A viral video of Virginia Tech interim head coach Philip Montgomery dancing in the locker room after a win last week at North Carolina State was a much-needed release for a downtrodden program.
Montgomery and Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) hope to strut their stuff again when the Hokies host Wake Forest (2-2, 0-2) on Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.
Montgomery, formerly the Hokies’ offensive coordinator, is 2-0 since taking over for fired Brent Pry.
While Virginia Tech’s 38-6 win over FCS Wofford in Montgomery’s debut was a positive tiny step, the 23-21 upset of NC State was a significant leap.
“You need to be able to feel that joy that you get. They put in so much work and so much time and they’re grinding all the time,” Montgomery said. “And so when you get an opportunity to have a win like that, you gotta celebrate it.”
The positives were numerous for the Hokies as they outgained the Wolfpack 406-299 and didn’t commit a turnover.
Bowling Green transfer Terion Stewart raced for a career-high 174 yards on 15 carries, while Kyron Drones threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
When Montgomery was asked to explain the turnaround, he deflected the credit.
“I think the guys have done a tremendous job of just rallying around each other,” Montgomery said. “We’re all in this together.”
This will be a tough assignment for Wake Forest, which is coming off a deflating 30-29 overtime loss at home to then-No. 16 Georgia Tech.
The Demon Deacons, who surrendered a 17-point second-half lead, saw their hopes of an upset end when Robby Ashford’s pass on a two-point conversion attempt was intercepted.
Ashford threw for 219 yards and rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown while Demond Claiborne carried for 119 yards and a pair of scores.
Wake Forest now must go on the road for the first time this season.
“When that ball is kicked off, there’s gonna be an environment that we gotta handle,” Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said. “It’s gonna be homecoming. It’s gonna be loud.”
Dickert also has noticed an uptick in Virginia Tech’s energy since the promotion of Montgomery.
“They’ve shown a different kind of effort, a different kind of focus. They’ve attacked the last couple weeks,” Dickert said. “They’re playing free.”
