Notebook: Hokies Just Outside Of Preseason Top 25 AP Poll

Despite all the offseason optimism, Virginia Tech won’t start the season ranked.

The Hokies finished second in the others receiving votes category in the AP poll, which was released Monday, effectively putting them 27th. Tech came in 28th in the coaches poll released last week.

Four ACC teams are ranked in the AP poll — No. 10 Florida State, No. 14 Clemson, No. 19 Miami and No. 24 NC State. Of the teams not in the poll, Louisville got the most points (111), just ahead of Virginia Tech’s 77.

It’s been nearly three years since the Hokies appeared in the AP poll. They were in it for two weeks during the 2021 season when they briefly climbed to 15th before losing at West Virginia. 

Virginia Tech hasn’t begun the season in the AP poll since 2018 when it started out 20th. The Hokies have not finished a year in the poll since 2017, when they were 24th, down three spots from a 21st preseason ranking. 

A scrimmage in the books

Details were sparse from the Hokies’ scrimmage in Lane Stadium on Saturday, though it sounds like the defense had the better effort in the early going before the offense got in gear.

“We struggled a little bit to get the ball rolling early, but we got it going toward the end,” right tackle Parker Clements said. “Had a few good periods and drives there toward the end of the scrimmage.”

Frames from Mini Camp #3 🖼️#ThisIsHome pic.twitter.com/fdE1fx2um7

— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) August 11, 2024

The scrimmage work marked the end of Tech’s third “mini-camp” — three-day segments of practice followed by an off day. 

“It felt good. Body’s a little sore right now, but that’s football,” linebacker Jaden Keller said. “There’s obviously room for growth. We’re going to watch film and get better, but I think it was a good scrimmage and we’re going to build after that.”

Keller with the ones

With Sam Brumfield likely locking down the mike spot, the will position has the most intrigue of the linebacker spots, with three players working there who have started before. Right now, Keller appears to be the frontrunner ahead of Jayden McDonald and Keli Lawson. True sophomore Caleb Woodson is also getting reps there after moving over from star.

While Keller’s never quite put things together on defense the last few years, he earned heavy praise from the coaching staff after earning spring MVP honors on special teams and seems to be clicking at linebacker.

“I think I’m playing my best football right now,” Keller said. “I think I’m taking the coaching the best I ever have. I think I’m progressively getting better. It’s not all coaches. It’s the players. It’s watching film with the players. The atmosphere we’re building here, it makes you want to get better every day. It makes you want to work and improve your game each and every day.”

“Jaden Keller is pretty impressive right now,” head coach Brent Pry said.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder has always had physical traits that jump off the page, impressing both of the last two coaching staffs. He played mostly safety and on offense in high school, though, so getting the intricacies of inside linebacker down has taken time.

“It’s just making an adjustment of reading your keys faster,” Keller said. “There’s not really room for false steps when you’re playing linebacker at the college level. Offensive linemen climb so fast. So just being able to anticipate snaps and have quick feet and good eyes and reading your keys, that was really the biggest change for me when I made the transition.”

Eyeing 85 percent

The Hokies return all of their kickers from last year, and while place-kicker John Love and punter Peter Moore grab a lot of attention, kickoff specialist Kyle Lowe is quietly putting together a solid career.

The redshirt junior has a strong leg, getting touchbacks on nearly 70 percent of his career kickoffs. He had 54 touchbacks on 76 attempts last year (71%), which ranked in the top 20 nationally. 

This year, he’d like to be up around 85 percent. Why? The school record is 84 percent set by Joey Slye in 2017. 

“Obviously, Joey Slye, that’s a hard one to beat,” Lowe said. “He’s got a robot leg on him. But yeah, that’s the goal.”

(Not) in the game

For most college players, seeing themselves in the EA Sports College Football 25 video game this summer was a thrill, the first time real names have been allowed with the new name, image and likeness rules.

Lowe is an exception. Instead of seeing himself wearing No. 83 in the game, there are substitutes. The latest update has Love as the kickoff specialist. Lowe’s also seen a generic player in his place, one that bears a striking resemblance to him.

“They have the same body weight, same height and everything,” he said with a laugh. “Like, c’mon, man. Just change the name or something.”

Lowe said he filled out the form to get compensated but never received any money. He’s working with compliance to see if he can get in the game in a future patch.

In the meantime, he’s (mostly) holding out from playing the game, watching as teammates play each other.

“I call it ‘celebrity plays,’” Lowe said. “I’ll hop in and do a play. I’ll usually throw a pick. But I’m kind of banned on the sticks right now.”