Before Justin Fuente’s up-tempo, spread offense, Virginia Tech employed more of a pro-style attack that leaned heavily on off tackle runs and pass catching tight ends.
The man responsible for that plan? Scot Loeffler, who the Hokies will face off against on Saturday.
“In this business, there’s a lot of friends out there that you come across,” Bud Foster said. “I look forward to the competition. Do I look forward to that battle with him? Not necessarily, because of our friendship. He’s going to prepare and I’m going to prepare. I do know this, I think Scot is a tremendous football coach. One of the smarter guys I’ve been around. Extremely knowledgeable, a great quarterback coach, I think an outstanding coordinator. He’s got a lot of great ideas.”
Loeffler served as the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech from 2013-2015 and had a big impact on many of the upperclassmen on the roster.
“He was a great coach. He was an offensive genius,” said Isaiah Ford. “We have a lot of respect for him here. We know he’s going to have his guys ready to play."
Ford also credits Loeffler for helping him to mature as a player.
“He taught me how to be a professional, in terms of working on my craft, and off the field as well,” Ford said.
Travon McMllian, who Loeffler infamously called “a dude,” said that Loeffler’s coaching style contrasts pretty well with current Offensive Coordinator Brad Cornelsen.
“(Cornelsen), he’s not all in your face yelling at you,” McMillian said. "He’s more, ‘You should do it this way.’ More calm kind of coach. Scot is more in your face. They both get their point across and both coaches do a really great job coaching.”
Even with Virginia Tech’s familiarity with Loeffler, Head Coach Justin Fuente said that it doesn’t mean as much in today’s coaching landscape.
“There’s some familiarity there, there’s some familiarity every week in college football, with the way video is, there are very few secrets,” Fuente said. “Obviously, it’s not every week you play the offensive coordinator of the last three years at your school. Obviously he has some familiarity personnel-wise. I would say those two coordinators, Bud (Foster) and (Loeffler) have some familiarity with each other. There’s some give and take with that deal.”
“I’m sure there is a little bit,” Foster said. “They're running BC’s offense and what I’ve seen is a little bit of Scot’s wrinkles in it, particularly in the passing game. In the running game, I see a lot of what BC likes to do, playing to their strengths, which is big linemen, multiple tight ends, big backs and I think you’re going to see a lot of that. A lot of pounding and a lot of max protect and taking shots.”
There doesn’t seem to be any animosity on the Virginia Tech side, but they’re still looking forward to the challenge.
“He’s doing a great job at Boston College, they just got a win against UMass. I looked at their film and everything, they’re looking pretty good,” McMillian said. “We’re just going to execute and prepare as much as we can to try and win the ballgame.”