• Vance
• Vice

• Offensive Line Coach

COACHING HIGHLIGHTS

• Veteran offensive line coach enters his second season in Blacksburg.
• Another longtime associate of head coach Justin Fuente, their relationship dates back to 1999 when Vice served as offensive line coach at Murray State and Fuente was the Racers’ quarterback. The duo later coached together at Illinois State before reuniting at Memphis.
• Under his direction in 2016, G Augie Conte and T Jon McLaughlin both earned third-team All-ACC honors as the Hokies’ blocking unit paved the way for an offense that set or tied 10 single-season Tech records.
• Thanks to the protection of Vice’s unit in 2016, QB Jerod Evans also enjoying a prolific campaign, setting single-season records for total offense (4,392), passing yards (3,546) and rushing yards by a QB (846).
• Fuente’s “Hard, Smart, Tough” mantra is personified in Vice, who played collegiately as a defensive lineman and tight end at Oklahoma State in the 1980s.
• Credited with helping Fuente establish a winning and competitive culture at Memphis, taking a once moribund program to back-to-back bowl games in 2014-15.
• During his final two campaigns at Memphis, the Tigers compiled a 19-7 record and allowed a conference-low 32.0 sacks, cutting that sack total in half compared to the 64.0 sacks Memphis allowed in the two years prior to his arrival in 2010-11. The Tigers also set a school record, scoring 993 points over that two-season period.
• The Tigers permitted a mere 17.0 sacks in 2015 as only nine teams in the Power Five permitted fewer. Memphis allowed 16.0 sacks in 2014, a total that ranked 15th  among FBS squads. 
• The rapid development of a blocking unit to protect QB Paxton Lynch allowed the Memphis passer to complete 64.8 percent (555 of 856) of his passes for 6,807 yards with 50 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, good for a 147.9 rating during the 2014-15 seasons. By contrast, Memphis registered only 24 TD passes during the 2010 and 2011 seasons combined.
• The Memphis ground game also prospered thanks to Vice’s blocking unit. In 2014-15, the Tigers averaged 185.0 rushing ypg and recorded 60 rushing TDs after averaging a 87.8 rushing ypg and scoring 15 rushing TDs in 2010-11.
• To put the ascent of the Memphis rushing game in additional perspective, Vice and the offensive staff inherited a squad that averaged 84.0 rushing ypg in 2011. The only FBS program that ran for fewer yards per game was Miami (Ohio) at 73.8 ypg.
• During the 2015 campaign, Memphis scored 40.2 ppg to rank 11th among FBS squads, while coming in 18th in passing offense (307.5 ypg) and 19th in total offense (486.9 ypg). The Tigers also ranked eight among FBS squads on third down, converting on 48.8 percent (101 of 207) of their opportunites. 
• Prior to rejoining Fuente at Memphis, Vice spent three seasons at Louisiana-Monroe (2009-11) where his offensive front paved the way for 21 rushing scores in 2009 and 22 rushing TDs in 2011. The Warhawks amassed  392.3 ypg of total offense in 2009, the program’s highest offensive output since joining the FBS.
• RB Frank Goodin finished the 2009 season with 1,126 rushing yards, good for the fourth-highest seasonal total in school history, while his 13 TDs were the second-best mark in Louisiana-Monroe history as the squad averaged 183.9 rushing ypg.
• The Warhawks were tied for 21st in the FBS by permitting 16.0 sacks in 2009.
• During Vice’s four seasons at Utah State, a quartet of his offensive linemen earned All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors including Ryan Tonnemacher who was a two-time Rimington Trophy Watch List nominee at center.
• Enjoyed a five-year stint Illinois State as offensive line coach with additional responsibilities as assistant head coach.
• Three of Vice’s linemen earned All-America honors and eight garnered All-Gateway Conference accolades at Illinois State. In 2003, the Redbirds established a school record with 248.1 yards per game rushing and allowed just 5.0 sacks on 367 pass attempts, tying as the fifth-lowest tally among FCS squads.
• Part of the Hokies’ “Murray State Mafia,” joining Fuente, Bud Foster and Charley Wiles who also spent time with the Racers earlier in their careers.
• Spent three seasons as tight ends coach at Clemson under head coach Tommy West from 1996-98.
• Began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Ray Goff at Georgia before spending three seasons in the Georgia high school coaching ranks.

PLAYING HIGHLIGHTS

• Two-year starter at Oklahoma State who saw duty at both defensive tackle and tight end.
• Blocked for a pair of Pro Football Hall of Fame running backs in Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders.
• Was also a teammate of current Oklahoma State head coach, Mike Gundy, who quarterbacked OSU from 1986-89.  

PROMINENT PUPILS

• G Al Bond FA-2015 – Detroit – Started 42 games at Memphis
• G Jordan Devey FA-2013 – Baltimore – Super Bowl XLIX champion with New England; Patriots (2013-14), 49ers (2015) and Chiefs (2016)
• T Jon McLaughlin FA-2017 – Arizona – Started 49 career games at Virginia Tech
• TE Keavon Milton FA-2013 – New Orleans Browns, Seahawks and Patriots (2013-16)
• G Shawn Murphy D4-2008 – Miami Dolphins, Bucaneers, Panthers, and Broncos (2008-11)
• T Donald Penn FA-2006 – Minnesota 144 career games with Buccaneers (2006-13), Raiders (2014-15). 2011 Pro Bowler
• C Ryan Tonnemacher All-Western Athletic Conference