Success. Success. Dressed for

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3 83 Nathaniel Adibi Defensive End r-fr. Hampton, Va. Phoebus H.S. Moved to the top of the depth chart during spring practice and is expected to man one of Tech s starting defensive end positions this fall A big, athletic player who is both smart and disciplined Has shown flashes of outstanding ability but needs to develop more consistency His hard work in the strength and conditioning program should help make him stronger at the point of attack Named the team s top defensive newcomer following spring practice Focused on being successful Should get better and better as he gains experience Has the ability in time to be the next great Tech defensive end 1999: Was redshirted while working at defensive end Added 16 pounds through his work in the strength and conditioning program Earned Iron Hokie honors during spring testing Bench pressed 380 pounds Posted a 530-pound back squat and a 304-pound power clean Returned a fumble 49 yards for a touchdown in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Fractured a bone in his right wrist during one of the scrimmages but returned to action Contributed four tackles and forced a fumble in the annual spring game Won the Paul Torgersen Award as the team s top defensive newcomer High School: Played running back and defensive end for Coach Bill Dee at Phoebus High Listed as the No. 10 defensive lineman in the country by PrepStar and picked to its Dream Team Ranked the No. 2 DL in the Atlantic Coast region by the same publication Was a preseason prep All-America pick by SuperPrep, PrepStar, The National Recruiting Advisor and Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Listed as the No. 4 jumbo athlete in the nation by SuperPrep and the No. 8 athlete by The National Recruiting Advisor prior to his senior season A first-team Group AAA all-state pick as a defensive lineman Named the No. 6 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times, No. 7 by ACC Area Sports Journal and No. 8 by SuperPrep Named district offensive and defensive player of the year as a senior Posted 101 tackles in 1998, including a school single-season record 16 sacks Finished with 35 career sacks Led the district in rushing Closed out his senior season with 855 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing Had 207 yards rushing in a game against Henrico Turned in 11 sacks as a junior Holds the school record with a 300-pound power clean Won the state Group AAA outdoor shot put championship as a junior and was second as a senior Personal: Nathaniel Barnell Adibi Born 1/25/81 in Mississippi Son of Abiodun and Leanne Adibi Studying general engineering. 38 Ryan Angelo Fullback r-fr. Spring Hill, Fla. Springstead H.S. A newcomer who is still adjusting to the Tech system Currently finds himself behind a group of more experienced players at the fullback position Should benefit from continued exposure to the Hokies strength and conditioning program Working to improve his blocking and receiving skills A good summer preparation will be important to his chances of competing for a spot on the depth chart in August 1999: Practiced at fullback while being redshirted Tied for the second-best bench press among the entering freshmen in August with a lift of 370 pounds Increased his body weight through his work in the weight room High School: An all-conference pick as a fullback at Springstead High Also played linebacker Was a four-year letterman for Coach Pat McCoy Rushed for 2,463 yards and scored 26 touchdowns during his career Gained 695 yards on the ground as a senior, scoring seven TDs Also caught three passes for 38 yards Carried 177 times for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior Ranked the No. 90 player in the state of Florida by the ACC Area Sports Journal Named All-SEC Region honorable mention by PrepStar Helped team to a 21-9 record and a district title during his varsity career Excelled in weight lifting competition and set several school records Personal: Ryan C. Angelo Born 10/ 23/80 in Chicago, IL Son of Joe and Marca Angelo Enrolled in university studies. 24 Larry Austin Cornerback r-jr. 2VL Norfolk, Va. Norview H.S. Got better every day while enjoying an exceptional spring Took over the boundary corner position and was named one of the team s top hustlers Is set to move into the starting lineup this fall A tough competitor who packs a big heart in a small body Concentrates on doing things the right way Is outstanding in coverage Can make up for mistakes with his great speed Saw action on over 20 plays a game as the No. 2 boundary corner during the 99 season Also an important player on special teams Made strides in the strength and conditioning program during the course of the year Has developed into a leader Will be an important performer for the Hokies in : Played in every game at cornerback Led the team in special teams plays, averaging 17 plays per game Was in for a career-high 58 defensive plays against Pittsburgh Got 34 snaps in the Rutgers game Contributed back-toback six-tackle performances against Pittsburgh and West Virginia Recorded a sack for a 10-yard loss at Temple Also returned an interception 31 yards against the Owls for his first collegiate touchdown Had a tackle behind the line for a loss of 14 yards in the Syracuse game Was in on five tackles in the season opener against James Madison and four versus Miami Registered a total of 38 tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and one interception Finished with two passes broken up and forced one fumble Saw action in the Sugar Bowl and contributed a tackle Won Iron Hokie honors during the fall and was a Super Iron Hokie in the spring Turned in Tech position records Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 65

4 Austin Continued from previous page for a cornerback in the vertical jump (42 1/2 inches) and forty (4.26) His 340-pound bench press was the second-best among the current defensive backs Contributed three tackles and broke up a pass in one spring scrimmage and added four tackles in another Was in on two tackles and knocked down a pass during the annual spring game Shared the Frank O. Moseley Award for top defensive hustler in spring practice with Cory Bird Ran a leg on the 4x100 relay team that won the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track championship 1998: Started on Tech s punt return/ punt block team and on the kickoff team Was a backup on two other units Saw action in every game, including the Music City Bowl Blocked punts against Pittsburgh and UAB His block at UAB was recovered for a Tech touchdown Posted two tackles on coverage against Miami and had five tackles during regularseason play Got playing time at cornerback against East Carolina, Clemson, Pittsburgh, UAB and Rutgers Benched pressed 320 pounds in fall testing and recorded a 500-pound back squat Also turned in a 41-inch vertical jump Won Iron Hokie honors in both the fall and the spring Contributed eight tackles and broke up a pass during one spring scrimmage Was in on five tackles during the spring game Ran a leg on Tech s winning 4x100-meter relay team at the Atlantic 10 Conference Outdoor Championships 1997: Spent a redshirt year working at cornerback Began fall practice on the boundary side, then moved to the field side prior to the season Competed for Tech s indoor track team during the winter Set a school indoor record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.84 seconds Also had the team s best time in the 55-meter dash (6.37) and three of the squad s top 10 times in the 200-meter dash Finished sixth in the 200 meters at the Atlantic 10 Conference Indoor Championship Performed well during spring strength and conditioning tests, improving in all four major lifts Turned in a 40-inch vertical jump Contributed a fumble recovery in the spring game High School: A PrepStar All-America pick who was selected to the ACC Region Super 26 team and listed as the No. 3 DB in the region Lettered four years as a tailback and cornerback for Coach David Heath at Norview High Earned all-district honors as a running back his senior year Rushed for 940 yards and 15 touchdowns Had 214 yards on the ground and four TDs in a game against Wilson High Contributed 50 tackles, five fumble recoveries, a pair of quarterback sacks and an interception on defense Finished his career with over 1,600 yards rushing Helped the school s track team to an Eastern District championship Won alldistrict honors as a sprinter and was voted the team s MVP Personal: Larry Darrell Austin, Jr. Born 5/17/79 in Norfolk, VA Son of Larry and Veronica Austin Studying residential property management. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Interceptions G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Chad Beasley Defensive Tackle r-jr. 2VL Gate City, Va. Gate City H.S. A quality defensive tackle who figures to be a vital part of Tech s young defensive unit this fall Has seen plenty of playing time over the past two seasons, including three starts last year Will move into the lineup on a full-time basis at tackle Mixes size and athletic ability with a physical style of play Works hard and has gotten better every year Comes from an excellent football background Holds Tech s position record for a defensive tackle in the push jerk with a lift of 361 pounds Won Tech s Ironman competition during the summer of 99 Missed much of spring practice with a pulled quad muscle in his leg A leader who will push others to succeed Possesses the ability to become an all-star candidate Will be looked to for a big year 1999: Saw action in every game at tackle Also added over 100 plays as a starter on special teams Had a tackle for loss in the opening game against James Madison Posted four tackles against UAB and five versus Clemson Got his first collegiate start at Virginia and responded with a quarterback hurry, a sack for a 12-yard loss and four total tackles Also drew starts against Rutgers and Boston College Was in on five tackles and broke up a pass against Syracuse Added a sack in the Pittsburgh game for minus eight yards Played a season-high 45 defensive snaps and 16 special teams plays against Miami Finished the season with 39 total tackles, including two sacks and four other tackles for loss Turned in a 400-pound bench press and 620-pound back squat on the way to Super Iron Hokie honors during fall testing Earned Iron Hokie honors during spring testing Was sidelined early in spring practice by a pulled quadricep muscle in his leg and did not play in the spring game 1998: Saw action at tackle in all 11 games during the regular season Was in on six tackles against Pittsburgh, including a quarterback sack Also registered six tackles versus Syracuse, with one coming behind the line Showed his athleticism by intercepting a tipped pass at Boston College Added a tackle for loss and four total tackles in that game Had 28 tackles on the season Started on the punt team, as well as the extra point and field goal units Was credited with two tackles in the Music City Bowl, both behind the line of scrimmage Gained Iron Hokie honors during the winter strength and conditioning program Set a position record with a 361-pound power clean Also had a 383- pound push jerk, the eighth-best showing in team history Contributed a sack for a 10- yard loss and four total tackles during the annual spring game 1997: Was redshirted while working at defensive tackle Bench pressed 340 pounds when he arrived for preseason practice Improved to 360 by spring testing Turned in the top power clean among the defensive tackles with a lift of 326 pounds Missed a large portion of spring practice due to a foot injury Was in on four tackles and had a quarterback sack during Tech s last scrimmage of the spring High School: Lettered four seasons as a defensive end and offensive guard for Coach Nick Colobro at Gate City High School Earned first-team Group AA allstate honors at both positions Named the Group AA Defensive Player of the Year by the high school coaches in 1996 Was defensive player of the year in his district and conference and offensive lineman of the year in his district A first-team All- ACC Region pick by PrepStar Posted 80 tackles and four quarterback sacks his senior year Had more than 100 tackles as a junior Started on the varsity as a freshman and played in a total of 51 games during his career Excelled in track, winning state AA outdoor titles in the shot put and discus as a senior Personal: Thomas Chad Beasley Born 11/13/78 in Upper St. Clair, PA Son of Tom and Margie Beasley His dad was a star defensive lineman for Tech in the mid-1970s and played on two Super Bowl Virginia Tech Football

5 championship teams with the Pittsburgh Steelers His sister, Kerri, was a member of the Tech volleyball team, while his cousin, Jake Houseright, is a junior linebacker on the team Studying family and child development. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Interceptions G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Cory Bird Rover r-sr. 3VL Mays Landing, N.J. Oakcrest H.S. Tech s defensive leader A quality player who does everything well Has the ability to be one of the top defensive backs in the nation Is tough and experienced Possesses outstanding quickness Reacts well to what he sees on the field Rated the No. 11 strong safety in Division I-A by Athlon Sports and the No. 20 safety by Lindy s A preseason first-team All-BIG EAST pick by Athlon Sports and a secondteam selection by The Sporting News and Lindy s Quietly put together one of the best seasons on the Tech team in 1999 Was extremely consistent in his first year as a starter at the rover position Ranked second on the team in tackles and third in quarterback sacks Mixes strength and aggressiveness with outstanding knowledge of the Tech system The first Tech player in the history of the strength and conditioning program to earn Super Iron Hokie honors five straight years Got the Hokies started against Syracuse last season with a fumble return for a Continued on next page A Talk With Cory Bird What goals have you set for yourself during your final year at Tech? I want to be on the all-big EAST team this season. I always strive for perfection every game, every day. I want to get better so by the end of the year I ll be the best player I ve ever been. What was your most memorable experience from last year? I have to say the West Virginia game because it was a focal point of our season. After the West Virginia game, I knew we had it in us to make it to the national championship game. After that, I knew we would persevere through the hard times. Who has been your greatest role model throughout your life both on and off the field? I take something from everyone I run into, so it is hard to pin-point one person. I couldn t pick just one, but it definitely has to be my family. They have been my role model. My older brothers give me all the little things I need to know that I didn t have to find out for myself. They also give encouragement to do my best every time I am playing. What are your pregame rituals? I don t have any. Usually if I play well in a game, I like to wear the same shirt around the hotel the next week. The night before the game, I dream about making plays and what I need to do. Right before the game, I like to stay calm and collected. With the loss of eight starters on defense, how do you feel your leadership role has changed? I think people are looking more toward me as a leader. As far as that is concerned, I am fine with that. I am not a vocal person, but I lead by example. I am becoming more vocal, so when I do say something, they know it is important to me, and something I want to get done. Since you are only one of three returning starters for the defense, what are your concerns about this year s team? I really won t call it a concern, but I think we all need to realize that everyone has to play their own position and not worry about what everyone else is doing. We all need to grow each practice and game and become more complete players. Everyone needs to play their own position and grow in that position so the others players that are dependent on you will know that you are going to be there for them. We have a lot of work to do and we made a lot of strides in the spring game. We need to win each individual battle and we ll be there. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? My ultimate goal is to play professional football. I don t like to look that far ahead though because it s not something that is right here for you right now. I am looking forward to what is right now Virginia Tech Football 67

6 Cory Bird Continued from previous page touchdown Played over 600 snaps during the season Is coming off a great spring practice Was voted the defensive MVP in Tech s spring game Appears poised for a big senior year 1999: Secured the No. 1 spot at rover during preseason practice and started every game Had two tackles for loss and six total tackles in the opener against James Madison Posted 10 tackles in a win over Clemson Was in on eight tackles, including two behind the line, at Virginia Grabbed a fumble in mid-air against Syracuse and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown Registered two sacks for minus 13 yards in the Pittsburgh game Turned in a sack, two other tackles behind the line and seven total tackles at Temple Had a career-best three sacks (-16) and three hurries on the way to a 10- tackle performance against Boston College Finished the regular season with 74 tackles, six sacks (-37) and seven additional tackles for loss (-12) Broke up two passes and hurried the quarterback six times Forced one fumble and recovered two Contributed three tackles, including one behind the line, in the Sugar Bowl Was named to the Virginia Division I All- State team Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in both the fall and spring Set three strength and conditioning records for the rover position during the spring with a 390-pound bench press, a 550-pound back squat and a 336-pound power clean Posted five tackles during one spring scrimmage Collected a sack and returned a fumble 83-yards for a touchdown in another scrimmage Was named the defensive MVP in the spring game after registering nine tackles, intercepting a pass and forcing and recovering a fumble Shared the Frank O. Moseley Award for the team s top defensive hustler in spring practice with cornerback Larry Austin 1998: A starter on the punting team, the kickoff team and the punt return unit His 179 plays on special teams represented the second-highest total on the team Got playing time at rover in six games ECU, Clemson, Pittsburgh, Boston college, UAB and Rutgers Contributed two or more tackles in eight of Tech s 11 games Was in on three tackles in the opener against East Carolina Registered a quarterback sack for a 16- yard loss against Rutgers Broke up a pass at UAB Averaged 16 special teams plays per game Finished with 18 tackles on the season Contributed a pair of tackles against Alabama in the Music City Bowl Earned a Super Iron Hokie rating during fall strength and conditioning tests Duplicated that feat again during the spring testing period Established new position records for the rover spot in the bench press (380 pounds), the power clean (331) and the push jerk (351) Was in on six tackles, including a sack, in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Contributed four tackles and an interception during the annual spring game One of the winners of the Richard Bullock Award for Tech s most improved players in spring practice 1997: Switched from offense to defense when preseason practice opened Saw action at outside linebacker in 10 of Tech s 11 regular-season games Drew starts against Temple, Miami (Ohio), West Virginia, UAB and Miami (Fla.) Missed the Arkansas State game with a shoulder injury and only played on special teams against Boston College and Pittsburgh His sack of Rutgers quarterback Mike Jones forced a fumble that resulted in Tech s second touchdown of the season when teammate Carl Bradley pounced on the ball in the end zone Posted a season-best nine tackles at Temple, including a sack and one other tackle behind the line Had seven tackles versus WVU and contributed three tackles behind the line against Miami (Fla.) Finished with 42 total tackles, two sacks and five other tackles for losses Earned Super Iron Hokie honors during both fall and spring testing Moved to the rover position for spring practice Was in on five tackles during one spring scrimmage and contributed a sack and four tackles in another Posted three tackles during the annual spring game 1996: Redshirted during the fall while working at split end Had the top bench press among the receivers during the fall with a lift of 325 pounds Joined the Tech wrestling team in January Had to wrestle in the heavyweight class at first, posting a 2-0 mark Finished out the season in the 190-pound class, winning eight of 10 matches for an overall 10-2 record Caught two passes for 24 yards in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages High School: Lettered three seasons as a wide receiver and defensive back for Coach Jeff Spector at Oakcrest High Rated the Eastern Region s No. 4 defensive back after the season by BLUECHIP Illustrated A member of the BCI Big East Region Super 25 Caught 25 passes for 517 yards and eight touchdowns his senior year Also contributed seven interceptions as a defensive back in 1995 A two-time allconference pick Lettered four seasons as a wrestler Won the state 174-pound championship as a junior Placed fourth in the high school nationals at 174 as a senior Personal: Cory James Bird Born 8/10/78 in Atlantic City, NJ Son of Elaine Bird White and Earl White Enrolled in housing, interior design and resource management. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Wayne Briggs Fullback r-jr. Windsor, Va. Windsor H.S. A strong runner who has the potential to contribute at the fullback position Coming off his best spring at Tech Got a lot of reps at the position and responded well Possesses good skills Joined the 1999 travel squad for the Rutgers game Served as a reserve fullback for the last seven games of the season Rates as Tech s strongest back with a 420-pound bench press Earned Super Iron Hokie status during both fall and spring testing Will be watched closely when preseason practice opens Has a good chance to see playing time if he continues to show progress in August 1999: Played in five games, including a career-high 19 snaps in the Temple game Was in for nine plays against Syracuse and eight versus Miami Also saw brief duty against Rutgers and Boston College Gained two yards against Syracuse in his only varsity carry of the season Played in two jayvee games, rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown against Fork Union Scored on a 4-yard run in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Had two carries for seven yards in the annual spring game 1998: Played on the jayvee and scout teams during the fall Earned Super Iron Hokie honors during both the fall and spring strength and conditioning periods Bench pressed 415 pounds during the spring a team record for the fullback position Also set a position record with a 316-pound power clean Set the position record for Virginia Tech Football

7 the push jerk during the fall with a lift of 361 pounds Caught an 8-yard touchdown pass during one of Tech s spring scrimmages and turned in a 24-yard run in another 1997: Did not practice with the team until November because of a knee injury Bench pressed 410 pounds when he first arrived at Tech Earned Super Iron Hokie honors during the winter strength and conditioning program Got a look at fullback during spring practice Caught a 12-yard pass in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages and a 33-yard pass in another Carried the football twice for a total of nine yards in the spring game Also caught a pass for a 12-yard gain Prep School: Played running back for Coach Joe Freeland at Hargrave Military Academy Rushed for 300 yards in the team s first four games before suffering a knee injury Underwent reconstructive surgery and missed the rest of the season High School: Rushed for over 2,300 yards and 40 touchdowns his senior year at Windsor High Also contributed more than 50 tackles and five sacks on defense Earned first-team all-district, all-region and all-state honors Scored six TDs and ran for 280 yards in a game against Essex County Helped Windsor to its first regional championship Gained 1,173 yards on the ground his junior year Lettered four years as a running back for Coach Joe Jones Finished his career with more than 3,800 yards rushing and 60 touchdowns Set school career and season marks for scoring and rushing yards Played in the state high school all-star game Personal: Wayne Chissell Briggs Born 1/24/78 in Suffolk, VA Son of Wayne and Sandra Briggs Enrolled in interdisciplinary studies. 46 Chris Buie Linebacker r-fr. Tampa, Fla. Armwood H.S. A young linebacker with a lot of potential Showed good improvement during spring practice Played well in the spring game Combines speed and strength with aggressiveness Has the ability to make plays Still learning Tech s schemes but could get on the field this fall if he continues to improve May also figure in on special teams Has a chance to be Tech s mike linebacker of the future 1999: His 370-pound bench press was second-best among the Hokies new recruits when they reported in August Was redshirted while working at inside linebacker Spent the first month of the season working at the backer position Switched to the mike linebacker spot in October Had the second-highest bench press on the scout team in November at 400 pounds Turned in a personal-best 341-pound push jerk during spring testing on the way to Iron Hokie honors Also turned in a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump Was in on six tackles, including one behind the line, in the Maroon-White spring game High School: Posted 117 tackles, four fumble recoveries and three sacks to help his school to a 9-2 record in Class 5A in 1998 Played linebacker and some fullback for Coach Sean Callahan A twotime, first-team all-conference pick Also earned second-team all-state honors his final two seasons Picked the No. 27 senior prospect in Florida by The Tampa Tribune Rated the No. 84 player in the state by SuperPrep and the No. 89 player in the state by ACC Area Sports Journal Earned a spot on the PrepStar All-SEC Region team Won his high school team s body building contest Posted lifts of 350 pounds in the bench press and 525 in the squat Also competed on the track team Personal: Jonathan Christopher Buie Born 11/16/79 in Tampa, FL Son of Johnny and Barbara Buie Enrolled in independent studies. 20 Keith Burnell r-so. Chesapeake, Va. Western Branch H.S. Trying to crack the playing rotation at tailback Possesses the ability to be successful but has yet to develop the necessary consistency Traveled with the team for most of the 99 season Saw brief action in three games Made some big strides during the winter strength and conditioning workouts Received his share of snaps during spring practice and showed marked improvement in all areas of his game Will be a candidate for special teams duty And will be watched closely at tailback 1999: Played six offensive snaps and one special teams play in the season opener against James Madison Carried the football three times for two yards in that game Got four carries in the Temple game and picked up 12 yards Played in Tech s two jayvee games Rushed for 79 yards and scored a touchdown in a win over Fork Union Added a pair of TD runs in a victory against Hargrave Improved in all four major lifts during spring strength tests Had the second-best 20-yard shuttle time among the running backs a 4.06 Rushed for 32 yards on five carries during one spring scrimmage and contributed a 1-yard touchdown run in another Carried twice for six yards during the Maroon-White game 1998: Sat out the season as a redshirt Improved in all four major lifts during the offseason strength and conditioning program Carried seven times for 53 yards in one spring scrimmage and had eight rushes for 44 yards in another Caught passes of 18 and 22 yards Rushed nine times for 29 yards in the annual spring game High School: Was a running back and return specialist for Coach Lew Johnston at Western Branch High Earned postseason All-America honors from SuperPrep and PrepStar Was a preseason A-A pick by PrepStar and Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Listed the No. 26 running back in the nation by SuperPrep and the No. 6 player in Virginia Named the Metropolitan Male Athlete of the Year by the Norfolk Sports Club Selected the Portsmouth Sports Club Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year A two-time all-city, all-district, all-tidewater and all-region pick Earned second-team all-state honors from the coaches as a senior Rushed for 1,224 yards and 25 touchdowns in 1997 despite being slowed by an ankle injury over the last four games of the season Led the Tidewater area in touchdowns Caught 11 passes for 145 yards Rushed for 1,228 yards and 20 TDs on 146 carries as a junior Led the area in scoring and was second in rushing that season Set school career records for most rushing yards and most touchdowns Won team MVP honors as a junior and senior Helped team to a district title in 97 Was a sprinter on the track team Personal: Keith Tyrone Burnell Born 1/8/79 in Norfolk, VA Son of Janet Burnell Nicknamed Sweet Feet Enrolled in housing, interior design and resource management. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Virginia Tech Football 69

8 30 Tee Butler Linebacker r-sr. 1VL Plainsboro, N.J. Woodberry Forest H.S. A Talk With Tee Butler What type of adjustments did you have to make, moving from free safety to outside linebacker? I would have to say the transition was pretty easy. I didn t spend too much time at free safety and a lot of the plays are the same, so the transition wasn t too difficult for me. How much do you think your knee surgery affected your game? I think that the injury and surgery affected my game tremendously. I believe that I am one of the better players out there, but I haven t been able to show my talent because of the injury and then the surgery. You joined the Tech team as a running back. You were then moved to free safety and then again to outside linebacker. Which position did you feel most comfortable with? How did you feel about all the moves? The position I am most comfortable at is outside linebacker. If I had my choice, I would want to play running back. I believe that I am more offensive-minded and could excel as a running back. But, out of the positions that I have played here at Tech, outside linebacker is my favorite. What are your plans after graduation? After graduation, I plan to work for a financial company. I would also like to get certified so that I can succeed in the financial world. What goals have you set for yourself in your final season at Tech? My goals for the season are pretty simple. First of all, I want to start. Secondly, I want to play for the national championship again. Anything less than that is not acceptable to me. Who has had the biggest impact on your life both on and off the field? I would have to say my mother has had the biggest impact on my life, period. She has always driven me to do my best in sports, but she always told me to have a back-up plan just in case sports didn t work out. What is the most important thing you will take with you from Tech? Without a doubt, the most important thing I will take with me from Virginia Tech is my degree. My football career is over once I leave Virginia Tech, but my degree will always be with me. Football will always be in my blood, but my degree will lead me to success. Likely to see more playing time at whip linebacker this season after working hard during the winter and spring Has shown improvement in every phase of the game Enjoyed a great winter workout and carried it over to spring practice A consistent performer with excellent strength Does a good job against the run Working to sharpen his pass coverage skills Has been a productive member of the special teams Usually one of the first players downfield on kickoff coverage Recovered a fumble by Syracuse s punter for a touchdown in the Hokies 62-0 win Combines a great attitude with excellent work habits Should play an important role for the Hokies 1999: Played in every game on special teams Got playing time at linebacker in six contests Was in on three tackles, including two for losses in Tech s opener against James Madison Added another tackle behind the line in the UAB game Played a career-high 20 plays at linebacker in the Syracuse game with five tackles Also contributed three tackles on special teams in that game Played 15 defensive plays against both Rutgers and Temple Posted five tackles against the Owls Finished the season with 31 total tackles, including four behind the line Set Tech position marks for a whip linebacker in the bench press (370) and the back squat (550) during spring strength and conditioning tests Was slowed during spring practice by an injury to his right shoulder Played in the spring game and contributed two tackles Underwent surgery to his left ankle after spring practice 1998: Seven of his eight tackles for the season came in the last two games of the year Was in on five tackles against Rutgers, including four as a member of the kickoff team Also had two tackles on the kickoff team in the Virginia game Saw brief special teams action against East Carolina, Clemson and Pittsburgh Earned Iron Hokie honors during November testing Contributed a tackle against Virginia Tech Football

9 Alabama in the Music City Bowl Set position marks for whip linebackers with a 535-pound back squat and 280-pound power clean during spring strength and conditioning tests Posted four tackles in one spring scrimmage Was in on two tackles in the spring game 1997: Spent most of the fall rehabilitating from knee surgery Did not see action in games Was moved to outside linebacker prior to spring practice Was in on five tackles, including a sack in one spring scrimmage Contributed an unassisted tackle in the spring game 1996: Worked at tailback during the fall while being redshirted Improved in all four major lifts during the winter strength and conditioning program Turned in a 39 1/2-inch vertical jump during spring testing Moved to free safety at the beginning of spring practice Only got a few days of work on defense before suffering a knee injury Underwent reconstructive surgery and missed the remainder of spring drills High School: Was a record-breaking tailback for Coach Bill Davis at Woodberry Forest Rushed for over 1,400 yards as a senior, including 370 yards in his final game Scored 25 touchdowns on the way to allprep league, all-central Virginia and allstate honors Gained 1,793 yards on the ground as a junior and scored 22 touchdowns Finished his three varsity seasons as the all-time leading rusher in Central Virginia history Also lettered in basketball and track Earned all-prep honors in both sports and was an all-state pick in track Personal: Terrence Butler Born 2/7/77 in Brooklyn, NY Son of James and Alice Butler Enrolled in housing, interior design and resource management. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Derek Carter Tight End Sr. 3VL Smithfield, Va. Smithfield H.S. A two-year starter at tight end with 24 consecutive starts under his belt Will have to battle to retain his starting job after sitting out spring practice Best known for his blocking ability, but has made his pass receptions count, too Has averaged 20.6 yards per catch on his 12 career receptions Six of his seven catches last season resulted in first downs Had a clutch firstdown catch in the Clemson game early in the year Also contributes as a starter on special teams Holds the Tech position record for tight ends in the bench press with a lift of 420 pounds Underwent ankle surgery following the 99 season but is fully recovered A second-team preseason All- BIG EAST pick by Lindy s 1999: Caught a 15-yard pass in the opener against James Madison Was in on a season-high 47 offensive snaps against UAB Picked up a key fourthquarter first down with a 21-yard catch against Clemson Hauled in a 20-yard pass against Miami and had two receptions for 40 yards against Boston College Finished with seven catches for 132 yards an average of 18.9 yards a reception Posted a 5-yard reception against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl Had arthroscopic surgery performed on his left ankle in February Did not participate in spring practice 1998: Saw action on 314 offensive snaps Also contributed as a starter on the extra point and field goal teams His first collegiate reception was a 17-yard grab against Miami Caught two passes for 40 yards in the Pittsburgh game Contributed two catches for 58 yards against Rutgers, including a personal-best 35-yard reception Finished with five catches for 115 yards Led the tight ends with a 400-pound bench press during preseason strength and conditioning tests Set position records in the bench press (420) and push jerk (360) during spring testing Turned in one pass reception for nine yards in the annual spring game 1997: Turned in the top bench press among Tech s freshmen in August with a lift of 380 pounds One of just four true freshmen to see action for the Hokies during the season Saw the most playing time of that group with over 200 snaps Won the No. 2 tight end spot during preseason practice Ended up playing in every game, including a start against Pittsburgh Played 27 snaps at tight end against Rutgers in his first game Was in for 23 snaps versus Boston College Averaged seven plays a game as a starter on special teams Finished the season without a pass reception Earned Iron Hokie honors during spring testing Bench pressed 400 pounds and registered a back squat of 530 pounds Finished spring practice as one of the front runners for starting duties at tight end Prep School: Played tight end and inside linebacker for Coach John Shuman at Fork Union Military Academy Caught 25 passes High School: Lettered four years as a TE/LB at Smithfield High for Coach Miles Blount Caught 12 passes for 200 yards and two TDs Personal: Derek Sadar Carter Born 12/29/77 in Honolulu, HI Son of Brenda Carter and the late Steve Carter Majoring in human nutrition, foods and exercise. Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Lamar Cobb Defensive End r-so. Hurt, Va. Gretna H.S. Finished spring practice as the front runner for the starting duties at the stud end position Has gotten only a limited taste of action at defensive end and on special teams Possesses good speed and athletic ability Working hard to increase his body weight and his strength so he can be more physical at the line Turned in a 530-pound back squat during fall strength and conditioning tests Really came on over the last three or four practices during the spring Has shown signs he could become a disruptive force for opposing offenses Can expect some challenges for the starting job when preseason camp opens 1999: Played six snaps on defense and six on special teams during the opener with James Madison Had 12 plays on defense at Rutgers and contributed three tackles Also was in on a tackle in the Syracuse game Played in a total of five games Got some extra work with the jayvee team Contributed 14 total tackles, Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 71

10 three tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in a jayvee win against Fork Union Worked hard in the weight room during the winter program Turned in a 570- pound back squat during spring testing tops among the defensive ends Contributed three sacks during spring scrimmages Was in on one tackle in the Maroon-White game 1998: Practiced at the whip linebacker position during the fall while redshirting Showed improvement in the strength and conditioning program Moved to defensive end for spring practice Contributed a tackle in the annual spring game High School: Played a number of positions for Coach Robert Pruntey at Gretna High, including defensive back, receiver and running back Selected a postseason All-American by both SuperPrep and PrepStar Rated the No. 5 skilled athlete in the nation by SuperPrep Ranked the No. 8 player in Virginia by SuperPrep and No. 23 by The Roanoke Times Named the Lynchburg News & Advance Defensive Player of the Year Picked first-team Group AA all-state by The Associated Press Also a first-team alldistrict and all-region pick Posted 105 tackles as a senior, along with six interceptions, six fumble recoveries, two sacks and two blocked punts Rushed for 675 yards and six touchdowns Caught 48 passes for nearly 800 yards and four TDs Contributed over 200 yards on punt returns and more than 350 yards on kickoff returns Had 15 solo tackles and 23 total tackles in one outing Registered three tackles on a goal-line stand in another game Received all-district recognition at three positions his junior year defensive back, wide receiver and return specialist Was honorable mention all-state as a defensive back Collected 97 tackles and five interceptions that season and scored two touchdowns on kick returns Also excelled in basketball and baseball and holds the school record in the 60-meter dash Personal: Lamar Isaac Cobb Born 1/11/80 in Boone, NC Son of Raymond and Rhonda Cobb Studying management. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Virginia Tech had five players taken in the 2000 NFL Draft, ranking it seventh among the 105 schools which had someone drafted. The following is a breakdown of the mostrepresented schools in this year's draft: 1. Tennessee Florida State... 7 Michigan State Arizona State... 6 Michigan... 6 Ohio State Virginia Tech... 5 Arkansas... 5 Florida... 5 Kansas State... 5 Miami... 5 So. California Cols Colas Defensive End r-fr. Plantation, Fla. South Plantation H.S. Possesses all the physical tools needed to be an outstanding defensive end, but has had only 15 days of practice as a down lineman Saw a lot of his action at running back during high school Was converted to defense when he arrived at Tech last fall Practiced at linebacker before moving to end Showed a lot of improvement in the strength and conditioning program Combines excellent strength with outstanding speed Needs to play with more abandon Will figure in at the stud end position this fall despite his lack of experience Could enhance his chances with good summer preparation Will be watched closely during preseason practice 1999: A redshirt who spent the fall working at outside linebacker Earned Iron Hokie honors during scout team testing in November Improved his bench press from 300 pounds to 380 pounds by the time spring testing ended Also added more than 20 pounds Moved to defensive end when spring practice opened Contributed a sack in the Hokies opening scrimmage Also posted a sack in the Maroon-White spring game High School: Played several different positions for Coach Dan Margurit at South Plantation, including fullback and defensive end Rushed for 1,064 yards and 11 TDs as a senior Had 197 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries in a game during his senior season Also saw action on defense, contributing 20 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries Helped team to a 9-3 record and the second round of the Class 5A playoffs A postseason All- America pick by PrepStar, which named him the No. 15 running back in the SEC Region Rated the No. 14 prospect in Broward County by The Miami Herald Was in on 50 tackles, including four sacks, his junior year Registered career totals 1,268 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground Starred as a sprinter in track Finished third in the state in both the 100 and 200 meters his junior year Turned in a best time of in the 100 meters, 21.3 in the 200 meters and 41.2 in the 400 meters Won the state 100-meter outdoor title as a senior Personal: Cols Colas Born 5/16/80 in Miami, FL Son of Evelyne Colas Enrolled in university studies. 51 Ron Cook Defensive End r-jr. Montclair, N.J. Montclair H.S. One of only two defensive ends on the squad with experience Knows the Tech system and can play either end position Saw some duty at end in seven games last season Approaches the game with a good attitude and work ethic Will be looked to for leadership Also on call for special teams duty His role for the upcoming season will likely be determined by his summer preparation and performance in preseason workouts 1999: Posted a quarterback sack for an 8-yard loss in the season opener with James Madison Was in for 12 plays in back-to-back games against Rutgers and Syracuse Registered three tackles, including another sack, versus the Orangemen Finished the regular season with nine tackles Improved in three of Tech s four major lifts during winter strength and conditioning workouts Collected three tackles and a pair of sacks in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Broke up two passes on another scrimmage Recovered a fumble in the annual spring game 1998: Reached five of his six goals during preseason testing Provided depth at defensive end and special teams Saw brief action at end against Clemson and Rutgers Got some work on special teams in four games, including the East Carolina and UAB games Was in on tackles at Clemson and UAB Had the second-best vertical jump among the DEs in spring testing at 37 inches Contributed sacks in two spring scrimmages and was in on a tackle in the spring game 1997: Was redshirted while working at one of Tech s inside linebacker positions Moved to defensive end during the offseason Improved in all four major lifts during the winter strength and conditioning Virginia Tech Football

11 program Turned in a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump Contributed two tackles, two pass break ups, a fumble caused and a fumble recovered during one spring scrimmage Finished with three sacks and another tackle for loss in scrimmages High School: Earned PrepStar All- America honors as the No. 10 LB in the Big East Region Helped Montclair High School to a Group 4 state championship in 1996 and a three-year record of 29-3 Posted 13 tackles and a quarterback sack against Union in the title game Finished the season with 78 total tackles and 15 sacks Recovered five fumbles Earned team MVP honors and was named firstteam on three all-state squads Was the Essex County Defensive Player of the Year An honorable mention All-USA pick by USA Today Lettered three years at OLB Had eight sacks as a junior Finished his career with 153 tackles, including 25 behind the line Set school career records for sacks (24) and fumbles caused (8) Blocked two punts his senior year and three as a junior Was MVP in basketball three seasons Personal: Ronald Wayne Cook Born 6/24/79 in Orange, NJ Son of Ronald and Cheryl Cook Enrolled in family and child development. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Total Mark Costen Defensive Tackle r-fr. Virginia Beach, Va. Kempsville H.S. A walk-on who gained the coaches attention with his progress last year Has a good frame Working to get bigger and stronger Possesses toughness and a will to succeed Still has some things to learn, but has a bright future Could move into contention for the No. 2 nose tackle spot with a good summer preparation 1999: Worked at defensive tackle while taking a redshirt year Improved in six of seven categories during winter workouts Contributed four tackles in one spring scrimmage, including two quarterback sacks Registered three tackles in another scrimmage and posted a sack in the Maroon-White game High School: Played linebacker and tight end for Coach John Bowles at Kempsville High Lettered four seasons, earning all-district and all-regions honors at both positions as a senior Named allarea as a linebacker Helped the team to an 8-2 record and a district title as a sophomore in 1996 Posted 116 tackles his senior season, including 19 behind the line of scrimmage Contributed eight quarterback sacks and three fumble recoveries Registered 17 tackles and caught two passes for 49 yards in a game against Ocean Lakes in 98 Collected 98 tackles his junior year, 12 for losses Finished with 314 career tackles and 20 pass receptions Personal: John Mark Costen Born 3/13/81 in Norfolk, VA Son of Nelson and Leslie Costen Studying finance. 21 Michael Crawford Rover r-fr. Baltimore, Md. Patterson H.S. Continues to learn Tech s defensive system while working at the rover spot Provides depth behind a group of more experienced players Should benefit from continued exposure to the strength and conditioning program Could earn a shot at special teams with strong summer preparation and a good showing in preseason practice 1999: Practiced at the rover position while redshirting Showed improved speed and quickness during spring testing Broke up a pass in the Maroon-White spring game High School: An All-Baltimore City/ County running back-linebacker for Coach Roger Wrenn at Patterson High Scored 22 touchdowns to help team win the City East Division championship with a 10-1 record Rushed for 1,376 yards, averaging 20 yards per carry Posted seven touchdown runs of 70 yards or more In a game against Southwestern, he scored the first four TDs and rushed for 196 yards on nine carries Played linebacker on defense A PrepStar All-American Was rated the No. 23 player in the Maryland/D.C. area by ACC Area Sports Journal Played in the Baltimore County All-Star game A two-time MVP in football, indoor track and outdoor track at Patterson Won city and region high jump championships both indoor and outdoor Ran a 6.7 time in the 55 meters Personal: Michael Antonio Crawford Born 2/20/81 in Baltimore, MD Son of Iantha Carrington Enrolled in university studies. 88 André Davis Flanker r-jr. 2VL Niskayuna N.Y. Niskayuna H.S. A big-play wide receiver who will likely draw a lot of attention from opposing defenses after a breakout year in 1999 Combines outstanding speed with good receiving skills Also has shown the toughness to block in the running game Saw a little more playing time than the coaches would have liked in 99 Getting him rest in games this season could make him more effective Worked on controlling his footwork at the line of scrimmage and catching passes underneath coverage during spring practice Also saw some action as a punt return man during the spring A third-team preseason All- America pick by Athlon Sports Ranked the sixth-best receiver in Division I-A by Lindy s and the eighth-best by The Sporting News Picked to Lindy s first-team preaseason All-BIG EAST squad First Tech receiver on record to post five 100- yard receiving games in a season Added another 100-yard performance in the Sugar Bowl against Florida State Established new school records for receiving yards in a season (962) and yards per reception in a season (27.5) Tied the school mark for touchdown catches in a season with nine Also scored two touchdowns on reverses and another on a fumble recovery Finished second in the BIG EAST in receiving yards per game (87.5) Was named second-team All-BIG EAST A two-time pick on the BIG EAST All- Academic Football Team Had eight Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 73

12 André Davis Continued from previous page catches of 50 yards or more Became the first Tech player other than a running back or quarterback to score more than 10 touchdowns in a season Has set numerous school and Atlantic 10 Conference records as a sprinter on the track team Expected to play a key role for the Hokies again this fall 1999: Started every game at flanker Led the team with 35 catches for 962 yards and nine touchdowns His 27.5-yards per catch average was tops in the BIG EAST Ran 22 yards for a touchdown on a reverse against James Madison Caught his first collegiate touchdown pass in the UAB game on a halfback pass from André Kendrick Hauled in two passes for 110 yards at Virginia, including a 60-yard TD reception Posted 157 yards on four catches at Rutgers, grabbing a 74-yard TD pass on the game s first play Scored on another reverse, this time from 28 yards out, against Syracuse Blocked a punt at Pittsburgh Recovered a teammate s fumble for a TD in the Miami game Had five catches for 138 yards at West Virginia and four for 121 yards at Temple Registered touchdown catches of 65 and 30 yards against the Owls Turned in two more TD catches (69, 59) in the Boston College game on the way to 172 yards on five catches Third on the team in scoring with 72 points Caught a 49-yard touchdown pass in the Sugar Bowl game Finished that game with seven catches for 108 yards Earned Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during the fall Turned in a 500-pound back squat Won A-10 Indoor Track titles in the 55- and 200-meter dashes, setting meet records in both events Was named the A-10 Outstanding Performer Qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 60 and 200 meters Turned in school-record times in both events Had a 25-yard TD reception in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown in the Maroon-White game Took the 200 meters in record time (20.95) at the A-10 Outdoor Track Championships Also won the 100-meter title and anchored the winning 4x100 relay team 1998: Was in for 23 snaps in the season opener against East Carolina and made his first collegiate reception Contributed an outstanding 49-yard catch at Clemson Injured his thigh against the Tigers Saw limited action over Tech s next three games, catching one pass against Pittsburgh Earned BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week recognition after blocking a punt and recovering it to set up a key touchdown at Boston College Missed games against Temple, UAB and West Virginia Returned to action at Syracuse and caught a pass for a 14-yard gain Played a season-high 34 snaps against Rutgers and added another catch versus Virginia Finished with five catches for 83 yards, an average of 16.6 yards per catch Turned in the third-fastest 40 time on record for a Tech player with a clocking of 4.29 seconds during spring testing Finished first in the 55 and 200-meter dashes at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track & Field Championships Caught a 38-yard touchdown pass during one of Tech s spring scrimmages Won both the 100 and 200 meters in record times at the A-10 Outdoor Championships Also anchored the winning 4x100-meter relay team and was named the meet s Most Outstanding Performer 1997: Worked at split end, then flanker during a redshirt season Competed for Tech s indoor track team during the winter Set a school indoor record in the 200 meters with a clocking of seconds Finished second in the 55-meter dash and third in the 200 at the Atlantic 10 Conference Indoor Championship Turned in the top back squat among Tech s receivers during spring testing with a lift of 480 pounds Also turned in a 4.43 clocking in the forty Moved back to split end for spring practice Caught a 49-yard touchdown pass in one spring scrimmage and made a 5-yard TD grab in another Was on the receiving end of two passes for 31 yards in the spring game Joined Tech s outdoor track team after spring football ended Practiced for just a week before winning both the 100- and 200- meter dashes at the Atlantic 10 Conference Outdoor Championship His winning time of seconds in the 100 meters ranked third in the world for competitors 19 years old or younger Also ran the last leg for the winning 4x100 relay team that set a meet record Was named the A-10 Rookie of the Year for men s outdoor track Placed sixth in the 200 meters and seventh in the 100 meters at the United States Junior National Track and Field Championships in June to become a U.S. Junior All-American High School: Played soccer at Niskayuna High School until joining the football team as a junior Lettered two years as a wide receiver and safety for Coach John Furey Led the team with 10 touchdowns his senior season Caught 26 passes for 471 yards and six touchdowns Added two rushing touchdowns Intercepted three passes as a free safety, returning one of them 95- yards for a score Returned a kickoff 94 yards for a TD Earned a first-team spot on the conference all-star team Named first-team all-area as a kick returner by the Albany Times-Union Helped his team to the Section II playoffs for the first time Excelled in track, winning the state Class A 200-meter outdoor championship his senior year and finishing second in the 100 A National Football Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Personal: André N. Davis Born 6/12/79 Son of Clement and Marcia Davis Is a cousin of former Tech football player Rich Bowen Studying residential property management. Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG *3 28 *one TD on a recovered fumble 57 Anthony Davis Offensive Tackle So. 1VL Victoria, Va. Central-Lunenburg H.S. Coming off an outstanding spring practice Will pressure senior Anthony Lambo for the starting left tackle job One of only two true freshmen who saw playing time for the Hokies in 1999 Served as a backup at left tackle Gained some valuable experience and made progress, especially over the final three games Really became comfortable at the position during the spring Won the Dr. Richard Bullock Award as the most improved offensive player during spring practice Brings a lot of size, strength and a physical style of play to the position A player to keep an eye on 1999: Played in 10 of Tech s 11 regularseason games Worked a season-high 37 snaps in the opener against James Madison Played 20 snaps in games against UAB and Temple Earned a spot in Tech s Winner s Circle twice as a reserve Improved his strength and quickness Virginia Tech Football

13 during the winter Turned in a 30-inch vertical jump and 5.16 forty at 318 pounds Made a push at left tackle during the spring and was named the team s most improved offensive player Prep School: Started at offensive tackle for Coach Lonnie Messick at Hargrave in 1998 High School: Originally signed with Tech after his senior year of high school An All-ACC Region pick by PrepStar magazine following his senior season in 1997 Rated the No. 28 player in Virginia by The Roanoke Times Also a member of the top 35 list chosen by the Richmond Times-Dispatch A first-team Group A allstate selection as an offensive lineman by the coaches and a second-team choice by AP Voted the James River District Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior Was first-team all-district and all-region on defense as a junior Made the first-team all-district team on both offense and defense his senior year and was a first-team all-region choice on offense Lettered three years as a twoway tackle for Coach Chippie Chappell Started three years on defense and two on offense Helped the team to a pair of district titles and a 26-6 record Was in on 55 tackles as a senior Intercepted a pass and blocked a punt Finished with 198 career tackles Intercepted a pass against Lakeland his sophomore year to seal a victory Lettered three seasons as a center/forward in basketball and also was a shot putter on the track team Personal: Anthony Sherrod Davis Born 3/27/80 in Paterson, NJ Son of Paul and Dorothy Hite Enrolled in university studies. 15 Jason Davis Quarterback Fr. Sevierville, Tenn. Seymour H.S. Entered Tech in January, less than two months after finishing his senior football season at Seymour High School Went through the winter strength and conditioning program Showed a good arm during spring practice Is conscientious about learning the Tech system Must concentrate on improving his mobility Still has a lot to learn about the Hokies offense, but has promise for the future 1999: Graduated from high school early Entered Tech in January following his senior football season Went through the winter strength and conditioning program Posted a 320-pound bench press and a 425-pound back squat Was 0-for-2 passing in the annual Maroon-White spring game High School: Rated the No. 1 quarterback and No. 7 overall prospect in Tennessee by the Knoxville News Sentinel following his senior season at Seymour High Played quarterback and handled the punting and place-kicking duties for Coach Gary Householder Only played 34 quarters his senior year due to a midseason injury Connected on 96 of 165 passing attempts for 1,608 yards and 16 touchdowns Only threw four interceptions Ran for over 300 yards and six TDs Had rushing touchdowns of 59 and 37 yards Helped his team to a 11-2 record and the state semifinals as a senior Quarterbacked team to a 10-0 mark his junior season Averaged 37.2 yards punting as a junior and 39 yards as a senior Kicked field goals of 52 and 48 yards as a junior Seventy-five percent of his kickoffs were touchbacks Was named the most valuable offensive player in his region in 1999 Listed as the No. 12 prostyle quarterback prospect in the nation by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Made PrepStar s All-Southeast Region team and was listed No. 1 quarterback prospect in Tennessee Ranked the No. 48 prospect in the Dixie Region by SuperPrep and the No. 63 prospect in the Southeast Region in Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Named honorable mention All- USA by USA Today Also competed in track Holds the school triple-jump record Attended football camp at Kentucky and won a long-ball throwing contest with a record throw of 76 yards Personal: Jason N. Davis Born 2/4/82 in Alcoa, TN Son of Jess and Linda Davis Enrolled in university studies. 61 Steve DeMasi Center r-jr. 1VL Virginia Beach, Va. Cox H.S. Listed No. 1 at center following spring practice A great competitor who knows the Tech offense Relies on his experience and doesn t make many mistakes Has gotten stronger Was called on to start against Syracuse and Pittsburgh last season when senior centers Keith Short and Tim Schnecker were both sidelined Rose to the challenge and helped the Hokies win both games Played every offensive snap in both games Battled redshirt freshman Jake Grove for the top spot on the depth chart during the spring Expected to get a renewed challenge from Grove when practice resumes in August Should see a lot of playing time 1999: Opened the season as the No. 3 center Played 19 snaps in the opener against James Madison Saw action against Virginia and Rutgers Moved into the starting lineup against Syracuse and was in for 79 plays the most by any Tech offensive player during the 99 season Also started and saw action on 64 plays at Pittsburgh Graded a winner in both starts Played in a total of eight games Posted a 380- pound bench press and a 550-pound back squat during spring strength and conditioning tests 1998: Joined the Tech dress squad to provide depth at center Saw limited action in games against Clemson, Pittsburgh, UAB and Rutgers Played a career-high 16 snaps in the win at UAB Was in for eight plays against the Scarlet Knights Also got a taste of action in the Music City Bowl against Alabama Turned in the seventh-best push jerk for a Tech football player during fall testing with a lift of 381 pounds Had a 530-pound back squat during spring testing 1997: Joined the team as a walk-on Contributed as a center on scout team during the fall Dressed for the jayvee games but was held out of action and redshirted Improved his bench press by 50 pounds and his push jerk by 41 pounds during the winter strength and conditioning program His 341-pound push jerk was the fourth best among Tech s offensive linemen Continued to work at center during spring practice High School: Was named the top offensive lineman on the football squad at Cox High School as a senior Played center for Coach Reggie Garrett Earned second-team All-Beach District honors Competed in the weight events for the track team and was named the squad s most valuable field event athlete Helped the track team to a regional title his senior year Personal: Steven Francis DeMasi Born 11/24/79 in San Diego, CA Son of Frank and Beth DeMasi Studying finance Virginia Tech Football 75

14 48 Mike Donahue Split End r-jr. 1VL Barrington, R.I. Barrington H.S. Another walk-on who has contributed to Tech s success Has spent time at both receiver positions and contributed on special teams Traveled with the team last season Saw the majority of his action on special teams Also worked at split end, seeing brief playing time in two games Was the only receiver to meet all six of his goals during fall strength and conditioning tests Brings excellent speed and work ethic to the position Worked hard to improve the strength in his shoulder after missing the 1998 season Has the versatility to help the Hokies in several roles 1999: Played on the kickoff coverage team Contributed four tackles during the season, including two at Rutgers Also forced a fumble on a kickoff against Syracuse Played five snaps as a receiver in the Rutgers game but did not have a reception Attempted a pass on a reverse during the spring game 1998: Underwent shoulder surgery during the summer Sat out the entire season Returned for the winter strength and conditioning program Spent most of his time at split end during spring practice Caught two passes for 21 yards in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Had an 8-yard reception in another scrimmage Won the long jump at the 1999 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track & Field Championships Was second in that event during the conference indoor meet 1997: Joined the team after school started in late August Practiced at split end Played as a receiver and defensive back on the jayvee team Showed improvement in the strength and conditioning program over the course of the year Competed for Tech s indoor and outdoor track teams when he wasn t working with the football squad Finished second in the long jump at both the Atlantic 10 Conference indoor and outdoor track championships High School: Was a three-year football letterman for Coach Bill MacCagney at Barrington High Started as a wide receiver Earned all-state Virginia Tech Football honors his senior season Selected allconference as a junior and senior Excelled in the long jump for the track team Had a best jump of /2 feet in that event Served as class treasurer Personal: Michael Patrick Donahue Born 1/27/79 in Rhode Island Son of Robert and Joanne Donahue Majoring in finance. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Doug Easlick Tailback r-fr. Marlton, N.J. Cherokee H.S. A young back who has impressed Tech s coaches with his toughness Runs hard and catches the ball well out of the backfield Possesses adequate speed and good quickness A top prep wrestler who saw mat action for the Hokies during the winter Brings competitiveness and an aggressive style to both sports Could figure in on special teams this season Also has a chance to see action at tailback if he continues to show progress when practice opens in August 1999: Was redshirted while working as a tailback Joined the wrestling team following the football season and compiled an record as a heavyweight Won the heavyweight title at the Virginia State Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships Carried seven times for 32 yards in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Led the team with 36 yards on nine carries in another scrimmage and caught a pass for 12 yards Rushed five times for 16 yards in the spring game High School: A star football player and wrestler at Cherokee High Lettered three seasons as a tailback and safety for Coach John Scott Rushed for over 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns his senior season Contributed 115 tackles and three interceptions on defense Scored four touchdowns and rushed for 245 yards on eight carries in a 1998 game against Cherry Hill East Ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns and registered 13 tackles against Willingboro that same season Won all-conference, all-country, all-south Jersey and all-state honors Was named an honorable mention All-American Gained 1,400 yards on the ground his junior year and finished his career with 3,600 yards rushing, 43 touchdowns, eight interceptions and 240 tackles Set school career and single-game records for rushing yards Posted a career wrestling record Won the state championship his senior season and finished third at the high school nationals Was a four-time district and two-time regional champ Earned second-team All-America honors his senior year Personal: Arthur Doug Easlick Born 12/4/80 in Mt. Holly, NJ Son of Jon and Connie Easlick Enrolled in university studies. 29 Sam Fatherly Rover Fr. Williamsport, Pa. Williamsport H.S. Expected to move from free safety to rover when practice opens Entered school last January and went through the winter off-season program and spring practice Should benefit from continued exposure to the Hokies strength and conditioning program Will need some time to learn and adjust to his new position 1999: Enrolled at Tech for the second semester Worked at free safety during the spring High School: Played wide receiver and safety for Coach Tim Montgomery at Williamsport Caught 45 passes for 820 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season Contributed 75 tackles, four interceptions and six fumble recoveries on defense Earned all-conference honors as both a receiver and a safety Broke up 15 passes and intercepted three his junior year Caught 31 passes for nearly 800 yards and nine TDs Set school career records for receptions (83) and receiving yards (1,575) Also had nine career interceptions Was named to the school s All-Century team Played shooting guard in basketball, helping the team to a 31-2 record and the state 4A championship Was rated one of the Top 20 players in the state

15 Personal: Samuel Nathanial Fatherly Born 6/13/81 in Williamsport, PA Son of Reginald and Theresa Fatherly Enrolled in biology. 27 Jarrett Ferguson Fullback r-jr. 2VL Goodview, Va. Staunton River H.S. An important figure in Tech s nationally-ranked rushing offense Rated the No. 10 fullback in Division I-A ranks prior to the season by The Sporting News Outstanding in every phase of the game Has excelled as both a blocker and a runner Also contributes as a receiver out of the backfield and as a special teams player Has worked hard in the strength and conditioning program to become bigger, faster and stronger Earned Super Iron Hokie honors during both the fall and spring Became just the second player to be named to the new Elite Level of Performance status Works hard and loves to play the game Always puts the team first Originally joined the team as a walk-on Went on to earn a scholarship Will be a key player for the Hokies again this season 1999: Started at fullback and on special teams in all 12 games Hauled in a 24-yard pass against James Madison Gained 24 yards rushing on five carries and caught two passes for 12 yards versus UAB Had 28 yards on five rushes in the Clemson game Scored on a 20-yard run at Rutgers and finished the game with 40 yards on five carries Caught two passes for 12 yards against West Virginia Closed out the regular season with four carries for 37 yards versus Boston College Ranked fourth on the team in rushing with 173 yards on 34 carries, an average of 5.1 yards per carry Added five pass receptions for 48 yards Carried once for five yards and caught a 6-yard pass during the Sugar Bowl Had the best back squat (605) and power clean (330) among the running backs during fall testing Bench pressed 370 during the spring Set position records with a 620-pound back squat and a 370-pound push jerk Rushed for 30 yards on two carries during one spring scrimmage and scored on a 3- yard run in another 1998: Played in every game, the last eight as a starter Carried four times for 15 yards in the opener against East Carolina Had 14 yards on four carries at Clemson Saw action on 45 plays at Miami Scored his first collegiate TD on a 26-yard pass against Temple Played a season-high 63 downs in that game Got Tech started at UAB with first-half touchdown runs of 23 and 6 yards Finished that game with a season-best six carries for 40 yards Posted the Hokies longest run from scrimmage of the season with a 76-yard scoring jaunt at Syracuse, outrunning the Orangemen despite losing a shoe near the line of scrimmage Caught three passes for 38 yards against Rutgers and had an 18-yard reception in the Virginia game Averaged 5.9 yards per carry for the season Gained 199 yards on 34 rushing attempts and scored three TDs on the ground Turned in seven pass receptions for 99 yards and another TD Caught a 14-yard pass against Alabama in the Music City Bowl Met all six of his goals and earned Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during the fall Was a Super Iron Hokie in spring testing Bench pressed 355 pounds and turned in a 605- pound back squat Placed third in the triple jump at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championship meet Scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run in the annual spring football game 1997: Practiced at tailback during the fall while being redshirted Gained Iron Hokie status during the winter Was tried at fullback during spring practice Scored touchdowns on runs of 5 and 6 yards during one spring scrimmage Caught two passes for 29 yards in another scrimmage Competed for the Tech indoor and outdoor track teams during the course of the year Placed third in both the long jump and the triple jump at the Atlantic 10 Conference Indoor Championship Won the A-10 long jump championship outdoors with a leap of /4 Also finished second in the triple jump High School: A standout in football and track at Staunton River High School Lettered three seasons as a running back in football for Coach Bob Gray Rushed for 1,571 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior Added 10 pass receptions for 318 yards and four more TDs Named district and region player of the year, as well as Lynchburg All-Area Player of the Year Earned second-team Group AA all-state honors from The Associated Press and the coaches Closed out his career with 2,682 yards rushing and 29 TDs Helped the track team to a state championship Played in the state high school all-star football game Personal: Jarrett Thomas Ferguson Born 1/23/79 in Portsmouth, VA Son of Linda Ferguson A cousin of former Tech defensive lineman Bernard Basham Majoring in physical education. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Total Matt Findley Offensive Guard r-fr. Woodbridge, Va. C.D. Hylton H.S. A great effort player who joined the team last fall as walk-on Has the potential to develop into a solid offensive lineman as he gets bigger and gains experience Needs continued exposure to the Hokies strength and conditioning program A student of the game Possesses a real desire to succeed Should benefit from working with some of Tech s veteran linemen 1999: Spent time at center during the fall while redshirting Practiced at right guard during the spring High School: Earned two letters as a center and defensive tackle for Coach Bill Brown at C.D. Hylton High Earned firstteam honors as both a center and defensive tackle on the all-district and allregion teams as a senior Named all-area at both positions by the Potomac News Was a first-team Group AAA pick at center Helped team to a 14-0 record and the Group AAA Division 6 state championship his senior season Contributed 72 total tackles, six quarterback pressures, two Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 77

16 Matt Findley Continued from previous page sacks and an interception while playing defensive tackle in nine of the 14 games Named the MVP in the 1998 Art Monk Football Camp Personal: John Matthew Findley II Born 11/11/80 in Ft. Belvoir, VA Son of John and Bonnie Findley Enrolled in university studies 90 Thenus Franklin Defensive Tackle r-so. Clewiston, Fla. Clewiston H.S. A young defensive lineman who has worked hard to get better Got a brief taste of action last season while providing depth at tackle Has shown progress in the strength and conditioning program Working to improve fundamentally Can be counted on for good effort His status on the depth chart will be influenced by his summer preparation and preseason performance 1999: Was in for eight plays at tackle against James Madison and contributed two tackles Caused and recovered a fumble in that game Added another tackle against Rutgers Played a personal-best 11 plays at tackle in the Syracuse game Saw action in a total of seven games Registered two tackles, a quarterback sack and a pass deflection during the Hokies first spring scrimmage Was in on three tackles in another spring scrimmage 1998: Redshirted as a true freshman Worked at defensive end during the first half of the season Spent the second half at tackle Ran a 4.81 forty during spring testing Continued to work at tackle during spring practice Contributed two sacks in a scrimmage on two occasions during the spring Had two tackles and an interception in the spring game High School: Played offensive tackle and defensive end for Coach Al Morrell at Clewiston High Named to PrepStar s All- Southeast Region team Was first-team all-district and picked second team on the Class 3A all-state squad Registered 70 tackles, six sacks and two blocked punts his senior season Helped his team to a 13-2 record and a share of the state championship Played center on the basketball team A weight man on the track team Had a best distance of 147 feet in the discus Personal: Thenus Tirrell Franklin Born 2/2/79 in Clewiston, FL Son of Sarah Blaine and William Franklin Enrolled in sociology. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Jacob Gibson Offensive Guard r-fr. Rocky Mount, Va. Franklin County H.S. Suffered an unfortunate turn of events when he fractured his leg twice during the spring Will have a lot of ground to make up after missing spring practice Impressed Tech s coaches with his work ethic during the fall Made good strides during the winter off-season program Has had little chance to be evaluated Should be able to resume limited activity by Aug. 1 and return to full contact by mid- August Will continue working at the right guard position when he is cleared for duty 1999: Was redshirted during the fall while practicing at right guard Improved in six of seven categories during spring strength and conditioning tests His 31 1/2- inch vertical jump during spring testing was the third-best among offensive linemen Ran the second-fastest 40 time among the O-linemen at 4.94 Broke his leg on the second day of spring practice and missed all contact work Broke the leg again in May High School: Played running back, tight end, offensive tackle and linebacker for Coach Jerry Little at Franklin County High during his prep career Was firstteam all-district and all-region on offense and defense as a senior Earned firstteam Group AAA honors as a linebacker Posted 113 tackles his senior year Forced five fumbles Named team MVP Earned All-America honors from PrepStar A USA Today honorable mention All-America pick Selected the No. 22 offensive lineman in the ACC Region by the ACC Area Sports Journal Ranked the No. 16 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and ACC Area Sports Journal Contributed 122 tackles his junior season on the way to first-team alldistrict and second-team all-region honors Also competed in basketball and indoor track A member of the National Honor Society Personal: Jacob Edward Gibson Born 1/29/81 in Rocky Mount, VA Son of William B. and Martha Sue Gibson His father, Benny, played football for East Carolina Enrolled in university studies. 64 Jake Grove Center r-fr. Forest, Va. Jefferson Forest H.S. A strong, aggressive young player with a bright future Expected to keep pressure on Steve DeMasi for the starting center duties Should see a lot of playing time this fall after redshirting in 99 Excels in the weight room were he earned Iron Hokie honors in August and Super Iron Hokie honors in November and March Won the Paul Torgersen Award as the top offensive newcomer during spring practice Entered Tech in January 1999, after suffering an injury in the 98 Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star game Has gained valuable knowledge of the Tech system Should continue to get better as he gains playing experience 1999: Made the most of a redshirt year, adding strength and gaining familiarity with the center position Set a position record with a 376-pound power clean during spring testing Tied for the team s top push jerk at 375 pounds Bench pressed 420 pounds during the fall Made a big push for the center duties during spring practice 1998: Enrolled at Tech in January Made an immediate impact in the weight room Bench pressed 380 pounds during spring testing Set a record for the best power clean by a Tech center with a lift of 360 pounds Also set a position mark in the vertical jump at 32.5 Made a strong challenge for the starting center Virginia Tech Football

17 duties during spring practice High School: Lettered two years as a center and defensive tackle for Coach Bob Christmas at Jefferson Forest High Played his senior year at guard and defensive tackle for Coach Ed Landis A postseason first-team All-America pick by PrepStar Rated the No. 20 player in Virginia by The Roanoke Times Named the Region III and Seminole District defensive player of the year in 1997 Was an all-district and all-region pick on both offense and defense Picked first-team all-state as a defensive tackle by both the coaches and AP Helped the team to the state Group AA championship game in 97 Registered 48 solo tackles and 53 assists for the season Added nine sacks and three fumble recoveries Had three sacks, caused two fumbles and made 13 tackles in a game against Appomattox Grew two inches and added 40 pounds between his junior and senior seasons Personal: Charles Jacob Grove Born 1/22/80 in Johnson City, TN Son of Chuck and Ruth Grove His dad is a Tech graduate Enrolled in university studies. four tackles, including a quarterback sack in that game Florida Southern College: Attended Florida Southern and played soccer during the school year High School: Excelled in football, soccer and track at Winter Haven High Lettered three seasons in football as a strong safety and kicker for Coach Flip Farienalla Earned first-team all-county and all-area honors Led the team in tackles every game Posted two interceptions against Lake Region as a junior Was the leading tackler again his junior year MVP of the soccer team Ranked in the top 16 in the state in the 400 meters Finished first in the district and third in the region in that event Also a member of one of the state s top meter relay teams A member of the National Honor Society Vice-president of the Student Council Personal: Abraham Bill Hardee III Born 6/30/80 in Christiansburg, VA Son of Bill, Jr., and Debi Hardee His dad still ranks among Tech s top 10 career leaders in pass interceptions, punt returns and kickoff returns Studying human resources. slowed by a pulled groin Grabbed two passes for 29 yards in Tech s last major spring scrimmage Had a game-best 50- yard reception in the Maroon-White game High School: Posted career totals of 127 catches, 2,604 yards and 25 touchdowns for Coach Tommy Reamon at Warwick Named to All-America teams picked by SuperPrep and PrepStar Rated the No. 5 receiver in the nation by The Sporting News, the No. 8 receiver in the nation by SuperPrep and the No. 10 receiver by PrepStar Listed as the No. 3 prospect in Virginia by SuperPrep and the No. 4 prospect by The Roanoke Times Caught 37 passes for 715 yards and six touchdowns as a senior on the way to firstteam Group AAA all-state honors his senior year Was also first-team all-state as a junior when he grabbed 41 passes for 973 yards and seven TDs Accumulated 1,016 receiving yards on 49 catches his sophomore season Personal: Andraé Harrison Born 5/5/80 in Newport News, VA Son of Andrea Harrison Enrolled in university studies. 25 Billy Hardee Free Safety r-so. Winter Haven, Fla. Winter Haven H.S. A newcomer who made a big impression while redshirting last season Came to Tech after attending Florida Southern College for a year Moved into contention for playing time at free safety during the spring Understands the position and Tech s defense Gives 100 percent on every play Smart, physical and ready to play Loves to hit Working to improve his one-on-one skills His father, Billy, Jr., was a standout for the Hokies in the mid-1970s Could put pressure on Willie Pile for the starting job when practice opens in August 1999: Was redshirted while working at free safety Bench pressed 310 pounds and turned in a 450-pound back squat during spring testing Forced a fumble in the Hokies first spring scrimmage Posted six tackles in one scrimmage and four in another Intercepted a pass and returned it seven yards during the annual Maroon-White game Also contributed 1 Andraé Harrison Flanker r-fr. Newport News, Va. Warwick H.S. A highly-touted newcomer with a lot of physical skills Showed flashes of his ability last season while redshirting Working to gain consistency Should benefit from the strength and conditioning program Exhibited his willingness to compete during the spring when he came back from a pulled groin muscle and turned in his best practices Could challenge for the No. 2 spot at split end with good summer preparation Will be watched closely when practice opens in August 1999: Spent the fall at flanker Gained experience while redshirting Had a 450-pound back squat during spring strength and conditioning testing Moved to split end for spring practice but was 66 Jeff Hartzog Offensive Tackle Sr. Forest, Va. Jefferson Forest H.S. Has been a valuable performer on Tech s scout squad the past two seasons Has improved his strength and quickness through his efforts in the strength and conditioning program Works hard and understands Tech s offensive schemes Can play either tackle spot Will likely provide depth at left tackle Also could be a candidate for special teams duty 1999: Played left tackle on the scout team Saw action in the Hokies two jayvee games Registered a 320-pound push press during spring strength and conditioning tests Recorded the secondbest time in the 20-yard shuttle run among the offensive linemen at 4.27 seconds 1998: Saw action in Tech s two jayvee games Turned in personal bests in three of the four major lifts during spring tests Posted the second-best power clean among the returning offensive linemen with Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 79

18 Jeff Hartzog Continued from previous page a lift of 331 pounds Worked at left tackle throughout the year 1997: Played tackle for the jayvee team and the scout squad Posted the best time among Tech s offensive linemen in the 20-yard shuttle run during spring strength and conditioning tests Got a look at right tackle during the spring after spending most of the fall on the left side of the line High School: A two-way lineman for Coach Bob Christmas at Jefferson Forest High School Lettered twice and was a team captain in 1996 Earned all-district honors his final season Contributed 60 tackles and seven sacks on defense as a senior Two of those sacks came in a game against Cave Spring A member of the National Honor Society Personal: Jeffrey Lee Hartzog Born 5/22/79 in Beckley, WV Son of Jeff and Gwen Hartzog Majoring in forestry and wildlife. 72 A Talk With Jeff Hartzog What was it like being a part of last year s team and going to the national championship? It was really a great experience. We had a great time in New Orleans. We had a good performance. Of course, I wish we would have won, but it was really great being there. What goals have you set for yourself and the team for the upcoming season? I personally would like to letter and play well throughout the season. As a team, I would like for us to win the BIG EAST Championship and have the opportunity to play for the national title in the Orange Bowl. Do you think this season is going to be different for the team because Tech is now in the national spotlight? I think that we will have more media coverage this year and be in the spotlight, but that won t change the way we play. It will not be a big problem, and we will definitely be able to handle it. Is there one player on Tech s team that encourages you and motivates you to work hard? Yeah, Steve DeMasi. We have lived together since our freshman year, and we push each other every day at practice and encourage each other to do better. Who has had the biggest impact in your life both on and off the field? My parents have always been there for me in everything that I do. They are very encouraging and never push me to do anything I don t want to do. What opponent are you looking forward to playing the most this year? I am very excited about playing Syracuse in the Carrier Dome, because we have not had much success there in the past few years. This year we want to change that and go up there and beat them Virginia Tech Football Charles Hattan Offensive Guard Fr. Burke, Va. Robinson H.S. Still learning the Tech system after entering school in January Will benefit from his work in spring practice Needs continued exposure to the Hokies strength and conditioning program Can be a good run blocker Should become more comfortable as he increases his familiarity with the system and the position this fall 1999: Enrolled at Tech in January Participated in the winter conditioning program and spring practice Worked at left guard High School: A first-team pick on The Washington Post All-Metro team Rated the No. 6 offensive lineman in the ACC Region by PrepStar Was a postseason All-America pick by that publication Listed as the No. 28 offensive lineman in the ACC Region by ACC Area Sports Journal Named the No. 26 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and ACC

19 Area Sports Journal Picked to The National Recruiting Advisor s preseason All- ACC Region team Lettered three seasons as an offensive tackle for Coach Mark Bendorf Helped his team to the Virginia Group AAA Division 6 championship his junior year Earned alldistrict, all-region and all-state honors as a senior offensive tackle Was also alldistrict and all-region as a junior Lettered two seasons on the weight lifting squad A member of the National Honor Society Personal: Charles Rankin Hattan Born 10/31/80 in Washington, DC Son of Jim and Susan Hattan Enrolled in university studies. A Talk With Cullen Hawkins 42 Cullen Hawkins Fullback r-sr. 3VL Pittsburgh, Pa. Upper St. Clair H.S. Shares the fullback duties with Jarrett Ferguson, giving the Hokies an outstanding one-two punch at the position An intelligent player who understands the system Has become more aggressive and physical during his time at Tech Bounced back strong last season after missing most of the 1998 season with a foot injury Turned in some big plays while seeing action in every game at fullback Also helped out on special teams on occasion Turned in the team s longest kickoff return of the season at Temple Contributes as a runner, blocker and receiver Helped ice the Boston College game with a spectacular touchdown catch Will be counted on for leadership this fall 1999: Rushed for 10 yards and had an 11-yard pass reception in the season opener with James Madison Gained 19 yards on a pass reception at Virginia and 18 yards on a catch versus Syracuse Ran for 31 yards on two carries in Tech s win over Miami Returned a kickoff 58 yards in the Temple game Scored on a 30-yard touchdown pass in the regularseason finale with Boston College Averaged five yards per carry for the Continued on next page How special is it for you to play for the same school as your dad, and what impact did it have on you coming to Virginia Tech? It is definitely special for me to get to play for the same team as my dad, and it is also very special to him. With the program doing so well right now, he is excited to be able to be involved again. It had an impact on me because my dad has been bringing me to Tech football games since I was a little kid, and I always wanted to play for Virginia Tech. Was it difficult to adjust to splitting time with Jarrett Ferguson, and what kind of relationship do you two have? It was not difficult at all because neither of us are the prototypical-sized fullback for Division I football, so we both benefited from splitting time. We have a very unselfish relationship where we both want to see each other succeed. Throughout the games, we help each other read the other team s defense and encourage one another. You caught a touchdown pass in the Boston College game last season that helped clinch a spot in the national championship. Would you say that is your most memorable experience in your football career? I would say that personally it was a great moment for me. But my most memorable experience was after the game when the entire team was on the field celebrating with the fans. What is your most memorable game during your three years of playing for Tech? My most memorable game has to be the West Virginia game last year. Standing on the sideline when Shayne Graham was about to kick the field goal and knowing what was at stake was incredible. Then of course after he made it, the adrenalin of the team was amazing and a feeling I will never forget. You redshirted your sophomore year after an injury in the Miami game. How did you work to overcome your injury and what effect did it have on your junior season? After my injury, I worked with one of my strength coaches to improve my overall strength in the weight room. When I was able to start practicing again, I worked extremely hard to get back to where I was before I hurt my foot. Having to take a year off made me realize how much I missed playing, and so being able to play again my junior year was a great feeling after working so hard to come back. Who has been a role model for you throughout your life both on and off the field? Someone I have always looked up to and tried to emulate is my dad. He is there for me in everything I do, and I have always admired him as both a friend and a father. Playing on the team as a true freshman, was there one player that you really looked up to? My freshman year I was moved to fullback, and it was difficult to make the transition from high school to Division I football. Brian Edmonds was a senior fullback at the time and helped me out a lot. Anytime I needed extra help watching films or going over plays, he would be there to help me out Virginia Tech Football 81

20 Cullen Hawkins Continued from previous page season with 75 yards on 15 rushing attempts Caught four passes for 78 yards, an average of 19.5 yards a catch Had two pass receptions for a total of 49 yards against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl Also rushed once for four yards in that game Carried the football three times for 10 yards in the Maroon-White spring game 1998: Rushed six times for 25 yards and caught four passes for 53 yards during the Hokies first three games Played 37 total plays against East Carolina and 45 versus Clemson Had three receptions in the Miami game, including a 14-yard touchdown catch, before being sidelined Dislocated bones in his left foot during the third quarter of that game Was sidelined the remainder of the season Participated in spring practice Caught one pass for an 8-yard gain during the spring game 1997: Won the No. 2 fullback duties in August and saw action in every game Played 30 snaps at fullback against Syracuse and gained 27 yards on two carries Started and was in for a careerhigh 53 snaps at fullback in the Temple game Caught a 14-yard pass versus Boston College His first collegiate touchdown came on a 14-yard run that helped seal Tech s third straight win against Miami (Fla.) Rushed 21 times during the season for 89 yards and had four receptions for 25 yards Started on the kickoff return and punting teams Averaged 5.6 yards per carry during spring scrimmages Only carried the football once in the spring game for a one-yard gain 1996: Saw action at fullback in the opener at Akron Carried the football twice for a total of nine yards in that game Got limited snaps at the position over the next four games Started every game on the kickoff return unit and earned a letter Returned two kicks for 29 yards in the Pittsburgh game and one for 16 yards against Syracuse Posted the top push jerk among Tech s running backs during spring testing with a lift of 341 pounds Also turned in a 530-pound back squat, which tied for second best among the backs Caught a 23-yard pass in one of the team s spring scrimmages High School: A three-year letterman as a running back, defensive back and kicker for Coach Jim Render at Upper St. Clair Helped his team to a 33-6 record and three Western Conference championships Named honorable mention All-USA by USA Today Earned first-team Big School (3A & 4A) all-state honors as a specialist A member of the Pennsylvania Big 33 team Named 4A Player of the Year by the Pittsburgh Tribune Review Won one of the two player of the year awards from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Selected to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Fabulous 22 team Averaged 8.4 yards per carry as a senior with 1,700 yards on 203 carries Led the WPIAL in scoring with 183 points Rushed for 247 yards and two touchdowns in the conference championship game in 1995 Picked up 1,186 yards rushing on 141 carries his junior year Personal: Cullen Scott Hawkins Born 3/9/77 in Pittsburgh, PA Son of Scott and Karen Hawkins His father, Scott, started as a linebacker for Tech during the 1969 season Competed as a freestyle mogul skier in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades Made the Junior National Team, traveling to Lake Placid, NY, and Snowbird, UT Finished as the top skier in the country in his age group when he was 14-years old Gave up a shot at the Olympics to concentrate on football after the ninth grade Studying housing, interior design and resource management. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Philip Hicks Cornerback Jr. 1VL Radford, Va. Radford H.S. Has come a long way in Tech s walkon program Made the travel squad last season as an outstanding special teams member Turned in some big hits on the kickoff coverage unit Also got some brief playing time at cornerback Will have a chance to contribute at the boundary corner position if he continues his hard work and progress 1999: Worked a few plays on defense and special teams against James Madison Did not play again until the Rutgers game Played a personal-best 11 plays at cornerback against the Scarlet Knights Posted three tackles in that game Moved into a starting role on the kickoff coverage team Had two special teams tackles at West Virginia and caused a fumble Added two more tackles against Temple Played in a total of eight games, finishing with 12 tackles Also saw action in Tech s two jayvee games, intercepting a pass against Hargrave and posting four tackles in a win over Fork Union Bench pressed 300 pounds and squatted 485-pounds during spring testing Posted the fastest 20-yard shuttle time among the defensive backs at 4.00 seconds Compiled three tackles in one spring scrimmage and recovered a fumble in another Was in on four tackles during the Maroon-White spring game 1998: Joined the team when school started Worked mainly at the field cornerback position Played on the scout and jayvee teams Intercepted a pass in a JV game against Fork Union Military Academy and returned in 12 yards Turned in a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.47 forty time during spring testing High School: Lettered three years as a cornerback and wide receiver for Coach Norm Lineburg at Radford High Helped the team to district and region titles his senior year Earned all-district, all-region and all-state Group AA honors that season Also excelled in track Ran a leg on the state champion mile-relay team Personal: Philip Brandon Hicks Born 3/17/80 in Wilson, NC Son of Valarie Caple and Michael Artist Enrolled in sociology. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Jake Houseright Linebacker Jr. 2VL Gate City, Va. Gate City H.S. A highly-touted player who hopes to make an impact this season after being hampered by injuries his first two seasons at Tech Got an opportunity to practice on a consistent basis during the spring Showed flashes of his potential Closed out spring practice with a slight edge in the battle for the starting mike linebacker duties Virginia Tech Football

21 Saw limited action during the first part of the 1999 season after injuring his knee in preseason workouts Made some important contributions at inside linebacker the second half of the year, but worked a total of just 127 defensive plays Underwent arthroscopic surgery to his right knee prior to his freshman season in 98 Moved to fullback to help the team when he returned from the surgery Switched back to defense in the spring of 1999 Can play either inside linebacker position A big, physical player who is both smart and athletic Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the strength and conditioning program during fall testing Has all the tools to be successful Just needs to stay healthy and gain experience 1999: Did not play in the opener against James Madison due to a preseason knee injury Only played eight defensive snaps and 12 special teams plays over the next three games Got a personal-best 31 defensive plays against Rutgers and responded with seven tackles, including four primary hits Was in for 25 plays against Syracuse and made three tackles Assisted on four tackles at West Virginia and was in on a total of five hits in the Temple game Finished the regular season with 22 total tackles Turned in a personal-best 380-pound bench press during the fall Posted five tackles in one spring scrimmage and finished with four tackles in the annual spring game 1998: Had a portion of torn cartilage removed from his right knee before the season Saw his first action on the kickoff team at Miami Made his first appearance at fullback against Boston College Got his first carry in the Temple game for a 1- yard gain Turned in 5-yard runs against UAB and West Virginia Played a season-high 28 offensive snaps in the Rutgers game Finished regular-season play with a total of seven carries for 16 yards Averaged 11 plays a game on special teams Led the linebackers with a 341-pound push jerk during spring testing Bench pressed 370 pounds Posted three tackles and a sack in one of the team s spring scrimmages Was in on six tackles during the annual spring game High School: Started all four years in football at Gate City High for Coach Nick Colobro, a former tight end at Tech Played safety, outside and inside linebacker, tailback, fullback and tight end during his career Also returned punts and kickoffs and handled the punting duties Rated the No. 12 strong-side linebacker in the nation by The National Recruiting Advisor, the No. 23 inside linebacker in the country by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report and the No. 31 linebacker in the nation by SuperPrep Garnered postseason A-A honors from SuperPrep, PrepStar and NRA Rated the No. 4 player in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and The Charlottesville Daily Progress and the No. 5 player in the state by SuperPrep Voted The Associated Press Group AA Player of the Year in Virginia Voted the defensive player of the year in Group AA by the coaches The Highlands District Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year Also the Region IV Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team pick as a running back and kick returner Helped team to four district titles, three regional championships and a state title (1997) Compiled 169 tackles, eight sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery from his linebacker spot as a senior Rushed for 1,955 yards and 25 touchdowns as a fullback in 97 Added 14 pass receptions for 153 yards and three more TDs Posted career totals of 425 tackles, 10 interceptions, 19 sacks, 3,112 yards rushing, 37 rushing touchdowns and 35 pass receptions for 408 yards and four TDs Excelled in track, setting school records in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles Won the discus and finished fourth in the shot put at the 98 State Group AA outdoor track championship Personal: Jacob Matthew Houseright Born 1/4/79 in Blacksburg, VA Son of Bill and Jenny Houseright His father was a Parade All-American in high school and a starting nose guard for the Hokies in the mid-1970s His uncle, Tom Beasley, was also a star defensive lineman at Tech and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins His older brother, Bill, Jr., lettered for the Hokies in 1995 Is studying business. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Game-by-Game Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks JMU Did not play UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Ricky Hudson Center r-so. Dumfries, Va. C.D. Hylton H.S. A transfer who is expected to compete for the No. 3 center spot Had to sit out last season but was able to practice Got a look as a deep snapper as well as a center Has a good frame Must continue building on that frame through the strength and conditioning program 1999: Transferred to Tech from Connecticut Practiced at tackle during the fall Improved in three of the four major lifts in the weight room during spring testing Got a look at center during the spring UConn: Played in all 13 games as a long snapper and special teams player during the 1998 season High School: Was a three-year letterman as an offensive lineman and long snapper for Coach Bill Brown at C.D. Hylton Helped the team to a 7-3 record in 1997 Named first-team all-district and second-team all-region Personal: Ricky W. Hudson Born 4/24/80 Son of Richard and Debbie Hudson Enrolled in interdisciplinary studies. 23 T.J. Jackson Linebacker r-so. Delray Beach, Fla. Olympic Heights H.S. Traveled with the team off-and-on during the 1999 season and helped provide depth at outside linebacker Is becoming more experienced at the whip position and Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 83

22 T.J. Jackson Continued from previous page learning to be more physical Improved himself in the weight room during the offseason Should get more comfortable at the position as he gains more confidence A good summer preparation and continued progress during the preseason could earn him a shot at some playing time at OLB Also could be a candidate for special teams duty 1999: Remained at the whip linebacker position Played seven plays at linebacker and one play on special teams in the season-opener against James Madison His only other varsity action of the season came on seven special teams plays against Pittsburgh Played in two jayvee games Turned in personal bests in three of the four major lifts during spring strength and conditioning tests Also turned in a 37-inch vertical jump and a 4.36 clocking in the 40-yard dash Posted three tackles, including a pair of quarterback sacks, during Tech s first spring scrimmage Had a tackle for loss and five total tackles in another scrimmage Was in on one tackle during the spring Maroon-White game 1998: Worked at free safety during the fall while redshirting Showed improvement during the winter strength and conditioning program Moved to outside linebacker for spring practice Contributed four tackles during one spring scrimmage and posted two tackles and a fumble recovery in another Was in on four tackles in the annual spring game High School: Played quarterback, wide receiver and safety for Coach Willie Dadaro at Olympic Heights High Was named The Boca Raton News Offensive Player of the Year Listed as the No. 2 strong safety in Florida by The Jacksonville Times-Union, which also listed him among the top 75 recruits in the state Earned postseason All-America honors from SuperPrep and Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Gained second-team allstate recognition in Class 6A A first-team all-area and all-county pick Team MVP his senior and junior years Accounted for 789 yards rushing and 637 yards passing as a senior Ran for 10 touchdowns and passed for seven Contributed 91 tackles, seven interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two blocked field goals Scored on two kickoff returns and a punt return Posted five touchdowns in a game against Spanish River, including one on a 78-yard punt return Compiled 94 tackles and eight interceptions his junior season Returned two punts and a kickoff for TDs and blocked three field goals and a punt Finished his career with 21 interceptions As a senior, helped his team advance to the second round of the state playoffs for the first time ever Selected for the North- South All-State game, the Outback All-Star game and the Palm Beach County All-Star game Personal: Tavarius Mariques Jackson Born 10/10/79 in Delray Beach, FL Son of Larry and Charlotte Jackson Goes by T.J. Enrolled in housing, interior design and resource management.. 18 Emmett Johnson Split End Jr. 2VL Chesapeake, Va. Western Branch H.S. Tech s most experienced performer at split end Shared the spotlight at the position with senior Ricky Hall last season, starting six regular-season games and the Sugar Bowl Also contributed as a starter on special teams Has made steady improvement during his time at Tech Earned Iron Hokie honors during both the fall and spring strength and conditioning testing periods Maturing as a player and building confidence Combines outstanding size with excellent athletic ability The leading candidate to start at split end Could make a real impact this fall 1999: Saw action in every game on both offense and special teams Earned his first collegiate start against James Madison and caught one pass for nine yards Had three catches for 62 yards in the UAB game Hauled in a 41-yard pass in that game for his first touchdown at Tech Also had three catches against West Virginia for 44 yards Played a careerhigh 38 offensive snaps against the Mountaineers Finished third on the squad in receptions with 10 for 147 yards Posted personal bests in the vertical jump (37 1/2 inches) and the 40 (4.33 seconds) during the off-season Caught a 23-yard pass against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl and gained 12 yards on a reverse His 515-pound back squat was tops among the receivers during the spring Hauled in a 35-yard TD pass in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Had a 29-yard reception in the annual Maroon-White game 1998: Played in nine regular-season games Saw action on 16 snaps against East Carolina in his first collegiate game Caught two passes for 11 yards during Tech s win at Clemson Added another reception against Pittsburgh Moved into a starting spot on the punt return team prior to the Boston College game Registered a season-high 33 plays at UAB, including 27 snaps on offense Finished the season with three catches for 10 yards Contributed an 8-yard reception against Alabama in the Music City Bowl Saw action in a jayvee game against Fork Union, catching four passes for 117 yards and one touchdown Posted a 4.42 time in the forty during spring testing Grabbed three passes for 28 yards during one of Tech s spring scrimmages Was slowed part of the spring by a hamstring injury Made an outstanding 22-yard reception during the spring game High School: Only played one year of varsity football at Western Branch Elected to concentrate on track as a junior after playing on the jayvee football squad as a sophomore Returned to football as a receiver for Coach Lew Johnston in 97 and led the team with 22 catches for 458 yards and six touchdowns Earned firstteam all-district, all-tidewater and all-region honors Rated the No. 15 player in the state by The Roanoke Times and the No. 16 prospect by SuperPrep Ranked the No. 9 receiver in the ACC Region by PrepStar, which selected him a postseason All-America Lettered four years in track Won the Group AAA indoor and outdoor triple jump titles as a senior Ran a leg on the state championship 4x100-meter relay team as a junior Also earned all-state honors that year in the triple jump Has run the 100 meters in 10.7 and the 400 meters in 48.9 Personal: Emmett Johnson, Jr. Born 3/17/80 in North Carolina Son of Emmett, Sr., and Vergie Johnson Enrolled in university studies. Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Virginia Tech made a living scoring on long plays in During its 11 regular-season games, Tech had 10 scoring plays of 50 yards or more. Here s a breakdown of the big plays and how they happened: run, 1 pass pass, 1 punt return run, 1 pass, 1 fumble return run, 1 pass, 1 interception pass, 2 interception, 1 fumble return run, 1 fumble return Virginia Tech Football

23 76 Dave Kadela Offensive Tackle Sr. 2VL Dublin, Ohio Coffman H.S. Rated one of the top offensive tackles in the nation by several preseason publications Listed as the No. 3 tackle by The Sporting News and the No. 11 tackle by Lindy s Named second-team All- America by TSN Picked preseason firstteam All-BIG EAST by The Sporting News and Lindy s Turned in an outstanding season as the starting right tackle in 1999 Came on strong down the stretch in games against Miami, Temple and Boston College Played on 84 percent of the Hokies offensive snaps during the season Also contributed as a starter on special teams Became a more physical player Was voted second-team All-BIG EAST by the league s coaches Named firstteam all-conference by Football News One of the big reasons the Tech rushing attack was ranked first in the BIG EAST and ninth in the nation Combines excellent size with long arms Has made steady progress as a pass protector Also has improved at being an every-down player Is in charge of protecting quarterback Michael Vick s back 1999: Started every game and played 637 snaps Also contributed 73 plays on special teams Led offensive line in total snaps played Graded a winning percentage in nine of Tech s 11 regularseason games Saw action on a seasonhigh 73 snaps against UAB Was in for 71 plays in the game at West Virginia Earned a 92 percent rating against Boston College Recorded personal bests in all four major lifts during spring strength and conditioning tests Had a 405-pound bench press and a 341-pound push jerk Solidified his starting job at right tackle once again during spring practice 1998: Was one of seven players on the team to reach or surpass all six of his goals during fall strength and conditioning test Did not start in the season opener against East Carolina, but played 33 snaps Went on to start the next 10 regularseason games and compile a total of 575 offensive snaps Also started against Continued on next page A Talk With Dave Kadela Most of the starters on the offensive line are seniors. What has it been like to work along side these guys for three years? When we all came in my freshman year, we were on the second team offensive line known as the cardiac kids, and that really started the camaraderie between us. After that, we just got so used to working with each other that we ve really been able to click and get along well and that s helped in the games. What is it like to know you are responsible for protecting one of the best quarterbacks in the country? I love blocking for Michael Vick. Every play you know something exciting could happen so you just have that much more motivation to do your best and make sure no one hits him. We take a lot of pride in protecting our quarterback. When we got toward the end of the season last year, everyone was coming at him hard and we just had to work that much harder to keep them off. What was it like to be a part of a strong program for two years, but then all of a sudden play in the national championship game? I always thought it was possible that we would play for the national championship, I just didn t think it would happen while I was here. Last season was just a dream season, and I feel blessed that I was able to play in the national championship game. It was a lot of fun going down there. You and the rest of the offensive line work hard together on the field, but does that hard work carry over to other places like the weight room and class room? In the weight room most of us work out together, and we really push each other to get better and prepare ourselves for the season. Sometimes it can even get competitive. The work ethic I take into football does carry over to school. I approach school the same way as football. I work just as hard because academics are just as important to me as football. What was the most exciting moment for you last season? I d say there were two moments. The first was after Shayne Graham s field goal at West Virginia. That was the most exciting moment of my football career. The next most exciting moment was when we took the field against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. Those times were just unbelievable. Is it hard to be overlooked as an offensive player while most of the other guys get a lot of the credit, or do you just consider that part of the job? I take pride in the fact that we did have a 1,000-yard rusher, and that Michael Vick had the success that he did. We also broke the BIG EAST rushing record, and we had the highest scoring offense in the country. Do you have any rituals, superstitions or routines you go through before games? The only thing that might be considered a ritual is that I have listened to the same songs before each game since my freshman year Virginia Tech Football 85

24 Dave Kadela Continued from previous page Alabama in the Music City Bowl Contributed over 50 plays on special teams as a starter on the extra point and field goal teams Graded a winning percentage in seven regular-season games Saw action on a total of 77 plays against Miami and graded a season-best 88 percent Graded 87 percent versus Virginia and 86 percent in the Pittsburgh game Improved his 40 time to 4.95 during the winter strength and conditioning workouts A recipient of the Richard Bullock Award as one of the Hokies most improved players during the spring 1997: Was a member of the varsity travel team Saw action in four games Worked a season-high 33 plays against Rutgers in the season opener Got 23 snaps against Arkansas State and seven in the UAB game Also saw brief action against Syracuse Worked at right tackle during both the fall and spring Prep School: Spent a semester at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia Played defensive end for Coach John Shuman and saw some action on offense when FUMA used two tight ends Returned home in December High School: Lettered two years as a DE/OT for Coach Eric Tudor at Coffman High in Ohio Named to the Central Ohio All-Star team as a senior Also gained allconference and all-district honors Finished with 57 tackles, including eight sacks that season Team was 10-1 and reached the state Division I playoffs his junior year Personal: David Richard Kadela Born 5/6/78 in Dearborn, MI Son of Dave and Lynn Kadela His father played offensive guard at the University of Michigan Majoring in finance. 55 Ken Keister Defensive End/Deep Snapper r-so. Radford, Va. Radford H.S. Will be a leading candidate for the snapping duties on special teams this season Also helps provide depth at defensive end Can play either end position Works hard and learns quickly Benefiting from the strength and conditioning program Always puts the team first 1999: Was a member of the travel squad as a backup snapper Did not see action and was redshirted Bench pressed 330 pounds during fall testing Improved his back squat to 500 pounds Registered quarterback sacks in two of Tech s spring scrimmages and added three tackles, including one behind the line, in another 1998: Joined the team as a walk-on when school started Practiced at defensive end Recovered a fumble in a jayvee win over Fork Union Military Academy Improved in all four major lifts during spring strength and conditioning tests Got some work as a deep snapper during the spring High School: Earned three letters as a defensive end, linebacker and running back for Coach Norm Lineburg at Radford High Was first-team all-district, all-region and all-state as a defensive end his senior season Earned second-team all-district honors as a running back Helped team to a region championship in 97 Contributed 153 tackles, seven sacks and three fumble recoveries as a senior Missed his junior year due to an injury Lettered two years in basketball and soccer Personal: Kenneth Robert Keister Born 8/13/80 in Radford, VA Son of Robert Keister and Judy Harris Studying physical education. 4 André Kendrick Tailback r-sr. 3VL Lynchburg, Va., E.C. Glass H.S. Will have to battle his way back up the depth chart after missing spring practice Will likely be back in the thick of the battle for playing time before the season opens Came on strong during Tech s march to the national championship game Did not start a game, but provided a big spark when the team needed it Averaged 6.3 yards per carry to set a school singleseason record for rushing yards per carry Ended the regular season second on the team in rushing and contributed seven touchdowns Scored two more touchdowns in the Sugar Bowl A former high school quarterback who brings real versatility to the position Elusive and tough Makes big plays and is outstanding in every phase of the game A perfect fit for Tech s offense 1999: Rushed for 45 yards and one touchdown against James Madison Threw a key 35-yard touchdown pass to André Davis versus UAB and added 49 yards on the ground Posted a 24-yard TD run in the Clemson game and a 10-yard scoring burst at Rutgers Ran for 65 yards and one TD during Tech s win over Syracuse Sparked Tech at Pittsburgh with a personal-best 16 carries for a careerhigh 162 yards Turned in a 59-yard run in that win over the Panthers Registered 71 yards on the ground against West Virginia, including a 46-yard touchdown run Played a season-high 31 snaps against Miami, and contributed 66 rushing yards Scored on runs of 20 and 3 yards versus Temple Finished with 645 yards rushing on 103 carries Ran for two touchdowns against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl and finished with 69 yards on 12 carries Also caught two passes for 27 yards versus FSU and returned two kickoffs for 75 yards His 63-yard kickoff return was a bowl record for the Hokies Did not attend school during spring semester 1998: Rushed for 14 yards on two carries, including a 10-yard touchdown run, during Tech s season opener against East Carolina Sat out the Clemson and Miami games after injuring his knee Had a 19- yard run in the Pittsburgh game and gained 20 yards on two carries Carried four times for 12 yards against UAB and rushed for nine yards on three carries versus Rutgers Gained 58 yards on 14 carries for the season, an average of 4.1 yards per rush Started on the kickoff return unit Earned Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during the fall Stepped up to the Super Iron Hokie level during the spring Led the tailbacks with a 340-pound bench press and 550-pound back squat Rushed for 53 yards on six carries during one spring scrimmage Had 51 yards on four carries in another scrimmage and scored on a 2-yard touchdown run Posted touchdown runs of 4 and 5 yards in one of the team s other spring scrimmages Threw a 19-yard TD pass to Terrell Parham during the annual spring game Also caught two passes for nine yards in that game 1997: Saw action in every game as a starter on the kickoff return team Got snaps at tailback in four games Rushed for 18 yards on six carries in Tech s opener at Rutgers Scored a touchdown on a 2- yard run in that game and also contributed a pair of kickoff returns for 26 yards Carried nine times for 48 yards in the Virginia Tech Football

25 Arkansas State game Had two kickoff returns for 22 yards against West Virginia and two more for 39 yards versus Miami (Fla.) Finished the season with 16 carries for 67 yards and seven returns for 98 yards Won Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during the winter Was named one of the team s most improved players following spring practice Caught a 43-yard touchdown pass in one of Tech s spring scrimmages and hauled in a 25-yard scoring toss in another Added a 9-yard reception in the spring game 1996: Got a brief look at several positions during preseason practice before settling at tailback Was battling for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart until he was injured in Tech s last preseason scrimmage Returned to full workouts during the first week of the season and was redshirted Turned in a 500-pound back squat and 310-pound hang clean during spring testing Carried the football five times in the annual spring game for 33 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown run High School: A four-year letterman as a quarterback and defensive back for Coach Bo Henson at E.C. Glass Helped team to a 32-8 record, four district championships and four region titles Picked to BLUECHIP Illustrated s postseason Dream Team as the No. 9 DB in the nation Named honorable mention All-USA by USA Today A member of the All-Southern team selected by the Orlando Sentinel Earned first-team 3A all-state honors as a quarterback from AP in 1995 Was area, district and region offensive player of the year his junior and senior seasons Passed for 1,602 yards and 17 touchdowns in 95, completing 88 of 143 passes Also ran for 968 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior year and added two TDs on punt returns Compiled over 4,000 yards passing and 2,000 yards rushing to set a school career record for yardage Finished his career with 36 touchdown runs and 46 touchdown passes Personal: Sterling André Kendrick Born 9/27/77 in Lynchburg, VA Son of Lucille Kendrick and Leroy Wingo II Enrolled in interdisciplinary studies. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Chris Krebs Rover r-jr. 2VL Burke, Va. Robinson H.S. Has lettered twice for his outstanding play on special teams Worked over 100 plays on special teams in 1999 Also provides depth at the rover position An intelligent player who works hard Knows the Tech defense and the expectations of the rover position Tech s Male Scholar- Athlete of the Year A member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team 1999: Played 11 snaps at rover against James Madison in the season opener and was in on one tackle Also had 11 plays on defense at Rutgers and contributed two tackles Saw brief defensive action against Syracuse and Temple Posted 17 plays on special teams against both Rutgers and Boston College Collected seven tackles during the season Turned in one of the best times on the team in the 20-yard shuttle run during the spring with a timing of 4.07 seconds Continued to work at the rover spot in spring practice 1998: Contributed as a starter on the kickoff return team and a backup on two other special teams Played in a total of 10 games Worked at rover, but only saw brief action on defense during the Clemson game Got some playing time in Tech s Music City Bowl win against Alabama Turned in one of the best back squats among the defensive backs with a 500- pound squat during spring testing Was in on a tackle during the annual spring game 1997: Redshirted during the fall while working at the rover position Tied for the top back squat among the defensive backs during spring testing with a lift of 510 pounds Turned in a vertical jump of 36 inches Continued to work at rover during spring practice Added 12 pounds during the course of the year High School: Earned three letters as a free safety and receiver for Coach Nick Hilgert at James W. Robinson High Only played in five games his senior year due to an injury Still managed over 50 tackles Earned all-district honors his junior year when he posted 59 tackles and a pair of interceptions Was named the team s most valuable defensive player Earned the nickname Captain Crunch for his hardhitting style Played in the Chesapeake Football Classic following his senior year A member of the National Honor Society Valedictorian of his class Personal: John Christopher Krebs Born 1/5/79 in Alexandria, LA Son of John and Mitzi Krebs Studying management science and information technology. 59 Anthony Lambo Offensive Tackle r-sr. 3VL Bloomfield, N.J. Bloomfield H.S. A quick, athletic player who started all 12 games last season at left tackle Has developed into a fine offensive lineman after beginning his Tech career on defense Named to The Sporting News preseason All- BIG EAST team Is good in Tech s option game Continues to concentrate on becoming a more physical player at the point of attack Played his best in BIG EAST games in 99 Helped the Hokies lead the league in rushing, scoring and total offense Enters preseason practice No. 1 on the depth chart, but could get a strong challenge from sophomore Anthony Davis 1999: Enjoyed outstanding games against Clemson, Syracuse and Boston College Played a career-high 65 offensive snaps in Tech s win at West Virginia Got 63 snaps in the Miami game Was in on over 500 plays for the season Turned in the best 40 time among the offensive lineman with a 4.91 clocking during spring strength and conditioning tests Came out of spring practice at the top of the depth chart despite a constant challenge from Davis 1998: Got his first taste of action on offense Started the opener against East Carolina at right tackle and was on the field for 34 plays, including six plays on special teams Only saw action on offense over the last 11 games Played a season-high 30 offensive snaps against UAB and Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 87

26 Anthony Lambo Continued from previous page A Talk With Anthony Lambo How did you feel about making the switch from defensive lineman to offensive guard? I did it because Coach Beamer asked me if I d mind moving to help the team. There wasn t much depth on the offensive line, because we had lost a lot of the seniors to graduation. What do you believe is your strongest attribute on the field as far as helping the team achieve victory? I just try to make everyone around me better. I think I lead by example and by my performance on the field. Looking back at your career, what has been your most memorable moment as a Hokie? Besides going to the national championship last season, my most memorable moment would be when I was a redshirt freshman. I got in against Syracuse and sacked Donovan McNabb. Has your experience playing defense helped make you a better offensive lineman? If so, how? Definitely. Playing defense in the past has given me a better understanding of what to expect each play. I think that I have an advantage over the others because of my experience. What do you think the offense needs to work on the most? We need to work on coming together more as a group and making sure that we re on the same page. What kind of team role do you see yourself in this season? As a senior, I ll have more of a leadership role for the offense and the team as a whole. Do you have any plans for after graduation? I would like to continue playing football. If that doesn t work out then I would consider coaching somewhere. Do you have any pregame rituals? Matt Wincek and I get the programs before each game and draw all over the other team s faces. We just try to lighten things up a little bit and make sure we don t get too serious before the game. graded 87 percent Posted 28 plays versus Clemson and 23 in the Rutgers game Posted a 575-pound back squat during spring testing Moved to right guard for spring practice 1997: Saw action in every game as the backup to Kerwin Hairston at the nose tackle position Played a season-high 33 snaps during the season opener at Rutgers Registered six tackles in that game, including a sack Was in for 23 plays and posted another sack in Tech s win over Syracuse Added his third sack in the Arkansas State game Had four tackles versus UAB Saw action on a total of 160 snaps Compiled 17 total tackles Was asked to move to offensive tackle during spring practice Suffered a severely sprained ankle after just four practices and missed the majority of spring workouts Returned in time to play in the spring game 1996: Was redshirted while working at defensive tackle Improved his performance in the hang clean and push jerk during winter strength and conditioning workouts Was in on three tackles and a quarterback sack during one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Registered four tackles in the annual spring game High School: A three-year letterman as a defensive end and tight end for Coach Michael Carter at Bloomfield High An honorable mention All-USA pick by USA Today Listed as the No. 3 tight end in the Eastern Region after the 95 season by BLUECHIP Illustrated Selected firstteam all-state as a tight end by The Associated Press Made the firstteam all-state team picked by the Newark Star-Ledger as a defensive end Caught 30 passes for 410 yards and six touchdowns his senior season Posted 75 tackles, four quarterback sacks, four fumble recoveries and a blocked punt on defense in 1995 Had seven receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown on a muddy field against Bergen Catholic Registered career totals of 45 pass receptions for 560 yards and 10 TDs Was in on more than 140 tackles during his junior and senior seasons Personal: Anthony John Lambo Born 1/4/78 in New Jersey Son of John and Mary Lambo Worked as a disc jockey on his high school s radio station Enrolled in family and child development Virginia Tech Football

27 69 Matt Lehr Offensive Guard Sr. 2VL Woodbridge, Va. Woodbridge H.S. An all-star candidate who rates as Tech s most consistent offensive lineman Rated the No. 5 guard in the Division I-A ranks by both Lindy s and The Sporting News Was also a first-team preseason All-BIG EAST pick by both publications Combines good athleticism with excellent technique Responds to challenges Possesses good quickness and surprising strength Earned Super Iron Hokie honors during both fall and spring testing Gave up only one sack during the regular season in 99 and allowed just three hurries Led the offensive linemen in offensive snaps played Also the team leader in knockdown blocks with 57 Was a second-team All-BIG EAST pick by the league s coaches following the season Also named to the ECAC All-Star team Named one of the team MVPs for spring practice Benefits from a wealth of experience Figures to be one of Tech s leaders in : Started all 12 games at left guard Graded a winning percentage in nine of Tech s 11 regular-season games Averaged 60 plays per game Was in for a season-high 71 snaps at West Virginia Posted a team-high six knockdown blocks against Miami Also had six knockdowns in the Boston College game Posted a 430-pound bench press and a 680-pound back squat during fall testing Improved his bench to 435 in the spring a position record for Tech offensive guards Added personal bests in the power clean (331) and push jerk (361) Had the quickest time in the 20-yard shuttle run (4.26) among the O-linemen Won the George Preas Award as the most valuable offensive player during spring practice 1998: Injured his ankle during preseason practice and missed Tech s opening games against East Carolina and Clemson Saw his first action at Miami Played 36 snaps at Boston College and 30 at UAB Moved into the starting lineup for the Rutgers game and played a career-high 71 snaps Posted five knockdowns and Continued on next page A Talk With Matt Lehr How did you feel when Michael Vick finished third in the Heisman voting and was ESPN s performer of the year, knowing you were responsible for protecting him during the season? It was a good feeling to see someone have the kind of success he did and to prove himself like he did. It s something you can t explain. What was it like to be part of the highest-scoring offense in the country last year and is it hard to be in the shadow of some of the other players? You go through the season one game at a time and if you pile up the points then you pile up the points. But it s nice having that notoriety of the high-powered offense. Just to see the rest of the offense succeed makes me feel good. In order for the other players to play well, we as offensive linemen have to be doing well. How did the Sugar Bowl compare to the other bowl games you have been to and played in? There s no comparison. When we ran on that field and there were 80,000 fans screaming at us, the rush was unlike anything else I could ever experience. We played in the first national championship of the new millennium. It s a heck of a feeling. What was the most exciting moment of last year s season for you? Probably the Boston College game with about three minutes left in the game. We were all on the sideline and all of a sudden you see sugar cubes falling down on the field and people are throwing beads to us. There are several seniors on the offensive line this season. What has it been like playing with these guys since your first season? Just like any family, we argue and we fight. But any time we need each other we re there for each other. That s the best thing about it because we ve had the years to mature with each other and learn everyone s strengths and weaknesses and we build on that, just like one big family. What do you think has been the biggest change at the university since you arrived here as a freshman? Just the notoriety of the school itself. With either basketball or football or any other sport, people are beginning to know who we are and that s the best part about it, just the tradition we are starting to build. Tech has been a top 25 program for several years, but did you see a change in the fans attitude and excitement during and after last season? There s always going to be change. With any winning team, everyone is going to want to see them play so more people want to come see if they are what they say they are. We sold out every game last season. You may be sitting down talking to your friend and someone will come up and say good game and you don t even know who these people are but they know who you are and it s a good feeling Virginia Tech Football 89

28 Matt Lehr Continued from previous page graded 86 percent over 65 plays versus Virginia Also started against Alabama in the Music City Bowl Averaged over 32 snaps a game for the season Bench pressed 410 pounds during spring testing and added a 615-pound back squat Earned Iron Hokie honors Saw practice time at guard and tackle during spring workouts 1997: Opened practice working at right guard Moved to left guard and was pressed into reserve duty Played 30 snaps in Tech s season opener at Rutgers Was in for 22 snaps in the Arkansas State game Saw action in a total of four games Posted a 400-pound bench press during spring strength and conditioning tests Tied for second among OL members in the back squat with a mark of 575 pounds Worked at both left guard and left tackle during spring practice Graded the highest of Tech s offensive linemen in the 1998 spring game while seeing action at both guard and tackle High School: Played offensive guard and defensive end at Woodbridge High for Coach Ron Davis, a former Tech standout A three-time all-district and all-region pick Earned first-team Group AAA allstate honors on offense his senior year Also earned first-team All-Metro honors from The Washington Post in 96 Garnered All-America honors from PrepStar as the No. 7 OL in the ACC Region Averaged 20 pancake blocks per game as a senior Also contributed 40 tackles and six sacks on defense Posted 21 pancake blocks, seven tackles and two sacks in a game against Stonewall Jackson Averaged 12 pancakes a game his junior year on the way to second-team all-state honors Earned all-state honors as a weight man in track Personal: Matthew Steven Lehr Born 4/25/79 in Jacksonville, FL Son of Steven and Lee Anne Lehr Majoring in finance. 70 Kevin Lewis Defensive Tackle Fr. Richmond, Va. Varina H.S. A newcomer who has made a big impression in a short amount of time Did not enter school until January Made a good showing in the winter off-season program Turned a lot of heads with his performance in spring practice Still undersized for a defensive tackle, but proved he can hold his own at the point of attack Showed play-making ability Can put pressure on the passer Could provide much-needed depth along the defensive front despite his overall lack of experience Plays hard on every play Possesses a quick burst off the line and doesn t give up on plays Still has a way to go, but has earned the right to compete for a spot this fall Should get better and better as he gains experience 1999: Enrolled in school for the second semester Bench pressed 370 pounds during spring strength and conditioning tests Also turned in a 550- pound back squat and a 316-pound power clean Got a lot of repetitions in spring practice at tackle when starter Chad Beasley was sidelined by an injury Was in on six tackles during the Hokies first spring scrimmage Posted a sack in another scrimmage Turned in four tackles during the annual Maroon-White game, including one for a loss High School: A four-year starter at fullback and defensive end for Coach Ed Bulheller Earned first-team Group AAA all-state honors as a defensive lineman Named the No. 20 prospect in the state by The Roanoke Times and was rated No. 22 by SuperPrep Picked the No. 11 linebacker in the ACC Region by PrepStar Shared Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year honors for the Richmond area with Matt Farrior Carried the football 138 times his senior year for 989 yards and 14 touchdowns Contributed 123 tackles on defense, including 11 sacks and 25 total tackles behind the line Collected 13 tackles in a game against Hopewell Was a first-team all-district and all-region selection Turned in 64 tackles and five sacks as a junior Helped the team to 41 wins and three region championships Threw the shot put for the track team and also played basketball Personal: Kevin André Lewis Born 4/26/80 in Richmond, VA Son of David and Gale Lewis His father played football at North Carolina A&T Enrolled in history. 63 Joe Marchant Offensive Guard r-sr. 1VL Centerville, Utah Viewmont H.S. Will be a valuable player along the offensive line this season Is versatile enough to play any of the positions if needed Injured his wrist in the spring of 1999 Used a redshirt year last fall to allow extra time for rehabilitation Took some time to get his timing back when he returned to contact work Once he did, his feel for the game quickly returned Mixes good athletic ability with maturity and an excellent attitude Started six games at right guard during the 1998 season after Josh Redding was injured at Miami Has also practiced at center and tackle during his time at Tech His experience should help give the Hokies one of their best offensive lines 1999: Was redshirted Practiced mainly at right guard and center during the fall Improved in all four major lifts during the winter off-season program Posted a 375-pound bench press in spring testing Also 360-pound push jerk and a 565-pound back squat Worked mainly at left guard during spring practice 1998: Reported back in excellent condition, meeting all six goals during fall testing Played 17 offensive snaps in a reserve role against both East Carolina and Clemson Started game four against Pittsburgh and got 31 snaps Was in for a personal-high 80 snaps against Temple and had seven knockdown blocks Posted a season-high for knockdowns with nine versus West Virginia Underwent surgery to his right wrist in February Sat out contact work in the spring 1997: Entered Tech in January Went through the winter strength and conditioning program Began spring practice working at left tackle Closed out Virginia Tech Football

29 the spring practicing at center Junior College: Attended Dixie Community College in Utah Took two years off after his freshman year for a church mission Returned for the 1997 season and started along the offensive line for Coach Greg Croshaw Played guard during the early part of the season, then moved to center Helped the team to an 11-1 record and a No. 2 ranking in the nation among junior colleges Was named one of the top 100 junior college players in the nation by J.C. Gridwire Listed among PrepStar s top 100 junior college transfers High School: A lineman at Viewmont High where he also excelled in wrestling Personal: Joseph Duane Marchant Born 10/11/75 in Bountiful, Utah Son of Duane and Joan Marchant Spent two years in Guatemala on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Married the former Bernice Wilson of Mesquite, NV, in June 1998 Majoring in marketing. 39 Alex Markogiannakis Linebacker r-so. Chantilly, Va. Robinson H.S. A very instinctive player with great vision Put himself in position for some playing time at mike linebacker with a good spring practice Makes up for his lack of size with sound technique and fundamentals Plays with discipline and understands the Tech defense Was added to the 1999 dress squad after four games to provide extra depth... Saw limited duty in four games on defense... His knack for making plays could earn him a chance to contribute in some capacity this fall 1999: Joined the varsity squad for the Rutgers game and saw action on 11 snaps... Contributed two tackles against the Scarlet Knights... Also was in on two tackles in games against Syracuse and Temple... Posted a total of seven tackles in his four appearances... Showed marked improvement in the strength and conditioning program during the year Had a pair of tackles in two different spring scrimmages Also contributed a tackle in the annual spring game Continued on next page A Talk With Joe Marchant What attracted you to Virginia Tech? After I was at Dixie Community College, Virginia Tech was the first school that was interested in me. They came after me, and everything just kind of fit. It was an opportunity to play in big football games, play against big schools, to be part of a strong team and be part of a winning tradition. It seemed like Virginia Tech was on its way up. How did your experience from your church mission in Guatemala help you? I had an opportunity to go to one country for two years. I was able to learn a second language, which I can still speak. I was away from my family for two years and was only able to call twice a year: on Christmas and Mother s Day. It was a time to grow up. It was a great experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it, even during the sick days. How difficult has it been for you to balance football, academics and married life? I think in some aspects it s easy. School is going to be school all the time. School is hard. With athletics, it s a whole different aspect. It s easier for me because I always have someone to go home to and someone that I love and cherish. My wife is a support system for me in football and in school. So, she makes my life easier. What lessons have you learned from your Sugar Bowl experience? I redshirted last year, so I wasn t on the field in the Sugar Bowl. But, it kind of gave me a taste of an atmosphere that you d really want to get back to. It was like I was on the outside looking in. I was jealous of the fact that I wasn t on the field and didn t have the opportunity to help and contribute in any way. On an offense that is considered to be explosive this season, how do you see yourself contributing? I see myself fitting in anywhere I can. The spring was pretty interesting. I played a little right guard here, a little left guard there and a little bit at center. So, I will contribute in any way Coach (Bryan) Stinespring thinks is best for me to contribute. What are your career plans? Well, I guess it s everyone s dream to play in the NFL. If that opportunity comes along, then sure. If it doesn t, then I would get a great education from a good school. I will have the opportunity to get a job some place that will provide for my family and for myself. I will accomplish different goals that I will set for myself. You can t take the cart before the horse, so you have to take things in stride. When you look back at your Tech career, what memories will you cherish the most? I will cherish the memories of a lot of good friends that I ve made. There are different football games that stand out in my mind. But, it s the group of people that you spend an awful long time with, six or seven days a week. You see them almost more than you do your families and friends. You don t get along with as many as you would like, but there s still that camaraderie, those relationships and having a good time all the time. I will miss the friends and the atmosphere Virginia Tech Football 91

30 A Talk With Dave Meyer What are your plans following your career at Virginia Tech? My wife, Rachel, and I have many possibilities. Depending on how much playing time I get this year, I think professional football in some capacity is a realistic possibility. If not, I would love to coach at a prep school. Rachel has expressed interest in pursuing a law degree, and I told her I would support her through that. Also, going on staff with Athletes in Action, which is Campus Crusade for Christ s athletic ministry, would be another option. Tech has been fantastic at preparing us for the future by supplying Rachel and I with four degrees. What motivates you on and off the field? Without question, it is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus gave everything for me when he died on the cross. How can I give anything less than my all to him? It is his love for me that provides the greatest and most consistent motivation for my life, whether on or off the field. What do you hope to contribute to the team this season? I will contribute to the success of this team on the field in any capacity that I am called upon to play. However, off the field is where I think I bring the majority of my contribution. I want to see every man on this team represent himself, his family and our team with the utmost respect, honor, integrity and character, both on the field and most importantly in life. I think I demonstrate to my teammates that they can still have fun and joke around but represent themselves well to the world. What is the toughest competition that you have ever faced? At the quarterback position we do not go head-to-head like a defensive back, wide receiver or linebacker. But the best defensive units that I have ever faced are the ones I see everyday here at Tech. Coach Bustle always said that our defense is the toughest bunch we ll play. Their schemes and their talent levels are second to none that I have seen. Which opponent are you most looking forward to facing this season? I am looking forward to all the games since this is my last season. But the Rutgers, Boston College and Syracuse games have special meaning since I have family up North. If you were on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? who would be your lifeline and why? It depends largely on the question, but I think it would have to be my friend Steve Baker, otherwise known as the Legend. He is a brilliant guy who knows a lot about a lot of things. He reads all the time and has a mind like a sponge. What has been the best part of being married while still in college? When we first got married, people often asked us why we were getting married so young. I would often say that I found my soul mate, and we wanted to start life together as soon as possible. That is the best part, starting the journey together at a young age. The journey through life is not always easy. There are lots of disappointments and difficulties that we each have to face. But for me, it is so much easier knowing I have Rachel there beside me, supporting me in anything I do. Alex Markogiannakis Continued from previous page 1998: Joined the team as a walk-on when school started Was sidelined the first part of the fall with hamstring and foot injuries Worked at mike linebacker when he returned Was redshirted Intercepted a pass during one of Tech s spring scrimmages Contributed a pair of tackles during the spring game High School: Helped Robinson High to a 14-0 record and the state Division 6 championship as a senior Was a fouryear letterman at linebacker for Coach Mark Bendorf Named the Northern Region Defensive Player of the Year as a senior Also picked first-team all-state Picked to The Washington Post All-Metro team Was in on over 200 tackles as a senior, including 24 in the regional championship game Also contributed 12 sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions during the season Earned first-team all-district and all-region honors as a junior Runner up to Ronald Curry as the top Group AAA defensive player in the state Finished his career as Robinson s all-time leading tackler Played in the high school all-star game and the Chesapeake Classic All-Star game Personal: Alex Markogiannakis... Born 1/22/80 in Fairfax, VA... Son of Chris and Helen Markogiannakis... Enrolled in university studies. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Dave Meyer Quarterback r-sr. 2VL Ramsey, N.J. Ramsey H.S. Served as the Hokies No. 2 quarterback in 99 and saw action in nine games Will continue that role this fall Has the confidence of the coaches Has shown he can come in and win games Took over in last year s season opener against James Madison when starter Michael Vick was injured... Started the UAB game and directed the Hokies to a victory... Completed 59.5 percent of his passes during the season... Earned Super Virginia Tech Football

31 Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during spring testing Enjoyed a good spring practice A smart player with good physical ability Runs well and has a strong arm Has matured as a quarterback during the past two seasons 1999: Took over the reins at quarterback in the second quarter against JMU... Completed 7 of 14 passes for 82 yards in his 45-play stint and scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 2-yard run... Took 79 snaps as the starter against UAB... Threw a 41-yard TD pass to Emmett Johnson to get Tech going... Finished the day 12-of-21 passing for 144 yards but was intercepted three times... Completed all four of his passing attempts for a total of 41 yards in a reserve role against Rutgers... Was 2-for-2 passing in the Temple game for 25 yards... Hit 25 of his 42 passes on the season for a total of 292 yards... Turned in a personal-best 4.50 time in the 40 during spring testing Also had an individual best in the bench press (320) Threw a 35- yard touchdown pass to Johnson in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Completed just one pass in the spring Maroon-White game but it was good for a 50-yard gain 1998: Played nine snaps off the bench in the opener against East Carolina and 11 snaps at Clemson Moved into the lineup when starter Al Clark was injured at Miami Started in the Pittsburgh game and played 40 plays before being sidelined, himself, with a shoulder injury Led the Hokies to a 17-7 halftime lead Was 7- for-9 passing in that game for 98 yards Missed games against Boston College and Temple Returned to action during the fourth quarter of the UAB game Threw his first collegiate touchdown pass, a 54- yarder to Ricky Hall Completed 2 of 4 passes in the game for 66 yards Did not see action in the Hokies last four games Finished the season 10 of 17 passing for 166 yards Threw one TD pass and was intercepted twice Played briefly in the Music City Bowl against Alabama Turned in one of the top times on the team in the 20-yard shuttle run at 4.14 seconds during spring testing Also ran a 4.51 forty Completed 3 of 5 passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns during one spring scrimmage Was 4 of 6 with another TD pass in another scrimmage Completed four of his seven passing attempts in the annual spring game for a team-high 39 yards 1997: Traveled with the team as the No. 3 quarterback Saw action in two games, including eight plays during the season opener at Rutgers Ran twice for one yard in that game and failed to connect on his only passing attempt Also saw brief playing time in the Arkansas State game Improved in all four major lifts during the winter strength and conditioning program Turned in a 325-pound hang clean Posted a 42-yard touchdown pass and a 2-yard TD run in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Had a 43-yard scoring pass in another scrimmage Missed two scrimmages with a sore shoulder Completed 4 of 8 passing attempts in the spring game for 43 yards Did not have a touchdown pass or an interception in the game 1996: Redshirted during the fall Turned in the best time among the quarterbacks in the 20-yard shuttle run at 4.26 Also ran a 4.62 forty and posted a 400-pound back squat Ran 34 yards for one touchdown and passed 80 yards for another during one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Completed 4 of 8 passes for 115 yards in that scrimmage Attempted two passes in the annual spring game but did not have a completion Left that game with a separated left shoulder High School: A three-year letterman at quarterback for Coach Steve Hyman at Ramsey High Helped team to the state North-2 finals in Giants Stadium as a junior Earned all-conference honors each of his three seasons Only played five games his senior year before suffering a broken collarbone Completed 38 of 59 passes for 639 yards and eight touchdowns before he was injured Also rushed for 249 yards and five TDs to lead the team to a 5-0 record before being sidelined Ran 72 yards for a game-winning TD in the final minutes of a 1994 state semifinal game vs. Wayne Valley Compiled over 2,600 yards passing and 900 yards rushing during his career Finished with 11 career rushing touchdowns and 23 touchdown passes A four-year letterman as a hurdler and sprinter on the track team Won conference titles in the 400 meters and 110 high hurdles Personal: David John Meyer, Jr.... Born 11/14/77 in Paterson, NJ... Son of Dave and Joy Meyer... Married the former Rachel Hash of Springfield, VA in Presently taking graduate level courses in health and physical education. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Passing G Att-Comp Pct. Yds. TD Int Career Jon Mollerup Place-kicker r-so. Lyndhurst, Va. Stuarts Draft H.S. Competed for the starting placekicking job during the spring after holding down the kicking duties for the jayvee team last fall Has potential Currently stands second on the depth chart behind Carter Warley 1999: Saw action in both jayvee games as kicker Booted four extra points in a win over Fork Union Added three PATs in a victory against Hargrave Made field goals from 19 and 31 yards in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Connected on a 52-yard field goal in another spring outing Kicked an extra point in the spring game Missed his only field goal attempt in that game from 45 yards out 1998: Joined the team as a walk-on Went through winter workouts and spring practice High School: Was a punter and place-kicker for Tom Goforth at Stuarts Draft High Connected on three of his six field goal tries as a senior and 12 of his 15 extra point kicks His longest field goal was from 44 yards out Averaged 42 yards per punt Won first-team all-district and all-region honors Also earned letters in soccer, golf, tennis and basketball Helped the soccer team to the state finals A member of the National Honor Society Taught English as a second language in Slovakia through a church missions trip A registered U.S. soccer referee for community soccer leagues and clubs U.S. Army National Scholar Athlete Personal: Jonathan Richard Mollerup Born 11/15/79 in Wilmington, DE Son of Richard and Donna Mollerup Studying civil engineering Virginia Tech Football 93

32 98 Derrius Monroe Defensive End Sr. 2VL Tallahassee, Fla. Godby H.S. An experienced defensive end whose status for the 2000 season is uncertain Did not participate in spring practice after being suspended from the team Has the potential to be a starter Possesses loads of ability to go with his experience Is big and fast Saw action in every game last season as the top backup to John Engelberger Averaged nearly 20 snaps a game Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the strength and conditioning program during fall testing Has bench pressed over 400 pounds Holds the position record for the best power clean at 351 pounds Could fill a very important role if he rejoins the team 1999: Posted 27 tackles during Tech s 11 games Hurried the quarterback five times Played 26 plays against James Madison and was in on five tackles Registered four tackles in games against UAB and Virginia Had a five-tackle outing against Syracuse Worked a career-high 29 plays in Tech s win at Pittsburgh 1998: Saw special teams action in every game Started on the punting team Got some reserve action at end in four games Contributed a tackle for loss and three total tackles against East Carolina Had a quarterback sack in the Clemson game Registered two tackles against both Clemson and Pittsburgh Finished with a total of eight tackles on the season Earn Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during the preseason and was a Super Iron Hokie in the spring Bench pressed 410 pounds and ran a 4.47 forty Turned in 550-pound back squat Posted sacks in three of Tech s four scrimmages Was in on five tackles during the spring game, including a sack and another tackle for loss Broke up two passes and caused an interception Was named one of the team s most improved players 1997: Practice at defensive end Earned Iron Hokie honors during the winter strength and conditioning program Bench pressed 385 pounds during spring tests Posted a team record for the best power clean by a defensive end at 326 pounds Ran a 4.58 forty Contributed two tackles and a quarterback sack in one spring scrimmage and had a tackle for loss in another High School: An honorable mention selection on the All-USA team picked by USA Today Named first-team all-district and All-Big Bend Rated as the No. 4 overall player and the No. 2 defensive player in the Tallahassee area by The Tallahassee Democrat Played defensive end at Godby High for the first four games of his senior season, then switched to outside linebacker for the last six games Also played offensive tackle for Coach Mark Feely Led his team in tackles with 85 Also contributed 13 sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries His best senior outing saw him record 14 tackles, four sacks, a safety and a fumble recovery Named defensive player of the year in his region Finished with 68 tackles and six sacks his junior year Had 149 career tackles and 21 sacks Personal: Derrius Reshard Monroe Born 7/21/78 in Tallahassee, FL Son of Arthur and Mary Jackson Enrolled in sociology. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Ronald Moody Flanker r-fr. Chesapeake, Va. Great Bridge H.S. Made a good impression while redshirting last season Possesses a good attitude and takes to coaching Is mature mentally Worked his way up the depth chart at split end with steady improvement Finished spring practice as the No. 2 man at the position Added nearly 10 pounds to his frame through his work in the strength and conditioning program Should continue to get better as he gains experience Figures to see playing time this fall 1999: Spent a redshirt year working at split end Turned in a 450-pound bench press during spring testing Improved his 40 time to 4.45 seconds, third best among the receivers Gained 21 yards on a pass reception in Tech s first spring scrimmage Added an 8-yard catch in another scrimmage Did not have a catch in the annual spring game High School: Saw action at seven different positions during three varsity seasons at Great Bridge Got some playing time at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end on offense Worked at free safety, defensive end and linebacker during his time on defense Was named the team s MVP his senior season Rushed for over 400 yards and three touchdowns his senior season Also caught nine passes for 200 yards and a TD Blocked two punts, including one for a touchdown against Lakeland Contributed 42 tackles and three fumble recoveries on defense Saw action as a return man, averaging 25 yards on kickoff returns and and 15.6 yards on punt returns Hauled in 12 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns his junior season Two of those TD catches came in Great Bridge s Homecoming game in 1997 Personal: Ronald Francis Moody, Jr. Born 10/26/81 in Portsmouth, VA Son of Ronald, Sr., and Barbara Moody Enrolled in university studies. 67 Anthony Nelson Offensive Guard r-fr. Kingsport, Tenn. Sullivan South H.S. A powerful, young player who has battled injury and his weight in an effort to earn a shot at some playing time Suffered an injured achilles tendon before arriving on campus Finally showed flashes of getting back in the flow of things during spring practice Strong enough to move people but must continue concentrating on improving his quickness Virginia Tech Football

33 Has shown progress in pass protection Needs a good summer preparation His performance when practice resumes will determine his status on the depth chart 1999: Missed almost a month of practice while recovering from a partiallytorn Achilles tendon suffered prior to arriving on campus Worked at left guard when he was cleared for practice Was redshirted Earned Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during spring testing Bench pressed 420 pounds Added a 600-pound back squat second best among the offensive linemen and a 351- pound push jerk Dropped nearly 20 pounds by the end of the winter off-season program Prep School: Originally signed with Tech out of high school Prepped at Hargrave, where he started at offensive tackle for Coach Lonnie Messick High School: Lettered four years as a two-way tackle for Coach Greg Jordan Listed as the No. 2 offensive line prospect in Tennessee and the No. 14 player overall by The Kingsport Times-News after his senior season at Sullivan South Gained prep All-America honors from Max Emfinger An honorable mention selection on USA Today s All-USA team A consensus firstteam Class 4A all-state pick on defense as a junior and on offense as a senior Earned All-Northeast Tennessee Defensive Player of the Year honors as a junior Named the Bristol Herald Courier Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1997 Had 82 pancake blocks his senior season on offense and over 80 tackles on defense Added two sacks, five fumble recoveries, three blocked field goals, two safeties and a blocked punt Graded 85 percent blocking on offense Registered 18 sacks and over 120 tackles his junior year Posted 290 career tackles and 120 pancake blocks A weight man and fouryear letterman in track Played first base and lettered three times in baseball Has bench pressed 460 pounds Personal: Anthony Matthew Nelson Born 2/18/79 in Kingsport, TN Son of Ralph and Sue Nelson Studying physical education. 11 Grant Noel Quarterback r-so. Ridgeley, W.Va. Frankfort H.S. Heads into preseason practice third on the depth chart at quarterback Has shown he can make good decisions as well as plays, but must develop the ability to do both on a more consistent basis Works hard and has a strong desire to succeed Served as the No. 3 quarterback last season after making a strong bid for the No. 2 spot in preseason practice... Only played in three games, but was always involved in the game on the sidelines... Filled an important role by helping signal the plays to the field for the coaches... Made a run at the No. 2 spot again last spring Expected to resume that quest when practice opens in August 1999: Played 10 snaps against James Madison... Completed one of his two passing attempts for a 10-yard gain... Was in for seven snaps at Rutgers, but did not attempt a pass... Played briefly at Temple... Registered personal bests in eight areas during spring strength and conditioning tests Improved his 40-yard dash time to 4.62 seconds and had the best time among the quarterbacks in the 20-yard shuttle run at 4.21 Led the quarterbacks with a 270- pound power clean Went 3-for-3 passing in Tech s first spring scrimmage for 34 yards Was 2-for-5 passing in another scrimmage for 21 yards Ran four yards for a TD in another spring outing Completed just 3 of 11 passes in the annual Maroon-White game for 44 yards Led the victorious White team in rushing with 27 yards on six carries Set up his team s winning touchdown with a 29-yard pass 1998: Redshirted as a freshman Was slowed briefly by an injured left shoulder during the fall Made strides in the winter strength and conditioning program Was 4-for-4 passing for 47 yards in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Went 2-for-2 in another scrimmage with a 25-yard touchdown pass Did not complete a pass in his two attempts during the annual spring game but picked up 18 yards on the ground on a pair of runs High School: Lettered four seasons for Coach Greg Phillips at Frankfort High Played quarterback in a run-oriented offense Passed for 597 yards and four touchdowns his senior season Added 267 yards and eight TDs on the ground Completed 8 of 11 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns against Moorefield Was a preseason and postseason All- America pick by PrepStar Rated the No. 2 quarterback in the Eastern Region by that publication Passed for over 1,000 yards and 13 TDs as a junior Was only intercepted three times that season Connected on 11 of 17 passes for 236 yards and a pair of touchdowns versus Jefferson County High Helped the football team to a 29-4 record during his career Also lettered in basketball and baseball Personal: David Grant Noel... Born 6/11/80 in Low Moor, VA... Son of David and Lori Noel... Enrolled in communication studies. Passing G Att-Comp Pct. Yds. TD Int Seth Noonkester Tight End r-fr. Salem, Va. Glenvar H.S. Has been a pleasant surprise for the Tech coaches Worked at tight end last year after spending his high school career as a quarterback Showed a lot of potential while redshirting Possesses good athletic ability to go with a big frame Can catch the football, but is learning to block for the first time Has a chance to be successful at the position if he sticks with it 1999: Joined the team as a walk-on when school started Worked at tight end and was redshirted Added weight through the strength and conditioning program High School: Was a quarterback and safety for Coach Brian Hooker at Glenvar Lettered three seasons Completed 82 of 148 passes for 1,222 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior Contributed 81 tackles and an interception on defense Earned first-team all-district honors as a quarterback and second-team recognition Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 95

34 Seth Noonkester Continued from previous page as a safety his senior season Was 53- for-111 passing his junior year for 921 yards and five TDs Was intercepted just once Picked off two passes as a safety and posted 71 tackles Returned a fumble 82 yards for a touchdown Was an all-state center in basketball, helping his team to the Group A state championship in 1999 Personal: Seth Breckinridge Noonkester Born 9/8/80 in Roanoke, VA Son of Sallie Noonkester and Breck Hall Enrolled in communication studies. 74 Luke Owens Offensive Guard r-so. 1VL Grundy, Va. Grundy H.S. Appears ready to compete for playing time on offense after being used primarily as a special teams player... Saw action in 10 of the Hokies 11 regular-season games last year in that capacity... Got a brief taste of action along the offensive line and got better as the 99 season progressed... Dropped some weight and worked his way into shape during the off-season Made a good showing during the spring A tough player with good balance Works hard and can play either guard position... Will be watched closely when practice opens in August 1999: Was in for 10 offensive plays against James Madison and 12 versus Rutgers... Also got playing time at guard against Virginia, Syracuse, Miami and Boston College... Spent most of his time working at right guard Moved to the left side the week before the BC game Underwent arthroscopic knee surgery prior to the bowl Returned to right guard for the bowl game and spring practice 1998: Worked at offensive guard while redshirting Showed improvement during winter strength and conditioning workouts Moved from left guard to right guard for spring practice High School: Earned All-America honors as both a football player and a wrestler at Grundy High School The No. 1 ranked heavyweight wrestler in the nation as a junior and senior A six-time Junior National All-American 1997 Junior National Freestyle champion Also a PrepStar preseason and postseason A-A lineman in football Rated the No. 4 offensive lineman in the ACC Region by that publication A first-team Group AA pick on offense by both the coaches and the AP Also a second-team defensive pick by the state coaches Played along the offensive and defensive lines for Coach Greg Rowe Even saw action at linebacker during his career Posted over 80 tackles on defense as a senior and added two sacks Was in on 111 tackles his junior year and contributed four interceptions and three sacks Recorded 15 tackles in a state semi-final game against Salem that season Personal: Joshua Luke Owens... Born 5/12/79 in Pikeville, KY... Son of Harry and Kim Owens... Enrolled in university studies. 9 Terrell Parham Split End r-so. 1VL Bartow, Fla. Bartow H.S. Picked up some experience last season while seeing action in every game Finished fourth on the team in receptions Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the strength and conditioning program during both the fall and spring testing periods Has good receiving skills Worked at flanker during the 99 season May be used at split end this fall 1999: Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in fall testing... Led the receivers with a 330- pound bench press... Caught his first collegiate pass in the UAB game for a 5-yard gain... Contributed a personal-best 22-yard reception against Virginia... Had a 19-yard catch to set up a field goal against Syracuse... Hauled in three balls for 26 yards in Tech s win over Miami... Turned in nine catches for 98 yards during the year...was a Super Iron Hokie again in the spring Moved to split end in the spring 1998: Worked at flanker during a redshirt year Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in November Bench pressed 320 pounds and had a 450-pound back squat Caught two passes for 35 yards in one spring scrimmage, including a 27-yard touchdown pass Also hauled in a 19- yard touchdown reception during the Hokies annual spring game High School: Played running back, wide receiver and defensive back for Coach Kenny Wells at Bartow Also returned kicks Started on the Bartow team that went 14-1 and won the state Class 4-A championship in 1996 Gained 45 yards on the ground in the title game against Jacksonville Bolles, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today Picked up a key first down on a fourth-and-five situation during the final minutes to seal the win Helped the team to a district title in 97 Rushed for 774 yards on 117 carries Caught 16 passes for 261 yards, an average of 16.3 yards per catch Ran for 227 yards on 17 carries in a game against Mulberry High Hauled in two passes for 103 yards against Lake Wales and added 85 yards on 10 carries A standout as a guard in basketball Competed in the long jump and on the 400-meter relay team in track Personal: Terrell Antwan Parham... Born 10/1/79 in Bartow, FL... Son of Reginald Parham and Phyllis Parham... Enrolled in university studies. Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Robert Peaslee Punter r-fr. Pulaski, Va. Pulaski County H.S. Will compete for the punting duties when practice opens Possesses great potential Got a lot of work during spring Virginia Tech Football

35 practice Has a strong leg, but must become more consistent 1999: Was redshirted while working as a punter Posted a 375-pound back squat during spring testing Punted three times for a 38.7-yard average in one spring scrimmage Averaged 37.3 yards on four punts in another scrimmage Punted four times in the Maroon-White spring game for a 37.3-yard average Had a long punt of 49 yards in that game High School: Lettered three seasons as a punter for Coach Joel Hicks at Pulaski Country Earned first-team all-state honors as a senior Averaged 42.8 yards per punt for the season Punted five times for a 46.3-yard average in one game Carried a 41.9-yard average his junior year Was named first-team all-district and all-region and second-team all-state Also lettered as a pitcher in baseball Personal: Robert Brandon Peaslee Born 6/28/81 in Beckley, WV Son of Bob and Melanie Peaslee Enrolled in university studies. 35 Willie Pile Free Safety r-so. Alexandria,Va. West Potomac H.S. One of the most improved players on the Tech squad Has the inside track for the starting free safety job thanks to his performance in spring practice Knows and studies the Tech system Runs well and has great feet Became more consistent and aggressive as he adjusted to the position Still working to develop his strength and polish his coverage skills Has a nose for the football Doesn t shy away from contact Tackled well during the spring Only saw limited duty at free safety during the first half of the 99 season... Was sidelined with a neck injury midway through the year, but was fully recovered by season s end... Could play a major role for the Hokies this fall 1999: Saw action on 15 defensive snaps and two special teams plays against James Madison... Contributed three primary tackles and an assist... Produced a quarterback sack and a another stop behind the line against Rutgers... Was in on a total of eight tackles against the Scarlet Knights in just 11 plays... Played in a jayvee game against Fork Union and returned a pair of interceptions 90 and 30 yards for touchdowns... Did not see action in Tech s last six games... Had a total of 12 tackles on the season... Posted a 500- pound back squat during spring strength and conditioning tests Improved his 40-yard dash time to 4.44 Intercepted a pass in the Hokies first spring scrimmage Was in on seven tackles, including two behind the line, in another scrimmage Contributed a sack and three total tackles during the annual Maroon-White game Earned the Dr. Richard Bullock Award as the team s most improved defensive player 1998: Was redshirted while working at rover during the fall Turned in a 35 1/2- inch vertical jump in November Tied for the top back squat among the defensive backs during spring testing with a lift of 515 pounds Moved to free safety for spring practice Contributed a pair of tackles in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Also had two tackles in the annual spring game High School: Lettered three seasons as a quarterback, defensive back and receiver at West Potomac for Coach Dale Eaton Ranked the No. 24 player in the state by SuperPrep and the No. 31 player by The Roanoke Times A first-team Group AAA all-state pick on defense by the coaches and The Associated Press Named first-team All-Metro by The Washington Post Picked to George Michael s Golden 11 team Named the Northeast Region and Patriot District Offensive Player of the Year Rushed for 652 yards and passed for 560 his senior season Had nine touchdowns rushing and four passing Contributed 96 tackles and a school single-season record eight interceptions on defense Recovered four fumbles Picked off two passes in games against Wakefield and McLean Helped team to Division 5 Northern Region title in 97 Returned an interception 86 yards for a TD vs. South Lakes his junior year Lettered as a wing player in basketball Personal: Willie Marquis Pile... Born 5/25/80 in New York City... Son of Sharon Barber and the late Willie Myers... Studying management. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Deon Provitt Linebacker r-fr. Warren, Ohio John F. Kennedy H.S. Will likely get a look at the whip linebacker position when practice opens in August Spent some time on both sides of the football last year while being redshirted Worked at receiver during the fall Switched to free safety in the spring A physical player with good size who coaches believe may be better suited for outside linebacker Showed improvement as a player during spring practice Should benefit from his exposure to the free safety position 1999: Began his redshirt season working at flanker Was moved to split end in mid-september Recorded a 450-pound back squat during spring testing Moved to defense for spring practice Worked at free safety Contributed two tackles during the Maroon-White spring game High School: Rated the No. 75 prospect in the Midwest by SuperPrep Picked as the No. 89 player on Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report All- Midwest team Named to PrepStar s All-Midwest Region squad A preseason All-America pick by Lemming Earned first-team all-county, All- Northeast Ohio and all-state as a defensive back Also saw action at quarterback, running back and receiver for Coach Tony Napolet Helped his team to a regional title his senior year Caught 21 passes for 396 yards and six touchdowns in 1998 Added 125 yards rushing on 11 carries Tallied 69 tackles on defense and intercepted two passes, returning one 82 yards for a touchdown Returned six kickoffs for 248 yards and had 12 punt returns for 97 yards Also earned letters in basketball, track and baseball during his prep career at JFK and Warren Harding high schools Personal: Deon Leonard Provitt Born 10/22/80 in Warren, Ohio Son of Virginia Hall Enrolled in university studies Virginia Tech Football 97

36 71 David Pugh Defensive Tackle r-jr. 2VL Madison Heights, Va. Amherst County H.S. Poised to take over a starting role after two years as a valuable No. 2 man Rated the No. 16 defensive tackle on the Division I-A level by Lindy s Also a preseason first-team All-BIG EAST pick by that publication One of the Hokies most productive defensive tackles in Didn t start a game, but still managed to finish fourth on the team in quarterback sacks, total tackles for loss and quarterback hurries... Saw action on almost 40 percent of Tech s defensive plays Always seems to be around the football Puts pressure on the quarterback... Brings experience and excellent fundamental skills to the position Tech s most athletic inside player Extremely quick and aggressive off the line Had at least one tackle behind the line in every game but two (UAB, Clemson) last season... Will be an important factor in Tech s effort to rebuild its defense An all-star candidate in : Contributed a total of 34 tackles on the season, including four sacks and seven other tackles behind the line... Forced two fumbles, batted down three passes and hurried the quarterback seven times... Played a season-high 35 defensive snaps against Miami... Collected two sacks for a total loss of 18 yards at Pittsburgh... Had a sack and a tackle for loss among his six tackles against Rutgers... Also posted a key sack in the West Virginia game... Registered five tackles in games against Pittsburgh and Temple... Knocked down two passes and hurried the quarterback twice in the regular-season finale against Boston College... Contributed a sack against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl His 585-pound back squat and 326-pound power clean during spring testing were both personal bests Was slowed some by injuries during the spring Posted six tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble during the Maroon-White game 1998: Averaged over 20 plays a game in his first collegiate season Played in every game Contributed two tackles in the opener against East Carolina and three versus Clemson Was in on five tackles against Pittsburgh, UAB and Syracuse Had two tackles behind the line in the UAB game Registered a sack for a 12-yard loss against WVU Credited with two quarterback hurries against Pittsburgh Saw playing time on a season-high 30 snaps against both Pittsburgh and Syracuse Finished with a total of 29 tackles, including one sack and three other tackles behind the line Hurried opposing quarterbacks four times Bench pressed 390 pounds and ran a 4.69 forty during spring testing Missed some time in the spring with an ankle injury Was in on a pair of tackles during the spring game 1997: Took a redshirt year while working at defensive tackle Turned in the best time among the defensive tackles in the 20-yard shuttle run with a time of 4.41 seconds Collected four sacks and two other tackles behind the line during Tech s five spring scrimmages Was voted one of the team s top newcomers following spring practice High School: Earned All-America honors from PrepStar, which named him to its ACC Region Super 26 team and listed him as the No. 3 OL in the ACC Region A three-time all-area, all-district and allregion pick for Coach Mickey Crouch at Amherst County Earned first-team Group AAA all-state honors as a guard in 96 Was second-team All-Group AA his junior year Played offensive guard and defensive tackle Played on three district championship teams and two regional titleholders Helped team to a Group AA championship as a junior Saw team move to AAA level his senior season Was in on over 100 tackles in 96, including 16 against Pulaski County Had three sacks in that game and 12 for the season Posted 95 tackles and 11 sacks as a junior Personal: David Winston Pugh, Jr.... Born 7/24/79 in Madison Heights, VA... Son of Dave and Susan Pugh... Enrolled in family and child development. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Josh Redding Offensive Guard r-sr. 3VL Hanover, Pa. Southwestern H.S. Another veteran offensive lineman who will play a big role this fall A first-team preseason All-BIG EAST pick by Athlon Sports and a second-team selection by The Sporting News and Lindy s Started every game at right guard in 1999 after missing most of the 98 season with a knee injury... An extremely strong and powerful player who moves well for his size... Set a team record with a 500-pound bench press during fall testing... Also led the team with a 685- pound back squat... Looking to be a more dominate football player this season 1999: Played on over 80 percent of Tech s offensive snaps... Graded a winning percentage in seven of the 11 regularseason contests... Enjoyed his best outings against Virginia and Syracuse... Played a career-high 75 snaps in the UAB game and had 71 plays at West Virginia... Averaged 56 snaps per game... Posted a personal-best 360-pound push jerk during spring strength and conditioning tests 1998: Played 44 snaps at right guard and six on special teams against East Carolina Was in for 68 offensive snaps and nine special teams plays against Clemson Saw action on 53 plays at Miami before being injured Underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee the following Monday Considered a come-back in the Music City Bowl but was held out Returned for the winter strength and conditioning program and earned Super Iron Hokie honors Posted a team-best 460-pound bench press Practiced at left tackle and at guard during the spring 1997: Started on the extra point and field goal teams Played in every game Saw action in seven games at tackle Played 28 snaps in the season opener at Rutgers Was in for 23 plays at tackle versus Arkansas State Moved to right tackle late in the season and played a personal-best 54 snaps in the Virginia game Gained Super Iron Hokie status during spring testing Registered a 410- pound bench press and 575-pound back squat Practiced at right guard during Virginia Tech Football

37 spring workouts Was voted one of the team s most improved players 1996: Was redshirted during the fall while working at left tackle Improved his bench press from 280 pounds on his first day of practice to 380 pounds by the end of the winter strength and conditioning program Turned in a 550-pound back squat during spring testing Continued to work on the left side of the line during spring practice High School: A two-year letterman as an offensive tackle and defensive lineman for Coach Don Seidenstricker at Southwestern High Did not start playing football until the ninth grade Helped team to a 29-4 record and three league championships Picked the No. 11 offensive lineman in the Eastern Region by BLUECHIP Illustrated following the season Named second-team Big School (3A & 4A) all-state as a defensive lineman by The Associated Press Earned first-team allconference honors on both offense and defense as a senior Registered 64 tackles, five sacks, two fumble recoveries and blocked two punts in 1995 Played every position on the defensive line during his senior season Was primarily an offensive player during the 1994 season Personal: Joshua Benjamin Redding... Born 12/25/77 in York, PA... Son of Dianna Orndorff and C. Benjamin Redding... Studying psychology. 6 Vegas Robinson Linebacker r-fr. Chesapeake, Va. Deep Creek H.S. A highly-regarded young player who excites Tech s coaches with his potential Still learning but picks up things quickly Made big strides during the spring Has a chance to be good against both the run and the pass Combines good size with excellent speed Seems to get better every time he takes the field Possesses a knack of being around the football Rates as a sure tackler A strong candidate for special teams Also could Continued on next page A Talk With Josh Redding Other than playing in the Sugar Bowl, what has been your most memorable experience at Virginia Tech? Definitely after the Boston College game last year when all the fans came pouring on to the field. It was so great to see our fans show so much support throughout the season and then to actually see your fans get as excited as they did was just incredible. What do you enjoy doing most with your limited spare time? I usually relax by playing video games, shooting pool or watching TV. Who has been your biggest role model? I d probably say Gennaro DiNapoli, who is currently playing for the Oakland Raiders. He played right guard when I was a freshman and sophomore, and I always admired the way he played. What do you enjoy most about playing on the offensive line? Definitely the friendship that has formed between all of us. I think that being friends off the field helps us play better on the field. We know what to expect from each other and I think being more than just teammates has really helped us be successful. Who motivates you the most at practice? The rest of the offensive line really motivates me. We ve played together for so long, and we know each other very well. So when it comes third-and-long or fourth-and-one, I know I can count on them, and they can count on me. We don t want to let each other down, and we don t want to let the team down either. If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? I would probably go somewhere in the Caribbean. It s warm, the ocean s blue and I could relax all day on the beach in the sun Virginia Tech Football 99

38 Vegas Robinson Continued from previous page work his way into some playing time at linebacker with a good showing during preseason practices 1999: Got a brief look at outside linebacker, before moving inside to the backer position Turned in the best time among the incoming freshmen in the 20- yard shuttle run (4.13 seconds) Posted three tackles in one spring scrimmage Contributed a sack in another spring outing High School: Played tailback and linebacker and handled the punting duties for Coach David Cox at Deep Creek Named the No. 12 defensive back in the ACC Area by PrepStar Listed as the No. 15 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times Picked the No. 16 prospect in the state by SuperPrep Played briefly as an offensive guard during his junior year Carried 82 times for 564 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior Rushed for 108 yards and three TDs during a game against Group AAA champion Hampton Helped team to a 27-7 mark during his varsity career Excelled on the track team Has run a 10.9 in the 100 meters Personal: Vegas Ferragamo Robinson Born 5/19/81 in Richmond, VA Son of Sandra Robinson Studying business. 1999: Continued to work at the right tackle position Did not see action in a varsity game but did play in both junior varsity contests Met five of his six goals during strength and conditioning tests in August Made some additional strides during winter workouts and spring practice 1998: Was redshirted during the fall while working at defensive tackle Made strides in the strength and conditioning program during the winter Switched to offense and worked at right tackle during spring practice 1997: Entered school in January and went through the winter strength and conditioning program Worked at tackle during spring practice Registered a sack in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Was in on a tackle in the spring game High School: A first-team all-state prep school pick at defensive end for the Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ Helped Coach John Mackey s team to an 8-2 record and the state playoffs Set a school record for sacks in a game with three and finished the 96 season with 87 tackles, 10 sacks and four fumble recoveries Lettered four seasons for Coach Keith Hartbauer as an offensive tackle and defensive end at Hamilton High West Broke his collarbone his senior season and only played in four games Personal: Timothy Peter Selmon Born 8/7/78 in Trenton, NJ Son of Peter and Carolyn Selmon Majoring in physical education. Is not quite ready to contribute at this point, but has plenty of potential for the future 1999: Injured his left knee during practice for the Virginia High School League All-Star game during the summer Underwent surgery and did not enter school until January Went through offseason strength and conditioning program Worked at defensive end during spring practice High School: Registered a schoolrecord 15 sacks on the way to first-team Group AA honors his senior year Finished with 91 total tackles and four fumble recoveries from his defensive end spot Had three sacks in a state semifinal game against Salem Also played tight end for Coach Taylor Edwards Caught eight passes his senior year Earned first-team all-district honors on offense and defense Was a first-team all-region defensive selection Rated the No. 23 prospect in the state by The Roanoke Times and the ACC Area Sports Journal Was ranked the No. 25 player in Virginia by SuperPrep Named the team s best defensive lineman Helped the team to a 28-8 record during his varsity career Earned Virginia High School League Academic Excellence Award each of his last three seasons Also competed in track and basketball Personal: Joseph Edward Simington Born 7/14/81 in Martinsville, VA Son of Clarence, Jr., and Paulette Simington Both of his parents attended Virginia Tech Enrolled in biology. 65 Tim Selmon Offensive Tackle r-so. Trenton, N.J. Hamilton West H.S. Continues to show progress after switching from defense to offense during the spring of 1999 Has worked at right tackle since the move Benefited from his work on the scout and jayvee teams last fall Made additional strides during the spring Working hard in the strength and conditioning program to get stronger and quicker Combines a good attitude with excellent work habits Improves his opportunity for playing time as he continues learning the position and building his strength 96 Joe Simington Defensive End Fr. Martinsville, Va. Martinsville H.S. Enrolled in school at mid-year after a summer-time knee injury Participated in winter workouts and spring practice Still has a lot of ground to make up Working hard to learn the Hokies defensive system Showed that he plays with leverage during limited contact work during the spring Has a big frame that needs to be developed Should benefit greatly from Tech s strength and conditioning program 87 Bob Slowikowski Tight End r-jr. 2VL Pittsburgh, Pa. Central Catholic H.S. Will compete for the starting tight end job when practice opens Coming off his best spring practice at Tech Showed consistency every day The biggest target in Tech s rotation at tight end... Saw action in 11 of the Hokies 12 games during the 1999 season... Also helped out on special teams... Caught just three passes but all three were good for first downs Virginia Tech Football

39 Has become faster and stronger through his work in the strength and conditioning program A fine receiver who has made strides as a blocker Needs to carry the momentum he built during the spring through his summer preparation and into preseason practice 1999: Averaged 18 offensive plays in the 10 games in which he played... Started on the field goal and extra-point teams Caught passes against Rutgers, Pittsburgh and Temple... His 24-yard grab at Temple set up a Tech touchdown... Played a season-high 31 offensive snaps against the Owls... Was in on 24 offensive plays against Syracuse and 23 versus James Madison... Contributed a total of three pass receptions for 47 yards... Posted personal bests in the bench press (340) and push jerk (300) during the off-season Also posted a personal-best 4.61 timing in the 40 during spring testing Hauled in a 14- yard reception during the annual Maroon- White spring game 1998: Saw action in all 11 regularseason games and graded a winning percentage in seven of those outings Was in on a total of 297 offensive snaps during the season, including a season-high 41 against Rutgers Caught a 16-yard pass in the Pittsburgh game Hauled in a 24-yard reception versus Rutgers 1997: Practiced at tight end while redshirting Improved on all four major lifts during the winter strength and conditioning program Turned in the best times in the 40 (4.78) and 20-yard shuttle run (4.39) among the tight ends during spring testing Caught a 5-yard touchdown pass in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages High School: Led Central Catholic High in receptions as a junior and senior while playing for Coach John Fiscetti Caught 24 passes for 556 yards and six TDs his senior year as a tight end Had 18 catches for 421 yards while playing split end his junior year Blocked five kicks as a senior Also contributed 85 tackles and four sacks Contributed 14 tackles, a blocked kick and four receptions for 150 yards and two touchdowns in a game against Plum Had six receptions for 127 yards and two TDs versus Shaler Also had 10 tackles and a blocked kick in that game Earned first-team Quad A allconference honors Posted 45 catches for 1,091 yards and 12 TDs during his career Was nominated for the Big 33 game Personal: Robert Joseph Slowikowski... Born 10/30/79 in Pittsburgh, PA... Son of Robert and Jean Slowikowski... Enrolled in finance. Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Nick Sorensen Linebacker r-sr. 3VL Vienna, Va. George Marshall H.S. Is scheduled to open his senior season as the Hokies whip linebacker after starting every game at free safety last year... Did a good job adjusting to the new position during spring practice Named preseason first-team All-BIG EAST by Athlon Sports Brings good speed and excellent coverage skills to the position A smart player who has learned the Tech system from both sides of the football Came to Tech as a quarterback and saw action at that position in 1997 as a redshirt freshman Moved to free safety during 1998 spring drills and opened the 98 season as the No. 2 man at the position Was forced to move back to offense when injuries hit the QB position Ended up starting three games at quarterback and seeing action behind center in six games overall Returned to defense the following spring Averaged 50 defensive snaps a game at free safety in Finished fourth on the team in tackles... Has been a key contributor on special teams throughout his Tech career Will be counted on for leadership on the Hokies young defensive unit 1999: Took over the starting duties at free safety in preseason practice... Received his first defensive start against James Madison and contributed three tackles... Collected a sack in the UAB game... Was in on nine tackles against Virginia and registered a quarterback hurry... Posted eight tackles against Rutgers... Intercepted a pass in the Syracuse game...turned in a season-best 11 tackles against West Virginia and broke up a pair of passes... Had 10 tackles against Temple, including a sack for a 17-yard loss and a tackle for loss... Got another sack and tackle for loss on the way to a nine-tackle outing against Boston College... Compiled 70 total tackles with three sacks and two other tackles for loss... Broke up three passes and hurried the quarterback twice... Was credited with seven tackles, including two behind the line, in the Sugar Bowl game against Florida State Moved to the whip linebacker position following the season Earned Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during both fall and spring testing Met all six of his goals during the fall Posted a personal best 530-pound back squad during the spring and led the whip linebackers with a career-high 336- pound push jerk Set position records in both the push jerk and the power clean (300) Contributed two sacks in one spring scrimmage and four tackles in another Was in on three tackles during the Maroon-White spring game 1998: Played 13 plays on defense and 19 on special teams in the season opener against East Carolina Stopped an ECU fake punt with a tackle, then completed a 13-yard pass on a successful Tech fake punt for a first down Also had three tackles and a quarterback hurry against the Pirates Worked 23 plays on special teams against Clemson and 25 versus Miami Ran the option on a successful fake punt against UM Started practicing at quarterback after the Miami game Was forced into action against Pittsburgh when No. 2 quarterback Dave Meyer was injured in the second half Started games against Boston College, Temple and UAB Completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards against Temple Had two touchdown passes and two interceptions in that game Also rushed for 50 yards on 13 carries Completed 31 of 59 passes for 306 yards for the year Passed for two TDs, but had six passes picked off Ran 43 times for 93 yards Earned Iron Hokie honors during the preseason and posted a personal-best 35-inch vertical jump during spring testing Also had the best time among the defensive backs in the 20-yard shuttle run (4.09 seconds) Posted three tackles twice in spring scrimmages Was in on five tackles during the spring game 1997: Won the backup quarterback duties during preseason practice Earned Iron Hokie honors in fall testing Saw action behind center in four games Played 21 snaps in the season opener at Rutgers Was 2-for-2 passing in that game for 31 yards Turned in a 33-yard run against Arkansas State and threw his first collegiate touchdown pass Saw action on five special teams plays at West Virginia and played a role in a successful fake punt Started against UAB and played the entire game Rushed eight times for 65 yards Connected on 7 of 15 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown Was intercepted twice in the UAB game and three times overall Finished the season with 13 rushing attempts for 89 yards Completed 11 of his 21 passing attempts for 140 yards and two touchdowns Was named Tech s MVP in a Gator Bowl loss to North Carolina Played the second half of that game completing 4 of 8 passes for 24 yards and running 10 times for 19 yards Moved to defense prior to spring practice Worked at free safety Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 101

40 A Talk With Nick Sorensen Which opponent are you most looking forward to facing this season? Probably Miami, since my dad played for them back in the late 60s. I grew up a huge Hurricane fan and went to two or three games a year. I ve seen many games in the Orange Bowl growing up, and beating them there two years ago was real special. I hope to do it again. You have played several positions here at Tech. Which one was your favorite and how difficult is it to make a transition each time? It s tough to say which is my favorite because they all have positives and negatives. I love to play quarterback because you touch the ball every play and are really in control of things. But it comes with a tremendous amount of pressure. Whip linebacker and free safety have their similarities, and I enjoy playing both. Whip is a little more physical and things happen a little faster. At the beginning of each move it was a little difficult, but I was able to pick them up pretty well. Our coaching staff does a great job of making sure you know what you re supposed to do. Let me say, I know more about football than I ever thought I would. What is your favorite memory of the Sugar Bowl? The third quarter was probably my favorite memory. It was exciting the way we fought back to put ourselves in a position to win the game. That was just a great display of the character the team has. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? God-willing, I will be married with a child or two. I hope to be on my way to being a CEO of my own company or family business. Do you have any pregame rituals? Prayer. I always get my mind focused on what is most important and who has given me the ability to play this game. I m not into rituals, but what I like to do is brush my teeth before we play. It sounds weird but I ve been doing it since high school. It just makes me feel fresh and clean and ready to play. If you were on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, who would you choose for your lifeline and why? One of my old professors, Martin Nyberg. It seems like he knows a lot of different things, and I think that s the type of person who would be good at that show. I actually told him that he should enter, and he said, I hate that show. So who knows, I still think he could help me out. Sorensen Continued from previous page Contributed three tackles in one spring scrimmage and had two tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass deflection in another Also finished the spring game with three tackles Voted one of the team s top newcomers following spring workouts 1996: Was redshirted in the fall Posted the best 40 time among the quarterbacks during spring testing at 4.57 seconds Completed 2 of 4 passes for 40 yards in Tech s first spring scrimmage Completed just 1 of 5 passes in the annual spring game Was one of the three finalists for the team s Ironman title during the summer after posting the highest score among the Hokies skilled-position players High School: Lettered three seasons as a quarterback, defensive back, punter, place-kicker and a snapper at George Marshall High Named No. 5 quarterback in ACC Region by BLUECHIP Illustrated following the 1995 season Earned firstteam all-district honors as a DB in 1994 & 95 and was second team as a QB Saw his high school change its coaching staff right before his senior season Passed for over 900 yards and eight touchdowns in 95 and added 300 yards and four TDs rushing Intercepted two passes as a DB his senior season for Coach Pete Salvano and was in on 33 tackles Completed 57 percent of his passes in 1994, while throwing a region-best 14 TDs Did not become a regular at quarterback until the second game of his junior year Threw for 1,925 yards and 23 TDs during his career and rushed for 604 yards and 10 more TDs Also lettered three years as a forward in basketball and a shortstop and outfielder in baseball Set a school record in basketball when he blocked seven shots in a game as a sophomore Listed in Who s Who In American High Schools Personal: Nicholas Carl Sorensen... Born 7/31/78 in Winter Haven, FL... Son of Richard and Kathleen Sorensen... His dad played football at the University of Miami Studying marketing. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Interceptions G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Virginia Tech Football

41 Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Passing G Att-Comp Pct. Yds. TD Int Career Lee Suggs Tailback r-so. 1VL Roanoke, Va. William Fleming H.S. An outstanding young back who appears ready to step into a prominent role at tailback for the Hokies Was named the most valuable offensive player in Tech s 2000 spring game Bounced back strong after missing some time during the fall with a knee injury... Combines size and strength with outstanding speed Set a position record for Tech tailbacks in the 40 with a 4.27 clocking during the spring Catches the ball well out of the backfield Continues to become a more physical blocker Broke a lot of tackles during spring practice Rates as an excellent competitor and extremely hard worker Played in nine games overall and eight at tailback in Turned in his two best rushing performances at the end of the season... Also contributed as a member of the special teams... Will join Wayne Ward at the top of the depth chart when practice resumes in August Expected to see a lot of playing time this fall 1999: Got his first taste of action against James Madison and contributed 22 yards rushing on eight carries... Scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 1-yard run against UAB... Missed games against Pittsburgh and West Virginia after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery... Returned against Miami and carried eight times for 30 yards... Played a season-high 12 offensive downs at Temple and rushed for 34 yards on nine carries, including a 2- yard TD run... Had a total of 44 carries on the season for 136 yards and two touchdowns... Gained Iron Hokie status in the weight room during spring testing Rushed for 69 yards on six carries in one spring scrimmage, turning in a 39-yard TD run Added touchdown runs of 5 and 8 yards in another scrimmage Led all rushers in the spring game with 72 yards on 12 carries 1998: Redshirted while practicing at tailback Improved in all four major lifts in the strength and condition winter program Turned in the second-best 40 time on the team during spring testing with a clocking of 4.32 seconds Missed the majority of spring practice after breaking his hand High School: Rushed for 2,918 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior for Coach George Miller at William Fleming High Earned postseason All-America honors from both SuperPrep and PrepStar Ranked the No. 4 player in the state and the No. 19 running back in the nation by SuperPrep An honorable mention choice on the USA Today All-USA team A firstteam Group AAA all-state pick by both the coaches and AP Stood fourth on the alltime list of single-season rushers in the state when he graduated The Northwest Region Player of the Year and the Timesland Offensive Player of the Year Helped team to the state championship game as a senior Rushed for 350 yards and three touchdowns in a game against Cave Spring his senior year Scored five TDs in a win over G.W. of Danville Finished his career with 5,056 yards rushing on 646 carries Scored 50 career touchdowns Also excelled in track as a sprinter and jumper Ran the anchor leg on Fleming s state championship 4x100 relay team Helped that relay team to a fifth-place finish at the National Scholastic Outdoor Track Championships in Raleigh, N.C. Was clocked a 10.4 in the 100 meters and a 6.2 in the 55-meter dash Personal: Lee Ernest Suggs, Jr.... Born 8/11/80 in Roanoke, VA... Son of Lee, Sr., and Juanita Suggs... Studying business. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Phillip Summers Rover r-sr. 3VL Clewiston, Fla. Clewiston H.S. A veteran performer who brings versatility to the Tech depth chart Serves as the No. 2 man at the rover position Also has the coaches complete confidence at whip linebacker, where he could step in and play right away if needed Rates as a good tackler Has a knack for being at the right place, at the right time and making big plays Returned an interception for a touchdown against Syracuse last fall... Set up a touchdown with an interception against Alabama in the 1998 Music City Bowl A key starter on special teams Enjoyed an injury-free spring and performed well Should add some stability to Tech s young defensive unit this fall 1999: Saw action in all 11 games on special teams and in seven games on defense Registered a quarterback sack for a 10-yard loss in Tech s opening game against James Madison... Played a season-high 27 snaps on defense against Rutgers and 24 plays versus Syracuse... Was in on two tackles against the Scarlet Knights and a season-high five tackles against the Orangemen... Picked off a pass in the Syracuse game and returned it 43 yards for his first collegiate touchdown... Posted a sack against Miami for a 7-yard loss... Collected 14 tackles during the regular season with two sacks... Forced a fumble against JMU... Posted a personalbest 500-pound back squat in the strength and conditioning program Posted two tackles and a pass interception in one spring scrimmage and three tackles and a tackle for loss in another 1998: Missed valuable time during preseason practice Saw starting time on the punt return unit Also worked on three other special team units Played 17 snaps on defense and 11 on special teams in the opener against East Carolina Contributed three tackles Also had three tackles in 27 total plays against Clemson Posted two tackles against UAB and added Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 103

42 A Talk With Phillip Summers You are part of a defense that has lost several starters from last year s squad. What do you need to do to assure things do not change much? Basically, we just need to work hard whether we have everybody coming back or we have a lot of young guys, which we do. We ve still got to work hard and that s the bottom line. We just have to continue to get better and challenge each other, and we need to see guys step up. What was the highlight of the 1999 season for you? The best moment for me was the Miami win last year. That win meant so much to me just to be able to get in and play. It especially meant a lot being from close to Miami and just to beat them the way we did. There have been a lot of successful players in Tech s secondary over the past few years. What have you learned from them and what do you bring to the table this year? The older guys had a certain confidence in themselves, and I think I can get more confident and bring that to the field. I can also play both the whip and the rover positions. Whatever is needed, I will come in and play it. Originally being from South Florida, how did you decide on Tech as the school you wanted to attend? Tech recruited Anthony Midget and me our junior year and Tech was the first to offer us scholarships. I saw a couple of games on television, and it seemed like a place I would fit in. Football at Tech has obviously reached a new level. Did you expect to see this happen when you came to Tech as a freshman? I really didn t know what to expect, but when I was a freshman the team played in the Orange Bowl against Nebraska, one of the best teams in the country. Right then, the younger guys set high expectations. That is the level we set for ourselves, and we ve been doing that because we keep playing in bigger bowls every year. Do you have any pregame traditions or routines that you go through before games? Before every game I read my Bible. My mother gives me certain Bible verses to read. I read them the night before the game, then right before the game. Then I say a prayer. What are your goals this season now that it is your final one? Personally my goal is to start the season as a starter. I know I can be productive, I just need a chance to show that I can. I d also like the team to get back to the level we were at last year and to be in the same position at the end of the year with an undefeated season. Phillip Summers Continued from previous page another in the Rutgers game Saw action on defense in eight games Turned in a total of 11 tackles for the season Intercepted a pass in the Music City Bowl to set up a Tech touchdown Also contributed three tackles Turned in a 340-pound bench press during spring testing that stood second among Tech s defensive backs Contributed four tackles in one of the team s spring scrimmages and added three tackles in the annual spring game 1997: Registered a vertical jump of 41 1/2 inches during fall testing Played 45 snaps at rover during the first seven games and 151 plays over the last four games Started against Pittsburgh and saw action on a career-high 63 defensive plays Was in on five tackles against Arkansas State Blocked a punt at West Virginia Had four tackles, including one for a loss, in the UAB game Posted a season-best nine tackles at Virginia, with another tackle behind the line Contributed over 160 plays on special teams as a starter on the kickoff team and the kickoff and punt return units Finished the season with 29 total tackles Chipped in two tackles during the Gator Bowl game with UNC Moved to outside linebacker prior to spring practice Registered six tackles, including a pair of sacks, during one spring scrimmage Had a tackle for loss and three total tackles in another scrimmage Posted five tackles in the spring game Voted one of the team s most improved players at the completion of spring drills 1996: Spent the fall working at free safety while being redshirted Turned in the top back squat among the defensive backs during the fall at 485 pounds Posted a vertical jump of 40 1/2 inches during spring testing Switched to the rover position for spring practice Registered a tackle in the annual spring game High School: Was a four-year letterman at safety and tailback for Coach Al Morrell at Clewiston High Helped team to a 32-9 record and a district championship in 95 Earned first-team 4A all-state honors as a DB his senior year Listed one of the Top 100 seniors in Florida by The Orlando Sentinel A twotime all-area pick Voted the team s most valuable defensive back two years and most valuable offensive back once Was in on 45 tackles his senior season and contributed two interceptions, including one for a TD Rushed for 911 yards and 11 touchdowns and was on the receiving end of seven passes for 84 yards Finished his four-year career with 177 tackles and 10 interceptions, two of which he returned for scores Carried the football 297 times for 2,064 career yards and 22 touchdowns Virginia Tech Football

43 Stands third in his school s record book in career tackles and interceptions, and fifth in career rushing Also lettered four years as a guard/forward in basketball, winning all-district honors twice Started on both the varsity football and basketball teams as a freshman Personal: Phillip Ray Summers... Born 2/9/77... Son of Cynthia Summers... Enrolled in housing, interior design and resource management Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Ben Taylor Linebacker Jr. 2VL Bellaire, Ohio Bellaire H.S. An outstanding football player who gets better every year Was named the Hokies top defensive player during the spring Ranked the No. 18 inside linebacker in the Division I-A ranks by Lindy s Also a first-team All-BIG EAST selection by that publication Slated to start at the backer position this fall after starting every game at the whip linebacker spot in 1999 Brings added speed and pass coverage skills to his new position Can also put pressure on the passer Rates as one of the hardest hitters on the squad Understands the game and has a nose for the football Possesses both good range and good vision Has gained extra bulk through the strength and conditioning program Originally worked at the backer position when he first came to Tech Was moved to the outside linebacker position when practice opened last August... Ended up leading the defense in snaps played (625) as a firstyear starter in Finished third on the team in tackles... Tied for the team lead in passes broken up with six... Led the Hokies in special teams plays in 1998 as a true freshman... Continued to help on the special units in 99 and will be expected to do the same this season... Has the ability to become an all-star candidate 1999: Made his first collegiate start against James Madison... Was in on eight tackles against the Dukes... Had six tackles and a quarterback hurry in the Clemson game... Posted a personal-best 10 tackles at Virginia... Registered nine tackles in games against Pittsburgh and Temple... Had one tackle for loss against the Panthers and two versus the Owls... Collected a quarterback sack in the Miami game... Contributed a total of 71 tackles, including one sack and five other tackles for loss... Hurried the quarterback four times... Played over 30 defensive plays in every game with a career-high 82 at Pittsburgh... Added 50 plays on special teams... Registered seven tackles against Florida State in Sugar Bowl Set a position record for inside linebackers with a 326-pound power clean during spring testing Also set a position mark in the 40 with a timing of 4.48 Posted five tackles in the Maroon- White spring game Won the George Preas Award as Tech s most valuable defensive player of spring practice 1998: Reached the most goals among the inside linebackers during preseason strength and conditioning tests Posted four tackles, including one behind the line, in the opening game against East Carolina Played a season-high 29 snaps at linebacker against Clemson and had five tackles and a quarterback hurry Broke up two passes in the UAB game Saw playing time in all 11 games on special teams as a starter on the kickoff, kickoff return and punt return teams Got some action on defense in nine games Contributed a total of 23 tackles, two passes broken up and one hurry Saw action in the Music City Bowl and posted a tackle Turned in a 36-inch vertical jump and a 4.54 forty during spring testing Worked at the backer position during spring practice Had three sacks and three other tackles for losses during spring scrimmages Registered five tackles, including a sack in the annual spring game Was one of the winners of the Richard Bullock Award for most improved players in the spring 1997: Underwent shoulder surgery following his senior season in high school Waited until he was fully recovered before entering Tech in January Ran the best time among the inside linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle run during spring testing at 4.30 seconds Worked at the backer position during spring practice High School: One of six finalists for Mr. Football honors in Ohio Named firstteam All-Ohio in Division 4 A two-time all-district and all-conference pick for Coach John Magistro at Bellaire High Saw action as a free safety, outside linebacker, flanker, quarterback and punter during his career Named Eastern District Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 Made honorable mention All-USA team named by USA Today Helped team win three district titles, two regional championships and appear in the state championship game twice on the way to a 35-3 record Caught 59 passes for 817 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season Also registered 192 tackles and four interceptions Posted 23 tackles and an interception in a win over Brooke (W.Va.) High Also had nine catches for 90 yards in that game Had 70 receptions as a junior for 824 yards Intercepted seven passes that season and finished with 85 tackles Career totals include 348 tackles, 12 interceptions and 130 receptions for 1,679 yards Made 12 career touchdown receptions and grabbed 11 two-point conversion passes Set school records for pass receptions in a game (14), season (70) and career (130) Personal: Benjamin Frazier Taylor... Born 8/31/78 in Bellaire, Ohio... Son of Ben and Jennifer Taylor... Studying business education. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Dirk Taylor Linebacker Jr. Penn Laird, Va. Spotswood H.S. Saw action on the jayvee and scout team last season as a cornerback Moved to whip linebacker in the spring Still learning the position Combines an excellent attitude with a good work ethic Must continue working to improve his strength and quickness 1999: Practiced at the field cornerback position during the fall Intercepted a pass and returned it 43 yards in a jayvee win against Hargrave Improved in three of the four major lifts during spring strength and conditioning tests Moved to outside linebacker for spring practice Collected a Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 105

44 Dirk Taylor Continued from previous page tackle for loss in one of the spring scrimmages Was in on a tackle in the annual spring game 1998: Joined the team as a walk-on after school started Played on the scout team and jayvee teams during the fall Worked at free safety during the fall and spring High School: A four-year football letterman for Coach Eric Baylor at Spotswood High Played quarterback and defensive back Completed 124 of 220 passes for 1,718 yards and 20 touchdowns his senior season Also rushed for over 800 yards and eight TDs Contributed 77 tackles, six interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries Earned first-team Group AA All-State honors Threw for 2,843 yards and 35 touchdowns during his career Set school seasons marks for passing yards in a season, touchdown passes in a season and completion percentage in a season (60.2) Had a career-record yard passing games Also set a season defensive mark with six interceptions Named all-region as a point guard in basketball Personal: Dirk Patrick Taylor Born 12/25/79 in Harrisonburg, VA Son of Terry and Lorri Taylor Majoring in communication studies. Josh Tessar Flanker r-fr. Blacksburg, Va. Paw Paw (Mich.) H.S. Working to learn the flanker position after spending most of his high school career as a quarterback Has the work ethic and attitude needed to succeed Must continue his efforts in the strength and conditioning program to increase his strength and speed Should show continued improvement as he gets more exposure to the position 1999: Got a brief look at quarterback when the freshmen reported Switched to flanker when full practice sessions got underway and was redshirted Contributed as a member of the scout team Posted a 34 1/2-inch vertical jump during scout team testing in November Caught a pass for a 6-yard gain during the Maroon- White spring game High School: Lettered three seasons as a quarterback, wide receiver and free safety for Coach Dave Warmack at Paw Paw High Passed for 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns his senior season on the way to all-conference honors Intercepted two passes in his first game on defense Compiled over 1,400 yards and 16 TDs passing his junior year Finished second in school history in passing yards with over 3,500 Also lettered in basketball and soccer Personal: Josh Tessar Born 12/21/80 in West Bend, WI Son of Traci Weaver and Jim Tessar Studying biology. 31 Anthony Thibodeau Split End Sr. Springfield, Va. Hayfield H.S. A receiver who plays hard and knows the position Has worked in the strength and conditioning program to improve himself athletically Turned in the fastest time on the team in the 20-yard shuttle run during the spring with a clocking of 3.97 seconds Traveled with the team last season, but only saw action in one game during the regular season... Will compete for playing time when preseason practice opens Also a potential candidate for special teams duty 1999: Played three offensive snaps at Rutgers... Saw action in both jayvee games during the season... Had four catches for 94 yards in a win over Fork Union... Grabbed an 18-yard TD pass in a victory against Hargrave... Finished that game with eight catches for 103 yards... Improved in all four major lifts during spring strength and conditioning tests Also had a personal-best 34-inch vertical jump 1998: Practiced at split end Made strides during winter workouts Caught two passes for 17 yards in one spring scrimmage and grabbed a 12-yard reception in another 1997: Joined the team as a walk-on during spring practice Caught a pass for a 14-yard gain in the Maroon-White game High School: Played wide receiver for Coach Dudley Johnson at Hayfield Secondary Earned three letters Earned first-team all-district honors as a senior Also lettered in basketball Was a member of the National Honor Society Personal: Anthony Alan Thibodeau... Born 5/23/78 in Alamogordo, NM... Son of David and Betty Thibodeau... Majoring in management science. Jeff Thompson Defensive End r-fr. Midlothian, Va. Clover Hill H.S. Originally worked at tight end when he came to Tech Expressed a desire to be a defensive end and was moved there for spring practice An effort player who always plays hard Combines a great work ethic with intelligence Needs more exposure to the position Will likely make his first contributions as a member of the scout team 1999: Redshirted while working at tight end during the fall Turned in a 351-pound hang clean and 340-pound push jerk during scout team testing in November Moved to defensive end for spring practice High School: Played two seasons for Coach Ted Salmon at Clover Hill High Earned two letters while seeing action at defensive end, tight end and fullback Named the team s MVP as a senior Won first-team all-district and second-team allregion honors Contributed 65 tackles, 10 quarterback sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions on defense Caught 15 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns Played fullback for half the season, rushing for 325 yards and four TDs Had five sacks and 150 yards rushing in a game against George Wythe Caught three passes for 129 yards versus Prince George Tipped seven passes in a game his junior season with three being intercepted, including one for a touchdown Grabbed two TD passes in a game that year Helped wrestling and track teams to district titles Made the all-district academic team in all three sports and was all-region in football and track Won the Army Scholar Athlete Award for his school Personal: Jeffrey Barrett Thompson Born 5/26/80 in Monroe, LA Son of Dean and Georgie Thompson Enrolled in general engineering Virginia Tech Football

45 36 Marvin Urquhart Fullback r-fr. Chesapeake, Va. Western Branch H.S. Could develop into a good fullback for the Hokies if he trims his body weight down Has excellent footwork Turned in a 4.96 time in the 40 during the spring despite weighing nearly 270 pounds A physical player who rates as an excellent blocker Needs a good summer preparation to become a factor this fall 1999: Practiced at fullback during a redshirt year Earned Iron Hokie honors during scout team testing in November, turning in a 550-pound back squat and a 351-pound push jerk Became a Super Iron Hokie in the spring Improved his bench press to 365 pounds Competed for Tech in the discus at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track and Field Championships and placed fourth High School: Selected the No. 14 running back in the ACC Region by PrepStar Ranked the No. 22 player in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and the No. 23 prospect in the state by SuperPrep Played fullback for Coach Lew Johnston Rushed for 350 yards and nine touchdowns his senior season Played in parts of just seven games because of injuries Named honorable mention all-district A threetime state champion in wrestling Went undefeated as a heavyweight his senior year Won the state Group AAA outdoor discus championship in 1999 and was third in the shot put Personal: Marvin Urquhart Born 8/16/80 in Chesapeake, VA Son of Marvin Urquhart, Sr. Enrolled in university studies. Professional scouts are familiar with the Tech campus. During a pro prospect workout at Tech s Rector Field House in March, every NFL team was represented, with some sending their head coaches and general managers. 7 Michael Vick Quarterback r-so. 1VL Newport News, Va. Warwick H.S. One of the most exciting players in the college football ranks Considered among the leading preseason candidates for the prestigious Heisman Trophy Named to first-team preseason All-America teams by Athlon, Playboy, Blue Ribbon, Lindy s, The Sporting News, Rivals.com and Collegefootballnews.com Will be given more responsibility in his second season Still has room to grow as a player Will have to adjust to being a marked man in 2000 Enjoyed a spectacular freshman season in 1999 leading Virginia Tech to its first-ever 11-0 regular-season record and a spot in the national championship game... Won an ESPY as the nation s top college player Was awarded the first-ever Archie Griffin Award as the nation s most valuable player in college football Finished third in the balloting for the 1999 Heisman Trophy, matching the highest finish ever by a freshman in the voting... Finished second in the voting for The Associated Press Player of the Year...Named first-team All- America by The Sporting News and also picked as that publication s Freshman of the Year... Made first-team freshman All- America teams selected by TSN and Football News... Named to The Associated Press second-team All-America squad... Led the Division I-A ranks in passing efficiency (180.37), setting a NCAA record for a freshman in the process... Was voted both the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Became the first player in Division I history to win a league s Player of the Year award (offensive, defensive or special teams) in the same season he won Rookie of the Year... Set school single-season records for highest yards passing per completion (20.4), per attempt (12.1) and for the highest completion percentage (59.2)... Also set a school mark for the most yards per play at His total offense figure for the season (2,425) led the BIG EAST and was the second-highest single-season total in school history... Compiled 322 yards of total offense against Florida State in the Nokia Sugar Bowl game The first freshman to open a season as Tech s starting quarterback since Will Furrer in Possesses outstanding talent and a great arm... Has a quick release and can get the football to any part of the field... Equally as dangerous as a runner Ran the second-fastest 40 in Tech football history during the spring at 4.25 seconds The best all-around athlete the Hokies have had at QB... Has the confidence of his teammates and the personality it takes to be an outstanding leader : Rushed for three touchdowns in just over a quarter against James Madison in his first collegiate game... Injured his left ankle diving into the end zone on his third TD Missed the rest of the JMU game and all of the UAB game... Threw three interceptions in his return against Clemson... Went six games before throwing another interception... Engineered Tech s gamewinning drive at West Virginia, taking the Hokies from their own 15 to the WVU 27 for a field goal... Started that drive with 1:15 remaining and no time outs... Completed three passes and turned in a 26-yard run during that drive... Accounted for five firsthalf touchdowns against Rutgers... Completed 11 of 12 passes for 248 yards and four TDs in that game and rushed eight times for 68 yards and another TD... Hit 7- of-9 passes for 222 yards and a TD in a win over Virginia... Rushed for touchdowns of 53 and 75 yards at Temple and also threw two TD passes... Tossed three touchdown passes and accounted for 366 yards of offense in the regular-season finale against Boston College... Also posted a 5-yard touchdown run in that game... Completed 90 of 152 passes for 1,840 yards and 12 touchdowns... Averaged 5.4 yards per rush with 585 yards on 108 carries... Scored eight rushing TDs, the most for a Tech quarterback in a season since Rushed for 97 yards on 23 carries against FSU in the Sugar Bowl Scored on a 3- yard run and threw a 49-yard TD pass to André Davis Completed 15 of 29 passes against the Seminoles for 225 yards Earned first-team All-BIG EAST honors and was named to the ECAC All-Star team Voted the Player of the Year in Virginia by the state sports information directors Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during spring testing Set a position record in the back squat at 515 pounds Completed just two of 11 passing attempts during the Hokies spring football game for a total of 26 yards 1998: Got a lot of work during preseason practice Dressed for every game but never saw action Worked hard in the strength and conditioning program during the winter Bench pressed 320 pounds, posted a 38-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.33 forty on the way to Iron Hokie honors Completed 6 of 11 passes for 73 Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 107

46 Michael Vick Continued from previous page yards in one spring scrimmage and was 6- for-11 for 79 yards and a touchdown in another Ran for one touchdown during the scrimmages Completed just 3 of 10 passes for 35 yards and one interception during the annual spring game But was the second leading rusher in the contest with 43 yards on 10 carries Won the Paul Torgersen Award as the team s top offensive newcomer High School: A three-year starter for Coach Tommy Reamon at Warwick High Listed as the No. 5 quarterback prospect in the nation by SuperPrep Was a preseason and postseason All-America pick by both SuperPrep and PrepStar Also gained postseason A-A honors from The National Recruiting Advisor Ranked the No. 5 pass/run quarterback recruit in the country by NRA Finished as the No. 11 running/passing QB in Tom Lemming s postseason report Was selected as the No. 3 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times Passed for 4,846 yards and 43 touchdowns during his career Added 1,048 yards and 18 TDs on the ground Contributed 1,668 yards passing as a senior Accounted for 20 touchdowns, 10 rushing and 10 passing Accounted for 295 yards passing against Hampton Personal: Michael Dwayne Vick... Born 6/26/80 in Newport News, VA... Son of Brenda Boddie... Studying sociology. Passing G Att-Comp Pct. Yds. TD Int Game-by-Game JMU UAB Did not play CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Game-by-Game JMU UAB Did not play CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Quarterback Michael Vick had at least one run of 20 yards or more in 10 of the 11 games in which he played last season, including the Sugar Bowl. During Tech s 12 games, the offensive unit had a combined total of 82 plays from scrimmage that gained 20 or more yards. 32 Wayne Ward Tailback r-jr. 2VL Plant City, Fla. Plant City H.S. Could become a major contributor at tailback following a good showing in spring practice Has an excellent combination of size and speed Tough to bring down A brief stint at fullback helped make him a more physical tailback Has good hands and rates as an excellent blocker Enjoyed a great spring in the weight room Will be watched closely when preseason practice opens Has a chance to earn his share of action on offense and on special teams 1999: Played in four games as a starter on special teams, posting a pair of tackles Saw action in three games at fullback Rushed for a 2-yard gain against James Madison in his only carry of the season Registered a tackle on kickoff coverage against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl Moved back to tailback following the season Earned Iron Hokie status in the weight room during spring testing Bench pressed 380 pounds Set a position record with a 620-pound back squat Rushed for 22 yards on seven carries in one of Tech s spring scrimmages and contributed touchdown runs of 8 and 2 yards in another Scored the lone offensive touchdown in the Maroon-White spring game on a 1-yard run Also caught a pass for a 9-yard gain 1998: A starter on three different special teams units during the course of the season Played on the kickoff, kickoff return and punt return units Saw limited action at tailback in four games Carried twice for eight yards at Clemson and four times for 16 yards against UAB Scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 20-yard run versus Rutgers Rushed 10 times for a total of 52 yards during the season Also contributed nine tackles on special teams Carried the football twice for four yards against Alabama in the Music City Bowl Was switched to fullback for spring practice Set a position record with a 615- pound back squat during spring strength and conditioning tests Added a 355- pound bench press on the way to Iron Hokie honors Received the Richard Bullock Award as one of the team s most improved players during the spring 1997: Spent a redshirt year working at tailback Turned in a 530-pound back squat during spring strength and conditioning testing Carried the football just one time for no gain in the spring game High School: Named the player of the year for the Tampa area Earned firstteam all-district, all-region and all-state Group 6A honors after rushing for 1,660 yards and 20 touchdowns his senior season at Plant City Added 17 pass receptions for 221 yards Rushed for 150 yards against Hillsborough High, a team that played in the state 6A championship game Gained over 1,100 yards on the ground his junior year Played for Coach Todd Long Set school records for career rushing yards (3,226) and most yards rushing in a single season (1,660) Rated the No. 43 player in Florida by The Tampa Tribune Turned in times of 10.6 in the 100-meter dash and 22.5 in the 200-meter dash as a sprinter on the track team Personal: Wayne E. Ward Born 5/29/79 in Lakeland, FL Son of Wayne and Patricia Ward Enrolled in housing, interior design and resource management. Rushing G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Carter Warley Place-kicker r-fr. Richmond, Va. Fork Union H.S. The heir apparent to the place-kicking duties vacated by Tech all-time scoring leader Shayne Graham Showed a strong leg and good consistency during spring practice Has the range to hit from over 50 yards Also expected to handle the kickoff duties 1999: Worked with Graham during the fall while redshirting Made 6 of 9 field attempts during Tech s four spring Virginia Tech Football

47 scrimmages Connected on four field goals of 40 or more yards with a long of 49 His three misses came from 55, 51 and 49 yards Booted a 35-yard field goal and an extra point during the Maroon-White game High School: Kicked for Coach Mickey Sullivan at Fork Union Prep Established a school single-season record for points by kicking with 72 Was named to the prep league all-state team Helped his team to a state championship in 1998 Also an all-state soccer player while at Fork Union Personal: Carter Warley Born 2/14/80 in Newport News, VA Son of John and Barbara Warley Enrolled in university studies. 34 Brian Welch Linebacker r-jr. 1VL Fairfax, Va. Oakton H.S. Could pressure Jake Houseright at the mike linebacker position Missed all but one game of the 1999 season following a knee injury Returned for spring practice but did not go through full contact work until the last five or six practices Pleased the coaching staff with his progress An extremely hard worker with good instincts and toughness Has a good understanding of the mike linebacker position and the Tech defensive scheme A powerful performer with a physical, aggressive style of play Excels in the weight room Lettered during the 1998 season as a prominent member of Tech s goalline defense Posted some big stops in the Pittsburgh and West Virginia games in 98 Finished 2000 spring practice at the top of the depth chart with Houseright Should continue to battle for the job when practice opens in August Will be watched closely 1999: Played 19 downs at linebacker and nine on special teams in the season opener against James Madison Was in on three tackles before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee Underwent reconstructive surgery Participated in parts of the off-season strength and conditioning program Returned to full contact work during the later stages of spring practice Contributed three tackles in the annual Maroon-White game 1998: Opened the season with four tackles and a quarterback hurry against both East Carolina and Clemson Had three tackles, including a tackle for loss, versus Pittsburgh Played a season-high 14 defensive snaps against the Panthers Posted a quarterback sack during the Temple game Contributed two tackles against both West Virginia and Syracuse Made a key fourth-down stop of Amos Zereoue at the 1-yard line during the West Virginia game Saw action in 10 regularseason games, while serving as the Hokies No. 2 mike linebacker Finished the season with 20 total tackles, three hurries, one sack and one other tackle for loss Registered a tackle in the Music City Bowl Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the weight room during fall testing Contributed a pair of quarterback sacks in one of the team s spring scrimmages Was in on five tackles in the annual spring game 1997: Was redshirted while working at the mike linebacker position Earned Super Iron Hokie honors during the winter Topped the inside linebackers with a 300-pound power clean and a 336-pound push jerk during spring testing Also had the best time at the position in the 20-yard shuttle run (4.47 seconds) Posted six tackles and a sack in one spring scrimmage Had a sack and four tackles in another scrimmage Contributed four tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass deflection during the spring game High School: Led Oakton High School in tackles three consecutive years while playing for Coach Pete Bendorf Compiled a school-record 346 career tackles from his middle linebacker position Posted 115 of those tackles as a senior on the way to district defensive player of the year honors Had eight tackles for losses, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, an interception and a blocked kick Returned a fumble for a touchdown Also saw action at fullback in shortyardage situations Rushed for 392 yards and three TDs on 52 carries Was firstteam all-region and honorable mention allstate Selected district defensive player of the year Earned second-team all-state honors his junior year when he had 91 tackles A regional champion and All- Metro pick in wrestling Compiled a 23-0 mark as a senior on the way to the state AAA 215-pound championship Personal: Brian Scott Welch Born 7/17/78 in Tehran, Iran Son of Linda Welch and the late Kenneth Welch Majoring in finance. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Ronyell Whitaker Cornerback r-so. 1VL Norfolk, Va. Lake Taylor H.S. A talented young player who is slated to take over the starting duties at the field cornerback position Possesses a tremendous amount of ability Gained a lot of valuable experience as the No. 2 man at field corner during the 1999 season Played just 29 downs on defense during the Hokies first four games... Averaged 36 plays a game over the final seven... Also contributed on special teams... Showed substantial improvement during the course of last year Gained maturity and confidence along the way Figures to see a lot of playing time this season Will handle an important role on a young defensive unit 1999: Saw playing time in all 12 games... Contributed just two tackles in his first four appearances... Played 37 defensive downs at Rutgers... Contributed three tackles and broke up a pass... Also returned a blocked extra-point kick for a two-point defensive extra point for the Hokies... Had three tackles in a win over Syracuse, including two on special teams... Made six defensive stops and one special teams tackle in the Pittsburgh game... Was called on to play 71 downs at West Virginia... Responded with six tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass broken up... Turned in a season-best eight tackles against Miami and another tackle for loss... Contributed a total of 29 tackles, 22 of which were primary hits... Broke up four passes... Met all six goals in the strength and conditioning program during fall testing Posted a 500-pound back squat and 35 1/2-inch vertical jump Turned in a personal-best bench press of 330 during spring testing Returned two punts for 18 yards during the Maroon-White spring game Added a tackle and a pass broken up 1998: Practiced at the field cornerback position while redshirting Turned in a Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 109

48 Ronyell Whitaker Continued from previous page 475-pound back squat during spring strength and conditioning tests Returned a pass interception 53 yards for a touchdown in one of Tech s spring scrimmages Picked off a second pass in another scrimmage Posted six tackles in the annual spring game Voted the Paul Torgersen Award as the top defensive newcomer on the squad High School: Lettered four years as a running back, defensive back and return man for Coach Dan Newell at Lake Taylor High Was the seventh-leading rusher in South Hampton Roads history Ran for 3,458 yards during his career and scored 44 touchdowns Earned preseason All- America honors from SuperPrep and PrepStar Named postseason A-A by PrepStar, which listed him the No. 6 running back in the ACC Region Firstteam all-state pick by The Associated Press and second-team by the coaches Rated one of the top 5 players in Virginia by The Charlottesville Daily Progress Ranked the ninth best prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and 10th by SuperPrep Rushed for 970 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 1997 Eastern District Offensive Player of the Year Named the All-Tidewater Player of the Year A threetime all-tidewater selection Had 68 tackles and five interceptions for the season Contributed 180 yards rushing, a 60-yard punt return for a TD and two interceptions for touchdowns of 45 and 75 yards in a win over Western Branch Turned in a game-winning 89-yard kickoff return versus Maury Posted 84 tackles, three sacks and five interceptions his junior year Rushed for over 1,000 yards Added two punt returns for touchdowns and one kickoff return Had 18 career interceptions and over 35 touchdowns Personal: Ronyell Deshawn Whitaker... Born 3/19/79 in Norfolk, VA... Son of Sylvonia Whitaker... Nephew of pro boxer Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker... Enrolled in physical education. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Garnell Wilds Cornerback r-fr. Tampa, Fla. Hillsborough H.S. Tech s No. 2 man at the field cornerback position Made progress last year while redshirting Understands the defensive system Possesses all the skills to be successful at the position, just needs to keep developing them Working in the strength and conditioning program to become stronger and more physical Will get a chance to contribute this fall Should get better and better as he gains experience and matures into the position 1999: Turned in a 35-inch vertical jump when he reported in August Worked briefly at the field cornerback position Switched to the boundary corner and was redshirted Improved his vertical jump to 37 1/2 inches by November scout team testing and to 40 inches during spring testing Had a personal-best 475-pound back squat during the spring and bench pressed 300 pounds Moved back to field corner for spring practice Contributed two tackles, including one for a loss, during one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Was in on a tackle during the Maroon- White spring game High School: Lettered three seasons as a defensive back for Coach Earl Garcia, Jr., at Hillsborough Rated the No. 12 prospect in Florida and No. 48 nationally by The Tampa Tribune Picked as the No. 48 player in Florida by SuperPrep A postseason All-America selection by PrepStar Listed as the No. 96 player in the Southeast Region by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Picked the No. 28 defensive back in the ACC Region by ACC Area Sports Journal A preseason All- America pick by Lemming Named to the All-Southeast Region team by The National Recruiting Advisor Helped the team to a 28-8 record during his varsity career Was in on 69 tackles as a senior and intercepted four passes Also recovered a pair of fumbles Averaged 25 yards on punt returns and set a school record for best kickoff return average for a season at 42.5 yards Saw some action as a receiver contributing 10 pass receptions for 200 yards and one touchdown Had 10 tackles, an interception, two punt returns for over 50 yards and five pass receptions for 120 yards in a game against Leto High Earned first-team all-conference and second-team All-Suncoast honors Finished his junior year with 65 tackles and two interceptions Helped team to the state 6A championship game as a sophomore Personal: Garnell Wayman Wilds Born 6/8/81 in Tampa, FL Son of George and Jacqueline Wilds Studying computer science. 19 Ernest Wilford Flanker r-fr. Richmond, Va. Armstrong/Franklin H.S. Rates as one of Tech s top newcomers for the 2000 season Caused quite a stir in practice with his performance at wide receiver Could play a key role for the Hokies this fall despite missing the bulk of contact work in the spring Began his Tech career working at defensive end Asked to be switched to receiver Adjusted quickly and showed the potential to become a special player at the position Dedicated to being successful and helping the team Has outstanding size and athletic ability Earned Iron Hokie honors during spring strength and conditioning tests Was sidelined by a severely sprained left ankle during spring practice Lost time physically, but gained mentally Attended all the team meetings and spent extra time watching film on his own Competed for the Tech track team when he had the opportunity Won the Atlantic 10 Conference indoor and outdoor triple jump championships Plans to use his summer preparation to continue learning the system mentally and physically Being groomed to spell starting flanker André Davis with no letdown in performance Will be given a lot of reps during preseason practice Has a chance to make an impact when the season begins 1999: Registered the best vertical jump among the incoming freshmen with a leap of 37 inches Began his redshirt year working at defensive end Asked to be moved to wide receiver in September Spent the rest of the school year at flanker Finished first in the triple jump and third Virginia Tech Football

49 in the high jump at the A-10 Indoor Track Championships Earned Iron Hokie honors during the spring Bench pressed 310 pounds and posted a back squat of 450 pounds Suffered an ankle injury during the early stages of spring practice and did not take part in contact work for the remainder of the spring Was held out of the annual Maroon-White game Bounced back from his injury to set a meet record in winning the A-10 outdoor triple jump title Prep School: Saw action at split end and tight end for Coach John Shuman at Fork Union Military Academy Also got a look at defensive end Caught 25 passes for 297 yards and seven touchdowns during the 1998 season High School: Grabbed 15 passes for 247 yards and three TDs his senior year at Franklin Military High, where he played wide receiver for Coach Otis Brayboy Contributed four sacks on defense Has only been playing football for a short time Earned all-state honors in track and was named to the All-National team Posted a school-record triple jump of 49 feet, 9 inches Also had a 23-6 long jump and high jumped 6 feet, 8 inches Personal: Ernest Lee Wilford Born 1/14/79 in Richmond, VA Son of Ernest, Sr., and Janice Wilford Enrolled in university studies. 54 Dan Wilkinson Defensive Tackle r-jr. West Palm Beach, Fla. Palm Beach Lakes H.S. One of the Hokies most improved players A converted defensive end who has benefited from a move to tackle Has gotten bigger and stronger Possesses good athletic ability Can rush the passer Made a good showing in spring practice Earned a spot on the travel squad last season after missing the entire 98 season due to a knee injury... Got some limited action in seven games... Turned in a 420- pound bench press during fall strength and conditioning tests Posted a 600-pound back squat in the spring... His 4.77 time in the 40 was second best among Tech s defensive tackles during spring testing Should help make the Hokies solid at the nose tackle position 1999: Took part in 11 plays during the season opener against James Madison... Was in on four tackles against the Dukes... Registered two tackles at Rutgers, including a quarterback sack for a 7-yard loss... Had a tackle for loss and three total tackles against Syracuse... Contributed a tackle in each of the Hokies last three games... Collected a total of 12 tackles for the season... Met five of his six goals during fall strength and conditioning tests Had personal-bests in the back squat (600 pounds) and the push jerk (321) during spring testing Contributed two tackles and a tackle for loss during one spring scrimmage and had a sack in another scrimmage Was in on three tackles and forced a fumble in the spring game 1998: Injured his knee in preseason practice Underwent reconstructive surgery and was sidelined for the entire season Bench pressed 410 pounds and posted a 535-pound back squat during spring testing Returned to the field for spring practice and worked at end 1997: Took a redshirt year while working at defensive end Bench pressed 385 pounds during spring testing Also had a 530-pound back squat Registered two sacks and tackle for loss during spring scrimmages Added another sack in the spring game High School: Played defensive end, linebacker and fullback during his three varsity seasons for Coach Bill Bolinder at Palm Beach Lakes High Named all-area, all-conference and team MVP his senior year when he posted 89 tackles and 14 sacks Rushed for 138 yards and four touchdowns and caught five passes for 247 yards Compiled 210 tackles and over 30 sacks while helping the team to a threeyear record of 31-7 Played in the Outback Steakhouse All-Star game, which included the top 40 players in the Palm Beach area Personal: Daniel Alfred Wilkinson... Born 11/14/78 in West Palm Beach, FL... Son of Erwin and Heather Wilkinson... Enrolled in housing, interior design and resource management. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Keith Willis Tight End r-fr. Norfolk, Va. Norview H.S. Made progress last season while redshirting Brings solid receiving skills and athleticism to the tight end position Added some much-needed bulk to his frame during the offseason program Must continue his efforts to get stronger and become a better blocker Has potential for the future Finds himself behind a more experienced group of returnees Needs a good summer preparation and a productive preseason to be in position to contribute this fall 1999: Worked at tight end during a redshirt year Joined Tech s basketball team in October and split practice time with football Played briefly in three regular-season basketball games before returning to football full-time Went through the Hokies winter workouts Improved in three of the four major lifts during spring strength and conditioning tests Bench pressed 320 pounds High School: A two-time all-district, all-region and all-state Group AAA choice at tight end for Coach Carleton Thomas Lettered three seasons as a tight end, defensive end and punter A prep All- American Listed as the No. 7 tight end in the nation by SuperPrep Named the No. 1 TE in the ACC Region by PrepStar Rated the No. 5 prospect in Virginia by SuperPrep and the No. 7 player in the state by The Roanoke Times Was on the receiving end of 21 passes for 475 yards and four touchdowns as a senior Also contributed 60 tackles, 11 sacks and five fumble recoveries on defense Against Bethel his senior year, he contributed three catches for 95 yards and one touchdown, along with two sacks, two pass breakups, a fumble caused and four tackles In two seasons as a tight end, he caught 35 passes for 745 yards Had 24 career sacks in three seasons as a DE A three-time all-district and All-Tidewater pick in basketball Also gained allregion honors as a junior and senior Averaged 27 points and 12.7 rebounds a Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 111

50 Keith Willis Continued from previous page game as a forward his senior season Finished his career with over 1,000 points and was a first-team AAA all-state pick Also competed in track Personal: Keith Tyrone Willis Born 12/14/80 in Oceanside, CA Son of Keith and Mara Willis Lived in Japan for more than three years Enrolled in university studies. 12 Joe Wilson Fullback r-fr. Newport News, Va. Warwick H.S. A hard-working newcomer with a great attitude Showed signs of being a good fullback while redshirting Still learning Tech s offensive schemes Should benefit from his work in the strength and conditioning program Made some plays during spring practice Tech s coaches are expecting good things from him in the future 1999: His 375-pound bench press was the tops among incoming freshmen in August Practiced at fullback while redshirting Posted a 331-pound push press during scout team testing in November Gained 17 yards on three carries and caught a pass for 7 yards in one of the Hokies spring scrimmages Contributed an 18-yard touchdown run in another scrimmage High School: Rushed for 722 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior for Coach Tommy Reamon at Warwick Listed as the No. 30 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times First-team All-Peninsula District as a linebacker and second team as a running back Added 85 tackles, 11 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries on defense Ran for 132 yards and two TDs and posted 11 tackles and two sacks in a game against Menchville Named his team s offensive back of the year Finished his career with 2,807 yards rushing on 248 carries Scored 29 career touchdowns and registered 183 career tackles and 29 sacks Caused 19 fumbles and had three fumble recoveries for TDs Also lettered in basketball and track Personal: Joseph Rydell Wilson Born 7/22/81 in Hollandale, MS Son of Joseph and Joann Wilson Spent the early part of his childhood in Guam Was president of his high school freshman class Enrolled in university studies. 58 Matt Wincek Offensive Tackle Jr. 2VL Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Coughlin H.S. Considered an additional starter at tackle Was the Hokies primary backup at both offensive tackle positions in Gives Tech the luxury of resting a starter without a drop-off in talent... Has provided a consistent snaps per game... A tall player with long arms and good athletic ability Worked hard during the spring on technique and fundamentals Should see plenty of playing time this fall 1999: Saw action on over 30 snaps in games against James Madison, Syracuse and Temple... Posted four knockdown blocks against Boston College... Also graded a season-best 86 percent against the Eagles... Turned in personal bests in the bench press (370), back squat (505) and push jerk (316) during spring strength and conditioning tests 1998: Worked at right tackle during preseason practice Played 11 snaps in the season opener against East Carolina Moved to the left side prior to the Clemson game Was in for a seasonhigh 32 plays in the UAB game Saw playing time in nine of the team s 11 regular-season games Also got a taste of action against Alabama in the Music City Bowl Spent the spring working at the left tackle position 1997: Suffered a broken left ankle during the summer while playing in the Pennsylvania Big 33 game Underwent surgery for appendicitis in December Entered Tech for the second semester Took part in the winter strength and conditioning program Worked at right tackle during spring pracitce High School: Earned second-team Big School (3A & 4A) all-state honors as a defensive tackle at Coughlin High Named to all-star teams selected by The Citizen s Voice and Times Leader his last two seasons Also played guard on the offensive line for Coach John Joseph Team won three district titles and a regional championship Was in on 71 tackles as a senior, including six quarterback sacks and 16 total tackles behind the line Registered 13 tackles in a game against Downingtown Lettered as a weight man in track Played basketball for the first time his senior year and led the team in rebounds and blocked shots Personal: Matthew Leonard Wincek... Born 9/12/79 in Wilkes-Barre, PA... Son of Leonard and Patricia Wincek... A business major. 26 Shawn Witten Flanker So. 1VL Elizabethton, Tenn. Elizabethton H.S. A valuable performer on Tech s receiving corps Did everything that was asked of him last season as a true freshman Learned both receiver positions and also played an important role on special teams Comes from a football family and understands the commitment it takes to be successful Combines intelligence with competitiveness and the desire to win Catches the ball well and pays attention to the fundamentals of blocking Works hard and always gives top effort Joined offensive lineman Anthony Davis as the only true freshmen to see action in Excelled on the kickoff coverage unit... Expected to get more playing time at receiver in : Caught three passes for 25 yards against James Madison in his first collegiate game... Contributed three tackles on kickoff returns during Tech s win at Virginia... Hauled in three more passes for 30 yards at Rutgers... Posted two tackles against Syracuse and two versus Miami... Played on special teams in all 11 games, contributing a total of 10 tackles... Saw action at receiver in six games, including 24 plays against JMU and 20 at Rutgers... Caught six passes for 55 yards Posted a 450-pound back squat during the off-season Collected an 11-yard reception in one spring scrimmage and a 2- yard catch in another Virginia Tech Football

51 High School: Compiled 7,156 allpurpose yards during his high school career while playing quarterback, split end and free safety for Coach Dave Rider Was rated the No. 14 prospect in Tennessee by The Knoxville News Sentinel Named the state s offensive player of the year by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association in 1998 An honorable mention All-SEC Region pick by PrepStar Passed for 1,601 yards and 21 touchdowns his senior season Also rushed for 512 yards and 19 TDs Registered 74 tackles on defense and intercepted 12 passes Added 225 yards and a pair of TDs on punt returns During one game his senior year, he scored touchdowns on a run, a pass reception, a punt return and an interception Finished his career with 3,839 yards passing, 997 yards rushing, 1,147 yards receiving, 901 yards on kick returns and 273 yards on interception returns Returned four interceptions and nine punts for TDs during his career Averaged 35.1 yards on punt returns over a three-year period Posted a career total of 28 interceptions and 86 touchdowns A fourtime all-conference pick and a three-time Class 4A all-state selection Helped his team to a record, four conference titles and a pair of state semifinal appearances during his four varsity seasons A four-year letterman and threetime all-conference pick in basketball Also lettered three years in baseball Personal: Shawn Edward Witten Born 5/18/80 in Johnson City, TN Son of Kimberly Witten Enrolled in university studies. Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Benny Wolfe Linebacker Sr. 2VL Gate City, Va. Gate City H.S. An aggressive player with a nose for the football... Isn t big, but packs a wallop Turned in a solid spring at the backer position Knows the defense and is a dependable tackler Runs well Possesses excellent strength Posted a Continued on next page A Talk With Benny Wolfe You ve played fullback and linebacker in your years at Tech. Which position do you feel more comfortable playing? Why? I feel more comfortable playing linebacker. It gives me a chance to be more aggressive. However, the opportunity to play both positions gave me a new perspective on each and allowed me to become a better player. How has the strength and conditioning staff helped you prepare for playing football at the Division I level? The staff has helped me with my (overall) strength. Without question, Coach (Mike) Gentry has helped me get stronger and become a better football player. The work that Coach Gentry and his staff does is really important to the team. This year, I just want to stay healthy, and I can do that by working hard in the weight room. What do you feel your greatest accomplishment has been at Tech? I wasn t even an invited walk-on, so I guess my greatest accomplishment would be making the travel team, secondly special teams and then playing. Whether you are on scholarship or not, you are given a fair shot. It s just up to you as to what you do with that shot. None of us would be here unless we really loved the game and wanted to be doing this. What do you feel the defense needs to do to be a force, the way it was in 1999? The defense just needs to work hard, stay aggressive and play hard every possession. I really want to play more on defense during the game. I enjoy special teams, but this year I want to be more productive on the defensive end. How do you want to be remembered when you finish your football career at Tech? I just want to be remembered as someone who worked hard. I want to be remembered as a hard-nosed player who never stopped until the whistle. Playing against great players always motivates me to be a better player, so I know I am always at my best against the top players Virginia Tech Football 113

52 Benny Wolfe Continued from previous page 400-pound bench press during fall testing and added a 550-pound back squat... Earned Iron Hokie honors in the spring A two-time pick on the BIG EAST All- Academic Football Team Expected to contribute as a backup at linebacker as well as a starter on special teams : Saw action in every game... Played linebacker in seven contests, including a career-high 34 plays against Rutgers... Was in on three tackles against James Madison and Syracuse... Posted four tackles at Rutgers... Had five primary tackles, including one for a loss, and two assists in the Temple game... Contributed a total of 24 tackles... Was in on a tackle in the Sugar Bowl against Florida State Gained Iron Hokie status during spring testing Was in on two tackles in two different scrimmages during spring practice 1998: His reputation as a hard hitter helped earn him a starting role on special teams Played in all 11 games Saw action on the kickoff and kickoff return teams Moved from linebacker to fullback during preseason practice Got brief playing time on offense in the Pittsburgh and UAB games Finished the season with seven tackles Added another hit during the Music City Bowl Benched 390 pounds during spring strength and conditioning tests Also posted a 510-pound back squat Moved to defense in the spring and worked at mike linebacker 1997: Joined the team after school started Worked at the whip linebacker position Played on the jayvee and scout teams Turned in a 370-pound bench press and 330-pound hang clean on the way to Iron Hokie honors during the offseason His 4.21 clocking in the 20- yard shuttle run was the best among the linebackers Moved to inside linebacker for spring practice Contributed three tackles in one spring scrimmage and had tackles in all five scrimmages High School: Won three letters as a fullback and outside linebacker for Coach Nick Colobro at Gate City Earned alldistrict honors at both positions his junior year Was an all-district and second-team all-region running back as a senior Helped the team to three district titles and a pair of regional championships Also lettered three seasons in baseball Personal: Benny Allen Wolfe... Born 7/11/79 in Kingsport, TN... Son of Terry and Annette Wolfe... Enrolled in finance. Tackles G UT AT Tot. Loss Sacks Career Browning Wynn Tight End r-jr. 2VL Jonesville, Va. Lee H.S. Tech s top offensive hustler in the spring Has a reputation for hard work on and off the field Became the first Tech player to earn the new Elite Level of Performance award in the strength and conditioning program Won Tech s Ironman competition in June Takes pride in what he does Became a key receiver for the Hokies last season, especially during the second half of the season... Made some clutch catches in big games... All seven of his receptions went for first downs Averaged 26 snaps a game at tight end and also chipped in on special teams... Got a lot of snaps during spring practice Will challenge for the starting duties when practice begins in August 1999: Played 88 downs at tight end during the Hokies first three games... Caught his first pass good for 14 yards in game four against Virginia... His 13- yard reception at Rutgers was his shortest of the season... Grabbed a key 30-yard pass against Syracuse and made a big 35- yard reception in the Pittsburgh game... Contributed a 29-yard catch against West Virginia and a 21-yarder in the Boston College game... Finished with seven receptions for 157 yards, an average of 22.4 yards per catch... Also posted a 7- yard catch during the Hokies Sugar Bowl game against Florida State Was named Tech s first-ever Elite Hokie during spring testing Registered personal-bests in the back squat (585), power clean (356) and push jerk (361) Also turned in a careerbest 4.59 timing in the 40 Won the Frank O. Moseley Award as the top offensive hustler in spring practice 1998: Worked at tight end and on special teams Saw playing time in all 11 regular-season games as a member of the kickoff return and punting teams Had a tackle against Syracuse Played 18 snaps at tight end in the UAB game and six in the Rutgers game Caught a pass for a 14-yard gain against the Scarlet Knights Set position records for Tech tight ends in the power clean (321 pounds), vertical jump (36 1/2 inches) and the 40 (4.62 seconds) on the way to Iron Hokie status in the spring 1997: Worked at defensive end during the fall while being redshirted Turned in the best push jerk among the defensive ends during spring testing with a lift of 331 pounds Also had the best time for a DE in the 20-yard shuttle at 4.31 seconds Was tried at tight end during spring practice High School: Set a school record with 131 tackles his senior season at Lee High School Also posted nine sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception on the way to second-team Group AA all-state honors Was a first-team all-district and all-region pick as a senior Contributed a school single-game record 19 tackles in a game against Grundy Lettered four years as a linebacker for Coach Allen Kinser Also competed in basketball, baseball and track Played in the state high school all-star game Personal: Browning Wynn II... Born 12/3/78 in Kingsport, TN... Son of John and Patricia Wynn... Studying finance. Receiving G No. Yds. Avg. TD LG Career Game-by-Game JMU UAB CLEM at UVa at RU SYR at Pittsburgh at WVU MIAMI at Temple BC Virginia Tech Football

53 2000 Recruiting Class Mikal Baaqee LB Columbia, Md. DeMatha H.S. A three-year starter as a linebacker for Coach Bill McGregor at DeMatha A PrepStar All-American who was rated the No. 3 linebacker and No. 17 overall prospect in the Atlantic Region Ranked the No. 17 player in Maryland by SuperPrep Listed the No. 39 player in the Mid-Atlantic Region by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Posted 102 total tackles his senior season, including 65 solos Had 11 quarterback sacks and 16 tackles for loss Caused six fumbles and recovered two Intercepted two passes in 1999 and blocked a punt Contributed 12 tackles, two sacks, three passes broken up and two fumbles caused in a game against Paul VI Earned all-county, allconference and first-team all-state honors Was in on 117 solo tackles and 34 assists as a junior Caused six fumbles that season and added eight sacks and five interceptions Finished his prep career with 274 total tackles, 14 fumbles caused and seven interceptions Helped the team to a record during his three varsity seasons Personal: Mikal Rahim Baaqee Born 12/20/81 in Boston, MA Son of Susanne Bilal and Shakir Baaqee. Vinnie Burns P New Orleans, La. St. Augustine H.S. Was named to the Coaches Class 5-A all-state team as a punter his senior year at St. Augustine Averaged 43 yards per punt Punted three times for a 53.3-yard average in one game his senior season Carried a 44-yard average on six punts in another game Twice pinned Airline High inside its own 10 in the bi-district playoffs Named allcity, all-district and all-metro as well as all-state Earned All-America honors from PrepStar, which listed him as the No. 4 punter in the Southeast Region Was a four-year letterman as a punter/ place-kicker for Coach Anthony Biagas Averaged just under 40 yards per punt his junior year and was an all-city selection Captained the football and track teams his senior year Helped the track team to a state championship Competed in the long jump (23-2) and the 400 meters (50.2) Served as the school s student body president Personal: Ronald Vincent Burns, Jr. Born 2/2/82 in New Orleans, LA Son of Ronald and Sheila Burns His dad serves on the Nokia Sugar Bowl committee Travis Conway OL/LS Richmond, Va. J.R. Tucker H.S. Lettered three seasons for Coach Rusty Curle at Tucker High Saw most of his action at center and defensive end Started three seasons at DE Played three games as a tight end his junior year before moving to center Earned additional attention as an accomplished deep snapper on special teams Named the team s most valuable player as a senior Rated the No. 18 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and the No. 20 prospect by SuperPrep Named an All- Atlantic Region OL by PrepStar Gained honorable-mention All-USA honors from USA Today Was first-team all-metro, alldistrict and all-region as a center in 1999 Selected second-team all-district as a defensive end Earned second-team Associated Press Group AAA all-state honors at center An honorable-mention pick on the coaches all-state squad Had five knockdown blocks in one game his senior season Contributed 95 tackles and two sacks on defense As a junior, he won the team s Tolley Award as the best defensive player with leadership and skill Was first-team all-district as a center and second-team all-region Also a second-team all-district choice at DE Worked briefly at tight end and caught three passes two for first downs during a game-winning drive against Midlothian that year Personal: Travis Scott Conway Born 6/3/82 in Richmond, VA Son of Doug and Suzanne Conway His uncle, Andy Hromyak, was the starting punter for Tech in 1971 and 72. Chad Cooper FS/LB Herndon, Va. Oakton H.S. A high school All-America pick by both SuperPrep and PrepStar magazines Was named to PrepStar s Top 100 Dream Team Played free safety, linebacker and running back during three varsity seasons at Oakton, where he played for Coach Pete Bendorf Registered 109 tackles as a senior Added five quarterback sacks, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries Rushed for 450 yards and 10 touchdowns Added 82 yards on pass receptions Contributed 17 tackles, 99 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a game last year Was a first-team selection on The Washington Post All-Metro team Also first-team all-district and allregion and second-team all-state Listed as the No. 8 defensive back prospect in the nation and the No. 1 DB in the Atlantic Region by PrepStar Rated the No. 24 linebacker in the country by SuperPrep and the No. 27 linebacker by Rivals Ranked the No. 60 prospect in the Mid-Atlantic Region in Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report An honorable-mention All-USA pick by USA Today Named the No. 5 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and the No. 6 prospect in the state by SuperPrep Finished his junior year with 128 tackles and six pass interceptions Holds the record for most career tackles in Oakton s 33-year history Personal: Charlton Douglas Cooper Born 6/10/81 in Houston, TX Son of Tom and Connie Cooper His dad was a starter in the defensive secondary at Tech in the mid-1970s. Mike Daniels DB Fairfax, Va. Fairfax H.S. Set a school record with 18 career pass interceptions during his four varsity seasons at Fairfax Lettered four years as a defensive back and wide receiver for Coach Tom Verbanic Was the Liberty District Player of the Year as a senior Went on to earn first-team all-district, all- Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 115

54 Mike Daniels Continued from previous page region and all-state honors Was a SuperPrep and PrepStar All-American An honorable-mention All-USA pick by USA Today Rated the No. 25 defensive back prospect in the nation by SuperPrep Ranked the No. 3 DB and No. 22 overall prospect in the Atlantic Region by PrepStar Picked the No. 64 player in the Mid-Atlantic Region by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Posted 102 tackles and four interceptions during his senior season Also contributed 23 pass receptions for 450 yards and three TDs Averaged 25 yards on punt returns and 27 yards on kickoff returns Ran for one touchdown, caught a pass for another TD and collected 12 tackles in a game against Madison last fall Picked off seven passes as a junior Intercepted two passes against both Annandale and Parkview that season Scored a touchdown on a punt return and averaged 12.5 yards a return Helped the team to a four-year 31-9 regular-season record and two district titles Also excelled in basketball, lettering four years and setting a school scoring mark with 1,250 points Personal: Michael William Daniels Born 9/18/81 in Germany Son of Fletcher, Jr., and Carolyn Daniels. Jim Davis DE Highland Springs, Va. Highland Springs H.S./FUMA Recorded 15 sacks and seven pass deflections as a defensive end for Coach John Shuman at Fork Union Military Academy last fall Attended Highland Springs High School where he played defensive end and offensive tackle for Coach Randy Stokes Lettered three seasons and was team captain as a senior Was named the team s MVP and best defensive lineman his final season Earned first-team all-district honors and second-team all-region recognition Gained second-team all-district honors his junior year and was selected the team s best offensive lineman as a sophomore Also lettered three seasons as a center on the basketball team Helped the team to a pair of district titles Played in the AAU national championship basketball game (14 years and under) in 1994 Personal: James Edward Davis, Jr. Born 10/4/81 in Richmond, VA Son of James, Sr., and Sandra Davis. Jon Dunn OL Virginia Beach, Va. Tallwood H.S. Earned All-America honors from SuperPrep, PrepStar and Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Ranked the No. 35 offensive line prospect in the nation by SuperPrep and the No. 9 player in Virginia Listed as the No. 20 offensive tackle prospect in the nation by Lemming Rated the No. 3 OL in the Atlantic Region and No. 20 overall prospect in the region by PrepStar Selected the No. 15 prospect in the Mid-Atlantic Region by Lemming Picked the No. 1 offensive lineman in the state and the No. 7 overall prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times Lettered three seasons for Coach Thad Harold at Tallwood Saw most of his action as an offensive tackle Also got some playing time at defensive tackle and as a long snapper Earned all-district honors his junior and senior seasons Named All- Eastern Region as a senior Had eight tackles and two sacks in limited defensive duty in 1999 Lettered as a weight man in track Finished third in the district in the shot put Personal: Jonathan Paul Dunn Born 12/12/81 in Norfolk, VA Son of Paula and Willie Heggins. Vincent Fuller DB Baltimore, Md. Woodlawn H.S. Passed for a school single-season record 1,683 yards his senior year at Woodlawn Completed 78 of 109 passes, including 13 for touchdowns Added 390 yards rushing and scored six TDs on the ground Played quarterback, free safety and cornerback for Coach Reggie White during his three varsity seasons Posted 65 tackles and three interceptions on defense as a senior Won all-county, all- Metro and consensus all-state honors Finished his prep career with 2,685 yards passing and over 1,000 yards rushing Compiled 28 touchdown passes and 20 rushing TDs Picked off 10 passes and collected over 100 career tackles on defense Ranked the No. 12 player in Maryland by SuperPrep Earned All- America honors from PrepStar, which rated him the No. 7 athlete in the Atlantic Region Rated the No. 84 player in the Mid- Atlantic Region by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Selected honorablemention All-USA by USA Today Named the MVP in football and track by his teammates as a senior Helped the track team to a state championship in 1998 Turned in a time of 21.2 seconds in the 200 meters Won the Unsung Hero Award on his basketball team Personal: Vincent Fuller II Born 8/3/82 in Baltimore, MD Son of Vincent Fuller and Reneé Richardson A cousin of former Tech safety Damien Russell. Eric Green WR/DB Clewiston, Fla. Clewiston H.S. Excelled as a quarterback, receiver and defensive back for Coach Al Morrell at Clewiston Helped the team to a 32-8 record over three seasons Was the first player in school history to pass for over 1,000 yards in two consecutive seasons Set a state record with a 105-yard interception return Turned in a schoolrecord 82-yard punt return Rated the No. 46 player in Florida by SuperPrep and the No. 4 free safety in the state by The Florida Times-Union A member of the Times- Union Super 75 team Posted five interceptions as a senior Passed for 1,100 yards and rushed for over 400 yards his senior season Had 12 touchdowns passing and six rushing Passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two in a game against Bishop Verot Accumulated over 2,200 career passing yards during his last two seasons Caught over 20 passes as a sophomore for more than 500 yards Voted the team s MVP in 1999 Named to Palm Beach Post All-Area team Earned all-state honors Also lettered in track and basketball Placed fifth in the state in the 110 high hurdles with a time of 14.3 seconds Personal: Eric Denaud Green Born 3/16/82 in Pahokee, FL Son of Janice Freeman and Willie Green. Mike Jackson TE Mason, Ohio Moeller H.S. Ranked the No. 3 tight end in Ohio by Ohio Prep Magazine Listed the No. 9 tight end in the Midwest by PrepStar Lettered four seasons at Moeller for Coach Steve Klonne Was all-league, all- Cincinnati and all-southwest Ohio as a junior and senior Named team captain in 1999 Contributed 60 career receptions Virginia Tech Football

55 and nine touchdown catches Fourteen of his 17 catches as a junior resulted in first downs Earned the team s Big Moe award for his toughness Was named the team s most improved junior in 1998 Was the state runner-up at 209 pounds in Greco Roman wrestling as a sophomore Turned in the fastest 800- meter time by a freshman in Cincinnati during the school year Personal: Paul Michael Jackson Born 4/27/82 in Cincinnati, Ohio Son of Mike and Stephanie Jackson. Richard Johnson WR Baltimore, Md. Milford Mill Academy A prep All-American who was listed the No. 5 wide receiver and the No. 28 overall prospect in the nation by SuperPrep Saw action at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, free safety, strong safety and cornerback for Coach Reggie Brooks during his varsity career at Milford Mill Also returned kicks Accumulated nearly 6,000 yards of total offense during his career, passing for 3,343 yards and rushing for 2,430 yards Threw for 1,109 yards and 18 touchdowns as a quarterback his senior year Added 1,138 yards and 10 TDs on the ground Returned three kickoffs for touchdowns Posted three interceptions Finished with 41 career passing touchdowns and 28 rushing TDs Named to The Baltimore Sun s All- Metro team A consensus all-state selection as a junior and senior Earned SuperPrep and PrepStar All- America honors Ranked No. 77 on the National Recruiting Center s list of Top 100 Players Rated the Mid-Atlantic Defensive Player of the Year by SuperPrep An honorable mention All- USA pick by USA Today Listed as the No. 1 player in Maryland and No. 2 player in the Mid-Atlantic Region by SuperPrep Picked the No. 4 receiver in the Atlantic Region by PrepStar Named the No. 25 safety in the nation and the No. 47 prospect in the Mid-Atlantic by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Averaged nearly 10 points a game as the starting point guard on the basketball team Personal: Richard M. Johnson Born 6/17/82 in Baltimore, MD Son of Betty and Rodney Swayne. Jason Lallis DE/TE Mitchellville, Md. DeMatha H.S. Helped DeMatha to a record during his varsity career Played tight end and defensive end for Coach Bill McGregor Caught six passes for 76 yards and one touchdown Also grabbed a two-point conversion pass Posted 105 tackles on defense, including 82 solos Recorded 12 quarterback sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception Had four sacks in a game against McNamara Voted the team s MVP by his teammates Named first-team on The Washington Post All- Metro squad Also earned all-county, allconference and consensus all-state honors Named to George Michael s Golden 11 team A SuperPrep and PrepStar All- American Ranked the No. 2 tight end and No. 16 player in the Atlantic Region by PrepStar Listed the No. 43 defensive lineman in the nation by SuperPrep, which also named him the No. 11 player in the Mid-Atlantic Region Rated the No. 11 tight end in the nation by Rivals prior to the season An honorable-mention All-USA pick by USA Today Named the No. 18 player in the Mid-Atlantic area by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Listed in Who s Who Among American High School Students Personal: Jason Christopher Lallis Born 2/4/82 in Washington, DC Son of Everett, Jr., and Martha Lallis. Jared Mazzetta TE Flemington, N.J. Hunterdon Central H.S. Rated the No. 11 tight end in the nation by SuperPrep Earned All-America honors from SuperPrep and PrepStar Selected the No. 2 tight end in the East by PrepStar Listed the No. 8 prospect in New Jersey by SuperPrep Ranked the nation s No. 21 tight end prospect by Rivals prior to the season A three-year letterman as a tight end and defensive lineman for Coach Jim Meert Hauled in 21 passes for 300 yards and three TDs as a senior Contributed over 70 tackles and seven quarterback sacks on defense Blocked two punts and a field goal Returned his blocked field goal for a touchdown to give Hunterdon Central a victory in the state semifinals Was allcounty, all-area and all-state Earned a spot on the Super 100 team in New Jersey Caught 27 passes for more than 400 yards during his junior season Added 50 tackles, six sacks, an interception and a blocked punt Posted career totals of 67 receptions for 1,019 yards and nine TDs Compiled 17 sacks and over 200 tackles Set a school career mark for most receptions by a tight end Helped his team to back-to-back state championships in 1998 and 1999 Personal: Jared Albert Mazzetta Born 6/4/81 in Plainfield, NJ Son of Mary Mazzetta and Anthony Mazzetta. Kevin McCadam FS Lakeside, Calif. El Capitan H.S./Grossmont College Earned second-team All-America honors as a defensive back on the J.C. Grid-Wire team Was an honorable mention A-A pick by the NJCAA Played safety for Coach Dave Jordan at Grossmont College in 1999 Posted 106 tackles, including 10 for losses Broke up 12 passes, caused a fumble and recovered a fumble Named team defensive MVP and special teams player of the year Won first-team all-conference honors Averaged 25.6 yards on 25 kickoff returns Carried an 18-yard average on 21 punt returns Returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown Also had an 89-yard punt return for a TD Played his high school football at El Capitan, where he lettered two seasons as a quarterback and free safety for Coach Dave Waastad Completed 65 of 117 passes for 1,264 yards and 16 touchdowns his senior season Added 186 yards and four TDs on the ground Saw most of his action on offense, but did contribute 28 tackles as a safety Also intercepted a pair of passes, returning one 77 yards for a touchdown Passed for four touchdowns and ran for another in a game against West Hills his senior year Helped team to a 9-3 season Named first-team all-league and all-county Made the San Diego Union-Tribune s all-area team Started his college career at Colorado State where he redshirted as a freshman in 1997 Suffered a broken collarbone during 1998 spring practice Left CSU and enrolled at Grossmont for the school year Missed the 98 season because of his collarbone injury Personal: Kevin Edward McCadam Born 3/6/79 in La Mesa, CA Son of Nancy McCadam and the late Dan McCadam Virginia Tech Football 117

56 James Miller DL Pompano Beach, Fla. Ft. Lauderdale H.S. Ranked the No. 59 player in Florida by SuperPrep and listed as the No. 3 defensive end on The Florida Times- Union Super 75 team Lettered three seasons as a tight end, defensive end and long snapper for Coach John Timmons at Ft. Lauderdale High Contributed 21 solo tackles and 26 assists his senior season Also posted four quarterback sacks, six hurries and two pass deflections Graded out a team-high 87.6 percent for his work on the offensive line Was second-team all-state Voted the team s offensive MVP in 99 and served as the team captain his last two seasons Played in the conference allstar game and was nominated for the Georgia-Florida All-Star Game Caught a game-winning touchdown pass against Boca Raton High during his junior season Also competed in basketball, baseball and track A Brian Piccolo Scholar- Athlete who was active as a community service volunteer Personal: James Miller Born 8/13/81 in Sylva, NC Son of Rick and Sherry Miller His dad was the head basketball coach at Western Carolina from Robert Ramsey OL Coraopolis, Pa. Montour H.S. Played practically every offensive line position during his varsity career at Montour Earned all-conference honors at guard his senior year Also saw Nathaniel ADIBI... uh-dee-bee MIKAL BAQUEE... Meh-CALL Bah-KEY Keith BURNELL... burr-nell COLS COLAS... coles CO-las Dave KADELA... kuh-dell-uh Jason LALLIS... LAH-liss Matt LEHR... lair Joe MARCHANT... MAR-chant Alex MARKOGIANNAKIS... marko-gee-an-knock-us Pronunciation Guide action at tackle and had a brief stint at the center position Played both the left and right guard and tackle positions at one time or another for Coach Don Morgan, while earning three letters Saw limited action on defense, posting 69 tackles during his senior season Named the team s MVP as a junior after winning allconference recognition on offense and defense Ranked the No. 25 prospect in Pennsylvania by SuperPrep Selected the No. 73 player in the East Region in Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Named to the Pittsburgh Press Fabulous 22 team Listed as an All-East Region offensive lineman by PrepStar Personal: Robert Richard Ramsey Born 4/13/82 in Pittsburgh, PA Son of Bob and Ruth Ramsey. Channing Reed DL Trenton, N.J. Trenton Central H.S./Montgomery Coll. (Md.) Posted 104 tackles and 12.5 quarterback sacks to help Montgomery College to the junior college playoffs last fall Hurried the quaterback six times during the 99 season and forced two fumbles Also had two fumble returns for a total of 43 yards Was one of the team s captains Ranked the No. 46 junior college prospect in the nation by Tom Lemming s Prep Football Report Named second-team All-America by the NJCAA An honorable-mention All- America pick by JC Grid-Wire Voted the team s defensive MVP Played linebacker during his prep career at Trenton Central High Also contributed as a kicker Lettered three seasons for Coach Lawrence Parker Posted 90 tackles his senior season, including six sacks Added three fumble recoveries Jared MAZZETTA... Muh-ZEH-ta Jon MOLLERUP... MAH-ler-up Grant NOEL... knoll Robert PEASLEE... PEESE-lee Deon PROVITT... PRO-vit Bob SLOWIKOWSKI... slow-cow-ski Anthony THIBODEAU... TIB-ah-doe Marvin URQUHART... IRK-heart Carter WARLEY... WOR-lee Matt WINCEK... win-seck and two interceptions Blocked three kicks Registered 16 tackles during one game to go with a blocked field goal, two fumble recoveries and a fumble caused Earned first-team all-county and all-area honors as a junior and senior Had 65 tackles, nine sacks and six forced fumbles his junior season Finished his career with 225 tackles, 21 sacks and six interceptions Personal: Channing Ajaye Reed Born 9/19/78 in Trenton, NJ Son of Denise Reed. Josh Spence LB/RB Riner, Va. Floyd County H.S. Enjoyed a record-setting football career for Coach Winfred Beale at Floyd County Lettered four years while seeing action as a running back, fullback and linebacker Started on both sides of the ball all four seasons Set school career records for rushing yards and tackles Posted season records for touchdowns, points scored and rushing yards Ran for 2,631 yards and 31 touchdowns during his senior season Also contributed 153 tackles on defense, including 17 sacks Helped team to the state finals Named The Associated Press Group A Player of the Year A first-team all-state pick on offense and defense Rated the No. 10 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times and the No. 12 prospect in the state by SuperPrep A PrepStar All-American who was ranked the No. 5 linebacker in the Mid-Atlantic Region Started at fullback his first three varsity seasons Only played in eight games as a junior but still managed to gain 1,329 yards and score 17 touchdowns Posted 109 tackles and seven sacks as a junior Earned first-team all-district and all-region honors and was a second-team all-state pick Finished his career with 4,630 yards rushing and 62 touchdowns Compiled 439 career tackles and four interceptions Won district individual track titles in the 100, 200, discus, long jump and triple jump his junior year Was the region champ in the 200, discus, long jump and triple jump that same season Won the Group A discus championship as a sophomore Led the track team to the state Group A outdoor championship as a senior Won the discus and had top-four finishes in four other events Personal: Joshua Wesley Spence Born 12/8/81 in Radford, VA Son of Robert and Melissa Spence Virginia Tech Football

57 Walk-ons at Tech When the San Francisco 49ers selected Virginia Tech defensive end John Engelberger in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft, it completed another chapter in the success story of Tech s football walk-on program. Engelberger, who arrived in Blacksburg as a walk-on in 1995, was following in the footsteps of tight end John Burke, who graduated from Tech s walk-on program as a fourth-round draft pick of the New England Patriots in Walk-on players are an important part of Virginia Tech football. With scholarship reductions, not all high school football players earn scholarships to compete in college. But that doesn t mean there isn t an opportunity for those individuals, especially at Virginia Tech, where walk-on athletes have a history of contribution. The walk-ons at Virginia Tech are treated in the same first-class manner with total respect as the rest of the John Burke Who Will Be the Next John Engelberger? John Engelberger Coach Beamer is a guy who any player would love to play for. He is a true player s coach. He gives everyone an equal opportunity to showcase their talents. Coach Beamer gave me an opportunity to play and I wouldn t be where I am today if he was not a fair coach. John Burke, Oakland Raiders squad. Former walk-ons have eventually earned scholarships, earned starting positions, gained All-BIG EAST honors, and some eventually played pro football. The important thing for a walk-on is to know he s going to be given a chance, said Tech head coach Frank Beamer. The way you track that is to look at programs around the country to see how many scholarships are given to walk-ons. We re one of the top two or three programs in the country in that category. So for a guy who s interested in walking on, there s not a better place than right here at Virginia Tech. We give people a chance and we treat them the same as everybody else. Engelberger was a recruited walkon, meaning he was invited to try out for the team. He arrived in Blacksburg in 1995 as a 6-foot-4, 210-pound tight end from Springfield, Va. He got into the weight room and transformed his body into that of a big-time college football player. After a redshirt year, he earned a scholarship for his tireless work ethic. Now, after endless hours of work on the practice field and in the weight room, Engelberger finished his career as one of the best defensive ends to ever put on the maroon and orange. Over his fine career, he was named an Associated Press All-American, was an All-BIG EAST selection three times, and was one of the best players in the state of Virginia last season as a senior. Burke walked on in 1989 and eventually earned a starting position for the Hokies. He was a four-year letterman at Virginia Tech ( ) where he caught 21 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns. He moved into the starting lineup in 1992 after lettering as a special teams player and backup tight end for two seasons. His longest reception was a 48-yard catch and run versus West Virginia in Burke was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1994 and was a member of the Patriots 1997 Super Bowl XXXI team. After stints with the New York Jets and San Diego, Burke is now with the Oakland Raiders. But Engelberger and Burke aren t the only Hokies to excel in the walk-on Continued on next page 2000 Virginia Tech Football 119

58 Walk-ons at Tech Continued from previous page program. Tech had five players start or see playing time in the 1996 Orange Bowl against Nebraska. Along with Engelberger, end Danny Wheel, tackle Kerwin Hairston and linebacker Steve Tate each made at least six starts for Tech s defensive unit during the regular season. On offense, split end Michael Stuewe made his mark as one of the team s top receivers. All five of those former walk-ons earned scholarships and paid big dividends for Tech in the 1996 season. None of these players would have lived their dream and reached their potential if Virginia Tech hadn t extended the opportunity they were seeking. Their eventual success has become a cherished part of the Hokie football tradition and heritage. Our walk-on program is so successful for two reasons, said John Ballein, who directs the walk-on program. First, our coaches work at it. When they re out on the road, they re looking for players who can fit into our program. Secondly, we have a head coach in coach Beamer who is loyal to each player in this program. Tech s walk-on program has provided countless young men a chance to play collegiate football and prove that the evaluation and recruiting process is far from flawless. It allows a young man to mature physically, improve his football skills, and contribute to the success of Virginia Tech football. No one really knows the difference between a walk-on and a scholarship player because each person is treated exactly the same, Ballein said. Players know they have an opportunity to earn a scholarship and that they ll be in the best weight program in the country. Combine all those factors and you have the reason why Tech s walk-on program has been successful. There are two types of walk-ons at Virginia Tech: the invited walk-on and the true walk-on. The invited walk-ons are players recruited by coaches to come into the Tech program. The true walk-ons are students already enrolled at Tech Browning Wynn became the first Tech player to earn the Elite Level of Performance distinction. who try to earn a spot in the program. Tech has two workouts (one in the spring and one in the fall) for these players. From there, some are invited back to try and earn a spot on the team. Hokie walk-ons not only get the chance to play in one of the best programs in the nation, they get a chance to play for one of the best coaches in college football, as well. The Sporting News surveyed newsmen across the country in 1994 and then rated the coaches in the various conferences in a number of categories. Coach Beamer was voted Best on Game Day, Best Game Preparation, Best Motivator, Best Teacher, Best in Big Games, and Best Overall. Looking at this year s group of walk-ons, there are four former walkons who have already earned scholarships for the upcoming season and that number could increase. Nine of the walk-ons that are already in the program are either slated to be a starter or should see plenty of action in the upcoming season. Two of the more recent success stories are juniors Jarrett Ferguson and Browning Wynn. This past spring, both earned the program s first Elite Level of Performance distinction, based on tests in both strength and performance. Two years ago, an injury to Cullen Hawkins placed Ferguson into the starting lineup. He started the final eight games and was third on the team in rushing and fifth in scoring. Last season, he was an important figure in Tech s nationally-ranked rushing offense, finishing fourth on the team in rushing yards. Wynn saw a lot of action last season and became a key receiver during the second half of the season. Tee Butler and Benny Wolfe have both made valuable contributions to the program and now are scholarship players. Other walk-ons have stepped up and are headed in the same direction as well. Steve DeMasi, Billy Hardee and Carter Warley are all competing for starting positions this year, and Doug Easlick and Ronald Moody should see plenty of action. The success of the Tech walk-on program continues to grow right along with the success of the football program. This year the Hokies will welcome another class of walk-ons who are each anxious to prove they could be the next John Engelberger Virginia Tech Football