Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Tech football is officially one week away from opening the 2023 season against Old Dominion. To conclude our positional preview, we will review the special teams units led by special teams coordinator Stu Holt.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Special teams excellence has long been a hallmark of Virginia Tech football. Holt enters his second season coaching this unit and will benefit from the return of punter Peter Moore. The redshirt junior attempted 73 punts totaling 3,042 yards for an average of 41.7 yards last season. He placed 24 punts inside the 20 and delivered 17 beyond 50 yards, including his season-long of 67 yards.
OTHERS IN THE MIX
Tech returns John Love who started games at kicker last fall and brings back redshirt junior Kyle Lowe who handled the kickoff duties a year ago and racked up an impressive 32 touchbacks.Gallery: (8-27-2023) FB: Specialists (fall camp) Love started the final two games for the Hokies a season ago, knocking in a 23-yard field goal in the Nov. 19 win over Liberty, as well as converting a successful fake field goal run for 11 yards and a first down that led to a score against the Flames.
Tucker Holloway and Jaylin Lane are expected to handle punt return duties. Holloway set the Virginia Tech program record for single-game punt return yardage on Nov. 5, 2022, against Georgia Tech (188 yards and a TD, seven returns).
ST NOTES
- The punting unit allowed just 36 punt return yards last fall
- Holloway fielded nine punts in 2022 totaling 191 return yards, good for a 21.2-yard average
POSITION OUTLOOK
Moore provides stability and consistency at punter. Holloway and Lane have big-play capability to help the Hokies flip the field in the return game.