Across the Sideline: A Discussion With Inside The Black & Gold's Ahmed Ghafir

BLACKSBURG, Va. — It's nearly game day. On Saturday afternoon, Virginia Tech football takes on Maryland in College Park, Md., looking for its first 3-0 start since 2017 and its first non-conference Power Four win since the same season. I caught up with Inside The Black & Gold's Ahmed Ghafir about the looming Virginia Tech-Maryland matchup; we both posed questions for one another, and here are the responses from each of us below:

Ahmed's Responses:

TH: What stands out to you about Maryland's pass rush?

AG: The depth, and that’s with Zahir Mathis down with an injury. Spring ball gave a chance for the depth to flash, with Nahsir Taylor and DD Holmes flashing as quality pieces in the rotation. Sidney Stewart is a bona fide star, and you can always count on his production, but Zahir Mathis going down with an injury really opened the door for Taylor and Holmes to flourish. And on top of those guys, you also have the five-star recruit in Zion Elee. We’ve seen Elee receive a limited number of snaps thus far, which proves to us the depth that this pass rush has.

From the snaps that he’s played, Elee looks as advertised. He is noticeably quick off the line of scrimmage if you watch his feet when the ball is snapped. Mike Locksley talked about how he had to talk with Elee on the sidelines vs Hampton after he was furious about missing a sack. Seeing hunger like that from a young player is what you want to see and he followed it up the next week against UConn where he recorded his first career sack when he strip sacked UConn quarterback Kalieb Osborne.

TH: Do you believe there is a definitive answer as to how much of UMD's positive start is down to opponent caliber vs. team-specific strengths?

AG: I do not think there is a definitive answer. My belief is you never truly know until you play better competition. But just because we can’t take a definitive answer from those games doesn’t mean we can take information on what looked good and what looked like it needs improvement. What stood out against UConn was the upgraded pass-catchers Malik Washington has this season. Another strength we’ve seen is the defensive line and their effectiveness in the run game and pass rush.

But granted, it has been weak competition, so we will see if they can remain dominant against a Power Four opponent. Lastly, offensive coordinator Clint Trickett talked all summer about the offense’s emphasis on running the football. While Maryland has been successful at that, led by DeJuan Williams, Iverson Howard, and Harry Dalton III, it is absolutely something for Terp fans to keep their eye on going into a big matchup. Especially with the room being thinner now after losing RB1 DeJuan Williams due to an injury that has him sidelined for a few weeks. One thing to keep an eye on with the run game is to see if Trickett will get Malik involved in the run game versus the Hokies.

What improvements do you believe Malik Washington has made from Year 1 to 2?

AG: An area of improvement/maturity that coach Mike Locksley has talked about is Washington’s leadership. Coach Locksley told a story during fall camp where Washington hit one of his receivers in the hands, and that receiver was not able to make the catch. Washington then gave the receiver a hard time, reminding him that if he continues to drop those passes, he won’t be getting those opportunities anymore. That may seem like a small story, but Coach Locksley mentioned how that shows the maturity Malik has developed. He is no longer a freshman who is hesitant to lead. He is now more experienced and ready to not only elevate himself, but elevate his teammates as well. On the field, Washington has improved, but there is still room to grow as well. He was criticized for his first-half performance versus Hampton, but he silenced all of that talk when he balled out against UConn last week.

TH: Who's caught your eye among Maryland's pass-catchers?

AG: It looks like Maryland hit on their two biggest wide receiver additions through the portal in Old Dominion transfer Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding and Wyoming transfer Chris Durr Jr. Gladding had a solid first performance in week one versus Hampton, where he caught 6 passes for 57 yards and a touchdown while also being effective on special teams returning punts. He exploded onto the scene against UConn, where he caught 8 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown.

Alongside him, Chris Durr Jr. also had a breakout game at UConn where he had ten receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown on a cleanly executed RPO slant route that he caught from Malik Washington. Durr has shown that he will be a very reliable slot option for Malik this season. After a bad drop versus Hampton, Kaleb Webb bounced back in a solid performance in East Hartford, Connecticut. He caught five passes for 60 yards, and he made some ridiculous catches that we did not see on this Maryland team last year. Webb really showed off his pass-catching talent last week, and that provides a lot of optimism going forward.

TH: What's your score prediction?

AG: 24-21, Maryland. James Franklin has delivered some blowouts to Mike Locksley during his time at Penn State, but Locksley now has an equal playing field to coach against Franklin. This is going to be a battle of a game, and it truly is a 50/50 in my opinion, but I’m giving the edge to the Terps at home. In year 1, this is a win Franklin would love to have, but in year 8 for Mike Locksey, this is a win he needs. I’m giving the edge to Maryland because I feel confident in their ability to slow down Jeffrey Overton Jr., and I have hope that Maryland will be able to control this game a little more than they’ve been able to in the past if their run game stays efficient.

Thomas' Responses:

AG: How has the dynamic between James Franklin and Brent Pry played out through two weeks?

TH: Honestly, it’s started about as seamlessly as I thought it could. Through two games, Virginia Tech’s defensive line has anchored the Hokies, and they’ve been dominant in the trenches on that side of the ball to start this season. While coverage from the corners has proven occasionally leaky, Virginia Tech’s front has rendered it a moot point, at least through the first two weeks of competition.

That’s where I think the Franklin-Pry dynamic has worked particularly well. Franklin has largely allowed Pry to handle the defense while putting his own stamp on the program as a whole, and the early returns have been encouraging. Virginia Tech has played aggressively up front, creating negative plays before opposing offenses can settle in.

There obviously hasn’t been much adversity yet, either. VMI and Old Dominion aren’t going to tell us everything about how this arrangement will work once Virginia Tech gets deeper into its schedule. But through two weeks, there hasn’t been any obvious friction or difficulty in defining responsibilities. Pry has been able to focus on a defense that looks considerably more disruptive.

AG: What are some mistakes that have flashed through two weeks? Additionally what has been a pleasant surprise to start the Franklin era?

TH: As I mentioned above, Virginia Tech’s corner coverage has left something to be desired. ODU’s Quinn Henicle completed four deep-ball passes (20 or more yards) against the Hokies last Saturday, though one was a catch exacerbated by a defensive pass interference call on corner Jaquez White. That’s probably the biggest area I’m watching as the level of competition begins to increase, especially if opposing quarterbacks are given opportunities to test Virginia Tech vertically.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the defensive ends, however, particularly Aycen Stevens and Mylachi Williams. Williams totaled 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two forced fumbles against the Monarchs, while Stevens finished with a 91.2 overall grade on Pro Football Focus. That production off the edge has helped mask some of the mistakes on the back end because opposing quarterbacks simply haven’t had much time to let plays develop.

AG: VT’s run game poses a question for Maryland to answer, but they’re coming off averaging 2.1 ypc vs. ODU. How do you expect VT to get the run going vs. Maryland’s DL depth?

I think it honestly depends on the blocking up front. Both Jeffrey Overton Jr. and Marcellous Hawkins have shown that they can get into open space and create something when given enough of a lane to run through. The two have combined for six touchdowns this year, and for either to consistently succeed against Maryland, the offensive line will need to win its matchups at the point of attack. Virginia Tech averaged just 2.1 yards per carry against Old Dominion, so there’s clearly room for improvement despite the overall success of the offense.

I’d also expect Virginia Tech to find different ways to manufacture opportunities rather than repeatedly attacking the interior. Getting Hawkins and Overton Jr. to the perimeter, using motion and allowing Ethan Grunkemeyer to keep Maryland honest through the air could prevent the Terrapins from loading up against the run. I think it’s mostly a matter of staying ahead of the chains and avoiding obvious passing situations if possible.

AG: What has made TE Luke Reynolds an impact piece in VT’s offense? What has he shown through two weeks?

It’s helpful that Virginia Tech has run more 12 personnel, which has enabled Reynolds to function almost like a giant-sized wideout from the slot position. He’s malleable enough to move around the formation, whether that means lining up in the slot, going in-line or functioning as a more traditional blocking tight end. Both his size and athleticism create matchup problems, particularly against linebackers who may have difficulty staying with him in coverage and defensive backs who give up considerable size. That versatility has allowed Virginia Tech to keep Reynolds involved without making the offense predictable based on where he lines up. He’s given Ethan Grunkemeyer a big target over the middle of the field and another option who can create yards after the catch rather than simply operating as a safety valve.

AG: What's your score prediction for Saturday's contest.

TH: Virginia Tech 34, Maryland 27. I think the Hokies have enough to outlast and outgun the Terrapins, though this one isn’t a cinch by any means. Malik Washington looks to be a cut above what he was last year, though how much of that is down to the caliber of competition should receive a better answer in Saturday’s affair.

Maryland has enough offensive firepower to test a Virginia Tech secondary that has shown some vulnerability through two weeks, particularly on deep throws. Still, I believe that the Hokies’ defensive front will create enough disruption to swing a couple of possessions in their favor. If Virginia Tech can establish more of a running game than it did against Old Dominion and continue getting efficient play from Ethan Grunkemeyer, I think the Hokies have enough offensively to keep pace. I think Maryland will hang around into the fourth quarter, but Virginia Tech has enough to move to 3-0.

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