With New Rover, Hokies Are in a Good Position

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Kam Chancellor's ascension from unknown to special teams ace came so suddenly last season, Virginia Tech defensive backs coach Torrian Gray often joked that Chancellor was the team's best athlete. But it was only a joke: There's no way a sophomore whose most serious recruiting attention came from a Division I-AA school could be the best athlete on a top 10 college football team.

Gray continued watching Chancellor, kept considering his story: Chancellor had played quarterback at Maury High School in Norfolk, then gained notice at Virginia Tech after blocking two punts in his first scrimmage on campus. Now, a year later, he is Virginia Tech's starting rover, defensive coordinator Bud Foster's aggressive version of a strong safety.

Chancellor is one of three new starters on a defense that has ranked No. 1 in the country for two straight seasons. He is charged with replacing third-round NFL draft choice Aaron Rouse. His athletic ability already has made teammates comfortable with him, and it also made Gray realize his first impression of Chancellor might not have been so funny.

"He's probably the best athlete on the team," Gray said. "I'd put him with [wide receiver] Josh Morgan. If he practiced it every day, he could potentially be a cornerback, free safety, outside linebacker, inside linebacker. He's that gifted and that talented and that tough of a player. I really believe that."

That natural ability gave Hokies coaches a plan early last season, even after Chancellor arrived without fanfare. Aside from Virginia Tech, the only high-profile team to seriously recruit Chancellor was James Madison. Chancellor missed several games during his junior season in high school because of an injured thumb, which prevented him from showcasing himself. But Hokies Coach Frank Beamer liked his mature, 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame. He took a chance.

After that first scrimmage, Beamer decided Chancellor would play his freshman year; he was too valuable on special teams to redshirt. Chancellor spent last season as a reserve cornerback playing in certain defensive packages. The coaches also worked him out at wide receiver, but a glut of wideouts landed him on defense.

Ultimately, though, the coaches knew they needed a replacement for Rouse, and Chancellor's height and chiseled body made him a natural candidate. In the offseason, Chancellor watched film of the team's 2006 rovers, Rouse and Cary Wade, and he focused most of his attention, surprisingly, on Wade. Though Rouse was drafted in the third round and Wade is not with an NFL team, Chancellor discovered the diminutive Wade consistently made smarter reads, recognizing the offensive play quickly and reacting to it. Chancellor also watched footage from the spring game, picking out all his missteps. When he arrived for preseason practice, he felt seasoned.

"My reads are getting a lot better," Chancellor said. "I feel a little more experienced at rover now."

Said Gray: "He just looks very comfortable out there. He's a physically imposing guy out there. But more importantly, he plays with that physically imposing nature. With him, understanding the position and able to play faster, you can see he's going to be something pretty special."

In full uniform, Chancellor looks a little like Rouse, biceps bulging as he lords over the secondary. More importantly, he can hit like Rouse, too. Virginia Tech's defensive scheme often leaves the rover as the one unblocked defender, making it Chancellor's responsibility to launch himself at ballcarriers.

Gray said most former high school quarterbacks who switch to defense have trouble adapting. Chancellor, though, savors the physical part of his position and says he prefers defense to offense.

Chancellor has become so comfortable at rover that he started practicing at free safety, which serves as the quarterback of Virginia Tech's defense. Already, he has surprised Gray at how quickly he picked up the position.

"You see him; he don't look like a sophomore at all," junior cornerback Brandon Flowers said. "I have no problems with Kam back there at rover. I feel like he's been back there since I've been here."

Said Gray: "He's just a natural great athlete. The way he's able to see things, it's kind of like, 'Wow.' "

Note: East Carolina suspended quarterback Rob Kass for Saturday's season opener at Virginia Tech, three days after he was charged with driving while impaired. Coach Skip Holtz said the sophomore was suspended for violating team policy.