Virginia Tech moves on to week three of the season this week with a home date against Furman. The Paladins are 1-1 on the year and are ranked 16th in the latest FCS poll after a 48-42 loss to Georgia State last week. They are a solid FCS program with a dangerous offense, but this is still an FCS program that Virginia Tech should beat.
Last Time Out: Virginia Tech 31 – Old Dominion 17
The Hokies succeeded in exacting some sort of revenge for ODU 49 – VT 35, in that they actually defeated the Monarchs this year. It wasn’t the dominant effort many wanted, and it showed the Hokies still have a lot of work to do to compete in the Coastal this year.
They remain exceedingly young and inconsistent at perhaps the most important positions in football, the offensive and defensive lines, and have been hampered by a lackluster running game through two games.
Ryan Willis rallied from his BC opener to throw for 272 yards and two scores with no interceptions, although a late fumble led to Hendon Hooker proving he can indeed catch snaps and hand the ball off repeatedly.
Tre Turner had three catches for 60 yards, Tayvion Robinson had four for 62 yards, and Hezekiah Grimsley and Phil Patterson both caught touchdowns. Rayshard Ashby and Divine Deablo led the team in tackles. Those are the positions we know are solid and productive.
But it’s the ongoing shuffling of the offensive line, a unit that has largely kept Willis upright but failed to open much in the ground game, along with the youth and uneven play of the defensive line that will decide which way this season goes once the Hokies enter the throngs of ACC play.
Tech looks to be on their 4th center now after Bryan Hudson made his debut against the Monarchs. John Harris played the first half before giving way to Hudson in the second.
Luke Tenuta shuffled in at right tackle in place of an injured Silas Dzansi. With Tenuta next to true freshman Doug Nester at right guard, Tech could enter this week with three freshmen on the right side of the offensive line (Tenuta-Nester-Hudson), and maybe two sophomores on the left side with Darrisaw and Lecitus Smith, although Smith’s job might be in jeopardy as well.
Simply put, Vance Vice has a lot to sort through entering week three of the season, but he’s basically got two weeks to do it.
On the defensive line, Emmanuel Belmar was better in week two – five stops and 1.5 TFL. Jaylen Griffin had four tackles and a sack and might have the edge at the other end spot over freshmen Javeon Becton and Eli Adams for the time being. Tech stood up one defensive end and either dropping him into coverage or let him get a running start at the offensive tackle many times against ODU. The return of Tyjuan Garbutt at some point should help.
Inside, Charley Wiles has Jerrod Hewitt as his steady foundation and is trying to piece together a productive group between Mario Kendricks, Norell Pollard, Rob Porcher, and Dashawn Crawford. Porcher looked great in his limited action in his 2019 debut and even played often with Hewitt. He may be on that top pairing if healthy.
Regardless, the DT group is going to have its good moments, but with two true freshmen, a first-time starter, and an oft-injured sophomore, it will also have its bad moments. Like Vice, Wiles has two weeks to get that group going as well.
Overall, the Hokies played well for about 2/3rds of the game. They were in control until the run defense and the run offense collapsed in the second half, which allowed the Monarchs to get back into the game with two long drives.
As with any young team, Tech has issues with consistency and some plain errors that can only be fixed with time and experience. We’ll find out soon if Tech’s coaching staff can get everything cleaned up in time to make a run at the Coastal this year.
Last Time Against the Paladins: Virginia Tech 42 – Furman 3 (Sept. 12, 2015)
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A week after a Braxton Miller spin-move ended Tech’s hopes of upsetting #1 Ohio State, the Hokies recovered for a tidy 42-3 win over Furman in 2015.
Brenden Motley started his first game in place of the injured Michael Brewer, and his backup, Dwayne Lawson (!!!), went 3 for 7 for 51 yards and ran nine times for 51 yards and another score in mop-up duty.
If things go well here in 2019, perhaps Hooker or Quincy Patterson will get an opportunity to grab the Dwayne Lawson role against Furman (and that will be the last reference to Lawson for quite some time, I promise).
Big Picture View
Furman is probably a tougher test than Old Dominion. The Paladins are a good FCS program and have eclipsed 40 points in each of the first two weeks.
Furman can throw the ball and run the ball, which could put some stress on Bud Foster’s defense. ODU wasn’t a threat to throw the ball down the field, which was a huge advantage early for the Hokies. That advantage probably won’t be there against the Paladins.
As impressive as they have been, the proverbial step-up in competition might expose them after games against Charleston Southern and Georgia State. Tech’s defense is going to be tested, particularly on the perimeter, which Furman will attack repeatedly with all sort of sweeps, options, pitches, screens, and the like.
However, Furman remains an FCS program. Virginia Tech should beat FCS programs handily. With how young the Hokies are, and how much development they need to make, this two-game stretch with a bye week to follow is a great opportunity to show progress before a break where everyone can reset. Tech was hoping to get Hendon Hooker in the game earlier against ODU to let him at least throw the ball once, and that goal certainly hasn’t changed this week.
Guys like Porcher, Nester, and Tenuta all saw their first extended action last week and will look to take steps forward this week. If Tech can get up by enough, Amare Barno might get an extended look to see what he can do in pass-rushing situations.
ACC play is looming soon, and Tech needs to take a couple steps forward at multiple positions, but namely on the offensive and defensive lines. A blowout would be huge going into the bye week, but we’ll see if the Hokies can put it together against a solid FCS program.
When the Hokies Have the Ball
There is a lot of attention on the running game, particularly after Fuente’s decision to sit Keshawn King after an early almost-fumble. Deshawn McClease struggled early – eight of his first nine carries went for three yards or less – but seven out of 13 carries in the second half went for five yards or more, although most of that came on one drive.
King should continue to get carries. Could he have simply been benched for the rest of the half or until the fourth quarter or something? Sure, but it’s a fine point for Fuente to make in a non-conference game the Hokies should control. If it helps the team focus on it in the next two weeks before ACC play starts, then great.
However, the bigger issue is the Hokies have just 229 total rushing yards through two games. That is the lowest total through two games since 2007, when the Hokies got bottled up first by ECU and then at LSU. Here are the rushing yards through two games for every season since the Hokies joined the ACC.
2019 = 229
2018= 407
2017 = 315
2016 = 392
2015 = 427
2014 = 347
2013 = 390
2012 = 283
2011 = 497
2010 = 366
2009 = 508
2008 = 365
2007 = 104
2006 = 228
2005 = 304
2004 = 296
If King can take care of the rock, he’ll be the lead back and these numbers will improve. The group has a whole has a chance to take a step forward in this one, as the Paladins have given up 430 yards on the ground over two games (5.0 yards per carry).
They’ll play, two, three, and four-man fronts – they play both a “bandit” and a “spur” so you know they are a multiple look defense – and they start a five-foot nine-inch, 255-pound nose tackle in Taylor Hodge next to a 270-pound defensive tackle in Landon Lawrence. Just given their size advantage, the Hokies should be able to make things happen on the ground.
Through the air, opposing teams have completed 74% of their passes against the Furman defense, which bodes well for Ryan Willis and the Tech receivers. Furman’s top cover is five foot eight inch Amir Trapp, a Clemson transfer. You know that size disparity has Tre Turner drooling. Georgia State threw three touchdowns of 20 yards or more last week, and they scored touchdowns on six consecutive possessions, so Tech should be able to up plenty of points.
When the Paladins Have the Ball
Furman is going to throw a whole bunch of offensive looks out there. They’ll run a little bit of Georgia Tech’s traditional triple option, then they’ll back it up and run a triple-option out of the shotgun, and then they’ll spread you out.
Old Dominion had a little success attacking the edges of Tech’s defense and Furman loves to run their sweeps to the perimeter, so the pressure will be on Tech’s corners to get off their blocks, but maybe more on guys like Chamarri Conner, Reggie Floyd and Divine Deablo to flow to the edges to make tackles.
One of their goals this preseason for Furman was to be “Running Back University.” Accordingly, they’ll play four, maybe five running backs. Devin Wynn led them in rushing last season and will do so again this year – he carried 12 times for 131 yards in their opener against Charleston Southern and 13 times for 84 yards against Georgia State. From there, they’ll sprinkle in Devin Abrams, Carson Maples, Corey Watkins, and Wayne Anderson.
Furman is quarterbacked by redshirt freshman Darren Grainger, a six-foot four-inch athlete who appears to be heading for an outstanding career. He was 16 of 25 for 311 yards and four touchdowns against Georgia State, and he added nine carries for 63 yards and a score on the ground. The Hokies struggled to getStone Smartt to the ground in the second half and Grainger is a more elusive runner than Smartt, so that is something to keep an eye on.
Wide receiver Thomas Gordon will test Tech’s defensive backs – he’s a preseason all-conference pick and had eight catches for 163 yards. He’s by far their primary target with 13 catches this season. Second on the team in receptions is WR Ryan Deluca with seven and after that is a bunch of guys with two or three. The Hokies could give whoever is shading Gordon some extra help all day.
The engine that drives this offense is the offensive line, which returns all five starters from last year. This is a good-sized group for an FCS line (283 pounds is their lightest starter), and they are led by left tackle Bo Taylor, who is also a pre-season all-conference pick. At six foot seven and 287 pounds, he could be a guy you see playing on Sundays in a few years, and he’s going to present issues for Tech’s fledgling defensive ends.
Given the youth upfront for the Hokies on defense, this battle against an experienced Furman offensive line will be the matchup to watch on Saturday.
Positional Prognosis
OFFENSE
QB: Ryan Willis v. Darren Grainger
Prognosis: Grainger is off to a rip-roaring start. I’ll give him the edge. Furman.
RB: Deshawn McClease/Keshawn King v. Devin Wynn/Devin Abrams/Corey Watkins/Carson Maples/Wayne Anderson
Prognosis: Furman will throw a bunch of guys in a bunch of different looks. I think they’ll have some success with it. Furman.
WR: Tre Turner/Kaleb Smith/Phil Patterson/Hezekiah Grimsley/Tayvion Robinson v. Thomas Gordon/Ryan Deluca/Avery Armstrong/Luke Shiflett
Prognosis: Gordon is a threat, but Tech should be able to bottle him up a bit. VT.
TE: Dalton Keene/James Mitchell v. Ryan Miller/Jake Walker
Prognosis: Miller and Walker have combined for three catches this season. VT.
LT: Christian Darrisaw v. Bo Layton
LG: Lecitus Smith v. Reed Kroeber
C: Zachariah Hoyt/John Harris/Bryan Hudson v. Cole Neely
RG: Doug Nester v. Jordan Harris
RT: Silas Dzansi/Luke Tenuta v. Andy Godwin
Prognosis: Doing this one as a group this week, because honestly, it’s unclear who is going to play at several positions for the Hokies. I like the Paladins’ experience. Furman.
DEFENSE
DE: Emmanuel Belmar and Eli Adams/Javeon Becton/Jaylen Griffin v. Jonah Tibbs and Dillon Vann (Bandit)
Prognosis: Furman hasn’t gotten much production out of their guys, but neither has VT. Push.
DT: Jerrod Hewitt and Dashawn Crawford v. Taylor Hodge and Landon Lawrence
Prognosis: I can’t imagine a 255-pound nose tackle holding up too well. VT.
OLB: Dax Hollifield v. Elijah McKoy
MLB: Rayshard Ashby v. Donavan Perryman
WHIP: Chamarri Conner v. Jordan Willis (Spur)
Prognosis: Perryman is solid, but probably matched by Ashby. Willis leads Furman in tackles with 20 so far; McKoy is second with 15. Tech needs more out of Hollifield. Push.
CB: Caleb Farley and Jermaine Waller v. Amir Trapp and Quandarius Weems
Prognosis: Almost put Waller first as the No. 1 CB after his effort last week. Trapp at five foot eight will likely be overmatched. VT.
ROV: Reggie Floyd v. Dimarcus Clay
Prognosis: Floyd has struggled at times, but he is still going to be in on most of the plays. Clay has just seven stops this season. VT.
FS: Divine Deablo v. Bryan Okey
Prognosis: Okey has made 12 stops this year, but nothing in terms of breakups or interceptions. VT.
Five Best Furman Players
1.) LT Bo Taylor
2.) WR Thomas Gordon
3.) SPUR Jordan Willis
4.) MLB Donavan Perryman
5.) QB Darren Grainger
Four Key Matchups1.) Virginia Tech DL v. Furman OLAs discussed above, Furman’s group is experienced and talented, led by the left tackle Taylor. This will be a good test for Tech’s defensive line. 2.) WR Thomas Gordon v. CB Caleb FarleyIf I had to guess, the Paladins are going to try to get Farley on him as much as possible, particularly after Farley was called for PI a couple of times last week. Furman will target Gordon often, so Farley is going to be under fire all day. 3.) QB Darren Grainger v. VT TacklersGrainger is going to run a decent amount against the Hokies. Can they get him on the ground before he reaches the first-down marker? Big question. 4.) WR Tre Turner v. CB Amir TrappTrapp is Furman’s boundary corner, so he’s going to be playing to the wide side on an island, and at five foot eight inches tall, he is vertically challenged against Turner. Turner has had a bit of a quiet start, sans his one long reception to start the second half against ODU, so it almost feels like he’s due for something like an 11-catch, 173-yard game.
Three Questions to Answer
1.) Can the Hokies slow down the running game?
They struggled in the second half against ODU to slow down both the running back and the quarterback. Furman has totaled 81 carries over two games – compared to 49 passing attempts – so they’ll look to wear Tech down over four quarters if they can.
2.) Who is playing center?
John Harris started in place of Zachariah Hoyt, who might return this week. Harris got replaced in the second half by true freshman Bryan Hudson. If Hoyt can go, it’s probably him. But there might be a battle between Harris and Hudson for next man up.
3.) Is this Keshawn’s game?
King looked awesome on the opening drive. His early fumble rooted him to the bench for much of the rest of the game. Tech needs his make-or-miss ability to take the rushing attack up a notch, so I expect him to get a large dose of carries this week, if he can take care of the rock.
Two Biggest Concerns for the Hokies
1.) Furman’s rushing attack
Furman runs a little bit of traditional triple-option and a little bit of shotgun spread triple option, and then they throw in a little bit of the spread attack that is prevalent across college football. If anyone remembers Georgia Tech from last year, the Hokies didn’t come close to stopping a triple-option attack. We’ll find out if they are any better here in 2019.
2.) Furman’s offensive line
Furman has one receiver they throw most their passes to – Thomas Gordon. They have a redshirt freshman quarterback playing in Lane Stadium. A simple game plan would be to lockdown Gordon, stuff the box, and make the young quarterback beat you on the road. With Furman’s offensive line controlling the line of scrimmage, he may be able to do just that.
One Final Thought
This one seems likely to feature some points. If you are of the betting variety, I’d probably hit the over here. The Hokies should be able to move the ball easily – this is a defense that gave up 48 points and 566 yards to Georgia State – but I also expect Furman to get in the end zone multiple times with an impressive offense of their own.
It’ll look ugly at times – Furman is a capable FCS team – but you still have to think the Hokies will get enough defense and create some turnovers in front of their home crowd to pull away.
Weekend Rooting Guide
Virginia Tech’s main goal right now is to win the Coastal. UVA and UNC are the early frontrunners and happen to be the only Coastal teams playing ACC games this week.
Friday, September 13
Saturday, September 14