Will Love looks to make his mark with the Hokies after a stellar four-year stint at Spartanburg High School, where he served as team captain in his final year with the Vikings. In 49 consecutive games, Will was responsible for a staggering 305 points. He owns the top-five longest kicks in Spartanburg history, including a 54-yarder, three from 51 yards, and a 49-yard make. His accuracy over his high school career played a role in helping the Spartanburg football team earn four consecutive postseason appearances, including at least one playoff victory in each postseason run.
Now in Blacksburg, the freshman shares a similar sentiment to that of his older brother.
“I’m really excited to actually play on the same team as him,” said Will. “[I’m excited] to learn from him at practice and see how he does things firsthand instead of hearing about it or watching it on TV.”
The Love brothers have earned a reputation for kicking prowess, but their approaches couldn’t be further from one another. While John has trained to focus more on technique and finesse, Will has naturally thrived in the realm of kicking with pure power, supported by his 6-foot-1, 197-pound frame. Comparatively, John measures up at 5-foot-11, 192 pounds.
“When I first got [to Blacksburg], I wasn’t the biggest guy...maybe 165 pounds soaking wet,” reflected John. “I really had to put my entire body weight behind the ball, really driving it with everything...[Will] has never had something like that, so he almost doesn’t need to swing as hard as me.”
“I’ve always been able to hit it far,” said Will. “I’ve been more focused on dialing in the accuracy...getting the height and straightness part instead of really getting it there.”
Because of this fundamental difference in kicking style, John doesn’t try to over-coach his younger brother, instead offering support more than instruction.
“I’ve been able to watch his film, help him out, give him honest feedback,” said the older brother. “We have a pretty different technique, so a lot of things I’ve done to help me don’t always help him. Trying to find a good balance of not only helping him out, but at the same time letting him work his own techniques...[I] let him be and let him do his thing.”
One element of their relationship stays consistent, however, even between varying techniques and kicking styles: competition. From a young age, said Will, competition has always been a pillar of the bond the brothers share.
“Competition is huge...we are always competing [through] tiny things,” said the younger Love. “The motivation is competition. I’m always trying to be better than him.”
Now with less than five months until the regular season kicks off and just over a week until the 2026 Spring Game, both kickers understand the gravity of the year ahead. The pairing looks forward to the experience – and are encouraging fans to make the trip to southwest Virginia on gameday.
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