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Virginia Tech sophomore Jake Johnson began the 2009 season as a starting linebacker, but struggled to read offenses and blew several assignments that eventually led to diminished playing time in favor of redshirt freshman Lyndell Gibson. Gibson started five games last season including the last four. In lieu of Gibson’s performance, defensive coordinator Bud Foster recently met with Johnson to talk about moving to defensive end beginning with the spring 2010 practice schedule, which begins March 31.

“I told Coach Foster that I’ll do whatever’s best for the team,” Johnson told BeamerBall.com.

Johnson is 6-1 and 231 pounds, which is the perfect size for a Virginia Tech defensive end (see Corey Moore, Darryl Tapp and Jason Worilds). The rising junior Fredericksburg, Va., is a very physical player that loves contact and plays with a great deal of intensity, though he needs to learn to reign in that intensity and focus it a little better. We love Jake here at VTHF and think that if he can make the transition from backer to end, he could do some serious damage against opposing offenses next season.

Tech’s defense is going to look very different next season compare to last. The Hokies lost several defensive players who started at some point in 2009: Jason Worilds, Nekos Brown, Stephan Virgil, Dorian Porch, Cordarrow Thompson, Kam Chancellor and perhaps the biggest loss, Cody Grimm, who was the heart and soul of that defense.

Johnson’s move to defensive end could mean that Foster is comfortable with Gibson as the unquestioned starter going into next season; or it could mean that losing both starting defensive ends, Brown and Worilds, has left the Hokies with a serious experience issue at that position. Our guess is that it’s a combination of both, but more the latter than the former.

Defensive end is a huge concern for Foster right now. His starters are gone and the guys replacing them have a total of ZERO starts at the position. Rising redshirt junior Chris Drager, who switched from tight end to defensive end after last spring, and rising redshirt senior Steven Friday are the only returning ends with any experience. So moving Jake Johnson was almost a necessity.

On the current roster, there are only three defensive ends that have a jersey number. Now, the Hokies have three defensive ends coming in with the 2010 recruiting class, but only one of them, in our opinion, has a legitimate shot at seeing significant playing time next season: Zack McCray. The 6-5, 235-pound end from Forest, Va., has the size and strength to make an impact, but how quickly can he adjust to the speed of the college game and pick up on a more complex defensive scheme will determine whether he sees the field in any significant capacity.

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