the way Ike put on a clinic at the QB position several years in the Spring Game and in mop up duty in 2006, that has to be the only reason he’s not starting. So the kid likes to drink! What college kid doesn’t?
I think the alums were tired of hearing about poor character, especially coming from the quarterback position. Either way, there’s no comparison to Nick Sorenson’s Quarterback abilities. That’s outrageous!
I disagree with Chicagomaroon on his depiction of someone with alcoholism, but agree with his viewpoint on dual QBs.
“So the kid likes to drink! What college kid doesn’t?”
Chicagomaroon, are you really joking about alcoholism? It is a disease. And I don’t think that “any colege kid loves to drink.” I think that that depiction of someone with alcoholism is a sick, twisted viewpoint.
Apparently, you have not seen this article about Ike and the daily battles he has to go through:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/26/AR2007012601629.html
Ike Whitaker has a chance to be like James Johnson (a converted QB) was at the receiver slot at Georgia Tech (and Johnson burned the Hokies a number of times the last two years). Johnson was a number 2 receiver and he was a junior and a #1 receiver as a senior. Ike Whitaker has the strength and the speed to be both a posession and “burner” receiver. And I look forward to see what he can do on the field at that key position.
The dual QB system has worked at Virginia Tech… we would not have won the ACC Championship (including that big road win at Clemson) without it. It worked well when Christ Leak was at Florida and Tim Tebow came in on key situations. And I happen to think that Ohio State could try it with Tyrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman this year, although they say that they are not going to burn Tyrelle’s redshirt. Tyrod has too much mobility to give up, Gary. He has to be on the field in key situations.
Obviously you didn’t read into it well enough, but I did not write it well enough…so it’s probably my fault. It’s tongue in cheek. It’s a big deal. I agree.
The reason he’s not starting in my opinion is the result of that and other problems that spurn from his alcohol problem. I read the article in its entirety. It is touching, and I’m glad to know about the conclusion.
However, I don’t think Ike will be a success at receiver. I think he has fantastic speed for the Quarterback position, but he won’t beat DB’s in a true 11 on 11 position. A running quarterback technically makes it a 12 on 11 matchup as far as I see it.
Here’s the thing though (since we agree on the QB position)…WSHokie…what the heck do you mean “It created divide- pro-Glennon vs. pro-Taylor, and killed any confidence Glennon had.”????? It absolutely sky-rocketed his confidence. Are you even going to compare the pre and post-Tyrod Glennon stats to support your argument? It would be dumb to do it, but go look for yourself.
Either Tyrod’s presence or the fear of losing his job completely motivated him and rose him to a new level! Yes he fell off and sobbed for several weeks, but in the end it made him realize how much harder he had to work and how much of it was just him believing in himself, and then his confidence absolutely sky-rocketed!!! I don’t understand what you’re saying then?
Think about how Drew Brees’ game was elevated by the drafting of Phillip Rivers and you essentially have what happened to Glennon and motivated him. COMPETITION MAKES EVERYONE BETTER.
And if you truly are encouraging people to redshirt Tyrod and are saying “DO NOT do the duel QB thing this year,” I hope you are satisfied with 8 or so wins, because that could be the result! The system worked. IT WILL WORK AGAIN. WHY DOES NOBODY UNDERSTAND THAT???
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
First off, Tyrod Taylor is a Sophomore. Redshirting him will result in having him as our undisputed starting QB for the next THREE years, not two years. I’m sure you just messed up when you said he’d have two years as the starter, but I’m clarifying this for those who don’t understand how redshirting works.
Redhirting essentially freezes Taylor’s eligibility dead in it’s tracks and prevents him from becoming a “Junior” as he normally would become next season. Instead, upon taking the redshirt, Taylor will remain a Sophomore next season, thus preserving three more years of athletic eligibility. He would be a Sophomore (RS) as a football player but would become an academic Junior as is the norm.
In short, I hope he takes a redshirt and becomes the undisputed three year starter at QB for VT, thus giving him more time to develope as a QB and grow with his teammates.
For those of you who are worried about him “leaving early” for the NFL, I wouldn’t worry about that too much as he is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from being anything close to ready for the NFL. That is unless, of course, he wants to return punts or kicks there! Beamer will set him on the straight path. No worries, he’s got the mistakes of many to draw upon there.
I can only imagine how good this kid will be with a redshirt season and an additional full season of experience under his belt. Think about it… at this point in his college career he would only still be a Junior!!! If Beamer an company can put the pieces in place around Tyrod in that time… WOW!
Here’s hoping…
God Bless!
Now That we have witnessed the Sean Glennon Debacle, I have a few questions. Number One, why does it seem that Frank Beamer only uses Talented Black athletes to propel VT into stardom, only to strip them? There is absolutely no reason why Cory Holt did not play in the game. I dont like the idea of Tyrod Redshirting, but can accept it, although Tyrod Taylor should have been redshirted last year. Wide Receivers did not look too bad, I think it is time to revert Ike Whittaker back to QB and give Ike, Cory and Sean all some reps at the Furman game. Wanna save Tyrod Taylor, fine. Lets not forget about JuJu Clayon either. I mean if this is going to be a Throw away season, then let’s take off the Brakes. Lets face it, Sean Glennon will not even get a chance in Arena League Football and he is flat out inconsistent. Now I give nothing but credit to East Carolina, they are a very good team, and should easily win Conf USA. I expected a close game, but come on a 5th Year senior can’t even get more than 3 yards on their last 4 down series? I am from the Blacksburg area and was raised on VT Football, but if Sean Glennon stays under center, I guess I will just switch to the Hoos for a season. Let’s say that perhaps Sean Glennon is a little better a passer than Cory Holt or Ike Whittaker, but is he a Brady Quinn? No. Even if Ike Whittaker’s or Cory Holt’s throwing skills are a little less than Sean Glennon, they can both still scramble when the pocket breaks down.