Four Takeaways from Virginia Tech's Loss to Wake Forest
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Takeaway No. 1: Bad penalties lost the game for Virginia Tech.
If the Hokies did not give up untimely penalties, the ball was in their court to win. One example was to start the second quarter, Wake Forest was at third-and-8 around midfield, and quarterback Robby Ashford‘s pass was incomplete to Chris Barnes. However, defensive end Ben Bell was called for roughing the passer. The Demon Deacons went on to score a touchdown that put them up by three. A crucial mistake happened when Tech was down four with just over five minutes and safety Jordan Bass was called for pass interference, on a ball that Deacons tight end Eny Falayi had a low likelihood of catching.
Another example was after the Isaiah Brown-Murray interception, the Hokies started at Wake’s four yard line, the Hokies were unable to punch it in on the first three plays of the drive. Interim coach Philip Montgomery would have had a decision to make on whether to go for it on the one yard line, but Donovan Greene was called for unsportsmanlike conduct which sent John Love out to kick the field goal.
Takeaway No. 2: Keep pounding the rock.
Virginia Tech’s offense is at its best when it sticks to the run. Running back Terion Stewart had another really strong game rushing for almost seven yards a carry. Whenever the Hokies feed him the ball, it makes the offense much more dynamic and can make Kyron Drones’ job easier when they decide to pass it. When he got hurt in the second half, the Hokies’ offense had difficulty moving the ball down the field. Marcellous Hawkins had a nice game as well, contributing 48 yards and a touchdown.
The Hokies need an identity on offense and it should all be around running the football.
Takeaway No. 3: Redzone offense needs to improve.
The offense did not have an issue driving the ball to midfield, but it got to Wake Forest’s side of the field and especially in the redzone, the offense fell flat. Three of the four field goals Love attempted were inside of 40 yards, showing that Virginia Tech was able to put up sustained drives, but fell short.
Virginia Tech not being able to score following the interception inside the five yard line proved to be crucial.
Takeaway No.4: Passing offense was nonexistent for the Hokies.
Drones could not get any consistent yards when he was dropping back to pass. He finished the game, completing 14 of 28 of his passes for only 111 yards. The lack of a passing game made it easier for Wake Forest to stack the box and focus more on the run. Against Wofford and NC State, Drones looked comfortable and in control, but today, he appeared uncomfortable within the pocket.
Drones' receivers struggled, as well. Ayden Greene caught only two receptions for 15 yards, while Isaiah Spencer only tallied one five-yard catch and tight end Benji Gosnell did not register a reception.
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James Duncan is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Sports Media and Analytics. He is an active member of 3304 Sports, covering Virginia Tech sports, as well as a reporter for The Lead covering the Washington Commanders. James is passionate about delivering detailed, accurate coverage and helping readers connect with the games they love.