Gouveia-Winslow Out for Season

The Virginia Tech defense received another blow on Thursday when
HokieSports.com announced that starting whip linebacker Jeron Gouveia-Winslow
has suffered a lisfranc sprain and will miss the remainder of the season. He is
the second starter the defense has lost for the season in as many weeks.

Gouveia-Winslow was injured on Miami’s first drive of the game when he
stopped the Canes’ fake field goal attempt deep in Tech territory. He was replaced by
Alonzo Tweedy, who finished the game with eight tackles and a sack.

What’s interesting is that Tweedy was as productive statistically in one game
as Gouveia-Winslow was for the entire season. “GW” has nine tackles,
one tackle for loss and 0.5 sacks while starting five games. Tweedy had eight
tackles and a sack in only the Miami game.

As a less experienced player, Tweedy also made more mistakes against the
Hurricanes. Tweedy does provide a playmaking upgrade, and he’ll be expected to
improve as the season progresses.

Defensive end James Gayle will miss the Wake Forest game with a sprained
ankle. Tyrel Wilson is expected to start in his place. The Hokies were already
inexperienced on the defense line. Now they are small and even more inexperience
with no Gayle or Antoine Hopkins in the lineup.

The starters are indicated with bold italics. That’s an extremely small
defensive line. Corey Marshall, just 253 and a true freshman, is the second
biggest starter. Tyrel Wilson weighs under 220. They will be facing one of the
biggest offensive lines they’ll see all year, though the Demon Deacons aren’t
nearly as good at blocking up front as Miami was last week.