Williams to start at tailback
Redshirt freshman Ryan Williams will start at tailback for No. 7 Virginia Tech in Saturday’s season opener against No. 5 Alabama at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The decision was announced Thursday via press release. In the release, Hokies running backs coach Billy Hite was quoted as saying tailbacks Josh Oglesby and David Wilson will both play “early and often.”

Tech also announced, in the same release, that starting fullback Kenny Jefferson will not make the trip to Atlanta after being suspended Aug. 16 for a violation of team rules.

Hokies coach Frank Beamer said there would be no further comment on the Jefferson suspension.

Williams was listed third on the depth chart to start preseason practice as a punishment for reporting out of shape, but he worked his way up to starter with a strong performance over the last month.

Though he missed a little bit of practice time with a slight ankle sprain, he practiced the most of all the tailbacks this preseason. Oglesby (hamstring and heel infection) and Wilson (shoulder) both missed significant time with injuries.

All three appear healthy and are expected to play against the Crimson Tide. Oglesby, a sophomore, is listed second on the depth chart, and Wilson, a true freshman, is third.

Boyce excited for return
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Xavier Boyce knew he was at a disadvantage, but it didn’t stop him from doing everything he could to win a starting job.

The 6-foot-4, 223-pound Boyce doesn’t have the experience of Danny Coale, Jarrett Boykin or Dyrell Roberts, but he showed enough this preseason to earn one of the Hokies’ two starting spots for Saturday’s season opener.

“I think (strength coach Mike) Gentry has helped him. He’s made some good plays,” Beamer said. “He’s got a good tall body there too, and he’s played very consistently here in the preseason. He’s a guy we think can really help the offense.”

Boyce played in three games last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He was granted a medical redshirt, but while he was out, Boykin, Roberts and Coale all became reliable pass catchers.

Boyce stayed motivated, and he’s ready to get on the field against the Crimson Tide and show he can be a playmaker, too.

“I’m very excited. It’s the first game, and it’s been a while since I’ve been on the field with the team,” Boyce said. “It’s a really big challenge for me, but I’m going to step up to the plate and play hard. I’ve been preparing all summer, so I feel pretty good about this game, and I’m ready to do it Saturday.”

Homecoming for Render, Porch
Hokies left guard Sergio Render and rover Dorian Porch both grew up near Atlanta, so they’ll have some extra fans in the crowd cheering them on at the Georgia Dome on Saturday.

For Render, it’s quite possible some of his friends will be cheering against the Hokies.

“I have a lot of friends who go to Alabama, and they’re talking a lot of junk right now, but yeah it’ll be fun to play in front of some of the people I played with in high school,” said Render, who is expected to make his second career start at left guard after making 39 starts on the right side. “Some of my high school coaches will be there. My family, it’ll give them a chance to see me play at the Georgia Dome. It’s a very special moment for me.”

Render, a senior, said he doesn’t know many of the Alabama players – he played with Crimson Tide reserve quarterback Thomas Darrah at Newnan (Ga.) High – but he has a bunch of friends who go to Alabama.

“I’ve got some friends from high school that just go to Alabama, so it’ll be fun,” Render said. “They’re talking a lot of junk about ’Bama whipping our tails, blah, blah, blah.”

Chipper Jones to appear on GameDay
Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones is scheduled to make a guest appearance on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ on Saturday morning at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Jones, a DeLand, Fla., native, is a big Florida fan, and he told the Journal-Constitution he plans to wear Gators colors on the show, which will advance the Hokies’ season opener against the Crimson Tide.

“We’ll see,” he told the AJC. “I might get booed by a bunch of Georgia fans when I walk up. They’ve got me picking the Georgia game and the ’Bama game. Let’s just say one group of people is not going to be real happy, and the other group is going to be pretty happy.”

Extra points
Saturday’s game will be the first time since 2003 (Southern Cal vs. Auburn) that two Associated Press top 10 teams will play each other in the first full week of the season. … Saturday will mark only the 11th matchup of two top 10 AP teams in Tech history. The Hokies are 2-8 in those games, the last of which came in the 2008 Orange Bowl (No. 8 Kansas vs. No. 5 Virginia Tech). ... Backup inside linebacker Bruce Taylor (ankle) is out for Saturday’s game.

Nathan Warters