Virginia Tech addressing pass defense after loss at SMU
SMU wide receiver Yamir Knight celebrates a touchdown as Virginia Tech defensive backs turn toward the sideline during the second half Friday night in Dallas.
BLACKSBURG — There was no rest for a weary Virginia Tech football coaching staff once the team’s chartered flight from Dallas landed in Roanoke and the buses arrived on campus early Saturday.
Hokies coach James Franklin revealed Monday that there was a staff meeting that began around 4 a.m. Saturday and lasted for close to eight hours. The discussion that ensued during the staff meeting centered on narrowing down what was being put on the players’ plate and making sure they became masters at select things. That encompassed offense, defense and special teams, with Franklin highlighting that focus on specific elements would be better for the players now compared to flooding them with a plethora of schemes and techniques.
Specifically on defense, what could the Hokies do better to ensure opposing quarterbacks aren’t able to easily find openings in the secondary? Would narrowing down the number of coverages and calls be better for the unit?
That’s what Franklin wanted the coaching staff to sleep on as the Hokies turned the page to Saturday’s home contest against Stanford and the Cardinal’s potent passing attack.
“We have to have enough schemes in that we can still be challenging to the offense in what we’re presenting but not too much that the players can’t go out and execute at a high level,” Franklin said. “And ultimately that’s on us as coaches to know our players and to know what we can do at a high level that’s going to cause enough challenges on the offense that we’re going against that week.”
Virginia Tech allowed 350 passing yards in Friday night’s 51-28 loss at SMU. It marked the fourth time in nine games and third time against ACC competition this season that the Hokies have surrendered more than 300 passing yards in a game.
The passing defense has become a concern for the defense in the first year of the program’s rebuild under Franklin, and he wants “to make sure that the things we’re doing, ultimately that the players can execute at a high level on a consistent basis.”
The central focus on defense has turned to defending the pass. The Hokies (6-3, 3-3 ACC) fell into a tie with Oklahoma State for 100th in the nation by allowing 232.7 passing yards per game.
Only 12 FBS programs are allowing a higher completion percentage than the 66.3% that Tech is allowing through nine games, and the Hokies are tied for 111th in allowing 85 pass plays that have netted 10 or more yards.
The pass defense has taken away the Hokies’ strength in the trenches.
Tech remains one of the nation’s best defenses in creating havoc plays and making stops at or behind the line of scrimmage. Leading the nation with 84 tackles for a loss, ranking 10th with 28 sacks and having the nation’s 23rd-ranked run defense back up the play that’s been delivered by the defensive line and linebackers.
“From a technical standpoint, I feel like we pound our gaps faster to kind of help our D-line and help our safeties and DBs kind of get in the action as well,” linebacker Curtis Jones Jr. said.
Offenses are looking to exploit the back end in recent weeks. California, Georgia Tech and SMU have each eclipsed the 300-yard mark in league play, and Maryland’s Malik Washington threw for 359 yards in the Hokies’ nonconference finale.
And it hasn’t been a one-size-fits-all issue that’s plagued the Hokies in coverage.
“We’ve got to be better, specifically, in our zone coverage, in consistently getting depth to give some reinforcement to our safeties and our corners, and then be able to rally for the underneath throws,” Franklin said. “But again, that’s the challenge for zone coverage; it always has been, is offenses are going to do different things. … So we’ve got to be better there. I don’t think there’s any doubt about it.
“We’ve got to continue to mix in man coverage, and then we’ve got to be able to use the techniques that we teach at the moment of truth,” he added. “When the ball is there, you’re either going to, while connected, find the ball, which is going to allow you to create interceptions, or allow you to have some contact that won’t get called because you’re looking for the ball, or the ability to stay poised, allow the ball to be caught and then strip the ball out, which we see. One of those techniques has got to be used on a more consistent basis, so we’ve got to be better at that.”
The Hokies have recorded three interceptions this season. Backup safety Brennan Johnson made an interception in the fourth quarter against SMU when quarterback Kevin Jennings’ pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage, and Johnson was in position to secure the takeaway.
SMU made an effort to chip the Hokies’ defensive ends to prevent them from quickly getting into the backfield. Teams are going to prioritize preventing the Hokies from getting into the backfield, so the defensive line needs to be cognizant of getting their hands up and batting down quick passes.
“The other thing I think we can do a better job of is when we are not able to get to the quarterback, obviously people are going to have plans to take advantage of our aggressiveness, the tackles for loss and sacks, we’re going to see screens, we’re going to see draws, we’re going to see traps and wham plays to take our aggressiveness and use it against us,” Franklin said, “and then just quick game where they’re getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands, and when that’s happening, we’ve got to bat down more balls.
"We batted one ball (Friday), it turns into an interception. We need to do more of that. So it’s all of it. It’s our defensive line understanding how people are going to use our strengths against us and making sure our coverage and our rush is coordinated.”
Damien Sordelett (540) 981-3124
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Virginia Tech coach James Franklin addressed the Hokies' loss at SMU on Friday night and turned his attention to the upcoming home game agains…
