Fuente Launches Spring Practice Hoping for More Normalcy and a Chance to Get Things 'Cleaned Up'

The Hokies hope to avoid the Covid disruptions that stymied player development last offseason.

[Virginia Tech Athletics]

A year ago at this time, QB Braxton Burmeister was trying to learn a brand-new offense without going through spring practice. By the time fall camp rolled around, he'd come down with coronavirus.

After all that, he still started the Hokies' season opener against N.C. State and put up big numbers in the process. Now, he's hoping a full spring and fall of practice in a much more normal world will help him get ready to be the team's full-time starter.

"I only really had two real weeks of practice in a full year," Burmeister told reporters Monday. "It wasn't until I broke my toes midway through the season that I had a chance to sit down and really learn the offense."

Burmeister was far from alone on that front, and that's why Justin Fuente is so (cautiously) optimistic about 2021's spring practice. The team will kick off five weeks of spring ball Tuesday for the time since 2019, giving the staff some chance to make up for the chaos of last year's offseason.

"In fall camp, we didn't have anybody out at practice," Fuente said. "It was kind of sad. We got no spring ball last year. We haven't done it in some time. I'm not saying it's anybody's fault, but we have to recalibrate for what is an acceptable practice. Hopefully things are more normal."

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