BeamerBall.com Chat with Coach Frank Beamer and Dr. John Ballein
Sunday, 2/10/08, 4 pm eastern

BeamerBall.com: We will begin the chat at 4 pm eastern, sharp. Refresh or reload this page periodically to follow the chat. We will attempt to update the page approximately every 40 seconds to 60 seconds with a new question and answer from Coach Beamer or Dr. Ballein. Feel free to submit your questions live during the chat by email, send your email to webhost@beamerball.com. Please include your name and hometown for the question to be considered.

BeamerBall.com: Please excuse any typos, we will do our best, but we want to bring you as many questions and answers as possible in the 2 hour allotted time, so we will be typing and posting quickly.

4:00 pm: Welcome to our "Live" chat with head football coach, Frank Beamer, and Associate Athletic Director of Football, Dr. John Ballein. Both Coach Beamer and Dr. Ballein are now ready to answer your questions. Send your questions to webhost@beamerball.com and be sure to include your name and hometown. We plan on holding more of these "Live Chat Sessions" with Coach Beamer, as well as assistant coaches, players, signees and other notables as we move forward. We hope you appreciate the "direct access" provided by BeamerBall.com. We appreciate your continued support!

Question: Which of these recruits is most likely to play immediately?
Cole Starke
Manakin, VA

Beamer: That's really a hard question to answer because we haven't had a chance to work with any of these guys. I'm not trying to avoid your question, so, let me answer it this way. If we could talk about players who physically could contribute right away, then I'd list Lorenzo Williams. We'll also take a hard look at all the linebackers we're bringing in. I think that Jake Johnson, Allen Stephens, Bruce Taylor, Quille Odom and Lyndell Gibson are all going to be fine football players for us. Leon Mackey could figure in right away. We need depth at quarterback, so you have to take a look at Marcus Davis, or, Peter Rose. Nick Becton is a guy who can help on either the offensive or defensive line. I think Dyrell Roberts has a great opportunity to play. And Randall Dunn has the body that could let him play quickly. Also, Ryan Williams will get a chance to get on the field early. Let me just say that this is really a talented class and sometimes guys just jump up and rise above the rest. So, until we get these players in camp and make a first hand evaluation, it's tough to say who'll do this or who'll do that. But trust me, we're very excited about these players and we do expect some to contribute this fall.

Question: There is a lot of credence placed on the "star" ratings of players recruited out of high school. National rankings for recruiting classes are then published as a result of these "stars."
What is your opinion of the "star" ratings?
Thanks.
Bob Seroka, Jr.
Clayton, North Carolina
Class of 1975

Beamer: We pay absolutely zero attention to those rankings. We give no credence to that. We're only concerned about what our opinion is of these players. We work hard as a staff to identify the players we think will succeed both on the field and in the academic setting here at Virginia Tech. I trust this staff much more than I do some recruiting service. For example, this class that just left us, what were they rated? I think they were in the 30's or something like that. Well, how do they rate now? I can tell you that only one other school is sending as many players to the NFL Combine as Virginia Tech. So, the recruiting services didn't think very much of that class, however, the NFL has a much different opinion.

Question: You signed 31 prospects this year. How many will you sign next year?
Mark Alexis
Miami, Fl

Beamer: We have 10 rising seniors. So, our plans now are to have 10 signees in our next class. Now, that number always changes for numerous reasons. Some guys choose not to come back after they graduate. There's always injuries or other circumstances, but right now, it looks like we'll have those 10 seniors to replace, so that's the number we're working with right now.

Question: It seemed like the staff spent less time in Washington, DC and Maryland this year. Was that more a result of Coach Ball leaving or simply a decision more to focus in the Carolinas in terms of out-of-state recruiting?
Thanks and great job with this class!
Tim
South Riding, Virginia

Beamer: It has nothing to do with Coach Ball leaving. We're recruiting those areas as hard as we always have because they're key areas. And, we'll continue to recruit them just as hard. Some years are better than others for specific areas in terms of producing players that we land. This year, the area just didn't produce as many players for Virginia Tech. But, the important thing to know is that we're recruiting that area harder than ever. Also, Kevin Sherman is doing a great job making sure we stay prominent in that region.

Question: Not recruiting related, but what's this about Coach Beamer helping Charlie Weis out at ND?
"Weis will visit Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer some time prior to spring practice. Beamer's teams are widely considered to be among the nation's best at special teams each year."

I know they could use the help but but but…….
On one level, It makes me proud that they are coming to VT to learn some football but on another level, I HATE NOTRE DAME. What gives?
Steve Mize

Beamer: Notre Dame contacted us and asked if we would share some thoughts on special teams. They told us they were coming to us because they wanted to learn from the best. Saying something like that made it kind of hard to turn them down...ha ha ha. Seriously, it's a two way street. They've also agreed to answer any of our questions and there are some things that we'd like to talk with Coach Weis about. There's always an exchange of information. They made it clear that they'll accomodate any and all of our requests. There's always something to be gained when you visit with other staffs.

Question: Who do you think will be the "sleeper" of this class?
Frank Bryant
Buckingham, VA

Beamer: I don't think you can really call him a "sleeper," but a guy that I think is going to be outstanding for us is Lorenzo Williams. He's smart, we were very impressed with him as a person and a football player in our camp. At that time he didn't have a lot of offers, but he got a lot of attention after that. Lorenzo is almost 6'3" and he has a lot of athletic ability. He wants to play defense and I think he'll help us and he could help us early. I think before it is all said and done, our fans will love the person that Lorenzo Williams is.

Question: Why do we no longer look to JUCO's to fill our recruiting needs?
Jeff Jacobs
Greensboro, NC

Beamer: Well, we're having a tough time getting JUCO players qualified here at Virginia Tech. Also, you only get two years with the JUCO's. We'd rather try to develop talent rather than look for quick fixes. Sometimes you need a quick fix, but our recruiting has been good enough that we've been able to stick to our plan. We've had JUCO players in the past and they've helped this football program, but right now, we haven't had to rely on the Junior College players. I like bringing players in, getting that redshirt year, developing them ourselves and hopefully get four productive seasons out of them.

Question: First, I would like to say Congratulations on what seems to be a great all around recruiting class to you and the whole staff. My question is with two great running back prospects that redshirted last year, Darren Evans and Josh Oglesby, not including Jahre Cheesman who looked pretty good in limited action last year. How do you plan on getting these young guys playing time and involved in the offense this upcoming year with the return of Brandon Ore and Kenny Lewis Jr and the commitment from Ryan Williams?
Thanks,
Dwayne from Panama City, FL

Beamer: That's a great question. We just met with the offensive staff and Coach Hite to address that exact issue. Plain and simple, there aren't going to be enough carries in the backfield for everybody. So, we're going to have to do a great job evaluating these players this Spring. We've made it clear to all of them that it's going to be up to them to separate themselves. They all will get an equal opportunity, the rest is up to them. We're excited about all of these players. We're in a good situation because the battle for playing time will be a great one. Also, let me say that we're very pleased with the progress of Darren Evans and Josh Oglesby. I'll be interested to see exactly what they can do this Spring. And, not only this spring, our evaluation begins in the weight room and the winter workouts.

Question: What are the prospects for broadening our recruiting base into the southeast taking advantage of the "SEC speed?" I realize the 757 is a gold mine, but we've lost several top recruits to the SEC because of various reasons. What can we do to develop relationships with USA Today top 50 schools such as Lakeland (FL), Miami-NW, Byrnes (SC), etc. and penetrate these markets to increase our visibility as an alternative option for finding talent?
Scott Spector, Pamplin ‘94
Pelham, AL

Dr. Ballein: Most people who follow recruiting want you to go nationally. But I can honestly tell you that if we do anything, we're going to scale back. We believe that the state of Virginia and the surrounding states have more than enough good players. We're more into knowing what these guys are like off the field more than we've ever been. The further you get away from home, the further you move away from the high school coaches who you have outstanding relationships with, the more risky things become.

Question: Will there be a Ladies Clinic this summer? If so, when? Congrats on a fine season and a great job on the recruiting trail. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to the upcoming season.
Bill Linkous
Lexington, VA

Dr. Ballein: Yes, there will be a Ladies Clinic this summer. We've scheduled it for July 19th. We'll have registration information on the site, hopefully as early as this week.

Question: How in the hell did you let UVA beat you for Buddy Ruff?

Tony Byrd
Abingdon, VA

Beamer: We had Buddy in our camp over the summer and we were able to make a thorough evaluation. I really only like to comment on Virginia Tech players. Having said that, I'd just like to wish him good luck. I will tell you that the state of Virginia was very, very good to Virginia Tech this year and we're grateful. We're already hard at work trying to put together another outstanding class for 2009.

Question: It appears that a lot of school are using negative recruiting against you. How do you battle that?
Zach Bain
White Hall, VA

Beamer: When I talk to these prospects and their families, all I talk about is what Virginia Tech can do for them. I only talk about why the prospect should choose Virginia Tech. I don't talk about other schools. In the end, it's just best to talk about your university and your university only. If another school is going to bash you, well, that's up to them and I'm sure that the prospect and him family can see through that. We're very comfortable with the way we recruit. Virginia Tech has so many positives that there's no reason to talk about some other school's negatives. We just don't do that.

Question: Congratulations to you and your staff for recruiting such a fine looking group of students and football players to Va. Tech! With this class of 2008 signed, what positions will you be focusing on for the class of 2009? How many scholarships do you anticipate being able to award next year?

Les Woody
Chandler, AZ

Beamer: I'd rather not talk about what specific positions we'll focus on. I can tell you that we'll need to be better than ever due to the small amount of scholarships we'll have available. We don't have any margin for error. We'll have to do our best job ever and my staff is well aware of that.

Question: When is the earliest a recruit can enroll and be counted toward the 2008 class? And, what is the dollar value on 4 or 5 year scholarship to Virginia Tech? Does it change for in-state and out of state?
Thank you and your staff for the great job they do!!!!

Reed Embrey
Floyd, VA

Dr. Ballein: These players could have enrolled this January and counted toward the 2008 class. So, that would have been the earliest. Currently, the value of our scholarship is approximately $15-thousand-dollars for the year, and, players are allowed to be on scholarship for five years. For out of state players, the value nearly doubles.

Question: Do Marcus Davis and Ju Ju Clayton have a real shot at playing QB at Virginia Tech?
Terry Sampson
Norfolk, VA

Beamer: Absolutely. The more you watch these two guys on tape, the more you say "wow." We really think that we've landed two fine young men in Marcus and Ju Ju. They're both very bright and they're both very athletic. They just make things happen on the football field. Both of these guys really blossomed at quarterback in their senior seasons. Jim Cavanaugh watched Ju Ju play "live" in his senior year and was really impressed at how in control he was on the field. We requested more senior tape on Ju Ju and when we watched it as a staff, we understood why Cav had become excited about this guy. And, it's the same story with Marcus Davis. I don't know if people really expected him to do much at quarterback, but I can tell you he did a lot. I think people are going to be surprised at just how good these two guys are at quarterback. We'll work hard to continue to develop their skills at the next level and we'll see how it goes.

Question: Who are our best options for whip and rover out of this class?
JP Rainey
Colonial Heights, VA

Beamer: That's a hard question to answer. Those are two very athletic positions. As you can see by our signing class, we have a number of atheltes who could figure in at those positions. We redshirted some very good players and we have more coming in with this class. I'm confident we'll find the right guys for those spots.

Beamer: Ha ha ha ha......well, I'd like to, but we're going to be out of town. We're taking the staff on a cruise for a little sun and fun and we're leaving on your birthday. Thanks for the invitation and I hope you have a Happy Birthday!

Question: Is it true that Ryan Williams was the only tailback that VT offered this year?
Ben Clarke
Virginia Beach, VA

Beamer: Tony Gregory played tailback in high school. We're not sure where Gregory will end up helping us here at Virginia Tech, we just know that with his speed, he's going to help us. We made it clear to Ryan Williams that he was a priority for our football program. He knows that we have big plans for him at our tailback position. Ryan is a young man who we think could see the field this fall. We think he's talented enough, and we also think he's mature enough to handle his academics as a true freshman as well.

Question: With a class of 31, it's hard to imagine a need that wasn't addressed, but is there a particular position you wished you had 1 or 2 more recruits?
Thanks,
Mike Thompson
Roanoke, VA

Beamer: There isn't. We did a great job of addressing our needs with this class.

Question: Why so few offensive line recruits this year?
Dan Watkins
Springfield, VA

Beamer: We evaluated our kids from the 2007 class and feel we're in good shape. We redshirted some talented guys, Blake DeChristopher, A.B. Latiff, William Alvarez, Jaymes Brooks and when you throw in Beau Warren and the other younger guys we already have on the offensive line, we think we have some young guys who can really play. So, we feel we're right where we need to be as far as recruiting for the offensive line.

Question: How do the recruits react to gray-shirting offers? Will it be employed again next year to try and allow more kids to be taken?
Dan Watkins
Springfield, VA

Dr. Ballein: It could be. For many of these prospects it's really an advantage for them. It allows them to get ahead in their academics, get ahead in the weight room, actually pick up an extra spring of workouts and for many it can be a real advantage. So, it's win-win for everybody. It gives us some flexibility on some young men that we'd really like to have in our program and it can be used as a positive for those young men as well.

Question: What is the most "odd" or "unusual" thing that happened to you on the recruiting trail this year?
Mike Allen
Danville, VA

Beamer: Nothing really jumps out at me. We did have a good battle with UNC for Leon Mackey. We were all on top of one another. We were both in Hargrave recruiting him as hard as we could at the same time, and we were both at his home in Delaware recruiting mom just as hard. We weren't the only two schools who recruited that young man. We're glad to have him. We think he'll do great things at Virginia Tech. Oh yeah, I tell you something that was very odd for me. We went into the home of Devin Taylor in South Carolina, and the young guy recruiting Taylor for the Gamecocks on the way in as we were on the way out, I know quite well. He's my son Shane. That was a bit strange.

Question: You didn't seem to recruit the state of Georgia very hard this year. Why?
Kyle Helvie
Valdosta, GA

Beamer: Nothing against the state of Georgia, but we've really been having success in the state of North Carolina and other areas that aren't as far away. You'd like to be able to find all of your players within a 4-5 hour radius. Sometimes you can do that and other times you can't. We think that the state of Georgia offers good people, good coaching and good players. So, we'll continue to come into Georgia.

Question: During the recruiting process this year did you run into any recruits (and/or family members) that were concerned with the safety of Virginia Tech due to the tragedy? Did we lose any potential recruits because of this? On the other hand, were any recruits drawn to VT because of the wonderful showing of support and togetherness that the VT family showed in the days, weeks, and months following the tragedy?
Bobby Lantier
Arlington, VA

Beamer: It came up a couple times. But, what I heard the most were compliments of how Virginia Tech handled the situation. It certainly wasn't a negative for us. People know that Blacksburg is a very safe place. What happened last April is not reflective of our school or our community. That was the work of a very disturbed person. Your true colors come out in times like those, and I think people were proud of what they saw from Virginia Tech.

Dr. Ballein: I'm extemely proud to have received my doctorate from Virginia Tech. You're invited to drop by the "Doctor's Office" anytime. No appointment necessary. You can't miss me, I'm always here.

Question: This year's incoming class showed they were incredibly talented as high-school seniors. I've seen criticism in past years for ‘not finishing strong.' Did your staff change anything in your approach this year to finish like you did?
Thank you,
Chris Nicholas
Class of 1977
Chesapeake

Beamer: Chris, we recruit as hard as we can from the beginning until the end. Sometimes you end up landing a couple of those guys at the end. Actually, this year, we had to call and tell guys that we were full. Also, the media has something to do with that. Just because a prospect commits at the very end, doesn't mean they're better than those who committed early. DeAngelo Hall committed to us as a junior. If we would have landed him on signing day, everybody would be talking about what a great job we did. Those guys who hang on until the end, get a lot more attention than those who commit earlier. Again, we recruit just as hard at the end as we do at the beginning. Sometimes things fall your way.

Question: How does the race for the snapping positions look going into the spring? I know Colin Carroll and Matt Tuttle both played well this fall but was wondering what the race looks like? Also, I have noticed that most seasons we have a different deep and short snapper. Is this the intentions of the staff this year to have a specialist for each of the snapping positions?
Andrew Retiger
Blacksburg, VA

Beamer: We want to get our best snapper on the field. If one guy turns out to be the best, then he'll do both. If we have to split it up, we'll split it up. I'd say that Carroll is our leading snapper heading into spring, but I'm interested to see what Tuttle and some other guys can do. We'll have some good competition at those positions.

BeamerBall.com: Okay gang, we're out of time. We'd like to thank Coach Beamer and Dr. Ballein for joining us for this "live" chat. And, we'd like to thank all of you for sending your questions and participating. And, most importantly, we want to thank you for your support of BeamerBall.com. We'll be holding another "live" chat in the very near future. Again, thanks.

6:00pm: Session ends.