Devon Hunter was preparing for playing time, while Bryce Watts knew there was at least a path to a bigger part of Virginia Tech’s defense. Spring and summer events in Blacksburg, however, confirmed their offseason mindsets.
The immediate future for both Hunter and Watts became a little less murky when cornerback Adonis Alexander was declared academically ineligible in June and outside linebacker/defensive back Mook Reynolds was dismissed from the team in July after a felony drug charge. Expectations for Hunter and Watts had suddenly risen.
“The next man up,” Hunter said regarding his thoughts when Reynolds’ career at Tech came to an abrupt conclusion. “I knew I had to go in there knowing what I had to do.”
Both Hunter, who is being coached at his position by Tech first-year assistant Tyrone Nix, and Watts went through spring practices taking ample reps with the first-team defense since both Reynolds and Alexander sat out the spring. The intensity of practices has ramped up for Hunter and Watts now that they could have inside tracks on starting jobs.
Before Reynolds’ departure, Hunter looked like he was headed toward a season playing behind Reynolds to groom for a possible starting job in the 2019 season. In the spring, Tech’s hybrid left outside linebacker/defensive back position was new to Hunter, who had been moved from safety.
Now, Hunter’s timetable for filling a key role on Tech’s defense has obviously sped up.
There’s plenty for him to get ironed out before Tech’s opener Sept. 3 at Florida State, but nothing is more pressing for him than getting prepared to match up against wide receivers on passing plays.
“Coming from (safety), you really don’t cover a lot man-to-man,” said Hunter, a 6-foot, 218-pound sophomore. “You play in space (at left outside linebacker/defensive back), so I knew I had to come down a lot on slot receivers and play in open space, and come off the edge a little bit more. I know I have to get better at that, but it’ll come.”
As a highly recruited safety coming out of Indian River High in Chesapeake, Hunter spent last season playing primarily special teams, while backing up Reggie Floyd at strong safety. Despite the position move and his lofty recruiting ranking, Hunter insists he isn’t feeling any heat to be perfect.
“Not at all,” said Hunter, who had one tackle in 10 games last season. “No pressure.
“I was already locked in from the beginning while I was watching Mook. When it was my turn, I made sure I was ready for that opportunity.”
Watts, a 6-foot, 171-pound sophomore from Toms River, N.J., had the advantage of studying last season while watching Greg Stroman, Brandon Facyson and Alexander — all of whom are in NFL training camps — play ahead of him. Though Stroman and Facyson were seniors last fall, Watts had to think early in the offseason only one starting cornerback position would likely be open this coming season, considering Alexander was planning to return for his senior year.
Alexander’s academic issues and subsequent exit from Tech presented a different scenario for Watts. Though only a sophomore, he’s become one of the veterans at Tech’s cornerback spot, where he’s competing with junior and Hampton High alum Jovonn Quillen, redshirt freshman Caleb Farley and true freshmen Jermaine Waller, Nadir Thompson and Armani Chatman.
“I feel like I try to be a leader because I’m a sophomore,” said Watts, who had five tackles and broke up a pass last season while playing mostly special teams. “I try to explain things and everything.”
Tech cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell acknowledges the youth at his position. Part of the reason he’s still encouraged by the secondary: Watts and Farley, a Hickory, N.C., native, were both high school 100-meter champions in their respective states.
“This is the first time I’ve been in this position, not having a veteran guy coming back,” Mitchell said. “I’m excited about my guys. I think from top-to-bottom I’m just as talented, if not more talented.”
Like Hunter, Watts believes he did his due diligence as a freshman while studying his elders. They may both get to find out soon enough.
“I feel like I was growing into (leadership responsibilities),” Watts said. “(Stroman) did a great job explaining everything to me last year; so did (Facyson), teaching me to become that leader.”
Wood can be reached by phone at 757-247-4642 or Twitter at @normwood
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