Logan Thomas’ 19-yard score on 4th and one gave the Hokies the lead with 47 seconds remaining.
Just how rare was that 4th down conversion? The Hokies have shown over the past five years to be a below-average team on 4th down.
Since 2007, the Hokies have converted just 37 percent of their 4th down attempts, including just one of five in 2011. With no other choice but to go for it (the Hokies were down four with 1:01 remaining), Thomas pulled the ball from David Wilson’s stomach and rumbled in for the go-ahead score.
The 19-yard score is the second-longest rushing play on fourth down in the ACC this season. Defensive back Jemea Thomas of Georgia Tech had a 27-yarder earlier this season against NC State.
“I guess Coach O’Cain saw something on those last two runs,” Thomas said. “He called my number. It really wasn’t a read right there. He just called my number. Everybody was like, ‘Get this one (yard).’ I stepped through the hole and there was nothing there. I guess the rest was history.”
What did coach Frank Beamer think of the play call?
“We had a timeout,” Beamer said. “It was just two good players that got the ball.”
Beamer said it wasn’t the original play call, though.
“We had another play called,” he said. “Then after that, we came back to that. Mike O’Cain, I thought he called a great game.”
Exum turning it on in ACC play
Free safety Antone Exum started-off 2011 a bit slow — at least that’s what the statistics show.
Exum three tackles in each of the Hokies first four games, but has turned it on in ACC play. The redshirt-sophomore has posted back-to-back 10 tackle games, and has been the Hokies’ No. 1 or No. 2 tackler in those games.
With the loss of defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins (ACL) for the season and James Gayle (ankle) for the game, the Hurricanes were able to rip-off some big gains as the defense wore down. Tailback Lamar Miller seemed to be getting into the secondary on almost every single play, and it was usually Exum who was the last line of defense.
Random Notes
—UM tailback Lamar Miller finished the day with 166 yards on the ground. A season ago in Coral Gables, Miller rushed for 163 yards against the Hokies.
—Miller rushed for 124 yards on seven carries in the fourth quarter against the Hokies, which equals 17.7 yards per carry. Miller entered Saturday averaging just under four yards per carry in the four quarter. Pittsburgh’s Ray Graham had 222 total yards on 28 carries in the fourth quarter entering Saturday’s action. Miller had more than half that on just seven carries against the Hokies.
—True freshman Michael Branthover punted twice Saturday for an average of 42 yards. If he maintains that average throughout the rest of the season, he’ll rank somewhere in the 30-50 range nationally in terms of yards per punt.
For whatever reason, the Virginia Tech offense came alive Saturday afternoon.
After a loss to Clemson that resulted in no touchdowns, a 38-35 win over the Miami Hurricanes was unexpected to say the least.
In that devastating loss to a Clemson team not known for their defense, the Hokies managed just 258 yards of total offense, 125 of which came via Logan Thomas’ strong right arm.
Saturday, the offense was clicking.
The Hokies jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first half, highlighted by several spectacular plays by Thomas.
After leading the Hokies down the field on their first drive of the game, Thomas pulled the ball on a read-option play, resulting in an easy seven-yard touchdown run.
Then, on the first play of the second quarter, Thomas found a wide-open Danny Coale across the middle for a 40-yard touchdown pass.
To put that in perspective, Thomas finished the Clemson game with terrible passing numbers. His longest play in that game was a 16-yard pass.
Saturday, Thomas saw some open guys, and he delivered. He finished the day with six plays of 16 yards or longer, including touchdown passes of 40 and 60 yards.
So, what changed?
“More practice and getting familiar with the receivers,” Thomas said. “Our chemistry’s pretty good already, but more practice made it even better.”
Could it be just practice, though? The Hokies only had the six calendar days since the Clemson loss to improve the offense. Thomas clearly looked more comfortable in the pocket throwing the ball against the Hurricanes.
“When we picked up that first third down, my feet were comfortable; I wasn’t patting the ball or anything like that,” Thomas said. “I was comfortable from there on out, and once a quarterback gets comfortable, it makes the game a whole lot easier and slows things down.”
His head coach Frank Beamer was pleased with the way the offense performed.
“I thought our offense came back and answered every call,” Beamer said. “Every time (Miami) closed, our offense came back. The execution, the operation, the leadership, the toughness and being relentless — I thought it was there.”
Thomas, who took over for Virginia Tech’s all-time leader in wins by a quarterback in Tyrod Taylor this year, said the two exchanged some meaningful words on the sideline during the game.
“We got off to a quick start, so he just said ‘Keep on rolling,’” Thomas said. “Then when it came down to that last position, he said, ‘this is where legends are made. This is where you make your legacy.’”
That game-winning touchdown, a 19-yard read-option play up the middle, put the exclamation point on a dramatic victory.
“I guess coach O’Cain saw something on those last two runs,” Thomas said. “He called my number, it really wasn’t a read right there. Everybody’s mindset was, ‘Let’s get this one or two yards, and get this first down and get going,’ but, when I stepped through the hole, there was nothing there, and I guess the rest is history.”
Beamer likes the way his quarterback is put together.
“He’s made of the right stuff,” Beamer said. “I always thought he was and always knew he was. He’s poised, tough, under control and talented.”
Was it just one magical game, or is the offense really back on track? That’s what the games are for, and the Hokies have a tough one next Saturday in Winston Salem.
Branthover takes over
True freshman Michael Branthover made his collegiate debut Saturday as the Hokies’ punter, replacing the much-maligned Scott Demler.
Branthover now becomes the seventh true freshman to see action thus far in 2011.
“He’s been a little bit erratic,” Beamer said. “I said I’m going to ride those two things, the strongest leg and the quickest operation time.”
Branthover punted twice Saturday, booming a 52-yarder as well as a 32-yarder. His first punt, the better of the two, solicited cheers from the Hokie faithful, many of which were calling for Demler’s job.
Miller and Wilson go at it
In Saturday marquee matchup, tailbacks David Wilson and Lamar Miller dazzled the crowd with several incredible plays.
Both members of the recruiting class of 2009, Wilson and Miller accounted for 29 percent of the day’s total offensive output.
Miller, who torched the Hokies defense a season ago in Coral Gables, entered Saturday’s game averaging 127.75 yards per game. He did nothing but improve that number, as he rushed for 166 yards and a touchdown against the Hokies.
“I was just being patient and letting the hole develop,” Miller said. “The offensive line did a great job, and I just did the rest. We came out kind of slow offensively, and in the second half we kind of picked it up.”
The Hurricanes gained just 53 yards in the first half on the ground, but finished with 236 yards on the day. The second half explosion was a mindset that the Hurricanes came in with.
“We knew that Hopkins was out, and that was a blow to them because he’s such a great player,” said center Tyler Horn. “We knew they had some freshmen inside and some inexperience. At the end of the day, we’re a good offensive line. “Coach Golden challenged us to be great, and we kind of took that.”
Coach Al Golden said Miller wasn’t 100 percent healthy in the Canes previous two games against Kansas State and Bethune-Cookman.
“The last two weeks, he wasn’t running like Lamar,” Golden said. “He was still getting his yards, but he wasn’t running like Lamar. I’m glad he’s healthier now. That’s what he’s capable of doing.”
Wilson on the other hand likes the way the Hokies came off the loss to Clemson.
“We came off a loss to Clemson, and after that I told the team we weren’t going to lose anymore,” Wilson said. “It didn’t sit well in stomach, especially losing to them because I felt like we kind of beat ourselves. Hopefully we’ll see Clemson again in the ACC championship and we’ll be ready.”
The following statement sums it up for the Hokies, who finished the day with 482 yards of total offense.
“Our goal is to score more points than the opponent, and that’s what we did,” he said.
—
@MattJonesCT
Sports editor Zach Mariner contributed to this report
As part of our coverage of the Hokies game against Miami, our sports staff gave their thoughts on how the matchup would play out.
—
After an embarrassing showing on national television last week, Virginia Tech tries to get back on track against their rival Miami. The Hokies have another chance this weekend to prove that they are no joke on national television at 3:30. The key to victory for the Hokies has got to be for the offense to get back on track. When game time comes, all eyes will be on Logan Thomas, after having a flat showing against Clemson. The defense will be there to rattle Jacory Harris and force him into some early turnovers. After coming off an embarrassing loss last week against Clemson, I look for the Hokies to get back in the win column: 27-17. — Zack Conway
This Saturday’s game is do-or-die for both teams. The loser will fall to 0-2 in ACC play, and neither team wants that weight moving forward. No fan for either team will want to admit it, but Tech and Miami are very similar this year. Both teams’ defense appears to be playing better than their offense, and they both have star running backs who can put up impressive numbers on the ground. The difference in the game will be who better protects the ball, and after forcing six Miami turnovers last year, I like the Hokies’ chances at home. Tech wins it, 28-24. — Mike Platania
It’s hard to beat teams who view you as a one dimensional threat. That being said, Miami’s depleted run defense is going to watch those Clemson tapes and try to apply a similar formula which will bottle up the Hokies and somehow keep us out of the end zone. They will put pressure on Logan Thomas and the receivers, forcing them to be the playmakers. It’s not going to be pretty but I think that our offensive line and David Wilson are just going to hit Miami in the mouth and come right after that soft run D. I also think Logan Thomas will sting them a few times for underestimating him. I don’t see us giving up two in a row in Lane. Hokies pull out the win in a close one. Virginia Tech: 21, Miami: 17. — Brooks Tiffany
The Hurricanes have a strong running game and a relatively experienced quarterback in Jacory Harris. While he’s vulnerable to interceptions, I think Harris has learned from his past mistakes in Blacksburg, and I think he’ll be able to find some open receivers against the Hokies defense that will be keying on the run. Offensively, this looks like a game to get the Hokies back on track, as Miami is without defensive tackle Marcus Fortson, a big part of their defense. If Logan Thomas can make the proper reads and make enough plays through the air to keep the defense off David Wilson’s back, I think the Hokies will take this one. However, the Canes step up with in this one and steal a win in Blacksburg. Miami 17, Virginia Tech 14. — Matt Jones
With the ACC Coastal Division title on the line, last year the Hokies traveled to Miami to take on the Hurricanes.
Whenever Virginia Tech and Miami play, things get ugly. Not ugly in that there are cheap shots, lots of penalties and fights, but ugly in that it is physical, hard-hitting and intense football. These are two tough teams that are no strangers to playing on big stages and bowl games, and both love to play defense and hit hard.
Despite not being “official” rivals, Virginia Tech and Miami have found bad blood between them since Tech joined the ACC in 2004. The two ACC giants have stood in each other’s way every year, and it always makes for a great game.
Miami had home field advantage, and hopped out to an early lead. The teams gave each other all they could handle through three quarters, and they went into the fourth quarter tied at 17.
The ground game was the focal point for both teams. The Hokies and Hurricanes combined for over 500 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Miami RB Lamar Miller averaged over 10 yards per carry and 163 yards on the day. The Hurricanes were efficient in splitting carries, with three backs averaging over 5 yards per carry.
The Hokies’ running game was fueled by a dominant offensive line and now-Arizona Cardinal RB Ryan Williams. Williams ran for two touchdowns, including an 84-yard run up the middle of the Miami defense in the fourth quarter. The Hokies’ longest play from scrimmage gave them the lead permanently.
Both teams’ passing numbers are indicative of how well they ran the ball. Miami QB Stephen Morris only threw for 202 yards and Tech QB Tyrod Taylor threw for less than 100 on only 14 attempts. Taylor still managed to find WR Danny Coale on a 43-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
The X-factor in the game was undoubtedly the Hokies’ defense. Virginia Tech forced 6 turnovers with an even split of three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
If not for these takeaways, Miami would have likely ended up on the winning side of things. The Hurricanes’ offense amassed 464 yards of offense, but their Achilles heel was their inability to protect the ball.
The game was up for grabs the entire time, but the game was all but sealed for the Hokies after an 18-yard touchdown run from Taylor midway through the fourth quarter.
The key to victory here was ball security. Turnover differential is very indicative of who will win; protect the ball and your odds of winning increase dramatically. The Hokies were +5 in turnover differential, and because of that went back to Blacksburg having beat Miami for the second consecutive year, this time in Miami’s house.
This time around, look for the Hokies and Hurricanes both try to recreate their success on the ground. With Lamar Miller running for the Hurricanes and David Wilson rushing for the Hokies, this matchup should be the kind of physical game we’ve come to expect from these teams.
Flip on any Miami game from this season, and running back Lamar Miller will impress you.
At 5-foot-11, 212 pounds, Miller’s built a little like former UM tailback Frank Gore, who is now an All-Pro with the San Francisco 49ers.
Working behind an offensive line that has no trouble backing away from the dinner table (average weight is 314 pounds), Miller has racked-up some serious yardage so far in his redshirt-sophomore campaign.
The Hurricanes aren’t going to try and fool opponents with complicated schemes and shifts. They’re going to run it right at you.
“This is a game, it isn’t a lot of sideways, and it isn’t a lot of that option stuff,” said defensive line coach Charley Wiles. “None of that bells and whistles — this isn’t that. This is No. 6 (Miller) is getting it, and we’ve got these monsters up front, so it’s totally different.”
Miller’s 127.25 yards per game so far this season is good for seventh in the country.
“I think (Miller) is probably the best back in the league,” said Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster. “He’s a dynamic player, he’s got great vision, great quickness, outstanding speed, he breaks tackles, and he runs behind the best line we’ve seen right now.”
Among those 46 carries thus far this season, four of them have gone for 40-plus yards, tied for first in the country. The Hokies have allowed no plays of 40-plus yards on the ground, and just one over 30 yards.
“I think it’s a big game for everybody, because it takes everybody to stop the run,” Foster said. “We’ve got our hands full and we’ve got to stop the run, there’s no doubt about that.”
Miller, who seems to peak statistically in the early in games, averages 6.94 yards per carry in the second quarter. The Hokies are allowing just 2.16 yards per carry in the second quarter, good for ninth in the country.
While he isn’t a threat in the passing game, Miller handles another vital area for the Hurricanes. Along with wide receiver Travis Benjamin, the two are averaging 24.19 yards per return. Hokies kickoff specialist Justin Myer is kicking touchbacks 46.43 percent of the time, good for sixth in country.
He’s got someone who’s seen a lot of great tailbacks impressed.
“He’s very good,” said head coach Frank Beamer. “I think he’s a very patient runner. He’s got all of the power. He’s got speed. Just very, very impressive.”
Teammates respond to Hopkins injury
The loss of defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins to a season-ending knee was a tough blow to the defense.
“It just hurts losing a guy of that caliber,” said middle linebacker Bruce Taylor. “He was a guarantee to make plays every game. His get-off, technique and fundamentals, and his all around football IQ was just so good.”
“That’s a tough loss, because he really could hold the fort in there,” Beamer said. “He was really a strong guy, athletic guy and had taken lot of snaps; so it’s a big loss.”
The Hokies are now forced to fill-in at defensive tackle against a very strong Hurricanes offensive line. The likely contributors are a pair of talented true freshmen.
Corey Marshall and Luther Maddy could never have dreamed they’d be seeing major playing time in October against Miami when the season started. Now, one of them will be starting.
“As a freshman, that brings me great pride and enjoyment, knowing that I can step in and fill-in like that,” Marshall said. “Playing in front of the home fans, playing in front of your parents seeing you as a true freshman, that’s a great feeling.”
Maddy is also excited about coming out and showing what he can do.
“I worked for it, and all the hard work has paid off,” Maddy said. “Put in what you want out, that’s what I think every time I work out.”
While Hopkins may be injured, he hasn’t distanced himself at all from the team.
“He still talks to the group as a whole, he still comes to the film sessions, he’s still around the group,” Marshall said. “It’s a collective process, we’ll work on this together as a unit, and we’ll have to step our level up.”
Harris comes back to Blacksburg
He’s notorious for making plays, but also giving away games.
UM quarterback Jacory Harris will make his return trip to Blacksburg on Saturday, two years after a rain-soaked Hokies win.
Harris has made some adjustments in new head coach Al Golden’s offense, and the results are showing progress. Harris has completed 69 percent of his passes, and has thrown only three interceptions.
“He’s a senior, and he’s got tremendous ability,” Foster said. “We’re going to have to play very well against him. That’s all I’m going to say about that.”
Foster didn’t want to get into the fact that Harris was a virtual INT machine in 2010, completing just 55 percent of his passes and turning the ball over through the air 15 times.
The Hokies will counter Harris’ playmaking ability with a Floridian of their own. Jayron Hosley, who came into the year hoping to pick-off 15 passes, see’s the Miami game as an opportunity to pad his stats.
“(Harris) sometimes throws the ball a little blindly. He gets a little reckless sometimes when under pressure,” Hosley said.
Golden has thrown out all preconceived notions that Harris isn’t the player to lead the Hurricanes to a national championship.
“He’s a young man that provides us with the leadership, and line of scrimmage protocol that we need,” Golden said. “So I’ve been pleased with him, and I’m anxious for the opportunity he has on Saturday.”
The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team recorded their second-straight win to start the season Sunday, defeating the Dukes of James Madison by a score of 3-1.
The Hokies, under first-year head coach Chugger Adair, jumped on top in the 27th minute when Katie Yensen scored her first goal of the season. Shannon Mayrose and Jazmine Reeves also added goals for the Hokies.
This is the second year in a row the Hokies have started their season 2-0. In 2010, Tech followed up their quick start with a three-game slide that included losses to Texas A&M, Long Beach State and Kentucky. Without a top-flight non-conference matchup on their schedule, the Hokies should enter ACC play in position to return to the NCAA Tournament.
With returning All-ACC Freshmen in Reeves and Dayle Colpitts and seven retuning starters, the Hokies should again make a run at the NCAA Tournament.
—
Six former Virginia Tech athletes were named to the Tech Hall of Fame Sunday, including three former football players.
Kicker Shayne Graham, best remembered for his game-winning field goal vs. West Virginia in 1999, gains induction to the exclusive club.
Defensive back John Moody, who became one of the university’s biggest athletic fund-raisers over the course of nearly 40 years.
Phil Rogers, who helped the Hokies during the early 7o’s at both tailback and quarterback.
World Champion pitcher Brad Clontz of the Atlanta Braves during the 1995 season.
Heavyweight wrestler Josh Feldman, who compiled a career record of 85-23-1, including All-American honors.
Tere Williams, the Hokies first women’s basketball player to be drafted into the WNBA.
As the Yahoo! Sports report on Miami football gains steam, memories of the Southern Methodist University scandal during their run in the 1980′s are revisited.
SMU had been sanctioned multiple times in the 10 years leading up to receiving the death penalty for recruiting violations, including being placed on three years’ probation in 1985. But the money kept flowing because school officials, including former Texas Gov. Bill Clements, the head of SMU’s board, were afraid that players already on the payroll would expose the cheating if they were cut off.
SMU was ultimately handed the first and only ‘Death Penalty’ by the NCAA. Could something similar happen to the ‘Canes?
Notre Dame’s season rests heavily on the shoulders of whomever head coach Brian Kelly decides to go with at quarterback, writes Tom Davis.
Kurt Voigt writes that Arkansas receivers Greg Childs, Jarius Wright and Joe Adams made a unique decision coming out of high school.
They were some of the most accomplished receivers in the state’s history and had plenty of opportunities to play college football somewhere else. Instead, they stayed home to form the core of Bobby Petrino’s first recruiting class.
“Before we all decided to come, we talked to each other and said, ‘Instead of leaving and making another state proud, let’s go to Arkansas and bring our own state up,’” Wright said. “We felt like then we were some of the best receivers in the country as high school kids and felt like we could make a difference, so we decided to come here.”
In 2004, the Miami Hurricanes joined the ACC in a move that was supposed to solidify the league as a football powerhouse. Seven years later, they have jeopardized the future of the league, as we know it.
The evidence that Nevin Shapiro provided to Yahoo! Sports investigative reporters Charles Robinson and Dan Wetzel is enough to burn Miami football to the ground. If the NCAA finds any or all of it to be true, there is no telling how severe the punishment will be. It may very well result in the disbandment of the football program altogether. If that happens, it will instantly cut the legs out from under the ACC.
If Miami were indeed removed from the football universe, it would leave the league with 11 teams still carrying a pulse. Under the current NCAA rules, the league would be ineligible to hold a conference championship game. Uh-oh.
Now, the NCAA would never hang the league out to dry with such a ruling. So how would it accommodate the ACC in the wake of whatever punishment it doles out on Miami?
They could give the league a special exception to the 12-team minimum and allow a conference title game. But even that doesn’t make sense. It would never be fair for one division to have six teams and another only five. It’s a simple competitive imbalance that nullifies that idea.
Can the ACC eliminate divisions, re-creating the 11-team format from 2004? Sure, but there goes the lucrative championship game again.
The Hurricanes’ men’s basketball program will almost certainly face sanctions to a degree, but it will not remotely match what happens to the football team. Otherwise, the rest of the school’s athletic department will, at the end of the day, function as normal. That makes it virtually impossible to kick Miami out of the ACC. It’s just not practical.
Even though football is the cash cow of the league, an expulsion across all sports could never happen. So while Miami would still retain membership in the league, the loss of a football program could cripple the ACC as much as it does the school in question.
So, what choice does that leave the rest of the schools in the league? If they were smart, they’d begin looking for work elsewhere.
If they aren’t already.
Florida State, Clemson and Virginia Tech were all mentioned in various reports last week as potential targets for SEC expansion. Most of the talk that tied those programs to any type of move was pure speculation. Throw it all out the window, press the reset button, whatever. The game has changed.
There comes a point where the NCAA has to make a decision on Miami that is in the best interest of all parties involved.
Unprecedented levels of punishment are in order if the NCAA does not opt for the death penalty. USC’s two-year bowl ban and 30-scholarship reduction should be a slap on the wrist compared to what happens to the Hurricanes. But, at that point, it wouldn’t be worth continuing the program. Miami would be forced to operate at critical losses. Oh, and good luck hiring a coaching staff. And you thought Vanderbilt was a coach killer.
The decimation of Miami is going to radically alter the landscape of the ACC. Nobody really knows how bad it’s going to get, which is the scariest part of the story for everyone else.
Miami giveth, Miami taketh away. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Swofford.
