There's an opportunity for Virginia Tech quarterback redshirt freshman Josh Jackson in 2017, if he wants to take it.
Jackson took a big first step in the right direction in No. 21 Virginia Tech's 31-24 victory against No. 22 West Virginia at FedEx Field on Sunday. Jackson rushed 11 times for 101 yards and finished 15-of-26 passing for 235 yards and another TD for the Hokies. In his first career start, he outdueled West Virginia's Will Grier (31 of 53, 371 yards, 3 TDs, INT) in a thriller between two old rivals that lived up to expectations.
Expectations are following Jackson, and because he's a redshirt freshman, Michael Vick's name will be brought up all season. That's inherently unfair, but that's not the opportunity we're talking about. Jackson should continue to mold into a star quarterback under second-year coach Justin Fuente, and that can only mean good things for the defending ACC Coastal Division champions.
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Jackson made the big plays at the right times against the Mountaineers. He did it with his legs on a 5-yard TD run up the middle that gave the Hokies a 10-7 lead before halftime. He did it with his arm with a 32-yard TD pass to Cam Phillips two plays after West Virginia tied the score in the third quarter.
He made the game-defining play with a 46-yard run up the middle where he was flipped at the 2-yard line. That set up the go-ahead TD with 6:30 remaining. There were some late-game theatrics because Grier had the ball last, but the Hokies did enough in the end to win.
Maybe next time Fuente will let Jackson go for it on fourth-and-1 instead of opting for a field goal. Still, Jackson never let Grier give West Virginia the lead. As far as first impressions go, Jackson made it happen.
Get used to it. The reason for the constant Vick comparisons is simple. In the ACC, it takes a transcendent quarterback to lead a team to a national championship. Since the start of the BCS era, that short list includes Vick, Chris Weinke, Jameis Winston and Deshaun Watson. Weinke would have had two chances, but he was injured before the 1999 Fiesta Bowl.
That's been the name of the game in the ACC the last few seasons. Winston and Watson have run the show for the last four years. Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson is the leader now, but with Deondre Francois' season-ending injury, there's an opportunity for a challenger. Clemson's Kelly Bryant, Miami's Malik Rosier and Jackson are on the list of quarterbacks who could contend for an ACC championship. Those are young quarterbacks with everything to prove, and that means more exciting games like this will be in store for Jackson.
That's the opportunity that exists. That's why the Vick comparisons won't stop. Jackson took a step in the right direction. He's an exciting playmaker, and that's been enough to carry the Hokies to an ACC championship in the past.
Jackson can take a few more steps against Delaware, East Carolina and Old Dominion before the next big game.
That ACC championship rematch with Clemson on Sept. 30 should be a lot of fun.
