Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 13 No. 2 | October 2020

10 Inside Hokie Sports Will we play? Or will we not? If we do play, in what sort of shape will the team be? Did I order enough plexiglass for the radio booths? Where did they place the cutouts of my family? Can we travel? I asked all these questions and others over the course of the past month or so, as the tumultuous nature of the coronavirus continued to wreak havoc on college athletics. In August, things looked bleak for college football, as the Big Ten and Pac-12 both announced the postponement of the college football season. And then things just got weird, with the remaining three Power 5 conferences stating their intentions to press ahead, albeit with augmented schedules consisting of primarily conference opponents. Then there were pauses in athletics activities across the country, protests from angry parents, political maneuvering, medical advancements, and setbacks. The Hokies originally were set to open their football season against Liberty on Sept. 5 and then on Sept. 12 against NC State—before the virus changed those plans, forcing the Wolfpack to back out of that date. Then in a surreal twist, Commonwealth Cup week started, at least for a few days, as Tech got set to play host to Virginia at what would be a nearly empty Lane Stadium. Social media lit up with the usual barbs between the two programs’ fan bases, and the season’s kickoff seemed for real this time. But then it wasn’t, as the virus infiltrated the Hokies’ program, leaving them no choice but to postpone. If one wrote a movie script about the beginning of the season, the author would be laughed out of the studio and the written pages tossed in the trash can. And yet, that stands as the absurdity of 2020. All of which made the evening of Sept. 26 so gratifying. Justin Fuente and his staff pressed on and played against NC State, but the lead-up to the game was anything but normal, as players inconsistently returned from quarantine or isolation throughout the week and many not cleared for participation until the day before the game. And then news came the morning of the game that defensive coordinator Justin Hamilton wouldn’t be available to make his debut as the successor to with Jon Laaser Let the Games Begin • Right next door to Virginia Tech, enjoy campus life that offers opportunities for life-long learning, social engagement and [outdoor] recreation without the pimples, exams and hangovers. the legendary Bud Foster. He, like Hokie Nation, watched this game from the couch, and 29-year-old Ryan Smith, in his first game as cornerbacks coach, called the defense in Hamilton’s place, with Tech’s roster down 23 players. The Hokies took the field to light applause, with no one, including Fuente, quite sure what to expect. And then they reminded us of what Hokie toughness and grit are all about. Tech raced out to a 17-0 lead on NC State behind a dominating offensive line and never looked back, delivering a three-touchdown victory over a conference opponent. All was not right with the world, certainly, as Beamer Way remained quiet before, during, and after the win. But memorable moments presented themselves throughout the evening that hinted at normalcy. For me, being in the booth with Mike Burnop and our crew was cathartic in a way never before experienced by me. Yes, the week felt different in the lead-up to the game, but after the kickoff, we got back to what we know how to do—and that felt tremendous. I imagine the players and coaches available for the game shared that feeling as well. I noticed a foreign mood from Fuente after the game during his postgame media obligations—relief, and for good reason. Again, not knowing the availability of your team or staff hours before a game is a taxing concept. Not knowing if or when you will be able to play a game until hours before kickoff borders on insanity. And yet, the Hokies executed at an elite level, not looking to any of the excuses readily available to them in the event they faltered in any fashion. I found it humbling to be a part of it. Through the course of the pandemic, we all find ourselves tested in unimaginable ways. For me, my security of there always being a next game or next season withered away. And as I walked out of Lane Stadium that night, I felt a renewed sense of appreciation for the magnitude of what we all represent as Hokies. I wonder if you felt it, too? We also felt a sense that we had made it through everything by getting back on the field, and for me, back in the booth. That, as Fuente pointed out to me the next day, was misguided. This season remains an ongoing struggle to regain our sense of normal, as we found out again the following week. Tech was back at it against the Duke Blue Devils, having endured another week of uncertainty that ultimately led to the leaving of 21 players and both Hamilton and Smith from the staff back in Blacksburg. The Hokies arrived nearly without their entire secondary—and won again.