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Virginia Tech football: Injuries abound for running backs
Williams sprains ankle; Oglesby, Wilson sit out 2nd full scrimmage with injuries
By Randy King
BLACKSBURG -- Billy Hite has to feel like a guy who couldn't possibly win a raffle-ticket drawing in a room of one right now.
Already missing three of his top four running backs with injuries, Hite saw his one healthy tailback, Ryan Williams, go down in the Hokies' second full preseason scrimmage Saturday with a sprained left ankle.
"I've never seen anything like this," said Hite, entering his 32nd season as Tech's running backs coach.
"Really, it's just unreal. That's why I tried to tell you guys in the beginning, two weeks ago, that you can't ever have enough good ones. But to have this many guys go down, it's unbelievable, it really is."
On Aug. 11, Hite lost his starting back, Darren Evans, with a torn left ACL. In last Saturday's first full scrimmage, he lost talented freshman David Wilson with a sprained left shoulder. Since, he's lost Josh Oglesby, the guy who would have replaced Evans at No. 1, with a badly infected left foot on top of a right hamstring strain.
Williams, a highly touted redshirt freshman, carried the ball five times for 22 yards Saturday before the ankle sprain.
The Hokies, who matched a program-high by being ranked seventh in the Associated Press' preseason Top 25 poll that was announced Saturday, face No. 5 Alabama in Atlanta in 13 days. Right now, Hite has no idea about his possible tailback rotation for the season opener.
"When we get in the [coaches'] meeting [today], whoever they tell me is healthy will be my No. 1 tailback," Hite said. "Right now, it would be [freshman] Tony Gregory or [redshirt freshman] Zac Evans [Christiansburg High]."
The only good news is that Williams' ankle sprain isn't considered serious, and he could return to practice as early as Monday. So could Oglesby, who was in shorts and a T-shirt Saturday. Same for Wilson, who continued to shadow Hite Saturday in an attempt to keep getting mental reps while not being part of the action.
"We don't have much luck right now," Hite said.
When asked if perhaps he should consider attending church this morning, Hite laughed and retorted: "That's true, too, but that ain't going to happen! People have done that before, though.
"I mean Oglesby is getting a lot better ... I mean his foot was about the size of Rhode Island earlier this week. Hopefully, he has a chance of practicing Monday. Same thing with Williams and Wilson. I've got to go with who I have, that's the thing."
The Hokies will conduct their final preseason scrimmage Wednesday.
"I want to see how they're all moving about Monday," Hite said. "Once [Oglesby and Wilson] get back out here, they have two weeks to get ready for Alabama. I think if they're healthy Monday, they'll have a chance of being ready."
Tech head coach Frank Beamer said he realizes the questionable situation at tailback has left his team somewhat behind the 8-ball right now.
"A position that was pretty strong, and is strong, has a lot of people absent right now," Beamer said. "Coach Hite said, 'you can't have enough of those guys, and he's a wise, old man!' "
Beamer said Wilson could have participated in Saturday's scrimmage, but he didn't want to take any chances this close to the opener.
"[Wilson] wanted to, but we want to get him completely well and get him back in there and get him some full-speed reps," Beamer said.
When asked about the lack of reps for his inexperienced group of tailbacks, Beamer said, "Heck, yeah. We've got a guy [Wilson] who was running for G.W. [George Washington High in Danville] last year and that's some good program, but it's not going to be quite the same as running against Alabama with a packed house, so, yeah, we'd like to get him some reps."
Meanwhile, Gregory remains an option. A converted wide receiver, Gregory was the top rusher for a second straight Saturday, running 18 times for 48 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown jaunt.
from http://www.roanoke.com/sports/vtfootball/wb/216366
Williams sprains ankle; Oglesby, Wilson sit out 2nd full scrimmage with injuries
By Randy King
BLACKSBURG -- Billy Hite has to feel like a guy who couldn't possibly win a raffle-ticket drawing in a room of one right now.
Already missing three of his top four running backs with injuries, Hite saw his one healthy tailback, Ryan Williams, go down in the Hokies' second full preseason scrimmage Saturday with a sprained left ankle.
"I've never seen anything like this," said Hite, entering his 32nd season as Tech's running backs coach.
"Really, it's just unreal. That's why I tried to tell you guys in the beginning, two weeks ago, that you can't ever have enough good ones. But to have this many guys go down, it's unbelievable, it really is."
On Aug. 11, Hite lost his starting back, Darren Evans, with a torn left ACL. In last Saturday's first full scrimmage, he lost talented freshman David Wilson with a sprained left shoulder. Since, he's lost Josh Oglesby, the guy who would have replaced Evans at No. 1, with a badly infected left foot on top of a right hamstring strain.
Williams, a highly touted redshirt freshman, carried the ball five times for 22 yards Saturday before the ankle sprain.
The Hokies, who matched a program-high by being ranked seventh in the Associated Press' preseason Top 25 poll that was announced Saturday, face No. 5 Alabama in Atlanta in 13 days. Right now, Hite has no idea about his possible tailback rotation for the season opener.
"When we get in the [coaches'] meeting [today], whoever they tell me is healthy will be my No. 1 tailback," Hite said. "Right now, it would be [freshman] Tony Gregory or [redshirt freshman] Zac Evans [Christiansburg High]."
The only good news is that Williams' ankle sprain isn't considered serious, and he could return to practice as early as Monday. So could Oglesby, who was in shorts and a T-shirt Saturday. Same for Wilson, who continued to shadow Hite Saturday in an attempt to keep getting mental reps while not being part of the action.
"We don't have much luck right now," Hite said.
When asked if perhaps he should consider attending church this morning, Hite laughed and retorted: "That's true, too, but that ain't going to happen! People have done that before, though.
"I mean Oglesby is getting a lot better ... I mean his foot was about the size of Rhode Island earlier this week. Hopefully, he has a chance of practicing Monday. Same thing with Williams and Wilson. I've got to go with who I have, that's the thing."
The Hokies will conduct their final preseason scrimmage Wednesday.
"I want to see how they're all moving about Monday," Hite said. "Once [Oglesby and Wilson] get back out here, they have two weeks to get ready for Alabama. I think if they're healthy Monday, they'll have a chance of being ready."
Tech head coach Frank Beamer said he realizes the questionable situation at tailback has left his team somewhat behind the 8-ball right now.
"A position that was pretty strong, and is strong, has a lot of people absent right now," Beamer said. "Coach Hite said, 'you can't have enough of those guys, and he's a wise, old man!' "
Beamer said Wilson could have participated in Saturday's scrimmage, but he didn't want to take any chances this close to the opener.
"[Wilson] wanted to, but we want to get him completely well and get him back in there and get him some full-speed reps," Beamer said.
When asked about the lack of reps for his inexperienced group of tailbacks, Beamer said, "Heck, yeah. We've got a guy [Wilson] who was running for G.W. [George Washington High in Danville] last year and that's some good program, but it's not going to be quite the same as running against Alabama with a packed house, so, yeah, we'd like to get him some reps."
Meanwhile, Gregory remains an option. A converted wide receiver, Gregory was the top rusher for a second straight Saturday, running 18 times for 48 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown jaunt.
from http://www.roanoke.com/sports/vtfootball/wb/216366
