Hokies' offense falters in loss to 19th-ranked Clemson

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech's defense did its job in the first half Saturday afternoon to give the Hokies a chance against 19th-ranked Clemson.

The offense didn't do its part in an uncharacteristically underwhelming performance.

The visiting Tigers roared to life after halftime. Clemson scored 24 straight points to seize control and Virginia Tech's offense didn't get going until the outcome was decided in the Tigers' 24-14 win at Lane Stadium.

"There's some good things out there that we did, but too many mistakes, untimely penalties, dropped balls, busted calls defensively, turnovers," Hokies coach Brent Pry said. "You can't beat a good team making the mistakes that we made this evening."

The Hokies (5-5, 3-3 ACC) finished with a season-low 228 yards of total offense and were nearly held without an offensive touchdown for the first time since last season's game at Louisville.

It took backup quarterback Collin Schlee scrambling out of the pocket and extending the play to find Ayden Greene for a 14-yard touchdown on fourth down that cut the deficit to 10 points with less than two minutes remaining.

The Tigers (7-2, 6-1) were well in control by that point thanks to capitalizing on the Hokies' post-halftime struggles.

Tech's defense surrendered at least 14 third-quarter points for the third time in five games as Clemson scored 24 straight points to seize control.

The go-ahead touchdown came in a three-play sequence that turned out to define the game.

Tech linebacker Keonta Jenkins stripped Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik on a sack, but the Tigers were able to recover and maintain possession.

Two plays later, cornerback Mansoor Delane had a chance to sack Klubnik. Klubnik evaded the pressure and found T.J. Moore wide open for a 41-yard touchdown that put the Tigers ahead 14-7.

Klubnik threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

"That's a crucial point in the game. I get the sack, we pick up the ball, that could be a turning point in the game," Jenkins said. "And just finishing on the sack with the deep pass that went for the touchdown, it's just another crucial point in the game where the game could be changed and could be a 14-point difference right there. So I think we just got to finish on those plays and come up with some other plays to give ourselves a chance."

Tech, despite trailing by a touchdown at that point midway through the third quarter, never got into an offensive rhythm despite getting quarterback Kyron Drones and tailback Bhayshul Tuten back from injury.

The Hokies never established the run with Tuten finishing with zero rushing yards on four carries. He didn't show the burst he's displayed this season after suffering an apparent left-ankle injury in the fourth quarter against Georgia Tech, and he aggravated the injury in the second half when a Clemson defensive player fell on the ankle while making a tackle.

No other running back had a carry.

"Obviously Bhayshul was limited. I'm proud of him for giving his best effort," Pry said. "We had a game plan that made sense for the situation we were in. I give them credit up front. They've got a salty front, but obviously Bhayshul goes down, and Malachi (Thomas) wasn't able to play. So the game plan is what it was."

Drones was lifted for Schlee in the fourth quarter after being unable to lead any drive that netted points.

Drones, who wore a walking boot on his left foot at Syracuse, completed nine of 20 passes for 115 yards. He had 13 rushing yards on 11 carries.

"Neither one of those quarterbacks are healthy right now, but I thought he managed the game pretty well," Pry said of Drones. "Made some runs, made some throws. We dropped too many, for Schlee and for Kyron. But Kyron's tough, was able to practice a bunch of this week, not in its entirety, but I thought for the most part, at least you look at the Georgia Tech game and what he was able to do there, he was at least to that point. Maybe a little better."

The Hokies led 7-0 at halftime thanks to a sterling 30-minute performance from the defense and the first blocked field goal returned for a touchdown in eight seasons.

Quentin Reddish returned a blocked field goal 77 yards for a touchdown with 12:46 remaining in the second quarter for the first half's lone points.

Reddish became the first Tech player to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown since 2016 when Greg Stroman blocked a Duke field goal attempt and Adonis Alexander returned it 75 yards for the score.

"Keyshawn Burgos up front, he got a hand on it, and the football gods were on my side, I like to say, so it just dropped right into my hands," Reddish said. "Have to give credit to my blockers, without them I wouldn't have been able to crib it. Just saw Clemson's uniforms and went the other way."

Tech's defense bent in the first half but never broke. Four Clemson drives reached Tech territory, and those ended with Jaylen Jones' interception, Cole Nelson's fourth-down sack, the blocked field goal and a punt.

"We attacked them. We didn't let them come out and determine how the game was going to be played," Jones said. "We came ready to attack them and make them adjust to us."

Tech had 96 yards of offense in the first half and was not able to capitalize on the defense's strong opening-half performance.

The Tigers made sure to pounce in the second half.

"I thought they gave us a chance. They allowed us to hang in there," Pry said of the defense. "Kept it a low-scoring game, which gives us a chance. Even down the stretch right there, I'm telling the offensive group, 'It's just one score. It's 21-7. We need one score to get this thing back where we want it.' You need a play, a big play, on either side of the ball to kind of turn it."

Damien Sordelett (540) 981-3124