A recent poll got me thinking about 2010 and I figured I would throw together a quick post to break down what the hokies should look like next year. Baring a monster season - most VT fans can expect starting QB Tyrod Taylor to return for his senior year and with the plethora of young talent to be found in the VT locker rooms these days - we could be primed for a big season. But what will the hokies look like in 2010 and what are their real chances at a national title run?
What will the hokies look like in 2010?
There is good news but it will hurt in a number of places. This is not a complete list but here is our key seniors leaving the program this year:
Offense
- Greg Boone (TE)
- Sam Wheeler (TE)
- Kenny Lewis, Jr. (TB)
- Kenny Jefferson (FB)
- Sergio Render (OG)
- Ed Wang (OT)
Defense
- Stephan Virgil (CB)
- Kam Chancellor (FS)
- Matt Reidy (ROV)
- Dorian Porch (ROV)
- Cody Grimm (LB)
- Cam Martin (LB)
- Nekos Brown (DE)
- Demetrius Taylor (DT)
- Cordarrow Thompson (DT)
Summary/Reaction
- We are losing a lot of experience and starting talent on defense – a lot. We will probably lose 7-8 of our of 11 2009 starters (3 in the secondary, 2 LB’s and 3 dlinemen). I like a lot of the young guys who will be stepping up – Whitley, Charmichael, Williams, Rivers, etc…but that much loss is scary anyway you cut it…
- I worry about the offensive line (like I do every year) as we are losing arguably our two best linemen but if the oline can come together our offense should be loaded (don’t we say something like this every year?). I’ll miss Boone and Wheeler but I’m not worried about TE with Drager and a host of young talent stepping up. Obviously we are golden at wr, qb and rb (assuming tyrod stays).
- We will probably be shopping for two new kickers in 2010. We have a bunch of young kickers already at VT so hopefully we can reload (hopefully with someone other than a senior this time around?)
Schedule
The schedule looks excellent – our out of conference is Central Michigan, Western Michigan and ECU (home) and Syracuse (away). All very winnable games.
The coastal should continue to have four strong teams in 2010 – as UNC, GT, Miami and VT are talented and young. UVA, Duke and BC could be better next year but there are still too many question marks on all of those teams to predict a lot. In 2010 the hokies will also face Wake and NCSU. NCSU should be trouble again in 2010 and Wake is never a gimme but they will be replacing a number of key players on both sides of the ball. If we’re talking about a national championship run – then don’t leave out whoever we’ll see in the ACC championship game
Summary
If we can finish 2009 strong and ranked high – there is no reason the hokies can’t start the season in the top 10/15 and be primed for a national championship run.
Getting the offensive line to gel and rebuilding the entire defense are both major priorities – but Bud Foster has performer bigger miracles and our offensive line is bad every year. Saying the out of conference slate is “friendly” is laughable and while there will be a number of tough ACC games – Beamer and Co. have passed a worse ACC slate with less
Now the bad news
VT football fans take a number of things for granted these days – Bud will rebuild the defense, Beamer will find a way to eek out 10 wins and find a way to win the coastal, we will find someone to kick, etc. While I agree that most years the hokies find a way to be in the ACC mix in November – the wins don’t come pretty, easily or UNDEFEATED!
We have yet to complete an ACC stale undefeated and I wouldn’t bet on 2010 being the year it happens. We will have major questions in our special teams and defense. Every year - VT is only as good as its quarterback and Tyrod has yet to show us the consistency to win 13 games. While I expect Bud to field a good defense and Tyrod and the offense to be very good (by recent VT standards) – national championship and undefeated good? I think not.
I hope Tyrod turns into a magical player who can deliver an undefeated year in 2010 – but I can’t see an undefeated season in 2010. Got comments? Please enter them below…