The 2024 Virginia Tech Hokies finished 6-7 and 4-4 in the ACC. Va. Tech lost five games (yes, five) in either overtime or by four points or less. The other two VT losses were by 10 and 14 points.
Brent Pry has failed as the head coach at VT through three seasons. Pry is 16-21 overall including 10-13 in a ‘meh’ ACC. The Hokies are 1-1 in bowl games which have put them above and below .500 in back-to-back seasons.
The Hokies face a tough but not impossible schedule to finish with eight wins in ‘25. They open the season with South Carolina before five very winnable games. The Hokies then hit the road to face Georgia Tech before an off week.
VT hosts Louisville before another off week. After they head to FSU before hosting Miami. Their season ends with a road trip against rival UVA.
Tech’s 2025 recruiting class finished 48th in FBS and 9th in the ACC. The Hokies signed three four-stars including RB Jeffrey Overton. Jr out of VA. The Hokies portal class was ranked 50th in FBS.
The Hokies Preseason Overall SP+ is 46th in FBS, Va. Tech’s ST’s are 37th per SP+.
The Lean ‘Canes Business Model
Problem: Scoring points. The VT offense has been bad under Pry even with Kyron Drones at QB, not to mention RB Bhayshul Tuten is off to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Solution: The Hokies hit the transfer portal with reckless abandon. There are a half dozen portal transfers on the offensive two-deep for VT.
Unique Value Proposition: The Hokies are known for special teams play and hard nosed defense. Pry has kept the Hokies defense playing well, but not to the VT standard. “Enter Sandman,” Thursday night games and blocked kicks have been VT’s UVP for years.
Virginia Tech v Syracuse
Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
Key Metric: Explosive offensive plays. Virginia Tech needs to be more explosive in ‘25. The Hokies were 69th in yards per play last year at 5.5 a snap. Va. Tech needs to climb up that rank to the 30’s vs the 60’s.
Competitive Advantage: It used to be winning the kicking game. PK John Love has been elite over two seasons missing only five FG’s and he’s been perfect on PAT’s. 20 yards per kick return is solid but not great while 10 yards per punt return with a TD was solid for Jaylin Lane.
The Achievers
The High Achievers in the conference are Miami, SMU and Clemson. The Hokies shot the Miami route and went into a portal overload heading into Pry’s 4th season in Blacksburg. You may not have another season with Drones at QB so might as well get him supporting talent.
The Low Achievers are Wake Forest, Stanford and UVA. Va. Tech kept Drones home so that’s one major win over the low achievers in the ACC. They did lose two OL to the SEC which always hurts.
The Offense
The preseason SP+ for VT on offense is 53rd in all of FBS. The Hokies offense scored only 28.2 PPG (68th in FBS) in ‘24. Tuten scored 17 TD’s from scrimmage a year ago but will be in the NFL this season.
Drones, WR Ayden Greene, and TE Benji Gosnell return for the ‘25 season. Drones logged 17 total touchdowns last year (10 passing, one receiving) with six INT’s on only seven yards per pass attempt. Greene and Gosnell combined for four TD’s a year ago.
Donovan Greene and Terion Stewart have entered via the transfer portal. Greene comes over from Wake Forest where he averaged 16 yards per catch with three TD’s. Stewart, from Bowling Green, averaged 5.4 yards per carry with six rushing TD’s.
The Film: Syracuse 38 - Virginia Tech 31 (OT)
The Orange squeezed out a win over the Hokies in overtime last season. VT’s offense was 5-of-11 on 3rd down and turned the ball over twice while the Orange offense went 8-of-15 on money downs with two TO’s of their own. Syracuse actually lost the penalty yards battle and both teams made their lone FG attempt. VT won the Josh Gattis time of possession battle as well.
So... how did VT lose? Some turnovers are more valuable than others and fumbling the ball away in OT down seven is one of those moments of value!
Drones was out for the game and backup QB Collin Schlee scored twice with just the one turnover. The ‘Cuse defense was carved up for 8.6 yards per pass and 5.2 yards per carry even with a first time starter behind center.
Above- QB is going to read that LB the entire way. He’s also aware of the safety over #2 (the slot) to the top. Pre-snap the S is giving the perfect cushion for the quick pitch “end around”
Above- The S is trying to run down on the slot but much like I would, he seems to assume it’s a screen not a pitch going the other way.
Above- The Q fakes to the RB to lure defenders, and the back turns into the lead blocker. The Q pitches to the slot and the other RB with the pitch relationship freezes the safety. The LB plays the QB and that means no one is really on the slot coming back.
Above- The difference between a good play, and explosive and a TD is the quality of downfield blocking by skills. The OL does their job but the RB that had the initial fake turns this from an explosive into a TD.
The Defense
The defensive preseason SP+ for the Hokies is 41st in the country after allowing 22.8 PPG a year ago (39th in FBS). Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. is off to the NFL and took his 19 TFL’s and 16 sacks with him. LB Caleb Woodson returns with eight TFL’s and two sacks a year ago.
The defense should see a nice shot in the arm via the transfer portal. DL Ben Bell and James Djonkam bring 6.5 combined sacks and 17.5 TFL’s to the Hokies. The back end players that are going to help Pry’s squad are Isaiah Brown-Murray and Christian Ellis. The duo picked up 11 PBU’s and two INT’s last season.
VT’s defense was carved up by the Syracuse offense. Kyle McCord threw two TD’s with one INT on eight yards per attempt. But LeQuint Allen scored three times on the ground and WR Justus Ross-Simmons averaged 22 yards per catch with two TD’s.
Above- A little motion can screw up the #’s and as you can see the slot is winning the numbers game as the ball is snapped. It’s 1.5 over 3 to the top and that 1⁄2 player is clearly coming on pressure.
Above- As McCord slung it out there like a second baseman turning two, the line is already in motion to dominate the uneven side of the VT defense.
Above- Downfield outside blocking is doing its thing from a skill guy and there’s literally seven blockers vs two defenders out in space.
Above- Head across tackling. VT’s defender over-runs Pena and tries to finish head across. Pena shakes him out with his hips. If the defender shoulder tackles and puts his eyes on Pena’s thighs instead of chest he might’ve finished this one.
Above- As the WR tries not to get a holding call he uses a push. Pena should’ve cut under it and used him as a screen but instead works outside into the defender with no help. It’s still an explosive but not a TD.
2025 Prediction
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: JAN 03 Duke’s Mayo Bowl - Minnesota vs Virginia Tech
Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Canyonero Keys to Victory for the ‘Canes this season over VT is to keep your head down and drive. Cam Ward played around with the Hokies to the point of near disaster. I think Carson Beck will be more of a calming force surrounded by a steady run game.
Way too early prediction: Miami by 10. The Hokies will finish 7-5 this season with a strength of schedule hitting 54th per SP+. Brent Pry won’t need the bowl game to finish above .500 with Drones and portal transfers handling business against an easy slate.