Virginia Tech Football: Week 3 Spring Practice Stock Report

Could Virginia Tech's offense carry the team this fall? If Saturday's scrimmage meant anything, the Hokies could be a dangerous offense this fall.

For years, Tech fans have gotten accustomed to defensive coordinator Bud Foster and his ferocious defense leading the Hokies to numerous conference championships and 22 straight bowl appearances. While Foster's defense could once again be dominant in 2015, the offense ruled the day in VT's second spring scrimmage.

Senior quarterback Michael Brewer returned after missing some practice due to back spasms and looked like a completely different quarterback from the one who struggled at times in 2014.

Unofficially, Brewer completed 10 of 15 passes for 256 yards and five touchdowns. Now, keep in mind that it was a scrimmage and offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler was sure to keep things in perspective, per Andy Bitter of The Roanoke Times:

"

There were some touchdowns today that we had that there’s particular looks that Bud [Foster] gave us to look on. So they’re skewed. They’re completely skewed. This is a scrimmage. I just don’t think it’s fair on either side of it. It’s just not right. Because we’re trying to get things done and accomplish things as coaches, and everything is skewed and things are looked at positive or negative. It’s just, that’s why.

"

Loeffler's right: Scrimmages are generally controlled. The offensive coaches will ask the defense to give them a certain look and vice versa. However, when has a Virginia Tech offense been this productive in a scrimmage over the last several years?

Longtime head coach Frank Beamer was impressed by the number of big plays in the scrimmage, per Tech's official site:

"

That was probably the most long plays I’ve seen in a scrimmage. And that’s both good and bad. We’ve had a long of young guys making the long plays, and you have to give credit to your offensive line when things are happening good. Defensively, you miss a tackle in the secondary and all of a sudden, it turns into a long play. We’ll get those things corrected, but you feel good when you feel like you’ve got a threat and most of the guys doing it are young guys. I like where we are as a football team.

"

Brewer's Return

Tech has some bodies at the quarterback position in 2015. Brewer and Brenden Motley both return, while redshirt freshmen Andrew Ford and Chris Durkin now have a year of experience under their belts.

Highly regarded freshman Dwayne Lawson also arrives on campus this summer.

But let's get back to Brewer. The senior, who missed a good portion of spring practice recovering from back spasms, is being counted upon in 2015 to help take Tech's offense to another level. A full offseason in the program should help Brewer.

In his first season with VT in 2014, Brewer completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,692 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Turnovers plagued Brewer early last season, but he had only four interceptions in Tech's final seven games of the season after throwing 11 picks in his first six games.

Brewer is at his best when he's taking chances and pushing the ball down the field. The Hokies certainly have the weapons to get the ball down the field in 2015.

The biggest question surrounding Brewer right now is his health. Are the back spasms related to the back surgery he had over two years ago while he was at Texas Tech?

Tech athletic trainer Mike Goforth doesn't think so, according to Bitter.

“We’re just taking all the precautions that we can,” Goforth said. “It’s not like it’s a setback at this point.”

Brewer, meanwhile, was upbeat about his performance after the scrimmage but feels it's mainly because he's more comfortable with his surroundings and his teammates than he was when he entered the program last year, per Bitter.

"I would say just more of a comfortable atmosphere for me,” Brewer said. “ I’ve been able to kind of build a little more camaraderie, some timing."

If Brewer finishes the spring on a strong note, he will likely head into fall practice alone atop Tech's depth chart at quarterback.

Defensive End Depth a Concern

The Hokies will return the most productive pair of defensive ends in college football in 2015. Ken Ekanem and Dadi Nicolas both return, but it's Tech's lack of depth behind them that is concerning.

Ekanem was unable to participate in spring practice after offseason shoulder surgery, opening the door for sophomore Seth Dooley and a host of others to take advantage of an opportunity.

According to defensive line coach Charley Wiles, only Dooley has seized his chance, per BeamerBall.com.

"And I tell you, Seth Dooley is coming along. I like it when a plan comes together. Seth is more physical, he understands what he’s doing and that’s good to see because he’s been a bit of a project," Wiles said.

That's good news for Dooley and the Hokies, but what happens this fall if Ekanem or Nicolas goes down for significant period of time?

Tech has already moved talented freshman Yosuah Nijman from defensive end to offensive tackle. Nijman, who was described as a "physical phenomenon" by strength and conditioning coach Mike Gentry, per Mike Barber of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, was struggling as Foster suggested his "mind was tying up his feet."

Sophomore Melvin Keihn would be next in line for the Hokies, but he hasn't exactly stood out this spring. At 6'1", 211 pounds, he is undersized and relies only on his speed to rush the passer. That will work against some teams, but not against better offensive tackles.

Keihn has the chance to be a special player for the Hokies, but he could be better suited for linebacker moving forward.

The Hokies have some talent coming in this summer. However, it's tough to project how ready the newcomers will be as true freshmen without a year in the school's weight program.

Bucky Hodges at Wide Receiver

Tight end Bucky Hodges is the new prototype at tight end. Hodges stands 6'6", weighs 249 pounds and runs like a wide receiver. According to Bitter, he ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash in last year's winter workouts.

NFL scouts will likely drool over the third-year sophomore as soon as this fall, and his performance this spring should definitely have Hokie fans excited.

Loeffler has moved Hodges around more, lining him up as a wide receiver rather than having him play the traditional tight end role. That allows Hodges to get on the field with fellow sophomores Isaiah Ford and Cam Phillips in three-receiver sets and helps get fellow tight end Ryan Malleck on the field, too.

"We’re putting him all over the place,” Loeffler said, per Norm Wood of the Daily Press. “There were some things that we looked at (in Saturday’s scrimmage) that he needed to improve immensely on the perimeter, so (we're putting) him a lot on the perimeter right now."

Loeffler is testing Hodges this spring. He wants to see how much he can throw at Hodges and determine what he can retain.

The Hokies will be much more dangerous on offense with Hodges lining up all over the line of scrimmage.

Hodges is an extreme mismatch for defensive backs and linebackers. His presence will consistently allow Ford and/or Phillips to see single coverage, something Ford proved he could beat last fall.

The Hokies take to the field again this Saturday for the final open scrimmage before the the annual spring game on April 25. Admission to Lane Stadium is free, with practice beginning around 10:45 a.m. ET. The scrimmage will begin shortly thereafter.