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

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27
MIKE LINEBACKERS
53 Trent Young (5-10, 214, r-So.)
54 Andrew Motuapuaka (6-0, 233, r-Jr.)
56 Sean Huelskamp (6-1, 222, r-Jr.)
BACKERS
49 Tremaine Edmunds (6-5, 236, So.)
50 Jamieon Moss (6-1, 229, r-Jr.)
AUGUST, 2016 (In numerical order)
VIRGINIA TECH
LINEBACKERS
Returning starter: Andrew Motuapuaka (15
career starts)
Starter lost: Deon Clarke (24 career starts)
Projected new starter: Tremaine Edmunds
(two career starts)
Top reserves: Sean Huelskamp, Jamieon
Moss, Trent Young
Newcomers: Tavante Beckett, Eron Carter,
and Emmanual Belmar
Breakout candidate: Edmunds
Notes: Motuapuaka has recorded at least 10
tackles in a game on 12 occasions during his
career … Motuapuaka’s four sacks last season
ranked second on the team … Edmunds saw
action in 294 regular-season plays, including
273 on special teams … Huelskamp recorded
10 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, and a sack
in a start against East Carolina last fall … Moss
has played in 25 games in his career, but has
not played a snap from scrimmage.
A QUICK GLANCE
Edmunds will be working in tandem with
Andrew Motuapuaka, the Hokies’ mike
linebacker who started 11 games last season.
He missed two games with an injury, but still
amassed 73 tackles, including a team-best
11.5 for a loss, and four sacks. The productive
linebacker also forced three fumbles, recovered
two fumbles, and intercepted a pass.
The Hokies need for Edmunds and
Motuapuaka to stay healthy because there is
a lack of proven depth at those spots. Depth
became evenmore of an issue over the summer
when Carson Lydon decided to transfer after
playing 11 games as a true freshman last fall.
Sean Huelskamp and Trent Young go into
the season as backups behind Motuapuaka,
while Jamieon Moss will be behind Edmunds.
Huelskamp started the two games that
Motuapuaka missed and recorded a combined
11 tackles.
The staff also signed three linebackers in
Tavante Beckett, Eron Carter, and Emmanual
Belmar. Typically, though, true freshmen
linebackers struggle to pick up Bud Foster’s
scheme because one needs to know both run
defenses and pass coverages.
Then again, Edmunds played as a true
freshman—but he may be outside the norm.
“I’ve played linebacker all my life, so I
feel comfortable there,” he said. “Whichever
position helps my team, honestly, I’m fine with
it. I just want to go out there and contribute
and be a factor in each and every game.
“But I like linebacker. We’re leaders on the
defense and a lot of things go through us. I like
taking a leadership role and going out there
and getting to the ball. Backers definitely get
to the ball a lot and it’s definitely a playmaker
position. I feel great there.”
Tech’s defense was a little up and down last
fall and the numbers show that. The Hokies
ranked 44th nationally in total defense,
allowing nearly 370 yards per game. Usually
they reside in the top 20.
Getting back to that level will require more
consistent and better play. That includes the
linebacker positions and Edmunds expects
that he and Motuapuaka will give the unit just
what it needs.
“Coach Foster always stresses the need to
be consistent,” Edmunds said. “We need to
come out each and every game with the same
mindset. We need to finish plays and we need
to execute. We need to play as a team. Coach
Foster knows what he is doing, so we need to
listen to him and listen to what he has in store
for us and I think we’ll definitely get back up
there [in the rankings].”