As Hokies reset after Week 1 setback, Pry prepares team for two Marshall quarterbacks

— By Bill Cornwell

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Saturday’s 34-27 overtime loss to Vanderbilt has caused some concern among Virginia Tech’s die-hard football fans.

The Hokies, who welcome Marshall to Lane Stadium for their 4:30 p.m. home game on Saturday, are hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when they started 1-3. One of those three early losses was a 24-17 defeat at Marshall.

This week’s game marks the 14th all-time meeting between Marshall and Virginia Tech. The Hokies have won 10 of the previous 13 meetings.

Successful Virginia Tech football teams of the past were largely built on a strong offense, a stifling defense and special teams skills. And that’s without even mentioning the multiple successful quarterbacks who could lead both teams.

That recipe for success didn’t quite materialize last Saturday in Nashville, when the Hokies fell behind 17-0 and their recovery failed.

Virginia Tech outrebounded the Commodores 397-371 and had two field goals, but negatives included a net punting total of 14 yards less than the overall punting average, while the offense managed just 75 rushing yards on 30 attempts.

Normally productive Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten was limited to 34 yards.

On the positive side, quarterback Kyron Drones had a great passing day with 322 yards and two touchdowns.

“In the run game, we’ve got to be more physical,” Hokies head coach Brent Pry said. “They were blowing holes and doing things we weren’t expecting, and it slowed us down. We’ve got to get off the ball, be more aggressive, be more physical. At times, we looked pretty good in the run game — we were hat on hat, we were moving people. And in the throw game, we got beat a little too much and they had a little too much success rushing the quarterback.”

Pry said the VT defensive staff has a unique challenge this week in preparing for Marshall, as the Thundering Herd still haven’t settled on a clear-cut starting quarterback. He expects transfers Stone Earle and Braylon Braxton to both see action on Saturday, just as the duo did in last week’s season opener against Stony Brook.

“We analyzed both quarterbacks,” Pry said. “We watched their film. They both played a couple games at their previous schools. We watched those. We watched what they did against Stony Brook. It was a little different with each guy, but there were a lot of similarities. You have to study them independently and that’s what we did. They’re both pretty talented guys.”

Pry says he’s not panicking after the season-opener loss and that Tech’s players need to stay humble and avoid outside distractions.

“You can never feel better than you are,” Pry said. “You hear me say it all the time, humble and hungry. They seemed to be in a good frame of mind in that locker room. I think the way the game started, it kind of blew things up a little bit. I think there was respect for Vanderbilt. I know we did that as a coaching staff and we certainly preached that with our team. My job as a head coach is to make sure we come out of there with a good spirit and play really hard and really tough — and I don’t think we did that. It didn’t take long for me to feel like we lost that. It took too long to get it back.”

The Marshall game has special meaning for Pry. His father, Jim, was quarterback on the 1971 MU Young Thundering Herd team that played after the Marshall football plane crash in 1970.

That team won games against Xavier and Bowling Green in 1971, despite having many substitutes and players with little football experience.

Pry still has memories of his youth in Huntington.

“People got married at 18 and had me, and that’s where it all started,” Pry said. “Marshall is very dear to my dad. Just his experience going there and why he chose Marshall to be part of that Young Thundering Herd. Taking him to that game last year was special. He walked around campus and walked around town and it was emotional for him. There are a lot of layers that are emotional about Marshall for me and for my family, for this team, for this school. I have a lot of respect for Marshall.”