Steps Backwards Doom the D in the Dome

The Hokies 38-31 overtime loss to Syracuse in the former Carrier Dome was a bitter pill to swallow. Virginia Tech's offense played magnificently at times on Saturday despite not having the services of starting quarterback Kyron Drones and star running back Bhayshul Tuten. Tyler Bowen developed a game plan that leveraged quarterback Collin Schlee's strengths and delivered a performance that should have put a W in the win column. However, as the offense had a strong performance, game management by the coaching staff potentially cost them vital scoring opportunities, and defensively the Hokies were outmuscled and out-executed by a Syracuse offense that didn't have a reputation for dominating the line of scrimmage. It was disheartening to see the unit regress so significantly in such a short period of time.

Outmuscled and Out-Thought on Defense

After delivering a solid defensive performance against Georgia Tech, the story of this football game was the Syracuse offensive line finding ways to get to the second-level to manhandle the Virginia Tech linebacking corps.

For comparison's sake, let's open this section with a look at Syracuse linebacker Marlowe Wax and the physicality he displays at the point of contact and then compare it to the clips of the Virginia Tech defense. Please note: this clip is not intended to be critical of anything on offense, particularly Malachi Thomas who delivered a physically dominating performance carrying the load in Tuten's absence.

Schlee looked to take a first down deep shot to Ayden Greene (No. 26) in the slot on a throwback post off waggle action. Wax (No. 2) and linebacker Derek McDonald (No. 15) on a blitz through the gap vacated by a pulling Brody Meadows (No. 77). McDonald was picked up by center Braelin Moore (No. 61), while Thomas stepped into the gap to cut off Wax. The scheme accounted for all five pass rushers, but instead of catching contact from Thomas, Wax initiated it. He aggressively kept his feet moving as if he wasn't crashing into another human being and went through Thomas like the Koolaid Man running through a brick wall.

Compare and contrast Wax to the linebacker fits in the next couple of clips. While Wax was the aggressor and attacked his blocker, Tech's linebackers were manhandled by the Syracuse offensive line in large part due to their passive approach to taking on blocks. Check out this counter-trey.