The Hokies will face a new conference opponent this Saturday in Stanford, coming off a heartbreaking loss to No. 8 Miami. In last week’s game, Miami faced the Hokies and it was a defensive struggle, but we saw Stanford have similar issues that the Hokies have faced all season.
1. WR Eric Ayomanor
November 25, 2023. Stanford, California, USA. Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Eric Ayomanar, 13, takes a lead on Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety DJ Brown, 2, during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium, but quarterback He was unable to keep a pass from Justin Lamson. Required credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Standford wide receiver Eric Ayomanor has been a big contributor this season with 21 pass receptions, 284 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Ayomanor also averaged 71 yards per game, 13.5 yards per catch, and his longest reception was 29 yards, including a 102-yard reception in the first game of the season against TCU. Last season, Ayomanor threw for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns, with his longest reception being 97 yards. Stay tuned to see how the Hokies protect him and who they use in the game.
2. QB Ashton Daniels
September 20, 2024. Syracuse, New York, USA. Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ashton Daniels, 14, attempts a pass during the second half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome. Required Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Ashton Daniels has proven to be a quarterback threat for Stanford this season who can both throw and pass the football. So far this season, Daniels has completed 59 percent of his passes for 633 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. His rushing stats for the season are 50 attempts for 250 yards and 62.5 yards per game, good enough to be the team’s leading rusher. This is important to note, as we’ve seen the Hokies struggle with dual-threat quarterbacks and run-heavy offenses, and what the Hokies have to defend against this. It will be interesting to see.
3. WR Ismael Cisse
September 7, 2024. Stanford, California, USA. Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Ismael Cisse, 84, scores a touchdown in the second half of a game against the Cal Poly Mustangs at Stanford Stadium. Required credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Ismael Cisse is Stanford’s second-leading receiver this season with 170 yards and two touchdowns, 42.5 yards per game and 8.5 yards per catch. In the first two games of the season, he scored a touchdown in both games, with his best performance coming against Cal Poly, when he had eight receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown.
