Three Things We Learned From Virginia Tech’s 73-3 Win Over VMI
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Virginia Tech opened the James Franklin era with a 73-3 shellacking of an overmatched local FCS military academy in VMI.
The Hokies never relented from the jump, comfortably putting away the Keydets in short order. Virginia Tech led 21-0 after the first quarter, and took a 45-0 lead into halftime in a game that was over as soon as it was scheduled.
With that said, the Hokies have had their fair share of mediocre performances against FCS schools over the past decade, with the 2019 Furman game and 2022 Wofford games at the top of mind. In the end, both resulted in Virginia Tech victories, but neither was as decisive as they should have been.
On Saturday night, the Hokies left no doubt in a strong start to a new coaching tenure.
Here are three takeaways from the contest as Virginia Tech exits Week 1 with a 1-0 record.
Three Things We Learned From Virginia Tech’s 73-3 Win Over VMI
It Was A Complete Game in All Three Phases for the Hokies
It’s been a long, long time since Tech has put together a complete performance in all three phases of the game. The offensive line dominated up front, and the Hokies rode a well-balanced attack to 619 yards of total offense and 8.51 yards per play. Offensively, Virginia Tech posted a 64% success rate according to Game on Paper, which ranks in the 99th percentile of teams that took the field in Week 1. Starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer completed 17 of his 20 passing attempts for 224 yards and two touchdowns, and the Hokies rushed for 268 yards as a team, led by sophomore Jeffrey Overton Jr. (more on him in a moment).
Defensively, Virginia Tech was stout. VMI amassed -4 rushing yards and just 87 passing yards in the loss. The Keydets were held to a 2-for-17 mark on third down by the Hokies’ defense, which finished with five sacks and 18 tackles for loss and an interception.
Finally, the special teams pillar of Beamer Ball showed up in a big way on Saturday night. Virginia Tech blocked two punts, one of which was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown by Knahlij Harrell in the second quarter. Senior kicker John Love came through on his only field goal attempt of the night and was a perfect 10-for-10 on extra points.
It was a complete game in all three phases for the Hokies, who will aim to be as complementary in the next 11 games against tougher competition.
Virginia Tech Has Found Two Explosive Playmakers
Franklin was forthcoming in the preseason with Virginia Tech’s need to find “erasers” on both sides of the football who could change the outcomes of games with just one play. It’s a small sample size against an overmatched opponent, but there is clearly something to work with offensively with Jeffrey Overton Jr. at running back and Duke transfer Que’Sean Brown at wide receiver. Both players were extremely elusive with the ball in their hands on Saturday night, showing elite quickness and straight-line speed when their numbers were called. Overton finished with nine carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and showed an impressive burst on his 50-yard touchdown run for Virginia Tech’s first score of the season.
Brown, meanwhile, caught six passes for 109 yards, which included a 51-yard touchdown catch. He appears to be Virginia Tech’s best option at receiver, as his chemistry with Ethan Grunkemeyer was apparent from the jump on Saturday night.
Virginia Tech Should Not Play VMI Ever Again
VMI is a local military academy with a proud tradition in the state of Virginia. It was clear by comments made throughout the week that both coaching staffs had an immense amount of respect for one another. With that said, this game should never be played again. VMI, while an FCS program, is considerably hamstrung in roster building at the Division I level due to the school’s rigid learning structure centered around its military principles. The Academy is unable to meaningfully recruit the type of athletes who can be consistent contributors as Division I football players, making it hard to believe that they compete in the FCS in the first place.
While VMI earned $500,000 from the Virginia Tech athletic department by playing in the contest, the Hokies could have scheduled a different FCS school for its season-opener that would have provided a bit more of a fight. It’s hard to believe that a 73-3 final score truly benefits either participant, but in the end, Virginia Tech moves on to the second weekend in September with a 1-0 record, while VMI remains winless at 0-2.
Main Image: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images
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