This Saturday, everyone will be looking to see how No. 7 Virginia Tech will bounce back after a 27-7 loss to the University of Miami as the Hokies head to Charlottesville to face the University of Virginia.
In a game where Tech could seemingly get nothing going on the field, the keen observer might think the Hokies practiced everything that didn’t go right against the Hurricanes during the bye week after the game.
However, that’s not quite the case.
“We just are doing things right over and over,” said head coach Frank Beamer who will lead his 8-1 Hokies into Saturday’s noon contest against the Cavaliers. “Defensively, (Tech is trying to fit) in the right spot. You know, overall, there isn’t anything just glaring from (the Miami game). The fact that they were good and we were off here and there — they make you pay.”
Tech has spent the last week and a half erasing its first loss from the collective memory of the team and shifting the team’s focus back to square one.
“(We’re focusing on) playing smart. We played our butts off in the Miami game but we weren’t all times technically and fundamentally sound, and that put us in a bind,” said senior defensive end Darryl Tapp, who leads the Hokies with five sacks. “You can’t play hard without any kind of technique, and it didn’t work out well for us so we went back to the basics, went back to our roots: tackling, running hard, wrapping up, running through the tackle.”
With most of the national focus on Tech having wasted away with the loss, a win on Saturday might be easier for the Hokies to accomplish. Tech has faded from talk of playing in the national championship game and the national media has long since set up camp at other college campuses.
With the team focusing solely on 6-3 Virginia, the Hokies are working on honing in on Saturday’s game and not paying mind to the fact Tech has won five of its last six against the in-state rival.
“I think when you start talking about last year, the last six years you better watch out Saturday,” Beamer said. “We won seven out of 10 (against Miami) and that didn’t help us a bit last Saturday. You gotta get ready for this week.”
But the question remains — will the Hokies of 2004 show up at Scott Stadium, determined to persevere after a loss, or will the Hokies of 2003 arrive and disappoint us again?
“I know personally that if we go out there and get the job done and play Virginia Tech football, we’ll beat the University of Virginia,” said Tech’s leading receiver David Clowney. “But if we don’t get the things done we need to do in the week, then we’re going to get smacked just like we did against Miami.”
A familiar enemy
Adding fuel to Saturday’s rivalry fire is the fact that the majority of players on both squads hail from the commonwealth. Many Cavaliers and Hokies grew up playing with and against each other in high school.
“It makes playing the game more fun, especially when you go home and see the guys and talk about this and that,” said senior linebacker James Anderson, who went to Deep Creek High School with Virginia safety Jamaal Jackson.
Senior defensive tackle Jonathan Lewis said he grew up playing football and basketball with Virginia starts such as Ahmad Brooks, Kai Parham and Keenan Carter.
Hokies from the Tidewater area and the northern region of the state have the closest ties to players from Virginia, as both areas are recruited heavily.
“I know a whole lot of those guys because we all come from the same area. U.Va. and Virginia Tech are infiltrated with 757 alumni,” Tapp said, who also went to school with Virginia’s Jackson.
Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans and Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick attended rival high schools in the Tidewater area. Hagans attended Hampton High School while Vick went to Warwick, just down the road in Newport News — making them rivals for nearly a decade.
Injury update
Two big injuries will slow down the Hokies this week — the ankle of senior tailback Mike Imoh and the hamstring of sophomore wide receiver Eddie Royal.
Imoh will be out this weekend against Virginia, leaving senior Cedric Humes and redshirt freshman Branden Ore to carry the load in the backfield.
Royal tweaked his hamstring in the days leading up to Tech’s contest with the Hurricanes. Royal participated in two plays against Miami, but was taken out of the game once his hamstring flared up on him.
He has been receiving treatments on the injured leg and has been testing it this week.
“He practiced in blue (Monday) and we hope to get him in there and working more (Tuesday) and hopefully he can and comes out of it okay,” Beamer said.
When players participate in blue jerseys, they are not subject to contact in practice.
One question stemming from the loss against Miami is: Would Royal have made a big impact against the Hurricanes like he did in 2004, catching a game-sealing touchdown pass from Bryan Randall.
“I’m not sure how that game last year would have turned out if he hadn’t been there … He’s got the ability to run with some of those defenders,” Beamer said of his wide receiver and returner. “He mighta made a difference on some of those punt returns. (Miami’s punter Brian Monroe) was booming the ball, but those booming balls are great to return and get it going. I’d like to think he could have made a little difference there.”
It appears that a decision about Royal’s status will be made as it gets closer to Saturday.
|
|
|
|
 SPPS file photo |
|
|
|
|
|
