Hokie ClubEarning his second conference win against Wake Forest, quarterback Kyron Drones' masterful performance garnered extra notoriety. The Pearland, Texas native threw a season-high 321 passing yards and two touchdowns, recording his first 300-yard passing game of his career.
Drones' production in week 7 resulted in him being the fourth-highest graded (87.6) quarterback, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). The Baylor transfer graded higher than Ohio State's Kyle McCord and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, two signal callers on teams currently vying for spots in the College Football Playoffs.
The growth so far this season from operating the offense and being a leader in the locker room has been evident since he took the helm in week 3. Through seven games of the 2023 campaign, Drones has thrown for 1,043 passing yards with six touchdowns and 344 rushing yards with another four touchdowns on the ground.
Just three starts into his collegiate career, he was awarded ACC Quarterback of the Week honors against his first conference opponent. The redshirt sophomore earned his first victory as a starter against Pitt, accounting for five touchdowns in the 38-21 win.
Drones started the night with an explosive play, delivering a 54-yard touchdown pass to Da'Quan Felton and contributing another 53-yard touchdown to Jaylin Lane in the second half. Three other scores accounted for by the young signal caller included two rushing touchdowns and another 12-yarder through the air.
Following the win in an on-field interview with ACC Network's Taylor Tannebaum, "It feels good just knowing that it was a conference win," Drones stated. "We started out 1-0 in the conference; it feels good. Now we're on the next week."
Minutes after a very memorable win and performance, maturity was displayed as he humbly celebrated the moment while still showcasing leadership and mentally preparing for the next matchup.
The same level of maturity was also prominent after losing his first career start when speaking to the media during the team's weekly press conference.
"My mindset is just to keep doing what I've been doing. Obviously, it's been good enough for the coaches and for them to believe in me," Drones reflected. "Then I'm just trying to give my team the best chance to win. So, whatever I have to do to step up and do that, I will."
Confidence, leadership, humility and communication are very important characteristics for a quarterback to be successful. These qualities have been shown by Drones since joining Tech through the transfer portal and battling in a quarterback competition during Fall Camp.
Drones has proved to his coaches, teammates and supporters that he can lead the Hokies on a weekly basis. Be sure to watch him take command of the offense on Thursday night as the Hokies host Syracuse on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. ET.