A View from the Sidelines: Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Boston College Eagles - 2022

Well, the rain held off and my camera survived. It’s been two and a half years, so my technique and anticipation need to come back, but here are some of the highlight pictures of the 3,463 taken on Saturday evening. What a thrill. GO HOKIES!!!

By John Schneider Sep 12, 2022, 12:00pm EDT

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Hokie Bird gives an Orange Effect 1st Game Hello

On the Sideline for the First Time in Two Seasons!

With all of the restrictions lifted, and the new staff looking to get the press presence back up to normal game day compliments, Gobbler Country received credentials for the first time in two seasons. It’s been a difficult time for everyone, and certainly those of us who cover Hokie sports were affected by the tightened restrictions. This season, we received our first hang tags for the Press Box and the Sideline for photography. We appreciate the confidence and the opportunity to present our work to you from a live perspective.

The Weather was not the Greatest

Blacksburg is, what it is, and sometimes the old relable of “Bleaksburg” manages to creep back into the vocabulary. It was a light to moderate “mountain drizzle” and relatively cool for the entire game. For those of us who work the field, Lane is famous for sort of deflecting light rain away from the edge areas in the bowl of the stadium. It falls mostly on the folks in the stands and out in the middle of the field, but the sidelines are often spared the heaviest part of the drenching. (That doesn’t go for full on downpour rain, however, just mountain misty drizzle.)

The Prichard Prairie official tailgate area

The first game of the Brent Pry Era was looking like it could be a mild bust as an opening game. Happily, the crowds just brought their rain gear and their fresh attitudes. The parking lots were packed with tailgaters, and the stands began to fill up relatively early. Hokie Nation wanted a fresh start and figured it was collectively going to welcome it with open arms.

Lots of Folks in the gallery under the West Stands

The Student Section in the North End Zone filled quickly and early.

The Players Looked Intense and Focused at Warmups

But there was also a certain relaxation that comes with being on your own home turf and seeing the stands fill with your fans.

Coaches Price and Rudolph running line drills

Johnny Jordan looking up at the Jumbotron for inspiration

TyJuan Garbutt - Phil Jurkovec’s worst nightmare on Saturday

Josh Fuga thinking about something as he warms up

Wilfried Pene gets some coaching up from JC Price

Grant Wells is fascinated by the Jumbotron, too!

Jason Brown, Harrison Saint Germain, and Grant Wells being intense

Cole Beck shows JC Price how smiling is done

Nick Gallo and Drake De Iuliis with Connor Blumrick heading out for warmups

Squads run down the tunnel Connor Blumrick has a big day and Jayden McDonald ends up with 4 tackles

The Look on Brent Pry’s Face for the Entrance

Sort of calm on the outside but still jumped the queue to get on the field by 2 seconds.

Waiting for the floor director que to move out to “Enter Sandman”

We Haven’t Even Gotten to the Game Yet

So, warmups and fun pictures on the pregame aren’t the entire reason for why we are here, is it? There were thousands of pictures, and we’ll plow through more but here are some cool highlights to look see.

BC’s First pass is heavily pressured and picked by Armani Chatman

Armani Chatman runs by leaving the field after his pickoff

A quick out route to Connor Blumrick gets it inside the 2

Jalen Holston for the Hokie Touchdown from the 1.

The BC Offense has a No Good, Very Bad, Awful Day

Jayden McDonald with one of his four tackles holding BC to nothing much on the ground

Meeting at the Phil isn’t a concert trip

Nightmares of 45 for Phil Jurkovec - the man got no rest from TyJuan Garbutt

OOPS!!!! BC almost coughs it up on their 3-yard line

Dorian Strong just barely misses getting a turnover

TyJuan again meeting Phil under angry circumstances.

Doing anything to keep the Defense off of Phil - no flags - though it really didn’t matter

C.J. McCray getting in on the scare Phil act

Hokies did have Some Offensive Action

Kaleb Smith makes a significant catch, again.

Blumrick is a prime target in this game.

Wells taking the 2nd snap from center for the game

Blumrick fights for yards after catching the ball

Icing on the Cake

William Ross ices the game with a late field goal

And What Do We Hear with a Win?

There will be more coming. Here and there as edits crop up and articles come and go. There will be Bryan’s Takeaways and the GC Talking Turkey Post Game Blitz (We’ll figure out a name for the 20minute wrap segment sometime.)

A View from the Sidelines: Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Boston College Eagles - 2022

On the Sideline for the First Time in Two Seasons!

The Players Looked Intense and Focused at Warmups