BLACKSBURG, Va. –– After a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish last weekend in South Bend, many pondered which Virginia Tech team would show up against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Blacksburg on a chilly Saturday afternoon.
To be frank, we saw the best version of the team that we have seen this season to date.
On a day in which legendary defensive coordinator (and rightful College Football Hall of Famer) Bud Foster was honored for his 33 years of service to Virginia Tech. Foster’s name is hung on a banner in the north end zone with names such as Vick, Beamer, and [Bruce] Smith with a graphic of his trademark lunchpail which symbolizes the hard-nosed mentality upon which Virginia Tech football was built.
Foster was visibly moved as they played a tribute video prior to the game.
Head Coach Justin Fuente commented, “[You] couldn’t write a script any better in terms of honoring Coach Foster and his contributions to Virginia Tech [with the performance] on both sides of the ball. It was fun to be a part of. I’m really proud of our kids as they continue to battle and block out the noise and stick together. It’s fun to get to see them reap the benefits of that.”
Bud Foster gratefully stated after the game, “I didn’t [know I was getting a banner]. Not going to school here or playing here, but to have that put here with some of the great players that have been here is an honor.”
The Hokies received the ball first and marched down the field in a methodical 19-play drive that took over nine minutes off the game clock before the Demon Deacons would ever touch the ball. Although the Hokies came away with only a field goal, the tone was set.
Wake Forest was able to force two preventable Virginia Tech turnovers in Demon Deacons territory that allowed them to take the lead into the halftime break.
Early in the third quarter, both teams traded scores in the form of a two-yard run by Deshawn McClease for Virginia Tech and a pass to Sage Surratt for Wake Forest. That would be the last time Wake Forest would score in the ballgame.
The Hokies put on their best performance of the season in the second half of the contest by scoring 30 of their 36 points in the final 30 minutes of play.
Hendon Hooker moved to 4-0 as a starter for the Hokies. The team has progressively begun to open the playbook more and more for him with each passing game and that was evident early on Saturday. The offensive staff has become comfortable with Hooker leading the offense and the entire unit has responded positively to him.
The team will strive to abide by the “1-0” mantra Fuente has instilled in them in his four-year tenure in Blacksburg as they head down this important stretch of late-season conference play.
The Hokies will travel to Atlanta next week to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in an Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division tilt. Fuente has yet to defeat the Yellow Jackets during his tenure at Virginia Tech. Certainly, no one else would rather change that narrative more than he would on Saturday.
Written by Greg Atkins
