2024 Position Group Preview: Linebackers

The Room (2023 Stats):

#0 Keli Lawson 6’4” 220 Rs JR Stephens City, VA (80 TKLS, 7 TFL, 2.5 SKS, 1 INT)

#3 Sam Brumfield 5’11” 230 Rs SR Pearl, MS (46 TKLS, 3.5 SKS)

#7 Keonta Jenkins 6’3” 212 GS Jacksonville, FL (50 TKLS, 10 TFL, 1.5 SKS, 1 INT)

#12 Gabe WIlliams 6’4” 200 FR Bowie, MD

#20 Caleb Woodson 6’3” 222 SO Haymarket, VA (22 TKLS, 1.5 TFL)

#24 Jaden Keller 6’3” 235 Rs JR Bristol, TN (23 TKLS, 2 TFL)

#29 Kaleb Spencer 6’2’ 215 SO Gloucester, VA 

#36 Brody Jones 6’2” 214 Rs FR Bristol, VA

#38 Jayden McDonald 6’4” 227 Rs JR Salem, VA (30 TKLS, 1 TFL)

#40 Stephon Hicks 6’0” 203 Rs FR Chester, VA

#41 George Ballance 6’0” 228 Rs FR Virginia Beach, VA (1 TKL)

#43 Josh Hand 6’1” 221 Rs SO Ashburn, VA (1 TKL)

#50 Darius Taylor 6’0” 234 Rs FR Richmond, VA

#53 Will Johnson 6’2” 229 Rs FR Leonardtown, MD (9 TKLS)

#55 Gerard Johnson 6’4” 255 FR Virginia Beach, VA

2023 Recap:

In 2023, Hokie fans looked at the linebacking corps with a giant question mark.  During the 2022 campaign, the Hokies struggled with stopping the inside run and getting into coverage in the passing game. The hope for many Tech fans was that the relatively young linebacker unit would grow into the position and a Mike linebacker would emerge to help against the interior run.  In Chris Marve’s defense, the Mike position is not only responsible for stopping the run, but occasionally dropping in pass coverage and at times running sideline to sideline.  The Hokies platooned a few players last season in that role and shifted the linebackers around as Coach Pry wants to have position flexibility with a lot of players.

 

Early in the season, the run fits and gap integrity against the interior run struggled in Tech’s 1-3 start to the season, giving up long runs against Rutgers, Marshall, and Purdue.  Over the course of the season, the linebacking corps began to grow into their collective roles and greatly improved through the remainder of the campaign.  The run defense, however, continued to struggle against the upper tier of the conference.  In losses to FSU, NC State, and Louisville, the youth of the group combined with some players being out of their natural position led to the opposition running seemingly at will (check out the Hokie Hitter Replay below).  The three linebacker positions, Star,  a hybrid linebacker/safety combination, Mike, a more traditional middle linebacker, and Will, the weakside linebacker, are asked to do a lot on the defense and the experience gained in the up and down season should lead to success in 2024.  While some of the failures on the defensive side cannot be blamed on any one position group, the linebackers improved greatly over the course of the season and showed their improvement in the sloppy conditions against Tulane in the bowl game.  

2024 Spring Review:

Going into the spring of 2024, the Hokies still had a glaring gap at the Mike position.  Pry and Marve were able to dip into the portal and grab transfer Sam Brumfield from Middle Tennessee State.  Brumfield showed on film against top SEC competition, Alabama and Missouri, that he could perform against P4 offenses and become that key piece to the defense that VT has been missing since Pry arrived on campus.  Going into the spring, the first string linebacker corps consisted of Brumfield at Mike, Keli Lawson at WIll and Keonta Jenkins at Star.  Brumfield showed in the spring game, he has the ability not only to help in the interior run, but has the athletic ability to drop in pass coverage and run sideline to sideline.  Jenkins and Lawson are true athletic freaks.  The scary combination of size and speed from those players should be terrifying for any opposing team.  

 

The biggest difference between 2023 and Spring 2024 that became evident, was the depth that had been added to the linebacker room.  The natural depth of McDonald, Keller, and Woodson, who all saw significant reps last season, was bolstered with the addition of Gabe WIlliams and Gerard Johnson who joined the squad in the spring and performed adequately in the Orange and Maroon game.  

2024 Preview:

Going into the 2024 season, Hokie fans are clamoring for a solution at the Mike position.  Hopefully Brumfield can provide that missing piece that Pry and company have needed the past few years.  Keli Lawson is a proven performer, leading the team in tackles in ‘23 and if Keonta Jenkins can remain healthy, the LB room should be the most complete Tech has had in years.  Tech has not not received much preseason hype on the defensive side of the ball, and I feel that the defense, especially the linebackers, are going to sneak up on the opposition and be very good.  While the potential to be good is there for the 2024 linebacker room, some questions have to be answered for the Hokies to have success in 2024.

 

Can the linebackers improve in the run game?

 

While it is not solely the responsibility of the linebackers to stop the run,  there have been many instances in the past three seasons where alignment and reading the play have really hurt defensive production.  This is an area where experience is invaluable and the addition of Brumfield and his experience at that Mike position will ensure that the defense is aligned properly and be able to stop the interior run.  

 

How will the backups perform when called on?

 

Linebacker is a very physical position.  There is a good chance that players will get banged up over the course of the year.  When the second group has to come in, how much drop off will there be in the performance of the linebackers.  One positive that Tech has going for them is that all of the second group of backers played significant snaps in ‘23. This is probably the deepest linebacker room the Hokies have had in many years.  

 

The 2024 Virginia Tech linebacker corps has the opportunity to really show out and make a huge difference in the outcome of the season.  Shoring up the run game has to be priority one, especially against the better teams on our schedule.  Through natural growth and skill development, the linebackers should be better in 2024 and put a more consistent product on the field.  If that consistently happens, there is a very high ceiling for the Virginia Tech defense.

Hokie Hitter Replay: NC State

Check out our other Position Group Previews:

QB: 2024 Position Group Previews: Quarterbacks

RB: 2024 Position Group Previews: Running Backs

WR/TE: 2024 Position Group Previews: Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

OL: 2024 Position Group Previews: Offensive Line

DL: 2024 Position Group Previews: Defensive Line