Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 10 No. 4 | March 2018

T he 2017 season served as a banner one for the Virginia Tech defense, as coordinator Bud Foster’s group recorded three shutouts and finished in the top 20 nationally in several prominent categories. In fact, Tech ranked fourth nationally in the most important category— scoring defense (14.8 points per game)—and the Hokies also finished in the top 15 in total defense (13th, 319.3 ypg) and rushing defense (15th, 119.5 ypg). They dominated in the red zone as well, holding opponents to scores on just 72.4 percent of their attempts, which ranked seventh nationally. Tech’s opponents only scored 13 touchdowns on 29 red-zone attempts. But the Hokies lost several key cogs from that defense, including senior stalwarts Andrew Motuapuaka, Greg Stroman and Brandon Facyson, along with Tremaine Edmunds, Terrell Edmunds and Tim Settle—all three of whom decided to leave school early and make themselves available for the NFL Draft. Thus, there is work to be done this spring to make Tech’s defense formidable once again. Foster, now entering his 32nd year at Tech, stands as one of the nation’s best defensive coordinators, so he knows how to mold a defense. He provided some insight as to how recently when he answered an array of questions shortly before the Hokies started spring practice. Q: Before looking ahead, let’s look back. Your defense recorded three shutouts and ranked in the top 20 nationally in several categories. How would you assess that unit’s play in 2017? BF: “During the season, you kind of just go on to the next game, but when we went back and evaluated our scheme—and we’re always going to tweak it a little bit—I was really pleased with how we played. We were consistent for the most part. Obviously, I was excited to have eight starters back, but that changed really quickly [laughing]. But it was just a combination. You had some experienced guys that played really well, like Tremaine Edmunds in his second year of starting. He really elevated his game. He was a special guy. You had different guys like that who stepped up. Tim Settle is another one. Ricky Walker had a big-time year for us. Andrew Motuapuaka played outstanding. I thought our secondary played extremely well. “It was one of our better seasons, all in all—stopping the run, defending the pass and just being a complete unit. I was pleased for the kids. They put a lot of work and effort into it. Now we’re starting all over again.” Q: Let’s look at the critical positions right away—the two linebacker spots. How do you go about replacing two such productive players as Tremaine and Andrew? BF: “That will be hard because those two guys were erasers for us. They were big-time playmakers. The one thing they did do for the younger kids … we kept as many of the younger kids in the meeting room as possible because we knew there would be a changeover. I was hoping Tremaine would stay one more year, but I also knew he’d be a first-round pick. It’s hard for a guy like that to stay back. “But those guys, and it has been over the years, it’s been the culture we’ve built just through the lunch pail. Those guys— Andrew, Tremaine, Sean Huelskamp, Anthony Shegog—were really professionals on and off the field. They worked their tails off, and how they played is how they practiced, but it’s also how their approach was in the meeting room and their preparation and how they attacked those types of things. They were great examples of mentors and role models for our younger guys. “Right now, in our early morning workouts and with how I’ve seen them [the current players] approach the workouts and how they’re attacking with their effort, I’m seeing the baton being passed to the younger guys. With each individual group, we have an expectation here, and it’s not so much what I expect, but what the game demands and what we’ve done, and now I think there is a little peer pressure amongst the guys that have been here … It’s pretty cool when you have that culture built in. Now, we’ve got to encourage that and keep reinforcing that the culture was built on hard work and commitment. Nothing is given to you. It’s earned—but I think we have that in this room. “I’m excited. We’ve got a lot of good, young guys. There is going to be competition, and competition is healthy. I’ve been pleased with how they’ve been working since the bowl game. Now we’ve got to transfer that on the field.” Graduation and early departures leave the Hokies’ defense void of experience, but coordinator Bud Foster is excited about the possibilities of several younger players who hopefully will emerge this spring by Jimmy Robertson 14 Inside Hokie Sports