Virginia Tech football: Hokies get revenge on ODU with 44-21 win
· Yahoo Sports
We are only two games in, but it looks like the James Franklin era at Virginia Tech is all about fast starts. On Saturday, the Hokies took an early 17-0 lead in the first quarter en route to a 44-21 win over the Old Dominion Monarchs.
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The first quarter featured one of the wildest sequences you will find in any football game. Virginia Tech defensive end Aycen Stevens sacks Old Dominion quarterback Quinn Henicle, and linebacker Keon Wylie picks the ball up and runs it in from 46 yards out for the touchdown to give the Hokies a 17-0 lead. However, as Wylie was crossing the goal line, he didn’t secure the football, and it popped loose, allowing an Old Dominion player to recover it in the end zone.
So, the Monarchs got the ball back at the 20-yard line. On the very first play after Wylie’s fumble, Henicle is hit again, fumbles, and VT safety Tyson Flowers picks it up and runs it in from 14 yards out to make it 17-0.
It was one of three first-half turnovers for the Hokies.
Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer was outstanding in the first half, completing 21 of 27 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Luke Reynolds caught two of those touchdowns, as the Hokies went into halftime holding a 34-6 lead.
Just before halftime, Grunkemeyer was sacked and fumbled, giving the Monarchs one more play before halftime. They chose to kick a field goal, making it 34-6.
The second half was a little sloppy compared to what we’ve seen thus far under Franklin. Penalties and mistakes were a theme for the Hokies, allowing the Monarchs to make the final score look a little more respectable.
Grunkemeyer was fantastic on the day, completing 31 of 42 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown. Reynolds caught eight passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Grunkemeyer completed passes to 11 different receivers.
A small concern coming out of this game was the running game. Virginia Tech was without starting center Kyle Altuner, but the Hokies managed only 89 yards on 42 attempts. Sure, sack numbers throw this off somewhat, but Tech’s top running backs, Marcellous Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton Jr., combined to carry the ball 25 times for 90 yards. That is something to watch heading into next week’s road game at Maryland.
The Hokies did force three turnovers, and wide receiver Que’Sean Brown almost scored on a punt return before he was stopped from behind at the 1-yard line. Brown also caught seven passes for 41 yards, one week after going over 100 yards in his Virginia Tech debut.
The Monarchs actually outscored the Hokies 15-10 in the second half, with the big play being a 76-yard touchdown run from Henicle. While ODU finished the game with 115 rushing yards, 76 came on one play, and it was against Virginia Tech backups.
A great way to begin the season for Franklin and the Hokies. There was plenty of good in this game, but also plenty of opportunities for Franklin and his staff to use as coaching points as the schedule gets tougher.
The 2-0 Hokies are on the road for the first time next week against the Maryland Terrapins of the Big Ten Conference.