Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 10 No. 1 | August 2017

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Returning starters: Brandon Facyson
(36 career starts), Greg Stroman (16 career
starts), Adonis Alexander (13 career starts)
Starters lost: none
Projected new starters: none
Top reserves: Jovonn Quillen, Tyree Rodgers,
Shawn Payne
Newcomers: Rodgers, Devante Smith,
Bryce Watts
Breakout candidate: Stroman
Notes: Tech’s cornerbacks recorded just five
of the defense’s 16 interceptions in 2016
… Facyson’s 36 career starts lead the team
… Facyson set career highs in tackles (48),
tackles for a loss (four) and pass breakups (11)
last season … Facyson’s 11 pass breakups in
2016 led the team … Alexander’s six career
interceptions lead all Tech’s returning defensive
backs … Alexander started the final five games
of 2016 and had 23 tackles in that stretch.
QUICK FACTS
ON TECH’S CB’S
quarterback rating (51.1) among returning
cornerbacks.
Also, Stroman’s 2016 pass breakups rank
third among returning cornerbacks in the ACC
behind Florida State’s Tavares McFadden and
Louisville’s Jaire Alexander.
Stroman, though, attributes those numbers
to the entire secondary working in unison.
“It’s all of us,” he said. “It starts with all of
us watching film together. We work together
as a unit. Numbers like that pop up, but it’s
five of us back there, and all of us cover, so it’s
just all of us working together and watching
film and all of those things.”
In 2016, the Hokies ranked 14th nationally
in pass efficiency defense—and second in the
ACC—and the expectations are even higher
this season. The key, though, probably centers
on keeping Stroman, Facyson and Alexander
healthy, given the youthful reserves at the
cornerback positions.
Several of Tech’s safeties and nickel
defensive backs have played cornerback in
past seasons, so defensive coordinator Bud
Foster could shuffle people around in the
event of a spate of injuries. But Stroman
warns fans not to sleep on those younger guys,
specifically redshirt freshman Tyree Rodgers
and sophomore Jovonn Quillen, who played
last year, though mostly on special teams.
“They are two that are coming along great,”
Stroman said. “They looked good this spring.
They’re definitely physical guys and can hold
down that corner spot. I think they’ll be better.
We’ve just got to keep bringing them along
and help them with the little things. Watching
them is helping us. It reminds us that we have
to do the little things, too.”
Stroman, who graduates in December with
a degree in consumer studies and a minor
in business, hopes to retain his punt return
duties in spite of last season’s injury. He has
returned two punts for touchdowns in his
career, including one last season against East
Carolina, so he knows how to make a big play
in that part of the game.
This past spring—and against the wishes
of the sports medicine staff—he fielded a few
punts on the side while undergoing rehab. He
wanted to remain sharp because he loves this
part of the game.
“That’s one thing that I haven’t stopped
doing,” Stroman said. “When I couldn’t move
as much after the injury, I would just see if
Oscar [Bradburn, Tech’s punter] would kick
it right to me, so I could catch some punts. It
was fun. I definitely haven’t stopped catching
them, and I would expect to do it again.
“I love it. I think there is something about
just having the ball in my hands. I feel like
those are my opportunities to make a play.
You’ve got to want to do it.”
Overall, the Hokies go into the 2017 season
with plenty of experience and a lack of depth
at the cornerback spots. If a few younger
players emerge to help Stroman and the
other veterans, though, they could quickly
make this position a strength—something in
high demand in today’s pass-happy world of
college football.