Virginia Tech searching for answers on offense after Alabama loss

ATLANTA — Quarterback Tyrod Taylor used the word “explosive” when describing No. 7 Virginia Tech’s offensive capabilities to reporters on Tuesday.

After the Hokies’ 34-24 loss to No. 5 Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff at the Georgia Dome on Saturday night, “punchless” might be the better term.

Tech’s offensive numbers, or lack thereof, were staggering: 11 first downs, 64 rushing yards, 91 passing yards, five sacks allowed, 22:58 time of possession. That the Hokies managed two offensive touchdown drives is remarkable.

To be fair, Tech (0-1) faced what many believe to be the best defense in the country, but the Hokies’ defense is supposed to be elite too, and Alabama’s precocious offense — with new starters at quarterback, tailback and three newbies on the line — ran roughshod with 498 total yards, 22 first downs and 37:02 time of possession.

Tech’s offense couldn’t stay on the field long enough to give its defense a breather.

“We wanted to come out and make plays,” Hokies sophomore receiver Dyrell Roberts said. “There were doubts about us. We wanted to go out and play hard, but we just came up short.”

Alabama (1-0) — which gained the most yards against a Tech defense since LSU in 2007 (598) — ran a total of 79 offensive plays, 28 more than the Hokies. In the decisive fourth quarter, during which it scored 18 points to break open the game, the Crimson Tide ran off 20 plays for 181 yards.

“In the beginning their quickness was a lot to handle, but we started to wear them down in the fourth,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Big plays, which plagued Tech’s defense in many games last season, again proved costly in the 2009 season opener.

Quarterback Greg McElroy’s 35-yard pass to wide receiver Darius Hanks in the first quarter led to the second of Leigh Tiffin’s four field goals.

McElroy completed a 48-yard pass to receiver Marquis Maze in the fourth quarter to set up a 6-yard Mark Ingram’s scoring run that, along with McElroy’s 2-point conversion pass to tight end Colin Peek, gave the Crimson Tide a 24-17 lead.

After the Hokies got to within 27-24, Alabama went back to work. Its clinching scoring drive began with a 39-yard run by Ingram and ended with McElroy’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Ingram.

In all, Tech allowed five plays of 33 yards or longer.

Ingram, the game’s offensive MVP, rushed for a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 35 yards and a score. He’s the first running back to run for 150 yards against the Hokies since Boston College’s Derrick Knight in 2003.

“Everyone talks about our defense, but our offense can do it too,” Ingram said. “We just want to prove that to people.”

Some uncharacteristic special teams miscues hurt the Hokies as well.

Redshirt freshman Ryan Williams — who dazzled at tailback with a 43-yard reception, a 32-yard touchdown run and accounted for 113 of Tech’s 155 total yards — muffed a punt in the first quarter that was recovered by Alabama’s Brian Selman at the Tech 16. That gaffe led to a 32-yard Tiffin field goal.

In the fourth quarter, Davon Morgan fumbled a kickoff return that Crimson Tide player Chris Rogers recovered at the Hokies’ 21. Again, ‘Bama turned its good fortune into three points by Tiffin.

“We can’t turn the ball over like we did,” Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “Alabama is way too good to give them points and field position like we did.”

His fumbled punt notwithstanding, Williams was one of the few bright spots for the Hokies’ offense. He scored both of their offensive touchdowns and was a general nuisance to the Crimson Tide defense.

“I was down a lot (after the fumble), but (Tech defensive end Jason Worilds) came up to me and said, ‘Do you want to be good or do you want to be great?’ I decided I wanted to be great and had to start making plays,” Williams said.

The rest of Tech’s offense was lacking. Taylor completed 9 of 20 passes for 91 yards. The Hokies veteran receivers combined for five catches and 35 yards. Freshman phenom running back David Wilson touched the ball once, on a kickoff return late in the fourth quarter.

Alabama pressured Taylor relentlessly, forcing him into bad throws when they didn’t have him on his back.

“You have to create six seconds of hell each play, and we did that (Saturday night),” Saban said.

When the Tide wasn’t breaking off another of its long gains, Tech’s defense had some bright spots.

Freshman linebacker Jake Johnson led all players with 13 tackles and was named defensive player of the game.

“We all know he’s a young kid, but he hung in there and made the plays,” Tech senior linebacker Cody Grimm said. “He’s a hell of an athlete.”

Grimm made a touchdown-saving play in the third quarter when he hacked the ball out of the arms of Alabama running back Roy Upchurch, who had an open lane to the end zone.

Worilds had five tackles and a sack that forced McElroy into a bad throw, which redshirt freshman defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins picked off and returned deep into ‘Bama territory.

Roberts provided some fireworks with two big kickoff returns. He returned one 98 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and ran another one back 47 yards in the fourth to set up Williams’ 32-yard touchdown run.

It’s back to the drawing board now for the Hokies, who face Marshall on Saturday at Lane Stadium.

“One game doesn’t make or break a season,” said Tech free safety Kam Chancellor, repeating the mantra Beamer preached throughout the preseason. “We’ve just got to watch the film and make adjustments to prepare for next week.”