Will Mark Byington be James Johnson's first assistant at Tech?

The report is from Gene Sapakoff, a sports columnist for the Charleston Post and Courier.

Really looking like Mark Byington will bolt College of Charleston for Virginia Tech. #hokies #cofc #uncaged— Gene Sapakoff (@Sapakoff) May 3, 2012

Here's an excerpt from Byington's College of Charleston profile.

Mark Byington is in his sixth season as the top assistant to head coach Bobby Cremins and ninth overall at the College of Charleston. He was appointed interim head coach on Jan. 27, 2012.

Recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in the country by his peers in a national league-by-league poll compiled by CBSSports.com senior college basketball writer Jeff Goodman last fall, Byington was tabbed the No. 1 assistant in the Southern Conference and was joined on the coaching short list by Jeff Battle of Wake Forest (ACC), Mike Hopkins of Syracuse (Big East), Mark Montgomery of Michigan State (Big Ten), Russell Springmann of Texas (Big 12), Dedrique Taylor of Arizona State (Pac-10) and Larry Shyatt of Florida (SEC).

Sapakoff notes Byington worked with Johnson on Tom Herrion's College of Charleston staff, and is from Salem.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell also suggested Byington at Tech.

Confirming my hunch, Brownell said that former Wilmington guard Mark Byington is a natural for Johnson's Virginia Tech staff. Byington has worked the past nine seasons at the College of Charleston under first Tom Herrion and then Bobby Cremins.

During one of those seasons, 2003, Byington shared an office with Johnson, and they remain friends.

There's no doubt Byington is an up-and-coming young coach who'd be a great fit on Johnson's new staff.