“Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.” Sun Tzu scribed this proverb well before the sport of football was in existence, but fits it just the same.
What comes to mind when you glance at the following list?
RB Michael Holmes
RB Tony Gregory
RB Joel Caleb
FB Riley Beiro
WR Kevin Asante
OL Mark Shuman
OL Adam Taraschke
OL Nick Acree
OL Jake Goins
DL Jarontay Jones
DL Corey Marshall
DL Justin Taylor
LB Ronny Vandyke
CB Antone Exum
CB Donaldven Manning
CB Davion Tookes
DB Greg Jones
K Brooks Abbott
A recruiting class? Preseason All Conference players? Academic honor roll even? Guess again. This list signifies the 18 players the Virginia Tech Hokies will likely not have available for their season opener against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Georgia Dome August 31st, if not off the team completely. Whether it be by expulsion, transfers, injuries, or leaves of absence, this is quite a rafter of losses for the Hokies.
According to the preseason depth chart released by the football team in March, 14 of these players were listed on the 3 deep depth chart. This included 4 projected starters in Riley Beiro, Mark Shuman, Ronny Vandyke, and Antone Exum. While that depth chart was compiled very early on in the year, before most of the true freshman arrived, but it stretches far enough back to for the story on these 18 players.
We begin late in January, star cornerback Antome Exum tears his right ACL and lateral meniscus while playing in a pickup game of basketball, putting his season in jeopardy. The surgery took place shortly after to repair the injuries, and the prognosis was somewhat brighter than initially expected. While he will miss the first few weeks of the schedule, he will able to return sometime before midseason
In July, Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver announced that RB Michael Holmes was denied reinstatement to the university by the student judicial board. Holmes was arrested in April for “felony malicious wounding”, causing the suspension of eligibility. Later that month, it was also announced WR Kevin Asante would no longer be playing for the Hokies. An official reason was never released, but Asante is expected back for 2014. Offensive lineman Nick Acree received a medical disqualification after injuring his knee once again the Spring. Offensive lineman Jake Goins avoided the same fate so far, but has been medically excused from football since March. There have been no time table set for his return, if he returns at all.
The next month, kicker Brooks Abbott, fullback Riley Beiro, and safety Greg Jones all had left the team. Abbott, having lost his job as the kickoff specialist, transferred out in hopes of finding playing time. Beiro and Jones had chosen to hang up their cleats, after various medical problems had limited their participation in athletics recently. RB Joel Caleb was also handed down a single game suspension for a violation of team rules. The blows continued as the team announced offensive lineman Adam Taraschke, cornerbacks Davion Tookes and Donaldven Manning, and defensive linemen Jarontay Jones and Justin Taylor had left the program for varying reasons.
Less than a week later, LB Ronny Vandyke, RB Tony Gregory, and OT Mark Shuman went down with serious injuries. Vandyke, the projected starter at WHIP linebacker, dislocated his right shoulder in practice. This marked the fourth time he had dislocated a shoulder since high school, though his first on the right side. RB Tony Gregory was no stranger to his injury either, as his ACL tear marked his fourth in his college career. Practicing as the team’s starting right tackle, Shuman tore his lateral meniscus and was reported out for 4-6 weeks on August 15th.
And finally, on August 20th , top reserve defensive lineman Corey Marshall left the team due to personal matters. He is expected back at some point, but not before the Alabama game. Projected starting RB JC Coleman almost became #19 to this list by sustaining 2 sprained ankles in practice, but is expected to play in the game barring a late setback. And while they never were officially on the roster, signees safety Holland Fisher and RB Drew Harris failing to qualify put further strain on the thinning roster. Fisher, who chose VT over the likes of Alabama and Ohio State, was the Hokies’ highest rated commitment of their incoming class. Harris has struggled the past 2 years to gain eligibility, and has yet to do so.
Pairing all this with a buzz saw of an opponent at the start of their schedule in the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, one can’t help but to feel a bit sorry for Frank Beamer and the Hokies. If Beamer suddenly traveled back to his home in Blacksburg the day of the game to “turn his oven off”, I don’t think anyone would blame him for not showing up…