New Clover Hill QB Mikale Washington Sold on a Virginia Tech Visit By Joel Caleb, Shane Beamer

After spending the last few years in Detroit, rising senior quarterback Mikale Washington didn't know much about Virginia Tech until a few weeks ago.

But since he decided to transfer this spring from Martin Luther King HS up in the Motor City to Clover Hill HS in Midlothian, Washington's been inundated with some very positive word of mouth about the Hokies.

"I just got in contact with a former Clover Hill player that's down there now, Joel Caleb," Washington said. "He told me how much he liked it there and how comfortable he was there."

Caleb's testimonial piqued Washington's interest in the school, but once Shane Beamer came by Clover Hill to do a little recruiting, the QB was convinced he had to see campus for himself.

"He came by my school and I got to talk to him a little, and he said he really liked my film," Washington said. "He said he really wanted me to come to campus, and I'm looking forward to seeing him this weekend."

That would be because Washington's now planning his first trip to Blacksburg for the final weekend in May. It marks an unusual time for a visit, coming a full two weeks before the Hokies hold their first prospect camp of the summer, and Washington is certainly hoping the coaches have some good news in store for him when he arrives.

"They said an offer definitely could be possible," Washington said. "They're one of the bigger schools interested in me, so if they do (offer), that's probably where I'll go, so long as I like it down there."

Washington emphasizes that getting a feel for campus in person is crucial to his decision, but if it lives up to what he's been told, it seems he'll be sold on the program.

"I need to get a feel for it, see how it feels to me," Washington said. "But I know the coaches are great. Caleb loves them and loves their offense, and I really like it too."

Washington's interest in Scot Loeffler's scheme largely comes from the amount of control the offensive coordinator cedes to his quarterbacks.

"The quarterback really controls their offense, with things spread out like that," Washington said. "That's my kind of offense, that's the kind I want to run."

His days in Detroit at King HS gave him ample experience with that style, and he hopes to emulate it if he were to choose Tech.

"We ran a spread and I made every call at King," Washington said. "We even ran all no-huddle last year."
But now that he's in the Richmond area, his role could be shifting. Washington's move is still relatively fresh, and he says he's only still getting a sense for the area and Clover Hill.

"My mom lived down here already, so when I came to visit her for spring break, I liked it and I decided to stay," Washington said.

With the change of scenery also comes a shift in how Washington's athletic abilities are deployed on the field. He's rated a 3-star pro-style passer by the 247Sports Composite ranking, but Clover Hill's staff is hoping to use him as more than just a signal caller.

"I'll be a quarterback, but I could also start at free safety and even play a little bit of receiver," Washington said. "I played with some of the best receivers in Detroit at King, so I think I picked up a few things from them."

But for all his athletic talents, Washington notes that the Hokies are looking at him as a quarterback, while other, "smaller schools" are considering him as a pure athlete.

Washington only has a pair of offers from those smaller programs at this point, with Austin Peay and Coastal Carolina extended pledges so far, but he says he's also attracted interest from Virginia schools like Old Dominion and Richmond since he moved to the Commonwealth.

While there's little doubt that programs from the Chanticleers to the Hokies are interested in Washington for his 6'4", 190-pound frame, he believes his attitude on the field also has a lot to do with his recruitment.

"My biggest thing is making the people around me better," Washington said.

Washington notes that task will be a particularly tough one as he joins a squad that posted a 3-7 record a season ago, but if he can quickly elevate Clover Hill's chances on the field, then a Tech offer may indeed be on the way.

"I'm just trying to bring some excitement there," Washington said. "I'm trying to win games, and I want to convince everyone to play with everything they've got."