2024 Position Group Previews: Offensive Line
The Room:
65 Xavier Chaplin RS So. 6’6” 323 Seabrook, SC (62.2 OVR, 59.1 PBLK 65.3 RBLK)
61 Braelin Moore RS So. 6’3” 290 Bethlehem, PA (63.7 OVR, 67.5 PBLK 61.6 RBLK)
68 Kaden Moore RS Sr. 6’3” 303 Bethlehem, PA (62.2 OVR, 63.8 PBLK 62.4 RBLK)
66 Montavious Cunningham RS Jr. 6’4” 310 Athens, GA (71 OVR, 76.9 PBLK 67.9 RBLK)
70 Parker Clements RS Sr. 6’7” 300 Lugoff, SC (59.3 OVR, 69.4 PBLK 53.0 RBLK)
56 Layth Ghannam RS Fr. 6’5” 302 Charleston, WV (58.8 OVR, 74.3 PBLK 57.2 RBLK)
67 Hannes Hammer RS Fr. 6’7” 296 Cologne, Germany
77 Brody Meadows RS So. 6’6” 327 Bluefield, VA (58.7 OVR, 48.4 PBLK 60.9 RBLK)
64 Lance Williams RS Fr. 6’3” 310 Alcoa, TN
75 Bob Schick RS Sr. 6’6” 304 Midway, UT (52.8 OVR, 68.4 PBLK 47.7 RBLK)
79 Johnny Garrett RS So. 6’5” 315 Scituate, MA (52.8 OVR, 65.6 PBLK 49.8 RBLK)
63 Griffin Duggan RS Jr. 6’5” 295 Suffolk, VA
51 Elijah Haughawout Fr. 6’4” 303 Sewanee, GA
52 Tyler Smedley RS Jr. 6’2” 304 Ashburn, VA
54 Grant Karczewski RS Fr. 6’7” 283 Crozet, VA
60 Kaleb Nitta RS Fr. 6’2” 289 Leesburg, VA
2023 Review:
There was definitely a lot of skepticism from Hokie Nation going into the 2023 season regarding the Offensive Line. Coming off of a ‘22 season that saw relatively low offensive output in the run game and trouble protecting the QB under first year OL coach, Joe Rudolph. Rudolph left the school early in 2023 in a lateral move to coach the golden-domers in South Bend. With very little time to make a move, Brent Pry hired Ron Crook to coach the O-Line. Crook had a lot of experience in developing lines and coached Cincinnati's line during their run to the College Football Playoff. Crook had a massive challenge in front of him, taking a young line and trying to coach them up in a short period of time.
As Hokie fans may recall, the 2023 campaign started very slowly averaging a pedestrian 108 yards per game on the ground. Tyler Bowen made the decision to modify the rushing attack (See Hokie Hitter from BC game below) and attack the perimeter of the defense instead of the interior. After making this adjustment the Hokies averaged 226 yards per game over the last 9 games of the season including a season high 362 yards in the bowl game against Tulane.
The new rushing approach played to the strengths of the offensive line and hid some of the weaknesses. It allowed running back Bhayshul Tuten to use his speed to pressure the edge of the defense and get the linebackers running sideline to sideline, which left the middle of the field open for quarterback Kyron Drones in the RPO game. Running the quarterback became a legitimate option versus designed runs in previous seasons. Because of the east/west attack, the defensive lines the Hokies played against, could not pin their ears back and get upfield quickly, which aided the Hokies ability to protect the quarterback in the passing game.
Spring Recap:
Now with a full offseason program underway with Ron Crook leading the OL, The Hokies went into the spring with cautious optimism. Tech returned all 5 starters from the previous season, and that experience is invaluable. The Hokies also were able to pull transfer OT/OG Montavious Cunningham from Georgia State and inserted him into the line at right guard. The running game shined in the Spring Game as multiple running backs had standout performances. Cunningham excelled in the run game as a pulling guard on kickout blocks and getting upfield in the screen game. The line appeared to struggle in pass protection, however, because all the D-Line had to do was touch the QB, the D-Line had a definite advantage, and led to many Hokie fans questioning the ability to protect the passer. Overall, the line appeared to have improved in the run and screen game and Hokie fans are in a wait and see mode to see how the line will progress in the passing game.
2024 Preview:
The Virginia Tech Offensive Line will be critical in the overall success of the team in 2024. The Hokies return 7 linemen who started games in 2023. The left side of the line is definitely the strength of the line with Xavier Chaplin, Braelin and Kaden Moore anchoring that side of the line. The Hokies favored that side of the line last year (186 att. vs 178 att.) and with another year of experience, that group should continue to improve. The right side of the line struggled at times last year with Bob Schick and Parker Clements anchoring that side of the line. Montavious Cunningham taking over the right guard spot adds some experience and had a higher PFF grade in 2023 than Schick did last season in that spot. Cunningham showed in the spring game that his footwork and lateral mobility is going to translate just fine to the P4 level. The most worrisome position for many Hokie fans, is the right tackle position. Last year, Parker Clements struggled in the run game (53.0 PFF Run Block Grade) but performed much better in the pass game. With a full offseason being coached by the same OL coach for the first time since his redshirt freshman season, Clements should see some improvement in the run game. If he struggles, Johnny Garrett is sitting behind him to pick up the slack. The Hokies also have Brody Meadows, and Layth Ghannam to add depth to the offensive line.
The 2024 Hokies offensive line will be tested early against an SEC defense, Labor Day weekend at Vandy. Playing against stout competition early, will provide Hokie fans with a solid idea of how much the O-Line has progressed in the offseason. It is reasonable to believe that a veteran offensive line that was fairly efficient through most of 2023 has improved in the offseason. The addition of Cunningham cannot be understated. Hokie fans, in the spring game, saw Cunningham spring Prioleau for a touchdown and get out to block a cornerback on a screen. Cunningham may be able to also help out whoever is playing at right tackle and take some pressure off of that spot. I feel that Ron Crook’s influence and consistency of approach and scheme will also be invaluable to the growth and success in 2024. With a majority of the starters in their second year under Crooks tutelage, Hokie fans should see significant growth in the production of the offensive line. If the line can protect Kyron Drones and create space for Tuten and Thomas in the run game, the Tech offense will be able to sustain drives, keep opponents playmakers off the field, and lead to a successful 2024.
