Hokie Tracks are Surprised we don't have an Established Tailback

Hey. How are you guys doing? I hope well. It's only 45 more days until kickoff, and I wanted to check in, because you all have been here which is awesome. So if your spirits aren't up, or being thrown down, don't worry because whatever is going wrong, it really won't matter by kickoff. Anyways, I wanted to say, if you're reading this, thank you. Now it's on to Hokie Tracks.

Normally I like to say something, but this time, let's just lead with the quote.

Another difference from Manuel: Thomas has no established tailbacks behind him.

Excuse me? Has Rivals been misinformed? David Wilson eats Chick-fil-A on Sundays, and for that matter, whatever damn day he wants. Rivals doesn't know that? OK... Well... I think DW is going to rip it up in '11, and I bet you do too, but, he's not established. Sorry. Now if you kick a ball in his direction you better believe he has a fair chance of housing it, but established... he isn't. Now, do I think he's going to establish himself? Yes, yes I do.

"Do you like to scramble?" ... I'm sorry Logan I'll answer for you. "Yes, I like to run, bitches, the fuck over."

Logan Thomas just likes and wants to win games, and that's fine with me.

Beamer Co. doesn't give a damn about stars. By the way, Danny Coale had two stars, so did Rock Carmichael and Taco Thompson. And it's a good thing our coaches can scout talent themselves.

Good news, Virginia Tech fans. The Hokies don’t appear to have a Willie Lyles-type scandal on their hands. Not even close, in fact.

By now, most of the country knows Lyles as the guy who ran a bogus “recruiting service" and received $25,000 from Oregon – not to provide the Ducks legitimate scouting of high school players but to influence the college decisions of high-profile recruits who trusted him. That scandal has raised all kinds of red flags and questions about whether this kind of charade is widespread in college football.

As part of a bigger project, The Virginian-Pilot is seeking records from state and local colleges about what scouting services they use and how much each program pays for them. Virginia Tech was the first to respond, providing invoices for the two services they use. Those documents tell us two things: 1) The Hokies are probably not funneling bucks to bogus scouts to deliver top players (and if they are, they are getting a GREAT discount). 2) Coach Frank Beamer and his staff clearly trust their own evaluation skills much more than any outside service (which is wise).

So what did the Hokies spend on scouting services for the Class of 2011 recruiting cycle? A whopping $895. Looks like Tech prefers a few basic materials, which probably provide a few leads in areas outside its immediate recruiting territory, and isn’t interested in breaking the bank to let others say who can play.

According to the invoices, Hokies director of football operations John Ballein signed off on the $495 purchase of Tom Lemming's Prep.

Beamer Co. has that eye, but is it about to go tits up?

The status quo has stood for so long, and often in such tenuous fashion, that it brings us to two inevitable, competing questions: a) How long can the run last before another challenger seizes control? or b) When does the reigning conference overlord finally assert itself on a national level? Depending on your perspective, the answer to both may be "very soon."

For those who see the Hokies as a makeshift sheriff in the absence of any other viable candidates, the looming silhouette of Florida State on the horizon is a very long time coming. Tech put down FSU's late season insurgency with authority last December, thumping the 'Noles 44-33 in the ACC title game, but that hasn't stopped the preseason pundits from circling the wagons: Florida State is unanimously tabbed to win the Atlantic Division again and will open the season in the top 10 for the first time since 2004 — the first year Virginia Tech's addition. All but one summer poll, Phil Steele's, ranks Florida State above Tech as the best team in the conference. That calls for a showdown, and this time the odds are on the Seminoles.

You know, I've heard Florida State this, FSU's recruiting class that, FSU is going to knock us off our perch, blah, so much my ears are full. Not that the Doc doesn't make sense, but he's reiterating the point we've all heard since last December 4th when we chopped the 'Noles back to Tallahassee. FSU is up and coming, and we're just the old guard about to abdicate the throne. That's all well and good, but just remember that Jimbo Fisher has a Frank Beamer complex.