Virginia Tech Football: Ranking the 5 Best Candiates for Hokies' Team MVP
The excitement is palpable in Blacksburg, as the Virginia Tech Hokies have a new head football coach in Justin Fuente. Legendary head coach Frank Beamer will oversee the sidelines one more time in a to-be-determined bowl game thanks to last week's thrilling win over archrival Virginia.
The win over UVA puts the Hokies at 6-6 on the season, including a 4-4 mark in ACC play.
It's easy to question how good the Hokies could've been had starting quarterback Michael Brewer not been injured in the season opener against Ohio State or All-American cornerback Kendall Fuller not missed most of the season with a knee injury, but that's revisionist history.
Who were the Hokies' top players in 2015?
Here are Bleacher Report's top five candidates for Virginia Tech's 2015 team MVP.
5. Tight End Bucky Hodges
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There may not be a more impressive physical specimen in all of football than Virginia Tech tight end Bucky Hodges. At 6'7", 241 pounds, Hodges possesses the size of a power forward with the 4.4 speed of a wide receiver.
He happens to be a pretty good football player, too.
While Hodges didn't quite equal his stats from last season, he was close. This season, he was third on the team in receptions and receiving yards, while his six touchdowns placed him second on the squad.
Hodges' dip in statistics likely had to do with a couple of things: Michael Brewer's injury and Brenden Motley's insertion into the lineup and also becoming the opposition's focal point. Opponents would frequently bracket Hodges with double-teams.
Through it all, Hodges put together another nice season and could break numerous ACC tight end records if he returns for another season in 2016.
4. Safety Chuck Clark
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Chuck Clark, a 6'1", 204-pound junior from Suffolk, Virginia, is the Hokies' Swiss army knife on defense. As a sophomore last season, Clark started 11 games at cornerback when Brandon Facyson went down.
This fall, Clark was expected to be Tech's nickel corner; however, inexperience at the safety position led Clark to switch positions. At safety, Clark led the Hokies in tackles and recorded one interception, a sack and three tackles for loss.
Once Kendall Fuller went down in September, Clark would routinely play with three freshmen in the secondary alongside him. He rarely missed assignments and continued to be a sure tackler, too.
Virginia Tech's secondary had its issues this season, but Clark was not one of them. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster trusts Clark no matter where he lines up.
3. Running Back Travon McMillian
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The Hokies' running game scuffled through September before Beamer made freshman Travon McMillian the starter in early October. Tech's ground game improved immediately.
On the season, McMillian finished with 961 rushing yards, five touchdowns and averaged over five yards per attempt.
A former high school quarterback, McMillian ran for at least 80 yards in Tech's final seven games. Known as a speedster, McMillian proved to coaches he could get the tough yards, too. His body also held up well as he averaged almost 24 touches per game over the six-game stretch to end the season.
McMillian's insertion into the starting lineup changed VT's offense.
Virginia Tech is known for its outstanding tailbacks, and McMillian is on track to be the next great Hokie runner.
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2. Defensive Tackle Luther Maddy
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Senior defensive tackle Luther Maddy was selected to the All-ACC first team on Monday, according to Virginia Tech's official site. It's Maddy's third time being honored by the league and the first time he's been selected to the first team.
Maddy is deserving.
Before the season, there was a lot of hype about how good Virginia Tech's defensive line would be. Much of that didn't materialize due to injuries, but Maddy didn't get the memo.
The big, athletic run-stopper finished fourth on the team with 54 tackles, recorded 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and forced a fumble.
Maddy was often the player opposing teams would double-team, and at times, he'd single-handedly disrupt the other team's running game. In the season finale at Virginia, Maddy started his 55th game as a Hokie, which tied a school record.
While VT's defense had its share of issues this season, it's tough to imagine where the Hokies would've been if Maddy wasn't anchoring the defensive line.
1. Wide Receiver Isaiah Ford
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When his career is finished, sophomore Isaiah Ford will likely own every major receiving record in Virginia Tech history. The lanky 6'2", 188-pound Ford finished the 2015 regular season just 63 yards shy of becoming the first Hokie to finish with 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
Ford led Tech in every receiving category this fall. He also led the ACC in receiving yards and touchdowns. He was fifth in the ACC in receptions.
Like Maddy, Ford was also selected to the All-ACC first team.
His 10 touchdowns and 63 receptions were both single-season records for Virginia Tech.
Regardless of the opposition, Ford was consistent every week. He was often Brewer or Motley's safety valve while also beating teams deep with ease.
While the Hokies finished with a disappointing 6-6 record, Ford was a bright spot and is the unquestioned MVP of the 2015 Virginia Tech Hokies.
All stats courtesy of hokiesports.com.
Bryan Manning covers college football for Bleacher Report, and you can follow him on Twitter @bdmanning4.
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