The last time Virginia Tech football faced Boston College, offensive production was the least of its problems.
The Hokies rolled to a 48-14 homecoming victory over the Eagles last season. However, that game was played in the comfortable confines of Lane Stadium. This Saturday the Hokies travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass., where they have failed to garnish a win, or even score an offensive touchdown, since 2002.
Tech is 38-10 in Atlantic Coast Conference games, with three of those losses coming at the hands of BC. Doing the math, the Eagles have accounted for 30 percent of the Hokies’ losses since joining the ACC in 2004. With 12 teams in the conference, one team accounting for 30 percent of conference losses is pretty daunting.
In tomorrow’s contest, the Eagles defensive line against the Hokies offensive line should prove to be a noteworthy battle. The BC defensive line has an average size of 6-feet-3-inches and 276 pounds, compared to Tech’s offensive line averaging out at 6-feet-4 inches and 299 pounds.
The Eagles’ defense upfront is a far cry from the competition that an East Carolina line averaging out at 241 pounds provided. Tech’s blocking against Boise State and James Madison left much to be desired, and the spotlight will certainly be on the offensive line this weekend.
In those two losses, Tech ran the ball 19 times in the red zone and gained only 15 yards, resulting in less than a yard per carry. The lack of a running game in the red zone explains why the Hokies scored just four touchdowns in 10 red zone trips during the first two games.
“The whole group took it personally,” said Greg Nosal, a redshirt junior guard. “We knew that we had a really talented backfield, and we knew that it would all rely on us. The first two games, we just didn’t produce and we’ll take the blame for all of it, for everything.”
Yet the Hokies seemed to have turned it around this past Saturday against East Carolina, as Tech ran the ball eight times in the red zone and gained 40 yards. This resulted in a solid five yards per carry, a stat offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring must relish, especially considering the tighter defense within the 20-yard line.
Third down conversions were also stifling concepts for the Hokies in their first two games. Tech ran the ball five times in third down and short yardage situations. The Hokies gained only 10 yards total on those carries, equivalent to two yards per carry. However, against the Pirates, Tech ran three times on third down when needing three yards or less and gained 16 yards, which is 5.33 yards per carry.
A version of this article appeared in the Sep 24 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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