The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From Virginia Tech's Loss to Vanderbilt
Just a couple of days after the Hokies shocking 27-34 week one loss, it is time to reexamine the good, bad, and ugly
The Good: Kyron Drones' deep shot ability
When the Hokies steered away from an odd system that comprised of short passes that were always snuffed out by the Black and Gold, their next option was some heaves from Drones. This entirely changed the landscape of the fixture, and who's to forget that when the Hokies did briefly lead the game, it was due to a deep go route to Ali Jennings, showcasing Drones' ability to heave it deep.
The Bad: Stopping a mobile QB
It has been the Achilles heel for the Hokies for decades now. Even under the high-flying Bud Foster defenses Tech had, a quick QB who had the brain to play it smart (like Diego Pavia) always carved the Hokies. While Pavila's four-yard per rush stat may not jump off the page, it was a cog churning out first downs in Vandy's pursuit to melt the clock.
The Ugly: Poor game managment
*Sigh* Brent Pry and his staff very well may have cost the Hokies a win. After a solid defensive stand, the 'Dores were forced to punt the ball, giving the Hokies a chance to continue their growing momentum. However, Tech had two players wearing number zero on the punt, in Ali Jennings and Keli Lawson. This being a flag meant that Vandy was five yards closer and could boot a 53-yard field goal right through the posts. Now I know it doesn't completely mean that if the punt was taken, everything else would have gone the same, and Tech would be 1-0 after a narrow three-point win because we don't know. But it is reasonable to say that the Hokies could have gone without an extra three points added to their hefty plate.
CONNOR MARDIAN