That's What Good Football Looks Like

Virginia Tech hasn't played good football in quite sometime. Even when the Hokies have won this season, it hasn't been pretty.

In case Hokies fans forgot what good football looked like, they caught a glimpse of it from Miami on Saturday inside Lane Stadium.

You may not like the culture of Miami football — let's be honest, few people do — but you cannot argue with the results. The Hurricanes have won a lot of games and find themselves on the fringes of a College Football Playoff berth for the second straight season.

Miami wins because it has good players. It starts at quarterback, where Carson Beck has successfully orchestrated a Hurricane offense that ripped the Hokies for 418 yards and 34 points on Saturday.

Beck was tremendous, completing 13 of his 17 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns — in the first half. He finished the day completing 84% of his throws for 320 yards and four touchdowns.

Even better was Beck's star receiver, Malachi Toney. The true freshman built upon his standout season with a 12-catch, 146-yard performance that included a touchdown reception

Miami scored on its first five possessions, punted just twice, and added salt to the wound with a late touchdown.

On the other side, the Hurricanes' defense lived by the bend-but-don't-break philosophy. Virginia Tech ran the ball effectively, particularly in the first half, but could not sustain drives. The Hokies were just 3 of 12 on third downs vs. the 'Canes. Kyron Drones was sacked four times and completed just 12 of his 21 pass attempts.

The Hurricanes are not perfect, but they're a talented bunch that wins a lot of games. The chasm between the Hurricanes and the Hokies is not insigificant.

This is why Virginia Tech hired James Franklin. The Hokies' roster is deeply flawed and the coaching staff can't squeeze any more out of it. The Hokies are who they are at this point, and that needs to change.

It starts with recruiting, an area Franklin has repeatedly excelled in throughout his career. It won't happen overnight, but fans can expect to see better high school players coming to Blacksburg soon.

Franklin will also attack the transfer portal in a major way this winter, spending gobs of money on players that can help close the gap that exists between Virginia Tech and the programs it wants to compete with.

For far too long, Virginia Tech has been playing a considerable chunk of their football games at a talent disadvantage. Even against Group of 6 teams, the Hokies have come to the table with comparable levels of talent. They don't win many of those games, either.

James Franklin has a lot of work to do. Virginia Tech's loss to Miami on Saturday served as a reminder that the program needs better players on the field. 

Luckily for Hokies across the country, Franklin is as well-suited as anyone to bring those players to Virginia Tech.