Virginia Tech Football: Freshman Report Card
Heading into the season, there were a few freshman or redshirt freshman that were expected to make an impact this year, Whether it be redshirt freshman Layth Ghannam who won the starting left guard spot at the beginning of the year, or true freshman Quentin Reddish who tallied five tackles in the 31-7 win against Stanford, there's a lot of contributors in this freshman class.
Quentin Reddish has been one of the higher-rated players by PFF each week, as his season grade is 64.5. Reddish is one of the hardest hitters in the secondary, and he's been in the two-deep depth chart since the beginning of the year. He's rotated from in the boundary and to the field and still has some work to do coverage-wise, but Reddish could be the best run defense safety on the entire team as a freshman.
Unfortunately, Layth Ghannam suffered an injury and has not dressed for the games against Miami, Rutgers, or Stanford. Before that, he was one of the surprise contributors on Virginia Tech's offensive line. He's a freak athlete, listed at 6-foot-5 and weighing over 300 pounds. He's impressed the coaching staff athletically and has come along in the past year. Whenever Ghannam is back, he will likely slot back in at left guard, his position which Virginia Tech veteran Bob Schick has now filled.
There have been some other freshman that have contributed this year as well.
Freshman quarterback William Watson has came in on some special formations to pick up some rushing yards.
Freshman wide receiver Takye Heath has one catch on the season alongside some run blocking downs.
With some injuries in the secondary, freshman defensive back Thomas Williams has excelled in pass coverage.
Freshman linebackers George Ballance and Brody Jones have also seen unexpected downs, recording one tackle and three tackles, respectively.
Virginia Tech has a strong class of seniors, which diminishes the impact of some of these freshman players, but when these Hokies do get to play, they have impressed on both sides of the ball. There's still room for improvement, and I'd like to see Takye Heath make a bigger impact on offense, but as a full class, Virginia Tech has done a great job with the freshman.
Midseason Grade: B-
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.