2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE - HokieSports

Ryan Shuman
game, finishing with four grabs for 77 yards …
Caught two passes for 45 yards before suffering
a calf injury at Georgia Tech … Missed the FSU
game … Returned against Miami and rushed
twice for 44 yards and added 45 yards on four
punt returns to become the ACC’s career leader
in punt return yards … Hauled in six passes for
a career-best 147 yards and one touchdown in
win over Virginia … Put Tech ahead for good
in the ACC Championship game with a leaping
24-yard touchdown catch … Had four catches
for 63 yards in the game to go with two kickoff
returns for 41 yards.
Personal: William Edward Royal … Born
5/21/86 in Alexandria, VA … Son of Pearl Royal
… Majoring in sociology.
receiving G no. yds. Avg. Td LG
2004 12 28 470 16.8 3 80
2005 13 27 315 11.7 2 42
2006 13 31 497 16.0 3 49
2007 12 32 485 15.2 4 56
Career 50 118 1767 15.0 12 80
–––––––––– 2007 receiving Game-by-Game –––––––––––
ECU 1 2 16 8.0 0 10
at LSU 1 0 0 0.0 0 0
OHIO 1 3 30 10.0 0 11
W&M 1 0 0 0.0 0 0
UNC 1 4 14 3.5 0 8
at CU 1 0 0 0.0 0 0
at Duke 1 6 90 15.0 1 25
BC 1 4 77 19.3 1 41
at GT 1 2 45 22.5 0 34
FSU Did not play
UM 1 1 3 3.0 0 3
at UVa 1 6 147 24.5 1 56
vs BC 1 4 63 15.8 1 24
Passing G Att- Comp Pct. yds. Td int
2006 13 3- 1 33.3 53 1 1
2007 12 2- 0 0.0 0 0 1
Career 25 5- 1 20.0 53 1 2
rushing G no. yds. Avg. Td LG
2004 12 1 11 11.0 1 11
2005 13 10 79 7.9 1 17
2006 13 5 24 4.8 0 10
2007 12 7 111 15.9 0 53
Career 50 23 225 9.8 2 53
k.o. ret. G no. yds. Avg. Td LG
2004 12 12 346 28.8 0 48
2005 13 14 283 20.9 0 36
2006 13 19 431 23.0 0 55
2007 12 12 228 19.0 0 41
Career 50 57 1288 22.6 0 55
Punt ret. G no. yds. Avg. Td LG
2004 12 25 274 11.0 0 58
2005 13 32 263 8.2 0 29
2006 13 23 304 13.2 1 58
2007 12 30 454 15.1 2 82
Career 50 110 1295 11.8 3 82
58
Ryan Shuman
Center • 6-3 • 314 • r-Jr.
Fork Union, Va. • Fork Union M.A.
Has played 649 snaps as the starting center
… Missed two games with an ankle injury,
but helped solidify the line when he returned
… A standout in the Hokies’ strength and
conditioning program … A tough competitor.
2007: Made his first start at center during
the open with ECU … Played every offensive
down in each of the first two games …
Registered five knockdown blocks in the opener
… Picked up 72 snaps against Ohio … Worked
35 plays against William & Mary with three
knockdowns … Played every offensive down
against UNC, Clemson and Duke … Suffered
an ankle injury in the first half of the BC
game … Did not play against Georgia Tech or
Florida State … Returned for the Miami game
… Started and played 66 plays, grading at
90 percent … Played every offensive snap at
Virginia and during the win over BC in the ACC
Championship game.
Personal: John Ryan Shuman … Born
7/8/86 in Charlottesville, VA … Son of John and
Patricia Shuman … His dad, John, is the head
coach of the postgraduate football team at Fork
Union Military Academy … Enrolled in apparel,
housing and resource management.
Andre Smith
Tight End • 6-4 • 245 • r-Fr.
Germantown, Md. • Seneca Valley H.S.
pLAYER pROFILE upDATES
88
A promising young player who
saw his role increase as the season
progressed … Moved into the No.
2 spot at tight end after Sam Wheeler was
sidelined for the season during the Georgia
Tech game … Got starts in two of the last four
games when the Hokies opened in a two-tight
end set … Also contributes as a starter on the
punt and extra point and field goal teams.
2007: Saw his first action at LSU with
five offensive snaps … His first reception was
a 6-yard catch against Ohio … Caught two
passes for 39 yards in the William & Mary game
… Played 13 snaps at TE against Clemson
… Contributed two knockdown blocks while
playing 10 snaps at Duke … Contributed a
tackle on special teams against BC … Played
26 snaps at Georgia Tech, catching two passes
for 22 yards … Earned his first start against
Florida State and played 37 snaps … Had a
20-yard catch while playing 29 downs against
Miami … Was in for 29 plays against Virginia
and 27 offensive snaps in the ACC title game
against BC … Has six catches for 87 yards on
the season.
Personal: Andre Phillip Smith ... Born
9/26/88 in Savannah, GA ... Son of the late
Julida Kilafwakun … Enrolled in university
studies.
receiving G no. yds. Avg. Td LG
2007 12 6 87 14.5 0 22
45
Purnell Sturdivant
Linebacker • 5-10 • 217 • r-Jr.
Norfolk, Va. • Lake Taylor H.S.
The top backup to Xavier Adibi at the
backer position … A starter on the kickoff
return team and a member of two other special
team units … Picked off two passes and
registered a pair of QB sacks while playing a
career-high 55 plays against William & Mary …
Has won the Excalibur Award, the highest honor
in the Tech strength and conditioning program.
2007: Saw action as a starter on the
kickoff return team … Picked up six plays at
the backer position against Ohio and was in
on a tackle … Made the most of his 55 plays
at the backer position against William & Mary
Continued on next page
2007 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL 27
2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE