Virginia Tech vs Minnesota: Three Keys to Victory for Virginia Tech
1. Give Pop Watson freedom and space
What do good teams with good players do? They lean on their talent. The Hokies have caught lightning in a bottle with Pop Watson. There is no question that the Hokies’ gameplan revolves around Mr. Watson. He has all of the aspects and attributes that you would expect out of an elite quarterback. Not only is he a great leader, he has an exceptional arm, he’s never panicked, he’s so confident, he’s so fast, and he can throw the ball 40 yards in a flick.
Virginia Tech has a chance to trot out the future of their franchise at quarterback for the game that’s going to matter the most, there’s no reason to not put the entire trust of the offense in his hands. Get Watson in space, give him time to load up, bootleg him to the strong side of the field and have him throw absolute bombs all game. If nobody’s open? Fine, run the ball for countless yards down Minnesota’s throat. If Malachi Thomas does not play, Watson will be the most effective runner on the field.
Put the ball in Pop Watson’s hands. He knows what to do with it.
2. Get Max Brosmer out of rhythm
This will be hard to do with a short handed defense, but it’s no question that Brosmer is a rhythm quarterback, he thrives off timing and if he’s not on, he’s really not on. Iowa put on an absolute clinic on Brosmer earlier in the season. Outside of the second quarter, Minnesota’s quarterback really had minimal success. Outside of the second quarter, Brosmer was 11-for-18 with just 91 yards, two interceptions, and no touchdowns.
Minnesota couldn’t really drive down the field against Iowa, and Virginia Tech, although limited in their players, have to abide by similar rules. Play aggressive defense in the secondary, get Brosmer out of his rhythm, and attack from there. Minnesota is definitely a beatable offense but if the Hokies let the Gophers walk all over them, it’ll be a long day.
3. Cause general chaos defensively
How does one beat a team that seems to be in a better position than one’s own? Surprise them. The key example of this was earlier in the season when the Vanderbilt Commodores took down Alabama, the Commodores thrive off of chaos. Did they win because they had the most talent on the team? No. They caused chaos offensively and defensively, but because of the Hokies’ situation on offense, any gameplan should be considered chaos.
Now defense is the big question mark here. It’s entirely possible that Brent Pry goes really conservative with his plan on defense, doesn’t throw out any new looks, and they get smashed on defense. But it’s also possible that after the departure of Chris Marve, Pry is going to throw new looks in the air. That’s what I imagine happening in this game if the Hokies are prepared to win.
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RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.