Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 9 No. 1 | August 2016

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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
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