Greg Boone's transition from quarterback to tight end is paying off

GREENSBORO, N.C. — A short time ago, Greg Boone identified himself as a quarterback only. Even after making the switch to tight end in the fall of 2006, the Virginia Tech senior found it hard to accept his career as a passer was likely over.

While his days as a signal-caller aren’t completely finished — he still plans to moonlight as the Hokies change-of-pace quarterback in the “Wild Turkey” formation and could be an emergency option if both Tyrod Taylor and backup Ju-Ju Clayton get injured — his biggest impact and NFL future is at tight end.

Boone has come to accept that fate.

“I just take on more of a tight end mentality now,” he said.

The 6-foot-3, 280-pound Boone has done quite well at his new position the last few years. He tied for the team lead with two touchdown receptions last season and was third for the ACC champions in both receptions (22) and receiving yards (278).

Much is expected of him again this year, so much so that he has received buzz from several publications as the top candidate for preseason first-team All-ACC honors.

That’s an encouraging development for a player who described himself as “heartbroken” when the Tech coaches moved him from his accustomed quarterback spot before the start of the 2006 season.

“I know that first year I moved to tight end, it was probably the worst time of my career,” Boone said.

Before 2006, quarterback was almost all he knew (he played some safety in high school). He suffered through a difficult transition to tight end and experienced some rather embarrassing and public miscues in the process.

The lowest point, Boone said, came on Sept. 30, 2006. He dropped two potential touchdown passes in a 38-27 loss to Georgia Tech.

“I know the things I can do, and at the time I wasn’t doing the things I should have been doing. I was dropping a lot of passes, and that really hurt us,” said Boone, who had five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown his freshman season.

Boone worked at it, and over time his makeover appeared less and less extreme.

He caught 11 passes for 167 yards in 2007 and followed that with a career year last season.

When the Hokies coaches moved Boone to tight end, they had designs on ultimately turning him into a versatile offensive playmaker with multi-position potential.

Boone could eventually line up at wide receiver, fullback and even quarterback in certain sets, but first he had to master tight end.

That finally happened last season, and the result was a potent offensive option. Boone played all four positions last year and was a matchup nightmare. It takes a gang of tacklers to bring him down, and he is extremely agile and quick for his size.

Now that Boone has blossomed into such a valuable weapon, Tech is expected to expand his role in the “Wild Turkey” by giving him even more responsibilities in the fall.

He said he spent about five practices at quarterback during the spring and he expects to get some snaps there this fall as well.

He lined up at quarterback in a handful of games last year without attempting a pass. Even still, opposing defenses never knew if or when he would throw the ball.

Boone’s reputation as a passer kept defenses honest. He was a prolific passer in high school, and according to notes distributed at the ACC Kickoff, can throw the ball from one knee 55 yards on the fly.

“When I first saw (the ‘Wild Turkey’), I didn’t really know what to expect, because we didn’t prepare for it,” Maryland defensive back Nolan Carroll said. “He was running and running and then he (looked to) pass (before we tackled him). After that, we were thinking, ‘What’s he going to do next?’”

Boone could be an even bigger threat in the passing game this year, because he should be more of a threat to throw the ball.

Combine that with his bruising running style, and he could have defenses running scared.

“I’m thinking (defenses are) thinking about the headaches they’re about to get because of how big he is,” Hokies free safety Kam Chancellor said.