Virginia Tech’s open practice on Monday offered a clean look at where this group thinks the season starts: on the defensive end.
For forward Kuol Atak and center Miles Heide, the benchmark for success was the same. Make the NCAA Tournament. With the field set to expand to 76 teams for the 2026-27 season, an appearance would end a four-year drought for the Hokies, who have not reached March Madness since the 2021-22 campaign.
On the floor, Atak gave plenty of reason to think he’ll be a major piece. The junior transfer from Oklahoma was sharp in the open scrimmage, knocking down a contested 3-pointer to finish the action. He also showed up all over the defensive end, using his 6-foot-11 wingspan to disrupt passing lanes and tip several balls.
Atak’s shooting touch wasn’t a surprise. In 2025-26 with the Sooners, he averaged 7.0 points in 12.4 minutes per game, scored in double figures eight times and had a season high of 29 points against Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 29, when he buried six 3-pointers. He shot 41.3% from beyond the arc last season, and on Monday he looked comfortable letting it fly, including the final shot of the session from a step or two behind the line.
San Diego State transfer Miles Heide, who is expected to start at the five, pointed to Atak’s length as one of his biggest assets.
“He knows how to use his feet, so just being able to use his length is most important," Heide continued. "Some people have length, but you have to be able to use it, and he’s a really good shooter as well.”
The other big theme from practice was how cleanly this offense seems to fit under Young. Both Elohim and Atak described the system as “free-flowing,” and Atak emphasized how much of it runs through all five players instead of sticking to one primary creator.
“Sometimes, you can have your four-man initiate the offense,” Atak said, pointing to senior Amani Hansberry as an example. "As Coach [Young] always says, he's a good connector.
He's able to get the ball, DHO [dribble handoff], set a flare, pindown, and he's doing that with all the players. I feel like it just makes the game so much easier. ...
It's really just playing smart basketball.”
He also said the coaching staff gives the group room to play with confidence while still expecting the ball to move.
"I think he puts confidence in the guys to play their game, but also share the ball when needed to," the Florida Atlantic transfer said.
Elohim’s takeaway was more direct: the offense shouldn’t be the issue. The real test is whether Virginia Tech can lock in defensively.
“I mean, offense is not an issue," he continued We have a lot of great scorers on the team that can get their own shot, but also create shots for others. But once we lock in defensively, I think we’re going to be a great team.”
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Clemson comes into Saturday with a very unusual profile for a program that so often survives on offense. The Tigers have leaned on defense and kicking to stay 4-2, while a midseason shakeup sent Chad Morris back into the offensive coordinator role after Garrett Riley was dismissed. For Virginia Tech, it creates a chance to get in a matchup the Hokies have rarely been able to dictate, with bowl eligibility still the clear target in James Franklins first season.
The bigger question is whether Clemson can find even a modest spark on offense after six games that have tested the whole structure of the attack. Virginia Tech has spent enough time chasing the Tigers to know how quickly a tight game can flip on one possession, but this version of Clemson has been living on field position and mistakes by opponents rather than explosive plays. If the Hokies are going to take advantage of this opening, they may need to do it while Clemson is still figuring out what its offense is supposed to be. [Read more 🡒]
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Marylands coaching shake-up has created the kind of uncertainty rivals watch closely, especially in recruiting territory that overlaps with Virginia Tech. After a 2-5 start to the 2026 season and back-to-back 4-8 finishes, the Terrapins moved on from Mike Locksley and turned to longtime assistant Aazaar Abdul-Rahim to guide the program the rest of the way, a change that inevitably puts roster retention under the microscope.
Among the names to monitor are Zion Elee, Zahir Mathis, Malik Washington and Sidney Stewart, four players who could draw portal attention now that the staff hierarchy has changed. For the Hokies, Stewart is the one to keep an especially close eye on, since there was already prior interest there before Marylands latest upheaval, and any movement from him would immediately ripple into Virginia Techs recruiting plans. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Gets A Clemson Test With ACC Stakes Suddenly Rising
Clemsons next stretch in the ACC opens with Virginia Tech, and it comes at a time when the league standings are starting to matter more by the week. The Tigers have five upcoming games against conference opponents currently ranked below them, beginning with a Hokies team that has made its passing game a real point of strength under quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.
For Virginia Tech, that means the challenge is not just keeping pace with a familiar power, but testing itself against a roster that could soon have another key piece back. Dabo Swinney has indicated Christopher Vizzina is close to returning from an elbow injury, adding another layer to Clemsons quarterback situation as the Hokies prepare to see how their offense stacks up in a game with real ACC implications. [Read more 🡒]