The Collegiate Times’ comprehensive guide to Virginia Tech Football
Friday, October 4th, 2013
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THE GENTLE
GIANT Derrick Hopkins is an imposing figure on the field, clogging up the middle of the defense. When he’s off the field, he’s an easy-going guy. ALEX KOMA sports editor
Most people use words like “nasty,” “mean” or “vicious” to describe defensive tackles. But Derrick Hopkins is none of those things. Yet, despite his diminutive personality both on and off the field, Hopkins has emerged as a key cog in Virginia Tech’s dominant defense.
“I’m a calm, cool, collected guy. I’m not really one to punch you out,” Hopkins said. “In the past, I’ve gotten a little rowdy, but now I’m kind of chill and calm.” But a certain venom does lurk beneath the tackle’s calm demeanor. Hopkins put on an absolute clinic against Georgia Tech, earning player of the game honors for his part in helping hold the Yellow Jackets to a paltry 129 rushing yards. “He played lights out,” said defensive line coach
CHEN JIANG / SPPS
Charley Wiles. “Derrick is playing really well right now and it couldn’t happen to a better guy.” Hopkins, or “Hop” as coaches and teammates affectionately call him, only recorded seven tackles on the day, but his overall effect in the game was monumental. Georgia Tech’s offense functions best when there’s the threat of the quarterback or a running back running “dive” plays right at the defensive tackles. And Hopkins completely eliminated that element of the
EXUM REJOINS TECH’S BEST UNIT BROOKS AKER sports reporter
The Virginia Tech secondary possesses a problem that would make any coach jealous: a wealth of talent and not enough room on the field. But the Hokies’ coaching staff is ready to manage the return of second team All-ACC cornerback Antone Exum. “It’s a good situation to have, I guess, where you’ve got (Exum) coming back,” said defensive coordinator Bud Foster. “You’re going to see (Exum and Facyson) play, now to the extent, whoever the hot guy is, you want to go with him. I want to make sure (Exum) feels comfortable. At the same time, he’s been a leader for us and if he’s not 100%, I hope he’d be man enough to tell me when it’s all said and done, that he can’t
“
You’re going to see both (Exum and Facyson) play.” Bud Foster Defensive Coordinator
PLAYER TWEETS OF THE WEEK
2012 LOSS REMAINS A PAINFUL MEMORY JACOB EMERT sports editor
FILE 2012 / SPPS Antone Exum (1) meets up with Tre Boston (10) after the Hokies’ 48-34 loss last season. Exum makes his return this week.
go full speed.” Exum returned to practice this week after being cleared by Dr. James Andrews for full participation. Exum felt pretty confident going into the test that he would be cleared this week, but there was just a shade of worry. “I wasn’t nervous but I knew how hard I had worked for this and I felt like I was really ready, so going into it I was very optimistic,” Exum said. “But it was in my head, like, ‘Man, what if I don’t know what’s best and he just comes in and is like, ‘No, five more
weeks.’’ I’d be crushed.’ I’m happy that I preformed well. They said I did excellent on the test so that made me even more confident.” With Exum returning the backfield, there had been talk of possibly moving him to safety to relieve Detrick Bonner, who struggled recently against Georgia Tech, from the starting free safety role. This would allow the Hokies to get the most playmakers in the secondary on the field at once. Exum started his career at Tech as a safety, but defen-
QUARTERBACK
sive backs coach Torrian Gray emphasized that Exum is a cornerback. “We’ve got two very good safeties and (Exum) is a corner, and that’s his position,” Gray said. Freshman Brandon Facyson is going to be the guy in the secondary that will lose the reps at corner with Exum returning. With Facyson sliding out of the nickel corner position, there will be some changes for the remaining
see EXUM / page 4
HEAD TO HEAD
see page 3
In his 30-plus years experience as a head football coach, Frank Beamer has mastered just about all aspects of the coaching profession. He knows how to win, he knows how to teach and he knows how to talk to the media. Often regarded as one of the best in the business when it comes to coach talk — using many words to say very little — Beamer never gets too high or too low when discussing his team. So when he unleashed strongly worded rhetoric in regards to last year’s game against North Carolina, saying Virginia Tech “got pounded down,” “got their tail pounded” and “it was a hammer job,” the message got across loud and clear. The Tar Heels welcomed the Hokies to Chapel Hill last fall, and then beat them down to the tune of 48 points and 778 allpurpose yards. The Heels embarrassed Bud Foster’s defense, running over them at will for 339 rushing yards. Giovanni Bernard, now with the Cincinnati Bengals,
BALANCED ATTACK Logan Thomas tends to follow playing against Georgia Tech with another strong game.
Curious about what players have to say on Twitter? see page 4
Check out which team your sports editors predict to come away with a victory. see page 2
see HOP / page 2
see UNC / page 3
ONLINE UNC offers a unique spread attack that balances the run and the pass. See how it’s been successful in the past and how the Hokies will try to stop it.
see page 3
was responsible for 262 of those yards, averaging over 11 per carry. “It is what it is, we got pounded. They ran for 300plus yards, plus they had a lot of penalties that brought long runs back too, so it is what it is,” said defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins. “Everybody saw the game. Bernard just ran the ball on us. It’s extra motivation, we’ve just got to keep doing what we’ve been doing and working hard and trying to play consistently and try to get better.” What bothered senior linebacker and defensive captain Jack Tyler when he watched the game film this week was that it wasn’t UNC overpowering the Hokies that led trouncing. The Tar Heels were so successful because of what the Hokies did — or didn’t do. “I mean it was embarrassing. That was the worst defensive game I’ve ever seen a Virginia Tech defense play,” Tyler said. “I mean every play there was someone not doing what they were supposed to. It wasn’t
Check online for videos featuring coaches Bud Foster and Scot Loeffler.