Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 12 No. 1 | August 2019

16 Inside Hokie Sports Hearp Financial, LLC Strategies By Tech Fans, For Tech Fans, and more Todd F. Hearp is a Registered Representative and Investment Adviser Representative of, and securities and investment ad visory services offered solely by Equity Services Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC, 4401 Starkey Road, Roanoke, VA 24018, (540) 989-4600. Hearp Financial, LLC. and Eddie Hearp are independent of Equ ity Services, Inc. TC108373(0619)1 4401 Starkey Road, Roanoke, VA 24018 www.nfservicesinc.com • H earp_Todd@nlvmail.com Strategies For Seeking a Safe Retirement Todd F. Hearp Class of ‘89 Eddie F. Hearp Class of ‘65 Proud to Support Virginia Tech Athletics (540) 989-4600 Our firm provides policy analysis reviews for all existing life insurance policies with any company to confirm how long death benefit will last, to ensure that policy contains all available non tobacco discounts, living benefit riders, and that your beneficiary and ownership are up-to-date. • Investment Services • Insurance Services • Retirement Planning • Estate Planning Strategies • Premium Financed Life Insurance for Estate Protection & Charitable Planning • Guaranteed Lifetime Income Strategies • IRA/401(K) Rollovers The Hokies certainly lacked bodies at quarterback after Evans declared for the NFL Draft. Brenden Motley had graduated, leaving only Josh Jackson and a couple of walk-ons in the mix. Tech head coach Justin Fuente and offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen asked Hendon Hooker to enroll early, and they also took a commitment from junior college transfer AJ Bush. They liked what they saw on film of Willis, but needed players eligible to play right away. Still, they offered Willis an opportunity—come to Tech as a walk-on, work hard, and earn a scholarship at some point in the future. “I took it as a challenge,” Willis said. He made his decision to come to Tech. In doing so, he again wagered on himself. Not that he didn’t have second thoughts. After all, when he committed to the Hokies, he never had seen the campus. He knew little about the program or the school. Those thoughts and others hit him as he packed his car and made the 14-hour, 1,000-mile journey from Kansas to Blacksburg. “Every few hours, I was like, ‘What the hell am I doing?’” Willis said. “I’m driving across the country, leaving my girlfriend, leaving all my friends, and walking on at an ACC school that I know nothing about, never even visited. It was kind of sight unseen, just based on what the coaches were telling me. Crazy, right?” BETTING ON HIMSELF PAYS OFF After being a quarterback at a Big 12 school, Willis found himself living in obscurity in Blacksburg when he arrived in January of 2017. No one knew him. No one knew his name. He actually lived with three band guys who were on the drumline. He got a different perspective of college—and it was good for him. “I was walking around campus and probably looked like a frat boy,” he said. “It was refreshing. I had to sit out a year. That was tough … But I did become closer with some other redshirts. I probably developed some of my best friends out of that.” Academically, the time allowed him to get ahead on coursework toward a degree in finance—he now needs just one class to finish requirements. Froma football perspective, the year off allowed him to rest his body, while working on his game. In the competition for the starting position last fall, Jackson edged him out, but Willis received his opportunity when Jackson broke his leg in the fourth quarter of the Hokies’ loss at Old Dominion. Undaunted and ready, Willis guided the Hokies to a touchdown on his first drive, throwing a 13-yard scoring pass to Chris Cunningham. Tech fell 49-35, but Willis finished 9 of 18 for 131 yards and the score. He also rushed for 30 yards, all in less than a quarter. “I was calling signals at the time, and that kept me locked into the game,” he said. “I was on the headsets, and they [Tech’s coaches] were calling out coverages, so I knew all the looks they [ODU] were giving—everything that was working and what the coaches wanted to do. I was probably more tuned in than I ever was.” Willis went on to enjoy a strong season. He threw for more than 300 yards in his first start, Tech’s win at Duke. He guided the Hokies on a 98-yard touchdown march in the final six minutes to beat North Carolina. He made big plays in the fourth quarter to get Tech into overtime against Virginia. He threw four touchdown passes in Tech’s win over Marshall—a victory that clinched bowl eligibility. He started Tech’s final 10 games and threw for 2,716 yards and 24 touchdowns. He finished in the top five in the ACC in virtually every passing category, and his 24 scoring passes ranked tied for second on the Hokies’ single-season list. “He can make the plays, and he’s got the talent, the intelligence,” Tech offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen said. “It’s the consistency of Willis’ Road Continued from page 15