You can follow Bruce on Twitter at @RuFan130. You can also check out his 501(c)(3) charitable organization at JennisToys.org. Bruce joined us this week for a game week Q&A.
Tell us about yourself and your charity.
My name is Bruce Jones. My wife, Kelly, and I met at Rutgers and graduated in 2010. We live in Central Jersey with our 3 boys. Jake is 3. Tyler and Ryan are 6 months old. I work in logistics and Kelly is an occupational therapist. Together we run a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in memory of my sister. You can check it out at JennisToys.org.
Tell us about your team this year. What are your expectations for Rutgers this season?
The team this year is at a crossroad. We are in Schiano 2.0 year 4 and some fans are getting frustrated at the lack of success (myself included). Recruiting has really picked up however and the AD is making big investments into coaching. Back to the question… The team this year is built around a really strong defense and an offense hoping to figure it out. My prediction was 6-6 but it will certainly be a challenge.
What are your thoughts on playing Virginia Tech?
The thought of Virginia Tech gives me nightmares. My earliest memories as a Rutgers fan was coming to games in the 90s and getting run out of our own building by the Hokies. With that being said, I love playing one another. Good regional rivalry, old Big East foes. Great job by both schools making it happen.
How do you view the Virginia Tech program?
They’re in a weird spot. Almost 2 decades straight of bowl games and the magic seems to be gone. I love Coach Pry. You have one of the best atmospheres in college football. I have no doubt you’ll find success again soon.
Do you think Virginia Tech would be a good fit for the Big Ten at some point in the future?
I love the fit in so many ways. Great school. Great athletic department I think the only issue is lack of AAU membership.
What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?
I expect a defensive game. Two head coaches who really excel on that side of the ball battling it out. I’m sure we will see a lot of running from Rutgers and Wells slinging the ball around. Should be a fun one with a great atmosphere
Virginia Tech took care of business against ODU. What did we learn from that game? Well, we found ourselves a couple of capable receivers in the transfer portal. When Grant Wells is settled in, he’s pretty good. And we have some pretty major issues run blocking. Not mention Virginia Tech still has the best entrance in the world.
Overall: 65th Offense: 84th Defense: 49th Special Teams: 59th
Purdue
Overall: 64th Offense: 53rd Defense: 81st Special Teams: 118th
Purdue’s offense is led by Hudson Card, the former Texas Longhorn’s quarterback. After one game, Purdue’s offense looks a lot like the Hokies’ offense. They can pass well but not run the ball. Against Fresno State they ran for 3.6 yards per attempt. Hudson Card had a good day throwing for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Purdue secondary looked putrid against Fresno State. They gave up 371 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air. You can expect them to try to turn those numbers around this week. But after the Hokies offense has a good day through the air last week, you can expect Tech to try to air it out again this week.
Watch out for the return game. Last week, Purdue running back Tyrone Tracy returned a second half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. A breakdown on special teams could be costly in a close game.
Expect big plays in this game. Both teams are going to try to air it out. In that scenario, I like the Hokies secondary having the advantage. On paper, this looks like a game where the over could hit (O/U 49.5). In an even game, you like to go with the home team especially one with momentum coming off an opening week win.
Andrew Ledman is the co-manager for the Purdue SB Nation site HammerandRails.com. You can follow Hammer and Rails on Twitter at @HammerandRails. Andrew joined us this week for a game week Q&A.
Tell us about yourself and your site.
I’m a 2008 and 2010 Purdue grad. Been a fan all my life. I’m the co-manager over at Hammer and Rails. We are the SB Nation site for Purdue athletics. I’ve been writing there since around 2015.
Tell us about your team this year. What are your expectations for Purdue this season?
Honestly, who knows? We had a lot of turnover in the off-season including the coaching staff. I think most people think realistic expectations or best case scenario is 7-5 or 6-6. The loss to Fresno State this week probably makes 6-6 the best case scenario. The schedule is brutal this year and there are some obvious holes on this team.
What are your thoughts on playing Virginia Tech?
It’s nice to play a non-conference opponent with a name and a proud tradition. That said, this isn’t my daddy’s Virginia Tech. I don’t really know what to expect from them but I always appreciate heading to a different campus to play a new opponent.
How do you view the Virginia Tech program?
I don’t think I’m speaking out of school when I say that they aren’t as strong as they used to be. There was a time when playing VT would strike fear in me but right now it’s just not the same. I still expect a hard fought game though, don’t get me wrong.
Do you think Virginia Tech would be a good fit for the Big Ten at some point in the future?
I think they do make a certain amount of sense educationally, but if this is you sniffing around for an invite just know that I don’t have that kind of power. If I did, it’s Notre Dame or no one.
What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?
I think it’s going to be close. If you watched the Purdue game you saw some really bad secondary play, a leaky offensive line, and some bad receiver play. There’s a hope that some of those things will be fixed when Purdue gets a bunch of guys back from injury, but will that be next week? We just don’t know.
What’s your prediction for the game?
I think Purdue finds a way to win this one. The offense, though it had difficulties last week, still showed an ability to put points on the board and I think the defense can do just enough for Purdue to pull out a victory.
Brent Pry did a great job of adding talent this offseason via the transfer portal. On the depth chart released this week, you can see transfer portal additions starting all over the roster. Ali Jennings (ODU), Jaylin Lane (MTSU), Da’Quan Felton (Norfolk State), Bhayshul Tuten (North Carolina A&T), Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Florida) and Derrick Canteen (Georgia Southern). That’s a big talent infusion in one offseason.
Overall: 72nd Offense: 88th Defense: 51st Special Teams: 68th
Old Dominion
Overall: 121st Offense: 129th Defense: 79th Special Teams: 115th
Old Dominion’s offense brought in new additions in offensive coordinator Kevin Decker and quarterback Grant Wilson from Fordham. Kevin Decker’s offense resembles an air raid offense where they like to air the ball out a lot and play high-tempo. What that will look like in Game 1? Who knows? But that’s what ODU will be trying to do against the Hokies. Tech will need to get pressure on the quarterback to try to make Grant Wilson uncomfortable in the passing game. Consistent pressure will likely need to a turnover or two. Look for Antwuan Powell-Ryland and Keyshawn Burgos to make a big impact.
I think the players I’m most excited to watch this year are APR and Keyshawn Burgos
Defense is the strength of ODU’s squad. Last year, their secondary forced 12 interceptions. Four of those were throws from Grant Wells. This year, the Hokies quarterback needs to avoid mistakes and take what the defense gives him. It would help if the Hokies could keep the ball on the ground and get yards from Bhayshul Tuten and Michael Thomas. That’s a one-two punch that the Hokies didn’t have when they played ODU last season.
RB Bhayshul Tuten and TE Dae’Quan Wright are back participating at practice. Here’s Tuten with a brace on his left knee running a route. #Hokiespic.twitter.com/Ugekebxmpz
In the first game of the year, there is an opportunity for big plays on special teams. Last season, the game flipped on a bad snap that cost the Hokies seven points and was a 10-point swing in what should’ve been a makable field goal. This season, the Hokies need to get a big play on special teams either in the return game or on a blocked kick. Those are the type of plays that can decide a game. Especially in the opener.
The Hokies look like solid favorites in this one. Vegas has this game pegged with Tech as a two touchdown favorite. If Tech can avoid a turnover and penalty-filled meltdown like last season, this should be a comfortable win. The talent infusion that the Hokies brought in the offseason should pay dividends in a game like this. Tech has the clear talent advantage. Expect this game to be low-scoring with Tech being able to score enough to let the defense hold on for the win.
Mike Langston is the founder of ODU Monarchists and an ODU alum. You can follow him on Twitter at @ODUMonarchists. You can also check out his podcast at the-monarchists.captivate.fm and at ODUMonarchists.com. Mike joined us this week for a game week Q&A.
Tell us about yourself and your podcast.
Our group, the Monarchists, is made up of about 18 folks and our significant others. This group has evolved quite a bit over the years going from just a twitter DM group to a tailgating group and now we’re a media outlet with 2 podcasts (one in partnership with ODU hoops). We still tailgate together, but throughout we have done our best to find the next charity or ODU team to support.
So far, we’ve helped raise over $60k for Old Dominion Athletics, as well as collecting thousands for Toys for Tots. We take a lot of pride in that.
In 2022, Aaron Zielinksi and I decided to start a podcast to help support our fundraising efforts. This fall our group launched our website (odumonarchists.com) with the goal of supporting the program even more.
Tell us about your team this year. What are your expectations for Old Dominion this season?
We are in a state of major transition. We have 58 new players and are replacing quite a few starters. This includes three NFL draftees and a number of transfers, most notably VT WR Ali Jennings. Last season was a failure due to an offense that just plain didn’t work and required an overhaul this offseason.
Coach Rahne brought in a new offensive coordinator, Kevin Decker, who brings a new system from his stint at Fordham. Coach Decker’s offense is similar to Josh Heupel’s spread offense at Tennessee with modern Air Raid concepts and the ability to run in space. Like Heupel’s, the offense is spread out to the barriers of the field, is up tempo and has been wildly successful. Fordham averaged over 400 yards passing and 49.5 points per game in 2022. He brought with him QB Grant Wilson who was just named the starter. Offensive line coach Alex Huettel also followed Decker to ODU and has already had an impact on the O Line bringing in some talented experience and improved their unit chemistry.
Once the offense starts clicking, this team will be a lot of fun to watch. It’s going to take some time and we have a pretty tough schedule lined up (VT, Wake, Liberty and the Sun Belt East).
Our defense is solid but needs to develop proven depth, especially at cornerback. The bend don’t break style we play combined with often short offensive drives, made for a tired defense late in games. This resulted in ODU’s defense being on the field more than any other defensive unit in the country.
So, I expect to see an offense that is capable of moving the ball more consistently and think that will result in a more competitive team. It might not result in too many more wins early, but it’ll be a lot more fun to watch.
What are your thoughts on playing Virginia Tech in Lane Stadium for a night game?
Playing at night in Lane is both exciting and daunting. Our group is making the trip and I am looking forward to experiencing Enter Sandman at night for the first time. Everyone knows no matter how good or bad the Hokies are, they are a different beast at night in Lane. Should be a great environment.
How do you view the Virginia Tech program since going 2-2 against the Hokies since 2017?
If any Monarch tells you they expected to have 2 wins in the series already, they are lying. But I still view the program similarly to how we did when the series was first announced. Virginia Tech has the biggest fanbase, the best program support structure and facilities in the Commonwealth, and while y’all are down from the Fuente fiasco, the Hokies still provide an amazing challenge and a great measuring stick for a program as young as ours.
Are you excited about ODU joining the Sun Belt Conference?
We love the move to the Sun Belt. After our painful stint in CUSA, it’s a breath of fresh air to be in a regional division with programs that are easier to travel to and who have fan bases that care like App State, Georgia Southern, Marshall and JMU. It’s also nice to not have to be overly concerned about all this realignment drama.
What are your expectations for the Virginia Tech game?
This game could go a number of ways for ODU. It’ll be our QBs first ever start in a brand new offense for our team, on the road at night in one of the best environments in college football. So it could easily blow up in our faces. Or the offense could click early and make this a competitive game. I know we have the talent to compete. Our starting back, Kadarius Calloway, is an exceptional talent in an offense that makes finding running lanes a lot easier. But will the passing game click from the jump? I honestly don’t know. I do know we have a good knack for turning Grant Wells over and our defense remains talented. So if I was betting I’d tease the under up a few points, bet ODU on the spread, and take VT moneyline.
The upcoming ACC football season is going to be wild. Virginia going winless? Drake Maye's butt hurt ruining UNC's season? These predictions and more in this thread!#ACC#CollegeFootball#Hokiespic.twitter.com/wf1ixutWJZ
Virginia Tech is hoping to bounce back from its worst season in 30 years. 3 win seasons are rare in Blacksburg and Brent Pry is hoping to get bowl eligible after a challenging first season.
Coaching Staff:
Brent Pry enters his second season in Blacksburg. Pry struggled in his first season after inheriting a roster with many departures from the previous coaching staff. This season Tyler Bowen will be running the offense as the one-and-only offensive coordinator. Last season, he split the role with Brad Glenn who has since moved on to Cincinnati. This season will hinge on Bowen’s ability get more out of the offense than last season. He will need to be more creative and install an offense that makes sense with the personnel he has.
Offense:
The Hokies’ offense struggled last season leading to historically bad results. Tech had trouble run blocking and receivers had a tough time getting open. That along with an injury to Malachi Thomas led to an offense that couldn’t move the ball consistently.
The good news for this season is that Tech loaded up on capable offensive threats through the transfer portal. The coaching staff brought in Ali Jennings from ODU, Jaylin Lane from Middle Tennessee State and Bhayshul Tuten from North Carolina A&T. All these players have shown explosive abilities at their previous stops. These additions should add some explosive targets for Grant Wells in the passing game and another threat in the running game.
Grant Wells is a capable quarterback. Last year’s performance had a lot to do with a line that couldn’t block and receivers who couldn’t get open. Not to mention an injury to his number one running back. Few quarterbacks would perform well under those conditions. Even with that, he graded out as an average quarterback in the ACC. With more help this season, you should see those numbers improve. His most important task is cutting down on turnovers. Even with Wells in a game manager role, this offense can be successful.
The biggest area to watch for is the play of the offensive line. How do they respond to new coach Ron Crooks? Can he turn them into a productive group? Or does it look like last year’s group that struggled to run and pass block most of the season? My guess is that Crooks’ scheme will fit better with what Bowen is trying to do on offense.
Defense:
Brent Pry’s specialty is defense and we should see more out of that group compared to last season. Since Pry arrived he has prioritized size and speed on the defense. This group is slowly getting more athletic than the group Pry inherited from the previous coaching staff. Pry’s staff has made that a focus in recruiting and in the transfer portal.
The Hokies’ secondary will once again be the strength of the defense with Mansoor Delane and Dorian Strong starting at cornerback. The defense’s ability to create turnovers and limit big plays will be pivotal to the team’s success. The Hokies ranked 129th out of 131 teams in generating turnovers last season. That must change this season in order to improve on last year’s 3-win season.
The biggest question marks for this defense are at defensive end and linebacker. If Brent Pry can find a couple of young guys to step up at those positions this should be a pretty solid group. If not, this could be an average defense like last year’s.
Key Players to Watch:
Quarterback Grant Wells: Wells had a 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio last season. That has to improve for Tech’s offense to be a threat in 2023.
Running Back Malachi Thomas: This offense needs a consistent chain-mover in short yardage. In order for the offense to come around, we need to see Thomas return to his 2021 form.
Defensive Back Mansoor Delane: One of the top cornerbacks in the ACC entering 2023. He needs to back up the hype as a lockdown corner for this defense and become a ballhawk who can turn the ball over to the offense when it comes his way.
Non-Conference Matchups:
Virginia Tech has a manageable non-conference slate. They need a win against Old Dominion in the worst way. This staff cannot afford another loss to an in-state Group of 5 program. There are good opportunities for Power 5 wins against Purdue at home and Rutgers on the road. And finally, don’t overlook that road game against Marshall. Marshall won 9 games last season and will be far from a pushover this season.
ACC Outlook:
After the media picked the Hokies to finish 11th in the ACC preseason poll, the Hokies will have their work cut out for them. If the Hokies can build on the progress they made on defense last season, they should be able to outperform these expectations.
Conclusion:
When Brent Pry took the position of head coach, this job was always going to be a multi-year rebuild. The cupboards were pretty bare when he got here. After bottoming out with a 3-win season, it looks like the outlook is brighter but it is going to be a year-by-year process. The goal for this season should be six wins and a bowl game. Anything more than that is gravy.
Tough games (<40% chance to win)
Pitt. Florida State. Syracuse. Louisville. NC State. The goal here is to try to steal one or two of these games. They are winnable but tougher than the rest.
Toss-up games (50-50 games)
Purdue. Rutgers. Marshall. Wake Forest. Boston College. Virginia. These games will be the difference between 8-4 and 4-8. VT must win at least three of these.
Should win games (>60% to win)
Old Dominion. Tech can’t afford to stub their toe again here especially not at home.
Key games for the Hokies: Wake Forest, Boston College, Virginia.
Upset Alert: at Marshall
Game By Game Predictions
Old Dominion
Purdue
at Rutgers
at Marshall
Pitt
at Florida State
Wake Forest
Syracuse
at Louisville
at Boston College
NC State
at Virginia
Virginia Tech Game by Game Predictions
Final Regular Season Record: 6-6 (4-4 in the ACC) Expected finish: 7th in the ACC
I did a little better on my picks this year than last year. But I thought this team would be much better in the preseason than they actually were. I thought the offense would not have a drop off from Corn’s offense — boy, was I wrong about that. I saw a lot of winnable games and I thought an improved defense combined with a similar offense would get VT over-the-hump to 8 wins. The offense falling off the face of the earth really hurt this team. If VT can find a way to get a more cohesive offensive game plan next year, I think we could see a big improvement in wins and losses. Luckily for the Hokies, there is nowhere to go but up. Can’t get any worse than this season. The coaches need to get really active in the portal this offseason. This team needs more game breakers on offense.
This week we have a guest contributor @DriftVT from Twitter writing this week’s preview.
Before we get into the preview, please consider giving to a GoFundMe to support the families affected by the shooting in Charlottesville this week: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/uva-shooting-help
After back-to-back collapses against NC State and Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech was completely outmatched by the Duke Blue Devils this past weekend. A game that left most Virginia Tech fans feeling demoralized. It was a tough game to watch, as Virginia Tech took the lead to start the game, and failed to score again. Losing even against the spread which was 9.5 in favor of Duke.
Moving forward to this week, Virginia Tech is playing the best program in the state of Virginia, in Liberty. Hugh Freeze has built a winning G5 program, and he was recently signed to an extension keeping him at Liberty for years to come. Until the SEC gives him a ring.
SP+ Rankings
Virginia Tech
Overall: 98th Offense: 123rd Defense: 48th Special Teams: 82nd
Liberty
Overall: 73rd Offense: 81st Defense: 49th Special Teams: 87th
In order for Virginia Tech to contain this Liberty offense, they will need to slow down Demario Douglas. From Jacksonville, FL, Demario has 830 yards this season on 56 catches, which is already a season high for him. He is a shifty mismatch nightmare for defenses to contain and it begs the question, who will Virginia Tech put on him? Usually in this scenario, Chamari Conner or DJ Harvey will cover the slot in man coverage. I’d expect to see more zone this week as I do not believe the staff will be comfortable playing man coverage against him all game.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Hokies still look completely lost. Everything looks difficult and forced. At least we have been able to snap the ball without false starting every play, which has been about the only improvement. In terms of what works; well, nothing really, outside of throwing the ball downfield to Kaleb Smith. Virginia Tech will have to do whatever they can to score at least 20 points to keep this game within reach. And they’ll need the defense to gift them a turnover as well.
There are quite a few fans calling for Tyler Bowen to be fired, and while I am completely uninspired by his performance this season, I don’t think he will be let go. I think Pry would like to keep the same staff heading into next season, hoping to learn and grow as a unit. While a new OC could help, I think it might be too soon to cut the cord.
Up until after the Georgia Tech game, I had said on Twitter just how far one of these games would help recruiting in Virginia if Pry could squeak one or two out. We thought we had it with Miami, then NC State, and then Georgia Tech. If we get blown out this weekend, it will seriously damage the moral of the fanbase and all the buzz around the program. I really think a win here, while unlikely, could go a very long way in repairing some of the damage done by previous staff. Remember, it is a revenge game for the Hokies.
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.
treadmillhorse 
