Virginia Tech offense shows promise in spring, but will it last?
A little over two years ago, Scot Loeffler was hired to rejuvenate a Virginia Tech offense that had been floundering for years. The Hokies perennially featured stout defenses, but they could not do enough on offense for that to matter.
Going into his third year remaking the Virginia Tech offense, Loeffler has faced numerous circumstances out of his control.
In 2013, rising senior quarterback Logan Thomas was forced to do too much behind a patchwork offensive line and without a running game; the Hokies finished 102nd in total offense. Last season, Texas Tech transfer Michael Brewer took over at quarterback. He had some nice moments, but ultimately was too interception-prone. And Virginia Tech just could not generate any ground game to speak of behind an offensive line that was still not good enough. Weapons were there, but Brewer and his weapons could never manage to get into sync.
Everything looked out of rhythm and forced for the Hokie offense.
Virginia Tech finished 99th nationally in total offense last year, a mere three spots higher than 2013. Only two ACC offenses were worse, and those two teams -- Syracuse and Wake Forest -- finished with a combined two conference wins.
One of those wins was by Wake Forest against the Hokies in a game that ended rather memorably in a 0-0 regulation tie.
Head coach Frank Beamer built his empire in Blacksburg on the back of defense and special teams. It's somewhat telling that when asked about his offense during the ACC spring football teleconference last week, it didn't take him long before he mentioned his kicker.
But Beamer, Loeffler & Co. are still optimistic about the way the offense progressed in the spring.
The Hokies lost three senior starters from an offensive line that was bad to begin with, so maybe that's not the worst thing.
"Offensive line, I think we're getting tougher all the time and better, and then having threats outside, the passing game, one plays off the other," Beamer said. "If you've got threats in the passing game, then the running game should be better. I think we've got threats in the passing game."
In Saturday's spring game, Virginia Tech's offensive starters went up against its defensive starters -- not necessarily a given in a spring game -- and acquitted themselves well. Virginia Tech has a number of tailbacks, not all of which are healthy, that it can build its offense around, taking some of the load off Brewer.
Brewer, the presumed starter, finished 4 of 7 passing for 60 yards and one touchdown. He was not sacked, which is probably the most encouraging sign, and just one of the Hokies' rushing attempts by a tailback went for negative yardage. There were four offensive touchdowns scored.
This doesn't seem like a dramatic statistic -- unless, of course, you consider that there were just two offensive touchdowns in Virginia Tech's two previous spring games combined.
Loeffler himself has said there are "no more excuses" this year, and with Brewer learning his system for a full year -- not to mention a stable of running backs, and improving offensive line and experienced weapons -- this needs to be the year for things to show dramatic improvement.
It's never a singular issue when it comes to an offense struggling, even if it starts up front. Last year, Virginia Tech committed too many penalties and could not finish drives in the red zone. Even if the Hokies were moving the ball, it would quickly be thwarted by a few drive-killing penalties or miscues.
Mistakes can compound, and when you're pressing it only makes things worse. That was often the case for Virginia Tech, which put up fewer than 300 yards of total offense in four of its nine games last year against Power 5 opponents.
In the spring game, Virginia Tech was 4 of 5 in the red zone on offense and finished with four offensive penalties -- three came on one drive late in the game. The starting unit was relatively mistake-free. It will have to stay that way.
Brewer in particular knows things need to improve. He's going to be backed up by redshirt rising junior quarterback Brenden Motley, who saw very limited action last season. He outplayed Motley in the spring, but he's not quite as mobile -- Motley had 14 rushes for 72 yards in the final four games of last season (5.14 per rush), but completed just one of his three passes for 17 yards.
Virginia Tech went 4-4 in games against Power 5 teams last season; Brewer had seven touchdowns and five interceptions in the wins compared to three touchdowns and four interceptions in the losses. Three of those interceptions came in one game (Georgia Tech), but those three touchdowns in four games weren't enough.
So he's been working hard in the offseason to develop chemistry with both his line and his receivers, trying to do all they can to be ready for next season.
"I thought the offense took a step in the right direction," Brewer said after the spring game, according to HokieSports.com. "We're not where we need to be or where we want to be, but it's a step in the right direction.
"We want to be a team that makes that gradual climb through spring and summer and then hit our peak at the end. Overall, it's a been a success. We've got to continue it this summer."
Until then, Virginia Tech fans will remain cautiously optimistic about the offense, especially since the Hokies' first game will come against Ohio State -- the reigning national champions, a team that the Hokies handed their only defeat of last season. That defeat nearly kept the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff, so they'll be ready. Virginia Tech will need to be too, on both sides of the ball.
