Slept On It: Hokies' Comeback Bid Falls Short in Championship Game Loss to Clemson

I've never been a fan of moral victories. Traditionally, I consider myself more Ricky Bobby than Pleasantville. "Aw shucks" and a shoulder shrug always felt like a sign of weakness, as though they were just happy to be there.

But after watching the Hokies battle back from a 21-point deficit to utterly scare the pants off the Clemson Tigers, it was hard not to feel overcome by the positive emotions in spite of the dour finish.

Forget about the fact that Tech lost and reflect on how far this team has come in twelve months time. The retirement of a legend and the subsequent staff turnover, a murky quarterback situation, poor depth at various positions...the list goes on and on. Pre-season expectations reflected the unknowns in Blacksburg, and despite all of that the Hokies found a way to win the ACC Coastal.

For all intents and purposes, the Hokies shouldn't have been in Orlando and they definitely shouldn't have been within 23 yards of a game tying (or winning) score against the defending national runners-up.

The Virginia Tech program has been mired in a constant state of mediocrity since that fateful loss to Michigan in the 2011 Sugar Bowl (Obligatory, "It was a catch!"). The senior class never really knew how to be the aggressor, having spent the entirety of their careers wallowing between big wins and epic blunders. Middling performances led to a breach in the Hokies' recruiting firewall, making it harder and harder to quickly infuse elite local talent. And with that came uncertainty surrounding the inevitable retirement of legendary Head Coach Frank Beamer, causing unneeded distractions, negative recruiting and an extraordinary feeling of instability in a program lauded for its tranquility.

And yet, Justin Fuente's Hokies were that close to a stunning return to the top of the ACC mountain.

In recent years, Clemson (along with Florida State) has been the class of the conference. They have won ten games or more for six straight seasons and have consistently recruited at an elite level. Their offensive and defensive systems strike fear in their opponents, forcing many to play the Tigers' game rather than their own. That fact was quite apparent on Saturday night.

After jumping out to a quick 14-0 lead in effortless fashion, the Tigers looked ready to throw a knockout punch late in the first quarter after forcing a second consecutive Hokies punt. Unable to get anything going offensively, Fuente embraced the role of David and dipped into Rick Moranis' bag of tricks from Little Giants. He called a fake punt pass that moved the sticks and followed it up immediately with a halfback pass that resulted in a defensive pass interference call.

Neither play was executed perfectly, but both had a monumental effect: It was Cole Trickle slamming into Russ Wheeler's bumper during the final laps at Daytona, an abrupt reminder that the Hokies would not go quietly into the night. Suddenly, the Hokies had some mojo.

"Everything we did out there was challenging when you're playing a team like that," remarked Fuente. "Making a first down is hard. Getting a stop is hard. Executing a kickoff return or a kickoff is difficult when you're playing one of the best teams in all of America. You have to understand going in that they're going to make some plays and you're going to have to find a way to make some. You're going to have to find a way to steal a possession or prolong a drive somehow to give yourself a chance to win the ballgame."

After going into halftime with some confidence, the Hokies once again struggled to settle in against the talented Tigers defense. Tech went three-and-out on their opening drive of the third quarter, and followed that up by squandering an Andrew Motuapuaka interception in Clemson territory.

With the Hokies' momentum stifled, the Tigers pounced. Clinical drives by the Clemson offense extended their lead to 35-14 with 4:45 remaining in the third quarter. In the blink of an eye, the Tigers had returned to the dominant form that put them up early. Leading by three scores, their devastating efficiency on offense was particularly demoralizing, as the Tech offense had struggled all night to execute their game plan against Brent Venables' talented Clemson defense.

With close to 20 minutes remaining, it felt like the Hokies were on the brink. Facing 3rd and 9 from the Tech 26, Clemson rushed zero and gave Evans plenty of time to find Bucky Hodges for a 42-yard reception. It was an inexplicable display of arrogance from Venables, who appeared convinced the Hokies would run a QB draw or screen to pick up the first down.

Similar to the fake punt pass earlier in the game, one play was all the Hokies needed to snap out of their offensive malaise. They were suddenly assertive on offense, finding ways to move the sticks on the ground and through the air. More importantly, Jerod Evans had the same look in his eyes as he did in the second half in South Bend.

Thinking back through this season, the attitude that Evans displayed was one of the more memorable traits that made the Hokies so enjoyable this fall. We have talked about their swagger all year long, but Evans' steely-eyed focus was something different. On TV, it felt like an opponent's canary in the coal mine. When that (now) trademark Evans stare comes out as he briskly marches up and down the sideline after a statement drive, opponents might as well run for the hills. He was ready to put his team on his back and will them to a win, and that confidence infected his teammates.

Things didn't work out for the Hokies in the end. The uber-talented Clemson Tigers ultimately held on to win, clinching their second consecutive ACC title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Losing always stings, especially when victory was so close, but there was a big silver lining in Orlando: This program learned a lot about itself and where they're headed.

As painful as it is to say this, much of what Dabo Swinney has built at Clemson is what Virginia Tech should aspire to be. I don't mean this literally, of course — the Hokies shouldn't strive to become Clemson, but they also shouldn't shy away from emulating certain traits.

The elites in college football all have two things in common: They consistently recruit at a high level and they have an established culture greater than any one player.

Love it or hate it, talent matters. For years the Hokies have failed to sign elite talent, a reality exacerbated by the number of in-state players once destined for Blacksburg. That disparity was never more evident than on Saturday night. Culture, attitude and system can sometimes only get you so far.

Here's the good news: Even in losing, the Hokies were an impressive team and earned a lot of respect. People understand that Tech's program isn't at Clemson's level, and yet the Hokies pushed the Tigers to the limit with a lot on the line. Performances like that inspire others. They capture the imagination of high schoolers everywhere, especially when you play an exciting brand of football.

Elite talent will come. And if past history has anything to teach us, it is that Tech's staff will find ways to identify and develop less heralded recruits and pair them with blue chippers to augment already dangerous systems. As I noted after the Hokies' win in South Bend, "it isn't about accumulating potential. The challenge is fitting that talent together to create a formidable collective and utilizing a system that puts those players in the best position to succeed. It's about development and mentoring. To take it a step further, intangibles matter; resilience, heart, determination and intestinal fortitude don't show up in star rankings."

To me, what's more significant is the culture that the staff was able to build in such a short time. Even in a losing effort, Saturday's performance was a testament to that.

When asked to reflect on his team's growth over the past year, Fuente noted:

"I told them the reason that this hurt so bad was because they sold out for the cause. They poured their heart and soul into it. We needed to do that in order to win the game, and we came up short. There is nothing that I can tell them that will make them feel better because they did do that. That's why it's disappointing, but I'm awfully proud to be able to sit in front of you all and tell you that I'm their coach. I'm proud of the way they played. I'm proud of the way they competed. I'm proud of the way that we handled the ups and downs of the game, the emotions, and we have come a million miles since we started and we still have one more opportunity to play."

People respect what the Virginia Tech program has accomplished; but more importantly, people respect where the program is headed. Like Fuente, I am extremely proud of what this year's team has been able to accomplish and I am extremely excited to see what's next.