Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 19, 1993 TAG: 9309200270
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MIAMI LENGTH: Long
Tech's offense was second nationally in total yards and tied for third in scoring after two games.
But it found the buzz-cut turf at the Orange Bowl more like quicksand than a putting green as the Hurricanes smothered Tech 21-2 in a Big East Conference game before a crowd of 55,753.
The Hokies gained 176 total yards, 404 fewer than their average, and their only points came when freshman Willie Wilkins blocked a Mike Crissy punt with 4 minutes, 35 seconds left in the game and the ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety.
Miami won its eighth consecutive home opener, its 29th consecutive regular-season game and its 59th in a row against unranked opponents.
Miami (2-0 overall, 2-0 in the Big East) set the tone with a 20-play, 85-yard drive to open the game, consuming 11 minutes, 6 seconds and resulting in Larry Jones' 1-yard touchdown run.
Though the Hokies (2-1, 1-1) trailed by just that margin at halftime, it was apparent Miami's defense had Tech in a choke hold.
"It's a great defense. A great defense," said Tech quarterback Maurice DeShazo, who sprained his right knee in the third quarter and is questionable for a home game Sept. 25 against Maryland.
Hokies tailback Dwayne Thomas, the Big East co-offensive player of the week after a 170-yard game against Pitt, was held to 41 yards. Tech couldn't run - although it tried to on all but two first-down plays - and when DeShazo dropped to pass, he rarely had more than a second or two to throw.
"They were beating us to where we wanted to go," Thomas said. "We had to do things quicker than what we usually do. We had to change up a lot of things, and we just didn't get it done."
Miami did, though with less glitz than last year's Hurricanes, led by Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta. Erratic junior quarterback Frank Costa, pressured most of the day by Tech, completed 19 of 37 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown.
Tech's defense survived the marathon first drive in the tropical 88-degree heat to hold Miami to 54 rushing yards and 279 total yards.
But the Hokies' aggression led to six offsides penalties and was not enough to end Miami's home winning streak, now at 52 games.
"We want to come off [the ball] as fast as we can," tackle Jeff Holland said of the penalties. "If they go on the second `hut,' that's going to screw us up."
Tech had 12 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and five sacks.
"They just came after us, and they had to to beat us," said Dennis Erickson, the Hurricanes' coach. "They came up with some big plays. In that situation, they are going to get you and you are going to get them. We just scored enough points to win."
Costa was sacked four times, but released a 45-yard touchdown pass to A.C. Tellison just before blitzing cornerback Larry Green made contact. The score gave Miami a 14-0 lead with 10:57 left in the first half and brought Tech coach Frank Beamer onto the field to argue that the 30-second clock had run out.
On the first-and-10 play, Costa first lined up in the shotgun but checked off to another play. His audibles wound down the 30-second clock.
"Was it any question?" Beamer said. "I looked . . . and it said zero, then I looked back and the ball was being snapped."
Miami scored with 12:14 left in the fourth quarter on Derrick Harris' 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal. The Hokies prevented it from becoming a wider margin when linebacker Ken Brown intercepted backup quarterback Ryan Collins' pass on fourth-and-goal from the 9 with less than a minute left.
That was one of three turnovers for the Hurricanes, whose offense was criticized by Erickson. The Hokies, however, had five turnovers, including three fumbles.
One of those was a muffed punt by Antonio Freeman in the second quarter near the Tech 40. The ball was scooped up by Miami's C.J. Richardson and returned for a touchdown, but the score was called back when the fumble was ruled a muff, which cannot be advanced.
Tech's offense broke down when it had chances to score. After DeShazo was hurt in the third quarter with the ball at the Miami 18, Jim Druckenmiller entered the game. On third-and-13 from the 21, Druckenmiller tried to throw a pass out of the end zone, but the underthrown ball was intercepted by Dexter Seigler with 3:12 left.
Seigler has an interception in each of his last five games, tying former Miami great Bennie Blades for the school record.
In the fourth quarter, with Tech trailing 21-0 and facing fourth-and-one at the Miami 20, DeShazo was crunched on the option by several Hurricanes for a 3-yard loss.
"My fault," DeShazo said. "I didn't read the option."
The Hokies' offense had operated efficiently in its first two games, but was nettled by mental mistakes and physical breakdowns.
Miami's talent level had something to do with it, too. The Hurricanes lost starting linebacker Robert Bass (partially torn knee ligaments) early in the game, but freshman Ray Lewis stepped in and had 12 tackles, including one of Miami's 14 behind the line.
"You don't get to big ballgames and lose your poise," Beamer said. "There were some things you look and you really feel good about, and some things you know you could've done better.
"We were blocking the wrong people at times, not going the right way."
\ see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB