2024-09-28 18:30:04
Friday night was one of the most controversial endings that the Virginia Tech football team has ever seen. Trailing 38-34 with three seconds left, quarterback Kyron Drones dropped back and lofted a Haily Mary to the end zone where wide receiver Da’Quan Felton leaped up around five other players and the referees ruled that he came down with a catch for a 40-38 victory.
After several minutes and a long review, the replay center in Charlotte overturned the call and the Hokies were left with a four-point loss and the Hurricanes survived a huge punch for Brent Pry’s team. There was plenty said after the game and here are some of the best quotes from both locker rooms late Friday night.
Pry opened his postgame press conference with a statement on the game’s final play.
“That’s a tough one right there. I hope they got that call right. To take it from our kids, our coaches, our fans, I hope they got it right. I didn’t think there was enough evidence to overturn it. Like I said, I hope they got it right.”
Ok, so maybe the call on the field was wrong, however, the reversal was questionable without clear-cut undisputable video evidence.
It was the best effort of the season to date for the Hokies on the field and they deserved to win the game. It was going to be a season-defining victory, but the pain of the four-point loss will sting for a long time.
“They’re hurt. I can tell them I’m proud, but that ain’t helping them right now.”
I’m not sure what is going to help them right now, but one thing is for sure, they have a quick turnaround with a cross-country flight to Stanford for next Saturday’s mid-afternoon kick-off before a bye week.
Drones didn’t hold back when asked about the ending and the overturned call on the field.
“I don’t know how that call gets overturned,” said Drones. “Probably because we played here.”
I agree, I don’t know how that call gets overturned, but it wasn’t because it was played in Miami, I would think. This is going to be an ending that will be discussed for a long time. A very long time.
Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal kept it short and sweet when asked about the final play and the overturned call.
“I saw an incomplete pass,” Cristobal said. “That’s all I can say.”
I wouldn’t have expected anything else from the veteran coach.
