Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry points the blame for major gaffe following Vanderbilt loss

This was supposed to be the season that Virginia Tech could flex their muscle and say that they're back. Everything was all lined up for them with their first four games of the season non-conference tilts against Vanderbilt, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Rutgers.

Vanderbilt was the first test in Nashville and picked to finish last and with 53 new players on the roster, this was going to be a win for the Hokies with all the retainment they had. Or so we thought. It's didn't go as planned, to say the least.

Virginia Tech dug themselves a 17-3 halftime hole only to rally to take a 27-20 lead late in the fourth quarter before the Commodores tied the game and forced overtime and then QB Diego Pavia flexed his muscle one more time with a game-winning touchdown in a 34-27 Hokies loss. After the game, third-year head coach Brent Pry pointed the blame for his team's loss after entering the game as a 13.5-point favorite.

Brent Pry points blame for third-quarter gaffe following loss at Vanderbilt

Following a stunning season-opening loss to the Commodores at FirstBank Stadium, Pry met with the media and squarely pointed the finger following the loss for a third-quarter gaffe that is unexcusable and led to key Vanderbilt points. The Hokies stopped Vandy on fringe field goal range to force a fourth down and a delay of game penalty that took them out of field goal range. Or so we thought.

On the ensuing punt, Virginia Tech got called for having a pair of No. 0's on the field, which in the big picture is a major coaching gaffe. Ali Jennings was back to return the punt because Tucker Holloway was out injured and Jaylin Lane couldn't return the punt according to Pry. That left Jennings, but the problem is, Keli Lawson also wears that number and was also on the field. Getting the five yards back, the Commodores decided to give a 53-yard field goal attempt to kicker Brock Taylor who drilled it for a 20-10 lead.

Those three points were key was instead of winning the game 27-24 when Taylor missed a field goal on the last play of regulation, the Hokies went to overtime and once again, couldn't stop Pavia or the Vandy offense.

"I put it on me. I should have called timeout. Bad management by me,'' said Pry.

In a close game, all points are critical and how big were those three points? There are penalties that you live with and then there are inexcusable ones and that one was.