No 10 - Virginia Tech Hokies 2010 Preview
Thursday, September 02, 2010
by Aengus Moorehead
Virginia Tech football has really become a machine in the last decade. Last season’s ten win campaign saw their streak of double digit win seasons extended to six straight years and the Hokies have gone bowling in seventeen consecutive autumns! The only negative note to 2009 was that Virginia Tech Hokies lost their grip on the ACC Championship after winning the league in 2007 and 2008. This season’s team is certainly talented enough to reclaim the league title but the pressing question on every Hokie’s mind is this: Can Tech rebuild their gutted defense quickly enough to get the job done?
The offense is the far more veteran side of the football and they overcame a lot of adversity to produce the ACC’s 2nd highest scoring unit last year. 1,200 yard rusher Darren Evans missed the entire season due to a torn ACL in camp and there was serious concern that his production would not be replaced. However, sophomore Ryan Williams (1,655 yards, 21 TDs) stepped up in his absence and ran away with the ACC rushing title, earning 1st Team Freshman All-American honors in the process. This fall, the Tech rushing game will be downright terrifying, as Evans was fully healthy in the spring and looked as good as ever. This will be one of the country’s elite tailback tandems in 2010.
2009 Results: 10-3, Won Chik-Fil-A Bowl vs. Tennessee
Head Coach: Frank Beamer (24th Year, 187-92-2 @ Tech, 229-115-4 Overall)
Home Venue: Lane Stadium (66,233), Blacksburg, Virginia
Senior quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2,311 pass yards, 13 pass TDs, 5 INT, 370 rush yards, 5 rush TDs) is also a major threat running the ball, though he also proved last season that he was also a solid passer. Taylor has really evolved in his three seasons at Virginia Tech and he should have his best season this fall with his top three targets from 2009 back. Juniors Jarrett Boykin (40 catches, 835 yards, 5 TDs, 2nd Team All-ACC), Danny Coale (30 catches, 614 yards, 2 TDs) and Dyrell Roberts (22 catches, 390 yards, 3 TDs) are a talented group of big play receivers and they should have an even stronger campaign in 2010.
The final piece of the puzzle is the offensive line, which paved the way for the league’s 2nd best rushing game last fall. The Virginia Tech Hokies have to replace two starters, both of whom were 2nd Team All-ACC selection, which started for a combined total of seven seasons. These are clearly huge losses but the three returning starters are all upperclassmen and the O-Line performed well during spring practice.
There are considerably more question marks on the defensive side of the football, as Virginia Tech Hokies only has five returning starters from the ACC’s #1 rated scoring defense. However, this unit is still coached by Bud Foster and he is generally regarded as one of the best defensive coaches in the nation.
The D-Line is generally a strength for the Hokies, so last year’s run defense was a disappointment as they gave up more rush yards than any year since 2003. The only starter returning from 2009 is senior defensive tackle John Graves, who is a stalwart against the run but will not make an impact in the pass rush. Sophomore Antoine Hopkins will pair next to him and this will be a solid duo against the run. Where this line will suffer is in the pass rush, as departed ends Nikos Brown and Jason Worilds combined for eleven sacks last fall. Junior Chris Drager (22 tackles, 2.5 sacks) seems likely to start in one of their spots.
The linebacking core is also a force to reckon with. Junior Barquell Rivers is the team’s top returning tackler after making 96 stops last fall and he should continue to be a force against the run. Meanwhile, sophomore Lyndell Gibson (53 tackles) was impressive in five starts and should be a tackling force this fall. Much like the D-Line, this looks like a strong group against the run.
The secondary is also full of athletes. Senior corner Rashad Carmichael (55 tackles, 6 INT) is one of the league’s best shutdown defenders and he should cut the field in half for the pass defense. On top of that, there should be a solid pair of safeties this season as senior Davon Morgan (47 tackles) will pair with redshirt freshman Antoine Exum, who was very impressive in the spring. While there will probably be two underclassmen starting for this unit.
This will be a significantly easier non-conference tilt for the Virginia Tech Hokies when compared to last season, which saw them play Nebraska, Alabama and eventual C-USA Champion East Carolina. This fall, their big non-league game is a Labor Day showdown with Boise State in Washington, D.C. and you can bet that most of the country will be cheering for Virginia Tech Hokies to knock the Broncos out of the National Championship picture quickly. Other than that game, it is an easy slate for the Hokies because they play Central Michigan, East Carolina and D-1AA James Madison at home in the first half of the year.
The ACC schedule is also very favorable, as they avoid both Clemson and Florida State from the Atlantic Division. This is huge because they are the only one of the four contenders that doesn’t face off against one of the favorites from the other division! On top of that, the Virginia Tech Hokies don’t play their major division rivals until December, so an 8-0 start is a strong possibility with a win over Boise State. However, after a Thursday night home clash against Georgia Tech, they do have to travel to North Carolina and Miami in back to back weeks and that stretch will likely decide their conference fate. Despite that tough three game stretch, this is one of the most favorable schedules in the country among National Championship contenders.
The Virginia Tech Hokies will be dominating offensively with their great running game and play action passing attack and their defense will settle in quickly as one of the toughest units in the league. After their opener against paper tiger Boise State, Virginia Tech Hokies also has one of the easiest schedules of any team in the country through October. Boise State has a meager 4-4 record against BCS Conference teams in the regular season since 2005 and expect the Hokies control the game with their double-headed monster at tailback. After all, Boise State’s last regular season foray outside of the Pacific Northwest was a 48-13 beatdown at the hands of Georgia in 2005 and expect them to get whipped again.
That will match them up with Florida State in the ACC Championship Game. The Seminoles will certainly be a tough test with their balanced offensive attack and excellent quarterbacking, but the Hokies will be favored. In fact, Virginia Tech Hokies could be playing for a spot in the National Championship Game. The Hokies will defeat Florida State on the strength of their multifaceted running game as they will control the clock and keep Ponder and company on the sidelines.
PREDICTED RESULT: 11-1 (7-1 ACC) - Bodog NCAA College Football Futures Lines
Related Articles
- Football Picks: Virginia Tech vs Clemson in ACC Championship Game
- 2011 NCAA Football Las Vegas Odds: Virginia Tech Hokies Preview
- ACC Championship Game Betting - Florida State vs Virginia Tech
- NCAA Football Score: Virginia Tech 24 and North Carolina 21
- Week 8 NCAA Picks: Boston College Eagles vs Virginia Tech Hokies
Category
Tags
antoine exum - antoine hopkins - barquell rivers - chik-fil-a bowl - chris drager - danny coale - darren evans - davon morgan - dyrell roberts - frank beamer
