Virginia Tech's Dustin Pickle

BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech's football team had just finished running another series of post-practice wind sprints in sweltering heat.

Some guys were huffing. Others were puffing. Dustin Pickle wasn't a member of either group. No. 35 from Salem was smiling.

"Oh, man, I'm having so much fun," the wide-eyed Pickle said. "I love every minute of it."

Talk about a kid getting to live his dream. As the clock ticks down toward Tech's Sept. 1 opener against East Carolina at Lane Stadium, a tickled Pickle is growing more and more juiced.

"I got [online] the other day and watched some of the Hokies' best fan clips and that's enough to pump you up," he said. "Shoot, it's enough to pump you just walking out here and putting on a helmet every day in the summertime and looking forward to the season we've got coming. Opening day is going to be just like running through that tunnel the first time, I swear."

A four-year letterman at football-obsessed Salem High School, Pickle was overjoyed when he was invited to walk on at Tech two years ago. He's been running ever since. The 5-foot-10, 184-pound junior was tough enough and fearless enough to get 103 plays on special teams last season. After seeing action on the field goal and extra-point block team early, Pickle finished the season as a starter on the punt return and kickoff return teams.

"I'm still starting on those two teams again, and I'm ready for field-goal block when they need me," he said. "I'm running a little gunner on the punt team, too."

What about tailback, his primary position? Pickle shockingly entered preseason practice No. 2 behind sophomore Kenny Lewis Jr. Branden Ore, the Hokies' returning All-ACC back, was listed No. 3. Ore's demotion was a result of him pulling out of second summer-session classes to return home to Chesapeake and then returning to the fold in less than tip-top shape.

"Don't worry about Branden Ore," Pickle said. "The man is born to play football. He'll be fine."

When playfully asked if he had thought about getting his hands on a depth chart so he could show his kids one day that was listed ahead of Ore, a guy who may be playing in the NFL as soon as next fall, Pickle burst into laughter.

"It's funny you said that because I've already got copies of [the first six] practice depth charts," Pickle said. "They post them in the locker room. I've taken them and already highlighted my name. I'm ready to put that in the scrapbook for the ages."

Pickle wants a little more backfield work this fall. His only carry last season came in the regular-season finale against Virginia. He was credited with a 3-yard loss.

"Yeah, I know Coach [Billy Hite, running backs coach] better than that. ... He wouldn't leave me in the red numbers," Pickle said with a laugh. "I'm ready to get my touches and show what I can do. I'm going to get in the positive numbers here."

There's nothing negative about Pickle, Hite said.

"That's one kid I never have to worry about," Hite said. "He does anything you ask him to do and he'll do it well. It's guys like that who keep this stuff fun."

Free early peeks

No one should be shocked to see thousands of fans flock to Lane today for the first of two scrimmages open -- free of charge -- to the public. The other one comes next Saturday.

The more people, the merrier, Tech coach Frank Beamer said.

"I'd really like to see a couple of big crowds in here the next two Saturdays. I want our fans here," Beamer said.

Beamer is anxious to see how some of his players respond to performing in front of a big crowd.

"That's one thing we missed by not playing the spring game," said Beamer, referring to the April 21 game that was canceled in the wake of the April 16 shooting tragedy. "We're going to do a lot of kicking in these two scrimmages, and I think the more people here, the better indication I can get of how our kickers are going to perform."

Fans can enter Gates 4 and 5 beginning at 3 p.m. Only the west-side seats will open to fans. No cameras or video cameras are allowed. Stretching and practice will begin at 3:15 p.m., with the scrimmage running from approximately 3:45-5:15.