Week Two in Blacksburg! Virginia Tech vs. Purdue Preview (9-6-23)
By: Joey Raymond
Headline Photo Credit: Katie Lovell-LMS Network
Week Two in Blacksburg!
It’s week two for football fans as the Virginia Tech Hokies welcome Purdue Boilermakers into Blacksburg, Virginia, and Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech comes into this game after a big redemption win versus Old Dominion 36-17. It was what felt like a ‘must win’ almost after the Hokies came up short in Norfolk, Virginia last year. Brent Pry said that “This is a great game to improve on”. I would agree, the Hokies looked to be much improved on the offensive side of the football. Ali Jennings and Jaylin Lane combined for 141 yards and 3 touchdowns, Grant Wells threw the ball a lot better and looked more comfortable in the pocket. Grant also didn’t get sacked once in the game against Old Dominion. There are spots for improvement but like coach Pry said, it’s a great game to improve off of. Benji Gosnell said that confidence is a key factor in the offense’s performance as even in the 3 deep it seems they have a ton of confidence.
Purdue is coming into town off of a tough 39-35 loss to Fresno State at home in West Lafayette, Indiana. It was a loss that was a huge gut wrencher as it was lost in the fourth quarter off of a last-minute touchdown from Fresno State. There was a lot to like if you’re a Purdue fan though. Deon Burks caught a slant route early, and thanks to a defensive meltdown from Fresno State, he took it to the house for six. Not just that though as Hudson Card threw for 254 yards, of which Burks caught 152 of those yards. They have promised in the throw game, not surprising considering they’re a ‘run and gun’ style of offense. Purdue’s special teams also looked good against Fresno State as Tyrone Tracy took the kickoff of the second half back for a touchdown.
What to watch for:
Overall, both teams had a lot to build on coming into this matchup in Blacksburg. This will be a test for both sides. On Purdue’s side, it’s a brand new coaching staff coming into a very hostile environment in Lane Stadium. Communication will be key in this for Purdue. Old Dominion got called for several false start penalties because of the noise. It would not surprise me if we see more of the same from Purdue. The ‘run and gun’ offense will be challenged in this game as the Hokies have a very good secondary. Hudson Card will be under pressure and will need to get the ball out quickly, the question will be can the receivers get space? If the Hokies lock down Burks, can Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen and TJ Sheffield provide enough receptions to make Purdue successful?
For the Hokies, they have a lot to be happy about coming into this one with a 1-0 record. Purdue can’t say the same. They’re hungry for a win. The Hokies need to be dominant on both the offensive and defensive lines early. The offensive line needs to protect Grant Wells at all costs. Or Kyron Drones, Pry said that he’ll play again in this game. It’s just a matter of how much. Switching over to the defensive side of the ball, the Hokies need to get pressure. If they’re going to take full advantage of the hostile Lane Stadium crowd, they need to provide a consistent reason to make noise. Sacking the quarterback will do that. If the Hokies can manage a ton of pressure I think they’ll be in the driver’s seat by the end of this matchup.
Our Prediction:
I think that the game’s biggest driver in this one will be special teams. The reasoning is that these teams match up surprisingly well against each other. The other thing to keep in mind is that both of these squads have a good special teams unit. Sophomore Tucker Holloway returned a punt for 66 yards, in the game against Old Dominion for the Hokies, and Purdue’s returner, Tyrone Tracy Jr., averaged 48 yards per kick return in week one, one of which included a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown. Whichever one of these units gets better field position, helps their team to win. I think it’s also going to come down to a battle in the trenches. As mentioned earlier, I think it’s important for the Hokies to be successful there, but it’s just as important for Purdue. Purdue only returned 4 starters on offense this past season so both offensive and defensive lines are still learning to work with each other. This should sound familiar to Virginia Tech fans, as they’re doing the same thing. Whoever can protect the quarterback is going to be huge in this game.
With that being said, I have the Hokies coming out with the win in this one. Lane Stadium is going to be a factor as the voice of the Hokies Bill Roth said “They aren’t just fans that are showing up. They’re participants.” I think that the offensive line that gave up zero sacks, that being the Hokies, has a huge advantage in this game. Purdue is going to have to come into a rowdy environment and that’ll play into some of the communication issues they had against Fresno State. I do think this will be a battle of defense in this one, but ultimately the Hokies come out with a very close win at home.
