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Virginia Tech Football: 3 takeaways from disappointing loss to Georgia Tech

By Justin Heisey

CHAPEL HILL, NC - OCTOBER 13: Jovonn Quillen #26 of the Virginia Tech Hokies celebrates with teammates after recovering a fumble on the goal line by the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Virginia Tech won 22-19. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - OCTOBER 13: Jovonn Quillen #26 of the Virginia Tech Hokies celebrates with teammates after recovering a fumble on the goal line by the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Virginia Tech won 22-19. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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In a surprising turn of events, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tore apart the Bud Foster-led Virginia Tech football defense in a 49-28 win on the road.

Wow. Just wow.

Virginia Tech came into this game leading the ACC Coastal division with 3-0 record in conference and was looking to take a firm grasp of the Coastal Division. They left utterly humiliated with most of their fan base lone gone from Lane Stadium after being unable to stop the Georgia Tech Triple Option.

Georgia Tech accounted for 465 yards on the ground with their second-string quarterback playing and attempted only one pass the entire game — it was incomplete. Tech doesn’t exactly have the lead in the Coastal division now, but they definitely made a statement that they are heading in the right direction in the backstretch of the season. If you’re curious right now as to who is now leading the Coastal, it’s Bronco Mendenhall’s Virginia Cavaliers.

So with this notable ACC Coastal division matchup in the book’s, here’s what you should take away from it.

3. Tobias Oliver might have the job won

So TaQuon Marshall has had his fair share of injuries this season and the Oliver kid hasn’t looked to bad in his place. Tobias Oliver may not have the wins you would like to see in the handful of games he’s played in, but the kid can find the end zone with ease. In games with significant touches, Oliver has six of his 10 touchdowns in the two games where he received meaningful snaps and had an ungodly night on the ground tonight against Virginia Tech.

Earlier in the week, Paul Johnson confirmed that TaQuon Marshall was healthy and asked the Media “why wouldn’t he start?“. Oliver got the start tonight and made the absolute most of his opportunity. Virginia Tech came into this game ranked 31st nationally in run defense and gave up a total of 465 rushing yards to the triple option attack. Oliver himself took 40 carries on his own and accounted for 215 yards on the ground and three scores.

Considering the toll that this system has taken on senior quarterback Marshall, it would not surprise me going forward if Marshall switched to a different role in this triple-option system and allowed Tobias Oliver to take over at quarterback in a similar fashion to Navy’s Zach Abey who switched to receiver to let Malcolm Perry take the start.

Clearly Johnson was willing to make the change in a rather important game against a divisional rival, why wouldn’t he continue to roll with the true freshman?

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