Virginia Tech vs Marshall: Three Storylines To Watch On Saturday

Can the Hokies put it all together in their week two matchup against Marshall?

Aug 31, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) scores a touchdown against the Vanderbilt Commodores] during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports / Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

After their poor showing in Nashville this past Saturday, falling to Vanderbilt 34-27 in overtime, Virginia Tech finds themselves in a tough spot that no team wants to be in. The season is as real as it gets now, and no longer can the Hokies hide from the hype of the offseason. Brent Pry and Co. have a real task to come out swinging in their week two matchup against Marshall, with their home season opener coming up this Saturday.

So what are the big storylines heading into Saturday’s matchup?

1. Can Virginia Tech brush off their negative week one performance?

After being 13.5 favorites against Vanderbilt this past Saturday, the Hokies add yet another disappointing loss to their resume of the last few years. With their week two matchup against Marshall looming, Hokie fans can think back to their previous last year's contest, where Marshall ran whenever and wherever they wanted. The bottom line is, for Virginia Tech to have any hope of competing for anything this season, they have to win their home opener this weekend and do it convincingly.

2. Can Virginia Tech figure out their rush defense?

A big part of the Hokies' failures against the Commodores was their inability to stop the run, specifically QB Diego Pavia. Now, Marshall doesn’t run the same style of offense as Vanderbilt and doesn’t have a running quarterback per se. They have a guy named A.J. Turner who rushed for 119 of Marshall’s 259 yards in their 45-3 win over Stony Brook. We know that Tech struggled against the run last year as well against Marshall, and they will be tested once again this Saturday.

3. Can Virginia Tech establish their run game?

Let’s flip sides for this last one and talk about Virginia Tech’s rushing abilities. Virginia Tech possesses ample rushing talent to accomplish the task, yet they managed only 75 yards on 30 carries last week. Nothing was really working on that side of the ball, and Kyron Drones was forced into lots of check-downs.

The Hokies have to find a way to get their rushing attack going this upcoming week, which will not only benefit the running backs but will also instill confidence in the passing game.