
Virginia Tech released an "unofficial" depth chart as of August 29 in the game notes distributed to the media.
J.C. Coleman is currently the No. 1 tailback.
Chris Durkin or Dwayne Lawson is the third-string quarterback. Perhaps that's some sort of indication on Lawson's availability, or perhaps it's gamesmanship, or just nothing at all. Marcolini examined the pros and cons of playing Lawson this season.
The first-team offensive line is the group I expected at the end of spring ball.
Donovan Riley and Terrell Edmunds are both back at (backup) corner.
Redshirt sophomore Matt Hill (a scout team player in 2014) is Tech's No. 3 tight end ahead of Kalvin Cline.
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Think they have a mistake - Hughes can't be the kicker and the holder :) Guessing they meant Slye.
The depth chart is infallible. There must be a flaw in your logic.
I was wondering why Brewer was #2 in the QB depth chart behind "3 Thomas," though.
if anyone can do it..it's Hughes
I suppose so. But in reality, we should have expected "45 Rogers" as first-string everything.
not a mistake - just the power of #punterswag
Why not????

You can tell it's photoshopped cause the Miami guy is still holding on to the ball.
That and they're both in white...
Doug Flutie doesn't think it's a mistake!
Doug Flutie was da man! Awesome dude!
So we are told EVERY TIME WE PLAY BC!
I'm still really surprised Clark wasn't able to get in the two deep. Especially after enrolling early
he should be a guard IMO
Disagree. I don't think he has the punch for guard, but should have enough length for RT. At the end of the day, he's still a true freshman oline, so who knows how he'll progress
So can we take this as confirmation of redshirts for the our beleaguered So. tailbacks?
Well Shai is suspended for the game so he can't be on the depth chart. Since he's further ahead than Marshawn I don't think you can read into this. My guess is that Marshawn RS and Shai plays.
edit: grammar
This^^^
so...Cline isn't our 3rd string TE?
That really threw me.
Maybe he actually is and Beamer wants Meyer to forget about watching tape on him from 2 years ago
I figured it out, Cline is our 3rd receiver.
I'm ok with that.
no hes our 2nd string QB! *ducks
Yeah where is Cline?
I was a little surprised to see JCC as #1.
Why? They have been talking about him there all summer.
Just that fact that Trey always seems like a better back. But JCC has earned the right to lose the #1 spot.
With how often we platoon that position, I think the depth chart is rather fluid.
He seems like the better back except when JC ran wild the last 4 games of the season, something no back has done since David Wilson. Trey Edmunds is a great running back but Coleman has earned first chance at running the ball. If Edmunds out performs I expect that their positions on the depth chart will switch.
because it's been listed as JC OR Trey at #1 since spring and trey had received quite a lot of hype this fall himself.
Kalvin Cline not listed at TE?
I was about to post the same thing. They talked about him a bit. Wonder why he isn't listed,
The only thing I can think of is he suffered an injury that hasn't been disclosed as of yet. Very odd.
are you in Senegal by chance? I'm in Dakar
No kidding! I just finished up 2 years in Dakar, moved to Wisconsin a month ago. Send me an email, [username] at gmail dot com - always happy to swap Senegal stories.
I spent a night in Dakar about 8 years ago coming back from South Africa. Interesting town, wish I knew French though!
McKinnon still having trouble dropping that weight, I see.
Could you imagine if he was 275 and could still run like he did?
Probably a typo. Hokiesports roster has him at 225.
initial reaction Kline is really really focused with the cadets... and football is a secondary thing for him to do? just speculation though.
Matt Hill is also a nice 6' 5" 250
No way! If he is able to play as much as he had last year there is no way that the Corps takes priority. He will be allowed to go to all things the team needs him to be at. If he's focusing on the Corps its of his own doing not the Corps and a mistake in my mind. He's too talented to focus on the Corps. Plus now that he's not a freshman in the Corps there isn't really anything in the Corps that should be keeping him from anything football related.
On top of this, the Corps absolutely loves the publicity. If anything, they'd be pushing him harder than anyone to really focus on football during the fall semester.
while he maybe to talented to focus on the corps it takes a special kind of person to do that. if that is what he wants it will trump football and all other things just as pat tillman.
My kneejerk reaction is that they really suck at proofreading their depth charts. But I'm gonna give them a little more credit and just call shenanigans.
I like JCC, but I really really hope Shane/Frank avoid doing what they did last season (playing everyone just to play them) and sticking with 1 RB for a majority of the carries. I think JCC deserves to be the starter for week 1, but if other RBs perform better, pick em and stick with em.
Shane didn't do that last year, injuries did that.
I seem to recall we were already running a mix of Marshawn and Shai in week one.
Edit: Forgot we gave JCC a bunch as well.
Week one against WM? Everyone on the roster at RB should get carries that game. But Shane and Co. Clearly had a starting 2 picked out.
True. It's still kind of depressing to think back to the beginning of last year and realize neither of them are 100% this year.
Check the box scores on all of the first like 6 games, every single one Tech uses at least 3 running backs (I say at least because they used Deon in jet sweeps). Like I said, I agree with the end of the year when we had no one left... But beginning to middle of the year was a different story.
In the first six games VT was already seeing injuries, no team in modern college football uses one back anymore. So if you expect to see one back to get more than 60-70 percent of the carries you will be waiting a long time.
I don't mind a rotation, but the overwhelming majority of the snaps should be split among two backs, not three or four. The problem with the rotation at the beginning of the season is Tech was swapping guys every other play, and to make matters worse, in many situations they'd play to the weaknesses of the running back in the game.
^^^^THIS!!!
I agree with your statement in regards to the END of last years season. On the other hand, from the beginning-middle of the season, Shane and Co shuffled a lot.
Just read this TKP discussion from this past spring: http://weknowgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/baseball-player-fuck-gi...
Frank has always tried to get a couple of guys work in the backfield.
Check out the list of 2 or more 100 yard rushers to see whose been paired together in the past.
http://www.hokiesports.com/football/records/rushing.html
I agree with you. Most teams College and NFL use 2 RBs, change of pace back, power back, etc. I am just saying we have at least 4 talented backs, that doesnt mean we need to play all 4 in a game just to do it. We have seen that before with this team. The RBs cant get into any type of rhythm with that plan.
CJ Carrol also isn't even in the 3-deep?
They are showing a base alignment with a TE and FB so there is no 3rd receiver which is where he would show up on the depth chart.
It is great to see Brandon Facyson back starting at CB alongside Fuller. Lets hope they both stay 100% healthy.
I think that this has flown under the radar a bit this offseason... The CB are about to be VERY good with Fuller and Facyson both at full health
Teller is the starting LG, thank you sweet baby Jesus.
Surprised by the lack of Cline and the listing of Lawson.
Maybe he hasn't fully recovered from his injury last year? Not sure.
Lawson as an OR already shows how special of a player he is. I have a sneaky feeling he will be that 3rd QB and Durkin will be the Wildcat guy.
In other news don't know if it was posted here but Lawson has been Scout team QB for anOSU.. seems fitting.
Durkin can still be the wildcat guy and the third stringer, save Lawson's eligibility. Even if he doesn't stay all 4 years, might as well have them available, IMHO
Does listing Lawson as third-string QB mean he will wear the headset during games? I remember seeing Andrew Ford wearing it last year when he was third-string. I think a year of listening in live on the in-game communication would be about as helpful to a true freshman as anything else they could do for him.
Related question: can he still wear the headset if they red-shirt him?
Yes Ford was red shirted.
I think that JCC deserves to the be the number 1 RB right now. That doesn't mean that he is better than Edmunds, but when you break the VT bowl game record for rushing over the likes Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, David Wilson, Kevin Jones, Lee Suggs and more... you deserve a shot at being the sole number 1 back until being proven otherwise.
even when the bowl opponent has a rush defense rated in the 80s?
I can't get the images of JCC bouncing off his blocker's back and falling down.
I realize the receiver's alignments are subject to change from snap to snap, so it's probably no big deal - but I'm still a little curious why the FL is shown on the line of scrimmage and the SE is shown in the backfield on this depth chart. Seems like they should be reversed -
Because the flanker lines up on the line and the split end is a step off it. Least that's the way it was when I played.
Typically the Split End is on the LOS opposite end from the TE. SE tends to be your bigger/stronger WR's who can fight off press coverage.
Flanker is off the line and isn't subject to as much jamming at the LOS because they have more room to operate.
source: wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football_positions#Backs_and_rece...
Exactly, it's right there in the name. The offense gets five eligible receivers a play, two of which are located on the line of scrimmage at the snap.
Tight end = Eligible receiver on the END of the line of scrimmage... Usually aligned TIGHT to the offensive line
Split end = Eligible receiver on the END of the line of scrimmage... Aligned SPLIT away from the offensive line.
Thanks for the correction. I swear our coach had them flipped. But that was ten years ago.
Yep. That's kinda what I was getting at, alright. Well put -
It's a secret. Can't tell you.
Also, guess this means we can assume, barring injury disaster, that McKenzie and Williams will redshirt, which is a good thing.
Asked the same in an earlier comment above, good discussion there about it.
http://www.thekeyplay.com/comment/306527#comment-306527
Welp, can't believe I missed that. Thanks.
Heights and weights seem a little suspect. Did we measure and weigh our guys (Brewer specifically) wearing all their equipment? 6'1" sounds like his height with cleats and 198 seems ridiculous. Or maybe Gentry is literally growing our players.
He was measured while carrying a 12 point buck on his back while standing proudly on a huge rock.
I've seen him downtown in Blacksburg before. I am 6'1" and he is definitely shorter than me by a couple inches.
Last year he was listed as 6 foot. I'm guessing with the help of your information he is probably 5'11" and change
I walked right past Brewer at the Spring Game. I'm 5'9, there's no way that dude is more than an inch taller than me.
"No way bro, you are TOTALLY 6 feet" - The guy who writes the football players' heights.
ESPN releases a "depth chart" of sorts:
I'm high on Herbie right now after he picked Kendall as premier cover man for his little awards thing. VHIII and Ramsey seem to steal all the love.
He isn't as high on us as Desmond but he did say we were going to give OSU more than most people think which is one of the best complements we have gotten. Not many folks are going to say an unranked team is going to upset #1 to start the season though.
Which is why I'm very high on Desmond right now haha
It is hard to get high on Desmond though, because ya know, Muck Fichigan.
I read the text before looking at the picture and died a little when I saw @heatherespn, not realizing there were multiple Heathers there.
DAMMIT!!!
Brad Nessler has been good for the Mojo. Wanted him to be back on duty this year.
Good crew. Strawberry blonde though?
I think Herbie's hair is more blonde than strawberry blonde......
OH GOD.....@heatherespn
highty tighty's comment after that one....shew.....now to change my tighties....
For the old school hokies, 3rd string MLB Trent Young is Cam Young's son, former QB who started a few games for Beamer in the Furrer era. Young was the QB the day VT beat top 10 WVU in Morgantown.
Was it Cam who said if Iran played UVa, he would root for the Ayatollah?
Nigel went from honorary All ACC to an or with SS. Hate to say but I see attrition next year at DT. Not enough snaps go around
I understand your concern, but I think we will be fine. DT is a position where we want to be able to sub guys in frequently. I'm guessing that the SS or NW is more of a motivation thing in practice. If we need someone to come in for important snaps, it's going to be NW.
I don't think it was motivational. All the reports from scrimmages have been that SS has stepped up and is disruptive while NW seems to have fallen back a bit.
Then disregard my second part, but I stand by not worrying too much about attrition, these are big boys who we want to stay fresh all game. It's a great situation to have lots of good back ups at DT. There is definitely playing time to go around.
Maddy and Marshall are gone after this year so that opens up both starting DT spots for next year.
ETA: I put this under the wrong commentor
Baron looked to be the odd man out this year, and he's stepped it up.
I think Woody is the No. 3 option at DT.
He has had a great camp and so has SS.
We play 4 DTs regularly and one is bound to get dinged up at some point, which is why we carry 5 and then RS the rest if we can. Attrition at DT is very unlikley.
We're losing 2 guys off the 2-deep in each of the next two years to graduation alone. I don't think reps are going to be that terribly difficult to come by with all those spots opening up.
*edited to accurately state that we are not losing half the roster to DT graduation.
I just can't get over the overall size of our OL. It's a good feeling to have all of them hovering around 300lbs of pure muscle, and potential terror.
Is that Settle trying out for his future appearance on DWTS?
Cline at TE? I think Mook should be starting Nickel. Is Lydon rED-Shirting?
Aye, Lydon is taking the red.
Mook hasn't played a single game and Stroman played all last year and is a solid cover corner.
based on what? stroman has limited defensive snaps at corner and was burned quite a bit in the spring game.
Spoiler alert- I am willing to bet that the three corners who will be on the field on Monday night will be Kendall, Facyson, and Riley. And I think Fuller may play the nickel/slot/whip role. It is just a hunch, but Bud needs sure tackling from the whip/nickel spot, and short of flipping Riley deep and having Clark up near the line of scrimmage, Kendall is the best tackler in space on the team.
That's my hunch too.
McMillian at KR may be fun if he's as special as Beamer has alluded to.
I was hoping to see Newsome back there with him. He showed flashes last year returning a few kick offs.
They scurred
If they really want to hide who their starter at QB is, they just need to put a nice little OR next to it.
"And/Or"
Putting and between their two #1 qbs would definitely throw me off
"Maybe"
"Idk"
Didn't Harbaugh say that "In the interest of fair and healthy competition" he'd release Michigan's depth chart as soon as Utah released theirs? anOSU could learn a thing or two from their rivals.
"Many Bothans died to bring us this information."
11W has one up now, and links to the official one....soooo many "OR"s
Is Mihota supposed to be bolded at LDE?
It means he's fully dipped and ready to deny some pussy touchdowns.
Holy crap. Williams made the depth chart. I've known this guy since freshman year and he has worked hard walk on the team. Good for him.
Sideshow Bucky Bob's Monday stat-line: 6 catches for 113 and a TD
I hope Im wrong, but Im thinking Coleman might have trouble running the ball against Ohio State and maybe Trey will end up getting more carries. I think JC can, however, be a weapon in this game and I predict he will make a big play, possibly receiving. Its interesting that Stroman loses and inch as well as 5 lbs when he goes to return punts.
Just one of the principles of the roster/time continuum.
Apparently McMillian ages two years when he's returning kicks. Special Teams, they'll get after ya...
Grown man football!
Ohio State had the FEI #7 ranked defense last year, so they were good. UVA had the FEI #10 ranked defense.
JC Coleman had 18 carries for 118 yards, 6.6 ypc.....against the FEI #10 ranked defense last year.
lefty also outsmarted UVA's d coordinator by flanking a TE (made max valles move to standup de) and we were able to stretch the ball deep.. which definitely helped JC burst for yards
Well that and LOLUVA.
can watch this one all day long!
Are you inferring that Loeffler is out of smarts?
Per Andy Bitter (I tweeted him, lol), Cline has been dinged up but made a nice catch in today's practice according to Bucky.
Doesn't sound serious. Hope he can contribute soon because I honestly believe that TE trio makes up for the "3rd WR" deal. Especially with the versatility there.