Virginia Tech has spent seven games showing it can start fast. Now James Franklin wants the Hokies to prove they can finish with the same edge.
Fresh off a game in which Virginia Tech gave up only three first-half points but allowed 21 after the break, Franklin said Monday that the second half has become the area that needs the most attention. Georgia Tech chipped away at the lead while the Hokies’ offense stalled, managing just 102 yards over the final two quarters and only 35 passing yards from quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.
"We've done a good job of starting fast,," Franklin said. "We've got to be better in the third quarter on offense, defense and special teams."
Franklin said one adjustment could come in practice structure. He wants to shift some of Virginia Tech’s first-team-versus-first-team work deeper into the session, moving those competitive periods to a point that better resembles the stress of playing after halftime.
"We're going to move some of those good on good periods to basically after halftime of practice, just to train ourselves," Franklin said.
That same urgency extends to the defense, where Franklin pointed to communication as a key issue, especially with offenses leaning more heavily on motion, shifts and unusual looks before the snap. His message was simple: everyone has to be locked in.
"If you got all 11 people on the same page, even if it's the wrong call, you still got a chance to be successful," Franklin said.
On the defensive side, Stevens continues to be one of the season’s biggest breakout stories. He came into the year without a career sack and now sits No. 2 nationally in sacks entering Monday. Franklin credited the jump to a combination of growth and effort.
"He's bigger, he's stronger, he's faster," Franklin said. "He's also a very consistent guy."
The young players are also starting to surface more often as the season wears on. Franklin singled out freshman Terry Wiggins, who played 13 defensive snaps in Saturday’s win, and offensive lineman Benjamin Eziuka, who logged 46 snaps at guard. Wiggins’ role expanded in part because Virginia Tech had to manage a few players dealing with minor physical issues, while Eziuka earned more time against a tough defensive front.
"We had a rotation going, but as the game went on, he was playing well, so he ended up getting more reps and stayed in," Franklin said.
Franklin also mentioned freshman Davion Brown, whose one-handed catch on third-and-9 stood out even more after film review. Those kinds of plays may matter again soon, with Clemson next on the schedule.
Franklin opened by praising Clemson’s talent and sustained success, and he also noted the familiarity that comes with facing Tigers defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who previously worked under him. That gives both sides a clearer sense of what the other prefers to do.
"We see some things that we understand that he likes to do, kind of understand his philosophy and how he goes about things," Franklin said.
Virginia Tech has already shown it can bounce back and find different ways to win. Franklin said the next step is doing it again against another conference opponent.
"We've been resilient. We found different ways to win.
We bounced back after a tough loss," Franklin said. "But we got to take another step this week."
In Other News...
Virginia Tech's Win Came With A Warning Before Clemson
Virginia Techs 34-24 win over Georgia Tech at Lane Stadium gave the Hokies a needed boost and moved them to 5-2, with Ethan Grunkemeyer delivering a clean outing and Que'Sean Brown turning in the kind of performance that can change a game in a hurry. Brown piled up a career-high 182 receiving yards and a touchdown, giving the offense a big-play spark while Grunkemeyer threw for 250 yards and three scores without an interception.
Still, the scoreboard only told part of the story, and the second half offered a reminder that the Hokies have some tightening up to do before Clemson arrives. Virginia Tech built a 24-3 halftime lead, then watched Georgia Tech settle in behind Alberto Mendoza, who threw for 335 yards, leaving the Hokies with a win and a warning in the same afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Faces A Defining Test For James Franklin's Rebuild
Virginia Techs trip to Clemson brings a different kind of pressure to James Franklins rebuild, one that comes with a familiar backdrop and a lot more at stake than just another ACC road game. The Hokies have climbed to five wins after last years 3-9 finish, and they head into Memorial Stadium with a chance to turn that progress into something more tangible against a program that has long had their number.
Clemsons offense has not been especially sharp this season, but Virginia Techs own defensive issues make this a revealing matchup for both sides. For the Hokies, the setting matters as much as the opponent, because a strong showing in a place they have not visited since 2012 would say plenty about how far the program has come under Franklin, and how quickly it might be ready for the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Tech Just Set Up A Much Bigger Test At Clemson
Virginia Techs latest ACC result gave the Hokies a jolt of momentum heading into a far bigger measuring stick. With Miami sitting atop the league and the race tightening behind the Hurricanes, every conference game has started to carry extra weight, and Virginia Tech has at least put itself back into the conversation with a win that showed some real offensive pop against Georgia Tech.
The challenge now is turning that into something more lasting, because the next trip to Clemson will say a lot more about where this team stands than one solid afternoon did. Virginia Tech has some encouraging signs to carry with it, including the kind of production from quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and QueSean Brown that can change the feel of a game, but the Tigers are the sort of opponent that quickly exposes whether a breakthrough was a step forward or just a brief spike. [Read more 🡒]