Practice opens for the 2014 football season today … and the “ifs” that will shape the season are legion.

Finish every one of these lines with “…. the Hokies could be pretty good.”

• If Michael Brewer is the real deal …
• If Trey Edmunds comes back healthy …
• If Marshawn Williams can be a steady, productive power back …
• If the tight end corps is as good as we think …
• If Joshua Stanford steps up and Demitri Knowles improves …
• If they can find a reliable placekicker …
• If they can get more production out of punt and kick returns …
• If they can improve their special teams coverage units …
• If Bud Foster can find a player as versatile as Kyle Fuller …
• If the defensive ends stay healthy …

That’s a lot of “ifs,” and I probably left some out. Suffice to say that a lot of unknowns are in play. Too many unknowns, for a coach — Frank Beamer — who is seeking, like any Hall of Fame coach approaching retirement, to finish strong and cement his legacy.

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