Virginia Tech ended last season on a high note with wins against Virginia and in the bowl game, but that doesn’t mean there’s not plenty of pressure to get better this spring after a third straight season of single-digit wins. The problems began on offense, so we caught up with tailback J.C. Coleman to see how that unit has progressed so far this spring.

You guys heard your share of criticism last year after struggling so much offensively. How did you handle that?

We know we have to get better. Our defense is consistently ranked in the top 10 each year, and if we’d done better [on offense] in most games, we know we’d have better outcomes. So we have to get better, and that’s why we’re all working hard right now, so we can hold up our end and contend with our defense and become a better team overall.

You didn’t see a ton of work early, but thanks to injuries, you became the primary back by year’s end, and you played really well down the stretch. What was the big difference for you?

It was a little bit of a few things. I had to get into a groove. Early in the season I was getting a few carries here and there, and it was hard to get into a rhythm. The offensive line got together and gelled much better, opening up a lot of holes that kind of weren’t there early in the season. That mixed in with me getting into a groove and fill out the game, that helped with my success over those last three or four games.

Improving on the offensive line has been a priority for a few years now. How has that unit looked this spring?

They’ve definitely picked up from where they ended last year, even though we lost three seniors. Coach [Stacy] Searels is doing a great job of making those guys compete every play, and I can tell it’s making a world of difference. They’re playing really hard, not taking any reps off. When they go out there and just compete like that, you can tell that there will be holes out there to run through, and as a running back, that’s what we love to see.

One of the turning points for the ground game last year seemed to be when Wyatt Teller was moved into the starting lineup. What did he bring to the line?

He’s just a tough, gritty guy. Growing up, in high school, he was a defensive player, and he brought that type of toughness to the offensive side of the ball, and it translated well. You can see him just mauling people in practice, taking them all the way down to the ground. And that gets everybody fired up.

There were obviously a ton of injuries at running back last year, but that also means you have a lot of experience there now. How’s the dynamic in the backfield?

Right now, me and Trey [Edmunds] are splitting carries. We have two other younger backs as well, and we’re trying to get them a lot of work right now. I guess that’s just because of the way last year went with guys getting hurt. Everybody has to be ready to play. So me and Trey are helping the younger guys come along and learn assignments.

You had so many young players in key roles last year, and that showed both potential and some mistakes. But did those growing pains translate to guys looking sharper, more mature this spring?

I know Isaiah [Ford], even though he was a great player last year, he’s picked it up a whole lot. The huge emphasis for our receivers was boundary blocking out on the edge, and he’s put a big focus on that part of his game, really getting it done. He’s working hard, Cam [Phillips] is working hard, Bucky [Hodges] is looking really good. And people forget we had a first-year quarterback, too, and he’s looking good. So I feel like there’s plenty of optimism.

Yeah, Michael Brewer certainly took his share of criticism last year for the offensive struggles. How did the team respond to that?

We looked at Michael as a leader, and everyone bought into what he was doing. No one turned their back, even if he might throw two or three interceptions. We knew him out there was what was best for the team. Going into this year, we’re throwing support around him.

Do you feel any extra pressure after three straight subpar seasons offensively, that this is the year you have to turn things around?

We’re taking it one week at a time. I don’t think it’s pressure. We all know what we’re capable of, we all know we can win games, we all want to get back to winning 10 games a season. That’s something we take pride in. Last year, we lost quite a few games by less than seven points, so we’re looking at it as if we can just finish those games, we’re looking at a totally different season. So everybody’s looking at it like that, and I think that will really help us throughout the season.