Hokie ClubTwo major depth chart changes highlighted Tuesday's practice, ashead coach Frank Beamer announced that Ike Whitaker, a redshirt sophomore from Germantown, Md., would bemoving to receiver on a full-time basis and that Tyrod Taylor, the heraldedfreshman from Hampton, Va., is now the No. 2 quarterback on thedepth chart behind Sean Glennon.
In discussing Whitaker, Beamer left the door open for the young manto return to the quarterback position after the season.
"We want him on the field and he wants to be on the field," Beamersaid. "We'll see how things work out this season and then meet after the seasonand talk about it."
Whitaker had been working at both quarterback and receiver the pastweek or so, but had struggled throwing the ball both in practices and in thescrimmages. The move to receiver allows Whitaker a chance to fully acclimate tothe position before possibly moving into a starting role next season. TheHokies lose four senior receivers after this season.
"I'm doing this for the team and for a chance to get on the fieldthis season," Whitaker said. "Doing both has been tough. I've messed upmentally on some things just trying to do both. I think some of that is becauseI've been so tired in the scrimmages. It's been tough, so I think this is theright move."
Whitaker also said he could see that Taylor was progressing nicely.
"I knew early on that he was legit," Whitaker said. "I've gotnothing against him at all. This is a D-I school and there are always going tobe great players coming in. And he can do the job. So why not have him backthere?
"I may work on both next summer when I'll have more time. I don'tknow. We'll see how it goes. I'll talk to my family and then go from there."
Taylorgot plenty of action against Tech's No. 2 defense - a stout unit in and ofitself - on Tuesday afternoon. He had been getting most of his reps against theNo. 3 unit, particularly in scrimmages, but today, he fared reasonably wellagainst the second-teamers, throwing no interceptions during the team periods.
"They're [the No. 2 unit] faster," Taylor said. "I'm adjusting to it. I've gotto react quicker and move faster. Plus, those guys know the [defensive] schemea little better [than the No. 3 unit]. I thought I did OK. I can do better.
"This was the coaches' decision. I have the same mentality that Ihad before. I'm going to work hard and prepare myself every day and whateverhappens, happens."
It's still not a given that Taylorwill play this upcoming season. A couple of years ago, Glennon served as theNo. 2 quarterback while redshirting to preserve a year.
"Tyrod's thrown the ball accurately for the most part and he's madesome plays with his feet," Beamer said, explaining the move. "He's also shown alot of poise.
"He needs to get more work than what he's been getting. He's goingto be getting reps against the second-team defense when things are going fasterand then we'll evaluate further whether he redshirts. Instead of getting acouple of reps [each team period], he's going to be getting 6, 7, maybe 8. That'llenable us to get a good evaluation on him and then we'll decide."
Here are a couple of nuggets from the rest of practice:
• Beamer put his kickers through two kicking competitions. In thefirst one, Dustin Keys and Matt Waldron tied for the top spot. In the secondone, Keys won it outright.
However, Jud Dunlevy, who missed three field goals and had oneblocked in Saturday's scrimmage, was the kicker during the team periods anddrilled all his attempts. Dunlevy still leads in the battle for the kickoff jobas well.
Beamer also changed the rules for the competition. A kick now mustbe down the middle for it to be good. If it's remotely close to the goal posts,it's ruled no good. Also, if it hits the cross bar and bounces through, it'sstill no good.
"That shows how much this kicking duty means to Coach Beamer," Keyssaid. "If he thinks it's too close to call, he tells you that, and you're out."
• Only three players missed Tuesday's practice because of injury -Cody Grimm (knee), Andrew Bowman (knee) and Hivera Green (high ankle sprain).Grimm and Green should be back soon. Bowman's status is more up in the air.