Virginia Tech Football News: Tyler Bowen Perfection, Haynes King Injury, APR's Dominance

Coming off a rout of Boston College to begin the second half of the 2024 season, the Virginia Tech football team will host a good Georgia Tech team this weekend. The Yellow Jackets began the season with an upset of Florida State in Ireland and are just one win away from becoming bowl-eligible in 2024.

One huge question going into this week is whether or not the Hokies can continue their good stretch of football in their first three ACC games. As we prepare for another home game in Lane Stadium, here are some thoughts so far of the season through seven games.

Tyler Bowen get much-deserved honor

What a night offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen had against BC. He called an excellent game, maybe his best since arriving in Blacksburg, and his team scored on four of their five first-half possessions. The execution was as good as the play calling aside from a Kyron Drones fumble. It was a good enough performance to earn Bowen co-coordinator of the Week from 247Sports.

The offense sputtered in the third quarter and turned the ball over twice to allow the Eagles back in the game, but it wasn’t Bowen’s fault. Drones made a throw he should have never made and Tuten fumbled the ball. Imagine where the Hokies would be this season if we got that type of play calling earlier in the season?

Haynes King injury

On Sunday, Virginia Tech opened as a nearly double-digit favorite against the Yellow Jackets and it has to be because of Haynes King’s injury and his availability. That seems like too high of a line for a Georgia Tech team will the season they have had and if King’s health wasn’t in doubt, it’s likely a lot closer line.

I would not expect head coach Brent Keys to tip his hand until Saturday at the earliest as to who will be the quarterback for Georgia Tech. Keys did say that the injury was not season-ending, but if they are forced to go with backup Zach Pyron, but as a true freshman two years ago in Blacksburg, he led the Yellow Jackets to a 28-27 victory. They have a pretty good backup option should King be out.

Antwaun Powell-Ryland is raising draft stock

All the news surrounding the transfer portal additions two years ago for the Hokies was centered on the offensive side of the ball. However, maybe their biggest addition came on the defensive side with Florida transfer Antwaun Powell-Ryland.

As last season went along, he got better and better and became one of the top-edge rushers in the ACC. He announced last December that he was returning and after his performance against BC, his draft stock is rising and rising fast. There were several NFL scouts in attendance last Thursday night and what a performance APR put on. He did it against one of the better QBs in the ACC in Thomas Castellanos. Four sacks for the third time in just two seasons in Blacksburg for the first time in school history is crazy.