BLACKSBURG, Va. – There is no time like football season and officials at Virginia Tech say there is nothing like a Hokie game day.
“There’s nothing quite like a game day in Blacksburg, Virginia,” said Brian Cox, associate athletic director at Virginia Tech.
The 130-year-old Hokie football program is set to kick off its home opener against Old Dominion University on Sept. 2.
Cox said while the stadium might look a little different come the first game day, everything is still the same.
“Ultimately, what the fans are coming for — they want to see their Hokies win and that environment is not going to change, it is only going to get better,” said Cox. “We have some work going on on the west side [of the stadium], so that will be something the fans notice, we’ll have to work around it — the gates will be open.”
He also said entering the stadium will be a little bit different than in years past.
“One main thing that we are implementing this year are metal detectors,” said Cox.
He said this is a way they can help ensure safety at the games for fans.
“It’s nothing new for a lot of venues across the county, that’s something you will see at NFL stadiums and other college campuses,” said Cox.
Longtime voice for the Hokies, Bill Roth, said this season is one to be excited about.
“It’s almost as if the Hokies were an NFL team and signed some free agents,” said Roth. “It’s unique to the ACC, it’s unique to the Commonwealth what happens here at Lane Stadium, and everyone is excited to see Brent Pry’s second year begin.”
He also said that Hokie Nation is like no other fan base and that gameday is more than just a game for this community.
“It’s a cultural event, we’ll have generation after generation come back,” said Roth. “This is not only one of the great sporting events of our region, but it is one of the great cultural events of the season.”
While the past couple of years have been down years for Virginia Tech, there is still excitement to see what this season will hold for year two under Brent Pry.