Photo courtesy of University of Virginia

Chris Long works out with Virginia head coach Al Groh. The defensive end could be the second overall pick in the NFL Draft today by the St. Louis Rams.

NORFOLK -- Rich Rodriguez and Frank Beamer are former Big East rivals and among the nation's top college football coaches.

They have at least two other things in common: Both love dual-threat quarterbacks, and, as a result, each covets Western Branch High School's Kevin Newsome.

On Thursday, Rodriguez got his guy when Newsome orally committed to Michigan. Meanwhile, Beamer and Virginia Tech are left looking for a quarterback for the class of 2009.

Nine months ago, attending a summer camp in Blacksburg, Newsome said he had been "a Hokie for life" and that he was "98 percent sure" he eventually would commit to Virginia Tech.

Apparently, though, academics helped turn the tide.

"Virginia Tech is a great school, and they have great coaches," Newsome said. "But the exciting thing for me was ... Michigan has a really great business school. And the coaching staff was great. It was just a perfect fit."

Just as Newsome is a good fit for Rodriguez's spread offense, which he brought with him this offseason from West Virginia, Newsome also couldn't help but notice the Wolverines' depth chart, which -- after years of using drop-back, pocket passers -- is light on athletes able to run Rodriguez's offense.

"When I went there, you could just tell that they really believe in me," Newsome said. "And I want to go there and help them win a national championship. And they really believe I can do it.

"Committing now also gives me a chance to try and recruit some receivers."

Newsome helped Western Branch to a 10-2 season as a junior, throwing for 1,312 yards, running for 341 more and accounting for 24 total touchdowns. He has the rare combination of size -- 6-foot-3, 210 pounds -- and speed that makes recruiters drool. In addition , he's one of the nation's top high school hurdlers.

He's rated the No. 4 quarterback and No. 39 overall prospect in the country by rivals.com. Newsome's list of scholarship offers included Illinois, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

"Michigan told him he would be a quarterback and told him he's going to get early playing time," Western Branch coach Scott Johnson said. "Those are two factors he was looking for."

Newsome's choice is a blow for the Hokies, who have struck out on the top three QB prospects in Virginia barely two months into this recruiting season.

Newsome joined Phoebus star Tajh Boyd (West Virginia) and West Springfield's Bryn Renner (UNC) in the quarterback exodus out of state.

Virginia Tech's class of 2009 recruiting troubles aren't limited to the quarterback position. Of the top 30 prospects in Virginia -- as rated by The Commonwealth Board Web site -- 14 already have committed. One of those was to the Hokies.

Virginia, which Virginia Tech throttled in in-state recruiting for the Class of 2008, already has landed five in the Class of 2009. West Virginia has snatched three.

Part of the problem for the Hokies is that after signing 31 players in the last class, they have only 12 to 15 scholarships to offer for 2009.

But Beamer offered Newsome long ago, making this a particularly stinging loss.

Virginian-Pilot staff writer Larry Rubama contributed to this report.