Bitter: Don’t assume Virginia Tech meltdown against Georgia Tech is rock bottom

BLACKSBURG, Va. — All-time low.

You hear it so much when a workforce loses, particularly when it’s an epic collapse. However it’s usually misused. The phrase presupposes one factor: that it could possibly’t get any worse.

And in that sense, Virginia Tech didn’t attain all-time low with Saturday’s utter and full fourth-quarter meltdown in a 28-27 loss to Georgia Tech in Lane Stadium.

It might be simple to imagine as a lot given the cavalcade of errors that despatched Virginia Tech (2-7, 1-5 ACC) to its sixth consecutive loss for the primary time since 1987. There was a missed area objective, a fumble within the pink zone, a protection bust on an extended landing, an interception, a third-and-19 conversion allowed, a late quarterback landing run to cough up the lead and, lastly, a fumble on a scramble by the Hokies’ personal QB when the sport was on the road — all within the ultimate quarter-hour.

To not point out that it occurred in opposition to Georgia Tech (4-5, 3-3), a workforce with an interim coach probably enjoying out the string and a real freshman at quarterback making his first profession begin.

“We didn’t should win the sport,” first-year head coach Brent Pry mentioned afterward, stating the apparent.

However once more, all-time low is a low level. And it looks like there’s decrease but to go for this workforce, which isn’t solely in a rebuild that’s wanting bigger by the week but in addition, within the uncommon moments when it has a recreation in its clutches, doesn’t know what to do with itself down the stretch.

These Hokies, who fell behind 10-0 Saturday and blew a double-digit lead for a second consecutive week, lack a starter’s and nearer’s mentality. And with a tougher-than-anticipated ultimate stretch in opposition to Duke, Liberty and Virginia, there’s no telling how low issues can go. A two-win season, as soon as considered solely an all’s-well-that-ends-well throwback to the rocky begin Corridor of Fame coach Frank Beamer had, may be very a lot in play.

“I do know everyone’s disillusioned,” Pry mentioned. “I’m disillusioned for our gamers. I’m disillusioned for our followers. I’m disillusioned for our lettermen and our teaching employees. It begins with me. I’ve acquired to personal it. Each week, we’re simply discovering a manner to not play nicely sufficient to win the sport.”

To Pry’s credit score, he did personal it, saying as a lot repeatedly in his postgame remarks. However Hokies followers are previous that time. They need somebody to repair it, not personal it. And it’s clear after Saturday’s recreation, which assured Virginia Tech received’t be bowl-eligible for the primary time since 1992, the Hokies have extra than simply beauty adjustments to make.

Pry has harped on the necessity for this workforce to play complementary soccer. And for 3 quarters it did, getting a record-setting day on punt returns from true freshman Tucker Holloway, who took one again 90 yards to the home, a nifty choose six by redshirt freshman linebacker Keli Lawson, who batted the ball up within the air to himself close to the objective line, and sufficient of an offensive effort to suppose Hokies followers wouldn’t be sweating issues out down the stretch.

However it was complementary soccer in one other sense too: All three phases contributed to the collapse.

It began casually. Kicker Will Ross, who had a low additional level blocked within the second quarter, hooked a makable 40-yard area objective try on the second play of the fourth quarter, holding the lead at 27-16.

Georgia Tech’s desperation confirmed when it went for it on fourth down from its personal 32, getting stuffed on a run that appeared to place the sport away. The Hokies churned out yardage on the bottom the opposite manner, however on Keshawn King’s fifth consecutive carry, he fumbled it, with the Yellow Jackets leaping on the unfastened ball at their very own 10. Virginia Tech had a 96.5 win chance earlier than that play, in accordance with ESPN.

“Our effort is large,” Pry mentioned. “The self-inflicted wounds must cease.”

Georgia Tech adopted with a quick-strike drive that took solely two minutes, ending with a 56-yard landing catch by Nate McCollum to trim the Hokies’ result in 27-22 after a failed two-point conversion.

“The primary one was a foul name by me,” Pry mentioned. “He had too lengthy to throw the soccer. That’s been a bit little bit of a thorn in our facet. We’re not profitable sufficient one-on-one battles. The blitzes we’re dialing up don’t get house sufficient, significantly on the proper time.”

Tech turned to a extra sure-handed Jalen Holston on the subsequent drive at tailback, and the senior had three powerful runs that acquired 19 yards, sandwiched round a 17-yard go to Jadan Blue. After the third Holston run, the Hokies had first-and-10 on the Georgia Tech 40 with simply over seven minutes left.

Regardless of a five-point lead, nice area place, a ticking clock and what appeared like a revved-up floor recreation, Virginia Tech handed the ball on the subsequent three downs. The primary two fell incomplete, the third, a ball Grant Wells left excessive and behind Da’Wain Lofton, bounced off the receiver’s arms and was intercepted by security Clayton Powell-Lee

“At that time, nonetheless, I wished (offensive coordinator) Tyler (Bowen) to be aggressive,” mentioned Pry, who nonetheless has miles to go in recreation administration. “You’ll be able to’t say one factor about being aggressive and shutting a workforce out after which not be that manner.”

A sack by Mario Kendricks and an incompletion backed the Yellow Jackets up right into a third-and-19 on the following drive. Virginia Tech even known as timeout to arrange its protection. However Pyron hit McCollum on a shallow cross and he acquired to the sticks for a backbreaking 20-yard achieve.

“I’ve acquired to do a superb job with what we’re calling defensively,” Pry mentioned.

By then, the ending appeared inevitable. Hokies followers have seen this film earlier than. In fact, Georgia Tech’s freshman quarterback scores the go-ahead landing on a 9-yard keeper with 3:30 to play. In fact, the Hokies don’t get the flag on a fairly apparent go interference on the subsequent drive that stalled. In fact, once they do get a defensive cease for one final comeback gasp, beginning with nice area place within the ultimate minute, Wells scrambles on the primary play and fumbles it away for his third turnover of the sport — the coup de grace.

“I simply informed the workforce, the margin for error is de facto small,” Pry mentioned. “You simply can’t do these issues and anticipate to win the sport.”

The query now’s: The place do the Hokies go from right here? There’s no mid-tier bowl recreation on the finish of the tunnel, no miracle run they will go on to save lots of a postseason bid for the seniors. The video games left in opposition to non-powerhouse applications Duke, Liberty and UVA don’t supply alternatives for marquee, building-block wins for this first-year employees. The perfect they will hope for is to win so as to not be additional ridiculed.

You anticipate to win whenever you rating in all three phases, one thing the Hokies final did in a 59-7 rout of North Carolina in these halcyon days of 2017. It was once a lifestyle at Virginia Tech, what the “Beamer Ball” ethos was constructed on. However even that’s no assure for victory with this group.

You anticipate to win when you’ve a double-digit lead within the fourth quarter, particularly when your head coach constructed his popularity on his defensive mastery. However the Hokies have blown leads of 18 and 11 factors the final two instances out — to a pair of freshman quarterbacks, no much less.

And also you anticipate to win video games within the ACC, interval. Virginia Tech used to run the convention when it first joined, and even in its lean years over the past decade might be anticipated to compete in what was a really winnable Coastal Division. However this yr’s workforce isn’t inside eyesight of first place, tied with equally depressing Virginia within the basement, having misplaced 5 ACC contests in a row for the primary time.

There’s some leeway to be given with a first-year coach and newly assembled employees, although Pry and firm are testing the boundaries of that, with purchaser’s regret definitely getting into the minds of Virginia Tech followers. Dread too. The slightest bit goes unsuitable, because it did Saturday, and that feeling builds in Hokie Nation, making you ponder whether it’s the identical within the locker room.

“No, I don’t suppose it’s dread,” Pry mentioned. “I don’t know if we’re as assured as we have to be in these conditions, and that goes again to me. I’m a fairly assured man and I’ve acquired to verify this workforce is assured, significantly when we now have a lead. We have to safe it.”

There are three video games left to salvage one thing from this season, although issues don’t look promising. Duke appears to be like like a very totally different workforce from final season, with Mike Elko exhibiting what sort of progress could be made by a first-year coach. Liberty’s 8-1 below Hugh Freeze and ranked within the AP Prime 25 — and it simply received at an SEC faculty, holding off Arkansas. And although Virginia is in an equally depressing rut, beating the Hoos will get you far fewer accolades in Blacksburg than shedding to them will get you scorn.

This season’s been unhealthy, with Saturday’s loss the most important intestine punch but. Sadly, all-time low it ain’t.

(Prime picture: Lee Luther Jr. / USA At present)