On Monday, Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones and cornerback Dorian Strong earned ACC Player of the Week honors after their performances in the 48-22 win over Boston College.
It’s the second conference award for Drones this season; he was named ACC Quarterback of the Week on Oct. 2 after the Pitt win. Strong is the sixth different Virginia Tech player to be recognized by the league this season, joining linebacker Keli Lawson, punter Peter Moore (both Sept. 11 post-Purdue), Drones, running back and kick returner Bhayshul Tuten (Oct. 2 and Oct. 9) and defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Oct. 16).
The 6-2, 234-pound Drones, who hails from Pearland, Texas, completed 12-of-17 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles. He also got the job done on the ground, carrying the ball 20 times for 135 yards. He was responsible for 354 of the Hokies’ 600 total yards of offense (59%).
Since 1987, he’s the fifth Virginia Tech player to throw for 200 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game, the second to do it on the road and the second with 215 passing yards and 130 rushing yards. The list:
1. Oct. 2005: Marcus Vick at Maryland — 211 passing, 133 rushing
2. Oct. 2013: Logan Thomas vs. Duke — 214 passing, 101 rushing
3. Sept. 2017: Josh Jackson vs. West Virginia — 235 passing, 101 rushing
4. Nov. 2020: Hendon Hooker vs. Liberty — 217 passing, 156 rushing
5. Saturday: Kyron Drones at Boston College — 219 passing, 135 rushing
On the season, Drones is 126-of-212 (59.4%) for 1,525 yards and nine touchdowns and two interceptions. Both of his passing scores against the Eagles came in the second quarter, to Stephen Gosnell (22 yards) and Jaylin Lane (5 yards), respectively. He also has 541 rushing yards on the season on 130 attempts (4.2 average) with four touchdowns.
Drones is the first Hokies quarterback to be named ACC Quarterback of the Week twice in the same season since Josh Jackson in 2017.
Strong got the Hokies off to a strong start in the first quarter in Chestnut Hill with two interceptions, one of which came on Boston College’s first play from scrimmage. He jumped a pass from BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos over the middle, which set up a Tech field goal. Two drives later, Castellanos threw at him again and Strong made the Eagles pay, high-pointing the ball and out-jumping the BC wide receiver.
Having deja vu 😎#ThisIsHome | 📺 on @accnetwork pic.twitter.com/Ya6DiLhSl8
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) November 11, 2023
Strong has three interceptions, five pass breakups, eight passes defended, half a tackle for loss and 16 tackles on the season. He also has three picks against the Eagles in his career after he intercepted then-BC quarterback Phil Jurkovec in 2021. He has five interceptions in his career, too.
The six-foot, 182-pound redshirt junior from Upper Marlboro, Md., has been a lock-down cornerback for the Hokies this season. According to PFF, of FBS cornerbacks who have played a minimum of 50% of snaps this season, Strong leads the nation in fewest receptions allowed (seven), reception percentage (29.2% — 7-of-24) and is second in yards allowed (76).
Strong is the first Tech defensive back to earn ACC honors since safety Chamarri Conner in 2021 and the first cornerback since Caleb Farley in 2018.
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Well deserved.
I sure hope Dorian Strong is on the radar for All America honors. I’m not clear who the voters are, but I wonder if the VT Sports Information Dept is sending out info sheets to them.
Nice try. Repeat every week for 10 weeks (everyone deserves 2 off days) and you have a A-A candidate. Let’s hope he can do it for two more weeks!
Nice write up, David, as always. When Josh Jackson did it against WVU that game was in Landover, MD at Fed Ex Field so neutral site, but more away than home I guess.
Yeah, was just trying to keep it concise.
🙏👍