When Virginia Tech takes the field Saturday against Duke, Branden Ore will be lining up at tailback, a fact that seemed obvious to Hokie fans at the conclusion of last season.
But when Ore, a redshirt sophomore, did not return to school for the spring semester, his presence in the backfield this season no longer was a given.
According to press releases, Ore missed spring practice to rehabilitate his injured right shoulder. The fact that he was not enrolled at the university for the semester--and that he chose to rehab at home--was the unusual part.
"The decision came down to me and my position coach, coach [Billy] Hite," Ore said. "The week before I was supposed to come back to school, he came down to Chesapeake, [Va.], and we just sat down and that's what we came up with."
Though the redshirt sophomore needed the time off to rehabilitate his shoulder, his break from the school and the program helped him develop off the football field.
"It was a growing experience for me," Ore said. "It made me realize how much I really loved the college and how much I loved football. I just wanted to hurry up and get back here and do everything right."
During his time off, Ore worked at a 7-Eleven warehouse in his hometown of Chesapeake. While his teammates were on the field practicing, Ore got "a taste of reality."
This season, the tailback has been nothing short of spectacular for Virginia Tech's young offense. In last week's 35-10 victory over North Carolina, Ore ripped through the Tar Heel defense for 111 yards on 22 carries and three touchdowns, earning him ACC Offensive Back of the Week honors.
"He can be really special," Hite said. "He reminds me of Lee Suggs with the way he jump cuts into the holes. And he has great vision and the ability to find that crack or that seam."
When asked about what running backs he looks up to, Ore mentioned Suggs along with former Hokie Kevin Jones and future Hall Of Famers Marshall Faulk and Barry Sanders.
Before his time off, he also learned valuable lessons from his Virginia Tech teammates who graduated last year.
"Cedric Humes and Mike Imoh, those two guys really showed me the ropes," Ore said. "The whole time they were here, I was picking their brains for pretty much anything."
Playing behind the two seniors last season, Ore came on strong late in the year, finishing second on the team in rushing with 647 yards.
Despite not getting much playing time early in his career, Ore finished the year with six touchdowns and an impressive 5.9 yards per carry average.
"I want to be better than I was last year," he said. "You want to get better as the year goes on, but as long as we get wins, I'm satisfied."
In 2006, the Hokies have been winning, and Ore has been improving. Nonetheless, the tailback attributes much of his success to Hite.
"Not only has he looked out for me on the field, he makes sure that I'm doing all the right things off the field," Ore said. "I really appreciate that from him-he keeps me right at all times."
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