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Virginia Tech Hokies Struggle on Both sides of the Ball Tied with ODU 14-14

The Hokies are not looking good. Josh Jackson is strugging in the passing game, and the Tech pass defense is getting cut to pieces by surprise starting ODU quarterback Blake LaRussa.

By John Schneider
Virginia Tech v Old Dominion
We aren’t doing well, folks... not at all.
Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images

It’s a game of surprises. In the head and humidity of Norfolk, ODU came to play football, and showed up with a totally different offense look than Bud Foster would have prepared for. ODU started Blake LaRussa instead of Steven Williams. That presented a real problem because LaRussa can pass.

Both teams managed a 3 and out to start the game and Tech broke on top with a huge 87 yard break away run for an untouched TD. The ODU Monarchs answered with an almost all pass big strike drive for a touchdown.

The Tech passing game was absolutely stoned in the 1st quarter by sack after sack by ODU’s defensive ends (unfortunately that was predicted, sigh). The offensive line seemed to have no answers for stopping the repeated pile up at Josh Jackson behind the line.

The momentum started to shift a bit when the Hokies looked like JJ had thrown a deep strike to Hazelton for a TD, but his knee was down. The first down gained, eventually ended in a stalled drive, but the Hokies seemed to take a breath with that series. The defense stopped ODU, and then Tech proceeded to push a 55 yard 5 play drive into the end zone with great runs and a super seam pass on a busted coverage to Sean Savoy for 7.

With 6 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, the ODU offense didn’t give up, and Tech mistakes in both penalties with a facemask on 3rd and stopped… and then a missed coverage on a pass gave ODU the ball in the red zone. The Monarchs missed the short field goal, and took over on downs from the Tech 20.

Jackson tossed an absolutely terrible flag pattern pass to Grimsley who was covered, and the pass was in the wrong place. So instead of a final drive we had the defense struggling to stop ODU in the last 2 min. Then the defense gave up way too much in prevent. With no pressure on LaRussa, the Monarchs passed their way into the end zone for a touchdown.

The Game is tied, and the outcome is far from sure. Virginia Tech is in serious trouble folks. There are no answers at the moment. We are not playing well in several phases of the game, especially the offensive passing game.

There are a whole lot of adjustments that are going to be needed at the half.

GO HOKIES!!!!

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