Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 14 No. 1 | August 2021

inside.hokiesports.com 21 football SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER TO WATCH Special teams have long been synonymous with Virginia Tech football. That trend has certainly continued under the direction of special teams coordinator James Shibest, who has helped Tech consistently produce some of the nation’s top coverage units over the past five seasons. The Hokies have also been blessed with relatively consistent play from their kickers and punters over that span, as well. John Parker Romo has demonstrated his strong leg as Tech’s kickoff specialist the past two seasons with 81 touchbacks. Now we’ll learn if he has the accuracy to earn the placement job for the Hokies. He has yet to attempt a field goal in a Tech uniform, but did see limited action in that role during his time at Tulsa. OTHERS IN THE MIX Oscar Bradburn concluded his four-year career with the Hokies with a school-record 43.5-yard punting average. Bradburn’s ability to consistently drop punts inside the 20with pinpoint accuracy will be difficult to replicate, but Peter Moore appears to be a good option at that position to begin camp after a solid spring. He made his Tech debut in last year’s season finale vs. Virginia when Bradburn was injured. Freshman Kyle Lowe could also be in the mix for either kicking or punting duties. A five- star kicking prospect according to Kohl’s Kicking, Lowe should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself in practice. Tech also has two transfers on the roster who have yet to play for the Hokies in Zach Hoban (Rice) and Will Ross (Coastal Carolina). Hoban was the Owls’ kickoff specialist in 2019, averaging 59.9 yards on 34 kickoffs with 14 touchbacks. SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES • The Hokies’ punt coverage unit was the second-best in the ACC in 2020, holding opponents to just 28 return yards on the season. • Similarly, Tech’s kickoff return unit ranked near the top of the conference a year ago, averaging 23.2 yards per return, the third- highest mark in the ACC. • All three Hokies that returned punts in 2020–Tayvion Robinson (10 returns), James Mitchell (four returns) and Raheem Blackshear (three returns) –are on the roster this year. POSITION OUTLOOK It’s been a while since the Hokies have had so many variables on special teams heading into the season. Competition for the placekicking and punting duties will likely go on throughout camp. John Parker Romo (kicker) and Peter Moore (punter) will both need to earn those roles and will be tested. Oscar Shadley gives Tech stability at the snapper spot, owning 35 games of experience over the past three seasons. If Romo wins the placement job, Hoban could give the Hokies an interesting option to utilize on kickoffs. The punt return job was a revolving door for Tech in 2020 and no doubt, there will be multiple players auditioning for that role. If WR Tayvion Robinson returned to his 2019 form in that role, that would certainly be a big plus. RB Khalil Herbert gave Tech a home- run threat on kickoff returns a year ago. Again, multiple players will try to earn this job. Breakaway speed could make RB Raheem Blackshear a top contender for this role, which could also present an opportunity for a young player to make a contribution. HOKIE EFFECT SHIRTS NOW ON SALE! vt.edu/hokie-effect HokieSportsMag.indd 1 7/29/21 5:05 PM