Front Four Dominates, Still Questions in the Secondary after Saturday's Scrimmage

Despite the defense's relative dominance in Saturday's scrimmage, it was Bud Foster who lost his voice.

"You guys will have to excuse my voice; it's shot," admitted the Virginia Tech football team's defensive coordinator at the end of the day.

Foster and offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler, both weary from an afternoon of screaming, should have taken the lead of head coach Frank Beamer, who used a megaphone throughout the scrimmage — one which set off a siren early on.

"I've got a real knack with machines," Beamer joked. "I'm really good with that stuff."

Nevertheless, Foster had a lot to be pleased with when all was said and done. After all, his defense allowed just one touchdown, registered an interception and put ungodly pressure on quarterbacks in white and maroon all day long.

"The first group of guys in the front four have been playing really well," Foster said. "I've been pleased with our interior play and our first group of ends. Seth Dooley has really taken big strides, which is encouraging for us."

Defensive line depth, an area of exceeding concern coming into the spring, is starting to resolve itself as well.

"I really like how Vinny Mihota has been playing," Foster said of the second-team tackle. "Second tackles have been playing really well. Ricky walker and Steve Sobczak have improved."

Sobczak succumbed to a right ankle injury during the scrimmage, one which associate athletic director of sports medicine Mike Goforth doesn't think is too significant and shouldn't keep him out more than a couple practices tops.

Reserve ends, though raw, are starting to see improvement as well.

"(Yosuah Nijman) is still light years away from where he needs to be but he's getting better," Foster said. "Nijman is still raw at this point. His football IQ seems to be okay but I'll take him. He's got a great upside and I'm excited about him."

"We see some good things out of Melvin Khein as well but he's still a young player."

It's not as clear-cut in the secondary.

The continuing game of musical chairs that's taking place between competitors for the vacant safety spots is one which confuses Foster, but intrigues him.

"We have a lot of young guys in the back," Foster said. "They're a little all over the place right now but I thought they got better today."

Terrell Edmunds was a player that stole the show in Saturday's scrimmage.

The redshirt freshman grabbed an interception on a lately thrown out route from Andrew Ford, a continuation of a solid spring for the young cornerback.

"(Edmunds) has made a couple nice plays," Foster said. "He's long, which we like. He can run; he made a nice play Thursday in practice. You can throw (all defensive backs) in a hat. They're all about the same. They're all working hard. I'm encouraged by those kids."

With improved confidence, Edmunds has kept perspective on the situation.

"You feel a little special but you can't get too big-headed after one play," he said. "Everybody makes great plays every practice and it's all about consistency. We're all out there competing every day and trying to make each other better."

Coming off of a redshirt year, Edmunds has adjusted quickly.

"It was a great year. I learned a lot," Edmunds said. "It slowed down for me. I was able to meet with the coaches and learn different things and it's helped me."

Edmunds noted that the value of having experienced, talented veterans around has made matters better.

"(Kendall Fuller and Brandon Facyson) have helped a large amount," Edmunds said. "Anything that we need that coach (Torrian Gray) may be talking to someone else about, we can just go talk to Kendall or Brandon or an older guy like (Donovan) Riley or Chuck (Clark) and they'll show us what we need to do."

The ever-versatile Riley is still getting work at different positions in an effort to find a full-time spot.

"I'm an athlete. I'm a ballplayer. I'm always going to feel comfortable wherever they put me," Riley said. "I'm going to give it 100 percent at any position they want me to play. I worked hard to get here so I'm going to show how hard I've worked."

Riley has worked at rover, free safety and corner during his career. Showing glimpses of what coaches were hoping for in his first start against rover against Georgia Tech last season, Foster thinks Riley may be who the defense needs at that spot.

"He's a 210-pound kid and a good tackler," Foster said. "That was part of our thought process. I'm not sold on it yet but we'll see."

Riley welcomes the work at rover, or any position.

"It's all about being an athlete and being able to adapt," he said. "Free safety and rover, corner, nickel – I feel comfortable playing any position."

The coming weeks will help more clearly establish personnel decisions going forward.

"I like our effort out there," Beamer said. "I tell the guys we'll get better if we keep giving great effort. I like this football team."