Bowl bid gives Tech some extra motivation
J.C. Price says the in-state rivalry isn’t the only reason he and Virginia Tech want to win Saturday’s Commonwealth Cup clash at Virginia.
The Hokies still want to go to a bowl game, says Price, the team’s interim head coach.
“I think there’s a huge desire to play another game (after Saturday),” said Price, whose Hokies (5-6, 3-4 ACC) need a victory against Virginia (6-5, 4-3) to become bowl-eligible.
There is a scenario in which the Hokies could still land a bowl berth with a 5-7 record, but it’s complicated and depends on the outcome of many other games on this Rivalry Weekend.
Price wants to keep it simple — beat the Cavaliers.
“We have good guys on this team,” Price said. “They all get along. The camaraderie was developed in the summer, and it’s built since then. They enjoy each other’s company. They’d like another game.”
Going to a bowl game was seemingly automatic for Virginia Tech for 27 years, from 1993 through 2019. But the Hokies missed out last season, ending the fourth-longest streak in college football history.
Price says there are other sound reasons for wanting to play in a bowl.
“Just think about the extension of practices, with 15 more practices,” he said. “You’re able to develop the younger guys.
“Do the math. It will make the young guys better players when they come back in the spring.”
Price, who took over early last week from ousted coach Justin Fuente, is 0-1 as a head coach. The Hokies fell behind 21-3 Saturday at Miami and lost 38-26.
“Maybe there is such a thing as a mulligan,” Price says. “It was 21-3. A lot of teams would have just packed it in. But they didn’t quit. They didn’t flinch.”
He says Job No. 1 for him this week is to make sure Virginia Tech is quicker out of the starting gate.
“It’s my job to get us off to a faster start,” he said.
Price thinks it will be easier this week than it was in preparing for Miami.
“You have no idea what the distractions were like,” he says, referring to the turmoil surrounding the departure of Fuente after six seasons. “I don’t know if a team anywhere else had the distractions they had.”
Who’s at QB?
Part of the Hokies’ comeback Saturday against Miami seemed to revolve around a change at quarterback.
Braxton Burmeister, the starter in every game this season, was replaced by Connor Blumrick.
Blumrick was effective, rushing for 145 yards and passing for a pair of touchdowns.
Price says he made the switch to change the tempo of the game, then stayed with Blumrick because it was working.
“I think Connor brought us some extra energy,” he said. “Our offense seemed to be clicking with Connor, so we rode with the guy who had the hot hand.”
Burmeister is listed as the starter again this week, but Price indicated he’ll be ready to change quarterbacks, or even alternate them, if need be.
About the other QB
The Hokies say they realize they’re facing a powerful offensive weapon in Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong.
Armstrong is near or at the top of most Virginia career and single-season passing lists, and he’s second in FBS in passing yardage per game (404).
Price was asked what impresses him about Armstrong.
“The quickness of his release,” Price said. “He can run. He’s been banged up a bit, but he’s 6-2, 220 pounds. He’s a big, strong guy. Yet he makes guys miss.”
Price says the Cavaliers make it very tough on defenses.
“They spread the field,” he said. Armstrong “is a really good football player.”
As for the Virginia receivers, Price said, “Length, length, and more length. And those guys can run.”
A favorite memory
When asked for his favorite memory of the Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry, Price picked the 1995 game.
He was a member of that team and recalls how the Hokies came from behind and beat the Cavaliers 36-29.
“I remember thinking that it was a time when we had to step forward and make a big play,” he said.
Virginia Tech lost its opening two games that season, then won 10 in a row, beating Texas 28-10 in the Sugar Bowl.