Since the cold, early days of 2018, Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente has had to add part-time crisis management specialist to his business card.
Defections, dismissals, disciplinary brush fires, academic hiccups, recruiting misses and injuries have combined to create an atmosphere of uncertainty surrounding Fuente’s program, as it looks to bounce back from a 6-7 season — its first losing year since 1992.
He’s beyond ready for his players to put all that in the past. If he’s reading his players’ responses this preseason the right way, he thinks they’re prepared to do just that beginning Aug. 31 in the opener at Boston College.
“I think they’ve been through adversity, and that can do one of two things,” Fuente said. “When you go through hard times it either separates you, or brings you closer together. I think it’s definitely brought those kids closer together. It happened not to us, but for us and it’s been fun to watch how they’ve responded throughout the offseason and now into fall camp.”
Of course, Tech isn’t without a new potential distraction to deal with this season. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who is in the final year of his contract, announced Aug. 1 this will be his final year in coaching after 33 seasons in Blacksburg.
“There’s always going to be questions about the contract, about this and about that,” Foster said. “We just wanted to nip it in the bud and move on and let’s focus on the task at hand, and that’s the season. …Obviously, it was an emotional day for everybody, particularly me, but the kids have really responded well and it’s no different this year as it was last year or 20 years ago as far as our approach and how I’m approaching it and how our kids approach it. As far as the timing and everything goes, I think it was kind of to get it over with and let’s move on.”
Yes, the streaks of 26 consecutive bowl appearances and — perhaps most precious of all to Tech fans at this point — 15 straight wins against Virginia are still intact, but expectations in Blacksburg are geared toward the Hokies contending once again for a division crown in the ACC’s weak Coastal. U.Va. and Miami should both have something to say about that as the season progresses.
All offseason, Tech players have repeatedly mentioned how they’ve assumed a mindset of “we don’t have to do this, we get to do this” when it comes to workouts and preparation — an attitude that was missing last season. It remains to be seen if the renewed sense of togetherness and focus will pay off with better results.
VIRGINIA TECH
Last season: 6-7 overall, 4-4 ACC (lost 35-31 to Cincinnati in Military Bowl)
COACH: Justin Fuente (fourth season, 25-15)
The initial transition from legendary former Tech coach Frank Beamer to Fuente was about as smooth as could’ve been hoped for by Hokies fans, with Tech going 19-8 in Fuente’s first two seasons, including an ACC championship game appearance in year one. Last season the Hokies endured year-long discord and their first losing season since 1992. As he heads into his fourth season in Blacksburg, there’s suddenly some pressure to get the ship righted.
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Standouts
Ryan Willis
RSr., 6-4, 220, QB
Taking over after Josh Jackson suffered a season-ending broken leg last September at ODU, Willis quietly turned in a pretty impressive season, completing 213 of 364 passes for 2,716 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding 354 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Willis, a walk-on transfer from Kansas who earned a scholarship at Tech, should start from day one this season.
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Dalton Keene
Jr., 6-4, 251, TE
An H-back with the ability to create yards after the catch, Keene is emerging as one of Tech’s most dangerous offensive weapons. He had 28 catches last season for 341 yards and three touchdowns, including a 67-yard TD at Duke and a crucial, late 45-yard reception against Virginia.
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Reggie Floyd
Sr., 6-0, 222, SS
He’s the steady presence in Tech’s still-unproven secondary. Floyd has demonstrated over the last two seasons a penchant for running down would-be touchdown scorers in the open field, but keeping pass catchers in front of him this season will be key.
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Dax Hollifield
Soph., 6-1, 232, LB
While middle linebacker Rayshard Ashby certainly deserves mention as a potential game-changing presence, Hollifield offers a high-energy style that fires up the Lane Stadium crowd. He has exceptional quickness and lateral movement at Tech’s left outside linebacker spot, but he has to get more focused on the field and become less of the “unguided missile” he was often referred to as last season by Fuente.
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Damon Hazelton
R-Jr., 6-2, 215, WR
It’ll be interesting to see if Hazelton or Tre Turner — called “Big Play Tre” by his teammates — becomes Willis’ favorite target, but Hazelton was as steady as they come last season in his on-field debut for Tech. After transferring from Ball State and sitting out a season, he led Tech with 51 catches for 802 yards and eight touchdowns. Expect more of the same.
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Storylines
Foster’s last ride
After 33 seasons as a Tech assistant coach, including his last 25 as one of the most influential defensive coordinators in the game, Bud Foster, 60, is ready to call it a career. Considering he’s been the poster boy for Tech when it’s been at its hard-nosed, take-no-prisoners defensive best over the last quarter century, last season’s demise didn’t sit well with him, which means there’s no lack of motivation heading into his final season.
Re-energizing the rush defense
What bugged Foster the most last season? Without a doubt, it had to be his abysmal rush defense, which gave up 210.3 yards per game game — by far the most rushing yards surrendered by a defense in his career. Getting defensive tackle Jarrod Hewitt, defensive end Emmanuel Belmar and linebackers Rayshard Ashby and Dax Hollifield provides at least the beginnings of an improved run-stopping unit.
Developing ground game
As uninspiring as Tech’s rush defense was last season, its own running game also wasn’t terribly impactful. Only twice last season did a Tech running back eclipse 100 yards in a game, and Steven Peoples, who had a Tech season-best 156 yards in a loss to Old Dominion, is gone. Deshawn McClease, an Oscar Smith High alum, and Jalen Holston will try to spark a backfield that averaged 174.3 yards per game last season. Keep an eye on speedy true freshman Keshawn King’s development.
Lackluster home schedule
Winning at home has suddenly become a significant chore for Tech, which was just 2-4 last season in Lane Stadium against FBS foes. The cure for what ails the Hokies? A home slate that features games against ODU, Furman, Duke, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Pitt. Anything worse than 6-1 in Blacksburg would be a disappointment.
Eliminating divisiveness
Last season’s decline was the result of several factors, not the least of which was a progressive internal decay that saw double-digit players dismissed (before and during the season), transfer or suffer serious injuries. There’s a lot of positivity being promoted this preseason, but it has to translate to wins to keep Fuente off the hot seat.
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Schedule
Aug. 31 at Boston College, 4 p.m.
Sept. 7 Old Dominion, Noon
Sept. 14 Furman, Noon
Sept. 27 Duke, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 at Miami, TBA
Oct. 12 Rhode Island, TBA
Oct. 19 North Carolina, TBA
Nov. 2 at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 9 Wake Forest, TBA
Nov. 16 at Georgia Tech, TBA
Nov. 23 Pittsburgh, TBA
Nov. 29 at Virginia, TBA
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Norm Wood, 757-247-4642, nwood@dailypress.com
