Virginia Tech Football: Notes and Quotes from Tuesday’s practice (4/1)

As the annual Virginia Tech spring game is days away, we are becoming closer to seeing what this new-look Virginia Tech side will possess before their Labor Day travels to Atlanta for an opening week fixture against SEC foe South Carolina.

Tight end coach Brent Davis, defensive end James Djonkam, and wideout Donavon Greene were on the board for obligatory post-practice media availability.

Brent Davis

Previous experience working with tight ends.

"[I] played tight end myself, so I've always kind of had a soft spot for the position and had a chance to work with them previously, and at Army and George Southern as well, so that's not something that's foreign to me, but I'm at the same time learning a lot, you know, with a new offense."

Working with new offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery.

"He wanted to have some carryover, you know, from things that we had done and had success with. That if they fit into what his vision was for our offense, you know, that we could continue to do those things. So mainly just asking myself and the guys on the offensive staff... What type of things we felt like we had success with that that might fit in and what we're doing now."

Development of Benji Gosnell.

"I think just fundamentally in the run game, he continues to challenge himself to get better. um and that's one thing we made a goal as a group is to just become more physical, and more dominant in the run game, and to do that, you gotta play with good fundamentals. So we work really hard on that, and I think, you know, he's taking that upon himself, but really checks himself on that daily. Then another thing I would say is just continue to work on his conditioning, where he can you know, we can leave him in the game and he can get into a groove and...That's something he can do as we get into the offseason and the summer."

James Djonkam

New position at Virginia Tech.

"I started off at outside linebacker, and then they moved me in the defensive end, and I was probably the best change that without a doubt I made since playing college football, like playing defensive end is so freeing I get it just hit, don't got a think, just go."

"I love how simple and see ball get ball it is, like, as soon as the ball snaps, look at the running back's alignment and base my stance off of that, and then boom, just go."

Working with strength and conditioning coach Jarrett Ferguson.

"He'd be right behind me every single workout, just pushing me, yelling at me. It's a good and it's a bad, cause if I miss a rep, then he's all my ass about it and I mean, when I do make a rep, it's like, oh, yeah, coach Ferg, like he's back there encouraging me, it makes me smile a little bit, so it's it's definitely nice. He's probably one of the best strength conditioning coaches I've ever had without a doubt."

Relationship with defensive line coach J.C. Price.

"I'm learning so much from that dude and it's it's insane. I'm an older guy. 
I thought my game was pretty good, just looking a little bit polishing, and then I came in here and he just like, "no, your footwork's wrong, your hand strikes are wrong." Like, he's telling me everything. I thought I was league-ready. He was like, "no, you're close, but you're not there yet, but here you go, we can do this to help you fix it."

Donavon Greene

Why Greene transferred to Virginia Tech.

"Dave Clawson our head coach at Wake stepped down and, I felt like that was just a sign for me to just look for something else in my last year considering, the ups and down seasons that I had had at the Wake Forest, um, and in the portal, obviously, I just wanted to find something that was almost like that, but then, like a team aspect, just feeling like a family and being connected into like a brotherhood. And once I went on visits and got to talk and be around the coaches, you know, this place obviously just welcomed me in and it made me feel like I was already home without even being here."

Where the Hokie staff wants him to improve.

"Obviously just staying healthy for a full 12 months. I mean, that's one big goal for me and a big goal for him [wide receiver coach Fontel Mines] as I was coming in, and to just be a leader, be a more of a vocal guy, in that room."

Connection to Mount Airy.

"It was two Mount Airy guys here when I was in the portal, and it was definitely something I was thinking of after, definitely driven my decision a little bit. I did I played against them [Stephen] in high school."

As transfers and new coaches finally seem to get settled into their new roles as Hokies, there seems to be a clear meshing between everyone. The Hokies' spring game takes place on April 20th, where the public will be able to get their eyes on new staff and players alike.

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