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Josh Oglesby the starting running back for Virginia Tech. For now.

Darren Evans is gone for the season with a torn ACL, which catapulted Oglesby, a redshirt sophomore, into the starting role. But he has some serious competition.

Behind him are highly touted freshmen Ryan Williams and David Wilson. Williams redshirted last season because the Hokies were loaded in the backfield with Kenny Lewis, Darren Evans and Oglesby. Wilson is a true freshman with freakish speed and Barry Sanders-like cuts that are already twisting ankles.

Lewis, last season’s No. 1 RB, is likely out for the 2009 season after four off-season surgeries to his torn Achilles tendon. Evans is gone for the year as well. That leaves three RBs with a total of 38 college carries and Oglesby owns all of them.

Oglesby is a great practice player that has struggled in games, however he showed signs of dependability at the end of last season. Whether or not Oglesby remains the starter, he will be an integral part of the offense because he is Frank Beamer’s only real option as a bruiser and short yardage guy.

Williams and Wilson are speedsters. They hit the big holes, blow by defenders or in Wilson’s case, make them miss completely. Both rookies were so superior to their competition in high school that neither really had to grind out yardage in the trenches – they simply outran everyone.

Granted the freshmen have the benefit of practicing against one of the best defenses in the country, but they’ve yet to play against a defense that is highly motivated to stop them. And their first real test is No. 5 Alabama.

If the Hokies are to make a run at the National Championship, Williams and Wilson will need to grow up fast. Really fast.

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