Hokies Journal: December 27, 2009 - January 2, 2010
Hill to start at cornerback for Virgil
ATLANTA -- Virginia Tech's Cris Hill will start in place of Stephan Virgil, who was ruled academically ineligible, when the Hokies' take on Tennessee in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but will play boundary corernback not field cornerback. Hill, a third-year sophomore,...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 31, 2009; 7:02 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
After developing this season, Crompton could test Hokies
ATLANTA – Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton threw seven interceptions in three games in his disastrous start to his season. In nine games since then, he has thrown for 2,146 yards and 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions. While the Volunteers’...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 31, 2009; 2:30 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Hokies aware of Vols' safety Berry
ATLANTA – Safety Eric Berry has forced Tennessee’s opponents in the Southeastern Conference to account for his presence on the field. How will Virginia Tech cope with him? “We’ve asked Tennessee to put a little red light on top of...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 31, 2009; 12:45 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Tennessee coaches have NFL connections
ATLANTA – Tennessee has assembled a star-studded coaching staff. For evidence, look at the windbreaker worn by Volunteers offensive coordinator Jim Chaney at a news conference on Tuesday; it said “NFL Vols” on the left breast. Many members of the...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 31, 2009; 10:20 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Hokies' Grimm is 'a nuisance player'
ATLANTA – From Florida quarterback Tim Tebow to Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Tennessee has faced plenty of star players in a Southeastern Conference that is chock full of talented athletes. But as the Volunteers (7-5) prepare to play No....
By
Mark Viera
|
December 31, 2009; 9:30 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Chick-fil-A Bowl links
ATLANTA -- It's time for the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Here are some links to get you going on this Thursday game day. ESPN.com's Heather Dinich has a preview of the Virginia Tech-Tennessee match up. As Dinich also notes, Atlanta has been...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 31, 2009; 8:30 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Delaney injures ankle in win over Longwood
UPDATED | Dec. 31, 3:45 p.m. Virginia Tech guard Malcolm Delaney suffered a bone bruise and a sprain in his ankle on Wednesday in the Hokies' 85-50 win over Longwood in Blacksburg. An X-ray exam on the ankle indicated that...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 30, 2009; 5:05 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Vols tight end is a threat to Hokies
ATLANTA – In Virginia Tech’s season-opening loss to Alabama, the Crimson Tide used its tight end to get a few big gains. As the Hokies return to the Georgia Dome for Thursday’s Chick-fil-A Bowl, they are preparing for a team...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 30, 2009; 2:30 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
To deal with layoff, Hokies get physical
ATLANTA – To say nothing of the travel, distractions and often difficult opponent, perhaps the toughest aspect of playing in a bowl game is staying fresh during the month layoff after the regular season. Virginia Tech tried to handle that...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 30, 2009; 12:15 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (1)
Save & Share:
Hite is coach by day, Iron Chef by night
ATLANTA – Billy Hite’s mother, Louise, was a caterer. So it is only natural that he also loves cooking. By day, Hite is Virginia Tech’s running backs coach. But by night, he is a passionate chef who is popular among...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 30, 2009; 10:45 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Hokies' Foster gets the full Monte
ATLANTA – The meeting between Virginia Tech and Tennessee in the Chick-fil-A Bowl has been a long-awaited match up among fans from both schools. But it was also an anticipated event for Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster for other reasons....
By
Mark Viera
|
December 30, 2009; 9:30 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Wednesday links
ATLANTA -- Good morning from the Marriott Marquis, where there is Chick-fil-A Bowl paraphernalia all over the place and Virginia Tech players, coaches and school officials in the lobby, on the elevators and in the workout room. Here are some...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 30, 2009; 8:45 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Dooley picks the Hokies in Chick-fil-A Bowl
Bill Dooley’s final game as Virginia Tech’s coach was in the 1986 Peach Bowl. Since then, the Peach Bowl has become the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which this season will pit Virginia Tech against Tennessee. And as the Hokies prepare to return...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 29, 2009; 12:00 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Taking a look at Vols' safety Berry
Some recruits are can’t-miss prospects. Tennessee safety Eric Berry was one of those players. Virginia Tech’s defensive backs coach, Torrian Gray, remembers recruiting Berry when Berry was one of the nation’s top players. The Hokies offered Berry, who starred at...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 29, 2009; 11:00 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Vols' zone blocking a different look
A key to Tennessee’s offense has been its rushing game, and what has allowed it to break loose, in part, is the Volunteers’ zone-blocking scheme. The Volunteers (7-5) started running a zone-blocking scheme this year and have done so more...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 29, 2009; 9:45 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Tuesday links
The countdown to the Chick-fil-A Bowl kickoff continues. Here is some reading to get your Tuesday started. On Thursday against Tennessee, Virginia Tech will be looking to settle a score against a Southeastern Conference opponent. But if the Hokies do...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 29, 2009; 8:41 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Chick-fil-A Bowl issues ticket warning
The Chick-fil-A Bowl on Monday issued a warning to fans about fraudulent tickets for Thursday's meeting between Virginia Tech and Tennessee in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. While the release did not specify any counterfeit ticket schemes, it cautioned that tickets to...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 28, 2009; 2:39 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Vols freshman Brown battles concussion
In his freshman season, Tennessee running back Bryce Brown has played well as a complementary component in a Volunteers’ offense that is led by starting running back Montario Hardesty. But as Tennessee (7-5) prepares to play Virginia Tech (9-3) in...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 28, 2009; 12:15 PM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Vols have respect for Hokies' Williams
Lane Kiffin knows talent. The Tennessee coach has been an assistant at Southern Calfiornia and the head coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders, and he signed one of the nation’s top recruiting classes in his first year in Knoxville. That...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 28, 2009; 11:15 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Hokies learn to play without Virgil
With Virginia Tech cornerback Stephan Virgil ineligible to play in the team’s meeting with Tennessee in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Thursday, the Hokies’ are preparing their secondary to take the field without the senior. The Hokies have turned to Cris...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 28, 2009; 10:00 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
Monday links
Welcome to Bowl Week. Here are some links to get things started on a Monday. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his hiring at Georgia was "getting ready to happen" before the folks in Blacksburg...
By
Mark Viera
|
December 28, 2009; 8:04 AM ET |
Permalink |
Comments (0)
Save & Share:
