Virginia Tech notes

Williams nearing freshman records

Earlier this season, Virginia Tech tailback Darren Evans told Ryan Williams he thought Williams might break the school's record for touchdowns in a season by a freshman tailback.

"I just really laughed it off," said Williams, a redshirt freshman.

Evans, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in August, set the record (11) as a redshirt freshman last year. And here is Williams, seven games into this season, about to fulfill Evans' prediction.

Entering tomorrow night's home game against North Carolina, Evans has 11 touchdowns - 10 rushing, one receiving. He also has 834 rushing yards and is on track to shatter Evans' ACC record for most rushing yards in a season by a freshman: 1,265.

Williams already has five 100-yard rushing games, surpassing by one Evans' school freshman record. If the Hokies play 13 games this year - a bowl game in addition to their regular-season contests - Williams is on pace to run for 1,548 yards. That would be the second-most in Tech history, behind Kevin Jones' 1,647 in 2003.

"I really didn't think that the season would go as it's gone right now," Williams said. "I try not to chase anything. I never really try to chase any goals or try to chase a certain number or anything of that sort. Because I think when you start thinking that way or playing that way, you tend to lose focus."

Nosal adds depth

Backup offensive guard Greg Nosal likely will start next season after left guard Sergio Render's eligibility expires. Nosal, a sophomore, is getting some valuable experience this season while spelling Render and right guard Jaymes Brooks.

Nosal has played 136 snaps, including 24 in the Hokies' last game, Oct. 17 against Georgia Tech, and 30 and 24 in the previous two games. Render played a season-low 35 snaps at Georgia Tech because he strained his right pectoral muscle earlier in the week.

Nosal's mindset when he plays: "I can get as tired as I want because I'll be in a rotation and be able to go a series off," he said. "So I feel like I go as hard as I can for those plays that I'm in and it really changes the tempo up. I'm never really as tired as people who would go the entire game."

Offensive line coach Curt Newsome said before the season that he wanted to play more backups. Reserve tackle Andrew Lanier, a sophomore, has chipped in 102 snaps, including 62 against Duke, when right tackle Blake DeChristopher (Clover Hill High) missed the game because of a sprained left ankle.

Carolina provides a stern test for Tech's offensive line because the Tar Heels' four defensive linemen are "probably the best we've faced all year," said Hokies coach Frank Beamer. All four linemen have started at least 19 games and are a major reason why Carolina ranks seventh nationally in yards allowed per game (266.3) and 23rd in rushing yards allowed (102.6).

Injury report

Junior defensive tackle John Graves (Meadowbrook High) is probable for tomorrow after reinjuring a sprained right ankle at Georgia Tech, where he played just 14 snaps before leaving the game. - Darryl Slater