With an experienced group leading the way, Virginia Tech headed into the 2007 season as the consensus pick to win the ACC title. After being ranked in the top ten at the start of the season, the Hokies’ hopes for being in national title contention took a hit with a blowout loss at eventual national champion LSU in the second game of the season.
The Hokies then rolled off five straight wins and worked their way back into the top 10, but a last-minute loss to Boston College would prove costly to their remaining chances at national title contention. But, Virginia Tech did go on to win the ACC Coastal Division title with a 7-1 mark, and they got their revenge on the Eagles in the ACC title game with a 30-16 victory.
However, they fell short against upstart Kansas in a close Orange Bowl matchup, falling 24-21 to finish the season at 11-3, their fourth straight double-digit win tally.
This season, the Hokies are favored to repeat in the Coastal Division and make their third appearance in the ACC title game in the game’s four-year existence.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Coach: Frank Beamer (22nd year at Virginia Tech, 167-85-2 record)
2007 Record: 11-3, 7-1 ACC
Starters Returning: 10 (6 offense, 4 defense)
Top Returnees: QB Sean Glennon, QB Tyrod Taylor, C Ryan Shuman, RG Sergio Render, LG Nick Marshman, DE Orion Martin, OLB Cam Martin, CB Victor “Macho” Harris, SS Kam Chancellor
Key Losses: RB Brandon Ore, WR Eddie Royal, WR Josh Morgan, WR Justin Harper, LT Duane Brown, DT Carlton Powell, DT Barry Booker, DE Chris Ellis, LB Vince Hall, LB Xavier Adibi, CB Brandon Flowers, FS DJ Parker
2008 Schedule
Aug. 30 East Carolina (Neutral Site: Charlotte)
Sept. 6 Furman
Sept. 13 Georgia Tech
Sept. 20 @ North Carolina
Sept. 27 @ Nebraska
Oct. 4 Western Kentucky
Oct. 18 @ Boston College
Oct. 25 @ Florida State
Nov. 6 Maryland
Nov. 13 @ Miami, Fl
Nov. 22 Duke
Nov. 29 Virginia
Key game: Nov. 13 @ Miami. The Hurricanes stand to be vastly improved this year, and this late-season roadie could have ACC title game implications all over it. While the game will be played at Dolphin Stadium, the Hokies have won the last two match-ups in Miami and four of the last five overall.
2008 Outlook
Just how good this year’s Virginia Tech team will be is a big mystery at this point. Football experts around the nation have the Hokies finishing the year anywhere from as high as first to as low as fourth in the ACC’s Coastal Division. This is for good reason. as Virginia Tech almost always fields a quality team that can turn heads, but just ten starters return this year, and they will lose last season’s top four receivers, top rusher and top three tacklers.
The good news for the Hokies is that their duo of QB Sean Glennon and QB Tyrod Taylor will still be running the offense. Both guys saw ample playing time in 2007 with Glennon starting nine games, with the highly-touted Taylor starting five games as a true freshman.
Glennon is more the pure passer and finished the year with 1,796 yards passing and 12 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions. Meanwhile, Taylor is more of the dual-threat, highlight-reel, athletic QB, and he finished the season with 927 yards passing, 429 yards rushing and 11 total touchdowns. Both of them will see significant playing time again, but it’d be reasonable to think that the one who performs better will get the lion’s share of the snaps.
Replacing your top four receivers is not easy at all, especially when three were NFL Draft picks. The receiving corps also took a big hit with the loss of junior Brandon Dillard, who will miss the entire season due to a torn Achilles that he recently suffered. The speedy Dillard (4.28 40 in the off-season) was expected to be a big part of the offense this season, so his loss means yet another unknown will have to step up.
Among the returning pass-catchers, tight ends Sam Wheeler and Greg Boone have the most experience on this year’s unit, but combined for just 26 receptions and a touchdown in 2007. Wheeler is also coming off of a torn ACL he suffered last year, and it will be a question mark as to whether his knee will be able to hold up all season long.
Look for a lot of players to get a chance at playing in the receiver slots this year. Converted quarterbacks Ike Whittaker and Cory Holt should get plenty of opportunities, along with sophomore Zach Luckett. Freshmen D.J. Coles, Dyrell Roberts, and Kendrick Pressley should all get a chance to impress early on.
There’s a hole at running back, as former starter Branden Ore was dismissed earlier this year and transferred to West Liberty State, but that could be addition by subtraction, if someone can step up from a cast of characters that has some injury concerns heading into camp.
Kenny Lewis, Jr., who ran for 205 yards and four touchdowns last season, is out until at least mid-August and maybe until September as he recovers from shoulder surgery, and fellow junior Jahre Cheeseman is still recovering from a broken leg, though he should be back before Lewis.
Look for redshirt freshman RB Darren Evans and true frosh RB Ryan Williams to stand out. Evans ran for 7,220 yards and 127 touchdowns in high school, including an Indiana-record 61 touchdowns (#4 in U.S. high school history) as a senior in 2006, while Williams was rated the #3 running back in the 2008 class by Rivals.com. The last two seasons has seen the lowest production total from the backfield in the Beamer era, but if at least a couple of the guys in that quartet can step up, the Hokies should have a potent ground attack.
The offensive line will be key to just how productive Virginia Tech’s offense will be this year. Last year, the line wasn’t very good, as it allowed 54 sacks and 115 tackles for loss, and the ground game averaged only 3.3 yards per carry.
The line takes a big hit with the loss of tackle Duane Brown, who was drafted #26 overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. However, eight top linemen return, and with Beamer’s top weight training program, this year’s unit should be greatly improved, with RG Sergio Render and LG Nick Marshman standing out among the group.
Virginia Tech is renowned for being tough on defense, and that was the case last season, as the Hokies gave up only 16.1 points and 296.9 yards per game, registered 47 sacks, and forced 31 turnovers (22 interceptions, nine fumbles, +11 turnover margin).
However, there are a lot of key players to replace, as only four starters return, with each unit of the defense suffering significant losses.
On the defensive line, First-Team All-ACC DE Chris Ellis (drafted by Buffalo), DT Carlton Powell (drafted by Denver) and DT Barry Booker all depart. DE Orion Martin is the lone returnee, but he was solid last season in recording 58 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Opposite Martin will be sophomore Jason Worlds (17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks). In the middle, NG John Graves (11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss) was the team’s top defensive rookie last season, and he‘ll be stepping into the starting lineup this season.
At linebacker, Beamer will have to replace the fantastic tandem of First-Team All-ACC honoree Xavier Adibi (drafted by Houston) and Vince Hall, who both had 100-tackle seasons as seniors. Looking to replace them are LB Brett Warren (43 tackles, 3.5 sacks) and LB Purnell Sturdivant (12 tackles, 2 sacks), who will join returning starter OLB Cam Martin (58 tackles, 6.5 sacks). The Hokies picked up several linebackers in their 2008 class, and top prospects Quillie Odom and Bruce Taylor should contribute early on, and a few of the others could also figure in as well.
In the secondary, First-Team All-American CB Brandon Flowers was drafted in the second round by the Kansas City Chiefs, and honorable mention All-ACC pick FS DJ Parker is also gone. But, the defensive backfield still boasts the talents of First-Team All-ACC CB Victor ‘Macho’ Harris (36 tackles, 5 interceptions) and SS Kam Chancellor (79 tackles), who packs a real punch at 6’3, 225 pounds. Both are being touted as potential first-round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft
As usual, you have to expect special teams and big defensive plays to be a part of Virginia Tech’s success this season. The Hokies blocked four kicks and had nine non-offensive touchdowns in 2007 (five interception, three punt, one kickoff), and you can’t have Beamerball without at least a few of those plays.
While Beamer may or may not have a quarterback dilemma and has several starters to replace, Virginia Tech has the talent to be the class of the Coastal Division and the ACC yet again. The nation will find out early on as they have tough tests in late September when they travel to North Carolina and Nebraska, and the tough road games don‘t stop there, as they also have to go to Florida State and Miami. But, the Hokies should be able to get through those tough road games to win at least 10 games for the fifth straight season and contend for another ACC title.
