THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 26, 1994 TAG: 9410260576
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
There will be two significant differences between last year and this year when Virginia Tech meets Miami in the Orange Bowl on Saturday.
One is that the Hurricanes are no longer unbeatable at home - Washington proved that last month. The other is Tech's offense won't be as unimaginative as Penn State's uniforms.
The Hokies treated last year's game at Miami as if they were playing in a hurricane, not against the Hurricanes. Tech seemed almost afraid to put the ball in the air - 14 attempted passes - while pounding and pounding and pounding the running game.
The only problem was, the Hokies ground game got pounded.
Miami held Virginia Tech to 125 yards on 45 carries (2.8 per rush) in a 21-2 victory at the Orange Bowl. Tech was determined to establish the run, failed to do so but remained too conservative.
``Maybe we were,'' coach Frank Beamer said, ``but we did what we had at the time.''
``Definitely I was very frustrated with the amount of times we threw the football,'' Tech receiver Antonio Freeman said. ``I thought we could have gone to the air more than we did.''
Beamer virtually promised Tuesday that Tech will pass more Saturday (WVEC, 3:30 p.m.). After the Miami and West Virginia losses early last season, the Hokies instituted the shotgun and four-receiver sets. While Beamer said ball control is pivotal against a team as talented as Miami, the passing game will be as important in establishing that as the run.
And college football may never again see a team as dominant at home as the Hurricanes were from September of 1985 to this September. Miami won 58 consecutive games at the Orange Bowl, an NCAA record, including four victories over the nation's top-ranked team.
But Washington ended it all Sept. 24 with a 38-20 victory in the Orange Bowl. What impact does that have on Tech's chances to win there?
Depends on whom you talk to.
``It's going to be hard for anyone to beat us in the Orange Bowl now,'' said Miami safety C.J. Richardson. ``If we had beaten Washington, I'd still have the same feeling we're invincible in the Orange Bowl. Now, I know we can lose.''
But, then again, so do the Hokies.
``I think it helped us,'' Freeman said. ``It shows Miami is capable of making mistakes and they are beatable at home.
``Washington went down there and played well and executed and beat them. It brought Miami, I guess you could say, down to earth.''
Hurricanes coach Dennis Erickson disputes the loss diminished Miami's reputation in any way. ``I don't know that we ever lost any mystique anyplace,'' he said.
Beamer seemed to agree as he gushed about the Hurricanes (5-1, 2-0 Big East) the past few days. He said losing to Washington just made Miami mad, which doesn't help Tech (7-1, 4-1).
``I'm not sure Miami is a team you want irritated if you've still got to play them,'' Beamer said. by CNB