BLACKSBURG – Leading up to the next game for Virginia Tech football, which takes on Duke on Saturday, head coach Justin Fuente met with the media for a press conference on Monday. Read what they had to say below.
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HEAD COACH JUSTIN FUENTE
Opening Statement:
"We turn our attention to Duke. Last opportunity for many of our seniors, probably over 20 will be participating in Senior Day and taking the field at Lane Stadium for the last time. We have Duke coming in, led by their tailback, just fantastic player, physical, hard-nosed runner. They're looking for a win just like we are, it should be really challenging. We know Coach [David] Cutcliffe and the job he's done and does do to get his team ready to play. We need a great week of preparation to get ready for this one."
On WR Changa Hodge returning from injury:
"Incredible. He told me after he got hurt, it was such a weird situation and I met with him and was just low as can be in the spring. He came here and played last year, sidelined through COVID and just practice and all that stuff. We're in the middle of the season and it's hard for him to get caught up. Just really unfair situation. He decided to come back and try and give it a go, gets hurt in the spring and I met with him I said, 'Changa what do you want to do?' First of all this is a unique situation, you're in an extra year of eligibility because of COVID, injury, might be the first one in America to be in this situation. He said, 'Coach, I want to be the fastest guy to ever come back from an ACL.' He said, 'That's what I'm going to do and I'm going to be back and I'm going to play.' That's exactly what he's done through incredible perseverance, through a great attitude. I think that's underrated in rehab is your attitude. I've said it before there are no fans in the training room. It's not very fun. I thinks it's really miraculous. I don't know where he's at in terms of months and ahead of schedule. But I know what we've seen in practice over the last several weeks and eventually a week or two ago, he was officially cleared. That's a pretty amazing feat in my opinion."
On TE James Mitchell and whether he will participate in Senior Day:
"He's done a great job of being around when he can. It's been a little bit difficult for him, especially after the surgery, as he went from being able to move around to really not being able to move around hardly at all. He's better now, I don't believe he's even got his brace on, he's doing some rehab. It's been great to have him around. We see him out there every single day at practice. He goes inside and does his rehab. I don't have the list in front of me, I do think that he is participating. I think he'll do due diligence on his decision about the future but I do think he wants to participate in Senior Day."
On the senior class:
"It's a great group of kids that are growing into adults that have given a lot to this program that I think we all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to them and we need to do everything in our power to send them off the right way. High character, great work ethic, good leaders."
