Three Things Virginia Tech Must Fix Ahead Of It's Matchup With Stanford

Today we dive into three things the Hokies must fix before playing Standford this week.

Sep 27, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Samuel Brown (11) reacts after running with the football against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

1. Be Better Against The Pass

Even with the 2 interceptions in this game, the Hokies struggled to get stops defensively against the Miami passing game and with Heisman candidate Cam Ward, throwing for 4 touchdowns and 343 yards while returning from a 10-point deficit in the 4th quarter. This kind of performance can't happen, especially for a team that was picked to be a potential playoff team before the season started. This could have been a big morale boost getting a big win against an undefeated ranked conference opponent. We can make the case that Virginia Tech should have won this game based on how things ended but at the same time, we also have to acknowledge that the defense gave up a passing touchdown that ultimately gave up the game.

2. Time Management and Decision Making

In this game, some decisions and time management weren't the best made by Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry. Leaving many puzzled and with the belief that the team could have done so much more to win this game, had they not made some questionable calls. One of the more controversial calls from this game, was the fake field goal on 4th and 3 in the 3rd quarter while being up by 10 against the 7th ranked team in the country. Many people were puzzled, as the game could have been won off a field goal instead of having to go for it in a long 4th down situation had they just taken the 3 points. The time management at the end of the game was questionable as well. The Hokies could have called time out at different points of the game toward the end as they got the ball back with a decent amount of time to drive down the field.

3. 3rd Down Efficiency On Defense

The Hokies allowed nearly a 70% conversion rate on 3rd down on the defensive side of the ball, as we all know, 3rd down is considered "the money down" as it is the most important down in the game. Miami got whatever they wanted on 3rd down most of the game which became valuable in the 38 total points that Miami scored. The 38 points that Miami scored were more than the average 25 points the defense gives up on average and the 3rd down percentage that is usually the norm for the defense is 40%.

If the Hokies can clean these things up consistently, we could potentially see a turnaround from them this season and hopefully make a bowl game to end it.