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

16 Inside Hokie Sports Prime Rib • Steaks • Seafood • Outdoor Courtyard • Private Dining “The Farmhouse... Dining Here for 30 Years.” – Coach Frank Beamer 285 Ridinger Street, Christiansburg, VA 24073 thefarmhousechristiansburg.com (540) 251-7600 Kitty Newton Photo – KitKatNewt1@gmail.com We brought in two freshmen early—DJ Crossen and Jermaine Waller—and I like their length and athletic ability. They haven’t taken a rep yet. We’ve done some classroom work, but there is a difference between doing that and doing it on the field, but I have been impressed by their abilities and athleticism during early-morning workouts. Those are guys that have a skill set that we’re looking for and what we’ve played with in the past.” Q: I wanted to ask you about Devon Hunter, who came in highly touted, but struggled with injuries some this past fall. Where do you see him fitting in, and what are your expectations of him? BF: “He played rover, but we’re going to potentially look at Devon as our nickel guy with Mook [Reynolds] being out this spring [with an injury], and we’ll maybe look at DJ, too, because he played the position some in high school. For us, that’s a key position. He needs to be instinctive and a good cover guy and also a playmaker in space. “But Devon, I’m anxious to see him. He came in with a lot of accolades, but you know, at the same time, what he was asked to do as a freshman in college compared to what he was asked to do in high school was a big difference. That’s not always an easy transition for a kid to make, particularly in our defense. We’re a ‘check with me’ group, meaning we’re going to change coverages or defenses depending on formations and backfield sets and things like that. That’s not always easy for a young player to do. I don’t care if he’s playing in the secondary or another position. “He did a nice job on special teams, but he’s got a lot of tools. We probably would have liked to have redshirted him. I know this—he’s going to be a better player and have a chance to compete for a starting position because he played last year. He’s a lot like Dylan Rivers and Rayshard Ashby in that he’s a notch above the other guys [in his class] because they all were able to practice a little more and do some different things.” “I’m excited about him and his future, with the way he runs. He’s a dynamic athlete. We need for him to figure it out and hopefully have a big spring for us.” Q: You did lose Terrell Edmunds, but you’re gaining Divine Deablo, and you’re moving Khalil Ladler to free safety. Do you feel good about the free safety position? BF: “I was really pleased with Divine last season before he broke his foot. I like the kid. It’s important to him, and he played well. He was really starting to understand the position, so we’re excited to get him back. “And then, I thought Khalil came in and did a good job. I was extremely pleased when he stepped in and played—and with how he played. He’s not the fastest guy, but he knows how to compete. He knows what his strengths and his weaknesses are. He’s just a smart, heady player. There will be some competition there.” Q: Maybe the strongest part of this defense right now is the defensive line, led by Ricky Walker, Vinny Mihota and Trevon Hill. Looking at Settle’s spot, whom do you see as the frontrunner for Settle’s spot since both tackle positions lacked depth a year ago? BF: “We’re going to move Vinny down inside. I think he’s weighing around 285. He tore his ACL at the end of the Pitt game, and he’ll miss spring ball, but I think he’s a good fit at tackle. If he’s going to play at the next level, I think that’s his best chance to showcase his talents, and he knows that. “But I think it’ll be him and Jarrod Hewitt next to Ricky. I’m excited about Jarrod. He can run. He played a little more and got better as the year went along. You saw his production continue to improve as the season progressed. “But we need some young guys to emerge, like Xavier Burke or Darius Fullwood. Unfortunately, Robert Porcher [a freshman] was a the STORY for TECH’S DEFENSE entering Spring Practice Youth Continued from page 15