Virginia Tech Media Day 2015: Notes, Quotes and Observations

Early this morning (yes, 8:45 a.m. on a Saturday is early to me), Virginia Tech held their media day festivities inside the indoor practice facility.

Not surprisingly, several of the coaches and players had nothing but positive words about the progress made in fall camp and the outlook for the 2015 season.

In speaking to several of the players, there seems to be a lot of unselfishness and a team-based attitude from this entire group. They are quick to praise the coaches and several of their teammates.

A few tidbits from coaches that stood out to me:

Frank Beamer had a lot of praise for freshman DT Tim Settle, suggesting that Settle had the lightest feet of any 350-plus pound guy he's seen in his life.

Bud Foster really likes the freshman class, specifically pointing out DBs Mook Reynolds and Adonis Alexander.

Scot Loeffler said this has been his favorite training camp since being at Tech. He indicated that players are going all-out this year; something he said wasn't the case at times last season. He also said Dwayne Lawson has packed on 30 lbs of muscle in nine weeks.

Observations and Other Nuggets

There has been a lot made by coach Frank Beamer about the athleticism of the offensive line as whole. I can certainly attest to that after being up close and personal with guys like Wade Hansen, Augie Conte and Wyatt Teller. For their size and weight, they look to be fit and in excellent shape. Not a lot of excess body fat you'd expect from guys that tip the scales at around three bills.

Speaking of excellent shape, running back Trey Edmunds looks like an absolute tank at 225 pounds. He's chiseled steel. The first thing I noticed about him when I saw him today was his well-built lower half, which should bode well for breaking tackles and churning out tough yardage.

Offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler was pacing around the indoor practice facility going over talking points before taking the podium to address the media. From what I've heard about his late-nights spent at the office, it's not surprising he would meticulously review his notes before speaking with the media.

Most random thing I saw today? Director of football operations Bruce Garnes was toting around a golf club (looked like a 7-iron,) and practicing his swing inside the Beamer Barn.

I'm not sure how much stock should be put into this, but Mike (or, according to the depth chart, MLB) Andrew Motuapuaka is EXTREMELY soft-spoken. When I think of a Mike, I think of a guy who's loud, boisterous and commands a defense. Things may be different when he's on the field, but that's what stood out to me when I spoke to him.

It's pretty awesome that freshman DT Tim Settle was made available at media days. I know there's a lot of FBS programs that have a rule that freshman can't speak to the media (my alma mater USF included). The media scrum surrounding him was incredible.

If there were an award for best hairstyle, it would go to either Backer/LOLB Deon Clarke or OL Wyatt Teller (with Bucky Hodges getting honorable mention.) Clarke's hair was all spiked up and catawampus with a highlighted streak going through the middle of it it, while Teller has morphed his much-ballyhooed mullet into a bun of all things.

And let's all take a moment to marvel at the continuing wonder that is Wyatt Teller's hair. #Hokies pic.twitter.com/iX4cPHOh9E— Alex Koma (@AlexKomaVT) August 15, 2015

Player Quotes

DE Ken Ekanem

ON WHAT HE'S IMPROVED UPON SINCE LAST YEAR:

"Definitely the run game. That's sort of been my key focus coming into this season. Making a difference in the run game and working on my footwork to make sure I'm denting the line of scrimmage and breaking through."

ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE DEFENSIVE LINE AS A WHOLE:

"Definitely the starters are doing a great job. Vinny (Mihota) is progressing really well at defensive end, Seth's (Dooley) coming along, he's just got a little shoulder injury from a couple of days ago. I think those guys are coming along. We're teaching the freshman as they go. It's a lot at once. I think by the spring, they'll be great."

ON IF THIS IS THE BEST DEFENSE HE'S BEEN APART OF:

"Oh yeah. I mean, I can say that, yeah. It's been the best team that I've been apart of. We have so much talent coming back. It's kind of crazy. I'm very excited about this defense."

ON THE TALENT OF FRESHMAN DT TIM SETTLE:

"I mean, I think he's great. Has a lot of potential, a lot of upside. He's a big guy, a really, really big guy. I haven't seen a big guy like that move around the way he does. He's really flexible in the hips and throwing his body in the gap and being really disruptive. I think the sky is the limit for him and I'm very excited to see what he can do."

LB ANDREW MOTUAPUAKA

ON HOW CAMP HAS GONE THUS FAR:

"Pretty good. I'm going out there learning, just getting back into a rhythm. Just trying to lead on and off the field, getting closer and making relationships with other people on the team just so they can rely on me and just lean on me when we're on the field. I mean, it's all we have when we're on the field is each other. Just growing together, working hard and having fun at the same time."

ON IF HIS MINDSET FROM A LEADERSHIP STANDPOINT HAS CHANGED SINCE BEING NAMED A STARTER:

"It doesn't really change my mindset really. I already knew last year that I was going to have to step up and become that leader because the Mike really calls the plays and makes sure everybody is on the same page. I knew I had to step up and lead in that aspect, but also guys aren't going to respect somebody who's doing something else off the field and not carrying it over on the field."

ON IF BEING A LOUDER, MORE AUTHORITATIVE LEADER IS DIFFICULT FOR HIM:

"Yeah, growing up I wasn't really like an outspoken guy; really quiet. But I mean I've learned to take over that leadership role and how important being a leader is. So yeah, definitely being vocal out there, I mean that's how you got to play defense with all eleven guys being on the same page."

ON THE DEFENSE AS A WHOLE:

"I believe this defense can be special. Like I said, everybody is working hard, everybody is going toward the same goal. There's no guys that stand out and have like egos or anything like that. Everybody is humble and going after the same thing. I mean, we deeply care about each other. Yeah, we're out here just ready to work."

FB Sam Rogers

ON WHAT HE'S OBSERVED ABOUT THE RUNNING GAME THUS FAR:

"Our running backs have gotten bigger, stronger, faster. Along with that, our offensive line has taken huge steps. Just great leaders up front, now. Jon McLaughlin has been a great leader. Augie (Conte), you still got Wyatt (Teller). (Eric) Gallo has been doing great. Wade Hansen is doing awesome too. He's gotten stronger. He's a beast. All of them up front are just nasty. It's just fun to be around those guys and see a different demeanor around them. I'm happy I get to run behind them sometimes and block with them."

ON WHAT HE'S SEEN FROM TREY EDMUNDS

"Just bigger, faster and more confident. He's definitely more confident. Just the way he hits the holes now, he's just explosive. Not that he wasn't before, don't get me wrong. That run he had against Alabama my freshman year, I mean, he's just crazy athletic. He's just more confident now and trusting himself. I think that's huge."

ON POSSIBLY HAVING AN EXPANDED ROLE THIS SEASON:

"I guess the details, you'd have to ask the coaches more about that. But they're using me more like in the passing game, running game to find different ways to get me out and just do different things to utilize my versatility. I'll just do whatever I can to help the team win. Whatever they ask me to do, I'll do."

ON HOW HE'S PROGRESSED FROM YEAR TWO TO YEAR THREE:

"I would say just confidence. Just getting another year. Every year the game slows down more and more when you're here and that's really big. Just trusting yourself and trusting you can make the same plays you did back in high school. It's just nice to have the game slow down more and more and more."

TE Ryan Malleck

ON HIS GROWTH AS A PASS-CATCHER:

"I think it's a lot easier. Especially last spring, gaining more experience being split out and also at the Y-position gave me a lot of experience."

ON HOW QB MICHAEL BREWER HAS ADVANCED AS A PLAYER:

"I think so far this camp, he's been very successful throwing the ball and running the ball, also. He's just more experienced with knowing the plays now and I think that's shown in camp. "

ON THE DEPTH AND TALENT OF THE TIGHT END POSITION:

"We each push each other very hard. I think we provide mismatches against defenses. We're faster than most linebackers and against cornerbacks, we're bigger than them, so I think we provide mismatches for defenses. In this camp so far, we've pushed each other in the passing game and the running game."

ON HOW HE'S TRIED TO IMPROVE HIS GAME OVER THE YEARS:

"Just little things. I think, technique and certain steps on certain running plays. In the passing game, setting up routes and creating separation from the defense."

Final note: DO NOT FRET. I'll have several more player quotes plus observations from this afternoon's scrimmage in the coming days.