Last season, Virginia Tech's linebacker play left something to be desired.
Bruce Taylor had a quality year at mike, but subpar play at whip forced Bud
Foster to make a lot of scheme adjustments, and backer play was arguably worse
than whip play.
Jeron Gouveia-Winslow's shortcomings at whip forced Foster run to a nickel
package. In Tech's base scheme, the whip linebacker is supposed to be such a
versatile player that the Hokies don't need a nickel package. Gouveia-Winslow
struggled in coverage in open space early in the season, and his tackling was
even worse. That forced Foster's hand in the third game of the season.