We begin Liberty football’s 2020 season preview with a week-one glance at the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Virginia Tech went 8-5 in 2019. Tech’s eight wins came against Old Dominion, Furman, Miami, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, and Pitt. The Hokies’ five losses came in the season opener at Boston College, in blowout fashion at home against Duke, at #16 Notre Dame, at Virginia, and in the Belk Bowl against Kentucky.
Virginia Tech’s 2019 campaign is a bit difficult to analyze. Excluding the 45-10 week-five loss against Duke, Tech was outscored in their losses by only 24 combined points. The Hokies had five turnovers at Boston College, but only lost by one score. The Fighting Irish pulled off a last-second touchdown run in South Bend to send Virginia Tech home with a one-point loss; and Tech led UVA by a touchdown entering the fourth quarter.
Lastly, the Hokies’ heartbreaking loss against Kentucky to conclude the 2019 season could have easily gone Virginia Tech’s way. If Tech had managed to win even half of their close losses, including the Kentucky game, the Hokies would have finished the season 11-3. At the same time, Tech’s season could have fared much worse than 8-5.
Coach Fuente’s squad barely defeated FCS Furman: rallying from a 14-3 halftime deficit to improve to 2-1. Against Miami, Tech was outscored 28-14 in the second half, but Deshawn Cleese’s last-minute touchdown run secured a gusty Hokie victory. A 6-OT thriller against Mack Brown and visiting UNC saw the Hokies win by two.
Tech finished the season at 8-5, but was only 16 total points away from a 5-8 campaign that likely would have ended the Justin Fuente era in Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech’s offense is led by redshirt junior Hendon Hooker. After taking over the Hokie offense in week five against Miami, Hooker led the Hokies to a 6-2 record. Hooker tossed 9 touchdowns without an interception before a 4-touchdown, 2-interception performance at UVA. He is the clear favorite to start under center when the Flames travel to Blacksburg Sept. 5 and could be poised for a breakout 2020 campaign.
Hooker finished second on the team in rushing, behind rising senior Deshawn McLeese. McLeese tallied 177 carries for 913 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2019. McLeese is a seasoned veteran and should be a lock to start against the Flames week one. He is largely similarly to graduated Flames running back Frankie Hickson, and the Hokies will lean on McLeese to lead their rushing attack in 2020.
Receivers Tayvion Robinson and Tre Turner caught 31 and 34 passes, respectively, for Tech in 2019. Turner has been a consistent producer for the Hokies for years, but Robinson is a rising sophomore. Robinson’s talent shot him to the top of the depth chart in 2019, and he will stay there in 2019.
Needless to say, Turner will as well. The 6’2, 190 wideout led the Hokie receiving corps in nearly every statistical category in 2019, and Turner will likely lead the Hokies in targets against the Flames. Turner is no Antonio Gandy-Golden, but his size makes him a challenging matchup for defensive backs.
Rayshard Ashby starred at linebacker in 2019 for Virginia Tech. Ashby had 120 tackles last season: 36 more than DB Deablo Divine. While Ashby and Divine star for Tech’s defense, the strength of the unit and the team as a whole is experience.
Virginia Tech returns all but a small handful of players in 2020. According to ESPN’s Bill Connley, the Hokies rank #6 nationally in returning production. The Hokies, who return 38 players who have started at least one game, returns 82% of their overall production: 74% on offense, and 89% on defense, according to 24/7 Sports.
Virginia Tech’s experience-laden squad will be a tough task for Liberty, especially on opening weekend in Blacksburg. Lane Stadium is known as one of college football’s most raucous atmospheres and is sure to be a near-sellout.
Undoubtedly the toughest matchup on Liberty’s 2020 schedule, the Hokies are heavily-favored over the Flames. While Liberty boasts arguably the fastest-growing football program in the nation and could give Virginia Tech problems, the Flames are likely still a few years away from competing with the Hokies.
