Lovie Smith has a tall task ahead of him as the head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini and, this week, that mountain became just a bit higher as a result of a recruiting class. Talented dual-threat quarterback Quincy Patterson II, who hails from nearby Chicago, spurned Illinois in favor of pledging his allegiance to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
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Patterson II ranks as the No. 10 dual-threat quarterback in the country according to the 247Sports composite and this is a significant loss for Illinois. While he isn't an uber-elite talent, Patterson II represents the type of player that Smith can ill afford to lose given proximity and position, and the loss of the Illini is the gain of Justin Fuente and the Hokies.
As seen above, the 6'4, 232-pound quarterback announced his pledge with the following message about his future institution:
"After deep thought, visiting a multitude of football programs, discussions with my parents, and weighing out my options, I want to thank everyone who has been there for me throughout this recruitment journey and helped fulfill a dream at getting the opportunity to play at the next level. Furthermore, I am proud to announce that I will be furthering my engineering and football aspirations at Virginia Tech University."
Given the success that Virginia Tech produced with future NFL Draft hopeful Jerod Evans, it will be intriguing to see how the Hokies are able to mold Patterson II once he lands in Blacksburg. Until then, though, Illinois will be licking its recruiting wounds while Virginia Tech celebrates a victory.
