Fansided

College football 2018: Biggest X-factor on every Top 25 team

By Derek Grochowski

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – NOVEMBER 24: Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster yells instructions from the sidelines during a game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Virginia Cavaliers on November 24, 2017 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, VA. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – NOVEMBER 24: Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster yells instructions from the sidelines during a game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Virginia Cavaliers on November 24, 2017 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, VA. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

15. Dax Hollifield, Virginia Tech Hokies

Expectations are high at Virginia Tech this year, as they should be. They had a good season last year and can use that as a building block heading into 2018. Their schedule is friendly, the biggest challenges they will face are Notre Dame and Miami.

If they can split those two games they should be in good shape to be playing in their conference championship game. Miami will be the true test but this is the team that can tame the Hurricanes. A matchup against Clemson in the conference title game probably won’t go well for the Hokies but it still would be a great season for their program.

Virginia Tech lost a lot of defense this offseason. Seven players left the defense, some of them leaving huge shoes to fill. None as large as linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. He was the leader of that defense, everything ran through him. Add on top of that his linebacker partner Andrew Motuapuaka left as well Virginia Tech is looking at a huge problem. But if there is going to be a coordinator that can fix it Bud Foster is the coordinator.

Enter Dax Hollifield. The true freshman coming from North Carolina is in a position to get some serious playing time and make a major impact. He was Virginia Tech’s major recruiting win this year and he will find his way onto the field right away. Hollifield will line up next to another new starter in Dylan Rivers this year. The two of them will need to be strong if the Hokies want to capitalize on their schedule.

Hollifield is not going to step in and fill the role of Edmunds at least not right away. But his performance on the field is going to be a big factor into how good the Hokies actually can be on defense and how well they can slow down some of the high powered offenses in the ACC.