Virginia Tech made too many mistakes in its 26-23 loss to Rutgers on Saturday in Lane Stadium.
The Hokies (2-2) got behind early after Jaylin Lane fumbled a punt ahead of their second possession, which the Scarlet Knights (3-0) jumped on immediately. Kyle Monangai capped off a nine-yard drive that started at the Tech 31-yard line, and Rutgers took off with a ton of momentum.
After Tech turned the ball over on downs at the Rutgers 39-yard line, Scarlet Knights running back Samuel Brown led a quick six-play, 61-yard drive. It was jumpstarted by a 19-yard completion from quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to Dymere Miller, and after a late hit penalty from Hokies safety Quentin Reddish tacked on 15 yards, Rutgers ran it five straight times with Brown, who eventually punched it in from the 3-yard line.
Trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, the Hokies responded with one of thier most methodical offensive possessions of the game. Chunk plays from Bhayshul Tuten (an 11-yard run) and Jaylin Lane (a 34-yard catch) moved the ball into enemy territory, and Tuten took a jet sweep 23 yards and ran into the end zone untouched. It marked his sixth consecutive game with a touchdown.
However, things stalled for the Hokies soon after. Rutgers gifted them a few chances when Jai Patel missed a 36-yard field goal and fumbled at the Tech 3-yard line on the following drive — Mansoor Delane and Keli Lawson forced it and Jaden Keller recovered, the third straight game Delane’s had a hand in a turnover — but Tech couldn’t make anything of it. Rather, it shot itself in the foot.
Taking over inside its own 10-yard line, Tech quarterback Kyron Drones couldn’t escape pressure and was sacked in his own end zone for a safety, stepped on by right tackle Parker Clements in the process. That handed Rutgers a 16-7 lead at intermission.
Things didn’t get better until late in the second half. The Scarlet Knights ripped off an eight-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter, which featured a 17-yard connection from Kaliakmanis to Miller, a 23-yard pass to Ian Strong and a 12-yard rush from Brown. The running back scampered in from the 5-yard line to extend the lead to 23-7.
On the first play of the following drive, Drones fumbled, which Rutgers recovered at the Tech 22-yard line, a play that epitomized the day. The Scarlet Knights didn’t do anything with the great field position, and they couldn’t convert a 52-yard field goal on their next possession, but the Virginia Tech offense took some time before it drew closer.
It wasn’t until the defense forced a three-and-out at the start of the fourth quarter that the Hokies found some offensive momentum.
Set up by a nice 34-yard punt return from Lane, which put them at the Rutgers 39-yard line, they ran two plays and scored quickly. Ayden Greene’s first catch of the year went for 25 yards and Tuten (15 carries, 122 yards, 8.1 average) ran for 14 yards around the left side for his second touchdown of the game. Drones found tight end Benji Gosnell for the two-point conversion to make it a one-score game, 23-15.
The Hokies found some more life when the defense came up with another stop, and an eight-play, 80-yard drive tied the game. Tuten found paydirt for the third time on Saturday with a 2-yard score, and the two-point conversion to Stephen Gosnell was good. In a blink of an eye, it was 23-all.
Rutgers drove down the field and kicked the game-winning field goal, though. Jai Patel made a 24-yarder with 4:35 remaining, and Tech had one final glimmer of hope, but it went up in smoke as Drones threw an interception. Scarlet Knights defensive back Robert Longerbeam tipped a Drones pass of the line of scrimmage and caught it, securing the game.
The loss puts the Hokies at 1-9 in one-score games under Brent Pry, on a day where Rutgers only averaged 2.9 yards per carry and Monangai only racked up 84 yards. The Scarlet Knights had the ball for 19 more minutes, however — a 39:20 to 20:40 advantage — and ran 23 more plays in their first-ever win in Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech was inconsistent, which has been the story of the season, and did not take advantage of Rutgers’ mistakes while making too many of its own. It’ll quickly turn its attention to No. 8 Miami, who it faces on Friday night in Hard Rock Stadium.
Box Score: Rutgers 26, Virginia Tech 23
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I’m trying to stay positive and hopeful in this staff but it is difficult. Honestly, I don’t know how Pry got the job to begin with.
When Beamer retired a lot of the loyal fan base wanted Bud to be given his shot. We felt he was smart enough to know to surround himself with competent offensive minds to compliment his defense. Instead the brass wanted someone with head coaching experience so they went with Fuente.
Yet after the Fuente experiment failed, they essentially Hired a poor man’s Bud Foster as the new HC. Yes, I know PSU has had some pretty strong defenses but I find the decision to promote a relatively unknown Defensive coordinator to be our HC very questionable.
You don’t turn around the program Fuente left in a couple years. Pry is doing fine and making good progress.
I think Bill O’Brien is doing more with less – but he has a lot of experience. Coincidence??
Ya okay…take a look around. Pitt went from 3-8 to 4-0. Quit making excuse for Coach Cheerleader
Are you kidding? With slightly better coaching we’d be 4-0 right now. Stop with the excuses for poor coaching and management.
Love you fair weather fans, NOT. Good things you folks weren’t calling shots in Beamers early years. But I guess Sands could hire one of you to be our new AD and then that person could hire another one of you as our HC. I’m sure we’d never lose another game then.
I’d hardly a call a 46 year plus fan a fair weather fan win the games you should / could win and I’m ok
Until they can beat a decent team in a close game I have no reason for optimism
+1
Turns out Vandy and Rutgers aren’t terrible teams but we are
Vandy almost just beat the #7 team in the nation. They probably should have. Rutgers is 3-0 and a good football team. Should VT have won both? Perhaps. But Vandy and Rutgers were good enough to win both too…they are good teams. VT didn’t lose to bad teams and almost won both even with all the ridiculous high-schoolish mistakes…that said…
Why don’t the offensive coaches play M. Thomas more? They have two real weapons in Tuten and Thomas…but for some reason they don’t put them on the field at the same time. Be creative on offense.
Why do the players lack concentration, intensity, and decisiveness during the first halves of games?
Where is Ali Jennings?
Overall, the defense wasn’t bad. The secondary got out played in key moments. Foolish penalties.
Jennings is injured
Time to change up the QB In some situations; passing?? . Try the #2 or 3 for a series.
Coach Pry should have been hired with the understanding he had to surround himself with proven coordinators. I have yet to see a team excel with “first-time” leaders at all three positions. There are very little in-game adjustments until half so we get behind and our defense if worn out trying to make stops for the offense to catch up. It is so frustrating to watch.
Absolutely agree. Is there currently or recently any P4/P5 team to hire the HC and coordinators with no experience in their positions?
100 % agree. They should have gotten coordinator’s with experience even if they came from a lower tier program.
I would love to get 5 million a year to be mediocre. The decisions this coaching staff makes are baffling at best. Why not use your time outs when Rutgers had the ball at the end? We would have had at least another minute on the clock and the two minute warning. Tuten would have been more of an option with more time. Instead we lose the game with time outs left to burn.
Tough to do when they pick up first downs
We’ve had as good or better athletes in all four games! The offense has regressed and the defense is always playing from behind. Maybe the JMU staff could help!
News flash! Metallica crosses Blacksburg off their tour
Great atmosphere. Awesome fans. Super proud to be a Hokie with how our school supports the military. But the football team. Ugh
Does this team have any dogs? Where’s the pass rush. Dang I miss Tapp, Moore, Engleberger, to name a few. Their QB had all day to throw.
And Drones, sooo inconsistent. Missed Felton bad on 2 touchdowns and several other throws, with time, and just badly missed.
Throw in a fumble and an interception, you loose at home to Rutgers who did everything in their power to gift Tech the game that they actually dominated.
Why is it the team struggles in the first half but seems to play better in second half? The coaches just aren’t capable of having this team ready to play! Can’t win too many games when you only one half! Play execution is poor at best.
We have just become so good at doing less with more.
Two first time coordinators. THAT was the biggest mistake!!! I can forgive Maeve, as Pry is SUPPOSED to be a defensive guy. But Bowen was a huge mistake!!! He needs to go immediately!! Wasting all of this talent at Stinespringian levels of incompetence!!!
Tech had an offensive identity during the Stinespring era. Power running game mixed with screens and taking chances both vertically and on the edges. We were consistent winners then. Tell me what offensive identity this team has shown? Stinespring offense wasn’t sexy enough for Tech fans but what we’re seeing now is better? I’d love to see a glimmer of what that era brought again in Lane.
Stineys O did have an identity but was many times ineffective. He was saved by our fantastic Ds & STs. I can remember we had games when D & ST scored more than the O.
Agreed, that it was sometimes ineffective but so is any offense. Right or wrong we stayed true to who we were then. As a fan, you knew what to expect when you watched our Hokies play. I have watched Tech football meticulously since 89′. I have no idea who we are right now. That in year three has left me more dejected than I’ve ever been. I like so many Hokie fans and football alumni are really pulling for Pry but something has to give offensively. The second half of the season last year we figured it out, but these first four games have made last year’s second half resurgence seem very distant. And with virtually the same roster.
Football has changed a lot since those days. When offenses were scoring in the 20’s Stiney’s offense was adequate at times with good D&ST play. With more and more teams running high scoring offenses expectations of low scoring games are unreasonable (though they do happen). You could see this at the end of the Beamer and Foster era. Foster could adapt, he was also aware of the fact that the spread offense meant the other team was going to score and shutouts were unlikely.
Letting Whit Babcock make a second football hire was the mistake. We have to get rid of Whit Babcock.
They are killing the golden goose! What a great crowd, cheering their guts out,!!so many driving over 3 hours! For this?! They won’t for long! Soon to have UVa level crowds
Return to Lane Stadium 2-4. Not good for enthusiastic sell out.
I’m inclined to believe there needs to be a house cleaning including the AD and football coaches. Hokie fans deserve better.
Why, why, why, throw three straight passes when Tuten was on fire. Didn’t we learn anything last year with NCSU. Chris has discussed it multiple times.
It is already a long season.
It’s sad that it’s come to this, that for the past 7 years I consider watching a game a complete waste of my time.
I hear you, was all prepped to get back into Hokie football this year. Watched the Vandy game and got a good idea of how things would go. Don’t care & don’t watch any more
The title of this report is an understatement. Way too many mistakes starting with the fumble on the punt by Lane and fumble by Drones which gave Rutgers a short field for both, jumping offsides/being too aggressive on a frigging 58 yard field goal try, play call and Drones on the safety, Drones overthrowing wide open receivers several times and the n not getting the ball high enough at the end.
The pass interference call inThe second half was grossly wrong. You would think the Big Ten would have better refs…….
1-9 in one score games If you don’t think coaching matters, take a look at Boston College. Sadly, I don’t see a ton more wins this season. It’s tough being a Hokies fan
D
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This staff unfortunately; just a matter when. Great PR and some recruiting momentum but game prep and in-game…no confidence
Hopefully Babcock does not get the opportunity to choose coach #3
You hire a guy who has never coached and this is what you get. No one should be surprised.
Not surprised at all…picked Rutgers to win between 1-10 points…
Same here. I hate to be right in this case but I picked Rutgers by 1-10. I just saw not much in the first 3 games to make me feel like we’d beat Rutgers.
It’s starting to feel like not if but when on Whit and this coaching staff.
This team is so poorly coached that if Tuten gets hurt, I honestly don’t think this team could score more than 7 points a game.
Actually…I believe Tuten is hurt already….he’s definitely not 100%.
Agree.
Our couched and our poor safeties just can’t cover a receiver.
On the final drive, I feel like the OC overthought it.
We were winning the line of scrimmage. Run the ball. Felton should have handled the 1st down pass, which was a big drop.
Bottom line, too many mistakes to dig that hole.
Doesn’t even get me upset anymore when they lose because unfortunately it’s expected by this program and team. VT is one of the bottom 10 P4 teams in the country. This program is exactly the same as the previous two years. Bad coaching, lack of detail, execution issues, self damaging mistakes, inconsistent, and always seem to be unprepared. It’s becoming like groundhog day!
Fire whit babcock
Defense could not adjust to their passing game. Either we are pitiful or they called a good game against useless
Our program is pitiful thanks to whit Babcock. Fire whit babcock.
I’m numb at this point. Soft, anemic play. Coaching and player lapses continue. Non-physical play. And “out-toughed”. Unless I’m missing something, this is a 5-7 at best.
2-10
We are 2-2, 1-3 at this point last year. So, I think 5 to 7 wins is doable. May come down to UVA for a bowl bid.
I took a rare saturday off work to watch this magic show. Let this be a lesson to all future Whit Babcocks dont hire HC with no HC experience and hire said OC and DC with no OC and DC experience. Just sayin and in this case you aint gettin what you are payin for.. $$$$$$.
Good luck, can’t see more than 2 more wins.
Fire whit Babcock