Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 11 No. 1 | August 2018

28 Inside Hokie Sports Veteran DEFENSIVE LINE ready to lead the way for young TECH DEFENSE by Jimmy Robertson DEFENSIVE LINE August, 2018 (in numerical order) TACKLES 8 Ricky Walker (6-2, 300, r-Sr.) 43 Xavier Burke (6-3, 285, r-Jr.) 47 Darius Fullwood (6-3, 274, r-Jr.) 55 Jarrod Hewitt (6-1, 282, r-So.) 56 Clay Dean (6-3, 280, r-So.) 96 Jimmie Taylor (6-2, 265, r-So.) 99 Vinny Mihota (6-5, 297, r-Sr.) ENDS 11 Houshun Gaines (6-3, 235, r-Jr.) 18 Raymon Minor (6-2, 250, r-Sr.) 35 Zion Debose (6-1, 250, r-Fr.) 40 Emmanuel Belmar (6-2, 250, r-So.) 45 TyJuan Garbutt (6-1, 245, r-Fr.) 46 Eli Adams (5-11, 240, Fr.) 58 Nathan Proctor (6-2, 240, r-Fr.) 90 Jaevon Becton (6-4, 250, Fr.) 94 Trevon Hill (6-3, 245, r-Jr.) 98 Robert Porcher IV (6-1, 272, r-Fr.) Season Preview 2 18 DEFENSIVE LINE Ricky Walker Some of the coordinators of the high-powered offenses within the ACC probably view this fall as an opportunity to exact a little revenge against Bud Foster and Virginia Tech’s defense, considering the Hokies’ personnel losses. But the leader of Tech’s defense cautions against such thoughts. “The smart people know it ain’t going to be that easy,” defensive tackle Ricky Walker said. Certainly not if Walker has anything to say about it. Walker, a fifth-year senior and the unquestioned leader of this team, wreaked havoc on opposing offenses a year ago, and with the two other starters returning on the defensive line, they plan on controlling things up front until an inexperienced linebackers group and secondary get a little seasoning. Fans looking for positives entering this fall would do well to start with the defensive line spots, with those three returning starters and several backups returning who played extensively in 2017. “It starts up front,” Walker said of the keys to Tech’s success. “Everything we do starts up front. It’s the next guy up. You have to come up to our level, and if not, then the next guy behind you is going to have to come up. We’re not lowering expectations in Blacksburg, especially not on defense. I wouldn’t allow that, and Bud definitely wouldn’t allow that. The d-line, I think we’re one of the most underrated defensive lines in the country. It’s time to start getting some recognition.” Any discussion of that group startswithWalker, anhonorablemention All-ACC selection a year ago. He started all 13 games and finished with 41 tackles (19 solo), including 12.5 for a loss, and 4.5 sacks. He teamed with Tim Settle to form a near impenetrable force in the middle of the Hokies’ defense. Settle left school early to pursue NFL riches – the Washington Redskins drafted him in the fifth round. That marked the only vacancy among this group, one expected to be filled by veteran Vinny Mihota once he returns to full speed after missing spring practice while recovering froma tornACL suffered in the Pittsburgh game. Mihota, who started 11 games in 2017, has spent much of the past two seasons at defensive end, but the coaches moved him to tackle during the offseason, and they expect him to be a matchup nightmare for opposing guards. “He’s quicker now,” Walker said of his teammate. “I think Vinny is going to do big things. I think he’ll do big things at the next level, where he’ll be a better inside player. It’s nothing but positives. He’s working, running well off an injury. He looks pretty good.”