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Chamari Conner and the Hokies are embracing a fresh start under new head coach Brent Pry.
On the field, the excitement is building as the Brent Pry era is about to begin in Blacksburg. The fact that Pry and not Justin Fuente are the head coach gives many Virginia Tech fans a reason to smile as the new season approaches.
Related: Virginia Tech football 2022 season preview and predictions
But winning more games is the ultimate goal and may be a challenge in 2022. The Hokies will play two five-team teams on the road, host a Big 12 program that went bowling last fall, and meet one of the ACC’s true Atlantic rivals. Their random cross game. Rome wasn’t built in a day and the Hokies need some time to grow as well, especially on offense.
Here’s what some Athlone analysts think about this year’s Virginia Tech team.
| Steven slowly | Mark Ross | John Keene | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
in the Old Dominion |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
|
Boston College |
Boston College |
Boston College |
Boston College |
|
Wofford |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
|
West Virginia |
West Virginia |
West Virginia |
Virginia Tech |
|
in North Carolina |
North Carolina |
North Carolina |
North Carolina |
|
In Pt |
Pit |
Pit |
Pit |
|
Miami |
Miami |
Miami |
Miami |
|
In NC State |
NC State |
NC State |
NC State |
|
Georgia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
|
By Duke |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
|
freely |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
|
Virginia |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
Virginia Tech |
|
Final record |
6-6 |
6-6 |
7-5 |
Steven slowly (@Athlon Steven)
New coach Brent Pry resigned in Blacksburg this fall. Virginia Tech went 11-13 the last two years and needed an upset over Virginia just to become bowl eligible in ’21. Also, the roster is in transition and needs maintenance on both sides of the ball. An offense averaging just 23.7 points a game entered fall practice with two transfers (Grant Wells and Jason Brown) on the depth chart and few proven tools at receiver and little depth on the offensive line. On the positive side for new coordinator Tyler Bowen, Wells has the talent and ability to jump-start the passing game, while tailbacks Malakia Thomas and Jalen Holston provide a solid one-two punch. Pryor’s impact should be noted last season, limiting teams to 25 3-pointers and a defense that could be the strength of the 22 team. Seven starters return to provide a solid foundation, including linebacker Dax Holifield, cornerback Dorian Strong and safety Chamari Conner. Virginia Tech could be a work in progress and will have to lean on its defense early to win. While big roster question marks remain for the new staff, there are enough winnable games to get to six wins and a bowl game.
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Mark Ross (@AthlonMarkR)
I’m excited to see Brent Prine leave his mark on the Hokies, but there’s still a lot of work to do. Going from an offensive-minded Justin Fuente to a defenseman like Prine, who rubbed a lot of people the wrong way in the program, is a big transition in itself, but this was also a struggling team. Find an identity to get started. As a result, the list is in flux and there are more questions than answers at this point. That, I think, will be a breath of fresh air for everyone involved and the players will be exposed to it. And the Hokies need a somewhat front-loaded schedule before they lighten up. Despite all the questions (starting at quarterback) and a tough five-game stretch ahead of them, I think Virginia Tech will get better as the season progresses and that will show in November as the Hokies go 4-0 to secure bowl eligibility.
John Keane (b.@JonRKinne)
The Hokies have struggled on offense in 2021 and it’s hard to identify true playmakers this year. Gone are last year’s top two running backs and three leading receivers, and Prem must find a capable quarterback or this offense could really sputter. The good news is that the defensive line is led by defensive backs Dax Holifield and Alan Tisdale. Also, the program sets up a good run at the end of the year. I predicted that Virginia Tech will pay two early home games against Boston College and West Virginia before what could be a very rough October. But as the team begins to get more comfortable with the new system, the Hokies should find success with a smooth schedule in November. The trip to Lynchburg on Nov. 19 and the season finale against UVA could determine Tech’s postseason fate and I believe they will sweep those games to enter Pre’s second season.
Podcast: Preseason awards, QBs on the resume, fall practice notes and the latest on QB battles
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