2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE - HokieSports

tackle Ed Wang forced some shifts in the line …
Played a career-high 45 snaps against William &
Mary … Is currently a backup at center.
2007: Shared time at right guard during
the first half of the season … Worked 34 plays
in the opening game with East Carolina …
Played 26 snaps with three knockdown blocks at
LSU … Got 45 plays in the W&M game and 24
against UNC … Did not play in the Duke game
… Worked seven snaps at center after Ryan
Shuman was hurt against BC … Played five
snaps against Miami.
Personal: Matthew Edward Welsh … Born
9/12/84 in Fairfax, VA … Son of Ed and
Maryann Welsh … Graduated with a degree in
apparel, housing and resource management.
83
Sam Wheeler
Tight End • 6-3 • 267 • r-So.
Blacksburg, Va. • Blacksburg H.S. • Hargrave
Earned the starting tight end job early
on … Was having an outstanding year when
he suffered a season-ending knee injury at
Georgia Tech … Had already surpassed his 2006
totals when he was injured … A good athlete
with great hands and the ability to get down
field … Posted seven catches in the opening
game against East Carolina and had 94 yards
receiving in the Duke game … Is expected to
be ready for the 2008 season.
2007: Caught a personal-best seven passes
in the season opener with ECU … Also had 81
yards receiving with 28 coming on a touchdown
pass from Sean Glennon … Played 45 snaps
at LSU, but did not have a catch … Hauled in
a 16-yard pass in the Ohio game … Had two
catches for 15 yards versus W&M … Picked up
46 snaps at Clemson … Made four catches for a
career-best 94 yards at Duke … Caught a 5-yard
pass in the BC game … Suffered a seasonending
knee injury in the first quarter of the
game at Georgia Tech … Underwent surgery and
was lost for the season … Had 15 catches for
211 yards and a touchdown over nine games.
Personal: Samuel Ryan Wheeler … Born
5/27/86 in Bluefield, WV … Son of Anthony
and Linda Wheeler … Enrolled in apparel,
housing and resource management.
receiving G no. yds. Avg. Td LG
2006 13 13 199 15.3 2 53
2007 9 15 211 14.1 1 38
Career 23 28 410 17.8 3 53
Ike Whitaker
Split End • 6-4 • 225 • r-So.
Germantown, Md. • Northwest H.S.
3
A big, tall athlete who has spent the
season learning the ropes at wide receiver …
Has seen action in seven games, catching three
passes … Was one of the players competing for
the quarterback duties during the spring and
preseason.
2007: Moved from quarterback to wide
receiver during the preseason … Played six
downs in the opener with ECU … Picked up his
first reception, a 9-yard grab, at LSU … Played
nine snaps against Ohio and caught a 3-yard
pass … Had a 5-yard catch against W&M, while
playing 28 snaps … Saw brief action at Duke
… Worked four plays at receiver during the
GT game and five against Miami … Has three
catches for 17 yards on the season.
Personal: Dewight Allan Whitaker … Born
6/5/87 in Takoma Park, MD … Son of Derrick
Whitaker and Maria Thomas … Enrolled in
university studies.
43
Jason Worilds
Defensive End • 6-2 • 257 • r-Fr.
Carteret, N.J. • Carteret H.S.
Has seen action in every game but one at
defensive end … Is explosive coming off the
corner … Third on the team in quarterback
hurries with 15 … Starts on the punt return/
block team and the extra point and field goal
block unit.
2007: Contributed a pair of quarterback
pLAYER pROFILE upDATES
hurries in the opening game against
East Carolina … Was in on three
tackles at LSU … Played 10 downs
against Ohio before suffering a high ankle sprain
… Missed the William & Mary game … Played
25 downs against UNC, posting four tackles …
Posted a sack and three QB hurries at Clemson …
Made two tackles for loss in the Duke game …
Had a tackle and a hurry in the Boston College
game … Shared a sack against GT and added a
hurry … Picked up a pair of hurries in the FSU
game … Shared a sack against Miami … Played
23 downs at end against Virginia and had a pair
of tackles … Was in on 24 defensive plays in the
ACC title game against BC, contributing a tackle
and a QB hurry.
Personal: Jason Adjepong Worilds ... Went
by Jason Adjepong last year, but legally changed
his last name to Worilds in the summer … Born
3/3/88 in Rahway, NJ ... Son of Sandra Worilds …
Enrolled in university studies.
Tackles G uT AT Tot. Loss Sacks
2007 12 9 8 17 4.5- 26 2.5- 16
48
Kenny Younger
Tight End • 5-11 • 229 • So.
Richmond, Va. • Mills Godwin H.S.
Earned a role on special teams with hard
work … Starts on both the punt team and the
kickoff return unit … Also spends time with
the extra point and field goal squads and helps
provide depth at tight end … Excels in the
weight room.
2007: Won the Excalibur Award, the
top honor in the strength and conditioning
program, during the preseason … Starts on
the punt team and the kickoff return unit …
Posted a tackle in the ECU game … Played four
snaps at fullback, as well as nine special team
downs … Got five snaps at fullback during
the William & Mary game … Downed a punt
inside the 10 … Saw action on 11 special team
plays against UNC and 17 at Clemson … Moved
to tight end after the Georgia Tech game …
Worked 13 special team plays in the win over
FSU … Graded 90 percent on two special team
units during the Miami game … Was in on 12
special team plays during the ACC title game.
Personal: Kenny Wayne Younger … Born
5/11/88 in Richmond, VA … Son of Ken and
Jamie Younger … A sociology major.
2007 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL 31
2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE