Notre Dame-Virginia Tech: Tale Of The Turnover ... Again
For the third consecutive game, Notre Dame will be facing a Power Five team that entering the contest ranks among the worst in turnover margin.
• USC came into the Oct. 12 contest at Notre Dame 123rd among 130 teams, but had zero against the Irish — who also had zero — while losing 30-27.
• Michigan had ranked in the 100s before moving up to No. 84 in turnover margin when it hosted Notre Dame last weekend.
Once again, despite wet and slippery conditions in the rain, the Wolverines came away with the goose egg in turnovers, while Notre Dame had two, dropping it from No. 1 to No. 7 this year in turnover margin.
• Finally, Virginia Tech, this week's opponent is 117th in turnover margin, gaining only eight while committing 13 for a minus-0.71 ratio per game.
Turnovers were a primary reason why fifth-year senior and incumbent quarterback Ryan Willis lost his job to redshirt sophomore Hendon Hooker in the first half of the season. In the 35-28 loss to Boston College in the season opener, the Hokies committed five turnovers (to Boston College’s one), with Willis tossing three interceptions and also losing a fumble.
The embarrassing 45-10 defeat at home to Duke in which the Blue Devils had zero turnovers to the Hokies two Sept. 27 that dropped Virginia Tech to 2-2 (0-2 in the ACC) prompted a change at signal-caller. Hooker had actually entered his name into the transfer portal earlier in the year before opting to return to Blacksburg.
“We just felt like it was time,” offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen told TechSideline.com’s Cory Van Dyke. “There had been too many mistakes and too many turnovers. … We just kind of felt like Hendon deserved the shot, and we needed something to change.”
In his first start, at Miami Oct. 5, Hooker and Virginia Tech took advantage of five first-half turnovers by the Hurricanes to build a 28-0 advantage before Miami stormed back to tie the game at 35 with 3:16 remaining.
The dual-threat Hooker then steered the Hokies to the game-winning touchdown while finishing with 184 yards passing with three touchdowns plus 76 yards and a score on the ground.
During the 2-2 start, Virginia Tech had 11 turnovers. In the ensuing 3-0 run, it totaled only two.
Meanwhile, in Notre Dame's three October games, the lone turnover it forced was a Jalen Elliott interception during the 52-0 rout of Bowling Green on Oct. 5.
Hooker injured his leg late in the first half of what turned into a six-overtime marathon versus North Carolina Oct. 19 before Virginia Tech prevailed 43-41 with the now obligatory two-point conversion attempt that begins in the fourth OT.
In Hooker's place, Willis completed all three passes for 55 yards in the victory, but the staff eventually opted to go with third-team redshirt freshman quarterback Quincy Patterson II, who stands 6-4, 245 and rushed for 122 yards on 21 carries versus the Tar Heels.
Hooker has been cleared to start the Notre Dame game, and to help continue the recent momentum the Hokies have built. Both Hooker and Patterson offer the mobility and zone-read skills that the offense has transitioned to under head coach Justin Fuente.
Earlier this year, another Virginia team visited Notre Dame on Sept. 28, and in that one the Virginia Cavaliers committed five turnovers (three fumbles, two interceptions), four in the second half when the Irish outscored them 21-3 in the 35-20 victory.
It represented the most turnovers generated by the Fighting Irish defense since the 13-6 victory versus Michigan in 2012 en route to a 12-0 record.
While much of the attention this week has been on Notre Dame's alarmingly poor performance on offense at Michigan, the defense over the last six quarters has permitted 69 points while generating little, if anything, in the way of game-altering plays.
This needs to be a week that table turns(over).
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