ATLANTA — As Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry evaluated the Hokies’ training camp this summer, he saw a disciplined squad attuned to details that excelled in “situational football” such as red-zone offense and special teams.

Which explains his saltiness Sunday evening after Tech’s 24-11 loss to No. 13 South Carolina in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“These are self-inflicted wounds that to me — we’re a better team than that,” Pry said. “I don’t expect us to make these. We’re further along than that.”

The Hokies weren’t Sunday, and their wounds were lethal.

David Teel: ‘Great’ camp gives Hokies hope, but Woodson’s situation clouds picture

For example, veteran Kyron Drones threw a career-high two interceptions, the first of which came in the red zone. His completion percentage (42.9) also was his worst as a starter, though drops from Takye Heath and Ayden Greene did him no favors.

“Just can’t miss the easy throws,” Drones said. “We’re not that good to where we can just shoot ourselves in the foot and try to get over that. So we’ve got to always be on point.”

Pry was more animated and agitated regarding his quarterback.

“That’s stuff that he’s moved past,” Pry said of the red-zone pick of Drones by linebacker and Maury High graduate Fred Johnson. “… We can’t make that play. We need those points down there. We’ve got to be smarter than that.

“We had three drops out there that we’ve got to have. I thought there were a couple (throws) down the stretch in the fourth quarter that needed to be on the money right there. He’s got a chance to keep the chains going and make that thing a one-score game again, and we were misfiring there. But we’ll look at the film. He’ll own it more than anybody, but he did some good things with his feet. He made some nice throws. I thought he showed poise.”

Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones (1) looks to pass during an NCAA football game against South Carolina on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher)

The Hokies committed four penalties, and four in any game, let alone a season opener, is a reasonable total. Indeed, the only teams to average fewer than four for the entirety of last year were Air Force, Iowa, Army and Iowa State.

But Tech’s four Sunday, collectively, were crippling.

The first, a false start by left tackle Johnny Garrett, turned a third-and-3 on Tech’s opening possession into a third-and-8. The Hokies failed to convert, and when South Carolina jumped offside prior to the punt, an infraction that otherwise would have gifted Tech a first down, Garrett’s flinch was magnified.

The second, an illegal block by running back Jeremiah Coney on a defender already engaged with an offensive lineman, wiped out Drones’ 28-yard, first-quarter completion to Ayden Greene. Rather than a first down at South Carolina’s 26, Tech faced a third-and-24 at its own 31.

The third, receiver Donavon Greene’s personal foul, turned a third-quarter second-and-17 into a second-and-32.

The last occurred in the final quarter, when Dante Lovett, the outside “gunner” on the punt-coverage team, failed to line up properly on the line of scrimmage. Forced to re-kick, Nick Veltsistas responded with his longest punt of the game, 57 yards.

But with no defenders in the neighborhood, Vicari Swain caught the ball at the 20 and raced 80 yards for a touchdown and 17-8 lead.

South Carolina defensive back Vicari Swain (4) returns a punt 80 yards for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NCAA football game against Virginia Tech on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Atlanta. South Carolina won 24-11. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher)

“You never like to have your cover team go twice in a row,” Pry said. “You just don’t want that. I didn’t like it when it happened. And then our gunners, you got to take your shot. You got to finish. I don’t know if they assumed that (Swain) wasn’t going to catch the ball or he was going to fair-catch it, but they came off the gas instead of taking their shot, which makes the guy go sideways and gives the rest of your coverage team a chance to make the play.”

And there’s another thing that chafed Pry. After shutting South Carolina down for extended stretches, Tech in the fourth quarter allowed not only the punt return, but also LaNorris Sellers’ 64-yard touchdown strike to Nyck Harbor.

Let’s also note that these weren’t rookies making critical mistakes. These were players with three or more seasons of college football experience.

“To go into the fourth quarter down by two points and then give up those two plays?” Pry said, incredulously.

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer wasn’t surprised to be clinging to a 10-8 lead entering the final quarter. As someone who played for and coached under his father, Hall of Famer Frank Beamer, at Virginia Tech, Shane knew the Hokies’ camp would be primed for Sunday.

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer celebrates after an NCAA college football game against Virginia Tech, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

“We knew this was a physical team,” Beamer said. “Jarrett Ferguson is running the strength and conditioning program now. Jarrett was a teammate of mine. Jarrett was the associate strength and conditioning coach with my dad, and so I know what they’re about. Brent Pry knows what Virginia Tech is about. I think he’s got like nine of my dad’s former players on his staff right now. …

“It’s that lunchpail mentality that permeates through that program. We knew it was going to be a battle. We knew we had to be physical and tough as well, and we certainly did that. Especially as the game went on and our depth and size kind of took over a little bit in the second half.”

Sunday marked Tech’s 14th consecutive loss to a Power Four nonconference opponent, a gruesome stretch that dates to a 2017 victory over West Virginia. Saturday presents an opportunity to shed that albatross as Vanderbilt visits Lane Stadium.

Vandy, especially on defense, doesn’t project to be as talented as South Carolina, and an 0-2 start would be gutting for a Tech program desperate to re-establish its brand.

“We’ve got some things to clean up,” Pry said, “and we will.”

David Teel: david.teel@virginiamedia.com   

https://www.dailypress.com/2025/09/01/david-teel-veterans-mistakes-hokies/