It Wouldn’t Be Hokie Football If I Didn’t Have Something To Worry About…

If you’re a long-time Hokie fan, you worry. You could be up 36 points with 4 minutes to go and there’s still this voice inside you that whispers “it’s not over yet.” I have consistently believed you don’t celebrate anything involving the Hokies until 10 minutes after a game. Then you can let loose.

With that said, this 2024 football season for Virginia Tech could be magical. They’ve fixed some of the glaring problems of the past, they have the most talented roster of players to choose from in many years, and head coach Brent Pry just seems to get it. It’s not fair to saddle with the expectations of a return to the Frank Beamer glory days, but from everything said and written, that seems to be distinctly possible.

BUT I AM a long-time Hokie fan, and there are things from past seasons I’m reminded of when I think of this season. While expecting the absolute best, here are five things that could be cause for concern.

1. This team was only 7-6 last year. Yeah, I know it’s a better team with more experience and a lot more weapons. But winning is as much mental as it is physical at times. Great teams have a critical mass of players who believe when it’s raining, the wind’s blowing in your face and the team is down 7 in the fourth quarter, they have the confidence to know – versus hope – they’re going to get it done. Back in 1995 when the team won the Sugar Bowl, they had a lot of talent…but still managed to lose the first two games of the season and were well on their way to losing the third until that confidence kicked in. Then they didn’t lose for the rest of the season.
2. Injuries. They happen and there’s not a lot you can do about it. In that 1999 glory year when the Hokies made it all the way to the National Championship game, there was a moment in that first game when Michael Vick flipped over an opposing player and came up grabbing his ankle. Most of us thought it was broken and the season was over, but Vick popped back up and the rest is history. The only reason the Hokies didn’t play for a National Title the next year was because Vick didn’t pop back up after a high ankle sprain against Pitt. So you have to be a bit lucky and hope your best performers stay on the field and not in the trainer’s room.
3. Scouting. Last year the Hokies switched quarterbacks and then changed the offense to better suit the skills Kyron Drones had midway through the season, which was the key to their success. Teams that scouted Virginia Tech before that were left scrambling, as there was no tape to watch to prepare for Drones and the new offense. This year will be different. With all the hype and several games from last season to analyze, the Hokies will have to be diligent in their play calling, and fight going with the same tendencies they used last year. If they can, this offense can be explosive.
4. Attitude. From the first moment I saw Virginia Tech play over 50 years ago until about 10 minutes ago, the Hokies have always done best when flying under the radar and people not thinking much about how good they are. The days when everyone loved them and predicted great things have more times than not ended up in disappointing results. There is a lot of momentum these days in Blacksburg, and the tendency to think “man, we’re good” is going to be something the Hokies need to manage. I will always think the key to the 1995 team was losing those first two games, because it removed any notion that the team had superior talent and they had to grind it out each game, come together as an us against the world team, and keep focusing on getting better each game. This team needs to have that same mentality.
5. Chemistry. This is a much better team than last year. At some positions, like the wide receiver room, there is depth the team hasn’t had in a long time. Not everyone is going to play as much as they think they deserve to. Practices are going to be spirited and there will be a fight or two each week as new players push old ones. Managing this is something I think Pry excels at, but it’s something to keep an eye on. In 2003 the Hokies had perhaps the most talented roster it ever had, and started out the season 6-0 and was ranked No.3 in the country. But they then finished the season 2-5 (one of those wins was over No. 2 Miami) and finished 8-5. Have heard players from that team mention there was a team chemistry issue and it eventually reared its head toward the end of the season. So it can happen.

Do I think any of this wll occur this season? No. I think the team will struggle in a game or two at the start of the season and provide ample ammunition for discussion on social media. I think a backup quarterback is going to play at least one game this season because with a running quarterback like Drones, that’s the nature of college football. And I think at least one wide receiver will complain he’s not getting the ball enough, which happens when you have the depth the Hokies have.

But I do think this is going to be a “Back To The Future” type season if they can manage expectations. They’ve got the tools, they’ve got the culture, and in Brent Pry, they’ve got the guy they need steering the ship.

This, as a popular song once noted, could be the beginning of something good…