Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509250102
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
One week after registering no pulse against lowly Cincinnati, the Hokies pulled a Lazarus act Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 51,206 at Lane Stadium.
In a game they had to win to keep their season alive, the Hokies responded with one of the biggest victories in school history, beating 17th-ranked Miami 13-7.
The victory was Tech's first over Miami (1-2) in 13 meetings. It couldn't have come at a better time for the Hokies (1-2).
``This is just what the doctor ordered,'' said Tech senior tailback Dwayne Thomas, who ran for 165 yards, just 7 yards shy of his career high. ``We had to have this one. There was no way we could start the season 0-3. It was either do it today, or else. Now we've got this one behind us, I don't think anybody is going to stop us.''
The 'Canes couldn't. Tech out-rushed Miami 300 yards to 51. The Hokies averaged 6.1 yards per play on offense.
If it weren't for Bryan Still's dropped touchdown pass and four missed field goals by Atle Larsen, Tech's Miami mugging would have been much more severe.
As it was, Tech had to sweat at the end. The victory wasn't sealed until Hokies freshman cornerback Loren Johnson broke up a fourth-down pass intended for Yatil Green inside the Tech 5 with 17 seconds left.
There was contact on the play, but no flags were thrown. The no-call left first-year Miami coach Butch Davis furious.
``When you're on the road you're not going to get those calls,'' Davis said. ``The officials are not going to have the courage to make that kind of call on the the goal line.''
After Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller kneeled on the next play, delirium broke out. Hundreds of fans stormed the field in celebration. Attempts to tear down both goal posts were foiled by police.
``It's the biggest win I've been involved with in my 18 years here,'' said Billy Hite, a Tech assistant coach. ``To beat a national power like Miami is great for our program. It sure beats the hell out of last week.''
Ah, last week. In committing the sin of losing to Cincinnati on Sept.16, the Hokies were simply awful. After a week of hearing how bad they were, the Tech players had had about enough.
``We had backed ourselves in a corner and we had to fight out of it,'' said Chris Malone, Tech's senior offensive guard.
Miami ``walked into a bad situation because we were hacked off and we played like it.''
Tech came out, lined up and went toe-to-toe against a young Miami defense. The Hokies, who had thrown 83 passes in their two losses, ran the ball their first nine plays, driving 49 yards to the Miami 3 before the drive stalled and Larsen's 25-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Twan Russell.
``We had watched the UCLA tape [a 31-8 victory over Miami] and saw their offensive lineman just crush 'em,'' Malone said. ``The attitude we took was just to go out and run the ball. We didn't want to finesse 'em, just smash 'em.''
The Tech line, woefully ineffective against Cincinnati, consistently blew the lighter 'Canes off the line of scrimmage. It finally opened some holes for Thomas, who had managed only 98 yards rushing on 33 carries in the first two games.
``They were big enough for Mack trucks to go through,'' Thomas said of the gaps sprung by the line and fullback Brian Edmonds. ``The coaches said we were going to run the ball right down their throats and that's what we did.''
On Tech's second possession, two more Thomas runs set up Druckenmiller for play-action. After a fake to Thomas, he went up top and found wide-open Bryan Still for a 47-yard bomb to the Miami 1. Thomas' 1-yard dive put Tech ahead 7-0 with 3:09 left in the first quarter.
The next time it had the ball, Tech squandered a chance to go up 14-0 when Still, all by himself, dropped a sure touchdown pass at the Miami 10.
After linebacker Brandon Semones picked off a Ryan Collins pass to stop Miami's next drive at the Tech 8, the Hokies went back to work on the ground. Thomas' backup, sophomore tailback Ken Oxendine, had 43 yards rushing on a 68-yard march that set up Larsen's 44-yard field goal.
A Miami team that is no match for past Hurricanes outfits then responded with its only score of the day. Danyell Ferguson, the 'Canes' only running threat, with 75 yards, capped a nine-play, 65-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Thanks to a 40-yard jaunt by Thomas, Tech had a chance to score again before halftime. But Larsen misfired on a 35-yard field-goal attempt.
So Tech, despite dominating, led 10-7 when it easily could have been up 16.
``We let some opportunities get away,'' said Frank Beamer, the Hokies' coach. ``And when you let them go by and don't score, they usually don't come back around. This game, to be honest, should have been over earlier.''
After both clubs missed long field-goal attempts in a scoreless third quarter, Tech set up its final score when it blocked a Miami punt for the third consecutive year. Tech freshman Angelo Harrison stormed through the line and took the ball off the foot of Miami punter Mike Crissy, and Tech's Michael Stuewe recovered at the Miami 9.
But the Hokies couldn't punch the ball in and settled for a 20-yard Larsen field goal that made it a six-point game.
Miami, with backup quarterback Ryan Clement spelling injured Collins (sprained right shoulder), drove inside the Tech 25 twice in the final 10 minutes, but ran out of downs both times.
And, Tech - finally - had exorcised the curse of Miami.
``I think you media guys had buried us,'' said Tech center Billy Conaty. ``We knew we were a good team, and I think today we proved it.''
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB