The Tech Sideline Podcast: The Virginia Tech Hokies · TechSideline.com

2026 Virginia Tech Football Defensive Position Groups

·44 min·2 clips

Bart Torvik resume comps put Virginia Tech with 10 past NCAA teams, and all 10 made it.

1. Tech Sideline Podcast episode 470 opens with Virginia Tech football defensive position groups after the hosts first discuss the Hokies’ 76-66 win over Clemson. 2. Host Riley Klaus is joined by lead analyst Chris Coleman, senior staff writer Andy Bitter, and managing editor David Cunningham, while producer Nick Brown works behind the scenes. 3. The episode asks whether Virginia Tech’s defensive roster, led by Brent Pry’s scheme, is deep enough to settle spring position battles and support an NCAA tournament-level basketball team’s momentum talk in the same show. 4. The Clemson result is framed as a quad-one, resume-changing win because Chris Coleman says Bart Torvik comparisons to California 2013, Providence 2017, Villanova 2008, and seven other similar resumes all ended in NCAA tournament bids. 5. David Cunningham says the Hokies may still need one more quality win, but he argues that the Clemson victory gives them a marquee result they lacked before. 6. The basketball segment also highlights Jalen Bedford’s 20-point-level scoring in a win, Ben Hammond’s 19 points, and Virginia Tech’s 52% shooting night. 7. Cunningham says Mike Young spent two practices before Clemson tweaking offensive details, and he credits the Hokies for moving the ball well against a top-15 adjusted defense. 8. The football discussion begins at defensive end, where Virginia Tech has 13 names on the roster and still lacks a clear proven pass-rusher. 9. Coleman says Samuel Okunlola brings starting experience from Colorado and Pitt and should at least be a solid two-deep contributor for the Hokies. 10. Bitter says the edge room may need to win “in the aggregate,” because players like Jason Abbey, Aston Stephens, Javion Hilson, Cortez Harris, and Derek Dandy have limited proven production. 11. The tackle room looks more settled because Kamari Copeland returns, and the hosts say his presence gives the defense leadership and “heart in the middle.” 12. Chris Coleman projects Copeland and big defensive end Fall moving inside in Brent Pry’s scheme, with Emmett Laws, Mensah, Randy Adarica, and T. Ron Richardson filling out the depth chart. 13. The linebacker conversation centers on Caleb Spencer, who has played safety, star, and Mike in three college seasons. 14. The hosts debate whether Spencer should stay at Mike or move back to star, because Jordan Bass may be needed at star and the staff may want speed there. 15. Curtis Jones Jr., Gabe Williams, Terry Wiggins, Noah Chambers, Santiago, and George Balence are all mentioned as part of the linebacker and star competition. 16. The secondary discussion says cornerback may be the deepest room on the roster, with Brown Murray, Thomas Williams, Jackhas White, Cam Chadwick, Kenny Wosley, Josh Clark, Knowledge Harold, and Amari Polidor all in the mix. 17. At safety, the hosts list Tyson Flowers, Jordan Bass, Sherrod Coval, Quentin Reddish, Tyrell Grant, Brennan Johnson, and Sheldon Robinson as part of a group with more uncertainty than the corner room. 18. The tone is mostly analytical and roster-focused, with repeated spring-ball caveats, depth-chart speculation, and a lot of back-and-forth about where players fit. 19. Listeners who follow Virginia Tech football roster construction and spring depth charts will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting only finished-game analysis or no roster speculation may skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Tech Sideline Podcast: The Virginia Tech Hokies