Friday, January 22, 1999

Recruiting:  The Hokies are Learning How to Close

One week after the Hokies landed Keith Willis, one of this year's top targets, the Hokies have closed the deal on arguably the top target this year, Nathaniel Adibi (pronounced uh-DEE-bee).  Adibi verballed to the Hokies this week, adding to a rapidly improving haul for Tech in recruiting.

Adibi, an aspiring engineering student and the son of a college professor, has been all over the map this year.  At first, his top two schools were Penn State and Virginia Tech.  Then, the rumors were UVa and Tech, and the latest rumors had UNC battling with Tech.  In the end, Adibi has verballed to the school that was there all along - the Hokies:

Tech High on Peninsula District Star - The Roanoke Times
Two-Way Phoebus Star Opts for Hokies - The Richmond Times-Dispatch

No sooner had Adibi committed than the Hokies received a verbal from another late target: Garnell Wilds, a 5-11, 180-lb. defensive back from Tampa-Hillsborough, FL, who turned down Notre Dame for the Hokies.

The next big recruit for the Hokies is wide receiver Andrae Harrison from Warwick High in Newport News, and if the Hokies can land Harrison, it will close out the second straight strong class for the Hokies, whose Alliance Bowl trips and Merryman Center are finally beginning to pay off.

With consistency in the coaching staff, a growing fan base, and improving facilities, Tech football is poised to take off.  As the Hokies stockpile the team with talented, big-time recruits, the wins will follow.

Signing day is Wednesday, February 3rd.  As the signing day approaches, keep an eye on things on the HokieCentral message board, and by visiting the Screaming Lizard's recruiting site.


 Tech Notes

  • Ace Custis has survived the NBA lockout and has signed a contract with the team that he originally tried out with as a free agent, the Dallas Mavericks.  Congrats, Ace, and go get 'em!   The Hokies now have three players in the NBA:  Dell Curry, Bimbo Coles, and Ace.  As Adam Sandler might say, "Not too shabby."
  • The UVa Cavaliers have fired a big Tech nemesis, offensive coordinator Sparky Woods, and have replaced him with, well, another Tech nemesis, former Tech offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill.  I'm starting to like Tech's chances to beat UVa next year, because the Cavs will be breaking in a new (but talented) quarterback, Dan Ellis, and a new coordinator.
  • I finally found out the location of the "Hokie Ct" street sign shown in a recent News and Notes update.  It's in Chesterfield County, south of Richmond (just off of Rte 1 and I-95).
  • Don't miss today's Special Feature about the New Cyberspace VTAF chapter, and HokieCentral members, be sure to catch Jim Alderson's great column about Tech and the MNC (Mythical National Championship).   It's a Members Only HokieCentral Column.

          

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