COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

Lindy’s Top 25 Countdown: No. 24 Virginia Tech

Lindyssports.com Staff

August 11, 2015 at 1:48 pm.

Michael Brewer returns as a key member of the Hokies. (Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)

Michael Brewer returns as a key member of the Hokies. (Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)

There are 24 days left until the start of the college football season and we’ll count down our Top 25 teams up until kickoff.

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VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES

ACC rank: 4

2014 Record: 7-6 ACC record: 3-5 (T-5th, Coastal)

Stadium: Lane Stadium (65,632)

LOCATION: Blacksburg, Va.

COACH: Frank Beamer — At Virginia Tech: 231-115-2, 28 years; overall: 273-138-4, 34 years

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Scot Loeffler

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Bud Foster

LAST LEAGUE TITLE: 2010

LAST TIME DIDN’T GO BOWLING: 1992

RETURNING STARTERS: 18; 8 offense, 8 defense, kicker, punter

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Michael Brewer, WR Isaiah Ford, WR Cam Phillips, TE Bucky Hodges, DE Dadi Nicolas, DE Ken Ekanem, DT Luther Maddy, CB Kendall Fuller

PRIMARY STRENGTHS: The defense, as usual, figures to be the strength of the Hokies. But with a bevy of returning skill players, including Brewer, Tech has the potential for a vastly improved offense. Ford, Phillips and Hodges are good targets for Brewer, who should direct a balanced attack.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: The offensive line performed admirably in the spring, but until it does that in a game, it’ll remain a question mark. Brewer has to cut down on the interceptions (15 last season). Defensively, Tech is replacing a pair of three-year starters at safety.

OFFENSE

When Virginia Tech hired offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler before the 2013 season, he pointed to 2015 as the year when the offense had a chance to be special. It’s put-up-or-shut-up time for a unit that failed to score a point in regulation against Wake Forest last season.

Senior quarterback Michael Brewer, a former transfer from Texas Tech, is behind center for his second season with the Hokies. He’s surrounded by more weapons than Tech has had in recent years.

Sophomore tight end Bucky Hodges can move out wide to create matchup problems. Hodges and sophomore wide receivers Isaiah Ford and Cam Phillips have the ability to beat defenses one-on-one, giving the Hokies a big-play element they’ve been lacking.

The running game showed signs of life last season before the tailback spot was decimated by injuries. The team’s most promising young backs, Marshawn Williams (knee) and Shai McKenzie (knee, indefinite suspension) missed spring ball. Senior J.C. Coleman came on at the end of last year, running for 468 yards in the final four games.

The question, recently, has been the line. But for the first time in years, this much-maligned unit went through spring practice with a set lineup.

DEFENSE

Several players went through offseason injuries or surgeries, but Virginia Tech has a good chance to boast one of the ACC’s top defenses, yet again.

Up front, the Hokies went through spring without defensive tackles Luther Maddy (knee) and Corey Marshall (ankle), and defensive end Ken Ekanem (shoulder). All three figure to be all-conference level talents. Senior defensive end Dadi Nicolas might be the defense’s most dynamic player, and sophomore Seth Dooley emerged as a third option at end.

Sophomore linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka started four straight games last season when Chase Williams was out with a knee injury, and Motuapuaka reached double-digit tackles in all of them.

If there’s a question mark on the defense, it’s in the secondary, where the Hokies replace a pair of three-year starters at safety in Kyshoen Jarrett and Detrick Bonner. Tech’s top two cornerbacks, Kendall Fuller (wrist) and Brandon Facyson (leg), sat out the spring with injuries.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Senior punter A.J. Hughes sat out spring practice with a back injury. He averaged 39.9 yards per punt in 2014, the lowest mark of his three years with the Hokies.

Sophomore Joey Slye, the starting place-kicker last season, is competing with redshirt freshman Michael Santamaria to hold on to that spot. Slye converted 20 of 28 field goal attempts last year.

OVERVIEW

Virginia Tech might finally have the offensive pieces in place to give its defense the support it needs to contend for an ACC title. A matchup with national champion Ohio State to open the season will draw the most headlines, but a relatively easy conference schedule may help the Hokies return to the league title game for the first time since 2011.

TOP NEWCOMER

DB Mook Reynolds: The true freshman enrolled early, which helped him get in the weight program and add some needed pounds. Reynolds, listed at 6-0, 172 pounds, will offer the Hokies versatility as either a cornerback or nickel back. He was voted the team’s top newcomer in the spring.

 

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