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V
irginia Tech’s offense received a lot of attention during the football
season, as the Hokies set numerous school records during a fall in
which Tech won the ACC’s Coastal Division and the Belk Bowl.
But when Tech’s defense played well, the Hokies usually won, and
Woody Baron, without question, anchored that defense.
Tech’s lone first-team All-ACC player enjoyed the best season of
his career, starting all 14 games and recording 56 tackles to finish
sixth on the team. However, he led all of the Hokies’defensive linemen
in that category, and he tied for team bests overall in tackles for a loss
and fumble recoveries, registering 18.5 and two, respectively. In fact,
he and Tremaine Edmunds registered the most tackles for a loss by a
Tech defensive player since the Hokies joined the ACC and the most
by a defensive player since 2002. Baron’s 18.5 were the most
by a Tech defensive tackle since J.C. Price tallied 23 in 1995.
Baron’s 18.5 tackles for a loss also ranked tied for sixth in
the ACC with Edmunds. His two fumble recoveries were tied
for fourth in the league.
Baron’s 5.5 sacks ranked second on the team this
past season. He recorded 2.5 of those in the Hokies’
37-16 win over Miami—a game in which he also
finished with 4.5 tackles for a loss, tying for the
most tackles for a loss in a single game at
the school in the past 30 seasons (Barry
Booker at UVA in 2007).
Baron started the final 22 games
of his career and was one of seven
Hokies to start every game this
past season. He closed his
career with four tackles
and a sack in the Hokies’
35-24 Belk Bowl win over
Arkansas.
SR.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
WOODY
BARON
F OOT B A L L
26
Inside Hokie Sports