5 Takeaways From Virginia Tech's 38-6 Win Over Wofford
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The Virginia Tech Hokies hosted the Wofford Terriers this weekend in their first game since firing Brent Pry. Virginia Tech started the season 0-3, but in their first game under Phillip Montgomery, the Hokies dismantled the Terriers, winning 38-6.
Here were my takeaways from Virginia Tech's first win of the season.
1. Kyron Drones Looked Comfortable
For the first time this season, Kyron Drones looked really comfortable in the pocket, especially in the first half, where he completed 15 of his 18 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't even have to run the ball; he was just dropping back and finding the open man on pretty much every play.
Drones went on to play most of the second half and finished with 302 yards and two touchdowns while completing 27 of his 32 attempts. You have to take this result with a grain of salt because it's Wofford's defense they were playing against, but it was good to see Drones in his element for the whole game.
2. Marcellous Hawkins Looked Like a True RB1
Virginia Tech has been missing a steady run game this year. Kyron Drones led the team with 127 yards coming into this game, but Marcellous Hawkins took over today and flashed true RB1 potential.
In the first half, Hawkins carried the ball eight times for 69 yards (8.6 average), and it could've been more, but the Hokies were content throwing the ball with Drones. Hawkins didn't get the chance to really show off in this game - he was taken out early in the blowout and saw just five carries in the second half - but finished with 79 yards on 13 carries. If he can keep playing like this, it will really help Tech's offense.
3. Offensive Line Played Its Most Complete Game
We talked about how good Kyron Drones and Marcellous Hawkins looked, but that was largely due to the Hokies' offensive line playing their best game of the season. They dominated Wofford's defensive front in both the pass and run game, and gave Drones the time he needed in the pocket and Hawkins the holes he needed in the run game.
Again, it's only Wofford, but this was easily their most complete game as a unit, and hopefully it helps them build some confidence moving forward.
4. Defense Looked Stout
The Hokies' defense came out and made a statement early against the Terriers. Through six offensive drives, Wofford totaled just 37 yards of offense and zero points. They were flying around and making plays early and often, but the big question was, could the sustain it for 60 minutes?
The answer to that was yes. They held Wofford to three points in the second half while giving up 70 yards of offense in the final 30 minutes. The Terriers had four second half drives, and three of them resulted in punts.
Overall, it was a great day for the Hokies' defense, who will look to keep this type of energy up for the rest of the season.
5. Team Looked Inspired
Most of the time, when a coach gets fired, the team rallies and comes out playing inspired football, and that's exactly what happened. The Hokies came out and punted, but went on to score on three of their next four possessions and allow just three points in the first half.
The Hokies slowed down a little bit in the second half, but that was largely due to them milking the clock in the fourth quarter. Overall, the team just looked much more energized and inspired than they had all season.
This can't be a one-off. Tech needs to make sure they keep playing inspired football because when they do, they're a pretty good football team.
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-ffeb54c7b9d66c257a41cd0686d0f156.jpeg "Luke Hubbard")
Luke is a writer for Virginia Tech On SI covering all things Football and Men's Basketball. He's previously covered the LSU Tigers for Rivals and Athlon as well as the New Orleans Saints for SB Nation. Luke's passion for sports and storytelling led him to choose a career as a sports writer.