Sometimes in sports, when failure happens, it's best to go out the next opportunity and try to turn a wrong into a right. That was the case for Virginia Tech kicker John Love. However, for the senior, failure last week turned into a complete failure this past weekend.
Love missed a potential game-winning field goal 10 days ago at Lane Stadium in a 35-33 loss to Pittsburgh in Blacksburg. A field goal that he usually makes without question. In football, it isn't as easy as it is in other sports to redeem yourself. You have to wait at least a week. For Love, it was eight days, and his second major hiccup in a week is going to make for an interesting week this week for Virginia Tech's kicker.
James Franklin doubles down on kicking competition this week in practice for John Love
Love got an opportunity against California on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley and missed badly to the left in a 25-20 loss. Not ideal. Then, in the fourth quarter, he missed a closer field goal attempt to the left again. Three straight misses in key situations where, if he made them, the Hokies would be 6-0 right now, not 4-2.
After the game on Saturday, Franklin mentioned that there might be a kicking competition on the way this week in practice, and he doubled down on that Monday at his weekly press conference.
"For punting as well as kicking, we have to truly have an open competition so those guys feel the pressure in practice every single day," said Franklin. "We have to do what's in the best interest for the entire team.''
Swell. A kicking competition. Just what Franklin wants to be doing in the middle of October. However, this is where he's at, and one of the reasons why they are on a two-game winning streak and not a six-game winning streak.
Franklin mentioned Cole Byrd and John Love's brother, Will, as his competition. Punting has been a disappointment this season as well, and it sounds like there will be competition there as well. As for John Love, well, this is going to end one of two ways: with him kicking on Saturday against Georgia Tech or Byrd. If it is John Love and he struggles again, then things could get ugly quickly for everyone.
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