See also:
- Virginia Tech's schedule and animated drive charts
- Virginia Tech's unit rankings
- Statistical comparison of the two teams
Today, let's take a look at the key players for the Virginia Tech Hokies:
|
Category
|
Player
|
National
Rank |
Actual
|
| Rushing | Ryan Williams |
5
|
128.17
|
| Tyrod Taylor |
28.67
|
||
| Josh Oglesby |
25.08
|
||
| David Wilson |
25.08
|
||
| Passing Efficiency (Min. 15 Att./Game) | Tyrod Taylor |
14
|
149.32
|
| Total Offense | Tyrod Taylor |
70
|
203.83
|
| Ryan Williams |
128.17
|
||
| Receptions Per Game | Jarrett Boykin |
3.00
|
|
| Receiving Yards Per Game | Jarrett Boykin |
81
|
59.58
|
| Danny Coale |
47.67
|
||
| Interceptions | Rashad Carmichael |
T-19
|
.42
|
| Kam Chancellor |
.17
|
||
| Punting (Min. 3.6 Punts/Game) | Brent Bowden |
13
|
43.89
|
| Punt Returns (Min. 1.2 Ret./Game) | Jayron Hosley |
23
|
10.93
|
| Kickoff Returns (Min. 1.2 Ret./Game) | Dyrell Roberts |
3
|
34.47
|
| David Wilson |
19.12
|
||
| Field Goals | Matt Waldron |
T-28
|
1.42
|
| Scoring | Ryan Williams |
T-6
|
10.00
|
| Matt Waldron |
35
|
7.92
|
|
| All-Purpose Runners | Ryan Williams |
32
|
143.17
|
| Dyrell Roberts |
74.75
|
||
| Sacks | Nekos Brown |
.38
|
|
| Jason Worilds |
.38
|
||
| Steven Friday |
.32
|
||
| Tackles | Cody Grimm |
T-62
|
8.25
|
| Barquell Rivers |
T-85
|
7.83
|
|
| Tackles For Loss | Cody Grimm |
.79
|
|
| Jason Worilds |
.79
|
Observations
Running backs. Ryan Williams ranks fifth in the nation with an average of 128.17 yards per game. Will clued us in to this guy way back on December 7. He's also tied for 6th nationally in scoring.
Quarterbacks. Tyrod Taylor ranks 14th in the nation in passing efficiency, in the company of Tony Pike, Tim Tebow, Case Keenum, Ryan Mallett, and Jimmy Clausen. Dude's also a threat to run, averaging 28.67 yards on the ground per game. The Hokies don't rely on him too much, though, choosing instead to lean on Williams.
Receivers/Tight Ends. Jarrett Boykin appears to be the main guy here, but even as the team leader, he's averaging only three receptions and 59.58 yards per game.
Defense. The strong defense appears to be a team effort, as leading tacklers Cody Grimm and Barquell Rivers average only around eight take-downs each. Jason Worilds also contributes behind the line of scrimmage a bit. The player ranking highest in any defensive category is Rashad Carmichael, who is tied for 19th nationally in interceptions with .42 per outing.
Special teams. Dyrell Roberts is third in the nation in kickoff returns, and he averages 34.47 per return. He's the guy who returned one for a score against Alabama. Jayron Hosley goes a great job returning punts, and he returned on 88 yards for a score against Marshall. Oh, and that other punt return for a TD against Miami? A one-yarder after a block by LB Matt Reidy.