BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10 SPORTS) - Bud Foster's defense has been a staple for Virginia Tech for years, and while some big name players such as Chuck Clark and Ken Ekanem have graduated. The defense does return Andrew Motuapuaka and Tremaine Edmunds at linebacker.
"I have a little bit more experience this year so now we still communicate a lot there's never a time we're not talking to each other out of the field, so definitely now we both know exactly what we are doing so we are both getting moving a little faster now," said Edmunds.
Another returning player who saw time in every game last year is Tavante Beckett, who has grown a lot as a player after his first year as a Hokie.
"Part of playing linebacker is somewhat instinctual and he seems to have those instincts, ability to kind of navigate tight spaces in there in the line of scrimmage and avoid blocks and find a way to slide in there and make tackles," head coach Justin Fuente said of Beckett.
"Following your instincts can be wrong and can cost you and can cost a big touchdown and whatever. But my instincts most of the time lead me the right way, I just have to have my mind, my instincts and doing the right thing on defense going together so I can be the best player I can be," said Beckett.
Despite some position moves and some fresh faces the defense as a whole is confident they'll be successful again this year.