3 critical Virginia Tech football adjustments needed against Marshall

After suffering a loss, sometimes it’s just best to get back on the field and play again. In football, it’s not that easy as a week in between games makes it a long week for everyone involved. As far as the Virginia Tech football team is concerned, it’s going to be a long week after opening the season with an unexpected loss to Vanderbilt.

There is still time for the Hokies to turn things around, but that begins this weekend at home against Marshall. Virginia Tech is a big favorite again this week and to avoid another upset, some adjustments need to be made. Here are three big ones if they are going to beat the Thundering Hurd.

Aggressive play-calling

Excuse me if I was having flashbacks to 2023 early in the season with the non-aggressive play-calling in the first half last weekend. Then in the second half, things changed and so did the success of the offense. Things opened up, they found the end zone three times and started connecting on big plays down the field.

This is a must from the first possession against Marshall as playing at home in front of a crowd that has been waiting for the home opener all offseason would help. Open up the game getting the ball to playmakers and let them make the plays.

Limit critical mistakes

This is easier said than done. The biggest gaffe happened in the third quarter when a delay of game penalty moved Vandy out of field goal range, only to have the Hokies called for having two No. 0s on the field, a major inexcusable mistake. After getting the 5 yards back, the Commodores drilled a key long-field goal.

That feels like a case where points were given away and boy, did those end up big after going to overtime. Mistakes like that can’t be made and more attention to detail from everyone would help that. 

Feed Bhayshul Tuten early and often

To piggyback off of the first adjustment with the aggressive play-calling, throwing the ball downfield early will open up the running game for both Kyron Drones and Bhayshul Tuten. When the Hokies had the most success over the final two months of the season, they ran it effectively. There is just too much talent on this side of the ball with the skill positions to struggle as badly as they did in the first half.

Overall, there are a number of adjustments that need to be made and Pry knows it. Expect a better performance this weekend against Marshall.