Heading into their first meeting since 1989, the Hokies and Commodores each look to start the season with a bang when they meet inside FirstBank Stadium on Saturday morning. Kickoff is set for noon E.T., with the game set to air on ESPN.
Season Opener Success
It’s no secret that getting off to a strong start in 2024 is one of the many key components for Virginia Tech heading into the upcoming weekend.
Factor in all of the offseason hype from national media, the slew of positive momentum after last year’s 6-3 finish, and the opportunity to go on the road and take care of an SEC foe makes it all that more important for the Hokies to strike while the iron remains hot.
Luckily, Tech’s no stranger to success when it comes to season openers over the past few years. Since third-year head coach Brent Pry arrived in Blacksburg as a graduate assistant in 1995, the Hokies are 20-9 when kicking off the year, and are 12-8 since joining the ACC in 2004. To add on, Tech’s also 6-2 in season debuts since 2016, with the Hokies looking to build off of last year’s season-opening victory over Old Dominion in Pry’s second season at the helm.
Returners Galore
There’s no doubt that returning the vast majority of the roster dominated headlines heading into the 2024 season. With the Hokies bringing back the most production out of any school in the country (85%), Tech seems poised to pick up where it left off at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign, with hopes of taking it to another level in 2024.
Offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen returns a whopping 95% of his overall production from 2023 – good for the most in the country. Tech’s offense is set to complement the presence of quarterback Kyron Drones with fellow receivers Da’Quan Felton, Jaylin Lane and Stephen Gosnell. The Hokies also bring back standout wide receiver Ali Jennings to the mix after missing the final 11 games of 2023.
To add on, defensive coordinator Chris Marve welcomes back 77% of his defensive production from a season ago, and that doesn’t even include the transfer portal additions, defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles up front and defensive captain Sam Brumfield manning the linebacking corps at Mike.
Commodore Connections
Though Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt haven’t met on the gridiron in almost 35 years, that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of meat on the bone when it comes to connections between the two sides.
Making his return to Nashville for the first time since departing for Penn State following the 2013 season, Pry ventures back to the Music City after spending three seasons as the Commodores’ defensive coordinator under former head coach James Franklin.
Meanwhile, Marve also ventures back to his alma mater after serving as an All-SEC linebacker for the ‘Dores from 2007-11. Marve was a freshman All-American after a breakout season in 2008 and was honored as a three-time All-SEC Second Team linebacker as a student-athlete. He also spent five seasons on staff with Vanderbilt from 2014-18, finishing his final three years as the program’s inside linebackers coach before departing for another opportunity.
An Opportunity Awaits
Though a new year always lends itself to new personnel, with an overwhelming amount of Tech’s offense returning from a season ago, it finds itself in a potentially favorable matchup against a Vanderbilt team that struggled to find its rhythm defensively in 2023. Overall, the Commodores ranked 128th in total defense, 104th when defending the run, and 126th when teams dropped back to pass. The Commodores also found themselves ranked 126th when it came to scoring defense and couldn’t keep the opposition off the scoreboard when it entered the red zone by allowing a score over 92% of the time.
On the flip side, the Hokies were a top-25 team in their rushing attack in 2023, and a top-60 offensive squad, showcasing the potential for a promising campaign with much of the puzzle still pieced together from a season ago.
With the season set to start, be sure to make a pledge to support Virginia Tech football. Fans can make a donation pledge for the whole season with Pledge Per, and your donation total can be based on team performance metrics such as sacks, touchdowns or wins.
