The Quarterback of the Present, and the Future
The Quarterback of the Present, and the Future
Kyron Drones has progressed enough to claim Virginia Tech's starting quarterback role for this season and beyond.
Wins matter. But when you’re in the middle of a program renovation, you’ve got to invest in the future, too.
Virginia Tech has been able to do a little of both with Kyron Drones at quarterback. Over the course of the last several weeks, Drones has progressed to the point that he’s not just the quarterback of the present, but the quarterback of the future.
Drones started the 2023 season slowly. He was unfairly inserted into the the lineup on the final drive of Tech’s 24-17 loss to Purdue. Drones struggled in his first two starts, completing 56 percent of his throws, averaging just over five yards per pass attempt and throwing just one touchdown.
Then he flipped the switch.
In Drones’ last six starts, he’s thrown eight touchdowns and rushed for two more, averaged more than eight yards per pass attempt and 6.5 yards per carry, excluding sacks.
The addition of Drones to the rushing equation has tipped the scales in the Hokies’ favor. Tech has rushed for 199 or more yards in four of their last six games, including 318 yards vs. Syracuse and 363 yards vs. Boston College last weekend. Bhayshul Tuten has averaged 4.9 yards per rush or more in each of his last three games.
Drones’ performance has lifted the entire offense out of the doldrums they’ve resided in for much of the Brent Pry era. Virginia Tech has scored 30 or more points in four of their last six games — Tech had done it just once before under Pry’s regime.
In case you haven’t noticed a trend — the Hokies have done a lot of good things in four of their last six games. That’s resulted in four wins, putting the Hokies back into weekly bowl projections from national media.
The revival of Virginia Tech’s season can be traced to a few things, but first and foremost, it’s the improved play at quarterback. Tyler Bowen has grown comfortable calling plays for Drones, and the progress Drones has shown on the field justifies Bowen’s increasing willingness to be aggressive on offense.
There’s room for growth. Drones has been inaccurate at times, especially on throws down the field. But what’s now undeniable is that Drones has the tools and he’s learning how to use them.
Even if Drones were to struggle down the stretch — which is possible, given NC State’s defensive prowess — we’ve seen enough for Drones to be QB1 this offseason. That cannot be overlooked, considering Tech hasn’t entered an offseason knowing who the starting quarterback was since Josh Jackson in 2018.
Stability is key, and Drones should continue trending upward as he plays more. Drones will finish 2023 with two years of eligibility remaining, giving the Hokies a shot at finally stabilizing the most important position on the field.
I’m aware that Drones remaining QB1 will lead to attrition behind him. Quarterbacks transfer at an incredibly high rate these days, and the Hokies will undoubtedly lose one or two guys behind Drones. Pry and his team will be tasked with filling those spots, but they’ve already filled the most important role on the team.
They’ve found their starting quarterback. Drones has solidified Virginia Tech’s future, but he’s already paying dividends. That sounds like a good investment to me.