In the first four weeks of the season, the Virginia Tech football team has faced a mounting list of injuries. Each week seems to bring another player sidelined on both offense and defense.
On Monday, head coach Brent Pry addressed the media a day early due to the Hokies’ short week ahead of their game against Miami on Friday. He provided updates on several key topics, including injuries, with mixed news.
Defensively, linebacker Keli Lawson is listed as “day-to-day” and will be limited this week after only playing four snaps against Rutgers. While the linebackers have performed well this season, losing Lawson for an extended period would be a significant setback. Another linebacker, Jayden McDonald, is considered a “long shot” to play against the Hurricanes, which would further weaken the defense.
The injury situation worsened on Tuesday when defensive tackle Kemari Copeland was deemed “unlikely to play,” and left guard Layth Ghannam was confirmed out. These injuries exacerbate the challenges for both the offensive and defensive lines, especially given the struggles the offensive line has had since their opening game against Vanderbilt.
Copeland’s absence will increase pressure on the remaining defensive tackles, making it harder to defend against Miami quarterback Cam Ward and running back Damien Martinez, both of whom have been key to the Hurricanes’ explosive offense.
On the offensive side, Ghannam joins a list of injured players, including Jennings, Drones, and Tuten, which poses a challenge heading into the matchup with Miami. After facing the Hurricanes, the Hokies will travel to Stanford before getting a much-needed bye week to recuperate key players.
