Ore third string? Probably not for long

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, August 09, 2007  |  Comments( 1 )

Virginia Tech Hokies
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Nobody who knows anything about Virginia Tech football is taking it seriously, but there it was on the depth chart: third-string tailback, Branden Ore.

Given that Ore rushed for 1,137 yards and 16 TDs last year and was named to the All-ACC first team, the question would have to be: Then how good must the first- and second-team guys be?

The short answer: Not as good as Ore. But the fact that the 5-foot-11, 205-pound junior went home to Chesapeake through June and July instead of staying in Blacksburg for offseason workouts prompted Tech coach Frank Beamer to send the runner a message.

Message received.

"Right now, I've just got to bust my butt out there and get back to where I need to be," Ore told Nathan Warters of the Lynchburg News & Advance.

His time in Chesapeake, he added, was spent helping a friend.

"It was just him and his grandmother, and she passed," Ore said. "I set up the funeral arrangements and took care of his living quarters."

Beamer was sympathetic, but he added that keeping Ore as the symbolic starter wouldn't be fair to Kenny Lewis and Dustin Pickle, who worked out all summer.

"I wouldn't say I'm out of shape," Ore said. "I'm in shape. I'm just not in the kind of shape as these guys."

Ore shouldered much of the offensive load last season, but Beamer has indicated he might give Lewis -- son of former New York Jets RB Kenny Lewis -- more touches, reminiscent of the dynamic duo of Kevin Jones and Lee Suggs.

QB Sean Glennon has a year under his belt and should be able to take some pressure off the running backs with his passes. The Hokie offensive line is inexperienced, however, and this week lost starting tackle Ed Wang with a broken ankle.

Obviously, though, the ACC media representatives didn't get Beamer's memo about Ore's roster status -- they gave him the second-most votes (behind Boston College QB Matt Ryan) for Player of the Year.

Original Virginia Tech Hokies insight, courtesy of RealFootball365.com
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