Hokie ClubThe Tech football team held its annual media day on Saturday at Lane Stadium, and more than 50 media members met with head coach Frank Beamer, his staff and the entire squad.
Following a half hour brunch at 10 a.m., Beamer spoke to the group before turning it over to his assistants for a position-by-position outlook. There were a few things that Beamer made sure to address.
• Beamer mentioned the ‘White Out’ game against Furman, which was designed to promote reading across Virginia through Herma’s Readers. The Hokies will wear a special white uniform that will include white helmets. It will mark the first time Tech has worn all-white uniforms at Lane Stadium.
Herma’s Readers is a non-profit organization that promotes literacy and reading to youngsters in kindergarten through third grade. Herma Beamer is Frank Beamer’s late mother and was a teacher for more than 30 years.
• Beamer also reminded the media that all scrimmages were open to the public. He started this a year ago and feels that it helped his team get used to a game-like setting.
• On the latest depth chart, Matt Reidy, a walk-on, is listed as the back-up safety behind Kam Chancellor. Reidy moved up because Ron Cooper tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, but both Beamer and Torrian Gray confirmed that Davon Morgan, who’s vying for the starting job at rover, will get some reps at safety as well.
• Speaking of Cooper, he’s tentatively schedule for surgery next Thursday.
• On the injury front, the sports medicine staff got the MRI results back on Aaron Brown’s shoulder and the offensive lineman is back home with his family evaluating his options. He could either rehab it and try to play or undergo surgery.
• Tech has suffered some injuries at the receiver position, with Marcus Davis’ being the most serious. Davis, a freshman from Virginia Beach, has injured his right shoulder and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday.
• André Smith, Purnell Sturdivant, Jason Worilds, Dustin Keys and Nekos Brown all saw limited work on Saturday. Smith, Keys and Worilds have been bothered by quad strains, while Brown and Sturdivant are nursing hamstring injuries.
• Beamer stated that despite the injury, Keys is well on his way to winning the kicking job. Keys, Tim Pisano and Justin Myer are battling for the kickoff job. Myer, a freshman from Manheim, Pa., has been hitting the ball the longest, but needs to be more consistent.