Wolfpack football scouting report: Week 5 vs. Virginia Tech

By Noah Fleischman

After splitting its first two ACC games, both away from Carter-Finley Stadium, NC State returns home to host Virginia Tech on Saturday night (7 p.m., The CW). 

While the two teams have a series that dates back 125 years, this will mark just the ninth meeting between the Hokies and Wolfpack since Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004. It’s not a frequent matchup, but a Dave Doeren-led NC State has downed Virginia Tech in each of the last two games in 2022 and 2023. 

But before the Hokies (1-3, 0-0 ACC) make their fourth trip to Raleigh in the last 21 years, let’s take a look at this year’s Virginia Tech squad.

5 Virginia Tech players to watch

1. QB Kyron Drones

A dynamic veteran quarterback, Kyron Drones is the engine that makes Virginia Tech’s offense run this season. He has thrown for 928 yards with 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions with a 63-percent completion rate, and he is the Hokies’ second-leading rusher with 144 yards and a team-best 4 scores on the ground to go with it. Drones presents a tough challenge for a defense to defend. The Wolfpack will have to try to get pressure on him without allowing Drones to scramble and make plays with his feet.

2. DL Kemari Copeland

Defensive tackle Kemari Copeland, a player who NC State tried to get out of the junior college ranks ahead of last season, is a force on the line for the Hokies. He has already set a career best with 16 total tackles, including a sack, through Virginia Tech’s first four games after he suffered a torn tricep after two appearances last fall. The 6-foot-3, 283-pound defensive tackle will likely be a critical part of the Hokies’ attempts to stop the Wolfpack’s power rushing attack.

3. WR Donavon Greene

The former Wake Forest standout wide receiver, Donavon Greene is Virginia Tech’s top wideout with 10 receptions for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns this fall. He has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but so far, Greene has been able to stay healthy in his final season of college football. He posted a season-best 94 receiving yards on 3 catches in the season opener against South Carolina. In two games against NC State in Greene’s Wake Forest career, he has 3 receptions for 49 yards with a long of 31 yards in the 2022 meeting.

4. LB Caleb Woodson

A key leader of Virginia Tech’s defense, linebacker Caleb Woodson is the Hokies’ leading tackler with 24 stops, even though he didn’t play in the team’s win over Wofford this past weekend. Woodson has a redshirt available, so he could opt to sit the rest of the season and not play at NC State, but that isn’t going to be clear until kickoff. If Woodson plays, he is an integral part of making sure the Hokies’ defense is sound. But if he doesn’t suit up, that could weaken the middle of Virginia Tech’s defense in this Week 5 matchup.

5. K John Love

It’s not too often in college football that a kicker is a weapon for a team. But Virginia Tech has a likely future professional as its placekicker in the form of John Love. The Spartanburg, S.C., native is 6-of-7 on field goal attempts this season with a long of 56. Through his first three seasons as the Hokies’ starter, Love is 45-of-51 on field goal attempts with a long of 60 yards in his career. Distilling his attempts down by distance, Love is nearly automatic inside 40 yards with a 30-of-31 mark, while he is 15-of-19 on kicks outside of 40 yards in his collegiate career.

3 keys to the game

1. Establish the run

NC State’s offense has fed off redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers this season. He’s become the ACC’s leading rusher with 503 yards, finding the end zone 4 times on 80 carries this fall. His ability to find holes and get into the second level will appear to be a critical part of this game. Why? Virginia Tech owns the second-worst rushing defense in the league with 157.5 yards allowed per game. That could enable Smothers to get rolling again as he looks for his fourth straight 100-yard rushing game, which would mark the first time the Wolfpack had a rusher eclipse 100 yards in four consecutive games since the 2015 season.

2. Execute well on special teams

NC State’s special teams unit struggled in the Wolfpack’s loss at Duke this past weekend. The Wolfpack had an offside penalty on a punt return, a blocked field goal and a missed extra point. Earlier this season, the Pack also gave up a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown at Wake Forest. It’s imperative that NC State’s special teams unit can execute well against Virginia Tech because the Hokies are a more-than-capable team. Punt returner Tucker Holloway, for example, averages 13.2 yards per attempt and has a touchdown in his career. All in all, the Wolfpack is looking to fix its special teams in a hurry. This is a chance to test it right away.

3. Stand tall against deep passes

Virginia Tech interim head coach Philip Montgomery alluded to the Hokies wanting to attack NC State’s secondary vertically in his press conference earlier this week. This is an opportunity for the Wolfpack’s defensive backs to make a statement following a rocky first four games. Drones, the Hokies’ quarterback, is 7-for-16 passing for 229 yards with a touchdown and 3 interceptions on passes of 20 air yards or more this season. It’s not the most intimidating stat line, but it shows that the secondary has a chance to make impact plays to help flip the game early and often.

1 NC State player who could change the game

RB Hollywood Smothers

As mentioned above, Smothers has a chance to help grind down Virginia Tech’s defense as a tough runner to tackle. He has forced 24 missed tackles as a rusher this season, which ranks first in the ACC through the first four weeks. Additionally, he has 330 yards after contact since it usually takes more than one defender to bring him down. Smothers will look to help spark NC State’s offense by bullying his way into tough runs with explosive carries in the process.