Virginia Tech Football: 2 areas the Hokies need to improve against Rutgers

Through the first two weeks of the season, the Virginia Tech football team sits at 1-1 and truth be told, they could be anywhere from 0-2 to 2-0. If it wasn’t for a strong final 30 minutes against Old Dominion, they would be looking at 0-2. If they had played better in the second half against Purdue, they’d be 2-0. Oh, the possibilities.

As they head into Week 3 at Rutgers, there are a lot of areas that they need to improve on, really on both sides of the ball. Here are two areas that need to be improved upon in the next two weeks with back-to-back road games.

Virginia Tech needs to find their running game

It was only the second game of the season Saturday at home against Purdue, but you have to think and hope that will be rock bottom for the Hokies running game. It has to be.

Starting their final drive on their own 9-yard line trailing 24-17 to the Boilermakers, Virginia Tech had minus-2 yards rushing for the game. Yes, you read that right, minus-2 yards rushing. That’s not going to win any games against any opponent, never mind a Power 5 one.

The only reason Tech finished with plus-11 yards rushing was because backup quarterback Kyron Drones was put in for the final drive and scrambled for 13 yards. Transfer Bhayshul Tuten is one player that they need to get going as there was no fear in Purdue that Virginia Tech was going to run the ball with confidence at any point last Saturday night.

You might be able to get away with an average running game, but just 11 yards on the ground is nowhere near average. High school teams have better nights running the ball. On the road, the Hokies are going to need to find a way, any way, to run the ball against Rutgers and Marshall.

Virginia Tech needs to figure out how to stop the run

Speaking of running the ball, not only can’t Virginia Tech run, but they can’t stop it on the defensive side. As bad as their own running game has been, Old Dominion and Purdue ran it well against the Hokies in the first two games.

Last season, ODU averaged 92 yards a game rushing but went for 179 against the Hokies in Week 1. Last week, Purdue rushed for 179 and in both cases, mobile quarterbacks played a big role in the games. Yes, Tech forced two fumbles against the Monarchs, but even though they won, it was too many yards allowed on the ground.

Stopping the run has to be a priority for Virginia Tech going on the road. If they can’t, it’s going to be a long two games.