The Augusta Free Press

Item by Chris Graham
thesportsdominion@comcast.net

DECISION ON TAYLOR LOOMING: Tyrod Taylor might get the call when eighth-ranked Virginia Tech takes the field at Lane Stadium against second-ranked Boston College Thursday night.
Taylor suffered a high ankle sprain in the Hokies’ 43-14 win over Duke on Oct. 13. It was thought at the time that he could miss four to six weeks with the injury, but he was given a clean bill of health over the weekend.
Former starter Sean Glennon filled in admirably to lead Tech to the win over Duke - completing 16 of his 21 pass attempts for 258 yards and two touchdowns.
“We’ll make that decision tomorrow,” Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said during his weekly teleconference call today.
Beamer did his best to talk up Glennon - which has to make you wonder if he was trying to use some reverse psychology.
“Sean played really well against Duke, and I think it makes a statement about what he’s all about,” Beamer said. “He was certainly disappointed when Tyrod went to number one - but he hung in there, he kept his head in the game, and when his number was called, he was ready. I think that makes a great statement about him - and certainly we’ve got a lot of confidence in Sean.”

ANOTHER QB WITH CONFIDENCE - MATT RYAN: Matt Ryan is doing it all for Boston College.
He’s leading the ACC with more than 300 yards passing a game. He’s second in the ACC with 17 touchdown passes. He’s third in passing efficiency.
What matters more to Ryan than the gaudy numbers - and talk of him being a favorite for the Heisman Trophy - is that the Eagles are winning.
And that they keep winning - even in the face of some interesting odds at Virginia Tech, which is favored to win the game against unbeaten BC.
“It’s a big game. I mean, we’re going down, we’re playing at Virginia Tech - and they’ve got a great football team, a lot of great athletes, great coaching staff. So we know we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Ryan said in a teleconference with reporters on Monday.
Boston College defeated the Hokies 22-3 in Chestnut Hill last year. Two years ago, Tech pasted BC by a 30-10 count in a game that wasn’t as close as the score might indicate.
“We didn’t play as well as we would have liked, and Virginia Tech did a great job down there,” Ryan said. “We know it’s a tough place to go down and play, and we’re prepared for that challenge this week - and we’re going to be excited when we get down there Thursday night.”

ANOTHER HEISMAN CANDIDATE? There’s talk in them thar hills about UVa. defensive end Chris Long getting some serious looks as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
After his performance Saturday night at Maryland, where he posted 10 tackles, including five for loss and two sacks, one of which resulted in a third-quarter safety, it doesn’t seem as farfetched as it might sound at first hearing.
Long is second on the UVa. team with 50 tackles - an absurd number for a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme - and he has recorded 10 sacks, seven pass breakups, also second on the team, and one interception.
And the senior has a booster in Virginia coach Al Groh - who knows a thing or two about big-time defensive play.
“If it’s for the best player in college football, it’s hard to imagine that anybody’s been playing his position better than Chris Long is,” Groh told reporters this week.
“You all get to see him every week. You know how good of a player that he is and the impact that he has on games,” Groh said. “He had 10 tackles the other day, that’s pretty terrific. It’s not the same as completing 25 passes. So for some guy in Seattle or Portland who’s trying to mark his ballot, it’s hard to pick a guy who had 10 tackles or eight tackles over somebody who scored four touchdowns; we appreciate that fact.
“That’s the way the award has become, and everybody in football understands that, but if it went strictly by the definition of the best player in college football, it’s hard to imagine that there are many players who are better than Chris Long is,” Groh said.