Virginia Tech Football: 3 takeaways from win over Old Dominion

It has been a long 365 days for the Virginia Tech football team and they were eager to get the 2023 season going with some revenge on their mind.

Last season, they blew a late lead in their season-opener and suffered a 20-17 loss to Old Dominion that began a 3-8 season in the first season of the Brent Pry era. Saturday night at Lane Stadium, the Hokies kicked off the season with a 36-17 win over the Monarchs.

It wasn’t pretty at times, however, a win is a win coming off a frustrating season for Pry and his team. Tech returns to Lane Stadium next Saturday to host Purdue, which was upset, 39-35, by Fresno State at home Saturday afternoon.

When the Hokies go over the film from this one, there are a lot of things that are going to need to be corrected on both sides of the ball. Maybe getting the Monarchs in the opener was good as they have 58 new players on their roster this season, so getting on the same page in games is going to take some time.

Here are three takeaways from the Hokies’ win over a Sun Belt Conference team that won just three games last season as well.

1. Transfers make an immediate impact on offense

Three transfers added in the portal over the offseason give the Hokies more options for their quarterbacks. Two of the three new additions made an impact early with a pair of touchdown receptions in the second quarter.

Jaylin Lane, who transferred from Middle Tennessee State, hauled in the first Virginia Tech touchdown of the season on the first play of the second quarter on a 20-yard crossing pattern. Lane then set up the next touchdown with a 34-yard reception from quarterback Grant Wells on third down.

Two plays later, Wells threw a perfect pass to the back corner pylon to Ali Jennings and the former Old Dominion wide receiver was able to haul in a 10-yard pass. Jennings hauled in his second touchdown pass of the game in the third quarter.

Da’Quan Felton made his presence felt in the third quarter when he hauled in a pass from Wells and went 34 yards into the red zone.

2. Virginia Tech’s defense struggled at times but never broke

During the first two possessions of the game, the Hokies’ defense came to play and fed off the energy of the crowd. They stopped Old Dominion on their second possession led to a punt that turned into a safety when the Monarchs snapped the ball through the end zone.

After that Old Dominion quarterback Grant Wilson settled in and caused problems for Tech. A combination of the no-huddle and option, Wilson mixed things up and they started moving the ball on a defense that entered the game with a lot of question marks.

Wilson, who transferred to ODU from Fordham, was able to get the passing game going and he connected with Dominic Dutton, a transfer from South Carolina who ran track for the Gamecocks, for a second-quarter touchdown pass.

In the third quarter, the Hokies forced two turnovers and spent most of the bending, but not breaking. Going forward, they need to shore up their run defense as ODU was able to rush for 182 yards after averaging just 92 yards a game last season.

3. Virginia Tech already checks boxes on improvements from 2022

Coming into this season, two areas to keep an eye out for the Hokies were one area on both sides of the ball. Defensively, was the defense going to create more turnovers than they did last season? Offensively, were the Hokies going to get some plays from their wide receivers?

Check and check for Pry.

Defensively, after a lackluster opening half, they were able to create two third-quarter turnovers that the offense was able to turn into points and they turned the ball over on downs early in the fourth with the other. allowed them to pull away from the Monarchs. On the opening drive of the half, they forced a fumble as Old Dominion was marching down the field, but Nasir Peoples was able to jump on the loose ball. Tech’s offense turned that into a Jennings touchdown reception.

In the fourth quarter, they forced an interception when Dorian Stong picked a pass and returned inside the red zone to set up a field goal. They have already forced one-third of the amount of turnovers than they did in an entire season in 2022.

In the third quarter, Josh Fuga pounced on a fumble, then after Virginia Tech turned the ball over on downs, they forced Wilson into a fumble, but a Monarchs lineman fell on the ball.

Jennings finished with five receptions for 72 yards, Lane had four catches for 69 yards and Felton’s only catch was for 34 yards. That’s 175 yards receiving that they didn’t have last season.