Tech Notes: Hokies’ Brown was almost a Cavalier

Brown was almost a Cavalier

Virginia Tech senior defensive end Nekos Brown was ready to commit to Virginia after the 2005 season. Brown, who is from Brandywine, Md., said Virginia's coaches told him to wait until he got his ACT score. When he got it, he said he called them to commit but couldn't get in touch with them.

"They weren't answering the phone for a couple weeks," Brown said. "Then I got an offer from Tech."

Brown initially favored Virginia in part because it was the first school to show interest in him. Then his recruiter, defensive line coach Mike London, left for a job with the Houston Texans after the 2004 season. Offensive coordinator Ron Prince took over Brown's recruitment, but after the 2005 season, Prince departed to become Kansas State's coach.

"When he left, too, it was just like I was lost, really," Brown said.

After he visited Blacksburg and liked it, "there was nothing else to think about." Brown, a first-year starter who is 6-2 and 248 pounds, would have played outside linebacker in Virginia's 3-4 defense. If he plays in the NFL, he likely will move to outside linebacker.

Beamer started slowly against Virginia

Tech coach Frank Beamer has won nine of his past 10 games against Virginia. He didn't always dominate the rivalry.

Beamer arrived at Tech in 1987 and lost four of his first five games to the Cavaliers, who were then coached by George Welsh. Hokies supporters were not pleased.

"I think I got the message that we needed to beat Virginia," Beamer said. "If you had ears, you heard that."

Beamer is 12-4 against Virginia since, including 7-1 against current Cavaliers coach Al Groh.

Via projects as a tackle

Redshirt freshman Michael Via has spent the past three games playing in place of the Hokies' starting center, junior Beau Warren (sprained left knee). Via has played well, according to line coach Curt Newsome. But Newsome said there is a "strong possibility" he will play tackle next season.

At 6-7 and 284 pounds, Via is built like a tackle. The Hokies have to replace left tackle Ed Wang after this season and might do it by moving right tackle Blake DeChristopher, a sophomore from Clover Hill, to the left side, leaving an opening at DeChristopher's spot.

Via's move could depend on the health of redshirting freshman center Andrew Miller, who has a shoulder injury. If Miller is healthy enough, he probably would back up Warren, allowing Via to move to tackle. The No. 2 center plays only if the starter is injured.

"I don't think we want a Michael Via watching," Newsome said.

Injury update

Virginia Tech has listed two of its starting offensive linemen as probable for tomorrow's regular-season finale at Virginia. Warren has missed the past three games after spraining his left knee Oct. 29 in a loss to North Carolina. Wang also has an injured knee. He was not listed on the injury report before last week's game against North Carolina State, in which he played 59 snaps. -- Darryl Slater