Virginia Tech Hokies Football 2024 Roster Review: Defensive Line

Friday’s Practice was Open for a Bit of Photography

The media was given a few segments of practice to take photos and notes for Friday August 9th’s evening practice session. The weather was stunning, after having been dismal and threatening for most of the lead up for the week. I remember August at football practice when your basic prayer directive to the Almighty wasn’t to not get hurt, but just to deal with the heat, dust, and that odd, peculiar mud that formed in your eyes that formed from the dirt and sweat.

John Schneider – SB Nation

It is nice and a real relief on a Friday afternoon session when, even though the drills are physically demanding, the players and coaches both look and feel relaxed and focused on their tasks. There was plenty of hydration going around, and everyone seemed to be moving easily between the stations. It was a good session, and we were fortunate to get to get in a few snapshots.

But we aren’t here to talk about practice sessions, we are here to talk about how the Hokies are set up for the defensive line this season. It’s not a trivial task because there were a few interior folks who moved on to other things, and the Defensive Tackle situation is of primary concern. It’s where most of the new players are, and we’ll have to see how they get set and operate with their new coaches and environment.

No one is here to butter over things, but 2023 started off a bit on the problematic side on the D-Line. Some of the issues were related to the linebackers and a raw lack of experience there, but some of that falls on the shoulders of some of the biggest and strongest guys on the team. Defensive Line coach J.C Price was flying solo in 2022 and 2023 with the responsibility for both defensive ends and tackles. There just ended up being a period of adjustment all the way around, but Price has been graced with something of a granite jaw and just seems to speak the same language as Brent Pry (no surprise there given their personal history).

The patience looks like it is about to pay off in a big way. The first big push of great news was the steady improvement of the line play over the 2023 season, followed by a pile of critical retentions that brought back several key leadership players and some new interior additions that look to step up the play of the interior.

Last season (and the past several ones, too) the Hokie Defensive line was a sort of inconsistent hodge-podge of talents and skill levels that made consistent play between the 1’s and 2’s an issue, and also presented an issue on critical down and distance situations. The 2022 and 2023 interior were getting run stuffs and limiting big gashes, but they were struggling to get that critical 1–3-yard penetration into the A-Gap and out to the inner portions of the B-Gap. Some of that had to do with pure size levels, but some had to do with a need for updated technique and coaching style stability. No one is going to fool anyone about Bud Foster’s defensive lines.

Coach Foster was not big on big slow guys between the offensive tackles. He like players who could move and develop some burst speed. With a few exceptions, that meant shedding weight for speed. The new Pry philosophy looks to change that formula. J.C. Price is helping to rebuild a new recruiting base and filling out what looks to be a respectable three-deep. A three-deep depth chart is something the Hokies just have not had in the past decade.

This season it looks like things are going to be a bit of the same as the end of 2023, and a bit different between the Tackles. Let’s grab the roster and go through the players and positions by class and playing potential, just like we did the O-Line.

There are several embarrassments of riches, here, so we will take them in the same categories as before with a major caveat. Last season, especially near the end when success was beginning to really build, there were no true starters on the defensive line depth chart. You were as likely to see one End or Tackle as another on the field. So, starting was a tactical decision based on something the coaching staff was trying to accomplish. So, we will go with Primary, Secondary, and Support/Redshirt roles for this one. It’s the same set of probabilities but we’ll give them more genaric names.

Primary Defensive Linemen

Tackles – Josh Fuga will be a primary defensive lineman. He will also probably be a Captain again. Fuga’s strength is in his leadership skills, more than talent on the field. Transfer from Duke, Aeneas Peebles will be a “starter” and a primary Tackle as well. Wilfried Pene, Ishmael Findlayter, and Malachi Madison are also looking like between Spring and Fall have risen to the level of Primary tackles in the first depth charts for the season.

End/Edge – Antwaun Powell-Ryland – This is the biggest no brainer ever… APR owns the #1 edge rusher position for 2024. Keyshawn Burgos, Cole Nelson, Jorden McDonald, and CJ McCray are all either #1s or #2s. The Defensive End/Edge position for the Hokies in 2024 is deep and will definitely impose some challenges on the opposing offensive schemes. Together and independently, they are nearly impossible to block -at least for very long- and look to see a major competition for who get on the field when.

Secondary Guys

Okay, how do you sort out the remainder of the guys who have a serious opportunity to play on game day? It’s not a long list with that pile of primaries, the normal #2’s on the depth chart are displaced a bit.

Kemari Copeland, who transferred in from Community College, is getting notices with his immense strength and determination to make the depth chart. The coaches have noticed. Kelvin Perry, Jr. has also shown up to be a candidate for snap time, too. They will complete a 3-deep at Defensive Tackle that the Hokies just haven’t boasted in quite a while. Meanwhile Khurtiss Perry is attracting attention for future reps at end/edge.

Support and Redshirt Roles

The remainder of the D-Line roster is not to be lightly dismissed but getting them prepared to step up as eligibility runs out for quite a few players at the end of the season. If we haven’t mentioned them, it’s not because they aren’t thought of, but given the current primary and secondary depth for the DL, their roles will be learning, getting bigger, faster, and stronger.

The Defensive Line will dictate how good the entire defense is this season. If they can get a consistent level of 1–2-yard penetration in the ‘A’ Gap and control the A-B gap they’ll be able to shut down the interior runs for most teams. If they can add some much-needed interior pass pressure they’ll make those fast and powerful defensive ends even better.

A return to Hokies smashmouth defense and intimidating presence on the field for the entire game, will go a long way to changing the culture and fortunes for the team.

For a look at the Friday Practice Pictures check out the Gobbler Country Facebook Group Page.

Next Up for me. Back to Offense and the Running Backs.

GO HOKIES!!!