Virginia Tech player kicked off team; third defensive starter lost already
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team had the nation’s fourth-best scoring defense last year, limiting opponents to just 14.8 points per game.
But the Hokies will face a monumental task to come anywhere close to repeating last year’s effort after a string of offseason incidents has left their defense with many holes to fill.
On Monday, head coach Justin Fuente announced that projected starting DB/LB Mook Reynolds was dismissed from the team for violating athletic department policies. The coach also revealed that Reynolds had been suspended since spring from all team and football-related activities.
Reynolds is the the third projected starting defensive back to leave the team in the past few months. Projected starting cornerback Adonis Alexander was declared academically ineligible last month and has declared for the NFL supplemental draft which takes place Wednesday.
The other projected starter at cornerback, Jeremy Webb Jr., tore his Achilles’ tendon during offseason workouts and will miss the upcoming season.
Webb was a JUCO transfer but was expected to slide into a starting position after the Hokies lost two cornerbacks to graduation. Counting Webb, Virginia Tech has to replace nine players who either started last year or where projected to start this year.
Gone from last year's #Hokies defense:
DT Tim Settle (NFL)
LB Andrew Motuapuaka (grad)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (NFL)
OLB Mook Reynolds (dismissed)
FS Terrell Edmunds (NFL)
CB Brandon Facyson (grad)
CB Greg Stroman (grad)
CB Adonis Alexander (academics)Bud's going to earn his $$$.
— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) July 9, 2018
Besides incidents involving players this offseason, Virginia Tech also had an embarrassing incident involving a coach which led to his dismissal.
In April, co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Galen Scott admitted to an extramarital affair which resulted in his resignation.
Scott, who had just been promoted in January, admitted to the affair after it was revealed on Twitter by the husband of the woman he had the affair with.
https://twitter.com/diggy1973/status/988610148552839168
https://twitter.com/diggy1973/status/989171559020613633
An email alleging the affair was also sent to Virginia Tech and a media outlet, and shortly afterward, Scott admitted his mistake and resigned.
“… I made a mistake and I have to take responsibility for that,” Scott said. “I did some things that I want to apologize to my wife for and my family for and I need to make sure I make that right by just being around for them and being the best father and person I can be.”
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