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Tech now must deal with early departures

January 19, 2000
By Jimmy Robertson

This past football season was a season of firsts for Virginia Tech's football program. It was the first perfect one for Tech. It marked the first time the Hokies had played for the national title.

And the season saw the first two Tech players leave school early for the NFL.

Tailback Shyrone Stith and cornerback Ike Charlton, both juniors, submitted their names to the NFL office and decided to forgo their final year of eligibility. Thus, they become eligible for April's NFL Draft. Charlton let his intentions be known before the draft. He already has graduated, getting his diploma in December, and he wanted to take care of his mother who has been moving from home to home in the Orlando area for the past few years. NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. lists Charlton as the No. 43 prospect available in the draft.

But Stith's departure caught Tech's coaching staff off guard. The week before the Sugar Bowl, Stith told reporters he planned on returning to school. But after getting hurt in the game and talking the situation over with his mother, he called running backs coach Billy Hite the Thursday night after Tech returned home to inform Hite of his change of heart. Stith did not want to risk getting injured as a senior and seeing his NFL stock plummet.

Needless to say, the move disturbed Tech's coaching staff because Stith doesn't have his degree, though he was on track to graduate next December. It also disturbed the coaching staff because Stith is projected to be a fourth-round pick, a third-rounder at best. The coaching staff felt Stith could move up into the first round with another year of college.

"Football's not important here," Hite said. "I just want to make sure he's taken care of and there's no guarantee. Like I've told people, if he were a first- or second-round pick, I'd be the first to boot him out of here. Honestly, I would. But from what we've gathered, he's a fourth-rounder, third at best."

"What if he doesn't get drafted? What then? I don't want to see something bad happen to him. He's so well-liked here. Everyone wants to make sure he's OK."

Hite even contacted former Tech fullback Tony Paige, who is an agent. Paige called five general managers and all of them suggested Stith stay in college. In fact, Paige estimated Stith could cost himself between $1-2 million by leaving early.

After traveling all over the country for the past month, Tech head coach Frank Beamer took some time to weigh in on the subject recently.

"It's a decision they have to make," Beamer said. "I personally felt they could have moved up [in the draft] with another year. A lot can happen between now and draft day, depending upon a team's needs. A lot. "But now that they've made that decision, I'm going to do nothing but help them. They gave us some great football and I'll do everything I can to help them be successful." Top programs such as Florida State, Ohio State, etc. deal with this all the time. But for Tech and Beamer, this is new territory. And rest assured, the issue will come up next season with Vick and receiver André Davis. Even though he'll be a sophomore, Vick will be eligible for the draft because he will have been in school three years.

"Sure, some years, it's going to happen," Beamer said. "Our deal is to provide them with as much information as possible. If they're guaranteed of being a high draft choice, then I'll tell them they need to go.

"But in most cases, a kid benefits from another year of experience against good competition and the pro guys will tell you that. You look at [Wisconsin tailback] Ron Dayne. He came back and had a great year, winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming the NCAA's all-time leading rusher. He really increased his value.

"There's such an amazing difference between a first- or second-round pick and a fourth-rounder. There's just not a high rate of success for those guys drafted later. But I'm going to do everything I can to help Ike and Shyrone be a success."

Defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who advised Charlton against leaving despite Charlton having his degree, said Tech's players need to be aware of the lack of longevity among professional athletes.

"Unless they're a first- or second-round pick, to me, it doesn't do any good to leave," Foster said. "You look at Peyton Manning or Peter Warrick, they enhanced themselves. Even though he got in trouble, I don't think Peter Warrick hurt himself.

"Football is a short-lived profession. It's a very competitive business. Even guys at their pinnacle play an average of maybe 10-12 years. I'd say the average for most guys is 3-4 years and that's why you really need to have that degree to fall back on after football."

But regardless, everyone who knows Stith and Charlton knows that they come no finer as people and both gave Tech some terrific football. And certainly everyone wishes them the best of luck.

"I hope he's drafted in the first or second round," Hite said of Stith. "He's been so special. He'll go down as one of my all-time favorites."

Championship reunion set

The Virginia Tech Monogram Club, under the direction of former football assistant coach Terry Strock, has a reunion set up for the 1955 undefeated Southern Conference championship wrestling team along with members of the 1956 and 1957 team and the 1958 Southern Conference championship team.

Also, the Monogram Club plans to honor the 1956 Indoor and Outdoor Southern Conference championship track team and the 1957 Southern Conference championship swimming team.

The reunion begins Friday, Jan. 21, at 10 a.m. During the weekend, the current Hokies wrestle in the Virginia Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships. Also, there will be an indoor track meet that weekend and a swim meet with N.C. State on Jan. 22.

All club members will receive free admission to all athletic events. There will be a gate list or show your registration badge.

On Jan. 21, there will be a social in the Bowman Room of the Jamerson Athletics Center from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. and on the 22nd, there will be a social and a dinner in the Bowman Room starting at 7 p.m.

Huddler note

The Hokie Huddler now will be mailed out on Wednesdays instead of on Mondays as they were during football season. The latest issue of the Hokie Huddler was mailed on Jan. 19 and should be in mailboxes within the next few days.

The price of the Huddler is $37.95 for one year or $69.95 for two (first-class postage is an extra $35 per year).

To order the Hokie Huddler, call (540) 231-3908 and have your Visa or Mastercard ready.

Or mail a check, made out to the Treasurer of Virginia Tech, to:

Hokie Huddler
367 Jamerson Athletics Center
Blacksburg, VA, 24061

So hurry and get your Hokie Huddler today!

Jimmy Robertson is the editor of the Hokie Huddler at Virginia Tech. The Hokie Huddler is the athletics department newspaper that is printed 33 times a year - weekly during football and basketball seasons and bi-monthly during the spring.

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