Coach Tony Elliott turned to graduate quarterback Tony Muskett with the hopes that he would deliver a spark for the reeling Cavaliers against archnemesis Virginia Tech. Instead, Elliott’s squad flamed out. With the loss, Virginia (5-7, 3-5 ACC) came up just a game short of bowl eligibility, while the Hokies (6-6, 4-4 ACC) eke out a postseason bid for a second straight season.
The entire offense, not just Muskett, is to blame for the limp showing. Receivers struggled to separate and had numerous drops. The offensive line was decent in pass protection, but unable to open holes in the run game. The most persistent theme, however, was that the Cavaliers were simply out-coached.
The Hokies started the game showing predominantly single-high pre-snap alignments, daring Muskett to take perimeter shots. Their gamble paid off as Muskett proved unable to accurately drive the ball downfield. Some of his throws were ugly misses, others just well covered by the Hokie cornerbacks. Even some of Muskett’s completions left something to be desired, limiting receivers' ability after the catch with poor ball placement.
Muskett’s third-quarter interception was a horrendous pass sailed over the head of an open wide receiver. Muskett did find success as a runner though, particularly in the low red zone — rushing for two touchdowns from inside the Hokies’ 10-yard line.
Muskett struggled, but the fact that the offense has consistently sputtered regardless of who’s under center reflects on the man calling plays — offensive coordinator Des Kitchings. Kitchings failed to get the team’s leading receiver, senior Malachi Fields, a single target until there were less than two minutes left in the first half. Fields should be a focal point in any week, even against an elite cornerback like graduate Dorian Strong. It is coaching malpractice to neglect to get Fields a touch through nearly the first two quarters in the biggest game of the season.
Having to call plays without either of the Cavaliers' top two rushers — graduate running back Kobe Pace or junior running back Xavier Brown — certainly made Kitchings’ job harder. Sophomore running back Noah Vaughn and graduate receiver Chris Tyree filled in honorably, but the two undersized players couldn’t bring the necessary power to the position.
Even so, this is Kitchings’ third season coordinating the Cavaliers' “attack,” a term that feels generous — and he has yet to display any sustained offensive identity. Kitchings’ play calls were disjointed and ineffective, only finding somewhat of a rhythm when the game was out of reach. This game may have been his last as a member of this coaching staff after a disappointing showing.
On the other side, Kitchings’ sloppy work was contrasted by that of Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen. Bowen sequenced plays nicely, keeping the Cavaliers’ on their toes. His frequent use of motion played nicely into the screen game, accentuating the Hokies’ speed advantage. With the Cavaliers flowing laterally to stop these quick passes, gashing them with quick-hitting interior runs was all too easy. Senior running back Bhayshul Tuten led the charge out of the backfield rushing for 124 yards on 18 carries, plus delivering the 58-yard knockout punch touchdown.
Bowen was aided by the impressive play of freshman quarterback, William “Pop” Watson, who excelled in his first career start. Watson was dynamic as a rusher and a passer, combining for 302 total yards and two touchdowns. Watson was accurate on timely shots down the field, including a 66-yard bomb to senior receiver Jaylin Lane that incited a run of 17 unanswered points by the Hokies.
“Overall we were the better team and we proved it tonight,” Lane said.
But perhaps Watson’s most treasured ability was his elusiveness behind the line of scrimmage, avoiding sacks and keeping Virginia Tech in front of the sticks. Athletic quarterbacks have given the Cavaliers trouble all season — Watson joins the list as the most recent one to do so.
With another blowout loss at the hands of the Hokies, it’s fair to question the future of the Cavaliers’ current coaching staff. Elliott’s decision to start Muskett after riding with Colandrea all season throws further questions into the mix. With all this uncertainty, one thing is clear — should Elliott keep his job, the expectation next season is a bowl game or bust.
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