Playing Old Dominion at home on Saturday afternoon, the Virginia Tech football team needed to make a statement against the Monarchs. After blasting VMI 73-3 last week at home, the Hokies needed to come out and bury ODU early and often. They did and improved to 2-0 with a convincing win at Lane Stadium. Here are four winners and two losers from James Franklin's second game in Blacksburg.
Winner: Brent Pry
This was a big game for a lot of people, but nobody had a bigger chip on their shoulder than Brent Pry. After a 45-26 loss at home, he was fired the next day as head coach. Franklin brought him back as his defensive coordinator, and his defense allowed 310 total yards, but they forced three turnovers, one scoop and score while controlling the game from the first snap. You can bet he is enjoying this win behind closed doors.
Loser: Virginia Tech running game
Franklin wants to be able to run the ball, and against Old Dominion, they rushed for just 89 yards as a team. That needs to improve going forward against Power Conference opponents, beginning next week at Maryland. Establishing the running game on the road is a must.
Jeffrey Overton Jr. led the Hokies with 47 yards rushing on 14 carries, and Marcellous Hawkins Jr. had 43 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Here's a wild stat. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer had minus-25 rushing yards because of sacks, but a touchdown. College football. You have to love it.
Winner: Luke Reynolds
Let's be honest, Hokies fans have been waiting for a breakout game from tight end Luke Reynolds, and they got that on Saturday. The Penn State transfer is the latest in a long line of tight ends who play for Franklin and end up moving to have a career on Sundays. Reynolds is going to be the next.
He had eight catches for 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns, averaging 13.5 yards per catch. He caught a 10-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter for a 24-3 lead, and then he had a 16-yard reception for a touchdown later in the quarter. The tight end group as a whole is going to be fun to watch this season.
Loser: CW broadcast
I normally don't say much about the broadcast, but the CW's was a disaster. Play-by-play announcer Thom Brennamen was misidentifying players, the camera didn't always follow the ball when it was thrown downfield, and, more importantly, they completely whiffed on the Enter Sandman, not showing it at all. Say what you will about ESPN, but they have an understanding of how to broadcast a football game. This isn't a one-off; the CW broadcasts have been a rough watch and listen for a while. In all sports.
Winner: Virginia Tech defense
One young defensive lineman who is quickly turning heads is sophomore Cortez Harris. The Maryland native had four tackles, two sacks, and 2.5 tackles for a loss. Mylachi Williams also had two sacks, while Aycen Stevens had one of the seven. On top of the seven sacks, the Hokies had 14 total tackles for a loss, with Williams recording 3.5. Virginia Tech's defense forced the three turnovers and now needs to carry the first performance on the road next week to Maryland.
Winner: Ethan Grunkemeyer
Grunkemeyer followed Franklin and coach Danny O'Brien from Penn State to Virginia Tech and against Old Dominion, he had a career day. Grunkemeyer threw for 327 yards, which was a career high, while also setting career highs in completions with 31 and attempts with 42.
It is clear that he has brought his connection with Reynolds from State College to Blacksburg, and with the talented wide receivers the Hokies have, the opportunities are there for explosive plays this season. Like everyone else, they now have to prove it on the road against Power Conference teams.
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