On Friday night, the California Golden Bears (5-2, 1-1 ACC) travel to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies (2-5, 1-2 ACC) at 7:30pm on ESPN. The Hokies are hoping to get back into the win-column with a very difficult November stretch beginning next weekend. California is hoping to get back above .500 in conference play and to clinch bowl eligibility with a win Friday night.
This game is being touted as the last ‘should win’ game left on the Hokies schedule but I want to make myself very clear: this is still a game Tech is capable of losing, if not losing big. California has a pretty decent defense that is giving up 21.86 points per game and an offense statistically comparable to Tech’s, averaging 23.71. The Hokies enter the game averaging 23 points per game offensively and allowing 29.29 points per game defensively. Just about everything is going to have to go right for Virginia Tech Friday night.
Here are a few things that I think will need to happen for Tech to win.
Offense
1. Keep The Pocket Clean For Kyron Drones
Kyron Drones has been stuck behind a depleted and inexperienced offensive line this season, evidenced in his 17 sacks for a loss of 126 yards. Opposing defenses know that they can blitz Drones the majority of the game and that the Virginia Tech offense is not built to give him relief.
The offensive line, as previously noted, does not recognize or pick up pressure very well, Drones has a hard time getting rid of the ball safely when he is being pressured, and the offense has yet to scheme around punishing the defense for sending heavy pressure.
The offensive line is what it is for the rest of the season and being without Montavious Cunningham once again certainly does not help.
The offense has to scheme around facing pressure. When defenses blitz, nine times out of ten, there will be open space in the middle of the field. There need to be one or two routes taking advantage of this open space, either through a slant concept, levels concept, stick concept, mesh, etc. If Drones can stay poised and deliver an accurate throw, Tech can force the defense to stop sending pressure early, which would be a massive benefit.
Even getting creative with bringing in extra blockers through tight ends or a two running back set of some sort could help to reinforce the pocket and buy Drones a little extra time to deliver a throw. They need to do something against a Cal defense that hasn't been great at rushing the passer, but has tallied ten sacks this season.
