Three Takeaways From Virginia Tech's Second Week of Fall Camp

What stands out from the Hokies' first two weeks of fall camp?

Virginia Tech Athletics

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech's second week of fall camp is officially in the books, and while there is still plenty of time between now and the Sept. 5 season opener against VMI, the picture surrounding the Hokies is beginning to come into focus.

Two weeks has allowed for some players to make an effort at separating themselves, for certain position battles to become more interesting and for a few questions to emerge that weren't necessarily obvious when camp began.

There is still plenty that remains unsettled. But after another week of watching Virginia Tech practice, three things stand out.

No. 1: Marlion Jackson's making a push.

When Virginia Tech's wide receiver room was discussed entering camp, Jackson wasn't necessarily the first name that came to mind, a byproduct of him missing the spring.

Still, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound transfer from Louisiana Tech has quickly become one of the more intriguing players in the room. Offensive coordinator Ty Howle praised his combination of size and speed at Virginia Tech's Aug. 9 Media Day, and the production during the second week of camp backed up some of that optimism.

Jackson has made multiple impressive plays during the portions of practice open to the media, including a touchdown against Isaiah Brown-Murray on Aug. 13.

The competition for Virginia Tech's third wide receiver spot remains wide open, as is essentially every position. Save for the place kickers — Franklin said that John Love, Cole Byrd and Will Love were the top-3 there and that Byrd was the favorite to be the starting kickoff man — nothing's been revealed yet.

No. 2. The wide receiver competition is heating up.

The battle for WR3 was already one of the more interesting position competitions entering camp.

After two weeks, it might also be one of Virginia Tech's biggest sources of optimism. Ayden Greene and Que'Sean Brown appear to be the leading candidates for the top two spots, but the group behind them has continued to generate attention. Jackson, Tyseer Denmark, Jeff Exinor, Takye Heath, Chanz Wiggins, Luke Stuewe and Davion "FatRat" Brown, among others, are some of the players competing for meaningful snaps.

Obviously, having a crowded competition doesn't automatically translate into production on Saturdays. Eventually, the Hokies will need those players to turn practice performances into game-day consistency.

But depth is a good problem to have, particularly for a team trying to establish a new offensive identity under James Franklin and Howle. However, the potential drawback is if none of those names can stand out, unable to provide the Hokies with another receiving option that can stretch the field out and draw attention away from Greene and Que'Sean Brown.

No. 3: Linebacker is a point of concern.

Not every takeaway from the second week of camp was positive.

Virginia Tech has been operating shorthanded at linebacker, with Antwone Santiago and Gabe Williams not seen during the recent media-access periods. That has forced the Hokies to work with a thinner group than they presumably would prefer this early in camp.

Kaleb Spencer, Noah Chambers and Keon Wylie were working with the first team during Aug. 13, per staff writer Josh Poslusny, while George Ballance, Curtis Jr. and Sherrod Covil have worked with the second unit, although Covil is currently being designated as a safety.

It's important not to overreact to August practice availability. There is still time for players to return, recover and establish themselves before the opener; the status of Santiago and Williams is also unknown, leaving their status up in the air. Still, linebacker is a position where Virginia Tech simply doesn't have the luxury of losing too much depth.

Franklin has emphasized competition and waiting to name starters until things become obvious. After nine practices, that philosophy remains evident across the roster.

The Hokies are beginning to find answers at some positions, while others remain very much up for grabs. That's exactly what fall camp is supposed to do.

And with another week of practice ahead, there is still plenty of time for the answers to change.