BLACKSBURG -- All those armchair critics that love to rip into Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon can shut up now. At least for the next couple of weeks, anyway.

Responding resoundingly in front of an estimated 14,000 fans at Lane Stadium, Glennon dropped back on the day's first snap and threw a perfect 65-yard touchdown strike to Josh Morgan to highlight the Hokies' second preseason scrimmage Saturday afternoon.

"I don't think we could have scripted things any better than that," a grinning Glennon said. "When Coach [Bryan] Stinespring [the offensive coordinator] let me know that we were going to let it fly on the first play, I got a little excited. I think he wanted to come out with a statement and I thought it was a great move by Coach."

Great throw, too. Morgan, who had gotten a step on defender Stephan Virgil, reeled in the ball in full stride and raced untouched to the end zone.

"Coach Stinespring has been preaching that this offense wants to come out and set the tone early. ... Well, it can't be any better that," said Morgan, a senior split end. "Sean threw a great ball. Hopefully, that's an omen for what kind of year it's going to be."

It was just what Glennon needed in his first real work in front of the Hokie faithful since his four-turnover meltdown in the fourth quarter of Tech's 31-24 loss to Georgia in the Dec. 30 Chick-fil-A Bowl. Glennon, a first-year starter last season as a third-year sophomore, took a serious bashing from upset fans for that loss.

"I was in the pits for about a week after that," Glennon said. "I mean, it wasn't like I was tucked away in the corner crying and sucking on my thumb. I was just like, ... just not giddy, just in a funk. But it's behind me. I just wanted to use it as motivation to prove that's not you and you're a much better quarterback than that, and that's what I've done. Hopefully, I'm starting to prove it, and, hopefully, Sept. 1st [against East Carolina in the opener] we'll really prove it."

Morgan said Glennon has done all the right things since to prove that's he's the best guy to lead a Tech offense that must improve if the Hokies are to make a run for a national title. Tech ranked 99th in the nation in total offense last season.

"In the locker room after that bowl game, we said, 'We've just got to make it our point not to have another game like that,' " Morgan said. "Sean has worked his tail off all summer and he's made a lot of strides. He's shown a lot of maturity, a lot of confidence and that gives us more confidence every day.

"I think some of the [post-bowl] stuff said about Sean was unfair. But that comes with the position. Every quarterback in the universe goes through that. You've got to have thick skin, and Sean is a pretty tough kid."

Glennon, who got only a handful of snaps in last Saturday's first scrimmage, was 6-of-10 passing for 117 yards. His first-play hookup with Morgan got the fans screaming and made the band crank up the decibels.

"It was nice to hear the cheers," Glennon acknowledged.

A couple of huge plays on special teams provided the session's other highlights. Senior Eddie Royal returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown, and Macho Harris had a 41-yard kickoff return.

Royal fielded a Brent Bowden punt angled toward the right sideline and immediately took off to his right behind a wall of blockers and raced untouched to the end zone.

"It's exactly how you draw it up," Royal said. "Once I saw it, I said, 'Oh my God, nobody is going to touch me.' I mean, it looked too good to be true."

Tech tidbits

The Martin brothers -- Orion and Cam -- from Martinsville each put on a show. Orion, a fourth-year junior end, had four tackles, including three for loss, and a sack. Cam, a third-year sophomore who has jumped past senior Corey Gordon as the starter at whip linebacker, had five tackles, including two for loss; a sack; and a forced fumble.

"Those are two guys who play the game the right way and are the right kind of people," Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ... The No. 1 defense allowed only one touchdown, and that came in a 5-yard goal-line situation. ... Beamer said the coaches will spend the next two days reviewing video and decide on their best 10 offensive linemen to begin preparations for ECU.