Safeties coach Tyrone Nix discusses Fuente, Foster and moreSafeties coach Tyrone Nix discusses Fuente, Foster and more
Football

Safeties coach Tyrone Nix discusses Fuente, Foster and more

When Tyrone Nix was added to Virginia Tech's coaching staff last week, head coach Justin Fuente not only got the experienced coach and recruiter he was seeking, he also got a coach whose connection with associate head coach/defensive coordinator dated back to his early days in the profession.
 
"My first year in coaching I had an opportunity to come up and meet with Coach [Foster], and we spent a lot of time together," Nix told HokieSports.com in an exclusive interview. "That was in 1995. We shared some ideas and kind of kept a relationship going from that point on, and throughout our careers, we've been able to lean on each other. Mostly me looking for advice or asking for his opinion. It has been great to have an opportunity to work with such a great coach, probably a hall of fame coach at some point, when things are all said and done. Just to have an input and to be a part of this staff has been great."
 
The Hokies own the longest active bowl streak in the nation recognized by the NCAA thanks to the consistency of The Lunch Pail Defense, opportunistic special teams and a litany of explosive offensive performers over the years. Evolution in all three phases of the game was also central to Tech's success under beloved head coach Frank Beamer. That's a trend that Fuente hopes will continue with the hiring of Nix.
 
"Bud [Foster] and I both knew we wanted an experienced defensive coach and proven recruiter to fill this position on our staff," Fuente said upon hiring his new safeties coach. "We will get that and much more with Tyrone Nix. We're excited about his proven track record as a coach who can evaluate and develop talent. Just as importantly, we are always looking for individuals who can bring new ideas and concepts to our staff as we continually strive to evolve."
 
Certainly Nix has been forced to match up with his fair share of innovative offenses over the years, especially in practice.  Interestingly, he served as defensive coordinator for a pair of former college quarterbacks turned successful head coaches in Steve Spurrier (South Carolina) and Houston Nutt (Ole Miss). He also spent the 2017 season working with another head coach with an extensive offensive background in Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M.
 
"You know, everything is a blessing in disguise, and you never know why certain things take place when they do," Nix said. "I if you keep faith and believe in the things that you have your core beliefs in it normally works out. A year ago, I had a chance to work with coach [Kevin] Sumlin and his staff. I actually worked in the secondary, and spent a lot time with the safety and nickel positions. My role is going to be very similar here, except I will actually be responsible for the guys instead of being an analyst who was an assistant to the position. I can't speak enough about having the opportunity to actually go coach and recruit. I think both of those things are very important. I had a meeting and got a chance to meet the guys (Tech's players) the other day and they're so excited. It's been a great few days."

In other Tech news . . .

  • After serving in a similar role with the Washington Redskins during training camp in 2017, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic first reported that running backs coach Zohn Burden has been selected for an NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Los Angeles Chargers.
  • Expect an announcement on the date for Fan Appreciation Day this week once all details are finalized. One of the most popular dates on the calendar for Hokie Nation, the best news is that the cost is free to meet the team and get autographs!
  • It's hard to believe ACC Kickoff is only a month away. The Coastal Division is up first at this year's event in Charlotte on July 18. We'll have more details on who will be joining Coach Fuente once they are confirmed. The Atlantic Division coaches and players will take center stage on July 19.