 Virginia Tech's defense was led by coordinator Bud Foster, who was named a candidate in several teams' searches for a new head coach, but decided to remain at Virginia Tech as the buildup to the Orange Bowl continued.Heading into the game, Tech's defense ranked 38th nationally in total yards allowed, its second-worst performance since 1993.Tech's run defense was 58th, permitting an average 148.9 rushing yards per game.