Virginia Tech announced Tuesday evening that starting tailback Darren Evans tore the ACL in his left knee in practice Tuesday and will miss the 2009 season. Evans had already sprained the knee previously Friday in practice.. Evans used a redshirt year in 2007, and his injury opens the door for redshirt freshman Ryan Williams, redshirt sophomore Josh Oglesby, and true freshman David Wilson to step up and contribute.

Evans rushed for 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2008, averaging 4.4 yards per carry on 287 carries. Evans was second in the ACC in total rushing yards behind Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer (1,395 yards), and third in rushing yards per game (90.4 ypg) behind Dwyer (107.3 ypg) and Maryland's Da'Rel Scott (94.4 ypg).

Evans joins senior tailback Kenny Lewis as former starting tailbacks who will not be able to play in 2009. Lewis has had multiple surgeries on a torn Achilles tendon and will probably never play again.

That leaves Josh Oglesby as the only Virginia Tech tailback who has ever taken a snap in a college game. Oglesby carried 38 times for 88 yards (2.3 ypc) and no touchdowns last season. Oglesby, Ryan Williams, and David Wilson are the only tailbacks on the team now who are healthy for the 2009 season. Due to Evans's injury, Wilson is now a lock to play this fall, though the Tech coaches had not said anything specific on that subject as of the time of this writing.

TechSideline.com has updated the 2009 depth chart to reflect Evans's injury.

Evans suffers torn ACL - hokiesports.com