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Tech's Defensive All-Americans Under Bud Foster
by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com

Everyone marvels at the job Bud Foster does with Virginia Tech's defense every year. The success that Virginia Tech's defense has had over the years is apparent when you look at the All-American lists. This year is no different.

On Thursday, it was announced that Brandon Flowers and Xavier Adibi were named First Team All-Americans by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Both players had great seasons, and although Flowers didn't even make First Team All-ACC, he is still a First Team All-American.

Adibi leads the team with 99 tackles on the season. He has 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception this season. He has turned into a complete football player. Flowers, who is only a junior, made 72 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, from his boundary corner position. He has five interceptions and has broken up seven other passes.

The All-American tradition for Bud Foster's defense began back in 1995. Since then, at least one Tech defensive player has earned an All-American honor every year except once. In 2004, there were no All-Americans on Tech's defense, although there were a few future ones.

Cornell Brown and J.C.Price set the precedent back in 1995. They anchored a Tech defense that finished first in the nation in rushing defense. The Hokies used that defense to win their first Big East Championship and earn a berth in the Sugar Bowl, where they beat Texas 28-10.

Brown earned Consensus All-American honors that year, while Price garnered Third Team status from the Associated Press. Price was a senior, but Brown returned in 1996 and was named First Team All-American by Walter Camp and Second Team by the AP, despite missing three games.

The 1997 Tech defense wasn't nearly as good as the previous units, but they had some star power. Rover Pierson Prioleau was named Third Team All-American by The Sporting News. He is still in the NFL today, with the Washington Redskins.

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Corey Moore was First Team All-American in 1998 and followed that up with a monster 1999 campaign. In 1999, he was a Unanimous All-American, and also earned the Nagurski and Lombardi Awards. Moore posted 18 sacks that year and led Virginia Tech to the National Championship game against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. He kept alive the Virginia Tech tradition of great defensive ends.

Other Hokie defenders who earned various All-American honors in 1999 were Jamel Smith, John Engelberger and Anthony Midget. Engelberger currently plays defensive end for the Denver Broncos.

The Tech defense lost eight starters after 1999, but one of the three returning starters stepped up in 2000. Linebacker Ben Taylor had a great season, helping reload the Tech defense. The Hokies finished 11-1 that year with a win in the Gator Bowl over Clemson, and Taylor was Third Team All-American by the AP.

Taylor followed that up by earning Second Team honors from the AP and Football News in 2001, as well as Third Team honors from The Sporting News. Defensive tackle David Pugh was a Third Team All-American according to The Sporting News, while cornerback Ronyell Whitaker earned Third Team honors from the AP.

Tech's 2002 defense was nothing to write home about late in the season, but senior free safety Willie Pile did earn Second Team All-American honors from The Sporting News. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall was a Second Team All-American by The Sporting News in 2003, giving Tech's defense just two All-Americans in those seasons.

In 2004, the Hokies had no All-Americans, despite their ACC Championship and berth in the Sugar Bowl. However that team did feature future All-Americans Jimmy Williams, Darryl Tapp and Xavier Adibi.

Williams was a Unanimous All-American in 2005, although he arguably had a better season in 2004. Defensive end Darryl Tapp earned First Team recognition from the American Football Coaches Association, and Second Team honors from the AP. Tapp is currently with the Seattle Seahawks, while Jimmy Williams plays for the Atlanta Falcons.

The only All-American on Tech's 2006 defense was Brandon Flowers. He was named a Third Team All-American by the AP. If Flowers returns for his senior season, he'll have a chance to earn All-American honors for three straight seasons, which would be an amazing accomplishment.

Believe it or not, Vince Hall has never earned All-American honors. Since he missed four games recovering from wrist surgery this year, it's doubtful he'll get any recognition this year either.

BC: The New Pitt? Let's Hope Not.
by Will Stewart, TechSideline.com

What have the Boston College Eagles done that no other ACC team has done? Post a winning record against the Hokies, that's what.

Since entering the ACC in 2005, BC is 2-1 against the Hokies. (If you go back to the 2003 season, Tech's last in the Big East, BC is 3-1 against the Hokies, including a 2-1 record in Lane Stadium.)

Two other teams, FSU and NC State, are 1-1, but no other ACC team has come close to sniffing a winning record -- or even a .500 record -- against Tech. Here are Tech's records against ACC teams since entering the league in 2004.

BC is fast becoming to the Hokies what Pittsburgh was in the Big East days: Kryptonite. The Pittsburgh Panthers, despite posting a ho-hum 24-16 overall record from 2001-2003, went a squeaky-clean 3-0 against Tech over that same time period ... 3-0 (1.000) against the Hokies ... 21-16 (.567) against everyone else.

Pittsburgh's inexplicable dominance of Tech in the later days of the old Big East was maddening, and if Boston College wins Saturday, they, too will post three straight wins over the Hokies, and Tech fans will find it equally maddening.

An aside: A quick look at the table shows you that Tech's record against BC, NC State, and FSU is 3-4, but against the rest of the ACC, it's a rock-solid 24-2. Six of Tech's 11 ACC opponents are still looking for their first win against the Hokies. And that 15-1 conference road record continues to be one of the most astounding stats in college football, if you ask me.

TSL Offering Orange Bowl Travel Packages ... IF the Hokies Win This Weekend

If the Hokies win the ACCCG this Saturday, TSL is teaming up with Premiere Sports Travel and TicketCity.com to bring you great travel packages to Miami for the Orange Bowl.

Details of the packages have not been set yet. To get on the email list to be notified as soon as packages are available for purchase, please click below and sign up.

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Please sign up, and then root the Hokies on to victory Saturday!

Ticket City Sports Travel -- Orange Bowl Trips

Special "Hokie Games" Offer for TSL Readers

Hokie Games recounts the score and key plays from every Virginia Tech football game played from the start of the 1945 season through the last game of the 2006 season. You can get old scores anywhere, but Hokie Games gives you the flow of the action and the important moments and players, not just a line with point totals and a date on it.

Hokie Games is the most complete book ever written about any college sports team, ever. The first Hokie game you ever watched? It's in there. Forgotten classics? Got 'em all. Learn about or relive the '72 game when Don Strock lit up Houston for 527 yards in the air or the 1966 VMI game when Tommy Francisco got into the end zone six times. Remember watching a great game with your kid or your dad? You can relive it. Are the details of the '99 thriller at West Virginia, the one that featured Vick's jaw-dropping run and Graham's clutch kick that kept the national title chances alive a little fuzzy? Hokie Games brings back every detail.

Hokie Games author Rich Tandler is also making a special offer for TSL readers: order your copy now, and you'll get free shipping, and Rich will personally autograph your copy. To take advantage of this special offer, go to:

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