Reflections on Virginia Tech Virginia 2023 Following the Commonwealth Cup victory at the end of the season
The Hokies needed a win against Virginia Tech to finish the season at.500 and qualify for a bowl game. Tech did all of that and more in a 55-17 thrashing of the Cavaliers.
It’s been a wild ride for Hokie Nation this season, but here we are, waiting for the official bowl invitations, and honestly, I’m feeling pretty good about where head coach Brent Pry and the Hokies are right now.
Here are some of the reasons why (along with a few other thoughts from the rivalry game):
Without a doubt, this is a significant improvement.
Pry and company improved significantly in year two. Yes, September was a letdown, but the Hokies recovered and were strong in ACC play.
The obvious indicator is the increase in win totals from three last year to six this year. Even though Tech finished with a.500 record, three more wins and a bowl game is quite a turnaround.
Other metrics that show how much better this year’s team is than the 2022 version are as follows:
With a 5-3 league record, Virginia Tech finished tied for fourth (with Georgia Tech). They were predicted to finish 11th after tying Virginia for last place with one conference win last year.
Tech scored 30 or more points in each of its six victories. Last year, they didn’t even make it to 30.
Virginia Tech averaged 28.6 points per game, ranking 58th in the nation. This is an improvement over last year’s 19.3 PPG average and 113th ranking.
The Hokies finished the regular season ranked 66th in yards per game (up from 120 the previous year) and 49th in rushing yards per game (up from 113 the previous year). Their passing yardage ranking of 85 isn’t great, but it’s an improvement from 103 last year. Tech also wants to be a run-first team, so I’m fine with these rush-to-pass numbers (keep in mind that all of these rankings include games played prior to the quarterback change).
The defense improved statistically as well, with passing defense being a particular strength. The Hokies ranked eighth in the country in passing yards per game (172.9).
Virginia Tech’s penalty rate per game improved slightly. Their 6.4 penalties per game increased their total to 92 this season, up from 116 last year (7.4 per game). That is only one less flag per game, but the team simply felt like they had fewer fouls in 2023. They also avoided the 15-penalty game, which appeared a few times in 2022. As this team ages, those figures should continue to fall.
Hats off to this team for sticking with it and turning the season around after such a difficult start.
The offensive line deserves special credit for creating the holes that allowed Tech to run for 300 yards against Virginia and average 175 yards per game on the ground this season.
A team cannot run for 300 yards unless the offensive line does their job. This offensive line has taken a lot of flak this season, so let’s give them some props and celebrate that kind of growth.
This team has playmakers; the challenge now is to keep them.
The Hokies had a lot of explosive plays this year, which was a big improvement from last year’s lack of playmaking ability. Consider the following big plays from recent games:
Da’Quan Felton had touchdown catches of 84 and 42 yards.
On reverses, Xavion Turner Bradshaw and Tucker Holloway each had long touchdown runs.
Bhayshul Tuten scored on a 94-yard kick return, his second of the season.
There are others. There are many more. Which was not the case last year, when Tech lacked the ability to hit a “home run” type of play.
Felton, in particular, has stepped up his game. He was probably the most unknown of the transfer receivers going into the season. And he only had one catch for 34 yards after two games.
Felton stepped up after Ali Jennings was injured. With his second 100-yard performance in three games, he capped off a strong season against UVa. It was his sixth game with at least 80 yards receiving. He finished the regular season with 667 yards and an average of more than 17 yards per reception.
Tuten, another standout transfer, finished the season with 727 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. He had his third 100-yard game of the season against Virginia. Tuten also had 220 yards receiving and 489 yards on kick returns. He also scored twice through the air and once on a kick return. As a result, his total yardage and touchdown totals are 1436 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns.
These are just two of the offense’s playmakers. Dorian Strong was a standout cornerback on defense, and Mansoor Delane contributed as well. Antwan Powell-Ryland had 9.5 sacks as a defensive end, leading a unit that led the league in total sacks.
This team should only improve because the entire offense and the majority of the defense can return next year.
However, the dreaded transfer portal opens next week, and if history has taught us anything, it is that the unexpected will occur.
Check it out. It happened to the Hokies before. Dae’Quan Wright, the starting tight end, has already stated that he will enter the portal. This is a significant loss for Tech, as he was the team’s third leading receiver this season.
How many more surprises are there going to be? The only way to know is to wait and see.
Let’s hope the rest of the starters are able to return. Let’s hope that every eligible player in the two-deep returns. They have been instrumental in this rebuild and have re-energized Blacksburg. One hopes they feel a part of something bigger than themselves and want to return to finish the job.
Remember last December’s #BIB? When did Mansoor Delane start tweeting “Brewing in Blacksburg”?
Delane was correct. Something was in the works. And it began to bear fruit in the second half of the 2023 season. I’m hoping the players stay invested and keep it going in the off-season. If they do, the 2024 Hokies should be able to win 8-10 games, especially given their schedule.
Tech finished in the middle of the ACC (but “How Middle”?)
Virginia Tech finished 5-3 in conference play, tying for fourth place with Georgia Tech. However, it is difficult to determine whether the Hokies are truly the “fourth-best” team in the ACC.
Tech’s five ACC victories, however, came at the expense of the bottom five teams. And Tech won them all convincingly, which is exactly what any fan wants to see.
According to the tweet below from Treadmill Horse, the Hokies did not play the top five teams: Georgia Tech, Clemson, UNC, Duke, and Miami. So, while Virginia Tech finished the season tied for fourth place, there is no way of knowing whether they are in the top half or bottom half of the conference.
And, statistically, Virginia Tech was in the middle or better of many ACC-only game categories. This link contains all of that information, but keep in mind that many of those stats were obtained against the league’s bottom five teams. So the jury is still out on where Tech truly ranks among all ACC teams.
Don’t worry about it for the time being. As a fan, all you need to know is that Tech has been solidly in the middle of the pack and has played well – for the most part – since September.
And that is progress. Especially after finishing last year in last place and being predicted to finish last in the league this year. Only Louisville improved more dramatically from eighth to second place. That has something to do with it!
This was a textbook example of what not to do when creating bulletin board content.
Coaches should have taken note of what happened in order to motivate the Virginia Tech Hokies ahead of this rivalry game (as if beating the in-state rival and earning a bowl bid wasn’t motivation enough!).
After leading Virginia to a victory over Duke, freshman quarterback Anthony Colandrea committed a Cardinal Sin by giving Virginia Tech some bulletin board material. His post-game comments can be found in the tweet below:
Those words were apparently posted in the Virginia Tech locker room throughout the week. There is no doubt in my mind that they energized the Hokies.
All day, the Tech defense was on Colandrea, hitting him whenever they could. They appeared determined to make him eat his words, and they did just that, sacking him five times and knocking him down repeatedly with those words. (In the TSL podcast, Chris Coleman of Techsideline stated that the PFF stats showed 38 pressures on UVa’s 47 dropbacks!)
There were a few extra hits that drew flags, but Tech was clearly sending their own message to Colandrea, and I believe it was received. The freshman quarterback completed 29 of 46 passes for 243 yards, most of which came in the second half when the game was already decided.
Colandrea’s quarterback rating (QBR), which was an abysmal 21.7, is a better indicator of his performance. On Saturday, Tech’s Kyron Drones had a QBR of 73.2. Even though Drones only threw for one yard more than Colandrea, he did so on only ten completions, the majority of which came in the first half when the game was still competitive (at least on the scoreboard).
Normally, three roughing the passer penalties and one unsportsmanlike conduct flag would bother me, but given the circumstances, I’m fine with all of them.
The quarterback penalties were a direct result of Colandrea running his mouth, and the Hokies’ extra aggression aided in their mental victory over the Wahoos. They were a defeated team long before the clock struck zero.
What about Bhayshul Tuten’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty? Of course, I would never condone such a flag, but as a fan, seeing him run into the student section to celebrate a rivalry game that was already out of hand made me smile. And my smile widened when I saw the VT student spill his beer and the UVa student flip an obscene gesture (not included in the YouTube link below but easily found on social media).
It’s a rivalry game, after all. This just adds to the legend!
Trash talk is a part of sports, and it is amplified during in-state games. However, Colandrea and the University of Virginia’s mistake of publicly commenting backfired. Maybe he’ll learn to save his chit-chat for the field of play the next time.
Or, even better, perhaps he can learn to let his play speak for him.
Last Thoughts on Virginia Tech Game of the Virginia Commonwealth Cup
Virginia Tech has now won 18 of the last 19 and 22 of the last 24 meetings against their in-state rival. Tech leads the series 61-38-5.
That makes me happy as a Virginia Tech fan. And the Wahoos’ 55-17 thrashing makes me happy.
The way the Hokies finished the season was more important than the final game. With a bowl bid on the line, they delivered in the finale and earned their sixth victory, ensuring another valuable month of practice for this young team.
It has been said numerous times over the last month that after a disappointing 1-3 non-conference start, Hokie Nation was hoping for three or four wins. After that start, getting six and a bowl is a fantastic result.
In Blacksburg, something is brewing. These young players will only get better. The program is reintroducing a competitive culture. There is a lot to be excited about.
Included is a bowl. Whatever it is, Hokie Nation will be ecstatic. Unlike the previous bowl game, this team should be fired up. Let’s hope it serves as a springboard to 2024!
The groundwork is being done. It’s time to start building!
Afterthoughts
As previously stated, the Hokies offense exploded, particularly in their last three victories. Since then, Tech has:
In the last three victories, the team outscored opponents 141-49.
In their last three victories, they gained a total of 1628 yards.
In their last three victories, they have rushed for 252, 361, and 318 yards.
In the last three victories, the team outrushed opponents 927-167.
According to Andy Bitter of the Techsideline podcast, Tech averaged 41.8 points, 503 yards per game, and 5.4 yards per carry in their five ACC victories.
It was amusing to see the Tech fans rush the field once more. It is a new tradition that began in 2021, following interim coach J.C. Price’s 29-24 comeback victory and bowl bid.
Pat Finn, co-host of Sons of Saturday, stated at the 12:44 mark of their most recent podcast that he believes the practice of rushing the field at Scott Stadium will not go away anytime soon. I concur with him. When Tech storms the field after a 55-17 victory, it indicates that the celebration is more important than the game itself. It’s all about rivalry and dominance for Tech. It is about putting up your flag and declaring the state to be ours.
And with such dominance over
Price’s other emerging tradition is smoking cigars on the field during the post-game celebration. There were several fans doing just that, and there appeared to be a lot of cigar smoking in the locker room as well!
So, as long as Virginia Tech wins at Scott Stadium, Tech fans will storm the field and puff on cigars. The only way to put a stop to it? UVa must win.
That has happened only twice since 1998.
