Virginia Tech’s attrition problem just keeps getting worse

Virginia Tech continues playing this season with a lot less defensive experience than coordinator Bud Foster thought he’d have. The Hokies have sustained quite a bit of attrition this offseason, and the problem is only getting worse.

Look at all the players Hokies have lost on defense since the spring of 2018. Most of these guys were 2017 starters or potential 2018 starters.

And many of them had eligibility remaining and/or were expected well into the offseason to be contributors this year.

April 2018:

This was the month that saw primarily NFL Draft losses.

• DT Tim Settle: Drafted by Washington in the fifth round
• LB Tremaine Edmunds: Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round
• FS Terrell Edmunds: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round
• CB Greg Stroman: Drafted by the Chargers in the seventh round
• LB Andrew Motuapuaka: Signed by Jacksonville
• CB Brandon Facyson: Signed with Chargers
• Co-defensive coordinator Galen Scott: Resigned after misuse of recruiting trips became public.

June 2018:

• CB Adonis Alexander: He was declared academically ineligible, and declared for the supplemental NFL Draft.
• DB Jeremy Webb Jr.: Tore his Achilles tendon during offseason workouts and is out for the season.

July 2018:

• OLB Mook Reynolds: Dismissed from the team
• DT Cam Goode: Released from his scholarship to transfer elsewhere

There was a little extra drama around the last of those defensive exit. Fuente said Goode, the most recent departure, “determined that he would like to continue his academic and athletic career at another institution.” Later on the day of that announcement, an alum of Goode’s high school tweeted this:

Eric Assoua, a St. John’s College High School (D.C.) alum and now a WMU defensive lineman, probably can’t make that rule and definitely can’t enforce it. But he added:

And Goode said this:

September 2018:

DE Trevon Hill: Dismissed from the team after the disastrous loss to Old Dominion. He led the team in tackles-for-loss.

Virginia Tech did avoid one big problem this offseason, after an eligibility scare involving starting quarterback Josh Jackson.

Jackson, a redshirt sophomore who played well as the starter in 2017, was reportedly suspended briefly in early June. Around that time, his dad said:

“As of right now, Josh is still a member of the Virginia Tech football team. We’ll know more in two days. It’s too early to talk about this.”

The situation later clarified, with Jackson remaining an eligible part of the team.

And then Jackson got hurt against Old Dominion in Week 4.

He fractured his fibula in the loss, requiring surgery. It’s not looking good.

The Hokies just keep getting thinner as the season continues.