By Jimmy Robertson
BLACKSBURG – After spending much of the first half of the season on the road, the Virginia Tech football team returns home for a home-heavy slate through the remainder of the season, starting with Saturday's nonconference match-up with in-state foe Liberty.
The Hokies are coming off an important road win at Louisville, where a ruthless and efficient offense propelled them to a 42-35 victory and enabled them to move to 4-2 on the season. Now, they face a potentially tough out in Liberty, a team off to a 6-0 start and coming in with a No. 25 national ranking in the latest Associated Press poll.
The Flames torched Syracuse a couple of weeks ago in what was an eye-opening road victory for many. They scored 21 consecutive points spanning the second and third quarters and pulled away for a 38-21 win. More impressively, they ran for 338 yards and finished with 520 yards of total offense.
"Offensively, they're averaging 40 points a game," Tech coach Justin Fuente said. "They beat the brakes off one ACC team already. Malik Willis [Liberty quarterback] is phenomenal running it, throwing it. They've got running backs that are big and powerful. They've got some that are small and fast. They've got wideouts. They are putting tons of points on the board. They're incredibly explosive, and they're doing a really good job in the other two phases of the game. It's just to me, when I watch them play, Malik Willis really stands out. He's a fantastic football player."
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Saturday, Nov. 7 – Noon
Lane Stadium; Blacksburg, Va.
vs. Liberty (6-0)
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze (second season)
Record at school: 14-5; Career: 56-37 (10th season)
Series: Tech leads 1-0 Last: Sept. 3, 2016 (W, 36-13)
Live Stats: CLICK HERE
Broadcast: ACC Network
Play-by-Play: Chris Cotter
Analyst: Mark Herzlich
Sideline: Taylor Davis
Radio: Virginia Tech Sports Properties
Play-by-Play: Jon Laaser
Analyst: Mike Burnop
Sideline: Wes McElroy
Virginia Tech Game Notes: CLICK HERE
Virginia Tech Press Conference Recap: CLICK HERE
How to Watch: CLICK HERE
The game features a lot of intriguing subplots, but perhaps none bigger than Willis, who transferred from Auburn last year and gives the Flames an SEC-caliber player at quarterback. Other subplots include the relationship between Fuente and Hugh Freeze, as they squared off twice when Fuente coached at Memphis and Freeze at Ole Miss, and the Hokies hope to get Jermaine Waller back at cornerback, which should allow them much-needed flexibility on an inconsistent defense.
All that said, here are some more things to watch:
Tech's mindset – The game marks the Hokies' lone nonconference game of the season, and in this odd fall, it comes against an in-state foe with little national name recognition and in November, a time traditionally reserved for the conference's stretch run. Fuente liked his team's mindset entering the Louisville game, as the players showed passion and excitement throughout the game – a stark difference from the team that lacked energy in a loss the previous weekend at Wake Forest.
So which team do fans see Saturday? Do the Hokies come out with the Louisville mindset, or the Wake Forest one?
The Hokies lack a large margin for error just given their personnel at certain spots. Also, the COVID pandemic can be an equalizer for a team like Liberty, and while Tech appears to be past the worst of that situation, it never really knows from week to week.
All that is to say that the Hokies need to take this game seriously. In 2018, Tech let Old Dominion hang around in a game in Norfolk. The Monarchs picked up momentum and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a stunning win. History does not need to repeat itself Saturday.
Malik Willis – Willis has put up phenomenal numbers through Liberty's first six games. He leads the Flames in rushing with 495 yards and six touchdowns, and he's completing 67.2% of his passes for 1,122 yards, with nine touchdowns and just one interception. His 7.0 yards-per-carry average ranks fourth nationally, and his 160.27 passing efficiency ranks in the top 20 nationally.
"To me, when I watch them play, Malik Willis stands out," Fuente said. "This young man is a fantastic football player."
For sure, the Auburn transfer gives the Flames a dynamic offensive weapon, and Tech owns a rather checkered history against dual-threat quarterbacks. Interestingly, the Hokies faced their first such type of quarterback a week ago against Louisville's Malik Cunningham, and things did not go well. Cunningham threw for a career-high 350 yards and three touchdowns – though he was intercepted three times – and he added 47 yards on the ground.
Tech's staff probably digested the game plan of Louisiana Monroe this past week, as the Warhawks kept Willis in check despite losing 40-7 on Oct. 10. Willis completed just 11 of 29 passes for 177 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception, and he rushed for just 87 yards.
There was probably a lot to be gleaned from that game plan. Regardless, the Hokies need to be sound defensively, particularly their defensive line and linebackers.
Time of possession – Liberty has dominated time of possession this season, averaging 33:30 per game and ranking tied for fifth in that category among teams that have played at least five games this season. The Flames have won the time of possession stat in five of six games, and in half of those games, they held the ball for more than 34:59. Obviously, that is a byproduct of bad competition, jumping out to big leads, and running the football.
The Hokies, though, know how to play this style, too. They average more than 31 minutes of time of possession per game, and they rank fourth nationally in rushing offense at 290.2 yards per game.
The category is important. This game figures to be one with fewer overall possessions because of both team's ability to run the football. A week ago at Louisville, Tech capitalized on its opportunities, scoring on seven of 11 possessions.
It needs to continue scoring at that clip on Saturday.
Tech's offensive line – Everyone knows that the Hokies feature one of the nation's best offensive lines, and the rushing numbers prove that. Also, keep in mind that Tech has allowed just 12 sacks so far this season, so that line knows how to protect as well.
But what many may not know is that Liberty features a rather big defensive line. The Flames' two defensive tackles – Elijah James and Ralfs Rusins – both weigh more than 300 pounds. End Durell Johnson already has six sacks this season.
Plus, the Flames feature a pair of active linebackers in 225-pound Aaron Pierre and 230-pound Anthony Butler, who leads the team with 41 tackles.
The Hokies have played good fronts this season – Wake Forest, for example – and enjoyed success. But this offensive line won't be able to coast Saturday.
"I think they're really efficient," Fuente said of Liberty's defensive front. "You can watch the film and see that they understand their scheme. They're sound. They don't give up big plays. They do a great job of keeping the ball in front of them and have been really productive.
"They are a big, stout front. I don't see anybody really just moving them off the football, which obviously can create some problems for you. You better be efficient because, on the other side of the ball, they're going to score."
The second half – Overall, the Hokies probably possess better talent than the Flames, and teams with better talent usually flex their muscles in the second half, especially the fourth quarter, and pull away.
That happened the last time that these two teams played. In 2016 – in Fuente's debut as the Hokies' coach – the Flames actually led 13-10 late in the second quarter. But the Hokies scored the game's final 26 points and shut out the Flames in the second half en route to a 36-13 victory.
Tech fans hope to see a similar scenario play out Saturday.
In closing: Tech and the Flames kick off at noon, and the game can be watched on the ACC Network.