#Hokies announce on Frank Beamer's website that OL Adam Taraschke (Fredericksburg) has returned to the football program.— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) January 27, 2014
Taraschke had a very strong performance in the spring, and I expected him to challenge for reps at the guard position in the spring. His decision to leave the football program surprised me. It will be interesting to see what role he plays now with guys like Alston Smith, Augie Conte, and Mark Shuman now in the mix at guard couples with several guard prospects in the incoming freshman class (Pfaff, Mitchell, and Pettit)
EDIT: Per Bitter's tweet below, Taraschke will not be on scholarship until he earns it back.
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Left...and then came back?
wasn't speculation that he left because of a disagreement with Grimes' coaching style? this is an odd move to come back to the team 9 months after "retiring", but the coaching change preceding this indicates that maybe the previous rumors had some teeth...
well, that clears it up a little...wish him the best.
Taraschke's got an excellent last name. Clearly this means he's going to the NFL.
Smith, Conte, Shuman, Pfaff, Pettit, and Mitchell...now Taraschke. Thats basically 7 guards in the mix.
We seem a little thin at tackle. Teller, Gibson, Benedict, McLaughlin, and Osterloh.
Center-Wang, Gallo
What about Farris? Guard?
I wonder if Searles will be shuffling guys around like Grimes did last year?
Don't forget Chung.
I still think Chung has to be lined up to the right of Wang. Imagine the jokes.
Like this?
you missed
You wrote - "I wonder if Searles will be shuffling guys around like Grimes did last year?"
I've read someplace that he will shuffle OLs like Grimes did last year to cross-train the OLs and to find the right combination of starters.
I hope to goodness he keeps Farris at left guard. Arkema is still there as a back up center, so Gallo has some time to mature. Mitchell also played some center this year.
i'll defer to you on the detailed wishlist...mine is more like, "I hope to goodness he makes our OL good"
I'm a simple man...
wonder if searels had anything to do with this???
AJ hinted at it a few weeks ago:
I saw that too. Glad it turned out to be legit.
If I remember correctly, that was the same day the beat writers broke that Grimes was leaving. I wonder if that was more than a coincidence.
The plot thickens...
+1 leg because I just made the same gesture after reading Joe's post.
Good news...the more the merrier. This gives Searles more tools to work with. We can certainly use the depth.
Is it just me or did anyone else not even know who this kid is?? Glad he's coming back though...
I had trouble pronouncing his last name when he was recruited so I lost interest. I'm with you as well.
I like to think I get a decent amount of info from this site and I regularly keep up with twitter and whatnot. But I can't once recall this guy for some reason. Haha!
I just want to see Andrew Luck attempt at pronouncing his name... or Lou Holtz...
Oh, the horrors of HD TV.
Don't you even try it Lou!!! lol
He was only a r-Fr this season anyways.
I remembered him from last season's camp battles. I also remember when he left the team alongside various other players.
2 star not highly recruited based off of rivals report, but hey its another body for searels
He was a 3 star composite on 247.
6'6" 270lbs when he enrolled the first time.
Weighs 296 now.
So he redshirted in 2012, and left before 2013. So he could potentially play 4 years still. I would think 3 though.
Five-year NCAA clock only gives him three years left.
Beaten by Andy Bitter, aka Ninja, by 31 seconds.
I'm pretty sure the 5-year clock starts ticking when you arrive on campus and doesn't ever stop. You can add a year with certain hardship waivers, but I doubt that leaving the team for personal reasons is covered.
Starts the first semester you enroll in full-time program of studies in college. Few exceptions, mostly to religious missions, armed forces service, injury hardship, etc.
http://www.playyourgame.com/ncaa_eligibility_explained.html
Taraschke bio on HokieSports -
http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/taraschke_adam.html
Quote from his bio -
"A member of the PrepStar All-Atlantic Region squad for Coach Todd Campbell at Riverbend High A first-team All-Commonwealth District selection as an offensive lineman as a senior Named first-team all-Fredericksburg area by The Free Lance-Star Rated the No. 35 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times Ranked as the No. 38 player in the state of Virginia by SuperPrep Listed as the No. 94 offensive tackle in the country by Scout Ranked as the No. 138 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 48 player in his state by 247Sports Ranked as the No. 158 offensive tackle in the country, the No. 229 player in his region and the No. 46 player in the state by ESPN Recruiting Nation."
so what this says is...it's now cool to play on our offensive line!
Just found this article on him discussing relationship with Grimes. http://www.freelancestar.com/2013-04-13/articles/5739/college-football-t... The plot thickens.
indeed...how do you go from being fired up and moving up the depth chart to needing a break just a few months later? did something happen over the summer? Was Grimes upset about a lack of off-season/volunteer workouts or something? very odd.
but again, water under the bridge at this point. he's not taking up a schollie, it's up to him to earn a spot on the depth chart with the new coach, and i wish him the best!
He was the most impressive young lineman in the spring. He was pushing for playing time at left guard and looked like he was going to get some first team reps in the fall. He was a perfect fit for Grimes scheme (very good lateral movement) and seemed to be responding to his coaching. I was stunned when he announced that he was leaving the program. It made no sense.
Sometimes you just have to step back to realize what you have. It is a lot for a young kid to take in, away from normal support network, tough classes, tough football practice. Just glad he took time for himself, maybe he comes back with a renewed fire.
I'm glad for this kid and hope it works out for him. I can relate in a weird way from my 70's experience after walking on and working my way up from the canon-fodder, white-cotton jerseys as a DB (playing out of position for the team as a center, guard, fullback, linebacker in high school, no college coach could have looked at me seriously) and grading really high in the spring game, I just never showed up for fall camp and still am not sure why. The coaches called a couple of times and asked why I wasn't there and I had no answer for them. Could have been problems with my shoulders, grades, or fear of failure. It could also have been I simply didn't like the DB coach/OC at the time. It took me many, many years to realize he wasn't the idiot my high school was. Under his tutelage, Gene Bunn whom I never thought as expecially physically gifted is still the all-time interception leader. Go trash 'em, smash 'em, Tarashcke. Be a great Hokie.
Took a look at your profile....you're only a few yrs. older than I am. A belated welcome. And thanks for the walk-on perspective. I agree, I hope Tarashcke turns into a monster lineman.