34-21
Virginia TEch Ohio State Highlights
Virginia Tech vs Ohio State (Sep 06, 2014) Source: OSU Official Site
Scoring Summary, Team Statistics, Individual Statistics, Drive Chart, Defensive Statistics, Game Participation, Box Score, Play-by-Play, Play breakdown
Ohio State Falls to Virginia Tech in Opener, 35-21
August 30, 2014 Source: OSU Official Site - Brewer's 2 TD passes lift Hokies over OSU, 35-21
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Urban Meyer knows that if things don't get better soon his Ohio State Buckeyes might just face more defeats down the road like the one they were handed in front of the biggest home crowd ever Saturday night.
Michael Brewer passed for two touchdowns and Virginia Tech's defense stood tough at the end and the Hokies stunned the eighth-ranked Buckeyes 35-21.
"I still have confidence that we have enough skill on this football team to get by people," he said.
Then he added, "It didn't look like it (tonight). But we have to get by people or you're going to see what you saw today every week."
Keyshoen Jarrett had two interceptions and Donovan Riley returned another 63 yards for a TD in the final minute before a record crowd of 107,517 at enlarged Ohio Stadium.
It was a huge win for a Virginia Tech program that had lost 11 games the last two years and had gone from perennial juggernaut to a national afterthought.
"I think this is a big, big win for this program, for the status of this program," coach Frank Beamer said.
Virginia Tech had talked all week about a spotlight victory to conjure up the program's better days under Beamer, now 226-109-2 in his 28 years in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The Hokies definitely did that.
But Beamer wasn't talking about a Hokies renaissance.
"I don't know," he said when asked if Virginia Tech had regained its national prominence. "We have to build on this win, learn from this win."
Brewer led the Hokies (2-0) to a 21-7 lead at the half. After his fumble led to the Buckeyes (1-1) pulling even on Ezekiel Elliott's 15-yard run early in the fourth quarter, he led a 65-yard march capped by his 10-yard scoring pass to Bucky Hodges with 8:44 left.
The defense then stymied Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, the freshman taking over for injured three-year starter Braxton Miller. Miller watched the game from the sidelines, his injured right arm in a sling.
Barrett, who looked solid in a come-from-behind 34-17 win over Navy last week, was just 9-of-29 for 219 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions. He led all rushers with 70 yards on 24 carries.
His line permitted seven sacks and he was hurried numerous other times.
But Meyer refused to point the finger.
"There are some weaknesses right now on our team and it was rather obvious what (they are)," he said. "We can play better on both sides."
Brewer, meanwhile, handled heavy pressure all day while moving the chains. He was 23-of-36 for 199 yards and the two scores with two interceptions.
"He's tough," said fullback Sam Rogers said. "I have complete trust in him."
It was Ohio State's third loss in its last four games after a school-record 24-game winning streak.
They also handed the Big Ten a third embarrassing loss on Saturday night. No. 3 Oregon ran away from seventh-ranked Michigan State 46-27 and No. 16 Notre Dame pounded Michigan 31-0. The rest of the conference went 8-2 earlier in the day against a bunch of underdogs from smaller conferences.
After the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Hokies ran to their small section of enthusiastic fans near the closed end of the stadium, smiling, waving and hugging everyone they met.
"It's not the last game of the season," Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman said. "There's a long way to go to finish out. Coach Meyer's message after the game is there's a lot to accomplish but we have to accomplish it at 11-1."
The Hokies relied on coordinator Bud Foster's tough, hard-nosed defense to shut down the Buckeyes at the finish.
Ohio State drew within a touchdown when Barrett tossed a short pass in the right flat to Michael Thomas, who spun and raced untouched the rest of the way for a 53-yard TD that left the Hokies up 21-14.
Then Brewer, who had stared down Ohio State's vaunted front all night, got hit from behind on a scramble by end Joey Bosa and fumbled, with Rashad Frazier recovering at the Virginia Tech 15. Two plays later, Elliott took an option pitch around right end and broke three tackles, tying it at 21 with 11:40 left in the fourth quarter.
Virginia Tech took over at its own 35 after an Ohio State kickoff went out of bounds.
Deon Newsome went 22 yards on an end around and Rogers gained 17 more on a reverse on which he faked a pass and then picked his way downfield.
On second and goal from the 10, Brewer fired a low, hard pass to the outside for Hodges to put Virginia Tech up 28-21.
The Hokies never flinched when Ohio State made its run.
"Hanging our head is something we don't do," Jarrett said.
Riley put the icing on the win when he stepped in front of a Barrett pass and raced down the right sideline - and in front of the Ohio State bench - for the 63-yard score with 46 seconds left.
"I'm a little bit surprised. I thought our skilled guys would perform better, I thought we'd protect a little better," Meyer said. "Coaches don't get surprised, we get disappointed. Obviously, we've just got to work a little harder."
Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech - Post Game Quotes Source: OSU Official Site
Two-Minute Drill: Updates from the Virginia Tech - Ohio State Postgame
September 6, 2014 Source: The Ozone - Following Ohio State's 35-21 loss at home to Virginia Tech, Urban Meyer and his coordinators spoke with the media, as did several players. Here are the highlights.
Urban Meyer Updates
+ Meyer said that Virginia Tech's defense exposed some of the offense's weaknesses and that it was "obvious what it is."
+ He said they will not point fingers or blame people, the entire team just has to get better.
+ Meyer called J.T. Barrett's performance gutsy, but not good enough. He also said the receivers did not play well and had too many dropped passes.
+ Meyer said that the Hokies were playing "zero coverage", which is man defense all across the board and he was very disappointed that the OSU skill players didn't capitalize.
+ He said that Virginia Tech had too many men in the box to run inside. The safeties were up in the box to help the run defense. He said California and Purdue did the same thing in 2012, adding that there is "not enough confidence in our skilled players."
+ Meyer said the special teams "set us back a little bit."
+ He said he was surprised and disappointed in how the team played. Especially with the skill players and offensive line. He is confident that they still have enough skill to get by, however.
Luke Fickell Updates
+ Fickell said Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Brewer did a good job of being elusive and escaping the rush.
+ He said the team is disappointed, but their demeanor is good. "I think they're gonna be fine."
+ Fickell said that the team has expectations, "but the reality is that these things happen", adding, "We took it on the chin." Now they will see how the team responds.
+ "There's not going to be any finger pointing."
+ Fickell said that he doesn't remember an opponent picking up as many third and longs as VT did. They put themselves in great situations, but could take advantage of them often enough.
Tom Herman Updates
+ Herman said it was "tough sledding" inside. Virginia Tech was playing a "double eagle", which has the defensive line covering up the center and both guards, which makes it "damn near impossible" to run inside. They went to the speed option to get some yards, "but couldn't make the plays in the end."
+ Asked about the receivers not being able to get open and dropping passes, Herman said they aren't pointing fingers. He added that it was a contributing factor, but said the quarterback wasn't very accurate at times either. Barrett didn't look the proper way, and sometimes when he did the protection let them down. "From myself on down to the players, it was certainly not one thing that you could say that this was the reason."
+ They were not expecting VT to play the double eagle with no safety help, so it took the a while to adjust to it, "Really the only way to attack that is with the speed option and to throw the football." They had to keep extra blockers in to help give time to Barrett, which also limited his options downfield.
+ Herman said this team is trained to respond to things like this. "I told my guys, 'Let this one hurt tonight, but when you get up in the morning it's time to go to work.'"
+ Assessing how Barrett played: "Not very good." He said quarterbacks are judged by wins and losses and how the offense moves. He did some good things, but not enough.
+ Herman said "a lot" of the problems on offense were due to inexperience, but "that's not an excuse".
+ "It's certainly difficult to determine what our identity is when you're facing a team that is basically saying, 'This is going to be your identity. You're not running the ball and you're going to have to beat us throwing the ball.'" "We weren't good enough tonight to make them pay for that."
+ Herman said he expects to see more opponents use the same defense as Virginia Tech. OSU will continue to look for ways to combat it.
Adolphus Washington Updates
+ Washington said the loss was disappointing, but they have to bounce back and be ready for Kent State. He said as a team, they didn't play well "when we needed it."
+ He said Virginia Tech "had a roll going" after Ohio State tied the game at 21-21.
+ Washington said the defense did okay but didn't play well when they needed to.
+ He said the locker room was quiet, but Urban Meyer told them that 11-1 is not bad.
+ Washington said they didn't have a very good Tuesday practice last week and they need to make sure that changes this week.
Vonn Bell Updates
+ "It's very disappointing, but we've got to come together as a team...we just need to stay together."
+ Regarding the third and longs, he said that Virginia Tech was just making plays. The defense needed to get the ball back for the offense and they didn't.
+ He said they came out of the half with the mindset that it was 0-0 on the scoreboard.
+ Bell said he thought he played well, but there are some things that need fixed. He'll watch the entire game tonight.
IT WAS OVER WHEN ... With Ohio State down just seven points in the final minute, Virginia Tech cornerback Donovan Riley had a pick-six to seal the win.
GAME BALL GOES TO ... Though the stats don't tell the whole story, Hokies QB Michael Brewer made some big throws and had two key touchdown passes.
STAT OF THE GAME ... The two teams combined for 17 penalties for 169 yards and six turnovers.
Star of the game ... Virginia Tech’s defense bullied the Buckeyes and quarterback J.T. Barrett, but Hokies QB Michael Brewer made things happen on offense. He finished 23-of-36 passing for 199 yards and was effective on third down to help keep Ohio State at arm’s length.
Turning point ... Ohio State had climbed out of a 21-7 hole to tie the score in the fourth quarter before the Buckeyes’ bad habits resurfaced. A kickoff out of bounds put Virginia Tech in good field position, and then a pass-interference penalty and two long runs set up the Hokies’ go-ahead score.
Repercussion ... Is it possible that one of the Power Five conferences will be represented by only two teams in this week’s top 25 polls? Oh, it’s possible. Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan lost “statement” nonconference games, and Nebraska barely beat an FCS team.
• The attendance of 107,517 marked an Ohio Stadium record.
• Eli Apple tallied his first career interception in the first quarter. Von Bell had the second of his career in the third quarter.
• J.T. Barrett picked up his first career touchdown run on a 2-yard carry in the first quarter. He ended the game with a career-high 70 rushing yards after picking up 50 last week at Navy.
• Dontre Wilson's 40-yard reception in the second quarter marked a career long. His previous best was 26 at California in 2013.
• Michael Thomas' 53-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter was the longest of his career. Against Virginia Tech he had a team-high 98 yards receiving on six catches, both career highs. Last week at Navy he had 39 yards receiving on three receptions.
• Freshmen and sophomores have recorded 49 of 55 points for the Buckeyes this season.
• Curtis Grant (13) and Joshua Perry (11) both had career highs in tackles and tackles for loss with two each. Grant's previous high was 10 against Northwestern in 2013 and Perry's previous best was 10 against Clemson last year. Darron Lee matched the career-best seven tackles he recorded vs. Navy last week.
• Joey Bosa's two forced fumbles this season each have led to an Ohio State touchdown. Darron Lee recovered the fumble last Saturday at Navy and returned it 61 yards for the score before Bosa's forced fumble tonight against Virginia Tech set up Ezekiel Elliott's 15-yard, game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.
• Ohio State accumulated 10 tackles for loss, the most since recording a dozen vs. Indiana Nov. 23, 013.
• The loss ended Ohio State's regular-season winning streak at 25 games, which had been the longest active streak in the nation.
• It was Ohio State's first loss in a home opener since 1978, ending a stretch of 35-consecutive victories in home openers. The team is 112-9-4 all-time in home openers since 1890.
• The game was the first played under the permanent lights in Ohio Stadium. The team is 39-23 all-time in night games and had won its last five night games in Ohio Stadium (last loss to USC in 2009).
• The loss was the Buckeyes' first at home against an unranked, non-conference opponent since losing 34-17 to Florida State Oct. 2, 1982, ending a 64-game winning streak in such contests.
Sources: ESPN, Columbus Dispatch, OSU Official Site
Five Things: Porous Offensive Line, Shoddy Special Teams and Well-Prepared Hokies Spell Doom
September 7, 2014 Source: Eleven Warriors - With a bevy of blue chip prospects, LeBron James and a record 107,517 fans on hand to watch Ohio State battle Virginia Tech, the Buckeyes themselves were a No-Call, No Show in a humbling 35-21 defeat at the hands of the impressive Hokies... 
Offense Fell Short In VT Clash
September 7, 2014 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - Ohio State's rebuilt offense couldn't survive Virginia Tech's pressure Saturday night, as a lack of execution held the Buckeyes back. We take a look at what went wrong and where it might get better going forward...
Ohio State's offensive line wasn't as bad as you think in Virginia Tech loss: Five Doug Lesmerises observations
September 7, 2014 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - ...In the end, the offensive line wasn't the biggest problem in Ohio State' 35-21 loss...
‘Zero defense’ stymied runners: Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Virginia Tech played a “zero defense,” similar to what California did against the Buckeyes last season, which made it tough to run inside last night.
“There’s no inside run game when they do that,” Meyer said.
Offensive tackle Darryl Baldwin said the line knew the Hokies would pack the box with defenders and dare the Buckeyes to beat them wide or over the top.
“We knew there were going to be a lot of guys in the box and that it was going to be tough to run,” Baldwin said. They just did it really well, and we weren’t able to get the ball rolling.
“We just haven’t been able to get on a roll offensively. The defense has been playing well, and when we get opportunities, we haven’t been taking advantage of them. Those three-and-outs have been killing us, and third-down specialty stuff. Once we get that fixed, that will be good.”
Third down the difference: For much of the night, the Buckeyes’ defense had the Hokies where they wanted them — in third and long.
Too often, quarterback Michael Brewer converted anyway.
That was a major source of frustration to Buckeyes defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.
“Man, I don’t know,” he said when asked if he could pinpoint the problem. “No excuse. They made some plays. We lost leverage. It wasn’t like we weren’t pressuring. We were coming after him and hitting him. They rolled the pocket a little bit and made some plays. Ultimately, that’s what killed us.”
Virginia Tech finished 9 of 17 on third down, but the Hokies were even better in the first half when they built a 21-7 lead.
“In the first half, they were 7 of 10 on third downs. It’s not like they were third-and-2 and third-and-3s. We’re talking third-and-10 and third-and-12. The ideal situations you want to be in, and we didn’t execute.”
Source: Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Stock Market Report: Virginia Tech
September 7, 2014 Source: Land-Grant Holy Land - Who's up and who's down, now that Virginia Tech is in the books...
TBDBITL "TV Land" - Halftime vs. Virginia Tech: 9-6-14
VIRGINIA TECH (1-0) at No. 8 OHIO STATE (1-0), 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Line: Ohio State by 11½.
Series Record: First meeting.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Hokies are hoping this could herald a return to the spotlight after losing 11 games the past two seasons. Coach Frank Beamer has racked up 225 wins in his 28 years in Blacksburg, Virginia, but his teams have lost games before October in seven of the last eight years to quickly fall out of the national championship picture. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes are trying to build momentum while gaining experience for a young team. Frosh QB J.T. Barrett, filling in for the injured Braxton Miller, played well but the offense still got off to a slow start before overcoming Navy in the opener.
KEY MATCHUP
Tech offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler against the Buckeyes defense. The former Michigan QB was Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's QBs coach for two years at Florida and knows how his old boss thinks. Tech QB Michael Brewer was good against FCS William and Mary last week, but this is a much bigger challenge against the Buckeyes' veteran, aggressive front line and mobile linebackers.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Virginia Tech: RB Skip McKenzie went for 106 yards last week. He has to be that productive again to keep Ohio State from pinning back its ears and turning up the heat on Brewer.
Ohio State: If DEs Joey Bosa and Steve Miller and DTs Adolphus Washington, Tommy Schutt and Michael Bennett get mentioned a lot on the telecast, it could be a long day for the Hokies. That'll mean that they're disrupting the Tech front wall and making things easier on Ohio State's green secondary.
FACTS & FIGURES
A record crowd could be on hand at 92-year-old Ohio Stadium, since an $8.9-million expansion project has added 2,615 seats — raising capacity to 104,944. ... Virginia Tech has never played before more than the 92,739 fans at LSU in 2007. ... The Hokies have played against members of the Big Ten only twice before, splitting the decisions, both in bowls. ... The Buckeyes have won their last 35 home openers and are 74-7 at Ohio Stadium since the start of the 2002 season.
TV & Radio
TV coverage: ESPN & ESPN, Live Stream & Radio: Ohio State radio affiliates
Five key factors for victory September 6, 2014 Source: Columbus Dispatch
1. Show off the defense
Ohio State had to shelve its aggressive new scheme against Navy’s triple option, but it will make its debut tonight. The Buckeyes promise to contest every pass, unlike the passive coverage that was used — and bemoaned — most of last year. Will the mostly inexperienced secondary be up to the task? Just as important, can their front four live up to their billing and harass new Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Brewer to make it easier for those in coverage?
2. Next step for Barrett
Except for an interception near the goal line, J.T. Barrett’s debut as Ohio State quarterback was solid. He didn’t make another bad throw and ran for 50 yards to help keep drives alive. But Ohio State’s game plan nursed him along with easy throws. With a game under his belt, let’s see how much his duties — and performance — can expand.
3. Identify offensive star
Barrett led the team in rushing last week. That’s not ideal, and it’s important for a skill-position player — or two or three — to emerge as go-to guys. Six wide receivers or more will rotate, so it’s more likely to be one of the running backs or hybrids. Can Ezekiel Elliott break out? Or Curtis Samuel? Rod Smith? Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall have the ability, as well.
4. Capitalize in red zone
The Buckeyes were nearly automatic last year when they sniffed the opponent’s goal line. Of course, it helped to have Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde. The Buckeyes got only one field goal in two red-zone trips against Navy in the first half last week. They have to do better against Virginia Tech, but creative Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster won’t make it easy for them.
5. Win special teams
Virginia Tech’s national rise was fueled largely by “Beamer Ball” — the ability to turn games on special teams. But Ohio State has the capability to dominate that phase of the game as well. The Buckeyes have a gifted punter in Cameron Johnston, a game-breaking return threat in Wilson and a promising kicker in freshman Sean Nuernberger, whose first collegiate field goal attempt was good from 46 yards.
Play of the week: Sell-out blitz
When it comes to blitzes, Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster is a lot like a veteran comedian with jokes: He’s got a million of ’em.
Ohio State’s young offensive line and quarterback J.T. Barrett, starting only his second game, can expect to see many blitzes from Foster’s repertoire tonight, because he and the Hokies long have enjoyed being a rite of passage for such fledgling combinations. For example, Virginia Tech stymied Alabama and its inexperienced offensive line for most of the game in last year’s season opener. The Hokies were beaten 35-10, but largely because they gave up 21 points on three returns.
They went at the Tide and veteran quarterback A.J. McCarron with a variety of stunts and blitzes, sometimes even on sure running downs, seemingly never giving the offensive line the same look two times in a row.
So here’s a blitz Ohio State might see tonight. Let’s call it the “sell-out,” because that’s what it is.
The Hokies, in a nickel defense on a sure passing down, deploy in a standard 4-2 look up front, then walk the outside linebacker up to the line. At the snap, the outside linebacker rushes off the edge and the inside linebacker steps forward trying to find a gap in the suddenly overloaded left side of the offensive line. From the middle of the secondary comes the safety, trying to shoot a gap between the right guard and center, who are engaged with defensive linemen.
The key for Barrett and the Buckeyes if they see this is to keep their cool, run blitz-control pass routes and try to take advantage of the man-to-man coverage. McCarron did. He stood in the face of the blitzing safety and threw a 38-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, one of the few bright spots for the Alabama offense. Source: Columbus Dispatch
Why Virginia Tech's blitzing will challenge Ohio State: Buckeye Chalk Talk with former OSU lineman Andrew Moses (video)
September 5, 2014 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Five questions about Virginia Tech: An insider's look at the Ohio State Buckeyes' night game vs. The Hokies
September 5, 2014 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
| Head Coach Urban Meyer talks with reporters about the upcoming game against Virginia Tech, Post-Practice Wednesday. September 3, 2014 Source: theozone.net |
| New Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash on what the new approach to pass defense brings to the secondary. September 3, 2014 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer |
Head Coach Urban Meyer wrapped up the Navy game and answered questions about the upcoming game against Virginia Tech.
September 1, 2014 Source: theozone.net |
Presser Bullets: Meyer Talks Virginia Tech, Offensive Line, J.T. Barrett, Defense
September 1, 2014 Source: Eleven Warriors - Meyer said Ohio State was “very poor in the first half” offensively. The Buckeyes entered intermission with a pair of field goals before exploding for 28 points in the second half.
Meyer said redshirt freshman tight end Marcus Baugh is suspended for two games. Baugh did not make the trip to play Navy and will miss Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech. The grounds for suspension? Meyer said “stuff.”
Meyer continued to lament the offensive line, which struggled mightily in the first half. “Concern No.1 is offensive line ... our offensive line did not play like an Ohio State offensive line." Meyer said he gained more confidence in the unit after a “pretty good” second half. Added Meyer: “But "pretty good is not what we expect. Pretty good won't win that game" against Virginia Tech.
Meyer said redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett was “OK.” Barrett was 12-of-15 for 226 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He was named the Big Ten co-freshman Player of the Week Monday morning. Added Meyer: “You take away the interception, and I think he did very well."
Meyer said Darron Lee, Doran Grant, Tyvis Powell were defensive champions while Devin Smith, Evan Spencer, Dontre Wilson, Jeff Heuerman, Nick Vannett, Darryl Baldwin and Taylor Decker were offensive champions.
Meyer said senior wide receiver Devin Smith is “one of the best deep ball players we've ever had." Smith hauled in an 80-yard bomb from Barrett to break open the game against Navy.
Meyer said he expected redshirt freshman linebacker Darron Lee to have a breakout performance Saturday. "I was not surprised, he's been practicing like that since spring ball." Lee came to Ohio State as a safety and a quarterback in high school.
Meyer said he was happy with how his defense played, particularly in the first half. “When you look at the score at halftime, 7-6, I thought our defense played outstanding."
Meyer on Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer: “I have so much respect for him." Said "Beamer Ball" rounded out appreciation for special teams.
Meyer said senior running back Rod Smith earned himself carries Saturday after an 11-second block on a punt return. Meyer called it “one of the greatest plays" he's ever seen on special teams.
Meyer said Ohio State needs to get freshman linebacker Raekwon McMillan into the game, said he will play against the Hokies.
No. 5/6 Ohio State Welcomes Virginia Tech Saturday Night
September 1, 2014 Source: OSU Official Site - Game to be televised on ESPN under the lights at Ohio Stadium ...
First and 10
• Ohio State enters Saturday with the nation's longest regular-season winning streak at 25 games.
• Ohio State and Virginia Tech are meeting for the first time Saturday.
• Ohio State has won 35 consecutive home openers; the last loss coming in 1978 to Penn State.
• The Buckeyes are 112-8-4 all-time in home openers since 1890.
• Ohio State is 39-22 all-time in night games (games 5 p.m. or later) and have won its last five night games at Ohio Stadium.
• Ohio State has not lost a night game at Ohio Stadium since 2009 (USC).
• Ohio State is 74-7 overall at Ohio Stadium since the start of the 2002 season.
• Ohio State has won 64 consecutive regular-season home games against unranked, non-conference opponents. The last loss: 34-17 to Florida State, Oct. 2, 1982.
• Redshirt freshman QB J.T. Barrett was named the Big Ten co-Freshman of the Week for his performance in the win vs. Navy.
• Head coach Urban Meyer is 48-4 in his career in games played in August/September.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia Tech started the season with a 34-9 win over visiting William & Mary Saturday. The Hokies are coming off a 2013 season where they finished 8-5 and 5-3 in the ACC Coastal Division. They ended their season with a 42-12 loss to UCLA in the Sun Bowl and return nine starters on offense and five on defense.
Freshman running back Shai McKenzie led the Hokies on the ground in the win over William & Mary with nine carries for 106 yards and one TD. Sophomore RB Trey Edmunds also is back after rushing for 675 yards and 10 TDs last season. Michael Brewer has replaced the departed Logan Thomas at QB, throwing for 251 yards on 23 of 30 passing with two TDs and one INT in Saturday's win. Ten different players caught passes for the Hokies Saturday, six of those by freshman tight end Bucky Hodges for 38 yards and one TD.
Defensively, Marcus Harvey and Luke Rhodes led Virginia Tech with 11 tackles each in Saturday's win.
Head coach Frank Beamer is in his 28th season at Virginia Tech with a record of 225-109-2 entering Saturday. He has led the Hokies to 21 consecutive bowl appearances, four ACC titles, five ACC Coastal Division crowns, three BIG EAST Conference titles, six BCS appearances and a trip to the national championship game. Under his guidance, the Hokies have finished in the Top 20 in 16 of the past 21 seasons, including four top-10 finishes during the last 10 years.
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