From TechSideline.com’s Free TSLMail:

Marcus Davis became the latest recruit to verbal to Virginia Tech when he announced his decision on Monday to become a Hokie. Davis, out of Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach, is the teammate of wide receiver Randall Dunn, who committed to the Hokies on Sunday. Davis is being recruited by Tech to play quarterback, though he is a versatile prospect who could play several positions.

Davis is listed at 6-5, 215 and is the 7th-ranked player in the state by TechSideline.com. His final decision came down to Virginia Tech and Penn State. He also had scholarship offers from Clemson, NC State, West Virginia, Tennessee, Virginia, UConn and UNC.

As a senior during the 2007 season for Ocean Lakes, Davis passed for 1,837 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also ran for 858 yards and another 12 touchdowns. As a junior in 2006, Davis had 28 receptions, 680 yards rushing and over 500 yards passing.

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From the Roanoke Times:

Randall Dunn, rated the No. 15 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times, committed to Virginia Tech. Ocean Lakes coach Jim Prince said Dunn (6-foot-3 1/2, 220 pounds) picked Tech over UVa and North Carolina, with the Cavaliers probably his second choice.

Dunn, who did not come out for football until midway through his junior, had 38 receptions for 856 yards and scored 13 touchdowns as a senior.

Read the complete article.

From TechSideline.com’s TSLMail:

Virginia Tech picked up their 29th commitment for the 2008 recruiting class, and their 21st in-state recruit, when Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach) wide receiver Randall Dunn selected the Hokies over North Carolina and in-state rival Virginia.

“Randall has decided to go to Virginia Tech,” Ocean Lakes head coach Jim Prince said. “Congratulations to him and congratulations to Virginia Tech. They are getting a great player.”

Dunn, rated the #25 player in the state by TechSideline.com and a three-star recruit, had offers from Virginia Tech, Virginia, PSU, WVU, Connecticut, and UNC. Dunn paid official visits to all but Penn State and West Virginia. He is the latest talented wide receiver the Hokies have landed in a class that is loaded at the position.

Dunn, who has only played a year and a half of football, had 13 touchdown receptions his senior season.

For more information, please stay tuned to TechSideline.com.

From the Collegiate Times:

At 6′3″ and 230 pounds, Bruce Taylor, rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, seems a snug fit for Virginia Tech’s perennially stout defense.

Currently a senior at Myrtle Beach High School, Taylor’s sub-4.6 forty-yard dash time figures to mesh with Tech’s swarming front seven quite well. However, he’s much more than just a freakish combination of size and speed.

Taylor is ranked the twelfth-best inside linebacker recruit in the country by Rivals.com, and Myrtle Beach head football coach Scott Earley’s words don’t fall empty in proclaiming him “probably the most decorated high school athlete that’s ever played in South Carolina.”

Read the rest of the Collegiate Times article by Thomas Emerick.

Green Run (Va. Beach) defensive lineman Joe Jones verbally committed to Virginia Tech making him the 31st recruit for the Hokies 2008 class.

Jones’ high school coach Shawn Wilson told the Roanoke Times, “He’s one of the best defensive linemen I’ve seen down here in 10 years.”

Jones is an All-Tidewater DL and the RT rated him as the No. 27 senior in Virginia.

From Techsideline.com’s Free E-mail:

Jones, 6-3, 245, registered 96 tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 17 sacks during his senior season in 2007. He also blocked three kicks. He was a First Team All-Tidewater and First Team All-Beach District player. Jones chose Virginia Tech over Georgia Tech and Maryland.

Articles related to Joe Jones:

• Roanoke Times - “Joe Jones commits to Tech”
• SuperPrep.com- “Jones Hints at Leader”

By Gary Cope

The Hokies got another commitment for the 2008 recruiting class season this week. According to TSL, Rivals and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia Tech received a verbal commitment from Hermitage High School (Richmond, VA) quarterback Joseph “Ju-Ju” Clayton. Clayton was the Times-Dispatch’s 2007 All Metro player of the year.

Clayton was not a highly-recruited prospected, mainly because he didn’t arrive on the scene until his senior year, by which point most big time Division IA schools had already handed out their scholarship offers. Virginia Tech and Army were the only D-IA schools to offer while W&M and Youngstown State, both D-IAA schools, had also offered.

Clayton is 6-2, 205 pounds and completed 153-of-255 passes for 2,117 yards in his senior year. He tossed 22 TDs to just nine picks.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch article made the assumption that Tyrod Taylor would be the only scholarship quarterback after Sean Glennon leaves following the 2008 season. That’s not entirely true.

The Hokies have a solid commitment from Amherst County quarterback Peter Rose, who is expected to sign his letter of intent on Feb. 6, 2008 (national signing day) and enroll at Tech in the fall. More than likely he will redshirt his freshman year and if the coaches do not move him to another position, he could compete with Clayton for the backup QB role behind Taylor in 2009.

Rose ran a the triple option at Amherst and even though new Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson, who ran the triple option at Navy, invited Rose down to Atlanta for a visit, Rose turned it down and has reaffirmed his commitment to the Hokies. Rose was The News & Advance’s all-area offensive player of the year for 2007. He was also the player of the year in Group AA, Region III and the Seminole District. His passing game apparently needs some work, but he accounted for 41 TDs last season.

He may end up on defense eventually, but it would appear that a projected lack of depth at the QB position beginning in ‘09 will likely force the Hokies coaching staff to give him a look.

Click here to read more about Rose.

By Gary Cope

With senior kickers Jared Develli and Jud Dunlevy gone to graduation, Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer, who is also the special teams coach, was looking for some new blood to compete for the kicking job in 2008. And today, he added a kicker to the mix in Lancaster County, Penn.’s Justin Myer.

“I feel like I have a really good chance to win the kickoff job,” Myer said in an interview with the Lancaster New Era. “They said if I win the kickoff job, they’ll put a scholarship up. Not having a scholarship going in will help me with training and preparation.”

Myer kicked a Central High School record 47 field goals this season and was focusing his college search on Division I-AA schools before Virginia Tech “came out of nowhere” and offered him a preferred walk-on spot.

Read the entire article by Jeffrey Reinhart.

I normally do not post stuff about the Hoos on my blog, but this article caught my interest, so I thought I’d share it with all my many admirers and fans - hi dad! Anyhow, in today’s Roanoke Times there is an article titled “Sewell’s status in question.”

The article doesn’t go into a lot of detail other than to say that four Virginia Tech football players, including starting quarterback Jameel Sewell, are not currently enrolled in classes, which means they cannot participate in spring practice. That would be a huge loss for the Cavs, but what struck me as odd about the article was the following statement:

“Sewell has had academic issues in the past, most notably prior to the 2006 season, when he made two B’s and a C in summer school.”

Wuh? Since when did two B’s and a C constitute “academic issues”? Even at UVA where the snobbery and snootery are particularly pungent, I didn’t think two B’s and C were all that bad for a football player. I’m not rooting for the guy, I just think that section of the article was bit unfair and misleading. Carry on.

Looking ahead to the 2008 season, the Virginia Tech Hokies got some good news, some bad news and some news that just kinda makes you shrug your shoulders and say, “Eh.”

First, the bad news: Stud wide receiver recruit Ben Barber was slated to enroll in Tech’s spring semester, which would make him eligible to participate in spring practice. However, he has not enrolled and there is speculation that he has not qualified, which puts his future with the Hokies in doubt.

The good news is that the two other recruits who were expected to enroll early, have. Courtney Prince (defensive tackle) and Alonzo Tweedy (whip or rover) are taking classes and will take part in spring practice.

Also of note, OL Matt Welsh and LB Andrew Bowman will not be back with the team in 2008. Both players were highly recruited but never played up to their potential. Welsh already has his degree and Bowman is expected to earn his this spring.

Click here to read the complete TechSideline.com report.

Virginia Tech cornerback Victor “Macho” Harris has had a change of heart and will return to the Hokies for the 2008-2009 football season, which will be his senior year. It would appear that someone finally talked some sense into Macho and told him that he would probably be a third-round pick in the NFL’s April draft. If he comes back and has another All ACC season, he will likely move up to a second, or even a first-round pick and make some serious money. Tech’s defense will desperately need his senior leadership next season and I think Macho realized that he had a chance to come back, get better, get his degree and be THE man on Bud Foster’s defense next season.

Read the article and discuss your thoughts on Macho returning to the Hokies in 2008.

Starting center Ryan Shuman will have to sit out spring practice after knee surgery. Wide receiver Ben Barber, defensive tackle Courtney Prince and linebacker Alonzo Tweedy will begin classes next Monday at Tech, which is the start of the spring semester. This is great news for the Hokies, who lose four starting receivers, two starting linebackers and three defensive linemen. Getting these guys in early for a full spring practice will give them valuable experience and a step up on the other freshmen who won’t arrive until the summer. Plus, it gives the freshmen an opportunity to get acclimated to the college life.