ESPN used to love Virginia Tech football, and VT rose to fame in the 1990s in part thanks to the exposure ESPN gave the Hokies.
Unfortunately, Virginia Tech football hasn't been the same in recent years. The last few years of the Frank Beamer era were difficult, but things got much worse under his successor, Justin Fuente.
Brent Pry was hired after the 2021 season, and his debut season couldn't have been worse. But there were also signs of hope. Pry has made recruiting within Virginia a priority again, working to rebuild relationships with high schools. He also worked to repair relationships with his fans and community.
Despite a tough start last season, Tech won five of its past seven games, including a 41-20 victory over Tulane in the Military Bowl. Pry did a great job bringing back nearly everyone this offseason, signing seven players through the transfer portal.
Everyone is paying attention. There are high expectations for the football team, and ESPN appears to be capitalizing on that. ESPN recently released its post-spring league Top 25, which has the Hokies at No. 21 on his list.
It's been quite some time since the Hokies have been a serious contender in the ACC race, but that could change in coach Brent Pry's third season. ESPN colleague Bill Connelly ranks the Hokies No. 1 in return production, grading them No. 1 on offense (95%) and No. 12 on defense (77%), with Pry and his The staff say they have taken advantage of this move. A portal to close the hole. The Hokies averaged 43 points in their final four games of 2022, going 3-1 during that stretch. Quarterback Kyron Drones passed for 22 touchdowns and three interceptions, rushing for 818 yards and five scores. He is one of 11 starters returning to the offensive line. Coach Pry strengthened the defensive line by transferring four players: Aeneas Peebles from Duke University, Kelvin Gilliam Jr. from Oklahoma University, Curtis Perry from Alabama University, and Kemari Copeland from Western Community College. Virginia Tech's non-conference schedule is more than manageable (Vanderbilt, Marshall, Old Dominion, Rutgers), and they do not play Florida State, Louisville or North Carolina State during the regular season.
No team in the Power 5 returns as many starters as the Hokies. Tech has depth at several positions, including wide receiver and defensive tackle. Although there are some concerns about the Hokies, there are also many things to look forward to. The first step is drones. If Drones builds on last season's strong performance, he could be a top pick in the NFL draft next April. VT doesn't want to lose the Drones after this season, but it means things are going well.
What do you think about Virginia Tech's ranking? Is it too high or too low?
