The Virginia Tech Hokies won their third game of the season on Friday night in thrilling fashion, defeating the California Golden Bears 42-34 in double overtime. Quarterback Kyron Drones accounted for five
touchdowns in the win, as the Hokies rushed for 357 yards.
The win improves Virginia Tech to 3-5 on the season, including a 2-2 record in ACC play.
Here are five takeaways from Friday’s win.
Philip Montgomery was the right guy at the right time
Montgomery will be gone by the end of November, as will most of the current coaching staff. It will go unnoticed in the future of his impact on this team. When Brent Pry was fired in September, things looked bleak. Players were quitting and entering the transfer portal, while others chose to redshirt with the likely plan to enter the portal after the season. Montgomery didn’t flinch, seeing it as an opportunity to unite his team in a “us vs. the world” situation. It worked. While the Hokies aren’t headed to a bowl game, they don’t look lifeless anymore. An already questionable roster is even less talented than when the season began, but it’s playing much harder. Montgomery is rewarding young players who have shined in practice, and, in turn, they are gaining valuable experience.
Montomery will not be Virginia Tech’s next head coach. But, for Hokie fans, it’s nice to see someone in the position who looks and acts like they belong there. When ESPN cameras panned to Virginia Tech’s sideline on Friday night, you could see Montgomery’s raw emotion. When did you ever see Justin Fuente or Pry looking to the crowd for them to get louder? Montgomery has done the impossible: make Virginia Tech watchable again. The players are buying in and believing in him. And while they make mistakes, they play hard. It’s safe to say that Montgomery was the right guy at the right time.
Lane Stadium remains elite
The Hokies were 2-5 entering Friday night, yet Lane Stadium was packed for a meaningless game in a season where everyone is just waiting for it to end to see who the next head coach will be. While the student section thinned out in the third quarter, did you happen to hear how loud Lane was in the fourth quarter and in overtime? Blacksburg, particularly Lane Stadium, is a special place. The Virginia Tech fans deserve a winner. The school does everything right up until kickoff. The fans do their part, even in lost and hopeless seasons. If the Hokies can get this next hire right, IF, Lane Stadium can again become a home-field advantage.
The good and bad of Kyron Drones
There was a lot to criticize Drones for on Friday night. His accuracy remains a problem, and his one interception was a terrible decision. But Virginia Tech does not win that game without Drones. He passed for three touchdown passes, ran for two more and rushed for 137 yards. He ran hard, competed, took hits, and kept getting back up and punching back when it felt like Cal had stolen the momentum. It’s easy to get frustrated with Drones because of Virginia Tech’s struggles passing the ball. Two years ago, Drones was excellent at throwing the deep ball. He hasn’t been the same since. He struggles with his accuracy in the intermediate range, too. But Drones is tough. The good of Kyron Drones far outweighed the bad on Friday night. He showed up in the second half and in overtime, carrying the offense. Cal knew what was coming and was hopeless to stop it.
Montgomery has more one-score wins than Brent Pry
This is remarkable, but Montgomery has already doubled the number of one-score wins from Pry’s three-plus seasons as head coach. Montgomery has been Virginia Tech’s coach for five games, yet his two one-score wins are more than Pry’s one. How is that possible? I have a feeling we’ll be talking about the Brent Pry era for years, and not in a good way. We know Montgomery will not be around, but he’s not in over his head. Pry was from the jump.
ACC officiating
How many times over the years have we talked about the state of ACC officiating? It’s bad across college football, but it seems notably worse in the ACC. So much for that ridiculous ACC Operations Center in Charlotte. The roughing the passer call on Virginia Tech in the fourth quarter that helped Cal score the game-tying touchdown. It should’ve been a sack and fourth-and-goal from around the 13-yard line. Instead, the Golden Bears got a first down and the ball at the 2-yard line.
The call was so bad, it was unanimous. You had UVA fans and Cal fans saying it was a horrendous call, with many calling it the worst they’d ever seen. So, if the officials on the field throw a flag and it’s questionable, why can’t the ACC Operations Center buzz in and say, “No, that’s not a flag?” This isn’t a Virginia Tech problem. Most ACC teams have felt the impact, including Wake Forest. ACC officials essentially cost the Demon Deacons a game against Georgia Tech earlier this season. Never forget the Miami debacle last season.
How do you fix it? I don’t know; ask Jim Phillips. That, in itself, deserves a LOL. It’s hard to take the ACC seriously when they keep embarrassing themselves every week.
