Following some concerns of sluggish starts, the maroon and orange vaulted past those allegations in week three.
Virginia Tech finally turned the tides in Norfolk - defeated by the Monarchs in both 2018 and 2022 - by sealing a 37-17 victory over Old Dominion on Saturday. They came out swinging and got right down to business as they scored touchdowns on the first two possessions. Following some concerns of sluggish starts, the maroon and orange vaulted past those allegations in week three.
Gleams of hope volleyed throughout the offense. Between running back Bhayshul Tuten and our very own quarterback, Kyron Drones, the duo accounted for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. Drones was pedestrian through the air with a stat line of 15/26 for 176 yards and a touchdown.
On ESPN's College GameDay broadcast, Nick Saban brought up a concept that is very interesting. He mentioned the frustration of offensive "BIG-little." The former coach was referencing the execution of big, flashy plays while failing to pick up the simpler yardage: general inefficiency, sloppy mistakes and penalties, failed execution. At times, this VT offense seems to unfold similarly. The Hokies certainly have wowed in a number of plays, but the consistency remains the issue - especially as we forge ahead to tougher opponents.
"We're still a work in progress."
Spotty offensive line play continues to cause "WTF" moments which often result in Drones hanging on to the ball for too long. Coach Pry said of the offensive line last week: "We're still a work in progress."
Given our bottomless receiving corps, one would assume OC Tyler Bowen could get more innovative on offense and spread the ball around. Jaylin Lane was the main man once again, accounting for 106 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.
Overall, the defense was sound and should take a lot of credit for a solid victory. One interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery would help drive us to another win.
On To Rutgers
Saturday will be a gritty matchup for both Rutgers and Virginia Tech as each team will face their toughest opponent to date. The Scarlet Knights are a very well-coached program, led by Greg Schiano and company.
Defensively, we need to stifle rushing stallion Kyle Monangai
While Rutgers hasn't exactly been battle-tested yet, they are ranked 1st in the nation through two games in sacks allowed (zero to be exact). They are solid in the trenches too, so missteps and sloppy penalties will be very problematic. Schiano's unit has not allowed a single point in the first quarter this season through two games. Waltzing into Lane at 3:30 with aggression and a pedantic game plan is crucial for VT.
Defensively, we need to stifle rushing stallion Kyle Monangai who is averaging 8.1 yards per carry. If we can limit their ground game and influence wonky mistakes, it will make life much easier for Drones and his weaponry. I would love to see a mistake free day from our special teams unit but otherwise we are just going to keep the train rolling between our kicker, punter, and return game.
While the Hokies have the talent and depth to cover, this absolutely is not a game the Hokies can look past with Miami looming next Friday. Head Coach Brent Pry is 9-0 when the Hokies score at least 30 points so in many ways the Hokies' overall success goes through the offense.
