Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Mike Young has a few more grey hairs as he has experienced the ups and downs of college basketball in the past 39 years. The Radford native admits things have changed during that time, and he has the honor of being the head coach at Virginia Tech.
“I have driven onto a college campus every day for 39 years. I am the luckiest human being the good Lord put down here. I am thankful (to be coach at Virginia Tech),” he said.
“You better figure it out,” he said when discussing the changes all aligned with transfers and the new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). “You adapt and adjust. Make it who you are. It’s not going away.”
Young’s comments came earlier this week as he prepared to attend Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) media days in Charlotte.
On Monday, he addressed local reporters and television cameras during a visit to the Cassell Coliseum Media Center. He took time to remember friends and foes that were affected by this past month’s flooding.
“I take a moment to think of some those who are struggling right now. We all have friends in Asheville, Boone Blowing Rock. Spartanburg was hit hard by downed power lines.”
Young also took pride in talking about playing at home in Cassell Coliseum. “That place is hard for a visiting team to come into.”
“It’s a wonderful home court. It’s a wonderful place to play,” said Young. “But we have to do a better job away from home.”
The Hokies finished 15-2 last year at home, but only had single digit wins on the road.
Meanwhile on the court, the Hokie’s main man is excited about this year’s team. Young is optimistic and says they could go as many as 10 deep. “I don’t have a lineup yet. But I really like the pieces.”
“I think this team is deeper (than last year),” he said.
One the biggest factors to the Hokies is the return of Mylyjael Poteat, who has transformed his body in the offseason, shredding as much as 20 pounds.
The Reidsville, North Carolina native averaged 6.4 points per game this season, nearly doubling his scoring output from 2022-23. One of the most efficient shooters in the ACC, Poteat connected on 64.4% of his field-goal attempts.
In total, Tech will welcome nine newcomers for 2024-25 after Ryan Jones Jr. and Tyler Johnson signed with the Hokies last fall.
One of the biggest transfers is Tobi Lawal, who competed two seasons at VCU before entering the transfer portal. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 7.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2023-24, while shooting 66.7% from the hardwood. He played in 63 games over his two seasons in Richmond.
A native of London, England, Lawal is an exceptional athlete with superior leaping ability. He recorded a 49.5-inch vertical leap in 2023 preseason combine testing.
