The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From Virginia Tech's Win Over Marshall

While a better performance took place under the lights of Lane, it is important to dissect it.

Sep 7, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies wide receiver Stephen Gosnell (12) dives for a catch against Marshall Thundering Herd cornerback Jacobie Henderson (10) during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Good: The Hokie Defense

Defensive coordinator Chris Marve's defense looked like a team reborn Saturday evening. While you may see 14 points given up to Marshall as a little disappointing, it is crucial to note that one of the Herd's touchdowns came after a blocked punt that sat up the Herd inside the Hokie 10. Besides that, you saw much-improved performances from the Hokie's pass and rush defense as they caused havoc, tacking 12 pass breakups, an interception, and forcing eight Marshall punts on the night.

Bad: The Hokie Offensive line

Kyron Drones was forced to scramble and try to make a play numerous times throughout the first half. So before we start to get ancy on Drone's ability, rewatch those highlights and count the number of times Marshall gets free rushers aiming for the Baylor transfer. Also, this is not just a writer's issue. Brent Pry marched to where the O-line was camped out multiple times in the first quarter, and each time, he looked like he was getting increasingly more frustrated with the lack of protection given to Drones.

The Ugly: Playcalling

Once again, much like at Vanderbilt, Tech was playing slow and things were far from effective in the first half, with the only touchdown being a Jaylin Lane punt return. It was previously stated that the reason Tech called so many horizontal passing plays was to open up the ground game up the middle.

Yes, it is good that the Hokies prioritize a strong run game; you can see that in Bhayshul Tuten's 125-yard night. Where many Hokie fans get upset is that there is a real lack of what I call "natural explosive plays." When Stephen Gosnell reeled in a 49-yard grab, that was a "natural explosive play" because it played to the strengths of Drone's strong arm.

When several stale screens cause a melody of boos to rain down the concourses of Lane Stadium, that is not a "natural explosive play" because it forces wideouts and Drones to oftentimes put the ball well behind the first line stick, which, in turn, places all the pressure on the receiver to spin away from trouble and to wield themselves to the first down marker.