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Football

Hokies get set for spring football

BUY 2019 FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS! SPRING FOOTBALL NOTES HEAD COACH JUSTIN FUENTE (2-28-19) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BRAD CORNELSEN (2-28-19) DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR BUD FOSTER (2-28-19)

TECH'S RETURNING LETTERWINNERS (42)
OFFENSE (15)       DEFENSE (23)      SPECIALISTS (4)
RETURNING STARTERS (16)
 
OFFENSE (5) - T Christian Darrisaw (12), WR Damon Hazelton (9), C Zachariah Hoyt (9), TE Dalton Keene (13), QB Ryan Willis (10).
 
DEFENSE (11) - LB Rayshard Ashby (11), DE Emmanuel Belmar (10), S Divine Deablo (11), CB Caleb Farley (12), S Reggie Floyd (13), DE Houshun Gaines (9), DT Jarrod Hewitt (10), LB Dax Hollifield (6), DB Kahlil Ladler (11), LB Dylan Rivers (7), CB Bryce Watts (12). 
• 2018 starts in parentheses - minimum six starts
 
RETURNING SPECIALISTS (4) - P Oscar Bradburn, K Brian Johnson, LS Oscar Shadley, KO Jordan Stout
 
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR THE #LPD  
• Despite boasting one of the youngest defensive units ever fielded by Bud Foster at Virginia Tech in 2018, that experience should pay dividends for Tech in 2019.
• Tech's five leading tacklers from 2018 all return in 2019.  Those five players accounted for 46.2% of the team's tackles last season (376 of 814).
• DT Ricky Walker is the only primary starter from 2018 not anticipated to return in 2019. LBs Dax Hollifield and Dylan Rivers both are back after splitting starts a year ago.
• S Reggie Floyd returns for his senior season after captaining the defense with Walker in 2018. He ranked second on the squad with 88 total tackles (56 solo) and 9.5 TFL.
• LB Rayshard Ashby led all ACC underclassmen with 105 total tackles (57 solo), a mark that ties as the best total by a returning player in the league. Ashby tied for second on Tech with 9.5 TFL.
 
SEASON FOUR UNDER JUSTIN FUENTE SET FOR 2019 
• Head coach Justin Fuente enters his fourth season at the helm of the Hokies in 2019. He owns a 25-15 record at Virginia Tech.
• Only two ACC programs have registered more overall wins over the past three seasons since Fuente's arrival in Blacksburg.
 
ACC VICTORY LEADERS, 2016-PRESENT
Team               Record        ACC Champ. Games          
Clemson         41-3            3
Miami              26-13          1
Virginia Tech   25-15          1
NC State         25-14          0
Florida State   22-16          0
Wake Forest   22-17          0
 
• Fuente's 25 wins are the most accumulated by any Tech head coach in his initial three seasons with the Hokies.
• No other active ACC head coach can top Fuente's 25 wins in his first three seasons at an ACC school.
 
ACTIVE ACC COACHES, MOST WINS, FIRST THREE SEASONS
Coach                 Team                Record
Justin Fuente     Virginia Tech     25-15
Pat Narduzzi      Pittsburgh         21-17
Dino Babers       Syracuse           18-19
Dave Doeren      NC State           18-20