Tariq Edwards and D.J. Coles are viewed as key components to the 2012 season at Virginia Tech, but right now it looks like the linebacker and receiver are still hobbled a bit.
The following passage from The Washington Post doesn't exactly sound optimistic:
When Virginia Tech linebacker Tariq Edwards initially underwent surgery to stabilize a stress fracture in his left shin in March, he was intent on returning to full health by the time preseason began. But after hobbling his way through the Hokies’ first practice of the fall Tuesday evening, Edwards is begrudgingly accepting a new reality.
“First game, that’s the next goal now,” he said.
Count Coach Frank Beamer among those troubled by the slow progress. Edwards and wide receiver D.J. Coles (torn PCL) each opened Virginia Tech’s training camp with a significant limp to their step and their status for the team’s season opener against Georgia Tech on Sept. 3 will likely be a hot topic over the next month.
“I’m concerned,” Beamer said.
And then:
He characterized himself as 85 percent healthy at this point, but defensive coordinator Bud Foster was more cautious.
“I fully expect we will get Tariq back. When? I don’t know,” he said. “I was kind of discouraged today by his inability to run.”
Edwards revealed that he began feeling pain in his shin as early as Virginia Tech’s loss to Clemson in October last season. “I started seeing everybody else going down, so I decided to fight through it,” Edwards said.
Clemson's offensive braintrust has to like the thought of Auburn giving up explosive plays in its scrimmage against an offense that his exceedingly more conventional than the Malzahn approach.
Our friends at AuburnSports.com provide some analysis of those Tigers in this article, which produced these notable snippets:
* The buzz seemed to be around true freshman Jonathan Wallace. Wallace appears to be getting more snaps than anticipated and has performed admirably for a newcomer. Junior Clint Moseley commented that he, "threw through the pain" on Wednesday, referring back to a sore shoulder that has plagued him since the spring. Moseley's shoulder might be playing a part in Wallace's extended snaps.
* The running backs had tough sledding, and Holland called it the best scrimmage he's played since VanGorder arrived. Bates echoed those thoughts, saying they felt like they shut the run game down, with the exception of one or two Onterio McCalebb breakaways.
* Loeffler wants to run the ball, and was hired to turn Auburn back into a physical powerhouse. But it sounds like there's much work to be done in that department after Wednesday. We already touched on the youth of the offensive line and the linebackers responding to the challenge, needless to say there weren't many big runs or consistent movement of the chains on the ground.
* Much is being expected from the defensive line in 2012. The core group of juniors consisting of tackle Jeffrey Whitaker, ends Corey Lemonier, Nosa Eguae, Dee Ford and Craig Sanders, along with sophomore tackles Gabe Wright and Angelo Blackson, will be counted on to play aggressively in VanGorder's attacking defense. During Wednesday's scrimmage, Moseley was impressed.
"I think they did pretty well. They're definitely more physical than they have been," said Moseley. "You don't really see any timid play. I can promise you that (VanGorder) won't put up with anything but physical."
Andre Ellington comes in at No. 18 in the ACC in Heather Dinich's ranking of ACC players. He has a chance to be well better than that if he stays healthy.
Gotta disagree with Dinich's ranking of FSU's Lamarcus Joyner at No. 19. Should be higher, but maybe that's just me. Love watching that guy play.
Alabama is accused of encouraging a recruit to transfer to a high school that would "take care of him" academically, and if anyone is surprised that this goes on -- not just at Alabama, but everywhere -- they shouldn't be.
LW
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