Before the season began, the Virginia Tech football team was considered one of the dark horses in the new 12-team College Football Playoff, and rightfully so, as they were national favorites among many reporters.
Coach Brent Pry and his staff retained several key players on both the defensive and defensive end for a large chunk of the time, and when you add in some transfer players on the defensive end, the team is poised to make a big leap in Coach Pry’s third year at the helm.
Things haven’t gone according to plan, and there are a few reasons for that. The Hokies beat Sun Belt teams Marshall and Old Dominion last weekend, but are 2-2 after losing to Vanderbilt in overtime and then to Rutgers. There are a few issues that have plagued Virginia Tech, but just as they drew attention in the preseason, they’re drawing attention again in September — but for all the wrong reasons.
Brad Crawford of 247Sports posted on X Sunday that Hokies fans should start thinking and the reality that Virginia Tech may miss out on bowl eligibility this season may sink in soon. That would be surprising considering the amount of talent on the roster. He also called them “one of the biggest disappointments in the country.”
It’s time to start talking about Virginia Tech’s lack of bowl eligibility this season.
Considering how the Hokies performed upon their return, they have been one of the most disappointing teams in the country.
Brent Pry is currently 12-16 in Blacksburg and the results are not coming.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) September 22, 2024
He’s not wrong. The Hokies have retained so many players that it’s a bit puzzling why they’ve underperformed. They played poorly in the first half and tried to come back in the second. They did come back against Vanderbilt and Rutgers, but ended up losing both games. Starting late and trying to come back often doesn’t work.
The offense had some good moments but was otherwise disappointing from a play-call and execution standpoint, and they played well defensively but didn’t quite make the necessary adjustments against Rutgers.
Pry is 12-16 through 28 games as head coach and needs to start putting wins on the line sooner rather than later, and while he’s a great recruiter as we can see through the portal and his high school recruits, he’s struggled to get the most out of his Blacksburg squad thus far.
Things are only getting worse, not easier, with a short week this week featuring a game against No. 7 Miami on Friday night and a long road trip to Stanford the following weekend. This game won’t be easy. The Hokies have a bye week after that game, but there’s a good chance they’ll be 2-4 or 3-3 at that point, and as things stand, it’ll be hard to turn things around and win six games and go to a bowl game. Before you know it, it could be a reality.
