The battle of the Tech’s will be one of teams on similar paths
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On Saturday, October 26, the ACC’s Techs will play for the 20th time, where Virginia Tech currently leads the all-time series 11-8. The schools last played in 2022 during the Brent Key portion of the year, the come from behind 28-27 win where Zach Pyron put himself firmly on the Georgia Tech map with two late touchdown drives.
This will be Tech’s second to last road game of the season and 6th ACC game of the season, coming the week after the Notre Dame clash in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For the Hokies, this is their homecoming game coming off hosting Boston College the weekend before.
High level, this will be a must win for both teams. Both teams could very well be playing for bowl eligibility with plenty of winnable games in the front half of the schedule. Reasonably, both should be at 3-5 wins by the time this game rolls around, if not already at 6 with some luck. No game matters more than the one in front of you, but this very well could be one of those games both teams will look at as one they should’ve had to make their bowl standing much better. When looking at the schools both sides have after this game (GT: Miami, NC State, @ Georgia | VT: @ Syracuse, Clemson, @Duke, Virginia), this game becomes much more valuable.
2023 started quite slow for Virginia Tech, losing to Rutgers, Purdue, and Marshall all in a row. They beat Pitt before getting smashed by Florida State to fall to 2-4. The back half of their schedule was quite favorable, beating Wake Forest, Syracuse, Boston College, and Virginia to become bowl eligible, winning the Military Bowl over #23 Tulane for a 7-6 season, their first bowl win since 2016. Similar to how Georgia Tech found their form and had a lot to build on at the end of the 2023 season, Virginia Tech is in the same boat thinking they can be better than what their record showed, especially with their returning production.
Offense
Like any team, if you have a quarterback, you have a chance. Virginia Tech has that in Kyron Drones. After transferring from Baylor, he came in last season after Grant Wells got injured in week two, impressing well enough to start the rest of the season at QB. Drones finished with 2,085 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns to only three interceptions, and also rushed for 818 yards averaging nearly five a carry. Against Boston College, he had a stellar game throwing for 219 and rushing for 135 yards. Drones was 19th in QBR nationally after Week 5.
Drones’ success lept Virginia Tech up offensively, finishing 6th in efficiency right behind the Jackets in the ACC. Drones was right behind Haynes King in passing efficiency at 7th in the ACC.
What’s good for their efficiency is that the Hokies have lots of returning production. 84% of the team’s total production is coming back this fall, enough for fourth best in the country per Bill Connolly. On offense, 91% of their production is back. It’s a very similar story to what Georgia Tech has on the offensive side of the ball: a reliable, mobile quarterback, multiple weapons, and they all are getting a second round together.
Da’Quan Felton was the Hokies’ top receiver last year with 667 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 17.6 yards a catch, enough for 2nd best in the ACC. They also get back Stephen Gosnell (348 yards, 3 TD), Jaylin Lane (538 yards, 6 TD), and Ali Jennings (72 yards, 2 TD) back at wide receiver.
At running back, 2023 third-team All ACC Bhayshul Tuten returns for his senior season, having started all 13 games for Virginia Tech, plus takes care of kick return duties. He set a career high 210 all-purpose yards against Florida State which included a 99-yard kick return TD. He averaged 66.4 yards on the ground last season, putting him in Will Shipley territory. He did post a career high 136 rushing yards in the Military Bowl against Tulane to finish the 2023 season.
Defense
77% of Virginia Tech’s defensive production returns in 2024 per Bill Connelly, plenty of which are at the top of their position groups. 2023 All-ACC 2nd Team Antwaun Powell-Ryland was the standout last year at defensive tackle, reaching 40 tackles and 9.5 sacks, enough for 2nd in the ACC. He also forced and recovered three fumbles with 14.5 tackles for loss.
Powell-Ryland and VT’s line will be joined by Duke transfer Aeneas Peebles as a grad transfer, who made All-ACC 3rd Team in 2023. He was Duke’s leader in sacks, tackles for loss, and QB hurries. He won Duke’s Cutcliffe Family Award, which goes to the most improved player on Duke’s team. If both of them stay healthy, they will be a challenge for the Jackets O-Line.
At corner, Dorian Strong made All-ACC 3rd team last season. And according to VT, he was the 2nd cornerback since 2014 to give up fewer than 10+ receptions and under 100 yards in 300+ coverage snaps over a season. He finished the season with three interceptions and 11 pass defenses, five of them coming in the final three regular season games. His likely matchup with Eric Singleton Jr. could be one of the better receiver/corner duels we see this season.
Mansoor Delane stands opposite him, recording nine pass breakups in 2023 along with a couple forced fumbles.
Special Teams
So, usually I wouldn’t think to bother writing about a kicker for one of these, but even with Aidan Birr, Georgia Tech might not have the best kicker on the field when we get around to this game. VT’s John Love hit 22 of 24 field goals last year and made all 47 of his extra points, good enough for the 6th best kick percentage nationally at 91.7%. He didn’t miss a field goal in the final five games of 2023, including putting five through against Syracuse.
Jack Purdy is a non-revenue sports writer and co-host of Scions of the Southland for From the Rumble Seat. He previously served as The Technique’s assistant sports editor before graduating Georgia Tech in 2022. Follow Jack on Twitter @JackNicolaus
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