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23

Returning starter:

Joey Slye (26 career starts)

Starter lost:

A.J. Hughes (52 career starts)

Projected new starter:

Mitchell Ludwig

Top reserve:

Michael Santamaria

Newcomers:

none

Breakout candidate:

Ludwig

Notes:

Slye’s 30 field-goal attempts ranked

tied for second in the ACC … Slye ranked

fourth in the ACC in field goals made and sixth

in scoring per game (8.5 ppg) last season …

Hughes’ 70 punts and his total yardage (3,002)

were the third-most in the ACC a year ago …

Stroman’s 31 punt returns were the most in the

ACC last season … Stroman’s average of 7.8

yards per return ranked third in the league …

Colton Taylor figures to be the snapper and

has played in five college games in his career

… Der’Woun Greene’s kickoff return average

(27.4 ypr) ranked third in the ACC last season.

A QUICK GLANCE

2016

SPECIAL TEAMS

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No player on Tech’s roster has spent more

time under pressure the past two years than

Joey Slye.

After all, each day in practice, he worked

under the watchful eye of Frank Beamer, who

has his own display in the College Football Hall

of Fame because of his body of work related to

special teams.

“I wasmore nervous kicking in front of Coach

Beamer than kicking in front of a crowd because

of how important special teams were to him,”

Slye said. “You never wanted to let him down.”

Beamer retired at the end of the 2015 season

and head coach Justin Fuente has left Tech’s

special teams in the hands of James Shibest,

who also doubles as the tight ends coach. The

Hokies take a little different approach to special

teams these days, but the overall goal remains

the same—to be good in all phases.

Shibest and Slye came up with goals for Slye

after spring practice, and Tech’s third-year

placekicker wants to make at least 80 percent

of his field goals and hit at least 70 percent

of his kickoffs for touchbacks. A year ago, he

made 77 percent of his field goals, tying Tech’s

single-season record with 23 field goals, and 69

percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks.

“I’ll shoot for perfection, but my numbers

are attainable,” Slye said. “Missing sometimes

comes with the job. I’mnot going to get too upset

in those situations. I just want to bounce back

and make themwhen I need to make them.”

Tech’s situation at punter is a little more

unsettled, with Mitchell Ludwig being the

favorite to replace four-year starter A.J.

Hughes. Ludwig, who has not punted in a

college game, showed the most consistency of

the group this spring.

Greg Stroman returns as the punt returner

having averaged 7.8 yards per return, including

one for a score. Tech’s staff worked several

kick returners this spring, including last year’s

primary returner, Der’Woun Greene (27.4 ypr

last year). Expect that position to be looked at

again in August practices.

Fair or not, though, the success of Tech’s

special teams probably hinges on Slye’s ability

to put points on the board. He may need to do

that again this season, while Tech’s offense

finds itself.

He’s certainly ready for that challenge.

“I love it when games are close and it’s on

my back,” Slye said. “I work really, really hard.

Sometimes it goes unnoticed because I’m not

the top skill position, but I like to propel our

team in situations like that. I see the dedication

that they put in and it’s relieving to know that I

can help them out in a significant way.”

Slye with

higher

goals

heading into

the

SEASON

by

Jimmy Robertson

JOEY

SLYE

PUNTERS

90

Mitchell Ludwig

(5-11, 198, r-Jr.)

46

Joey Slye

(5-11, 210, Jr.)

KICKERS

35

Michael Santamaria

(5-9, 174, r-So.)

46

Joey Slye

(5-11, 210, Jr.)

SNAPPERS

54

Chaska Moon

(5-10, 227, r-Fr.)

59

Joe Callas

(5-11, 200, r-So.)

87

Colton Taylor

(6-1, 220, r-Jr.)

89

Wright Bynum

(6-4, 233, r-Fr.)

AUGUST, 2016

(In numerical order)

VIRGINIA TECH

SPECIAL TEAMS