So many to choose from: ...expecting alot of different answers.
BRUUUUUCE is the first to come to mind for obvious reasons,
but many familiar names also come quickly after him.
GO HOKIES!!!
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Toss up between Brandon Flowers and Cody Grimm.
So many. Macho, Corey Moore...Cornell...
But my favorite defensive player is Bud Foster. Hands down.
corey moore.
Bruce Smith.
He contributed greatly to the start of this whole wonderful run with VT football and Beamer.
College All-American.
#1 draft pick.
Played in multiple superbowls.
NFL hall of famer.
Contributes to his alma mater and serves as an ambassador publically.
Definitely Bruce. I remember talking to an ex-Duke OT at a party shortly after Bruce left VT, and he said the one game his parents went to was when he had to go up against Bruce in the game and it was an embarrassing nightmare. I never looked it up, but he said he thought he gave up 4-5 sacks, and it could have been more.
I was trying to find a quote from that game.
But basically the Duke QB stated that Bruce was in the back field so much that they were running out of trash to talk to each other.
So many possibilities. My favorite has to be Darryl Tapp. That guy was in on so many big plays and was rewarded with two First-Team All-ACC selections for it. He was a hard hitter with a heck of a motor. I also just liked how he played the game. He would annihilate the opponent, but so many times I saw that he was the first to offer him a hand up at the end of the play.
90-99 = Corey Moore
00-09 = Darryl Tapp
10-13 = Exum
Big love for that '99 defense... Moore, Midget, Charlton, Engleberger, the whole crew!
Also loved watching Chancellor layeth the smacketh down.
Keion Carpenter (I have a feeling if he was healthier he would've made 1 or 2 pro bowls), D. Hall (give it time roscoe, give it to me!), Eric Green (how do you like them apples?), Chris Ellis, Macho.
i loved brandon flowers. he delivered so many huge hits from the corner position. i loved the 2007 defense. adibi, hall, ellis, flowers, harris. that d was just scary good.
looking through all the names mentioned I'm surprised Adibi wasn't mentioned earlier.
Eho do you like better Xavier or Nathaniel?
Thats like picking Fullers, best to take the lot and not split hairs.
I agree 100% with your choices. I have an awesome pic of the 2007 defense and that whole unit was complete! The good ole days! Flowers just and awesome player!
BRUCE #1 without question. So many other great players already mentioned, I'd also add Coach Torrian Gray as one of my all time favs. Two picks in VT's biggest win ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIB5a5Z3vl4
Mike Widger - an undersized LB who hit like a ton of bricks. All-American in his junior year. Played in the CFL and was part of two Grey Cup winning teams.
A must-read for anyone seriously interested in Tech football history -
http://books.google.com/books?id=vcKaplDg-yoC&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq=mike+w...
I was hoping some posts like this would show up. I'm a fan from 1994 on so past thig biggest names (Beamer, Smith, Loria etc...) some of my Hokie history is lacking
Thanks man!
Great read.
Thanks for the link.
Easy. Mine is the guy that did this
this
and, of course, this
BANKS! FFW to 2:20
1990s - Corey Moore
2000s - Vince Hall
2010s - Antone Exum
Vince Corey Kyle & Kendall
Only started as a fan when my sister came to VT a few years ago and now a huge fan now that I'm here. Kendall Fuller is fast becoming becoming my favorite.
I absolutely loved watching Bruce Smith play as a kid and native Buffalonian. To dominate the NFL game the way he did speaks volumes to his ridiculous natural talent and hard work.
I have to agree with others that Flowers was also a fun one to watch play. And the way Sam Rogers plays the game is reminiscent of a hardboard linebacker so I'll throw him out there too.
Kam is my favorite because I really got to watch him develop while I was there from unheralded 2* QB prospect to feared (if still a little raw) NFL safety. Seeing him ascend the pro ranks and put on the show he did the other night has been the icing on the cake.
Great guy, to boot.
Corey Moore, Deangelo Hall, Eric Green and Xavier Adibi. It's impossible to pick just 1. I loved watching Aaron Rouse, James Anderson and Kam Chancellor play as well. John Engelberger and Brandon Flowers and... Oh well.
Xavier Adibi. God what I would do for another linebacker with his skill-set in Bud's defense.
Raymon Minor looks a lot like him in size and athleticism. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
Well, this is a hard question. I'll go by position.
DE - Darryl Tapp
DT - MANBEARPIG
LB - Xavier Adibi or James Anderson
CB - Brandon Flowers or DeAngelo Hall
S - Aaron Rouse
Mines probably Macho Harris - I was a student while he was here, and there were so many times where there were games that were just painfully close until he got some incredible pick to just save the day. Especially in 2007, when Flowers had left, and he came back for his senior year. He was one of the only play-makers, and it seemed like he always made one when we needed it.
I know he's not the best defender that ever came through here, but he might be my favorite.
Others that got serious consideration - Kyle Fuller, Cody Grimm, Adibi/Hall
Flowers or Adibi
Corey Moore. A warrior unlike any other.
Best jerseys
Agreed on the uniforms and LB-tandem.
Flowers, Cornell Brown, JC Price, Brandon Semones, Jake Houseright, Vince Hall, Derrick Hopkins, Darryl Tapp.
By position:
D Lineman: Darryl Tapp
Linebacker: Xavier Adibi
Cornerback: FLowers
Safety: DJ Parker
Kevin McCadam. Played Free Safety in 01. I remember going to some HKC team autograph session my very first time in Blacksburg and everybody was all over Lee Suggs. I went down to talk to some of the defensive guys, and McCadam ended up tossing the ball around with me for a while. Been a Hokie fan ever since.
Yeah, that dude was another fave of mine. Saw significat playing time on ST's (in my op should've gone to the pro bowl also).
I'm going to have go with Xavier Adibi. We all fell in love when we saw his debut against USC in 2004 and he was one of if not the best LBs to play in coach Fosters system. Another reason is using him in NCAA 06 on PS2. When ever you played that game online people would always pick Texas to use Vince Young and try to run all over the place. I would use Adibi to spy and blitz Young and effectively turn Young and the person using him into a pocket passer.Once I got my opponent thinking too much about #11 and scared to scramble Id then go into Nickle package and use the double LB blitz with Hall and Adibi, that led to many many rage quits from the people I played online.
Rage Quit
Flowers, Tapp, Chris Ellis, Xavier Adibi, and I also liked Garnell Wilds a lot as a kid.
Flowers, Kyle Fuller
Corey Moore, Keion Carpenter, and Anthony Midget.
Engleberger is my favorite walk-on star of all time.
Not a single Jason worilds vote on here? The dude played with a dislocated shoulder an entire season and was still a monster!!!
However my vote has to go to kyle Fuller. The fact that his entire family is awesome coupled with the fact that he was absolutely a lockdown corner (and he high fives refs) and is still the best tackler on our team in the last 4 years makes him edge hall/adibi in my books...macho is up there too simply cuz he played offense too and stayed a year we desperately needed him and didn't seem to be looking to impressive coming into the season. Hr was a champ that year too
Spot on with Kyle Fuller as I put in gif form above.
I remember exactly when Kyle became my favorite too. It was the Techmo Bowl game where he single handily stopped the triple option attack. That dude was everywhere.
Corey Moore hands down. For being smaller than some linebackers, he was a monster coming around the end, taking out lineman, running backs, and quarterbacks play after play.
Tough to pick one. I have to go with Corey Moore. The leadership and greatness he showed on the field were incredible. I'll never forget Thursday night against Clemson when he took the game over late in the 4th quarter.
Brandon Flowers followed by Cory Moore. FLowers was a great pure corner for us and he could hit when we wanted (FSU) and Moore could take over a game (Clemson)
Corey Moore is the first all star great Hokie defensive player that comes to my mind.
In order:
1. Bruce Smith
2. Xavier Adibi
3. D. Hall
Honorable mention for VT Defensive player having the greatest name: Cols Colas
Runner-up and teammate: Vegas Robinson
Ah, yes. Vegas Ferguson, as Brent Musburger dubbed him.
I was a big Willie Pile fan...that dude could hit
Frank Beamer; if only because he is still influencing the program.
BRANDON FLOWERS.
here is why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YRH7bCT-SM
Not only a great cover corner, he was also a big hitter.... Favorite Hokie of All Time.
Oh and Cory Bird I think Pile and Bird were the two safeties and they could both make amazing open field tackles
This is already on my TKP profile:
I played sand volleyball against Bruce once while at summer school. That is a big man that could jump really high! It was an awesome (and humbling) experience.
I Didn't see him play but being the#1 pick and going to 4 Super Bowl and a Hall of Fame and NFL sack leader say it all: Bruce Smith is the best hokie ever.
1-Bruce Smith
2-Kam Chancellor
3- D. Hall
4-Kyle Fuller
5-B. Flowers
6- J. Worilds
1. Cody Grimm
2. Macho Harris
3. Darryl Tapp
4. Corey Moore
5. The Fullers
6. Hall/Adibi
7. Aaron Rouse
8. Kam Chancellor
9. Brandon Flowers
10. Bruce Smith
11. Alonzo Tweedy
I like how you turned it up to 11
Rick Razzano, linebacker from the 70's. 15 tackles per game, and then stuck around the NFL for 4-6 years, all 5'9" of him.