Old Dominion @ Virginia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2018 ) Virginia Tech 35, Old Dominion 49

Legendary Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster is trying to turn around a porous defense in his 33rd and last season with the Hokies. Week 1 results weren’t great in a loss at Boston College, so Foster is in the process of making the necessary adjustments when Virginia Tech hosts Old Dominion on Saturday.

The Monarchs embarrassed Foster’s troops last season to the tune of 632 yards, including four touchdown drives to end the game that covered 296 yards, in a 49-35 victory in a game they were a near four-TD underdog. The Hokies yielded 432 yards to the Eagles last week but did show progress, yielding just 4.2 yards per play in the final three quarters after surrendering nine per play in the opening stanza. “For whatever reason … we played extremely tight as a defense. That wasn’t the same group that practice and how they performed,” Foster said this week. “You saw how we played in the second half, and that’s kind of how I was hoping we’d play the entire game. The Monarchs, who avenged a 38-0 drubbing to Virginia Tech in 2017, opened their season with an underwhelming 24-21 win over FCS opponent Norfolk State on a 2-yd TD run by Lala Davis with 3:21 remaining and an interception by Lance Boykin with 1:22 left.

TV: Noon ET, ESPNU. LINE: Virginia Tech - 28.5.

ABOUT OLD DOMINION (1-0): Stone Smartt, a 6-4 junior college transfer, completed 17-of-23 passes for 158 yards and a running score in his first game with the Monarchs; Davis rushed for 62 yards and Eric Kumah, a grad transfer from Virginia Tech, finished with four receptions for 65 yards. “We didn’t get a win last year until the fourth game against Virginia Tech, so I’m glad to start off the season 1-0,” coach Bobby Wilder said. “... The most improvement you see is from week one to week two. With five new starters on offense, three of them in the offensive line, five new starters on defense, I anticipated there’d be some tough moments tonight.” The Monarchs had more than 30 players depart from last season’s team, including two drafted by the NFL, and have 46 newcomers this season.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (0-1): Ryan Willis passed for 344 yards - his most as a Hokie and four shy of his career high at TCU in 2016 - and four TDs but threw three interceptions and lost one of two Hokies' fumbles. “You have to look at the positives. There is a lot we can get better at and a lot we can eliminate,” coach Justin Fuente told reporters. “We can eliminate mistakes. … We’ve got Old Dominion next week. They’re coming to our house, and it’s the home opener for us. We’re going to get it done.” Junior linebacker Rayshard Ashby accounted for 13 tackles, the Hokies’ only sack and 3.5 tackles for loss, while junior safety Divine Deablo added 10 tackles in the opener.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Nearly 53 percent of Virginia Tech's roster entering the 2019 season is made up of freshmen - 52.5 percent - third in the FBS this season behind UCLA and Oklahoma State.

2. Smartt was a first-team junior college All-American last season at Riverside (Cal.) JC, completing 177-of-277 passes for 2,754 yards with 31 TDs against three interceptions.

3. The Hokies rushed for just 98 yards on 42 carries - an average of 2.3 yards per carry - against Boston College.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 35, Old Dominion 14