Westfield football coach Tom Verbanic gets a smile on his face when he thinks back to 2003, when quarterback Sean Glennon and wide receiver Eddie Royal led the Bulldogs to an undefeated season and a Division 6 Virginia state title.
When plays didn’t run as scripted, Glennon still frequently found his first option, Royal, albeit not where the coaching staff had planned.
“I can remember saying to Sean on the sideline, ‘Why did you throw the ball here?’ He’d get a grin on his face and say, ‘Because it’s Eddie,’ ” said Verbanic. “What makes me laugh is I think of him saying it like, ‘Who else did you think I was going to throw it to?’ I really didn’t have a good argument for that either.”
“If it looked (like) my read was covered, there was a good chance me and Eddie could make something happen,” said Glennon. “We’d just make eye contact, and he’d stick another move or take ‘em over the top, and we’d make a play out of nothing because there weren’t too many corners that were going to be able to cover Eddie.”
When Glennon, who was named Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback Sunday, takes his first snap in the Hokies’ Sept. 2 season opener, he once again will have Royal with him at the line of scrimmage.
“It’s definitely a comforting feeling seeing a familiar face out there, someone who you’ve had a lot of success with in the past. It might boost your confidence because it might bring back feelings of the past,” said Glennon.
While Glennon red-shirted last season after limited appearances as a freshman, Royal has been a consistent weapon on offense and as a punt and kick returner for two years. He led the Hokies with 28 catches for 470 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman, and had 27 receptions for 315 yards and two touchdowns last year.
“We have fun together, that’s the thing I like about him. It’s not just running through plays, we get out there and have fun during the game. He’s a great quarterback and a great leader, and I think he’s going to fit well into the offense,” said Royal. “Trust is a big thing with quarterbacks and receivers. You gotta have that trust and that connection on and off the field. I think we have that.”
“Over the past two and half years, I’ve been trying to develop chemistry with the rest of the guys so I feel just as comfortable with them, not just Eddie,” said Glennon, who’s got more than just Royal as an option this time around. But for two players who already live together, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them become a formidable quarterback-receiver tandem in the ACC.
“For us, Sean was great at distributing the ball,” said Verbanic. “But I wouldn’t be shocked to see Eddie touching the ball a little bit more than he has been in the last couple of years.”
Westfield’s winners
Eddie Royal
» Examiner offensive player of the year in 2003, two-time All-Examiner selection
» As a junior: Led the Northern Region in receptions (48); and receiving yards (905); helped Westfield finish 10-0 and win the Concorde District title.
» As a senior: 45 receptions for 920 yards. Returned five kicks for TDs, including a 47-yard punt return in the state final win over Landstown. Westfield finished 14-0 and won the Division 6 state title.
Sean Glennon
» Three-year starter at quarterback; two-time All-Examiner selection
» Career stats: 4,753 yards; 67 TD passes, only 11 interceptions
» As a senior: Completed 105 of 180 passes (58%) for 1,839 yards and 26 TDs. Also ran for 4 TDs.
