1998 Virginia Tech Defense 4-4/4-6 - Bud Foster

The defensive coordinator of the 1998 Virginia Tech football team was Bud Foster.

Bud Foster is widely regarded as one of the top defensive coordinators in college football history. He spent 33 seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, serving as defensive coordinator from 1995 until his retirement after the 2019 season. During his tenure, Foster's defenses were consistently among the best in the country, with the Hokies ranking in the top 10 nationally in total defense nine times and in the top 5 six times.

Foster was known for his aggressive and innovative defensive schemes, which often featured a variety of blitz packages and disguised coverages. He also had a talent for developing players, with several of his protégés going on to successful NFL careers. Under his leadership, Virginia Tech's defense was a key factor in the team's success, including their appearance in the 1999 national championship game.

Bud Foster was the defensive coordinator for Virginia Tech from 1995 to 2019, so he was the defensive coordinator for the 1998 Virginia Tech football team. In 1998, Virginia Tech had an outstanding defense, allowing only 16.5 points per game and recording 28 turnovers. The team finished the season with a record of 9-3 and won the Music City Bowl against Alabama. The defense played a key role in this success, holding opponents to 10 points or fewer in five games and allowing just one team to score more than 24 points in a game all season. Foster's aggressive and blitz-heavy defense was a hallmark of Virginia Tech football during his tenure as defensive coordinator.

As the defensive coordinator, Bud Foster was not responsible for the offense style at Virginia Tech in 1998. However, he was known for running a successful defensive scheme that helped the Hokies become one of the best defensive teams in the country. His aggressive, attacking style of defense was known as the "lunch pail" defense and emphasized pressuring the quarterback and creating turnovers. Under Foster's leadership, Virginia Tech's defense helped the team win the Big East championship in 1998 and advance to the national championship game.