Virginia Tech Cornerback Dorian Strong Named a Top Candidate To Win ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Virginia Tech Football is returning a lot of starters from last year's team and one of their best players heading into the 2024 season is cornerback Dorian Strong. The Hokies had one of the nation's best secondaries, finishing No. 4 in passing defense, and they have a chance to be just as good this season. Strong should be a candidate to be an All-American, as well as an All-ACC cornerback and 247Sports analyst Grant Hughes has Strong as one of the top three candidates to win ACC defensive player of the year this season:
"Strong put his NFL aspirations aside and announced a return to Virginia Tech this offseason. Last season, Strong rated among the best coverage cornerbacks in college football, allowing just nine receptions on 33 targets for 83 yards and a touchdown. He also flashed ball-hawking abilities, picking off three balls and breaking up seven others. His 2023 season was a bounce-back after injuries limited his 2022 campaign to four games. He's poised to have an even bigger season in 2024 with a full offseason of work under his belt."
Hughes also listed Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte and Miami defensive lineman Reuben Bain as other candidates to win defensive player of the year.
As good as Strong is, I also don't think he is the only candidate on Virginia Tech's defense to be ACC defensive player of the year. Defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Duke transfer Aeneas Peebles are good candidates as well. The Virginia Tech defense could be its best in years and has talent at all three levels.
Virginia Tech has been one of the sexy picks to be in contention for the ACC due to their massive amount of returning production, a talented quarterback in Kyron Drones, the favorable schedule, and the way they finished the year. The Hokies have lofty goals coming into the season and their win total in Vegas is at 8.5 right now. CBS Sports college football analyst Chip Patterson gave his prediction for each win total in the ACC and he has the Hokies going over their win total, finishing with a 10-2 record:
Wins: at Vanderbilt, Marshall, at ODU, at Miami, at Stanford, Boston College, Georgia Tech, at Syracuse, at Duke, Virginia
Losses: Rutgers, Clemson
Analysis: "After three wins in Year 1 and seven in Year 2, both the oddsmakers and our projections are calling for another step forward for coach Brent Pry in Year 3 with the Hokies. It's not just the overwhelming amount of returning production from last season, but how that group performed during a stretch in which the Hokies closed the year with five in wins in their last seven games, with all five victories coming by at least 17 points. Things seemed to click in Blacksburg, and when you carry that over to a schedule that does not have Florida State, NC State or SMU, there is clear room for more upward movement within the league. Over 8.5 wins"
If this prediction comes true, it is hard to see how Virginia Tech would not be playing in the ACC title game with a 10-2 record, with one of the losses being a non-conference loss vs Rutgers. The Hokies would have the tiebreaker over Miami and Georgia Tech, so it could depend on how Florida State finishes.
If Virginia Tech did get to the ACC Championship Game, they would then have the opportunity to win the conference and qualify for the new 12-team playoff. Considering where the program was when Brent Pry took over, that would be a huge accomplishment in year three. Virginia Tech is getting a lot of love this offseason and one thing they are going to have to navigate is how to handle the expectations. Games against Miami and Clemson are going to be huge tests, but those might be the only games in which the Hokies are underdogs. Being able to play as a favorite is going to be vital for this team going into the season.
JACKSON CAUDELL