The 2019 Belk Bowl will be the final game for legendary defensive coordinator Bud Foster with plenty of inspiration definitely coming from getting to play in his final game.
For both offensive and defensive players at today's Media Day, they shared how much it means for them to get to take the field for the Hokies in Bud Foster's final game.
Reggie Floyd
"It means a lot; Coach (Bud) Foster has put a lot into this. Every blood, sweat, and tears from when he was young to now, he’s put everything he has into it, so it means a lot for me to be one of the people at his last game coaching. It means a lot."
Rayshard Ashby
"It means a lot to be a part of Bud’s last game, especially being one of the guys on this team that are in the last game trying to send him out the right way. Especially for what he’s done for me and my teammates, this program, college football in general. I appreciate for what he’s done, just trying to send him out the right way with this win and hopefully he has a great long life after this, I know he will, and I will just appreciate the man that he is on and off the field."
Hendon Hooker
“Coach Bud (Foster) has really been a big influence on the program, and to send him out the right way would only be right. We are trying to get this win for him as a big statement and hats off to him in his retirement, he had a great career being a defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech and we will never forget that.”
Dalton Keene
“It’s kind of crazy, pretty surreal honestly. We are here at the end of an era and Bud Foster is a legend not just in Blacksburg, but the whole country. It’s definitely a little bit crazy, and I’m sad to see him go but I’m pretty excited for him, he’s earned his retirement.”
James Mitchell
“It’s awesome. Bud Foster is obviously a legend. Not just at Virginia Tech, but nationally. He’s a high-quality guy every time. No matter what side of the ball that you are on, every time to walk by him or see him, he’s going to say hi to you. And it’s guys like that, make guys on both sides of the ball play for him.”
Those five players also shared various other interactions with Bud Foster with Floyd and Ashby sharing when they knew that they wanted to play for Foster, and offensive players sharing some of their first or most memorable moments with him.
Reggie Floyd
"As soon as I had heard that Coach (Torrian) Gray was heading to Florida, I got a phone call immediately from Coach (Bud) Foster letting me know that nothing was going to change, and he felt the same way about me being out there. For him to do that, knowing that Coach Gray was the one that recruited me meant a lot to me and my family, so I trusted him from there on out."
Rayshard Ashby
"It was kind of since they offered me the spot that I wanted to be a part of what he had at Virginia Tech. I was still just trying to figure out where I wanted to go but then as the days went on, it was more and more clear that I wanted to be with him here at Virginia Tech."
Hendon Hooker
“It was my freshman season and we haven’t gotten a commitment from Dax Hollifield, and I remember talking to Dax before I committed, and I told him he should come to Virginia Tech. I remember when he committed, I saw Coach Foster do a cartwheel. Coach Foster is a little high on age so to see that take place, it got me a little bit of excitement.”
James Mitchell
“Probably when I first got there, he knew me from recruiting. When I committed, he was the first to text me and congratulate me."
Overall, there's no doubt that Virginia Tech has extra motivation to send Bud Foster out with a victory in his final game at the 2019 Belk Bowl.
