Adjusting to drama at QB, missing coaches, Hokies ground game and pass rush in win against N.C. State bodes well for future
BLACKSBURG - Right after Virginia Tech finished its 45-24 win Saturday night against North Carolina State in front of a Lane Stadium crowd that might’ve rivaled the Blacksburg High-Christiansburg High football game in size, Hokies coach Justin Fuente gathered his team for an impromptu FaceTime session.
Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Justin Hamilton waited on the other end of the video call. One of a group of 23 players, two assistant coaches and two staff members who wasn’t with the team because of various factors including coronavirus issues and injuries, Hamilton watched as No. 20 Tech (1-0, 1-0 ACC) celebrated in its locker room.
He’s going to be a big part of Tech’s future this season, and Fuente wanted him to enjoy the spoils of a win that featured the Hokies eclipsing 300 rushing yards for just the third time against a conference foe in their 17-season ACC history, contributions from quarterbacks Braxton Burmeister and Quincy Patterson after Hendon Hooker was one of the players ruled out and a defense that amassed six sacks.
“It’s a heck of a way to get your first win as a coordinator – from your couch,” Fuente said of Hamilton’s position Saturday night.
Pouring over game video to unearth the nuances of how the offensive line opened holes to free up Kansas transfer Khalil Herbert on six carries for 104 of Tech’s 314 rushing yards in his first game at Tech, or what Youngstown State transfer Justus Reed did to get to quarterback Bailey Hockman and sack him twice in Reed’s debut for Tech, will be illuminating for Fuente and staff.
Yet, the most valuable lessons from the win – resilience, toughness and flexibility – won’t require deep analysis before next Saturday’s game against Duke (0-3, 0-3).
Not until Saturday morning did Fuente and his team find out Hamilton wasn’t going to be with the team. Without missing a beat, Tech transitioned to cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith, a 2014 William & Mary alum, as the defensive play-caller.
“That was…right before the pregame meal, so it was kind of surprising,” Reed said. “Next man up. We knew the game plan and we knew what we had to do.”
It remains to be seen if Hooker will be prepared to go against Duke, but against N.C. State (1-1, 1-1), Burmeister and Patterson were effective. Burmeister, who started, suffered a particularly gruesome right hand cramp – Fuente described his fingers as “mangled, curled up” – early in the second quarter, which gave Patterson his opportunity.
He responded by completing 4 of 6 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns, while Burmeister got back in the game in the second half and finished 7 of 11 passing for 106 yards.
“Quincy was ready at a moment’s notice,” said Fuente, who was also without linebacker coach Tracy Claeys and starting cornerback Jermaine Waller. “I’ve never seen a hand look like Braxton’s. I mean, I thought he’d snapped his wrist or something. It looked just awful. He couldn’t straighten his hand out. It was a pretty severe cramp.”
What did we learn?
-Hooker’s situation sounded frightening. Though Fuente said he’s fine and will be working with the team Sunday after having a series of tests for something that wasn’t related to the coronavirus, Hooker hasn’t practiced much recently, which makes one wonder about his game readiness. Could Burmeister start again against Duke?
-Seeing Lane Stadium with just 1,000 fans, players, coaches and officials on the field and seating area for the “Enter Sandman” entrance and the game is going to take some getting used to. It didn’t affect Tech’s momentum, as the Hokies led by double digits for the final 53 1/2 minutes of the game.
-Herbert is going to be dangerous, especially if the offensive line continues to create space. In addition to runs of 31, 37 and 23 yards, he also had two catches for 46 yards, with all of his receiving yards coming on an early fourth quarter screen pass from Burmeister that Herbert took to N.C. State’s 4-yard line and set up a Patterson 1-yard touchdown run that put Tech up 45-17.
A most unusual elixir
Never underestimate the healing powers of mustard.
While Burmeister worked to free his hand from the grip of the cramp, he sucked down electrolyte-heavy fluids and looked in the crowd for his mom. She had packets of mustard waiting for him.
Where she got the mustard remains a mystery, but it apparently helped do the trick for Burmeister. Why mustard?
“It’s just how I know how to deal with cramps, because it has a lot of salt in it," Burmeister said.
“I kind of landed on (the hand) funny, and it just locked up on me. I didn’t have any control of my fingers. My hand was just closed and I was pretty nervous about it, but over time, we got some fluids in and it started to feel better.”
Norm Wood, 757-247-4644, nwood@dailypress.com
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