Virginia Tech Football: First Half Offensive MVP
Virginia Tech has had a revolving door of ‘MVPs’ throughout this season. Some games it has been Kyron Drones, others it’s been Bhayshul Tuten or Jaylin Lane, so there hasn’t been one player that has stood out in all six of the Hokies’ games this year.
So, the argument then becomes, ‘Which Hokies player has contributed most to Virginia Tech’s wins this season?’
If the MVP debate was purely based on stats, Bhayshul Tuten would be the clear winner. But, it’s not that simple. His two biggest games of yardage were against Rutgers and Miami, rushing for 122 yards and 141 yards, respectively.
In wins, Tuten averages 102.6 rushing yards per game and 2.0 receiving yards, despite having fifteen catches on the season.
Let’s look at the other candidates.
Jaylin Lane has been a player that has showed out in wins. Lane has 371 all-purpose yards on the season, 200 of which have came in wins.
Also, his punt return touchdown came to help ignite the Hokies offense against Marshall in a win, which solidifies his case as a solid candidate.
Da’Quan Felton is a sleeper pick who also fits this description. He has 162 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the season, 118 of those yards and two of those touchdowns have came in wins. He averages less than fifteen receiving yards in losses, and whenever he’s doing well, the offense is doing well.
Another obvious candidate would be Kyron Drones. He threw for over two hundred yards against Stanford, and ran for 117 yards against Old Dominion in Virginia Tech’s big win.
Although he has struggled at points, he is the leader of the team, and the identity of this offense would be much different if Drones weren’t around.
So who is the MVP? Is it workhorse back Bhayshul Tuten? Is it quarterback Kyron Drones? Is it the dynamic wide receiver Jaylin Lane?
The answer to me seems clear, it’s Bhayshul Tuten.
Felton and Lane can both be the top receiver each night, and even get outshined by Stephen Gosnell and Ali Jennings—Lane and Felton are not big enough game changers to be named ‘MVP’.
The biggest debate to me was between Kyron Drones and Bhayshul Tuten.
Drones has had his struggles this season, and there’s been times where the only offense the Hokies had was through Bhayshul Tuten. He’s easily the MVP, despite performing better in losses.
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.