It was a picture perfect day in Greensboro, North Carolina, as some of the ACC's top football stars struck a pose to kick off ACC media days.
Virginia was represented by running back Perry Jones and linebacker Steve Greer.
Virginia Tech had quarterback Logan Thomas and defensive back Kyle Fuller.
Jones led the 'Hoos in rushing last year, and is the top returning pass catcher this season.
"We want to step it up a notch," says Jones. "We have a lot of speed at the wide receiver position. Myself and the other two running backs are all coming back. We should be quite explosive this year."
Steve Greer led the 'Hoos in tackles last year, and is back as a fifth year senior on a linebacker unit which should be strength.
Greer says, "I like to think I lead by example, and try to do the right thing, and show the young guys the right way to go, and what it takes to be successful. A lot of young guys are going to have to step up. There's a lot of really, really talented young guys that did well in spring ball. They do their work in the weight room, and extra film sessions, and have shown they got what it takes."
Virginia surprised a lot of folks last year with an 8-5 record, and its clear the Cavaliers are a team on the rise.
"We expect greatness," says Jones. "We expect to win every game. We expect to score a touchdown on every drive. The defense expects to stop the offense on three plays. The expectations really don't change, it's just a matter of our preparation, and how we execute, when it comes down to the game."
"We understand we're not going to be able to sneak up on teams like we did last year," says Greer. "We might have a bigger target on our backs, so we just have to be that much more focused, and disciplined in what we do."
Virginia Tech won 11 games last season, and made an appearance in the Sugar Bowl.
Kyle Fuller started all fourteen games for the Hokies on defense last year.
The rising junior cornerback earned second team All ACC status last season, and had a team-high 14 1/2 tackles for a loss last year.
Fuller is on the watch lists for the Lott IMPACT trophy and the Nagurski trophy.
"Everybody on the offense and the defense has been working hard," says Fuller. "Everybody has the same goal in mind, and that's to win a championship. I like where we are headed going into this season."
Quarterback Logan Thomas set a school-record for total offense in his first season as a starter.
The rising junior is on the preseason watch lists for the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, and the Davey O'Brien Award.
Thomas says, "It was harder last year for me, because I was going into the unknown. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't really know what was going to happen when I stepped onto the field that first Saturday. This year it's a calmness, and relaxing. I don't really try to pay attention to the hype surrounding me, because it's a team sport, not an individual sport. I'm excited to see where the season leads this year, and I'm excited to get it started."
One of the big questions surrounding Virginia is who will win the starting quarterback job, with highly-touted prospect Phillip Sims transferring from Alabama.
UVA senior running back Perry Jones played high school ball with Sims.
"One thing I know about Phil is he is a competitor," says Jones. "He wants to be perfect. He works at his craft. He has a strong arm, he knows defenses, and he's very accurate. I think he's gonna do a good job at collaborating with Rocco to get better. Right now, he's just trying to learn the offense. Rocco is right behind him. There is no animosity in the quarterback room. They are with each other, and they're both trying to get better."
The Cavaliers doubled their win total from four to eight games in 2011, and will be trying to build on that success this season.
Greer says, "Our expectations are in the same spot. We understand we're not going to be able to sneak up on teams like we did last year. We might have a bigger target on our backs, so we just have to be that much more focused, and disciplined in what we do."
As for Virginia tech, despite losing ACC player of the year David Wilson and 4 of 5 starters on the offensive line, they are still the team to beat in the ACC Coastal Division, thanks to Heisman Trophy candidate Logan Thomas, and a defense that should be one of the best in the nation.
"We can be really good," says Fuller. "Everybody is saying how good we can be, but we have to prove it. We can't just sit here and listen to what everybody has to say. We have to prove them right, and I think we'll do that."
The Hokies host Georgia Tech in their season opener September 3rd, a game which always goes a long way towards deciding the ACC Coastal Division.
Thomas says, "Starting off with the team that either we have had to beat to go to the conference championship game, or they beat us to go, over the past 4 or 5 years, it's something that we know we got to go out and get Game 1. There's no doubt about it. We're excited to have them Game 1, especially having them at home."
The ACC coaches meet the media Monday in Greensboro.
