Follow The Recipe

Just a few short weeks ago, Georgia Tech gave Virginia Tech the recipe for a productive offense. And even though the Hokies may have been late, it seems like they've finally found something that works on that side of the ball.

On a beautiful October afternoon, the Yellow Jackets ran the ball 42 times for 268 yards on their way to a 15-point win over the Hokies. Georgia Tech leaned heavily on star quarterback Haynes King and running backs Malachi Hosley and Jamal Haynes, as the trio combined for 256 of the team's rush yards.

The two Techs aren't all that dissimilar on offense, at least in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Both teams have big, strong quarterbacks that are better runners than they are passers. Both teams have multiple running backs they can rely on. Neither team has an elite pass catcher, or even a group of above average receivers.

Georgia Tech's win a few weeks ago begged the question — why wasn't Virginia Tech following the Jackets' lead?

The Hokies did just that against Cal last Friday, carrying the ball 58 times as a team for 357 rushing yards. The ground-and-pound approach brought Cal's offense to a grinding halt in the second half, allowing Virginia Tech to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit and seal the comeback in double overtime.

After a disastrous second quarter, Philip Montgomery finally pulled the Georgia Tech recipe out of his cookbook. Tech proceeded to run the ball 30 times in the second half, throwing it just five times. Among those five passes were 42 and 44-yard completions, the latter being a touchdown to Takye Heath.

It was as old school as it gets — run the ball religiously and take shots down the field as the defense tried to adjust. Cal struggled to muster any defense — Virginia Tech didn't punt a single time in the second half, marching into Cal territory on every possession.

Among the key ingredients in this tasty dish was embattled quarterback Kyron Drones. For much of Drones' career, his coaches have tried to make him something he isn't. Drones isn't a polished pocket passer, capable of dissecting opposing defenses with ease. He's never been that guy, and at this point of his career, he likely won't ever be that guy.

What's obvious is that Drones is an athletic bruiser, capable of grinding out a defense for yards on the ground. Drones put the team on his back Friday night, totaling 256 yards and five touchdowns.

Drones alone couldn't make the meal work. He needed some help from Marcellous Hawkins, who toted the rock 21 times for 167 yards. Though not as efficient, Terion Stewart added 48 rushing yards of his own. These performances, combined with Stewart's 174-yard performance against NC State, prove just how impactful these running backs can be.

Finally, the last key ingredient in this recipe of success was Virginia Tech's offensive line. Compliments have been hard to come by for this unit, but they earned all the praise they received on Friday. Instead of asking them to pass protect 25-30 times, Montgomery instead unleashed them to push forward and get up the field. The result was evident, as Tech controlled the clock in the second half and slowly but surely pushed Cal off the cliff.

I'm sure it felt weird for Montgomery to call that sort of game. After all, Montgomery made a living a spread 'em out and chuck it offense. It worked at many places he had been, most notably at Baylor.

But this isn't Baylor, and Virginia Tech doesn't have Robert Griffin III playing quarterback. Even if it took longer than we'd like, Montgomery seems to have learrned what it will take for the Hokies to find sustainable success on offense.

You can't make dishes that you don't have ingredients for. Use what you have, and make the best of it.

That's the recipe for success for the remaining four games. Virginia Tech's schedule doesn't get any easier from this point on, but that doesn't mean the Hokies can't play spoiler.

The gameplan is there. The tools are there. If Montgomery can continue following the recipe, Virginia Tech might just win another game or two. 

It's time for Chef Montgomery to cook.