Virginia Tech Hokies Trail the Duke Blue Devils at the Half: 10-7

Nov 12, 2022 - 6:47 PM

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The Virginia Tech Hokies showed up in a lightly populated Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham for the annual contest against the Duke Blue Devils, and no one was particularly worried about this one. As in most of Hokie Nation was resigned to the loss and were there for moral support and hope for the future.

Well in the first two series the Hokies looked like they were coming out aggressive on all squads. Tech won the toss and deferred. #25 Tucker Holloway dumped the returner on his 17 and then Duke went three and out with heavy defensive pressure and some good QB scramble coverage.

The Hokies got the ball on the relatively short field and after a short flare pass for a few short yards, Wells caught Da’wain Lofton for a 53-yard touchdown pass. And that pretty much ended the Tech offensive effort for the 1st half.

The Hokie Defense pretty much stayed on the field most of the first half with Duke putting the ball in the red zone several times and possessing the ball for 20:42. The Hokies managed only 2 for 6 on third down. The team only had 26 yards rushing and with the exception of the 53-yard bomb, managed only 68 yards in the air.

The only saving graces sparing a Duke immediate score was Mansoor Delane’s interception on the VT 3-yard line, but any attempt to pull out into positive territory was snuffed and the resulting punt was run back 22 yards and allowed Duke to follow up with a touchdown after a Duke 4th and 6 conversion.

Virginia Tech receives the ball on the opening second half kickoff, but frankly, hasn’t shown that it will do much with the ball.

The defense cannot possibly spend this much time on the field without Wells getting into panic situations and coughing up the ball, and Duke’s Riley Leonard getting enough time to finally take advantage of that tired Hokie secondary.

We’ll see, but the Hokie Offense is going to need to do something other than a 3 and out after mundane play calls.

GO HOKIES!!!!