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Weekend Watch IV … replaces III which will be 

held over:

Like it really matters, right?

Originally, the next WW was to be about the Virginia 

(University of) Football Team … which has come on hard

times and seems to be imploding from within … and 

could force athletic director CARLA WILLIAMS to 

make a difficult – if necessary – decision. Just what 

Williams needs. Losing one-of-a-kind basketball coach

 TONY BENNETT (his choice) was a major blow. What 

if football coach TONY ELLIOTT is out, too (not his 

choice)?

Because the Cavaliers had a bye week … and Virginia 

Tech didn’t … blowing a big second-half lead before 

losing to Syracuse in overtime … which naturally led to 

some very loud calls for the removal of coach BRENT 

PRY … we decided to concentrate on the Hokies instead.

And, here we thought fans couldn’t be more fickle than 

those who live in New York. Big Apple … meet 

Blacksburg. (Cliche alert). What a difference a week 

makes! … Having won three in a row, to build its ACC 

record to 3-1 (only loss by four at now-fourth-ranked 

Miami when … oh, never mind), Tech went to upstate 

New York to meet a team reeling from a terrible outing in 

which QB KYLE McCORD, a transfer from Ohio State, 

was intercepted four times … including a world-record 

three in a row for touchdowns … giving new meaning to 

‘Pick-6” and undoubtedly leaving OSU coach JASON 

DAY thinking “I told you so.”

In fairness to Pry – like fairness has anything to do with it 

when you’re being paid $4 million-plus to keep 

HokieNation happy and out of AD WHIT BABCOCK’S

 hair – he was going to the House of Horrors (formerly 

called Carrier Dome now JMA Wireless Dome) which 

always brought out the worst in Tech … which hadn’t 

played there in eight years … presumably because the 

Hokies had won only one of the previous eight games 

Also, he was taking on a conference rival, on its turf, 

without best running back BHAYSHUL TUTEN and QB

 KYRON DRONES … which Pry kept a well-guarded, 

no-leak secret until kickoff … Tuten rolled an ankle last 

week against Georgia Tech … “but coach Pry told us last 

night he WAS going to play,” veteran play by play man

 THOM BRENAMANN said … while we saw a shot of 

Tuten in uniform, helmet on, and apparently ready.

Not to worry, Techsters. The Hokies led 21-3 well into the 

third quarter. Running backs JEREMIAH CONLEY and

 MALACHI THOMAS ran for 169 yards combined, 

averaging 10.7 and 5.3 yards, respectively. COLLIN 

SCHLEE, senior QB playing for his third school in as 

many years, passed for 206 yards and ran for 54 more 

plus a touchdown … All things considered, it should have 

been enough but NO-OOOO. The defense, which had 

been so reliable … enough said. Final score was 38-31 in 

overtime … when Schlee, who played hurt much of the 

way, fumbled the ball away on the final series … leaving 

Tech fans writing such things as … “Fire Pry” … 

“Terrible coach” … “Pry gives same old depressing quote 

after loss to Syracuse … ‘I’ve got to coach better.’” 

(Small sample)

Don’t you just love it ... when one of football-on-TV’s 

experts says stuff like …? “It was an easy call” after 

replay shows a penalty for pass interference was anything 

but … as in Saturday’s VaTech/Syracuse game … Or, 

second-guessing after the fact … The underdog Orange 

forced OT, scoring a touchdown with :29 left in 

regulation ... then kicking the extra point to knot the count 

at 31 … without The CW Network’s crack college 

football expert MAX BROWNE mentioning the pros-

and-cons of going for the win, all or nothing, at that point 

… that is, until after the home team opted for one and 

temporary tie. Cut to a shot of Pry. Said Browne, “I 

would be surprised if [he] wasn’t happy that Syracuse 

didn’t go for two.” His explanation included a VaTech 

defense that ranked fourth nationally in stopping teams 

inside the red zone … yet couldn’t stop Syracuse on its 

last drive that included a curious 15 yard penalty for 

unsportsmanlike conduct long after the play was over. 

Did the Orange player something the female linesperson 

thought was inappropriate … as The CW Network’s 

talking heads suggested was possible ,,, although we 

never knew for sure because nobody bothered to ask.

The WC Network, a product of ESPN (which explains a 

lot of things … bad, mostly), didn’t get off to a ringing 

start either. Brenamann didn’t sound particularly pleased 

to tell us … “We just learned: no Kyron Drones.” … OK, 

so what’s wrong with Tech’s season-long starting 

quarterback? Sorry, fans … but first we’re going to tell 

you all we know about replacement Collin Schlee, which 

isn’t much because there isn’t much to tell … “A two-

time transfer … grew up in Maryland … signed originally 

at Kent State … His first two years he only played in four 

games. In 2022, he was a starter … threw for over 2,100 

yards and 13 touchdowns. He can run. He ran for over 

400 yards and … last year went to UCLA where he was a 

backup. He has thrown only one pass this entire season.” 

… End of story … On first and 10 we watched No. 3 

throw pass No. 2 … dropped … and pass No. 3 in which 

the intended receiver never turned … and could have 

been intercepted. Three and out.

Come to think of it … maybe Tech could put Pry out of 

his misery. Why would anyone want to take all the grief 

that comes with knowing there is virtually nothing you 

can do about a backup QB, who played pretty well for 

most of the game … rolling out on first and goal, looking 

to throw when no one is open … and letting it fly 

incomplete when he had plenty of room to take the ball in 

for six points on Tech’s first OT series … then let Pry 

decide to go for the win … “Why did he even throw it?” 

Brenamann said. “He does look like he’s still limping a 

little bit.” … To which Browne immediately said, “I don’t 

know why he threw it. I don’t care if you’re limping. He 

could have walked into the end zone.” … Two plays, and 

a holding penalty walked off against Tech, later, Schlee 

runs left, fumbles … Syracuse recovers. Crowd of 

38,454, smallest of the season there, can go home happy. 

Game over. 

Until next time …