2023 Virginia Tech Linebacker Preview: Stability At Star And Will; Questions At Mike

Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech linebacker coach Chris Marve has some young mikes that he’ll have to coach up. (Ivan Morozov)

Virginia Tech linebackers coach Chris Marve lost Dax Hollifield at mike, but every other contributing linebacker from 2022 is back. Meanwhile, Shawn Quinn returns Keonta Jenkins at star and has a talented freshman waiting in the wings behind him.

The Hokies have both talent and experience in Alan Tisdale, Jenkins and Keli Lawson. However, they still lack experience in a major way at the mike position, which is probably the biggest question on defense as we inch closer to the Old Dominion game.

The Star Position

The sam linebacker spot was renamed star in the offseason. I’m not sure why, but to me, telling a recruit “we want you to be our star linebacker” sounds better than “we want you to be our sam linebacker.” That may have something to do with it.

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