Wildcats look for skilled players as spring practice opens Indian Land

By LARRY HILLIARDLedger Sports Editor

Finding skill position players will be the top priority when spring practice begins for the Blacksburg Wildcats today.

“We need to find skill people,” said Blacksburg coach Robbie Blanton, whose Wildcats have a combined 6-16 mark over the last two seasons. “Running back is a big question mark because Quinton Hemphill transferred and Bernard Allen, our other tailback, is graduating.”

Blanton will use spring practice to sift through the players.

“You are limited in what you can do,” he said. “We were hoping to pass (a rule) that allowed us to have five days of full contact, but that didn’t happen. So, you are limited in spring practice to putting in terminology.”

But Blanton said he’ll have some new options on offense, such as an I-formation running attack to control the clock. Last season, the offense sputtered in large part because of an inconsistent passing game. But Blanton said a more reliable running game will “allow us to slow down the tempo of the game.”

There will be some changes on defense, too, with an additional down lineman to stop the run.

“We want to concentrate on stopping the run,” Blanton said. “Nine of the 10 teams we play, run the ball.”

Blanton will be coaching a team with plenty of returning starters.

“We do have a pretty strong nucleus of players coming back,” he said.

Especially on offense, where quarterbacks Dustin Byars and Cameron Byars will battle for the starting position.

Blanton said the quarterback battle will likely be a lengthy drama.

“They will both get a lot of reps but we won’t know who the starter is after spring practice,” he said.

Blanton is optimistic about his receiving corps with returners Gary Gaut and Bradley Gilfillan.

On defense, the Wildcats lost standouts Bruce Allen and Adam Kirby.