It's Time to Shine, Kyron

Brent Pry sought out Kyron Drones as his starting quarterback for a reason. Drones' athleticism and big arm made him a star in the making that Virginia Tech's new head coach could build his offense around.

Yet in third season as the Hokies' QB1, Drones looks like he's regressing.

Drones seemed out of sorts for much of Sunday's loss to South Carolina. He turned it over to the Gamecocks twice, including a mind-boggling interception deep in South Carolina territory that robbed the Hokies of points. Drones completed just 15 of his 35 pass attempts for 221 yards and no touchdowns. He offered little in the run game, earning 37 yards on 10 carries (excluding sacks).

Finally healthy, Pry's star in the making burned out on the big stage.

Drones isn't the only reason Virginia Tech failed to score a touchdown on Sunday. His receivers dropped passes, the running backs never got going, and more importantly, the big uglies in front of Drones struggled against an SEC defensive line.

"Struggled" may be an understatement. None of the Hokies five starting offensive linemen finished Sunday with a Pro Football Focus grade higher than 60.

Despite these failings around him, Drones did little to help himself, let alone his teammates. His throws were consistently inconsistent — he'd throw a pretty deep ball to Isaiah Spencer or Donavon Greene and then immediately short-arm an easy completion that would kill an offensive drive.

As the quarterback, you've got to supplement those around you and make them better, and Drones didn't do that on Sunday. It's been ages since he did — you've got to go back to the Stanford or Old Dominion game from last season since Drones significantly impacted a game in a positive way.

Virginia Tech's offense has a lot to improve on, and it's reasonable to expect some progression. Philip Montgomery is still implementing his offense, Matt Moore needs time to coach up his offensive line, and Drones continues to flash in certain spots. He's made the throws, but he's yet to show he can do so on a consistent basis.

There's plenty of time for Drones to have a great season, and South Carolina's defense will be one of the toughest he sees all year. But the time is now for him to take the reins and be the quarterback that Brent Pry believes he can be.

What better time to begin that turnaround than this Saturday against Vanderbilt, the team that derailed Drones' lofty expectations last season?

You don't need me to tell you how important this weekend's game is. Everyone knows it, including Drones. It's time to shine, Kyron, or else it'll feel like Groundhog Day in Blacksburg.