Loria played
college football for the
Virginia Tech Hokies football team from 1965 to 1967, helping the Hokies to a berth in the 1966
Liberty Bowl. He was named 1st Team AP All American in 1966. He was named consensus
All-American in 1967. He was named to the top six All-America 1st teams. Loria started all 31 varsity games that he was eligible to play in. He was known for being a physical hitter and for his quickness. He also had a "sixth sense;" an uncanny ability to diagnose plays and pass patterns. Loria played safety in the same defensive backfield with
Frank Beamer, former head coach at Virginia Tech. It is indicative of Loria's stature, as well as Beamer's humility, that when Beamer was once asked if he ever thought about "what if" Loria had not been killed in a plane crash, he replied that he thought it was possible that Loria might be the coach at Tech, and that he himself might be an assistant. During the 1966 season, in a game against Kentucky, the Hokies were ahead 7-0 in the 1st quarter. Kentucky was on the 4-yard line trying to tie the score. Loria sacked Kentucky quarterback Roger Walz for a two-yard loss. This was significant in preventing Kentucky from scoring. In October 1966, against a ranked Florida State team, Loria returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown that proved to be significant in a 23-21 Virginia Tech victory. He also made the game-deciding 4th down tackle on a FSU running back on the goal line. During the 1966 season, William & Mary was driving for the game-winning touchdown. Loria made a critical 4th-quarter interception that preserved the victory for Virginia Tech by a score of 20-18. During the 1966 season, Loria returned punts 80, 65, and 80 yards for touchdowns. Defensively, he had three interceptions on the year. During the 1967 season, Loria returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes. This still stands as the longest punt return in Virginia Tech history. Loria also intercepted three passes on the season and ranked 8th nationally in punt returns. Against Kansas State during the 1967 season, Loria intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble, made two touchdown saving tackles, deflected a touchdown pass and had a quarterback sack for a 9-yard loss. Loria joined the
Marshall University coaching staff as the defensive backs coach. ==Death==