VT Effect Blogs

Transfer guard Adam Smith picks Hokies

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:47:32 -0400

Virginia Tech’s men’s basketball team picked up a big commitment from UNC Wilmington transfer guard Adam Smith on Wednesday, according to multiple media outlets.

Smith, a Jonesboro, Ga., native, started 29 games for the Seahawks as a freshman last year and averaged 13.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

He will have to sit out next season because of NCAA transfer rules, but he will have three years of eligibility left with the Hokies.

The 6-foot-1, 161-pound Smith has the potential to be a big-time scorer for Tech. He scored a career-high 32 points at Wake Forest last season and had 23 in his first college game at Maryland.

Smith, a second-team Parade All-American as a high school senior at Fayette County High, shot 37.9 percent last season and 33.1 percent from 3-point range. He led the Seahawks with an 81.7 free throw percentage.

David Wilson, Jayron Hosley sign with Giants

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:48:00 -0400

Former Virginia Tech running back David Wilson signed with the New York Giants on Friday, just in time for the start of rookie minicamp.

Wilson, a Danville native, agreed to terms on a four-year deal with an option for a fifth year, according to ProFootballTalk.com. The financial terms of the contract were unavailable, but Wilson, who was taken with the last pick in the first round, is slotted to receive a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $3.3 million, according to ESPN.com.

“It finally set in that I’m really about to be part of this team,” Wilson said in an interview on the Giants website. “They were the Super Bowl champions, and the main goal, as coach [Tom] Coughlin said [Thursday], is to get back to it again – try to get them back to back.”

ESPN reported the Giants signed all seven of their draft picks, including former Virginia Tech cornerback Jayron Hosley, who was taken in the third round.

The Giants are in search of a backup tailback to replace Brandon Jacobs, who was released during the offseason and signed with the 49ers.

The 5-foot-10, 206-pound Wilson, who rushed for a Tech single-season record 1,709 yards last season, is expected to compete with D.J. Ware, Da’Rell Scott and Andre Brown for the No. 2 spot behind starter Ahmad Bradshaw.

“I have seen some film on him, and he’s a hard running back and tough – tough, physical guy. He’s from Virginia, so we’ll try to bring that tough and physicalness,” Wilson said of Bradshaw, who is from Bluefield, Va. “We’re both going to go out there and we’re going to compete together and make a lot of plays.”

Boykin gets tryout

Former Virginia Tech wide receiver Jarrett Boykin will receive a tryout with the Green Bay Packers during their rookie minicamp this weekend, the Hokies sports information department announced Friday.

Boykin signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars but was released last week.

Hokies land in-state commit from Newsome

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:04:15 -0400

Virginia Tech locked up another in-state football commitment for 2013 on Thursday. Hampton cornerback Deon Newsome picked the Hokies over Virginia, according to 247sports.com, to give the Hokies their 10^th in-state commit in the class.

The 6-foot, 175-pound Newsome is the son of former Tech linebacker Myron Newsome, who played a big part on the Hokies defense in 1995 and ’96.

Tech now has 11 total commits for 2013, six of which are ranked among the state’s top 25, according to 247sports. Newsome, a three-star recruit, is ranked 21^st in the state and 47^th nationally among cornerbacks. ESPN ranks Newsome 20^th in the state and 55^th among athletes without a specified position.

Newsome played a number of positions for the Crabbers last season – wide receiver, running back, wildcat quarterback and linebacker. He projects more as a wide receiver or defensive back in college.

Newsome’s father started 11 games for the Hokies in both the ‘’95 and ‘’96 seasons. He finished his career with 151 tackles.

Marshall Wood re-commits to Virginia Tech

Wed, 02 May 2012 22:28:14 -0400

Rustburg forward Marshall Wood met with new Virginia Tech men’s basketball coach James Johnson on Wednesday and re-committed to the Hokies, Red Devils coach Brantley Shields said.

Wood, who signed with Tech in the fall, asked out of his letter of intent last week, and was granted his release to explore his options. But Johnson, who was Wood’s lead recruiter, talked him back into his commitment to the program.

Shields said he didn’t know the details of Wood’s conversation with Johnson. Attempts to reach Wood on Wednesday night were unsuccessful.

“He met with J.J. [on Wednesday] afternoon, and Marshall came to our workouts and told me that he told J.J. that he was going to Tech,” Shields said.

That’s even more good news for the Hokies, who were in a state of flux last week with the sudden firing of nine-year head coach Seth Greenberg. Johnson, an assistant at Tech the last five seasons, was introduced as the Hokies’ new head coach Tuesday.

At his introductory press conference, Johnson said his No. 1 priority was talking with Wood and fellow recruit Montrezl Harrell, both of whom were uncertain about their future plans in the aftermath of the coaching change.

“I definitely want him in the program,” Johnson said Tuesday of Wood, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward who averaged 24 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.2 blocks last season. “I’m just going to sit down and talk to him about the things he was excited about that made him commit to Virginia Tech and those special feelings he had when he committed.”

Johnson received resounding support from Tech’s current players, including second-team All-ACC point guard Erick Green, who said he seriously considered transferring before Johnson was hired.

Green said he felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders when Johnson, a popular assistant, took over the head coaching job.

“I’m stress free now,” Green said. “I was kind of stressed. I didn’t want to leave Virginia Tech. I love this place. I love Hokie Nation. I love everything about it. I just wanted to go out right my senior year, and playing for a new guy I had no idea about, what kind of style he was, what he was going to say to me to make me want to stay, I really wasn’t comfortable with that.

“I’m just really excited coach Johnson is here, and I really believe we’re going to have an exciting season next year.”

With the current players and Wood in the fold now, Johnson must turn his attention to Harrell, a 6-7, 230-pound forward who is considered by many recruiting experts to be among the top 100 players in the country.

Harrell’s stock has risen even more in recent weeks after a string of strong performances on the all-star game circuit.

The current group of Tech players was in overwhelming support of hiring Johnson, and they want the recruits to know that the program is in good hands.

“We have the same base. We’ve got the same players. We’ve got somebody we’re familiar with,” sophomore forward Jarell Eddie said. “It’s not a brand new guy. Hopefully those guys see that, see that we’re going to do good things next year and want to be a part of that.”

Cowboys select Hokies WR Danny Coale in fifth round

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:16:56 -0400

It wasn’t the New York Giants, but an NFC East team nabbed the third Virginia Tech player off the NFL draft board Saturday when wide receiver Danny Coale was selected in the fifth round, No. 152 overall, by the Dallas Cowboys.

All three Hokies players drafted have gone to NFC East teams. Running back David Wilson and cornerback Jayron Hosley were picked in the first and third rounds, respectively, by the New York Giants.

Coale was believed by many to be an underrated NFL draft prospect. Some have compared him to New England Patriots wideout Wes Welker, a four-time Pro Bowler who went undrafted in 2004.

The 6-foot, 201-pound Coale was a jack of all trades last year for the Hokies, acting as a starting wide receiver, punt returner and punter. He excelled in all his duties, which certainly didn’t go unnoticed by the Cowboys.

Coale, the Cowboys’ first offensive player taken in the 2012 draft, finished his Tech career with 165 catches for 2,658 yards and eight touchdowns. He is second on the school’s career charts in receptions and yards behind Jarrett Boykin.

Laurent Robinson, the Cowboys No. 3 receiver last year, signed a free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, leaving an opening behind starters Dez White and Miles Austin.

Coale could contend for that spot with former Virginia wideout Kevin Ogletree, Andre Holmes, Raymond Radway and Dwayne Harris.