34 / 48
32
Inside Hokie Sports
Though he started 13 of 14 games a year
ago, Terrell Edmunds remains somewhat
bummed about not starting the Georgia Tech
game. That served as his punishment for a
questionable targeting call in the previous
game at Duke. He nearly found himself in the
same predicament following a game at Notre
Dame, but officials did not throw the flag on
that particular play.
Tech’s coaching staff finds itself in a bit of
a dilemma. The coaches want Edmunds to be
a bit more judicious in his approach—and yet
be the same ruthless player.
“I’mnotgoingtochangewhoIam,”Edmunds
said. “I’m still going to come downhill. I’m still
going to bring it every play. I’m going to still
try to make the big hit, but I’m going to make
sure I make every tackle. I don’t want anyone
bouncing off of me. I’m going to keep my head
up as best I can—even though sometimes I
didn’t feel like I had my head down.”
Edmunds enjoyed a terrific season in
2016, as he transitioned from cornerback to
rover. He adjusted perfectly, finishing with
89 tackles—a number that ranked fourth on
the team—and he led the squad with four
interceptions.
Yet for the second consecutive season, he
finds himself playing a new position. Shortly
before spring practice, Tech’s staff moved
Edmunds from rover to free safety to replace
dependable Chuck Clark, a three-year starter.
Edmunds stood as the logical choice given
his play-making abilities and his intelligence.
Plus, the Hokies lack a little bit of experience
Edmunds
LEADS
deep,
talented bunch at
safety and rover
by
Jimmy Robertson
on the back end, and safeties coach Galen
Scott wanted someone whom he could trust at
the defense’s most important position.
“I wouldn’t say it was so much different,
but I definitely had to be on my p’s and q’s,”
Edmunds said of the moves. “I had to learn
new keys and make sure that I had my eyes in
the right place at the right time.
“At the same time, I have people that are
looking up to me, but I’m learning my position
just they are learning theirs. I’m trying to
learn it the best I can and teach at the same
time, so it was important for me to be in the
film room and listen to the coaches and be a
sponge of the game.
“I was willing to do whatever helped the
team. If this were going to help the team, I
would do it, and if this is what you want me
to do, I’ll do it. At the end of the day, we’re
team first here. We’re all just trying to go to
1-0, and if that’s the way to get to our ultimate
goal, that’s what I’ll do.”
Clark’s departure and Edmunds’ move were
only parts of the story at the two safety spots
this spring. In short, a lot happened at free
safety and rover.
Reggie Floyd came out of spring leading the
contenders at rover. He played in 12 games
last fall behind Edmunds and then played
extremely well this spring. Also, Tech’s staff
moved Khalil Ladler from cornerback to rover
to add depth and competition.
“Reggie feels comfortable back there,”
Edmunds said. “He was there last year, and he
didn’t get many reps, but you could tell he was a
sponge of the game. Khalil moving from corner
to safety … he moved like it was natural. His
footwork is there, and he’s coming downhill.”
At free safety, the coaching staff made
another move, shifting Divine Deablo from
receiver to the free safety spot. Deablo played
last fall as a true freshman, with most of his
action coming on special teams. His work
there gave the coaches confidence in moving
him to defense.
In many ways, Deablo resembles
Edmunds—a taller, rangy player with good
speed. The questions center on his mentality
for playing defense.
“He’s not afraid to tackle,” Edmunds said.
“He’s fast, and he’s long. He’s a nice fit for a
safety. He’s still learning, but he got better
throughout each practice this spring. He’s
going to have his time here, too. I think the
conversion went well for him, and he should
do a good job.”
The other player in the mix at these two
spots is Devon Hunter, a highly rated recruit
from Chesapeake, Virginia. Hunter, who played
offense anddefense at IndianRiverHigh, arrived
on campus in July and projects as a rover.
Despite being one of the top recruits
nationally, Hunter arrived with an humble
attitude. He quickly endeared himself to
his teammates, and Edmunds continues to
help the young man become the best player
possible.
“When you get here, everybody is the
same,” Edmunds said. “You have to prove
yourself the same as any other guy. He
definitely has the hype with him, but we’re
on his back to push him every day to make
sure he doesn’t think it’ll be just given to him.
He’s not even taking it like that. He’s working
hard every day, and he’s going to be a
great player.”
Scott also coaches the nickel defensive
back position, and he expects Mook Reynolds
to return to full speed after missing spring
practice with an injury. Anthony Shegog
will be at backer this fall, but he, too,
possesses the ability to play the nickel spot,
along with Deon Newsome, a rising fifth-
year senior.
Newsome received plenty of reps at the
spot this spring, and he played fairly well.
Newsome, like Deablo, spent the early part of
his career at receiver, but the staff decided to
move him into a defensive back role last year.
He played in 12 games in 2016, with most of
that playing time coming on special teams.
Overall, these positions possess a nice
combination of experience, talent and youth.
Edmunds and Clark played at a high level
last year, and Edmunds expects the group to
exceed that in 2017.
“The expectation is very high,” he said. “We
want to be the best. There is no being second
or being third. We all want to be the best.
We want to play for an ACC championship
and play for a national championship and
hopefully win it. That’s our expectation.
“We don’t even want anyone to catch a
pass, or nobody to get more than 20 yards on
us. That’s our expectation every game. I know
that’s steep, but you’ve got to set the bar high
to get where you want to go.”
Returning starters:
Terrell Edmunds
(21 career starts), Mook Reynolds
(13 career starts)
Starter lost:
Chuck Clark (40 career starts)
Projected new starter:
Reggie Floyd
Top reserves:
Divine Deablo, Khalil Ladler,
Devon Hunter, Deon Newsome
Newcomers:
Deablo, Ladler, Hunter
Breakout candidate:
Floyd
Notes:
Edmunds’ 48.5 percent passer rating
allowed in 2016 (according to PFF College
Football) was the lowest among returning
safeties in the ACC … Edmunds’ 89 tackles a
year ago are the most among Tech’s returning
defensive backs … Reynolds’ 9.5 tackles for a
loss ranked fourth on the team and first among
defensive backs … Reynolds was the only Tech
defensive back to record three tackles for a loss
in a game last season (Belk Bowl) … Reynolds
recorded at least five tackles in seven of the
final nine games … Shegog’s four solo tackles
in the Belk Bowl were nearly half of his solo
tackles for the season (nine).
QUICK FACTS
ON TECH’S
SAFETIES, ROVERS AND
NICKEL BACKS
FREE SAFETIES
17
Divine Deablo
(6-3, 210, So.)
22
Terrell Edmunds
(6-2, 220, r-Jr.)
41
John Jennings
(5-11, 172, So.)
ROVERS
7
Devon Hunter
(6-0, 216, Fr.)
9
Khalil Ladler
(5-11, 180, r-Fr.)
21
Reggie Floyd
(6-0, 218, So.)
29
Ishmiel Seisay
(5-9, 195, r-So.)
NICKEL
6
Mook Reynolds
(6-0, 191, Jr.)
20
Deon Newsome
(5-11, 200, r-Sr.)
24
Anthony Shegog
(6-2, 230, r-Sr.)
AUGUST
•
2017
(In numerical order)
VIRGINIA TECH
SAFETIES, ROVERS
AND NICKEL BACKS
20
17
PREVIEW
S A F E T I E S ,
R O V E R S A N D
NICKEL BACKS