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The Hokies had some highlights and some lowlights on Saturday. After perusing the stats sheet from the game, here are some numbers that should give us hope....and caution.
48 Yards Rushing As A Team, Jerod Evans Was The Leading Rusher
The Hokies are going to have to be more efficient on the ground in order for this offense to really click. Evans had a huge run on the 4th down conversion, but other than that, the Hokies struggled to find a consistent running attack. Travon McMillian never truly got going. McMillian is the type of back that gets better as the game moves along, but never got in sync. The line wasn’t exactly giving him monster holes to work with. Be rest assured, the Vols D-line will be better than Liberty. The shuffling of personnel on the O-line by the Hokies was interesting, but a solidified unit at Bristol is preferred.
Sacks (1.0) Ken Ekanem
One of the focuses for Bud Foster this off season was finding pressure. Liberty threw the ball a bunch (25 times), and the Hokies only managed one sack. Joshua Dobbs will be an even more elusive target, and again the Vols line will present a much bigger challenge. Mihota got close a few times, but Foster needs to find a closer that can change the dynamic of the possession.
89- Total plays from the Hokies on offense
Last year at Memphis, Justin Fuente averaged 80 plays on offense. To see the Hokies snap the ball 89 times was surreal. If they can keep that offense on the field that long against Tennessee, we have a solid chance. The gamble with the scheme is that it opens up the defense to prolonged stands. Quick 3 and outs would be a nightmare considering our depth,especially at linebacker.
1-0 Is our record. Let’s not lose sight of that
The Hokies won a football game. There were moments of agony, but we got the win. It was important to set the tone, and we did that. In the end, we didn’t show too much. We certainly didn’t win any style points, but we aren’t that team. I think if you asked Coach Fuente, he would agree there is a lot of work to do.