What To Do With DJ Coles?

Those of you who logged on to Beamberball.com this morning were greeted with a positional breakdown of the coaches' biggest concerns heading into fall camp this week.

Pretty standard stuff. I won't reveal too much, as I'm worried Greg Roberts' smooth question-asking abilities will haunt my dreams. What I will reveal is that every position has its usual football concerns: depth, injuries, experience, etc.

Well, every position but one: Wide receiver.

We all know it's this team's strength. We all know what Jarrett Boykin's banana hands. We all know about Danny Coale's ability to go invisible and regain form 40-yards down field, wide open. We all know Dyrell Roberts can out-run a snow leopard in its natural habitat. We all know Marcus Davis' body chemistry is 4% fat, 96% Adamantium.  And we all know DJ Coles stupidly ran into the punter in the Boise State game, but has a ton of potential.

OK, the shot at Coles wasn't fair, but I'm not over it yet.

However, Coles is the man I want to talk about right now, and it's because I think, like most, he has the chance to be a huge playmaker before his time in Blacksburg is over.

And that's why the coaches should redshirt him this year. Here's why:

1. Coles is entering his true junior year. Thus making him eligible for a redshirt. Figured that was worth mentioning.
2. Assuming nothing unusual happens in camp, Coles will be the fifth option at receiver. How often do we run five wide?
3. I understand that Coles will get on the field in non-5-wide situations, but will he get enough snaps to make his eligiblity this year worth it? He's had 3 career catches to this point.
4. If Coles redshirts this year, he is the #2 guy in 2012 and #1 guy in 2013. It's mutually beneficial. Coles gets the reps he needs to develop as a player and move on to the NFL. The Hokies get veteran talent for an extra season.
5. While the crop of receivers is unproven behind Coles, the role would be limited. The coaches have their choice of:
   - Kevin Asante
   - Demetri Knowles
   - Robert Lockhart
   - E.L. Smiling
   - Corey Fuller
   - Christian Reeves (he will be a WR)
6. Should injuries arise, messing up the depth chart, DJ Coles will be ready to roll. Sure, burning his shirt means he will have missed some games. But how many touches would he have had in those games?

I'm sure Coles wants to be on the field this year. He's contributed in the past and asking him to sit out an entire season filled with so much promise and a new offensive identity is not easy. But everyone makes out like a bandit here, including Mr. Coles -- whom I want to see on Sundays (not saying playing this year will prevent that).

Either way, the WR corps has me hoping we run ace back, four wide all year.

But if we're running four wide, where is Mr. Coles?