Hokies' Whitaker To Focus on Receiving

BLACKSBURG, Va., Aug. 21 -- Freshman Tyrod Taylor became the quarterback of Virginia Tech's future the minute he arrived on campus. On Tuesday, Coach Frank Beamer made clear he believes Taylor may be able to contribute in the present -- and in the process ended Ike Whitaker's quarterbacking aspirations.

Taylor is now the backup to starting quarterback Sean Glennon, a role Whitaker had previously filled while also learning the wide receiver position. Now, Whitaker will play full-time at wide receiver. He will still compete for the quarterback job once spring comes, but, with two years remaining for Glennon and four for Taylor, even Whitaker seems to know his future is at wide receiver.

"It's best for the team and for getting on the field," Whitaker said. "I think me and Tyrod will be a good dual threat in the years to come. As the days come by, that's what it's looking like. I don't think I'd be human if I didn't look toward the future. The minute he stepped on the field, he reminded me of Marcus Vick, all over again."

Beamer met with Whitaker on Tuesday morning and told him he wanted Whitaker to play wide receiver or quarterback, not both. Practicing at two positions tired him physically and overwhelmed him mentally, and Beamer wanted Whitaker to choose one. After deliberation over the phone with parents and uncles, Whitaker chose wideout. Whitaker had realized he needed to choose one, too, he said.

His chances to play there in the future are bright. Virginia Tech's top four receivers -- Eddie Royal, Josh Hyman, Josh Morgan and Justin Harper -- will graduate after this season. Currently, Whitaker is listed third at the 'Y' receiver, behind Morgan and Harper. He will also play on Tech's punt block team.

"I'm getting the hang of it," Whitaker said. "I was dropping balls left and right today, but I was running my routes crisper. I'm adapting. It's my first day actually out here knowing that I don't have to worry about quarterback."

Whitaker led Northwest High School to a Maryland state championship as a senior and became a star recruit at quarterback. Earlier this preseason, he said he still wanted to play quarterback at Virginia Tech. But Whitaker began playing football in 10th grade, which for him made giving up quarterback, for now, easier.

"I just hopped right in it," Whitaker said. "Mentally, I wasn't football-based, and as a quarterback, you got to kind of know things. It took me a lot more time than someone playing football growing up since they were 7."

Taylor came to Virginia Tech this summer as a highly touted recruit, rated the best dual-threat quarterback in the country by most recruiting services. He proved worthy of the hype though the first two weeks of preseason, including two impressive performances in Tech's scrimmages. He often drew the loudest cheers from the crowd. Beamer has been particularly pleased with his accuracy and poise.

"I didn't know what to expect coming in," said Taylor, who is from Hampton, Va. "I still have work to do."

Though Taylor is the backup quarterback, he still could be redshirted. Should Glennon get injured, Taylor is now in line to become the starter. But barring an injury to Glennon, Beamer will try to maintain Taylor's eligibility, giving mop-up duty to third-stringer Cory Holt. The Hokies employed a similar arrangement when Glennon sat out 2005, his true sophomore season, as the backup, but Beamer has not decided whether he'll take the same step with Taylor.

"Tyrod has been impressive," Beamer said. "At some point, we're going to evaluate whether Tyrod should redshirt or play."

At the end of practice, as Tech's offense ran through a two-minute drill, Whitaker streaked across the middle of the field as Taylor dropped back three steps. Taylor planted and fired, drilling Whitaker in the chest with a perfect spiral, giving those present a possible glimpse into the close future.

Hokies Notes: Senior cornerback Roland Minor did not practice Tuesday, still not cleared to play for academic reasons. Minor, who started 12 games as a sophomore, has dropped down in the depth chart and may not play again. Still, the time away won't be his largest issue.

"We'll see what happens here," Beamer said. "He knows what it's about and he's been in the big ballgames." . . .

Beamer decided which freshmen may play this season: Taylor, tight end Chris Drager, safety Davon Morgan, cornerback Cris Hill, offensive linemen Jaymes Brooks and Blake Dechristopher and cornerback Kwamaine Battle.