Former Virginia Tech All-American defensive tackle JC Price has been added to the coaching staff as Co-Defensive Line Coach and Defensive Recruiting Coordinator. Justin Fuente also announced that Running Backs Coach Adam Lechtenberg would serve as Offensive Recruiting Coordinator, while Cornerbacks Coach Ryan Smith would also become Passing Game Coordinator of the defense.
"First and foremost, we're excited to welcome J.C. and his family back to Blacksburg," Fuente said. "J.C. played an integral role in establishing Tech's winning tradition and helping the Hokies earn a place on the national stage. We're not only adding a coach who owns nearly two decades of coaching experience, but J.C. also brings another talented recruiter to our ranks. He possesses a long history of strong relationships with high school coaches across Virginia, particularly in the 757, Richmond and Northern Virginia. He'll be a great fit with the rest of our staff, and I know our players will respect what J.C. has accomplished both as a player and a coach."
Price coached the defensive line at Marshall from 2012 through 2020. In 2018, he was elevated to Assistant Head Coach, and he was Co-Defensive Coordinator in 2019. He was also Conference USA Recruiter of the Year in 2015.
"I'm grateful to Coach Fuente and Coach Hamilton for the opportunity to coach at a place I love so much," Price said. "My wife and I are both proud Virginia Tech alums, so the chance to bring our family back to Blacksburg is an incredible blessing. I'm looking forward to working with the entire staff that Coach Fuente has assembled. And rest assured, it's going to be my distinct pleasure to extol the virtues of Virginia Tech on the recruiting trail. I'll do everything I can to bring the right kind of young men into our program. Go Hokies!"
Fuente also elaborated on his plans for Price and Lechtenberg as recruiting coordinators for their respective sides of the ball.
"Both Adam and J.C. possess the acumen it takes to not only evaluate talent, but to also forge the relationships with players, coaches and families that it takes to sustain long-term success in recruiting," Fuente said. "Recruiting remains a team effort between the coaching and personnel staffs. With that said, I thought it was important to recognize the abilities that Adam and J.C. in the recruiting arena, while also elevating their profile and providing additional structure to our process.
"Adam will coordinate with the rest of the offensive coaches on the evaluation and recruitment of offensive players, while J.C. will handle similar duties with the defensive staff," he continued. "Certainly there will be a continued focus on the state of Virginia, as well as the rest of our regional footprint. And we're certainly willing to explore other areas of the country, as well. J.C.'s longstanding ties to the 757 region and background as an NFL draftee clearly make him a great fit for this role. Adam has really proven his merit in the recruiting space on the offensive side and has been very tenacious in his pursuit of players from across the country who fit our program."
After coaching the cornerbacks for one season, Justin Fuente feels that Ryan Smith is ready for more responsibility.
"Ryan has definitely earned more responsibility with our staff and he continues to display why he has such a bright football future," Fuente commented. "Certainly we all faced many challenges in 2020, but every time we needed to lean even harder on Ryan last season, he was ready for the moment and rose to the occasion. Our cornerback room and our team improved under his guidance and I'm confident he'll continue to make a significant impact for us as a coach and a recruiter going forward."
Click here for the full press release from Virginia Tech.