2018 Virginia Tech spring football preview, rosters and more

Hokies start spring practice Saturday, as Justin Fuente enters his third season at Tech

March 12, 2018

BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente released Tech’s spring rosters on Monday as the Hokies get set to begin spring practice this Saturday, March 17.

The Hokies are coming off of a 9-4 campaign that saw them reach their 25th consecutive bowl game and finish in the AP Top 25 for the second consecutive season. The Hokies will hold the 2018 Spring Game at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, at Lane Stadium.

WHAT TO WATCH IN 2018
• Virginia Tech enters its third season under head coach Justin Fuente in 2018.
• Tech will seek to extended its streak of consecutive bowl appearances to 26 straight seasons, the longest active streak recognized by the NCAA and a mark that give VT sole possession of the third-longest in NCAA history.
• The Hokies are also seeking to stretch their Commonwealth Cup victory string over Virginia to 15 consecutive games.
• Tech concluded the 2017 season with a 9-4 mark, finishing the year No. 24 in the AP Top 25 and No. 25 in the Amway USA Today Coaches Poll. The Hokies haven’t finished three straight years in the AP Top 25 since doing it eight consecutive years under Frank Beamer (2004-11).

2018 SCHEDULE TIDBITS
• Tech will open the season at FSU on Labor Day (9/3).
• Notre Dame will make its debut at Lane Stadium (10/6).
• The Hokies will host Georgia Tech on a Thursday night (10/25) and will face Virginia on a Friday (11/23).
• Tech will have seven home games in 2018 and will play at Old Dominion for the first time (9/22).

JACKSON AMONG ACC’S TOP QB RETURNEES
• Among ACC signal callers returning in 2018, only QB Ryan Finley (NC State) posted a better rating (136.0) than Tech QB Josh Jackson (135.2) last season.
• In terms of total offense, Syracuse’s Eric Dungy (343.3 ypg), Finley (285.5) and Miami’s Malik Rosier (276.0) were more productive than Jackson (255.0) in 2017.
• Jackson threw 20 TDs in 2017. Among ACC returnees, only Rosier (26) had more last season.
• Jackson’s 59.6 completion percentage trailed only Clemson’s Kelly Bryant (65.8), Finley (65.1) and Dungey (59.7) in 2017 among 2018 returnees.

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