Grading Virginia Tech's Position Groups From Its 35-33 Loss to Pitt

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech's undefeated start under James Franklin came to an end Friday night, as the Hokies fell 35-33 to Pitt in a game that featured just about everything.

Virginia Tech outgained Pitt 499-295 and finished with 434 passing yards, but four turnovers ultimately proved too much to overcome. The Hokies still had an opportunity to win in the final seconds, but John Love's 36-yard field goal attempt was ruled no good.

Here's how I think each of Virginia Tech's position groups graded out in the loss:

Offense

Quarterback: B

Ethan Grunkemeyer produced some spectacular numbers Friday, but this was easily his most uneven performance of the season.

The redshirt sophomore completed 30-of-41 passes for a career-high 434 yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. He consistently pushed the football downfield, averaging 10.6 yards per attempt. His 400-plus yard night was just the third such night in program history since at least 1987.

Grunkemeyer threw his first two interceptions of the season and lost a fumble, accounting for three of Virginia Tech's four giveaways. For as productive as he was, those mistakes played a massive role in the result.

Running Backs: C

Jeffrey Overton Jr. carried 17 times for 46 yards, while Marcellous Hawkins added 32 yards on eight attempts. Overton also lost a fumble, giving Pitt another short field. Virginia Tech finished with just 65 rushing yards and averaged 2.0 yards per carry. The Hokies' backs contributed in the passing game, but this wasn't their best night.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: A

Que'Sean Brown continued his emergence with seven catches for 147 yards and a touchdown. Ayden Greene added four receptions for 88 yards and a score in his return — he missed the Boston College game — while freshman Davion "FatRat" Brown caught a 28-yard touchdown that pulled Virginia Tech within two in the fourth quarter. Luke Reynolds was also heavily involved, finishing with seven catches for 93 yards. When Virginia Tech needed explosive plays through the air, its pass catchers consistently provided them.

Offensive Line: C+

Virginia Tech's inability to run the football keeps this grade down. The Hokies averaged only 2.0 yards per rushing attempt, and Pitt consistently disrupted Virginia Tech's attempts to establish Overton between the tackles. There were positives in pass protection, though. Grunkemeyer had enough time to generate 434 passing yards and several explosive completions.

Defense

Defensive Line: C+

Virginia Tech's defensive front had its moments, particularly early, but Pitt eventually found enough success on the ground to sustain drives.

The Panthers finished with 104 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Virginia Tech held Pitt to 295 total yards overall, but the defensive front couldn't consistently create the negative plays needed to completely shut down the Panthers.

Linebackers: B-

Virginia Tech limited Pitt to 4.8 yards per play and 295 total yards, numbers that ordinarily should be more than enough to win. The Hokies also held the Panthers to 4-of-13 on third down.

Still, Pitt found success attacking the middle of the defense at crucial moments, especially during its run of four consecutive touchdown drives.

Secondary: C+

Pitt only threw for 191 yards, but Cataurus Hicks caught three passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns, including a 29-yard score from backup quarterback Holden Geriner that extended Pitt's lead to 35-24 early in the fourth quarter. Virginia Tech didn't surrender overwhelming numbers, but it gave up too many important completions.

Special Teams: C

Love made a 26-yard field goal and all four of his extra points before his potential game-winner was ruled wide. Franklin emphatically defended his kicker afterward and instead pointed toward Virginia Tech's four turnovers as the primary reason for the loss. Jeffrey Overton Jr. provided a major positive with 89 yards on two kickoff returns, including a 62-yarder. But Nathan Totten averaged just 36.3 yards on four punts, and Pitt generated 36 yards on three punt returns.

For Virginia Tech, the frustrating part is obvious: several position groups played well enough to win. The Hokies simply didn't play cleanly enough as a team.

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