Virginia Tech's rough offseason continues with dismissal of DB Mook Reynolds
The hits keep coming for Virginia Tech.
Hokies head coach Justin Fuente announced Monday morning that defensive back Mook Reynolds has been dismissed from the program “in accordance with athletic department policies.” Reynolds was suspended from all team and football-related activities during the spring, the school said in a statement.
Reynolds, an 11-game starter in 2017 as a hybrid nickel back/outside linebacker, had 70 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss for the Hokies last fall. He was the team’s second leading returning tackler.
His dismissal is the latest in a string of bad news for the program this summer.
— Virginia Tech Football (@VT_Football) July 9, 2018
Virginia Tech now has to replace eight starters on defense
Bud Foster is one of the best defensive coordinators in the country. It looks like he’ll have his work cut out for him in 2018.
With Reynolds out of the picture, the Hokies now have to replace eight starters from the 2017 squad. Three players from that unit — linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, safety Terrell Edmunds and defensive tackle Tim Settle — left school early for the NFL draft while cornerbacks Brandon Facyson and Greg Stroman and linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka were seniors whose eligibility expired.
On top of that, Adonis Alexander was ruled academically ineligible last month, forcing him to declare for the NFL’s supplemental draft. Alexander, a cornerback with seven career interceptions, was a projected starter for the Hokies this fall. Another potential starter in the secondary, junior college transfer Jeremy Webb, will miss the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during a workout.
The team’s inexperienced secondary and linebacker corps will be put to the test in the season opener at Florida State on Labor Day.
It’s been an eventful offseason for Virginia Tech
The dismissal of Reynolds is just the latest in a myriad of off-the-field distractions for the Hokies this offseason.
Perhaps most notably, co-defensive coordinator Galen Scott, one of Fuente’s top assistants, resigned after it was revealed that he engaged in an extramarital affair while on recruiting trips.
“I made a mistake and I have to take responsibility for that. I did some things that I want to apologize to my wife for and my family for and I need to make sure I make that right by just being around for them and being the best father and person I can be,” Scott said after resigning.
Another distraction came in the form of rumors surrounding starting quarterback Josh Jackson. Questions about Jackson’s eligibility swirled throughout June, with some local reporters hinting that he could be suspended due to academic issues. However, it was later determined that Jackson, who will be a redshirt sophomore in 2018, would be available when the season begins.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
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