Cheers and Jeers: California

I was hoping for a Hollywood ending where everyone goes home happy, but of course that’s not how college football works. Instead, the Hokies were treated to a rough, thoughtless end. And yes, I know Berkeley is nowhere near Hollywood—I just threw out stereotypical California stuff. I guess my quips should be more Bay Area-focused if we want the right stereotypes: bridge stuff, Rice-A-Roni, a $14 pomegranate?

Anyway, these last two were extremely winnable games, and the Hokies simply did not execute. It’s very disappointing that for the second straight game, they let a backup quarterback take them down. Not to say those guys haven't been talented, but it's been a massive missed opportunity for Virginia Tech and they whiffed twice.

This loss to Cal feels worse than the Pitt game, though, as it marks the first time this staff has been flat-out out-coached. They got caught flat-footed on a couple of gimmick plays, including a fake punt that went for 30 yards virtually untouched up the middle.

The defense played well enough to win overall, but they struggled at the end of the first half and at the end of the game when it mattered most. It’s also not the biggest thing, but it seems like no one on the defense is very good at catching footballs; as a unit, they’ve missed quite a few easy chances to create turnovers. Tyson Flowers had one sneak through his grasp against Cal—the most egregious example from this game—and it’s something I’ve seen quite a bit this season.

Meanwhile, this offense continues to be frustrating because they move the ball with extraordinary ease at times—as well as any offense in school history, truly—yet they also struggle to score points and go through long stretches of general dysfunction. They were especially good in the two-minute drill against Cal, which I think will get overshadowed because of the loss. They made a remarkable effort to get down the field for a chance to win, and with a better throw, maybe they do.

On an individual level:

• Ayden Greene has been good. He's been the most consistent of his career, making a nice assortment of big plays, tough catches over the middle, and contested catches downfield.

• Aycen Stevens made some nice plays, even if he got flagged after one. It struck me as a very ticky-tack personal foul. I hate to complain about officiating, but it seems like it's been really tough lately.

• John Love is in a certified slump and it's alarming. Sucks, man. Shame to see it. There's not much you can do except keep rolling him out there and know he'll break out of it eventually, but it comes at a tough time with these close conference games likely to continue. I’m sure he’ll be fine soon—it’s probably nothing a rail or two can’t fix, right?

FINAL THOUGHTS

It's concerning that for the second game in a row, the Hokies went on the road very flat, struggled immensely, and were forced to rally late. It worked against BC (barely), but Cal is a better program, making that a losing proposition.

Obviously, we all hope the Hokies can rebound, but it's not an easy road from here. I'm terrified of Georgia Tech because we have no idea which team is going to show up; they’ve been all over the map, but they’re dangerous (and often have cool helmets, so that's a factor). After that, it's on the road at Clemson with a handful of ranked teams down the stretch. Despite the bad rap the ACC gets, it's not an easy road at all—and certainly not easy for a team clearly still finding its footing in year one of the Franklin era.