Dadi Nicolas, Hokies' Coaching Staff Reflect on the Past, Prepare for the Future

Dadi Nicolas explains why he isn't worried about his NFL Draft stock.

Dadi Nicolas lines up against Duke. [Mark Umansky]

Hokies' defensive end Dadi Nicolas understands how dangerous the up-tempo North Carolina offense can be, but the dynamic senior knows his defense will be more than ready come Saturday afternoon in Lane Stadium.

"I'm gonna play hard. I'm gonna be playing harder than I ever play," said Nicolas of the Senior Day matchup with the No. 12 Tar Heels. "That's how I'm gonna play. Whether that's a sack, whether that's a forced fumble, I don't know. I'm gonna be a headache. We're all gonna be a headache for North Carolina. They're coming in our house. That's what time it is. Everybody knows what time it is."

Bud Foster Fields Questions

Dadi Nicolas Reflects on Career and Talks Future

Dadi Nicolas entered his senior campaign in Blacksburg with clear goals in mind, ready to build upon an impressive 2014 season and potentially bolster his NFL Draft stock.

"I came into the season wanting to lead, period," said Dadi. "With sacks and everything. Just dominate."

For one reason or another, Nicolas — at least on paper — hasn't put together the year he may have hoped for. A multitude of hand injuries — Nicolas broke his hand in the preseason and dislocated a finger against East Carolina — may have contributed to the decrease in production, but both defensive coordinator Bud Foster and defensive line coach Charley Wiles have insisted that Nicolas has had a standout senior season.

"I've just been dealing with it," said Nicolas of his injuries. "That's just what it is. It's just facts. That's all I got for you. It's not a big deal or a small deal. At the end of the day, I'm buckling up my helmet ready to go...It's not stopping me. People can make excuses for what has happened or whatnot. I don't have none. It is what it is."

And while his sacks column may be a little lighter than expected, Nicolas isn't worried about his NFL draft prospects in the slightest.

"I don't care," said Nicolas of his draft stock. "I don't know. It is what it is. I think when you turn that film on, it's hard not to see me...I play with passion. I play hard. I feel like when you have those two things going for you, everything just falls into place."

With two games — and a potential bowl — remaining, it's easy to understand why Nicolas is more focused on the present.

"The reason why I don't care is like I said, I gotta finish what's in front of me right now which is finishing off my college career," said Nicolas. "That's what's big for me right now. My last home game, away game. Trying to get to this bowl game. We'll get to this bowl. And then after that, I'll work on my stock when it's time to work on my stock. I'm not worried about that. I'll be alright. There ain't too many people like me."

And even though that bowl berth likely depends on the Hokies squeaking out a sixth win, Nicolas remains confident as ever.

"When you have a group of guys who believe in the same thing, that's dangerous," said Nicolas. "That's what we have. We definitely will get to a bowl. There's no question."

Playing and Working for Frank Beamer

As Frank Beamer's storied career comes to a close, his players and coaches have begun to reflect on how special the past 29 years in Blacksburg have been. But for tight ends coach Bryan Stinespring, a longtime assistant and friend of Beamer's, it's better to table those emotions until after the season.

"I really try not to think about it that much, Andy (Bitter). I really haven't," said Stinespring of Beamer's impending retirement. "Because when you do, it becomes emotional for you. You understand there's been many times you've walked out of this locker room...And you've walked across that practice field and you looked at that stadium and you started to walk through that tunnel. Maybe sometimes you just took that walk for granted a little bit because you always knew there was gonna be a next time. That's not the case now."

Instead, Stinespring says he's forced to focus on the task at hand — North Carolina.

"Try not to think too much about it because if I do, I get caught up in the emotional aspect of it instead of preparing our team to get ready for this ballgame," said Stinespring.

Hokies' right guard Augie Conte, who never even expected to get a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech, spoke glowingly of his time with Beamer.

"It is an honor to be on Coach Beamer's last team just because everybody's doing their best trying to send him out the right way," said Conte. "I just feel honored to be a part of the Beamer legacy here. I'm honored and privileged to be able to play for the man."

"The first time I met Frank Beamer was personally after one of the recruiting camps I went to," Conte added. "He called me into his office after we were done with camp and told me that I should be a Hokie. The man gave me an opportunity that changed my life forever. I owe that man an unrepayable debt when it comes to the opportunity and privilege that he gave me. I can't put into words what it's like to be able to play for him."

Defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, one of Beamer's countless former players who ended up in the coaching profession, says he'll remember the side of Beamer that players don't often get to see.

"He hasn't changed at all," said Gray of Beamer over the years. "It's just when you're a player, you don't get to see the side you see as a coach. The sense of humor that he's had and how funny he is. Then you get to see him as a man on a more day-in and day-out basis and just how he carries himself and how humble he is. Just the character that he carries himself with. As a dad, as a father and a coach, it's kinda really neat to have been around that."

Offense Prepares for "Bend But Don't Break" Tar Heel Defense

Often blessed with early leads courtesy of a dynamic, high-scoring offense, North Carolina's first-year defensive coordinator Gene Chizik has installed a defense perfectly suited for head coach Larry Fedora's system. That "bend but don't break" style has resulted in some gaudy rushing numbers, but it's hard to argue with the results — the Tar Heels are 9-1 and sit atop the Coastal Division.

"It's not necessarily that they struggle against the run," said Conte. "The way their defense is designed, they're anticipating on playing defense with their offense scoring a lot of points. They're basically saying, 'We'll let you run the ball, but we're not gonna give you any big plays just because we know that you're gonna be playing from behind.'"

Possessing the football will undoubtedly be of paramount importance come Saturday, and Conte knows the offense will need to be efficient in the run and throw game to be successful.

"Their defensive coordinator, he does a really good job of eliminating explosive plays," said Conte. "...I think if we can run the ball and we can stay on the field by passing the ball, not necessarily for big chunks, but if we can keep chipping away at them, I think we'll be alright."

But with a Tar Heel offense that has been nearly impossible to stop over the past two weeks, wide receiver Isaiah Ford knows the game could turn into a shootout.

"These are the types of games, as an offense, that you want to play in," said Ford. "You wanna play in those shootouts, the games like that where you gotta grind it out. You have to value every possession. As an offense, we have a chip on our shoulders and we're ready to take up the challenge."

Hokies' Young Secondary Coming into Their Own

Entering the 2015 season, the Hokies' secondary appeared primed to be among the nation's elite. But after Kendall Fuller's season-ending injury and C.J. Reavis' dismissal from school, Torrian Gray was forced to turn to defensive backs with little to no collegiate experience. But even with all of the adversity thrown at the Dean of DBU, his green secondary has improved throughout the season.

"We've gotten somewhat better," said Gray. "There's still some things we're limited in doing because of our experience level and things of that nature. We've gotten better."

But with a Marquise Williams-led Tar Heels offense coming into Blacksburg, that secondary will be confronted with their toughest challenge to date.

"Now going against this juggernaut we're going against right now, it's gonna be a huge challenge for our guys," said Gray. "The quarterback's playing at an unbelieveable level. They've got unbelievable skill at the wide receiver position."

"It's definitely I believe the most talented we've faced this year," added Gray.

And with young players sprinkled throughout his secondary, Gray will be cognizant of keeping his player's emotions in check during a game that promises to be a special Lane Stadium environment.

"It's not the uniform we're gonna be wearing. It's not senior day. It's not Coach's last game," said Gray. "After that ball is kicked off, you gotta really have a focus and be able to hone in."

Additional Quotes

Bryan Stinespring

ON THE NORTH CAROLINA DEFENSE:

"It's a very confident defense. When you play with a lot of confidence, it shows on the field. I think they work well together as a unit. They know where their help is in the passing game. From that standpoint, I think their run defense, they fit their gaps very well. You hear Coach Foster talk about we have to fit our gaps well, they fit their gaps well. Again, knowing where your help is. It's not a complex defense, but it's very well structured in what they do and what they're trying to do from a defensive standpoint. They put you in a situation where you gotta execute exceptionally well to be able to run the football."

ON IF ONE GAME IN LANE STADIUM STANDS OUT IN PARTICULAR:

"There's so many games that have stood out in that stadium. I can't put one into it. It's a lot of memories. A lot of great games have been played in that stadium. I'd still, I'd probably go back to playing Syracuse in 1993 and winning that ballgame knowing we were going to a bowl game. To walk into our old team meeting room and to gather as a team and to see the celebration (when we were) extended the offer to the Independence Bowl. I think back to that first time that you won a game that propelled you into a bowl game. And the way we played that game against a good Syracuse team and to go out and play the way we did. Know what was at stake in that ballgame. That first opportunity to step out there and to win a ballgame to know we were going to a bowl game. I remember that one well."

ON THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE 1993 SYRACUSE GAME:

"We've been blessed. You walk in that stadium, it's an atmosphere every time we step in there. Obviously there's certain games that are a little more energy level that others. I just think that game kinda sticks out not so much because of the atmosphere, the atmosphere's always been tremendous, what Lane Stadium represents and the crowd and our support has been well documented...Just the fact a lot was on the line for us and we had an opportunity to step out there on a big stage and make a statement and we did. And we built upon that game. I don't forget those. None of us do. Not the guy behind you (Bud Foster). Not me. Not anybody who was there."

ON THE MENTALITY IN THE MARYLAND GAME FOLLOWING HERMA BEAMER'S DEATH:

"I think Coach Beamer did it. And we followed his lead like we've done over the course of 25, (29), years, how many it's been. We followed his lead. As he said Sunday is pretty much what he said when we got ready to play Maryland that night: 'This is about the young men. Our job is to prepare the young men, our players. Get them ready to play. Focus on what we can control. Go out and do your job to the best that you can and they will.' That's what he told us Sunday, and that's pretty much what he told us back then. 'Concentrate on the job at hand. Get your players ready to play. And let's go win a ballgame.'

ON THE SENIOR CLASS (SPECIFICALLY TIGHT END RYAN MALLECK):

"I can't say enough about this senior group. They've had a lot of battles that they've had to go through. They've had some ups and downs. But they've shown, it's one of Coach Beamer's words, they've showed a lot of resiliency. A lot of toughness. Physical and mental. It's a trademark of this group. It's a trademark of this football team over an extended period of time that they're not gonna get too high, they're not gonna get too low. And somewhere in the middle, they're gonna keep reality in perspective. This group has been a tribute to that. Ryan Malleck, I've been blessed to be around a young man like that. You talk about a team guy, you talk about a guy who goes out and blocks. He does the dirty work. He does the behind the scenes work. He's in the protection part of the game...He's a major part of our running game. He makes the big catches when the catches present themselves. He's on special teams. And he doesn't say a word. He goes out and he just does his job. He plays to do whatever he can to do to help our football team be successful. What he's done is kinda similar to what we've always wanted our football team to be about, 'Do your job and play for your brother beside you.''

Torrian Gray

ON SPECIAL MEMORIES IN LANE STADIUM:

"Unfortunately for us as coaches, it seems like it's the losses a little bit more than some of the wins. The BC game with Matt Ryan at quarterback, that was one of those deals, that type of atmosphere. That stands out. Like I said, the wins don't come as easily to me as some of those losses. There's a lot of special moments, obviously. We beat Clemson that night when they came in here, they had those two guys at running back (James Davis and C.J. Spiller), those are kinda special moments to beat a team like that and kind of the character in which we did. I think they were under 100 yards. Those things off the top of my head, but there's obviously been a lot of special moments."

ON MEMORIES FROM HIS PLAYING DAYS IN BLACKSBURG:

"As a player, my first start versus Syracuse was special. That was my first start, I had two interceptions on Marvin Graves so that's always a special moment there. I'm sure there are other ones...Off the top of my head, the Virginia win with Tiki Barber...It's a lot of special memories obviously."

ON INITIAL IMPRESSIONS OF FRANK BEAMER:

"Just kinda what you see. You got some coaches that kinda have this "ra-ra" demeanor, but Coach is kinda who he is. He's laid back and just kinda what you see is what you get. Just himself."

ON TERRELL EDMUNDS:

"He's gradually gotten better. His confidence is getting better obviously the more he plays. Terrell is a guy who's got so much ability but he's just so raw and the game's just so new to him in a lot of respects. As he continues to learn and get better, I think the sky's gonna be the limit for him. But right now, we're just young and just haven't experienced a lot of things."

ON ADONIS ALEXANDER:

"His shoulder's healthy now. It's just a matter of him now playing with the focus and the urgency that it takes play-in and play-out. Because his ability is off the charts. It's unlimited. But right now, he can't help us that much because there were too many errors that he was having from playing. Not adjusting to those errors quick enough. So we're still trying to coach him through that. But we plan on having a plan for him in this game and if he can come out and practice the right way, I'd love to see him go out and have some success."

ON THE FRUSTRATION OF WORKING WITH A YOUNG SECONDARY:

"From the standpoint of, 'Man we've got so much ability, but I can't get it all out.' So it's frustrating for me from that standpoint. You can't teach certain things...But the sky's the limit."

ON HIS FUTURE AT VIRGINIA TECH:

"That's something I really don't have any control over. Obviously Tech's special to me. I would love to be here. But I really don't have any control of that. I guess that's up to the next head coach."

J.C. Coleman

ON PLAYING ON FRANK BEAMER'S LAST TEAM:

"It's one of those things where I'm probably taking it for granted right now. When I look back 10 years from now and they're talking about how great Frank Beamer was and all the wins that he's had, I'll probably be like, 'Man, I really played on his last team.'"

ON GETTING A SCHOLARSHIP OFFER FROM FRANK BEAMER:

"You're talking about Frank Beamer. A legend. He looks you face-to-face and he offers you a scholarship, you'll be like, 'Wow. This is a legend that I have the opportunity to go out there and play for.' He definitely has that type of impact on recruitment and definitely has that type of impact on guys."

ON TAKING TRAVON MCMILLIAN UNDER HIS (AND TREY EDMUNDS') WING:

"A whole lot. We support him to the fullest. Definitely. I think he'll go out there and say that. If we see something on the sideline where he could have done better, we'll come and correct him on it. And he'll also ask us as well, 'Was there anything else I could have done on that run?' Even though we're not playing, we always support him and wish him the best out there. That's just part of being a teammate. He's doing really well right now and we wanna see him do very well."

ON IF HE THINKS HE COULD BE THE STARTING RB:

"Of course. I'm a competitor. I just feel like I should be the guy. Trey feels like he should be the guy. Sam feels like he should be the guy. That's what happens when you get four, five competitors in the same group. Everybody feels that they should be the guy. At the end of the day, I'm gonna support him, but in the back of my mind, I'm still gonna say I could be the guy too."

ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MCMILLIAN AND HIMSELF:

"He's just running real well right now. He's running real well. He ran real well early in the season and I wasn't. That's the difference."

ON FRANK BEAMER'S DANCE IF THE HOKIES CLINCH A BOWL BERTH:

"I'm gonna make sure I'm right in the front. I'm gonna make sure I'm right in the front, for sure, when he starts dancing."

Dadi Nicolas

ON EMOTIONS OF FINAL HOME GAME:

"It's surreal. It's a big moment. Big moment in my career. Big moment for me, my coaches, Coach Beamer, it's just a time to take advantage of. An opportunity to take advantage of. That's what it is. Just trying to make the best of it."

ON HOW HE WOULD SUM UP HIS CAREER:

'Great. I gave it my all since Day 1. I (can) leave knowing that I gave it my all. That's big. And I improved year-by-year. As a player, as a person. I went through the process of going to college. Became a man. I think I did a great job with that."

ON RETURNING FOR HIS SENIOR SEASON:

"I came back just to be apart of my team. Be with my team again just to grow, mature. All of that. There's more than one reason why I came back. But to describe how my year has been going, like I said, I go out there and I go hard. We try to get this win. That's the main goal. Our main goal is to leave the field with a "W". That's always my main goal. Sack or not. Yeah, the sacks, it's great and all. It's a part of the game or whatnot. It's just a lot of things to learn from. If anything, that's what I can take from this past year. Everytime I step on that field, I go hard. I play hard. I play with passion. I have no regrets."

ON THE ALL BLACK UNIFORMS:

"Definitely just a classic. Just because the environment, the situation, you know what I'm saying? Last home game. It's a big deal. The uniforms are dope, that's how I would explain it."

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I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction:
“I served in the United States Navy"

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Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

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