2011 Virginia Tech Hokies Football: Va. Tech @ Marshall

The Virginia Tech Hokies weren’t taken to the wire this time by a Conference USA opponent in a tricky road game. The boys from Blacksburg, Virginia, didn’t have to sweat bullets on the final Saturday afternoon of September. The defending Atlantic Coast Conference champions continued to display the brand of defense that will allow them to mount a robust defense of their league crown.

However, a number of persistent problems are preventing Tech from relishing an unbeaten month of September. In week four of the college football season, the Hokies left a lot of points on the field once again, making their 20-point win over the Marshall Thundering Herd feel much less convincing than the score might indicate.

Virginia Tech wasn’t severely threatened in this game, but by the same token, the Hokies didn’t run away and hide from an inferior foe. Tech led by only 13 points at the start of the fourth quarter before finally using a five-yard touchdown run by Josh Oglesby to break the game open. Why did Virginia Tech muster just 23 points in the first three stanzas at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia? Marshall’s defense played valiantly, but the fact remains that for yet another Saturday, the Hokies didn’t put all the pieces together on an offense that has yet to bust out in all its glory.

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Virginia Tech smoked an FCS foe, Appalachian State, in week one, but ever since then, the road has proved difficult for the Hokies’ offense. A paltry 17 points against a bad East Carolina defense was an alarming development in week two of the season. The next week’s 26-point tally against a Sun Belt defense – Arkansas State – was less than encouraging, especially since it occurred at home in Blacksburg. Now, this 30-point outing against Marshall has left head coach Frank Beamer with the lingering awareness that his offense is taking too much time to gel.

Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas is still trying to see the game properly. It’s not flowing naturally for the first-year starter. Thomas did hit 22 of 33 passes, but he missed open men on what would have been big plays for the Gobblers. Thomas also threw an interception and presided over an offense that did not land punches with regularity. Tech committed two turnovers and missed a field goal for good measure. No wonder this game was just a two-possession contest with 15 minutes left.

Virginia Tech must play ACC Atlantic-leading Clemson this next weekend. If the Hokies don’t fix the problems that persisted against Marshall, they’re asking for trouble.

Virginia Tech Hokies @ Marshall Thundering Herd Football Recap