Price, Tyler excited about roles on Tech’s defensive staffPrice, Tyler excited about roles on Tech’s defensive staff
Football

Price, Tyler excited about roles on Tech’s defensive staff

Head coach Justin Fuente promoted Jack Tyler to linebackers coach and brought former Tech defensive tackle J.C. Price back to Blacksburg as co-defensive line coach/defensive recruiting coordinator earlier this year, bringing the number of former players working with Tech Football up to seven. Both coaches conducted a virtual media session on Wednesday.
 
A third-team All-America selection for the Hokies as a senior in 1995, Price was a four-year starter who captained Tech's 1995 BIG EAST championship team that defeated Texas in the Sugar Bowl. He returned to his alma mater after spending the past nine seasons at Marshall University, most recently as co-defensive coordinator (2019-20).  
 
Here are some notable takeaways from Price's session … 
 
On the facility upgrades that have taken place since he last worked at Tech in 2002 as a grad assistant
"The donations that people have made for things to help our student-athletes were needed. The upgrades have been incredible … The whole ambiance of the place is very conducive for our student-athletes to achieve what they want to achieve athletically and academically." 
 
On building a relationship with Coach Bill Teerlinck
"I think Coach Teerlinck and I will get along great. We took some time one Saturday afternoon to meet and talk football … The next thing you know, four hours later we're still talking about football."  
 
Recently, current Tech defensive coordinator Justin Hamilton discussed the rapport that he built with Price while he was coaching at Marshall. What Price revealed today was that at one point Marshall actually offered Hamilton a position on the Thundering Herd staff. Instead, Hamilton came back to Tech in 2018 and in 2021 played an integral role in bringing Price back to Blacksburg. It's clear that there is plenty of mutual respect between the duo. 
 


 
 
While the 1995 season culminated with a watershed win for the program vs. Texas in the Sugar Bowl, Price elaborated on a pivotal moment that occurred earlier that season. After a 20-14 loss vs. Boston College, the Hokies dropped a 16-0 decision vs. Cincinnati. Price and his fellow seniors vowed that setback to the Bearcats would be the last game Tech would lose that season. They were right, as Tech rattled off 10 straight wins, beginning with the program's first ever win vs. Miami, a 13-7 decision that helped propel the Hokies to their first-ever BIG EAST title. 
 
"The day after the Cincinnati game we all came together as a senior class we decided we were not going to lose another game," Price said. "We were going to re-channel our energy and that's what led to the 10-game streak … I would have hated to see the direction the program would have gone if we had lost to Miami and gone 0-3 at that point, as far as players, coaches, facilities, all those things."  
 
Price indicated that he'd always hoped that someday he might have a shot at returning to coach at his alma mater. When Darryl Tapp took the open co-defensive line coaching job a year ago, he wasn't sure if that opportunity would arise. However, Price did acknowledge that he began laying the groundwork for his coaching career as a student at Tech by pursuing minors in sociology, health & physical education and African-American studies that combined to form a liberal arts and science degree. 
 
 
Tyler began his career at Virginia Tech as a walk-on linebacker before eventually earning a scholarship and developing into an All-ACC linebacker for the Hokies. A four-year letterwinner from 2010-13, the Oakton, Virginia native played in Tech's 2010 ACC Championship Game win over Florida State and was part of squads that compiled 37 wins during his playing career, including a 4-0 mark against in-state rival, Virginia. Tyler returned to his alma mater as a graduate assistant on defense for the 2017-18 campaigns before taking on a role as defensive quality control coach in 2019 and 2020. 
 
Here are some notable takeaways from Tyler's media session …
 
"It's a dream come true for me getting to be back at my alma mater, coaching a position that I love at a place that I love," Tyler said. "I'm so appreciative of Coach Fuente and Coach Hamilton, as well as Coach (Tracy) Claeys and Coach (Bud) Foster of how they've molded me and gotten me to the place I am now." 

On the influence of Bud Foster on his coaching style
"If there were a person you said I could be a carbon copy of, it would be Bud Foster. That's as high of a compliment that I could receive … Obviously I learned so much from him in terms of linebacker play and defensive play." 
 
On LB Dax Hollfield playing the middle linebacker spot 
"He's a leader of the defense, he's the quarterback of the defense, that's what the MIKE role is. You're right in the middle, you're getting everyone lined up, you're making sure everyone knows their responsibilities to the field or the boundary. He's amazing at that. He's another coach on the field … All you have to do is tell Dax and he's going to get it done … That's so valuable in today's football because we're not like the NFL where they have (speakers) in the helmets where you can communicate to that guy on the field. We don't have that … Being able to communicate on Tuesday this is exactly what we want in a certain situation and if it occurs on Saturday, we want you to do it this way and he can get that done, that's as valuable of a resource as you can have." 
 
Tyler also discussed a crazy week of preparation leading up to last season's 38-31 win at Duke. Tech was extremely short-handed on the defensive side of the ball both in terms of coaches and players. With Justin Hamilton and Ryan Smith unable to be in the building or travel to the game, a heavy load of responsibility was placed on Tyler's shoulders and he was ready for the moment. 
 



The Virginia Player of the Year at Oakton High School as a senior in 2008, Tyler set a school record with 147 tackles before enrolling at Tech and redshirting in 2009. He went on to play in 54 games for the Hokies, finishing his career with 286 tackles (124 solo), 8.5 sacks and 32.5 tackles for loss. Tyler led Tech in tackles in both 2012 and 2013. He was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2012 and a second-team All-ACC pick in 2013.