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25
ENDS
4
Ken Ekanem
(6-3, 260, r-Sr.)
11
Houshun Gaines
(6-3, 248, r-Fr.)
43
Seth Dooley
(6-5, 252, r-Jr.)
47
Darius Fullwood
(6-3, 252, r-Fr.)
94
Trevon Hill
(6-3, 240, r-Fr.)
96
Jimmie Taylor
(6-2, 240, Fr.)
99
Vinny Mihota
(6-5, 264, r-So.)
TACKLES
60
Woody Baron
(6-2, 280, Sr.)
90
Dalton Roe
(6-1, 263, r-Jr.)
91
Steve Sobczak
(6-1, 287, r-So.)
95
Nigel Williams
(6-2, 297, r-Sr.)
97
Tim Settle
(6-3, 328, r-Fr.)
98
Ricky Walker
(6-2, 282, r-So.)
AUGUST, 2016
(In numerical order)
VIRGINIA TECH
DEFENSIVE LINE
In looking at this season’s defensive line,
the Hokies possess a lot of depth at defensive
tackle and not so much at end.
Baron and Williams give the Hokies two
tough and experienced players at defensive
tackle. Baron has played in 38 games in his
career. He started five of them last season and
finished with 28 tackles, including eight for
a loss, and a sack. Williams played in all 13
games in 2015 and had eight tackles.
Ricky Walker and Tim Settle figure to push
Baron and Williams for playing time. Walker
playedwell as a true freshman two years ago, but
took a redshirt season last year because of Tech’s
depth and he played well this spring. Settle, all
325-plus pounds of him, also took a redshirt
season and made some noise this spring.
A five-star recruit out of high school,
Settle possesses the tools to be a dominant
player. He’s quick, powerful, and runs well for
someone his size.
“When you look at Tim in the weight room,
you can see that he is a hard worker,” Baron
said. “He comes in every day and he gets to
work. I love his attitude and his approach on
the field and in the weight room. I think, just
like everybody else, that the sky is the limit for
him. It’s all about learning every day from your
mistakes and getting better.”
Steve Sobczak is another promising young
defensive tackle. He played in six games as a
redshirt freshman last season.
The situation is a little more unsettled at
defensive end, where only Ekanem brings
any semblance of game experience. A two-
year starter who has played in 37 games in
his career, Ekanem recorded 39 tackles last
season, including 9.5 for a loss and 4.5 sacks.
He leads a position with a lot of youth, but
also a lot of talent. Seth Dooley and Vinny
Mihota bring size, with Dooley at 6-foot-5,
252 pounds and Mihota at 6-5, 264. Both of
them bring athleticism as well, and Tech’s
coaches expect an increase in production
this fall.
Behind those three are three redshirt
freshmen who haven’t played a game
yet—Darius Fullwood, Houshun Gaines, and
Trevon Hill. Of those, Hill stood out this spring
as a 6-3, 240-pounder with the ability to bend
his body coming off the edge. He possesses the
explosiveness to work his way into the rotation
rather quickly.
Tech’s defensive line had the smoothest
transition of anyone once Justin Fuente
took the job. After all, Fuente kept defensive
coordinator Bud Foster and defensive line
coach Charley Wiles. So this unit should be a
group that serves as leaders to the rest of the
team—and more importantly, plays up to the
potential it possesses.
“I think the expectation is what it’s always
been,” Baron said. “You’ve got your older guys,
which is me, and then you have your younger
guys, like Ricky [Walker]. Everyone is expected
to learn in the film room and do the best they
can once they step on the field. Whether that’s
me or whomever it is, someone has to start on
day No. 1. Whoever is on the field is expected to
execute the defense.
“I have high expectations for every team
that I’m a part of, whether we’re too young or
a team full of veterans. I think that we have the
opportunity to learn frommistakes and the sky
is the limit for each team. This one isn’t any
different.”