Photos by MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor lunges toward the end zone during Saturday's scrimmage. Much of the scrimmage was devoted to trying to find Taylor's backup for the upcoming season.

Virginia Tech offensive guard Jaymes Brooks gets off the cart after having his injured left ankle treated on Saturday afternoon.

BLACKSBURG -- So who's going to be Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor's primary caddy this fall?

Well, it's still a loop job for now.

Following Saturday's second full spring scrimmage at Lane Stadium, a session in which job candidates Ju-Ju Clayton and Marcus Davis each enjoyed special moments, Tech quarterbacks coach Mike O'Cain confessed the jury is still out.

"It's really been little separation between either one of them," said O'Cain of the two redshirt freshmen vying for the post. "Both of them have strengths and weaknesses. Now, we've got a hard decision."

The good news for all concerned is that Clayton and Davis each showed they can play. Minutes after Clayton led the offense on a 90-yard touchdown drive in which he was 4-for-4 passing for 50 yards and ran for 23 yards, Davis responded with a dazzling 62-yard touchdown run to let his prospective fall roommate know that he wasn't going down without a fight.

"When [Clayton] had that drive, the first thing that came to my mind was I've got to go out there and do something to show that I'm ready to play also ... so the coaches won't say, 'oh, he couldn't handle the pressure,'" Davis said. "That really fueled me ... I had to do something to counteract what he did."

Clayton was 7-for-9 passing for 70 yards and two touchdowns, plus ran three times for 34 yards. Davis carried six times for 85 yards and was 3-for-6 passing for 19 yards.

The 6-foot, 215-pound Clayton has the edge on Davis in playbook knowledge and reading defenses since he spent last fall as the Hokies' scout-team QB. Meanwhile, the 6-4, 231-pound Davis, a converted wide receiver, has the advantage in the athleticism department as he runs a 4.5 40 compared to Clayton's 4.85.

"Marcus has got to be able to pull the trigger, see things a little bit quicker, and Ju-Ju is a little bit ahead of him there," O'Cain said. "Ju-Ju started a little ahead because of the mental aspect.

"Obviously, Marcus is a very talented athlete. Now, we've got to weigh: Does he throw the ball consistently well enough now to be the No. 2 quarterback? Obviously, he can do things in the running game well enough. Now, does he have the knowledge and the wherewithal in the passing game to be that No. 2 guy? You're trying to project, and that's tough.

"But that's not always the key. You saw Ju-Ju pull it down out there today and made two or three nice runs. He's kind of like in slow motion out there, but they weren't tackling him. He's making people miss, so he has a little bit of knack, he has a little savvy to him, which I like."

Decision time, at least for now, comes Monday after coaches' review of the video.

"I think we've got to make a hard, fast decision and live with that decision because you keep trying to get both of them work and neither can get as good as they can be," O'Cain said. "They both continue to get better, but you're not improving either one of them enough, in my opinion, to where that guy can become a solid second-team player.

"As I said before we ever started, you don't have to him coming out of spring practice ready to play, but you need to have a No. 2 guy that you feel good about and then you've got three weeks in August to get him ready."

And if the No. 2 guy doesn't cut it August preseason camp? The race could open up again.

"You don't want it to," O'Cain said. "But if the guy we decide who is No. 2 Monday doesn't come out and perform up to standards, yes."

Whatever happens from now to Tech's Sept. 5 season opener against Alabama in Atlanta, Hokies coach Frank Beamer said he knows one thing, at least.

"What I see is hope that we're going to have a pretty good backup before it's over," he said.

Tech tidbits

Redshirt sophomore Jaymes Brooks, the projected starter at right guard, sustained a high left ankle sprain and will be sidelined for the final week of spring workouts. ... Fifth-year senior Matt Waldron continues to have a leg up for the place-kicker's job, connecting from 37 and 35 yards. ... Senior TE Sam Wheeler (Blacksburg) had two receptions for 31 yards, including a 22-yarder in which he made a great mid-air adjustment to snare the ball. ... Redshirt freshman WR Austin Fuller broke his right wrist in Friday's practice.