Shannon Holdaway, president of the Carroll County-Grayson County Hokie Club, hopes Michael Vick isn't found guilty.

"My son is a big Michael Vick fan," Holdaway said. "You want your children to have positive role models, so obviously we're hoping that he comes out [in the] clear because we'd hate to take down all the Michael Vick posters in his room."

Vick, who was a star quarterback at Virginia Tech before becoming the Atlanta Falcons' signal caller, was indicted on dogfighting charges Tuesday in federal court in Richmond.

"I'm bothered by the situation," said Rich Cooper, president of the Franklin County Hokie Club. "I just hate that he would be involved in anything like that because Michael Vick's name's always associated with Virginia Tech."

The indictment stated that in April, Vick and two of his codefendants "executed" about eight dogs "by various methods, including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."

Richard Alvis, president of the Montgomery County-Floyd County Hokie Club, said he was saddened and disappointed by the indictment.

"This is terrible as far as the Tech community is concerned," Alvis said. "Virginia Tech made every effort to groom him ... [into] an upstanding citizen. ... Anything involving cruelty to animals is not to be taken lightly."

"All the human beings that did that to those poor animals, ... it's shameless," said Brian Wilson, president of the Roanoke Valley Hokie Club.

Should Tech remove Vick's retired jersey from its place of honor at Lane Stadium? Should Tech rename Michael Vick Hall, which is part of the team's off-field home, the Merryman Center?

Even if Vick is found guilty, Holdaway doesn't want Tech to distance itself from Vick in those ways.

"What somebody does later in their life doesn't change the contributions they've made to the program or to the university," Holdaway said. "He's had a huge positive impact for our football program and our university. I don't think that because somebody makes a mistake that we should go back and try to write them out of history. You just have to understand that they're human, and people make mistakes."

Wilson, though, isn't sure what Tech should do if Vick is found guilty.

"Whether we continue to honor him or revel in his achievements publicly, that still has to be seen," he said.

"Everything that is up there is because of his past accomplishments and because of what he's given the university, and you can't change that.

"We ought to let the legal system play out first."

Holdaway isn't happy that the indictment "negatively reflects" on Tech.

"It's unfortunate for the university that the indictment has occurred," Holdaway said.

But Wilson takes solace that Vick hasn't played for the Hokies since the 2000 season.

He doesn't expect Vick's bad publicity to tarnish Tech.

"It shouldn't rub off on Tech. Frank Beamer's not his coach anymore," Wilson said. "He's no more a Hokie anymore than I am. ... I don't think it reflects on Virginia Tech because he's not a current player."