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ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s meaningful, and this is a good team that weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re playing,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Hokies coach Brent Pry said, noting numerous connections between the two programs when it comes to the coaching staff and players. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a team that has beat Notre recently, beaten us, taken N.C. State to the wire, and weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to get their best effort. They are well-coached. Coach (Charles) Huff does a good job, and I expect it to be a good football game.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Virginia Tech lost on the road to the Commodores in overtime after eliminating a 17-3 deficit, a comeback fueled by a career performance by quarterback Kyron Drones. He threw for more than 300 yards and two scores, but sat out the final two plays of the overtime period, which ended with an incomplete pass from backup Collin Schlee.

Mix a season-opening loss with the memories of last yearÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s shortcoming in Huntington, and Herd defensive lineman Mike Green expects a hungry opponent in Week 2.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI know they are going to have a little chip on their shoulder, especially since we had a victory over them last year, but now weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re at their home and you know how that is,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Green said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to have to clean up some things here and there, but overall, weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re just going to go in there with the same mentality that we do every single game.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Huff said the challenge of traveling to Virginia Tech was a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œdauntingÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� one and brought up the HokiesÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ all-time record at Lane Stadium (242-98-6) and the fact that a Group of Five school hasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t won there since 2020. And, even then, that was in front of 1,000 fans due to COVID-19 restrictions, not a sold-out crowd of 66,233 like they expect Saturday.

If there was anything defensive coordinator Jason Semore learned in his first year with the Herd, it was that Marshall often plays its best football when the lights are brighter. He picked up on that after last yearÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s win against Virginia Tech and a loss to North Carolina State on the road, which was the HerdÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s first setback of the season after a back-and-forth contest.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œTraditionally and historically here, Marshall has always played up to those games,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Semore said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThose guys want to play in those games, and thereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s not a lot to do on my part in terms of motivating the guys to go get ready for a game like that. You know what kind of effort youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to get, and really our job is to put them in the best (schematic) situations.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

The HokiesÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ offense is dynamic, led by Drones and complemented by playmakers such as Bhayshul Tuten in the backfield and a three-headed monster at receiver with DaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™Quan Felton, Ali Jennings and Jaylin Lane.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThose three guys are really complementing each other,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Huff said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThen you add in the fact that Drones is a really good quarterback, and now you canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t say, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s only going to the right or the leftÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ or that ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s only throwing certain routes.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s doing it all, and it really stresses you defensively because youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re left asking yourself, what can you take away?ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

On Virginia TechÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s defense, Huff sees plenty of talent and a lot of depth, particularly with the front seven.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhen you look at their film, you donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t see an 0-1 football team. They are flying around, they are aggressive and, going into this year, they returned the most production in college football,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Huff said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis may be one of the best defensive lines IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen. No disrespect, because I havenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t looked at everyone on our schedule yet, but these guys are good. They were good last year.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

The Hokies have been busy with their homework on the Thundering Herd, which looks vastly different from the last time the two met in September 2023. TheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve put a particular emphasis on preparing for multiple quarterbacks since Huff has not named a starter yet.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey both played a couple of games at their prior institution. We looked at those,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Pry said of Herd transfer signal-callers Braylon Braxton and Stone Earle. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe looked at what they did in this game against Stony Brook. It was a little bit different with each guy, but there was a lot of similarities as well. So I think you got to study them independently, and thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s what weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve done. TheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re both pretty talented guys.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

For the Hokies, safety Jalen Stroman has been ruled out due to injury, a key piece in a talented secondary, and tight end Nick Gallo is unlikely to play, Pry said earlier in the week.

Virginia Tech has dominated the all-time series (11-3) with the Thundering Herd and is a heavy favorite entering SaturdayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s matchup. But the Hokies certainly arenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t looking past Marshall and enter hungry to get back in the win column.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t ever feel like youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re better than you are,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Pry said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou hear me say all the time, humble and hungry. They seemed in a good head space in that locker room. I think the way the game started (against Vanderbilt) kind of deflated things.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�