Story of the Stat Line: Virginia Tech at Duke

Evan Bainer

Nov. 26, 2024

With Kyron Drones out and bowl game eligibility on the line, the Hokies turned to Collin Schlee and Pop Watson in Durham. 

Virginia Tech has been on a bit of a skid in the month of November, losing both an overtime heartbreaker at Syracuse and a home contest against Clemson. Sitting at 5-5 prior to Saturday, the Hokies fell short against the Duke Blue Devils, 31-28.

The story coming into this game for the Hokies surrounded the uncertainty at the quarterback position. With Drones dealing with an ongoing injury, Collin Schlee started at quarterback for the contest. However, Schlee would only throw for 67 yards, which included a 65-yard touchdown to Ali Jennings, and complete three of seven passes before leaving the game due to injury. 

After Schlee’s departure, redshirt freshman William “Pop” Watson III would enter the game for Virginia Tech. Watson would go 12/25 for 146 yards and an interception as he attempted to salvage the passing game for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech’s passing game has taken a hit in recent weeks, thus forcing the team to have to focus on its rushing attack. The matchup against Duke was no exception, as running back Bhayshul Tuten led the Hokies with 84 yards along with a touchdown on 19 carries. As Tuten himself has also dealt with injury over the past few weeks, he was a key factor in the Hokies’ offensive scheme against the Blue Devils. Sophomore Ayden Greene also added to Tech’s rushing attack with a 21-yard end-around touchdown run.

Perhaps the most pivotal player for the Hokies against Duke was Ali Jennings, who went for 158 yards on six receptions, including the aforementioned 65-yard touchdown catch from Schlee in the first quarter. Aside from Jennings, however, Tech’s receivers were almost completely absent against the Blue Devils, as Stephen Gosnell’s single catch for 18 yards made him the Hokies’ second-leading receiver in the contest.

Although Virginia Tech’s front four have been the highlight of the defense this season, Tech’s secondary was the biggest factor in the matchup against Duke. Most notably, Virginia Tech had three interceptions off Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy. Two of the interceptions came from Dorian Strong, and the other came from Caleb Woodson.

While the secondary did have its highlights, it also had some lowlights early in the game. In the first quarter alone, Duke wide receiver Eli Pancol had both an 86-yard and a 77-yard touchdown reception on back-to-back drives to start the game. Both of these touchdowns resulted from loose coverage in Virginia Tech’s secondary which allowed him to run past Tech’s defenders.

For the most part, Virginia Tech’s defense was limited against Duke on Saturday. The Hokies were unable to record a sack against the Blue Devils, and Keonta Jenkins’s seven tackles on the night led the team.

With Virginia Tech’s annual Commonwealth Clash against Virginia next week, the Hokies will likely look to address any uncertainty on offense throughout the week. Mostly, the uncertainty at the quarterback position. As Tech struggled to get its offense going with Schlee and Watson, a return from Drones on Nov. 30 would be crucial for the Hokies against UVA, not only for offensive efficiency but also for morale. Nonetheless, Drones’s battle with injuries this season makes his return and effectiveness up in the air for Saturday for a game that will determine if the Hokies can become bowl-eligible for a second straight year.