Virgin pushing hard for QB spot

[CRBULL]

Here is some Rivals free content that I found interesting.

http://usf.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=944986

[The only things that have changed for Isaac Virgin are the right things.

He has added more distance and can now send a ball more than 75 yards with his arm. He has developed a soft touch on his shorter throws and at 6-5, 245 pounds is bigger, but quicker than last February when he signed with USF.

However, the most important thing for the Fort Pierce Westwood High standout has not changed. He is coming to USF to play quarterback__ That's a fact. That's a reality, he says.

Virgin was a highly sought recruit, but not everyone wanted him to play quarterback. He has been a tight end, linebacker, defensive end and receiver__ And a lot of people would argue he has the right body for any of those positions.

The 19-year-old decided on USF because Bulls head coach Jim Leavitt promised him he would be a quarterback. He backed it up by making Virgin the only quarterback on his recruit list for 2009.

That's no small thing Virgin says. Though he has only played quarterback for one full season and less than half of another, it's the position he wants and feels is the best for him.

"Coach Leavitt told me 'you are my quarterback from the class of 2009 and I am bringing you in to play quarterback.'" Virgin says. "He said we have an understanding about it and don't think anything else about the situation. I knew this was the school where I would have the best opportunity to play the position. It's a perfect fit for me.

"I wanted a chance to play quarterback and there were only a couple of schools that would give me a shot at doing that. I narrowed my list down because of it. West Virginia wanted to bring me in as an athlete and I didn't want that."

Since his high school basketball season ended, Virgin has been doing everything that USF offensive coordinator Mike Canales told him he needed to do to become the best. He left the baseball team at his school after six games to concentrate on football and has been working on a softer touch and trying to improve his footwork.

"I am going to be a quarterback. I don't want to change," Virgin says. "My senior year was the only season where I played the whole year at quarterback. As a junior, I played tight end and possession receiver, but I feel comfortable where I am now.

"I think quarterback is the best position for me. I am a playmaker and if you are a playmaker it's the right spot to be in because you touch the ball every time and can make things happen. "

His athleticism isn't the only thing that has Virgin convinced quarterback is for him. It's a position that demands leadership and he believes that is one of his strengths. "

He won't get any disagreement from Damieon Mills, who came to Westwood to be the team's offensive coordinator prior to the 2008 season and immediately made Virgin his quarterback.

"I knew he was the ideal person to run my offense. He can do things with his arm that a lot of Division I-A college quarterbacks can't do," says Mills, who was a high school quarterback in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and at West Virginia Tech before working as a grad assistant at West Virginia.

"I feel he has always been a true quarterback and especially effective because of his size and arm. His arm strength is incredible. He is making throws that some guys who are starting at the Division I level are not making. He can throw the deep out and deep corner. He is also working on throwing with finesse."

Though he might lack the experience of other quarterbacks entering the college, Mills believes Virgin can make up for lost time because of his dedication and ability to mentally absorb things fast.

"He will be a success in college because he is a coachable kid and is going to do the right things," Mills says. "Just being able to do the small things can make you a big success on the field. He is learning defenses and coverages. We used the spread offense that USF does so he has a basic knowledge of how to run it."

Virgin has been all over the field as a player. He was on the Westwood varsity all four years of high school, but played linebacker and defensive end his first two years. This past season, he threw for 1,700 plus yards with 17 TDs and four interceptions and ran for 500 plus yards with eight touchdowns.

He showed his versatility in basketball for his 17-8 team averaging a double-double with 13 points, 10 plus rebounds and six assists per game.

Despite his impressive stats, the best thing about Virgin is his willingness to learn and improve. He has been doing drills recommended by Canales to improve his touch and footwork.

"Coach Canales told me I have a big arm and so I have a tendency to throw ball harder than it should be at times," Virgin says. "Basketball helped me improve my quickness and I believe my skills at quarterback are best suited for the spread offense. Coach Leavitt told me that he sees me as a duel threat ."

Virgin doesn't believe in wasting time. He has been making trips to USF every other weekend to learn more about the offense and watch film. He was at the spring game and fills confident enough in his ability that he doesn't particularly want to redshirt this season though Matt Grothe is firmly entrenched as the starter and B.J. Daniels is the solid backup with Evan Landi adding to the depth chart.

"What I liked about the spring game is that the offense they ran was not that much different than what we did in high school," Virgin says. "Right now, it's unclear what will happen for me next season. I won't know until I get down there.

Grothe is an excellent quarterback and the other two are good, but why not take the attitude you can compete for the position. Coach Canales told me to come in and be ready to compete and never doubt yourself and that is the approach I am taking. "]

[Blackice12]

Looks like other people believe this guy could be a college QB with the right amount of work.

http://www.floridafb.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11200&ATCLID=1549753

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=75912&season=2009&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fplayer%3frecruitId%3d75912%26season%3d2009

[Guest hm101]

so... whos playing 09?

[Bullschmutz]

Distance is only one measure.

[crambone]

6'5"?  JaMarcus Russell, here we come!!!

[smazza]

when is this guy going to be qb?

[Bull Dozer]

Hopefully he's working hard in the classroom too so he can get qualified. 

[slowdown]

I'm pretty excited to get him in here.  We lose nothing by practicing him at QB for a redshirt and RS frosh year, especially if he ends up at tight end.  And best case is he works out at QB.

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

6'5, 245 ??

about time we got some NFL size taking snaps at QB.

Grothe is 6' with cleats on and i don't think BJ is much taller.

on a side note, "Virgin pushing hard" is a rather comedic title.

[jstewholymoly]

Beat me to it. At the main page, I saw an abbreviated title to the subject which read only "Virgin pushing hard..."

Eerie. I was thinking about this player today.