Can Coastal Division champions repeat?

By Nathan Warters

Published: August 5, 2008

BLACKSBURG — The mood among Virginia Tech’s football players, coaches and the media members who cover them was pretty mellow Monday evening following the Hokies’ first preseason practice.

But Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster was annoyed by something.

“It’s all your fault that you picked us to win the darn championship on our side (Coastal Division),” Foster jokingly said to a group of reporters. “We’re the only one on our side who lost 12 guys to the NFL.”

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The Hokies must replace seven starters from last year’s stingy defense, their top four receivers and their starting running back.

So how could the media be so presumptive to think Tech could compete for the Coastal Division crown?

“It’s a compliment to our program,” Foster said. “But it is a lot easier to coach when you can use the lack of respect issues and all those kinds of things.”

Even still, preseason predictions amount to nothing in college football. Tech has some questions it must answer this preseason before it can even consider repeating as division champs.

1. Sean Glennon or Tyrod Taylor or both?

Tech coach Frank Beamer has said he’d like to settle on one quarterback, but that means either Glennon or Taylor would have to separate himself. That hasn’t happened yet.

No timetable has been set for deciding which one will lead the Hokies’ offense on the field for the season opener against East Carolina in Charlotte on Aug. 30. The battle could be settled a day before the season begins.

The Hokies haven’t completely ruled out a two-quarterback rotation like they used down the stretch last year, either.

“If that’s what’s best for our football team, if we need both of them ... I thought we needed both of them to win the ACC last year,” Beamer said.

2. Who will catch the ball?

Zach Luckett has to be considered a veteran wide receiver when compared to Tech’s other wideout options. He has two career receptions for 18 whopping yards.

The Hokies haven’t been this inexperienced at wide receiver since 2004, when Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan and Justin Harper burst onto the scene.

Things worked out pretty well that year — Tech won the ACC championship — and Beamer is hopeful things will work out similarly this season.

“I think we’ve got good talent at wide receiver. We’ve just got to get them playing consistently,” Beamer said.

3. Can this year’s defense maintain the Tech standard?

The Hokies have set the bar high, so that might be a difficult task. So will replacing three starting defensive linemen, two linebackers, a lockdown cornerback and a free safety.

Talent abounds, but the question is: How well to the young replacements adapt to playing on the big stage?

“I like this group of kids, and I like where we can go with this group if we all stay together. Obviously, they need to learn how to play at this level,” Foster said.

They’ll be helped along by returning starters Victor “Macho” Harris (cornerback) and Kam Chancellor (safety), a couple of potential NFL first rounders.

4. Can Tech uncover another gem of a kicker?

It seems like the Hokies are looking for a new kicker every year. Jud Dunlevy had only one year as the starter, a very productive one, before graduating last season.

Now it’s time for another virtually unknown player to fill the role. Dustin Keys had the edge over Matt Waldron and Tim Pisano following spring practice, but the competition isn’t over.

The Hokies have been known to name a starting kicker early in the preseason, to get him as much action in pressure-type situations.

Beamer announced that all three of Tech’s preseason scrimmages (Aug. 12, 16 and 22) will be open to the public. One of the reasons is to provide a crowd for the kicker.

5. Will the new kids be a hit?

The Hokies have enjoyed a couple of banner recruiting hauls the last couple of years, and many members of those two classes could have impacts this season.

Tech’s preseason two-deep depth chart includes two true freshmen (receivers Marcus Davis and Dyrell Roberts) and six redshirt freshmen.

Two redshirt freshmen — wide receiver Danny Coale and right tackle Blake DeChristopher — could find themselves in starting roles by the opening game.