2018 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
American college football season
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The 2018 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Tech during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hokies were led by third-year head coach Justin Fuente and played their home games at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia as members of the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Virginia Tech finished the season with a losing record, the first season since the 1991 and 1992 football seasons when Virginia Tech experienced two such seasons back to back.
- Justin Fuente (3rd season)
| 2018 Virginia Tech Hokies football | |
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Military Bowl, L 31–35 vs. Cincinnati | |
| Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Coastal Division | |
| Record | 6–7 (4–4 ACC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Brad Cornelsen (3rd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Bud Foster (24th season) |
| Base defense | 4–4 |
| Home stadium | Lane Stadium |
Uniform | |
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| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Atlantic Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 Clemson x$#^ | 8 | – | 0 | 15 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Syracuse | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NC State | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boston College | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wake Forest | 3 | – | 5 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida State | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisville | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coastal Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pittsburgh x | 6 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (FL) | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia Tech | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duke | 3 | – | 5 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Clemson 42, Pittsburgh 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Preseason
Award watch lists
| Award | Player | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rimington Trophy[1] | Kyle Chung | C | SR |
| Chuck Bednarik Award[2] | Ricky Walker | DT | SR |
| Maxwell Award[3] | Josh Jackson | QB | SO |
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy[4] | Ricky Walker | DT | SR |
| Outland Trophy[5] | Ricky Walker | DT | SR |
| Ray Guy Award[6] | Oscar Bradburn | P | SO |
| Wuerffel Trophy[7] | Ricky Walker | DT | SR |
| Manning Award[8] | Josh Jackson | QB | SO |
ACC media poll
The ACC media poll was released on July 24, 2018.
| Media poll (Coastal) | ||
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami | 998 (122) |
| 2 | Virginia Tech | 838 (16) |
| 3 | Georgia Tech | 654 (8) |
| 4 | Duke | 607 (1) |
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 420 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 370 (1) |
| 7 | Virginia | 257 |
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3 | 8:00 p.m. | at No. 19 Florida State | No. 20 | ESPN | W 24–3 | 75,237 | [9] | |
| September 8 | 2:00 p.m. | William & Mary* | No. 12 | ACCN Extra | W 62–17 | 65,632 | [10] | |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | at Old Dominion* | No. 13 | CBSSN | L 35–49 | 20,532 | [11] | |
| September 29 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 22 Duke | ESPN2 | W 31–14 | 32,177 | [12] | ||
| October 6 | 8:00 p.m. | No. 6 Notre Dame* | No. 24 |
| ABC | L 23–45 | 65,632 | [13] |
| October 13 | 7:00 p.m. | at North Carolina | ESPNU | W 22–19 | 50,500 | [14] | ||
| October 25 | 7:30 p.m. | Georgia Tech |
| ESPN | L 28–49 | 65,632 | [15] | |
| November 3 | 3:45 p.m. | No. 24 Boston College |
| ACCN | L 21–31 | 65,632 | [16] | |
| November 10 | 3:30 p.m. | at Pittsburgh | ESPNU | L 22–52 | 44,398 | [17] | ||
| November 17 | 3:30 p.m. | Miami (FL) |
| ESPN | L 14–38 | 62,379 | [18] | |
| November 23 | 3:30 p.m. | Virginia |
| ABC | W 34–31 OT | 60,776 | [19] | |
| December 1[a] | 12:00 p.m. | Marshall* |
| ACCN Extra | W 41–20 | 31,336 | [22] | |
| December 31 | 12:00 p.m. | vs. Cincinnati* | ESPN | L 31–35 | 32,832 | |||
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- The game between Virginia Tech and East Carolina, originally scheduled for September 15, 2018, was canceled in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.[20] Seeking bowl eligibility, Tech scheduled Marshall, who also had a game canceled due to Hurricane Florence, which was contingent upon the Hokies defeating rival Virginia, which they did.[21]
Coaching staff
| Name | Title | Joined Staff |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Fuente | Head coach | 2016 |
| Bud Foster | Associate head coach, Defensive coordinator, & Linebackers | 1987 |
| Adam Lechtenberg | Assistant head coach, executive director of player development | 2018 |
| Zohn Burden | Running backs | 2015 |
| Brad Cornelsen | Offensive coordinator, Quarterbacks | 2016 |
| Brian Mitchell | Cornerbacks | 2016 |
| James Shibest | Special teams coordinator, Tight Ends | 2016 |
| Tyrone Nix | Safeties | 2018 |
| Vance Vice | Offensive line | 2016 |
| Holmon Wiggins | Wide receivers | 2016 |
| Charley Wiles | Defensive line | 1996 |
Game summaries
At Florida State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 20 Hokies | 10 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| No. 19 Seminoles | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
William & Mary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tribe | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
| No. 12 Hokies | 17 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 62 |
At Old Dominion
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 13 Hokies | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
| Monarchs | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 49 |
At Duke
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokies | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| No. 22 Blue Devils | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Notre Dame
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Fighting Irish | 10 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 45 |
| No. 24 Hokies | 3 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 23 |
At North Carolina
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokies | 7 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 22 |
| Tar Heels | 6 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
Georgia Tech
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Jackets | 14 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
| Hokies | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
Georgia Tech scored 7 touchdowns on the night, which is the most in Lane Stadium since the 1970s. They accomplished this feat 100% on the ground, racking up over 460 yards without completing a single pass. This game also marked the second straight time the backup QB for GT got the start on the road in the GT-VT series. GT is now 4–1 against the Hokies over the last 5 years.
Boston College
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 24 Eagles | 7 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 31 |
| Hokies | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
At Pittsburgh
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokies | 0 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 22 |
| Panthers | 10 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 52 |
Miami (FL)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricanes | 3 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 38 |
| Hokies | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Virginia
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavaliers | 0 | 0 | 14 | 17 | 0 | 31 |
| Hokies | 0 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 34 |
Marshall
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thundering Herd | 6 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 20 |
| Hokies | 10 | 21 | 3 | 7 | 41 |
Vs. Cincinnati (Military Bowl)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearcats | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
| Hokies | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
Honorary #25 Beamer Jersey
Since the start of the 2016 season, during the week before each game, Head Coach Justin Fuente selects an outstanding player to wear the #25 jersey in honor of former head coach, Frank Beamer, who wore #25 as a player for Virginia Tech. The jersey represents hard work, toughness, good sportsmanship and being an exemplary teammate. At first, the distinction was intended strictly for special teams players, but has since been expanded to include all team members.
The players honored in the 2018 season are:
| Game | Opponent | Player |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Florida State | Ricky Walker (2) |
| Game 2 | William & Mary | Eric Kumah |
| Game 3 | Old Dominion | Jovonn Quillen (2) |
| Game 4 | Duke | Oscar Bradburn (2) |
| Game 5 | Notre Dame | Khalil Ladler |
| Game 6 | North Carolina | Chamarri Conner (Fr) |
| Game 7 | Georgia Tech | Dax Hollifield (Fr) |
| Game 8 | Boston College | Dalton Keene |
| Game 9 | Pittsburgh | Divine Deablo |
| Game 10 | Miami | Steven Peoples (2) |
| Game 11 | Virginia | Ricky Walker (3) |
| Game 12 | Marshall | Tré Turner (Fr) |
| Military Bowl | Cincinnati | Coleman Fox |
