Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509250095
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
On a day when Virginia Tech beat Miami behind the performances of tailbacks Dwayne Thomas and Ken Oxendine, it was a guy who played in the opposing backfield who may have made the most difference.
That would be Hokie defensive tackle J.C. Price.
Price came through with more clutch hits than Albert Belle - most of those coming behind the Hurricanes' line of scrimmage - as Tech's defense saved the day in a 13-7 Big East eye-popper at Lane Stadium on Saturday.
Price's three sacks were crucial to the Hokie cause. So was linebacker Brandon Semones' interception on the Hokies' 4-yard line early in the second quarter. Ditto for freshman cornerback Loren Johnson's break-up of Ryan Clement's last-ditch pass in the end zone.
Even though the Hokies surrendered 320 yards through the air, they came up with enough big plays to close the deal.
``The defensive guys came up strong,'' Tech head coach Frank Beamer said.
Tech stuffed Miami up front, limiting the Hurricanes to just 51 rushing yards.
``We wanted to shut down their running game and get to the passing game,'' Tech defensive end Cornell Brown said. ``We felt like the defense could win it.''
After getting just three sacks in its first two games, Tech had six Saturday. Three of those were by Price, who threw Clement for a 10-yard loss on the Hurricanes' last drive with just 29 seconds to play.
It was the biggest play from a pass rush that had been missing in Tech's first two games. Defensive line coach Todd Grantham and co-defensive coordinators Bud Foster and Rod Sharpless came up with some new blitzes and stunts to allow the Hokies to get better penetration, especially in the middle of the line.
``We changed some things this week,'' said Price, a 6-foot-3, 275-pound senior from Dunkirk, Md. ``In the first two games, our defensive linemen were getting double-teamed. Coach Grantham came up with some stuff, some twists, some different schemes.''
The blitzing was risky for the Hokies, because it increased the pressure on the secondary, including Johnson, a freshman who started in place of injured cornerback Antonio Banks.
It was no secret that Miami was going to throw the ball to Johnson's side of the field on its last play.
``Everybody was calling that,'' Johnson said. ``People on my side were saying, "They're coming your way! You're the freshman! They're coming your way!' ''
Clement, who came in after starter Ryan Collins was injured in the first half, lofted the ball toward Yatil Green, the man Johnson was covering.
Both players went up for the ball just in front of the goal line. There was contact. Both players hit the ground without the football. No flag was thrown.
``I don't know if I got away with a personal foul,'' Johnson said. ``I just went up for the ball.''
It was sweet revenge for Johnson, a native of Miramar, Fla., who was not recruited by any of the major colleges in his home state.
``They sent me some letters [in the early recruiting period],'' Johnson said. ``But my high school coach [Mark Guandolo] said letters don't mean anything.''
Johnson and fellow freshman Pierson Prioleau may be young, but they probably gained a few gray hairs Saturday.
``We hung 'em out there a couple of times,'' Beamer said. ``When there's a new quarterback in there, you've got to go after him.''
Tech's defense had played well in its last two games against the Hurricanes - a 24-3 loss last season and a 21-2 loss in 1993. On Saturday, though, they did something historic. A Miami team has scored seven points or fewer just once in the past 10 seasons, that coming in the memorable 29-0 drubbing suffered to Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 1994.
Miami's lowest output before that came in a 35-7 loss to Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1986.
Miami had not scored fewer than seven points in a regular-season game since a 38-3 loss to Florida State on Sept. 22, 1984, a span of 117 regular-season games.
The Hokies did a better job of guarding their goal line than the overmatched security force did guarding the goal posts from the students that swarmed the field after the game.
While a couple of bursts of Mace sent some folks scurrying away coughing and gagging, a band of students climbed the goal posts and tried to tear them down. The goal posts swayed and bent, but they did not fall apart.
Sort of like the Hokie defense.
``When you go up against the best team in our league, and you control them up front where it counts,'' Beamer said, ``you've got a chance.''
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB