SZD Season Preview

Split Zone Duo's ACC Preview Here. VT talk starts at ~51:00.

On SZD, they take a Rose/Bud/Thorn approach to season previews (Rose = good, Bud = you're interested to find out, Thorn = bad).

I decided just to post the transcript here - it's lightly edited for clarity. They had some really interesting discussion about the quality of our transfers and Kyron Drones.

Alex:

We were a lot more optimistic about [Virginia Tech] last year than turned out to be warranted. But they were a good computer team. They were 25th in SP+, which you're not going to hang a banner for. And Bill [Connelly, the inventor of SP+] would not tell you to hang a banner for that. But it does make me feel a little maybe trepidatious to declare them as doomed as I would think they are, just like looking at what I have noticed with my own eyes.

Still they go six and six. Three pretty disappointing years except for the back half of 2023 under Brent Pry. I'm a little bit at a loss, I'll admit. I'm a little bit confused...

Richard:

I've sort of mentioned this on Virginia Tech and I don't know, man. I think Virginia Tech's pretty close to slipping into some infamy here. If they don't get this season if they don't get on the right track this season, and we're going to find out pretty quick by the way; they got South Carolina and Vandy in September. We are going to find out about Virginia Tech real early.

Alex:

Yeah, I think we will.

My rose here is that I think they're going to probably continue to have a good running back even though Bhayshal Tuten is gone. This staff has done a nice job of identifying lower level running backs who I think are good. Like Bhayshal Tuten and came from North Carolina A&T. Really good player from the last couple of years. He goes, but Terrian Stewart from Bowling Green was best running back in the MAC last year. Running game was not their problem. And I don't think it will be again this year. It was a reasonably solid run blocking offensive line. They had continuity. They have a bit more turnover on the line this year.

They brought in West Virginia's old offensive line coach from the Neil Brown staff, and he brought a couple of guys with him, including the guy who's probably going to play center. Kyron Drones is still a number in the run game. So I bet they can carry the rock a bit.

My Bud is their receiver group. Interesting transfers here. Several interesting transfers.

• They got Donovan Green from Wake Forest. Known good player.
• You got a guy from Jackson State, Isaiah Spencer, who averaged about 20 yards per catch last year. And had three [catches] for 123 [yards] in the celebration ball, which Jackson State won. You know how I love an FCS receiver.
• And they got Cameron Selden, who was once upon a time one of the most touted high school players in Virginia history, state of Virginia history. Went to Tennessee as a running back, was buried on the depth chart there behind Dylan Sampson and others. And is now back in the state of Virginia as a receiver. Positional convert.

A lot of possibilities for a downfield playmaker or two to emerge.

So my thorn... ...Actually, it's kind of multiple thorns here. For a team that's been in this state of things, [the] longer term thorn [is that] the recruiting is actually pretty concerning. They've gotten two of the top 17 high school players in Virginia the 2025 cycle, according to 24/7 Sports, that's going the wrong direction after they got three of the top nine the previous year. At the moment, they have two of the top 16 in 2026.

We know how recruiting works now, and so that's not all on the head coach, but does that seem good to you? Does that seem like the foundation of Virginia Tech getting back to where we would like to see it? Not really.

Richard:

No, that's not great. You mentioned Donovan Green. Donovan Green is one of my favorite transfers at the wide receiver position. Obviously, he was hurt two years ago, and you know the Wake Forest offense for multiple reasons just never really got out of neutral last year...

...On the defensive side of the ball... ...One of my both favorite and not so awesome transfer situations: Ben Bell, in from Texas State, Ben Bell was the edge rusher for Texas State who sat out. Absolutely ripped it up in 2023. And then sat out - [he] was a four-and-done transfer - by that, I mean [in 2024 he played] four games and redshirted, which I just don't like that players do. Yes, I understand the system. I just don't like it in general. But he's in on this Brent Pry defense, and if he fulfills his potential moving up to this higher level, Virginia Tech may seriously have something on defense.

Alex:

I would agree. The other concern, though, that I have that I forgot to mention is also like not a lot of evidence that Kyron Jones is actually that good. I was very excited a year ago.

They kept him Like he's still their guy. So I guess anything there's.

Richard:

And buddy did some folks try to make that not the case.

Alex:

So the market's telling you that there are people who believe in him. And I hope that he takes a leap. I want Virginia Tech to be better. I think it's I think that's one of those schools that the sport is just more interesting when they're good. And so I'd like to see them get better. We'll see if it happens.