When the Virginia Tech football team faces Virginia at Scott Stadium on Saturday night in the Commonwealth Clash, the offensive game plan is simple. Establish the run early and often against the Cavaliers' defense.
Throwing the ball all over the field is not what the Hokies want to do; instead, they want to pound the run game with quarterback Kyron Drones and a plethora of backs. Unfortunately for Virginia Tech, they will be minus one running back, their top back.
Virginia Tech will be without Marcellous Hawkins against Virginia
This week on the Virginia Tech availability report, running back Marcellous Hawkins was listed as questionable for the game. Truth be told, if they have a thought of pulling off the upset and crushing Virginia's hopes of a berth in the ACC Championship Game, they'll have to do it without Hawkins.
The Central Missouri transfer was ruled out of the Hokies' final game against the Cavaliers. That is a massive setback for Philip Montgomery's offense as Hawkins has been Virginia Tech's best running back all season long. He leads them with 749 yards on the ground and 6.3 yards per carry, according to Andy Bitter of Tech Sideline.
Without Hawkins, that will put more pressure on Drones, Bowling Green transfer Terion Stewart, and true freshman Jeffrey Overton, Jr. He opened some eyes last week against Miami with a long touchdown run, and it gives him another chance to impress new coach James Franklin for next year. You would have to think he's at the top of the list of players Franklin would like to retain.
Wide receiver Ayden Greene will be a game-time decision for Virginia Tech, and it goes without saying that they need him in the lineup as any type of threat in the passing game against Virginia.