Virginia Tech awaiting Taylor’s decision

By Nate Crossman  |   Tuesday, July 11, 2006  |  Comments( 11 )

Virginia Tech Hokies
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Virginia Tech Hokie fans' work productivity will surely plummet over the next two weeks as they obsessively check recruiting web sites for news on senior-to-be Tyrod Taylor, the No. 2-rated quarterback in the country by Rivals.com and No. 7 by Scout.com.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Taylor, from Hampton, VA, has narrowed his college choice to the Hokies and Florida Gators. He has said he wants to make his decision before the Elite 11 quarterback camp the last week in July.

Hokies fans covet Taylor for a couple reasons: First, he is the type of pass-and-run quarterback that has thrived under head coach Frank Beamer. Taylor passed for 1,500 yards last season and rushed for 1,000 more. He combined to score 32 touchdowns for the Crabbers; Coaches say he has an innate sense of when to throw the ball and when to tuck it and run. The Hokies have had success with mobile quarterbacks throughout the decade, beginning with Michael Vick, continuing with Bryan Randall and ending, at least for the time being, with Marcus Vick. Sean Glennon, a drop-back passer, has the inside track on starting in 2006.

Second, as Taylor goes, so go some of the top recruits in the country. Taylor was in Blacksburg last weekend for a one-day camp, and so were some of the best players in the country, including top receiving prospects Jay Smith (Virginia) and Mark Barnes (South Carolina). The Virginia Tech Hokies have seven commits so far, none of which have caused quite a stir. If Taylor can commit, the five-star recruits will come rolling in, or so goes the conventional wisdom.

Taylor certainly appears to be the real deal. He's got the ability and, by all accounts, the smarts to go with it. But there's a cautionary tale in Taylor's recruitment, and his name is Ronald Curry.

Like Taylor, Curry played for the Hampton Crabbers. Like Taylor, Curry was one of the most sought after quarterback recruits in the country in the late 1990s. In fact, Curry might have been one of the most sought-after recruits in the history of college athletics. Not only was he the best football player, but he was the best basketball player as well.

High school, however, was his crowning achievement. He committed to Virginia, only to back out and go to North Carolina. His football and basketball careers were considered failures, and he left Chapel Hill to boos. Meanwhile, Michael Vick, who graduated from Warwick High near Hampton the same year as Curry but with much less fanfare, left Blacksburg to cheers. Curry has achieved a measure of success as a receiver on the Oakland Raiders, but he'll always be burdened with the question of how good he could have been.

It's fine for Hokie fans to be excited about Taylor's ability. But it's not fine to start counting national championships. Taylor could come in and make everyone forget about the name Vick. Or he could come in and remind everyone of Curry. There might be another quarterback in Virginia right now flying under the radar, waiting for his chance to fill the void left by Taylor's unfulfilled promise. You just don't know.

- Get more Virginia Tech Hokies coverage at Realfootball365.com
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