The Hokies’ performance in the first two weeks of the season has had its ups and downs.
The Virginia Tech football team secured their first victory of the 2024 season with a 31-14 win against Marshall on Saturday afternoon at Lane Stadium. While it was a day of mixed results for Brent Pry’s squad, with both strong and shaky moments, the important takeaway is the win as they now look ahead to their non-conference matchup at Old Dominion this coming weekend.
As the Hokies gear up for their trip to Norfolk, here are some thoughts on Week 2 for Virginia Tech.
Offensive Line is a big concern
A major concern heading into the season was the effectiveness of the Hokies’ offensive line, and so far, the results have been disappointing. In particular, during the first halves of games, quarterback Kyron Drones has had to scramble frequently, which hinders his ability to make accurate throws. The running game has also struggled due to insufficient blocking.
The second halves of games have shown some improvement, but if the offensive line issues aren’t resolved, it will be challenging for Drones to stay healthy throughout the season. Losing him would be a significant setback for the Hokies. Addressing the offensive line problems is crucial before the start of ACC play.
Need to Ali Jennings involved more
Since Ali Jennings plays a significant role in the offense, it should be a top goal to incorporate him frequently. He didn’t have a catch against Marshall, but against Vanderbilt he capitalized on a botched coverage for a big-play score. It would be advantageous to throw to him early this week against his former squad, against whom he caught two touchdown passes the previous season.
Virginia Tech’s youngsters playing well on defense
Two young players, Mose Phillips and Dante Lovett, have stood out and performed well on defense through the first two games. In addition to making numerous tackles against Marshall and Vanderbilt, Phillips also tipped a pass in the third quarter that resulted in an interception by Mansoor Delane. Lovett played extremely well against Marshall and they picked on him in the second half and he was up to challenge with pass breakups, including one on fourth down that caused a turnover on downs. Their futures in Blacksburg are bright.
Jaylin Lane is electric returning punts
The Hokies’ punt return game is severely hurt by the loss of Tucker Holloway, but it’s good that Jennings and Lane are available to step in for Holloway. In the first quarter’s last play, Lane demonstrated his explosiveness against Marshall by returning a punt for a touchdown.
Upon his return, he demonstrated his explosiveness and quickness to go past the opposition. He was too fast even with a face mask penalty. The Hokies needed that huge play, and having Lane and even Jennings back there will help them get it.
Adjustments need to be made before halftime
For a second straight week, Virginia Tech went into halftime and made some very good adjustments, but they need to be made earlier in the game, especially against good teams like Rutgers and once ACC play begins. The biggest adjustments made have been on offense and it just feels like some of them could be made before halftime. Getting off to faster starts will help.
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