Hokies' Re-Establishing Identity Key to Success

Blacksburg, Va. (AP) -- Seth Greenberg walked into his first day on the job at Virginia Tech six seasons ago talking about how the Hokies needed to create a culture and identity to be successful.

Already hurt by injuries to expected contributors and the graduation of their top scorer, the building blocks of defense and toughness will be more critical than ever this year.

The buzz word around the Hokies this year, Greenberg said, is "absolutes."

"Absolutes are things that we have to do well if we're going to have a chance to be successful," he said, citing a strong defensive effort and taking charges as examples.

Another absolute, he hopes, will be Malcolm Delaney, entering his second season as the unquestioned leader of the offense -- and the team -- from his spot in the backcourt.

Delaney averaged 18.1 points last season, often took and made big shots and will be asked to do more of that while helping to bring along a roster full of potential starters.

"I want him to lead, to take a more verbal part of leadership, to have a scorer's mentality, get other people involved," Greenberg said of Delaney, who plays both guard spots. "Obviously we've got to be very careful of wearing him down and asking too much of him."

Beyond Delaney, consistency has been an issue for the Hokies, who finished 19-15 last season and lost A.D. Vassallo to graduation. Vassallo led the team with a 19.1-point average, finishing as the Hokies' No. 5 career scorer and career leader with 267 3-pointers.

Replacing his points and leadership will fall on forward Jeff Allen, an often dynamic player who led the team in rebounding, blocked shots and steals last season. He also fouled out seven times, another team high.

"I think they key word for Jeff is consistency," Greenberg said, "and that's something we're looking for in him. I think he's more mature, he has a greater purpose, a greater cause. He knows that now this is his time. I expect him to have a really special year."

Allen averaged 13.7 points last season, third on the team, but missed one game while serving a suspension for making an obscene hand gesture after fouling out of a game. Although he had several dominant performances, he also had several where he did very little.

He welcomes being counted on to do more this year.

"It's kind of a big load, but I think I can handle it," he said of assuming a larger scoring responsibility in the absence of Vassallo. "And I have my team backing me up."

Scoring points means being on the floor, though, and Allen knows it.

"Last year, I played sometimes not to get into foul trouble and those were the times I got in trouble," he said. 'We don't have A.D., so I'm going to have to be on the court."

Greenberg's rotation also figures to include Dorenzo Hudson and freshmen Erick Green and Ben Boggs at guard, and forwards J.T. Thompson, Victor Davila, Terrell Bell and, eventually, 6-foot-9 freshman Cadarian Raines, due back in December from a broken bone in his foot.

When, or if, Raines can help this season will depend on how he bounces back.

"He has the potential to be a very good player," Greenberg said. "He can really rebound the ball, he can block shots, he's a big physical body, he's got toughness."

Thompson, as much as anyone, personifies what Greenberg is looking for, playing much bigger than his 6-6, 210-pound body, and with a toughness that has made him a crowd favorite.

"J.T.'s a guy who, through hustle points, we really expect to contribute in a big way," Greenberg said. "When he's in tune, he's got a toughness about him that I really like."

Hudson has the makings of a strong defender, Greenberg said, and has been encouraged during the preseason to see himself the way the coaches do: as an outside scoring option.

"He's got to take that next step forward, and we're really trying to empower him, giving him a very green light and not getting on him," he said. "We're giving him the freedom with his shot selection right now because we want to get him a bit of a scorer's mentality."

Similarly, the Hokies would like to see Davila, a 6-8 sophomore from Puerto Rico, bring some of the offensive skills he displays in practice into the games. He shot 54 percent from the field as a freshman, but needs to be more aggressive as a scorer and rebounder.

As part of his increased attention to leading, Allen is trying to help.

"I pretty much beat up on all the big men in practice," he said. "When we go out on the road, you need that mental and physical toughness, and if you get it in practice, it's something you're already used to when you face it in the games."