Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1416392
40 OCT. 9, 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED GAME PREVIEW: VIRGINIA TECH Hokies with three interceptions and he's fourth on the team with 22 tackles. Waller is complemented in pass coverage by talented junior safety Chamarri Conner, who has 21 total tackles, one sack, one interception and two forced fumbles. All-purpose sophomore defensive back Nasir Peoples leads the Hokies with 18 solo tackles and he's third on the team with 27 total stops. The Hokies secondary has ranked all season near the best in the ACC and within the top 40 nation- ally in pass efficiency defense. Up front, the Hokies pass rushing unit is an- chored by redshirt junior lineman Tyjuan Garbutt, who is tied for the team lead with 3.5 sacks. Redshirt junior Amaré Barno is another player to watch up front. Barno tied for the team lead last season with 6.5 sacks and led the Hokies with 16 tackles for loss. Advantage: Even SPECIAL TEAMS After a miserable 2020 season when Virginia Tech lost three fumbles on punt returns, the Hok- ies special teams play has returned to a more familiar form from when Hall of Fame head coach Frank Beamer roamed the Hokies sidelines, espe- cially in the return game. Robinson, the aforementioned Hokies wide re- ceiver, is averaging 15 yards on his nine punt re- turns with a 60-yard run back for a touchdown. And led by Blackshear, its running back, the Hok- ies average 43.2 yards on six kickoff returns — even without a touchdown — which easily rates top-five nationally (second through four weeks). For Notre Dame, special teams coach Brian Po- lian deviated from his usual sideline kickoff return alignment against Wisconsin, attacked the middle of the field and struck gold when running back/ return man Tyree responded with a 96-yard touch- down up the gut. Advantage: Even COACHING After suffering through a second losing season in 2020 during his first five years as Hokies head coach, Justin Fuente is feeling the heat during his sixth season at a proud program that hadn't suf- fered a single sub-.500 record since 1992 before he took over. Fuente cracked the top 25 this season follow- ing a 17-10 upset of No. 10 North Carolina in his opener before two unimpressive performances in consecutive weeks against West Virginia and Rich- mond dropped Virginia Tech out of the national rankings before its bye last weekend. Fuente went 19-8 and finished in the top 25 in each of his first two years in Blacksburg, Va., but his teams are just 19-18 over the previous three seasons. Advantage: Notre Dame INTANGIBLES Key personnel losses following last season sug- gested the Hokies would struggle on offense this season — and they have. So all eyes and hope in the preseason fell on find- ing defensive improvement under second-year de- fensive coordinator Justin Hamilton, whose group surrendered 32.1 points per game in 2020 — the program's worst scoring defensive performance since 1973. The Virginia Tech faithful are getting what they wished for. The Hokies have allowed only 15.2 points per game this season, which slots them firmly in nation's top 20 in scoring defense (tied for 15th through four weeks). Kelly — now the winningest coach in Notre Dame history — counters with a 35-game winning streak against unranked teams and has a history of suc- cess playing ACC foes, home or away. Since 2016, Notre Dame has lost only one regular- season game against an ACC opponent (Miami, 2017). Ironically, Virginia Tech remains that last un- ranked opponent to beat Notre Dame, that coming in a 34-31 upset of the Irish on Senior Day 2016. Advantage: Even Staff Predictions Todd D. Burlage: Notre Dame 27, Virginia Tech 17 The Hokies have allowed only 15.2 points per game this season, which slots them firmly in the na- tion's top 20 in scoring defense. Irish head coach Brian Kelly counters with a 35-game winning streak against unranked teams and a history of success playing ACC foes, home or away. Since 2016, Notre Dame has lost only one regular-season game against an ACC opponent (Miami, 2017). Ironically, Virginia Tech remains the last unranked opponent to beat Notre Dame, that coming in a 34-31 upset of the Irish on Senior Day 2016. Different teams, different times. Steve Downey: Notre Dame 31, Virginia Tech 15 Lane Stadium can be a difficult place to play when the Hokies get rolling. Just ask North Carolina, which was exposed in a 17-10 loss to Virginia Tech during the opening weekend in the first top-10 upset of the season. However, the Irish have won 20 consecutive regular-season games against ACC opponents, including a 45-23 beatdown of the Hokies at Blacksburg in 2018. Virginia Tech has been good defensively but struggled offensively during its 3-1 start. The Hokies aver- aged 3.2 yards per rush or less in three of their four games and rank 121st nationally in red zone offense (.643 scoring percentage). As we saw versus Wisconsin, the Irish's big-play defense will be enough to post a comfortable victory away from home. Patrick Engel: Notre Dame 26, Virginia Tech 13 Notre Dame's now-sturdy defense meets a middling Virginia Tech offense that ranks 104th nation- ally in yards per play, 91st in sacks allowed, 83rd in passing efficiency and most recently scored just 21 points in a win over Football Championship Series opponent Richmond. It's hard to envision them putting much stress on the Irish's defense. And if that holds true, Notre Dame's offense won't even need its best game to win at Lane Stadium. Tyler Horka: Virginia Tech 22, Notre Dame 17 We saw what Virginia Tech can do to a team with a struggling offensive line when the Hokies beat North Carolina in week one. As it has turned out, the Tar Heels are not the College Football Playoff contender some pundits projected them to be, and the Hokies are not likely to be a significant threat in the ACC title picture even with Clemson not being at its best. Virginia Tech lost to West Virginia in Week 2. Still, this is a tricky portion of the Notre Dame schedule. The Irish will cave in the first true road environment they've experienced since Week 1, especially after coming in after back-to-back emotional matchups against ranked teams. Mike Singer: Notre Dame 21, Virginia Tech 17 This will be a close one on the road, and the Irish will be on upset alert. I don't believe it'll be pretty, but it'll be one where Brian Kelly and Co. make enough plays late to get a low scoring win. Virginia Tech is an improved football team but not at the level of beating the Fighting Irish just yet. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Alan Tisdale led the Hokies with 33 tackles through four games. PHOTO COURTESY VIRGINIA TECH ATHLETICS