The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly From The Hokies’ Loss to East Carolina

Sep 13, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Michael Brewer (12) looks to pass the ball during the second quarter against the East Carolina Pirates at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The Bad

There were multiple bad parts to this loss.  The Hokies were never really in the game the first quarter but they attempted to claw back into the game as it progressed toward the fourth quarter.

One of the most glaring bad parts was the play by the offensive line.  The O-line seemed over matched at most parts of the game.  Michael Brewer was running for his life from the very beginning, leading to him being sacked 3 times.

The running game never really gained the traction the Hokie offense had hoped for.  Even though Marshawn Williams finished with a respectable 77 yards on the ground, he never was the dominant force we saw in the first game.

The Pirates got consistent pressure all game and were in the backfield causing mistakes by the Hokies.  This seemed a role reversal as the Hokies are usually the ones with the defensive front causing havoc.

The second bad part was the turnovers committed by the Hokies.  The two interceptions thrown by Brewer were horrible decisions caused by pressure from the Pirates.  Brewer was never really comfortable the whole game.  The times he did have a solid pocket to throw from he was very accurate.

The problem came when Brewer was forced to make plays outside the pocket and make fast and quick throws across the field.  Brewer’s ill-timed throws almost cost the Hokies dearly as they came deep in Hokie territory.  These were throws that set ECU up with great field position which thankfully they did not cash in on.