20 - Mike Imoh

Position: Tailback
Class: Senior
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 195 lbs.
High School: Robinson
Hometown: Fairfax, Va.

 

A speedy player who ended up being the spark plug Tech's running game was looking for last season ... Enters the fall as the co-No. 1 at tailback with Cedric Humes ... A senior leader in the backfield ... Saw limited action in the spring to give the younger backs more reps ... A key cog in Tech's offense ... Takes a lot of pressure off of the quarterback ... Set the school record for rushing yards in a game at North Carolina last year ... Does an excellent job in all phases of the game ... A tough runner with good speed and quickness ... Also returns kickoffs and punts ... Earned Super Iron Hokie honors in the weight room this past spring ...

A Talk With... How are you going to prepare for the 2005 season both on and off the field? I am going to just work extra hard at everything. I want to go out on top and to get there, I have to put 110 percent effort into my part of the team. What is the most important lesson you have learned from Coach Beamer? I have learned for Coach Beamer not to take things for granted. I don't have to think about it anymore, I just live my life by it. What are you going to have to do to rush for 1,000 yards this season? I am going to do anything in my power to help wins games. I would like to rush over 1,000 yards and that is one of my personal goals for the season. As long as I get the ball, I will run for as many yards as I can. As a Hokie, have you ever played against one of your teammates from high school? If yes, how was it? If no, would you want to? A lot of Virginia players played for my rival high school. We still have words at games and try to show each other up. I know our team has gotten better and that kills them. What qualities do you possess that makes you a good tailback? I have good vision. I am short, which helps me be quick and flexible when running different paths and I make things happen. Do you have any game day rituals? I pray before every game, which helps me stay calm and focused. What are you most proud of being a Hokie? That I get to represent Virginia Tech on the football field and help win games. How do you deal with the pressure of winning the ACC championship again? It's great to wear the ring and enjoy our successes, but now I don't deal with it. I have to put it behind me because 2005 is a new season. Once you are on top you have to fight to stay on top. What is the best about football season? For me, it is scoring touchdowns and hearing 65,000-plus fans all excited and going crazy in Lane Stadium. Who is your favorite professor here at VT? Dr. Redican and Dr. Leech. Dr. Redican teaches Personal Health and Dr. Leach teaches Consumer Studies. How do you communicate to your teammates on the field during a game? I am more of a silent player. I do what I need to do when the plays are called. What is your favorite professional sports team? If I had to pick a team it would be the Sacramento Kings. But I don't follow one team, just good games. Do you support other Virginia Tech athletic teams? Yes, I try to go to all of the basketball games. I like watching them play. What would be five things you would put in a time capsule to be opened 50 years from now (2055)? My five things would be a picture of my family, my Tech jersey, a bible, McDonalds cheeseburgers and my diploma.

2004: Started nine of the last 10 games ... Was suspended the first three games of the season ... Carried the ball 158 times for 720 yards and six touchdowns ... Also had eight catches for 4 yards ... Returned for the N.C. State game, rushing for 74 yards and putting up 51 yards on kickoff returns ... Earned his first collegiate start the next week against West Virginia ... Responded with 206 all-purpose yards ... Carried the ball 30 times for 115 yards ... Rushed for 100 net yards on 29 carries in the win at Wake Forest ... Scored the game-winning touchdown on a 7-yard run with 2:10 left ... Set the Virginia Tech single-game rushing record at North Carolina, carrying the ball 32 times for 243 yards ... Also scored a career-best two touchdowns and finished with 294 all-purpose yards ... Performance earned him unanimous ACC Offensive Back of the Week honors ... Was on his way to another big game against Maryland before sustaining a strained hamstring in the first quarter ... Had 35 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries before the injury ... Started against UVa, but played just 20 snaps, carrying the ball seven times for 22 yards ... Tried to go at Miami, but re-aggravated the injury early ... Played just three snaps ... Recorded a 515-pound back squat and a 316-pound push jerk in spring testing ...

2003: Became one of the top kickoff return men in the BIG EAST and the nation, averaging 30.5 yards per return with one touchdown ... Was third nationally in returns ... Caught nine passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns ... Also carried the ball 22 times for 86 yards ... Became the first Tech player to return a kickoff for a touchdown since 1992 when he took the opening kick of the second half back 91 yards for a score against UConn ... Made the move to receiver for the Rutgers game and came up with two big plays ... Caught a pair of 10-yard touchdown passes ... Caught his third touchdown pass of the season at Virginia, a 43-yarder ... Had two catches for 49 yards in the game ... Had four kickoff returns for 142 yards, including a 55-yarder, in the bowl game against Cal ... Was a Super Iron Hokie in the weight room during the off-season, posting a 550-pound back squat ... Had five carries for 34 yards in Tech's second spring scrimmage ... Added a 20-yard touchdown run in the final scrimmage ... Ran for 15 yards on eight carries during the Maroon-White game ... Also had a 23-yard kickoff return and three punt returns for nine yards ...

2002: His 36-inch vertical jump was the best among incoming freshmen ... Played in five games, rushing 10 times for 38 yards ... Also caught four passes for 28 yards and a touchdown ... Saw his first collegiate action in the opener against Arkansas State ... Caught a team-high four passes for 28 yards, including a 19-yard pass for his first collegiate touchdown ... Was the workhorse in Tech's jayvee win over Fork Union, carrying the ball 31 times for 164 yards ... Missed the Temple game with a sprained ankle ... Dressed for the remaining games, but did not see any action ... Improved his bench press to 350 pounds during the off-season and increased his vertical jump to 37 1/2 inches, second-best among all of Tech's running backs ... Posted the second-best forty time (4.41) and NFL shuttle time (3.95) among the running backs ... Rushed for 22 yards on seven carries and added two pass receptions for 40 yards during one of the Hokies' spring scrimmages ... Had seven carries for 21 yards in the annual Maroon-White game ...

High School: Named the Virginia Group AAA Player of the Year by The Associated Press in 2001 ... Rushed for 5,280 yards and scored 68 touchdowns during his varsity career for Coach Mark Bendorf ... A SuperPrep All-American who was rated the No. 41 running back in the nation ... Helped his team to the state AAA Division 6 championship as a senior ... Ran for 2,077 yards and 28 touchdowns ... Added over 400 yards and three TDs on pass receptions ... Had 292 yards rushing and four touchdowns on just eight carries in a game against Langley High ... Scored four TDs and rushed for 210 yards in the state championship game ... Earned all-district, all-region and all-state honors ... Named to The Washington Post All-Metro team ... Picked up 1,760 yards on the ground his junior season, scoring 16 touchdowns ... Set over 20 school records during his prep career, including career and season marks for rushing yards and touchdowns ... Contributed over 1,000 yards receiving ... Team was 31-5 during his career ... A three-time varsity captain in football and basketball ... Won a region power lifting championship ... Rated the No. 11 player in the state by The Roanoke Times ... Named to PrepStar All-Atlantic Region team ... Rated the No. 13 prospect in Virginia by SuperPrep ...

Personal: Michael U. Imoh ... Born 7/21/84 in Fairfax, VA ... Son of James and Alice Imoh ... Majoring in apparel, housing, resource management.