Kyron Drones threw for a touchdown and rushed for a score to lead Virginia Tech to a 37-17 win over Old Dominion on Saturday at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
Drones completed 15 of 26 passes for 176 yards for the Hokies (2-1). The junior quarterback also ran for 117 yards on 12 carries. Running back Bhayshul Tuten added 115 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Jaylin Lane caught seven passes for 106 yards and a touchdown. Kicker John Love made field goals of 21, 32, and 41 yards.
“We responded in all three phases at some point during this game,” Hokies coach Brent Pry told reporters. “And it was necessary. ”
The Monarchs dropped to 0-3. Freshman quarterback Quinn Henicle ran for a touchdown but completed only 4 of 10 passes for 23 yards. Tariq Sims rushed for 26 yards and a touchdown.
“We (have) to get better,” Old Dominion coach Ricky Rahne said. “That’s the bottom line. We have to be able to sustain drives at a higher level. And you know, there was a moment there in the second quarter when I thought we were playing pretty well up front, moving people around and doing some things like that, but we weren’t able to sustain that into the third and early fourth.”
The Hokies started quickly by scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions.
Drones hit a wide-open Lane on a post pattern for a 25-yard touchdown to cap the seven-play, 76-yard game-opening drive. The Virginia Tech quarterback extended the Hokies lead to 14-0 on the ensuing possession when he plunged into the end zone from a yard out on fourth-and-goal.
But the Hokies were unable to build upon their early success and the Monarchs were eventually able to find their footing.
Old Dominion cut the deficit in half 1:47 into the second quarter when Henicle faked a handoff and sprinted 65 yards for a touchdown. Ethan Sanchez’s 28-yard field goal with 5:14 left in the quarter brought the Monarchs to within 14-10. The drive began after Love, who had made 18 straight field goals, missed a 33-yarder.
The Hokies began the second half with field goals on their first two possessions to stretch their advantage to 20-10. Tuten added touchdown runs of 16 and 22 yards in the fourth quarter and Love drilled a 41-yard field goal with 5:08 left in the game.
“It's a good effort,” Pry said.
Sims’ 16-yard touchdown run ended the scoring.
Old Dominion: Henicle, Old Dominion’s third-string quarterback, replaced Colton Joseph late in the first quarter. Joseph was starting in place of the regular starter, Grant Wilson, who was injured in the Monarchs’ 20-14 loss to East Carolina on Sept. 7.
“There was always a plan to play Quinn,” Rahne said. “(I) felt like Quinn gave us a spark and decided to stick with him.”
Virginia Tech: During the Frank Beamer era in Blacksburg, Virginia, the Hokies were renowned for their shutdown defense. Times change. But Virginia Tech’s philosophy hasn’t. The Hokies recorded two turnovers -– a fumble and an interception — in the win.