Already dealing with a plethora of injuries, Virginia Tech is now down a defensive lineman.
Via a brief statement from Tech, junior Corey Marshall has left the team “to take care of some personal matters.” Marshall met with Hokies coach Frank Beamer on Monday and his status is currently TBD. The news comes just a day after the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Marshall missed Virginia Tech’s Saturday scrimmage because he “needed the weekend to clear his head.”
Marshall also reportedly met with Beamer on Sunday when he returned to Blacksburg. There was a rumor circulating that Marshall was leaving the team, but both his high school coach and mother refuted it to the Times-Dispatch.
Marshall recently moved from defensive end back to defensive line, where he actually began his career in 2011. He moved to the defensive end spot last year -- his more natural position -- and started four games. While he wasn’t projected to start at defensive tackle, Marshall was expected to contribute heavily this season.
His absence only adds to what has been a preseason camp filled with attrition for Beamer’s team. Linebacker Ronny Vandyke, offensive lineman Mark Shuman, and running backs J.C. Coleman and Tony Gregory all went down with injuries. It had also previously been announced that starting cornerback Antoine Exum, recovering from a torn ACL, would miss at least the opener against the Tide, while one of the players projected to replace Exum, Donaldven Manning, transferred from the Hokies a couple of days ago.
