Best Virginia Tech football quotes after frustrating loss to Rutgers

After beating Marshall and Old Dominion, the Virginia Tech football team was looking to enter ACC play next weekend at Miami on a winning note. It didn't happen.

Another slow start and an early deficit along with some mistakes were too much for the Hokies to overcome in a 26-23 loss at Lane Stadium to the Scarlet Knights. Following the game, head coach Brent Pry and some of the players spoke to the media, and here are some of the quotes.

Brent Pry on changes he will look to make

It was another slow start for the Hokies, really the fourth of the season aside from two early touchdowns against ODU, and it's becoming a huge concern with the 2024 team.

“We have to look at it,” Pry said. “We’ve made some changes, from the way we start practices and, the mindset from play callers. We’ll have to look at it some more. It’s something I have to look at as the head coach.”

Brent Pry on his team's potential

There was a lot of hype going into the season surrounding the Hokies and so far through four games, they have failed to live up to it.

“We know the team we have,” Pry said. “We know the potential we have. But you can’t just be about potential. You’ve got to meet it, and we’re not doing that right now. We are a better team that what we showed today.”

Jaylin Lane one the mistakes the Hokies

The first turnover the Hokies had was when Jaylin Lane fumbled a punt and Rutgers recovered deep in Virginia Tech territory, which led to the game's first touchdown. They finished the game with three turnovers.

“The whole game we were shooting ourselves in the foot, it started with me on the punt return,'' said Lane. "If I don’t fumble that in the first quarter, might be a different game. We might drive down and score, it’s 7-0 instead of the other way around. So we’ve just got to clean that up, start fast and stop shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Bhayshul Tuten on how the Hokies started the game

It was another slow start and that didn't go lost on running back Bhayshul Tuten who had three touchdowns in the game and another game with over 100 yards rushing.

"We weren't playing with the intensity we needed to,'' Tuten said.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano on his team's game-winning drive

After Virginia Tech rallied to tie the game at 23 with under five minutes left in the game, Rutgers answered on the the ensuing drive to win the game with a field goal.

“When you get after somebody and then it flips like that, it’s very, very hard, especially in their stadium, to be able to pull it back and go win the game,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “And that’s what we did. I’m proud of the guys. We certainly have a lot to clean up, but in many ways, this game is going to help us. I believe that, just going through this experience together.”

Now the Hokies have to turn the page quickly to a Friday night game at Miami. It only gets harder.