BLACKSBURG, Va. — Logan Thomas experienced a career of football Monday night. His play, and that of his team, ran the gamut.
But through it all, the Virginia Tech quarterback found his rhythm and showed why so many NFL scouts drool over his potential. It also revealed that the Hokies have a realistic shot at building a special season, as evidenced in their growth during the 20-17 overtime victory over a quality Georgia Tech club.
"I think the football team got closer together tonight, and this is a close bunch," said Hokies legendary head man Frank Beamer, who picked up his 252nd career win, 210th running the show here in Blacksburg.
It wasn't pretty in the first three quarters by any means, and it was as unpredictable as a season opener vs. a quality could be. At times, the Hokies looked awful on offense and the play calling was suspect. And in the middle of the misery was Thomas, the junior quarterback who will get the majority of every foe's attention every time this squad takes the field.
He was asked to run the ball a lot early because the rebuilt offensive line struggled against the Yellow Jackets' more veteran group up front. A new cast of ball carriers was trying to figure out things, too. Thomas took a lot of early hits, but kept plugging away.
Perhaps it knocked him off-kilter some, as he threw four high balls and one long one in an unimpressive first half.
Yet, it was more than Thomas and the offensive line struggling.
Virginia Tech was known for "Beamer Ball" not that long ago — blocking kicks, returning kicks to the end zone, wreaking havoc and winning the field-position battle — but the importance of those aspects seemed to becoming a thing of the past for the Hokies in recent seasons. Thus a return to Beamer Ball was a point of emphasis coming into this season, Beamer optimistic the Hokies would turn the tide.
For a while, however, it appeared as if Monday was more of a recent negative trend.
A high snap in the first half sailed through the hands punter A.J. Hughes, leading to Georgia Tech's first touchdown. And while trailing by 3 points with 11:27 left in the contest, placekicker Cody Journell missed a 38-yard field goal attempt.
But the Hokies stormed back late in the fourth, Journell tying the game with a 41-yard field goal regulation ended and then winning it with a 17-yard boot in overtime (after the Virginia Tech defense intercepted a pass in the Yellow Jackets’ overtime possession). For Beamer’s part, the recovery of the kicking game was more important that then mistakes that marred the early part of the game.
"I really believe that our kicking game and punting game is going to be OK," he said. "We had a malfunction there tonight that really cost us, but I think it's going to be OK."
And Thomas is going to be OK, too.
With 9:16 remaining in regulation, the Hokies had just 173 yards of offense. But in their final 12 offensive plays of the night they amassed 152 yards. Three of those snaps garnered them no yards when Thomas tried to sneak into the end zone three straight times in overtime before Journell's game winner. Thomas also completed all six of his pass attempts during the magnificent stretch.
Wide receiver Corey Fuller, who had 82 receiving yards on five receptions, said Monday's inconsistency by the offense is already a thing of the past.
"Logan Thomas is a great quarterback," he said. "We can make plays first, second, third and fourth quarter. We just have to go out there and do it."
Thomas finished the night completing 21 of 38 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns. The first score was a beautiful ball that just stretched over the arm of a Georgia Tech defender and into the hands of tight end Eric Martin for the game's first points.
That the play began at the Jackets' 5-yard-line made the throw more difficult. It was all about touch and teased the nearly-66,000 faithful in attendance that this could be an explosive night. They just had to wait a while longer than anticipated for the real fireworks.
With Virginia Tech's stout defense — it held the Jackets to just 192 yards rushing and 288 total yards — and Thomas leading a developing team, the team in maroon and orange Monday may carry a completely different look by the time mid-October arrives. And that's good news, seeing how trips to Clemson and Miami and a home game vs. Florida State would soon follow.
