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I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but on Virginia Tech’s final, game-winning drive, the clock started run once Marcus Davis picked up a first down and ran out of bounds with 2:29 left to play. Once the chains were set for the new set of downs, the clock began to run.
Fans at the game noticed. Even the Hokies in the huddle started pointing at the scoreboard. But the announcers (I was at the game, but am watching it on DVR) didn’t seem to notice and I haven’t read anything about it anywhere. Maybe I’m missing something in the rules, but I was pretty sure that if you got out of bounds, the clock stopped. That was the case on a similar play later in the same drive when David Wilson stepped out, so my guess is that the officials just blew it, as they did at least three other calls that nearly cost the Hokies the game.
Back to that final drive, the Hokis had a first down with 2:29 to play, but when the clock started running when it shouldn’t have been, it burned 27 seconds off. Tech snapped the ball at the 2:02 mark. So the refs’ mistake actually benefitted the Hokies this time.
Imagine if Miami and it’s offense, which gashed Tech’s exhausted defense in the second half, had an extra 27 seconds on the final drive? My guess is that they’d have at last tied the game with a field goal. Instead, they were forced to try and make big plays and couldn’t get it done.
UPDATE: Apparently, there was a recent rule change in which the clock only stops when a player is ruled out of bounds when there is less than 2 minutes to play in a half. That would explain it. Thanks to sadclownhooker for the tip!
Ladies and gentlemen … meet the Energizer Bunny of Hokie fans. This girl never stopped jumping up and down waving those pom-poms. She was on Hokie Vision a number of times. Kudos to her for having that level of energy … along with 66,000 of her closest friends!
Virginia Tech receiver Jarrett Boykin is now the Hokies’ all-time leading receiver in career catches and yards. And barring an injury, his teammate Danny Coale will end up No. 2 in both categories by the end of this season.
It is very rare to have the top two receivers in a program’s history play at the same time. It might be a long time before we see a receiving combo like Boykin and Coale.
In our preview, we predicted the Hokies’ would win by a field goal and that David Wilson would get his 100+ yards. What we didn’t expect to happen is exactly what did happen. Both teams’ defenses gave up a combined 1,001 yards (Miami gave up 482, VT gave up 519), and both teams’ offenses put up big numbers (we predicted a 20-17 win).
With former Hokie quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Bryan Randall in attendance, Logan Thomas had perhaps one of the greats games ever by a Virginia Tech signal caller. He completed 23/25 passes - a 92 percent completion rate which is the highest ever in Beamer’s career. The only two incompletions were a dropped pass by Wilson and an intentional incomplete pass to prevent a sack.
Thomas threw for a career high 310 yards and nearly a third of those came on two passes; a 40-yard touchdown toss to Danny Coale and a 60-yard strike to Jarrett Boykin. The redshirt sophomore from Lynchburg accounted for all five Virginia Tech touchdowns. He threw for three and rushed for two, including the game-winning score with less than a minute to play in the fourth quarter.
On 4th-and-1 from Miami’s 19 yard line, Thomas faked a handoff to Wilson, who drew the attention of the Canes’ defense, but by the time they realized what happened, Thomas was sprinting to the end zone, untouched for the go-ahead score.
It was no secret that both Miami (2-3, 0-2) and Virginia Tech (5-1, 1-1) had suspect defenses coming into the game. The Canes were 105th against the run and had struggled all season, even giving up 200+ yards to Bethune-Cookman the week prior. The Hokies’ defense, meanwhile, ranked among the nation’s best against the run, but were banged up after having lost stud defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins for the season in the Clemson game. A pair of true freshmen filled in for Hopkins and played surprisingly well considering they were up against a monstrously big Canes offensive line. Corey Marshall and Luther Maddy rotated in and held their own.
But things went from bad to worse in the injury department for Bud Foster’s defense in the first quarter when starting defensive end James Gayle got cut blocked by Miami’s tight end on the first defensive series. The redshirt sophomore suffered a sprained ankle and did not return. Earlier this morning, Gayle posted on his Twitter account that x-rays were negative, that it was only a sprain and he should be good to go for Wake Forest next weekend.
Then Jeron Gouveia-Winslow went out with a sprained foot and also did not return. The injuries to G-W and Gayle forced career backups into action. Tyrel Wilson, a redshirt sophomore, stepped in for Gayle and registered two assists (tackles). The biggest surprise was how well Gouveia-Winslow’s backup played. Alonzo Tweedy, once on track to be a starter, but was slowed down by injuries, stepped in and had a career day with three solo tackles, five assists and his first career sack. One of his tackles was the last of the game, when he dragged down the ACC’s leading rusher Lamar Miller to seal the victory for the Hokies.
Notes
David Wilson rushed for almost exactly his average, 128 yards, and scored a touchdown on a pass from Thomas with :04 left in the first half. The touchdown gave the Hokies a 21-7 halftime lead. Wilson has rushed for more than 100 yards in five of the Hokies’ first six games this season. The record for most 100+ games in a season is 10 set by Ryan Williams in 2009.
Jarrett Boykin is now Virginia Tech’s most prolific wide receiver in school history. The senior passed Rickey Scales for first place in career receiving yards. Scales, who played from 1972-74, has 2,272 career yards, but with seven receptions for 120 yards, Boykin stormed into the lead with 2,356 career yards. Boykin already broke scales’ record for career receptions.
Speaking of receivers, Danny Coale is right behind Boykin and though he’s not likely to overtake his teammate, Coale should end his career ranked No. 2 in career yards. The senior from Lexington has 2,171 career yards, which ranks 4th in Tech history. He needs 37 yards to pass Antonio Freeman for third and 102 yards to overtake Rickey Scales for second place. Coale caught five passes for 91 yards against Miami and is already No. 2 in career receptions. He has 133 and Boykin has 143.
The Hokies’ did not record an interception against Miami, ending Tech’s streak of 12 straight games with a pick.
Next Up…
The Hokies are on the road against Wake Forest (4-1, 3-0), which shocked Florida State yesterday, 35-30. The Demon Deacons were picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division, but have overachieved and are tied with Clemson for the division lead at 3-0. Last year, the Hokies beat Wake easily, 52-21, at Lane Stadium, but did give up 256 yards rushing to Josh Harris, a record against the Hokies.
David Wilson scores the Hokies’ third touchdown of the game in the second quarter, just before the half, to give Tech a 21-7 lead.
Virginia Tech football fans got a surprise at the Miami game on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011, when the legendary metal band appeared on the video board (Hokie Vision) to wish the Hokie Nation luck before the game. It was epic!
It’s game day! Yeah, so we got our butts handed to us last week at home in the second worst home loss in Beamer’s 25 seasons. Sure, it was the first time we were held without a touchdown since 1995. But that was last week. And Clemson, I think we’ll find, is the real deal this year. They have three straight wins over ranked teams and show no signs of slowing down.
This week, the Hokies (4-1, 0-1), now ranked No. 21, are at home against their nemisis, “da U.” Once again, the Canes (2-2, 0-1) came into a season highly ranked, only to drop two of its first four games to middle-of-the-road teams: Maryland and Kansas St. Al Golden’s team did beat Ohio State, but the Buckeyes (3-2) have also proven that they’re overrated having lost to Miami and Michigan State.
That leaves us with today’s matchup, the 29th in the series between the two schools. The Hokies have won the last two and four of the last five. The Canes come in with a potentially potent passing attack - depending on which Miami quarterback shows up: good Jacory Harris or bad Jacory Harris. Last season, Harris threw more interceptions than touchdowns and so far this season, he’s thrown 6 TDs to 3 INTs.
Da U’s running game is scary good, however. Their stud running back Lamar Harris trails only David Wilson in rushing yards per game in the ACC. Wilson, Virginia Tech’s backfield dynamo, gains 128 yards per game while Harris is right behind him with 127. What makes Miami’s rushing attack so dangerous is their mammoth offensive line that averages 314 pounds and about 6 feet, 4 inches tall.
That brings us to the Hokies’ defense, which ranks first in the ACC in total defense and has proven to be pretty stout, even against its first real test, Clemson. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s lunchpail crew effectively shut down the Tigers, holding them to just 323 yards total offense and just 23 points, both season lows for Clemson.
Against Miami, however, Foster will be without Antoine Hopkins. Tech’s dominant defensive tackle was lost for the season with a knee injury against Clemson. Starting in his place is a true freshman, Corey Marshall, who is about 50 pounds lighter than Miami’s smallest offensive lineman. Marshall won’t have to do it alone, though, he’ll get some help … from another true freshman, Luther Maddy.
What’s at stake?
The loser of this game falls to 0-2 in the conference and will essentially be out of contention for the Coastl Division title. The Hokies haven’t lost consecutive home games since 2002 and have never started 0-2 in conference play under Frank Beamer.
What to watch for?
As with all Virginia Tech games, it’s hard to tell what’s going to happen today. Miami fans are probably feeling the same way. Both teams have taken similar paths so far this season - high expectations with colossal letdowns to their fans.
Quarterback play will be key. Both Harris and Tech’s Logan Thomas have potential to play very well, but it just depends on which QB shows up for each team. In Harris’ case, he’s a senior, so many of his mistakes at this point in his career are little more unforgivable. Thomas, on the other hand, is making his sixth career start as a redshirt sophomore, so he’s still learning.
Don’t expect Tech to take many shots downfield with the passing game. Miami’s defense is weak against the run, ranking just 105th in the country and giving up more than 200 yards per game. Their secondary is decent. They always recruit pretty fast and physical defensive backs, so I wouldn’t expect the Hokies to challenge them, especially when da U’s defensive line seems pretty shaky. Earlier this week, they lost their second starter for the season with an injury, so expect the Hokies to pound away at that line with steady doses of David Wilson and Josh Oglesby.
At the same time, Miami will get its yards on the ground, make no mistake. Their o-line is huge and their running back is relentless. The question is can Bud Foster’s young guys use their lateral speed to pursue the edges and mitigate the damage. Like Miami, Virginia Tech’s secondary is formidable and while the Canes have the weapons to put up big passing numbers, don’t expect them to take to the air unless they can’t get the ground game going.
Who’s going to win?
These teams are pretty evenly matches. Both have good running games, potentially good passing games depending on the quarterback play, banged up defensive lines and solid secondaries. This game could come down to special teams, which for the Hokies has been a constant source of disappointment thus far in the season. Tech’s punting situation is abysmal, ranking second the last in the country in yards per punt. The field goal unit hasn’t fared much better, either.
I’m going to give the slight edge to Virginia Tech. The home crowd has beautiful weather and will be rabid for Miami, a team they’ve come to hate with the fire of a thousand suns over the years. Tech fans help the Hokies stay fired up and make it loud for the Canes.
Final score: Hokies 20, Miami17
Oh no U didn’t! Oh yes U did!
