Well, the secret is officially out. Without much prodding, Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster stated that Sean Huelskamp (r-So.) will get the nod as the Hokies' starting mike linebacker against Purdue this Saturday.
Despite being a walk-on, Foster believes Huelskamp will handle the starting duties at mike just fine for the next few weeks until Andrew Motuapuaka (MCL sprain) is ready to return.
"He reminds me a lot of Jack Tyler," Foster raved about Huelskamp. "He doesn't have the experience right now, but has the same make-up."
For Foster, that 'make-up' includes a high football IQ, toughness and the ability to run fluidly.
"I like what he's about," Foster added. "He's a tough kid and he's athletic enough. He's got a lot of good qualities about himself."
While a segment of the fan base has clamored for true freshman LB Carson Lydon to get a shot as the starter, Tech's defensive coordinator indicated the 6'2", 233-pounder needs more live reps in practice before he's ready to lead the defense.
"He's been repping some with us, but not on a regular basis," Foster detailed. "Mentally, I think he's ready. He's just got to get out there and do it."
Other tidbits from Foster
Foster didn't rule out a possible "mike-by-committee" scenario.
Foster pointed out the game plan will be simplified somewhat for Huelskamp, but added Huelskamp will be making the calls on the field.
He said Lydon wasn't ready to play at the end of spring practices, but did a great job during the summer in the film room and weight room, improving "100 percent."
The reason backup LOLB/backer Dahman McKinnon hasn't been moved to mike is because of the "subtle differences" in pass coverage between the two positions. Foster also said that McKinnon was "all over the place" when he was given a shot at the mike spot last year.
Foster brought up LB Tremaine Edmunds as a guy that could be utilized as an edge player in the defense's 30 package.
Foster on Purdue's offense: "It's run-oriented. There are a lot of double-moves. A lot of deception, meaning there's a run play, but they're going to run a pass route coming off of things, trying to get your ends or people to leak up the field. They're very physical. I've really been impressed. Their line is all experienced. I've been impressed with their backs. Their quarterback (Austin Appleby) has a live arm. They got good enough receivers. They're somewhere between Ohio State and Furman."
Player Quotes
MLB/MIKE Sean Huelskamp
ON WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH HIS MIND WHEN THROWN INTO ACTION IN THE THIRD QUARTER FURMAN:
"You know, I just realized I had to step up when someone comes down. Coach (Bud Foster) is always talking about how you got to prepare like you're the starter and that's what I try to go in with every week. I felt a little nervous just with my first few reps but as my reps went along I got a lot more comfortable with it."
ON HIS DECISION TO JOIN VIRGINIA TECH AS A WALK-ON AND WHAT HIS OTHER OPTIONS WERE:
"I got recruited my senior year of high school as a preferred walk-on and my only other serious option for me was to go to William & Mary on a scholarship. I wanted to compete at a higher level, so I just chose Virginia Tech and I love it here now."
ON IF IT'S A CHALLENGE TAKING OVER A LEADERSHIP ROLE AT THE MIKE POSITION:
"A little bit, but we've got a lot of guys that have experience that help me out. I feel comfortable with all the calls and everything because I've been here for three years now. I know the defense just as well as most guys."
ON WHICH TEAMMATES HELP HIM OUT DURING PRACTICE:
"I think just Luther (Maddy), Dadi (Nicolas), Ken (Ekanem), and Kendall (Fuller) and all those guys coming back. Just people who've played for two years on the defense."
ON THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTY OF PLAYING AT MIKE:
"I just think, really, just doing your job. You can't really do much more. As a middle linebacker, you're trying to make every tackle, but you realize sometimes you just got to take on a block. You may just have an x-factor play, where you might not make the tackle, but you make the play."
ON THE IDEA THAT HE'S UNDERSIZED (SAID HE'S UP TO 212 LBS) FOR THE MIKE SPOT:
"I think our defense is more geared towards speed. I'm good in my reads and speed and I have enough strength, so it's not an issue for me."
ON WHAT HE'S SEEN FROM THE PURDUE OFFENSE ON FILM:
"I mean, they have a great running game, I think. I think they're pretty simple, relatively, but we've got to come out and just do our job because if one person doesn't do their job, they could go for a touchdown."
ON IF HE'LL BE MORE COMFORTABLE AGAINST PURDUE COMPARED TO FURMAN KNOWING HE'S STARTING:
"Yeah, I think I'll definitely be more comfortable just because I know exactly what's going to happen. Just being thrown out (against Furman) you're adrenaline's rushing and my reads might have been a little off in the beginning, but I settled down towards the end."
LOLB/Backer Deon Clarke
ON WHAT KIND OF PLAYER NEW STARTING MLB SEAN HUELSKAMP IS:
"I mean, he's a fly around guy just like Drew (Andrew Motuapuaka) was. If you play mike, you got to know your things. You got to be able to drop back, run downhill and be in coverage. Sean (Huelskamp) can do all those things. He's just a little slower because he's just getting into it and playing his first game and all of that. But, you just got to know your keys, play fast and don't let your mind tie up your feet. That's where he's at right now. That's where all of us started, but you just gotta get used to it, fight through it and play through it."
ON WHAT HE'S SEEN FROM FRESHMAN LB CARSON LYDON AND IF HE'S AHEAD OF THE CURVE:
"Yeah, he's definitely got the build to it, but he's way younger than Sean (Huelskamp). So, yeah, he's out there in practice still messing up a lot. We were just in the locker room and he was like, 'man, I don't want to watch film tomorrow because I know I messed up.' It's just learning. He's got to learn, learn and learn every single day. If you're not taking the reps, you always got to look and take mental reps every single day."
ON IF THE UNCERTAINTY AT MIKE CAUSES HIM TO SHADE MORE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD TO PICK UP THE SLACK:
"I mean, sometimes you're like,'oh, I want to get to the gap because the ball's going over there.' But in Coach (Bud) Foster's defense, you can't play anybody else's position. You got to play yours because as soon as you go out your gap, there goes the running back, wide receiver or quarterback shooting up your gap. Then, you're the one getting yelled at."
ON IF BUD FOSTER COACHES ALL THE MLB'S THE SAME WAY REGARDLESS OF EXPERIENCE:
"Yeah, especially if he sees something in you he's going to definitely jump down your throat extra hard at practice. He doesn't treat anybody different. Nobody gets to slack off. If you do a play wrong it's not, 'oh, okay, just do it better.' As soon as the play's over, he's jumping down your throat. Or, he's stopping the play to jump down your throat because he already sees you lined up wrong. He treats everybody the same. I've been through it all. Ups and downs with Coach (Bud) Foster. But, I love him. He's a coach that just wants the best for you no matter what, so he just wants to treat you like his son."
Comments
Won't Settle for anything less
That...doesn't even work on a map.
"They're somewhere between Ohio State and Furman."
That's a huge gap
They're in there somewhere...
They are somewhere between Siberia and Panama.
Give 'em hell, Huelskamp
I think we're really overlooking #Settle4Mike here
The way he looked when he first put on the uni, I thought #Settle8rMike
I can't tell which way I'm supposed to read this. Is it a good thing, like he was all over the field making plays? Or a not so good thing, where he was inconsistent?
read it negatively. Mike needs to be in the right position at all times.
from the Frank Beamer school of coach-speak: we'll take ours and play against theirs
Can we just designate the Mike as our designated walkon position and be done with it?
I think Fullback still holds that title.
Those walk ons will get after ya!
They better!
If we start all the freshmen, then we can tout "early playing time" to recruits! Genius!
Huelskamp looked like a 12-year old getting pushed around against Furman. I am guessing that Purdue's o-line is sliiiiightly better than Furman's.
Lydon will start the second half.
Least confusing statement ever.
Yup, just a case where the upper classmen is going to get his shot. I fully expect to see Lydon by the 2nd qtr.
FTFY /s I hope Huelskamp does well
soooo.. looking at our upcoming recruiting class and we have 3 OLB.. hopefully one of those is being moved inside or are we just going to rely on walk on's and moto again??
Tech is recruiting Pitt commit Chase Pine and Alabama commit Jaquan Yulee. If they sign with Tech, they have the potential to play in the middle (among other positions). I would ignore the positions the recruiting services tag prospects with when it comes to Tech.
Yulee might be a DE for us
might be a DT too
"He's been repping some with us, but not on a regular basis," Foster detailed.
On my trip past the practice fields yesterday, it looked like Lydon was getting half the reps.
How did he look?
Hard to really say- was at a bad viewing angle. He sure looks the part though physically
Happy to see a walk-on get a chance to prove himself on the field. We've had several good guys walk on and earn major roles in the past. With that being said, may the best Mike win!
Cody, and Jack! Sean can be the next of them!
If I am not mistaken, Cody and Sean are about the same size aren't they? Even though Cody was a Whip.
How come no one has discussed the obvious: Sam Rogers to Mike...imagine the greatness of our D if that were to happen. He'd bring the pain train every down, our opponents would lay awake at night in fear.
I've suggested it in a couple threads. That guy has a football IQ that is hard to measure. He also played MLB in high school and has the size and burst to fill holes with authority (that's what she said)
QB and MLB in high school? We should have known something before he set foot on campus...
Those of us from Hanover did!
Yeah, wasn't he Virginia football player of the year or something?
And cripple our O? Nah...Durkin to MLB would be intersting though...Still getting a former QB, heady guy, into a heady position, and QBing the D.
Have you ever seen Sam tired? No one has. Let him play both ways.
Sam Rogers playing a Mike? I couldn't imagine. It would be great. I wouldn't want to risk injury as helpful as he is on offense.
How do you pronounce Huelskamp? Sort of like HULLS-camp? Or is it HELLS-camp? HEWELLS-camp would be my third and final guess...
http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/huelskamp_sean.html
ok.
But how do you pronounce 'HULES-camp?'
Is it 'hyools-kamp' or 'hools-kamp' or 'who-less-kamp' or 'who-lees-camp?' Or maybe 'hulse-kamp?'
Little help, please.
It's pronounced "Kevin"
Just like my old high school coach said, "Just because you don't make the tackle each play, doesn't mean you didn't make the play." I've always like Bud Foster's style of coaching and defensive strategy. Purdue's run game doesn't stand chance if we play like we did against Furman. Hopefully, Huelskamp can step up to the plate, be a well physical and mental player and fly around.
Good luck VT!
*not because of ooc strength of schedule. That doesn't matter as long as my team does their job
*not because rooting for the B1G only reminds me of the sec conference love fest
*It's because you hokie fans are damn fine people. Im pulling for you to have a great season moving forward, and hoping you can get through while brewer is recovering. May his setback bring improvement out of the rest of the team. Exit light..go Bucks
JK, thanks for the love, best of luck for the repeat. In my dreams we will see you in the playoffs.
Although I see the silver lining to Brewer's injury. Lets take last year for example.
You lost your starting QB a week or two before the game. We lost ours in the game.
Your backup got better as the year went on. Our back has gotten better as the year has gone on (although it's been 1 week, nonetheless)
Your third string QB had to come in to play. Our third string QB has come in to play and will continue to in the future.
You won the rest of your schedule to include the conference, playoffs and national championship
We....well that's in the future, but here's to a best of 3 in the national championship game!!