3 concerning issues that are responsible for Virginia Tech football’s downfall in 2024

To say that the 2024 Virginia Tech football season has been a disappointment through its first nine games would be an understatement. Sitting at 5-4 with all the preseason hype with a ton of retainment and transfer portal additions, this is not a lot of spot many people saw them heading into this weekend's games against Clemson.

The frustrating part for Hokies’ fans is not that they’re 5-4 (ok, maybe a little), but how they got to 5-4. In each game that they have lost, they have held the lead in the final two minutes except for, against Rutgers in Week 3, which was tied. In all four cases, the opposing teams have gone on to win with scores in the final two minutes or overtime. With the season quickly spiraling out of control and here are three concerning issues that have led Virginia Tech to this point through nine weeks.

Poor clock management

This season has not been a masterclass on clock management for Brent Pry and his staff. It hit a boiling point with fans on Saturday at Syracuse when the Hokies got the ball with 29 seconds left, three timeouts in a tied game at their 25-yard line. You have a kicker in John Love who has a huge leg that can be a difference-maker.

Instead of trying to get 35 or so yards to get within field goal range for Love with three timeouts, Pry decided to sit on the ball and go to overtime. Weather was not an issue inside the dome on Saturday and there was plenty of time to get in range with three timeouts. Clock management at the end of the first half cost them another attempt at three points. It just hasn’t been Saturday where the clock management was been questionable, at best.

Fourth quarter meltdowns

Imagine this, if the game was over after 58 minutes, Virginia Tech would be 8-0-1. All four losses have been lost in the last two minutes of overtime. It started in Week 1 at Vanderbilt, then in Week 4 vs. Rutgers. It hasn’t stopped there.

One week after Rutgers, Virginia Tech held a double-digit second-half lead at Miami before the Hurricanes scored the game-winning touchdown with under two minutes left. On the ensuing Tech drive, poor clock management and an overturned Hail Mary resulted in a loss. It should have never got to that point. Saturday at Syracuse, up seven with 30 seconds left and the Hokies couldn’t close it out. You can’t ignore Pry’s 1-11 record in one-score games in two-plus seasons.

Inexcusable mistakes and decision making

One common theme that has happened this season and it’s inexcusable is having multiple numbers on the field on the same play. Against Vanderbilt, a delay of game penalty took the Commodores out of field goal range in the third quarter, but the Hokies were flagged for having two number 0s on the field. After getting the five yards back, Vandy kicked a field goal and three valuable points. The same situation happened at Miami on a Love field goal, but it was not called by the officials. He took responsibility after the loss to Vanderbilt.

Leading Miami 27-17 late in the third quarter, Kaleb Spencer picked off Cam Ward and returned deep into Hurricanes territory. Facing a four down, Pry called for a fake field goal and it was sniffed out by Miami. Taking three points there with a chip-shot field goal, on the game’s final drive, all that would have been needed for a win was a Love field goal. Up 10 points at the end of the third quarter, take the points, and build on the lead.

In close games, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for Virginia Tech this season and it seems like it’s something new with each loss.