Virginia Tech Hokies 2020-2021 Team Preview

I follow three teams in college football - the Wyoming Cowboys, the North Carolina Tar Heels, and the Virginia Tech Hokies. I graduated from Wyo, I grew up a UNC fan, and I started liking the Hokies right around the time the team was helmed by Marcus Vick. Why? I loved the color combination of maroon and orange. This is what initially drew me in to Hokie football, and since then, I've followed quarterback Tyrod Taylor, running backs Ryan Williams and David Wilson, tight end Dalton Keene, and cornerback Kyle Fuller into the pros. I was also a big fan of Frank Beamer as head coach and Bud Foster as defensive coordinator. Both have since retired, so now it's time for the next man up, which means it's time to preview the team for the season ahead.

QB - Hendon Hooker - Junior
Hooker came in midway through 2019 when starter Ryan Willis went down with injury. He started 8 games with the Hokies, leading them to an 8-5 overall record. In those games, he completed 99 passes on 162 attempts for 1,555 yards, with 13 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and a 61.1 completion percentage. He averaged 9.6 yards per attempt, which is not bad at all, but he has to make better reads in his third year . He'll have plenty of guys to throw to in 2020, and will use his arm, and his legs to his advantage, which accounted for several of his end zone visits.


RB/KR - Keshawn King - Sophomore
Only a freshman in 2019, King will look to right his first year pedestrian numbers this season. On 79 attempts, he accumulated 340 rushing yards, averaging 4.3 per carry, but only resulting in 2 touchdowns. The Hokies have always boasted solid running backs, and King will likely fit that bill in the end. The coming season will be a pretty good indicator.






WR - Tre Turner - Junior
Turner led the Hokies in receiving yards last season with 553 to go with 4 receiving touchdowns and 1 rushing touchdown. The offense didn't boast a lot of scores through the air, but that has to change in 2020. Turner should be the lead guy in that department as quarterback Hooker develops more as a passer. Turner's on-field presence and his chosen number channel a young Marvin Jones Jr., which is certainly a comparison Turner would love to live up to.



WR/PR - Tayvion Robinson - Sophomore
Robinson had a decent freshman campaign in 2019 with 31 receptions for 404 yards and a score. When Turner gets blanketed by the defense, it will be Robinson that Hooker will look for in the passing game. He also did well on the ground with 132 rushing yards, proving the young Hokie a double threat that can see the team to a top finish in the Coastal Division. .




WR - Kaleb Smith - Sophomore
Kaleb Smith will be the third option at receiver with the transfers of fellow pass-catchers Phil Patterson and Hezekiah Grimsley. In 2019, he had 9 receptions for 121 yards and a score. The Hokies don't have great depth at the position this season, especially with Grimsley entering the transfer portal, so Smith will really have to develop quickly to fill the role.





WR - Evan Fairs - Graduate Transfer
Coach Justin Fuente lost several players to the transfer portal, two of whom were wide receivers. The presence of grad transfer Evan Fairs helps rectify the loss a bit. Last season in his senior year at Kansas, he only had 1 reception for 21 yards. That had to have been disappointing, so he'll be looking for a fresh start with the Hokies. He had his best year with the Jayhawks in 2017, when he caught 24 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown. Those are likely more realistic expectations for his 2020.



TE - James Mitchell - Junior
James Mitchell is not your average tight end. Used as a sort of full back at times last season, he actually had more rushing touchdowns (4) than receiving touchdowns (2). He was used as a goal line back, rushing for 1 to 2 yards on plunges into the end zone, but he also managed 21 receptions for 361 yards. He could be a major producer this season, especially if the coaches keep getting creative with his usage.





DE - TyJuan Garbutt - Junior
Garbutt's freshman and sophomore years were nearly identical. In 2019, he had 13 solo tackles, 18 assisted tackles, and a sack. He actually regressed a little from his first year in 2019, where he had 18 solos, 13 assisted, a sack, and a pass defended. These are solid numbers to build on in a time when the Hokies will need him most.







DE - Emmanuel Belmar - Senior
As a junior, Belmar had pretty decent numbers, boasting 19 solo tackles, 20 assisted, with 4 sacks. He seems to be the more active between he and counterpart Garbutt, so the Hokies will be looking for his lean, mean pass rush to come early and often in 2020.









DT - DaShawn Crawford - Senior
Most of the tackles and sacks will come by way of Garbutt and Belmar, though Crawford had a solid 2019 season he'll look to build on. Last year for the Hokies, he had 14 solos, 13 assisted, with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception.









NT - Jarrod Hewitt - Senior
Jarrod Hewitt had pretty good junior numbers, posting 15 solo tackles, 18 assisted, with 4 sacks and a forced fumble. That makes for some active work in the middle on the defensive side of the ball, but Hewitt will look to double those stats in his last go 'round as a Hokie.









LB - Dax Hollifield - Junior
As a sophomore, Hollifield racked up 21 solo tackles, 46 assisted, 2 sacks, 3 interceptions, and a forced fumble. Those are great numbers for a well-established senior, let alone a sophomore. Number 4 will be a much needed centerpiece to this defense in 2020.









LB - Rayshard Ashby - Senior
Ashby, on the other hand, is the hallmark. He will probably be the first Hokie player taken in the 2021 NFL draft. Last season, he put up video game numbers, posting 60 solo tackles, 59 assisted tackles, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a pass defended. Those are some 1st to 2nd round types of numbers, so if he can duplicate that this season, we'll hear his name being called on Sundays.



CB - Jermaine Waller - Junior
Waller had a pretty solid sophomore campaign. He chalked up 33 solo tackles, 13 assisted, 1.5 sack, and 3 interceptions. He reminds me of former Hokie great Kyle Fuller, who is flourishing in the NFL for the Chicago Bears. Fuller played under the tutelage of Bud Foster, so it will be interesting to see if Waller can achieve what Fuller did in his time spent in Blacksburg.



CB - Caleb Farley - Junior
Farley had less tackles than Waller last season (14, 6), but he had more interceptions (4), and even returned one for a pick six. He also defended 12 passes to Waller's 10, proving that the more opposing quarterback's throw their way, the better chance they have to convert them into turnovers, Bud Foster style. I've always enjoyed watching Virginia Tech's defensive backs, and both Waller and Farley are upcoming juniors looking to add to their impressive 2019 numbers.



NB - Chamarri Conner - Junior
Conner is a nickelback, or the fifth defensive back on the field in passing situations. He had a good 2019, especially for a sophomore, with 45 solo tackles, 23 assisted, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception. The Hokies will be counting on the numbers to climb in a 2020 chock full of opponent pass attempts.







FS - Deablo Divine - Senior
Divine and Conner had similar numbers in similar categories, except that Divine had a lot more tackles, both solo and assisted. Those whopping numbers come in at 42 each, while he helped them with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception. With a name like Deablo Divine, he's the salty and sweet, the bad and the good, the player opponent offenses can take lightly at their own peril. He's an absolute terror, and will cause havoc in the ACC Coastal.



K - Brian Johnson - Senior
Brian Johnson has been the main guy for the Hokies for a couple of years, and in his junior season, scored his highest percentage of field goals made (82.6). Johnson's longest last season was a 54-yarder, and if he can dial up a few more of those up in 2020, he may find himself playing on Sundays.




Offensive Outlook: Hendon Hooker and Keshawn King are still developing as passers and runners respectively. I think the largest chunk of the Hokie success this season will come from the receiver position. King could break out at running back, but I think at least early on, Tre Turner, Tayvion Robinson, and possibly even Evan Fairs and James Mitchell will be counted on mightily in the passing game. Depending on what kind of depth the Hokies have, Mitchell may again be counted on as a goal line full back.

Defensive Outlook: The linebackers are the brightest spot on this defense. The numbers Rayshard Ashby and Dax Hollifield put up last season were staggering. The defensive backs were solid too, led by cornerback Jermaine Waller. The Hokies really look to favor well against the run and the pass, and it will be interesting to see if they can live up to the hype and move their way past my other team, ACC Coastal rivals North Carolina.

North Carolina Tar Heels 2020-2021 Team Preview

When legendary Head Coach Mack Brown returned to the Tar Heels football team, he threw caution to the wind. He maintained that if he failed, he failed, but that he just wanted to come back and have fun. That mentality led him to a 7-6 overall record, and he lost to Clemson by only one point in overtime. The 2019 season was a massive step forward from the years spent under the stagnant Larry Fedora, and going into 2020, the Tar Heels have a lot to look forward to. They are expected to finish second in the ACC.

QB - Sam Howell - Sophomore
Sam Howell came out of nowhere as a true freshman, slinging touchdowns left and right with accuracy and poise. He won the ACC Rookie of the Year award, and how could he not after setting a school record with 38 touchdowns, finishing second in the league in passing yards? He surprised everyone, except for maybe Mack Brown, with his on-the-field leadership and his big numbers. He completed 259 passes on 422 attempts, and 38 touchdowns with only 7 interceptions. Those are exciting numbers for a true freshman, and if he can stay injury-free for the majority of his career, he'll be the next UNC quarterback drafted into the NFL. Move over, Mitchell Trubisky.

WR - Dazz Newsome - Senior
Dazz started the season as Howell's number one guy, remaining so for most of the year. I played College Fantasy Football last season and picked him up to pad my bench. This season, he may find his way into some Fantasy starting lineups, as he looks to take a step up in his senior year. He nabbed over 1,000 receiving yards last season and grabbed 10 touchdowns as a junior on a much improved Heels team, one which will only get better.



WR - Dyami Brown - Junior
Dyami is one half of a dynamic duo. Like Newsome, he also had over 1,000 receiving yards last season, as well as 12 touchdown catches. Dyami came on strong toward the end of the season and led the ACC in receiving yards per reception (20.3). That's quite a stat for a sophomore, so I expect massive things in Dyami's near future. Even though Dazz had more receptions, Dyami put up the bigger numbers.


WR - Beau Corrales - Senior
Beau Corrales will be the third wheel, but that certainly doesn't downshift his level of play. He's big, he's physical, and he'll be positioned on the outside, ready and waiting to catch the balls that Dazz and Dyami don't. Last season, he had 40 receptions for 575 yards to go with 6 touchdowns.




RB - Javonte Williams - Junior
The lead in a two-headed running back attack, Williams comes in ready to improve on his 933 yards and 5 touchdowns. He will certainly cede some work to senior Michael Carter, as North Carolina hasn't really boasted a three-down back since Giovani Bernard, but he will lead the Heels in attempts, and likely touchdowns as well in their balanced rushing game.





RB - Michael Carter - Senior
Though Carter got less touches than Williams in 2019, he actually posted more rushing yards with 1,003. He had two less touchdowns, but that could change in 2020. Williams will likely lead the backfield, but there's no reason why Carter can't overtake it in his senior season. Mack Brown may keep a two-headed monster approach, or he could switch to a hot-hand backfield. Either way, the Heels will be just fine at the position.



TE - Garrett Walston - Senior
Walston was seldom used in 2019, totaling 76 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions. With so many mouths to feed (Newsome, Brown, Corrales, Williams, Carter), those numbers are not likely to improve much in 2020 despite his maturity as a tight end. Walston will catch a pass from time to time, but he will likely be used primarily as a blocker for Williams and Carter in the backfield.


DE - Raymond Vohasek - Sophomore
No, that's not J.J. Watt. That's Raymond Vohasek, sophomore defensive end. He didn't post great numbers in 2019 (9 solo tackles, 7 assisted, 1 sack), but these numbers reflect his freshman year. He has plenty of time to improve as an edge-rusher, and by the end of his time with the Heels, he may more resemble a latter-day J.J. Watt in play as well.


DE - Tomari Fox - Sophomore
Like Vohasek, Fox (#56) posted pedestrian numbers in 2019 with 5 tackles, 10 assisted, and 1 forced fumble. Coming into his sophomore year, this numbers will more than likely double, especially with older brother Toman backing him up at linebacker.









NT - Jahlil Taylor - Sophomore
The young nose tackle is an absolute monster. His freshman numbers weren't very big (7 solo tackles, 4 assisted, 1 pass defended), but he will definitely build on them in his second year. He's a massive player at 6'0"/300 pounds, so I look forward to seeing Taylor throw his weight around in 2020.




DT - Xach Gill - Junior
Gill also didn't have glaring numbers as a sophomore (7 solo tackles, 3 assisted, 1 sack), but looks to build on those as he replaces NFL-ready Jason Strowbridge.








LB - Toman Fox - Senior
The Carolina linebacker corps is again strong this coming season, thanks in large part to senior Toman Fox. Last season, he racked up 21 solo tackles, 20 assisted, 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception. That's pretty good work for 2019, but look for those numbers to improve even more along with his overall play.







LB - Jeremiah Gemmel - Junior
Gemmel doubled Fox's numbers in the tackling category. He had 42 solo and assisted tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a pass defended. This tells me that he was the strong side linebacker, with Fox racking up more sacks from the weak side. Gemmel still has two more years with the Heels, proving he'll be a force to reckon with for ball carriers.







LB - Chazz Surratt - Senior
Chazz Surratt is an interesting case. He's a middle linebacker who originally converted from...wait for it...quarterback. That's a strange conversion, but the guy is simply an athlete, and he proved as much last season. He had 66 solo tackles, 49 assisted, 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception. He's likely the next NFL prospect from team, especially if his 2020 goes the way he wants it to.


CB - Storm Duck - Sophomore
When you Google images of Storm Duck (#29), you get pictures of, well, storms, and ducks. And this guy. As a true freshman, Duck came in to put up solid numbers, boasting 28 solo tackles, 9 assisted, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown (pick 6), and 5 passes defended. He makes the Tar Heel 2020 outlook bright at the back end of the field.






CB - Trey Morrison - Junior
Morrison's numbers weren't quite as good as the freshman phenom Duck's, but they were pretty close. Over the course of the season, he racked up 28 solo tackles, an interception, and 4 passes defended. Opposing quarterbacks will likely be throwing his way to avoid Duck, presenting the opportunity for him to shine.



FS - D.J. Ford - Senior
Ford had solid numbers as a junior, and will lead the Tar Heel pass defender charge this season. Last year, he had 30 solo tackles, 24 assisted, a fumble recovery, an interception, and 2 passes defended. He looks to cement his name beside past Carolina safety greats like Tre Boston and M.J. Stewart, players in which he shares lots of commonalities.





SS - Don Chapman - Sophomore
Chapman came in as a true freshman last season to plant some pretty firm roots into the grass at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Throughout the year, he had 22 solo tackles, 8 assisted, a sack, a forced fumble, 2 interceptions, and a pass defended. These are some exciting freshman numbers that will likely be doubled as the young safety comes into year two. He's shown here in the Bowl game against Temple, one in which he accumulated his sack and had 5 solo tackles with 5 assisted. He's simply everywhere.

K - Grayson Atkins - Graduate Student
Last year's starting kicker, Noah Ruggles, had some performance issues toward the end of the season. Mack Brown attempted to rectify the fact by throwing in backup Jonathan Kim. Apparently, Kim wasn't the answer either, as the team ushered in the talent of Furman grad Grayson Atkins, who will aim and fire away this season for the Heels. He seems only a one-year band-aid, but he'll be the one to heal old wounds in the place-kicking department.



Offensive Outlook: The Heels are set on offense. They feature a better than average quarterback, two dynamic receivers destined for the next level, and two running backs that will stay fresh due to an balanced workload. Most of the points will likely comes from Howell and the receivers, but Williams and Carter will keep defenses honest. Look for more of what we saw last season, but only done even better.



Defensive Outlook: The linebacker corps and the defensive backs/safeties are very strong, but on paper, Carolina won't have the strongest pass rush. It's been proposed that Toman Fox will be asked to step forward to defensive end at times, which is a good idea for the Heels coaching staff. If he can apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks, Chazz Surratt and company should handle things at the back end, keeping opponent scores to a minimum.