Author: Rich Luttenberger

When Frank Beamer endured a loss, it was common for him to say if one or two plays went the other way, the game would have ended differently.  While my younger, less mature self was often frustrated by that response, my older, wiser self sees the insight.  In most close games, if a few key plays go the other way, the outcome will be different. Just look at last season.  The Hokies finished the regular schedule at 6-6.  Had a few plays gone differently, they could have been 9-3.  Against West Virginia, three trips inside the ten yard line yielded…

In an announcement that is sure to be cheered by the Hokie Nation, Virginia Tech is bringing back the Lunch Pail!! On Friday, Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) tweeted the announcement in a video narrated by former Hokies standout defensive end Darryl Tapp. The Origins of the Lunch Pail The tradition of the Lunch Pail began in 1995 when legendary Virginia Tech coach Bud Foster became defensive coordinator.  Then co-defensive coordinator Rod Sharpless obtained a battered, black metal lunch pail from his mother-in-law’s neighborhood, and the rest is history. The famed Lunch Pail became the identity of the defense.  Hard working. …

Earlier this week, new head coach Brent Pry announced that fourth year sophomore Grant Wells will be Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback.  Wells, the transfer from Marshall, emerged as the leader over South Carolina transfer and fifth year senior Jason Brown.  This is exciting news, since Wells has the potential to play three more years and give the Hokies much needed consistency at the position. For the entirety of the Justin Fuente era, there was a quarterback carousel of multiple starters and a transfer portal exodus.  It is no coincidence that the Hokies have been mediocre for most of that time…

Let’s say that you are a portfolio manager and you have to buy stock in college football players.  You are required to buy 3-5 stocks from every ACC team.  Who are you buying from Virginia Tech? Obviously, Hokie fans have to buy stock in new head coach Brent Pry.  How can we not be happy with him so far?  He is the anti-Fuente…open, enthusiastic, inclusive, and he’s in tune with the history and culture of the program.   So clearly, his is the first stock to buy. And what about the OL coach Joe Rudolph?  Coming from Wisconsin, his stock is…

With three weeks until kickoff, why not look ahead to the 2022 Virginia Tech football season and predict every game?  This is a very interesting year for the Hokies.  With a new head coach and a new staff, the players are adjusting to new schemes.  And with so many players gone from key positions last year, there has been some shuffling on the roster. How will the players gel?  How quickly will they learn – and execute – the schemes?  The quicker they do, the better they’ll be. With an ACC Coastal slate and an unimpressive non-conference schedule, there is…

As fall camp opens, the 2022 Virginia Tech football team is transitioning from the Justin Fuente era to the Brent Pry era.  As they do this, the team faces the same struggles of many who undergo a coaching change.  But hope springs eternal in the breasts of most Hokie fans, and here are five reasons to be optimistic for the upcoming season… 1. Coach Pry Gets It The son of a college football coach, Brent Pry spent much of his childhood and adolescence in West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.  He grew up in the backyard of Virginia Tech!  Pry attended…