Slept On It: Virginia Tech Topples Liberty While Working Through The Kinks

Joey Slye kicked off the Justin Fuente era with a boot through the back of the south end zone. His teammates ran toward the Virginia Tech faithful, pumped their fists and raised their hands in an effort to raise Lane's decibel level higher. There was something different about this particular kickoff celebration. There was a palpable energy that I felt even through the television screen, as though the players were trying to connect with each and every one of us. Hokie football was back.

The end zone lettering was different; the starting quarterback was different; the offensive system was different; the voice of the program was different; the branding was different; but the brand — Virginia Tech football — was still very much intact.

In an offseason filled with so much change, it would be natural to worry that Tech football might re-emerge in September as completely unrecognizable. During an era filled with bagmen and fake classes, Frank Beamer elevated a Virginia Tech program based on character and work ethic.

By all accounts, Justin Fuente was the perfect man to carry on that legacy by instilling a similar ethos. But no matter how you sliced it, Fuente was an outsider; an outsider whose hire broke apart one of the more stable coaching staffs in the nation.

So for all of the excitement surrounding Saturday's season opener, not admitting to the tiniest bit of skepticism leading up to the game would be a lie. We've experienced failed attempts at establishing a dynamic offensive system. We've watched up-and-coming coaches fail when making the leap to a Power 5 school — Turner Gill, the Head Coach on the opposite sideline Saturday, was once that guy.

That's what made Saturday's game so intriguing for me. On a day when the next era of Hokies football was unveiled, I was captivated by the feeling out process taking place before our very eyes.

From the opening kickoff, the players were trying to pump up the crowd in an effort to establish a connection between the field and the stands. The fans were trying to gauge the identity of the post-Beamer Hokies. The staff was trying to figure out what they have with this current crop of players and how best to utilize the talent.

It felt like a first date, where everyone appeared loose and engaging on the outside but shaky on the inside.

The Tech offense jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks to a smooth drive filled with low-risk plays aimed at getting everyone's proverbial feet wet. New starting quarterback Jerod Evans went 4-4 on the drive for 40 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass to Cam Phillips. Hokie Nation sat back in their chairs, let out a deep breath and thought, "Hey, maybe we've got something here!"

But as quickly as things started for an apparently emerging offense, they slowly began to unravel thanks to some careless handling of the football. Jerod Evans tried to do a little too much under pressure. His fumble on Tech's 10-yard line led to the Flames' first touchdown of the day. Five minutes later, after a 34-yard Joey Slye field goal, Cam Phillips was stripped while attempting to grind out extra yardage. Flames safety Alpha Jalloh took the fumble 71 yards to the house and put Liberty ahead 13-10.

After a few up-and-down drives, Evans and the Hokies closed the half strong thanks to touchdown passes to Isaiah Ford and Bucky Hodges. From there, they never looked back.

Despite cruising to a 36-13 victory and ceding only 160 yards of total offense, the game was far from perfect for the Hokies.

The rushing attack struggled to establish any sort of rhythm. The cycling of tailbacks and offensive linemen made it appear as though the staff continues to be unsure who fits where.

The Hokies receivers had trouble gaining separation from the Flames' press coverage scheme, ultimately outmuscling the opposition on jump balls to provide some type of intermediate threat.

And yes, Jerod Evans finished with a nifty stat line (20 of 32 for 221 yards and 4 touchdowns). But he also fumbled the ball twice, threw a slew of risky back shoulder fades and missed badly on several throws downfield. When asked about Evans' debut performance, Fuente answered bluntly, "Up and down. I've got to look at the film before I make definitive comments, but the first thing that comes to my mind is we've gotta protect the football, and that's kind of the first rule of playing quarterback."

I don't mean to poo poo Saturday's victory; there were an awful lot of standout performances by players on both sides of the football. But forgive me for not being hyperbolic. There was plenty of room for improvement.

Here's the silver lining: This was exactly the type of game where making mistakes here and there can be a good thing (so long as it results in a win).

Listen, this team isn't a national title contender right now. Everyone knew that heading into this season. To have expected this team to be a finished product from the outset would have been unrealistic. Since January, there has been far too much change and a considerable amount of time spent simply getting a feel for one another.

That's what makes Saturday's performance all the more valuable. A blowout win over an FCS opponent does less for a growing team than a flawed victory.

"Obviously there's some good and some bad out there on our part," Fuente said Monday. "Some great teaching went on yesterday off of the game film. It's time for us to turn our attention to Tennessee."

The important question is how much will the players and staff respond and grow from their mistakes before the Battle at Bristol. One thing's for sure: The Hokies will not be able to get away with the same miscues against the Vols. Improvement in all phases of the game and near flawless execution will be vital for Virginia Tech to contend against a talented SEC team.