Everything Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator Sam Siefkes Said Ahead of Hokies First Spring Practice

Siefkes is entering his first season as the Hokies defensive coordinator and he spoke with the media today

Jackson Caudell | Mar 18, 2025

Arizona Cardinals linebackers coach Sam Siefkes talks to his players during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 25, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Virginia Tech Hokies

It is finally time for Virginia Tech Football to begin spring practice. The Hokies are hitting the field this week and this is going to be a big spring for head coach Brent Pry and his program. Ahead of the Hokies' first practice, newly hired defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes spoke with the media, and here is everything that he had to say:

1. On what he is looking for this spring...

"Getting better every single day, you know, individually for the players and then collectively as a defense and then obviously as a team, you know, I'm a pretty day -by -day type of person, so it's whatever the next step is. And for me, it settled the defenses today. Can we just get better on the next rep? If we can do that, then we're going to start to build on top of that."

2. On identifying the players he wants for the scheme this spring...

"Yeah, you know, part of what I told them today was, you know, one of our philosophies is adaptability and being able to mold what they're going to add to, you know who we're about to play and how we're about to play him and so I think the biggest thing for me is figuring out over these next you know 15 practices is you know what can we do really well and what do we need to improve at and where does you know our multiplicity lie in the blend of who we're going to be from you know my past 15 years of being with different defenses."

3. On new coaches on the defense...

"Yeah, you know, I think number one, especially being our own coach, Bryan, the mentality has about, you know, kind of blue collar and, you know, our work ethic. Those guys embody a lot of those things, you know, Jireh played for me, obviously at Wofford, he was a heck of a player in his own right, but he embodied those things and, you know, he's one of the best human beings I've ever met in my life to take the football piece of it away. And, you know, Brian, he's kind of always been the type that's just, he always gets stuff done. You know, my dad used to tell me all the time when I was growing up, don't be the guy that doesn't get things done, just find a way to get it done. And that's kind of what Bryan embodies and I appreciate about him."

4. On assistant coach Xavier Adibi...

"Yeah. X to the Z as I like to call him. I don't know if he likes that or not, but X has done a heck of a job so far. He's very detailed. I think he gets the players really well. All of the players really admire him and the path that he's kind of gone through. And I think there's a mutual respect amongst him and obviously the players, and so he brings a little bit different voice, which I think is appreciated in that room. I know I've leaned on him and allowed him to kind of make that room into what he wants it to be. I think that's important for position coaches to have that type of autonomy, and he's done a really nice job of taking what my vision is for the defense and obviously what Coach Pry wants as a team and he's been able to embody that within the inside linebacker room."

5. On the base look for the defense...

"Yeah, you know, we're gonna try to have some things that are similar to last year so they can kind of compound on some some of the things they did well, what I felt like they did well, and obviously what Coach Pry felt like we did well. I spoke a little bit about this. When I first got to the NFL, I worked with Mike Zimmer, and I felt like he did a really good job of encompassing a lot of who I am today. And so I think a lot of that shared vision will kind of be implemented, at least at the start, with kind of who we are foundationally, because I think it has streamlined into what they have been in the past and kind of who we could potentially be in the future. So I think the roots will be somewhere in there from my knowledge being with him in 2021. And then, you know, I've been a part of almost every type of scheme humanly possible, which is kind of to my benefit, but I think we'll grow and branch out from my experiences there and just kind of see where the tide takes us."

6. On the edge rusher group...

"Yeah, very eager. Number one, to see the guys that maybe didn't get quite the opportunity last year to be able to showcase their skill set and where they've grown. But number two, obviously there's some guys in the mix that have transferred here that I think will do a nice job and be able to compete. And so, you know, I told these guys today, you know, the advantage that everybody in this room has is that I'm new, right? And so I don't know if any of them can play or can't play, right? They have to prove that to me on a day in and day out basis. And so, you know, there's a lot of guys that have played a lot of reps here but they also have to earn that from the get go and mean no different than the guys that may be transferred here or the guys that are incoming freshmen or guys that maybe have been backups so that's the benefit obviously coming in in being new to the situation is it allows for guys to find and carve roles and get a fresh start and I think that's beneficial for a lot of those players."

7. On what he asks of players in terms of versatility...

"Yeah, you know, I've never been very black and white on, you have to do this, you have to be in this alignment, you have to be, you know, with your hand down or this foot forward or, yeah, I've never been big on that. And my biggest thing is, you know, on a white board, things are black and white. You know? I mean, they are. The board is white and the marker's black, you know, but the world we live in is gray. And I think that's how I've always coached inside linebackers is things are never going to be black and white. And the best linebackers that I've ever been around understand that things change in an instance. And So if you're not prepared for that at any position, DV, linebacker, defensive line, it's going to be a hard time for you to be able to play because, you know, things happen. You know, guys get cut out of gaps, linebackers misfit something, safety doesn't do the right technique, like that stuff happens in the game of football. How can we react and be able to play to that and help ourselves? And so I guess digressing from the point like I'm not going to tell them that they can or can't do something until they show me they can't do it. It's probably the main thing."