Virginia Tech has been sleepwalking onto the field...
Make that another bumpy opening half for the Hokies - namely, the offense. While the Hokies were able to prevail 31-14 over the visiting Marshall Thundering Herd, Virginia Tech has been sleepwalking onto the field through the first two games of the 2024 campaign. Don't believe me? The Hokies have outscored both opponents (Vanderbilt and Marshall) a total of 45-17 in quarters three and four.
Luckily, it wasn't all tired from the start. The Hokies had a great defensive performance on Saturday as they allowed only 129 yards through the air all afternoon. Special Teams also elicited the nostalgic "Beamer Ball" - a staple focus of Hokie football for several decades that put an emphasis on both defense and special teams causing a ruckus. A 58-yard punt return by Jaylin Lane and a 42-yard field goal drilled by kicker John Love would light a fire under our asses going into halftime.
Coming out of the locker room, we began to unearth the offense. Kyron Drones and company made magic both on the ground and through the air. Who else other than Bhayshul Tuten to have a field day on the ground? Tuten racked up 120 rushing yards averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Don't forget his five receptions for 20 yards.
"You throw that ball up. Steve's gonna come down with it."
Wideout Stephen Gosnell excelled in the passing game and also made a photo-worthy grab on a long ball zipping 49 yards through the air. Diving and extending with all his might, it was no doubt a crucial play for the momentum of the Hokie offense. Teammate Da'Quan Felton mentioned of the spectacular catch, "You throw that ball up. Steve's gonna come down with it."
Looking Ahead To ODU Week
Enough about the past. We got the win at home and now it’s time to hit the road to in-state headache Old Dominion. Virginia Tech enters the Saturday matchup as 13.5 point favorites. We have not been so fortunate in Norfolk over the years - losing in both 2018 and 2022.
"They're sound. They play hard. They are well coached..."
The Hokies simply cannot come out with a ragged first half or they could quickly be toast. This is the same opponent to nearly took down South Carolina week one. Another key to victory? Offensive line play. It has to be solid from the start in order to allow Kyron Drones and his arsenal to get to work.
Head Coach Brent Pry didn’t mince words with his praise of the Monarchs: "They're sound. They play hard. They are well coached. It's a good group." He then stated, quite simply, that he knows "they'll battle." The Hokies kickoff against Old Dominion in Norfolk Saturday, September 14 at 6PM EST.
