Slept On It: Virginia Tech's 2016 Offseason Put to Bed

The 2015 Virginia Tech football season was one of the more difficult autumns I can remember. Between the uneven play on the field and the culmination of Frank Beamer's Hall of Fame career, Hokie Nation was hardly short on emotions. For many people, Frank's retirement came a few seasons too late. For others, it continues to be difficult to move on from the only head coach they knew.

For years, Virginia Tech football had been characterized by three things: A blue-collar defense; focused and well-coached special teams; and an enigmatic offense.

Since Frank taught the nation a lesson in the importance of special teams during the 1990's, the Hokies' performance had steadily regressed back toward the mean (due in part to opposing coaches hopping on the Beamer Ball train). Despite having an array of talented signal callers and dangerous running backs since the 1999 season, the Hokies often made a living winning in spite of their offense rather than because of it. Ricky Bustle, Bryan Stinespring and Scot Loeffler each had their moments, but — outside of the Michael Vick era — each of the three struggled to put together a consistently dangerous attack.

Relying on Bud Foster's defensive unit has always been a major source of pride among the Virginia Tech faithful. There is something empowering about knowing you have one of the brightest defensive minds in the country scowling up and down the sideline. We've all witnessed vaunted offenses wither and die at the hands of Bud's defense, overcoming perceived talent gaps, "innovative" offensive systems and hostile environments to give a huge middle finger to the national pundits that discounted the Hokies.

With the hiring of Justin Fuente (and the subsequent retaining of Bud Foster) this winter, Whit Babcock and the university planted a flag in the middle of the college football landscape. Gone are the one-dimensional Hokies of old, where a handful of touchdowns is all you needed to leave with a victory. In their place stands a program with brilliant minds on both sides of the football and an unrelenting desire to leave you bruised, battered and winded after every play.

Like you, I've spent my offseason reading about and watching film of Fuente's offensive system. I have tried to envision the Memphis offense in orange and maroon, darting all over Worsham Field at a breakneck pace. But every time I give my imagination some rope, I'm immediately struck by the prospect that our dreams of a high-octane offense may not match our expectations.

Listen, I'm a pragmatist. Fuente has been incredibly successful as an offensive coordinator (TCU) and as a head coach (Memphis), proving he isn't just a flash-in-the-pan by resurrecting a program that was one of the worst in the nation using unheralded recruits. Logic states, Put him in a major conference program and he could do wonders! Put him in a recruiting hotbed like Virginia and the sky's the limit! But would you fault me (or anyone else, for that matter) for expressing my anxiety over the new look Hokies?

Change is hard. Whether you're moving to a new town, going off to college or starting a new job, the anxiety that courses through your veins reflects the equal parts dread and excitement that come with new experiences. Take it from me: I spent the first sixteen years of my life living on the same street, only to have spent the next sixteen years living in ten different places. The first day of each new experience freaks me out the same as the previous.

But that feeling in the pit of my stomach is what makes life so compelling. It is the same feeling I got when my parents said their goodbyes at the beginning of summer camp as a kid; in the first few months that I was dating my wife (*ahem* I mean, every time I look into her eyes); and when her and I were alone with our newborn son for the first time. The fear of the unknown. The overwhelming thought of, "What the hell have I gotten myself into? Am I ready for this?"

After years of wondering what a post-Beamer team would look like, we're finally faced with that reality. The electricity of his successor's offensive system paired with the post-hire air of secrecy surrounding the program only adds to the intrigue. I feel like Hokie Nation has been grounded throughout this process, recognizing that this will not be an overnight return to excellence. But be honest with yourself. Are you as pragmatic internally as you appear to be externally?

Following a legend is an unenviable task. College football's history is littered with coaches who have failed to carry on the winning traditions established by their predecessors. For every Jimbo Fisher, there is a Derek Dooley reminding fan bases that the grass isn't always greener. Moving on from a legendary coach is no different than a long-term relationship. The question becomes how tight is your head screwed on in the aftermath and is your next lover your soulmate or simply a rebound?

Compared to a lot of other programs in transition, Tech fans should consider themselves lucky. Sure, Frank didn't hand over the keys to a national title contender, but the cupboard is far from bare and the foundation is solid. Over the years, the program did grow stale and in dire need of a fresh set of ideas. An energetic Justin Fuente was hired to modernize the Hokies, and after months of behind the scenes work, Fuente and his staff are set to reveal the 2016 edition of the Hokies.