While offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring has a lot of under-the-hood work to perform on a unit that's lacking consistent horsepower, Virginia Tech's chief defensive mechanic doesn't figure to have to exert nearly as much elbow grease this offseason.

Losing only three starters off a unit that has ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense the past two seasons, Bud Foster shouldn't have to turn many nuts and bolts before the Hokies' season cranks up Sept. 1 against East Carolina at Lane Stadium.

"I like what we see there," Foster said. "We're losing some key performers in [end] Noland Burchette and [rover] Aaron Rouse, two guys who played a lot of football. And you're going to miss [outside linebacker] Brenden Hill, too. Brenden was kind of pleasant surprise all the way around. He had a great year. Plus, you're going to miss a guy like Cary Wade, a valuable guy who backed up at [rover and free safety] and started some.

"So, yeah, we're going to have a good nucleus coming back. I think we've got a good mix of players at other positions that we can filter around and get our best players on the field. That's our target in the offseason --- getting a new rover, getting our whip situation straight because that's a play-making position for us and getting the right guy there.

"I think our end spot will be OK in time. Orion Martin and some of those guys like that are going to continue to get better. With Nekos Brown and Jason Adjepong, we're going to be OK there. But it's still hard to pass up that experience. Hopefully, there's going to be enough at all the other positions to offset some of that."

Corey Gordon, a 6-foot-3, 227-pound rising fifth-year senior, should get first crack at the whip spot vacated by Hill. Kam Chancellor, a 6-3, 215-pound freshmen who played 82 snaps as a backup cornerback and 163 more on special teams this past season, is a candidate to make the move to Rouse's strong safety spot.

Much of the defense will consist of a group of stellar fifth-year seniors that showed up in Blacksburg in the same recruiting class. The lot includes such returning starters as standout linebackers Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi, defensive tackles Carlton Powell and Barry Booker, and end Chris Ellis. Ex-Magna Vista High star Kory Robertson (tackle), cornerback Roland Minor and Gordon complete the list.

"We were all in the same dorm room as freshmen and we all redshirted," Powell said.

"So were all like as soon as we get on the field, 'we're going to change the game, we're going to be the No. 1 defense, be the best players on the team.' And that's exactly how it has worked out for us. We definitely stick close together and Coach Foster wants to see us shine."

Early props

Thanks to its returning defense, Tech has been ranked from seventh to 10th in the four preseason polls already out for next season. Polls by ESPN.com and rivals.com each pegged Tech seventh. USA Today has the Hokies ninth, while polls from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sports Illustrated and College Football News had Tech No. 10.

Tech's 12-game schedule includes eight teams that played in bowl games this season. The Hokies' most severe test by far comes Sept. 8 at LSU, which shredded Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl and wound up third in the final AP poll.

Tech's hopes of pulling an upset in Baton Rouge seemingly have been aided by the fact that LSU star junior quarterback JaMarcus Russell has announced his intention to enter next April's NFL Draft.

Tigers standout defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey also is expected to go pro early. LSU, which also loses a pair of top receivers and safeties to graduation, also has seen offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher jump to a similar post with Florida State.

Tech tidbits

Tech coach Frank Beamer has opened the door for a pair of redshirt freshmen defensive linemen to return to the team. Former Liberty High star Darryl Robertson and Joey Hall of Orlando, Fla., have picked up their performance in the classroom and were reinstated to the team last week. ... Although second-semester classes don't start until Monday, first-team All-ACC cornerback Brandon Flowers returned to Blacksburg early to undergo rehabilitation on an ankle injury he sustained in the Dec. 30 Chick-fil-A Bowl. ... Long considered to be one of the nation's fastest teams, the Hokies always have welcomed the idea of playing on artificial turf, thinking the surface gives them another step of speed. Well, it didn't work this season as two of Tech's three losses came on non-grass fields, plus the turf may have played a part in injuries suffered by tailback Branden Ore and Flowers.