As a part of this week’s football preview, ASOR welcomes Mike Barber for this week’s edition of “Ask A Beat Writer.” Barber is an ACC beat writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and covers mostly UVA and Virginia Tech athletics.
VT had some early season struggles with COVID-19. Have they contained that for the most part, and how is their depth looking because of it?
Mike Barber: After being down over 20 players in each of its first two games, Tech has seen its COVID issues reduced each week. The concern now isn’t for another outbreak that wipes out two dozen players, but for the possibility that a key starter or two could miss a game because of a positive test or contact tracing. The Hokies’ depth held up remarkably well early on and that figures to only help them the second half of the year. Particularly in the defensive backfield, Virginia Tech was forced to play some wildly inexperienced players, including walk-on Tyler Matheny, and now, it has more options it can feel comfortable putting into a game.
The return of defensive end TyJuan Garbutt last week also helps strengthen one of the thinner position groups, though Youngstown State transfer Justus Reed has had a major impact at end.
This year’s defense is not one Hokie fans are accustomed to as they are allowing just under 485 ypg and rank 83rd in the nation in total defense. Is this due to Tech’s lack of depth on defense and how can the Flames exploit Virginia Tech’s defense on Saturday?
MB: Outside of the 56 points it allowed in the loss at North Carolina, the mash unit/patchwork defense has been surprisingly good keeping opponents out of the end zone. It does have a bit of a bend-but-don’t break feel to it. Against Boston College, for example, it only allowed 14 points, but gave up big yardage totals.
The biggest thing is, Tech still hasn’t put together a full, four-quarter game on defense. It came close this past weekend at Louisville before allowing three touchdowns in the final frame. It feels like the Hokies are waiting for the right week to put it all together.
Liberty’s big chance for the upset could be in running quarterback Malik Willis. Running quarterbacks had vexed Tech for years under former coordinator Bud Foster and it’s unlikely his replacement has found a magic fix in his first year on the job.
Louisville’s quarterback, Micale Cunningham, ran for 68 yards on his six rushes last week, including breaking off a 25-yarder.
Virginia Tech RB Khalil Herbert is having a monster year with 803 rushing yards and 6 TDs already this season. What’s the key for the Flames to stop him?
MB: To this point, the only one who can take Herbert out of a game has been Tech’s offensive coordinator. Against Wake Forest, he only got 14 carries and finished with a season-low 64 rushing yards. The key to slowing Herbert down is to not give up the big plays – and that means not missing tackles.
He’s getting an ACC-best 8.7 yards per carry a statistic elevated by the big runs he’s broken. Herbert has turned in at least one run of 24 yards or longer in every game this season, and in three games, he’s broken runs for over 50 yards. The old standby of making him earn his yards applies to Herbert in a big way. Sure tackling and gang tackling are paramount, but that becomes a hard assignment when defenses also have to be aware of the quarterback run with Hendon Hooker.
What Hokies player or team unit will play a vital role in Virginia Tech winning the game this weekend?
MB: It’s so hard to get a read on Liberty, since their strength of schedule is so amazingly weak, but it appears the Flames have a good bit of talent on offense. With the way Tech’s defense has been inconsistent this season, this game could certainly be a shootout. That puts the pressure on Tech’s offense – and its little-used passing game – to keep up. That’s how things played out last weekend at Louisville, where the Hokies held on for a 42-35 win despite throwing just 10 passes. Liberty has outscored teams 118-45 in the first half of games so far this season. If Tech gives up points early, Hooker may have to pass Tech’s way back into the game.
What is your prediction for the game?
MB: Obviously Liberty hasn’t faced a team of Virginia Tech’s caliber yet this season, but that doesn’t mean they’re not capable of winning. It’s just an unknown. I’m expecting Liberty to get its points in this one, with the quarterback run giving Tech’s defense fits. But I’m not sure the Flames will be able to stop the Hokies’ offense, either. Vegas likes the Hokies by 14 1/2. I like Tech to cover in this one, 48-31.
