The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Virginia Tech – INSIDE SLANT
In the aftermath of Virginia Tech’s 48-34 loss at the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, Hokies players and coaches talked about their hopes of getting back on track and contending for a Coastal Division title.
At this point, Tech should be worried about making a bowl game.
“I’ve never been on a losing team. I hate losing. It’s just tough right now. It’s still fresh. We’ve just got to pull it together,” Hokies linebacker Bruce Taylor said.
The Hokies, who have played in 19 straight bowls, fell to 3-3 after their embarrassing performance against the Tar Heels. This is the earliest Tech has suffered its third loss since 1992, the last year it didn’t make a bowl.
Tech has lost three of its last four games and played poorly on defense in all three. Its lone win in the last month came at home against Bowling Green, and it hasn’t beaten a BCS conference team since its comeback victory over Georgia Tech in the season opener.
“We’re going to keep continuing to fight, continuing to get better,” Tech cornerback Antone Exum said. “We’ll get this together. I never thought we would be considered an average team by any means, and that’s not what we’re about, so we’ll get it together and we’ll get back to what we’re accustomed to being.”
The Hokies’ schedule gets tougher from this point forward, with Duke (5-1), Clemson (5-1), Miami (4-2) and Florida State (5-1) coming up.
“I know we can be more consistent than we were (against UNC), and that’s really what we’re looking for right now,” Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “I really still think we’re in the conference (championship race). I think we still control that, so we’ve got to get ready to play Duke next week and get on a roll going the other way. That’s going to be hard to do.”
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NCAAF Team Report – Virginia Tech – NOTES, QUOTES
WHAT’S AHEAD: The surging Duke Blue Devils make a visit to Tech on Saturday looking to extend their four-game winning streak. The Blue Devils are one win away from bowl eligibility, and they could help intensify the panic in Blacksburg. The Hokies, who have lost three of their last four, feel they have the ability to bounce back and contend for the Coastal Division title. Right now, their biggest worry should be becoming bowl eligible.
–Sean Tapley’s 94-yard kickoff return touchdown in the first quarter was the first kickoff return touchdown allowed by the Hokies since a 1993 game against Syracuse. Tech had gone 237 straight games without giving up a kickoff return touchdown before Saturday. It was the longest streak in the country.
–Tech used a four-defensive end package in the first quarter with J.R. Collins, James Gayle, Dadi Nicolas and Corey Marshall.
–The Hokies fell to 13-1 in ACC regular-season games played in North Carolina and are now 17-3 in all games played in North Carolina since 2000. Tech is now 27-6 in ACC road games.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster indicated Saturday that his unit could be trying to do too much with its nickel package, which the Hokies have utilized extensively the last two games. Because of the results — Tech allowed 1,028 total yards and 75 points over the last two games — the Hokies could simplify things and go back to their base package more often from this point forward.
LOOKING GOOD: The Hokies have two long special teams returns this season — a 94-yard punt return touchdown by Kyshoen Jarrett at Pitt and a 93-yard kickoff return touchdown by Demitri Knowles at UNC. It marks the third time in the last four seasons the Hokies have a punt return touchdown and kick return touchdown in the same season.
STILL NEEDS WORK: The Hokies still haven’t found consistency in the run game. QB Logan Thomas led Tech with 20 rushing yards against UNC, marking the third time this season a non-running back has led the team in rushing with fewer than 50 yards. Tech’s best individual rushing total this season was Tony Gregory’s 68 yards against Bowling Green, but Gregory has been missing in action the last two games because of a knee injury.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We’ve got the meat of our schedule ahead of us. I mean, we’ve got to play well just to make a bowl game.” — Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster.
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NCAAF Team Report – Virginia Tech – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES:
–WR Demitri Knowles is starting to gain the confidence of his coaches and teammates. He had a game-high and career-high six catches for 83 yards against the Tar Heels. Two of his catches converted third downs, and he also ran a kickoff back 93 yards for a touchdown.
–S Michael Cole started his second straight game in the Hokies’ nickel package. He led the team with 11 tackles.
–QB Logan Thomas scored Tech’s only rushing touchdown against the Tar Heels. He has 15 for his career and sits fourth now on the Hokies’ all-time list for rushing touchdowns by quarterbacks. Ahead of him in third place is Michael Vick, who had 16 rushing touchdowns in his two years as Tech’s quarterback.
ROSTER REPORT
–WR Dyrell Roberts suffered a concussion in the first quarter after getting rocked after making a reception. He left the game a short time later and did not return.
–LG David Wang returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained ankle. He left the game in the first quarter with a leg injury but returned. He limped off the field again in the third quarter.
–RB Tony Gregory (knee) did not make the trip to Chapel Hill.
–LB Tariq Edwards, who has seen limited time this season because of a knee injury, also did not travel because of a death in the family.
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