Virginia Tech DE Jake Johnson to Transfer
by furrer4heisman on May 4, 2010 5:44 PM EDT
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PrintJake-a-mania is no more.
Rising junior Jake Johnson, who lost his starting job at the "backer" linebacker position in the middle of last season has decided to transfer, according to Norm Wood of the Newport News Daily Press:
Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 232-pound native of Fredericksburg, has to be a particularly disappointing loss for the Hokies. After spurning scholarship offers from U.Va. and Maryland in 2007 to accept one from Tech, Johnson quickly gained a reputation that summer at Tech's recruiting camp as a physical specimen with the potential to be far better than many recruiting analysts figured he'd be (he was considered by many analysts to be among the nation's top 125 linebackers).
Johnson was replaced by Lyndell Gibson during the loss to North Carolina and played sparingly the rest of the season with Gibson starting at backer the rest of the season. He was a fan-favorite entering the 2009 season, but his struggles in pass defense eventually forced him down the depth chart.
Johnson moved to defensive end during spring practice to improve the depth at the position following the losses of Jason Worilds and Nekos Brown after last year. Johnson did not accumulate any stats during the spring game.
The loss means the Hokies will have to look elsewhere for depth at defensive end behind presumptive starters Steven Friday and converted tight end Chris Drager. Most of the remaining defensive ends are younger players, including freshmen J.R. Collins, Duan Perez-Means and James Gayle. Sophomore Isaiah Hamlette will also compete for playing time.
Wood reports rising junior wide receiver Patrick Terry will also transfer.
(H/T: NatP0wers posted this info here before the story became official.)
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So he was the #2 DE on the weak/ strong side?
Figure 15-20 snaps per game?
Ponder lacks arm strength? Think again.
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I don't think so
He was probably third- or fourth-team on depth chart. If you read between the lines of some coaches’ quotes, it doesn’t appear he was working out at DE.
A bullhorn, a bottle of whiskey and a dream. GobblerCountry.com
by furrer4heisman on May 4, 2010 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah
i don’t think he would have ever played meaningful mins.
this time next yr means, collins, mccray will all be getting time with gayle.
hamlette was not quick enough for DE, he has been moved to DT, needs at least 30 lbs (to get to 280) and won’t play much this year but has potential next yr to make the 2 deep.
DE future looks bright.
play recognition and lateral quickness were jj’s issues.
A D-II school is going to get him...
Put him in the box and tell him to stop the run, and he will be a standout performer. Best of luck to him.
Both players very humble....
They understand the situation. Both praised Beamer and their experience on the team. They are young guys and want to see the field, but it’s the nature of the beast when it comes to college football. Both are looking at Division two schools, in which case they wouldn’t have to sit out a year. Johnson just didn’t fit into Fosters scheme as a linebacker because of his inability to be even adequate in pass coverage. He would be a perfect fit if he just had to play in the box against the run, so hopefully he can contribute somewhere else and make himself happy. He tried hard at DE but his heart wasn’t in it so he has decided to move on. Both are great kids and i am glad to see them making this move and hopefully making themselves happy. As doe depth i don’t think this hurts us as much as one might think. I honestly didn’t see Johnson contributing this year at DE.
by NatP0wers on May 4, 2010 10:35 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Wish them the Best of Luck
Very nice to see both of them speak well of Beamer and their time with your team. It speaks well of your program.
Look forward to meeting you all in September! – Boise State fan in San Diego
"The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'" - Jeremy Bentham
by Please Spay and Neuter Your Pets on May 6, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Doesn't he lose a year of eligibility for this?
Sometimes I take it for granted Boise State is a “small” recruiting school. All the players we get typically never have issue with taking a back seat. In bigger schools, if you believe you have the talent, you’re going to try and find a place on another team, I suppose.
Good luck. No doubt your coaches will find a great solution. There’s a reason Va Tech averages top 10 defenses every year.
"Everyone counted us out. I don't know why they keep doing that." -- Kyle Wilson
Johnson
has not used his redshirt year, so he can use his RS year as his transfer year if he chooses to stay in FBS. Terry would lose a year if he stays FBS because he’ll have to sit out a year. Neither will have to sit out a year if they choose to go to FCS or below.
A bullhorn, a bottle of whiskey and a dream. GobblerCountry.com
by furrer4heisman on May 5, 2010 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions
We can't put Johnson back at linebacker?
Use these scholies to get guys for 2011. Selfishly I wish all guys who have no shot at contributing in their career would transfer so we could use their ships to take a chance on another guy at the same position. But then again I would have given a lot as a student just to be a part of the team and go to school for free and run out of the tunnel.
I think i saw on college football live that virginia tech was replacing 6 or 7 starters on defense?
The boise state game is looking all the more interesting.
I'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. I was building a house, I don't deserve this, deserves have nothing to do with it. Bang. "Unforgiven" I drink your milkshake. I drink it up! "There Will BE Blood". Hell is just a word, the reality is much much worse." Event Horizon". Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean, I mean plumb, mad dog mean. cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live or win. That's just the way it is. "The Outlaw Josey Wales".
by wolfmanshowlforever on May 6, 2010 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions
He just cant play at the level he needs to in Fosters system...
He got exploited in pass coverage last year and that’s why he lost his spot. He isn’t athletic enough to give Foster what he needs at that position. He would be a stud if he only had to stay in the box, but that is not Bud Foster football….
Good luck....
Best of luck to them. When kids start exiting or wanting to leave a program, it makes you wonder….
JJ
I think Jake might have unreal expectations of himself due to the cult following he had. Let’s face it, he just isn’t very good and he doesn’t possess a high Football IQ. A hardworking kid with a good motor but he’s not that athletic and struggles. Anyone that thinks this is a “huge loss” is downright foolish. The same goes for people that think a practical football tactic would be “if he could just stay in the box”, that’s not defense.
Transfers
Maybe Tyrod will be a Cavalier by fall. Boise State’s horrible conference is the only thing keeping them from recruiting 4 or 5 star players. Then again, Zabransky was a 1.8 star and Kyle Wilson (first round draft choice) was a 2…hmmmm
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