At this time last year, one of the Cavaliers’ biggest question marks was if one tailback could emerge as a reliable ballcarrier.

BLACKSBURG — Kenny Lewis Jr. isn’t going to let an injury decide his fate this preseason, not with a heated battle expected among at least five players for Virginia Tech’s starting running back position.

Liberty football coach Danny Rocco could only shake his head as he ticked off the list of players who missed Monday’s practice at Williams Stadium.
“I’ve never had so many guys hurt in my life,” Rocco said.

The Virginia football team reported for training camp in Charlottesville on Monday, ready to take the field and erase the memory of a tumultuous offseason marred by arrests, academic suspensions and dismissals.

BLACKSBURG - One by one, they returned. Sean Glennon, Kam Chancellor, Tyrod Taylor. Virginia Tech’s players reported to the equipment room yesterday and picked up their gear for this season, right down to a fresh pair of white tube socks and turf shoes with their numbers written neatly in green marker on the heels.

Cornerback Mike Brown was dismissed from the Virginia football team, according to a two-paragraph release put out by the school Sunday.

Rocco wants to split the kicking duties — field goals, extra points, punts and kickoffs — among several players.

Authorities said two University of Virginia football players were arrested during the wee hours Saturday at a downtown Charlottesville nightclub.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stony Brook athletics director Jim Fiore has heard all the jokes by now. SBU in the Big South? What is it south of? Connecticut? Quebec?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Both of Rashad Jennings’ brothers — Butch and Bryan — made it to the NFL, so it’s natural that the thought of playing professional football has crept into Rashad’s mind over the summer. He ran a personal best in the 40-yard dash during Liberty’s pro timing day this past March. He’s even changed his number from 3 to 23 to conform to NFL standards.

A quarterback with the University of Virginia football team has been charged with underage possession of alcohol, marking the latest in a string of headaches for the Cavaliers.

GREENSBORO, Ga. — Virginia was picked to finish fifth in the ACC’s Coastal Division by the assembled media at the ACC Kickoff on Monday. Cavaliers coach Al Groh was neither surprised nor concerned.
“Our team probably continues to labor to get much respect in this conference,” Groh said.
Despite winning nine games in 2007, tied for second-most in school history, Virginia was hit hard by offseason attrition both expected (Chris Long and Branden Albert heading to the NFL) and unexpected (academic suspensions to starters Jameel Sewell and Chris Cook and the transfer of rising star Jeffrey Fitzgerald).

GREENSBORO, Ga. — The preseason ACC rankings surprised Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer. He didn’t think he’d see the Hokies atop the Coastal Division.
Tech received 58 first-place votes, well ahead of second place North Carolina, which garnered four.
“Well, I’m surprised to be honest with you, that we were picked like that, because we’ve got some work to do. We’ve got some coaching to do,” Beamer said.
The Hokies are coming off an ACC championship season, but they must replace 11 starters and a kicker from that team.