There was some good from the Rutgers game and a lot of bad. The good? Tech found a quarterback in Kyron Drones that fits this offense. This offense needs to go back to what worked in 2016 with Jerod Evans — one read and go. That’s what I saw with Drones last week. We need to keep it simple. I’ve also spotted a pattern with this team:
SP+ Rankings
Virginia Tech
Overall: 78th
Offense: 92nd
Defense: 60th
Special Teams: 51st
Marshall
Overall: 72nd
Offense: 93rd
Defense: 38th
Special Teams: 94th
Marshall has a balanced offense. If Tech wants to win this week, they need to limit the big runs that have plagued them the past two weeks. Marshall has a talented running back in Rasheen Ali who can break a big play. The Hokies have to play their assignments and not lose contain on the running back. Tech needs to focus their attention on the run and make Marshall beat them through the air.
Marshall has a good secondary. If you’re going to beat them, you have to do it on the ground. This is where Kyron Drones needs to be able to gobble up yards on the ground to open the game up for the rest of the offense. This would be a good week to incorporate more option looks. This needs to be the Drones-Tuten show. This shouldn’t be the week the Hokies air it out all over the field.
Marshall is coming off an early bye week. I actually don’t like teams taking a bye week this early in the season. It usually causes more issues than it fixes. I’d expect Marshall to get off to a bit of slow start. The Hokies need to take advantage and work quick to get points on the board. They also need to make sure to put a couple of drives together to keep their defense from wearing out late in the game. I see this game like the Purdue game. Low-scoring and the team that can finish a drive in the 4th quarter wins.
Prediction: Marshall 24, Virginia Tech 17
treadmillhorse 