Virginia Tech’s defense has become one of the clearest signs that Brent Pry is pushing the Hokies in the right direction.
Yes, the pass defense has drawn plenty of heat. But through eight games, the bigger picture looks a lot stronger than the noise around it.
Virginia Tech is 6-2 and sits two field goals away from being 8-0, and Pry’s unit ranks 26th nationally in total defense. That’s not the profile of a wrecked defense.
It’s the profile of one with some flaws, sure, but also real bite.
The biggest number jumps off the page: Virginia Tech is No. 1 nationally with 77 tackles for loss. That kind of disruption changes games.
Defensive end Aycen Stevens has led the surge with 10.5 TFLs, good for second in the ACC, and he also tops the Hokies with eight sacks. Mylachi Williams, Noah Chambers and Kaleb Spencer have all chipped in with nine tackles for loss apiece, giving Virginia Tech four players among the ACC’s top six in that category.
Against Clemson on Saturday, the Hokies added 13 tackles for loss in one of their most eye-opening performances yet.
And Clemson is not VMI.
There’s been plenty of criticism aimed at Pry because of the passing defense, and that concern isn’t imaginary. Still, the Hokies have shown some encouraging signs there too, especially after a solid showing against Clemson. The run defense has been strong outside of quarterback runs, and beyond the pass defense issue, the rest of the defense has been steady.
That matters even more given the road ahead. Virginia Tech still has to travel to SMU and No. 1 Miami, and those games will put Pry’s defense under a much harsher spotlight.
For now, though, the direction is hard to miss. Pry has the Hokies playing fast and flying to the ball, and even with the rough edges, the foundation is clearly there.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Bye Week Is Putting Pressure On Two Key Battles
A bye week gives Virginia Tech a chance to catch its breath after opening the season 6-2, but it also puts a spotlight on the little things the staff wants cleaned up before the Hokies return to action against SMU on Nov. 6. James Franklin spent part of the break talking through recent performances and the way practice has been adjusted, with an eye toward keeping the team sharp while it resets for the stretch run.
Franklin also pointed to the ongoing competition behind the starting quarterback spot, a battle that has stayed active as the Hokies sort out their depth. He praised the way some freshmen have helped, while also noting there is more room for young players to earn trust as Virginia Tech tries to turn close losses into lessons and keep building on a resilient first half of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Has A Rising Draft Name Fans Need To Watch
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Wide receiver Brown and defensive lineman Stevens have also turned in notable production, giving scouts a few more reasons to keep watching the Hokies down the stretch, even if Stevens still has work to do to rise into the upper tiers. Quarterback Grunkemeyer has added another layer to the evaluation with impressive efficiency, as his completion rate is tracking toward a program mark, and that mix of individual momentum could make Virginia Techs draft picture look very different by the time the season ends. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Just Changed What This Season Can Still Become
A win over Clemson does more than brighten the record for Virginia Tech, it changes the shape of the season in James Franklins first year at the helm. The Hokies already have bowl eligibility locked up after the 20-16 victory on Oct. 24, and the breakthrough came with Ethan Grunkemeyer finding Luke Reynolds twice for touchdowns in a game that kept Virginia Tech alive in the thick of the fall.
Now the conversation shifts from getting to six wins to seeing how much farther this group can push it. The road ahead is still tough, and the next stretch will tell plenty about how real this turnaround can be, but the Clemson result gave Virginia Tech something it had been chasing all season: a margin for optimism, and a reason to believe the remaining schedule can still mean more than just finishing out November. [Read more 🡒]