Posted: Tuesday April 29, 2003 11:39 AM
Updated: Tuesday April 29, 2003 11:39 AM
SI.com's Luke Winn breaks down the Top 10.
5
VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES
DeAngelo Hall Getty Images
State of the Team:
The Hokies can afford to put The Second Coming on hold, for now. Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Vick, younger brother of Michael, showed flashes of brilliance in the spring, but by most accounts this is still Bryan Randall's team. Randall, the incumbent starter, seemingly solidified his spot as the Hokies' QB with strong spring workouts, including an 18-of-24, 210-yard, two-TD performance in Tech's fourth scrimmage. Still, coach Frank Beamer did not name a starter and the Randall-Vick battle was the issue of the spring, to the amusement of the combatants. "We pass the papers to each other, like, 'Here, read this one,' " a laughing Randall told the Virginian-Pilot. "Vick vs. Randall, The Showdown, they have all kinds of names for it. It's kind of old, really." That said, don't expect Vick to just play the role of Content Backup -- Beamer left the QB race open for a reason, and will undoubtedly find ways to get the prodigy on the field. With Lee Suggs gone, running back Kevin Jones didn't have to fight for his spot -- thus, the Heisman-caliber runner was on the sidelines in the spring game. Meanwhile, ultra-fast cornerback DeAngelo Hall -- one of the leaders of a defense that returns nine starters -- will play both ways in the fall. If there was any question Hall couldn't produce at wide receiver, he answered them in the spring game, leading the Hokies in receiving with four catches for 47 yards.
Up-and-Comer:
If Chris Clifton had stuck to playing his original position -- quarterback -- he'd be stuck behind Randall and Vick on the bench. But Beamer converted the 6-4 sophomore to split end, where he excelled in the spring and figures to see playing time along with Ernest Wilford, Richard Johnson and Hall. In the Hokies' fourth spring scrimmage, Clifton caught three TD passes, including an acrobatic 65-yarder. "Not playing quarterback wasn't hard to get over because I'm willing to do whatever the team needs me to do," Clifton said. "Anything beats standing over there [on the sideline]. As a player you just want to get on the field and play."
Lingering Questions:
It's unlikely Vick will be pacified in a standard backup role, so will Beamer come up with creative solutions to get the QB involved in the offense? ... If Randall struggles early in the fall, will the Vick talk flare up and become a major distraction? ... Can the Hokies' vaunted defense avoid the late-season breakdown it had in 2002, when they lost four of their last five after going 8-0?
DeAngelo Hall
