Our 2024 Virginia Tech Football Season Preview prediction series continues on as we make our bold predictions. This is a Virginia Tech team that has a massive ceiling with all the high-level returning talent they returned and the holes they filled via the transfer portal.
So with that in mind, here are our bold predictions for the Hokies this fall.
Tim Thomas: Bhayshul Tuten Becomes Virginia Tech's First 2,000 All-Purpose Yard Player Since David Wilson
Bhayshul Tuten was a tackle-breaking machine throughout last season, but the offensive line and schematic struggles early last season left Tuten often breaking tackles just to get back to the line of scrimmage. Once those adjustments schematically were made and the OL improved a little, Tuten was able to truly shine and start putting up numbers reflective of his talent.
Additionally, Tuten put on a show as a kick returner on his way to having 1,651 all-purpose yards, the most since Khalil Herbert's 1,791 yards in 2020.
With Tuten back to fill all his same roles this fall including on kick returns, I expect an even bigger year for Tuten where he'll become the first Hokie to surpass 2,000 all-purpose yards.
Even if he has a decline in kick return yards (which seems plausible given how hard it is to have two kick return TDs in the season), there's plenty of reason to believe that this Virginia Tech offense will produce a significantly higher volume of yards of offense this fall. A lot of that will run through Tuten who could also be the first since Wilson to break the 1,200 rushing yard mark.
Tech's love of RPOs and misdirection should continue while pitch plays and outside runs that allow Tuten to get one-on-one matchups that he thrives on will likely be staples of this offense once again. Having 13 games at least of that type of offense rather than just eight like last season will push him over the top to break the 2,000 all-purpose yard mark.
Ryan Duvall: APR Wins ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Goes in the First Round of the 2025 NFL Draft
I feel like it’s crazy to say this, but we still aren’t talking about Antwaun Powell-Ryland enough.
After a quiet two year stint in Gainesville, Antwuan Powell-Ryland came back to his home state of Virginia to play for the Hokies and burst onto the scene with 9.5 sacks in 2023 - in addition to three forced fumbles. He also had 48 pressures over the course of 13 games last season according to Pro Football Focus, showing how much of a nightmare he was for opponents last season.
At 6'3'' and 252 pounds, APR is a terror in the backfield, and if this season goes the way many are projecting it go for the unofficially No. 27 Hokies, Powell-Ryland will need to play a large part.
With that being said, I’m gonna go big for my bold prediction, saying that APR has an explosive campaign, tallying 17 sacks to match Corey Moore’s ‘99 season total, winning the senior ACC Defensive Player of the Year and being named an All-American. He will also earn himself first round pick money with an impressive senior season that has NFL scouts believing he can be a star the next level.
Tucker Terry: Virginia Tech Will Have a Top 10 Scoring Defense
Virginia Tech finished their 2023 season with the 50th ranked scoring defense in the country. In 2024, they are returning virtually their entire unit from last year, and have added Aeneas Peebles, who is one of the best defensive lineman in the ACC.
With players like Peebles putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, an elite secondary featuring one of the best cornerbacks in the country, Dorian Strong, and an improved linebacker room, the Hokies have all the ingredients for a big jump from what was already a great defense last season.
Virginia Tech’s defense knows it has to be ready right from the start, as expectations in Blacksburg are as high as they have been in years. At the very least, the Hokies expect to be one of the better teams in the ACC, and at the most some people, including notably Pat McAfee, are predicting Virginia Tech to sneak into the newly formatted College Football Playoff.
With these expectations in mind, as well as a relatively easy path with the second easiest projected schedule in the ACC, every snap is going to matter. This Hokies' defensive unit that already possessed the best passing defense in the ACC will likely become even better and contend as a top 10 unit in the nation.
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