For the third time this season, the Hokies have collapsed at the end of a game. A game they should have had in hand and failed to put away. This is a trend that has been present for the last few years. It’s a losing mentality. When this team encounters any adversity, they fold like a cheap tent. There are reasons like talent and depth that this team wears out late in game. But that’s only part of the answer. The other part is a psychology of losing that this team can’t seem to kick.
SP+ Rankings
Virginia Tech
Overall: 91st Offense: 116th Defense: 48th Special Teams: 49th
Duke
Overall: 76th Offense: 61st Defense: 80th Special Teams: 53rd
It’s been a while but Duke is good at football again. Mike Elko has done an awesome job of getting the most out of the roster he inherited from David Cutcliffe. This is what VT fans were hoping for from the Pry era but it appears that Duke had a more ready-made roster. Duke has a very good rushing offense that will give the Hokies trouble. Particularly rushing from the QB position. Expect the Hokies to play a lot of zone to try to keep the Duke running game in check. There will be a lot of rushing yards from Duke QB Riley Leonard, especially from read option plays.
Duke’s defense is vulnerable against the pass. Unfortunately, VT’s passing offense is not consistent enough to take advantage of it. The Hokies show flashes here and there in the passing game but it’s not enough. If there was a game where the Tech should focus on airing it out a bit, it’s this game. The Hokies should focus on targeting Kaleb Smith, Dae’Quan Wright and Nick Gallo downfield. This is also a good opportunity for guys like Da’Wain Lofton and Stephen Gosnell to step up in the passing game. The Hokies won’t be able to score much in this game from their run-based offense. They will need some downfield throws to move the ball against a stout Duke defense.
It seems like everything has been a struggle for the Hokies this season. Do they have a chance in this game? Of course. But Duke seems like they are firing on all cylinders based on their roster. Tech is still trying to figure things out. The best thing for Tech to do is forget all the negative plays and bad energy and focus on going 1-0. This team has the talent to win but they need to put a complete game together. There are only three more opportunities to get that done this year. Let’s see if they can finish the season strong.
That NC State loss was a tough one to swallow. Virginia Tech did what they needed to do to win but couldn’t close the deal. After NC State scored their first touchdown, the Hokies went into expect-to-lose mode. That game felt like a carryover from the Fuente era. We have seen more than a few games play out like that over the last few years. This program has a losing culture right now. They need to start changing that mentality if they want to move forward and build a winning program again.
Overall: 91st Offense: 117th Defense: 49th Special Teams: 49th
Georgia Tech
Overall: 97th Offense: 106th Defense: 83rd Special Teams: 89th
Grant Wells should be able to make plays against Georgia Tech’s secondary. The Hokies offense just needs to avoid being one-dimensional. Running into the interior of the line over and over again will not work. The Hokies need to open up their passing attack and press the edges of the defense with outside runs. VT should try more misdirection and read options. Right now, the offense is just to easy to read for defenses. The Hokies also need to try to get the ball in the hands of Keshawn King and Bryce Duke in open space. Whether it be via outside runs or quick screen passes. They were far too predictable on offense against NC State.
NC State might as well should have their entire team near the line of scrimmage. Why the hell is Bowen running against this?? Change the play! #VTvsNCST they are loading the damn box! @TylerBowen ! pic.twitter.com/p14dm5ohqj
This game will come down to whether Jeff Sims is healthy enough to play and be effective. The Georgia Tech offense is much better with him behind center. Even if Jeff Sims is available, the Georgia Tech offense hasn’t had much to write home about this year. Like the Hokies, they are one of the worst Power 5 offenses in the nation. They run the ball a little better than they throw it but they are not really good at either. This is where the Hokies’ defense should have a significant advantage.
This game represents the Hokies best chance of getting a win the rest of the season. If the defense plays well and can limit the GT offense, I see the Hokies having a good chance to win. If Jeff Sims shows up and is healthy, he’s the best player on the field and could be the difference. All things being equal, the Hokies will put enough together on offense and defense to squeak a victory. I hope they find a way to play more than one quarter of offense this week.
I am graduate of Georgia Tech and Clemson grew up a fan of ACC Basketball. Those were the collegiate sports I’ve watched the most and I started All Sports Discussion about 10 years ago because I spent so much time talking about ACC sports, I figured I’d start sharing it. I didn’t think the ACC got fair coverage in media and I want to the voice that too. I started an ACC podcast with @Hokiesmash_ASD a couple of years after that and that’s a lot of fun. He usually lines up the guests freeing me up to write.
Tell us about your team this year. What are your thoughts on Georgia Tech this season?
The best thing about the Georgia Tech season was the day Geoff Collins was fired. He was a total disaster as a head coach. The season was going nowhere when he was there. For a couple of games after his firing Georgia Tech played some inspired football and beat Pittsburgh and Duke, but with the injury to QB Jeff Sims and his status unknown the offense just can’t move the ball. Defensively, they have had some good moments since Collins was fired, and is a decent unit. I feel like the bowl chances are gone, but there will be a game where things break right and they win one more time.
What do you think about the job that Brent Key has done so far?
He’s made the special teams a respectable unit. That in itself is a win as it was a total mess with Collins. He brought accountability to the team and a sense of cohesion. The back to back wins made you feel good about Georgia Tech football for the first time in years. Unfortunately, the injury to Sims limits what he can do. Overall, he’s done a pretty decent job taking over and making Georgia Tech look functional. Just getting functional was a big upgrade over the previous coach.
How do you feel about the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech annual rivalry coming to an end?
I think it’s had better days for sure, but in it’s hey day when both were competing for Coastal division titles, it was one of the most underrated annual games in the ACC. With the frequency that they will still play I will miss the game, but they’ll meet often to maintain a good sense of rivalry.
What’s your favorite memory from the rivalry?
The 2009 game that Georgia Tech won 28-23 over a top 5 ranked Virginia Tech. There was a lot of talk that the 2nd time around seeing Paul Johnson’s triple option that teams would be on to it. That was a really good Hokie team and it convinced me that Paul Johnson had a chance to win a lot more games. He did and it start with game. QB Josh Nesbitt was warrior in that one.
What’s your outlook on the future of the ACC?
That’s a good question. I think for the next 5-7 years nothing happens regarding team movement, but the TV Deal in comparison to the Big 10 and SEC is a problem. I don’t think the ACC is catching them, no matter what they do. What the ACC must do is get well ahead of the Big 12 and Pac 12 to be solidly in third. I do think you’ll see adjustments to the TV deal, but will it be enough? It would be nice if ACC commissioner Jim Phillips would be more transparent in what he is doing to raise ACC revenues. He’s been far too quiet on the matter.
What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?
It all depends on the status of QB Jeff Sims. Zach Pryon showed some ability against Florida State, but he’s really inexperienced. That’s a bad combination on the road, against a pretty good defense. I think the defense can limit Virginia Tech’s inconsistent offense and I’d like see Pryon continue to develop.
What’s your prediction for the game?
I expect Sims to not play or be very limited, and Virginia Tech showed some good things on offense against NC State.
These feel like a defensive battle but one that goes in the Hokies favor 20-10.
We saw some real improvement against Pitt. The offense scored some points. They were able to run the ball. And they were competitive into the 4th quarter. Can they do it again? Can this team hold up for a full 60 minutes? This team has been pretty good at taking games into the 4th quarter but that’s where things fall apart. Is it talent? Is it depth? Is it injuries? I’m not sure we know yet but it’s something that needs to get fixed if they Hokies want to chalk up more wins this season.
SP+ Rankings
Virginia Tech
Overall: 86th Offense: 118th Defense: 44th Special Teams: 30th
Miami
Overall: 54th Offense: 48th Defense: 61st Special Teams: 18th
Miami’s passing offense has been very good against some bad defenses this season. They got tested against Texas A&M and only managed 9 points. Virginia Tech has had a good pass defense and the Hokies’ front seven should be able to get stops. Having Alan Tisdale return should be a nice boost to this defense this week.
Miami has stout defensive line that does not allow a lot of rushing yards. If the Hokies want to move the ball it’ll have to be through the air. The Hokies’ receivers need to be able to win one-on-one battles with Miami’s defensive backs. The Canes’ linebackers are great run stuffers but not as great in coverage. This would be a good game for the Hokies to use their tights ends and crossing routes in the pass game.
The Hokies defense should hold up pretty well against Miami’s offense. It would help to have Dorian Strong back but even if he’s not, they should hold their own. I’m more worried about the Hokies offense against Miami’s defense. Miami has the ability to make Tech one-dimensional. I don’t trust the Hokies’ passing attack in that situation. The Hokies will need some semblance of a run game to help their pass game be effective. This will be a close game and Miami slows down the Hokies offense enough to pull it out in the end.
This week we are joined by Miami radio show host Ryan (“Dirty Bird”) from the Cane Gang Radio Show. You can follow him on Twitter (@dirtyyybird) and listen to his radio show every Friday from 11a-1p ET on SiriusXM channel 145.
Tell us about yourself and your radio show.
My name is Ryan, but I go by “Dirty Bird” on Twitter (@dirtyyybird) I worked in the equipment room during the late 90s for the Atlanta Falcons and the name has always stuck with me through fantasy football and social media platforms. I am a lifelong fan of the Canes having grown up in South Florida and watching the teams of the late 80s and early 90s, I fell in love with them at an early age and despite how rocky our relationship has been over the last 20+ years, I get more and more into it every year! Recently, I have started to contribute on a Canes focused radio show called The Cane Gang Radio Show that airs every Friday from 11a-1p on SiriusXM channel 145 SLAM! Radio. I do the show with Derek Coe who is one of the most well known recognizable fans around our program and John Michaels who is based in Atlanta and is on The Locker Room on 680 the Fan. We are just a couple of old guys who hop on the air and talk completely unscripted and unfiltered. Our show has had a number of recognizable guests including Vince Wilfork, Santana Moss, Uncle Luke, Brett Romberg, and even former VT WR Isaiah Ford.
Tell us about your team this year. What are your thoughts on Miami so far this season?
Clearly, we had higher hopes for our team so far this season. We fought hard at Texas A&M, just came up short in the end. I think that loss sucked a ton of the life out of us. Then you come back and think you have a layup and the game proves to be anything but that. The loss to MTSU was shocking and the perfect storm of everything that could possibly go wrong going wrong in one single game. Nevertheless, you have to win those games so there is no excuse you can make! We are still licking our wounds from that one and then walked into a matchup with a team in UNC that has always given us fits. We fought hard, and despite the loss, there was some good to unpack there.
I remain optimistic knowing that this is a process and as much as we want to win now, it is going to take time to get it going. We are pointed in the right direction, yet have a long way to go to get where we want to be.
What do you think about the job that Mario Cristobal has done so far?
Mario Cristobal is focused in the right areas building through relentless recruiting and putting funding in the program to build out the support staff to a level needed to win in the current landscape of college football. Some are screaming the sky is falling in our fan base (I am sure VT has those too) but we are 5 games into what we know is a major rebuild of a program that has been hurting for decades. Nobody cares more than he does. I (and most of our fan base) remain “all in” on him!
How do you feel about the Miami-Virginia Tech annual rivalry coming to an end?
Well, I love the new format for scheduling and think after these 4 years (where we still play twice) they will get us back on the annual matchup! Hopefully we get to meet in the ACCG!
What’s your favorite memory from the rivalry?
I think anytime you look at these rivalries, you have to look at when both teams are ranked high and there is a ton at stake. The games between us should mean something. Unfortunately, for both of us, that has not been the case for a while. But for my favorite memory, I will go to 2017 to the time that we were both really humming and VT came to Hard Rock ranked 13 to play the Canes ranked 9th. We had won the previous 4 in really close fashion, so there was a ton of talk that despite a record of 7-0, we were fraudulent. That night at Hard Rock was electric and VT fans showed up in force too! We won the game in convincing fashion (sorry VT fans!) and it really catapulted us into a feeling we had not felt in forever!
What’s your outlook on the future of the ACC?
I think the ACC has two things going for it making it really hard to break it up. #1 the TV contracts and grant of rights making it nearly impossible for anyone to break off 1 or 2 teams. Plus, #2 the ACC is still really the premier basketball conference even though the SEC and Big12 have had better basketball the last few years. I think lots of important TV executives (who are really the ones who run all of this) would not want to implode the ACC. But hey, who really saw USC & UCLA to the B1G! Anything is possible!
What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?
Well, first and foremost I respect VT as an opponent and always will despite either teams record. I do feel as though we are in a back against the wall position and I think (hope) we come out swinging. We are due for a good effort and honestly think we get it here. The thing is, I see the same being true for your program as well. Hard to gauge, but I see us coming out on top!
The offense has been bad for two straight weeks against not-so-great defenses. I respect that Brent Pry wants to instill his culture but he also has to find a way to make the offense work. In the first half, the Hokies put together a couple of nice drives (see the video tweets below). Unfortunately, they couldn’t keep up that level of consistency throughout the game. But you can see glimpses of an offense that is maybe starting to put things together.
Overall: 87th Offense: 118th Defense: 35th Special Teams: 30th
Pittsburgh
Overall: 45th Offense: 22nd Defense: 76th Special Teams: 121st
Pittsburgh has an efficient offense. Not as good as WVU or UNC’s but still pretty solid. Like those two teams, they are well balanced running and passing the ball. They have a running back to can pick up big chunk plays and a quarterback who doesn’t make many mistakes. A lot like WVU, this is an offense that can nickle and dime you all the way downfield. The Hokies defense will need to find ways to get off the field on third down. They held up well for three quarters against West Virginia. Now, they’ll to find a way to do it for 60 minutes — with a little help from the offense.
This looks like a traditional Pitt defense. Good not great. They are good at defending the pass and not as good at defending the run. With VT’s run blocking I’m not sure that matters much. Teams with good offenses have had success against this defense. Even Georgia Tech’s putrid offense was able to put up 26 points on Pitt. That might be an outlier but still, this defense has it’s weaknesses. It’s all a matter of if the Hokies can exploit any of them.
I’ve started to go into how-many-points-will-Tech-lose-by mode. For me, it’s less about wins and losses this year and more about showing improvement week-to-week. The defense is about what I expected. The offense is far worse than I expected. But teams rarely stay exactly the same all year long. There are ebbs and flows. I’m hoping as the weeks go by, we start seeing some more life from this offense. Until then, I’m in wait-and-see mode. I’m not going to pick Tech to score more than 10 points in a P5 game until they prove they can.
That WVU game did not go as expected. The Hokies defense kept VT in the game for three quarters but the offense couldn’t get anything going. Tech’s offenses failures took its toll on the defense and WVU ran away with the game in the 4th quarter. If the Hokies want to remain competitive in ACC play, they will need to get better play from their offense. If they can’t, there may not be many more wins on the schedule.
SP+ Rankings
Virginia Tech
Overall: 79th Offense: 119th Defense: 23rd Special Teams: 29th
North Carolina
Overall: 67th Offense: 10th Defense: 113th Special Teams: 10th
North Carolina is an elite offensive team. They rank 6th in the nation in passing efficiency and 8th in scoring offense. Drake Maye has picked up right where Sam Howell left off without missing a beat. This is one of the most dangerous offenses in the country. They show balance running and throwing the ball. They look like a better version of West Virginia on offense. The Hokies’ defense showed well against WVU for three quarters until they wore out in the 4th. Tech needs some help from their offense to keep the UNC offense off the field. They can’t continue to go three and out on every drive. The Hokies are going to have to make a couple of plays on Saturday to keep their own defense off the field.
The Hokies running game was anemic vs WVU. They could not get anything going. They rushed for 1.9 yards per carry on 18 rushing attempts. That’s not going to cut in against P5 opponents. The run blocking has been a mess all season and doesn’t appear to be improving. This is a group that needs to turn the corner, otherwise the VT offense will be stuck in the mud all season. We will need to see some improvements from that group starting this week. Joe Rudolph is known for being a great offensive line coach, so the hope is that group will improve over time. North Carolina has one of the worst defenses in the nation. The Hokies will need to find a way to put some points on the board this week. Tech is going to need Grant Wells to be more accurate with his passes. The UNC defense has been known to give up the big play. Grant Wells will need to be able to connect on his passes when his receivers find space in the secondary.
North Carolina is averaging 46.5 points per game. Their lowest scoring output was against Notre Dame last week and they still put up 32 points. The Hokies will need to be able to score into the 30s to win this game. The cannot expect another 17-10 game like last year. If the Hokies aren’t able to run the ball, they are going to be in BIG trouble this week. Tyler Bowen and Joe Rudolph are going to have to figure out a way to get their running backs the ball in space. They can’t continue to run into the line for less than 2 yards per carry. If the Hokies can’t find a way to run the ball like they did against Boston College, it’s going to be a long day for the Tech defense. If there is a lot of rain in the forecast, bet the under.
This week we are joined by Tar Heel Nation (@unc_tarheelfan on Twitter).
Tell us about yourself and your blog.
I primarily stick to Twitter (@unc_tarheelfan) but during basketball season we’ll trot out the Tar Heel Nation weekly to help folks stay caught up.
Tell us about your team this year. What are your expectations for North Carolina this season?
UNC has been a bit head scratching so far. They played two tough road match-ups at App State and at Georgia State and then came home and kind of stalled out after the bye week to Notre Dame. If we’re going to see more of what we just saw then I expect a lot of wacky, close match-ups as we head through conference play. I think they can play better though… especially on defense.
What are your thoughts on not playing Virginia Tech on an annual basis anymore?
I’m a little disappointed. These games have been a great source of entertainment and hair loss over the years. I knew it was coming but I’m not excited to see divisions go anyway.
Would you have liked to have seen Virginia Tech added as a permanent rival?
If we had more choices, sure. I think right now this was the best we could get given the circumstances.
UNC has had a lot of success recruiting in Virginia, do you think that has been an effective recruiting strategy for the Tar Heels?
I really do, being that it’s not that far from Chapel Hill but ripe with talent I know Mack Brown and staff have made the region a priority.
What’s your favorite memory from the rivalry?
You’re not going to like this one but that thriller involving Coach Beamer’s last home game. Not just because of that though, that was a great year overall for us.
What’s your outlook on the future of the ACC?
I’m a bit pessimistic by nature but not great, overall. Same major changes need to happen starting with that TV deal and our overall contributions on the field. We’ll see what the commish and company can do in a few years though.
What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?
I know you’re coming off that tough game against West Virginia but UNC is also coming off a tough home loss to Notre Dame. I expect an entertaining first half to say the least.
What’s your prediction for the game?
45-31 UNC. I expect a close first half with UNC being able to pull away late at home.
Brent Pry has a lot of work to do. The Fuente era left a lot of areas that need improvement. The first area of focus needs to be to improve the roster. There are very few all-conference players on this team. If other ACC teams had the opportunity to switch players with the Hokies, I don’t know how many would. If Tech hopes to improve on last year’s 6-7 season, this coaching staff will need to work some magic with the roster.
Offense
The previous staff was a little too conservative on offense — especially in the 4th quarter. They relied too much on “expected outcomes”. Usually, those expected outcomes were plays that didn’t go for many yards. If the new staff can take the reigns off this offense, we should see more big plays than last season. At least get the ball into the hands of your playmakers.
I don’t know a whole lot about Grant Wells but what I see from him, he looks like he should be a solid QB for the Hokies. A good arm and accurate with some mobility. He’s not a game-changing talent but there’s enough there to win you football games. I see him as another Ryan Willis / Michael Brewer-type QB. You know what you’re getting from them and it’s enough to win you football games.
In the past few years, the Hokies have also had to rely on the backup quarterback. The Hokies have a solid backup in Jason Brown. Last year, he registered wins against Florida and Auburn. Although, like Wells, he is not a game-changing talent, he is able to win you football games in a pinch. Winning games in the SEC is nice to have on your resume.
The Hokies should feel good about what they have at running back. Malachi Thomas was impressive as a true freshman. In a scheme that is set up to let running backs shine, Malachi Thomas should be able to put up even better numbers. Behind him, they should get solid play from Jalen Holston. Holston will need to prove he can be more consistent than he was last season. With Joe Rudolph coordinating the run game, this is an offense that will be friendly to running backs.
The receiving room definitely has some question marks. The only known quantity that is expected to get serious playing time is Kaleb Smith. And most of his work has come as a backup the last couple of years. If this is going to be successful group, the newcomers will need to step up and fill the void. If the Hokies can’t get production out of those newcomers, this offense might be stuck in mud all season.
The offensive line doesn’t have a lot of depth but they will have elite coaching. Joe Rudolph is one of the best offensive line coaches in college football. He is the right guy to take a young line and mold them into functional group this year. This is a position group that needs to avoid the injury bug. An injury or two on the line would dampen the ability for this offense to move the ball.
The biggest change will be the new scheme and new coaches. These coaches will let the players go out there and make plays. The previous staff put the reins on the office too much. The staff needs to let their playmakers make plays.
Defense
There are some good pieces on the defensive side of the ball. Including a couple of players that have not reached their potential the last few years. This new, defensive-minded staff should be able to get more from this defensive talent. If we know one thing, it’s that Brent Pry knows how to coach defense.
The defensive line doesn’t have a ton of depth but they have enough that they should be okay. They should be able to go two deep at both at end and at tackle. Should injuries pile up, things might get a little dicey. For now, this is a solid group that could get All-ACC play from their two starting defensive tackles. The defensive ends will need to get more pressure than they did last year to improve this defense. Quarterbacks last year had too much time to throw.
Linebacker is the position group that concerns me the most on defense. Too many guys that haven’t been consistent in the past. Will the new staff be able to maximize their strengths? These linebackers will need to learn and adapt to the new scheme that they were not recruited for. The Hokies will need to get more sideline-to-sideline play from this group. There has been too much inconsistent play from this position group in the past couple of years. And there are questions about speed and coverage ability in this group.
I like the defensive backs group quite a bit. This is an underrated group. Dorian Strong has the potential to reclaim his play from 2020 when he was a freshman All-American. You also have Armani Chatman and Brion Murray who have been solid. Not to mention DJ Harvey who has the potential to have a breakout season. The big unknown is what to expect from the boundary safety position. If someone steps in that role, this should be a pretty good group.
If there is an area that should improve the most with the new coaches, it should be the defense. After finishing ranked 78th in total defense last year, expect a big improvement. The Hokies should be able to rely on the defense once again.
Final Thoughts
This team might not look great right out the gate. Those first few games might include a couple of squeakers. The offense will look rough at times. The hope is that the defense is able to carry this team at the beginning of year. If the defense is also struggling, it might be a long year. You can expect an improved defense and an offense that will get better week-to-week. That four game stretch in the middle of the schedule is going to be tough. This roster isn’t ready yet to compete in tough games like those. Especially the ones on the road. All the other games on the schedule are winnable but the defense needs to keep Tech in the game. This should look like classic VT — tough defense and a ground-and-pound offense. A good foundation to build on.
Tough games (<40% chance to win)
at North Carolina, at Pittsburgh, Miami and at NC State. Getting even a single win from this group of games is a bonus for this season. It would be great if the Hokies could pull an upset in that game at home against Miami.
Toss-up games (50-50 games)
Boston College, West Virginia, at Georgia Tech, at Liberty, Virginia. You can judge this season based on these five games. They will represent the difference between 9-3 and 3-9. If the Hokies can get three wins out of this group, they should be in good shape toward bowl eligibility. Based on how the home-road games break down, the Hokies have a good chance to post a good record in these games.
Should win games (>60% to win)
at Old Dominion, at Duke. The Hokies need to stop losing these type of games. Under the previous staff, the losses against ODU and Liberty were coach killers. The Hokies have to be able to win games against G5 opponents. That should be a given at a school with a strong football history like Virginia Tech. Duke is one of the weakest ACC teams this season and the game is at Duke which has always been friendly to the Hokies.
Must win games (>90% to win)
Wofford. The Hokies need to treat this game as a tune up, and not squeak by like they have been the past couple of years.
Key games for the Hokies: at Old Dominion, West Virginia, Virginia
Upset Alert: at Old Dominion
Game by Game Predictions
at Old Dominion (Fri.)
Boston College
Wofford
West Virginia (Thurs.)
at North Carolina
at Pitt
Miami
at NC State (Thurs.)
Georgia Tech
at Duke
at Liberty
Virginia
Final Regular Season Record: 8-4 (4-4 in the ACC) Expected finish: 3rd in the ACC Coastal
It was the right decision to let Justin Fuente go. The timing was strange but I’m sure there were reasons for that. Maybe the job needed to be open to have serious conversations with interested coaches. The Fuente era started with a lot of promise but lost momentum and finally reached the point of no return.
Virginia Tech announces it and Justin Fuente have mutually parted ways. #Hokies
Overall: 44th Offense: 67th Defense: 25th Special Team: 32nd
Miami
Overall: 32nd Offense: 22nd Defense: 47th Special Team: 50th
Miami is a good passing team. They are 16th in the nation in passing offense. Tyler Van Dyke has been good for the Hurricanes. He’s thrown for over 2,000 yards, 19 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. The Hokies boast the nation’s 15th ranked passing defense. So it should be strength vs strength when Miami is on offense.
University of Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke has filed two trademarks:
1️⃣ TYLER VAN DIME ™️
2️⃣ VAN DIME ™️
The filings indicate an intent to use the trademarks for cell phone cases, clothing and athletic wear.
Miami’s run defense has been a bit leaky in recent weeks. The Hokies would be smart to keep the ball on the ground with Malachi Thomas and Raheem Blackshear. Tackling has been an issue for Miami this year, so VT would be smart to test them early and often in that area.
Virginia Tech #Hokies RB Raheem Blackshear named ACC RB of the Week.
There may be some extra juice from the players to play under former VT player JC Price. They still have the opportunity to make a bowl game and the seniors will want to close the season strong. They don’t want to be the team that got their coach fired. So while this season has been up and down, I think we see some fight from these guys in the last two regular season games.
treadmillhorse 