It’s a new school year, meaning a new season for Vanderbilt Football. While this season does bring about a lot of new changes for the Commodores, it doesn’t carry many hefty expectations with it. The same can’t be said for the Virginia Tech Hokies, who will come to challenge the Commodores in FirstBank Stadium on Saturday at 11 a.m. CDT. Just a few mornings ago, Pat McAfee picked the Hokies to win the ACC on ESPN College Gameday, sparking a conversation about whether this is their year to compete. Currently, the Hokies sit just outside the AP’s Week 1 poll, receiving 77 votes, second in the “others receiving votes” category only to their ACC rival Louisville. A win this week would likely get Virginia Tech ranked for the first time since early 2021, while a loss would set it back at least a few weeks.
Vanderbilt’s performance in this game will likely be a tone-setter for the season to come. A win would represent a huge sign that the Commodores have moved past last season’s slump. A loss, while to a good team, is a loss nonetheless, and will likely cause fans and players alike to worry about another year of disappointing Vanderbilt football.
To get a better idea of how things might play out on Saturday, as well as the general vibes in Blacksburg, Va. this upcoming season, The Hustler went Behind Enemy Bylines and interviewed Thomas Bray, the sports editor of Virginia Tech’s student paper, The Collegiate Times.
Vanderbilt Hustler: Who are two players, offense or defense, that Vanderbilt players and fans should be looking out for this Saturday?
Thomas Bray: On offense, everything starts with Kyron Drones. He didn’t play early last year — he really got his first extended time against Marshall. So I would say obviously, Kyron Drones, and then another big name is Bayshal Tuten. It was pretty big when he announced he’d return, [because] he’s a guy that can really do it all. [He’s a] great kick returner, great out of the backfield, [and] anywhere between the tackles. That’s the two-headed monster of Virginia Tech.
VH: Kyron Drones is an already great quarterback, but his completion percentage last year was a bit lackluster, at only 58%. If that number goes up, the Hokies look to have one of the best quarterbacks in all of FBS. Do you expect a dramatic improvement in completion percentage with this new receiving corps?
TB: I don’t. I don’t think there’ll be a dramatic improvement, but I think anytime you have that level of continuity, there’s going to be improvement. I could definitely see him getting in the low 60s, but [Virginia Tech’s] style of play is not conducive to a high-70 completion percentage, that dink-and-dunk style. So it’s never going to be in the high-70s or anything like that.
VH: Vanderbilt projects to be a big running team this year with much of its old receiving corps gone, as well as frequent runner Diego Pavia now at quarterback. Run defense was a big problem for the Hokies last year, so what have they done in the offseason to prepare themselves for more run-heavy opponents like Vanderbilt?
TB: They got, first off, the two guys on the front seven that they think can really play, based on their coverage, are Kamari Copeland — he’s the JUCO transfer — and then they got Aeneas Peebles from Duke. He was an All-ACC guy. So I think that those additions, combined with the continuity, create probably one of the most experienced teams in the ACC and the country. So I think you can only expect everything to get better.
VH: In 2023, the Hokies’ secondary was last in the ACC for interceptions. Is that still a concern for Saturday’s game in this new season or do you think the necessary adjustments have been made?
TB: I don’t think turnovers, like interceptions, are really a personnel thing. I think that’s more opportunity because you see great defenses all the time struggle to create turnovers. But I think obviously you have Peebles in the portal and they have Copeland, [and] all these new additions to help pressure the quarterback and defend the run. The secondary is going to be one of the best secondaries in the ACC, so that number is just going to go up.
VH: Last question; what’s your score prediction for this game?
TB: It’s two teams that really like to run the ball, so I don’t see this being a high-scoring game. But like I said, with Virginia Tech’s continuity, I don’t think rust is really a factor. [Virginia Tech] returned the whole receiving corps and the running game is just going to be solid. The biggest concern is protecting Drones, but I think with Virginia Tech’s style of play, that shouldn’t be an issue. So I would say Virginia Tech wins this one pretty handily. I’ll say 30-17.
