Here are four thoughts on Virginia Tech football following their disappointing loss to Vanderbilt.
Some random reflections after Virginia Tech’s season opener against Vanderbilt. Before Saturday’s game, I had a feeling that this might be tougher than anticipated. Still, I reassured myself that there was a different vibe around the program this season and everything would be fine.
Turns out, I was wrong.
The Hokies delivered a concerning performance on multiple fronts, falling into an early 17-3 deficit at halftime. They managed to rally and take a 27-20 lead late in the fourth quarter, but the same defensive issues that plagued them in the first half resurfaced, leading to a 34-27 overtime loss to a Vanderbilt team that was desperate for a win. Now that the dust has settled, here are some thoughts as the Hokies prepare to face Marshall at home this Saturday.
- Virginia Tech’s early-season struggles persist
The first few games of recent seasons have produced some perplexing results, and Vanderbilt is the latest addition to the growing list. Last year, it was Purdue at home and Rutgers and Marshall on the road. Two years ago, it was Old Dominion away and West Virginia at home. The trend is concerning, and Virginia Tech needs to sweep their upcoming games against Marshall, ODU, and Rutgers to quell these early-season woes. - Questionable first-half play-calling
We heard all offseason about the returning offensive production, and expectations were high for the Hokies to come out strong offensively against Vanderbilt, but that didn’t happen. Offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen tried to establish the running game but struggled. When it came to passing, most of the plays were short and near the line of scrimmage. With talented wide receivers and playmakers on the outside, they needed to take more shots downfield. Hitting a few deep passes would have opened up the running game for Bhayshul Tuten and Kyron Drones, but it felt like they waited too long to make adjustments. - Mose Phillips’ impact on defense
A bright spot on defense was safety Mose Phillips, who recorded seven tackles. He was all over the field and had a promising start, living up to the hype the coaching staff generated during the spring season and camp. He certainly didn’t look out of place against an SEC team. - An early-season wake-up call is not ideal
After the game, head coach Brent Pry made a telling comment to the media, saying, “It’s humbling. And maybe we needed some of that.” If they needed a humbling loss to wake up, then there’s a problem. With all the hype, player retention, and transfer portal additions, a Week 1 loss to Vanderbilt shouldn’t have been necessary to bring them back down to earth. There’s still plenty of time to recover, but if losing to Vanderbilt was humbling, it’s hard to imagine how they’ll respond to a loss against Marshall or Old Dominion.
There’s a lot of football left, but after just one week, Virginia Tech fans are already questioning whether the team will make the progress expected in 2024. That’s not the sentiment anyone anticipated after the Vanderbilt game.
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