Oh how quickly Logan Thomas has acclimated himself in Blacksburg. Preseason is only seven practices old and the true freshman from Lynchburg has already moved into a tie with Ju-Ju Clayton for Virginia Tech’s backup quarterback job. This information came from Frank Beamer’s Web site. I would love to get to Blacksburg today to talk to QB coach Mike O’Cain and Thomas himself, but unfortunately, today’s practice is closed to the media. I’ll be at the team’s scrimmage Saturday, so hopefully I can get Thomas for a few minutes to ask him about his quick rise to No. 2.

As we all know, the backup QB job at Tech is very important. Starting QB Tyrod Taylor has been injured twice in the last two seasons and missed all or parts of five games. There wasn’t a huge dropoff in either of the last two seasons because an experienced Sean Glennon was there to lead the offense in Taylor’s absence. That won’t be the case this year. If Thomas earns the No. 2 spot, I don’t think there’s any question he’ll see the field this year.

Here’s what O’Cain had to say about the backup QB job during Saturday’s media day.

COULD LOGAN THOMAS END UP BEING TECH’S BACKUP QB: I’m not going to say yes or no. We just want to look. It’s too early yet. It’s two days in shorts, but we want to get a guy there who we felt had a chance to be that guy.

IS THE BACKUP JOB OPEN: The position is open. Yes, it is open, but Ju-Ju definitely has an advantage just because of the knowledge standpoint. I’ve been very pleased with Logan’s progress so far. He throws the ball well. He’s got some little things he’s got to work on. He’s a little bit raw. Prior to coming here, he had never taken a snap from center. He’s always been a shotgun quarterback, so he had to learn to take a snap from center and do all the things you have to do there, but I’ve been very pleased with what he’s done in two games.

CONFIDENCE JU-JU CAN STEP IN A GAME AND PERFORM WELL: Not good. Now. Today. The second day of practice. What it’s going to be in four weeks, you don’t know. That’s what these four weeks are for. I have confidence in Ju-Ju. I like Ju-Ju. I don’t know yet whether he can get it done. That’s what we’ve got to find out in the next three or four weeks, but I like him. I like what he does. He’s got to become more consistent throwing the football, but I like his personality. I like his makeup. I like the way he works. I like his decision making for the most part. There are a lot of good things there, it’s just a matter of physically can he get it done.

And here’s what Logan Thomas had to say Saturday.

DOES THE POSSIBILITY OF EARNING THE NO. 2 QB JOB MOTIVATE YOU MORE: I’ve always been motivated to be the best player I can. What I want to do is just push who is in front of me and who is behind me just to make them better. I’m here for the team and making the team better. Our ultimate goal is to win a national championship and bring one back to Blacksburg and the Hokie Nation.