Virginia
Virginia 2026 4-star Connor Salmin is a true vertical threat
It comes with the territory; all receivers think they are deep ball threats that can take the top off a defense… but few truly match the description. At Woodgrove High School (Purcellville, VA), Connor Salmin (6-1, 190) is that guy.
A two-way player for the Wolverines, the stats on offense tell an exciting story: 1,107 yards receiving off 53 passes hauled in with 16 scores posted on the board in 10 games. And teams were doing all that they could to slow the Class of 2026 prospect down.
“At the start of the season I was getting some bump and run coverage, but then I was getting double and triple teamed,” Salmin said. “I got used to it as the season went on.”
The speed is a factor for defenses; 10.44 in the 100 and 21.18 in the 200.
Asked about playing both sports in college, Salmin replied, “That is something I would have to think about; we’ll see how this track season goes and if that will affect my overall decision. If coaches are recruiting me for track, that changes things. Football is my main sport. Football is my goal, and the sport that I love.”
Salmin added, “A lot of football coaches have said I can do both if that is an option, but I haven’t talked to any track coaches about offers.”
With 27 gridiron offers to choose from currently, that speed is a factor in Salmin’s recruitment.
“College coaches like my speed,” Salmin stated. “They like how I can take it over the top, they like my wingspan, and my catch radius when balls are not close to me. They also like that I have room for improvement given how new I am to playing receiver.”
Three programs have stayed on Salmin’s phone.
“Right now, Clemson, Penn State, and Notre Dame are reaching out the most,” Salmin shared. “I would say they are the top three reaching out the most. There are a lot of schools reaching out – Virginia Tech, UVA (Virginia), Ohio State, (Texas) A&M. There are a lot of schools reaching out, staying in touch, and checking in with me.”
Salmin listed the Saturday visits taken this fall, “I went to a lot of games. I went to A&M for the Notre Dame game, I went to Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson, Penn State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina.”
Asked about his trips to Clemson, Penn State, and Notre Dame, Salmin broke down each visit.
Clemson: “It was awesome. I went to Clemson twice, early in the season for their NC State game; that was a big win. That was super awesome to see the team’s energy. I was there for a camp over the summer. When I went back, I got to see how coach (Tyler) Grisham (WR) coaches. I also got to see the players’ energy, and how they get along.
“I went back for the South Carolina game; that was a crazy environment. It is a rivalry game. That was a super close game that came down to one play. It was tough seeing a team lose, but it was good to see how the players and coaches reacted, and how they bounced back and are now in the playoffs.”
Penn State: “That was awesome. I was there for the Ohio State game. Both my parents were there with me; we spent time with the coaches and met with them. They had their game, but they still sat down and talked with us. They talked about the future, and they talked about the ways they would use me in the future. The energy is really good there.”
Notre Dame: “That was also a good visit. I was there for the Florida State game. That was a big win for them; that is another rivalry game. It was awesome to see how their coaches and players reacted after the win. I talked to a lot of the coaches there and spent time with them, which was awesome.”
Working around winter and spring track meets, the four-star will get back on the road in the New Year.
“I want to go back to the schools that have been reaching out,” Salmin said. “I will go anywhere that I have been invited. I will go to the places that are keeping the relationship going. We will see how everything goes.”
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia has plenty of state symbols, be it the black bear as the state animal, the cardinal as the state bird or the rhododendron as the state flower, but did you know that the Mountain State also has its own official gun?
The Hall Flintlock Model 1819 was first manufactured in Harpers Ferry by John H. Hall in 1811 and was adopted by the United States Army in 1819, making it the first breech-loading rifle ever adopted by a country’s military.
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Model 1819 Hall Breechloading Rifle presented by Congress to Gustavous A. Bird for his participation in the Battle of Plattsburgh 9/11/1814 by John C. Bird via the Smithsonian Institution -
Model 1819 Hall Breechloading Rifle presented by Congress to Gustavous A. Bird for his participation in the Battle of Plattsburgh 9/11/1814 by John C. Bird via the Smithsonian Institution
All of this information is listed in Senate Concurrent Resolution 7, which was introduced and passed during the 2013 West Virginia Legislative session, and officially recognizes the Model 1819 as the official firearm of the State of West Virginia.
On top of being created in West Virginia, the resolution also points out that the rifle saw use during the Civil War, an event that directly led to West Virginia’s statehood.
While having an officially recognized state firearm may seem far-fetched, West Virginia is not the only state that has one. As a matter of fact, a fifth of the states in the country have officially designated a state firearm, including West Virginia’s neighbors in Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In this world of college football, with the transfer portal and recruiting battles, bad blood is present more than ever before between head coaches.
That’s not the case between the Virginia Tech head coach and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, however. In fact, Franklin revealed at ACC Kickoff on Thursday that the two are actually close friends, dating back to their time at the Nike trip that various coaches take over the summer.
“Dabo’s my guy,” Franklin said on Thursday. “We go way back. We’ve been on the Nike trip for a long time. His wife and my wife are friends.”
The long-time Penn State head coach is making the move to the ACC after being fired from the Nittany Lions in October. 12 seasons of being with the program had Franklin hold a 44-21 record against top 10 opponents, an impressive record for a new conference foe of Swinney’s.
But when that trip comes around, there’s a camaraderie between Swinney and Franklin and both of their wives. In fact, the two hang out with each other instead of the other coaches at times. It simply comes to an “edgy” time in college athletics that raises tempers.
“I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily like the type of people that love a lot of other coaches and a lot of other programs,” Franklin said. “It’s hard when you just compete year-round.”
On Swinney’s end, there are a few who could immediately come to mind among Clemson fans. Perhaps the most recent would be Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who played the most significant role in the tampering of former linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
It’s a select list of coaches who make the good side of the Tigers’ head coach, and Franklin is certainly on that list. On the other hand, Hokies’ head coach has Swinney on his own shortlist.
“Obviously, tremendous respect for what he has built at Clemson and what he’s done at Clemson, and what he’s done for the ACC,” he said.
The two will see that close relationship face off at Memorial Stadium this upcoming season. Clemson will host the Hokies on Oct. 24 in what could be a potential title-eliminator for the ACC Championship.
Of course, the last game that we’ve seen the Tigers play in was against Franklin’s former team in Penn State at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. That game ended in a 22-10 contest that saw a foundation of Franklin players end Clemson’s season in disappointment.
Swinney will see many of those players once again in October, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, in that contest. The anticipated Hokie starter recorded 260 yards and two passing touchdowns on the Tigers in the Bronx that day.
Although friends become foes, another ACC coach has given Swinney his flowers for what he’s been able to do for the conference. In the upcoming moments, Franklin will look to prepare his team to prove itself on one of the biggest stages in the ACC, while Swinney looks to put his team back at the top of a conference he’s dominated for over 15 years.
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MARTINSVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Extreme drought conditions in parts of Virginia have prompted an emergency drought warning for a wide swath of the region, including Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Roanoke counties, along with the cities of Danville, Roanoke, Salem and Martinsville.
The governor has warned that if conditions worsen, she will activate mandatory nonessential water-use restrictions.
In Martinsville, city leaders have issued a voluntary water conservation notice and are urging residents and businesses to cut back where they can. The request comes as local businesses that rely heavily on water say the drought is already affecting day-to-day operations.
SEE ALSO: Botetourt County residents adjust daily routines as voluntary water restriction continues
John Hughes, owner of John’s Car Wash, said the dry conditions have hit his business hard in recent weeks. “For the last 3 weeks, it’s been hitting pretty hard. We done three yesterday and haven’t done anything today with the drought and hot weather. Yeah, I’m really concerned about it,” Hughes said.
Restaurants are also feeling the strain. David Kitzmiller, an owner of Be Wiched, said water is essential for routine tasks such as washing dishes and preparing some menu items.
“We use a lot of water for washing dishes and some of our recipes if they limit us in anyway defiently can’t produce and its a scary aspect,” Kitzmiller said.
Kitzmiller added that cutting back is not always realistic for businesses that must meet sanitation needs. “Not really feasible for a business that depends solely relies on water to wash their dishes, so that can’t definitely be an impact there,” he said.
City leaders emphasized that the conservation request is voluntary for now, but they are encouraging everyone to do their part by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when it is not in use, washing only full loads of laundry, and limiting outdoor watering whenever possible.
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