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Virginia Tech football 2019 preview: Best and worst-case scenario

By Shayne Nissen

BLACKSBURG, VA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Justin Fuente, offensive lineman Braxton Pfaff #74, and quarterback Ryan Willis #5 of the Virginia Tech Hokies make their way down the tunnel prior to the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Lane Stadium on November 23, 2018 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images)
BLACKSBURG, VA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Justin Fuente, offensive lineman Braxton Pfaff #74, and quarterback Ryan Willis #5 of the Virginia Tech Hokies make their way down the tunnel prior to the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Lane Stadium on November 23, 2018 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images) /
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Virginia Tech football is coming off their first losing season since 1992 but will 2019 be any better for Justin Fuente and the Hokies?

Justin Fuente is under pressure to turnaround Virginia Tech football after a disappointing last season. And he’ll have to do it with some new faces on offense.

After an injury in the second game of the season, Josh Jackson was sidelined for the rest of 2018. Apparently not happy with the direction of the program, Jackson who was likely going to be the starter for the Hokies in the upcoming season, decided to transfer to Maryland. Jackson threw for 2,991 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2017 when the Hokies went 9-4. Wide receiver Sean Savoy also transferred to Maryland and tight end Eric Kumah who was the teams No. 2 receiver with 559 yards transferred to Old Dominion.

The good news for the Hokies is backup quarterback and former Kansas transfer Ryan Willis played well throwing for 2,716 yards and 24 touchdowns in Jackson’s absence last season.

Even though Kumah left for Old Dominion, there will be targets to work with in the passing game with Damon Hazelton and Tre Turner returning as well. Turner is a serious deep threat who averaged more than 20 yards per catch last season.

The defense was historically bad last season as they gave up 400 points for the first time since 1950. In what will be longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s final season before retiring, expect the defense to play much better. Having the bulk of starting linebackers and the secondary return will help.

Experience however, doesn’t always mean results as this is a passing defense that was ranked No. 62 in the country in passing yards allowed last season. The hope for everyone around the Hokies program is there is a massive improvement.

Virginia Tech football best-case scenario

  • Aug. 31 – at Boston College – W
  • Sep. 7 – vs. Old Dominion – W
  • Sep. 14 – vs. Furman – W
  • Sep. 27 – vs. Duke – W
  • Oct. 5 – at Miami – L
  • Oct. 12 – vs. Rhode Island
  • Oct. 19 – vs. North Carolina – W
  • Nov. 2 – at Notre Dame – L
  • Nov. 9 – vs. Wake Forest – W
  • Nov. 16 – at Georgia Tech – W
  • Nov. 23 – vs. Pitt – W
  • Nov. 29 – at Virginia – L

Record: 9-3 (6-2 ACC) 

With the defense returning as many players as they are, a record as good as this one should be almost guaranteed in a conference like the ACC where points don’t always come at a premium.  That said, it’s a defense that wasn’t great last season and will need to improve to see these kinds of results.

Starting at Boston College is going to be tough for the Hokies, but home contests against Old Dominion and Furman in the following weeks will be a welcome break. The Hokies will be out for revenge against Old Dominion too, after the debacle from last season.

Their first home ACC game against Duke is definitely winnable but it’s hard to see the Hokies taking down Miami in a tough road game the next week. Notre Dame is their only remotely tough non-conference opponent and they should fall to the Irish on the road. The rest of the season is very manageable. The game against Virginia could be a tough rivalry game after a road contest against Georgia Tech followed by Pitt at home.

If Virginia Tech does manage to go 6-2 in the ACC that could be enough to win the division and face Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.

Virginia Tech football worst-case scenario

  • Aug. 31 – at Boston College – L
  • Sep. 7 – vs. Old Dominion – W
  • Sep. 14 – vs. Furman – W
  • Sep. 27 – vs. Duke – L
  • Oct. 5 – at Miami – L
  • Oct. 12 – vs. Rhode Island
  • Oct. 19 – vs. North Carolina – W
  • Nov. 2 – at Notre Dame – L
  • Nov. 9 – vs. Wake Forest – W
  • Nov. 16 – at Georgia Tech – L
  • Nov. 23 – vs. Pitt – L
  • Nov. 29 – at Virginia – L

Record: 4-8 (2-6 ACC) 

While this is definitely a doomsday scenario, this scenario isn’t impossible.

Keep in mind they lost to Boston College, Miami, Georgia Tech, Pitt in the conference and needed overtime at home against Virginia to eke out a win. Not to mention the loss to Old Dominion on was one of the worst in program history.

Yes, they return some of their top receivers from last season, but the running game just wasn’t consistent enough to warrant a lot of success and they lose their leading rusher from last season on top of it.

They might have some good experience on defense, but it’s the same players who were No. 90 in opponent points per game last season. It needs to get better and if it does, they’ll be bowling again.

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