Virginia Tech senior quarterback Logan Thomas had the game-winning touchdown in the third overtime of the Hokies' 29-21 victory over Marshall. But he didn't play a good game.
A week after Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton carved up Marshall to the tune of 266 yards -- completing 65.8 percent of his passes -- Thomas was just 18 of 34 for 181 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions against the Herd. That gives Thomas four touchdowns and six picks this season, and he is completing only 48.5 percent of his passes.
Thomas did rush for 58 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. And he is working with a receiving corps that charitably can be called mediocre. Still, other than the opening game against Alabama, he has not played against a good defense (FCS patsy Western Carolina, East Carolina and Marshall do not register among the nation's stingiest units).
Virginia Tech won Saturday because of its defense, which shut out Marshall after the Herd had taken a 21-14 halftime lead. Herd quarterback Rakeem Cato threw for 228 yards and two TDs and also ran for 46 yards and a score. But Cato tossed two picks and was just 19 of 41 overall. He still played a better game than Thomas, though.
Thomas is a physical marvel, a sort of poor man's Cam Newton. Thomas is 6-foot-6 and 257 pounds, has been timed in 4.67 seconds in the 40-yard dash and has a huge arm. He led the Hokies in rushing with 524 yards last season and can both run past linebackers and run them over. But it's his passing ability that remains a huge question.
He threw for 2,976 yards and 18 TDs last season, but he also threw 16 interceptions and his completion percentage fell from 59.8 percent in 2011 to 51.3 percent last season.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
