NCAA Football: 2010 Virginia Tech Hokies Preview
There are high hopes in Blacksburg this college football season with the Hokies entering the campaign as AP's preseason No. 10. Talented Tyrod Taylor directs the offense and you know that Frank Beamer's bunch will be ready to play on defense and special teams. Virginia Tech has a tough opener versus Boise State and is saddled with a 9-win season total on the NCAA football futures board.
Ten wins might not be enough for the Virginia Tech Hokies to win national championship, but it’s all they need to beat the betting odds.
The Hokies have a total of nine wins up on the board for the 2010 college football regular season, with the 'over' priced at -170. If you don’t mind the chalk, this is virtually a free shot at a payday.
The Hokies have won at least nine regular season games in each of their six years in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The first four years, they reached the 10-win mark before going bowling. But Virginia Tech’s 2008 and 2009 campaigns started with non-conference losses to the East Carolina Pirates (+9) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (-6).
Hokies fans are worried they’ll get shut out of the national championship conversation for a third straight year. Their 2010 opener is against the Boise State Broncos, the No. 3 team in the AP preseason rankings – Virginia Tech is No. 10. This game takes place September 6 in the relatively friendly confines of FedExField in Landover, Md. But the Hokies are 3-point underdogs nonetheless.
There’s every reason to believe the Hokies can take at least nine of the other 11 games on the schedule. Coach Frank Beamer has built a remarkable program in his 23 years on the job; Virginia Tech has finished in the AP rankings 11 times in the past 12 seasons, earning six conference titles and four BCS bowl bids. That remarkable consistency is key, because the Hokies do have some reloading to do this year.
Virginia Tech has lost seven starters from the defense that finished No. 14 out of 120 FBS teams last year in terms of efficiency, according to Brian Fremeau’s advanced stats. This has been a Top-20 unit in each of the last six ACC seasons under defensive co-ordinator Bud Foster. He’s been in this position before. In 2000, Foster only had three starters returning from a team that went 11-1, but the Hokies matched that record anyway, earning Foster Defensive Coordinator of the Year honors.
Foster’s primary task this year will be to integrate his young defensive linemen with holdover senior tackle John Graves. Fellow tackle Antoine Hopkins got in some playing time last year as a freshman reserve, and Foster has a pair of very promising first-year ends in J.R. Collins and James Gayle who are going to be stars sooner rather than later.
There are some holes to plug in the secondary, as well, and linebacker Barquell Rivers missed the spring session after having surgery on his torn left quad. Rivers is being limited to light drills in practice and is considered doubtful against Boise State, but his return is imminent.
The Virginia Tech offense will make life a lot easier for the defense. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor (13 TDs, five INTs) is back for his senior season, leading a rush-heavy offense that also returns sophomore Ryan Williams (5.6 yards per carry, 21 TDs) and junior Darren Evans, who missed 2009 with a torn ACL after being named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2008 – an award Williams duplicated last year. These are two complementary backs who should have a field day operating behind a strong run-blocking offensive line.
There could be some issues on special teams, where the Hokies need a new place-kicker and punter, but those jobs should be filled more than adequately by seniors Chris Hazley and Brian Saunders. They’ve been waiting patiently for their opportunity, and they’ve benefited from Beamer’s tutelage – he personally handles the special teams unit. Junior Justin Myer is also back for his third season as Virginia Tech’s kick-off specialist. The Hokies typically enjoy good field position, one of the “hidden” reasons behind their 48-29 ATS record in ACC play.
Aside from the Broncos, you also have to love Virginia Tech’s schedule this year. The two away games against the Atlantic Division are at Boston College and North Carolina State – no Clemson or Florida State to be found, home or away. There are back-to-back road games in November against North Carolina and Miami; the Hokies figure to be at least 8-1 by the time they get there. Then the season ends at home with the Commonwealth Cup against Virginia, a Rivalry game Tech has won every season since joining the ACC. So, how do you like your chalk?
There are high hopes in Blacksburg this college football season with the Hokies entering the campaign as AP's preseason No. 10. Talented Tyrod Taylor directs the offense and you know that Frank Beamer's bunch will be ready to play on defense and special teams. Virginia Tech has a tough opener versus Boise State and is saddled with a 9-win season total on the NCAA football futures board.
Ten wins might not be enough for the Virginia Tech Hokies to win national championship, but it’s all they need to beat the betting odds.
The Hokies have a total of nine wins up on the board for the 2010 college football regular season, with the 'over' priced at -170. If you don’t mind the chalk, this is virtually a free shot at a payday.
The Hokies have won at least nine regular season games in each of their six years in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The first four years, they reached the 10-win mark before going bowling. But Virginia Tech’s 2008 and 2009 campaigns started with non-conference losses to the East Carolina Pirates (+9) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (-6).
Hokies fans are worried they’ll get shut out of the national championship conversation for a third straight year. Their 2010 opener is against the Boise State Broncos, the No. 3 team in the AP preseason rankings – Virginia Tech is No. 10. This game takes place September 6 in the relatively friendly confines of FedExField in Landover, Md. But the Hokies are 3-point underdogs nonetheless.
There’s every reason to believe the Hokies can take at least nine of the other 11 games on the schedule. Coach Frank Beamer has built a remarkable program in his 23 years on the job; Virginia Tech has finished in the AP rankings 11 times in the past 12 seasons, earning six conference titles and four BCS bowl bids. That remarkable consistency is key, because the Hokies do have some reloading to do this year.
Virginia Tech has lost seven starters from the defense that finished No. 14 out of 120 FBS teams last year in terms of efficiency, according to Brian Fremeau’s advanced stats. This has been a Top-20 unit in each of the last six ACC seasons under defensive co-ordinator Bud Foster. He’s been in this position before. In 2000, Foster only had three starters returning from a team that went 11-1, but the Hokies matched that record anyway, earning Foster Defensive Coordinator of the Year honors.
Foster’s primary task this year will be to integrate his young defensive linemen with holdover senior tackle John Graves. Fellow tackle Antoine Hopkins got in some playing time last year as a freshman reserve, and Foster has a pair of very promising first-year ends in J.R. Collins and James Gayle who are going to be stars sooner rather than later.
There are some holes to plug in the secondary, as well, and linebacker Barquell Rivers missed the spring session after having surgery on his torn left quad. Rivers is being limited to light drills in practice and is considered doubtful against Boise State, but his return is imminent.
The Virginia Tech offense will make life a lot easier for the defense. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor (13 TDs, five INTs) is back for his senior season, leading a rush-heavy offense that also returns sophomore Ryan Williams (5.6 yards per carry, 21 TDs) and junior Darren Evans, who missed 2009 with a torn ACL after being named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2008 – an award Williams duplicated last year. These are two complementary backs who should have a field day operating behind a strong run-blocking offensive line.
There could be some issues on special teams, where the Hokies need a new place-kicker and punter, but those jobs should be filled more than adequately by seniors Chris Hazley and Brian Saunders. They’ve been waiting patiently for their opportunity, and they’ve benefited from Beamer’s tutelage – he personally handles the special teams unit. Junior Justin Myer is also back for his third season as Virginia Tech’s kick-off specialist. The Hokies typically enjoy good field position, one of the “hidden” reasons behind their 48-29 ATS record in ACC play.
Aside from the Broncos, you also have to love Virginia Tech’s schedule this year. The two away games against the Atlantic Division are at Boston College and North Carolina State – no Clemson or Florida State to be found, home or away. There are back-to-back road games in November against North Carolina and Miami; the Hokies figure to be at least 8-1 by the time they get there. Then the season ends at home with the Commonwealth Cup against Virginia, a Rivalry game Tech has won every season since joining the ACC. So, how do you like your chalk?