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

32 Inside Hokie Sports Maybe the top storyline for the Virginia Tech football program as the Hokies enteredAugust practices centered on the two cornerback positions. Much of that discussion comes about because educated fans know the importance of those spots in coordinator Bud Foster’s defense, know the tradition of excellence from players at those positions over the past two decades, and perhaps most notably, know what the squad lost from last year’s group. Tech’s staff knew it was going to have to replace starters Greg Stroman and Brandon Facyson, two longtime contributors, and in the case of Stroman, last year’s team MVP and a first-team All-ACC choice. But the Hokies also lost two players that they expected to contribute this season—Adonis Alexander, who didn’t reach certain academic thresholds, and junior-college transfer Jeremy Webb, who tore his Achilles not long after arriving in Blacksburg. Stroman, Facyson and Alexander are all in NFL camps—Alexander made himself available for the NFL’s supplemental draft, and the Washington Redskins selected him. So now, head coach Justin Fuente, Foster and defensive backs coach Brian Mitchell find themselves trying to piece together a group good enough to grant Foster the flexibility to play the attacking style of defense that he prefers. “We’re going to ask our corners to do exactly what Greg Stroman, Brandon Facyson, Kendall Fuller and all of those guys before them have done,” Mitchell said back in April. “That’s to challenge wide receivers day in and day out.” At the time, he said that not knowing Alexander’s future fate. So does that strategy change without Alexander and Webb? He and Foster will figure that out in the days leading up to the Florida State game. So who are the starters? Well, coming out of spring practice, Bryce Watts and Jovonn Quillen were the frontrunners. Quillen possessed the most experience among the players who received plenty of reps this spring. The rising junior spent nearly all of the past two seasons playing on special teams and made a name for himself on those units, too. QUICK FACTS ON TECH’S CB’s Returning starters: none Starters lost: Greg Stroman, Brandon Facyson Projected new starters: Bryce Watts, Jovonn Quillen Top reserves: Tyree Rodgers, Caleb Farley Newcomers: Farley, Nadir Thompson, Jermaine Waller, D.J. Crossen, Armani Chatman Breakout candidate: Watts Notes: Tech’s returning cornerbacks combined for just 10 tackles in 2017 … None of Tech’s returning cornerbacks has started a collegiate game … Quillen has played in 22 games in his career, mostly on special teams … Watts played in all 13 games last season, with most of his action coming on special teams … Tech’s cornerbacks combined for just five interceptions in 2017– four by Stroman. Season Preview 2 18 CORNERBACKS TECH looking for CONSISTENCY from unproven group of CORNERBACKS by Jimmy Robertson Jovonn Quillen