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Caleb's
Hurd
and
The Caleb Hurd for Heisman Committee
As
featured on the ABC Sports web site, October 21, 1999
Click
on "Links" below for the article and more!
In
case you are one of the very few cloistered souls who still doesn't know,
Caleb Hurd is the placekick holder for the No 2 Virginia Tech Hokies.
His precise handling of the holding duties is probably the most important
key to the Hokies' unprecedented success this year. On numerous occasions
he has pulled down high snaps, deftly handled low snaps, grabbed snaps
out of the air despite fierce crosswinds, and placed the ball on the turf
perfectly no matter the condition of the playing field. His lifetime
percentage of snaps successfully held, according to the best sources we
have, is 100%, which is tied for the best in NCAA history. Numerous
newspaper articles about the incredible special teams play of the Hokies
have appeared this fall, throughout the country, and a huge part of that
success and recognition can be summed up in two words - Caleb Hurd.
Because of his preeminence in the holding
world, and his Herculean might towering over the special teams universe,
Caleb has quite a substantial following at Virginia Tech and, yes, throughout
the world. "Caleb's Hurd," his most devoted fans at Tech, were present
at every home and away game during the 1999 season. They were also
there for the taping of ESPN's GameDay show at Lane Stadium prior to the
Hokies' 62-0 shellacking of Syracuse on October 16th, and GameDay's return
before the victory over Miami. At Lane Stadium they occupy the first
row of the stands in section 5, about on the 15 yard line in the East stands.
Caleb
Hurd News and Notes
(updated
11/27/1999)
For
old news and links, go to the Hurd News Archives
Hurd Campaign Suffers
Terrible Setback!
Caleb Not Invited to
Award Ceremony, Vick instead represents Hokies.
In a crushing blow to Caleb Hurd's Heisman Trophy chances, he was not included in the list of finalists invited to the awards ceremony this Saturday in New York City. No explanation was given on any of the major networks for the omission. All we here at the Hurd Campaign can figure is that some misguided soul has slanted the opinions of the Heisman voters. Somehow they have come to believe that unimaginable rushing totals, thousands of yards passing and/or quarterbacking your team to the national championship game is somehow more important than holding on placekicks.
Did the voters not see the West Virginia game? Don't they listen to the oft-repeated cliché "That missed extra point is going to come back to haunt them."? Didn't they see that Caleb was the only holder out of 114 division I-A holders to make the Sports Illustrated top ten special teams players of the year? Not since Plessy vs. Ferguson has such an injustice been perpetrated!
Despite this terrible injustice, a little solace may be taken from the invitation of fellow Hokie Michael Vick to the ceremony. The freshman QB is the first freshman invited to the Heisman ceremony since it began being televised in 1981. We can also rejoice in the rejection of Virginia tailback Thomas Jones, who was shunned by the voters despite leading some little basketball conference in rushing.
Added on October 19:
The
Caleb Hurd Image Gallery!
More new stuff keeps coming in: The
Caleb Hurd Image Gallery, Part II.
Just when you thought there couldn't be
more, there is: Image Gallery, Part III and
Part IV
New Pictures will be added to
Image Gallery V as they come in.
You may wonder how it is that a man of his stature could have been overlooked by the Heisman prognosticators? We do too. So here's the Heisman race as we see it:
Caleb Hurd,
Virginia Tech - Unblemished record for national championship contender
Peter Warrick,
Florida State - dastardly accused felon not worthy of the honor.
Ron Dayne,
Wisconsin - broke Ricky Williams' record but couldn't stop Wisconsin from
losing twice..
Chad Pennington,
Marshall - His team's weak schedule and his (reportedly) really bad hair
hurts him.
Shaun Alexander,
Alabama - Gaudy stats more a product of the wide-open spread offense than
his skills.
Joe Hamilton,
Georgia Tech - Throws, runs... but can he hold?
Micheal Vick,
Virginia Tech - May be Caleb's only serious challenger, but he is just
a freshman.
Seems pretty clear-cut, doesn't it?
Holder ... 6-2 ... 208 ...born 7/5/78
#91
Senior, 3 Varsity Letters
Pulaski, Va.
Pulaski County High School, head coach
Joel Hicks
Is an integral part of Tech's successful
field goal and extra
point teams ... Has served as a holder
for kicker Shayne
Graham since their high school days at
Pulaski County ...
Keeps his poise when the heat is on ...
Combines good
reflexes with sure hands ... Makes his
job look easy ...
1997: Met all six goals in the strength
and conditioning
program when he returned for practice
... Started every game
as Tech's holder for place-kicks
... Improved his back squat
from the fall by 40 pounds with
a 330-pound squat during
spring testing ...
1996: Lettered as the holder for field
goals and extra point
kicks ... Started in 10 regular-season
games and the Orange
Bowl ... Did not see action in Tech's
final home game against
Virginia ...
High School: Served as the holder for placements
at Pulaski
County High ... Lettered two seasons in
that capacity for
Coach Joel Hicks ... Earned four letters
as a catcher, pitcher
and third baseman on the baseball team
... Was a
second-team all-district pick his senior
year as both a
catcher and a pitcher ... A member of
the National Honor
Society ...
Personal: Caleb Daniel Hurd ... Born 7/5/78
in Pulaski, VA ...
Son of Roger and Diane Hurd ... Is studying
mechanical engineering in case his
upcoming NFL career is cut short.
Click Here to See All The Members of Caleb's Hurd.
