ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 7, 1997 TAG: 9701070076
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
In its efforts to recruit Palm Beach (Fla.) defensive lineman Dan Wilkinson, Virginia Tech found an ally in his coach, Bill Bolinder.
Although Wilkinson had set up an official visit to the University of Miami, Bolinder told him to commit to the Hokies.
``I'm not from Florida, and I like to get our kids away from Florida - or at least South Florida,'' Bolinder said. ``I feel they can get a better education outside the state.''
Wilkinson also had visits scheduled for Minnesota and Auburn, and Bolinder felt both of those schools would come through with scholarship offers. He wasn't sure what to expect from Miami.
``It's happened before,'' Bolinder said. ``We've had kids wait on Miami and it's cost them offers to Georgia Tech and places like that. [Wilkinson] was very impressed when he got back from Tech, so I told him to go ahead and commit.''
Wilkinson (6 feet 2, 225 pounds) was a first-team all-area selection as a down lineman for Palm Beach Lakes High School, but Bolinder expects him to play outside linebacker for the Hokies.
``I think he'll be a better college player than he was in high school,'' Bolinder said. ``He's probably been playing out of position for four years.''
The Hokies have 18 commitments, not including quarterback Grant Noel, a junior from Ridgeley, W.Va. The Tech staff expects to sign 23.
In other recruiting:
* Quarterback Arnie Powell from Deep Creek High School in Chesapeake reportedly has picked East Carolina over Virginia Tech and Boston College. Powell was rated the No.17 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times.
* North Carolina State has received a commitment from defensive lineman Darius Bryant from Lakeland High School in Suffolk. Bryant was 36th on The Roanoke Times list.
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