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The Virginia Tech Hokies are 20 days away from opening their spring practice session in preparation for the 2010 college football season. Going into the spring schedule, running back David Wilson and cornerback Rashad “Rock” Carmichael have established themselves as the fastest Hokies on the team. Wilson and Carmichael ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds.

Wilson, a rising sophomore running back with a ton of talent, is likely to begin spring practice at No. 2 on the depth chart. Ryan Williams, who broke virtually every rushing record (both ACC and Tech) last season as a redshirt freshman, is the clear No. 1, followed by, in our opinion, Wilson and then redshirt junior Josh Oglesby.

What about Darren Evans, you ask? Well, he will likely sit out spring practice rehabbing his knee. But, he should be back and 100 percent for the season opener against Boise State on Sept. 6, at which point, he could move back up to No. 2 depending how he performs in summer practice.

In the mean time, it’s Williams, Wilson and Ogelsby. The gap between Wilson and Ogelsby isn’t as much as most people think, either. Wilson is obviously fast and an incredibly dangerous kick returner, averaging nearly 20 yards per return. He also has bigger rushing numbers – 59 carries, 334 yards, 5.7 ypc, 4 TDs – but needs to improve his blocking skills if he wants to be more involved in the offense.

Oglesby is more of a bruiser, third-down back that can pound it up the middle and get short yardage, but also has some jets when he hits open field. Josh had 78 carries for 335 yards, for 4.3 ypc and 2 TDs last season.

Articles on the running back log jam for the Hokies are plentiful. There have been questions about whether or not one of the four will transfer, but at this point, we have no reason to believe that any of them are considering leaving the team. In fact, all four have, at some point, publicly stated that they are sticking around.

And after last season, when Evans, fresh off a record-setting season, blew his knee out before the season, these guys know they are one play away from being the starter. The question is, can the offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring spread the carries around in a such away that doesn’t disrupt the flow of the offense.

Williams, Ogelsby and Evans have all burned a redshirt year, so they can’t sit the 2010 season, but there is the remote possibility that Wilson could redshirt. The question is, can the Hokies afford to lose him as a kick returner? If Williams has another year similar to what he had last season, he’ll probably bolt for the NFL in 2011. That would leave the Hokies with Evans and Ogelsby, both redshirt seniors, and Wilson, a redshirt sophomore going into the 2011 season.

The bottom line is… who knows? For now, the Hokies have one of the most talented group of running backs in the country and to quote Tech running backs coach Billy Hite, “It’s a good problem to have!”

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Blacksburg, VA — He won the Rookie of the Week award seven times this season, so it came as no surprise that Virginia Tech redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams was named the ACC’s Rookie of the Year today.

Williams broke the ACC and Tech freshman rushing records with 1,358 yards in his first season. He also set new ACC and Tech single-season records for touchdowns with 20 (19 rushing, 1 receiving). It is also the 4th-best single-season rushing total in ACC history.

The former Stonewall Jackson High School standout received 34 votes from 40 voting members. Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly finished second with 29 votes.

Williams was also was named ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year while Kuechly took home the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

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Blacksburg, VA — The No. 11 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies (6-2, 9-3) finished their 2009 regular season with a 42-13 mauling of in-state rival, the Virginia Cavaliers (2-6, 3-9) in which redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams rushed for a career-high 183 yards and four touchdowns.

Today, the ACC recognized Williams’ dominating performance by named him Rookie of the Week for the seventh time this season. In addition to running roughshod over the Cavaliers, Williams broke the ACC’s freshman single-season rushing and touchdown records.

Williams has 1,358 yards this season, which sets a new Virginia Tech and ACC freshman record and ranks second on Tech’s list of best single-season rushing performances. The phenom from Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Va., needs only 110 yards to break the program’s record, set in 2003 by Kevin Jones, who rushed for 1,647 yards.

The rushing record isn’t the only record that fell to the humble, no-frills freshman. He now owns the ACC’s freshman TD scoring record with 20, breaking N.C. State’s T.A. McLendon’s 2002 record of 18.

See a complete list of the ACC’s weekly awards.

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Blacksburg, VA — I fully expected Virginia Tech’s freshman running back Ryan Williams to earn his seventh ACC Rookie of the Week award today. I was so convinced that his 120 yards rushing and four touchdowns, along with breaking the ACC’s freshman rushing record and tying the ACC freshman TD record was more than enough to lock up the award. I even had an article written last night and ready to go as soon as the announcement was released. I was wrong. Sort of.

I also figured that Cody Grimm would get his third Defensive Player of the Week award after tying an NCAA record with three forced fumbles in a game, so I got that right. But I missed on Williams getting another ROTW award.

Boston College freshman outside linebacker Luke Kuechly received that honor this afternoon when the weekly press release went out. Kuechly registered an ACC season-high 19 tackles, including eight solo and 2.5 tackles for loss, in the Eagles 31-13 loss to North Carolina.

I am not here to disparage or take away from Mr. Kuechly’s accomplishment because 19 tackles in a game is incredible, especially for a freshman. Plus, he did it against a pretty good rushing offense that was limited to 96 yards. I was just surprised, that’s all. I am merely surprised.

Perhaps Ryan Williams has set his bar so high that a paultry 120 yards and four rushing touchdowns in a game — which tied a Virginia Tech freshman record — and breaking the ACC’s freshman rushing record just aren’t enough considering what he’s done week in and week out this season.

Williams has become so dominant that he’s literally running over defenders and dragging them effortlessly into the end zone. He’s en route to becoming the most prolific running backs in Virginia Tech’s history. He already:

• owns the ACC and Tech freshman rushing records (1,355 with two games to play);
• obliterated Tech’s freshman scoring record and tied the ACC’s;
• crushed Tech’s freshman record for most 100-yard games in a season and has a shot at breaking the overall school record;
• has been named ACC Rookie of the Week six times;
• ranks seventh in the nation in rushing;
• named a Doak Walker Award semifinalist; and
• has been mentioned as a dark-horse Heisman candidate.

So, when you look accomplishments like those, 120 yards and four touchdowns doesn’t seem like a big deal.

I am not upset or outraged that Williams didn’t get his seventh ACC Rookie of the Week honor — Kuechly is more than deserving — I am just surprised that such a stellar performance did not warrant either Offensive Player of the Week or at least Rookie of the Week. 

I guess the ACC coaches figured that Williams has already made his mark and that another equally deserving performance, like that of Kuechly, should be recognized.

Regardless, it is an individual award that means more to media types like me than it does to the players. I guarantee that Williams, and even Kuechly, would gladly give up all six of his weekly awards for a win or two on the field.

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Box Score | Recap

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Box Score | Highlights

Blacksburg, VA — The 15th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies (5-2, 8-3) forced four turnovers to win their third straight game following a decisive 38-10 victory over N.C. State (1-6, 4-7). On senior day in Blacksburg, Va., the Hokies got career performances from senior linebacker Cody Grimm, redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams and sophomore wide receiver Jarrett Boykin.

Grimm tied an NCAA record with three forced fumbles in his first four defensive plays while Williams scored a career-high four touchdowns and broke Tech’s and the ACC’s freshman single-season rushing record with 1,355 yards.

Williams still has one more regular season game and presumably a bowl game to add to his totals. The Virginia Tech single-season rushing record (1,647 by Kevin Jones in 2003) is still within reach for Williams.

Boykin also had a career game with six receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown catch. He becomes the first Tech wide receiver to have three games with more than 100 yards receiving in a season since Andre Davis did it in 2001.

The Hokies got off to an encouraging start before the opening kickoff. For the first time all season, Tech won a coin toss and it paid off. On the Wolfpack’s first play of the game, Grimm got to N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson from the backside and stripped the ball out of his hands. Grimm recovered the loose ball and the Hokies settled for a field goal to take the early lead, 3-0.

Grimm went right back to work on the second play of State’s next possession. Wilson completed a pass to Darrell Davis along the sideline, but Grimm was there to strip the ball loose again. Tech senior cornerback Stephan Virgil recovered the fumble and returned it three yards to State’s 25.

“We work on it [forcing fumbles] in practice,” Grimm said. “If you’re the second person there, try to rip the ball out, but if you’re the first, then concentrate on getting him down.”

Grimm leads the nation in forced fumbles with seven.

Williams capped a six-play, 25-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown to give the Hokies a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

After two fumbles in their first three offensive plays, it would make sense that N.C. State would have gone out of its way to protect the ball on their third series. However, Grimm forced another fumble on the Pack’s fourth offensive play. This time, however, State was able to recover it, and then marched 81 yards to score its first points of the game on a Wilson pass to Owen Spencer, cutting Tech’s lead to 10-7.

But the night belonged to the Hokies. On the ensuing kickoff, freshman running back and return manDavid Wilson ran the kick back 40 yards, giving Tech’s offense a short field at the State 49. Tech eventually scored on another short TD run by Williams, pushing the Hokies’ lead to 17-7.

State added a field goal in the second quarter, but the Hokies answered with a 74-yard drive capped by another Williams TD run, his third of the game, and the Hokies took 24-10 lead into the half.

Williams scored his fourth and final TD on the Hokies’ opening possession of the second half. The freshman, who has been named the ACC Rookie of the Week six times this season, literally dragged an N.C. State defender — clinging to Williams’ jersey — 10 yards into the end zone.

Williams, who had 120 yards in the game, now has eight 100-yard games this season, one shy of Kevin Jones’ record of nine, set in 2003.

Williams tied Tech’s freshman record for touchdowns scored in a game (4). “Touchdown” Tommy Edwards scored four against Pittsburgh in 1993. Williams also tied the ACC’s record for touchdowns in a season by a freshman with 16.

“He is strong, quick and powerful,” Tech head coach Frank Beamer said of Williams. “I think he’s a complete back.”

Boykin, who had racked up impressive receiving yards finally got in the end zone in the third quarter, scoring Tech’s final TD of the game and securing a 38-10 win for the Hokies.

While Taylor, Williams and Boykin stole the show on offense, Bud Foster’s defense deserves a great deal of credit for shutting down the ACC’s second best offense. The Hokies held the Pack to just 14 rushing yards and 259 total yards of offense.

The defense set the tone early thanks to Grimm’s incredible performance.

“That was big,” Beamer said. “You need to get up on those guys [N.C. State] because they can score in a hurry.”

N.C. State came into the game averaging 32.6 points per game, second in the ACC.

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Recap is coming soon, as are complete highlights, but wanted to throw these up until then. Enjoy!

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Game Recap | Box Score

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Blacksburg, VA – Ryan Williams has already broken two rushing records at Virginia Techin his freshman season. He broke Darren Evans‘ record for most 100-yard games by a running back. Evans had four last season and Williams has seven through 10 games this season.

Evans also set the freshman TD record last season with 11, but Williams broke that, too, with a 1-yard TD run in a 36-9 win over Maryland to give him 12 so far this season.

So what’s next for the ACC’s leading rusher, who is also ranked seventh in the country? How about Tech’s freshman record for most rushing yards in a season; most 100-yard games in a season by running back (freshman or otherwise), and maybe even Tech’s single season rushing record.

The freshman from Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Va., leads the ACC with 1,235 yards through 10 games and needs only 31 more yards to break Evans’ record (1,265) for most rushing yards in a season by a freshman. That record, as you have probably guessed, was set last season by Evans.

The Virginia Tech record for most 100-yard rushing games in a single season is nine, set by Kevin Jones in the 2003 season. Williams can tie that record if he reaches the century mark in the Hokies final two regular season games; and he can break the record if he can rush for at least 100 yards in Tech’s bowl game.

Last, but not least, is Tech’s single season rushing record. Kevin Jones rushed for 1,647 yards during 2003 season. If Williams gets his average of 123 yards per game in the Hokies’ final three games, he’ll have 1,604 for the season, good enough for second place behind Jones. But, if Williams can have a couple of big games and average about 138 yards over the next three games, he will break Jones’ six-year-old record.

Currently, Williams ranks fifth on the list for single-season rushing yards:

1. Kevin Jones – 1,647 yards (2003)
2. Cyrus Lawrence – 1,403 yards (1981)
3. Lee Suggs – 1,325 (2002)
4. Darren Evans – 1,265 (2008)
5. Ryan Williams – 1,235 (2009)

One record that Williams is not in danger of breaking is the Virginia Tech record for rushing touchdowns in a season (27) set by Lee Suggs in 2000. Suggs also holds the school record for total TDs in a season with 28, also set in 2000.

Williams and the Hokies (4-2,76-3) host N.C. State (1-5, 4-6) on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU.

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College Park, MD — Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw for a career-high three touchdowns while running back Ryan Williams broke Tech’s freshman touchdown record as the Hokies cruised to an easy 36-9 win over Maryland.

Tech scored touchdowns on four of its first five possessions and its defense held Maryland’s offense to 236 yards and a field goal. The Terps sole touchdown came on a Tyrod Taylor fumble in his own end zone that was recovered by Maryland’s Jared Harrell.

Taylor completed 13 of 23 pass attempts for 268 yards – an average of more than 20 yards per reception. Taylor, who had two touchdown passes in all of 2008, has 12 so far this season.

“He didn’t have any mental errors except for the one in the end zone,” Ryan Williams said. “He ran the ball well and threw the ball well. He made very good reads. He played a heckuva game. He’s had some good games, but this was one of his best.”

Williams rushed for 126 yards on 23 carries and scored the games first touchdown in the first quarter. The freshman phenom, who was named a Doak Walker Award semifinalist earlier in the week, broke Virginia Tech’s freshman record for touchdowns in a season with 12 (11 rushing, 1 receiving). He is still tied with teammate Darren Evans, who is out this season with a torn ACL, for rushing touchdowns in a season by a freshman with 11.

The game marked the seventh time this season that Williams has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game – also a school record.

For the second time this season, a Virginia Tech wide receiver went over the century mark. Jarrett Boykin had three catches for 118 yards including a 64-yard touchdown catch that put the Hokies up 27-3 in the second quarter. Boykin is the only Tech wide receiver to have more than 100 yards receiving in a game this season. He had 144 yards in a 34-26 win over Duke.

Virginia Tech’s tight ends also stepped up and apparently love playing against Maryland. Andre Smith’s 3-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter marked the first receiving touchdown by a Tech tight end since Greg Boone caught one against Maryland last season – a 14-game drought.

The Hokies came out and played one of the best halves of football as they’ve had all season. Their first three drives were sustained, methodical, time-killing drives.

1st scoring drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 4:07, Ryan Williams 1-yard TD run | 7-0 VT

2nd scoring drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 2:37, Andre Smith 3-yard TD catch | 14-0 VT

3rd scoring drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:11, Dyrell Robers 11-yard TD catch | 20-0 VT (missed PAT)

4th scoring drive: 1 play, 64 yards, :11, Jarrett Boykin 64-yard TD catch | 27-0 VT

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer appeared to take the foot off the gas in the second half as the Hokies appeared less aggressive and scored only three Matt Waldron field goals.

The No. 21 Hokies improved to 4-2 in the ACC and 7-3 overall while Maryland fell to 1-5 in the ACC and 2-7 overall.

Tech has two regular season games remaining beginning with a final home game next Saturday against N.C. State (1-5, 4-6) before wrapping up the 2009 campaign on the road against in-state rival, the Virginia Cavaliers (2-4, 3-7).

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