It’s now or never for Hokies’ Luckett

a closer look BLACKSBURG Bud Foster thinks the familiar newcomer to his Virginia Tech defense can help the Hokies, as long as he stays out of trouble.

Tech's coaches plan to have redshirt junior Zach Luckett, who was suspended last season, back on the team as a walk-on this fall. They also plan to move him from wide receiver to whip linebacker, a position for which they initially recruited him.

"Zach's got a lot of ability," said Foster, who is entering his 15th season as Tech's defensive coordinator. "If he can channel it the right way, I think he can help this football team."

Luckett hasn't played defense since he was a safety at Holy Spirit High in Absecon, N.J., near Atlantic City. During his only season playing for the Hokies, 2007, he had two catches for 18 yards. He excelled on kickoff coverage and led Tech with 14 special-teams tackles, including 10 on kickoffs.

He was projected to start last season, but his career stalled in August, when he was arrested for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. It was the second DUI charge for Luckett, who turned 21 on Dec. 8. Tech coach Frank Beamer suspended Luckett indefinitely, and he served five days in jail.

Luckett was not on the team during spring practices, but Beamer decided to give him another chance this season.

"Coach is one of those guys, he sees the good in people," Foster said. "He hangs in there with guys sometimes a lot longer than probably I would. That's a credit to him. People make poor decisions sometimes, but that doesn't mean they're bad people. Coach sees that."

The staff decided to put Luckett on defense because, unlike last season, the Hokies now have depth at receiver, though they remain young there. Tech's top three receivers from last season -- Danny Coale, Jarrett Boykin and Dyrell Roberts -- will all be sophomores this fall.

The Hokies also have redshirt freshmen Xavier Boyce, Marcus Davis, Randall Dunn and Austin Fuller; a pair of promising true freshmen, D.J. Coles (Goochland) and Tony Gregory; and fifth-year senior Brandon Dillard, who would have competed for a starting job last season if he hadn't torn his Achilles tendon in the summer.

Tech's top two whips are fifth-year seniors Cam Martin and Cody Grimm. The whips practice with the rovers, Tech's version of a strong safety. Fifth-year senior Dorian Porch is currently listed as the No. 1 rover, ahead of junior Davon Morgan (Varina).

Foster hopes the experienced whips and rovers will positively influence Luckett, because, Foster said, "they're not gonna put up with any [nonsense] when it's all said and done. Where you get a young group of receivers, sometimes they don't know. Some guy coming in and being a loose cannon so to speak -- I don't know if that's a good fit for that group."

Foster also believes Luckett can benefit from the disciplinarian style of Jim Cavanaugh, who coaches the whips and rovers.

"That's what Zach needs, I think, as much as anything," Foster said. "He needs somebody to come in and make him walk the straight and narrow all the time. He's got two strikes on him, so he can't have a third one. I'm pulling for the kid. I've always liked Zach. Sometimes I don't always agree with what he's done. But that's always part of growing up."

Notes . . .

Tech has received its 13th football commitment for the Class of 2010, from Kyle Fuller, a 5-11, 160-pound cornerback from Mount St. Joseph High in Baltimore.

Fuller selected the Hokies over Maryland and Kansas. He is the younger brother of former Tech defensive back Vincent Fuller, who now plays for the Tennessee Titans. Fuller has another older brother, Corey, who was a freshman jumper this past season for Kansas' track and field team.

Fuller is Tech's fifth out-of-state commitment for 2010.

Contact Darryl Slater at (804) 649-6026 or dslater @timesdispatch.com.